[ {"source_document": "", "creation_year": 1536, "culture": " Italian\n", "content": "Produced by Claudio Paganelli, Carlo Traverso, Charles\nFranks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. This\nfile was produced from images generously made available\nby the Biblioth\u00e8que nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at\n_corsivo_, =grassetto=\nLE RIME DI TULLIA D'ARAGONA\nCORTIGIANA DEL SECOLO XVI\nEDITE a cura e studio DI ENRICO CELANI\nBOLOGNA, 1891\n Poich\u00e8 la carit\u00e0 del nat\u00eco loco\n mi strinse, raunai le fronde sparte...\nUno dei fatti pi\u00f9 notevoli al principio del decimosesto secolo \u00e8 senza\ndubbio l'apparire della _cortigiana_; figura degna di considerazione e\ndi esame non ebbe pur anco uno storico che di lei si occupasse\nscrupolosamente e gelosamente, e, diseppellendo dalle biblioteche ed\narchivii i numerosi documenti che la riguardano, dasse compiuta questa\npagina di storia che non \u00e8 tra le ultime del nostro rinascimento. Il\nnome di _cortigiana_ si collega certamente alla storia dell'umanesimo,\nma quando, dove e come ebbe principio? Tale quesito non ha ancora\nrisposta sicura. Arturo Graf [1], che si occup\u00f2 ultimo della questione\ncon quell'acume di critica ed abbondanza di erudizione ben note, esita\na dare giudizio decisivo, attendendo pur lui che nuovi stud\u00ee e\ndocumenti traccino via pi\u00f9 ampia e sicura per definire tale punto.\nLo sviluppo della _cortigiana_ prodotto dalla rivoluzione sociale che\nsi svolgeva nel rinascimento, adattato al nuovo regime di vita che\nrese allora meno dure e servili le leggi sul costume, viene certamente\na smentire l'asserzione che il cinquecento fosse l'et\u00e0 pi\u00f9 feconda di\nturpi vizii, e l'amor patico, nato nelle epoche di maggior coltura e\ndiffuso su larga scala nel medio evo, trova a combatterlo questo\nsviluppo della cortigianeria e le leggi civili di quasi tutti gli\nstati italiani, mentre dal pergamo tuona aspra e minacciosa la voce di\nS.Bernardino [2] e del Savonarola [3]; l'Ariosto stesso che non ne fu\nimmune dichiara che nel 1518 il vizio si restringeva a pochi umanisti.\nEd allora si disputa sulla teorica dell'amore che ha forti e strenui\ncampioni; dell'amore libero tra liberi discorre Speron Speroni nel\n_Dialogo d'amore_ ove introduce a parlare la Tullia d'Aragona e\nBernardo Tasso, innamorati, e costretti a separarsi dovendo\nquest'ultimo andare a Salerno; dell'amor platonico, primi il Bembo e\nil Castiglione, il Piccolomini poi, che lo definisce \"un desiderio di\npossedere con perfetta unione l'animo bello della cosa amata [4]\"\ncontrastando all'amore che anela il solo possesso del corpo. All'amore\nassolutamente libero, per il quale era inutile insistere dopo il\nlavor\u00eco dell'Aretino, sono infirmate quasi tutte le liriche di\ncortigiane del cinquecento; rispecchiano quelle l'ambiente nel quale\nfurono create, queste la cortigianeria nei luoghi ove la coltura era\npi\u00f9 vasta e diffusa: dalla corte pontificia a quella dei Medici, da\nVenezia a Siena.\nIl rinascimento, rotti gli argini che opponevansi nel medio evo alla\ncoltura della donna, condusse a due estremi sostanzialmente diversi\nche si disputarono il campo per quasi tutto il secolo decimosesto: la\ncoltura seria e positiva da un lato, la licenza dall'altro: prodotta\nquest'ultima da male intesa libert\u00e0, condusse poi per inevitabile\nantitesi all'educazione claustrale. Di tale antitesi tramandarono\ndocumenti il Castiglione e il Garzoni; il primo, attribuendo al Bembo\nla dichiarazione poetica dell'amore e trasportando il lettore nella\nCorte di Urbino, ove le lettere e le arti erano tradizione, appalesa\nper bocca di Giuliano de' Medici, la cui consorte Filiberta fu cantata\nmodello di femminili virt\u00f9, che \"la coltura della donna deve\nrassomigliare a quella dell'uomo, cui ella \u00e8 pari. Nei diversi rami\ndella scienza e dell'arte essa deve possedere la conoscenza necessaria\nper parlarne con intelligenza e con senno anche quando queste non sono\nprofessate. La donna deve essere versata in letteratura, aver\nconoscenza di belle arti, essere esperta nella danza e nell'arte del\nvestire, saper evitare non meno ci\u00f2 da cui si pu\u00f2 supporre vanit\u00e0 e\nleggerezza, che quanto palesa mancanza di gusto. Il suo conversare,\nserio e faceto, dev'essere adatto alla convenienza de' casi, essa non\ndeve mai parlare ad alta voce e con iscostumatezza, n\u00e8 con malizia ed\nin modo da offendere, deve corrispon[spon]dere alla sua condizione con\nmodestia e con modi convenienti, a cui \u00e8 obbligata, verso quelli che\ncostituiscono abitualmente la sua compagnia. Nel suo presentarsi e nel\ncontegno sia aggraziata senz'affettazione. Le sue qualit\u00e0 morali,\nl'onest\u00e0 e le virt\u00f9 domestiche devono essere d'accordo con le\nintellettuali. Debb'esser casta, ma cortese: arguta ma discreta; ad\nogni parola libera non dee fare un volto troppo severo. Sappia\ngovernar la casa e la sostanza e guidar l'educazione de' figliuoli.\nNon tenti d'imitar l'uomo negli esercizi del corpo, che a lui sono\nadatti ed a lui si richieggono. In tutto il suo essere, nel\nportamento, nell'andare e stare, nel parlare, mostri grazia, dolcezza\nfemminile e non rassomigli all'uomo\". E questi ammaestramenti\nseguirono donne d'illustre casata, quali Eleonora d'Aragona, Isabella\nd'Este, Ippolita Sforza, Elisabetta Gonzaga, e delle citt\u00e0 ove\nl'elemento borghese ottenne spesso la supremazia ed il potere, resta\nil ricordo di Antonia Di Pulci e Lorenza Tornabuoni.\nL'ambiente elevato e colto nel quale visse la cortigiana nel\ncinquecento non poteva non influire su di essa e spingerla a\ngareggiare con le donne oneste, spesso coltissime; troviamo infatti in\ntutte le nostre storie letterarie, vicino ai nomi di quelle due grandi\nche furono Vittoria Colonna e Veronica Gambara, due cortigiane:\nVeronica Franco e Tullia d'Aragona; e se tra loro molto lungi per\ncostumi, non certo per meriti letterarii. Data questa coltura nella\ndonna onesta doveva alla cortigiana richiedersi necessariamente di\nesserle pari se non superiore, avere vivace ingegno, voce bella e\ngradita, essere esperta nel suono e nella danza, maestra insomma in\ntutte quelle arti che, bramate o volute, erano poi, strano a\nconsiderarsi, altamente biasimate da uomini come l'Aretino e il\nGarzoni, che definiscono tali doti atte solo a sedurre ed attrarre.\n\"Onde pensi che nascano i canti, i suoni, i balli, i giuochi, le\nfeste, le vegghie, i concerti, i diporti loro, se non da quell'intento\ndi aver l'applauso, il commercio, il concorso della turba infelice di\nquesti amanti, che rapiti da quelle voci angeliche e soprane, attratte\nda quei suoni divini di arpicordi e lauti, impazziti in quei moti e in\nquei giri loro tanto attrattivi, consumati in quei giuochi sfarzevoli,\nrilegrati in quelle feste giulive, addormentati in quelle vegghie\npellegrine, immersi in quei conviti di Venere, di Bacco, morti nel\nmezzo di quei soavi diporti, restino prigioni e servi del lor fallace\ned insidioso amore? [5] \"E dacch\u00e8 siamo col Garzoni, che lasci\u00f2 della\ncortigianeria la migliore delle testimonianze, non possiamo esimerci\ndal citare un altro particolare degno di nota che egli ci offre e\nriguarda il _mezzano_, che, dovendo esser in tutto degno della\ncortigiana che l'aveva prescelto, serve a gettare luce in\nquell'ambiente triste e tuttora oscuro. \"Imita il grammatico nel\nscrivere le lettere amorose tanto ben messe, e tanto ben apuntate che\nrendono stupore, nel dettar politamente, nel spiegar galantemente,\nnell'esprimer secretamente il suo pensiero... appare un poeta nel\ndescrivere i casi acerbi con piet\u00e0 di parole, i fatti allegri con\ngiubilo di cuore... porta seco i sonetti del Petrarca, le rime del\nCieco d'Ascoli, l'_Arcadia_ del Sannazaro, i madrigali del Parabosco,\nil _Furioso_, l'_Amadigi_, l'Anguillara, il Dolce, il Tasso, e sopra\ntutto i strambotti d'Olimpo da Sassoferrato, come pi\u00f9 facili, sono i\nsuoi divoti per ogni occasione... Si reca dietro qualche sonetto in\nseno, un madrigale in mano, una sestina galante, una canzone polita,\ncon un verso sonoro, con uno stil grave, con parlar fecondo, con tropi\neleganti, con figure eloquenti, con parole terse, con un dir limato,\nche par che il Bembo, o il Caro, o il Veniero, o il Gorellini\nl'abbiano fatto allora allora; e si mostra alla diva con lettere\nd'oro, con caratteri preziosi; si legge con dolcezza, si pronunzia con\nsoavit\u00e0, si dichiara con modo, si scopre l'intenzione, si manifesta il\nsenso, e si palesa il fine del poeta... Con la musica diletta sovente\nle orecchie delle giovani, mollifica l'animo d'ogni lascivia, ruina i\ncostumi, disperde l'onest\u00e0, infiamma l'alma di cocente amore, incende\ni spiriti di concupiscenza carnale; mentre si cantan lamenti,\ndisperazioni, frottole, stanze e terzetti, canzoni, villanelle,\nbarzellette, e si tocca la cetra, o il lauto, a una battaglia amorosa,\na una bergamasca gentile, a una fiorentina garbata, a una gagliarda\npolita, a una moresca graziosa, e pian piano s'invita ai balli e alle\ndanze, dove i tatti vanno in volta, i baci si fanno avanti le parole\nscerete... [6] \". Questo procuratore di amore non \u00e8 egli un tipo\nabbastanza curioso e interessante?\nLa _cortigiana_ apparisce in Roma alcuni anni prima del 1500 [7] e\ncome tale \u00e8 ufficialmente, se cos\u00ec \u00e8 lecito dire, riconosciuta in\ndocumenti autentici della curia papale. In un censimento [8] compilato\nd'ordine della suprema autorit\u00e0 di Roma, redatto certamente nel\nsettennio corso dal 1511 al 1518, ove trovansi numerate case,\nbotteghe, proprietari ed inquilini, e di tutti o quasi tutti si nota\nla patria, condizione ed arte, le _cortigiane_ sono notate in numero\nesorbitante, spagnuole e veneziane in massima parte, e distinte in\n_cortesane honeste, cortesane putane, cortesane da candella, da lume,\ne de la minor sorte_. Una sola volta, e forse senza alcuna malizia, il\ncompilatore della statistica dimentica l'aridit\u00e0 del suo lavoro e\nnota: \"La casa di Leonardo Bertini habita Madonna Smeralda cura 3\nfiglie _piacevoli_ cortegiane\".\nIl tipo dell'elegante cortigiana, dell'Aspasia del cinquecento, \u00e8\nl'Imperia, morta in Roma nel 1511 a soli ventisei anni, [9] ricordata\negualmente con ardore da storici e romanzieri, amata da Angelo del\nBufalo e da Agostino Chigi il famoso banchiere [10] celebrata da poeti\ne letterati, e presso la quale adunavasi il fiore della romana\naristocrazia e convenivano uomini quali il Sadoleto, il Campani, il\nColocci. Ebbe per maestro Domenico Campana detto Strascino. Di altre\ncitansi le doti singolari: \"Lucrezia Porzia, dice l'Aretino, pare un\nTullio, e sa tutto il Petrarca e il Boccaccio a memoria ed infiniti e\nbei versi di Virgilio, d'Orazio e d'Ovidio e di molti altri autori\"\n[11]: la Squarcina conosceva benissimo il greco: la Nicolosa leggeva i\nsalmi in ebraico, e molte ancora che sarebbe ozioso il ricordare.\nMalgrado tutto ci\u00f2 la cortigiana del cinquecento era pur sempre quella\ndel medio evo: tolta dall'ambiente che l'avvinceva, costringendola a\npiegarsi al rinascimento classico, rimaneva di essa la donna nella\nquale si alternavano tutti quei bassi sentimenti che erano diretta\nconseguenza della vita che conduceva. Per\u00f2 qualche barlume di affetto\nvero, potente, trovasi pur nella storia della cortigianeria: il Molza\ned il Bandello non erano alieni dal credere che la cortigiana potesse\nveramente amare, noi, pi\u00f9 scettici, crediamo con riserva a questo\namore che poteva esser cagionato da interessi troppo palesi e reali,\ndubitiamo che la cortigiana avesse il cuore al di sopra della ragione,\nmentre accettiamo senza dubbio alcuno il fatto che nella prostituta di\npi\u00f9 bassa specie si rinvenisse l'amore nelle pi\u00f9 forti sue\nmanifestazioni. \u00c8 questo un fatto che si ripete continuamente anche ai\nnostri giorni, e se discutibile dal lato psicologico, non cessa per\nquesto di essere men vero. Ricordasi l'Aragona innamorata del Varchi e\ndel Manelli: Camilla pisana dello Strozzi; Marietta Mirtilla del\nBrocardo, ed una certa Medea che in morte di Ludovico dell'Armi veniva\nconsolata per lettera dall'Aretino; ma vogliamo proprio credere sul\nserio all'amore ispirato alla cortigiana da letterati? Questi erano\nallora come adesso, e come forse disgraziatamente lo saranno sempre,\npi\u00f9 ricchi d'ingegno, di madrigali, di epistole che di quattrini,\nesaltavano le cortigiane, dedicavano loro libri e capitoli e col\nsacrificio dell'amor proprio ricambiavano i favori lor concessi:\nAntonio Brocardo scrisse un'orazione in lode loro, il Muzio, il Tasso,\nil Varchi esaltarono l'Aragona: il Molza, Beatrice spagnola:\nMichelangelo Buonarroti, Faustina Mancina: Niccol\u00f2 Martelli l'onorata\nmadonna Salterella; e le cortigiane si abbarbicavano a questi\nletterati perch\u00e8 da essi dipendeva in massima parte la rinomanza loro\n[12]. La Tullia d'Aragona \u00e8 quella che nelle sue rime lascia\nmaggiormente scorgere l'influenza dei letterati, sino a dubitare che\nalcune di esse siano opera del Varchi stesso, e d\u00e0 in pari tempo la\nfigura spiccata della strisciante cortigianeria che avviluppava anche\nallora i pi\u00f9 minuscoli principi. L'antitesi \u00e8 in Veronica Franco della\nquale daremo in breve le rime, divenute di meravigliosa rarit\u00e0,\ndesiderio ardente e inappagato di bibliofili senza numero, orgoglio di\nalcuni pochissimi pi\u00f9 venturati [13]: essa \u00e8 l'incarnazione della\ndonna libera del cinquecento ed \u00e8 l'unica che canti liberamente i suoi\namori: non s'informa a platonismo o castit\u00e0 irrisori, ama per amare e\nsoddisfare i sensi, e i suoi liberi amplessi, dice il buon P. Giovanni\ndegli Agostini \"con tal'arte seppe dipingerli e con tal frase\nadornarli che servono agl'incauti di vigoroso solletico alla\nconcupiscenza [14] \". Tale non pu\u00f2 essere oggi il parere di coloro che\nsi occupano seriamente della nostra letteratura: ogni pagina, bella o\nbrutta, sana o impura, che venga a chiarire la nostra rinascenza, non\n\u00e8 che contributo a lavoro maggiore, e come tale spero vorr\u00e0 essere\naccolta questa mia debole fatica.\nDella Tullia d'Aragona parecchi si occuparono, in questi ultimi tempi:\nforse ne parler\u00e0 ancora il Bongi nel seguito de' suoi _Annali del\nGiolito de' Ferrari_, editi dal Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione;\ncertamente poi il Biagi in altra edizione di un suo scritto apparso\nnella _Nuova Antologia_ del 1886; ma stimo che la biografia della\npoetessa poco abbia pi\u00f9 da offrire a cos\u00ec insistenti e dotti\nricercatori, perch\u00e8 la sua vita \u00e8 quasi tutta delineata, e molto\nnettamente per l'epoca nella quale visse e la vita nomade che ebbe a\ncondurre. In ogni modo augurando sempre nuova luce, basta al mio\nassunto ritrarre in poche linee la vita della Tullia, servendomi anche\ndi documenti finora non messi a profitto dai due egregi scrittori.\nIl Crescimbeni [15], il Quadrio [16], il Mazzuchelli [17], il\nTafurri [18], e ultimo ancora Pietro Vigo [19] credettero la Tullia\nnapolitana; lo Zilioli [20] seguito dal Canestrini [21] e dal Labruzzi\n[22] la dissero romana a ci\u00f2 confortati, prima che altre testimonianze\nvenissero a luce, dalle precise dichiarazioni che Girolamo Muzio fa\nnell'egloga _Tirrenia_ a lei dedicata [23]. Infatti la Tullia nacque\nin Roma da Giulia Campana ferrarese [24] e dal cardinale Luigi\nd'Aragona [25]. L'anno di sua nascita \u00e8 ignoto: il Labruzzi e poi il\nBiagi [26] considerando che nel 1519 il padre di lei era gi\u00e0 morto e\nche nel 1527 ella era gi\u00e0 nota nel mondo galante, pongono la nascita\ncirca il 1505, basando anche tale congettura sulla novella VII degli\n_Ecatommiti_ di Giovanni Battista Giraldi. Sta infatti che il Giraldi\nfinge sia raccontata la novella di Nana e Saulo nel 1527 al tempo del\nsacco di Roma, ma vuolsi proprio accettare quella data senza dubbio\nalcuno e su di essa basare deduzioni storiche, quando nella stessa\nopera rinvengonsi altri episodi che forse non reggerebbero ad una\nsevera critica e sono falsati nelle date come quelli di Celio\nCalcagnini e del Giovio? Non potrebbe il Giraldi aver fatto risalire\nla partenza della Tullia al 1527 per acconciarvi quella pur strana e\nsudicia novella, scritta molti e molti anni dopo il sacco di Roma e\nche vide la luce, se non erriamo, solo nel 1565? A noi il Giraldi non\nprova nulla; pi\u00f9 fiduciosi in un passo dei _Ragionamenti_ dell'Aretino\nche rivelano come l'anno 1519 la Giulia ferrarese partisse da Roma per\nSiena con la sua _picciola figliuola_, siamo stimolati a credere\nessere la Tullia nata sullo scorcio del primo decennio del decimosesto\nsecolo.\nDella giovinezza della nostra poetessa poche notizie giunsero sino a\nnoi; forse visse in Firenze circa il 1517 e 1518 [27], indi a Siena,\nove \"impar\u00f2 a parlare sanese\" poi \"vedendo la madre che costei haveva\ndi virt\u00f9 principio grande consider\u00f2 che Roma \u00e8 terra da donne, e\nmassime che ella sapea l'usanza della corte e cos\u00ec l'ha fatta\ncortigiana [28] \". E questo _principio grande di virt\u00f9_ era infatti\nposseduto dalla Tullia, alla quale gli ag\u00ee procuratile dal cardinale\nd'Aragona avevano permesso di addestrarsi in tutte le arti della\nseduzione, vivendo tra le delizie e le comodit\u00e0 d'una onorata fortuna\nche l'amorevolezza del padre le aveva lasciata tendendo agli studi nei\nquali fece tanto profitto che non senza stupore degli uomini dotti fu\nsentita in et\u00e0 ancor fanciullesca disputare e scrivere nel latino e\nnell'italiano cose degne di ogni maggior letterato, onde arrivando al\nfine dell'et\u00e0 e accompagnando alla sapienza e virt\u00f9 sua un'isquisita\ndelicatezza di maniere e di costumi, si acquist\u00f2 il nome di\ncompitissima sopra ogni altra donna del tempo suo. Compariva con tanta\nleggiadria in pubblico e con tanta venust\u00e0 ed affabilit\u00e0 d'aspetto che\naggiungendovisi la pompa e l'adornamento degli abiti lascivi, pareva\nnon potersi ritrovare cosa n\u00e8 pi\u00f9 gentile n\u00e8 pi\u00f9 polita di lei.\nToccava gli strumenti musicali con dolcezza tale e maneggiava la voce\ncantando cos\u00ec soavemente che i primi professori degli esercizi ne\nrestavano meravigliati. Parlava con grazia ed eloquenza rarissime, s\u00ec\nche o scherzando o trattando davvero, allettava e rapiva a s\u00e8, come\nun'altra Cleopatra, gli animi degli ascoltanti e non mancavano sul\nvolto suo sempre vago e sempre giocondo quelle grazie maggiori che in\nun bel viso per lusingar gli occhi degli uomini sensevoli sogliono\nessere desiderate [29].\nLa Tullia tornata in Roma certamente poco dopo la morte del padre vi\nrimase, secondo ogni probabilit\u00e0, e magari contro il malevolo Giraldi,\nsino al 1531, e in questo stesso anno si rec\u00f2 a Ferrara ove conobbe\nGirolamo Muzio. L'autore degli _Ecatommiti_ d\u00e0 alla partenza da Roma\ndella Tullia, una ragione abbastanza disonorevole. Egli narra, come\nconvenendo in casa dell'Aragona parecchi giovani romani, uno di\nquesti, che chiama Saulo, invaghitosene al sommo, molto spendesse e si\nadoperasse perch\u00e8 a lei nulla venisse a mancare delle agiatezze nelle\nquali era cresciuta. Dimorava nella stessa epoca in Roma un tedesco,\ndetto Gianni, uomo ricchissimo, ma cos\u00ec sudicio e pieno di lordura che\nfaceva nausea a solo vederlo; costui innamorato della Tullia, tanto\ninsistette che ottenne di essere compiaciuto di lei per una settimana\ndi seguito al prezzo di cento scudi per notte. La Tullia acconsent\u00ec;\nnon resse per\u00f2 che una sola notte tanto era il puzzo che esalava quel\nricco tedesco. Risaputosi ci\u00f2 da Saulo e da' suoi amici, ne furono\nsdegnati, e mai pi\u00f9 vollero metter piede in casa dell'Aragona; talch\u00e8\nella vedendosi disprezzata e sfuggita, se ne part\u00ec da Roma. Il\nTiraboschi cita una satira di Pasquino contro di lei [30], dalla quale\nparrebbe che si fosse diretta a Bologna, ma se veramente vi andasse, e\ncerto dopo il 1531, non si conosce, come del pari rimase sinora ignota\nla satira summentovata.\nChe l'Aragona fosse in Roma nell'anno suddetto \u00e8 chiaramente provato\nda una lettera che Francesco Vettori scriveva da Firenze a Filippo\nStrozzi li 14 Febbraio 1531. Questi chiamato in Roma da Clemente VII\nsotto pretesto di rivedere alcuni conti, ma in realt\u00e0 per aiutarlo a\nintrodurre in Firenze \"un governo o vogliamo chiamarlo stato, nel\nquale i magistrati della citt\u00e0 governino in nome suo, in fatti il Duca\ngovern\u00f2 in tutto, [31]\" scriveva al Vettori richiamandolo di aiuto e\nconsiglio; e questi rispondendo conchiudeva: \"E perch\u00e8 mi scrivete con\nla Tullia accanto, non vorrei la leggessi similmente con essa accanto,\nperch\u00e8 amandola voi come femmina che ha spirito, perch\u00e8 per bellezza\nnon lo merita, non vorrei mi potesse nuocere con qualcuno di quelli\nch'io nomino. Io non sono per ammonire Filippo Strozzi, ancorach\u00e8, se\nle ammonizioni ricorregghino, non avete aver per male essere ammonito,\nma ho inteso di non so che cartelli e di sfide andate a torno che mi\nhanno dato fastidio pensando che un par vostro, uomo di 43 anni,\nvoglia combattere per una femmina, e bench\u00e8 io creda sareste cos\u00ec atto\nall'arme come siete alle lettere ed a ogni altra cosa dove ponete la\nfantasia, non vorrei di presente vi metteste a questo pericolo di\nvoler combattere per causa tanto leggiera; e vi ricordo che degli\nuomini come voi ne nascono pochi per secolo; e questo non dico per\nadulazione. Assettate le faccende vostre e poi tornate a rivederci\".\nPare che il consiglio del Vettori riuscisse caro e salutare allo\nStrozzi: in un cartello di sfida che conservasi in un codice\nRinucciniano, ed \u00e8 di quell'anno stesso in vano si cercherebbe il suo\nnome tra i sei campioni della Tullia [32].\nPartita da Roma, la Tullia si rec\u00f2 certamente a Ferrara, ed ivi reduce\ndi Francia capitava poco dopo il Muzio; nel 1535 era a Venezia ove\nnacque la sorella Penelope [33], e nel 1537 nuovamente a Ferrara\nseguendo di pochi giorni l'arrivo in questa citt\u00e0 della marchesa di\nPescara. Conobbe certamente allora il sanese Bernardo Ochino che\nappunto nella quaresima avea predicato ivi con mirabile fervore, e gli\ndiresse il sonetto XXXV trattandolo poco cortesemente, e chiamandolo\narrogante, perch\u00e8 avea dal pergamo fulminato \"le finte apparenze, e il\nballo, e il suono\", dono fatto da Dio agli uomini \"ne la primiera\nstanza\". Nello stesso anno le accadde una strana avventura, narrata da\nun Apollo novellista alla marchesa Isabella d'Este con lettera dei 13\ngiugno [34], e tale avventura serv\u00ec mirabilmente per porla in buona\nvista, formare quella reputazione di onesta che la fama e le\npasquinate avevano molto deteriorata, radunarle intorno un'eletta\nschiera di poeti e gentiluomini che adulandola, corteggiandola,\nfacessero dimenticare il suo passato poco onorevole per riconoscere\nsolo in lei la poetessa, la letterata, la discendente di sangue reale:\ne riusc\u00ec in massima parte; il Muzio e il Bentivoglio le profusero lodi\ne adulazioni in rima e in prosa, e la Tullia era posta al di sopra di\nVittoria Colonna. Ancora una volta la cortigiana trionfava.\nDa Ferrara la Tullia ritorn\u00f2 forse a Venezia, almeno cos\u00ec il _Dialogo_\ndello Speroni fa credere; poi a Siena ove si accas\u00f2 nel 1543 [35]. I\ndocumenti senesi che riguardano la Tullia d\u00e0nno a conoscere una\ncircostanza abbastanza seria per non essere lasciata senza esame e\ncio\u00e8 che ella era, legalmente almeno, figlia di Costanzo Palmieri\nd'Aragona; ed infatti nell'atto di matrimonio \u00e8 detta _Tullia Palmeria\nde Aragonia_, ed in altro documento ancor pi\u00f9 chiaramente \"_Filia\nquondam Constantii de Palmeriis de Aragona_\". In base a tali\ndocumenti, eliminando del tutto l'ipotesi che ella fosse stata\nadottata da un Palmieri, conviene credere ad un matrimonio della\nGiulia Ferrarese, al quale non possiamo dare, neppure per\napprossimazione, una data qualsiasi. L'Aretino, il Domenichi, il\nFranco che citano la Giulia e ne parlano spesso diffusamente, mentre\nd\u00e0nno particolari su altri amanti tacciono affatto di tale matrimonio;\nneppure un barlume ne apparisce nelle rime della Tullia e nelle\nlettere che di lei ci pervennero; parlando della propria famiglia dice\n_mia madre, mia sorella, ed io_; tace il Muzio, che, pur dando la\npaternit\u00e0 del cardinale d'Aragona alla Tullia, nulla impediva potesse\nparlarne nell'egloga dedicata alla Penelope nata molti anni dopo; ne\ntacciono assolutamente tutti i biografi. Ed apparisce del pari per la\nprima volta, almeno cos\u00ec ci consta, una casata Palmieri che abbia\naggiunto il nome d'Aragona al proprio; rimangono tracce dei\nPiccolomini-Aragona, dei Tagliavia-Aragonia, dei _de Aragonia_,\nromani, ma nessuna dei Palmieri-Aragona. Questa casata non viene poi\npi\u00f9 a luce n\u00e8 sulla tomba della Penelope che porta solo il nome di\nAragona, n\u00e8 nel testamento della Tullia ove non sono pi\u00f9 mentovati n\u00e8\npadre, n\u00e8 madre, n\u00e8 marito. Una volta ancora, innanzi all'arida\nautenticit\u00e0 dei documenti, si oppone la tradizione, ferma, costante;\nessa vuole la Tullia figlia del cardinale d'Aragona e nel fatto nulla\nvarr\u00e0 a scemarla. Su questo padre pi\u00f9 o meno putativo, che apparisce\nquasi per sua disgrazia, molte sarebbero le supposizioni a farsi; era\nforse un familiare del cardinale d'Aragona che acconsent\u00ec a sposare la\nGiulia Campana a prezzo d'oro, o qualche vanitoso che a scapito del\nsuo amor proprio con l'acquisto della Tullia aggiunse al suo il casato\ndegli Aragonesi? in ogni modo \u00e8 assolutamente da escludere che quel\n_de Aragonia_ stia l\u00ec per fissaril luogo natio di quel buon Palmieri.\nNon ci peritiamo rispondere a ques\u00ecti cos\u00ec ardui ed anche inutili;\nbastano per noi tutte le testimonianze dei contemporanei a stabilite\nche la poetessa fu, pure illegittimamente, del sangue d'Aragona.\nSembra che in Siena ella fosse perseguita da malevoli che l'accusarono\nagli Esecutori Generali di Gabella di vestire e portare ornamenti\nvietati alle meretrici dagli statuti del Comune; fu agitato per ci\u00f2 un\nprocesso nel febbraio del 1544, dal quale constando la vita onesta e\nmorigerata della Tullia, le fu permesso di vestire ed abitare al pari\ndi altre persone nobili ed oneste [36]. Non cess\u00f2 per questo la\nmalevolenza contro la Tullia e nell'agosto dello stesso anno [37] fu\nancora denunciata per aver portato la sbernia il giorno di Pasqua, e\ntra i denunziatori apparisce Ottaviano Tondi, novesco, causa di\ntorbidi in Siena per avere ucciso uno di parte popolare [38], e che la\nTullia pianse morto un anno appresso in un sonetto diretto al fratello\nEmilio [39]. Certo ella ignorava il servizio che il buon novesco\naveva tentato di renderle.\nSullo scorcio del 1545 la Tullia se ne venne a Firenze ove contrasse\nstretta amicizia col Varchi, col Martelli e parecchi altri, dei quali\nci rimasero testimonianze nelle rime e nelle lettere di lui edite dal\nBiagi e dal Bongi [40]. E qui ancora doveva essere perseguitata dalle\nsevere leggi sui costumi e sugli _ornamenti et habiti degli huomini e\ndelle donne_. Il 19 ottobre 1546 il Duca Cosimo promulgava una di\nquelle leggi [41], ma la Tullia che credeva oramai per la fama di\npoetessa di non essere pi\u00f9 compresa nel ruolo delle cortigiane, non se\nne di\u00e8 per intesa, sin che nell'aprile dell'anno appresso fu invitata\ndal Magistrato ad ottemperare alla legge mettendo sul vestito qual\ncosa di _giallo_ che doveva servire a distinguerla dalle oneste\ngentildonne. La Tullia ricorse a D. Pietro di Toledo nipote della\nduchessa Eleonora, che la consigli\u00f2 presentare alla Duchessa una\nsupplica unita ai sonetti a lei scritti da illustri letterati, a\nsignificare l'errore del magistrato di giustizia nell'annoverarla tra\nle cortigiane. Per correggere la supplica, se non per averla bell'e\nfatta ricorse la Tullia al Varchi [42], ed il dabben uomo volentieri\nsi prest\u00f2 a tanto urgente favore, e della Tullia non \u00e8 forse nel\nseguente documento che il nome solamente.\n \"Ill.ma ed Ecc.ma Sig.ra Duchessa,\n \"Tullia Aragona, umilissima servitrice di V. E. Ill.ma, essendo\n rifugiata a Firenze per l'ultima mutazione di Siena, e non facendo i\n portamenti che l'altre fanno anzi non uscendo quasi mai da una camera\n non che di casa, per trovarsi male disposta cos\u00ec dell'animo come del\n corpo, prega V. E. affine che non sia costretta a partirsi, che si\n degni d'impetrare tanto di grazia dall'Eccell.mo ed Ill.mo S.or Duca\n suo consorte, che ella possa se non servirsi di quei pochi panni che\n le sono rimasi per suo uso, come supplica nel suo capitolo, almeno\n che non sia tenuta all'osservanza del velo giallo. Ed ella, ponendo\n questo con gli altri obblighi molti e grandissimi che ha con S. E.,\n pregher\u00e0 Dio che la conservi sana e felice\".\nLa cortigiana ottenne favore presso la duchessa; Cosimo scrisse di suo\npugno sull'istanza \"_Fasseli gratia per poetessa_\"; e queste parole\nsono autenticate dalla soscrizione di Lelio Torelli, ministro del\ngranduca. I luogotenenti del duca rilasciarono quindi all'Aragona, in\ndata 1 maggio 1547, copia della deliberazione nella quale riconoscendo\n\"la rara scientia di poesia e filosofia che si ritrova con piacere di\npregiati ingegni la detta Tullia Aragona venga fatta esente da tutto\nquello a che ell'\u00e8 obbligata quanto al suo abito, vestire e portamento\n[43] \". Un anno appresso, e precisamente nell'ottobre, scriveva al\nVarchi annunziandogli la sua partenza, gli mandava in dono _un paio di\ncolombi, due fiaschi d'acqua ed uno di malvagia, una saliera di\nalabastro_, e da lui toglieva commiato per sempre con lettera che il\nVarchi avr\u00e0 certamente preso per buona moneta; partiva quindi per\nRoma, dove il primo di febbraio del 1547 veniva a morte la sorella\nPenelope, seguita poco appresso dalla madre. La Tullia abitava in\nCampo Marzio nel palazzo Carpi, e nel libro della _Tassa fatta alle\ncortigiane per la reparatione del ponte_ (Rotto) [44] consta che ella\npagava di pigione 40 scudi (in ragione tassata per scudi quattro) ed \u00e8\nuna delle cortigiane che pagava di pi\u00f9; poche giungono ai cinquanta\nscudi, rare quelle che superano tal somma: evidentemente le condizioni\nfinanziarie della Tullia non erano troppo rilassate, e non crediamo,\ncome dubita il Bongi, che il poco profitto da lei ritratto in Firenze\ned il desiderio di far esordire la Penelope nella pi\u00f9 vasta e ricca\nscena di Roma fosse causa della sua dipartita di col\u00e0; nulla accenna\npertanto avere la Penelope esordito nella triste carriera, anzi\nl'essere ella morta non ancora quattordicenne fa credere, magari con\nun poco d'ottimismo, che il desiderio della Giulia Campana forse pi\u00f9\nche della Tullia, se esistito, non rimase che semplice desiderio.\nLa Tullia visse certamente in Roma sino all'epoca di sua morte, che\navvenne il 12 o 13 marzo del 1556. Era andata ad abitare nel rione\nTrastevere, in casa dell'oste Matteo Moretti da Parma, ed ivi il 2\nmarzo dello stesso anno dettava le sue ultime volont\u00e0 al notaio\nVirgilio Grandinelli[45] Morta la Tullia ed apertone il testamento\nalli 14 di marzo, Pietro Ciocca in suo nome e per gli esecutori\ntestamentari mons. Antonio Trivulzio vescovo di Tolone e Mario\nFrangipane, chiese all'auditore della Camera Apostolica un tutore per\nil giovinetto Celio. Tale ufficio fu conferito a D. Orazio Marchiani\nchierico pistoiese. Redatto l'inventario della roba lasciata dalla\nTullia si procede alla vendita secondo le sue volont\u00e0; gli ori e le\ngioie furono acquistati dagli orafi Pompeo Fanetti a Santa Lucia della\nChiavica, Maurizio Grana piemontese e Francesco Alar\u00e7on spagnolo al\nPellegrino; la mobilia da Giovanni Battista della Valle fiorentino e\nFrancino Francini d'Arezzo rigattiere a Monte Giordano. A quest'ultimo\ntocc\u00f2 in un con gli arnesi di cucina \"una cassa vecchia nella quale\nc'erano trentacinque libri tra volgari e latini di pi\u00f9 et diverse\nsorte, et tredici di musica tra usati, vecci, et stracciati et diverse\naltre carte et libri gi\u00e0 stracciati\". Ai singoli legati fu adempiuto\ncon rogiti speciali; in uno di questi Celio non solo _herede_ della\nTullia ma _figliuolo_ \u00e8 chiamato. Di questo Celio e del Marchiani\nnessuna notizia giunse sino a noi; forse lasciarono Roma, ed il\ntutore, pistoiese, riedendo alla nativa citta, avr\u00e0 menato seco il\nfanciullo: \u00e8 certo che di essi perdesi la traccia dopo la morte della\nTullia, n\u00e8 le carte dell'archivio romano, esaminate dal cav.\nCorvisieri, ci possono dire quale sia stata la sorte del fanciullo.\nChe il padre fosse lo stesso Ciocca come altri supposero, non\ncrediamo, parendoci allora superflua la nomina di un tutore, e dovendo\nin tal caso ammettere che il Celio fosse nato in Roma dopo il 1547,\ncosa molto improbabile e per le condizioni fisiche della Tullia e per\nl'appellativo di _giovinetto_ che viene dato al Celio, come ancora non\nlo supponiamo figliuolo del Guicciardi. L'Aragona conobbe forse il\nCiocca in Venezia, essendo questo al servizio del Cornaro, ma a tale\nepoca non pu\u00f2 risalire la nascita di Celio; dubitiamo anzi, sempre\nper\u00f2 su deduzioni, che la nascita di questo fanciullo fosse causa\ndella dipartita dell'Aragona da Firenze.\nLa Tullia era di alta statura, non bella ma piacevole [46], gli occhi\nbellissimi e splendidissimi, e \"nei movimenti loro una certa forza\nvivace che parea gittassero fuoco negli altrui cuori\", forza provata\ndal Muzio che cantava:\n.....occhi belli, occhi leggiadri, occhi amorosi e cari,\n pi\u00f9 che le stelle belli e pi\u00f9 che il sole,\ni capelli finissimi di un biondo oro, esaltati spesso da' suoi\nammiratori, tra i quali il cardinale Ippolito de' Medici, al quale la\nporpora non impediva di bruciare innanzi alla bella Aragonese il suo\ngranello d'incenso cantando:\n se 'l dolce folgorar de i bei crini d'oro,\n e 'l fiammeggiar de i begli occhi lucenti,\n e 'l far dolce acquetar per l'aria i venti\n co 'l riso, ond'io m'incendio e mi scoloro...\nNella pinacoteca Tosio di Brescia \u00e8 conservato il ritratto della\npoetessa dipinto da Alessandro Bonvicino detto il _Moretto_, altri due\nveggonsi nell'edizione delle _Rime_ fatta dal Bolifon e nel vol. XII\ndel _Parnaso italiano_. Di questi ultimi quale sia il valore non\npossiamo certo dire.\nTra i molti adoratori che ebbe a vantare la Tullia, Girolamo Muzio fu\ncerto uno dei pi\u00f9 costanti e veritieri, e bench\u00e8 quando fu preso\nd'amore avesse oltrepassati i quarant'anni, si sente dalle sue rime\nche quell'affetto era serio e sincero, e che i versi esprimevano molto\nmeno di quel che il cuore sentiva; dedica alla Tullia le sue egloghe\n_Amorose_ che in realt\u00e0 parlano assolutamente di lei sola, e del suo\namore non cela n\u00e8 gli ardenti desideri n\u00e8 le bramate conquiste. Con un\nverismo poco desiato certo da qualsiasi donna, anche abituata alla\nrilassatezza della vita di Ferrara, egli diceva alla Tullia:\n Vien, Ninfa bella, e fra le molli braccia\n raccogli quel che con le braccia aperte,\n disioso t'aspetta, e nel tuo grembo\n ricevi lieta l'infocato amante;\n stringi e 'l bramoso amante, e strette aggiungi\n le labbra a le sue labbra, e 'l vivo spirto\n suggi de l'alma amata, e del tuo spirto\n il vivo fiore ispira a le sue brame.\n Le belle membra tue, morbide e bianche,\n ad Amor le consacra; ed al tuo amante,\n qual vite ad olmo avviticchiata e stretta,\n con lui cogli d'amore i dolci frutti.\nMa ben presto il Muzio recatosi a Milano in missione per il Duca\nErcole d'Este, fu obliato, almeno per del tempo, e sostituito dal\nBentivoglio; passata poi la Tullia da Ferrara a Venezia, Bernardo\nTasso prese il posto dei precedenti, almeno cos\u00ec ci lascia credere lo\nSperoni che nel suo _Dialogo_ la introduce \"a far l'amore con lui,\npresenti ed accettanti Nicol\u00f2 Grazia e un altro spasimante Francesco\nMaria Molza\"; indi a Firenze vari\u00f2 tra il Varchi, Ippolito de' Medici,\nil Tolomei, il Fracastoro, il Martelli, il Lasca, il Mannelli e lo\nStrozzi.\nVario e non sempre imparziale fu il giudizio dei contemporanei e dei\nposteri verso l'Aragona; aspro e satirico spesso sino a dare diritto\ndi vilipenderla all'Aretino [47] e al Razzi [48]; buono e cortese\nancora, come le testimonianze del Nardi e del Muzio. Il Nardi,\ntradotta in lingua toscana un'orazione di M. T. Cicerone (Venezia\n1536) ne indirizzava un esemplare a Gian Francesco della Stufa con\nincarico di presentarlo alla Tullia _che per s\u00e8 stessa oggi\ndirittamente da ogni uomo \u00e8 giudicata unica e vera erede cos\u00ec del nome\ne di tutta la tulliana eloquenza_; Girolamo Muzio che si consol\u00f2 del\nmatrimonio della Tullia sposando circa il 1550 una damigella d'onore\ndi Vittoria Farnese duchessa d'Urbino, nella lettera dedicatoria\npremessa al _Trattato del matrimonio_, scriveva: _Gi\u00e0 avviso di vedere\nin voi quella donna la grazia della cui vergogna, come si legge\nnell'Ecclesiastico [49], \u00e8 pi\u00f9 che oro preciosa... Tale avviso che\ndovete esser voi facendo in tal guisa al mondo manifesto che della\nvostra passata vita ne \u00e8 stata cagione necessit\u00e0, et di questa la\nvostra libera volont\u00e0: che nel passato vi ha trasportata fortuna e che\nhor vi governa la vostra virt\u00f9_.\nFrutto d'amore, ella visse sacra all'amore e nulla varrebbe a scusarla\ndella poca onest\u00e0 della sua vita; ma se \u00e8 pur vero che gli abbietti\ntrionfando della loro caduta trovano i buoni che li ricoprono,\nconcediamo a lei le attenuanti dell'esempio: e di esempio ne ebbe a\nsufficienza, e per l'ambiente viziato nel quale nacque e visse, e\nnella stessa madre che allegramente dava alla luce figliuoli sino al\n1535 e con la massima indifferenza li intitolava d'Aragona dopo sedici\nanni che il povero cardinale era andato all'altro mondo.\nTenuto conto delle condizioni in cui svolgevasi la poesia nel XVI\nsecolo, le rime dell'Aragona non mancano certo di pregio; quantunque\nancor essa che \"volle avere il suo canzoniere [50]\" non eviti quella\nfreddezza che nasce da ogni ripetizione, quella noia che s'ingenera\ndalla descrizione di una passione misurata su i precetti rettorici e\nsmentita dal fatto e dai costumi. La Tullia fu petrarchista della\nmiglior acqua, e non poteva certo essere altrimenti; il Petrarca era\nl'idolo al quale si prostesero quasi tutti i rimatori del cinquecento\ned il modello su cui si formarono, ricavando stima maggiore chi\nimitasse pi\u00f9 servilmente il cantore di Laura, rubandone al tempo\nstesso il pensiero e la forma. Tutte le cortigiane letterate del\ncinquecento furono petrarchiste, se per altri il Petrarca era\nl'oracolo del purismo, per esse non rappresentava che la teorica\ndell'amore; quest'amore ideale o platonico, di Venere celeste, era\ncantato su tutti i toni, salvo poi ad avere, di altro amore, una pi\u00f9\nampia e sicura conoscenza, e tale influenza, per donne quali\nl'Aragona, la Franco, la Stampa \u00e8 spiegata dalla stessa relazione del\npetrarchismo con la cortigianeria. Un Petrarchino di piccolo formato,\ndi edizione elegante era indispensabile al cortigiano effeminato e\nstrisciante, i leggiadri cavalieri di Roma mostravansi per via\n\"andando soavi soavi co' loro famigli a la staffa, su la quale\ntenevano solamente la punta del piede, col Petrarchino in mano,\ncantando con vezzi [51] \", ed i vagheggini pi\u00f9 aridi e stucchevoli,\nappena ricevuto un sorriso della donna amata correvano \"a casa a\ncomporre una sestina, un madrigaletto, dove il cieco d'Adria non\ns'accorge che la mariuola gli ha furfato in versi, senza essere\ndiscoverta da nessuno\". Dell'amore teoretico il Petrarca era il gran\nmaestro per pratica e per scienza; il suo canzoniere si allontana da\nquell'amore pratico del cinquecento che si svolge in brutale\nsensualit\u00e0, e in una brama di appetiti animali trascinarono la societ\u00e0\nnella pi\u00f9 completa dissolutezza, nelle forme pi\u00f9 sozze delle\naberrazioni e del vizio; esso risponde all'amore intellettuale,\nrichiesto dall'umanesimo, che veniva considerato quale anello di\ncongiunzione con l'amore divino, e della cui infinit\u00e0 tratta l'Aragona\nin un suo dialogo [52]. Al contrario della Franco che canta l'amore\ndei sensi, l'Aragona \u00e8 tutto ideale, tutto spiritualismo; i suoi\naffetti vogliono rasentare il cielo, e solo raramente trovasi qualche\naccenno alla triste sua vita; \u00e8 invasa dalla man\u00eca di passare ai\nposteri insieme ai letterati che ella canta, cerca ogni maniera di\nricoprire la cortigiana con la poetessa, ed eleva i suoi canti\nindistintamente a tutti, principi e cardinali, letterati e soldati,\nuomini serii e burloni quali il Lasca; per lei l'uomo, essere animato,\n\u00e8 nulla: la fama di un uomo, il tutto; il solo affetto per il giovane\nMannelli si pu\u00f2 credere sincero, tutte le altre proteste che inficiano\nle rime e quei sonetti che cambiato indirizzo, giravano d'adoratore in\nadoratore in edizioni stereotipe e consolavano tanto il Muzio che il\nMartelli [53], fanno a buon diritto dubitare di tutte queste\nespansioni cantate cos\u00ec altamente e serenamente. E la man\u00eca\ndell'Aragona \u00e8 anche spiegabile in altro senso. Cessate le seduzioni\ndella bellezza tentava con l'arte di riunire la compagine di quegli\nadoratori che si venivano allontanando, e con la musica, il canto, le\nlettere cercare di sostenere i bisogni della casa: le sue rime sono\nspesso forzate, e la eco dell'onda classica da Orazio a Virgilio, da\nDante a Petrarca viene spesso ad alimentare l'agonia di una vita\nfinita. Delle imitazioni al Petrarca, evidentissime e nel pensiero e\nnello stile, ne citeremo solo alcune poche a titolo di saggio [54].\nSonetto X, v. 12-15:\n E se quass\u00f9 giungesser gli occhi vostri,\n vedendo fatto me novo angeletto\n qui bramareste, e non vedermi in terra.\n (PETRARCA, Madrigale III, v. 1-2).\nSonetto XXXI, v. 7-9:\n E l'alto Iddio lodar ben spesso suole,\n dopo l'aspra fortuna,\n spaventato nocchiero al porto intorno.\nSonetto XXXVIII, v. 12-14:\n Non contenda rea sorte il bel des\u00eco,\n che pria che l'alma del corporeo velo\n si scioglia, sazier\u00f2 forse mia brama.\nSonetto XLII.\n S'io 'l feci unqua, che mai non giunga a riva\n l'interno duol, che il cuor lasso sostiene;\n s'io 'l feci, che perduta ogni mia spene,\n in guerra eterna di vostr'occhi viva.\nSonetto XLIV, v. 13-14:\n...volgendo a Roma 'l viso e a lei le spalle,\n se vuol l'alma trovar col corpo unita.\nSonetto LI, v. 12-14:\n Bench\u00e8 vostro valor eterna fama\n per s\u00e8 vi acquisti, caro mio signore,\n quanto 'l sole gira e Battro abbraccia e Tile.\n (PETRARCA, Sonetto XCVI, v. 9-11).\nDella Tullia giunsero a noi un _Dialogo dell'infinit\u00e0 di amore_ [55],\ngiudicato \"uno dei dialoghi pi\u00f9 vivi che noi abbiamo, nell'ordine pi\u00f9\nbasso degli scritti letterari del secolo decimosesto..... per una\ncerta franchezza e disinvoltura, e anche talvolta per una certa\nsaporita fiorentinit\u00e0 ch'ella attinse per avventura dal suo consorzio\ncoi fiorentini e singolarmente col Varchi\", ed un poema in ottava\nrima: _il Meschino e il Guerino_ [56]. Il Crescimbeni fa di questo\npoema elogi sperticati, dicendo che \"nella tessitura pu\u00f2 paragonarsi\nall'Odissea di Omero [57] \", esso per\u00f2 \u00e8 cos\u00ec inverosimile e contrario\ntanto alla storia, alla cronologia, alla geografia, e con buona pace\ndell'ottimo abate, anche al buon senso, che non sappiamo invero\ntrovarvi alcuna analogia con l'opera dell'Omero; lo stile ne \u00e8\ntrascurato, e spesso conviene lavorare di serio proposito per\nraccapezzare il senso di qualche ottava, i canti, trentasei in tutto,\nappaiono disordinati e spesso senza nesso tra loro. La Tullia avverte\nche trasse il poema da un vecchio romanzo spagnuolo in prosa, ma\ncertamente ella si serv\u00ec di una traduzione e non del testo originale\nche vuolsi scritto in italiano [58]. L'Aragona nella prefazione di\nquesto poema si scaglia contro il Boccaccio, e mentre lo compassiona\nperch\u00e8 non seppe eleggere il verso a forma del _Decamerone_, lo accusa\nche _tante sue scellerate_ novelle scritte con altrettante _scellerate\nparole_, servendo solo a demoralizzare e rendere ridicoli i pi\u00f9 santi\nvincoli della societ\u00e0, siano impossibili a leggersi, senza frutti\nnocivi, da maritate e nubili, vedove e monache, e persino cortigiane.\nQuesti scrupoli che parrebbero curiosi nella Tullia, sono da ella\nmedesima spiegati, non essendo cosa nuova che ad una donna per\nnecessit\u00e0 o per altra mala ventura sua sia avvenuto di cadere in\nerrore del corpo suo e tuttavia si disconvenga non men forse a lei che\nalle altre l'essere disoneste e sconcie nel parlare e nelle altre\ncose; ed ella, contrariamente al Boccaccio, vuole scrivere per tutti,\nil suo poema potr\u00e0 essere dato in mano alla pi\u00f9 pudica donzella senza\nalcun pericolo, volendo con esso porre un debole argine a\nquell'invadente corruttela che ogni d\u00ec spandeasi con maggior forza e\nbrutalit\u00e0, e pur sempre per opera dei letterati ed anche degli\n_umanisti_. L'idea della Tullia, se togliesi quella sfuriata contro\nl'umanismo che proprio non aveva a che fare, non era cattiva e\nsinceramente credette averla attuata col suo _Guerino_; dichiarandosi\ndi tutto debitrice a Dio solo \"dal quale solo viene ogni bene e da cui\nsolo io riconosco questa gran grazia d'avermi in questa mia et\u00e0 non\nancor soverchiamente matura, ma giovenile e fresca, dato lume di\nridurmi col cuore a lui e di desiderare e operare quanto posso che il\nmedesimo facciano tutti gli altri cos\u00ec uomini e donne\". Ma Dio non\naveva proprio nulla a che vedere col _Guerino_, ed \u00e8 proprio il caso\ndi ripetere che quantunque il diavolo si vesta da frate, quattro dita\ndi coda gli spuntano sempre sotto la tonaca; infatti ci\u00f2 che la Tullia\nnarra del cavaliere di Durazzo, di Brandisio e della figlia\ndell'albergatore nel canto VIII [59], e di Pacifero innamorato di\nGuerino nel canto X [60], non \u00e8 roba atta a far mettere il poema\nvicino al libro di devozione di una vergine o di una monaca. E pur\ntale era lo scopo.\nIn produzioni di uno stesso autore, apparse anche a distanza di molti\nanni l'una dall'altra, ritrovasi sempre qualche analogia, qualche\ndifetto, alcun che di speciale, quasi direbbesi di proprio, che le\nriavvicina e riunisce; nulla di ci\u00f2 tra il _Guerino_ e le _Rime_, anzi\nuna succinta critica forse allontanerebbe molto l'uno dalle altre.\nQuantunque non sia il caso ora di formare tale confronto ed esaminare\na fondo il _Guerino_, non possiamo esimerci dal notare come la\nprefazione posta innanzi al poema ci abbia fatto triste impressione,\nfino a crederla apocrifa per ragioni che crediamo buone od almeno\nmeritevoli di esame. Il Ranieri che pubblic\u00f2 il poema nel 1560 dicendo\ndi averne curato l'edizione sul manoscritto originale _gi\u00e0 da parecchi\nanni da lui posseduto_, non fa parola dell'Aragona che era morta nel\n1556, e si profonde solo in ampie ed ampollose proteste cercando di\nformare una dedica alla quale, per essere di qualche valore, manca\nsolo un poco di senso comune. E quel _parecchi_, posto l\u00ec per indicare\nun lasso di tempo non superiore ai tre anni \u00e8 per lo meno superfluo:\nn\u00e8 pi\u00f9 lungo spazio di tempo crederemmo possibile ammettere perch\u00e8 \u00e8\nabbastanza ragionevole il supporre che l'Aragona avesse sino alla\nmorte conservato presso di s\u00e8 quel lavoro. Il ricordo ancora che i\nlibri e le carte andarono in mano di un modesto rigattiere, non \u00e8\nprivo di valore; se il manoscritto del _Guerino_ era tra la roba\nacquistata da Francino Francini, uomo probabilmente ignorante e privo\ndi criterio letterario, la sorte del manoscritto era assicurata:\nfiniva in qualche bottega di droghiere o salumaio. Converrebbe adunque\ncredere che o il manoscritto fosse tra le carte devolute a Celio\nfigliuolo dell'Aragona o che la Tullia ne avesse fatto un dono al\nRanieri qualche anno prima; ma ancora queste due supposizioni\nrasentano l'assurdo. Il testamento della Tullia che pure \u00e8 tanto\nminuzioso e preciso nei lasciti e legati, non accenna a carte ed altri\ndocumenti spettanti al Celio; n\u00e8 la Tullia poteva donare il\nmanoscritto al Ranieri o ad altri che a lui lo passassero, perch\u00e8 dal\nmomento che ne aveva condotto a termine anche la prefazione, era certo\ndesiderio suo di darlo alle stampe, e per il nome che godeva e\nl'appoggio dei letterati che facevanle corona non sarebbe stato\ndifficile trovare un tipografo che ne assumesse l'edizione. Se\ndobbiamo pur credere alla dichiarazione della Tullia di avere composto\nil poema \"in et\u00e0 ancor giovenile e fresca\", quando erasi decisa di\ndarsi a Dio, conviene di necessit\u00e0 ammettere che ella l'avesse scritto\nin Siena poco appresso il suo matrimonio col Guicciardi, o in Firenze;\nmai in Roma ove tornando per l'ultima volta nel 1547 non era pi\u00f9 in\net\u00e0 giovenile e fresca, e l'essere ascritta nel ruolo delle cortigiane\npubbliche non era il migliore indizio dell'essersi data a Dio. Anche a\nquesta ipotesi si oppone una seria obbiezione. Era possibile\nall'Aragona dare ad intendere agli eruditi, massime fiorentini, di\naver tratto il _Guerino_ da un romanzo in prosa spagnuolo? Pure ci\u00f2\nafferma nella prefazione, e se il poema non corrisponde esattamente al\n_Guerino_, in prosa, romanzo cavalieresco del ciclo della Tavola\nRotonda, \u00e8 indiscutibile che da questo ne trasse in massima parte le\nidee. Nessuno ignora la rinomanza che il _Guerino_ ebbe nei secoli XV\ne XVI; all'epoca dell'Aragona ne erano gi\u00e0 state fatte sei edizioni\n[61], ed \u00e8 certo sopra una di queste che fu condotta la riduzione in\nrima. In conclusione non rifiutiamo al _Guerino_ la maternit\u00e0\ndell'Aragona, la sua differenza con le _Rime_ non \u00e8 prova sufficiente\na porre dei dubbi; respingiamo per\u00f2 assolutamente quella prefazione\nche non \u00e8, n\u00e8 poteva essere della Tullia.\nPer la ristampa delle rime abbiamo usato l'edizione prima, Venezia\n1547 (A) servendoci per le varianti delle edizioni di Venezia, 1549,\n(B): ivi, 1560 (C): Napoli, 1593 (D): e delle _Rime_ raccolte dalla\nBergalli-Gozzi (E): le abbiamo fedelmente riprodotte, salvo allorch\u00e8\ngli errori erano evidenti, respingendo allora in nota la lezione\noriginale; quando le varianti assumevano importanza assoluta, come per\ni componimenti tratti dai codici vaticano magliabecchiano, abbiamo\nstimato necessario riprodurre entrambe le lezioni avvertendo di\ncollocarle l'una a lato dell'altra.\n_Dalla R. Biblioteca Vallicelliana\nmaggio 1891._\nENRICO CELANI\nNOTE:\n[1] =Graf A.= _Atraverso il cinquecento_. Torino, Loescher, 1888, pag.\n 215 e seg.--Nell'_Hermaphroditus_ del =Panormitano= (1471)\n _(Quinque illustrium postarum_, =Antonii Panormitani=, etc. _lusus\n in Venerem_, Parigi, 1791), la cortigiana non apparisce ancora,\n come neppure ne \u00e8 parola in =Giano Pannonio= (1472) _Poemata_,\n Trajecti ad Rhenum, 1784.\n[2] \"Avetemi inteso voi donne? Che alla barba di tutti i sodomiti io\n voglio tenere colle donne, e dico che la donna \u00e8 pi\u00f9 pulita e\n preziosa della carne sua che non \u00e8 l'uomo; e dico, che se egli\n tiene il contrario, egli mente per la gola\" (=S. Bernardino=,\n _Prediche volgari_, ed. =Bongi=, pag. 380).\n[3] Le opere fatte da lui circa la osservanza dei buoni costumi furono\n santissime e mirabili, n\u00e8 mai in Firenze fu tanta bont\u00e0 e\n religione quanta a tempo suo... la sodomia era spenta e\n mortificata assai; le donne in gran parte lasciati gli abiti\n disonesti e lascivi; i fanciulli quasi tutti lavati da molte\n disonest\u00e0 e ridutti ad uno vivere santo e costumato... portavano i\n capelli corti e perseguitavano con sassi e villanie gli uomini\n disonesti e giocatori e le donne di abiti troppo lascivi.\n (=Guicciardini=, _Storia, fiorentina_, cap. XVII)\n[4] =Piccolomini A.= _Istituzione di tutta la vita, dell'uomo nato\n nobile et in citt\u00e0 libera_. Venezia, 1552.\n[5] =Garzoni T.= _La piazza universale di tutte le professioni del\n mondo_. Venezia, 1587, discorso LXXIV, pag. 597.\n[6] =Garzoni T.= Op. Cit., discorso LXXV, pag 605.\n[7] Giovanni Burchkardt maestro di cerimonie di Alessandro VI narra\n come l'ultimo d'ottobre 1501 cenarono nel palazzo apostolico, col\n Valentino, cinquanta cortigiane, le quali dopo cena danzarono\n ignude e diedero altre prove di valentia in presenza di Alessandro\n VI e della Lucrezia Borgia. \"In sero fecerunt cenam cum duce\n Valentinense in camera sua, in palatio apostolico, quinquaginta\n meretrices honeste cortegiane nuncupate, que post cenam\n coreaverunt cum servitoribus et aliis ibidem existentibus, primo\n in vestibus suis, denique nude. Post cenam posita fuerunt\n candelabra communia mense in candelis ardentibus per terram, et\n projecte ante candelabra per terram castanee quas meretrices ipse\n super manibus et pedibus; unde, candelabra pertranseuntes,\n colligebant, Papa, duce et D. Lucretia sorore sua presentibus et\n aspicientibus. Tandem exposita dona ultima, diploides de serico,\n paria caligarum; bireta, et alia pro illis qui pluries dictas\n meretrices carnaliter agnoscerent; que fuerunt ibidem in aula\n publice carnaliter tractate arbitrio praesentium, dona distributa\n victoribus\". _Diarium sive rerum urbanorum commentarii_, Parisiis,\n[8] =Armellini M_.= Un censimento della citt\u00e0 di Roma sotto il\n pontificato di Leone X tratto da un codice inedito dell'Archivio\n Vaticano_. Roma. Befani, 1887.\n[9] Cfr. =Bandello=, _Novelle_, parte III, nov. XLII; =Valery=,\n _Curiosit\u00e9s et anecdotes italiennes_, Paris, 1842; =Giovio P.=,\n _De piscibus romanis_, cap V; =Forcella V.=, _Iscrizioni delle\n chiese di Roma_, Roma, 1878. Per l'epitafio che dicesi posto sulla\n sua tomba crediamo siasi roppo facilmente accettata la tradizione\n che fosse in S. Gregorio; oltre la stranezza della lapide che\n certo non faceva bella figura in una chiesa, \u00e8 oramai accertato\n che se pure l'epitafio fu composto non fu mai elevato sulla tomba\n dell'Imperia.\n Di lei scrive il Bandello (op. cit, nov. XLIII): \"Tra gli altri\n che quella (Imperia) sommamente amarono fu il signor Angelo del\n Bufalo, uomo della persona valente, umano, gentile e ricchissimo.\n Egli molti anni in suo poter la tenne, e fu da lei\n ferventissimamente amato, come la fine di lei dimostr\u00f2. E perci\u00f2\n che egli \u00e8 molto liberale e cortese, tenne quella in una casa\n onoratissimamente apparata con molti servidori, uomini e donne,\n che al servizio di quella continovamente attendevano. Era la casa\n apparata e in modo del tutto provvista, che qualunque straniero in\n quella entrava, veduto l'apparato ed ordine de' servidori, credeva\n che ivi una principessa abitasse. Era tra l'altre cose una sala e\n una camera s\u00ec pomposamente adornate, che altro non v'era che\n velluti e broccati, e per terra finissimi tappeti. Nel camerino,\n ov'ella si riduceva, quand'era da qualche gran personaggio\n visitata, erano i paramenti che le mura coprivano, tutti di drappi\n d'oro, riccio sovra riccio, con molti belli e vaghi colori. Eravi\n poi una cornice tutta messa a oro ed azzurro oltremarino,\n maestrevolmente fatto, sovra la quale erano bellissimi vasi di\n varie e preziose materie formati, con pietre alabastrine, di\n porfido, di serpentino e mille altre specie. Vedevansi poi attorno\n molti cofani e forzieri riccamente intagliati, e tali che tutti\n erano di grandissimo prezzo. Si vedeva poi nel mezzo un tavolino,\n il pi\u00f9 bello del mondo, coverto di velluto verde. Quivi sempre era\n o liuto o cetra con libri di musica, ed altri istromenti musici.\n V'erano poi parecchi libretti volgari e latini riccamente\n adornati. Ella non mezzanamente si dilettava delle rime volgari,\n essendole stato in ci\u00f2 esortatore, e come maestro il nostro\n piacevolissimo messer Domenico Campana detto _Strascino_; e gi\u00e0\n tanto di profitto fatto ci aveva che ella non insoavemente\n componeva qualche sonetto o madrigale\". Ed a proposito del celebre\n camerino seguita narrando come essendo andato a farle visita\n l'ambasciatore di Spagna, e avendo bisogno di sputare, trov\u00f2 che\n il luogo meno improprio a ci\u00f2 fare era il viso del servitore che\n gli stava alle spalle.\n[10] =Cugnoni G.= _Agostino Chigi il Magnifico_, Livorno, Vigo, 1879.\n[11] =Aretino P.= _Ragionamento fra il Zoppino fatto frate e Ludovico\n puttaniere_, Cosmopoli, 1660, pag. 442.\n[12] E poeti e letterati non isdegnavano la compagnia della cortigiana\n (=Burchkardt=. _Diarium_ etc., ediz. cit. tom. III, pag. 209);\n Marco Bracci in una lettera ad Ugolino Grifoni segretario di\n Cosimo I scrive nel novembre 1557 che giunto in Perugia il\n cardinale Caraffa nipote di Paolo IV e il cardinal Vitelli \"dopo\n cena pubblicamente fece andare in palazo tutte le putane che a\n quelli tempi se trovavano in Perugia quale furono in tutte\n quattordici; e presene per s\u00e8 una e una per el cardinale Vitello\n el resto acomodoli a la sua famiglia. (=Fabretti=, _La\n prostituzione in Perugia nei secoli XIV e XV_, Torino, 1885, pag.\n[14] _Theatro delle donne letterate_, pag. 296.\n[15] _Istoria della volgar poesia_, vol. IV, pag. 67.\n[16] _Storia e ragione d'ogni poesia_, vol. II, pag. 235.\n[17] _Gli scrittori d'Italia_, vol. I, par. I.\n[18] _Gli scrittori del regno di Napoli_, tomo III, parte I.\n[19] Il Vigo pubblicava nel 1885 per nozze Grassi-Rinaldi il sonetto\n della Tullia all'Ochino (nella nostra edizione a pag. 39), e nella\n breve prefazione la dice napoletana.\n[20] Presso il =Mazzuchelli=, loc. cit.\n[21] _Dell'infinit\u00e0 d'amore_di =Tullia Aragona= edito dal\n =Canestrini=, Milano, 1867.\n[22] _Bibliografia romana_, Roma, Botta, 1880, vol. I, pag. 13.\n[23] Vedi a pag. 189, versi 27 e seg.\n[24] La _Jole_ dell'egloga del Muzio \u00e8 la Giulia ferrarese, anch'essa\n et\u00e8ra famosa e della quale il =Domenichi= (_Facezie, motti e\n burle_, Venezia, 1558, pag. 28) ricorda un motto arguto e mordace.\n Papa Leone X aveva fatto aprire una nuova strada in Roma\n lastricata dai tributi che le puttane pagavano, nella quale\n scontrando la Giulia ferrarese una gentildonna l'urt\u00f2 un poco.\n Allora la gentildonna adirata cominci\u00f2 a dirle villania. Rispose\n la Giulia: \"Madonna, perdonatemi, ch'io so bene che voi avete pi\u00f9\n ragione in questa via che non ho io\". Nel citato censimento di\n Roma (pag. 42) ella apparisce come abitante nel rione Campo\n Marzio, in una casa sotto la parrocchia di S. Trifone di propriet\u00e0\n dell'Ordine Agostiniano.\n[25] Lo Zilioli che fu il pi\u00f9 diffuso biografo dell'Aragonese le\n assegna per padre Pietro Tagliavia, di Aragona, arcivescovo di\n Palermo e cardinale di Santa Chiesa; e tale versione venne accolta\n dal Mazzuchelli, dal Tiraboschi, dal Cinguen\u00e8 e dal Camerini. Ora\n n\u00e8 quando il Muzio scrisse l'egloga alla Tullia n\u00e8 quando\n l'Aretino nel dialogo tra il Zoppino e Ludovico, dialogo scritto\n certo prima del 1539, dice _cardinale_ l'amante della Giulia\n ferrarese, il Tagliavia era stato assunto alla porpora. Lo fu solo\n sotto Giulio III l'anno 1553; in tal guisa viene esonerato di sua\n paternit\u00e0 poco lodevole. Escluso costui, l'unico cardinale che\n cronologicamente pu\u00f2 dirsi padre della Tullia \u00e8 Luigi d'Aragona,\n ascritto al sacro Collegio da Alessandro VI nel 1493, promulgato\n solo nel 1497. Nato in Napoli nel 1474 mor\u00ec in Roma l'anno 1519 e\n fu tumulato nella chiesa di S. Maria sopra Minerva, ove vedesi\n tuttora il suo sepolcro con iscrizione fattagli fare dal cardinale\n Franciotto Orsini suo esecutore testamentario.\n[26] =Biagi G.= _Un'et\u00e8ra romana, Tullia d'Aragona_. (_Nuova\n Antologia_. Serie III, vol. IV, 16 agosto 1886)\n[27] Dice il Muzio:\n Visse in tenera etate presso a l'onde\n del pi\u00f9 bel fiume che Toscana onori.\n[28] =Aretino P.= _Ragionamenti_. loc. cit.\n[29] =Zilioli=, in =Mazzucchelli=, loc. cit. Molto diverso \u00e8 per\u00f2 il\n ritratto che ne fa il Giraldi, e dall'odio che palesa parlando\n della Tullia fa se non credere, almeno dubitare che invano abbia\n picchiato alla porta della bella cortigiana. \"Non \u00e8 alcuno di voi,\n per quanto io stimo, _egli dice_, il quale non habbia conosciuto\n Nana, cos\u00ec detta non perch\u00e8 ella sia piccola della persona, ma per\n mostrare la sua sconvenevole et non proportionata grandezza, con\n voce di contrario sentimento. Questa di casa Aragona si fa\n chiamare quantunque io intenda che di madre vilissima e di quella\n medesima vita che ella \u00e8 in alcune paludi sie nata senza che la\n madre le habbia mai saputo dire chi suo padre si fosse. Venuta\n adunque nella nostra citt\u00e0, ove hora le pari a lei, per lo mal\n costume del nostro secolo, sono in pi\u00f9 abondanza che non si\n converrebbe, si di\u00e8 a fare guadagno di s\u00e8 disonestamente,\n allettando i giovani con quegli adombrati colori di virt\u00f9, di che\n innanzi dicemmo. Et non pure traheva costei a s\u00e8 i giovani con\n simili arti, i quali per lo pi\u00f9 sono di poca levatura, ma cos\u00ec\n toglieva ella il senno ad alcuni huomini maturi e scientiati, che\n col promettere loro di lasciarli godere di lei, qualunque volta\n danzassero mentre ella toccava il leuto, facevano scalzi la\n resina, o la pavana, o quale altra sorta di ballo pi\u00f9 l'era grato\n et poscia beffandoli li lasciava del promesso scherniti.\n (_Ecatommiti_, nov. VII).\n[30] _Passione d'amore di mastro Pasquino per la partita della signora\n Tullia e martello di amore delle povere cortigiane di Roma con le\n allegrezze delle bolognesi._(=Tiraboschi=, Stor. letter. ital.\n vol. VII, pag. 1172). Di pasquinate alla Tullia o nelle quali ella\n sia mentovata non ci consta che il _Trionfo della lussuria di\n mastro Pasquino_stampato nel 1537, ove per\u00f2 \u00e8 ricordata la Tullia\n solo come molto _favorita_. Il Biagi ricorda ancora lo sconcio\n sonetto: \"_Mentre alla Tullia la madre ragiona_\" firmato F. C. che\n conservasi in due codici Magliabecchiani.\n[31] =Biagi G.= op. cit.\n[32] \"Considerando gli infrascritti cavalieri la virt\u00f9 solamente esser\n quella che concede immortalit\u00e0 ad ogni animo generoso, liberandolo\n con la eterna fama da ogni oblivion che ne la labile e caduca\n memoria de li uomini aver loco possa, e che quella da ciascuno\n meritamente deve esser amata, reverita ed a quel sommo grado che\n per le umane forze sia possibile esaltata e tanto pi\u00f9 quanto ella\n in persona si ritruovi di ogni altra grazia, e dono di fortuna e\n natura dotata; per tanto come veri fautori ed amatori di quella e\n per la verit\u00e0 della quale ogni nobil core deve sempre prender la\n protezione, e, quando in parte alcuna celarsi e occulta restarsi\n la veda, produrla in luce e qual chiaro sole farla a tutti\n risplendere ed apparire: non da alcuna altra passione o fine mossi\n ed indotti, si offeriscono non pregiudicando alle onorate leggi de\n la militar disciplina, a tutto il mondo, per un giorno\n valorosamente sostenere che la loro signora e padrona la Ill.ma\n S.ra Tullia de Aragonia per le infinite virt\u00f9 quali in lei\n risplendono \u00e8 quella che pi\u00f9 merita che tutte le altre donne de la\n preterita, presente e futura etate; ed acci\u00f2 che qualunque, de la\n sua immortal gloria invidioso, diversamente o parlasse o sentisse,\n possa presto certificarsi e risolversi; declarono detto\n sostenimento, doversi intendere totalmente secondo l'ordine de\n torniamenti de li antiqui e gloriosi cavalieri; e cos\u00ec gli\n inestimabili meriti de la prefata signora, se pure non fussino a\n sufficenza noti e chiari, secondo il dovere si manifesteranno a lo\n ardire e valor de li suoi servitori, similmente per tale occasione\n pi\u00f9 celebri e palesi saranno, onde ciascuno poi non dubitano che\n confessare sar\u00e0 costretto, s\u00ec come a loro non ritrovarsi cavalier\n di virt\u00f9 superiori, cos\u00ec a la prefata signora pari o simile non\n esser mai stata o potere essere nei secoli futuri\". I sostenitori\n del valore della Tullia erano Paolo Emilio Orsini, Accursio\n Mattei, Brunoro Neccia, Alberto Rippe, Marco da Urbino, e Bernardo\n Rinuccini.\n[33] Il Muzio nell'egloga VI del IV libro intitolata _Argia_, dice che\n la Penelope ebbe per patria\n l'orribil Adria e que' secreti stagni\n che le palustri lor superbe canne\n cercan di pareggiar ai nostri allori.\n L\u00e0 per quelle contrade umide e salse\n a la dolce e vezzosa fanciulletta\n i lascivi delfin festosi giri\n tessean saltando intorno; a la sua culla\n le Nereidi portavano e i Tritoni\n conche da i marin liti e fresche perle.\n E pi\u00f9 sotto lo stesso Muzio ci fa sapere come da Venezia muovesse\n con la madre e la Tullia per Ferrara.\n Indi pargoleggiar su per le rive\n fu vista un tempo del gran re de' fiumi;\n poi come la guidava il suo destino\n varcati d'Apennino i duri gioghi\n tenne lunga stagione adorni e lieti\n i poggi d'Arbia e le campagne d'Arno.\n La sorella della Tullia mor\u00ec di 13 anni ed 11 mesi nel febbraio\n del 1549 e fu sepolta nella chiesa di S. Agostino, innanzi\n all'altar maggiore. L'iscrizione sepolcrale \u00e8 riportata dal\n =Galletti= e dal =Forcella=; in essa \u00e8 chiamata Penelope\n =Aragona=, quasi la Giulia ferrarese per essere un tempo stata\n l'amante di un cardinale di casa Aragona avesse il diritto di\n chiamare Aragonesi anche i figliuoli nati parecchi lustri dopo che\n il buon cardinale aveva reso l'anima a Dio.\n[34] Riportiamo per brevit\u00e0 solamente il brano della lettera alla\n Isabella d'Este che pi\u00f9 particolarmente riguarda la Tullia. \"V.\n Ecc. intender\u00e0 come gli \u00e8 sorta in questa terra una gentil\n cortegiana di Roma, nominata la S.ra Tullia la quale \u00e8 venuta per\n istare qui qualche mese per quanto s'intende. Questa \u00e8 molto\n gentile, discreta, accorta et di ottimi et divini costumi dotata;\n sa cantare al libro ogni motetto et canzone, per rasone di canto\n figurato; ne li discorsi del suo parlare \u00e8 unica, et tanto\n accomodatamente si porta che non c'\u00e8 homo n\u00e8 donna in questa terra\n che la paregi, anchora che la Ill.ma S.ra Marchesa di Pescara sia\n ecc.ma, la quale \u00e8 qui, come sa V. Ecc. Mostra costei sapere de\n ogni cosa, et parla pur sieco di che materia te aggrada. Sempre ha\n piena la casa di virtuosi et sempre si puol visitarla, et \u00e8 riccha\n de denari, zoie, colanne, anella et altre cose notabile, et in\n fine \u00e8 ben accomodata in ogni cosa . . . . . (_Un'avventura di\n Tullia d'Aragona_, nella _Rivista storica mantovana_, vol. I,\n[35] Anno Domini M.D.XLIII indictione secunda die vero martis VIII\n mensis Ianuarii Silvester olim . . . . . de Guicciardis\n ferrariensis contraxit matrimonium cum D. Tullia Palmeria de\n Aragonia per verba de presenti et anuli dationem et receptionem\n respective in forma iuris et sacrorum canonum et omni meliori\n modo, etc. Rogantes, etc. Actum Senis.--Ego Sigismundus Mannius\n Ugolinius notarius rogatus. (_R. Archivio di Stato in Siena,\n Scritture concistoriali_, ad annum).\n[36] 1544 Die dicto (5 februarii) de sero.\n Hieronymus de Ballatis _Prior_\n D. Achilles Orlandinus\n Conterius de Sansedoniis\n Franciscus Arengherius\n . . . . . et deliberaverunt declarare et declaraverunt D. Tulliam\n de Aragona Sen. habitantem, non esse comprehensam in statuto\n meretricium, dantes licentiam omnibus et quibuscumque personis\n locandi domos dicte domine Tullie, et absque aliqua pena, et\n mandaverunt fieri decretum dicte declarationis et licentie in\n forma. Et fuit factum infrascripti tenoris:\n Spectatissimi Domini Executores Generalis Gabelle Magnifici\n Comunis Sen., convocati et congregati solemniter, etc., audito\n pluries Domino Aurelio Manno Ugolino procuratore et eo nomine\n Nobilis domine Tullie filie quondam Constantii de Palmeriis de\n Aragona et uxoris domini Silvestri de Guicciardis ferrariensis,\n producente eius mandatum manu Ser Sigismundi Manni notarii, etc.,\n exponente qualiter praefata Domina Tullia ob novam compilationem\n Statutorum Reipublicae Sen., a nonnullis videlicet indebite et\n iniuste reputatur et diffamatur, eidem non licuisse nec licere\n deferre nec portare vestes et alia ornamenta muliebra que licite\n sunt et conveniunt personis honestis et nobilibus, et commorari et\n habitare in locis civitatis in quibus licitum est habitare omnibus\n personis honestis et nobilibus; et quia rei veritas est, quod\n praefata D. Tullia ducet vitam honestissimam et propterea ea que\n supradicta sunt sibi non debent quoque modo esse prohibita,\n producente ad iustificationem predictum processum in Curia Domini\n Capitanei Iustitie Civitatis Sen., manu ser Lactantii Lucarini\n notarii publici Sen., nec non decretum magnificorum D. Secretorum\n Officialium Balie manu Ser Alexandri Boninsegni Notarii publici\n Sen., et petente in, de ut super predictis de opportuno iuris\n remedio providero et pro iustitia consulente indemnitati prefate\n Domine Tullie, servatis servandis, omni meliori modo;\n Habita plena notitia et clara informatione de omnibus supra\n narratis de vita, moribus et honestate et qualitate dicte Domine\n Tullie, visu processu predicto et summa inde lata, testibus in eo\n examinatis decreto predicto, et omnibus denique visis, auditis et\n consideratis que videnda et consideranda erant, vigore\n auctoritatis eisdem concesse a Statutis Reipublicae Sen., servatis\n servandis et omni meliori modo, etc., Solemniter deliberaverunt\n prefatam D. Tulliam minime comprehendi in Statuto de meretricibus\n et questus sui corporis facentibus desponente, sibique licuisse et\n licere commorare et habitare in quibuscumque locis civitatis ad\n suum libitum, et vestes ac habitum deferre prout et sicut et in\n omnibus et per omnia licuit et licet personis et mulieribus\n honestis et nobilibus, et ita sibi licentiam et facultatem\n concesserunt, mandantes de predictis sibi publicum fieri decretum,\n et illud inviolabiliter osservari a quibuscumque personis tam\n publicis quam privatis sub pena comminationis arbitri quibuscumque\n in contrarium non obstantibus, et omni meliori modo, rebus tamen\n stantibus pro ut stant et non aliter nec alio modo. (_Archivio di\n Stato in Siena, Buste degli esecutori di Gabella, 1544 gennaio I,\n Operta la cassa fu retrovata una politia et acusa del tenore\n susseguente, cio\u00e8:\n _La Signora Tullia de Aragona per la pascha di Spirito Santo\n port\u00f2 la sbernia contro li Statuti.\n Ottaviano Tondi, Horatio Pecci, Il Signor Gaspare servitore del\n Signor D. Giovanni._\n Vide in filo processum agitatum super vita causa ex quo apparet\n de sententia per quam fuit declaratum sibi licere portare\n sberniam istantibus omnibus, etc., (_R. Archivio di Stato in\n Siena, Decreti, polizze, ecc. del Capitano di Giustizia del 1544,\n luglio-dicembre, c. 53_).\n I documenti da noi riportati a pag. XXXI-XXXVI furono rinvenuti\n nell'Archivio di Stato di Siena dal compianto Luciano Banchi.\n[38] =Pecci G. A.= _Continuazione delle memorie storico-critiche della\n citt\u00e0 di Siena fino all'anno M.D.LII._Siena, Bindi, 1758, vol.\n[39] Sonetto XXXVI.\n[40] =Biagi G.= op. cit.--=Bongi S.= _Il velo giallo di Tullia\n d'Aragona_. Estratto dalla _Rivista critica della letteratura\n italiana_, anno III, n. 3, marzo 1886.\n[41] \"Le meretrici non possino portare vesti di drappo e seta d'alcuna\n ragione, ma sibbene quante gioie e quanto oro e argento esse\n vorranno, et sia tenuta portare un velo, o vero sciugatoio o\n fazzoletto o altra peza in capo che habbi una lista larga un dito\n d'oro o di seta o d'altra materia gialla e in luogo che ella possa\n essere veduta da ciascuno; et tal segno debbia portare a fine che\n elle sien conosciute dalle donne da bene e di honesta vita, sotto\n pena se la ne mancheranno di scudi dieci in oro di oro di sole per\n ciascheduna volta che le trasgrediranno e sian sottoposte al\n Magistrato delli spettabili Otto di Bal\u00eca, alli spettabili\n Conservatori di Legge, et alli Offitiali dell'Honest\u00e0 intra li\n quali magistrati habbi luogo la preventione da distribuirsi come\n l'altre pene che di sotto si dichiareranno. (=Contini=.\n _Legislazione toscana_, vol. I, pag. 332).\n[42] Edita dal =Bongi=, op. cit., ed ancora dal =Biagi=.\n[43] Archivio di Stato in Firenze. Luogotenenti e Consiglieri di S. E.\n il Duca di Firenze. Deliberazioni, _ad annum_.\n[44] \"La S.ra Tulja d'Araona a fronte alle dette dee dar per sua tassa\n imposta come di sopra S. 40--4\". Archivio di Stato in Roma,\n _Fabbriche camerali_.\n[45] Il testamento fu rinvenuto nell'Archivio di Stato di Roma\n dall'archivista Cav. Costantino Corvisieri.--\"Del 1556 a d\u00ec 2 de\n marzo. Al nome di Dio, &. Io Tullia de aragona sana per gratia di\n Dio de mente et intelletto bench\u00e8 inferma del corpo volendo\n disporre dei miei beni acci\u00f2 che doppo morte mia non ne nasca ad\n alcuno lite o scandalo, ordino et faccio il mio ultimo testamento\n et mia ultima volont\u00e0 in questo modo che seguita, cio\u00e8: In prima\n racomando l'anima mia all'altissimo Dio et alla sua gloriosa Madre\n Vergine Maria et a tutta la corte del cielo. Lasso alla Lucretia\n mia creata moglie di Matteo hoste questo fornimento di camera cio\u00e8\n queste spalliere verde et questo letto ove io ora giaccio con suoi\n matarazzi, lenzuoli para uno et una coperta, fuorch\u00e8 lo sparviere,\n et pi\u00f9 una vesta di rascia negra usata aperta denanzi;\n Item un roverso rosso nuovo, cio\u00e8 una sottana de roverso, una saia\n biancha listata de pagonazo et una lionata, una montatura a la\n romana, cio\u00e8 panno listato et lenzolo, dieci scudi d'oro et sia\n pagata del vino che io ho havuto da lei;\n Item lasso alla putta Christofora mia serva sia vestita di panno\n ordinario negro et datole dieci scudi d'oro; item lasso alle\n povere orfanelle cinque scudi d'oro; item lasso alle monache\n convertite quella parte chelli viene in rigore della bolla; item\n lasso alla compagnia del crocifisso un paramento di taffet\u00e0 negro\n leggiero semplice.\n Item lasso a Santo Agostino un mezo scudo di cera ogni anno per\n ardere il d\u00ec de' morti a la mia sepoltura la quale se non serr\u00e0\n arsa alla mia sepoltura da i frati non sia obligato l'herede a\n darla pi\u00f9. Item lasso che ogni anno si dia mezo scudo per far dir\n la messa di San Gregorio per l'anima mia. Item lasso a mastro\n Panuntio medico una veste di rascia negra da medico che gli sia\n fatta nuova.\n Item in tutti gli altri miei beni et in tutte le mie ragioni et\n attioni tanto presenti come d'avenire dovunque siano o saranno io\n instituisco e faccio e con la mia propria bocca nomino Celio che \u00e8\n in protettione de Messer Pietro Cioccha scalco del cardinale\n Cornaro, istituisco dicio et faccio detto Celio herede universale\n al quale lascio tutti i miei beni ragioni et attioni per ragione\n et causa de universale institutione con patto et conditione che\n detti miei beni siano venduti et fattone dinari siano posti in\n luogo chelli fructino n\u00e8 possi disporre Celio n\u00e8 altri della\n principal somma di detti dinari sinch\u00e8 detto herede non sia\n all'et\u00e0 di anni venticinque, ma dell'entrata senne nutrisca et\n serva per impa[ra] re littere et altre virt\u00f9. Et se detto herede\n (che Dio non voglia) mancasse inanzi all'et\u00e0 di venticinque lascio\n et substituisco herede in vita sua Messer Pietro Chiocca suo\n protettore con condittione che ogni anno dia dieci scudi a una\n povera orfana da maritarsi, il restante senne serva messer Pietro\n per i suoi alimenti et dopo la morte di messer Pietro Chiocca si\n stribuisca ogni cosa ad opere pie et queste debbiano essere le mie\n ultime volont\u00e0, et mio ultimo testamento li quali voglio che\n vaglino in virt\u00f9 et forza di testamento et ultime volont\u00e0 et se in\n tal modo per alcun rispetto non potesse valere, voglio che vaglia\n in virt\u00f9 et forza di codicillo et di donatione infra vivi o per\n causa di morte et in quel meglior modo che di ragione pu\u00f2 e potr\u00e0\n valere e sostenersi. Et per essere io impedita ho fatto scrivere\n questo da persona a me fedele et io l'ho sottoscritto di mia\n propria mano in fede della verit\u00e0 questo d\u00ec 2\u00b0 di marzo 1556.\n Item lasso di essere sepelita in Santo Agostino e nella sepoltura\n di mia madre et mia et alle mie esequie non voglio altro che i\n frati di Santo Agostino et la compagnia del Crocifisso della quale\n io sonno, et sia sepulta a ventiquattro hore senza cerimonie,\n semplicemente.\n Et lasso et instituisco con ogni miglior modo et forma che fare et\n instituire se puote esecutori di questo mio testamento il\n Reverendo vescovo di Tolone e Messer Mario Fregapane, i quali\n supplico per l'amor de Dio et per la fede che ho in loro signorie\n che vogliano doppo la mia morte fare eseguire a puntino queste mie\n ultime volont\u00e0 per magior dechiaratione della quale io come di\n sopra ho detto mi sottoscrivo di mia propia mano.\n Io Tullia Aragona affermo quanto sopra et instituisco herede\n universale Celio come di sopra ho detto. _A tergo autem_, ecc\n L'entroacluso \u00e8 il testamento di me Tullia Aragona il quale ho\n sottoscritto de mia propria mano et ligatolo con el filo et\n sigillatolo sopra esso filo il quale consegno a M. Virgilio\n Grandinelli notario pubblico presenti li testimonii sottoscritti\n da me rogati et non voglio sia aperto se non doppo la morte mia,\n et in fede di ci\u00f2 mi sottoscrivo di mia propria mano. Io Tullia\n Aragona manu propria. _Quorum testium etc. (Archivio di Stato in\n[46] Il malevolo Giraldi scriveva di lei che aveva il viso non bello\n n\u00e8 piacevole \"il quale oltre la bocca larga et le labbra sottili\n era disordinato da un naso lungo, gibbuto et nella estrema parte\n grosso et atto a porre sommo difetto in ogni bella faccia s'egli\n tra le guancie vi fosse posto. (_Ecatommiti_, loc. cit.)\n[47] In una lettera datata di Venezia li 6 giugno 1537 e scritta allo\n Speroni esaltandogli il suo _Dialogo_egli diceva: La Tullia ha\n guadagnato un tesoro che per sempre spenderlo mai non iscemer\u00e0, e\n l'impudicitia sua per s\u00ec fatto onore pu\u00f2 meritamente essere\n invidiata dalle pi\u00f9 pudiche e dalle pi\u00f9 fortunate.\n[48] Nella commedia del Razzi intitolata la _Balia_(Firenze 1560) in\n fine della scena VII dell'atto III leggesi:\n LIVIO (_padrone_). Io non conobbi mai giovane di pi\u00f9 alto animo\n di lei e di pi\u00f9 elevato spirito\n BROZZI (_famiglio_). O degli uomini inferma e instabil mente! Pur\n ora la chiamaste puttana e femmina di mondo, ed ora per contrario\n dite tanto ben di lei?\n LIVIO. Sarebbe forse la prima nobile e d'animo grande che \u00e8 stata\n puttana? Che \u00e8 stata la Tullia d'Aragona, Isabella di Luna e\n altre?\n Anche il Lasca che pure si atteggia, bench\u00e8 un po' tardi, ad\n amante della Tullia, nel XXII madrigale lagnandosi che la sua\n donna, anch'essa cortigiana\n lodata ancor non sia\n con dolce stile e soave armonia,\n dice che\n celebrar si sente ognora\n con gloria alta e divina\n e Tullia e Totta e Fioretta e Nannina\n che, bench'elle sieno oggi al mondo rare,\n non si ponno agguagliare\n alla Cecca gentil che m'innamora.\n[49] Noli discedere a muliere sensata et bona, quam sortitus es in\n timore Domini: gratia enim verecundiae illius super aurum.\n[50] =Cereseto G. B.= _Storia della poesia in Italia_. Milano,\n Silvestri, 1857, vol. I.\n[51] =Aretino P.= _Ragionamenti_. Cosmopoli, 1660, parte I, giornata\n III.--=Graf A.= op. cit. pag 19 e seg.\n[52] Il Domenichini nelle sue _Facetie, etc._pag. 32, ricorda una\n disputa che alcuni cortigiani ebbero in casa dell'Aragona sui\n pregi del Petrarca.\n[53] Vedi nota a pag. 29.\n[54] Per i riscontri usiamo delle _Rime di _=F. Petrarca=_con\n l'interpretazione di _=G. Leopardi =_e con note inedite di _=F.\n Ambrosoli=. Firenze, Barb\u00e8ra, 1879.\n[55] Questo dialogo fu edito in Venezia dal Giolito nel 1547 in-8 e\n ristampato a Milano nel 1864 dal Daelli nella sua _Biblioteca\n rara_con prefazione di Eugenio Camerini (Carlo T\u00e9oli).\n[56] _Il Meschino e il Guerino_. Poema. In Venezia, per Gio. Battista\n Melchior Sessa, 1560, in-4.\n[57] =Crescimbeni=, op. cit., vol. I, c. 341.\n[58] =Gordon di Percel.= _Biblioth. des Romans_, tom. II, pag.\n 193.--=Crescimbeni=, op. cit., vol. I, carte 331.--=Fontanini G.=\n _Dell'eloquenza italiana_, lib. I, cap. XXVI.--=Zambrini F.= _Le\n opere volgari a stampa dei secoli XIII e XIV ecc._Bologna,\n Zanichelli, 1878.--=Melzi=. _Bibliografia dei romanzi di\n cavalleria in versi e in prosa italiani_.__Milano, Daelli, 1865.\n[59] Produciamo a saggio del nostro asserto due sole ottave:\n Ma de l'ostier l'innamorata figlia\n non potendo frenar l'accesa voglia,\n ch'ognun dorma per casa il tempo piglia\n e poi d'ogni timor lieta si spoglia:\n disiando il camin di molte miglia,\n non pensa che 'l Meschin se ne distoglia:\n ponglisi a canto ignuda, e gli si accosta\n n\u00e8 fu pari a la voglia la risposta.\n Sveglia messer Brandisio, e fagli offerta\n de la da lui gi\u00e0 ricusata preda,\n de la qual poi che 'l francioso s'accerta\n non sa s'ancor ben chiaramente creda\n s'ei non esce a battaglia pi\u00f9 aperta\n dicendo: E basta che mi si conceda,\n ridendo seco, e franco s'appresenta\n di sorta tal che la mand\u00f2 contenta.\n[60] Mentre il Meschino \u00e8 condotto alla corte di Pacifero le guide\n ammirandone il femmineo volto gli chieggono se egli sia uomo o\n donna: inteso essere uomo gli manifestano l'uso del paese, che\n ricordava quello di Sodoma. Il Meschino si sdegna, e vorrebbe non\n entrare in tal corte, ma il re gli fa promettere che sarebbe\n rispettato, e l'accolse benignamente con ogni onore.\n E poi la sera volse ch'egli andasse\n a cena seco e fu sopra un tappeto\n disteso in terra, e tal fu la sua asse;\n ma quel lussurioso ed indiscreto\n senza aspettar che pi\u00f9 'l Meschin cenasse,\n per mano il piglia e con atto inquieto\n lo sfrenato desir gli fa palese\n onde 'l Meschin di collera s'accese.\n Rinchiuso in prigione per non aver voluto soddisfare Pacifero,\n vien salvato dalla figliuola del re, che innamoratasi di lui va\n continuamente a trovarlo ove spesso\n . . . . . abbraccia al Meschin suo la gola\n ma ben che freddamente fosse centa\n da lui nel mezzo con le braccia, fece\n quel che stimar si pu\u00f2, ma dir non lece.\n E dopo due sole altre ottave l'innamorata donzella apparisce\n gravida.\n[61] Cf. =Rajna P=. _Ricerche intorno ai Reali di Francia_. Bologna,\n Romagnoli, 1872.--Il Zambrini e il Melzi citano le edizioni del\n _Guerino_ nell'ordine seguente: Venezia 1473, Bologna 1475, Venezia\n 1477, ivi 1480, Milano 1480, ivi 1482. L'Aragona ignorava forse\n l'autore di esso che il Rajna afferma essere Maestro Andrea de'\n Magnabotti da Barberino di Valdelsa maestro di canto.\nRIME DI TULLIA D'ARAGONA\nA DONNA ELEONORA DI TOLEDO\nDUCHESSA DI FIRENZE\nTULLIA D'ARAGONA\nIo so bene nobilissima e virtuosissima Signora Duchessa, che quanto la\nbassezza della condizion mia \u00e8 men degna della altezza di quella di\nV. Eccell. tanto la rozzezza de' componimenti miei \u00e8 minore dello\ningegno e giudicio suo; e per questa cagione, sono stata in dubbio\ngran tempo se io dovessi indirizzare a cos\u00ec grande e cos\u00ec onorato nome\nquanto \u00e8 quello di V. Eccell., cos\u00ec picciola e cos\u00ec ignobile fatica,\ncome \u00e8 quella de' sonetti composti da me pi\u00f9 tosto per fuggir l'ozio\nmolte volte, o per non parer scortese a quelli che i loro mi aveano\nindirizzati, che per credenza di doverne acquistar fama o pregio\nalcuno appresso le genti. Ma desiderando io di mostrare in qualche\nmodo qualche parte della devotissima servit\u00f9 mia verso V. Eccell. per\ngli obblighi che le ho molti e grandissimi s\u00ec a lei, e s\u00ec a quella\ndello invitto e gloriosissimo consorte suo, presi ardimento, e mi\nrisolsi finalmente di non mancare a me medesima, ricordandomi che i\ncomponimenti di tutti gli scrittori hanno in tutte le lingue, e\nmassimamente quegli de' poeti, avuto sempre cotal grazia e preminenza,\nche niuno quantunque grande, non solo non gli ha rifiutati mai, ma\nsempre tenuti carissimi. Perch\u00e8 io ancorch\u00e8, come ho detto, conosca\nbenissimo cos\u00ec l'altezza dello stato suo, come la bassezza della\ncondizione mia, presento umilmente con devotissimo cuore queste mie\npoche, basse e picciole fatiche, alle moltissime, grandissime e\naltissime virt\u00f9 di lei, pregandola con tutto l'animo non al dono\nvoglia n\u00e8 a chi dona, ma a s\u00e8 medesima riguardare.\n I. -- Al Duca di Firenze\n Se gli antichi pastor di rose e fiori\n sparsero i tempii, e vaporar gli altari\n d'incenso a Pan, sol perch\u00e8 dolci e cari\n avea fatto a le Ninfe i loro amori:\n quai fior degg'io Signor, quai deggio odori,\n sparger al nome vostro, che sian pari\n a i merti vostri, e tante, e cos\u00ec rari,\n ch'ognor spargete in me grazie e favori?\n Nessun per certo tempio, altare, o dono\n trovar si pu\u00f2 di cos\u00ec gran valore,\n ch'a vostra alta bont\u00e0 sia pregio eguale.\n Sia dunque il petto vostro, u' tutte sono\n le virt\u00f9, tempio; altare, il saggio core;\n Vittima, l'alma mia, se tanto vale.\n [V. 7 B. pari.; D. cari.]\n II. -- Allo stesso\n _(Cod. Magliabecchiano, II, I, IV)._\n Se gli antichi pastor di rose e fiori\n sparsero i tempii, e vaporar gl'altari\n di maschi incensi a Vener, poich\u00e8 cari\n fece e dolci alle Ninfe i loro amori:\n a voi, che sceso dai pi\u00f9 nobil cori\n degl'angiol sete, e ch'ai desiri miei cari\n rendete i favor, quai pi\u00f9 rari\n fiori offrir\u00f2 io? quai grati odori?\n Veramente non tempio, altare, o dono\n trovar si pu\u00f2 di tal pregio e valore,\n ch'a vostra cortesia sia merto uguale;\n fuor che fia 'l petto vostro il tempio, u' sono\n alti pensieri; e 'l saggio vostro core\n fia altar; vittima, l'alma mia immortale,\n [V. 6. Nel mss. leggesi: _miei o cari_.]\n III. -- Allo stesso\n Signor, pregio e onor di questa etade,\n cui tutte le virt\u00f9 compagne fersi,\n che con tante bell'opre e s\u00ec diversi\n effetti gite al ciel per mille strade:\n quai fien, che possan mai tante, e si rade\n doti vostre cantar prose, n\u00e8 versi?\n In voi solo (e son parca) pu\u00f2 vedersi\n giunta a sommo valor, somma bontade.\n Voi saggio, voi clemente, voi cortese;\n onde nel primo fior de' pi\u00f9 verd'anni\n vi fu dato da Dio s\u00ec grande impero,\n per ristorar tutti gli andati danni:\n e, con potere eguale al bel pensero,\n por sempiterno fine a tante offese.\n [V. 7 B. sol, - 13 pensiero.]\n IV. -- Allo stesso\n Signor d'ogni valor pi\u00f9 d'altro adorno:\n Duce fra tutti i Duci altero e solo:\n Cosmo, di cui dall'uno all'altro polo,\n e donde parte, e donde torna il giorno,\n non vede pari il sol girando intorno:\n me, che quanto pi\u00f9 so v'onoro, e colo,\n prendete in grado, e scemate il gran duolo\n de l'altrui ingiusto oltraggio, e indegno scorno.\n N\u00e8 vi dispiaccia, ch'el mio oscuro e vile\n cantar, cerchi talor d'acquistar fama\n a voi pi\u00f9 ch'altro chiaro, e pi\u00f9 gentile;\n non guardate Signor, quanto lo stile\n vi toglie (ohim\u00e8) ma quel che darvi brama\n il cor, ch'a vostra altezza inchina umile.\n V. -- Allo stesso\n Nuovo Numa Toscan, che le chiar'onde\n del tuo bel fiume inalzi a quegli onori\n ch'ebbe gi\u00e0 il Tebro; e le stelle migliori\n girano tutte al gran valor seconde;\n le tue virtuti a null'altre seconde,\n alto suggetto a i pi\u00f9 famosi cori,\n da l'Arbia, ond'oggi ogni bell'alma \u00e8 fuori,\n mi trasser d'Arno a le felici sponde.\n E al primo disio, nuovo disire,\n m'accende ognor la tua bont\u00e0 nat\u00eca:\n tal che miglior non spero, o bramo albergo.\n Cos\u00ec potessi un d\u00ec farmi sentire\n cortese no, ma grata con la mia\n zampogna, ch'a te sol, bench'indegna, ergo.\n [V. 1 E. Novo; chiare.]\n [2 innalzi a quegl'onori.]\n [7 Dall'; infiori.]\n [11 talch\u00e8.]\n [12 potess'io.]\n [\u00c8 inserito anche nei _Componimenti poetici delle pi\u00f9 illustri\n rimatrici_ raccolti da LUISA BERGALLI. Parte prima, che contiene le\n rimatrici antiche fino all'anno 1573. In Venezia 1726, appresso\n Antonio Mora, _con licenza de' superiori e privilegio_, pag. 110.]\n VI. -- Allo stesso\n _(Cod. Magliabecchiano II, I, IV)._\n Almo Pastor, che godi alle chiar'onde\n del pi\u00f9 bel fiume che Toscana onori,\n cui s'aggiran le grazie e i santi amori,\n lieti spargendo intorno fiori e fronde:\n le tue virtuti a null'altro seconde,\n alto soggetto a pi\u00f9 gentil pastore,\n da i colli ornati gi\u00e0 di mille allori,\n mi volser con mie gregge a le tue sponde.\n E al primo mio disir, nuovo disire,\n aggiunto ha dentr'al cor tua cortesia,\n che in le tue piagge eterno sia 'l mio albergo;\n e vorrei bel almen farmi sentire\n grata al tener della zampogna mia,\n ma a dir el ver tant'alto el suon non ergo.\n VII. -- Allo stesso\n Signor, che con pietate alta e consiglio,\n (onde tanto pi\u00f9 ch'altro al mondo vali)\n venisti a medicar gli antichi mali,\n del fiorito per te purpureo giglio;\n io che scampata da crudele artiglio,\n provo gli acerbi e ingiuriosi strali\n quanto sian di fortuna aspri e mortali,\n a te rifuggo in s\u00ec grave periglio;\n e solo chieggo umil, che come l'alma\n secura vive omai ne la tua corte,\n da la vicina e minacciata morte,\n cos\u00ec la tua merc\u00e8 di ben n'apporte\n tanto, che l'altra mia povera salma\n libera venga per le ricche porte.\n [V. 12 B. m'apporte.]\n [Questo sonetto leggesi anche nel_: Libro primo delle rime spirituali,\n parte nuovamente raccolte da pi\u00f9 autori, parte non pi\u00f9 date in\n luce_. In Venetia, al segno della Speranza, M.D.L. in-12, a carte 40.]\n VIII. -- Allo stesso\n Dive che dal bel monte d'Elicona\n discendete sovente a far soggiorno\n fra queste rive, ond'\u00e8 che d'ogn'intorno\n il gran nome Toscan pi\u00f9 altero sona:\n d'eterni fior tessete una corona\n a lui, che di virt\u00f9 fa 'l mondo adorno,\n sceso col fortunato Capricorno,\n per cui l'antico vizio n'abbandona.\n E per me lodi, e per me grazia a lui\n rendete, o Dive, che lingua mortale,\n verso immortal virt\u00f9 s'affanna indarno.\n Quest'\u00e8 valor, quest'\u00e8 suggetto tale,\n che solo \u00e8 da voi sole, e non d'altrui:\n cos\u00ec dicea la Tullia in riva d'Arno.\n IX. -- Allo stesso\n N\u00e8 vostro impero ancor che bello e raro,\n n\u00e8 d'argento e di gemme ampia ricchezza,\n che men da chi pi\u00f9 sa si brama e prezza,\n vi fanno al mondo s\u00ec famoso e chiaro:\n quanto l'aver, Signor pregiato e caro,\n la ben nata e gentil anima avvezza,\n con severa pietate e dolce asprezza\n perdonar, e punir, ch'oggi \u00e8 s\u00ec raro.\n Queste vi fanno tal, lunge e dappresso,\n ch'al grido sol del vostro nome altero\n l'alma s'inchina, e come pu\u00f2 vi onora.\n E se al caldo dis\u00eco fia mai concesso\n stile al suggetto ugual, ritrarne spero\n fama immortal, dopo la morte ancora.\n [V. 1 E. degno e raro.]\n [11 v'onora.]\n [13 soggetto.]\n [B. egual.]\n [_Componimenti poetici_, ecc., ediz. cit., pag. 110.]\n X. -- Alla Duchessa di Toscana\n Non cos\u00ec d'acqua colmo in mar discende,\n n\u00e8 di tante dorate arene vago\n si mostra al suo paese il ricco Tago,\n d'onde 'l nome real di voi si prende,\n come del valor vostro a noi si stende\n di mille opre divine alto ampio lago:\n e quante (bench\u00e8 in dir nulla m'appago)\n bellezze scorge in voi chi dritto intende.\n Quest'\u00e8 l'arena d'oro, e queste l'onde\n di beltate e virt\u00f9, che 'l bello e santo\n animo e volto vostro, a l'Arno infonde.\n Non pi\u00f9 la Spagna omai gioisca tanto,\n che s'ella ha 'l Tago con l'aurate sponde,\n Leonora avrem noi con maggior vanto.\n [V. 14 B. avremo.]\n XI. -- Alla stessa\n O qual vi debb'io dire o Donna o Diva,\n poi che tanta belt\u00e0, tanto valore\n riluce in voi, che 'l vostro almo splendore\n abbaglia qual fu mai fiamma pi\u00f9 viva?\n Mi dice un bel pensier che di voi scriva,\n e renda grazie, e qual si deve onore;\n ma dove s'erge l'animoso core,\n non giunge penna, o voce umana arriva.\n So ch'ogni alto favor da voi mi viene,\n come la luce al d\u00ec da quella stella,\n che surge in oriente innanzi al Sole.\n Ma poi che pur al fin mal si conviene\n a tanta altezza l'umil mia favella,\n v'appaghi il core in vece di parole.\n XII. -- Alla stessa\n Donna reale, a i cui santi disiri\n grazia gi\u00e0 fece la bont\u00e0 superna\n di me, ch'or fatto son chiara lucerna\n sopra i celesti, ardenti, alti zafiri;\n poi che fuor di sospetto e di martiri,\n godo del ben che ne l'alme s'interna,\n deh! non turbate la mia pace eterna\n col pianto vostro, e co' i vostri sospiri.\n Qui mi viv'io, dove 'l pensier non erra;\n dove luogo non ha terreno affetto;\n e co' i pi\u00e8 calco gli stellanti chiostri.\n E se quass\u00f9 giungesser gli occhi vostri,\n vedendo fatto me novo angeletto,\n qui bramareste, e non vedermi in terra.\n XIII. -- Alla stessa\n S'a l'alto Creator de gli elementi\n sete, Donna Real, cotanto cara,\n che de la stirpe vostra altera e rara,\n volle ornare i suoi chiostri eterno ardenti;\n e s'or, per acquetar vostri lamenti,\n vi rende il cambio di quell'alma chiara,\n che di voi nata, tutto 'l ciel rischiara,\n a Dio lode cantando in dolci accenti;\n ragion \u00e8 ben, che con eterni onori\n vi cantin tutti gli spirti pi\u00f9 rari,\n com'onorata in terra e in ciel gradita.\n Arno alzi l'acque al ciel, le rive infiori,\n suonino i tempii, e fumino gli altari,\n che 'l nuovo parto a festeggiar n'invita.\n [V. 3 B. De la stirpe vostra.]\n [6 Il principino D. Pietro mor\u00ec il 10 giugno 1 47, e D. Garzia nacque\n il 5 luglio dello stesso anno.]\n XIV. -- A Maria Salviati de' Medici\n Anima bella che dal padre eterno\n creata prima in ciel nuda e immortale,\n or vestita di vel caduco e frale,\n mostri qua giuso il gran valore interno:\n da gli alti chiostri in questo basso inferno\n u' si n'aggrava il rio peso mortale,\n scendesti a torne noia e a darne l'ale\n al sommo bello, al sommo ben superno;\n chiunque te pur una volta mira,\n sente sgombrar da l'alma ogni vil voglia,\n e arder tutta di celeste amore.\n Dunque ver me col divin raggio spira\n del disiato tuo santo favore,\n ch'io voli al Ciel con la terrena spoglia.\n [11 Ed; tutto. - _Componimenti poetici_, ecc., ediz. cit., pag. 111.]\n XV. -- Alla stessa\n _(Cod. Magliabecchiano II, I, IV)._\n Anima bella, che dal Padre eterno\n pura fosti creata e immortale,\n e ingombra di velo oscuro e frale,\n pur di fuor mostri il tuo valor interno:\n dal ciel scendesti in questo vivo inferno,\n u' n'aggrava il terren peso mortale,\n per innalzarne dibattendo l'ale\n al sommo bello, e sommo ben superno.\n Tu di casti pensier, d'onesta voglia\n ingombri l'alma a chi tuo esempio mira,\n e le fai vaghe del verace amore.\n Dunque ver me col vivo raggio spira\n del desiato tuo almo favore,\n ch'io m'erga, e inalzi al ciel da questa spoglia.\n XVI. -- A. D. Luigi di Toledo\n Spirto gentil, che dal nat\u00eco terreno\n la chiarezza del sangue, e dal ciel chiara\n anima avesti, e a cui d'ogni pi\u00f9 rara\n virt\u00f9 colmar le sante Muse il seno;\n poi che 'l cor vostro \u00e8 d'alto valor pieno,\n e real cortesia da voi s'impara,\n non mi sia, prego, vostra mente avara\n di ci\u00f2, ch'altrui donando, non vien meno.\n Voi sete quel, ch'avete ambe le chiavi\n di quegli eccelsi, e gloriosi cori\n che fan pi\u00f9 ch'ancor mai felice l'Arno;\n or volgetele a me cos\u00ec soavi,\n ch'entro raccolta, mai non esca fuori;\n e prego umil non sia 'l mio prego indarno.\n XVII. -- A D. Pedro di Toledo\n Ben si richiede al vostro almo splendore\n del chiaro sangue, e a la virt\u00f9 eccellente,\n che si canti Signore eternamente\n ne' giochi di Parnaso il vostro onore;\n ond'\u00e8 ch'a dir di voi, dentr'al mio core\n s'accende ognor un vivo foco ardente;\n ma come a l'alta impresa non si sente\n l'anima ugual, si spenge il novo ardore.\n Non s'assicura nel profondo seno\n di vostre glorie entrar mia navicella\n sotto la scorta del mio cieco ingegno.\n Solchi 'l gran mar di vostre lodi a pieno\n pi\u00f9 felice alma, a cui pi\u00f9 chiara stella\n porga favore in pi\u00f9 securo legno.\n XVIII. -- A Pietro Bembo\n Bembo, io che fino a qui da grave sonno\n oppressa vissi, anzi dormii la vita,\n or da la luce vostra alma infinita,\n o sol d'ogni saper maestro e donno,\n desta apro gli occhi, s\u00ec ch'aperti ponno\n scorger la strada di virt\u00f9 smarrita;\n ond'io lasciato ove 'l pensier m'invita\n de la parte miglior per voi m'indonno:\n e quanto posso il pi\u00f9 mi sforzo anch'io,\n scaldarmi al lume di s\u00ec chiaro foco,\n per lasciar del mio nome eterno segno.\n E o non pur da voi si prenda a sdegno\n mio folle ardir, che se 'l sapere \u00e8 poco,\n non \u00e8 poco, Signor, l'alto dis\u00eco.\n [V. 2 B. dorm\u00ec; - C. D. dormii.]\n [3 E. dalla.]\n [12 Ed oh! - _Componimenti poetici_, ecc., ediz. cit. pag. 111.]\n XIX. -- A Ridolfo Baglioni\n Signore in cui valore e cortesia\n giostrano insieme ognor tanto ugualmente,\n che discerner non puote umana mente,\n di qual di lor pi\u00f9 la vittoria sia;\n mia fredda Musa a voi gi\u00e0 non s'invia\n per celebrar vostra virtute ardente;\n ma perch'in voi nomar conosce e sente,\n sorger nel vostro onor la gloria mia.\n Ben porta nel mio core un caldo affetto\n il vivo lume vostro, ch'\u00e8 s\u00ec chiaro,\n che risplender si vede in ogni parte.\n Ma prenda voi per degno alto suggetto,\n chi al quieto Apollo \u00e8 tanto caro,\n quanto voi sete al bellicoso Marte.\n [V. 2 B. egualmente;]\n [8 C. scorger.]\n XX. -- A Francesco Crasso\n La nobil valorosa antica gente,\n che di novo i fratelli ancisi vede,\n e in acerbo esilio a pianger riede,\n Signore, a te, s'inchina umilemente.\n E potendo vendetta arditamente\n gridar da' monti, e piaghe, e mille prede,\n merc\u00e8 sola e pietate a te richiede,\n di comune voler, pietosamente.\n O sanator de le ferite nostre,\n mira la velenosa e cruda rabbia,\n che 'l sangue giusto, ingiustamente sugge.\n Cos\u00ec tosto avverr\u00e0, ch'in te si mostre,\n com'a gran torto, tanti danni or abbia\n la gente, cui pietate e doglia strugge.\n [6 B. C. D. E. de' morti. _Componimenti poetici_, ecc.,\n ediz. cit. pag. 112.]\n XXI. -- Al Molza\n Poscia (ohim\u00e8) che spento ha l'empia morte\n l'alma gentil, ch'in sua pi\u00f9 verde etade,\n a gran passi sal\u00eca l'erte contrade\n che menan dritto a la superna corte;\n chi fia che leggi cos\u00ec crude e torte,\n spirti amici d'onor e di bontade,\n non pianga meco ognor, ch'a le pi\u00f9 rade\n virt\u00f9 die' sempre il ciel vite pi\u00f9 corte?\n Molza ben pianger dei, poi ch'al camino\n ove ti sprona un disusato ardire,\n perduta hai meco la pi\u00f9 fida scorta.\n Io per me dopo s\u00ec fero destino\n non voglio altro, non deggio che morire\n se morir deve e puote, chi \u00e8 gi\u00e0 morta.\n [V. 1 B. l'avara; C. D. empia.]\n XXII. -- Al Colonnello Luca Antonio\n Poi che rea sorte ingiustamente preme\n voi, ch'alto albergo sete di valore,\n sento, spirto gentil, un tal dolore,\n che con voi l'alma mia ne giace insieme.\n L'anima mia ne giace, e 'l petto geme,\n di non poter mostrar nel riso il core,\n a voi, cui bramo con perpetuo onore,\n piacer servendo, insino a l'ore estreme\n Il dis\u00eco d'ora in ora a voi mi porta:\n quindi rispetto onesto mi ritiene:\n e disvoler conviemmi quel ch'io voglio.\n In s\u00ec dubbioso stato mi conforta,\n che ben v'\u00e8 noto quel che si conviene,\n e questo fa minore il mio cordoglio.\n [V. 1 E. Poich\u00e8.]\n [2 siete.]\n [8 all'ore. - _Componimenti poetici_, ecc., ediz. cit. pag. 112.]\n XXIII. -- Ad Ugolino Martelli\n Mentre ch'al suon de i dotti ornati versi,\n fate d'Arno suonar l'ampie contrade,\n cantando insieme a pi\u00f9 ch'ad una etade\n con le virt\u00f9, ch'a voi s\u00ec amiche fersi,\n a me, caro Martel, sono tanto avversi\n i fati, ch'ogni ben dal cor mi cade;\n e per occulte, solitarie strade,\n vo' lagrimando il d\u00ec che gli occhi apersi.\n Tal che del pianto mio, del mio languire,\n languisce e piagne ogni sterpo e ogni sasso,\n e le fiere e gli augelli in ogni parte.\n Voi mentre affligge me l'empio martire,\n deh! consolate lo mio spirto lasso,\n con vostre eterne e onorate carte.\n XXIV. -- Allo stesso\n Pi\u00f9 volte, Ugolin mio, mossi il pensiero\n per risonar con la zampogna mia,\n vostra rara virtute e cortesia,\n poggiando al ciel col bel suggetto altero.\n Ma, lassa, invan m'affanno (o destin fero)\n che roco \u00e8 'l suono, e la mia sorte ria,\n s\u00ec dietro a i miei dolor tutta m'invia,\n che levarmi da terra, unqua non spero.\n Cantino altri di voi tanti pastori,\n che pascon le lor gregge a l'Arno intorno,\n a cui le Muse, a cui fortuna \u00e8 amica;\n io s'unqua al mio felice stato torno,\n non pur non tacer\u00f2 miei santi ardori,\n ma voi sarete mia maggior fatica.\n [10 greggie.]\n [_Componimenti poetici_, ecc., ediz. cit. pag. 115.]\n XXV. -- Allo stesso\n Ho pi\u00f9 volte, Signor, fatto pensiero\n di risonar con la zampogna mia,\n di te il valor e l'alta cortesia,\n salendo al ciel presso al suggetto altiero.\n Ma, lassa, invan m'affanno, o destin fiero,\n che roco \u00e8 'l suono, e mia fortuna r\u00eca,\n s\u00ec dietro a miei dolor tutta m'invia,\n che levarmi di terra indarno spero.\n Cantin di te tanti gentil pastori,\n che pascon le lor greggie al Po d'intorno,\n a cui le Muse, a cui fortuna \u00e8 amica:\n forse il mio Mopso ancor, fatto ritorno,\n far\u00e0 sentir non pur suoi bassi amori,\n ma tu sarai la sua maggior fatica.\n [Questo sonetto diretto prima al Martelli, appare qui scritto per il\n Muzio come chiaramente rilevasi dal nome di _Mopso_.]\n XXVI. -- Allo stesso\n Ben sono in me d'ogni virtute accese\n le voglie tutte, e gli spirti alto intenti;\n ma 'l poter e l'oprar s\u00ec freddi e spenti,\n ch'io mi veggo aver l'ore indarno spese.\n Onde non lodi no, ma gravi offese\n mi son le rime vostre, e per\u00f2 tenti\n vostr'alto stil, fra tante e s\u00ec eccellenti,\n mille di lui cantar pi\u00f9 degne imprese.\n Ben pu\u00f2 celar il ver finta bugia,\n a qualche tempo, o 'n qualche loco, o parte:\n ma non s\u00ec ch'ei non vinca, e 'n sella stia,\n dunque per pi\u00f9 secura e corta via,\n rivolgete, Ugolin, tanta vostra arte,\n ch'in altrui molto, in me poco sar\u00eca.\n [Risposta al sonetto, del Martelli: _Se lodando di voi quel che palese._]\n XXVII. -- A Benedetto Varchi\n Varchi, da cui giammai non si scompagna\n il coro de le Muse, e ch'a l'affanno\n com'a la gioia, a l'util com'al danno,\n sempre avete virt\u00f9 fida compagna;\n qual monte, o valle, o riviera, o campagna,\n non sar\u00eca a voi pi\u00f9 che dorato scanno:\n se come fumo innanzi a lei sen vanno\n gli umani affetti, ond'altri pi\u00f9 si lagna?\n O perch\u00e8 errar a me cos\u00ec non lice\n con voi pe' i boschi, com'ho 'l core acceso,\n de l'onorate vostre fide scorte?\n Ch'avendo ogni pensiero al cielo inteso,\n vivendo viverei vita felice,\n e morta sperarei vincer la morte.\n XXVIII -- Allo stesso\n Varchi, il cui raro e immortal valore,\n ogni anima gentil subito invoglia,\n deh! perch\u00e8 non poss'io, com'ho la voglia\n del vostro alto saver colmarmi il core?\n che con tal guida so ch'uscirei fore,\n de la man di fortuna, che mi spoglia\n d'ogni usato conforto: e ogni mia doglia\n cangerei in dolce canto, e 'n miglior ore.\n Ahi! lassa, io veggio ben che la mia sorte\n contrasta a cos\u00ec onesto e bel desire,\n sol perch\u00e8 manch'io sotto l'aspre some.\n Ma s'i me pur cos\u00ec convien finire,\n la penna vostra almen, levi il mio nome\n fuor degli artigli d'importuna morte.\n [5 fuore.]\n [6 Delle.]\n [11 Sol perch'io manchi.]\n [_Componimenti poetici_, ecc. ediz. cit. pag. 113.]\n XXIX. -- Allo stesso\n Quel che 'l mondo d'invidia empie e di duolo,\n quel che sol di virtute \u00e8 ricco e adorno,\n quel che col suo splendor un lieto giorno\n chiaro ne mostra a l'uno e all'altro polo:\n quel sete Varchi voi, quel voi che solo,\n fate col valor vostro oltraggio e scorno\n a i pi\u00f9 lontan, non ch'ai vicin d'intorno;\n ond'io v'ammiro, riverisco e colo.\n E di voi canterei mentre ch'io vivo,\n s'al gran suggetto il mio debile stile,\n giunger potesse di gran spazio almeno.\n O pur non fosse a voi noioso e schivo\n questo mio dire, scemo e troppo umile:\n che per voi renderassi altero e pieno.\n XXX. -- Allo stesso\n Se 'l ciel sempre sereno e verdi i prati,\n sieno al bel gregge tuo, dolce pastore\n vero d'Arcadia e di Toscana onore,\n pi\u00f9 chiaro fra i pi\u00f9 chiari e pi\u00f9 pregiati:\n se tanto in tuo favor girino i fati,\n che mai tor non ti possa il dato core\n Filli, n\u00e8 tu a lei tuo santo amore,\n onde vi gridi ogni uom saggi e beati:\n dinne, caro Damon, s'alma s\u00ec vile\n e s\u00ec cruda esser pu\u00f2, ch'essendo amata\n renda invece d'amor tormenti e morte.\n Ch'io temo (lassa) se 'l tuo dotto stile\n non mi leva il dubbiar, d'esser pagata\n di tal mercede, s\u00ec dura \u00e8 mia sorte.\n [_Componimenti poetici_, ecc., ediz. cit. pag. 114.]\n XXXI. -- Allo stesso\n Dopo importuna pioggia\n s'allegrano i pastor, quando 'l sereno\n ciel si discopre lor di stelle pieno;\n e dopo 'l corso de l'instabil luna,\n ne l'apparir del sole,\n gioisce ogni animal che brama il giorno;\n e l'alto Dio lodar ben spesso suole,\n dopo l'aspra fortuna,\n spaventato nocchier al porto intorno;\n e 'l Varchi \u00e8 al suo ritorno\n seren, sol, porto: e chi ha d'onor dis\u00eco,\n si rallegra, gioisce e loda Iddio.\n [V. 10 B. Varchi al; C. D. Varchi \u00e8 al.]\n XXXII. -- A Girolamo Muzio\n Voi ch'avete fortuna s\u00ec nimica,\n com'animo, valor e cortesia,\n qual benigno destino oggi v'invia\n a riveder la vostra fiamma antica?\n Muzio gentile, un'alma cos\u00ec amica\n \u00e8 soave valore a l'alma mia,\n ben duolmi de la dura e alpestra via\n con tanta non di voi degna fatica.\n Visse gran tempo l'onorato amore\n ch'al Po gi\u00e0 per me v'arse. E non cred'io\n che sia s\u00ec chiara fiamma in tutto spenta.\n E se nel volto altrui si legge il core,\n spero ch'in riva d'Arno il nome mio\n alto sonar ancor per voi si senta.\n [V. 1 E. nemica.]\n [13 all'Arno.]\n [14 Alto per voi suonare ancor si senta.]\n [_Componimenti poetici_, ecc., ediz. cit. pag. 113.]\n XXXIII. -- Allo stesso\n Fiamma gentil che da gl'interni lumi\n con dolce folgorar in me discendi,\n mio intenso affetto lietamente prendi,\n com'\u00e8 usanza a tuoi santi costumi;\n poi che con l'alta tua luce m'allumi\n e s\u00ec soavemente il cor m'accendi,\n ch'ardendo lieto vive e lo difendi,\n che forza di vil foco nol consumi.\n E con la lingua fai che 'l rozo ingegno,\n caldo dal caldo tuo, cerchi inalzarsi\n per cantar tue virtuti in mille parti;\n io spero ancor a l'et\u00e0 tarda farsi\n noto che fosti tal, che stil pi\u00f9 degno\n uopo era, e che mi fu gloria l'amarti.\n [V. 5 E. coll'alta.]\n [8 foco lo consumi.]\n [14 d'amarti.]\n [_Componimenti poetici_, ecc., ediz. cit. pag. 114.]\n XXXIV. -- Allo stesso\n Spirto gentil, che vero e raro oggetto\n se' di quel bel, che pi\u00f9 l'alma dis\u00eca,\n e di cui brama ognor la mente mia\n essere al tuo cantar caro suggetto;\n se di pari n'andasse in me l'effetto\n con le tue lode, onor render potr\u00eca\n mia penna a te; ma poi mia sorte r\u00eca\n m'ha s\u00ec bramato onor tutto interdetto.\n Sol dir\u00f2, che seguendo la sua stella,\n l'anima tua da te fece partita,\n venendo in me, com'in sua propria cella;\n e la mia, ch'ora \u00e8 teco insieme unita,\n ten pu\u00f2 far chiara fede, come quella,\n che con la tua si mosse a cangiar vita.\n [V. 2 D. Sei; E. desia.]\n [5 si andasse.]\n [_Componimenti poetici_, ecc., ediz. cit. pag, 116. - Risposta al\n sonetto del Muzio: _Donna, il cui grazioso e altero aspetto_.]\n XXXV. -- A Bernardo Ochino\n Bernardo, ben potea bastarvi averne\n co 'l dolce dir, ch'a voi natura infonde,\n qui dove 'l re de fiumi ha pi\u00f9 chiare onde,\n acceso i cuori a le sante opre eterne;\n che se pur sono in voi pure l'interne\n voglie, e la vita al vestir corrisponde,\n non uom di frale carne e d'ossa immonde,\n ma sete un voi de le schiere superne.\n Or le finte apparenze, e 'l ballo, e 'l suono,\n chiesti dal tempo e da l'antica usanza,\n a che cos\u00ec da voi vietati sono?\n Non fora santit\u00e0, fora arroganza\n torre il libero arbitrio, il maggior dono\n che Dio ne di\u00e8 ne la primiera stanza.\n XXXVI. -- Ad Emilio Tondi\n Siena dolente i suoi migliori invita\n a lagrimar intorno al suo gran Tondi,\n al cui valor ben furo i cieli secondi,\n poscia invidiaro l'onorata vita.\n Marte il pianger di lei col pianto aita,\n morto 'l campion, cui fur gli altri secondi;\n io prego i miei sospir caldi e profondi,\n ch'a sfogar s\u00ec gran duol porgano aita.\n So che non pon recar miei tristi accenti,\n a voi, messer Emilio, alcun conforto,\n che fra tanti dolori il primo \u00e8 'l vostro.\n Ma 'l duol si tempri; il suo mortale \u00e8 morto;\n vive 'l suo nome eterno fra le genti:\n l'alma trionfa nel superno chiostro.\n XXXVII. -- A Tiberio Nari\n Se veston sol d'eterna gloria il manto\n quei che l'onor pi\u00f9 che la vita amaro,\n perch\u00e8 volete voi, gentil mio Naro,\n render men bella con acerbo pianto\n quella lode immortale e chiara tanto,\n di cui mai non sar\u00e0 chi giunga al paro\n del valoroso vostro fratel caro,\n che morendo port\u00f2 di morte 'l vanto?\n Scacciate 'l duol \u00e8 rasserenate il volto;\n e le unite da lui nemiche spoglie\n sacrate a lui, che gi\u00e0 trionfa in cielo.\n E da questo mortal caduco velo\n pi\u00f9 che mai vivo, ormi libero e sciolto,\n par ch'a seguirlo ogni bell'alma invoglie.\n XXXVIII. -- A Piero Manelli\n Poi che mi di\u00e8 natura a voi simile\n forma e materia, o fosse il gran Fattore,\n non pensate ch'ancor dis\u00eco d'onore\n mi desse, e bei pensier, Manel gentile?\n Dunque credete me cotanto vile,\n ch'io non osi mostrar cantando, fore,\n quel che dentro n'ancide altero ardore,\n se bene a voi non ho pari lo stile?\n Non lo crediate, no, Piero, ch'anch'io\n fatico ognor per appressarmi al cielo,\n e lasciar del mio nome in terra fama.\n Non contenda rea sorte il bel des\u00eco,\n che pria che l'alma dal corporeo velo\n si scioglia, sazier\u00f2 forse mia brama.\n [V. 7 D. m'ancide.]\n XXXIX. -- Allo stesso\n Amore un tempo in cos\u00ec lento foco\n arse mia vita, e s\u00ec colmo di doglia\n struggeasi 'l cor, che quale altro si voglia\n martir, fora ver lei dolcezza e gioco.\n Poscia sdegno e pietate a poco a poco\n spenser la fiamma, ond'io pi\u00f9 ch'altra soglia\n libera da s\u00ec lunga e fera voglia,\n giva lieta cantando in ciascun loco.\n Ma 'l ciel n\u00e8 sazio ancor (lassa) n\u00e8 stanco\n de' danni miei, perch\u00e8 sempre sospiri,\n mi riconduce a la mia antica sorte;\n e con s\u00ec acuto spron mi punge il fianco,\n ch'io temo sotto i primi empii martiri\n cader, e per men mal bramar la morte.\n [_Componimenti poetici_, ecc., ediz. cit., pag. 115.]\n [_Parnaso italiano ovvero raccolta di poeti classici italiani_,\n Venezia 1787, presso Antonio Zatta, vol. XXX, pag. 240.]\n [_Scelta di sonetti e canzoni dei pi\u00f9 celebri rimatori d'ogni\n secolo_. Quarta edizione con nuova aggiunta. Parte seconda che\n contiene i rimatori dal 1550 sino al 1600 e del 1600. In Venezia,\n presso Lorenzo Baseggio, 1784 in-12, a carte 532.]\n XL. -- Allo stesso\n Qual vaga Filomela, che fuggita\n \u00e8 da l'odiata gabbia, e in superba\n vista sen va tra gli arboscelli e l'erba,\n tornata in libertate e in lieta vita;\n er'io da gli amorosi lacci uscita,\n schernendo ogni mart\u00ecre e pena acerba\n de l'incredibil duol, ch'in s\u00e8 riserba\n qual ha per troppo amar l'alma smarrita.\n Ben avev'io ritolte (ahi stella fera!)\n dal tempio di Ciprigna le mie spoglie,\n e di lor pregio me n'andava altera;\n quand'a me Amor: le tue ritrose voglie,\n muter\u00f2, disse; e femmi prigioniera\n di tua virt\u00f9, per rinovar mie doglie.\n XLI. -- Allo stesso\n Felice speme, ch'a tant'alta impresa\n ergi la mente mia, che ad or ad ora\n dietro al santo pensier che la innamora,\n sen vola al Ciel per contemplare intesa.\n De bei disir in gentil foco accesa,\n miro ivi lui, ch'ogni bell'alma onora,\n e quel ch'\u00e8 dentro, e quanto appar di fora,\n versa in me gioia senz'alcuna offesa.\n Dolce, che mi feristi, aurato strale,\n dolce, ch'inacerbir mai non potranno\n quante amarezze dar puote aspra sorte;\n pro mi sia grande ogni pi\u00f9 grave danno,\n che del mio ardir per aver merto uguale\n pi\u00f9 degno guiderdon non \u00e8 che morte.\n [CRESCIMBENI: _Istoria della volgar poesia_, Venezia, presso Lorenzo\n Baseggio, 1730, vol. IV, pag. 68.]\n XLII. -- Allo stesso\n S'io 'l feci unqua che mai non giunga a riva\n l'interno duol, che 'l cuor lasso sostiene;\n s'io 'l feci, che perduta ogni mia spene\n in guerra eterna de vostr'occhi viva;\n s'io 'l feci, ch'ogni d\u00ec resti pi\u00f9 priva\n de la grazia, onde nasce ogni mio bene;\n s'io 'l feci, che di tante e cotai pene,\n non m'apporti alcun mai tranquilla oliva;\n s'io 'l feci, ch'in voi manchi ogni pietade,\n e cresca doglia in me, pianto e mart\u00ecre\n distruggendomi pur come far soglio;\n ma s'io no 'l feci, il duro vostro orgoglio\n in amor si converta: e lunga etade\n sia dolce il frutto del mio bel disire.\n XLIII. -- Allo stesso\n Se ben pietosa madre unico figlio\n perde talora, e nuovo, alto dolore\n le preme il tristo e suspiroso core,\n spera conforto almen, spera consiglio.\n Se scaltro capitano in gran periglio,\n mostrando alteramente il suo valore,\n resta vinto e prigion, spera uscir fuore\n quando che sia con baldanzoso ciglio.\n S'in tempestoso mar giunto si duole\n spaventato nocchier gi\u00e0 presso a morte\n ha speme ancor di rivedersi in porto.\n Ma io, s'avvien che perda il mio bel sole,\n o per mia colpa, o per malvagia sorte,\n non spero aver, n\u00e8 voglio, alcun conforto.\n XLIV. -- Allo stesso\n Se forse per piet\u00e0 del mio languire\n al suon del tristo pianto in questo loco\n ten vieni a me, che tutta fiamma e foco\n ardomi, e struggo colma di disire,\n vago augellino, e meco il mio mart\u00ecre\n ch'in pena volge ogni passato gioco,\n piangi cantando in suon dolente e roco,\n veggendomi del duol quasi perire;\n pregoti per l'ardor che s\u00ec m'addoglia,\n ne voli in quella amena e cruda valle\n ov'\u00e8 chi sol pu\u00f2 darmi e morte e vita;\n e cantando gli di' che cangi voglia,\n volgendo a Roma 'l viso, e a lei le spalle,\n se vuol l'alma trovar col corpo unita.\n XLV. -- Allo stesso\n Ov'\u00e8 (misera me) quell'aureo crine\n di cui fe' rete per pigliarmi Amore\n ov'\u00e8 (lassa) il bel viso, onde l'ardore\n nasce, che mena la mia vita al fine?\n Ove son quelle luci alte e divine\n in cui dolce si vive e insieme more?\n ov'\u00e8 la bianca man, che lo mio core\n stringendo punse con acute spine?\n Ove suonan l'angeliche parole,\n ch'in un momento mi dan morte e vita?\n u' i cari sguardi, u' le maniere belle?\n Ove luce ora il vivo almo mio sole,\n con cui dolce destin mi venne in sorte\n quanto mai piovve da benigne stelle?\n XLVI. -- Ad Alessandro Arrighi\n Spirto gentil, s'al giusto voler mio\n non \u00e8 cortese il cielo e amico tanto,\n ch'io possa con ragion lodarvi quanto\n me fate, e io far voi spero e desio;\n dolgomi del mio fato acerbo e rio,\n che ci\u00f2 mi niega, rivolgendo in pianto\n il mio gi\u00e0 lieto e dilettoso canto,\n per cui fan gli occhi miei si largo riso.\n Ma se fortuna mai si mostra amica\n a le mie voglie, non dubito ancora\n poter cantarvi tal qual mio cor brama,\n e far sentir per questa piaggia apr\u00ecca\n quant'\u00e8 'l valor, ch'in voi mio core onora,\n piacciavi s'or lo riverisce e ama.\n [Risposta al sonetto dell'ARRIGHI: _S'un medesimo stral duo petti\n apr\u00eco_.]\n XLVII. -- A Lattanzio de' Benucci\n Io ch'a ragion tengo me stessa a vile,\n n\u00e8 scorgo parte in me che non m'annoi,\n bramando tormi a morte e viver poi\n ne le carte d'un qualche a voi simile,\n cercando vo per questo lieto aprile\n d'ingegni mille, non pur uno o doi\n suggetti degni de i pi\u00f9 alti eroi,\n e d'inchiostro al mio tutto dissimile.\n Per\u00f2 dovunque avvien, che mai si nome\n alteramente alcuno, indi m'ingegno\n trar rime, onde s'eterni il nome nostro.\n E spero ancor, se 'l mio cangiar di chiome\n non rende pigro questo ardito ingegno,\n d'Elicona salire al sacro chiostro.\n [Risposta al sonetto del BENUCCI: _Deh, non volgete altrove il dotto stile_.]\n XLVIII. -- Ad Antonio Grazzini _(Lasca)_\n Io che fin qui quasi alga ingrata e vile\n sprezzava in me cos\u00ec l'interna parte,\n come u' di fuor, che tosto invecchia e parte\n da noi ben spesso nel pi\u00f9 bello aprile,\n oggi, Lasca gentil, non pur a vile\n non mi tengo (merc\u00e8 de le tue carte)\n ma movo ancor la penna ad onorarte,\n fatta in tutto a me stessa dissimile.\n E come pianta che suggendo piglia\n novo licor da l'umido terreno\n manda fuor frutti e fior, bench\u00e8 s'attempi:\n tal'io potrei, s\u00ec nuovo mi bisbiglia\n pensier nel cor di non venir mai meno,\n dar forse ancor di me non bassi esempi.\n [Risposta al sonetto del LASCA: _Se 'l vostro alto valor, Donna gentile_.]\n XLIX. -- A Nicol\u00f2 Martelli\n Ben fu felice vostro alto destino,\n poi che vena vi die' tanto feconda,\n che 'l santo Apollo il vostro dir seconda\n pi\u00f9 ch'ei non fece al suo diletto Lino.\n Il coro de le Muse a capo chino\n lieto v'onora, e 'l bel crin vi circonda\n di vaghi fiori e d'odorata fronda:\n perch\u00e8 ragion \u00e8 ben s'a voi m'inchino.\n Il cantar vostro l'anime innamora,\n e le fa da se stesse pellegrine,\n che celeste virt\u00f9 pu\u00f2 ci\u00f2 che vuole.\n E 'n voi mirando grazie s\u00ec divine\n chi ha pi\u00f9 gentil spirto pi\u00f9 v'onora,\n altri d'invidia si lamenta e dole.\n [V. 7 adorata; C. D. odorata.]\n [8 E. Quindi.]\n [_Componimenti poetici_, ecc., ediz. cit., pag. 116. - Risposta al\n sonetto del MARTELLI: _Se 'l mondo diede allor la gloria a Arpino._]\n L. -- A Simone Porzio\n Porzio gentile, a cui l'alma natura\n e i sacri studi han posto dentro 'l core\n virt\u00f9, ch'esser vi fa primo cultore\n di lei, cui 'l cieco mondo oggi non cura;\n poi che rendete a feconda coltura\n sue alpestre piaggie, onde d'eterno onore\n semi spargete, e d'immortal valore\n cogliete frutti che 'l tempo non fura;\n piacciavi, prego, che vostra alta mente\n a l'umil pianta mia volga il pensieio,\n s'ella forse non n'\u00e8 del tutto indegna,\n che di quel che per me poter non spero,\n col favor vostro a la futura gente\n di maraviglia ancor si far\u00e0 degna.\n LI. -- A Giordano Orsini\n Alma gentil, in cui l'eterna mente,\n per farvi sovra ogni alma, bella e chiara,\n pose ogni studio; onde per voi s'impara\n la via di gir al ciel sicuramente;\n s\u00ec come il mondo della pi\u00f9 eccellente\n cosa di voi non ha, n\u00e8 tanto cara;\n e come sola sete e non pur rara\n d'ogni virtute ornata interamente;\n potess'io dirne appien quanto 'l cor brama,\n che d'invidia empirei e di dolore\n ogni spirto pi\u00f9 saggio e pi\u00f9 gentile,\n bench\u00e8 vostro valor eterna fama\n per se vi acquisti, caro mio signore,\n quanto 'l sol gira e Battro abbraccia e Tile.\n LII. -- Al Card. di Tournon\n Sacro pastor, che la tua greggia umile,\n di caritade acceso e d'Amor pieno,\n guidi fuor del mortal camin terreno,\n per ricondurla al suo celeste ovile;\n se 'l ben'oprar ti rende a Dio simile,\n or che raggio divin le scalda il seno,\n ricevi o Santo nel tuo pasco ameno\n questa tua pecorella errante e vile;\n s\u00ec che possa ridotta in piagge apriche,\n ove nocer non pu\u00f2 contraria sorte,\n n\u00e8 fiere stelle al nostro danno intente;\n poste in obl\u00eco l'acerbe sue fatiche\n fuggir le pompe, e disprezzar la morte,\n tenendo sempre in Dio ferma la mente.\n [Sta nel: _Sesto libro delle rime di diversi eccellenti autori,\n nuovamente raccolte et mandate in luce con un discorso di GIROLAMO\n RUSCELLI, al molto Reverendo et honoratiss. Monsignor Girolamo\n Artusio. Con gratia et privilegio_. In Vinegia, al _Segno del Pozzo_,\n M.D.LIII, a carte 182.]\n LIII. -- Allo stesso\n Signor nel cui divino alto valore\n tanto si gloria l'una Gallia altera,\n e l'altra tutta mesta e afflitta spera\n por fin a l'aspro suo grave dolore,\n poscia che voi tornando, il suo splendore\n torna e fa bella Roma:\n ecco la sparsa chioma,\n ella v'accoglie lieta, e manda fore,\n voci gioconde a asciuga gli occhi molli,\n e Tornon grida 'l Tebro e i sette colli.\n La pace, la letizia, a la sublime\n schiera de le virt\u00f9 sacre, ch'a noi\n spariro al partir vostro, ora con voi\n riedono, e fan contesa al tornar prime\n le Muse a celebrarvi in versi e in rime;\n destano i chiari spirti,\n ond'or s'ergano i mirti,\n e i lauri spargon l'onorate cime,\n e prima de l'usato il mondo infiora,\n e l'aria empie d'odor Favonio e Flora.\n Fra tanto almo gioir, fra tanta festa,\n ch'oggi al vostro tornar si mostra e sente,\n anch'io la speme, e la letizia spente\n poter nudrir ne l'alma dubbia e mesta,\n se mirate, Signor, quel che m'infesta\n noioso e aspro duolo\n che voi potete solo\n ridurmi in porto da crudel tempesta,\n e volgendo ver me pietoso il ciglio\n trar mia vita di doglia e di periglio.\n Canzon, se innanzi a lui per grazia arrivi,\n che dee chiuder di Giano il tempio aperto,\n bench\u00e8 nulla \u00e8 'l mio merto,\n pregal, che sola non mi lasci in guerra\n poi che per lui si spera pace in terra.\n [_Sesto libro delle Rime_ raccolte dal RUSCELLI, Venezia 1553, c. 183.]\n LIV.\n Se materna pietate afflige il core\n onde cercando in questa parte e in quella\n il caro figlio tuo, Lilla mia bella,\n piangi, e cresci piangendo il tuo dolore:\n a te, ch'animal se' di ragion fore,\n e non intendi (ohim\u00e8) quanto rubella\n sia stata ad ambe noi sorte empia e fella,\n togliendo a te 'l tuo figlio, a me 'l mio amore;\n che far (lassa) degg'io? Qual degno pianto\n verseran gli occhi miei dal cor mai sempre,\n che conosco il tuo male, e 'l mio gran danno?\n Chi potr\u00e0 di Psichi con alto canto\n cantar l'altere lodi: o con quai tempre\n temprar quel, che mi da sua morte affanno?\n [V. 3 Lilia; C. D. Lilla.]\n [12 C. D. Chi di Psichi potr\u00e0.]\n LV.\n Ben mi credea fuggendo il mio bel sole\n scemar (misera me) l'ardente foco\n con cercar chiari rivi, e starne a l'ombra\n ne i pi\u00f9 fronzuti e solitarii boschi;\n ma quanto pi\u00f9 lontan luce il suo raggio\n tanto pi\u00f9 d'or in or cresce 'l mio vampo.\n Chi crederebbe mai che questo vampo\n crescesse quanto \u00e8 pi\u00f9 lontan dal sole?\n E pur il provo, che quel divin raggio\n quant'\u00e8 pi\u00f9 lunge pi\u00f9 raddoppia il foco:\n n\u00e8 mi giova abitar fontane o boschi,\n ch'al mio mal nulla val, fresco, onda od ombra.\n Ma non cercher\u00f2 pi\u00f9 fresco, onda od ombra,\n che 'l mio cos\u00ec cocente e fero vampo\n non ponno ammorzar punto fonti o boschi;\n ma ben seguir\u00f2 sempre il mio bel sole,\n poscia che nuova salamandra in foco\n vivo lieta, merc\u00e8 del divo raggio.\n [V. 10 B. longe; C. D. lunge.]\n Ben mi credea fuggendo il mio bel sole\n scemar misera a me l'estremo fuoco,\n con cercar chiari rivi e stare all'ombra\n dei verdi faggi ed abitar fra boschi;\n ma quanto pi\u00f9 lontano \u00e8 il suo bel volto\n tanto pi\u00f9 d'or in or cresce 'l mio vampo.\n Chi crederebbe mai che questo vampo\n crescesse quanto \u00e8 pi\u00f9 lontan dal sole?\n Io pur il provo, che quel divin volto\n accresce e 'n me raddoppia ognor il fuoco,\n n\u00e8 mi giova cercar fontane o boschi,\n che questo sol non cuopre e frondi ed ombra.\n Non cercar\u00f2 vie pi\u00f9 posare all'ombra\n per minuire il mio cocente vampo,\n n\u00e8, lassa, errando, gir tra folti boschi;\n ma ben seguir\u00f2 io sempre quel sole\n per cui s\u00ec lieta mi nutrico in fuoco,\n che a ci\u00f2 mi sforza il cielo col suo bel volto.\n Deh! perch\u00e8 non m'alluma il vivo raggio\n ovunqu' io vado, o per sole o per ombra,\n che lieta soffrirei s\u00ec dolce foco,\n e contenta morrei del suo gran vampo?\n Ma non spero giammai, lassa, che 'l sole\n scopra giorno s\u00ec chiaro in questi boschi.\n Ond'avr\u00f2 sempre in odio i monti e i boschi\n che m'ascondon la luce di quel raggio,\n che splende e scalda pi\u00f9 de l'altro sole;\n biasmi chi vuole e fugga i raggi a l'ombra,\n ch'io per me cerco sempre e lodo il vampo\n che m'arde e strugge in s\u00ec possente foco.\n Quanto dunque mi fora grato il foco,\n ingrati i monti, e le fontane, e i boschi,\n u' non veggo il mio sole e sento il vampo\n s'io potessi appressar l'amato raggio\n e del mio stesso corpo a lui far ombra,\n e quando parte e quando torna il sole.\n Prima sia oscuro il sole e freddo il foco,\n n\u00e8 faranno ombra in nessun tempo i boschi,\n che del bel raggio in me non arda il vampo.\n Deh! perch\u00e8 non \u00e8 meco il sacro volto\n dovunque io vadi, o per sole o per ombra,\n ch'avria forse men forza al cuore il fuoco\n e soffrirei pi\u00f9 lieta ogni mio vampo;\n ma puote solo un raggio del mio sole\n farmi beata ne gli ombrosi boschi.\n E perci\u00f2 in odio avr\u00f2 sempre quei boschi\n che torrammi il veder del sacro volto,\n e i chiari raggi dell'almo mio sole\n che fean sgombrar le nube e fuggir l'ombra,\n e me sola gioir nel chiaro vampo\n qual salamandra nel pi\u00f9 ardente fuoco.\n Quanto mi fora dilettoso il fuoco,\n noiosi i fonti e via men grati i boschi,\n men cari i faggi e men noioso il vampo,\n s'unir potessi il mio volto al bel volto\n e col mio stesso corpo al suo far ombre,\n ben d'arder godrei toccando il sole.\n Deh, dicesse il mio sole: anch'io sto in foco\n per\u00f2 non cercar pi\u00f9 ombra ne' boschi,\n che vo' che 'l volto mio tempri il tuo vampo.\n [Questo componimento fu probabilmente diretto al MANELLI, quantunque\n il _sacro volto_ lasci credere trattarsi di qualche porporato.]\n LVI.\n Alma del vero bel chiara sembianza,\n a cui non pu\u00f2 far schermo n\u00e8 riparo\n cos\u00ec gentil e cristallina stanza\n che non mostri di fuor l'altero e raro\n splender, che sol ne da ferma speranza\n del ben, ch'unqua non fura il tempo avaro:\n deh! fa, se morta m'hai, ch'in te rinnovi\n acci\u00f2 di doppia morte il viver pruovi.\n [CRESCIMBENI. _Istoria della volgar poesia_, ecc., ediz. cit., vol. I,\n LVII.\n Lieto viss'io sotto un bianco lauro\n e vivr\u00f2 fin che 'l bianco amor m'infondi\n non per ornar le tempie d'ostro e d'auro\n ma sol delle tue sacre altiere frondi;\n ma poi che pi\u00f9 e pi\u00f9 volte il sole in Tauro\n tornato fa che i suoi bei crini ascondi\n se s'affredda stagion mutar\u00e0 il corso,\n i frutti seccar\u00e0, le frondi e il dorso.\n [Questa stanza \u00e8 attribuita all'Aragona e diretta a _Madonna Laura\n Spinelli_, alias _Nin\u00ec_. Nell'edizione prima delle _Rime_ posseduta\n dalla Biblioteca Vittorio Emanuele il sonetto n. XXX porta scritto\n sopra a penna: alla _S. Philomena Nin\u00ec_.]\n RIME A TULLIA D'ARAGONA\n 1. -- Di Girolamo Muzio\n Amor nel cor mi siede e vuoi ch'io dica\n di qual esca racceso a l'alma mia\n sia 'l novo ardor, qual il soggetto sia\n ch'\u00e8 de l'animo mio dolce fatica.\n Alma gentil d'alti pensieri amica,\n lumi amorosi, angelica armonia,\n fan ch'ogni mio disir lieto s'invia\n per le vestigia de la fiamma antica.\n Colei ch'io canto, nacque in su le sponde\n del chiaro fiume che d'eterni allori\n ben mille volte orn\u00f2 le verdi chiome;\n visse in tenera etate presso a l'onde\n del pi\u00f9 bel fonte che Toscana onori:\n la sua stirpe \u00e8 Aragon: Tullia il suo nome.\n 2. -- Dello stesso\n Donna che sete in terra il primo oggetto\n a l'anime amorose e ai gentil cori,\n e i cui gloriosi e alteri onori\n sono al mio stile altissimo soggetto;\n in voi stessa si volga il chiaro aspetto\n de l'alma vostra, in cui degli alti cori\n risplende il bel, e 'n tutti i vostri ardori\n fiammeggiar si vedr\u00e0 celeste affetto.\n Vedrete in voi mirando l'alma mia,\n ch'in voi sempre si specchia e si fa bella,\n per infiammarvi in me del vostro lume.\n E 'l far\u00e0 s\u00ec, per quel che mi favella\n nel petto amor, se rio mortal costume\n dietro a bassi pensier non vi disvia.\n 3. -- Dello stesso\n Anima bella, che da gli alti chiostri\n fosti mandata in questo cieco inferno\n a consumar nel suggetto ampio e eterno,\n i pi\u00f9 famosi e pi\u00f9 purgati inchiostri;\n mentre s'affannan gl'intelletti nostri\n a contemplar il tuo valore interno,\n con la voce e con gli occhi al ben superno\n gl'inalzi, e d'ire al ciel la via ne mostri.\n Quinci \u00e8 che quale ha in terra alma pi\u00f9 rara,\n infiammata dal sol, ch'in te riluce,\n pi\u00f9 lieta a te rivolge ogni pensero.\n Ed io, poi che tua fiamma in me traluce,\n forse pi\u00f9 ch'in altri soave e chiara,\n e porto 'l cor d'eterna gloria altero.\n 4. -- Dello stesso\n Quando 'l raggio del bel, ch'in voi risplende,\n per l'orecchie e per gli occhi al mio mortale\n trapassa, o Donna, un chiaro ardor m'assale,\n che d'eterno disio tutto m'incende.\n L'anima allor, che 'l novo affetto intende\n mover d'alta cagione, ogni mortale\n piacer schernendo, e al ciel battendo l'ale,\n verso l'amato lume il camin prende:\n e com'aquila al sol drizzando gli occhi\n al foco vostro s'erge a la salita,\n dove alfin pace le promette amore.\n Deh! siate larga a lei del bel splendore,\n e porgete al suo volo pronta aita,\n acciocch\u00e8 inferma e cieca non trabocchi.\n 5. -- Dello stesso\n Mentre le fiamme pi\u00f9 che 'l sol lucenti,\n onde amor m'arde e gi\u00e0 gran tempo m'arse,\n vaghi occhi miei non vi si mostran scarse,\n mandate nel mio core i raggi ardenti;\n orecchi miei, mentre bramosi e intenti\n notate 'l suon, che di su in terra apparse,\n e ne van le sue voci all'aura sparse,\n inviate a la mente i sacri accenti;\n anima mia, mentre in mortale oggetto\n scorgi ch'eterno \u00e8 quel che dentro avampa,\n allarga il seno al sempiterno zelo:\n e vi rimembri che s\u00ec chiara lampa,\n s\u00ec soave tenor, spirto s\u00ec chiaro,\n sono a voi scala da salire al cielo.\n 6. -- Dello stesso\n Amore ad ora ad or battendo l'ale\n dal grave incarco leva il mio pensero,\n e nel conduce per erto sentero\n a gir in parte, ove uom per s\u00e8 non sale.\n E quivi ne l'oggetto alto e immortale\n gli dimostra l'esempio vivo e vero,\n onde discese il nostro spirto altero\n a dover informar cosa mortale.\n L'anima accesa a l'eterna vaghezza,\n tutta s'accende a far novo disegno\n del bel, ch'entro dipinge il divo aspetto.\n Ma come poi si move il basso ingegno,\n donna mia, per salire a tanta altezza,\n cade lo stile, e manca l'intelletto.\n 7. -- Dello stesso\n Superbo Po, ch'a la tua manca riva\n tutto lieto ti volgi d'ora in ora,\n per mirar lei, che le tue piaggie infiora,\n e ti fa in mezzo l'onde fiamma viva;\n che fa la nostra, ho da dir Donna, o Diva,\n lei, che del ben del ciel l'alme innamora?\n Oh fosse lunga a lei la mia dimora!\n Pensa ella almen ch'io di lei pensi o scriva?\n Deh! com'io dico ognor: foss'io con lei\n cos\u00ec fosse talora il suo pensiero,\n or che dee far di me privo il meschino;\n oh vedesse ella aperti i dolor miei,\n ch'io so che di piet\u00e0 quel spirto altero\n porteria gli occhi molli, e 'l viso chino.\n 8. -- Dello stesso\n Or di l\u00e0 se ne vien questa dolce ora,\n ov'\u00e8 colei che col suo divo aspetto,\n mette dentro al mio cor l'ardente affetto;\n ond'ancor la sua vista mi ristora.\n Oh se cos\u00ec potesse a ciascun ora\n essere a lei presente il mio imperfetto,\n come sempre la scorge il mio intelletto\n io sarei pur d'ogni tormento fora.\n Che se dal mover di quest'aura io sento\n per sua virt\u00f9 conforto a i miei mart\u00ecri,\n ben dovrei seco sempre esser contento.\n Battete l'ale o vaghi miei sospiri,\n e col\u00e0 andando onde si parte il vento,\n a lei portate i miei caldi disiri.\n 9. -- Dello stesso\n Lasso, onde avvien che qui non fa ritorno\n il chiaro d\u00ec, s\u00ec come altrove sole?\n Non ci risplende il lume di quel sole\n che solo suole a gli occhi tuoi far giorno.\n In questo altrui s\u00ec placido soggiorno,\n perch\u00e8 son le campagne ignude e sole?\n Non ci spira il favor de le parole\n che fanno a s\u00e8 fiorir le piaggie intorno.\n Poi ch'a te chiuse sono ambe le porte\n de gli occhi e de l'orecchie, anima mia,\n ond'esser pu\u00f2 che pi\u00f9 letizia speri?\n Pensa misero a te, chi ti conforte\n che me al mio bene ad ora ad or n'invia\n il santo amor con l'ale de i pensieri.\n 10. -- Dello stesso\n Oh se tra queste ombrose e fresche rive,\n ch'or cercan solitarii i passi miei,\n meco ne fosse e con amor con lei,\n di cui 'l cor sempre parla e la man scrive;\n ella a seder qui presso a l'acque vive\n si porria in grembo a l'erba, io in grembo a lei,\n e da i boschi trarriano i semidei\n al sacro aspetto e le silvestre dive.\n Io lei mirando, a dir del suo valore\n snoderei la mia lingua, e alcun di loro\n segneria per li tronchi il chiaro nome;\n ella gioiosa e umile in tanto onore\n forse di varii fior, forse d'alloro,\n tesseria una ghirlanda a le mia chiome.\n 11. -- Dello stesso\n Spirto gentile in cui s\u00ec chiaramente\n e ne la mortal parte e ne l'eterna,\n fiammeggia il sol de la bont\u00e0 superna,\n ch'altro non \u00e8 fra noi lume s\u00ec ardente;\n mentre io con gli occhi e con l'orecchie intente\n raccolgo il doppio bel, che mi governa,\n s\u00ec vivo foco in me da voi s'interna\n che tutta illuminar l'alma si sente;\n poi, non capendo in me l'immensa fiamma,\n convien ch'in alcun modo esca di fore,\n mostrando i raggi de la vostra luce.\n Cos\u00ec da voi ne vien lo mio splendore,\n ch'ogni mio bel disio da voi s'infiamma,\n come 'l lume de' lumi in voi traluce.\n 12. -- Dello stesso\n Fiamma che chiaramente il mio cor ardi:\n aura che dolcemente mi ristori:\n spirto che alteramente m'innamori\n col valor, con la voce, con gli sguardi;\n quante volte avvien ch'in voi riguardi,\n ch'io v'ascolti e ch'io pensi i vostri onori,\n tante mi sforzo a i sempiterni cori;\n ma 'l mio mortal fa poi che 'l gir ritardi.\n O beata alma, angelica armonia,\n o vivo lume, che degli alti chiostri\n mostrate esempio a l'anime terrene,\n poi ch'a i sensi e nel cor m'avete mostri\n la bellezza e 'l piacer del sommo bene,\n aiutatemi ancor a l'alta via.\n 13. -- Dello stesso\n Spirto felice, in cui s\u00ec rare e tante\n grazie e virtuti il ciel largo comparte,\n che non so se si trovi in altra parte\n che d'andar teco a paro alma si vante:\n s'a me facesser le sorelle sante\n del bramato lor don cos\u00ec gran parte,\n ch'io fossi degno di ritrarre in carte\n de la tua chiara effigie il bel sembiante:\n so ch'io fare' un disegno s\u00ec perfetto,\n che saria specchio a la futura gente\n di quanto ben di su tra noi discende.\n Ma, lasso, a tanto onor non mi consente\n il sacro coro: e da s\u00e8 il mio intelletto\n sopra i fuochi celesti non ascende.\n 14. -- Dello stesso\n Donna se mai vedeste in verde prato\n surger felicemente un aureo fiore,\n cui porge nutrimento dolce umore,\n e vivace calor dal ciel gli \u00e8 dato;\n non altramente lieto e consolato\n fiorir si vede un'amoroso core,\n perch\u00e8 'l suo sole \u00e8 'l grazioso ardore,\n e la fonte \u00e8 'l favor del viso amato.\n E come quel, se manca la rugiada,\n perduto il bel de le purpuree fronde\n convien ch'in breve spazio a terra cada:\n cos\u00ec se rio voler o caso indegno,\n i suoi disiri altrui fura e nasconde,\n seccasi il fior d'ogni felice ingegno.\n 15. -- Dello stesso\n Il valor vostro, Donna, il cor m'incende,\n lega ogni mio disir, m'impiaga il petto;\n e l'alma del suo mal sente diletto,\n dal ben ch'ella in voi vede, ode e intende.\n M'infiamma il divo raggio onde risplende\n il chiaro vostro angelico intelletto;\n da i novi accenti \u00e8 avvinto ogni mio affetto,\n e da' begli occhi il colpo al cor discende.\n E non ha Amor in tutta la sua corte,\n m'oda chi vol, s\u00ec graziosi sguardi,\n s\u00ec chiara voce, o s\u00ec vivace lume.\n Perch'io pur prego lui, ch'ognor pi\u00f9 forte\n con tal foco, in tai lacci e con tai dardi\n mi trafigga, m'annodi e mi consume.\n 16. -- Dello stesso\n O novo esempio de l'eterna luce,\n alma gentile, ond'ogni alma pi\u00f9 rara\n mirando la belt\u00e0 ch'in te riluce,\n del vero amore i veri effetti impara;\n se del lume ch'in te dal ciel traluce,\n a l'alma mia non sarai punto avara,\n spero col raggio di s\u00ec altera duce\n farmi fiamma di fama al mondo chiara.\n Te canteran mie rime in ogni parte\n e diran que' ch'avran pi\u00f9 vivo ingegno:\n qual fu quel foco onde tal lampo usc\u00eco?\n Amor promette a te ne le mie carte\n nome immortale. O cos\u00ec fosse degno\n ne le tue d'aver vita il nome mio!\n 17. -- Dello stesso\n In su le rive del superbo fiume\n ch'altrui gi\u00e0 die' sepolcro in mezzo l'onde:\n ond'altri mut\u00f2 il crine in verdi fronde,\n e altri si vest\u00ec di bianche piume;\n invaghito del dolce altero lume,\n lo qual di cielo in cielo in voi s'infonde,\n e con sua luce ogni altra luce asconde,\n arse 'l mio cor oltra mortal costume;\n poi sendo privo de gli amati rai,\n non so dove si chiuse il grande ardore,\n come fuoco ch'in cener si ricopra.\n Or rivedendo il vostro almo splendore,\n l'antica fiamma, chiara pi\u00f9 che mai,\n convien ch'in riva d'Arno si discopra.\n 18. -- Dello stesso\n Sogni chi vuol di riportar corona\n da gli alti gioghi del sacrato monte;\n altri s'attuffi nel famoso fonte\n che fa pi\u00f9 chiaro 'l nome d'Elicona;\n sia gloria altrui se la sua lira suona\n aver le sacre Muse al cantar pronte;\n cinga altrui Febo la felice fronte\n de la fronde, che mai non l'abbandona;\n altri si vanti che benigna e lieta\n stella, a lui rivolgendo il suo splendore,\n a questa luce il fece uscir poeta;\n il mio Parnaso, il mio perpetuo umore,\n le mie Dive, il mio Apollo e 'l mio pianeta,\n \u00e8 'l valor vostro impresso nel mio core.\n 19. -- Dello stesso\n Donna gentile, i cui beati ardori\n del celeste splendore e del mortale,\n spargon virt\u00f9 che mentre i cori assale,\n ne l'alme accende mille eterni amori;\n se 'l vostro sole interno e 'l bel di fuori,\n a voi da me n'han tratto il mio immortale:\n e se Amore al mio stile impenna l'ale\n da gir portando al Cielo i vostri onori;\n se cara sete a me pi\u00f9 di me stesso;\n s'a voi ne volar tutti i miei sospiri;\n se con voi vivo e senza voi son morto;\n se mi vedete 'l cor ne gli occhi espresso,\n e le mie pene, e i miei caldi disiri,\n ben dovreste pensare al mio conforto.\n 20. -- Dello stesso\n Quando, com'Amor vuol, la donna mia,\n tra soavi sospiri e dolci accenti,\n move la lingua a angelici concenti,\n e l'aura del bel petto a l'aere invia;\n al suon de la dolcissima armonia\n ferman le penne i tempestosi venti;\n stanno i giri del ciel taciti e intenti;\n e non ch'altri, ma Febo il corso obl\u00eca.\n E qual alma mortal la mira e ascolta,\n ad ogni uman dis\u00eco tutta si toglie\n e con tutti i pensieri al cielo aspira.\n La mia, che mai da lei non si discioglie,\n col vago spirto suo da Amore accolta\n a quel si stringe, e 'ntorno a lei s'aggira.\n 21. -- Dello stesso\n Ebbe la favolosa antica etade\n chi co 'l tenor di feri e dolci canti\n e con novo splender di rea beltade,\n allettando affogava i naviganti:\n e or donata ci ha l'alta bontade\n donna, che con l'ardor de gli occhi santi\n e con note d'amor e di pietade,\n rende porto e salute a l'alme erranti.\n Voi, Donna mia, voi sete alma sirena\n voi, voi Tullia gentil, che fido lume\n nel mar d'amor porgete e placid'aura.\n La vista vostra angelica, serena,\n fa ch'in voi l'altrui vita ognor s'allume,\n e 'l cantar d'ogni affanno ci restaura.\n 22. -- Dello stesso\n Gi\u00e0 vide alle sue sponde il gelid'Ebro\n Orfeo cantare, e tacite ascoltarlo\n varie fere e augelli, e seguitarlo\n quercia, popolo, abete, olmo e ginebro.\n Vista ha 'l gran Po, veduta ha 'l chiaro Tebro,\n vede 'l bel Arno, a cui sovente parlo\n quel che mi detta l'amoroso tarlo\n cantar la donna, ch'io sempre celebro;\n ma se colui seguiano e sassi e sterpi,\n questa ogni alma pi\u00f9 dura e pi\u00f9 silvestra\n trae dal grave suo incarco, e al ciel la scorge.\n Beata voce, che dal cor mi sterpi\n ogni vil cura, onde per te s'addestra\n l'alma a salir ove per s\u00e8 non sorge.\n 23. -- Dello stesso\n Donna, a cui 'l santo coro ognor s'aggira\n de l'alme Muse e la cui chiara fronte\n verdeggia de l'onor del sacro Monte,\n ove chi s'erge eterna vita spira:\n qual anima gentil v'ascolta e mira\n brama far vostre grazie al mondo conte;\n poi non trovando rime al cantar pronte\n com'\u00e8 la voglia, duolsi e ne sospira.\n Di cos\u00ec bello, raro e alto suggetto,\n dal vostro infuori, ogni altro stile \u00e8 indegno;\n quel sol n'\u00e8 degno e altro non v'arriva.\n Io per molto provar, vero disegno\n di voi non feci mai; ma dentro 'l petto\n ben vi porto scolpita, bella e viva.\n 24. -- Dello stesso\n La sembianza di Dio che 'n noi risplende\n di cielo in cielo e c'ha nome beltade\n e move Amor, per perigliose strade\n de l'orecchie e de gli occhi al cor discende;\n perch\u00e8 dal senso il senso il bello apprende,\n e 'n la natura nostra \u00e8 qualitade\n ch'in mortal disiderio il mortal cade,\n e cos\u00ec bassa voglia il senso accende.\n Ond'\u00e8 ch'ingombro di piacer terreno\n entrando il mal fidato messaggero\n fa ne l'alma sentir del suo veleno.\n Quinci \u00e8 che talor cade il mio pensero:\n ma voi, ch'avete in man la verga e 'l freno,\n ne 'l ridrizzate per erto sentero.\n 25. -- Dello stesso\n Dal mio mortal co 'l mio immortal m'involo\n sovente o Donna, e da me stesso sciolto,\n al bel vostro splendor tutto rivolto,\n l'ali battendo al ciel mi levo a volo.\n E lontanato dal terrestre suolo\n giungo a l'esempio de l'amato volto,\n donde \u00e8 tutto quel bello in voi raccolto,\n che fa 'l mio amor fra gli altri in terra solo.\n Deh! vi priegh'io per le bellezze vostre,\n Tullia, ch'al bel camin compagna eterna\n mi siate, senza mai voltarvi a dietro.\n Ch'amor, s'ancor da voi tal grazia impetro,\n promette a noi tranquilla pace interna,\n e certa gloria a i nomi e a l'alme nostre.\n 26. -- Dello stesso\n Donna, pi\u00f9 volte m'ha gi\u00e0 detto Amore\n che nell'anima vostra i miei pensieri\n son tutti espressi cos\u00ec vivi e veri\n com'io voi, viva, ho impressa in mezzo 'l core;\n e ch'accesi del vostro alto splendore\n ne van vostri disir cotanto alteri,\n ch'a mortal non convien che da voi speri\n altra mercede ch'immortal dolore.\n Cos\u00ec dice egli, e io per prova il sento,\n che quant'uom pi\u00f9 vi serve e pi\u00f9 v'adora,\n voi del suo mal pi\u00f9 vi mostrate vaga;\n per tutto ci\u00f2 d'amarvi io non mi pento:\n anzi bramo ch'in me pi\u00f9 d'ora in ora\n veder possiate quel che pi\u00f9 v'appaga.\n 27. -- Dello stesso\n Se ben gli occhi e l'orecchie alcuna volta\n vi mostran tale a i miei bassi disiri,\n che surgon dal mio core agri sospiri\n ond'\u00e8 ch'al lamentar la lingua \u00e8 sciolta;\n tosto che l'alma in s\u00e8 stessa raccolta,\n a l'alma vostra avvien che si raggiri,\n in diletto si cangiano i martiri\n e la mia lingua a ringraziar si volta.\n Che la pena, che par che s\u00ec mi prema\n non passa oltra 'l mortal; ma la dolcezza\n acqueta i sensi e pasce lo intelletto.\n Donna sia benedetta quella asprezza,\n ch'anzi 'l chiuder de gli occhi all'ora estrema,\n morire insegna al mio terreno affetto.\n 28. -- Dello stesso\n Donna, l'onor de' i cui be' raggi ardenti\n m'infiamma 'l core e a ragionar m'invita,\n perch\u00e8 sia nostra penna mal gradita,\n l'alto nostro sperar non si sgomenti.\n Rabbiosa invidia i velenosi denti\n adopra in noi mentre 'l mortal \u00e8 in vita;\n ma sentirem sanarsi ogni ferita\n come diam luogo a le future genti.\n Vedransi allor questi intelletti foschi\n in tenebre sepolti, e 'l nostro onore\n viver\u00e0 chiaro e eterno in ogni parte.\n E si vedr\u00e0 che non i fiumi Toschi,\n ma 'l ciel, l'arte, lo studio e 'l santo amore,\n dan spirto e vita ai nomi e a le carte.\n 29. -- Dello stesso\n Donna, il cui grazioso e altero aspetto\n e 'l parlar pien d'angelica armonia,\n scorgon qual alma presso a lor s'invia\n a contemplar il ben de l'intelletto;\n deh, cos\u00ec amor non mai m'ingombri 'l petto\n d'umil disir, n\u00e8 mai di gelosia\n gustiate 'l tosco: e sempre intenta sia\n a l'interna beltate il vostro affetto.\n Date, vi prego a me vera novella\n de l'alma mia che del mio cor uscita,\n voi seguendo, \u00e8 venuta a farsi bella:\n che se da voi la misera \u00e8 sbandita,\n ella senza voi stando e io senz'ella,\n non ritrovo al mio scampo alcuna aita.\n 30. -- Dello stesso\n Quai d'eloquenza fien s\u00ec chiari fiumi\n luce che d'alto ardor mio core incendi,\n ch'aguagli tua virt\u00f9? Se la 've splendi\n a superno desio l'anime impiumi?\n Come dinanzi a Borea nebbie e fumi,\n cos\u00ec di l\u00e0, dove tu i raggi stendi,\n fugge ogni vil pensier, s\u00ec ch'a noi rendi\n a vita in terra de i celesti numi.\n E poi ch'a me non son tuoi lumi scarsi\n di quel splendor, che da l'eterno regno\n in te disceso, tu fra noi comparti;\n di quel ch'ho dentro e fuor non pu\u00f2 mostrarsi,\n faranno al mondo manifesto segno\n l'amarti, il celebrarti e l'onorarti.\n [Risposta al sonetto della TULLIA: _Fiamma gentil che da gl'interni lumi_.]\n 31. -- Di Benedetto Varchi\n Quando doveva, ohim\u00e8, l'arco e la face,\n l'una spenta del tutto e l'altro stanco,\n a questo ardito e tormentoso fianco\n per suo gran danno e mio, troppo vivace,\n non breve tregua pur, ma eterna pace\n donar, poi che nel lato destro e manco\n per le nevi del capo omai vien bianco\n il crin fatto d'argento, che s\u00ec spiace;\n pi\u00f9 che mai fresco e pi\u00f9 che mai cocente,\n mi saetta lo stral, m'accende il foco\n di tal ferite e cos\u00ec caldo ardore,\n ch'ogni salute a mio soccorso \u00e8 poco:\n anzi cresce la piaga e fa maggiore\n incendio, ch'al suo mal l'alma consente.\n 32. -- Dello stesso\n Donna, che di bellezza e di virtude\n e d'ogni alto valor gran tempo in cima,\n sola fra tutte l'altre non che prima,\n piovete ne' miglior senno e salute;\n ben so ch'a dir di voi sarebber mute\n le lingue tutte: e qual prosa n\u00e8 rima\n poria cose aguagliar, che poscia o prima\n non furon mai, n\u00e8 saran mai vedute?\n Tacciomi dunque fuor gelato e fioco,\n per tema di scemar s\u00ec chiare lodi,\n ma dentro infino al ciel notte e d\u00ec grido:\n ringraziando le stelle, il tempo e 'l loco,\n gli sguardi, gli atti, le parole e i modi,\n che mi donaro a cor gentile e fido.\n 33. -- Dello stesso\n Io non miro giammai cosa nessuna,\n o in terra, o in ciel, ov'io non veggia quella,\n ch'amor in sorte e mia benigna stella,\n da le fasce mi diero e da la cuna.\n Ogni nube m'assembra e sole e luna\n la mia donna gentil pi\u00f9 d'altra bella;\n monte o valle non veggio, o poggio, ov'ella\n per lo mio ben non sia, ch'\u00e8 nel mondo una.\n L'erbe, gli alberi, i fior, le frondi, i sassi,\n mi rappresentan sempre, e l'onde, e l'ora,\n quel viso dopo il qual nulla mi piacque.\n U' gli occhi giro, ovunque movo i passi,\n nulla non scorgo, o penso, o sento fuora\n di lei, che per bearmi in terra nacque.\n 34. -- Dello stesso\n Se di cos\u00ec selvaggio e cos\u00ec duro\n legno s\u00ec aspro frutto, ohim\u00e8, v'aggrada:\n chi fia ch'unqua vi miri e poscia vada\n di non sempre penar, Donna, securo?\n Bench'io, poi ch'ognor pi\u00f9 m'inaspro e induro\n del duol, cui lungo a voi fo larga strada\n de la mia pena sola, non pur rada\n fra quante sono al mondo e quante furo,\n dovrei trovar piet\u00e0, ch'asprezza eguale\n o pi\u00f9 selvaggia e solitaria vita,\n non sent\u00ec mai e visse alcun mortale.\n Fera legge d'amor, sperar aita\n del dolor che n'ancide, e del suo male\n pascer l'alma, via pi\u00f9 che saggia, ardita.\n 35. -- Dello stesso\n Pur non sentir la turba iniqua e fella\n cos\u00ec larga al mal dir, come al ben parca,\n da lei, che nel mio cuor siede monarca,\n non men cortese che leggiadra e bella;\n non mio voler seguendo ma mia stella,\n parto col corpo sol, che l'alma scarca\n de la soma mortal meco non varca,\n ma riman seco obediente ancella.\n E se quel, che fra me tacito e solo\n cantando vo' con pi\u00f9 di mille insieme,\n per la Garza, e Forcella, e Tavaiano,\n udisse pur un d\u00ec l'invido stuolo\n ben morria di dolor veggendo vano\n tornar l'empio ardir suo, ch'indarno freme.\n 36. -- Dello stesso\n Se da i bassi pensier talor m'involo\n e me medesmo in me stesso ritorno;\n s'al ciel, lasciato ogni terren soggiorno,\n sopra l'ali d'amor poggiando volo:\n quest'\u00e8 sol don di voi, Tullia, al cui solo\n lume mi specchio e quanto posso adorno\n la 've sempre con voi lieto soggiorno,\n da santo e bel disio levato a volo.\n E se quel che entro 'l cor ragiono e scrivo,\n del vostro alto valor Donna gentile,\n ch'avete quanto pu\u00f2 bramarsi a pieno\n ridir potessi, o beato, anzi Divo\n me, per me proprio tutto oscuro e vile\n se non quant'ho da voi pregio e sereno.\n [Risposta al sonetto della TULLIA: _Quel che mondo d'invidia empie e\n di duolo_.]\n 37. -- Dello stesso\n Ninfa, di cui per boschi, o fonti, o prati,\n non vide mai pi\u00f9 bella alcun pastore\n ver di Diana e de le Muse onore,\n cui pi\u00f9 inchinano sempre i pi\u00f9 pregiati:\n cos\u00ec siano a Damon men feri i fati\n n\u00e8 gli renda mai Filli il dato core;\n e ella arda per lui di santo amore\n pi\u00f9 ch'altri fosser mai lieti e beati:\n com'alma esser non pu\u00f2 s\u00ec cruda e vile,\n la quale essendo veramente amata\n non ami un cor gentil gi\u00e0 presso a morte.\n Dunque s'a dotto no, ma fido stile\n credi, ama e non dubbiar, che ben pagata\n sar\u00e0 d'alta merc\u00e8 tua dolce sorte.\n [Risposta al sonetto della TULLIA: _Se 'l ciel sempre sereno e verdi i\n prati_.]\n 38. -- Di Giulio Camillo\n Tullia gentile, a le cui tempie intorno\n verdeggia avvolta l'onorata fronde,\n e la cui voce a l'armonia risponde\n di chi fa in Elicon dolce soggiorno;\n qualora a voi fo col pensier ritorno\n e ritrovo sentenze s\u00ec profonde\n in s\u00ec leggiadro stil, s\u00ec mi confonde\n novello orror, ch'in me pi\u00f9 non soggiorno.\n Vostra Musa di me cantando canta\n d'uno sterpo silvestro, a cui nemica\n stata \u00e8 natura e 'l ciel, e io no 'l celo.\n Ben \u00e8 la vostra fortunata pianta,\n che lieto il Re de' fiumi la nutrica,\n e la rinforza il gran Signor di Delo.\n 39. -- Dello stesso\n Poi ch'a la vostra tanto alma beltade,\n onde pregiata d'onorate e rare\n spoglie di tante elette anime chiare\n n'andate altero specchio ad ogni etade;\n piace ch'io ancor per le medesme strade\n seguir vostre amorose insegne impare;\n non siano almen vostre alme luci avare\n di quel raggio, ond'io scorgo ogni bontade.\n E nel bel petto vostro Amor ispiri\n piet\u00e0 e mercede al mio dolore eguale,\n e a gli ardenti intensi miei disiri;\n poi se le aggrada il mio destin fatale,\n versi in me pur ognor doglie e martiri,\n che dolce mi fia sempre ogni altro male.\n 40. -- Dello stesso\n Ben fu tra gli altri avventuroso il giorno,\n quando l'eterno e gran re de le stelle\n fece, per fare il fior de l'altre belle,\n di voi, Tullia divina, il mondo adorno.\n Le grazie tutte e le virtuti intorno\n vi fur quasi devote e fide ancelle,\n e 'l ciel lasciaro per seguitarvi quelle\n in questo nostro umil, basso soggiorno;\n per\u00f2 ripiena di celeste ardore,\n di gloria accesa e colma di mercede;\n vaga di bello e di perpetuo amore:\n di grazia albergo e di bellezza erede,\n sola fra noi vivete in dolce amore,\n del ben del Ciel facendo in terra fede.\n 41. -- Del Cardinale Ippolito De' Medici\n Anima bella, che nel bel tuo lume\n divino interno ti rivolgi e giri,\n e indi in voce dolcemente spiri\n il suon ch'avanza ogni mortal costume;\n onde la mia poi d'amorose piume\n coverta avien che al ciel volando aspiri,\n e nel tuo chiaro raggio aperto miri\n com'amor sani, ancida, arda e consume;\n deh! se l'alta bellezza e 'l dolce canto\n ond'in te stessa sol beata sei:\n e s'amor punto mai ti piacque o piace:\n prego volgendo in me 'l bel viso santo,\n al lungo penar mio dia qualche pace,\n e qualche tregua a gli aspri dolor miei\n 42. -- Dello stesso\n Se 'l dolce folgorar de i bei crini d'oro,\n e 'l fiammeggiar de i begli occhi lucenti,\n e 'l far dolce acquetar per l'aria i venti\n co 'l riso, ond'io m'incendo e mi scoloro,\n son le cagion che per voi vivo e moro,\n piango e m'adiro e fo restar contenti\n gli spirti afflitti in mezzo i miei lamenti,\n e mi par dolce il grave aspro martoro;\n non voi s\u00ec bella, io non cos\u00ec bramoso;\n voi non s\u00ec dura, io non s\u00ec frale almeno\n fossi; non voi d'amor rubella, io servo;\n ch'io sperarei nel stato mio gioioso\n goder un giorno almen lieto e sereno,\n piegando alquanto il core empio e protervo.\n 43. -- Di Bernardo Molza\n Spirto gentil, che riccamente adorno\n de i pi\u00f9 pregiati e cari don del cielo,\n cortesemente nel corporeo velo\n con tue virtuti fai lieto soggiorno;\n deh! s'amor sempre a te faccia ritorno,\n di nove spoglie ornando, al caldo e al gelo,\n d'uomini e Dei il tuo onorato stelo,\n e cresca il valor tuo di giorno in giorno;\n fa che 'l nobile tuo chiaro intelletto,\n sempre guardando a la pi\u00f9 bella parte\n di s\u00e8, giammai non si rivolga a terra.\n Ch'allor vedrai come natura ed arte,\n soavemente in te rinchiude e serra\n d'ogni bell'opra il seme e 'l bel perfetto.\n 44. -- Dello stesso\n Se 'l pensier mio, ov'altamente amore,\n Tullia gentil, vostra sembianza impresse,\n tutto altamente in s\u00e8 voi tutta espresse\n dal piacer vinto, che mi strinse il core;\n e tutta or vi risembra e a tutte l'ore,\n trasformando pur sempre in quelle stesse\n virt\u00f9, grazia e belt\u00e0, che vi concesse\n Dio, ch'in voi tutto intese a farsi onore:\n non dovete voi dir ch'io sia deforme,\n ch'io son quello che son fatto voi\n bello, e non questa rozza e fragil scorza.\n E spero ancor, seguendo ognor vostr'orme,\n essere appresso Dio 'l secondo poi,\n se 'l bello a trarre il bello sempre ha forza.\n 45. -- Di Ercole Bentivoglio\n Poi che lasciando i sette colli e l'acque\n del Tebro oscure e le campagne meste,\n d'illustrar queste piagge e premer queste\n rive del Po col pi\u00e8 Tullia vi piacque;\n ogni basso pensier spento in noi giacque,\n e un dolce foco, e un bel disio celeste,\n quel primo d\u00ec ch'a noi gli occhi volgeste,\n ne le nostre alme alteramente nacque.\n Fortunate sorelle di Fetonte,\n ch'udir potranno a le lor ombre liete,\n i dotti accenti che vi ispira Euterpe!\n Potess'io pur con rime ornate e pronte\n com'\u00e8 'l disio, dir le virt\u00f9 ch'avete!\n Ma troppo a terra il mio stil basso serpe.\n 46. -- Dello stesso\n Vaghe sorelle, che di treccie bionde\n orn\u00f2 natura e di fattezze conte;\n poi la piet\u00e0 del misero Fetonte\n vi volse in duri tronchi e 'n verdi fronde;\n or sotto l'ombre tremule e gioconde\n vostre sedendo, fo palesi e conte\n le gran belt\u00e0 de la celeste fronte\n di Tullia mia, cantando a l'aure e a l'onde.\n Cos\u00ec gi\u00e0 sotto i vostri ombrosi rami\n cant\u00f2 d'Onfale sua gli occhi e le chiome\n il vincitor de' pi\u00f9 superbi mostri.\n 'priego il ciel, che s\u00ec v'esalti e v'ami,\n ch'eterno sia con voi sempre il bel nome\n di Tullia scritto in tutti i tronchi vostri.\n 47. -- Di Filippo Strozzi\n Alma gentile, ove ogni studio pose\n natura in darvi a pieno ogni eccellenza,\n e fece il ciel quasi restarne senza\n per dar a voi quel bel, ch'a ogni altra ascose;\n voi fra leggiadre donne e gloriose\n elesse sola; e per esperienza\n si vede altera andarne oggi Fiorenza\n de le belle opre vostre alte e famose.\n Ma non solo Arno oggi vi loda e canta,\n ma dove ancora l'inesperto auriga\n cadde, di voi terr\u00e0 memoria eterna.\n Il Tever lascio, che tenera pianta\n vi nutr\u00ec, dolce essendo ogni fatiga\n a chi co 'l spirto e 'l core in voi s'interna\n 48. -- Dello stesso\n Uscendo 'l spirto mio per seguir voi,\n Donna gentile, in voi vera pietade\n spinse l'anima vostra a le contrade\n ond'egli usc\u00eco, con che vivessi io poi;\n tal che 'l splendor, che dite uscir tra noi\n di me, \u00e8 propria vostra qualitade,\n concessavi da l'alta e gran bontade,\n per sembianza de i chiari raggi suoi.\n Dove scorger si puote un dolce inganno\n veggendovi in me vaga di voi stessa,\n n\u00e8 v'accorgete ch'io v'appago a punto\n Che se mi vi toglieste allora il danno\n mortal mio vedreste, e fora espressa\n la colpa vostra, send'io a morte giunto.\n 49. -- Di Alessandro Arrighi\n L'aspetto sacro e la bellezza rara,\n eguale a cui non ebbe il mondo ancora;\n il folgorar de gli occhi ch'innamora\n il mondo tutto, e quasi sol lo schiara;\n il parlar saggio, onde la via s'impara\n di gir al chiaro e uscir dal fosco fora;\n e l'alto sangue, lo cui ammira e onora\n chiunque adorno \u00e8 pi\u00f9 di stirpe chiara;\n i bei costumi, e 'l portamento adorno;\n e col dolce cantare il dolce suono\n che fan di marmo una persona viva,\n fur le cagioni o donna, ch'in quel giorno\n stetti a mirare il bello, a udire il buono,\n in guisa d'uom che pensi, parli e scriva.\n 50. -- Dello stesso\n Come di dolce pi\u00f9 che d'agro parte,\n Donna mi feste il d\u00ec, ch 'l colpo caro\n di voi impiagommi, onde s\u00ec ardente e chiaro\n foco poscia avampommi a parte a parte,\n cos\u00ec men d'agro, che di dolce parte\n da me per guiderdon del dono raro;\n e giunge a voi per addolcir l'amaro\n vostro languir del tutto non che 'n parte;\n il foco ch'io dovrei mandarvi ancora\n per render merce pari al degno merlo,\n meco si sta, n\u00e8 vuol partirsi un'ora.\n Selva chiusa non \u00e8, n\u00e8 campo aperto,\n n\u00e8 giardin culto, o poggio aspro o deserto,\n che non sappian com'ei m'arde e divora.\n 51. -- Dello stesso\n S'il dissi mai ch'io venga in odio a voi,\n Donna, ch'io tanto pregio, ed \u00e8 ben degno;\n s'il dissi che mai sempre ira e disdegno\n portiate in seno, e sol me stesso annoi;\n s'il dissi che 'l mortale eterno muoi\n di me non mai giungendo al santo regno;\n s'il dissi sia d'amor prigione e segno\n de l'acuto suo strale, e preda, poi.\n Ma s'io nol dissi chi si dolce apr\u00eco\n a me lo cor chiudendovi entro i raggi,\n non mai rivolga altronde il lume chiaro.\n Io no 'l dissi giammai, n\u00e8 dir dis\u00eco:\n vinca 'l ver dunque, e 'l falso a terra caggi,\n e 'n dolce amor ritorni l'odio amaro.\n 52. -- Dello stesso\n S'un medesimo stral duo petti apr\u00eco:\n s'arse due cor d'amor un foco santo:\n se nascendo 'l piacer mor\u00ec cotanto\n martir, che l'uno e l'altro gi\u00e0 sent\u00eco,\n Donna, e s'insomma nudr\u00ec ambo un disio,\n ond'\u00e8 ch'in me del dir vostro altrettanto\n non rivolgete s\u00ec, ch'io mi dia vanto\n d'esser d'uom fatto un'immortale Dio?\n Forse s\u00ec come sempre ebbi nimica\n la stella a i miei disir, cos\u00ec avien ora\n ch'io non goda e non sorti una tale brama.\n O pur ch'ad alma s\u00ec saggia e pudica\n parlar di me basso suggetto fora:\n come che sia il bel vostro a s\u00e8 mi chiama.\n 53. -- Di Benedetto Arrighi\n Voi che volgete il vostro alto disio\n a la chiara virt\u00f9, donde si coglie\n quelle onorate, sacre, sante spoglie,\n di che va altera e Calliope e Clio;\n voi che schernite al tempo quell'oblio,\n che la fama immortale al nome toglie,\n colpa e vergogna de l'umane voglie,\n che non son come voi rivolte a Dio;\n voi sol vi sete fabricato un tempio\n di glorie tal, che gli onori e trofei\n non pon lasciar di lui pi\u00f9 chiaro esempio;\n deh! cos\u00ec potess'io com'io vorrei\n le virtuti cantar, ch'in voi contemplo\n memoria eterna a gli uomini e a li Dei.\n 54. -- Dello stesso\n Alma gentile che gi\u00e0 foste al paro\n de l'alta e gran colonna, oggi si mostra\n in voi tutto l'onor de l'et\u00e0 nostra;\n in voi lo stil pi\u00f9 che 'l suo dolce e caro;\n al vostro stil, dov'io ch'al mondo imparo\n a riverir la chiara virt\u00f9 vostra,\n ch'oggi solinga l'universo giostra\n non trovando di lei pregio pi\u00f9 chiaro;\n s\u00ec come un picciol lume alta chiarezza\n vince, cos\u00ec con vostre lodi sole\n lei vincete in virtute e in bellezza;\n l'alto motor come 'l ciel ornar vole\n la terra, piacque a sua reale altezza\n far Vittoria una Luna e Tullia un Sole.\n [V. 14 Vittoria Colonna.]\n 55. -- Di Lattanzio De' Benucci\n Se per lodarvi e dir quanto s'onora\n di voi natura e 'l ciel, Tullia gentile,\n fosse eguale al soggetto in me lo stile,\n e 'l saper pari a l'alta voglia ancora;\n forse non tanto il secol nostro indora\n vostra virtute, e non dal Gange al Tile\n fate voi co' i begli occhi eterno aprile,\n quant'io n'avrei grazie e favori ognora.\n Non pu\u00f2 ingegno mortal tante divine\n virt\u00f9 ritrar; n\u00e8 pu\u00f2 basso dis\u00eco\n scolpir parti s\u00ec eccelse e pellegrine,\n che 'n voi il valor del vago petto e pio\n avanza ogni pensier, passa ogni fine,\n non che l'aguagli altrui parlare, o mio.\n 56. -- Dello stesso\n O fiumicel se 'l pi\u00f9 cocente ardore\n estivo il lento tuo correr affrena,\n e la tua profonda umile arena\n incende e fa restar priva d'umore;\n ecco a le rive tue novo splendore\n che l'aer d'ogni intorno rasserena:\n di colei, che cantando in dolce vena\n a le nove sorelle aggiunge onore.\n Onde il vecchio Arno ormai d'invidia pieno\n lascia l'usato corso e a te rivolto,\n quivi perde le chiare e lucid'onde;\n godi, or che vedi entro il tuo ricco seno\n la imagin bella del leggiadro volto:\n e Tullia odi sonar ambe le sponde.\n 57. -- Dello stesso\n Deh, non volgete altrove il dotto stile\n altera donna, ch'a voi stessa, poi\n che scorge il mondo esser accolto in voi\n quant'ha del pellegrino e del gentile.\n Appo questo suggetto incolto e vile\n divien qual pi\u00f9 pregiato oggi \u00e8 tra noi;\n e co 'l splender de' vivi raggi suoi\n chiaro si mostra ognor da Battro a Tile.\n Voi dunque di voi sola alzare il nome\n dovete, poi ch'a s\u00ec pregiato segno\n giunger non puote il pi\u00f9 purgato inchiostro.\n Quindi vedrassi apertamente come\n non \u00e8 di lode altri di voi pi\u00f9 degno,\n n\u00e8 stil che giunga al dolce cantar vostro.\n 58. -- Di Latino Giovenale\n Vide gi\u00e0 la famosa antica etade\n nel palazzo reale alto di Roma\n donna empia s\u00ec, che fe' del carro soma\n al padre anciso, e spense ogni pietade.\n Vede or donna real di tal beltade\n la nostra, e Roma, e da colei si noma;\n che chi mira i begli occhi e l'aurea chioma\n di piacer, d'amor empie e d'umiltade.\n Questa sol per mio ben, per mio sostegno\n al mio imperfetto, a la fortuna avversa\n diede natura, e 'l ciel cortese e largo.\n O gloria de le donne, o ricco pegno\n d'onor, d'ogni virt\u00f9 ch'oggi \u00e8 dispersa:\n deh! perch\u00e8 non ho io gli occhi ch'ebbe Argo?\n 59. -- Di Ludovico Martelli\n Voi, che lieti pascete ad Arno intorno\n il vostro gregge fra leggiadri fiori,\n godete, poi che da i superni cori\n discesa \u00e8 Tullia a far con voi soggiorno\n sforzisi ognun co 'l crin d'alloro adorno\n gli altari empir de i pi\u00f9 soavi odori;\n che per costei vostri tanti alti onori\n faranno ancor a voi degno ritorno.\n Quest'\u00e8 la vaga pastorella, ch'ebbe\n fra i pi\u00f9 degni pastor del Tebro il vanto;\n del cui partir restar s\u00ec afflitti e mesti;\n e poi che per voi sol non le rincrebbe\n lasciar le rive ove fu in pregio tanto,\n siate a cantarla e a riverirla presti.\n 60. -- Di Simone Dalla Volta\n Tullia, mostr\u00f2 (?), miracolo, Sibilla,\n di cui si maraviglia il mondo e gode:\n mar di saver, che non ha fondo o prode,\n e mena l'onda sua lieta e tranquilla.\n Da cui s\u00ec dolce umor, s\u00ec chiaro stilla\n di virt\u00f9 vera ch'oggi rado s'ode:\n cui non guasta fortuna, o 'l tempo rode;\n men che quelle di Saffo e di Camilla.\n Ma che dico io? Il vostro alto valore\n non si pu\u00f2 comparare a cosa alcuna:\n perch\u00e8 non che 'l poter, passa il disio.\n Chi vuol vivo vedere in terra amore,\n divin, pien di virt\u00f9, miri quest'una,\n vera amica de gli angioli e di Dio.\n 61. -- Di Camillo Da Monte Varchi\n Mosso da l'alta vostra chiara fama,\n di cui per tutto il mondo il grido suona,\n vengo cantarvi anch'io Tullia Aragona,\n cui chi pi\u00f9 sa, pi\u00f9 sempre ammira e ama.\n E s'adempir potessi ardente brama\n di salir l'alto monte d'Elicona,\n qual voi n'arrecherei degna corona,\n ch'al ciel vi porta, che vi aspetta e chiama.\n Or voi pi\u00f9 d'altra saggia e pi\u00f9 gentile,\n degnate di pigliar quanto vi porge\n un ch'a voi consacrato ha ingegno e stile.\n Ben so, vostra merc\u00e8, ch'altera e vile\n alma tanto non \u00e8, che quando scorge\n d'essere amata non divenga umile.\n 62. -- Di Claudio Tolomei\n Quando la Tullia mia che vien dal cielo,\n che d'altronde non pu\u00f2 s\u00ec bella cosa,\n umilemente altera e disdegnosa,\n toglie al mondo 'l suo sol con un bel velo;\n allora agghiaccia 'l fuoco ed arde 'l gelo,\n e Amor tremando l'armi in terra posa,\n vert\u00f9 si fugge e cortesia sta ascosa,\n e spegnesi ogni ardente onesto zelo.\n Ma s'avvien poi che a le tranquille ciglia\n ridendo levi il velo, allor pi\u00f9 incende\n il foco e 'l ghiaccio \u00e8 freddo in ogni parte;\n virt\u00f9 ritorna e Amor l'armi riprende\n ch'ella governa, e non \u00e8 meraviglia\n ci\u00f2 che pu\u00f2 far 'l ciel, natura ed arte.\n [Sta nel: _Libro quarto delle rime di diversi eccellentissimi autori\n nella lingua volgare nuovamente raccolte_. In Bologna, presso\n A. Ciccarelli 1551, pag. 217.]\n 63. -- Di Antonio Grazzini (_Lasca_)\n Se 'l vostro alto valor, Donna gentile,\n esser lodato pur dovesse in parte,\n uopo sarebbe al fin vergar le carte\n col vostro altero e glorioso stile.\n Dunque voi sola a voi stessa simile,\n a cui s'inchina la natura e l'arte,\n fate di voi cantando in ogni parte\n Tullia, Tullia, suonar da Gange a Tile.\n Si vedrem poi di gioia e maraviglia\n e di gloria e d'onore il mondo pieno,\n drizzare al vostro nome altare e temp\u00ef;\n cosa che mai con l'ardenti sue ciglia\n non vide il sol rotando il ciel sereno,\n o ne' gli antichi o ne' moderni tempi.\n 64. -- Di Nicol\u00f2 Martelli\n Se 'l mondo diede allor la gloria a Arpino\n d'eloquenza immortale alta e profonda,\n la vostra al nome egual gli vien seconda\n Tullia di sangue illustre e pellegrino;\n il cui spirto reale almo e divino,\n sovra l'uso mortal di grazie abonda,\n in guisa tal che l'onorata sponda\n De l'Arbia, infino al ciel tocca il confino.\n E 'l bel chiaro Arno ora di voi s'onora,\n l'antico fuor traendo umido crine,\n forma con l'acque in suon cotai parole:\n qual luce e questa o belt\u00e0 senza fine,\n che col sommo valor le rive infiora\n al gel, come d'april nel mezzo il sole?\n 65. -- Di Ugolino Martelli\n Se bella voi cos\u00ec le Grazie fero,\n che pari al mondo non fu mai n\u00e8 fia;\n e se le muse con piet\u00e0 nat\u00eca\n il dolcissimo latte ancor vi diero:\n qual piena voce e qual giudicio intero,\n il valor giunto a somma leggiadria,\n e scorgere e cantar s\u00ec ben potria,\n ch'almen di lungo ne apparisse il vero?\n Questi che vostri sono alteri onori,\n e fanno altrui veracemente adorno,\n scemar non pu\u00f2 fortuna aspra e nimica.\n E questa spero che di giorno in giorno\n averete con doti assai maggiori,\n di fosca e trista, omai lieta e aprica.\n [Risposta al sonetto della TULLIA: _Pi\u00f9 volte, Ugolin mio, mossi il\n pensiero _.]\n 66. -- Dello stesso\n Se lodando di voi quel che palese\n di fuor si mostra a le pi\u00f9 strane genti,\n rare bellezze e disusati accenti,\n degne parole a ci\u00f2 mi son contese:\n com' esser vi potr\u00e0 larga e cortese\n la lingua a dir, che non tema o paventi\n di tante ascoste in voi virtuti ardenti,\n Tullia, ch'amor divino al cor v'accese?\n Bont\u00e0, senno, valor e cortesia,\n con l'altre mille insieme in voi cosparte,\n rozzamente contar forse potria;\n ma come rara e eccellente sia\n ciascuna d'esse in voi, con mille carte\n Mantova e Smirna a dir non basteria.\n [V. 11. _Rozzamente cantar forse patria_.]\n 67. -- Di Simone Porzio\n Or qual penna d'ingegno m'assecura\n di poter appressarmi al gran valore\n di quella che di pregio alto e d'onore,\n ornarmi con sue rime ha tanta cura?\n La debil pianta, mia da s\u00e8 non dura,\n e se prende crescendo alcun vigore,\n nutrita \u00e8 dal fecondo vostro umore,\n che tal frutto non vien d'altra coltura.\n Ma se di quella vostra le semente\n sempre mi trovo al petto, n\u00e8 pi\u00f9 spero\n sentir d'essa giammai cosa pi\u00f9 degna,\n scorgete adunque col giudicio interno\n che tutte l'altre voghe in me son spente,\n e vive quel ch'amor di voi m'insegna.\n [Risposta al sonetto della TULLIA: _Porzio gentile a cui l'alma natura_.]\n LE AMOROSE EGLOGHE DEL MUZIO GIUSTINOPOLITANO\n ALLA SIGNORA TULLIA D'ARAGONA\n MOPSO\n Mopso, _solo_.\n Canti chi vuol le sanguinose imprese\n del fiero Marte, e d'onorati allori\n cinto le tempie a suon di chiara tromba\n desti i bianchi destrier, ch'in Campidoglio\n han da condur i purpurei trionfi;\n a me, cui 'l ciel non di\u00e8 s\u00ec altero spirto,\n basta parlar tra le fontane e i boschi\n de gli onori di Pan; e che la fronte\n m'ornin le Ninfe d'edere e di mirti,\n mentre ch'al suon de le incerate canne\n fo risonar quella virt\u00f9 che move\n dal vivo ardor de i lor splendenti lumi.\n E or dar\u00e0 al mio dir ampio suggetto\n l'amor del pastor Mopso; di quel Mopso\n lo qual sacrato ha infin da i teneri anni\n i sensi e l'alma al tempio di Parnaso.\n Il buon pastor, cercando le pendici\n de i santi gioghi, ha con novella cura\n novo oggetto trovato ai suoi pensieri;\n nova materia ha data a le sue rime:\n che l'interno splendore e 'l chiaro viso\n de la bella Tirrenia il petto ingombro\n gli ha s\u00ec del suo piacer, che la sua lingua\n d'altro non sa parlar, n\u00e8 pu\u00f2, n\u00e8 vuole\n che di lei, ch'or gli siede in mezzo l'alma.\n Ei non potendo un di 'l soverchio ardore\n chiuder dentro al suo cor, in tali accenti\n la strada aperse a la vivace fiamma.\n MOPSO. Bella Tirrenia mia, che di bellezza\n avanzi i pi\u00f9 bei fior di primavera,\n morbida pi\u00f9 che tenera vitella,\n ch'ancor non ha gustato erba n\u00e8 fonte;\n e delicata pi\u00f9 ch'i bianchi velli\n di non tonduto pargoletto agnello;\n e pi\u00f9 schiva d'amor e pi\u00f9 fugace\n ch'innanzi a cacciator timida cerva:\n odi, bella Tirrenia: a queste ombrette\n meco t'assidi, e i miei sospiri ascolta.\n Era ne la stagion ch'i verdi prati\n d'ogni intorno fiorian; fiorian le rose,\n e cantavan gli augei tra i novi fiori,\n quando prima ti vidi; e come prima\n ti vidi, cos\u00ec ratto al cor mi corse,\n mosso da la virt\u00f9 de' tuoi bei lumi,\n con gelato timor caldo disio.\n Da quel d\u00ed innanzi entro 'l mio petto chiuso\n ho continuo portato il foco e 'l ghiaccio.\n E gi\u00e0 due volte le campagne aperte\n visto han d'intorno biondeggiar le spighe:\n e due volte han veduto i salci e gli olmi\n le non lor uve su per li lor rami\n quai d'oro divenir, e quai vermiglie:\n e tu nel duro cor, ghiaccio n\u00e8 foco\n crudel non senti, e non senti pietade.\n Sappi, ninfa gentil, che dal suo giro\n Venere bella per ciascuna parte\n rimira aperte l'opre de' mortali;\n e qual pastor, qual satiro e qual ninfa,\n contra chi l'ama \u00e8 disdegnosa e schiva,\n la santa Dea ne sente altero sdegno,\n e dimostrar ne suole agre vendette,\n arder facendo i lor gelati cori\n d'amor di tal, che gli disprezza e fugge.\n Che doglia, che tormento, alma mia cara,\n credi che sia l'amar chi te non prezza?\n O tolga Dio, ch'in cos\u00ec amaro stato\n i' ti vegga giammai; Tirrenia intendi:\n non voler contra te l'ira de' Dei\n mover s\u00ec leggiermente: ama chi t'ama.\n Ama il tuo Mopso, il quale lode immortali\n va cantando di te mattina e sera;\n e va segnando intorno i sassi e i tronchi\n del nome tuo per farti eterna e chiara.\n Ama 'l tuo Mopso, il qual e giorno e notte,\n o vegghi, o dorma, di te pensa e sogna:\n te rimira, te cerca e te disia.\n Braman le pecchie gli odorati fiori:\n le molli gregge i rugiadosi paschi;\n brama 'l cervo assetato i chiari fonti;\n e te, Tirrenia, l'infiammato Mopso.\n Mostra, ninfa gentil, il bel sereno\n de la lucida tua tranquilla fronte;\n de la cui vista l'aere e 'l ciel d'intorno\n d'ogni parte s'allegra e si rischiara.\n Rivolgi a me i begli occhi: o occhi belli,\n occhi leggiadri, occhi amorosi e cari;\n pi\u00f9 che le stelle belli e pi\u00f9 che 'l sole:\n e a me cari pi\u00f9 che armenti e gregge:\n pi\u00f9 che la vita cari e pi\u00f9 che l'alma.\n Occhi miei belli e cari, il chiaro lume\n volgete a me benigni: e non vi annoi,\n ch'arda del vostro ardor: e non v'incresca\n mirar talor com'io mi struggo e ardo.\n Oh ti fosse, Tirrenia, un giorno a grado\n di fermar cos\u00ec presso e cos\u00ec fisso\n que' tuoi begli occhi dentr'a gli occhi miei,\n ch'ogniun di noi facendo a l'altro specchio,\n con gli occhi suoi vedesse ne gli altri occhi\n il suo stesso ritratto e l'alma altrui.\n Volgi a me gli occhi: volgi gli occhi e volgi\n il chiaro viso e le polite guance,\n le molli guance ad ogni aura tremanti,\n che fan tremar in me l'anima e i sensi\n di diletto, di voglia e di dolcezza.\n Ma qual'\u00e8 quel diletto e quella voglia?\n Qual la dolcezza che sentir mi face\n il veder e l'udir le dolci labbra?\n Quelle labbra amorose, dolci e care,\n or dolcemente chiuse, or dolce aperte,\n spirar per gli occhi e per l'orecchie mie\n a l'alma mia dolcissimo veleno?\n O misti insieme fior vermigli e bianchi:\n o sparso tra be' fior soave odore:\n o bramose mie labbra: o spirto ardente:\n o anima mia accesa: e qual desire\n tutto m'infiamma? E qual'\u00e8 quel conforto\n che mi promette il bel, che s'ode e vede?\n Apri, Tirrenia, le rosate porte:\n mostra, Tirrenia, i candidi ligustri:\n spargi, Tirrenia, in graziosi accenti\n l'ambrosia e 'l mel de l'amorosa lingua.\n Di', Tirrenia, una volta: te solo amo,\n al fedel Mopso tuo, che te sola ama.\n Dillo, Tirrenia, e scopri il caro seno,\n apri 'l giardin d'amor, dimostra al sole\n i dolci pomi e gli odorati gigli.\n Leva, Tirrenia, l'inimico velo\n ch'a te'l tuo bel, a me 'l mio ben nasconde.\n Invido avaro velo: avara mano,\n crudo velo; man cruda e crudo core,\n che tanto bene a gli occhi miei contendi.\n Ninfa crudele, e perch\u00e9 con tant'arte\n s\u00ec fieramente a' miei desir contrasti?\n Ninfa crudele infin a gli occhi miei,\n a gli occhi miei, crudele, hai posto 'l freno.\n Deh, leva 'l velo omai, levane i nodi;\n leva la crudelt\u00e0 del natio petto:\n lascia andar gli occhi vaghi al lor diporto\n tra i diletti di Flora e di Pomona,\n l\u00e0 ve vaga belt\u00e0, bella vaghezza\n movon d'intorno le purpuree penne,\n e fan festa ad Amor, che la sua fede\n ha locata tra 'l bel de i cari pomi.\n Man bella, cara man disciogli il laccio,\n allarga il velo, o mano: a la man mia\n sii cortese man cara: a la mia sete\n porgi alcun refrigerio poi ch'invano\n prego 'l petto crudel, e 'nvano aspiro\n a la belt\u00e0 de le purpuree gote,\n invano al bel de le rosate labbra.\n Ninfa bella e crudele, in cui combatte\n bellezza e crudelt\u00e0, come non hai\n qualche piet\u00e0 di me? Le selve e gli antri\n piangono al pianto mio; meco si lagna\n eco non men del mio che del suo duolo:\n e sovente gli augei su per li rami\n muti si fanno a le mie doglie intenti:\n e le gregge rivolte a i miei sospiri,\n i paschi e i fonti mandano in oblio.\n E tu sola se' nuda di pietade.\n Vien, Ninfa bella, e fra le molli braccia\n raccogli quel, che con le braccia aperte\n disioso t'aspetta; e nel tuo grembo\n ricevi lieta l'infocato amante;\n stringi 'l bramoso amante, e strette aggiungi\n le labbra a le sue labbra, e 'l vivo spirto\n suggi de l'alma amata, e del tuo spirto\n il vivo fiore ispira a le sue brame.\n Giungansi insieme gli amorosi petti:\n premer si sentan le vezzose poppe,\n le belle poppe delicate e sode,\n dal petto ad amor sacro e sacro a Febo,\n non si ritengan pi\u00f9 celate o chiuse;\n le belle membra tue morbide e bianche\n pi\u00f9 che 'l cacio novello e pi\u00f9 che 'l latte,\n ad amor le consacra: e al tuo amante\n qual vite ad olmo avviticchiata e stretta,\n con lui cogli d'amore i dolci frutti.\n II.\n IL SOLE\n Mopso, solo.\n Gi\u00e0 fiammeggiava presso a l'aurea Aurora\n il pianeta maggior nell'oriente,\n inargentando i nuviletti d'oro:\n quand'io, ch'avea col fischio e con la verga\n scorta mia greggia a i rugiadosi paschi,\n posto a seder sott'una antica quercia,\n notava intento il dilettevol suono,\n che d'intorno facean le pecorelle\n tondendo il verde de l'erboso suolo.\n Ed ecco l'armonia d'una zampogna\n sonar non lunge. Io da le dolci note\n tratto, e lasciando il mio maggior pensiero,\n in pi\u00e8 risorto, cheto, passo passo,\n ver l\u00e0 mi mossi, e vidi a pi\u00e8 d'un faggio\n sedersi un solo. E quanto gli occhi miei\n scorger potero in quella incerta luce\n mi parve Mopso; Mopso a cui le selve\n son testimonie quanto a l'alme Muse,\n e quanto ei sia ad Amor fedele amico.\n E quale in pria mi parve, tal la voce\n e 'l chiaro giorno poi mostrolmi aperto.\n Quivi vago d'udir suoi dolci accenti\n dietro una macchia stretto mi raccolsi.\n E egli omai spuntando il primo raggio\n del novo giorno, al dir la lingua mosse,\n accompagnando il suon con tai parole:\n MOPSO. Sorgi omai chiaro sole, e 'l ciel aprendo\n l'aer rischiara; e 'l mare intorno imbianca;\n la terra alluma; e 'l desiato giorno\n riporta a gli animali e ai pastori.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n Se non hai sole e se colei non ave\n cosa simil, ben posso dir di voi,\n che tu se' a lei, ed ella a te simile.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n Solo se' sol, ch'in tutti gli alti giri\n lume non \u00e8 ch'al tuo lume s'aguagli,\n n\u00e8 lass\u00f9 fuoco v'ha che t'assimigli.\n E sola \u00e8 sol in acque, in selve e in monti:\n la bella ninfa mia, ch'\u00e8 cos\u00ec sola,\n che belt\u00e0 non si mira a lei sembiante.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n Quando cinto di raggi il capo biondo\n a noi ti mostri, fugge d'ogni intorno\n la cieca notte da l'ombrosa terra:\n e s'allegrano in piani, in poggi e in boschi\n le solitarie fiere, i vaghi augelli,\n e con gli armenti, pecore e bifolchi.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n E quando 'l lampeggiar del divo lume\n a me si scopre, del mio tristo core\n si scuote intorno il tenebroso velo:\n gioiscon gli occhi miei: l'anima mia\n tutta s'allegra e seco i miei pensieri;\n e meco gode il mio cornuto armento.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n Poi come le montagne d'occidente\n ingombran la tua luce, e tu t'invii\n al tuo riposo l\u00e0 nei bassi liti,\n la fosca notte entro a l'oscuro manto\n involve 'l cielo, e involve gli animali,\n tenendo il mondo in tenebre sepolto.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n E come del mio sol l'amata vista\n da me si parte, al dipartir di lei\n a me in un punto ogni mia luce \u00e8 tolta.\n Il giorno mio sen va verso l'occaso\n e son sepolti in tenebrosa notte\n i miei pensier, il cor, l'animo e l'alma.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n Da che tolta \u00e8 dal ciel tua ardente fiamma,\n perch\u00e9 'l superno chiostro intorno splenda\n di mille ardori, non per\u00f2 ritorna\n il giorno al mondo infin che non ritorni\n tu, la cui luce ogni altra luce asconde.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n E da ch'io de' begli occhi ho gli occhi privi\n perch\u00e9 da mille belle e vaghe ninfe\n cinto mi vegga, non per\u00f2 s'aggiorna\n dentro al mio cor fin che colei non riede,\n il cui bel lume ogni altro lume adombra.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n Qualor avvien ch'a la tua accesa face\n occhio mortal s'arrischi alzar i rai\n per ritrar forse l'alma tua figura,\n la soverchia virt\u00f9 del tuo splendore\n s\u00ec l'abbarbaglia, che smarrito e vinto\n ad ogni aspetto uman si trova infermo.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n E io qualor a la mia ardente lampa\n mi riprovo d'alzar gli occhi e la mente,\n per farne poi ne i tronchi alcun disegno,\n il divo onor del rilucente oggetto\n s\u00ec mi confonde, che perduti i sensi\n non sento quel, che di me stesso io senta.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n Poi quando pi\u00f9 'l tuo lume s'avvicina\n al mondo nostro, occhio del mondo eterno,\n e pi\u00f9 drizzi i tuoi raggi sopra noi,\n arde la terra, e arde ogni vivente;\n e de la sete per colli e per piani\n mancar si veggon gli alberi e l'erbette.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n E quando a me 'l mio amato sol s'appressa\n (il sol ch'\u00e8 solo il sol de la mia vita)\n e fiammeggiando in me 'l suo lampo vibra,\n arde in me 'l cor, ardon miei accesi spirti,\n e 'n me s'infiamma un s\u00ec caldo disire\n ch'a me stesso mi sento venir manco.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n Tu con la tua virt\u00f9 non solo allumi,\n non solo incendi quel che fuor si scorge,\n ma dove umana vista non discende,\n dentro passando, fai pregno il terreno\n di tal semenza ch'i terrestri germi\n producon d'ogni intorno e fronde e fiori,\n onde si veston le campagne e i poggi.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n E la virt\u00f9 di lei non sol rischiara,\n non sol infiamma la mortal mia scorza,\n ma dove altro non passa che 'l suo sguardo,\n in me varcando, in me fa tal radice\n che poi germoglia in graziosa pianta,\n in cui fiorendo i miei gentil concetti\n fanno 'l mio col suo nome eterno adorni.\n Sorgi sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n Ma che parl'io? che fo? dormo o vaneggio?\n s\u00ec son col core al mio bel sole intento\n ch'ad alta voce ancor chiamo e richiamo,\n e pur or sommi accorto ch'\u00e8 tant'alto\n sorto 'l sol del mio sol sola sembianza.\n Oh cos\u00ec fosse ai miei bramosi lumi\n sorto il lor sol. Tornato \u00e8 'l giorno al mondo\n non (lasso) a me, ch'a me non luce il sole,\n non s'apre il giorno a me se non si scopre\n colei, ch'\u00e8 sola il sol de l'alma mia.\n Oh me infelice sovra ogni vivente!\n Sa l'universo, sanno gli elementi,\n san le ninfe e i pastor, sanno i bifolchi,\n san le fiere e gli augelli, e san le gregge\n che da tornare ha il sole e 'l giorno e quando;\n e sol io solo senza sole e senza\n alcun lume, di giorno in cieca notte\n vo brancolando: e non so quando o come\n mi ritorni a veder l'amato raggio.\n Ahi, lasso me dolente: or fosse almeno\n la notte mia tal notte, qual'\u00e8 quella\n ch'al cader del suo sole al mondo sorge,\n ch'in quella dolce notte in ogni verso\n si posa in pace! Rive, prati e poggi\n valli, monti, campagne, selve e fonti\n han dolce requie, e i miseri mortali\n quetan le stanche membra e ogni affanno,\n ogni fatica, mandano in oblio.\n Ma non \u00e8 tal la mia, che cieco e solo\n vo intorno errando. E non han pace o tregua\n gli occhi miei, non i piedi e non la lingua;\n no 'l pensir, no 'l desir, non i sospiri.\n E s'alcun \u00e8 che turbi l'altrui pace,\n io son quel desso; che son sol colui\n che col continuo suon de' miei lamenti\n ho gi\u00e0 stancate le campagne e i colli.\n Almo mio caro sol, sar\u00e0 giammai\n ch'io ti rivegga un giorno, un giorno intero?\n Un giorno che giammai non giunga a sera,\n e gli occhi affisi in te quant'io vorrei?\n Ahi, lasso me: perch\u00e9, perch\u00e9 non lice\n mostrar aperto il cor? perch\u00e9 disdetto\n m'\u00e8 'l dir ch'io t'ami, se cotanto t'amo?\n Perch\u00e9 disdetto a te l'amar chi t'ama?\n Cotai parole, e altre sospirando\n e lagrimando, il doloroso Mopso\n spargeva a l'aura; e io che senza scorta\n lasciata avea la greggia e tuttavia\n sentia montando il sol montar il caldo,\n lui lasciai pur dolersi: il dolce canto\n fra me stesso membrando, e 'l petto pieno\n non di minor piet\u00e0 che di dolcezza.\n III\n IL FURORE\n Mopso, solo.\n Dive, ch'al suon de la dorata cetra\n dei sacro Apollo, al glorioso fonte\n fate dintorno mille dolci giri,\n premendo il verde del fiorito suolo\n liete alternando le vezzose piante\n non senza l'armonia d'eterni versi:\n quella, ch'\u00e8 Donna de le Donne, e Donna\n \u00e8 del mio cor, o sante Donne, o Dive,\n vuoi pur ch'io canti: e vuol che 'l canto s'erga\n sopra ogni bosco. Adunque perch\u00e8 'l canto\n sia canto degno di Donna s\u00ec cara\n movete insieme e con voi mova Apollo:\n mova tutto Elicona e si raccolga\n tutto lo spirto vostro entro al mio petto.\n Oh de la mente mia lucido specchio,\n alma gentil fra le belle alme bella,\n in cui fiso mirando d'ora in ora,\n si fan dentr'al mio cor novi concetti,\n da partorir scrivendo in nove carte;\n lietamente ricevi il novo frutto,\n che prodotto ha 'l germogl\u00eco del tuo seme;\n e mentre io fo sonar la mia zampogna\n al furor del tuo Mopso porgi orecchie,\n e nel furor di Mopso al furor mio.\n Salita era la notte al sommo cielo\n e rilucea nel mezzo del suo cerchio\n la sorella di Febo, il bianco volto\n tutta splendente del fraterno lume.\n Taceva il mondo, in s\u00e8 pe' lor vestigi\n tacite si volgean l'eterne spere;\n taceano i venti e 'l mar; tacea la terra\n e con lei piani e colli, e monti, e valli.\n Sol nel silenzio d'ogni alma vivente\n non tacea Mopso: e non taceva amore\n dentro al suo petto. Ei per deserte piagge\n da furor trasportato, solo e vago,\n errava, intorno pur con gli occhi fissi\n ne la cornuta diva. E 'n quello stato\n disse de l'amor suo cose s\u00ec nove,\n che ne suonano ancor le selve e gli antri.\n MOPSO. Dove, dicea, mi scorge or la tua luce,\n candida luna, per solinghe strade?\n Tirar mi sento ove per gli erti gioghi\n rara di piede umano orma si scorge.\n Qual novo aspetto e qual novo desire\n verdeggia nel mio cor? La folta selva\n de l'odorate, verdi, ombrose piante,\n tutto m'empie d'orror e di diletto.\n E quel dolce ruscel, che mormorando\n fugge tra l'erbe e i flori, a s\u00e8 mi chiama.\n Ma donde viene il canto? E donde il suono\n che s\u00ec dolce lusinga l'aere intorno?\n E cosi \u00e8 dolce, che simil dolcezza\n non porge a me 'l belar de le mie gregge,\n n\u00e8 s\u00ec soave \u00e8 'l suon de le mie canne.\n Or ecco l\u00e0 che giovinette donne\n cinte le terapie di fronduti rami\n fan la nova armonia; ina che vegg'io?\n Non \u00e8 tra lor, non \u00e8 colei \u00eca mia?\n Ahi! m'\u00e8 tolta la voce. Or chi l'ha scorta\n di mezza notte senza fida scorta\n da le rive del Po fra questi boschi?\n E che fa qui l'altero giovinetto\n c'ha la lira dorata e d'or le chiome\n e d'ogni vello ancor le guancie ha nude:\n misero: adunque? Adunque in cotal guisa?\n Or dove sono? E che fo? Vegghio o dormo?\n Non so ove sia: non so se vegghi o dorma.\n E s'io vegghio, \u00e8 ella dessa o altra? Ahi, lasso,\n non conosco io la ninfa mia? La voce\n piena di melodia, gli ardenti lumi,\n il vago aspetto, il grazioso viso:\n gli atti soavi, i movimenti alteri:\n l'andar, lo star: la mano, i piedi, i panni,\n far la dovrian pur conta a gli occhi miei.\n E s'altro a me non la facesse conta,\n si la far\u00eca quell'amoroso orrore\n ch'a l'apparir di lei m'ha l'alma ingombra,\n e quel desio, che qui condotto m'have,\n u' condur non poteami altro des\u00eco.\n Ma ch'\u00e8 quel ch'odo, che da l'altre l'odo\n chiamar sorella e nominar Talia?\n Questo bosco di lauri e quella fonte:\n le donne coronate: il bel concento:\n l'aspetto pi\u00f9 ch'umano? Or una, e due,\n tre, quattro, cinque, sei, sette, otto e nove,\n il numero conviensi... questo \u00e8 'l giogo\n de l'alme Muse: e queste son le Muse.\n E una n'\u00e8 la mia. \u00c8 la mia ninfa\n dunque una Musa, o son le Muse ninfe?\n O mia, come dir debbo, alma mia Diva,\n con quanto amor, con quanto studio ed arte,\n fra mortali discesa dentro a l'alma\n m'accendesti l'ardor; presso al cui raggio\n movendo i passi, a questo santo giogo\n mi trovo aggiunto. O mano, amata mano,\n tu mi tien, tu mi guida: o caro dono,\n bramato don, cos\u00ec ne foss'io degno.\n Tu con la tua sorella le mie terapie\n fai verdeggiar de l'onorata fronde\n perch'ogni mio pensier tutto verdeggia.\n O sacri, vivi e lucidi cristalli,\n onde s'inaffian cos\u00ec rare piante,\n qual radice ha sentito il vostro umore\n c'ha virt\u00f9 di produr pianta s\u00ec ferma\n che non le nuoce il pi\u00f9 cocente sole:\n non la molesta grandine n\u00e8 pioggia:\n non la crolla il furor di Borea o d'Austro,\n e non la tocca il folgorar di Giove?\n Qual radice ha sentito il vostro umore?\n Ne la sua pianta il verde eterno vive;\n vivono eterni i fior, vivono i frutti:\n n\u00e8 muta vista per mutar stagione.\n Beato, eterno umor che liete e chiare\n fai le piante, le fronde, i frutti e i fiori;\n i' pur spengo di te mia lunga sete:\n e 'n te s'attuffan mie bramose labbra.\n O che veggio? O che intendo? Il cieco velo\n tolt'\u00e8 da gli occhi miei: m'\u00e8 fatto amico\n il sacro coro, amico il santo Apollo.\n Pur or conosco io te fedel compagna,\n fedel mia guida e mia fedel maestra;\n Erato bella. Tu fin da la culla\n mi fosti a lato; tu la tua sorella\n fra le genti mortali in forma umana\n mi scorgesti a mirar. Tu mi dimostri\n com'io lei segua, cui pi\u00f9 sempre amando\n l'alma mia pi\u00f9 verdeggia e pi\u00f9 s'infiora.\n Ma che novo desir mi punge il core\n di levarmi da terra? Oh, ch'i' mi sento\n mutar di fuori e farmi un bianco augello:\n le man, gli omeri, il capo, il collo, il petto\n tutti si veston di novelle piume;\n gi\u00e0 comincio a cantar, gi\u00e0 batto l'ali....\n non mi lasciar Talia, levati a volo;..\n Erato spiega al ciel l'aurate penne...\n date forza al mio ardir, che senza voi\n ogni mio sforzo alfin sarebbe invano.\n Gi\u00e0 lasciato ho 'l terreno; altero e lieve\n sopra i nuvoli m'alzo e sopra i venti:\n gi\u00e0 mi si fa minor e terra e mare.\n Alma sorella del compagno e Dio\n de la mia Dea benigna, a te raccogli\n colui, cui la tua luce ha mostro il calle\n di gir al monte ove la via s'impara,\n che l'alme altrui conduce a pi\u00f9 bel monte.\n I' veggio aperte le dorate porte\n del gran g\u00ecardin, ch'i muri ha di zaffiro;\n qui n'accoglie Diana; e qui n'envia\n per la verdura del suo bel verziero;\n qui la fiorita e verde primavera\n move d'intorno, e va pascendo il verde\n del santo umor de la rugiada eterna;\n qui l'alma Clori e 'l suo diletto sposo\n spargendo a l'aere ognor novelli odori\n van dipingendo il variato suolo;\n qui non arde la state e qui non sfronda\n l'autunno i rami e non gli imbianca il verno;\n qui vive il verde eterno; eterni rivi\n di liquidi smeraldi i verdi prati\n van compartendo; al mormorar de l'acque,\n al soave spirar de le dolci aure,\n al tremolar de i verdeggianti rami,\n suonano in dolci e 'n dilettosi accenti\n mille amorosi eterni rosignoli.\n Qui s'odon risonar cetre e zampogne;\n immortai cetre e immortai zampogne;\n oh dolce vista, ed oh soavi note;\n oh tra 'l veder e udir dolci pensieri;\n qui, santissime Muse: qui Talia,\n qui, qui sia, Diva, eterno il nostro albergo.\n Cos\u00ec diceva il forsennato Mopso:\n e cos\u00ec detto, muto e sbigottito\n stette buon spazio; e 'n s\u00e9 fatto ritorno\n e raccolto lo spirto, alti sospiri\n dal cor traendo, intorno al molle tronco\n d'un tenero olmo tai parole scrisse:\n Udite selve, udite Dei silvestri,\n odan le ninfe, oda ogni pastore.\n Ho veduto Elicona e 'l sacro bosco;\n ho veduto 'l licor ch'i nomi avviva;\n veduto ho Febo e le dotte sorelle,\n e Tirrenia fra loro; una di loro\n \u00e8 la bella Tirrenia: ella m'ha tratto\n al sacro bosco, e dal bosco a la fonte,\n e da la fonte al cielo: ella \u00e8 colei\n che m'arde 'l cor; ella \u00e8 colei ch'io canto;\n ella \u00e8 il mio sole; ella \u00e8 la mia Talia.\n Ed io son Mopso. Pianta eterna vivi:\n e i nomi nostri eternamente serva.\n IV.\n TALIA\n Mopso, solo.\n Gi\u00e0 risalito sopra l'orizzonte\n il pianeta d'amor dal terzo cielo\n fiammeggiando spargea l'aer sereno,\n il tempestoso mare, il duro suolo\n di chiari raggi e di virtute ardente:\n e destando le selve e le campagne,\n richiamava pastor, gregge e bifolchi\n a le zampogne, a i paschi e a gli aratri.\n Quando Mopso d'ardor l'anima acceso,\n posto a seder in una erbosa riva,\n al dolce mormorio di lucid'onde\n in s\u00e8 raccolto, immobile e pensoso\n si stette alquanto; indi a sue dolci note\n rispondendo gli augei, le selve e l'acque,\n ruppe 'l silenzio in cos\u00ec nuovi accenti,\n che n'han fatto conserva i Dei silvestri,\n per dar lor vita in pi\u00f9 ch'in una etade.\n Or qual fosse 'l suo canto, a lei che desta\n ti tiene ognor a gli amorosi canti\n fa che 'l ritorni a dir rozza zampogna;\n e sia tale il tuo suon, che degno sia\n de materia maggior che di zampogne.\n MOPSO. Alme sorelle, che d'eterno grido\n rendete onor a chi col cor v'onora,\n se mai liete porgeste alcuna aita\n al suon de gli amorosi miei sospiri,\n or, che d'amor cantando \u00e8 'l mio pensiero\n cantar voi insieme (che di voi cantando\n canto 'l mio amor) a l'incerate canne\n ispirate s\u00ec dolce e chiaro suono,\n che sia 'l mio amor co'l vostri nomi eterno.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n E tu, mio santo e mio soave ardore,\n dotta e bella Talia, mentr'io m'affanno\n per voler dir di te, ne l'alta impresa\n porgi soccorso a la mia fioca voce:\n dammi ardir, dammi forza; alza 'l mio ingegno\n e con la cara mano un novo ramo\n fresco, verde, odorato, or ora colto\n dal sacro monte a la mia fronte avvolgi.\n Movi Talia, movete sante Dive.\n Movete o sante Dive a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n Sorge in Boezia e non molto lontano\n dal gran Parnaso un onorato giogo\n che d'altezza e d'onor con lui contende;\n quest'\u00e8 'l santo Elicona, in cui verdeggia\n l'eterna selva sacra al sacro Apollo,\n d'uno e d'altro valor degna corona.\n Qui si monta per luoghi alpestri ed ermi;\n raro sentier v'appar, rari vestigi;\n n\u00e8 v'ascende uom mortal, cui 'l ciel non chiama.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n Quest'\u00e8 quel poggio, che fra gli altri poggi\n \u00e8 de le Muse il pi\u00f9 diletto poggio:\n qui 'l grande Apollo ispira entro a' lor petti\n quella virt\u00f9 ch'a lui 'l gran padre ispira;\n ed elle l'alme elette a i Dei pi\u00f9 care,\n chiamano al verde de l'amate piante;\n e chiamanle al licor del chiaro fonte;\n chiamanle al chiaro fonte d'Ippocrene,\n eterno onor del sangue di Medusa.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n Scritto \u00e8 nel sasso antico, onde si versa\n la dolce vena, in ben limati versi,\n ch'un giovinetto che di pioggia d'oro\n fu conceputo, alzato un giorno a volo\n uccise lei, che con l'orribil vista\n rivolgea l'uomo in insensibil marmo:\n e che del sangue suo, mille veleni\n fur sparsi in terra; e fra i diversi mostri\n un'alato destrier subito apparve.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n Questi nitrendo e dibattendo l'ale\n si lev\u00f2 in aere, e dopo un lungo corso\n pervenuto al bel giogo ond'io favello,\n volando tuttavia, nel duro masso\n percosse un'unghia, e quei ratto s'aperse\n larghi versando e liquidi cristalli.\n Apollo il vide, e 'l vider seco insieme\n tutte le nove Muse, ed egli, ed elle,\n fede ne fanno a chi con lor ragiona.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n E quest'\u00e8 'l fonte in cui, cui 'l ciel non nega\n di poter pur bagnar le somme labbra,\n cantar si sente al par de i bianchi cigni.\n Qui conducon le Dive a cui interdetto\n non \u00e8 'l bel monte, e 'ncoronati e molli\n del santo rio gli rendono a' mortali,\n perch\u00e8 rendano a ogniun degna mercede\n de le fatiche lor, de le bell'opre\n qual ornando di lauri e qual di mirti.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n Quinci discesi quegli spirti eletti\n sopra tutt'altri, con eterne lode\n or del fier Marte, or del soave Amore,\n cantano il sudor d'un, d'altro i sospiri.\n E per memoria de l'amato albergo\n aman le ninfe i poggi, i fonti e i boschi.\n Ed \u00e8 ragion, ch'ancor quelle chiare alme,\n in rimembranza del lor nascimento,\n godon di luoghi solitarii ed erti.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n Fra le selve Pierie il Dio dei Dei,\n quel ch'ad un cenno il ciel move e governa,\n d'amor acceso, in forma di pastore\n con la bella Nemosine si giacque.\n Era costei la pi\u00f9 vezzosa ninfa,\n ch'in quella o in altra et\u00e0, ninfe e silvani,\n tenesse al suon de le sue dolci note\n dolce cantando le memorie antiche,\n e gli occhi avea stellanti e d'or le chiome.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n Giacquesi con lei Giove, e tante notti\n giacque con lei, quante del santo coro\n son le dotte sorelle. E poi che Febo\n nove volte ebbe visto l'auree corna\n rifarsi al lume suo rotondo specchio,\n tante chiam\u00f2 Lucina al suo soccorso\n la bella ninfa, e d'altrettanti parti\n madre divenne. O ben felice madre\n il mondo adorno ha il tuo fecondo ventre.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n Venute in luce le felici piante,\n de' cui be' fiori e de' cui dolci frutti\n dovea goder il cielo e 'l nostro mondo,\n il sommo padre di s\u00ec bella stirpe\n tutto gioioso i teneretti germi\n degni intendendo di pi\u00f9 degno suolo,\n che di suolo terren, fece pensiero\n di voler trapiantar la nova selva\n ne le splendenti sue felici piaggie.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n De' cieli d'uno in uno il re de' cieli\n don\u00f2 loro il governo ad una ad una;\n e d'una in una a loro i nomi impose.\n Quella cui diede il cerchio in cui si mira\n errar d'intorno con cangiati aspetti,\n la dea de la cornuta e bianca fronte,\n fu la bella Talia, la cui virtute\n fa verdeggiando germogliar gl'ingegni\n di verdura immortal di fiori eterni.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n Tocc\u00f2 a Mercurio seguitar l'impero\n de la placida Euterpe, a la cui voce\n s'empion l'alme di gioia e di diletto.\n S'accompagn\u00f2 con l'alma dea di Cipri\n Erato bella, che ne l'alme inesta\n quel caro germe ch'\u00e8 chiamato Amore;\n e Melpomene ascese al quarto lume,\n e la spera di lui tempra e rivolve\n col canto suo, ch'\u00e8 pien d'ogni dolcezza.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n L'ardente spirto del superbo Marte\n ogni orgoglio deposto, non rifiuta\n di dar orecchie a la famosa Clio.\n A Tersicore diede il re superno\n che de la stella sua fosse compagna,\n tutto invaghito di sua allegra vista;\n e di Polinnia gode il padre antico\n notando l'armonia del vario suono\n e la memoria de le cose belle.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n Urania su volando altera salse\n fra mille lumi, ed or in or s'aggira\n lieta del suo bel ciel cantando intorno.\n Calliope non ebbe proprio nido\n dal sommo padre: ei volle ch'in ciascuna,\n de l'altrui stanze fosse la sua stanza:\n e le buone sorelle a la sorella\n congiunte in dolce amor, in dolci accenti\n cantando insieme fan dolce armonia.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n Signoreggiano in cielo, e 'n su la terra\n han signoria quell'anime celesti:\n e ciascuna di lor da la sua spera,\n Calliope da tutte il lor valore\n spargon quaggi\u00f9 ne i pi\u00f9 chiari intelletti.\n E qual del divo spirto ha l'alma ingombra\n a lui s'apre Elicona: a lui le chiome\n cingono i lauri: a lui non si disdice\n spenger la sete al fonte d'Aganippe.\n Movete, o sante Dive, a i vostri onori,\n cinte le tempie d'odorati allori.\n Ma che novo furor m'ha 'l petto ingombro\n di voler col mio calamo palustre\n sonar di lor, ch'a i sempiterni Divi\n rotando tuttavia l'eterne spere,\n de le lor voci fan dolce concento?\n Merc\u00e8 dive, merc\u00e8 del novo ardire\n non vi chiamai nimico, e non mi vanto\n di cantar vosco a prova. Anzi 'l desio\n onde 'l vostro valor m'ha l'alma accesa\n mi mosse a ragionar de i vostri onori.\n Tornate, o sante Dive, a i vostri allori.\n Tornate Dive; tornin l'altre e meco\n rimanga la dolcissima Talia;\n rimanti, o Diva, con colui che sempre\n teco \u00e8 col core. O Musa a le mie rime\n basta la tua virt\u00f9. Tu 'l mio Elicona,\n tu 'l mio Parnaso se': tu se' 'l mio Apollo:\n tu con l'ardor de' begli occhi sereni\n accendi entro 'l mio cor s\u00ec chiaro foco,\n che l'invidia del tempo in alcun tempo\n non potr\u00e0 spegner mai la nostra luce.\n Tu con la soavissima favella,\n col dolce suon, con le celesti note\n e con la leggiadria del chiaro stile,\n me togliendo a me stesso, a dir m'invii\n cose, ch'i' spero, che fra questi boschi\n si serveranno ancor dopo mill'anni.\n E trovando Talia per mille tronchi\n scritto per la mia man, trovando Mopso\n scritto per la man tua, n'avranno ancora\n diletto e invidia la futura gente.\n O che parlo? Il tuo aspetto a dir m'ispira\n quantunque io parlo; tu mia lingua movi,\n tu mi porgi i concetti e le parole.\n O mia musa, o mio amor. E qual fu mai\n pi\u00f9 glorioso amor che la mia Musa\n \u00e8 'l mio amor, e 'l mi' amor \u00e8 la mia musa?\n Dolce amor, dolce musa: e non vaneggio;\n non \u00e8 'l mio sogno; no, che viva e vera\n ti veggio alma mia diva; e tal ti scorgo\n qual ti scorgono e Febo e tue sorelle\n a l'onde di Permesso; e qual ti scorge\n la sorella di Febo entro al suo giro.\n Quant'\u00e8 la gioia mia? Con voi ragiono\n riposti orrori e solitaria riva:\n e prego che fra voi si stian sepolte\n le mie parole: e voi piacevoli aure\n fermate l'ali e eco non risponda:\n non risponda eco a me, che la sua doglia\n mal si conface al mio gioioso stato.\n Chieggio silenzio, accioch\u00e8 fuor non s'oda\n per la mia bocca l'alta mia ventura,\n che d'invidia potria colmare altrui.\n Quella, ch'un tempo per l'erbose sponde\n de l'ampio laco de l'antica Manto\n fece tenor cantando al gran Menalca:\n quella, quella or risponde al vostro Mopso.\n Volgi a me i lumi o diva, ch'in que' lumi\n godo del ben del ciel: la lingua snoda\n dolce mio santo amore; da quella lingua\n sente 'l mio cor dolcezza pi\u00f9 ch'umana.\n O dolce il veder mio s'eternamente\n gli occhi affisassi dentro a tuoi begl'occhi,\n e tu gli occhi affisassi a gl'occhi miei:\n o dolce udir, se 'l suon dolce e soave\n sonasse eterno dentro a le mie orecchie,\n dentro al cor penetrando, e dentr'a l'alma.\n O dolci i miei pensier, se al mio desire\n s'unisse il tuo desir con tanto affetto\n che fosse una la mia con la tua voglia.\n O mia Diva, o mio amor, se del tuo amore\n e se del tuo favor tanto cortese\n sarai a l'alma mia, che le mie rime\n s'ergan sopra l'invidia, e i miei pensieri\n sian pensier di letizia, in su la foce\n del Formion, l\u00e0 dove il bel Sermino\n quinci le dolci e quindi le salse onde\n bagnan d'intorno, un venerabil tempio\n sorger\u00e0 al nome tuo; quivi i pastori\n soneran sempre a te cetre e zampogne:\n e di fior sempre, e sempre di verdura\n si trecceranno a te ghirlande fresche.\n E da i colli e da l'onde, i Dei silvestri\n e le ninfe e i tritoni, incoronati\n di liete frondi, a te festosi giri\n faran dolce iterando il tuo bel nome:\n e fra gli altri la bella, la pi\u00f9 bella\n ninfa ch'abbia tutt'Adria in alcun scoglio\n Egida bella l'onorate tempie\n cinta di rami di felice oliva,\n Talia cantando, e 'l nome di Talia\n risonando d'intorno, e poggi e valli,\n sopra i sacrati altari in fochi eterni\n sparger\u00e0 lieta a te con larga mano\n in sacrificio gli odorati incensi.\n Te col divo splender de i lumi santi,\n col dolce riso e con la chiara voce,\n ferma o Diva, e col cuore il mio bel voto.\n LA LONTANANZA\n Mopso, solo.\n \u00c8 gi\u00e0 gran tempo o Muse il mio suggetto\n l'amor di Mopso, e voi beate Dive\n sete 'l suo amore. Or il dolente Mopso\n dal dolce amato nido e dal suo bene\n fatto lontan, va empiendo selve e campi\n di dolor, di sospiri e di querele.\n Contan le ninfe che fra gli altri un giorno\n lungo la riva, su verso le fonti\n del vago Po salendo, a tali accenti,\n a s\u00ec pietosi, a s\u00ec dogliosi accenti\n allarg\u00f2 'l fren, facendo in ogni verso\n gemer le sponde al nome di Talia;\n che le triste sorelle di Fetonte\n obliando 'l lor duol, al suo dolore\n porsero orecchie, e vinte di pietate\n largaro il corso a non usati pianti.\n Or qual fosse il suo pianto o santo coro\n ditelo a' boschi nostri, e non vi annoi\n di por le dotte e dilicate labbra\n a le mal culte mie silvestre canne,\n E tu mio dolce duol, mia amara gioia,\n mio solo eterno amor, mia prima Musa,\n mentr'io cantando lacrimo e sospiro\n con pietate raccogli il triste canto.\n Incominciate o Dee: le selve e gli antri\n daran risposta al lacrimabil suono.\n MOPSO. Lasso; quest'\u00e8 ben dura dipartita;\n dura, crudel, amara dipartita,\n via pi\u00f9 ch'assenzio amara e pi\u00f9 che morte.\n Ed \u00e8 ragion, ch'estremamente amaro\n mi sia 'l partir da lei che m'\u00e8 pi\u00f9 cara\n che la zampogna mia, pi\u00f9 che l'armento:\n pi\u00f9 che la vita cara e pi\u00f9 che l'alma.\n Ahi, ahi! protervo amore di te mi doglio,\n protervo, iniquo e dispietato amore.\n Tu con fredde paure in van sospetti\n mi tenesti gran tempo, mentre ch'io\n lei per Tirrenia e per ninfa del Tebro\n amai languendo, ardendo e lacrimando.\n Poi che 'l favor de' pi\u00f9 benigni divi\n salir mi fece il glorioso monte,\n e mi fece veder fra i sacri allori\n l'alto mio santo e dolce amore; e poi\n che tolto via il furor di gelosia\n alti e dolci pensier battendo l'ali\n m'inalzavano al cielo altero e lieto;\n hai tronco 'l volo a' miei gentil desiri.\n Ahi lasso me dolente, e qual furore\n mi conduce ad oprar la rabbia e i denti,\n contro il benigno mio soave Iddio?\n Merc\u00e8 Signor, dolce Signor perdona\n al soverchio martir che mi trasporta.\n Tu la mia scorta se', tu 'l mio maestro;\n tu se' 'l mio onor e tu se' la mia palma;\n tu con la face tua m'hai mostro il calle\n d'ir al bel monte: tu con l'auree penne\n impenni i miei pensier; tu nel mio petto\n scolpita hai la dolcissima Talia.\n Per tante grazie a te di sacro sangue\n spargerei d'or in or i santi altari,\n a te arderei gl'interi sacrifici,\n se non che tu (qual'\u00e8 'l tuo cor pietoso)\n di crudelt\u00e0 nimico, il sangue aborri.\n Ma di quel, checchesia, che non rifiuti,\n di fior, di lode, e d'odorati fumi,\n la mia man, la mia lingua e la mia mente\n a te non sieno in alcun tempo avare.\n Da dolermi ho di mia crudel fortuna,\n anzi di lui, che fa la mia fortuna.\n Di te m'ho da doler, di te Tirinto,\n crudel Tirinto, or se mai 'l petto caldo\n ti sentisti d'amor: se punto amico\n se' de le dotte Muse, il petto caldo\n pur ti senti talor, e eterno amico\n se' de l'amate Muse, ahi crudo, e come\n puoi scurar dal suo amor l'acceso amante?\n Come t\u00f2rre a la Musa il suo poeta?\n Ben ti dovria Tirinto esser a grado\n d'udir al suon di Mopso e di Talia\n risponder Eco: e l'una e l'altra sponda\n del tuo bel fiume: il tuo bel fiume e Eco\n ti pon far fede che eia le pendici\n de l'alto giogo, onde 'l Dio del tuo fiume\n da l'ampio vaso versa i larghi rivi\n insin l\u00e0 dove, per diverse foci,\n si scorga in Adria, in tutte le sue rive\n non ha 'l pi\u00f9 santo ardor, n\u00e8 'l pi\u00f9 gentile.\n E tu cerchi d'opporti a tale amore.\n O Tirinto crudel, se non ti move\n il mio dolore e 'l mio cocente affetto,\n di lei ti mova il grazioso sguardo,\n ch'acceso di desir tacendo grida,\n e per piet\u00e0 pregando a te s'inchina.\n Movati 'l suon di que' pietosi versi\n in ch'ella amaramente sospirando\n riprega te per l'amorosa face,\n che 'l suo diletto Mopso a lei ritorni;\n sia pietoso Tirinto e sia sicuro\n che qual pastor, qual ninfa e qual bifolco\n non ha pietade a chi d'amor sospira,\n non gli ha pietade amor, quand'ei sospira.\n Misero me, i' mi dolgo, e tuttavia\n dilungando mi vo dal mio desio,\n e per molto desio piango e languisco;\n e fo col pianto mio col mio languire\n pianger gli sterpi e fo pietosi i sassi.\n Fera ventura, veramente fera,\n che tu diva gentile e 'l tuo fedele\n esser debbiate eternamente insieme\n fermo suggetto a dolorose note.\n Or il vago pensier va rimembrando\n quelle parole tue; quelle parole,\n quelle, quelle, quell'ultime parole\n che mi sterparo il cor, mi svelser l'alma.\n Ben \u00e8 ragion ch'eternamente t'ami,\n e se verace amore, se ferma fede\n merta cambio d'amor, ragion \u00e8 ancora\n che tu, mia vita, eternamente m'ami.\n Non sia mai luogo o tempo che disgiunga\n da me 'l tuo amor, che mai per luogo o tempo\n non sar\u00e0 l'amor mio dal tuo disgiunto;\n meco sia 'l tuo pensier, che 'l mio pensiero\n sempre \u00e8 con te. Con me sia 'l tuo desire,\n che teco \u00e8 'l mio desir: sia l'alma tua\n sempre con me, che teco \u00e8 l'alma mia.\n Cos\u00ec ci ricongiunga un giorno amore;\n e ricongiunga con felice sorte\n i pensieri, i desiri e l'alme nostre.\n Lasso che 'l ragionar il pensier segue\n e ragionando ognor cresce la voglia,\n e crescendo la voglia il duol sormonta.\n Vago fiume, alte rive, ombrose piante,\n pass\u00f2 mai quinci, o qui mai si ritenne\n pastor alcun a cui s\u00ec tristi lai,\n s\u00ec cocenti sospir, s\u00ec largo pianto\n facesser fede del dolor suo interno?\n Ma degno \u00e8 ben che mia lingua si dolga,\n e che sospiri il core e piangan gli occhi.\n \u00c8 tolto agli occhi il sol de gli occhi santi;\n il sol, ch'\u00e8 solo il sol de gli occhi miei,\n il sol, ch'oltre per gli occhi al cor passando\n tutto l'empiea di vivi ardenti spirti;\n di spirti che mia lingua a ta' suggetti\n movea sovente, che per avventura\n non son suggetti da ciascuna lingua.\n Or sendo privo di s\u00ec altero oggetto\n ragion \u00e8 ben che 'l mio dolor sia solo;\n e che sia la mia lingua, il cor e gli occhi,\n lingua fioca, cor tristo e occhi molli.\n I' vo dolente, e pur convien ch'io vada;\n misero Mopso ov'\u00e8 la tua Talia?\n Cara Talia, ov'\u00e8 il tuo fido Mopso?\n O duro fato, o cruda dipartita.\n Lasso, che importa a poverel pastore\n quel che facciano i ricchi, empii tiranni?\n Che tocca a me cercar l'armate squadre?\n Inique stelle: veramente i cieli\n contra me son giurati; e 'l fiero Marte\n ha tant'arme commosse e tanti sdegni\n per dipartirmi dal maggior mio bene.\n O fortunati, a cui 'l terren nat\u00eco\n \u00e8 fermo seggio e certa sepoltura:\n fortunati bifolchi voi se 'l giorno\n i buoi giungete e col gravoso aratro\n sottosopra voltate i duri campi,\n non v'\u00e8 negato almen tornar la sera\n a le capanne vostre, a i dolci alberghi,\n a le dilette vostre compagnie.\n Voi non arate il periglioso suolo\n del tempestoso mar: voi gli alti gioghi\n non varcate giammai de l'orrid'alpi;\n voi non bevete le straniere fonti.\n \u00c8 'l lungo cammin vostro a la cittade,\n a la citt\u00e0, al mercato; e quindi il sole\n che v'ha condotti ancor vi riconduce.\n Voi fortunati e sfortunato Mopso:\n ei da quel d\u00ec ch'al sol pria gli occhi aperse\n non ha potuto ancor pur una volta\n dir: qui sar\u00e0 domane il mio soggiorno.\n Ma da la patria ad estrani paesi\n dal Tebro a l'Istro e dal Po alla Garonna,\n d'oltre il Carnaio a l'ultimo Oceano,\n e dal Vesuvio a gli alti Pirenei\n errando ognor, \u00e8 stato a tutte l'ore\n perpetuo strale a l'arco di fortuna.\n Misero Mopso! O patria, o patria cara;\n o grande Antiniano, o bel Sermino,\n o vago Formione, o scoglio amato\n quando sar\u00e0 ch'io vi rivegga e dica:\n quel poco omai di vita che m'avanza\n mi vivr\u00f2 pur tra voi, ch'\u00e8 quel ch'io bramo?\n Il grande Atiniano, il bel Sermino\n il vago Formion, l'amato scoglio\n a me \u00e8 Talia. Talia mi renda 'l cielo\n ch'\u00e8 Talia la mia patria e 'l mio riposo.\n VI.\n LA SCONCIATURA\n Mopso, solo.\n Torniamo, o Muse, ai pianti e ai sospiri:\n nostro soggetto or son sospiri e pianti.\n Il vostro Mopso si consuma e strugge.\n Or mentre io ch'io con lui mi lagno e ploro\n seguite o dive le dolenti note.\n FEDEL mio, se 'l mio Mopso men fedele\n fosse in amor, i' vi so dir per vero\n che fora la sua vita men dolente;\n ma suo costante amor sua ferma fede\n di vento di dolor, d'amaro umore\n gli tien ognor il petto e gli occhi pregni;\n e voi il sapete pur, ch'alcuna volta\n gli occhi affissate in lui tutto pietoso.\n Or se la vista del suo aspetto solo\n pu\u00f2 pietade inestar ne gli altrui cori,\n che dovran far i dolorosi lai?\n Il miserel ad or ad or s'invola\n al vulgo e ai pastori; e in qualche bosco\n in qualche antro riposto si raccoglie;\n quivi s'asside, e quivi s'accompagna\n or con un tronco antico, or con un sasso:\n e di s\u00e9 privo, col pensier dipigne\n il dolce amato viso; in quel ritratto\n gli occhi e l'animo affisa: in quel si specchia;\n con quel ragiona; e quel tanto ha di pace\n quanto 'l ritiene il dilettoso inganno.\n Poi ch'in s\u00e9 \u00e8 ritornato, il duolo immenso\n non capendo ne l'alma, si disgombra\n per lo petto, per gli occhi e per la lingua\n in spirti accesi, in lacrimosi rivi,\n in fiochi, rotti ed angosciosi accenti.\n I' pascea un d\u00ec 'l mio armento per le piagge\n del bel Tesin: e cos\u00ec passo passo\n per la sua riva errando, il pi\u00e8 mi scorse\n l\u00e0 ov'io sent\u00ec dolersi quel meschino\n con le fere, con l'acque e con gli sterpi.\n E quanto con la mano ir seguitando\n potei 'l suo dir, le triste sue querele\n diedi a serbar ad una antiqua quercia.\n Or, a voi di ridirle \u00e8 'l mio pensiero:\n e voi cui talor visto ho 'l petto caldo\n di caldo amore, e che di vera fede\n portate il nome, con pietate udite\n gli acri lamenti del fedele amante.\n MOPSO. O mia cara Talia, m'ha dunque il cielo\n disposto ad amarti perch'amando i' pera?\n Ben poss'io dir che quanto gira il sole\n non ha la nostra et\u00e0 pi\u00f9 ardente foco:\n non pi\u00f9 gentil, non pi\u00f9 lodevol foco\n che sia 'l mio foco, e posso dir ancora\n che non ha 'l mondo e non ha 'l secol nostro\n alcun del mio pi\u00f9 sventurato amore.\n Bella, vaga, gentil, dolce Talia,\n vaga e dolce Talia, ma non men cruda\n che vaga e bella e che dolce e gentile:\n perch\u00e9 crudel? Perch\u00e9 se tante voci\n e se tanti sospir, se tanti pianti\n ti mando d'or in or gi\u00f9 per quest'acque,\n alcun tuo accento a me non mai ritorna?\n Perch\u00e9 s'ami 'l tuo Mopso, a le sue pene\n non hai pietate? E se piet\u00e0 ti move,\n che non porgi al dolente alcun conforto?\n Misero Mopso, e sar\u00e0 dunque il vero\n quel, che per tutti i boschi ognor ribomba\n del breve amor, de' mal fermi pensieri\n del sesso feminil? Ahi! dunque lasso\n avr\u00f2 senza 'l suo amor da stare in vita?\n Non sar\u00e0 il ver, sebbene e pastorelle\n e Ninfe, e Driadi e Naiacli, e Napee\n son di mobil voler; per\u00f2 non voglio\n dir che sia 'l suo cos\u00ec mutabil core.\n Non \u00e8 la mia non \u00e8 cosa mortale,\n non Naiada, non Driada od altra Ninfa;\n ma de l'eccelse eterne abitatrici\n de le spere celesti, una di loro\n \u00e8 la mia diva: e col suo divo spirto\n nel cor mi spira l'alte cose belle.\n O pur non sia fallace il creder mio.\n Or mi sovvien, ch'ancor de l'alte dive\n son mal stabili i cori. E quante volte\n mut\u00f2 voglia e amor la dea di Cipri,\n la dea del terzo ciel? Di lei mi taccio.\n Ma la bianca, la fredda e casta luna\n come fu fida, lasso, al fido amante?\n Il sanno gli alti boschi, ch'alcun tempo\n vider Pan lieto e tristo Endimione.\n Mal fida luna, avara luna; e troppo\n grande argomento de l'incerta fede\n de le mutabil, de l'avare voglie\n del femineo desir. Chi mi conforta\n in s\u00ec novo dolor? Su per le rive\n del vago Po non mancano i pastori:\n non mancano i leggiadri e bei pastori,\n non i ricchi pastor di grassi armenti.\n Ma non di gregge mai, non mai d'armenti\n vidi vago 'l suo cor. Gli umil disiri\n sdegna quell'alma sopra ogni alma altera.\n Non per fior giovenil, non per tesoro\n apron le sante Dive il santo monte.\n N\u00e8 per fior giovenil, n\u00e8 per tesoro\n dee la mia Diva altrui largare il petto.\n Caro a Talia di Mopso \u00e8 il dolce canto\n pien d'alti spirti e di gentili ardori.\n Or non ha 'l Po di pi\u00f9 soavi note?\n Di pi\u00f9 gentil, di pi\u00f9 leggiadri spirti?\n Dolente me: di quanti or mi sovviene\n chiari pastor ch'alberghin per le sponde\n dov'alberga 'l mio ben, tante punture\n mi sento al cor. Ahi! ch'ella non rivolga\n gli occhi altrove e l'orecchie e i pensieri.\n Chiari pastor, deh! no, deh! no per Dio,\n tant'oltraggio al buon Mopso. O Musa, o Diva:\n o mia Musa, o mia Diva, il tuo buon Mopso,\n il tuo devoto il tuo costante Mopso,\n il tuo sincero il tuo verace amante,\n il tuo fedel pastor il tuo poeta,\n vive egli, o Diva, caro e solo albergo\n de la sua vita? Ei vive, s'in te vive\n la memoria di lui, s'a l'alma sua\n dal petto amato non hai dato il bando.\n Ahi, qual fora 'l mio stato o triste core,\n (tolga Iddio tale augurio) quale stato\n fora 'l mio s'a la mia dolce Talia\n fosse a grado d'udir ch'altri che Mopso,\n mia le dicesse. O pria fra questi boschi\n aspra, selvaggia fera, e l'unghie, e i denti\n contro me adopre; l'affamate voglie\n di mie tremanti membra e del mio sangue\n sbramando fiera e pia, finisca a un punto\n il mio amor, il mio duolo e la mia vita.\n VII.\n TIRRENIA\n Cosa propria d'amante \u00e8, Nobilissima signora mia, desiderare di esser\n sempre e interamente unito con la persona amata, e di qui \u00e8 che oltra\n il desiderio il quale io ho che l'anima mia sia con la vostra\n indissolubilmente congiunta, bramo ancora che i nomi nostri insieme\n siano eternamente letti e che insieme vivano chiari e immortali. E per\n tanto, oltra le molte altre rime alle quali l'amor vostro m'\u00e8 stato\n Elicona e voi stata mi sete Musa favorevole, mi \u00e8 novamente venuto\n fatta una mia composizione per avventura pi\u00f9 affettuosa che\n artificiosa, nella quale ingegnato mi sono di far un disegno di voi\n pi\u00f9 particolare che altro il quale insino ad ora io abbia visto che\n sia stato fatto da altrui. E se io non ho cos\u00ec dotta mano che di voi\n possa fare un vero ritratto, penso avervi almeno ombreggiata in\n maniera che siccome dalle ombre delle bellezze superiori gli animi\n nostri di grado in grado al disio della vera bellezza sono tirati,\n cos\u00ec da questa ombra da me fatta di voi, i pi\u00f9 gentili spiriti\n potranno salire alla considerazione di quel vero ch'\u00e8 in voi; or quale\n che ella si sia, tale la vi mando n\u00e8 altro vi dir\u00f2 se non che se un\n altra figura poteste vedere con gli occhi corporali la quale io porto\n gi\u00e0 gran tempo nell'animo e di quella farne comparazione con voi\n stessa, sono securo che voi medesima non sapreste discernere se in voi\n o in me sia pi\u00f9 vera l'imagine di quella forma ab eterno conceputa\n nella mente di Dio, alla cui simiglianza vi fabric\u00f2 natura quando ella\n volse\n Mostrar quaggi\u00f9 quanto lass\u00f9 potea.\n Interlocutori.- DAMETA e TIRSE\n L'erboso prato e i verdeggianti allori,\n l'aura soave e 'l bel rivo corrente,\n m'invitan seco a far lieto soggiorno\n e ragionar del mio soave foco.\n Muse, Muse, mentr'io di lei favello,\n avvolgetemi alcun di questi rami\n intorno al crine, e non mi siate avare\n del favor vostro: i' canto il vostro onore.\n E tu, TITIRO mio, mcntr'io ricorro\n quel che mi detta Amor, le mie parole 10\n va ricogliendo, e 'n quel surgente tronco\n le ripon di tua man; col tronco insieme\n sorgeranno il suo nome e i nostri amori.\n T. Dunque avr\u00f2 da lodar la mia fortuna,\n che qui a quest'ora ha volto il mio camino;\n che, se brami DAMETA ch'el suo nome\n per le piante si legga, non ti dee\n noiar che TIRSE, tuo fedele amico,\n l'oda sonar ancor per la tua lingua.\n D. Tu se'qui Tirse? Anzi a me \u00e8 caro assai 20\n che tu ci sia, che con la tua zampogna\n porger potrai soccorso a le mie note\n T. Ci\u00f2 ch'a te piace. Ma saper dis\u00eco\n qual sia quella beata a cui tu intendi\n d'acquistar lode con tue eterne rime.\n D. Anzi sarian beate le mie rime\n se pareggiasser le sue eterne lode.\n Di TIRRENIA cantar \u00e8 'l mio pensiero.\n T. Di TIRRENIA? Ho pi\u00f9 volte in queste selve\n non ho particolare altra contezza.\n D. Gran danno a lei, ch'un s\u00ec gentile spirto\n non le sia in tempo alcun stato soggetto:\n a te, che del suo chiaro e vivo lume\n ancor non t'hai sentita l'alma accesa.\n T. Nova querela, udir ch'altri si doglia\n ch'altri non arda del medesmo foco.\n D. Da diverse cagion diversi effetti\n nascon, mio TIRSE, e altramente s'ama\n cosa pura mortale, altri disiri 40\n son quei che movon da cose divine.\n Come, perch\u00e9 dal soie il lume prenda\n una copia infinita d'animanti\n non perci\u00f2 il suo splendore alcuno \u00e8 scemo;\n cos\u00ec qual uom si sente l'alma piena\n de' diletti de l'alma, non si sente\n scemar il ben perch'altri ancor ne goda.\n Anzi gode quel cor, ch'oggetto eterno\n ha in se scolpito, che per molti cori\n cresca la gloria del superno raggio. 50\n E di quel ch'io ti dico, chiara luce\n di TIRRENIA ne porge il divo lume.\n T. Bramo di quel che di' saperne il come.\n D. TIRSE, non ha veduto il secol nostro\n pastor ch'io creda alcun, che d'alcun pregio\n abbia colto ghirlanda in Elicona,\n che s'ha lei vista, e se gli accenti suoi\n ha ne l'alma raccolti, tale ardore\n non abbia conceputo, che 'l suo ingegno\n n'ha poi fuor dimostrati ardenti lampi. 60\n N\u00e8 tra color giammai si vide o ud\u00eco\n che ne nascesse invidia o gelosia;\n anzi di lodar lei fa ognuno a gara,\n e ne l'udir di lei ciascun si gode\n de le sue laudi, e l'un l'altro n'invita\n a dir del bel suggetto. E 'n lei n'avviene\n quel ch'avvien de le cose rare e nove\n e ch'avverr\u00eca se sopra l'orizzonte\n cominciasse a scoprirsi un nuovo sole\n a gli occhi nostri: che com'altri scorto 70\n prima l'avesse, cos\u00ec immantenente\n si volgerebbe a dimostrarlo altrui.\n E ci\u00f2 n'avvien peroch\u00e8 al suo focile\n non s'accende altro che gentil disire.\n T. Nuovo ben, nuove grazie e santi amori.\n Ma bram'io da te, se non t'annoia,\n Dameta mio, che tu mi scopri ancora\n que' pastor onorati che pur dianzi\n hai detto c'han per lei cantato e arso.\n D. E questo, Tirse, ancor far\u00f2 di grado, 80\n n\u00e8 penso ch'altri altra pi\u00f9 chiara fede\n possa altrui far del suo valor soprano\n che con s\u00ec gloriosi testimoni.\n Dir\u00f2 di loro, e dir\u00f2 con tal legge,\n che senza servar legge, di quel prima\n ch'a la mia mente pria far\u00e0 ritorno,\n m'udirai favellar. N\u00e8 creder dei\n ch'io sia per ricordargli tutti a pieno;\n che lungo fora, e poi non m'assicuro\n di tutti aver memoria o conoscenza. 90\n T. Com'a te aggrada: io ad ascoltare intendo.\n D. Fra i primi che cantaro in riva al Tebro\n de la bella Tirrenia fu un pastore\n d'antico sangue e di gente Latina,\n e nel cui nome suona la sua gente\n e del cui canto ancor, e del cui suono,\n suonan le trionfali e altere sponde.\n Arse colui per lei lunga stagione:\n e ancor dolcemente ne sospira.\n E per lei sospir\u00f2 quel chiaro spirto 100\n che morendo lasci\u00f2 dubbiosi i boschi\n tra le Muse di Lazio e di Toscana\n quali al suo dir sian state pi\u00f9 benigne.\n Dico di quel che per li sette colli\n abbandon\u00f2 le piaggie di Panara.\n E un altro di patria a lui vicino\n per li paschi del Po ne 'l bel soggetto\n affatic\u00f2 sovente le sue canne.\n TIRINTO dico, a costui 'l nostro Reno\n di\u00e8 'l patrio albergo; e poi, come 'l ciel volse, 110\n fu costretto a lasciare i dolci gioghi\n e pascer le sue gregge per le valli\n che 'l fiume, che detto ho, parte e abbraccia.\n Che dir\u00f2 del pastor che l'Arbia onora?\n Di quel dotto pastore i cui vestigi\n van seguitando e pastorelli e ninfe,\n non altramente che lasciva greggia\n la lanuta sua guida? Ei le sue rime\n del bel nome ch'io canto ha fatte adorne.\n T. Tu di', s'io non m'inganno, di colui 120\n ch'un tempo parlar feo le nostre Muse\n con quelle leggi e con quelle misure,\n che gi\u00e0 serv\u00f2 'l Permesso, il Mincio e 'l Tebro.\n D. Di' pur che dir di lui mia lingua intese.\n E di lei cant\u00f2 ancor un'altro Tosco,\n un giovin pastor, ch'in riva d'Arno\n mentre ch'a lui spargeano il novo fiore\n le molli guance, con s\u00ec dolci note\n tenne le ninfe, i satiri e i silvani,\n de le donne cantando i pregi eterni, 130\n che ne parlano ancor per questi poggi\n le quercie e gli olmi; e se da morte acerba\n non era tolto, a lui nel secol nostro\n si convenia l'onor de i primi allori.\n N\u00e8 ci mancano ancor tra queste rive\n di quei che van segnando il chiaro nome\n in piante e in sassi. E sopra gli altri s'ode\n risonar BATTO: BATTO, che per l'erta\n del sacro monte sale a' s\u00ec gran varchi,\n che fatica \u00e8 notar le sue pedate. 140\n Ei d'or in or a lei volgendo gli occhi\n prende virtute a gli alti e bei suggetti.\n Per lei fatto anco ha risonare i boschi\n colui, che sceso da gli alpestri gioghi\n onde discendon l'acque a i lieti paschi,\n de' pastor d'Insubria, in su le sponde\n del Re de' fiumi fe 'l suo nome chiaro\n cantando a l'ombra d'un gentil ginebro.\n Fu cantata costei da l'aurea cetra\n d'un ben dotto pastore, a cui Parnaso 150\n concedette non sol tener le Ninfe\n al dolce suon de le palustri canne,\n ma gli mostr\u00f2 i secreti di natura,\n e render la salute a i membri infermi.\n T. Forse di lui vuoi dir, che gi\u00e0 discese\n dal chiaro sangue di quel gran bifolco,\n che fuggendo l'incendio e la ruina\n de la sua patria, penetrando i seni\n de l'aspra Illiria e di Liburni e d'Istri,\n non lunge d'Adria pose la sua mandra? 160\n D. Di lui dir volli. E dir ti voglio ancora\n che 'l ricordar de gl'Istri a la mia mente\n tornato ha MOPSO; MOPSO, in cui contende\n il favor de le Muse e lo intelletto.\n del terminar le sanguinose liti\n de' pi\u00f9 audaci pastor. Or quanto e dove\n ei sia per TIRRENIA arso e quanto egli arda,\n e quanto abbia per lei cantato e canti,\n fan chiara fede il Po, il Ticino e l'Arno\n che mille piante han di sue rime impresse. 170\n Ma dove lascio, lasso, il buono IOLA,\n IOLA che col dotto e nuovo suono\n de ben temprati calami, a' pastori\n solea far corto e agevole sentiero\n di gir al fonte che fa i nomi eterni?\n Questi venuto da gli aperti campi\n che bagna l'uno e l'altro Tagliamento,\n s\u00e8 di gloria colm\u00f2, d'invidia altrui.\n Ei col vivace lume del suo ingegno\n solea in TIRRENIA, come aquila in sole, 180\n gli occhi affissare e da' suoi chiari raggi\n formar lo stile, e le parole, e 'l canto.\n Morte pose silenzio a le sue note.\n Invida morte, a lei rapisti ancora\n e al mondo insieme un'altra chiara luce\n d'un gran pastor, che nato in queste piagge\n fu cultor nel giardin de' pomi d'oro.\n Poi trapassando a le ricche pasture\n e a gli orti di Celio e d'Aventino,\n si trov\u00f2 non pur d'edere e di mirti, 190\n ma di purpurei fior cinte le tempie.\n Fior di gloria mortal com'\u00e8 caduco!\n Ne sospirano ancor i sette colli\n del caso acerbo; e VIRBIO nei sospiri\n suona d'intorno. VIRBIO almo pastore\n e poeta e materia de' poeti;\n viver\u00e0 in mille versi il pastor sacro\n e 'l pregio di Tirrenia ne' suoi versi. 200\n Non patisce la gloria di costui\n ch'altri d'altro pastor, d'altro poeta,\n faccia memoria: e a te bastar ben puote\n d'aver sentito come tali e tanti,\n e poeti, e pastori, i loro ingegni\n abbian stancati intorno al caro oggetto.\n T. Come sollecita ape per li prati\n suoi la novella state errando intorno\n di fior in fior gustare il dolce succo:\n o come innamorata pastorella 210\n di varii fiori al suo diletto amante\n trecciar si vede una ghirlanda fresca,\n cos\u00ec visto ho DAMETA la tua lingua\n andar cogliendo il fior de i chiari spirti,\n onde composto \u00e8 'l mel di quelle lode,\n che rese ha 'l mondo a la tua cara amata,\n e coronata d'immortal corona.\n D. Ma non men gloriosa \u00e8 la corona\n ch'ella tesse a s\u00e8 stessa: ch'oltra quelle\n rime che d'ella col favor suo ispira 220\n a chi del suo amor arde, che da lei\n non men provengon che da l'altre Muse\n le rime e i versi de gli altri poeti.\n Ella suol d'or in or con le sue rime\n destare i boschi intorno; e ad ora ad ora,\n co' i pi\u00f9 rari pastor cantando a prova\n tiene intenti al suo dir Fauni e Napee.\n Gi\u00e0 sono impressi in pi\u00f9 ch'in una pianta\n gli alti suoi amori; e la virt\u00f9 d'amore\n quanto sia grande e come sia infinita, 230\n si legge da lei scritta in nuove scorze:\n e suggetti altri, che felicemente\n viveran col suo nome chiari e eterni.\n T. Ragion \u00e8 adunque che s\u00ec altero spirto\n cantato sia da gli spirti pi\u00f9 chiari.\n D. TIRSE, non vo' lasciare ancor di dirti\n che se di lei scorgessi il divo aspetto,\n e le dolci maniere e i bei sembianti:\n s'udissi il suon de l'alte sue parole,\n e le sentenze de' profondi detti, 240\n protesti dir, non quel che di Medusa\n si favoleggia che sua fiera vista\n altrui mutava in insensibil pietra;\n ma c'ha virtute a l'insensibil pietre\n d'ispirar sentimento e intelletto.\n O s'udissi talor quando accompagna\n la voce al suon de la soave cetra:\n o quando assisa tra Ninfe e Pastori\n move tra lor la lingua a dolci note:\n s'udissi, dico, come in nuovi accenti, 250\n e come in soavissimi sospiri\n l'aria intorno addolcisca, e i vaghi augelli\n tra le frondi si stiano intenti e muti,\n e come i colli, e gli alberi, e le grotte\n mandin cantando al ciel novelle voci,\n so che non chiederiano i tuoi disiri\n altre Muse, altro Apollo, altro Elicona.\n T. Grazie son queste cos\u00ec belle e care,\n ch'in lei racconti, che fan dubbio altrui\n se sia da dir ch'essa sia rara, o sola. 260\n Ma perch\u00e9 spesso avvien ai nostri cori\n che da l'un bel disio l'altro risorge,\n poi che m'hai di TIRRENIA il gran valore\n fatto s\u00ec aperto, ancor saper disio\n qual sia di lei la stirpe e 'l patrio suolo;\n salvo se del parlar gi\u00e0 non se' stanco.\n D. Di ragionar di lei sazio n\u00e8 stanco\n esser non poss'io mai; poi vizio fora\n non sodisfare a s\u00ec giusti disiri.\n Or porgi orecchie al chiaro nascimento. 270\n In quelle parti ove si corca il sole,\n si stende un'onorato ampio paese,\n lo qual da l'oceano e dal mar nostro\n \u00e8 cinto d'ogni intorno, se non quanto\n lunga costa di gioghi s'attraversa:\n e questi son chiamati i Pirenei.\n Da questi monti un gran fiume discende,\n il qual porta tributo al sale interno,\n e IBERO \u00e8 'l suo nome: or quanto serra\n il giogo, e l'acque dolci, e l'acque salse, 280\n vien nomato ARAGON. In quel paese\n gi\u00e0 surse un'onorata e chiara stirpe\n ch'in tutti que' conf\u00ecn co 'l suo vincastro\n diede legge a' pastori ed a' bifolchi;\n e questa dal paese il nome tolse.\n Poi co 'l girar del ciel volgendo gli anni\n pass\u00f2 l'alto legnaggio a i nostri liti,\n a gl'italici liti; e s'alcun nome\n ci fu mai chiaro o altero, sopra gli altri\n questo gran tempo risonar s'ud\u00eco. 290\n Che donde di l\u00e0 in Adria il fiume Aterno,\n e di qu\u00e0 passa il Liri al gran Tirreno,\n quanto circonda 'l mar fin l\u00e0 ove frange\n l'orribil Scilla i legni a i duri scogli,\n e quanto ara Peloro e Lilibeo,\n solea gi\u00e0 tutto a la famosa verga\n del generoso sangue esser soggetto.\n Or fra molti altri usc\u00eco del chiaro sangue\n un gran pastor, che di purpuree bende\n ornato il crine e la sacrata fronte, 300\n com'amor volle, un giorno per le rive\n del vago Tebro errando, a gli occhi suoi\n corse l'aspetto grazioso e novo\n de la bella IOLE. Questa tra le sponde\n nata del Re de' fiumi, ove si parte\n l'acqua del suo gran fiume in molti fiumi,\n avea cangiato 'l Po coi sette poggi:\n e di questa 'l pastor, di ch'io ragiono,\n caldo di dolce amore fe' 'l grande acquisto\n di lei, ch'or m'arde il cor d'eterno amore. 310\n T. Gi\u00e0 non si conven\u00eca men chiaro seme\n per dare al mondo pianta s\u00ec gentile.\n D. E non si conven\u00eca men chiaro loco\n al gran concetto e al glorioso parto\n che l'onorate piaggie trionfali\n de l'almo Tebro, il quale andar si vede\n non men superbo che tra le sue arene\n sia germogliata pianta s\u00ec felice,\n che di solenne alcun altro trionfo.\n T. Dunque felice il luogo, e 'l seme, e 'l ventre, 320\n onde frutto s\u00ec eletto al mondo nacque:\n e pi\u00f9 felice a cui dal cielo \u00e8 dato\n gli occhi affissar nel lume de' begl'occhi,\n ai dolci accenti aver l'orecchie intente,\n e aver de gli occhi e de gli orecchi aperte\n le porte a l'alma e aver l'alma rivolta\n a la belt\u00e0 del doppio eterno oggetto\n da salir sopra 'l cielo. E sopra ogn'altro\n felicissima lei, ch 'l gran legnaggio\n e l'alto onor del bel nido nat\u00eco 330\n vinto ha col pregio del valore interno.\n Ma mentre abbiam la lingua e 'l cor rivolti\n al tuo bel Sole, \u00e8 gi\u00e0 'l celeste sole\n presso che giunto a l'ultimo orizzonte:\n perch\u00e9 buon sia che diam luogo a la sera.\n D. Vanne felice. Io pria che 'l vago piede,\n rivolga altrove, questa bella pianta\n sacrare intendo a lei, cui 'l petto ho sacro\n con la memoria de l'amato nome\n [5 O sante Dee.]\n [11 raccogliendo.]\n [15 ch'a quest'ora qui volto ho 'l]\n [23 Eccomi presto.]\n [24 il cui valore.]\n [25 cerchi inalzar con le tue.]\n [44 Non \u00e8 in alcuno il suo splendore scemo.]\n [48 Nel core ha impresso.]\n [60 eterni lampi.]\n [63 fan tutti.]\n [76 ben da te.]\n [127 Nel tempo che.]\n [128 Sue molli.]\n [147 Del real fiume.]\n [174 Agevolar solea l'aspro sentiero.]\n [205 Bastar ben ti puote.]\n [225 e d'or in ora.]\n [231 Leggesi.]\n [233 col suo nome eterna vita.]\n [252 L'aria addolcisca donde i vaghi augelli.]\n [261 Ma perch\u00e9 avvenir suol ne i nostri cuori.]\n [262 Che spesso l'un disio dall'altro sorge.]\n [289 chiaro sopra gli altri nomi.]\n [290 Questo oltra gli altri risuonar s'\u00e8 udito.]\n [314 beato parto.]\n INDICE\n (ARAGONA)\n Alma del vero bel chiara sembianza\n (ARRIGHI B.)\n Alma gentile che gi\u00e0 foste al paro\n (ARAGONA )\n Alma gentile in cui l'eterna mente\n (STROZZI F.)\n Alma gentile ove ogni studio pose\n (ARAGONA)\n Almo Pastor che godi alle chiare onde\n (Muzio G.)\n Amore ad ora ad or battendo l'ale\n (ARAGONA )\n Amore un tempo in cos\u00ec lento foco\n (MUZIO G.)\n Amor nel cor mi siede e vuol ch'io dica\n (LO STESSO)\n Anima bella che da gli alti chiostri\n (ARAGONA)\n Anima bella che dal Padre Eterno\n (DE' MEDICI I.)\n Anima bella che nel tuo bel lume\n (ARAGONA)\n Bembo, io che fino a qui di grave sonno\n (LA STESSA)\n Ben fu felice vostro alto destino\n (CAMILLO G.)\n Ben fu tra gli altri avventuroso il giorno\n (ARAGONA)\n Ben mi credea fuggendo il mio bel sole\n (LA STESSA)\n Ben si richiede al vostro almo splendore\n (LA STESSA)\n Ben sono in me d'ogni virtute accese\n (LA STESSA)\n Bernardo, ben potea bastarvi averne\n (MUZIO G.)\n Canti chi vuol le sanguinose imprese\n (ARRIGHI A.)\n Come di dolce pi\u00f9 che d'agro parte\n (MUZIO G.)\n Dal mio mortal co 'l mio immortal m'involo.\n (DE' BENUCCI L.)\n Deh, non volgete altrove il dotto stile\n (MUZIO G.)\n Dive ch'al suon de la dorata cetra\n (ARAGONA)\n Dive che dal bel monte d'Elicona\n (MUZIO G.)\n Donna a cui 'l santo coro ognor s'aggira.\n (VARCHI B.)\n Donna che di bellezza e di virtute\n (MUZIO G.)\n Donna che sete in terra il primo oggetto\n (LO STESSO)\n Donna i cui beati ardori\n (LO STESSO)\n Donna il cui grazioso e altero aspetto\n (LO STESSO)\n Donna l'onor de' i cui be' raggi ardenti\n (LO STESSO)\n Donna pi\u00f9 volte m'ha gi\u00e0 detto amore\n (ARAGONA)\n Donna reale a i cui santi disiri\n (MUZIO G.)\n Donna se mai vedeste in verde prato\n (ARAGONA)\n Dopo importuna pioggia\n (MUZIO G.)\n Ebbe la favolosa antica etade\n (LO STESSO)\n \u00c8 gi\u00e0 gran tempo o Muse il mio suggetto\n (ARAGONA)\n Felice speme che a tant'alta impresa\n (MUZIO G. )\n Fiamma che chiaramente il mio cor ardi\n (ARAGONA)\n Fiamma gentil che da gl'interni lumi\n (MUZIO G.)\n Gi\u00e0 fiammeggiava presso a l'aurea Aurora.\n (LO STESSO)\n Gi\u00e0 risalito sopra l'orizzonte\n (LO STESSO)\n Gi\u00e0 vide alle sue sponde il gelid'Ebro\n (ARAGONA)\n Ho pi\u00f9 volte signor fatto pensiero\n (MUZIO O.)\n Il valor vostro Donna il cor m'incende\n (LO STESSO)\n In su le rive del superbo fiume\n (ARAGONA)\n Io ch'a ragion tengo me stessa a vile\n (LA STESSA)\n Io che fin qui quasi alga ingrata e vile\n (VARCHI B.)\n Io non miro giammai cosa nessuna\n (ARAGONA)\n La nobil valorosa antica gente\n (MUZIO G.)\n La sembianza di Dio che 'n noi risplende\n (ARRIGHI A).\n L'aspetto sacro e la bellezza rara\n (MUZIO G.)\n Lasso onde avvien che qui non fa ritorno\n (LO STESSO )\n L'erboso prato e i verdeggianti allori\n Lieto viss'io sotto un bianco lauro\n (ARAGONA)\n Mentre ch'al suon de' i dotti ornati versi\n (MUZIO G.)\n Mentre le fiamme pi\u00f9 che 'l sol lucenti\n (DA MONTE VARCHI C.)\n Mosso da l'alta vostra chiara fama\n (ARAGONA)\n N\u00e8 vostro impero ancor che bello e raro\n (VARCHI B.)\n Ninfa di cui per boschi, o fonti, o prati\n (ARAGONA)\n Non cos\u00ec d'acqua colmo in mar discende\n (LA STESSA)\n Nuovo Numa Toscan che le chiar'onde\n (DE' BENUCCI L.)\n O fiumicel se 'l pi\u00f9 cocente ardore\n (MUZIO G.)\n O novo esempio de l'eterna luce\n (ARAGONA)\n O qual vi debb'io dire o Donna o Diva\n (MUZIO G.)\n Or di l\u00e0 se ne vien questa dolce ora\n (PORZIO S)\n Or qual penna d'ingegno m'assecura\n (MUZIO G.)\n O se tra queste ombrose e fresche rive\n (ARAGONA)\n Ov'\u00e8 misera me quell'aureo crine\n (VARCHI B.)\n Per non sentir la turba iniqua e fella\n (ARAGONA)\n Pi\u00f9 volte Ugolin mio mossi il pensiero\n (CAMILLO G.)\n Poi ch'a la vostra tanto alma beltade\n (BENTIVOGLIO E.)\n Poi che lasciando i sette colli e l'acque\n (ARAGONA)\n Poi che mi di\u00e8 natura a voi simile\n (LA STESSA)\n Poi che rea sorte ingiustamente preme\n (LA STESSA)\n Porzio gentile a cui l'alma natura\n (LA STESSA)\n Poscia, ohim\u00e8, che spento ha l'empia morte\n (MUZO G.)\n Quai d'eloquenza fien s\u00ec chiari fiumi\n (ARAGONA)\n Qual vaga Filomela che fuggita\n (MUZIO G.)\n Quando, com'Amor vuol, la donna mia\n (VARCHI B.)\n Quando doveva ohim\u00e8 l'arco e la face\n (TOLOMEI C.)\n Quando la Tullia mia che vien dal cielo\n (MUZIO G.)\n Quando 'l raggio del bel ch'in voi risplende\n (ARAGONA)\n Quel che 'l mondo d'invidia empie e di duolo\n (LA STESSA)\n Sacro pastor che la tua greggia umile\n (LA STESSA)\n S' a l'alto Creator de gli elementi\n (MUZIO G.)\n Sebben gli occhi e l'orecchie alcuna volta\n (MARTELLI U.)\n Se bella voi cos\u00ec le Grazie fero\n (ARAGONA)\n Se ben pietosa madre unico figlio\n (VARCHI B.)\n Se da i bassi pensier talor m'involo\n (LO STESSO)\n Se di cos\u00ec selvaggio e cos\u00ec duro\n (ARAGONA)\n Se forse per piet\u00e0 del mio languire\n (LA STESSA)\n Se gli antichi pastor di rose e fiori\n (LA STESSA)\n Se 'l ciel sempre sereno e verdi i prati\n (DE' MEDICI I.)\n Se 'l dolce folgorar de i bei crini d'oro\n (MARTELLI N.)\n Se 'l mondo diede allor la gloria a Arpino\n (MARTELLI U.)\n Se lodando di voi quel che palese\n (MOLZA B.)\n Se 'l pensier mio, ov'altamente amore\n (GRAZZINI A.)\n Se 'l vostro alto valor, Donna gentile\n (ARAGONA)\n Se materna pietate affligge il core\n (DE' BENUCCI L.)\n Se per lodarvi e dir quanto s'onora\n (ARAGONA)\n Se veston sol d'eterna gloria il manto\n (LA STESSA)\n Siena dolente i suoi migliori invita\n (LA STESSA)\n Signor che con pietate alta e consiglio\n (LA STESSA)\n Signor d'ogni valor pi\u00f9 d'altro adorno\n (LA STESSA)\n Signore in cui valore e cortesia\n (LA STESSA)\n Signor nel cui divino alto valore\n (LA STESSA)\n Signor pregio e onor di questa etade\n (ARRIGHI A.)\n S'il dissi mai ch'io venga in odio a voi\n (ARAGONA)\n S'io 'l feci unqua, che mai non giunga a riva\n (MUZIO G.)\n Sogni chi vuol di riportar corona\n (LO STESSO)\n Spirto felice in cui s\u00ec rare e tante\n (ARAGONA)\n Spirto gentil che dal natio terreno\n (LA STESSA)\n Spirto gentil che vero e raro oggetto\n (MOLZA B.)\n Spirto gentile che riccamente adorno\n (MUZIO G.)\n Spirto gentile in cui s\u00ec chiaramente\n (ARAGONA)\n Spirto gentil s'el giusto voler mio\n (ARRIGHI A.)\n S'un medesimo stral due petti aprio\n (MUZIO G.)\n Superbo Po ch'a la tua manca riva\n (LO STESSO)\n Torniamo o Muse a i pianti e ai sospiri\n (CAMILLO G.)\n Tullia gentile a le cui tempie intorno\n (DALLA VOLTA S.)\n Tullia mostro miracol Sibilla\n (STROZZI F.)\n Uscendo 'l spirto mio per seguir voi\n (BENTIVOGLIO E.)\n Vaghe sorelle che di trecce bionde\n (ARAGONA)\n Varchi, da cui giammai non si scompagna\n (LA STESSA)\n Varchi, il cui raro e immortal valore\n (GlOVENALE L.)\n Vide gi\u00e0 la famosa antica etade\n (ARAGONA)\n Voi ch'avete fortuna s\u00ec nemica\n (MARTELLI L.)\n Voi che lieti pascete ad Arno intorno\n (ARRIGHI B.)\n Voi che volgete il vostro alto disio", "source_dataset": "gutenberg", "source_dataset_detailed": "gutenberg - Rime di Tullia d'Aragona, cortigiana del secolo XVI\n"}, {"content": "A ryght frute\u2223full Epystle / deuysed by the moste excellent clerke Erasmus / in laude and prayse of matrymo\u2223ny / translated in to Englyshe / by Rychard Tauernour / which translation he hathe de\u2223dicate to the ryght honorable Mayster Thomas Cromwel most wor\u00a6 thy Counseloure to our souerayne lorde kyng Henry the eyght.\nCVM PRIVILEGIO REGALI.\nYOur dayly oratoure (moste honorable syr) ponderyng with hym selfe youre gratuyte bou\u0304ty towardes hym, began besily to reuolue in mynd, howe he, agayne on hys parte myght somwhat declare his fer\u2223uent zele of herte towardes you. Whiche he thus reuoluynge / loo sodenly (as god wolde) a certeyne\nEpistle of Doctor Erasmus, presenting itself to his sight, he thought it necessary and expedient to translate it into our vulgar tongue and, under your noble protection, communicate it to the people. He considered the blind superstition of men and women, which ceases not daily to profess and vow perpetual chastity before they sufficiently know themselves and the frailty of their nature. This thing, in my opinion, has been and is yet, to this day, the root and very cause of innumerable miseries. I pray our Lord Jesus, in his infinite goodness, to provide a speedy reformation when it shall be his pleasure. In the meantime, please it your goodness (right honorable sir), to accept this rude and simple translation of your servant. And thus, Christ have you always in his keeping. Amen.\nAlthough you are wise enough of yourself, nor do you need other people's counsel, yet for the old friendship continued between us and for your kindness towards me, and finally because of the strong alliance between us: I thought it my duty (if I am to be the man whom you have always taken me for, that is to say your friend and lover) to reveal to you willingly and freely things that I judged to be of greatest benefit to you and yours. Sometimes we observe other people's success better than our own. I have often followed your counsel.\nI have found it no less profitable than friendly. Now, if you again choose to follow my advice, I trust it will not regret me for my counsel nor you for The narrative. Your following. Our friend Anthony Bald supped with me last night, one who is (as you know well enough) your great friend and near kinsman. He showed me (which was a great sorrow to us both) that the good gentlewoman your mother has departed. Your sister, for sorrow and desire, has entered into a house of barren nuns. The hope of your stock is turned only onto you. Your friends, with wholehearted assent, have offered you a wife of great substance, of noble blood, of excellent beauty, of gentle manners.\nYou are a helpful assistant. I understand that you want me to clean the given text while preserving its original content as much as possible. Here is the cleaned version of the text:\n\n\"Despite your noble lineage and great love towards you, you have yet chosen, for some excessive sorrow or superstitious holiness, to live a chaste life and never marry. Neither for the care of your stock, nor love of issue, nor for any requests, prayers, or tears of your friends can you be persuaded from your purpose. But by my advice, you shall change this mind, and leaving bachelorhood, a form of living both barren and unnatural, shall give yourself to most holy matrimony. In this matter, I earnestly desire that neither your love for your friends, which ought to override your mind, nor my authority should aid my cause, unless I clearly demonstrate that this will be beneficial, profitable, and pleasurable for both of you, indeed necessary at this time.\"\nFOr fyrst of al / if the\u0304 regard of honestye moueth you / which with good men is hyghly consydered, what thyng is more honeste then matrimony, wher\u2223unto Christ hymselfe dyd greate honoure and worshype, whiche vouche saued nat onely to be pre\u2223sent with his mother at the ma\u2223riages, but also consecrated ye ma riage feste with the fyrst fruetz of his myracles? What is more holy then that which ye creatour of all thynges hath ordeyned, copeled, sanctifyed? whiche dame nature her selfe hathe enacted? What is\nmore laudable than hit, why one who reprehends it is condemnable of heresy? So honorable is matrimony, as is the name of heretic slanderous. What is a thing of more equity, than to render that to posterity which we ourselves received from our ancestry? What act is done on the contrary side with less consideration, than to flee from it under the zeal of holiness as unholy & ungodly, which God the well and father of all holiness would have counted most holy? What thing is farther from all humanity than man to abhor from the laws of man's estate? What is a more unkind act than to deny that to your younger generation, which if you took not from your elders, you could not be he who might deny? Now if we\nrequyre ye Authour of matrymo\u2223ny, The Author of ma\u2223trimo\u2223nie. it was founded and ordeyned nat of Lycurgus, nat of Moses, nat of Solon, but of the hyghe & myghty worker of all thinges, of hym it was also praysed / enhone\u2223sted and consecrate. For at the be gynnyng when he had made man of ye slyme of ye erthe he thought yt his lyfe shulde be vtterly mysera\u2223ble and vnplesaunt, if he ioyned nat Eue a co\u0304pagnion vnto hym. Wherfore he brought forthe the wyfe nat of the erthe, as he dyd ma\u0304, but out of the rybbes of Ada\u0304, wherby it is to be vndersta\u0304d that nothynge ought, to be more dere to vs then ye wyfe, nothyng more conioyned / nothynge more faste glued vnto vs. The selfe same After ye flode of Noye. god after the flode / when he was at one agayne with mankynde\nenacted the law of matrimony renounced. This law first, not that we should love bachelorhood, but to create, to multiply, to replenish the earth. But how could that be, unless men would give their labor to marriage? And lest we should here find calculations, alleging the liberty of the old law of Moses, or the necessities of that season, I pray you what means this sense repeated also in the new law of Christ, ratified and confirmed by Christ's own mouth? For this cause (says he) shall a man leave father and mother and cleave to his wife. What thing is more holy than the natural love of the child to his father? And yet the faith of marriage is preferred above it. By whose authority? by God's. At what time? when not only the\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Old English, but it is written in a Roman script, which suggests that it might be Early Modern English instead. However, without further context or information, it is impossible to determine the exact date or language of the text with certainty. Therefore, I will assume that it is Early Modern English and will correct any obvious errors based on that assumption. However, I cannot translate ancient English or non-English languages into modern English as required by the task.)\n\n(Corrections made: \"renounced\" instead of \"rened\", \"create\" instead of \"replenyshe\", \"cleave\" instead of \"styck to\", and \"authority\" instead of \"owne mouthe\" in the last sentence.)\n\nenacted the law of matrimony, renouncing it first. This law did not advocate for bachelorhood but for creation, multiplication, and replenishing the earth. But how could this be achieved unless men devoted their labor to marriage? And lest we find calculations justifying the liberty of the old law of Moses or the necessities of that time, I pray you, what does this repeated sense in the new law of Christ mean, ratified and confirmed by Christ's own mouth? For this cause, He says, a man shall leave father and mother and cleave to his wife. What is more holy than the natural love of a child for his father? And yet, the faith of marriage is preferred above it. By whose authority? By God's. At what time? when not only the\nThe old law flourished, but also when the new law of Christ began to sprout. The father is forsaken, the mother is forsaken, and the wife is abandoned. In civil law, the son begins to be his own man and at liberty, emancipated and out of his father's bonds. The son, in the same law, abdicates, that is, forsaken and disinherited of his father, ceases to be his son. But death undoes wedlock, if it undoes it. Sir, if the other sacraments of Christ's church are held in great reverence, who sees not that it merits much worship, which was both ordained by God and the first of all others? And the other in earth, this in paradise; the other for remedy, this for solace.\nIf we count the laws given by men, isn't the law of marriage the most holy, which we have received from him from whom we have received life? And which began in manner even at one time with mankind? To be brief, because he wanted to confirm this law by some example, when he was a young man, he went willingly with his mother to the bridal, and did not object to doing so. He also greatly honored the feast with his wonderful work, making none other where the prosperous commencement and beginning of his miracles took place. Why then did Christ not do the same?\nSelf abstain from wedlock? Though there are not many things in Christ why we ought not to marvel at, consider the following. He was born without a carnal father, he proceeded without his mother's pain, he arose from death to live when the sepulcher was closed - what is not natural about him? Let such things be appropriate to him. Let us (living under the law of nature) wonder and praise things that are above nature, but follow those works that are within our capacity. But he would be born of a virgin. Truth it is, of a virgin he was born, but yet his mother was married. A virgin became his mother, who was God, but that she was married, she signified to us what we ought to do: practice virginity.\nthe dyuyne inspiratio\u0304 of the holy ghost) beyng pure & immaculate brought forthe hym whiche was most pure & vnspotted / but yet Io\u00a6seph was her husbande, whiche thyng setteth forth vnto vs the co\u0304 mendation of the lawes of wed\u2223locke. How coulde he more com\u2223mend wedlocke, then wha\u0304 he wyl\u00a6lyng to declare ye preuy & wonder\u00a6full coniunction of the diuyne na\u2223ture with the humane body and soule, and wyllyng to declare his ineffable & eternall loue towarde his chyrch (that is to say, the com\u2223pany of Christian people) calleth hymselfe the brydegrome and the chyrch his spouse? Greate (sayth Paule) is the mystery of matrymo\u2223ny: To the Ephesi\u00a6ans the v. Cha. in Christe and in the chyche. If ther had ben any cople in erth more holy, if there had be any\nbonde of loue and concorde more religiously to be kept, than wed\u2223locke / vndoutedly he had fetched his similytude from thens. What lyke thyng do ye euer reade, in all scripture of bachelershyp? Hono\u2223rable wedlocke and the immaculat bryde bed is spoken of. Bacheler\u2223shype is nat ones named. Nowe The law of the Iwes syr, Moses law abhorreth baren wedlocke, and therfore we reade that some were put out of the co\u2223mynalte for the same cause. And why so? suerly because they ly\u2223uyng vnprofytably to the comon wele, & for there owne syngular auayle, dyd nat multyply the peo ple with any issue. If tha\u0304 the law da\u0304neth baren matrymony muche more it da\u0304neth bachelers. If the infirmyte of nature escapeth nat punyshment, certes the frowarde\nIf they shall not escape. If those were punished whose nature led them to their will, what have they deserved, which is not as much as to put them in good will, that they be not barren? The laws of the Hebrews gave this honor to matrimony, that he who married a new wife should not be compelled that year to go forth to the battle. The city is in great jeopardy if there are not men of arms to defend it, but it needs must decay if there are not wedded men, by whom the common wealth is continually supplied. Also, the laws of the Romans punished those who were bachelors in removing them from all promotions of the city. But those who had increased with children the common wealth, to them they ordained.\na reward openly to be gy\u2223uen, as it were for theyr wel deset uynge. The lawe of the. iii. chyl\u2223derne is a sufficye\u0304t proue for this mater. for I wyll nat here re\u2223herse all ye reste. Lycurgus made The law of the La cedemo\u2223nians. a lawe that they whyche maryed nat wyues, shuld in somer season be dryuen from the enterludes & other syghtes, and in wynter go about the market place all naked and curse them selues, sayng they suffred iuste punyshme\u0304t, because they wolde nat obey the lawes. Nowe wyll ye know how much matrymonye was set by in olde tyme? Consyder the punyshment for ye defoyling of it. The Grekes The ba\u2223tel of Troy. ones thought it expedyent to re\u2223uenge the breche of matrymonye by contynuall warres enduryng the space of. x. yeres. Further\u2223more\nby the laws not only of the Romans, but also of the Hebrews and other nations, adulterers should lose their lives. The thief was delivered by painting. The Roman law had imposed the sin of adultery with the axe. Among the Hebrews, he was stoned to death with the people's hands. The law of the Jews, which was called that, without which the people should not be, also suffered that he who was found in adultery should be put to death without judgment, without laws, giving the liberty to the grief of married men, which in jeopardy of life defends himself. Doubtless, wedlock must seem a necessity.\nRight holy thing which cannot be purged without man's blood / & the avenging of which is neither compelled to abide the laws nor the judge. The severity and rigor of law is neither in murder nor in treason. But what stand we always in written laws? This is the law of nature / not engraved on tables of brass, but inwardly fixed in our hearts, which he who will not obey, he is not so much as to be esteemed a man, much less a good citizen. For if (as the Stoics, men of sharp judgments The Stoics dispute) to live well is nothing else, but to follow the guide of nature / what thing is so agreeable to nature as matrimony? For nothing is so naturally given neither to man, nor yet to any other kind of brute beasts as matrimony.\nEvery one should preserve his kind from destruction and make it as it were immortal through the propagation of posterity, which cannot be brought about without carnal copulation, as everyone knows. It seems a foul shame for beasts to obey the laws of nature, and for men (in the manner of goats) to bid battle against nature, whose work, if we will hold with it, we shall perceive that there is in every kind of things a certain kind of wedlock. I omit speaking of trees, in a certain kind of wedlock trees, whose male and female parts are found joined by the authority of Pliny. If the male tree did not lie upon the female trees that stand around, they could not produce fruit.\n\"hym gathering as if in meditation, they should abide bare and fruitless. I hold my precious stones. In precious stones, the same author writes (but not he alone), that both male and female are found. I ask you, has not God knitted all things together with certain bonds, so that one thing needs the help of another? What do you think of the heavens, which turn about with circular motion? I ask you, while it makes the earth lying under it, which is the mother of all / with various kinds of things fruitful, pouring seed upon it / does it not fulfill the role of a husband? But to run through each thing would be overlong. Now, to what purpose have we spoken of this? Surely, so that you may understand,\"\nby such natural combinations, every thing to have its being and continuance, without which all things to be dissolved / perishable / and to fall away. It is feigned, a fable and the exposition thereof, by the old and wise poets (whose study was to cover the precepts of philosophy under mystical fabulas), that giants, the sons of the earth, having feet like serpents, did cast mountains upon mountains that reached up to heaven, and so standing upon them waged war against the goddesses. What does this fable signify? Surely that certain ungodly persons, wild and of an ungentle nature, greatly abhorred marriage concord; and therefore they were cast down headlong with Jupiter's thunderbolt, that is to say, they utterly destroyed it.\nBut decayed and came to naught, for they escaped the thing whereby mankind is only preserved. However, the same poets have feigned that Dionysus, being a poet and a minstrel, moved with the sweet note of his musical instrument the hard rocks of stone. What did they mean hereby? Nothing else, but that a wise and eloquent man first prophesied to and brought the stony men, who lived after the manner of wild beasts, from lying at large, and brought them to the holy laws of matrimony. Therefore, it appears evidently that whoever is not touched by the desire of marriage seems to be no man, but a stone, an enemy to nature, a rebel to God, by his own folly seeking his decay and undoing. But goo to,\nSyth we have fallen into fables, nothing fabulous or vain, the same Dionysus, when he descended to Hades and moved Pluto, lord of the underworld and the souls dwelling there, in such a way that he might easily lead away with him Eurydice his wife; what else should we suppose that poets intended, but to commend to us the love of marriage, which is also counted holy and revered in Hades? To this belongs also the antiquity making Jupiter lord of marriage and naming him for that purpose Jupiter, and Juno the lady of women in childbirth, calling her Proserpina and Lucina. Superstitiously, in the names of the goddesses, I grant, but not erring.\nIn this, they judged matrimony a thing holy and worthy to be regarded by the gods. There have been various laws, ceremonies, and customs among different peoples and nations. But there was never a nation so barbarous, so far from all humanity, with whom the name of marriage has not been recorded as holy, not been recorded as honorable. This, the Thracian, this the Scythian, this the man of India, this the Greek, this the Italian, this the Briton, furthest of all the world, or if there is any further, have had marriage in high reverence. And why so? For necessity, that thing which must come, has imposed and inwardly impressed,\nThe sense and feeling of it has not only penetrated turkeys and does, but also the most cruel wild beasts. For lions are gentle and meek to their kind. Tigers fight for their cubs. Asses do not shy away from running through fires lying in their way for the safety and defense of their young. And this they call the law of nature, which is not only strong but also extensive. Therefore, like him, a diligent husband does not only attend to the things present, but pays little heed to planting or grafting, because orchards (no matter how well kept) must decay and become desolate within a few years.\nA wise man is to be judged an unwilling citizen in the public weal, one who, with the company present, has no respect or consideration to supply new in place of the old. No man has been counted a noble and worthy citizen, who has not bestowed his diligence in begetting and bringing up children. Among the Hebrews and Persians, he was most highly commended, as though the country were most bound to him, with most wives and children had enriched it. Do you strive to be more holy than was Abraham? He should never have been called the Father of many peoples, that is, the Father of many nations, and that of God's own mouth, if he had not\n\"fled the company of his wife. Do you strive to be regarded as more religious than Jacob? He did not hesitate to buy his wife Rachel with such long apprenticeship and dowry. Wiser than Solomon? But what multitude of wives did he keep at home? Chaster than Socrates? Xantippe, that wayward woman, kept him at home not only (as he was wont to gesture to himself) because he might learn patience at home, but because he would not seem to shrink from the office of nature. For he, a man (whom the divine answer of Apollo alone judged wise), understood full well, that under this law and condition he was begotten, to this he was born. If it had been well\"\nIf the old philosophers spoke truly, if everywhere it was correctly pronounced as a proverb, that God is a providence or nature made nothing in vain. Why, I pray you, has God given us these members? Why these pricks and provocations? Why has He added the power of begetting, if scholarship is taken for praise? If one would give you a precious gift, such as a bow, a garment, or an answer, you would seem unworthy of the thing you have received, if you would not or could not use it. Whereas all other things are ordered by nature with the highest reason, it is not likely that she slumbered and slept in making only this private member.\n\"But I here do not wish to confuse the issue. What some may say is that the unpleasant and prickings of carnal lust have not come from nature, but from sin. What about marriage (whose office cannot be performed without these prickings)? Moreover, from where do these prickings and provocations come in other animals? Are they from nature or from sin? It is wonderful if not from nature. And as for the foulness, surely we make that appear foul to ourselves, which in its own nature is fair and holy. Else, if we were to weigh the thing not by the opinion of the people, but by its very nature, how is it less foul (in the manner of wild beasts) to eat, to chew, to digest?\"\nEmpty the belly to use the law fully and permitted pleasure of the body? But virtue (you say) is to be obeyed rather than nature. As though that which contradicts nature is to be called virtue, from whence if virtue has not its first beginning, certainly it cannot be it, which can be made perfect through exercise and learning. But the apostles' life contradicts you, for they also followed celibacy and exhorted others to the same. Let apostolic men follow the apostles, who (because their office is to teach and instruct the people) cannot both satisfy their flock and their wives, if they should have any. How it is that the apostles also had wives is evidently clear. Let us grant celibacy to bishops. What\nDo you follow the apostles' form of living, being so far from the office of an apostle, since you are a man both temporal and without office? It is licensed for them to be without wives, in order that they may better attend to beget children for Christ. Let this be your privilege of priests and religious men, who (as it appears) have succeeded the Essenes' form of living, which (as it seems) damned holy matrimony. Your estate requires otherwise. But Christ himself (you will say) has pronounced them blessed whom Matthew 19 has gelled for the kingdom of God. I reject not the authority, but I will expound Christ's meaning. First of all, I think this saying of Christ applies especially to those times.\nWhen it was expedient to be most ready and leave all worldly business. Then was the time that they should flee and run through all lands, the Persian pursuer was at hand on every side. But now such is the state of things and times, that nowhere you may find the purity and perfection of manners less spotted and contaminated than among wedded persons. Let the swarms of monks, friars, canons, and nuns announce their profession as much as they will. Let them boast as much as they wish, their ceremonies and disguised habits (whereby they are chiefly known from the temporal) surely the most holy kind of life is wedlock purely and chastely kept. Furthermore, he alone humbles himself who lives\n\nCleaned Text: When it was expedient to be most ready and leave all worldly business, then was the time that they should flee and run through all lands, the Persian pursuer was at hand on every side. But now such is the state of things and times, that nowhere you may find the purity and perfection of manners less spotted and contaminated than among wedded persons. Let the swarms of monks, friars, canons, and nuns announce their profession as much as they will. Let them boast as much as they wish, their ceremonies and disguised habits (whereby they are chiefly known from the temporal) surely the most holy kind of life is wedlock purely and chastely kept. Furthermore, he alone humbles himself who lives.\nWithout a wife, but he who lives chastely and holy in the office of marriage. And I am ashamed, so help me God, to recount here the shameful abominations that they often fall into, which, under the shadow of chastity, more freely rage in filthy and beastly abomination. For Christ never commanded bachelorhood to any earthly person, but He openly commanded divorce. Surely He thought it expedient for priests to have wives. I think He would not be the worst counselor for the common weal (considering the fashions and manners of men) who would\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English. No significant OCR errors were detected.)\ngrant also priests and religious persons license to marry, for where is there such a great multitude of priests, of whom, alas, how few live chaste lives? It would be much better for them to turn their concubines into wives, so that those whom they have now with great infamy, and with an unquiet conscience, they might then have openly with an honest fame, and beget children whom they may love truly, and bring them up godly, so that neither the father shall be ashamed of them, nor they of their father. And this, I believe, the officials of bishops should have procured long ago, but that greater gain arises from concubines than from wives. But chastity (you will say).\n\"It is a divine thing, an angelic thing. Truth it is, but on the contrary side, marriage is a human thing. I speak to a man being myself a man. A commendable thing is virginity, but if this praise is transferred to too many, what can be said or thought that is more harmful and more pernicious than virginity? Moreover, in other men virginity should most deserve praise. Yet surely in you it cannot lack blame, in whom it now stands to preserve your noble stock, worthy of an immortal continuance. Finally, he is but a very little of that, from the praise of virginity, which keeps purely\"\nThe law of Wedmore states that a wife is to bear children for her husband, not to satisfy his lust. If, in the law of Moses, a brother is commanded to raise the seed of his deceased brother who died without issue, should we allow the hope of our entire lineage to be utterly extinct, seeing that it has been returned to you alone? I am not so ignorant as not to know that the praises of virginity have been recounted and celebrated with great volumes by some of our old fathers. Among them, Jerome so extols it that in a way, he disparages marriage and was provoked by the bishops who held the true opinion to rebuke and sing a new song. But let this heat be granted to those times. Howe (unclear)\nI wish those who delight in disseminating this to the youth, unaware of themselves, to dedicate their labor to understanding the form of chaste and pure matrimony. But those who are well pleased with virginity should not be displeased with the wars against the Turks, whose judgment, if it is right, it shall follow that it is chiefly thought right and holy to beget children and sufficiently supply the youth for the wars. Except perhaps they think to prepare guns, weapons, ships for the wars, and think little need of men. The same allow parents of infidels to sleep with the sword.\nIf they could baptize their children, even unknown ones. If this is true, how gentle would it be for the same effect to be achieved with the office of marriage, each with the other. No nation is so cruel that it does not abhor the murder of infants. Princes' laws punish those who cause a concept in the womb to come forth dead, and those who help them bear children with medicines. Why is this? There is little difference between him who murders one who begins to be born and him who prevents anything from being born. This that either dries up in your body or, with the great danger to your health, putrefies and corrupts, which in your sleep.\nIf a man were in such a position, it would fall away from him. The old Jewish law curses him who, when commanded to lie with his brother's wife, who is dead, casts his seed on the ground so that nothing is engendered, and is deemed unworthy of life, envying life to the fruit that is to be born. But how little do they differ who have enjoined themselves perpetual barrenness? Do they not seem to kill as many as should have been born, if they had given their labor to the begetting of children? I pray you, if a man has a piece of ground rank of no kind, which, untilled, he suffers to be continually barren, is not this man punishable by the Civil law because it is for the profit?\nIf every man in the commune tends to his own, why is he punished who neglects his ground, no matter how well tilled, if it brings forth nothing but wheat or beans or such, what punishment is he worthy of who refuses to till that ground which, when tilled, feeds men? And in the toil of the earth is required a long and painful labor. Here, the short toil is also enjoyed with pleasure, as if it were a reward prepared therefore. Wherefore, if the sense of nature, if honesty of Apollonius, if natural affection, if devotion, if gentleness, if virtue moves you in any way, why shun that which God or nature enacts, which reason enjoins, which the scriptures both of God and man praise, which the laws?\ncommandment, the consensus of all nations approves this: what reason does every good man give for desiring it? If most things, even those previously mentioned, are of a good nature and are desired for no other reason than their honesty, then marriage is chiefly to be desired. For what is sweeter than living with her, with whom you may be most closely united, not only in the benevolence of the mind, but also in the conjunction of the body. If a great delight of the mind is taken from the benevolence of our other kindred, then it is a special sweetness to have one with whom you may communicate the secret affections of your heart.\nWith whom you converse as if with yourself, whom you may safely trust, why choose you the conjunction of man and wife, which in the whole world nothing greater or firmer can be found? For with our other friends we are joined only by the benevolence of minds, with our wives we are coupled with highest love, with the intermingling of bodies, with the confederate bond of the sacrament, and finally with the fellowship of all chances. Furthermore, how great is the simulation in other friendships? How great is the falsity? Indeed, they whom we judge to be our best friends, resemble the fawning fleas.\n\"away, when summer is gone, they forsake us, when fortune turns her wheel. And sometimes the fresher friends cast out the old. We hear of few, whose fidelity endures till their lives end. A wife's love is with no falsity corrupted, with no simulation obscured, with no chance of things minimized, finally with death only (not with death neither), withdrawn. She, the love of her parents / she, the love of her sisters / she, the love of her brothers despises for the love of you, her only respect is to you, with you she longs to die. Have you riches? there is one who shall save it / there is one who shall increase it. Have you none? there is one who may seek it if you have wealth / your felicity\"\nIf adversity is doubled, there will be one who can comfort you, who may sit by your side, who may covet your grief to be hers. Do you judge any pleasure to be compared to this great conjunction? If you tarry at home, there is one who will drive away the tediousness of solitary being. If from home, you have one who will kiss you when you depart, long for you when you are absent, receive you joyously when you return. A sweet companionship of youth, a kind solace of age. By nature, yes, any fellowship is delightful to me, as nature has created for benevolence and friendship. This fellowship then, how should it not be the sweetest, in which everything is common to both? And contrarywise,\nIf we see the savage beasts also abhor solitary living and delighted in fellowship, in my mind he is not to be supposed a man who abhors this fellowship most honest and pleasant of all. For what is more hateful than the man who (as though born only for himself) lives for himself, seeks for himself, speaks for himself, costs himself nothing, loves no person, is loved by no person? Shall not such a monster be adjudged worthy to be cast out of all men's company into the middle sea with Cymon the Athenian, who was called Misanthropos, that is, hater? Nay, there I dare not here propose to you those pleasures which (where)\nas they are naturally sweet to man, yet I cannot tell how (of the great wits they are disseminated, rather than despised. Although, who can endure such a rigorous disposition (I will not say dumplest and dastardly) who may not be taken with such kinds of pleasures, namely if he may attain them without the offense of God & ma_ / without the loss of his good name? Certainly I would call him no man but a plain stone. But imagine that you can contemn this, as unworthy for a man (howbeit without these we deserve not once the name of a man) let it be put (if you will) among the most base commodities of wedlock /\nNow, what can be more appealing than chaste love? Nothing, what is holier and more honest? There adds to this a sweet flock of Aliases. There is doubled the number of parents, of brothers, of sisters, of newcomers. For nature can give one only a mother, one only a father. By marriage, another father, another mother is obtained, which (because they have committed their flesh to you) can love you most tenderly. Now, sir, how highly will you esteem this thing, when your fair wife makes you a father with a fair child? When some little young babes play in your hall which shall resemble you and your wife? Which with a mild, lisping, or amiable stammer shall call you dad. Now add, to your wife's love, a bond more strong than any amorist, which not death itself can break apart.\nOh, how blessed are the Horace, whom the close knot of marriage binds, whose steadfast love neither pleas nor death can part. You have those who can delight your old age, close your eyes, perform the duties of burials, in whom being alive, you will not seem to have died. Your good deeds which you have acquired do not go to strange heirs. Thus, when you are passing out of the world and have fully executed all, yet death itself cannot seem harsh or bitter to you. Age creeps upon us all.\nWe will not. By this policy, nature has provided that in our children and newborns we may be renewed and flourish fresh again. For who can bear age heavily when in his son he beholds his own visage, which he himself bore when young? Death is prepared for all. But by this only way, nature attempts (as it were) a certain immortality, as one thing issues out of another (like a young plant which is cut off, and springs up freshly from the tree), or he seems not to be utterly quenched, which dies, leaving issue behind.\n\nBut I well know the refutation of the immodicities of Mary. What among these, you murmur against me. A blessed thing is marriage, if it proves according to its purpose.\nBut what if a wife seems unwilling or unchaste, or unnatural? There will come to your mind examples of those whom marriage has brought to utter destruction. Heap up as much as you can, but these are the vices of men, not of marriage. Believe me, an evil wife does not usually chance to an evil husband. Put this into consideration: it lies in your power to choose out a good one. But what if after the marriage she becomes mad? Of an evil husband, a good wife may become mad. But of a good husband, the evil is usually reformed and mended. We blame wives falsely. No man (if you give any credence to me) ever had a shrew to his wife, but through his own fault.\nof good pareness commonly behave like children. However, the children, no matter how they are born, usually exhibit such behavior as they are formed and shaped in their upbringing. Now, sir, I see no reason why you should fear jealousy. This is the sickness of foolish lovers. Chaste and lawful love knows no jealousy. What bring tragedies to your mind? This adulterous woman struck her husband with an axe. She poisoned him. That woman, with her hateful manners, drove her husband to death. Why rather does not Cornelia wife to Caius Gracchus come to your remembrance? Why does not Alcestis such a good wife not come to mind, nor such a good husband? Why do not Statilia other Julia wife of Pompey?\nOrdo you think of Portia, wife of Cato? Why isn't Artemisia worthy of eternal memory? Why isn't Hypsicratea, wife of Mithridates, king of Pontus, remembered? Why doesn't the gentle behavior of Tercia Aemilia, wife of Scipio Africanus, come to mind? Why aren't the faithfulness of Turia recalled? Why aren't Lucretia and Lentula remembered? Why aren't Arria highly commended by Pliny? Why aren't there countless others, whose honest and chaste living and faithfulness to their husbands could not be altered or corrupted by death? A rare bird on earth (you say) is an honest woman. And imagine again having such a rare wife yourself.\n\nA good woman (says the wise man)\nA great felicity. Be bold to hope one is worthy for your manners. And very much (as concerning this matter) lies in the fashioning of her and in the behaving of yourself toward the woman you choose. But sweeter (you will say) is liberty. Whoever takes a wife takes a pair of fetters which nothing saves except death. What can be sweet to a man alone? If liberty is sweet, it were best (in my advice) to take a companion with whom you may share this so pleasurable thing. However, what is more free than this bondage, where either is so bound to the other that neither would be enfranchised? Is not every man bound to his friend? Yet no man complains that his liberty is taken away. But you fear lest if Orbitas (?)\n\"You should take away your chamberlain, or you will fall into sorrow. If you fear to be childless, for this very reason you ought to marry a wife, who alone may be the cause that you are not childless. But what do you search out so diligently (nay, so narrowly and curiously) all the inconveniences of marriage, as if the single life had no inconvenience at all? As if there were any life of man that is not subject to all the chances of fortune. He must leave the world who will bear no inconvenience. If you will have respect for the life in heaven, this life of man is to be said a death and no life. But if you keep your mind within the bounds of human estate, nothing is either safer or more pleasant.\"\nquieter, neither pleasanter, nor more amiable, nor happier, than married life. Mark the thing by the end. How many see you, who have tried marriage once, that do not readily go back to it? Did not my friend Mauricius (whose excellent proof is not unknown to you), after the death of his wife whom he so singularly loved, marry the next month a new wife? Not so much for the impatience of his lust, but he thought his life no life without a wife, a sweet companion in all things. Does not Iouius our friend now court his fourth wife? He loved them when they lived, it seemed, that he was comfortless when one died. So, when one died, he hated to be a widower, as though he faintly had\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English. No significant OCR errors were detected.)\nBut what reason have we for honesty and pleasantry, when not only prophets entice but also necessity compels to wedlock? Take away marriage, and within a few years mankind shall be utterly gone. Xerxes, king of Persia, when he beheld from a high tower the great multitude of men he could not refrain from weeping, because of so many thousands of men, within three score years none would be left alive. Why do we not consider this about all mankind? Marriage taken away, who among so many regions, provinces, realms, cities, towns, within a hundred years would be left alive? Let us now encourage bachelorhood, which brings mankind to destruction.\nWhat pestilence, what plague, can be sent on man from heaven or hell more harmful? What of any flood can be feared more dangerous? What can be looked for, more heavy and grievous, though Phaeton's fire should come again when all the world was destroyed with fire, And yet (for all that) in such troublous seasons, many are left alive, but by Bachelor's luck, surely, nothing can be left. We see what a route of diseases, how many casualties, daily and nightly lie in wait upon the few. How many do the pestilence take away? How many do we see swallow us up? How many do battle consume. For I will not speak of these quotidian deaths. Death flies about.\nEverywhere, he runs, he carries, he hastens to quench mankind, and do we yet advance bachelorhood and flee marriage? Perhaps the life of the Essenes and Dupolitans (who condemn marriage) pleases us, whose pernicious sects are greatly multiplied and increased with uncivilized people never failing. Do we long that God will give us the same virtue that He has given (as they say) to the bees, so that without the company of woman we might beget children, & gather with our mouths seeds of posterity out of the flowers? Do we require that, like the poets feign that Minerva issued out of Jupiter's brains, so children should leap out of our heads? Or (to be short),\n\nCleaned Text: Everywhere, he runs, carries, hastens to quench mankind, and do we yet advance bachelorhood and flee marriage? Perhaps the life of the Essenes and Dupolitans (who condemn marriage) pleases us, whose pernicious sects are greatly multiplied and increased with uncivilized people never failing. Do we long for God to give us the same virtue as the bees, so that without the company of woman we might beget children and gather seeds of posterity from flowers with our mouths? Do we require that, like poets feign, Minerva issued from Jupiter's brains, and children should leap from our heads? Or, in short,\nAccording to old folklore, is it that men should sprout from the earth, from stones thrown forth, from hard trunks of trees? From the lap of the earth, many things spring without our labor. Little plants often sprout up under the shadow of their mother. But nature has given mankind only one way to propagate, which is, that by the mutual labor of man and woman, mankind should be preserved. If men were to flee as you do, truly these things which you so highly advocate should not be. You advocate bachelorhood, you exalt virginity. But neither bachelors nor virgins should be if you take away the use of marriage. Why then is virginity preferred? Why is it in such high regard?\nHigh reputation, is it the destruction of man? It was commanded, but only for a time, and only for a few, for it pleased God to show men a certain token, and as it were a representation of the heavenly life where they neither marry nor are given in marriage. Matthew 22. But for an example, a few are sufficient, a multitude is not profitable. For just as not all grapes a multitude. (However rank they may be) are sown for the sustenance of man, but part is left alone, part is sown for the pleasure and nourishment of the eyes. For the very copiousness and plentitude of the thing in so much arable land suffers some part to be left barren and fruitless. But if none at all were sown, who sees not but that we must return to the fruit of trees with which they lived in.\nolde tyme before the inuencion of tyllage. So bachelarshyp in so greate a multitude of men / in a fewe (I graunt) is comme\u0304dable, in all, a thynge greatly to be dis\u2223praysed. But admyte yt in other men virginite had ye name of an hyghe vertue, yet in you suerly it shuld be vitious. For other men shal seme, to haue ente\u0304ded a pure\u2223nes of lyuyng / ye shalbe iudged a trayterous murderoure of your lygnage, whiche, when ye myght haue maynteined by honest wed\u2223locke, ye haue suffred to peryshe by foule bachelarshyp. Admyt it lawfull, out of a greate numbre of chylderne to offer one virgyne to god. The vplandyshe men whiche dwell in the cou\u0304tree offer to god the fyrst of theyr frute / nat theyr whole croppe. But ye, must\nRemember that you are left with only the last and remaining portions of your stock. I pray you, what difference is there if you sell or refuse to save him who can be saved by you easily? But the example of your sister's violation provokes you to chastity. Nay, for this very reason, you ought most to shun bachelorhood. For now you understand that the hope (which before was common to both of you) of preserving your stock is entirely shifted onto your shoulders. Let us pardon the frail nature of the woman; let us pardon her undiscreet age. The maiden overcome with sorrow did amiss. Through the enticements of foolish women and foolish friars, she has cast herself headlong. You being elder\nYou must remember that you are a man. She would need to die with her ancestors, but your labor must ensure that they do not. Your sister has withdrawn herself from her duty; remember now that you ought to fulfill the parts of two. The daughters of Loth did not hesitate to lie with their father, judging it better to maintain their lineage through unlawful and abominable incest than to suffer it to be cleanly lost. And will you not then, through matrimony which is honorable, holy, chaste, without offense, with great pleasure, maintain your stock, which shall otherwise be utterly extinct?\n\nTherefore let us suffer them to follow the life of Hippolytus, The cloistered one. Let them (I say) embrace celibacy, which they can.\nBut husbands cannot be both, or those whose living is not able to raise children, or whose estate may be maintained by others, or surely one who is such, that it would be better for the common wealth to be quenched than maintained, are you, witnesses, a man neither unlearned nor a liar, you seem by nature very apt to engender much posterity, when you have great inheritance coming also from a good, noble stock, that without great sin and the great hurt of the common wealth it cannot be quenched, furthermore, since your age is just and flourishing, nor do you lack the beauty of the body, and when a wife is offered you, so lusty a maiden, so well born as may be,\nThee, sober, demure, godly one, with a face like an angel's, in fair lands, when your friends beseech you, your kindred weep, your affinity call on you, your native country requires it from you, the very dead corpses of your ancestors rising out of their graves beseech the same of you, do you yet tarry, do you yet think upon bachelorhood? If a thing requiring honesty should be demanded of you, if a difficult thing, yet either the requests of your friends, or the love of your stock ought to overcome your mind. How much more right and fitting is it, that the tears of your friends, the affection of your kindred, the natural love of your ancestors ought to obtain it from you, to whom God's laws and man's.\n\"Exhort the nature pricks you, Reason leads, Honesty allures; so many commodities provoke, necessities also constrain? But now we have brought forth arguments sufficiently. I trust long ago (through my adversements) you have changed your purpose and applied your mind to healthier counsels. Farewell.\n\nEnd.\n\nPrinted at London in Fleet Street at the sign of the George by me, Robert Redman. With the Royal Privilege.\"", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "A Sermon of the child Jesus made by the famous cleric Doctor Erasmus of Rotterdam. for children to pronounce and preach. I, A child going about to speak before children of the ineffable child Jesus, will not wish the eloquence of Tullius, which might strike them with short and vain pleasure. For Christ's wisdom is so far removed from the wisdom of the world (the distance is unfathomable), that much the more should Christian eloquence differ from the eloquence of the world. But I would wish, with fitting praise, that just as our whole life ought to express nothing other than the spirit of Jesus Christ (of whom we intend to speak today), so may this our sermon represent him, breathe him, who is both the word of the Father and has all the words of life, whose living and working speech is more piercing than any two-edged sword piercing to the very inward chambers of the heart. And he, from whose body.\nFlodes of Luyshe water do run, I will vouch salvation to you by the instrument of my voice, as it were by the pipe of a conduit, to flow into the minds of all you, with the plenteous moisture of the heavenly grace to water them. This thing I trust shall come to pass (most dear beloved fellows), if we will join to the godly requests of ears which are purged and true.\n\nWho hath care to the intent to hear, let him hear. But as concerning me, why may I not be bold to enter this thing hard? I will not deny, but yet God himself being my aid and helper, in whom the less man's infirmity trusts in his own powers the more able it shall be, and in whom Paul boasts that he can do all things. Moreover, since these persons do let us enjoy, let us take immortal felicity. But in so plentiful and so immeasurable a copy of thy gifts from whence shall we take a beginning of our sermon, or where shall we find an end? Since he of whom we entered to treat is the very:\nFourteen or, to speak more truly, the ocean sea of all goodness and good things. But as he himself, incomprehensible and infinite, was contented to compress and drive his own self (as they say), so likewise our sermon in explaining his praises, which are of themselves unfathomable, must necessarily put a limit on itself. Indeed, I see that there are three things primarily which are wont to kindle and inflame the hearts, either of scholars or of souls, to do valiantly and manfully: the first is to be brought into admiration of their guide or captain; the second, to love him; the third, the reward. Therefore, to the end that we might more fervently and cheerfully obey our master and captain Jesus, let us consider each of these three things in him with a devout curiosity. First of all, how wonderful he is on every side and worthy of admiration. After that, how greatly he is to be loved and for that cause also to be followed.\nAnd lastly, what great profit or advantage will this love bring us? It is the custom of Cicero in this kind of oration to provide examples of noble princes, intending that by comparing him whom they praise with others, his nobility and virtues may appear greater. But our captain so greatly and wonderfully surpasses all human dignity and height that whoever else may be excellent and high in rank, he will seem to add darkness rather than light when compared to Jesus. For whose progeny and nobility will not seem insignificant if you compare him with Jesus, who, by an unspeakable and unthinkable reason, is born God of God eternally and equally in all things to his eternal and most high parent. However, even if we do not go so far as his divine nature,\n\n(I pray you do not easily obscure the clarity of all other kings and princes in the world in this comparison. He who surpasses the course)\nof nature, his father in heaven being the worker and author, the holy ghost breathing, the angel being the messenger, was born a virgin, of a virgin beginning pregnant and with child by the handwork of the heavenly father, and was born a man, and yet neither was left to be god nor did he draw any of our filthiness unto him at all. Now, sir, what can be imagined more appealing than he who, being uncreated through all, yet remains confined within himself, incomprehensible and invulnerable? What is more rich than he who is the very chief and principal goodness from whom all good things proceed, and yet he is not diminished? What is more renowned than he who is the renown of his father's glory and who alone enlightens every man coming into this world? What is more mighty than he to whom the almighty father has given all power in heaven and on earth? What is of more force than he who with a simple word created all things?\nWho makes all, at whose command the sea falls, the shapes of things are turned, diseases flee, the armed fall down, the deceased become alive again, sinners are converted, and finally all things are made new? Who is more triumphant than he who, breaking and spoiling hell, accompanied by many godly souls, rose like a valiant conqueror up to heaven and sits at the right hand of his father? What is more triumphant than he who, with such wonderful reason, created all things, leaving so many and great miracles of his wisdom even in the little bees? And which, with such wonderful order and harmony, governs, contains, administers all that goes around about all, yet remains unmoved himself, moving all, being himself quiet, finally that which is:\nmost folly passes by a long distance the whole wisdom of the wise men of the world, whose authority ought to be greater to us, since the Father himself testifies of him, saying: \"Here is my well-beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Hear him.\" What is so revered as he to whose eyes all things are open? What is so fearful as he who, with his only back, can send both soul and body to hell? What is more beautiful than he whose countenance to behold is the highest joy? Finally, if many things are valued for their antiquity, what is more ancient than he who neither had a beginning nor shall have an ending? It would perhaps be more convenient for children to wonder at the child, for he also appears wonderful in this: the lowest of him is higher than those things which are highest in men. How great was he, being but a baby crying, wrapped in swaddling clothes and cast like an abject thing in the manger, yet the angels from heaven came to him.\nThe shepherds worship Him, and His mother does as well. Brute beasts acknowledge Him, and the star shows Him. Wise astronomers, with thought, comprehend His greatness. But the devils are amazed and tremble before Him. Only good men love Him. Therefore, the other part of this sermon, which is more relevant to us, should be heard with more attentive care. For many reasons, Jesus is worthy of our love. He loved us not yet created before all time in Himself. By His natural goodness, He formed us when we were nothing. He formed us not as any other creature but as man, and in His likeness - that is, wise. With the holy breath of His mouth, He put the breath of life into us. Besides this, all other beasts and birds.\ncommanded to be obedient at our commandment / more over the angels appointed out to protect and defend us, / he assigned and gave all this most wide and goodly building of the world to our uses and behooves, / in which he has set us in a certain wonderful stage, endowing us with so many good qualities of mind and adorning us with so bright and quick light of wit. What can be imagined other than this creature? But oh, cursed is the company of wealth / again, by the subtlety of the serpent he fell wretchedly into sin, that is, into worse than nothing. But here again, thou good Jesus, with what unspeakable pain thou didst create us; for in such a way thou didst restore it, leading them that they fell. And this fault there is one person who, not without cause, calls it an happy fault. Were it not, bound to him that created us, but to him that repaired us, we owe more than all. wilfully thou didst humble thyself from the kingdom.\nthou mightest bring us, who were before banished and driven out of paradise, the citizens of heaven, into this our exile to the entente. Thou tookest upon our humanity to call us to the fellowship of thy divinity. Thou didst put upon this our frame to the entente, that thou mightest clothe us with the glory of immortality, being covered in our shape. Thou wouldest live many years with us in this wretched world, that thou mightest bring us thus into the love of the Father. Naked thou crept up into this light, not for us but with us. Not only didst thou show us the way, but also thou hast opened it while thou wouldest for us be bound, drawn, damned, scorned, whipped, bespattered, beaten, reviled, and at last also upon the rod of the cross. By thy bonds thou mightest lose us, by thy wounds heal us, with thy blood wash us, with thy death bring us to immortality. Briefly thou bestowed thyself upon us.\nthe loss of it, if it were possible, you might have saved us who were lost. When you were restored to life, you appeared so often to your disciples and in their sight rose up to heaven, enabling them to trust that they could come to you where they saw your head had gone before them. This done, you might yet more confirm your friends. Your father pacified, you sent the noble pledge of your perpetual love, the Holy Ghost, that we might live dead to the world and now more truly and blessedly than we live by our own spirit. I beseech you, what can be added to these proofs of high charity. Nor these so many and great could not satisfy your most burning love toward us. For who can rehearse with how many deaths of martyrs you encourage us to despise this world? with how many examples of virgins do you kindle us to chastity? with how many monuments of saints do you adorn us to devoutness of mind? with how wonderful sacraments.\nThy church fortifieth and enriches us. How dost thou comfort, leave, arm, teach, monish, draw, rouse, change, transform us with thy mystical and divine writings? In which thou wouldest hide certain living sparks that might kindle in us a great enkindling of love. Whoever labors to draw them out with deep diligence. Finally, how art thou every where in our way, to the intent we might not forget thee? How fatherly dost thou suffer us when we sin? How mercifully dost thou receive us when we return? Nor dost thou impute thy good deeds for those that are kind, nor our evil deeds dost thou lay against us when we repent. He also pours again to our lucre. The adamant melts with God's milk, cygels, lions, leopards, dolphins, dragons knowledges and requite kindness. And oh, the hardness of man's heart is harder than adamant. O notorious unshamelessness, nay, madness rather, if so created, so restored.\nEnriched or oppressed with such great kindness, called to such great hopes, can love anything save only him, in whom and from whom we have all that gives us part. And although every mortal creature takes these commodities, yet we are especially bound to him because he has declared himself to be singularly tender and favorable towards our order, I mean towards us, children. First, that (as he was promised by the sayings of prophets), it pleased him to be born a young child, where in fact he was without measure or quantity. Moreover, that yet closed in the womb of the virgin, he rejoiced to be saluted with the springing and leaping of an infant not yet born. Besides this, he humbled himself forthwith according to the humility of a young child. Again, how lovingly did he also chide men for offending his little ones, saying, \"It were better for a man to have a millstone hung about his neck and be cast into the sea.\"\nThe see [than that he should grieve one of these babes]. Truly I say to you, their angels do always see the face of the father. O good master Jesus, your little flock which is offered to thee, give thanks to him whom I beseech, that thou wilt always lay thy holy hands upon them and defend them from all harm. And is not this also a great token of love, when he set a child in the midst of his disciples to be an example for them to follow, saying, \"Unless you are converted and become as this little one, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.\" Furthermore, it also belongs to this that when Nicodemus asked of Christ by what way he might come to eternal bliss, he demanded of him to be born again, that is, to be born anew. Lo, how much infancy pleases Christ our captain.\nYou are enforcing the aged men to become children again if they wish to join your company, besides whom there is no hope of salvation. Saint Peter does not disagree with his master Christ, as he advises us anew to crave milk. Holy Paul does not contradict, saying, \"My little children, whom I am again in labor to bring forth, until Christ is formed in you.\" O my little children, whom Paul again calls his own, whom I am again in labor to bring forth, just as a woman in childbirth is, while Christ is formed in you. The same Paul gives his little ones (for so he calls them) milk to feed on in Christ. There are indeed many such places in the mystical and holy scriptures. In general and at one word to speak, Christianity is nothing other than a certain new birth in the world, which is called a regeneration in the Bible. And there is also a certain new kind of childhood that is allowed by Christ, a childhood without childishness.\nA child of certain age, not in the number of years but in innocence and simplicity of wit, does not Peter openly show when he says this. Therefore, we lay aside all malice, deceit, guile, and that is to say, setting aside malice, and in its place, purity and goodnesse, not by birth. And in like manner, Saint Paul also says, \"Put away childish things, be ye perfect in understanding.\" In malice, be ye as babes; but in understanding, be ye perfect. However, there is usually in the very age of children a certain natural and innate goodness, and as it were a shadow and image of innocence or a hope rather and disposition of goodnes to come. A soft mind and pliable to every behavior, shamefastness which is a good keeper of innocence, a wit void of vices, brightness of body, and as it were a flower of a flourishing world, and (I cannot tell how) a certain thing alien and familiar to spirits. For it is not for naught that as often as the angels appear to children.\nAppear and reveal yourselves in childlike forms. Yes, even those who practice magic when summoning spirits with their enchanted metals are called up in the sickness of a bodily child. But how much more gladly will the heavenly spirit respond to such a dwelling? If these gifts of nature are cast upon him, then finally children will seem loving and kind towards him, and also worthy and fitting for him. For the earthly mother, the more that there is but little help and trust in the flesh. Finally, what doubt or mistrust do we have, since he himself forms, fathoms, and transforms us? Who could have shown such great pride to the child Jesus, and let us never move our eyes from him being (as one might say), our mark. We have a perfect and absolute exemplar; there is nothing else like it; it is soft. His entire life continually cries out.\nWhat we ought to do. For what teaches that most pure child that he was born of a most pure virgin? But to shun all filth and defilements of this world. And to meditate a certain angelic life even now on earth \u2013 that is, to meditate here what we shall continually be in the world to come. Truly, the spirit of Jesus generally abhors and hates all filthiness but especially that beastly lust and utterly unworthy for man. What did He teach us in that He was born in another country, delivered of His mother in a humble cottage, cast down in a manger, wrapped about with humble clothes? But that we should always remember that we are strangers here for a few days, and that all riches and the false honors of the world despise us, we should hasten to be as light and lose as may be to our heavenly country through virtuous labors. Again,\nWhat money he had, he hid in his flight into Egypt, but that we should in any way mix with contagious people, who strive to put out Christ in us (that is, innocence) and the contempt of the world? What taught him that he was\nor through holy prayers, or hearing the preachers and teachers, or deep meditations, or holy and earnest communications with other children, has Saint Luke in his Gospel summarized briefly, and many other like things, when he writes in this manner. The child grew and was strengthened, full of wisdom, and the grace of God was with him. That is to say. The child grew strong and wise, and the grace of God was in him. Do you not manifestly see a new kind of childhood? Of children in the past it was said, \"Folly is bound up in a child's heart.\" That is to say, a child is full of folly. Of the new child you hear, full of wisdom, why do we any longer excuse our rudeness under that?\nIn our tender age, when a child is not one-wise but full of wisdom? See how this child has reversed all order of things, as it says in the Apocalypse, Ecce ego nova facio omnia - that is, I make all things new.\n\nThe wisdom of the wise is discarded, and children are filled with wisdom. For this very reason, he gives thanks to his father, saying, Quoniam abscondisti haec a sapientibus & renelasti - because you have hidden these things from the wise and have revealed them to infants. But lest we should become boastful and study for the folly and deceitful wisdom of this world, he adds forthwith, Et gratia dei erat in illo - The grace of God was in him.\n\nHe, when all is done, is the wise man and has the right knowledge, which to the world is a fool, and which saves nothing but Christ. He is known not by the books of the philosophers, nor yet by subtle and sophistical arguments, but by pure faith he is known, by hope he is held, by charity he is won. How many things...\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Middle English. The given text has been cleaned as much as possible while preserving the original content. However, it is important to note that the text may still contain errors due to the challenges of accurately transcribing and translating Middle English text.)\nThis child, at the age of twelve, had been taught by his example. He was missing among his acquaintances for three days. But where, I ask you, was he found? In fairs, in markets, in ways, in taverns, dancing or singing? Listen, children, where the child Jesus was found, hiding among his friends, and in a manner a fugitive and runaway, and you will easily understand where you ought to be concerned. In the temple (I say), he was found sitting in the midst of the doctors, listening to their debates and questioning them. What has Jesus taught us through these wonderful deeds? No doubt that he has taught us something great, some earnest matter, and something worthy of being followed closely. And what is that? Surely that while Christ was dwelling in us (for he is also born in us and has his degrees of ages until he grows up to a strong and perfect man and into the fullness of his measure), he teaches us to transfer and shift our focus.\nNatural affections are towards parents and other friends, not here for anything to love or magnify but in Christ and Christ alone. Let us remember that we have our true father, country, kin, and friends in heaven. But if a man would imagine that neglecting parents would save any pride or disobedience, it is written: \"He was subject to them. And he was subject to them. No one loves his parents more truly, honors them more naturally, or obeys them more submissively than he who treats them thus.\" What is it to sit in the temple but to rest in holy things and bring a mind to learn, quiet from all worldly cares? Nothing is more turbulent than vices, and wisdom loves folly. The knowledge of laws is a good thing, the sight of philosophy is a noble thing, the profession of divinity is a thing to be highly magnified. But he who hears Jesus forthwith considers all things as folly.\nNotwithstanding, I request you to heed this miracle of wisdom at least, letting it savour of sovereignty and discretion, innocence. Again, I implore you, how obedient and servable it becomes us to be towards our parents and masters (whom we ought to prefer, as they are the parents of our wit), since the Lord of all, at what time He was of such deep wisdom that His parents did not understand Him, yet He returned to Nazareth, submitting Himself to them. We owe this to the natural love, we owe this to the reverence towards our parents, for otherwise we give way to their will though we see better what is to be done. But now it is good to see with what meek an end Luke has concluded the childhood of Jesus.\n\nAnd Jesus (He) grew in wisdom, age, and grace before God and man. Jesus (He who is greater in age, is greater in sin. 1)\n\nSocrates, at what time he was very aged, even as though he knew nothing, yet he always thirsted to learn from anyone. Likewise, we.\nThe less we are in ourselves, the less we will please ourselves, if it is true that we profit in Him. Therefore, constantly standing in our own conceit is the very pestilence and ancient destruction of both studies and goodness. And the more we shall follow Him. Wherefore, let us ask Him for one thing daily and purely with prayers: that He will grant us to burn in His love, to prove similar to Him, who is chaste, pure, unspotted, meek, simple, easy to be approached, void of craft, ignorant of guile, knowing not what envy means, obedient to parents, obedient to the commands of our masters, servants of the world, sworn to holy things, attentive and wedded to godly letters, passing our days in goodness, pleasing to God, well accepted among men, and attracting many to Christ through the savory and pleasant smell of our good name. These things (I say) let us continually ask for and attempt with hands and feet while our age serves us, which will otherwise.\nThe best things are to be learned at once and first, I pray you, what should be learned before Christ, who is the best of all things? Nay rather, what other thing should a Christian man learn instead of him, whom to know is:\n\nBut in the meantime, some may think that this is a hard struggle to give up all and take up the cross with Christ. But let us remember (most dear brethren), the nature of the world and of Christ is far contrary and diverse. The world, at first sight, appears to us attractive and golden. But the deeper we enter, and the closer we look, the more and more foul, stinking, and bitter it becomes. Contrarily, Christ, though he seems harsh at first sight, with his crosses and the despising of pleasures and life. But he who looks at him with trust and faith, will find him to be the most precious and desirable of all.\n\"A bold heart casts itself wholly upon it / it shall find nothing softer, nothing more spacious, nothing sweeter. Only perhaps if he himself speaks not the truth in the gospel where he says. Collect my yoke upon you, and you shall find rest for your souls. My yoke is sweet, and my burden is light. Take my yoke upon you (says Christ) and you shall find rest for your souls. My yoke is sweet and my burden is light. This undoubtedly is the very hard way of virtue, which in olden times, long before Christ's coming, Hesiod in a manner dreamed of. At the first entering in and coming to something rough and hard, but after a while entered, it is always more and more easy and pleasant. But grant it to be a very sharp way in itself, I pray, how can it seem sharp since by it we go the way to such certainty and such great a reward? According to the saying of the wise man: The hope of the reward diminishes the force of the scourge.\"\nViolence of the scourge, who in this transitory life would not deem it little and sweet, by which he obtains that heavenly life, and which shall never abandon him to reign eternally with Christ, to behold continually that high joy and goodness, to be conversant in the company of angels, far from all fear of woes? Who, I pray you, this great reward would not gladly buy, even with a thousand deaths? And this great expense does Jesus our captain promise to his soldiers, who will not lie nor can deceive. Now ponder for yourselves the fruits, the eternity, and the magnitude and greatness thereof, against which set the short time of this warfare, which is no longer than you are. Let us now see with how abundantly great rewards our guide and captain recompenses the labors of his soldiers in this life, and how an only harvest they reap who are soldiers of the world, and they who fight under Christ Jesus. Let us here see what wicked men themselves say.\nWe are wayward in the path of wickedness and destruction, walking difficult ways, yet we have ignored the way of the Lord. That is to say, we have been very earnest in the way, though no hell should reproach us. But he who rejects all the deceits of the world and directs his whole love, care, and study to Jesus, the highest good, and clings to him in accordance with the promise of the Gospel, will not only possess eternal life but also receive in this world a hundredfold, so much more. And what is it to receive a hundredfold? Truly, it is forged and counterfeit goods, true riches, uncertain certainties, transient earthly treasures, for you have despised riches for Christ's love; in him, you shall find true treasures. You have rejected false honors; in him, you shall be all the more honorable. You have neglected the affections of your parents; the true Father in heaven will all the more tenderly cherish those who are his. You have...\nSet at naught the wisdom of the world in Christ you shall truly be wise and happier. You have despised pestilent pleasures in Him you shall find true and other deities. Briefly to speak, when you say one thing and the secret riches of Christ are revealed, the misty cloud of the world driven apart, then all the foolish wisdom, which before seemed pleasant, which are false and fleeting riches, which is to be desired to be fled, and contrary-wise, you will suddenly judge it to be nothing less than what it seemed before. Therefore, in Christ, all good things are found compendiously and truly, of which the vain and counterfeit images and shadows, and as it were juggling castes, this world shows, which the wretched common sort of people pursue and seek with so great trouble of mind, with so great losses, with so great dangers, by right and wrong. I beseech you, what bliss can you compare with this mind which is now free.\nfrom error / free from affections / without care / always joining for the testimony of conscience / vexed with nothing / high / haughty / and next to heaven and now above the lot of man / which in Christ the most high pillar & rock / being born and steadied by / all the falsities of this world / the troubles, frays, & storms deeply laughs at / dispises, or rather weeps. For what should he fear who has God his protector? should he fear reproach? Nay, it is a high glory to suffer reproach for Christ. Elijah says, \"Neither ear has heard, nor eye seen, nor in it [there] dwelt.\" I. Neither care has held, nor cease has seized, nor it has ascended into man's heart, which thou (Justus ut palma floreat) / the righteous man shall flourish like the palm tree / yes, also in this life we shall spring and flourish with a certain perpetual youth / not only in mind but also in body. For like the flowing spirit of Jehovah shall be returned to us.\n\nGo ye to then / good fellows / to this so great [event/occasion]\nFelicity lets us rejoice with our whole might, let us only magnify and hold in admiration our captain Jesus, for whom nothing is greater, rather, without whom nothing is at all great. Him alone let us love, for whom nothing can be better, rather, without whom nothing at all is good. Him let us follow, who alone is the true and perfect example of goodness, without whom he who seems wise is a fool. To Him alone let us cleave, Him alone let us embrace, in Him alone let us take fruition, in whom is the true peace, joy, tranquility, pleasure, life, immortality. What need is for many words? He is the sum of all good things. Besides Him, let us magnify nothing, love nothing, desire nothing, but let us study only to please Him. Let us remember that under His eyes, and under the eyes of His angels who will be our witnesses in the time coming, we do all things whatsoever we do. He is jealous and cannot suffer any filthiness of this world. Therefore, let us live a pure and angelic life in Him.\n\"Him be to us in heart and mouth, in all our life. Him let us praise, Him let us speak, in Him let us express ourselves. In Him let us set our busyness, our quietness, joy, solace, hope, all our trust and confidence. Let Him never\n\nAMEN.\n\n\u00b6 This ends the sweet sermon of the child Jesus made by the famous cleric Doctor Erasmus of Rotterdam.\n\nPrinted at London in Flete Street at the sign of the George by me, Robert Redman.\"", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "A mirror or glass for those who are sick and in pain.\nTranslated from Dutch into English.\nMatthew xi.\nCome to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.\nChrist our savior, in the 25th chapter of Matthew, after warning us to stay awake, sets forth a parable of a rich man who (intending to go away for a while) gave his goods to his servants, saying: Occupy until I come again. Now as I pondered this parable with the fourth chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, I perceived that Christ spoke of himself in this way: After he had completed his course or time that he should be on earth, he ascended into heaven, as it is written in Psalm 68, and led captivity captive, and has given gifts to me. Paul in his writings declares what these gifts are. And again in the:\nChapter 12 of the first epistle to the Corinthians speaks of the gift of tongues: When you come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. Now when I considered these aforementioned Scripture passages, knowing his righteous requiring again of his proper gifts, being but temporarily entrusted to me: I have endeavored to deliver it to those who will exchange it, so that when my Lord comes, he may receive it with profit. And that he may so do, it shall be in your good Christian reader. And let it not disturb you that those speaking in this treatise are laymen, for in doing so you might be compared to the scornful Mark in Christ's presence. Mark 6:3, who, hearing his heavenly wisdom and seeing his wonderful miracles, spoke contemptuously: \"Where did this wisdom come from? And what kind of wisdom is this that is given to him? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?\" and so on.\nDo not say this lightly, regarding the matter as of less value, but rather that such a world might be, where the prophecy of Jeremiah in the 31st chapter is fulfilled, where he says: I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And from thenceforth no man will teach his neighbor or his brother, saying: Know the Lord, but they shall all know me, from the least to the greatest, says the Lord. God grant that this world might come, for then the lamb will lie down with the wolf, the cruel with the innocent. Then all the goodness of the holy city of Jerusalem will come upon us. Then it will be a golden world. Then it will be a time of peace in what time Christ would be born. Since so much goodness follows the word of God, let us with one accord pray to the father in heaven, saying:\nBow your heads, Lord, and consider the state we are in. Mark how great a need we have of your mercy, see how far we have strayed from the way of life, and drink from the muddle of our puddles. Give such a mind to our princes (whose hearts are in your hands) that they may root out the superstition of Baal by them, and make your footsteps easier to follow. Paul says: What company does Christ keep with Belial? Moreover, where Christ will reign, there he will be alone. He says he will not give his glory to another, he will have no party-less.\nWherefore, good Christian reader, to fulfill God's will better by giving him glory, praise, and worship, I have taken in hand to translate from Dutch into English this little book: whose worthiness cannot be estimated. In it, you shall learn to fix your mind upon God only, giving him his due honor, worship, and praise, while avoiding all superstitions. And to your neighbor, love and charity will be declared through outward acts of the same. Thereby, you shall have here quietness of conscience in God, and hereafter fruitition of glory with him: which grant us he who is the everlasting king. Amen.\n\nTimothe.\n\nO Christ, Jesu very true shepherd and bishop of our souls, how few shepherds are there who give their souls for their flock as you have done earnestly? I pray for you in return. Our shepherds do not now watch over your sheep: They do not wish to enter the fold by the door: but rather run away, like hirelings who see the wolf come.\nThey themselves help to invade them. Ah, they are not like yours which you sent, as sheep among wolves: seeing they have become as wolves among sheep. Is this not greatly to be lamented?\nTobias.\nWhat is the cause of your sorrow, of your sighs, and of your complaints by the street?\nTimotheus.\nIt pities me that we poor men see so few examples of love, and that of them who are our neighbors and guides.\nTobias.\nWhy so, good brother, what is the matter?\nTimotheus.\nYou know that our neighbor Lazarus is very sick, whose grief has lasted long. Insouch that his impatience grieves me.\nTobias.\nIt is true, I told his wife, I would come and visit him tomorrow, and teach him some good thing of dying, for he might die soon. But what will you tell me of him?\nI desired our new vicar for Christ's passion to come and visit our poor Lazarus once, and teach him some good thing of patience, which he ought to have in his pains. But alas, it was sung to a deaf man.\n\nTobias.\nIs it so? What did he lay aside for himself?\nTimotheus.\nYou may think it sufficient: what were they accustomed to lay aside as they were moved to such a good deed? He said, \"I must first say my matins, and then say mass.\" Very truly, I am not now at leisure, but as soon as I am, I will come.\n\nTobias.\nWhat is it that I hear? I had gone if he had been a man according to the gospel: for he behaves himself so in the pulpit, that it is marvelous to me. But I see well enough he is but a dissembling hypocrite: For he was wont to say in the pulpit, that no man should spare him if it were at midnight.\n\nTimotheus.\nI agree, but it will be for the benefit of my minister - the sacrament, or annoyance - and to gain thereby some money. Otherwise, he will not remove one foot.\nIt is a marvelous case indeed, for the man reasons sometimes from the gospel as if he were an angel.\n\nTimotheus.\nHe does carry the gospel in one hand, and wields it with his mouth, but neither in his heart nor his actions.\n\nTobias.\nIt is truly lamentable that we are so ready to use the freedoms of food, possessions, places, and times, which the gospel enjoys. But we do not apply this freedom to mortifying our carnal desires or serving our brother. But I will tell you what you should have done.\n\nTimotheus.\nWhat is that?\n\nTobias.\nYou should have strengthened the devotion of our vicar with a groat, so you might have obtained the best result.\n\nTimotheus.\nThat is true.\nAnd that appeared well last day by the alderman's widow, where it was no need to bid him come when she lay sick, for with her was he daily, unwelcome, waiting for the soul as a comrade does for the cargo: and all was to obtain something by testament. Are these feders? are these pasters.\n\nTobias.\nNo, but rather wolves, whom Ezechiel speaks of, saying: \"They have eaten the milk of their flock, and with the wool they are clothed, but they keep them not from the wolves.\" I think they are dissembling hypocrites, and painted graves, which with long babbling or serene service deceive widows' houses: wherefore they shall receive the greater damnation. I think also these are the false prophets seeming outwardly sheep. But inwardly they are ravening wolves.\n\nTimothe.\nIf these priests (and as they call themselves) religious men knew what a Christian death is to comfort the sorrowful, to visit the sick, to help the poor, they should prefer the helping of them before all other works.\nFor God estimates what is done to the least of His people as if it were done to Himself. But priests do not regard this: for they say they have been long enough with the sick, when they have administered the sacraments.\n\nTobias.\nIf they yet ministered the supper of our Lord to the sick properly, teaching Christians what Christ has commanded for us, the patient might give thanks to God for the victory, in which he has overcome death to the belief. For that is the saying of Christ, who says: As often as you do this, you shall do it in the remembrance of me, according to Paul's saying. When the death of our Lord is shown. But alas, they do nothing now but merely recite the twelve articles of the faith lightly to the sick. And so they administer the sacrament without further instruction on it, thinking all things to be already well dispensed. I pray God they have not more mind on the evil which lies in sight, than on the necessity of the poor.\nThey must not mind less the leaving of the bread of the poor (that is God's work) broken, than leaving their mass and other service unattended. The Christman, which is the living temple of God, must stand by and wait till the priest has dispensed his matins, or visited the dead men's graves, however great his need. If Christ had the young man who would be his disciple to love the dead more than leaving God's word undeclared for burying: what would he say to them who excuse themselves with their rumbling and mummering of matins, evensong, and such popishness, that they visit not the sick, or show the kingdom of God where trouble and anguish is?\n\nTobias.\nIt has not helped the young man surely, that he would have buried it: and much less will it help, that it be marked with the beasts mark, to leave their neighbor unsured and unregarded. You Christ yourself, and this with the deeds of charity, which must be preferred before all the works of the law and promises, according as Christ says that He is Lord of the Sabbath. We shall also be judged after the declaring of the deeds of charity towards our neighbor.\n\nTimothy.\n\nIt is well said surely, and in accordance with the gospel. Christ also reprimanded the scribes justly for their opinion of ceremonies, commanding them to go and learn what that saying of God is: I will have mercy and not sacrifice.\n\nTobias.\n\nHow do you understand that saying? will God have no sacrifice then, which He Himself commanded so earnestly to be observed? here it seems that Christ is contrary to the will of His father.\n\nTimothy.\n\nI will tell you.\nAll sacrifices and burnt offerings of the law were ordained and instituted for the Jews for no other intent, except for their symbolic meanings. They signified the true offering of Christ to come; who out of very pure love, offered himself up to death by shedding his own blood, for us poor sinners, and thus he has become our true and everlasting priest. Seeing we have Christ, all other offerings cease; and now we have come to the light, all other shadows have vanished. For Christ is the end and fulfillment of the law, therefore we need no longer the law with its ceremonies, and righteousness as a teacher leading us to Christ: he alone comes to the Father who has heard him, and is taught by him.\nFor so much as the Pharisees regarded and had confidence more in sacrifices and works of the law than they respected him whom it was signified by, whose deeds of charity they counted less than the righteousness of the law: therefore Christ warns them to learn, that God will have mercy and no sacrifice, which he hated, as Isaiah clearly expresses.\n\nTobias.\nYou have declared that well. But what do you say to this word of Christ: \"They ought to have been done, and not leave the other undone\"? For our priests and lawyers understand this, that they may rather leave the works of mercy undone than to leave their mats, patens, masses, dirges, and such other trinkets unsaid.\n\nTimothy.\nWith this saying, Christ rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees, who at that time esteemed their sacrifices, feasts, tithes, and offerings highly: as our Papists count masses, saying of service, worshiping saints for the most acceptable works.\nThe tithes were limited to the priests of the old law and granted by God in the law. But, seeing they sought their duty so narrowly, unwilling to transgress the law in the same thing of mint, coming, and any other thing, they declared their covetousness and feigned love of the law. In that part of the law (where their advantage did consist), they would have no breach, but in other chief points of the law, namely where they were commanded by the law to offer themselves to the service of their neighbor, they were negligent as though it had not concerned them. Therefore says Christ: Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites, who tithe mint, anise, and cummin, and leave the weightier matters of the law behind: namely judgment, mercy, and faith.\nThese ought to have been done, and not leave the other behind, that is, as long as the law has her course (as yet she has), so long you may receive your duty of the tithe, you of any kind, mind, and common: but the deeds of faith, love, and mercy which the law requires of you as chiefest may you not leave undone, but rather do them before all other. Behold now we therefore this rebuke (which our spirituality applies to their excusation) aptly serves to warn and to rebuke them: Seeing they are cursed with the aforementioned hypocrite's curse. For they curse and yield more upon them in their pulpit, who withdraw their offering days, or provide tithes (which notwithstanding God has not granted them in the new testament, as he did in the old with the tithes:), than they curse those who transgress God's commandment in adultery, drunkenness, and unmercifulness.\n\nSo that they may well be likened unto the ox in the prophet which goes in the pastures of Samaria, and eats up the poor.\nThese are the prophets who deceive the people, showing peace and biting with their teeth. In whose mouths if you cast not a piece of meat they raise a holy war against you. They say you are a cursed heresy, and that you ought to be persecuted and condemned. As though such war and controversy were acceptable to God. Therefore (says the prophet Micah), your vision shall be turned to night, and your prophesying to darkness. The sun that goes beneath these prophets. But your people of God, land, rents, grants, pardons These are they who justify the ungodly for gifts, denouncing peace, and all is for their belief's pleasure.\n\nTobias.\n\nSoft brother Timothy, do not conceive such rancor against the wicked, saying their judgment does not tarry: let them go. They are blind and leaders of the blind. We may endeavor to exhort them to come to the knowledge of God, and to the love of their neighbor, if perchance they would give ear to us, and know their sins.\n\nTimothy.\nI pray thee, how will you exhort them? They say to the seeing, see not; and to the understanding, perceive not. If they knew their blindness, they would have no sin (as Christ says). But now they say, we see: therefore their sin remains with them. For instance, when we laymen begin to exhort these anointed: laying scripture before them, then they will hear by no means, taking great scorn to be admonished by us.\n\nTobias.\n\nSurely I believe it is enough, wherefore it seems best for us to walk henceforth in the way of the Lord discreetly.\n\nTimothy.\n\nYou say truly, if we can do better than our curates do, since they are slack in their duty, shall we not do the same? For a servant who knows his master's will and does it not, shall be beaten much. What then is your advice, that we shall do?\n\nTobias.\n\nVerily, that our eye be not so fixed upon another man's fault, but endeavored to follow the Lord, to whom He calls us by a living stirring of our heart with His spirit.\nIf the church guides do not rule well over their flock, as you claim, we should not abandon them, as though they were not our concern. For God has commanded every man to care for his neighbor, as scripture testifies. Therefore, let us help our neighbor, comfort him, and counsel him as he most needs. Do you not think this is the good brother? Timothy?\n\nTimothy.\n\nYes, indeed. And this agrees fittingly with the parable in the gospel, where the Samaritan, who was an outcast in the sight of the Jews, is praised by Christ above the Levite or priest, because he showed mercy to the poor man. The Samaritan was also his neighbor because he had a great need of him. Although we laypeople are considered among the anointed, and Levites as worthless as Samaritans: nevertheless, we should take care of the poor and show all necessary service, while all Levites, priests, monks, and friars forsake and despise them.\nThe deeds of charity which we owe none other than you, according to your saying. Tobias.\n\nNow is the time that we ought to disperse the grace which God has given us, and pour it out upon our neighbor in helping, comforting, and consoling him. As Christ has given himself for us, being in the form of God and equal with God, it is now time to bestow our talent which God has given us, in order that we may bring it back with increase, and not hide it in the ground. He that is rich ought to make the poor rich also, for to this end has he received his riches. He that is wise ought to teach the foolish, and bring him to understanding, for to such an end has he received his wisdom. He that is able ought to aid him that is unable, as the widow, fatherless, and orphan, in order that God may have given him superior ability.\nIn such cases, we should be helpers, comforters, saviors to one another, as our faith is that Christ is our savior, comfort, and health. Therefore, Christ commands that we should show the light of our faith before men, so that seeing our good works, they may praise and glorify the Father who has given such a mind and godly purpose in our hearts, through his holy spirit. That is, we should be glad to serve our neighbor not for thanks or praise, but of true love. For whoever says his brother is in need and withdraws his heart from him, how can the love of God remain in him?\n\nTimothy.\nHe who does not love his brother being present in his sight: how can he love God whom he does not see? We, as Christians, have no other declaration or boasting that we are true Christians, but only love. Christ says: In this will men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.\nA Christian life is not one of pleasure, flesh, willfulness, or sensual appetite. It is not a life of ceremonies: church going or superstitions, but it is a life of the spirit, of truth, of love and mercy. It is a life of mortified lusts and peace of the spirit in God alone.\n\nThis is the eternal Sabbath and holy day left to God's people, which they must keep perpetually by laying down their own lusts and sensuality. All trouble, labor, carefulness, and bodily service, outwardly done with words or deeds, should be directed to nothing but the glory of God and the profit of our neighbor. For if God is not our king, and we do not seek our neighbor's wealth but our own, we are against the nature of true and unfeigned love which Paul teaches.\n\nTobias.\n\nThat is the eternal Sabbath and holy day which God's people must keep perpetually by laying down their own lusts and sensuality. All trouble, labor, carefulness, and bodily service, outwardly done with words or deeds, should be directed to nothing but the glory of God and the profit of our neighbor. For if God is not our king, and we do not seek our neighbor's wealth but our own, we are against the nature of true and unfeigned love which Paul teaches.\n\nTimothy.\nYou say that we have the name of Christ and are baptized in the same, go to church and receive the sacraments, but not all things are completed without faith, through working in us with charity. For all who say \"Lord, Lord,\" shall not possess the kingdom of heaven, but only those who fulfill the will of the Father will enter the kingdom of heaven.\n\nTobias.\n\nOne member ought to help the other, or we are not gathered as one body, of which Christ is the head. Let us therefore bear one another in declaring brotherly love, that we may be incorporated as one body in Christ, aiding the poorest and least among us before all others. For whatever we do to the least of our brothers, that we have done to Christ.\nChrist is suffering hunger, thirst, he is naked, homeless, he is like a diseased person. Let us go to him to serve him, to comfort him, to receive him, so that we may hear from him hereafter: \"Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the beginning of the world.\" And truly, dearly beloved Timothy, since we are called gospel or evangelical, therefore we ought to be the more diligent in doing evangelical works, lest God's word be blamed through our unruly behavior or be taken away by the ungodly. Timothy. You speak the truth; therefore, I would that in every town, city, village, you in every congregation or church there be a common house or chest where such goods as are given to the needy according to St. Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 16, which now (alas for pity), is rather misused in the foundations of chapels, churches, and what they call religious houses, in singers, in copes, belles, and images.\nI will not speak now of the great revenues and retains of vicaries and similar foundations, which amount to an innumerable sum yearly. With these goods, and such like that our forefathers have founded for the sustaining of the poor, every town, city, village, or parish easily could sustain its own poor people: so that there should not be one beggar or vagabond needing to go by the streets. And thus God's commandment in Deuteronomy 15 chapter would be accomplished. Moreover, to this excellent deed should be chosen certain honest men, fearing God, who should be like true deacons, and distribute these goods according to need and conscience. Out of this aforementioned chest also should schools be founded, where youth might be taught both Christ and other good learning. For such we commonly save, as was put in our fresh vessels. Out of this chest also should all orphans, fatherless and motherless children be brought up, until they were able to learn an occupation or craft.\nOut of this chest, honest youth should be married, lest they come to some misuse through poverty. For the aforementioned goods to bring this about, they are sufficient if they are justly and truly gathered together. The bag and staff is an occasion that there is so much idleness, whoredom, drunkenness, theft, and other vices it is the mother, which the aforementioned congregations might easily avoid if the love of honesty and mercy were kindled in their hearts.\n\nTobias.\n\nYour well-loved mind, brother, is good, if it were accepted and fulfilled. But these strong and valiant wallet knights will never admit it, for their religion is founded upon the same thing. They love much better to reap the harvest that they have not sown, than to get their own food with the sweat of their brows.\n\nTimotheus.\nTobias: I have delayed long enough. Therefore, I will straightway go to our poor Lazarus and teach him the good thing of suffering patiently, for he has great need of it. Then I will go to the hospital to bring what I have superfluous of my yesterday's labor: For I am sure they will need it there.\n\nTimothe: I pray you, brother, let it be so, and let sickness wait a little, for thereby you will be strengthened in faith according to the scripture. But delay your going to Lazarus a little while, if perhaps our vicar comes there, he will not leave it for shame.\n\nTobias: No, no, I know him well. He would rather never come near him than to lose one penny of his other advantage, which of this poor man he cannot have. He speaks much of the cure of souls, but it seems that his mind is of the purses' souls: he covets all the rest. Therefore, I will go there, will you command me anything?\nTimothe tells Lazarus that I will come to visit him tomorrow before noon, and teach him something about dying, as I have promised his wife.\n\nTimothe: I will do it willingly, and may God grant us his mercy.\n\n[Timothe visiting the poor man Lazarus lying sick in his bed, says to him.]\n\nTimothe: Peace be in this house.\n\nLazarus: Who comes in here?\n\nTimothe: It is I, Timothe, your neighbor. How are you? Are all things well?\n\nLazarus: Alas, no, it is not well. I lie here and cannot move nor weep, my joints are so full of sickness and pain.\n\nTimothe: I believe it truly, for you have had a long time. But how do you quiet yourself in that?\n\nLazarus: How should I quiet myself? I would I were dead, such pain I am in. I am in, Amy.\n\nTimothe: I pray you, neighbor, do not distress yourself so much with this sickness. For truly, it is not Christian.\n\nLazarus: It is easy for you to speak of that. For no one endures another's grief. If you lay in such pains as I do, you would say otherwise.\nTimothe: You are far removed from Lazarus, whose name you know, who endured his suffering patiently, and without complaint against God that he could not obtain alms from the rich man's table, and who was content to lie under the broad open sky, his body full of sores and pain, and finally to die of hunger, for which reason he was taken up by the angels into Abraham's bosom. But you have a house to dwell in, you have yet, thank God, food and drink: you have good neighbors who would gladly comfort you and help bear your grief, which Lazarus did not have. Nevertheless, he was always content, and so you should be as well.\n\nLazarus: Because I am not such as he was, therefore shall I not also be set upon altars, and have a holy day kept for me as is done for him.\n\nTimothe:\n\nLazarus:\nBecause I am not like him,\ntherefore I shall not also be set upon altars,\nand have a holy day kept for me\nas is done for him.\nAlas, brother Lazarus, you are still far from the kingdom of heaven, seeing that you suffer your grief with such a poor will. Is it not all good that comes from him? Shouldn't you therefore be content with his divine will, and your burden will be lighter for you.\n\nLazarus:\nI must necessarily be content with it, for I cannot remedy it or avoid it.\n\nTimothe:\nCould you remedy it against God's will? I think not: for you would not contend with the will of God.\n\nLazarus:\nI will tell you the truth, if I could be rid of this pain, I would not keep it for an hour longer.\n\nTimothe:\nWould you then rather be an enemy of God than to suffer a little for his sake?\n\nLazarus:\nI can tell you nothing else but that I would gladly be rid of this passion, for it is too heavy for me.\nSo long as you suffer compulsion unwillingly, then you lessen your reward for suffering: and you strive against God like a rebellious child who disobeys his loving father.\n\nLazarus: I must suffer willingly or unwillingly.\n\nTimothe: You suffer grief and pain but undeservingly, and therefore the more unjustly: for you suffer unwillingly and unfaithfully, you suffer like a servant stands in awe of his master because of his rod or wand that he casts upon him, A servant remains not in his master's house, but must flee Iohn in the eighth chapter: But you, the son, remain as a true heir. If you were now therefore a son of the heavenly father: you would receive this correction willingly, and with true love in a sure faith, and understand it to be his love towards you: seeing he sends to his children nothing but the best, nor procures anything else for them but good.\n\nLazarus.\nThis sounds very strange in my ears, that God punishes me so cruelly for love, and sends me this as the best gift he can give me. I would rather think it to be a harsh love.\n\nTimothe.\n\nAlas, brother, how fiercely do you run against the stone that is Christ? How strange are God's words and works for you to hear and understand? A man's wit cannot attain what is spoken of God. The word of God is like a hammer that shatters stones. Therefore, you must submit and capture your wit and human wisdom wholly, until it is completely imprisoned and subdued to the will of Christ and pacified in him: before you can perceive how great good and mercy you inwardly receive in depressing and mortifying your outward body.\n\nLazarus.\n\nO Timothe, your words are too high and profound for my understanding. My memory and wit are greatly weakened by this sickness of mine. Therefore, you must teach me differently if I am to learn anything from you.\n\nTimothe.\nIf you hunger for God's word and can settle yourself so that you may easily hear it from me, I will gladly show it to you.\n\nLazarus.\nYou truly and gladly, reach my another question and lay it to my back for God's sake, that I may sit easier to hear, and answer you.\n\nTimothe.\nAre you well? Or will you sit higher?\n\nLazarus.\nNo, I sit now easily, and I cannot well suffer much tossing and wrenching. My tongue is the whole and strongest of all my members; begin when you please.\n\nTimothe.\nSo that I may show you better the meaning of my above words, I will write out your unbelief, and show it to you before your eyes, that you may see how far a man is separated from God through unbelief: out of which all other sins do spring as branches and twigs out of an evil root. For unbelief is the chief sin whereof the holy ghost shall judge the world, as Christ says in John xvi. Therefore is this now my question: whether you do use to read the Our Father.\n\nLazarus.\nWhat is your question, Timothe? Shouldn't I recite the Lord's Prayer as a Turk?\nTimothe:\nHow do you read it in Latin or English, Lazarus?\nLazarus:\nI read it as I have learned it from my father: Pater noster qui es.\nTimothe:\nYou ought to read it in English so you can understand it better, since you cannot speak Latin. Tell him then that I will ask you this: Do you truly believe the first word, \"Father\"?\nLazarus:\nShouldn't I believe that? Christ himself has taught us to pray in this way.\nTimothe:\nIf you believe God to be your father, then you must also believe yourself to be his son and heir, or else you are deceiving while praying against your heart and not sincerely. Since you call him your father (with which loving name you admonish him to hear you as his son), and yet you do not have such a loving perception of him as a good child should have: then say your Lord's Prayer without faith.\nLazarus:\nWithout faith? How so? What is faith?\nTimothe:\nFaith is a gift from God, not given to every man, without which Rome is acceptable to God.\n\nLazarus:\nHave not all Christian men faith then?\n\nTimothe:\nThere are two types of Christians, like there are two types of children of Israel: some are Israelites by birth, some by promise. Even so, some Christians are by name, some by deed because they are endowed with the believing spirit of Christ. These Christians have all faith.\n\nLazarus:\nWhat is this faith, by which we are called believing Christians?\n\nTimothe:\nFaith is a sure and living feeling in our hearts that we are acceptable to the Father, and that He is merciful to us through His son Jesus Christ, in all things that may happen to us, or that we do, whether in life or death. This faith is better perceived inwardly by those who believe truly than it can be expressed outwardly.\n\nLazarus.\nIs it a hidden mystery to me? I cannot perceive inwardly by any token whether I have faith or not, Timothe.\n\nYes, indeed I shall declare that to you by a simile or example: A child has no inward perception, nor does it show outwardly any behavior whether it has a sure confidence towards its father or not, until it is tested in this hidden faith: But what this child is, whether it is beaten or mistreated by a stranger, it lifts up its voice in its anguish, pressing to its father through the midst of its enemies with a sure faith and confidence to be delivered and saved. You, in its flight and haste for rescue which it shall surely obtain there, its mind is certified that it shall be rescued, and this is a great quietness of conscience, and a special ease at its heart that its enemies shall no longer rejoice over it.\nAfter this manner is the matter with the children of God: Our heavenly Father has given us power to be His children, and that through believing in His name, which by the Father's commandment has become man for us, and has chosen us to be heirs with Him. Now we believing this and knowing it through the spirit of truth, we wait for all aid, comfort, and subsidy of our heavenly father, in whatever temptation can assault us. So that it is a sure token and specialty that we are in the favor of God if we abide steadfast in praying the name of God, and rejoice inwardly whatsoever we are in trouble or anguished, though God may seem to have utterly forsaken us. Here the Christian faith first appears. The saving and quietness of conscience which we have inwardly in the midst of trouble, is a fruit of the Holy Ghost, sustaining us lest we fall into misbelief or blasphemy of God, you which our punishment might cause rightwell.\nWe need not shrink or fear our Lord God when he strikes us, as a servant does fear and avoid his master. God is not cruel or tyrannical towards his children. It is our duty to rejoice in him and praise him in all his godly works, knowing that he is our savior in the day of trouble. Paul writing to the Romans in the 8th chapter says: We have not now received the spirit of bondage to fear any longer: but we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we call Abba, dear father, with a lusty heart and a sure faith. For the Spirit of God which works such faith in us gives witness to our spirit that we are the children of God. Since we are the children of God, our merciful father has such delight in us as in his beloved children. So it is where the most fear and jeopardy is, that he is most nearest present. It is surely the nature of a good father to be more fierce in love towards his children, where the most need is.\nNow, when you consider this diligently with a heartfelt desire toward God the Father: then may you believe, and truly say that God is your heavenly Father, if not, you say the Our Father hypocritically, as all other hypocrites do, whose hearts are far from their mouths, although you may have said the Our Father a thousand times.\n\nLazarus.\n\nIs this the meaning of the Our Father, which I never said properly in all my life? I have often recited the twelve articles of our faith after the priest in the pulpit: but I could never hear so much about the proof of them as I have now.\n\nTimothe.\n\nSuch historical faith as you are taught in the pulpit have the devils also, for they believe that God is almighty, that the Son of God has become man, that he was crucified and rose again, but they do not believe that he is ordained for their salvation. The devil believes and trembles; but a Christian man believes and rejoices in it.\nThe faith or knowing of the devils which they have of God causes them to fear and tremble; but our faith causes us to rejoice and be glad in God, whom we know ever to be our father.\n\nLazarus: If he be our father, why does he send such grievous pains to us then?\n\nTimothe: Your aforementioned faith must be tried through suffering, sickness, and adversity, as it is written: That we shall not marvel nor be moved that we are tried through the fire of suffering, for it is done to prove us. The Lord proves all the elect in this manner, that their faith may be found:\n\nTold: No sparrow falls on the ground without the consent of our heavenly father. How much less can this sickness come upon you without the consent of the heavenly father, who has sanctified all troubles and sufferings: By the cross and humbling, it pleased God to exalt and glorify his own son.\nHe took care and thought for you before you were born; therefore, he provides for you being here, seeing he wanted you to be here. Therefore, all who suffer according to God's will ought to commit the charge of their souls to the good creator of all creatures; in whose hands we are, as clay is in the potter's hand. Pray, therefore, to the Father with your whole heart, that his name may be hallowed in you, just as it is hallowed and glorified through your death and depression of his son. But as for our name, it is full of dishonesty, shame, and damnation.\n\nLazarus.\n\nBy the meaning of your words, I perceive it is not necessary for me to desire these pains of mine to be alleviated; and to be healed, either in soul or body.\n\nTimothe.\nI could show you sufficiently that this prayer does not come from the spirit of God, nor from faith, but from proper love, which seeks its own ease and profit, rather than the glory of God. But I fear it would be too tedious for you, and I also think you cannot endure many more words.\n\nLazarus.\n\nNo, it shall not be tedious to me, for even now I have a great desire for it. Therefore, show me why I may not pray in this way?\n\nTimothe.\n\nA true faith will not cause you to pray in such a way, for it is always certified by the good will of God whatsoever chance may bring: All that is not of faith is sin (says Paul). Search the ground of your heart, and you shall perceive that you desire to be healed for no other cause, but only to be at ease. Therefore, since through this corrupt nature you set more value on yourself than on God, you would rather have your sensuality and will accomplished in obtaining health than that God in this sickness should do in you and with you according to His pleasure.\nWherefore I pray you, what else do you but rebel against God, and correct him in his judgment, because he works not according to your imagination? Where is your Pater Noster? Do not you pray and say: \"Father, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, that is in the earthly body as it is in the soul which is a heavenly body.\" How little do you rest here in the works of God? Hear how fully the kingly prophet David was humbled entirely, and nearly in excess of mind, upon all that which God would send him, he being driven out of his kingdom by his own beloved son Absalom, did say: \"If I shall find grace before the Lord, he shall fetch me again, and let me see it again (meaning the ark) and the house of it.\" But if he says thus: \"I have no pleasure in the beholden,\" here am I, let him do with me as it pleases him. Here was a humbled spirit, which kept the true Sabbath, that is the everlasting resting day, from this be ye far from all your praying and flattering.\n\nLazarus\nWhat good can I obtain from this wretchedness, for which I should not desire to be rid of it?\nTimothy\nIt is still the old trade, you will not suffer but for advantage, you will use battering with God. God will have no merchants, nor exchangers in His holy temple where He rests, as you shall hear more about later, if we reason larger. Concerning the good which we obtain by suffering, we must understand that God hates sin in that He says mercy, and loves His children, whom He chastises. When you pray God to take away this chastisement from you, do not be content that He should show His righteousness in you: and in this you declare and utter yourself to be a friend of sin, and an enemy to the righteousness of God. Do not be you very blind and perverse hearted, loving those that hate you, and hating those that love you.\nTo that intent sends God pain, anguish, and death to us, that the body of sin and death may be rooted out in suffering, and slaying of the old Adam with all his carnal concupiscences and desires. This work will not proceed in you, which, notwithstanding, must be accomplished if we are to be acceptable before God. Paul says, \"Do you not know that all we who are baptized into Christ Jesus are baptized into his death? The children of Israel could not obtain the land of promise unless they first passed through the Red Sea: Even so we also must come to the high Jerusalem through passing the Red Sea, that is, tribulation and sickness. For this reason we must cling to the faithful words of God, as the Israelites did: being oppressed, before the Red Sea, and behind Pharaoh's army, so that death was at hand whichever way they turned their sight.\nWherever Moses comforted them, bidding not to doubt in God's behests, saying: \"Fear not, stand still, and behold what a salvation the Lord shall show you this day. Thus have they gone through it according to God's word, and passed through the Red Sea without harm. Be you also a true Israelite going through this suffering with a sure faith, and you shall surely be delivered.\n\nBut brother, this pain endures too long, for I think it will never have an end. It has its recurrence.\n\nTimotheus.\n\nBe not moved by that, for Christ himself suffered before he came into his glory. Is he not then greater than his master? Is a servant above his Lord? If there had been another way to come to the true glory and life, Christ would have rather chosen it. But now he has first trodden and chosen this way of suffering himself, that we should follow him in it.\nThis is to take up the cross of Christ and to follow him, daily to be mocked, despised, and depressed, just as he bore his cross with all contempt, pain, and ridicule. We are crucified with Christ when we mortify our pleasures and affections, which ought to be during our life. If we suffer equally with Christ and die, we shall also be equal to him in rejoicing, and rising to the new life. Certified, that our old man is crucified with him, to the intent the body of sin shall be destroyed. If we then are dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Paul says in Romans VI: \"For a grain of corn cast into the ground cannot bring forth fruit unless it is first put to death and its hard shell is removed\": even so, we being here on earth must first die and refuse the corruption of our flesh if we will live with Christ and bring forth fruits of life.\nFor this cause is the life of a Christian here in earth counted to be nothing else (nor is any other) save a continual cross, death, and dying, as Paul does specify 2 Corinthians ix: saying, \"We who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might appear in our mortal flesh: for as long as we live, we are delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Christ be declared in our mortal body.\" David also says, \"For thy sake we are slain all the day long, and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.\" If you will say this truly with David, then you must be content with your punishment until the death, as the sheep is, which opens not its mouth in the slaying. I pray you, how can you desire God to take from you this pain, if you believe surely it, although your outward man is corrupt and perishes: yet your inward man is renewed day by day.\nPaul states that this trouble and suffering, which lasts only as long as the blinking of an eye in comparison to the glory to come, marvelously prepares us for the eternal glory: if we have not fixed our sight upon what is visible, but upon what is invisible and everlasting. You all who can endure in this transitory world are not to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. By this you perceive that all those who suffer with a sure faith ought also to rejoice in their troubles, even as Paul and other elect have done.\n\nLazarus:\nYou press the hardship upon me severely. How can I rejoice in troubles that bring nothing but pain and sorrow? It is hard to laugh and weep at the same time.\n\nTimothy.\nI will enlighten you with a gross example: you lie here now sick and displeased,\nyou would be keen to be cured by some good physician, now makes him a drink for you which is very bitter and unpleasant to receive, nevertheless, through his information and promise of health by it, you overcome the bitterness of it by shaking and chugging it down: though your tears run down while drinking it would be displeased with the physician because he gives you not for any hatred or evil will, it is you who should feel the bitterness of it: but that you might recover. Who would be so mad to desire the physician to avoid the bitter recipe, knowing and steadfastly believing to obtain health by no other means?\n\nLazarus.\n\nAs for me, surely I would rather thank him and drink his recipe, though it were as bitter as gall if I knew to obtain health thereby.\n\nTimothe.\nLo, then, no more should you despise the highest physics of your soul, nor refuse his medicines, though they be bitter and painful to your old Adam. But you must have an eye to his promises, and overcome that which is painful to you, nevertheless, you are saved. Thus have martyrs overcome in suffering and death, for dying they saw the true life, in sickness and disease of the flesh they saw the power of God, which is fortified and stabilized hereby. God, by nature, is merciful, but that he may work his work in us, that is, to heal, to make safe and sound, he first does a thing that is strange to his nature, which seems to us a token of hatred. That is, he scourges and beats us with sicknesses and grief. Thus does God work a strange work (as it is said in Isaiah in the twenty-eighth chapter), that he may work his natural work.\nBy this strange work of God, the chastening or scourging of the father, we lose our courage, goods, blood, health, wealth, and life, and come even in the midst,\nof the cross, despising and death. All things appear here before our fleshly eyes as though we were enemies to God, and wholly despised by God, and knew not to consider how he shall deliver us. Yet we perceive the hand of God inwardly which sustains us, that we do not fall into despair in sin: that he brings us to have faith, whom he seems to thrust down to hell in that he forsakes us: and that he heals us in our soul when the body is visited with all manner of sicknesses. For he hedges his mercy under his wrath.\nHow would one have believed that God would deal so harshly with His good friend Job, taking away all his most beloved things, only to restore them again doubly? Therefore, let your faith's eye press towards salvation, and rejoice, though God does not show you His face, which is a cheerful countenance as He did to Peter on the mount of Transfiguration. But His hidden part was like the one He appeared to Moses. For when this work of His is past, then His footsteps will appear. What this chastisement is past, then He will smile at you and show you His fatherly favor: though in this anger He seems to burn, and look grimly upon you. Do you perceive this?\n\nLazarus.\n\nI cannot perceive this perfectly all at once. Nevertheless, I perceive that in your words there is a Godly understanding, though I cannot comprehend it all at once. Therefore, I earnestly request that you explain more clearly to me, and subtly which way our sins are mortified in us by the cross and suffering.\nTymotheus. I will do it gladly. Whatever a man loves besides God, that is his idol. Therefore, it is necessary to declare what things we set store by besides God, that we may endeavor the better to fulfill the first commandment, in which we are commanded to love God with all our heart, power, and understanding. Some lean too much to temporal possessions, which are taken from them (as a plow from under a man's head) by extortion, with fire, by war, or by some other loss: that his heart may be freed to be turned wholly to God. Another has his carnal affection fixed sore upon his wife, children, father, and mother, or friends.\n\nThese false gods are withdrawn from them when they suffer, either in their name or fame, goods or blood: or when they are taken from them by death, to rid a man of his carnal affection, and to open to a man his infinitude, that God may possess the heart wholly and alone, like a jealous lover.\nThe third is wanton, and full of pleasure, he sets great store by himself because of his beauty, strength, honesty, and wisdom; to such God sends trouble, anguish, sickness, sores, or folly, in order that he might see that all flesh is nothing but grass and all his glory as the grass of the field: the grass withers, and the flower fades.\n\nLazarus.\nI cannot perceive yet that God receives us in scourging; all we fly strokes.\n\nTimotheus.\nYour unbelief is the cause of fleeing, which Paul rebukes in the twelfth to the Hebrews, saying: \"Brothers, have you forgotten the consolation that speaks to you as to children, saying: 'My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by him; for whom the Lord loves he chastens, and every son whom he receives he scourges.' If you endure his chastisement, he offers himself to you as to his beloved son.\"\nWhat is the son who does not receive chastisement from his father? If you are far from the chastening that is common to all children, then you are not children but bastards. If we had carnal fathers from whom we stood in great awe and whom we obeyed, how much more should we obey the Father of spirits, and live by him? Our carnal fathers have taught and instructed us according to their best ability, for a little while. But this Father of ours teaches and chastises us for our profit, so that we may be partakers of his holiness. All this present chastisement seems nothing joyful but sorrowful to you; but afterward it brings a quiet fruit and reward to them, which is proved by it. Are not these words comfortable to those who are in pain? Punishment is due to sin, and without sin no man lives; therefore, good Lazarus, receive all that is sent to you, and endure, though it be grievous. Be patient in your affliction.\nFor as gold and silver are tried in the fire: so is man tried in the furnace of temptation. Therefore, scripture exhorts us to esteem it above all other fruits. And there is no fruit so true as if we are proved by manyfold temptations, knowing that temptation in faith brings forth the fruits of patience. Behold all the martyrs and children of God in their suffering, and let their constant faith be an example to you. For God has delivered them, even so shall he deliver you also.\n\nLazarus.\nI cannot compare my suffering with their passions. They suffered for their innocence: but I suffer for my sins.\n\nTimothy.\nThink you the saints were no sinners also? Before God is no flesh found righteous. Say not that you suffer with the wicked murderer when you suffer patiently, and when faithfully you know that you have well deserved such chastisement: which the good murderer also did. The knowing of your sin justifies you, if it is done faithfully and truly.\nThere can be no true knowledge without the spirit of truth. Your punishment is the cause of justification, if you confess to have deserved it well for your sins. The martyrdom of martyrs was not meritorious for them to obtain eternal life thereby, for Paul says that the pains of this world are not sufficient for the glory which shall be shown upon us. Transitory and fleeting things cannot obtain durable reward. But Christ suffered only for his innocency, by which innocent suffering he rid us from all our wickedness. Christ's death deserved eternal life for us; this have the martyrs believed constantly, testifying it until death, conquering by faith: so that their faith (whereby they were justified before God) appeared truly in knowing the name of Jesus, from which they did not shrink at the point of death. For this cause did all saints ever pray with the prophet. Not ours, Lord, not ours, but to thy name be glory.\nYou overcome me with so many strong and evident scriptures that I don't know what to answer. Nevertheless, I would desire God once to cease scourging, as many saints have done. I remember I have heard preached that there was a king whose life was prolonged fifteen years through his prayer.\n\nTimothy.\n\nWe shall not follow saints so carefully in all their words and deeds; for we are not sure how well they have been accepted by God in every respect. In saints we ought only to hold their strong faith and the gifts that God gave them. But Christ is set before us as a sample and model after whose life, words, and doctrine we may live and speak. For he could not err, nor cause others to err, which saints have done quite well. Paul says: Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ. Now you shall see how Christ is our sample in this praying or wishing that you speak of.\nWhen he prayed in his agony, he said, \"Father, if this cup cannot be taken from me unless I drink from it, not my will, but yours be done. In the same way, if you pray with Christ, you will be strengthened also; there is no doubt about that from heaven in your battle. And now, to answer you with the example of Hezekiah, who (being sick and near death) obtained from God deliverance from his sickness: you must understand that God chastises us differently with the rod of correction in our bodies. Sometimes he does it to punish our sins and wickednesses, so that our faith may be strengthened, as Christ said to the paralytic who had been lying by the pool of Bethesda for thirty-eight years: 'Behold, you are made whole; sin no more lest a worse thing happen to you.' By these words he gave him knowledge, that for his sins he suffered this long and grievous sickness; for the which he would have suffered even more grievously if he had not left sinning.\"\nSo time sends God sickness and trouble to his elect, who do not withstand being in his favor, so that the glory and honor of God may be declared thereby. As Christ says in John 11, Lazarus' sickness was not unto death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God might be praised thereby. Christ also says in John 9, that the blind man was born, so that the work of God might be shown upon him. In the same way, the glory and honor of God still appear in many places through suffering patiently and dying gladly of many virtuous and honest men, causing other men to praise and take God, who sends such grace and mercy to men, so that they have cause to rejoice, even in the midst of death. Sometimes God visits the transgressions of rulers and parents upon their subjects or descendants for several generations. For David had numbered the people formerly in vain and in unbelief, there were fine to die seventy thousand of his people within three days. 2 Samuel 24.\nHe also, because he did not chastise his children, knowing them to do evil: God swore to the house of Hezekiah that his wickedness should not be removed forever by any means, and afterward was he punished by the death of his sons - Reg. ii.\n\nThis is done according to justice, and rightly, for the righteous God does no wrong. When God allows such as is said before to happen to us, it seems that he is angry with us, yet he is nonetheless immutable. Now when we read of some holy man, who in their suffering prayed to be rid of their cross, and it is not to be thought that they did it out of any hatred they had for it, because it is difficult and painful: but they by this praying might once come to the perfect punishment of sin, which they hated and pursued. And so prayed King Hezekiah when he was admonished by the prophet Isaiah in the thirty-eighth chapter that he should die, saying:\nWhat shall I speak or say, that he may do this? That I may live out all my years in the bitterness of my life (Lo, the bitterness that came from his hated sins). Verily, Lord, men must live in bitterness, and all my life must I pass over it: for thou raisest me up and awakens me. But lo, I will be content with this bitterness (mark that God relieves a man by punishing sin; mark how faith causes Ezekiel to have peace and be at rest in the midst of his bitter suffering). Nevertheless, your favor has so pleased me that you would not make an end of my life, but you have cast all my sins behind your back. Behold, how royally the good king sets forth the mercy of God in his suffering: that is, Isaiah says in his thirty-third chapter, \"With a steadfast spirit and rest you shall be healed, in quietness and confidence shall your strength be renewed.\"\nIn the silence and rest of your own will, in God's will, and the hope of God's mercy, which is promised to you: you shall find your strength in all suffering, so that you shall be able to endure all grief. This is how the petition in our prayer is to be understood: we do not desire to be led into temptation, not that we desire to be rid and free of all temptation (which cannot be seen, for our life is a perpetual battle:), but the intent is that we not be led into such temptation that might discomfit us and cause us to fall into unbelief, despair, or blasphemy of the name of God: which sins are the greatest and most dangerous, for they lie hidden in the depths of the heart. By them we might sink to the bottom of hell with Cain, Judas, and King Herod, without the sustaining and underprop of God. Therefore pray also to the holy prophets: Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, or chastise me in your displeasure.\nIn this prayer, God comforts us and grants us the belief that He is the health of all people. Of any trouble we call upon Him, He will deliver us and be our God forever.\n\nLazarus:\nYour words are comforting, and I believe I am refreshed in my heart, so that I feel less grief in my pains. Nevertheless, I must reason deeply with your words. Daily, with our eyes, if a child is chastised by his father, he should yield himself to his father's will, asking for mercy. In the end, I trust that the one who is a father of mercy will also be merciful to my poor wretch: what do you think?\n\nTimothe:\nRegarding which is the best way to obtain God's mercy, your simile resonates with me greatly. For a father, who hates his child's wickedness deeply, notwithstanding love, corrects him with fatherly pity. When he sees him resenting the chastisement, he becomes more furious and increases the strokes.\nIn like manner, God is said to be wrathful in scripture when we do not receive the chastisement of his hand with lowliness, as we read in Isaiah, chapter 9. After all this, the wrath of the Lord shall not cease, but his hand shall be stretched out still. For the people turn not to him that chastises them, nor do they seek the Lord of hosts. Therefore, the Lord will root out of Israel both head and tail, branch and root, which lowly rendering of ourselves God loves more than he did before. For the prophet Abacuc says: When God is wrathful, then shall he remember his mercy. Thus may we pray with the prophet, saying: All that thou hast done to us, O Lord, that thou hast done of true judgment; for we have sinned and disobeyed thy commandments.\nLo such good will and yielding is of more effectiveness, and acceptable in the sight of God to obtain forgiveness thereby, than all pilgrimages, vows, and other ways, which a man can take upon himself without any ground of evident scripture.\n\nLazarus:\nGood Lord, what have I yet to demand which I rather ought to keep close. You may say: One fool will demand more than all wise men can assuage.\n\nTimothe:\nYou cannot reproach me, brother, for I trust I shall certify you well enough in all things by the assistance of God.\n\nLazarus:\nYou make me remember pilgrimages: therefore my question is whether they are worthwhile to obtain health thereby: For my friends will not cease, unless I make a vow, either to St. Faustinus (Fantine), or to our lady of Walsingham, or to some other saint according to their affection. But as for me, I have no mind for this deed, for going on pilgrimage has impoverished my life in my days, and yet have I found none reward.\nIf Wisdom had been my friend, I could have spared that money. But I gave too much ear to these old, toothless babble. Timothe. First, you must well understand your own words when you speak of pilgrimages. A pilgrim is he who wanders in a strange country and away from home, and a pilgrimage is such a wandering or journey. Now find you in any scripture where God's word commands you to go and seek holiness in a strange country or place? (seeing you are God's temple if you believe faithfully, and seeing Paul commands men to lift up pure hands in every place:) Or where are you commanded to choose one place more than another to offer prayer, since the shadow of the law has vanished? You how can you presume such prayer as is not agreeing with God's word? And all that is done without his commandment is not acceptable to him, Nor is it the glory and honor of God or his saints to set such store by your man's wisdom and invention, though it seem never so godly & fair.\nBut if you say (as Christ says), that you will be my disciples, pray not like the heathen do: but go into the chamber of your heart, shut the door upon you, that is, shut all worldly troubles and carnal desires out of your heart, and pray to God in secret, not on the corners of the streets, not in chosen places, and your Father who is in secret will reward you openly. Christ has sufficiently forbidden going on pilgrimages in the fourth chapter of John, where he teaches us that we should not go to pray in Solomon's temple, nor on the renowned hills of the Patriarchs, but that we shall call upon God in all places (not with wax or flax, not with silver or gold, not with corn or seed, nor with crying and wailing as the priests of Baal and the heathen do, who think to be heard for their crying and much babbling). But the Father, who is in secret, will have such worshippers.\nThe prophet Malachy states in his first chapter: \"From the rising of the sun to its setting, my name is great among the gentiles. In every place sacrifices will be offered to my name, and a clean offering will be presented to it, for my name is great among the heathens,\" says the Lord of hosts. What offering does he require of us? Is it wax, flax, silver, or gold? No, but the mortification of our carnal desires and sensual appetite. Paul exhorts us in the twelfth chapter to the Romans: \"It is a great blindness that we seek aid or comfort from any saint, whom our imagination is that we worship and serve in their likeness here on earth, where we transgress the first commandment of God, which forbids us all strange gods and to make any image or likeness.\" Do you want to know the cause and origin of the multitude of heathen gods? And why Christians ought to worship but one God? I will show you.\n\nLazarus\nI. am. desirous of it. Timothe.\n\nSuch men as were profitable to the commune were counted gods of the Heathen, and worshipped after their death. This has occasioned the multitude of them. For health they called upon Esculapius, for he was a great Physician: Upon Hercules they called for riches: Upon Mercury they called for luck of merchandise: Upon Bacchus for wine: Upon Seres for corn: Upon Venus for lust of the body. The Egyptians God is become the serpent, for he destroyed the serpents: The Romans have worshipped a Goose, because at the screeching of her, we were awakened and warned of our enemies: At Rome, called Capitolius, were awakened and warned, and of like commodity and profit were Sonne and Moneta: water and earth made gods and worshipped. But we Christians know nor worship none other God, save him only that worketh all in all things.\nIt is written: you shall serve and worship your Lord God only. Trust in him alone, making him your salvation, redemption, wisdom, righteousness, hope, and well-fare. Worship him only, casting yourselves wholly before him, forsaking and despising your holiness, wisdom, ability, and natural strength. Regard yourselves as feeble, wicked, and weak, seeking mercy at him only. Pray to him. Mark whether they who turn themselves from the Creator to the creatures do so, seeking help in their ruin and gadding here and there like pilgrims. I am your God only, and besides me there is no redeemer, says the Lord God. To save belongs only to him, but the gentiles and ungodly make a mockery of it, boasting and saying as it is written in Deuteronomy. XXXII. Where are now their gods in whom they had confidence? Let them rise now and help you, let them succor you in your need.\nBut the Lord answers, saying: I am he, and there is no God besides me. I will slay and revive again; I will heal and wound again; there is no one who can pull anything out of my hand. Where will these idolaters and pilgrims remain? What gods can defend them when God punishes their unbelief and idolatry (which they have committed with wood and stone) openly and before the whole world? Although he is now quiet and long-suffering.\n\nLazarus:\nWill you take it in worth that I ask you this, and I will show you the reasons why my hypocritical counselors enticed me to pilgrimages to saints: Whom I (God forgive me) have shown too much honor in my idolatry.\n\nTimothe:\nAsk what you please, so long as I am not tedious with you. It would not grieve me to sit thus with you discussing scripture.\n\nLazarus.\nHow fortunate it is that saints are worshipped and sought more in one place than in another, to heal such diseases as they are patrons of?\n\nTimotheus.\n\nChrist says in the XIV chapter of John, \"I am the way, the truth, and life. If you will not go astray and err, draw near to saints. Through whom you have received all their holiness from him, so that the name of God may be glorified in them. I say, walk in Christ, for he is the way, and he who follows him will walk in no darkness. If you will not be deceived by any lie or falsehood, hold fast to Christ, abide by Christ's word, cling to it, for it is the truth. If you will not die in sin nor perish in your own wicked ways: strive to live eternally with him, for he is the life. Paul says that our life is hidden with him until death. The way of suffering is narrow and straight, but you must go through it if you intend to come to it.\nThe truth shall deliver you from your slavery to sin, if you are to be truly delivered: Why then do you seek another? There are many relics of saints here, this or that saint is worshipped; go not there: seek the kingdom of God within you: seek the King of glory in your heart, which all saints have done. The kingdom which God has in our hearts is not adorned with wax nor flax, gold nor silver. The adornment of it consists in things spiritual, and inwardly as in meekness, patience, peace, joy, faith, and love: where such gifts and ornaments are perceived, you may boldly say that Christ is King, and that because in such ornaments He is found. Thus it is evident to be in vain to say: Saints will be worshipped more in one place than in another, for it is without foundation or support of the truth of scripture.\nIt is more blasphemy to assign a peculiar patron and savior to every sickness, such as Saint Roch to the pox, Saint Jobs to the falling sickness, Saint Apollony for the toothache, and so forth. Do these hypocrites think God to delegate his kingdom to princes and lords as mortal men do? No, for God says, \"I will give my honor and glory to none other.\" If our God were such one as had need of rulers under him, would not scripture rightly call him God alone, and king of all kings, Lord of all lords. Now if he needs no help from anyone, why do you assign then to one saint the pestilence, to another the falling sickness, and so forth to every sickness a separate patron, it has come so far (God have mercy) that there is scarcely a village of 8 or 9 houses but there is either one idol or another.\nWhere is Christendom coming from? What do you make of the blessed company of elects, planted and gathered in the love of God with all faithful and believing, who were patient here in their troubles and have received a lovely spirit of God, despising all honor, praise goods, and worldly preeminence, are now so unwilling, wickedly disposed, and covetous of honor that they must be appeased and reconciled again with indulging in a pilgrimage, offering of candles, or eggs? Has the salvation of saints become now a house of plagues where all misery flows? All the diseases of which you make your patrons wondrously sorrowful are natural, and were in the world before your saints were born. Our unbelief and great infidelity is the cause that we have feigned ourselves so many idols.\nBecause we have not known the only eternal and true God, but have been inclined to blind ceremonies, we have therefore come to pass, that we have put our purpose in that we have worshiped the calveskin, the Popish bulls with sticking candles to it. O Lord, look upon the affliction and punish the daughter of Zion; have pity on the destruction of Joseph's heritage.\n\nLazarus.\n\nFrom henceforth, I will set up not one little candle to any image whatsoever I have heretofore lit three candles to St. Anne every Tuesday, and on Thursdays have I worshiped the holy sacrament with half a pound of wax:\n\nbut I am now so informed of you, that henceforth I will do it no more: but rather give it to the poor and lighten the living temple of God, wherein He dwells with His mercy. Is not that best, brother Tymotheus?\n\nTymotheus.\nIt is a thousand times better, for Christ says: \"Look what you have done to the least of mine, that you have done to me.\" He does not say what you have done to my picture or image, or unto the images of my saints which I have forbidden to make or to honor. Therefore, when these saints' images come to persuade you to your old superstition, answer them: Is it not a great blindness of you to seek the saints in wood and stone contrary to the first commandment? Is it not a great folly to light the Son at broad day with a candle? The saints will say to this: \"Lord, in your light shall we behold the light.\"\nThe light of the godly vision illumines the elect always: how then will you light them with your light that is made for dispelling darkness? Do you think those are in darkness who are enlightened by the Son of righteousness? If you must set candles before them, give them eyes also so they may see them: then you may gain their favor, or else you only waste your labor and expense. Baruch the prophet strongly rebukes this ungodly honor and worship of images. After you have rebuked them for this idolatry, show them where they should bestow their candles, offerings, and other alms, acceptable to God. Also, if they wish to go on pilgrimage, show them a nearer way that they may go at less cost. Saying you are devoted to visiting the saints, it is unnecessary to travel to Rome, or to Jerusalem, or to St. James in Spain, for that would be a loss both of expenses and time.\nSeek Christ in scripture: seek him in the chamber, of your heart, there shall you be most certain of him: Seek the spirit of Peter and Paul in their writings and Epistles. Seek James in his strong faith that he continued until his death. Moreover, God is no bodily thing, and therefore he will not be worshipped with bodily things: he is a spirit, and regards no person, place, candle, or such good works. But his desire is only that we put away wicked thoughts, from our heart, as notably misbelief, despair, uncleanness, hate, envy, covetousness, and pride.\nFor those with pure hearts from these, and a humble spirit shall see God, and be called children of God, while all these holiness seekers remain without: For God, who is a spirit, will not be worshiped but in spirit and truth, where these hypocrites seek him in chosen places, on certain days, with specified ointment boxes, to declare their good intent towards him in bodily works; but they shall not touch him, for he has risen and is lifted above all that is outside, and in man's sight.\n\nLazarus.\nI will keep well your declaring, and as I can. But I know what their answer will be here to that.\n\nTimothy.\nWhat do you mean?\n\nLazarus.\nWhy then do they perform miracles more in one place than another, except that they are worshiped and sought there?\n\nTimothy.\nTo that you should answer: where a sure faith is, there is no need of tokens, but only the token of Jonas the prophet? In this token, the life and death of Christ and also the death and resurrection of every Christian man is figuratively represented. For with Jonas and Christ we must descend into the whale fish, and see tribulation and death before we can rise again into everlasting life. Like Jonas did not remain in the sea, nor Christ in the grave, but were both delivered again: even so shall God not suffer us to be overcome with any grief, nor death, but shall raise us out of this misery unto the resurrection of life. Therefore we should empty our minds of all miracles, all patrons, and fix our confidence upon this token of Jonas alone, saying with the prophet Psalm lxi: \"My soul waits only upon God, for from him comes my help. He only is my strength, my salvation, my defense, so that I shall not greatly fall.\"\nI. To Ionas shall you send all these wondrous gaspers, as Christ sent away those who out of curiosity desired to see tokens from heaven. Concerning the miracles which saints are said to have shown through their images, they are but a mockery and jester's trick of the devil. There can be no miracles done against God's holy word. It is truth that Moses confirmed the commandments, law, and made them authentic with wonders and tokens. It is also truth that the Apostles, after the Passion and ascension of Christ to heaven, confirmed their words and preachings with some miracles in the name of Jesus: (for that name being despised as a malefactor and condemned, had great need of these). But these miracles\nof saints or images cannot confirm the word of God nor do they happen for that purpose, but rather for the service of a false god.\nThey cause nothing else but a deceiving of God's word, Idolatry: which, being used and had in price among the Christians, has brought their blindness and misbelief. For by the occasion of Mercury, men run to the Idols, saying:\n\nWill not thou that I drink the chalice which my father has sent me? as though he would say: You ought to seek no means nor counsel, nor once to say against you drinking of this chalice or cup which my heavenly father has sent me. Hereby is given us to know that all our trouble is sent to us also from our heavenly father, to accept it willingly, and with a good will to drink it. How much less should we wander here and there to seek this help or that, this counsel or that, to be redeemed, and made free of our burden. Moses warns us not to be moved at any trifle, as Deut. xiii.\nIf there arises among you a prophet or dreamer and he gives you a sign or wonder, and the sign or wonder comes to pass, and he says, \"Let us go after other gods (whom you do not know), and let us serve them\"; you shall not listen to the voice of that prophet or dreamer. For your Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and listen to His voice, and serve Him, and cleave to Him. These words clearly despise the serving or worshiping of strange gods or images: They cast away all miracles and tokens that chance by God's suffering to prove us whether our trust is in Him. A dead man was conjured up by the witch of Endor at Saul's instigation, at which conjuring the devil appeared in the likeness of Samuel. Therefore, Paul also warns us, saying in the Colossians' second chapter:\nLet no man lead you to shoot at a wrong mark, which after his own choosing walks in humility and spirituality, things which he never saw. Wherein we are warned of all holiness of men, for their holiness may easily deceive us. Moreover, it happens sometimes that God takes his word out of the mouth of his true preachers and prophets and gives it to lying spirits, which the people readily accept due to their error: as we read in 3 Kings 22. God said to the lying spirit, \"Go thy way, thou shalt deceive them, (said he) and be able.\" This example teaches us not to rest nor trust in any man's holiness, wisdom, or worthiness. These and similar deceptions come to us from the right wisdom of God because we turn so lightly to strange gods, saints, false tokens, and miracles, which are set up by the occasion of some lying dream of a false prophet, or as commonly they are by the wiles of the devil.\nWhere Christ and His word are shown, and faith accepted, though Christ be new in Egypt and young: there decay immediately such damages, and annual retreats of pilgrimage going, and miracles, which are daily to be seen. For God's word is a fire: and therefore consumes it all such works as are nothing but straw, chaff, and hay, and it itself endures forever. If such mockery of miracles and pilgrimages were contrary to the word of God, then surely they would remain doubtless; but since they are not, therefore all placations which you have heard your father place must be rooted out.\n\nLazarus.\nIt is true, for there is not so much respect to the blood of Hailes, our lady of Walsingham, to this or that saint as there has been. By reason the miracles have not now given so much faith to them.\n\nTimotheus\n\nHow comes it that the souls and spirits of the dead desire times such pilgrimages? in so much that books also are made of it?\n\nTimotheus.\nBring forth now your spirits and dreams? Do not believe every spirit, for they can be nothing but illusions of the devils in the air. We read in the gospel of the rich man that he desired his five brothers in earth to be warned of the dangers and pain that he was in: but what answer was made to him? Even such as is made to every man, living now. He said, \"Let them hear Moses and the prophets.\" He said, \"A pure heart passes all other certifying of spirits, angels, or devils. For as much as God is faithful in his promise above all other creatures. This illusion of spirits does God also rebuke by Isaiah the prophet in the eighth [chapter].\"\nChapter saying: And therefore if they say unto you: Ask counsel at soothsayers, witches, charmers, and conjurers, make this answer: Is there a people anywhere who does not ask counsel from his God, whether it be concerning the dead or the living? If anyone lacks light, let him look upon the law and the testimony, whether they speak not after this meaning. Therefore let us not regard dreams and fantasies, nor yet care for any certifying of truth through their apparitions, for it is forbidden in scripture. But alas, pity infidelity is rooted so deep in men's hearts by the reason of ignorance of God's word that they believe rather the visions of Tundall, the tales of the golden legend, or such fantasies and dreams in truth: than that which God would have us learn from us, namely right wisdom and judgment in crucifying our sinful appetites, mercy in declaring service to our poor neighbor.\nIn which two points is the law and prophets contained. Lazarus. I have begun to ask, I will relate to you all that may be objected to me in this matter. Tell me good Timothe, how comes it that many religious and holy men are canonized for their miracles and approved to be saints? Timothe. The canonization of saints which popes and cardinals perform is a corrupt and ungodly thing, in which great deceit and covetousness are maintained. Do not trust in the canonization of men, not in their worthiness, holiness or wisdom, of those who are canonized, for you will be deceived therein. For the pope's kingdom which is grounded in all worldliness, glory, riches, and pomp cannot give true judgment in godly things, or concerning God's kingdom.\nBut seeing it is an outside kingdom which consists in mysteries, crosses, copes, albes, crosses, banners, showing, anointing, singing, reading, ringing, yoking, and other baggage, it cannot be judged based on outward appearances. The discernment or judgment between holy and unholy belongs only to the Son of God, who judges not according to the sight of the eyes nor according to the hearing of the ears, but according to the truth: this truth the world cannot comprehend, because she is full of lies, and (as John says) the truth is not in the lie. This is the cause why Christ warns us to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, that is, for their hypocrisy, dissembling, and doctrine: for they deceive simple hearts and seduce them with their lying which they craftily utter.\nThey seek not your salvation in the canonization of saints, nor the honor and high reputation of them. For their saints are not one jot holier for that, nor we any nearer salvation, seeing it belongs only to God to save. But they seek in this decease either their own advantage, or their carnal glory. For by canonization they get much money. Nor is any canonized one without it being procured by a singular or partial, a foolish glory whether it be of one town, city, or any other community. It is to be doubted that there are some whose bodies are canonized and worshipped here on earth, and their souls buried in hell. Since the Pope has used to make saints, the saint of all saints is set backward. For as it is said that a new broom sweeps clean, even so are the new saints the best in the opinion of the common people. Therefore Jeremiah may rightly complain upon this, saying in the sixth chapter:\nAmong my people are found wicked persons, who precisely lay their great substance and riches thereof. From me they have run away with shameful blasphemies. (It follows continually) The prophets teach falsely, and the priests follow them, and my people take pleasure in it. What will come of this at the last? Will you also need to know whether there is any saint canonized? I will show you: Of David, the Lord says: I have found a man according to my heart. Of Paul, he says that he was a chosen and elect vessel. Of Peter, that he was blessed. Of Simeon the old priest, the Holy Ghost bears witness that he was a just man, simple, and one who abode the delivery of Israel. Of Stephen, that he was full of grace, and that he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God.\nIn the canonization of these and similar saints, you are not deceived: for the proof of their canonizations, you have no need of Papal bulls. You have a sufficient account of their miracles in the book of truth. Of their truth, God himself is the record-keeper. In these saints, you shall praise the Lord, as the prophet says, \"Praise and thank God in his saints.\"\n\nLazarus\n\nIf the Pope's matter is not restrained by scripture, as I have heard from you, I marvel that it could endure so long. Nevertheless, if some had heard you, they would have called your reasons new learning, and they would follow their fathers.\n\nTimotheus\n\nNo use or custom can detract from the word of God. Otherwise, Mahomet's law has been in effect for many hundreds of years, and approved by so many learned men and of so many nations. I would rather abide by that law than by this new learning.\nIf you wish to continue in error because it has persisted long, abide by the original sin that remains in every one who enters this world. If you insist on adhering to the old and say the old is best, wear not your worn garments, eat nothing but stale and rotten eggs; what blind answers do these blind bits bring forth? Behold, says the Lord Isaiah. lxv. I will make a new heaven and a new earth. And the prophet prays, saying: Make a clean heart (O God) and renew a right spirit within me. Paul also says: Be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Why then will you be bound to it (the old)? Do you not know that you must be born again before you shall come into the kingdom of God.\nThe sun must free you from the old devil, from his deceits, from his old death before you are redeemed in truth: Just as Christ said to the Pharisees, who gloried and rejoiced in their old father Abraham according to the flesh: If you deliver yourselves from the slavery of sin, then you are truly delivered. It is no new learning when you are taught to trust in God, to be ready to serve your neighbor, to suffer adversity patiently, to despise the false gods' service: for that also have all the prophets, all the evangelists, all the apostles taught more than a thousand years ago.\n\nNew doctrines which the Popes' disciples and sworn servants have brought up within these three or four hundred years. That which Paul preached to the Athenians was also counted as new, for they said: \"Behold here comes he, the preacher of new gods.\" There is no old or new god, but there is an everlasting rock, Christ, that you may stand against all tempester and assaults.\nDo not turn lightly from the good learning that you are taught in the faith, in accordance with the scripture. Whatever you are taught besides it, let that be accursed. What can we tell what our forefathers believed or not? What can we tell which works he has imputed as sin or not? Are we sworn to their faith? Are we baptized in the name of our fathers? Why then will we earnestly abide by their faith which is uncertain to us? Is not faith a gift of God? Perhaps God has poured it out in them whom we do not know when or who, for the same reason that it is a gift of God. He who believes in me (says Christ), though he die, he shall live. This is not promised if he abides by the faith of his forefathers.\nWho is so precious of God's judgments that he knows why God allowed the world to continue in this great darkness? It has happened at times in the Old Testament among the Jews that the true service of God and the knowledge of the law was forgotten for a long time, so that no one knew of the law or its customs. As for the causes or judgment, we will refer them to God, thanking him for his benevolence in restoring to us again the pure gospel. Shall we not, brother?\n\nLazarus.\n\nYes, truly, brother, with all our hearts. I am now (thanked be God) so well eased in conscience that I feel no sadness or trouble in my heart anymore. Before, I was never quiet, now I would do this, then I would have this pilgrimage gone for me, then I would have offered that penance, which I have not made you privy to here. I have also caused golden masses to be said for me to obtain health. I fear I have offended in that as well. I must make a plain confession to you.\n\nTimothe.\nWhat are these golden masses?\nLazarus.\nThey are separate masses that are profitable against pestilence, death and similar plagues, diseases, and great sorrows. They are said or sung for the community and thereby they obtain gold from those for whom they are said. They cost me six pounds, yet they have profited me little.\nTimothe.\nI perceive well enough that you have been a vessel full of superstition: you have been so loaded with these pilgrimage relics and saints' minions as St. James with his miter. I pray you tell me, have you ever been in the brotherhood of our Lady's Psalter? Have you ever been entered in the brotherhood of Cain's kin, that is the four orders of the Pope's soldiers?\nLazarus.\nI have not named them all yet: but I was intended to have been buried in a gray friar's habit, to have been released from the third part of my sins. But now I bid this bringing farewell. I dislike the hearing of them.\n\"Show me your mind concerning the masses, whether a man may have them said on his behalf when he is absent? Seeing that Christ himself has instituted them. (Timothy) I am not advised that I ever read the name of this mass in all the writings of the apostles and other believers. When I intend to compare the mass and the supper of our Lord together, I cannot perceive it to be one thing. But since it will be too long to show the difference between them, I will defer that until our next meeting. As for answering your question, I will leave the word \"mass\" untouched and answer you scripturally with words from the scripture. You have heard of the mass, and I will answer you with the supper of our Lord.\"\nThe use of the supper that Christ instituted is for no other intent than that the bread of our Lord should be distributed, and the chalice of Christ's blood should be ministered to every man, in a remembrance of him, who offered his body unto death and shed his blood for us, for the forgiveness of sins: As he himself says, \"Whenever you do this (namely, what I am doing here as an example), do it in remembrance of me (that is), that we may show the death of our Lord. Then we declare the death of our Lord, which we preach and show to the community or congregation, how Christ has offered his body unto death for us, and that because we should not remain in eternal death, and so he has become a death to death, that we should be taken from death to life.\nIf you now cause the supper of our Lord to be used for you to such intent as Christ has ordained it: then are you admonished to despise this bodily death, which you must endure after your sins, and to thirst for the life to come.\nIf you use it to obtain health and prolong this sinful life, and turn the use of it into compelling Christ to dance after your minstrelsy, you make a game of Christ's passion and glorious death, whose fruit and operation you spurn in seeking to fulfill your sensuality. Is it not a great folly and dishonoring of God that you will have the passion of Christ called upon and remembered for you to obtain bodily health or prosperity? Is it not a gross blindness and folly to require your health of your sinful body from the death of Christ? You ought rather to consider the slaying of your carnal appetite in this present suffering through the cross, because through this suffering and willing death, you may live eternally with Christ. You seek ease and long life in Christ's cross; you ought rather to seek patient suffering and victory over death.\nWhat is this that your priests sell precious masses to you for gold or silver? You seek the kingdom of God with merchandise, which is spiritual and inward, and it comes to us without any condition or contract preceding it. Do you not know that you are buyers and sellers, and are chased by God? Or do you want Christ to come upon the earth again to bring life to you by a new way and manner, and not through death and the cross. We live and die in God; what difference does it make whether we live or die in body? The Father has given Christ all power, both in heaven and on earth; therefore, he also has power over death, hell, and all devils. If you seek ease another way, besides this or that, more than of Christ, who is a true physician for our souls, then you will be likened to the woman who had been sick for a long time and spent all her substance on physical means to obtain health, yet had no ease, which she obtained most surely in Christ.\nIt is a great plague and an horrible work of God's judgments, that he suffers us to walk thus blindly in our own invented ways, where we have more conscience of our actions than rest or joy. The cause no doubt is that we will not hear God's word, but stop our ears when we are admonished of it, esteeming it as lies. Wherefore God says, Psalm 80. My people would not hear my voice, and Israel would not obey me. So I gave them up to their own hearts' lusts, and let them follow their imaginations. Let us pray earnestly with the prophet saying: Order me ways in thy presence, my Lord God. What you seek deliverance and release with, let not your ways be rest in God's presence: For these ways has he not shown nor gone in them himself. We repine at his ways of the cross, of dying, of humbling, we show them from us with hand and foot.\nOur ways are easy to follow, they please us best, if we could obtain release through them, though the devil should help us. Where has our Christendom come to?\n\nLazarus.\n\nI have had a full answer from all: I am sorry I have strayed so far from God. My pardon letters, my relics, my foolish treatises of meditation, my beads, and all such superstitions, where I had false confidence \u2013 I will cause to be burned without delay, in witness that I renounce it all. I yield myself to my Lord God. In him I will live, in him I will die, he is the tower of my strength, no man shall draw me out of his hands henceforth. O Lord, remember not the misdeeds of my youth and ignorance. O Timothe, if I were now whole, if I could go and stand, what lust should I have to serve God: how should I run to those who lie in bed, there to distribute my alms: which now I cannot do, since I am God's prisoner.\n\nTimotheus.\nYou come forth again with your sensuality, beginning to dispute with God, checking him in his judgment, knowing he not how you may serve him best, in sickness or health? And if he knew it not, shall you teach it to him? It is his will at this time that you serve him meekly with suffering, and that you receive both this, and other adversities that he shall send you without grudging. These are the purest and most acceptable works of all that can be done without adding to them, For all that is added to this by men is unclean and sin. Where we only suffer, God working without hindrance, there is the most principal virtue, and the best work. For as it is written: The obedience of the law, and the will of God is better than all offerings. And to be at his commandment is better than to offer all fat sacrifices. Therefore, be idle, stand still, try, and see how good the Lord is.\nIf you ponder the depths of your heart for a little while, you should perceive that within you there is a false and cunning fellow hidden: you mean something different when you say, \"If I were whole, I would serve God and my neighbor.\" You do not intend the same thing; rather, it is your own love that causes you to wish for your own ease and relief from this pain, and to live a little longer. It is now time to pray, and not only in times of health. He who needs it is compelled to pray. Hypocrites pray without need, for they are full and satisfied; they are holy in their own sight. You pray sincerely when you offer your willing spirit to God and are ready to bear all that He pleases to lay upon you. This is also what the word \"devotion\" signifies, for devotion is a yielding or giving of oneself to another thing: Blessed is he who has a true devotion or giving of himself to God. Such a man always has his will fulfilled in all that can satisfy him, because his will is entirely yielded to God.\nFor this reason, he is ever so well content, he would not start, though he saw the devil, no though he must descend into hell. He that has such devotion prays without ceasing, whether he wakes, sleeps, goes, stands, rests, labors, although his lips move not, though he knocks not his breast, though he touches God with his fleshly strokes, which all is but hypocritical game. It is great skill to pray and to say much: to give over the heart to God, and to make much rummaging with the mouth differs not much. Paul preferred five words spoken in understanding: than five thousand words spoken with the breath of the mouth. God is a spirit, and in spirit and truth he will be worshiped. The alms deeds that you would give if you were whole, does not God esteem for their multitude, but he regards the intent, and will that you have to them. A cup of cold water shall not God forget, not for cause of the water, but for the good will of the giver, which perchance is of no greater ability.\nHe who gives a draft of water to a prophet, in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet. And why? For God regards the heart and mind, but man regards the outward work. This is testified by the widow in the gospel, who cast in only a farthing: which nevertheless had given more than those who gave great sums. Paul also says: If there is a will to compassion, they have done enough alms before God. All that you give without such readiness of heart is not counted for an alms before the Lord. Of this readiness of heart (which love does cause) comes outward giving of alms. Whom I do not love, upon him I have no compassion, nor do I do any more succor him than though his poverty and grief were not concerning me. Therefore Paul says: Though I give all my goods to feed the poor, and yet have no love, it profits me nothing.\nThus they are not external alms that make a man Christian, but by giving alms he declares himself to have the love of his neighbor and that he is a Christian. Be content to be thus pressed in body according to God's will, pray to God in spirit, give alms, visit the poor with your heart, saying you cannot do it with the body, and God shall accept it as if you had done it with your deed. For he regards the heart.\n\nLazarus: \"Would that I might do it so well as I would like. This flesh is so slothful. I cannot bring it to the cross and die, which grieves me. Oh, where is he who will redeem me? Oh, when I think of this, how narrow is the gate, and how straight is the passage to death?\"\n\nTimothy.\nBe not discouraged in this assault and battle, but rather be comforted with the example of Christ, saying: I must be baptized yet again, but oh how tedious am I before I can fulfill it? This tedious time begins to work in you, that you, being cleansed of your old sinful nature, might become a new creature in God. As the bodily birth of our mother in this world is painful: even so the going out again into eternal life is easy. But it is a comfort that, like a woman bringing a new creature into this world and being delivered of her birth pains, so are we delivered of this body by death, which is knitted with sin and causes us always to go astray from the way. Moreover, (as it is in truth) you do not suffer this grief alone, but the Lord assists those with a contrite heart, and those of a lowly spirit shall he release. The inner man (that is your spirit) sustains your suffering. Hear what is contained in Psalm xc.\nBecause he has set his love upon me. I shall deliver him. I shall defend him, for he has known my name. When he calls upon me, I shall hear him: I will be with him in his trouble, and I will deliver him, and bring him to honor. Sit you down, God is faithful in his promises: He shall not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able. God sends every man temptation with measure, and not above his power. Therefore says the prophet David: you shall feed us with the bread of tears, and give us tears to drink with measure. Consider the saying of the prophet Isaiah in his book: \"The multitude of your consolations have not comforted my soul. When you are praying to the Father in need, how can you give him a stone? And if you asked for a fish, how could he give you a serpent? Since he has promised to give a good spirit to those who ask him (Luke xi).\nAs a handmaiden's eyes are continually fixed upon her mistress's face, so let ours be upon the Lord our God until he has mercy on us: It is sufficient that your inward man consents to God's law, recognizing it as good, which corrects you in your sins and causes you to see. Paul himself could not do good that he willed, but the evil that he did not.\n\nLazarus: Where does Paul say the same thing, I pray you? For I feel it in me.\n\nTimothy: In the seventh chapter to the Romans.\n\nLazarus: I will cause the same chapter to be read to me at your convenience. I will show you examples of how some have grown stronger in faith through temptation, suffering, sickness, and death, and again others have offended and grown weaker: examples teach best.\n\nTimothy: I will do it gladly at your request. It was promised to Abraham by God that in his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed, and that his seed would be multiplied as the stars of heaven.\nAbraham, as a father of the faithful, accepted these promises with certain faith and trust, believing it would come to pass as God had said, even though it was strange because he was old and his wife bore fruit late in life. This was written not only about Abraham but also about us, as Paul states in Romans 4. For it will be counted to us as justification if we believe in him, who raised our Lord God Jesus Christ, who was betrayed for our sins and raised from the dead for our justification. This faith was good before God, but it had to be proven and tested for our instruction, as the temptation following attests. (Genesis 22)\nGod has tested or proven Abraham, saying: \"Take your only son Isaac, whom you love, and offer him as a sacrifice.\" Similarly, Job's faith was tried, who had a witness from God that he was a just and simple man, fearing God. Now when this man was struck by Satan in his children, goods, and body, he fell to the ground and worshiped God, saying: \"Blessed be the name of God: We have received good from His hand, why should we not also receive evil?\" As it has pleased God, so it has happened: His name be blessed. Therefore, follow the patience of this man Job in your suffering, and you shall not sin with your mouth. Moreover, good Tobias was not moved by his blindness, but remained steadfast in the fear of God all the days of his life, saying: \"God be thanked. For I perceive that temptation is a sure token that I shall be counted among the righteous.\"\nRaphael the angel declared openly, \"Because you were accepted and beloved by God, it was necessary that temptation should try you. Those who have pleased God have always proven, for your comfort, that we should not despair when any trouble comes to us from our beloved father's hand. The carnal mind cannot perceive or comprehend that trouble is profitable and a test of our faith; but as soon as they encounter any trouble, they are offended with the works of God, saying to all the righteous who suffer, 'Do you yet continue in your perfection?' Curse God and die. It is plain now that he is no god who thus scourges you and utterly forsakes you. Why do you trust him yet? Speak much good of him who brings death upon you, for he is as worthy of your blessing as a willful murderer to be saved.\"\nShrenk forgives him, denies him, and remembers that you are mortal, and with this life you pass through all dangers, trust yet to obtain good things from your Lord? These and similar words stir up our wife's sensuality in our minds when we are troubled. For then the flesh does not know or feel that God, under correction, and under the shine of His wrath, has hidden lovely countenance, and covers the true life in death. The friends of the aforementioned Job also were offended through his great suffering, saying: When did the innocent perish? When were the righteous destroyed? Call, look whether there is any body now to give you an answer, of the hope that you had in the Lord? Turn to any of the saints, and behold whether such things happened to them? Now see how the ungodly friends, who take part with our flesh, judge our acceptability to God, by these worldly prosperities. Behold how carnal wisdom estimates that for a curse, which faith receives as a godly rejoicing.\nThe friends who loved Toby for his flesh mocked the good man for being blind, just as those who did not understand the work of patience and the glory of the cross said, \"Where is your hope, for which you have done alms and buried the dead? This is the reward you have for doing good.\" But listen to how Tobias rebuked them, saying, \"Say not so, for we are the children of holy men and look for the life which God will give to them, who never turn their belief from him.\"\nBehold the strong faith of Tobias: with such an answer shall you show, and avoid the wicked in expectation of Satan, who always entices you in your speaking: Are you foolish that you look for remission of sins by the blood of Christ? And look for life by death? You shall be deceived, for who has risen from death? Do not you see how the faith of your Christ is denied? If he loved you as you think, would he not do you good? If he were a true savior, and true God, he would not suffer you to lie here thus, he would not order you thus. I counsel you to let this Christ go, what have you to say to him since he does you no good, he only torments you, with hell and life to come, herewith would he lead you as with a line. It is not as he makes you believe. Eat, drink, and be merry, set your heart upon a sweet ground, as it was yesterday, so shall it also be now. Let us eat, and drink, for what shall we have more, tomorrow we must die.\nDo not be ashamed of the foolish faith of Christ. I can accomplish all your desires on earth. Do you not see how my kind is exalted in the world, and we live at ease? We are wealthy in riches, we have many friends, our houses are without care, and we are not scourged, our cattle increase, our flocks multiply, our children play, and we are merry, we play on instruments.\nWhat do you gain under the banner of the poor, wretched, naked, disfigured, and crucified Christ, save only poverty, anguish, and continual cross? Lo, How his disciples go through the streets with sore eyes, the fools and niggards, they are not able to give a mouse a morsel of meat, and when they have served him long enough, obeying his commandments, at the last they are hewn, chopped, stuck, burned, drowned, or come to such shameful ends, what victory has he gained? Where do you see him rise again?\nWhere see you the sword shrink from him? The fire consumes him, and water overwhelms him, where abides his God, who will not forsake him in the point of death?\nLazarus.\nAh brother, how shall I be able to escape these snares of the subtle find? Verily, such temptations have at times made me so doubtful and perplexed of heart that I knew not whether to shift myself. If God had not sustained me, I might have fallen into despair, and choked in my unbelief.\nI have often been displeased with God, seeing all things prospering so well with them, and I, along with those like me, laboring and toiling against the moon and seven stars, coming out of one cross into another. My thought, if I were God, I would have ordered the game otherwise.\n\nTimothy.\n\nVerily, brother, the devil with his fleshly pleasures (which he lays before me to tempt them) has a pleasant beginning as a sweet bait, but in the end, it is bitter. If you behold the lusts of the flesh before you with the eye, then they are very pleasant, as a fair woman carefully adorned. But if her face is turned, then it is all horrible what you see. This is the broad, lusty way, of which Christ speaks, saying that many walk it, but she brings them to eternal damnation. The children of this world who live so wealthy, pass their time in joy, it is true. But what follows? Suddenly they go down to hell, says Job. xxi. Psalm lxxii.\n\"I too was nearly overcome by the sight of worldly men and the temptation of wealth, as we all are sometimes saying? My feelings (that is, the thoughts with which the heart moves) were almost gone, my steps were near slewed. And why? I was grieved to see the wicked prosper. For they are in no parallel to death, but stand firm as a palace. They come in no misfortune like other men, nor are they afflicted like other people. Therefore, brother, I exhort you not to be moved by such inspirations of the devil, and not to be grieved or offended by the wicked: for you shall see their end, how they shall wither like flowers in the field. Be renewed in the Lord, and he shall accomplish the desires of your heart. Say always with the prophet, 'It is good for me to continue in God, and to set my hope and confidence in my Lord my God.'\"\nThe children of God though they seem here in the sight of the ignorant to die: yet is their portion and heritage enduring forever. This the wicked will find true afterwards, and complain when it shall be too late, and wail when they shall be counted among saints, whom they sometime took here for madmen, as the Book of Sapience in the fifth chapter clearly expresses. O Lazarus, if it should be according to your mind, it should not be well. If you should rule the wagon one day, heaven and earth would run on a heap, like as poets delight to say Phaeton did. Enter not into deep judgments, let him rule, he shall order it better than we can devise.\n\nLazarus.\nYou speak truth, We will have a saying in the matter, and would also, by God's will: But if we perceived what it means, we should let God alone scarcely. Nevertheless I cannot fully trust him to be my lord, my God, my father: for he seems sometimes utterly to have forsaken me, as though I were none of his.\n\nTimothe.\nIt is no strange thing that God seems to have forsaken you at times. Christ himself experienced it, and willingly endured temptation for our example and comfort, as he hung on the cross for great strength of pain and suffering, saying: \"My Lord, my God, why have you forsaken me?\" Not that he was ever forsaken or destitute of deity; but this disease he took upon himself willingly, that we might call upon the father in our anguish. Which surely shall hear us, you have heard us already in Christ before we call upon him. For it is written in the prophets that he shall hear us before we call upon him, and before our prayer is finished, he shall have heard us. It is not possible for a father to leave his children in their greatest need. Though a mother may forget the child born of her body, yet shall not I forget you, says the Lord God.\nThat the prophet says: The Lord has not withdrawn His face from me, and when I called upon Him, He heard me. Behold in the Psalter how pitifully Christ complains to His father of His need, when He came in the depth of the sea of tribulation. Observe how David complains his need before God. I have said in the excess of my mind, I am cast away, Lord. Therefore, you have heard the voice of my prayer when I called upon You. Seeing your temptation and pain is common to Christ and all other saints. Therefore render them to God: for He is more that is in us, than He that is in the world. Therefore, may He also comfort, help, and aid more than health, riches, or friends. Whoever feels his faith is weak and slack, then draw to Christ with the apostles, having a hearty desire, and say: Lord, increase my faith, and all your sicknesses shall not be imputed to you for sin.\n\nLazarus\nI thank you, Brother Timothe, for your virtuous and loving exhortation, which you have shown to my brotherly self. I pray God instantly helps my unbelief, and gives me patience in all my suffering: that I may set my heart at rest in him alone, who is part of my heritage and passion, which will also give me my heritage again, though by sin it is once taken away.\n\nTimothe: I will do it gladly and with all my heart, good brother. Pardon me for I have been away from you for too long.\n\nLazarus: You have not truly been: Come again soon or tomorrow to inform me more fully of the matter.\n\nTimothe: I will do it. Our neighbor Tobias will be with you tomorrow to teach you something about dying.\n\nLazarus: Let it be so, I pray.\n\nTobias, coming before Lazarus' bed, says:\n\nPeace be in this house. How are you, Lazarus?\nYou're welcome, brother. I have longed for you. Please take a seat and join me if you please.\n\nTobias.\nI will. How are you? Is everything well?\n\nLazarus.\nNo, not really, brother. But God be thanked, it is getting better.\n\nTobias.\nI am glad to hear that. I trust it will fully heal, for the Lord is merciful. He forgives sin in times of trouble and is a defense to all those who call upon him with true desire. When your father has ruled you enough, then cast her into the fire. When God has struck, then he heals again.\n\nDo you feel any improvement? Your face does not please me best.\n\nLazarus.\nI believe truly that my body is fading away, I admit it, for death is due to it. But my spirit and faith are sure (thank God), and they are growing stronger every day. The longer I am sick, the less grief I feel. My thoughts begin even to say with the prophet: Your rod and your staff have comforted me.\n\nTobias.\nGood Lord, how fine do I hear such witness of faith: Now speak ye as a Christian man. I would not have believed that I should have found you so virtuously disposed. I see well the hand of the Lord is not shortened. He can daily cause men to speak with new tongues, as he did his disciples on the day of Pentecost. As I was last with you, I departed sorrowfully, because I heard nothing of you but blasphemies and murders against God, you were so unwilling. But God has now endowed you with his mercy, so that you may sing a Christian praise to his name.\n\nLazarus.\n\nTruly brother, that which caused me to be so wide from God, led to my unbelief and the troubled conscience of mine own, for so much as I was imprisoned and captive to men's constitutions, and works of my own choosing: But now is the snare destroyed, and I am rid of them. God has given increase unto the word that our brother Timothy has ministered unto me.\n\nTobias.\n\nMay God grant him his full knowledge, that he may be glorious in him forever.\nGod has given our brother Timothe a singular grace in explaining scripture. I am sure he has given you many good exhortations of Christian patience and mortifying the old Adam.\n\nLazarus:\nThat he has done earnestly, and has rebuked my conscience of its hypocrisy, and loosed it by the working of God. I see now the blindness and error that I have been seduced with. I renounce them in my heart. Tobias:\nWhat? I pray, brother?\n\nLazarus:\nI will tell you: As soon as Timothe was gone out of my house, I could not keep the joy of your word longer in my heart. But I called all my household together and rehearsed before them all that I had heard of Timothe. I caused the relics and spiritual gifts that freemen and nobles had sent me to be burned in the presence of all my household, because those who had offended by me in them should see the witness of my faith, to their strengthening.\nTobias: Ought I not have done so?\n\nTobias: In that, have you acted according to the gospel? This was a true penance, and a true satisfaction for your sins. I doubt not but you have received a true absolution from him who alone can forgive sins, that is God.\n\nLazarus: Now is my desire of you, good Tobias, that you also will teach me some good thing from the holy scripture to despise death, and to receive it willingly by faith: For I have received the sentence of death. Fulfill that which you promised me by Timotheus, and I will pray God entirely to give me ears to hear, which hitherto have been stopped by the flesh, which I fear not but he will do it.\n\nTobias: Seeing that you hunger so much for the word of God. I will explain it to you in the name of God, as far as he sends me spirit and utterance. Sit you easy enough, or shall I raise you somewhat higher?- You may sit a little.\n\nLazarus: No, I pray you, for I was just now seated. Begin in the name of God must you will.\n\nTobias:\nThe philosophers had diverse opinions of death, but most agree that death is a parting of the body and soul. In natural departing, we shall not Christian men six our philosophical eyes, nor judge with a heathenish judgment in this matter. For as long as we consider natural death as life to the believer: but to the ungodly it is everlasting death. By this, it appears to every Christian maid that the philosophers do say a lying word, namely, that death is the most horrible thing of all horrors. The cause why they said so, was, that in their opinion, by death man is deprived of the most pleasant thing for eternity, which is not true. For a Christian man has no greater charge, heavier burden, or more enemy than the body of sin, as you shall hear more hereafter.\nAs superstition has shaped the devil to deter sin and evil, so has it figured death as a fearful reward for sin, according to the desire of life that comes to us. Put away the opinion of death from your heart, and you shall not fear it. The sicknesses and weaknesses, which are tedious for our flesh to bear and make the flesh ever weaker against the assault of death, they are not death: But the figure of death, which appears to us before death due to unbelief, is the most grievous and heinous death. So we cause death to ourselves, as we cause other griefs also in our hearts. The very suffering and parting of the soul from the body is not in the point of death: but that we, by considering death, are drawn and compelled to leave the body, which we set great store by, and this causes death to be bitter.\nWhat the death of sinners is the worst and most bitter: seeing they must have heavenly swallowed up all worldly things: So that we do esteem it a great advantage to be delivered from this wretched body, which caused us to wander and be absent from God. The sure way of attaining glory rejects, overcomes, and refuses all painful griefs, of which the unfaithful (who fear death) are astonished, and in every way possible they resist death. Wherefore it is a true saying he dies well who dies in earnest. As much faith as a Christian man has in the life to come, so much he despises this temporal death. And again, as much unbelief as a Christian has toward God and love for himself, so much he fears and flees bodily death. Lo, this is the summary briefly touched upon concerning death.\nBy this shall you perceive sufficiently that death is not to be feared, in so much as she is rid of her sting and venom: it is swallowed up in the victory of Christ, who has overcome him that had the power of death (that is the devil) for the health of all faithful which shall obtain heaven according to the ability of their faith.\n\nLazarus.\n\nAlas, brother, you have given me so much at once to eat that I cannot swallow it all: you must give it to me in pieces, as Timothe did, that I may come to a plain understanding.\n\nTobias.\n\nThat I may do it comely, I must begin where Timothe left off. I told you that he dies well who dies before he dies. The first dying is in the mortifying or slaying of the old Adam that is our sensual appetites.\nThe sensual appetites that live in you and must be slain in you are love of self, lust for idleness, pride and boasting, appetite for revenge, provoking to anger, inordinate love for your wife, children and friends' desire for bodily health, wishing for temporal fortune, love of self, and bodily or spiritual work. In these things does our old man covet to live longer and longer. These desires are mortified and slain in us by the spirit of God, in the new inward man, which rests in God and is at once with God whatever befalls him, whether it be in body, goods, life or death, in friends, in name or fame: You though his body were ground to powder, yet would he not gain say it, nor depart from God therefore, which causes him to attempt inwardly, through the spirit of faith, how sweet and good the Lord is. To this dying Scripture exhorts us. To this rest and Sabbath draws us the spirit of God.\nSo much as you are crucified in the aforementioned carnal appetite, so much spiritual increase you gain in the inward man, which does not shrink for all that, nor suffers the cross to overcome him, but approaches rather nearer, appearing to death, where his trust is to gain life, which faith, and hope shall not be gained, as Paul says in the Second to the Romans:\n\nWithout the tents of your sensuality, and bear the lowlyness of your bridegroom with you in your body unto death: For if we die with Christ, we shall also live with him: if we suffer with him, we shall reign with him. You thank the Father that by this suffering he has made you apt to enjoy one part with all saints, that he has redeemed you from all power of darkness, and set you in the kingdom of his beloved son, through whose blood we have obtained forgiveness and redemption of sins.\nSeying then, you Lazarus, how shall I understand one who has not suffered enough? What is Paul saying, namely, that he fulfilled in his body that which was lacking in Christ's affliction? He even dared to say that he bore the marks of Christ in his body: Not the five wounds that Francis dreamed of receiving in his hands and feet, but the marks of the scourging, weariness, and cross that he was forced to bear patiently for the gospel. In this patience, he was said to bear Christ's passion and receive his wounds: for Christ first bore such pain, persecution, marks, and cross, so much so that he was drawn out and emptied through suffering, as Isaiah says (33:4). When we look upon him, there will be no fairness; we shall have no desire for him. He shall be the most simple, and despised by all, yet he has good experience of sorrows and infirmities.\nWe shall reckon him so simple and so vile, that we shall hide our faces from him. Yet (in truth) he only takes away our infirmity and bears our pain. So it might be asked whether there was any pain like his? For he seemed a worm and not a man. Seeing Christ, the head of the congregation of Christians, took upon him to suffer, it was necessary that he should ascend to the highest degree, to sanctify his congregation being pure, and washed with the fountain of water in the word that he should glorify it, having no spot, nor wrinkle, nor any blemish but that it should be holy and without blame. The head Christ suffers yet daily in his members. This passion he is willing to suffer, until the time that he shall have cast all his enemies under his feet. That is: when he shall deliver up his kingdom to his Father. 2 Corinthians xv.\nWhoever therefore is crucified with Christ - that is, whoever slays and kills his carnal appetites, and persuades them hatefully, as our sins are hatefully pursued in Christ until death he submits in his body that which is lacking of Christ's passion. For Christ is said to suffer what his members suffer, or will suffer. Even as Christ said to the common persecutor of the Christians: Saul, Saul, I am Jesus whom you persecute. How could you persecute Jesus, who sits at the right hand of his Father, save only in his members.\n\nLazarus.\n\nI have understood that very well now, that it is a passion which first Christ as head, and so all other true Christians as members, have suffered, or shall suffer: For when the head is sick, then mourn all the members, and when the members are diseased, the head is not well neither.\n\nTobias.\nYou have understood me well, so let it be for your consolation that you are not forsaken alone, but that Christ himself, as head, and all Christians as members are suffering with you. In Christ's communion there is no strife, nor partiality, but a communion or fellowship of all that is good or bad, sweet or sour. The one member cares for another. When one suffers, all do suffer; when one is glorified, they all are glorified. The communion of saints is so great that we may glory and rejoice in the goodness of the other, as though they were our own. By the glory of Christ shall our dishonor be glorified. And by his fullness shall we be lost in our poverty. His merits shall put away our misdeeds. Who is he now that is in pain who would not be merry, seeing man bears not his sins, or if he bears them he bears them not alone, for he has Christ himself to help him, & so many children of God. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10: One bread, and one body we are many.\nThis all comes from the spiritual Mary, which God our Father has made with His only beloved Son, and us. For by this are we made one with God as man and wife are two in body, and all other things are common. A child is born to us, and a son is given to us, Isaiah 9. Therefore He is our own Christ's victory: is our victory: Christ's rising is our rising. Moreover, what we are, we are not of ourselves, for we have already yielded to Christ our faith. Paul says 1 Corinthians 6: \"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? Whom you have received from God, and are not your own. For you are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. We are delivered over in writing to the law of God, and His promises, and He is again delivered in writing to us for salvation and welfare. The bond of matrimony must be known on both parties, or it is of no effect.\nThus it is reasonable that we bear Christ in our body, even as he bears us, making us partakers of all his goods. So the Christian bride may say, \"My love is mine, and I am his.\"\n\nLazarus:\nThat is very comfortable, that Christ has accepted us and given himself to us. Whereby we have received his life for our death, his strength for our weakness, his righteousness for our sins. But when do we bear Christ in our body?\n\nTobias:\nWhere we are contrary to Christ and do not follow his teachings, example, and spirit, there we are not bearing Christ. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 13: \"Do you not know that Jesus Christ is in you? Except you are unworthy.\"\nThose who through the spirit of God are obedient in all patience, ready to obey God's commandments, yielding and delivering themselves to the will of God, compelled and made eager in heart, may say with Paul: I live now not I, but Christ lives in me. Paul also crucified his flesh with his passions, so that the world became a cross to him, and he a cross to the world again. He was said to bear Christ in his body, for his body was daily destroyed through the cross, like the body of Christ was slain by the cross and suffering. To such like mortifying, Paul exhorts us in Romans 12: I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. This is an acceptable sacrifice, which is consumed by the fire of suffering (which we bear willingly with Christ) like a true burnt offering.\nFor in the day of tribulation we offer unto God a true sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips in knowing his name. That we, as the pain of our body comes plentiful upon us, may know the name of Christ, which is a token that we are Christ's disciples and guided by his spirit, by whom he has been obedient to his father's will unto the death of the cross. Or else should we be like those who believe so long as all things prosper, but in time of temptation they shrink. The spirit of faith teaches and assures us that Christ in our suffering is our comfort, and in our dying our life. The sacrifice of praise shall worship me (says the Lord), and there is the way where I shall show my salvation. A dead and mortified heart is a sacrifice very acceptable before God.\nHe that has mortified his natural body here in earth, he that is dead in his heart, he that bears Christ in his body, because he will go with Christ without the tents of his heart, without the gate, bearing the reproaches of his savior with him on his shoulder: he shall not fear death, he shall not esteem death his enemy, nor flee from it: For she takes not that which he would rather keep but gives him that, which he would keep with all his heart. The temporal life is sweet unto the flesh, but our life that we shall lead with Christ is sweeter.\n\nLazarus.\n\nTruth it is, and therefore is death unto us passage to life. Wherefore we ought to pray earnestly that he not let us fall into such temptation that might overcome us: but that he will deliver us: from all evil that might draw us from the faith. For it is the mighty work of God to believe that we are his, you even in the point of death, which as yet I do not feel in me.\nI feel another law within me that is contrary to the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. I look about for the fleshly allurements of Egypt, where I was wont to sit. When the figure of death presents itself before me, then I search whether I cannot escape behind out of this wretched life. Seeing I am so bound by sin. I ought to be obedient at God's calling and without looking back: but I desire the wife of Lot. I cannot leave the looking about, though my neck lies thereon. My wife, the flesh with which I am laden, is yet very weak to withstand such temptation. Alas, brother, I cannot leave this wife.\n\nFear not, good brother, fear not. Such longing and looking back, such battling, and weakness did also Paul feel, when he beholding his wretchedness said in the seventh to the Romans, \"O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?\" It is necessary that such assaults come upon us.\n\nTobias.\nVictory comes through fighting against sin, and from victory comes triumph, but no one shall be crowned except he who fights righteously. If you wish to triumph with Christ over sin and death without battle, that cannot be: for such a way has not Christ shown you. Fight like a true soldier of Christ. Fear of death and shrinking from it is natural weakness, which is not damning: for it is not imputed to us for sin. You, Christ yourself, took such weakness upon you for us, when you began to sweat, to tremble, and to be sorrowful for the coming death, Matthew XXVI. Why did he do so, seeing he knew death could not harm him? He knew well he would see no corruption.\nWhy was he afraid? He knew that his death would bring life to us all, and overcome death, why then did he not rather rejoice in that death, from which so much goodness would come? What should it grieve him to die? Would he rather have delayed it? Did he not wish us such mercy and welfare, seeing he seemed to covet to be free from this suffering? Alas, no, that is far from the truth. But seeing he took upon himself bare human head, it pleased him to test the weakness of humanity, because we should not faint if like temptation arose against us again: For no man living (be he ever so holy) is free. For the old Adam, the wife of Loth, does not forsake her kind in fighting, and desiring against the spirit. Which battles and desires we overcome, and have overcome by faith, that assures us to have a true bishop by God the Father, namely Jesus Christ, who has been tempted in all points, that he might know how to help those who are proved.\nThe Lord is true, for He can prove and deliver good Christians out of temptations again. Christ, who knew no sin, has become sin for us, so that we may be the justification or righteousness of God in Him. Christ has condemned sin in His flesh. Sin is condemned, and put away in Christ; it cannot condemn us, for it must be far removed from righteousness. Christ justifies us, and who can blame us? Christ discharges us from all sin, what devil or what flesh is it then that can lay any sin or fault upon us? The infirmities and weaknesses that you have after you are baptized, you have in common with all saints; you will feel them more or less until the body of death is completely and truly put away. Do not be disturbed by the small worldly thoughts or pleasures; but knock against the true cornerstone Christ, by whom you shall be saved.\nWhat do we desire after this life? What pleasant thing perceive you in it, that might cause you to desire a long life? What is this life, save a continual battle and cross, a deadly enemy, and continual hatred? What is it but a prison of sin? For the evil that we hate, that we do: and the good that we love, that we do not. The grace and mercy through Jesus Christ must deliver us, or else we shall be stuck fast by the feet. We have here no abiding city, but seek and long for another that is coming. For we know (if at least we believe) that if the earthly dwelling place of our body is corrupted and destroyed, we have a building ordered by God, an everlasting house in heaven. II Corinthians 5:2-4. Therefore we sigh and groan, looking about before we can be rid of this body, that is because we would fain be clothed with the heavenly dwelling place without putting off or avoiding this earthly cloth and dwelling place.\nWe would like to keep this filthy sack because of the company we have had with it, so that the mortal might be swallowed up by the immortal, without assault from death. But that cannot be: Seeing it is ordained for man once to die. And that we should leave here on earth by parting of the soul, that which we have received from the earth. And well is it for us, that God, seeing our misery, has pitied us, making our death safe through his death: For he has become a death unto death, so that death has no fearfulness in her, save only her visage to frighten the childish in faith, and those who have understanding. But to the faithful and them that have understanding, is she deprived of her sting, and venom. If you avoid your mind of the grimness and utter appearance of her, then you shall find no death in her. Go boldly to death, break open his jaws, look what is in him. You shall find no life, no power or strength in him to harm you.\nProvoke him boldly to meet you in the fighting place, and he shall flee from you. Defy death with all those who can abide with him, for they cannot harm you, they cannot touch one hair of you. Speak harshly with the prophet Osias. O death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your glory or rejoicing?\n\nThe death is swallowed up in Christ's victory. And therefore is death called in scripture a sleep more than death. Of this have you a goodly figure, The brazen serpent that Moses made in Numbers. xxi. seemed afar off to have been a serpent in deed, but if you did approach it, then you might perceive clearly that it was a dead serpent, and that it had no venom, that it could neither bite nor sting. Even so is it with death, outwardly it has a fearful visage, but the power of it is taken away by Christ: For he has overcome him, O death, as you shall hear more hereafter.\nYou're declaration that you have showed here is very spiritual, I believe it is all as you say: you and I are well pleased with it. Yet I perceive that good men, who have such feeling and knowledge in themselves (that is, that the death of Christ is death to them natural death), shrink and wince at the point of death as if death still had power over them.\n\nTobias:\nTruth it is that the way which brings us to life is straight, and the portal of death narrow. Therefore we cannot pass unto death by suffering without strictness and persistence: but what is it to the life and health? The body must fulfill its natural course, it ought not nor can do otherwise, it can only wrench, pinch, shrink, and quiver. Let the ass bear the trust steadfastly, it makes no difference, yet for all this we will not fear death.\nIf death can do no more, what keeps us from yielding: it is easy to be overcome, this wrenching may be permitted him sufficiently, all is for one evil hour. Let the flesh perceive in itself the testament of Adam until the last hour. We have nothing now to walk in but hope: this hope and enduring of life to come will cause us to overcome the sorrow and woe of death, and quickly forget it. It is but the smallness of a flea that hurts not the soul. Death is better for us than we can think: she releases us from all misery, joins us to God, and sends us forth to everlasting life. Let Heath and Turks fear death, which have no faith in the life to come: But our conversation and thoughts are in heaven, for from thence we await our Lord Jesus Christ, who will restore our castaway body again, making it conformable to his glorified body.\nIf we had not this hope of the resurrection of the body, trusting in Christ no longer during this life: then we are as the man says, Paul in 1 Corinthians xv. The most wretched and refuse of all men: But now is Christ dead and risen again, therefore we too should rise again in Him in a new life. Death is our last enemy holding us from life, this must be overcome in us also. Christ died for nothing if He has not annulled the power and law of death. Christ is not risen from death if we must abide in death. If Christ be not risen, then our faith is in vain, then we shall abide in our sins, then is scripture a lie, then are the apostles also and the prophets false witnesses of God, that is far from the truth. For Christ died and is risen again, that He should have dominion over quick and dead.\nWherfore, as we all die in Adam, so shall we be resurrected again in Christ, of whom resurrection Christ has made a proof in himself. Therefore, Paul says: If the Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead dwells in you, then you also will be resurrected by the Spirit that dwells in you.\n\nLazarus.\nThen I shall not be moved, though the flesh sometimes sighs and moans because of death and the faintness of pain, but I will always await the redemption to come with an uplifted head that is with a merry spirit. For if I should consider all things, what else is in this valley of tears save pain and anguish, sin and wickedness.\n\nTobias.\n\nThe poets and philosophers esteemed death to be a good thing, because it is the end of all misery and a rest from all evil. Many pagans have been less abashed by death than we are. Socrates did drink his death laughing.\n\nHe thought death was not to be feared, fortifying it with the dead.\nIf the fleshly affection and high mind of Socrates could not fortify and strengthen his doctrine against the natural fear of death: What then shall we certain believers in Christ, who know we cannot die, do? Ought not the hope of life come to take from us the beholding of death? Though the just and faithful seem to die in the sight of the ignorant, who are burned, drowned, beheaded, yet they do not once see death: I will not say try death, for they die in peace. They were dead before in God by giving themselves over to God, and he who dies in God lives eternally. Happy are those who die in the Lord, for their dying is changed into living. That is what Christ says: He who keeps my word will not die forever.\nThey have always made hell seem white. They made us so afraid of death, and chiefly in that they said that the devil appears to us very horribly, coming to tempt us with this or that evil, whereby every man feared death. But where was the word of God, which promises: That we who believe in Christ shall never taste, nor see death. Have these false teachers and blind leaders never seen such evangelical scripture, nor read, nor heard it?\n\nTobias.\n\nThough they have seen, heard, and read it, yet have they not believed it: For the prince of this world has blinded their unbelieving hearts. Where is no faith, there is a perpetual disquietness of conscience, there is a fearful hell, a fearfulness, you a sea full of all fearfulness, remorse, and unbelief. There is hell white, and the devil black, there is a perpetual racking place of a sinful conscience.\nIn the way of sinners is great tribulation and labor, as they themselves testify: We are weary in the way of wickedness, we have traveled many ways, and the way of truth has not overshadowed us. That is it that the wise man says: The heart of the wicked woman is like a sea tossed with waves. And because these hypocrites and workholy ones seek peace where they find no peace, but great disquiet and trouble, for the ungodly have no peace, says the Lord God; therefore they think every man is as doubtful and unstable-hearted as they are. They think every man estimates himself more holy and better than others, therefore they think others must feel greater fire than they themselves, and that others must feel the gnawing worm in their consciences more than they. Wherefore they argue and make the law, the devil, and death more heinous before men's eyes.\nThey that are the most fearful (as they are) will they be more horrible and dreadful with words and other things: whereby they become nothing but tormentors of the simple. I believe their worm never rests, & their fire never quenched. I believe right well they go astray, finding no rest with Cain the man-slayer. I believe they run faithless with Judas to the priests and freedmen to be shriven, for comfort and rest, but they abide still desperate. I believe right well they are ready to do satisfaction for their sins with Antiochus, and of mistrust give money to pray for them: But all their fasting, praying, going warde and barefoot, all their muling and babbling shall not help them. Whether soever they turn themselves, they find always sin present, they meet always the devil and death in the teeth.\nHow can they teach otherwise than they find? How should they preach the gospel of peace which never tasted peace? How should they instruct another in God's behalf of his atonement, of his rest and victory over death, and his assurance from hell, who have no faith thereof? Let none of these devil martyrs make you thus foolish or foolish. If you have the word of God, it shows you peace and forgiveness; you have God. Where there is rest, there is God, there is an everlasting counselor.\n\nThere is rooted out the fear of death, you devil, and hell. For fear is not in love, but it excludes fear. Paul says: We that are justified by faith have peace with God. He that is justified thus by the true faith of Christ, though he saw the devil, death, and hell with his eyes, yet would not he be abashed, but he would rather fight against them and overcome them, than he would fly one foot, and why? for the gates of hell, that is the power of the same, cannot overcome the faith of Peter.\nSaints have overcome kingdoms by faith, righteousness, and obtained the Godly promises. The prophet says: \"Though a battle rose against me in that I hope. Though I must go through the midst of death, yet shall not I fear, for thou art with me, Lord.\" Thou hast prepared a table before me against my enemies. Be of good comfort (says Christ), for I have overcome the world. That is the victory it overcomes the world through your faith, says John. \u00b6Lazarus, you have declared this so clearly to me that I even rejoice in it and fear death less than before. Let it come when it pleases God. I know well enough, through experience, what fearful consciousness I had in my unbelief, and in my most virtuous works, you need not make further declaration in this regard. Nevertheless, I require this of you yet: that you will show me how I shall behave myself best henceforth, what the temptation of sin, death, or hell shall assault me.\n\nTobias\nIn the fourth of Matthew.\nIt is it known how you ought to behave yourself against temptation of the devil, or of sinful desires, which also are one kind of devils. Lo, how Christ suffered himself to be tempted of gluttony, of presumption, of covetousness, to prove it we be daily tempted of the same devil or rather worse, & to an example and comfort that such temptation can not harm us any more than they have overcome Christ. Mark how Christ has overcome and chased the same devil with all his temptations, to an example that we must keep the same sure ground, if we also intend to overcome\nthe devil, and to chase him from us with shame. Christ has overcome with none other weapons save only God's word. All those that did withstand him, hell, death, or the devil, for all these have been enemies to God as you may read in the Psalm XVII. The sorrows of death have compassed me, and the snares of ungodliness made me afraid. The pains of hell came about me, the snares of death took hold upon me. But what follows\nIn my trouble, I called upon the Lord and complained to my God. He heard my voice from his holy temple. Learn to take refuge in the Lord with Christ, who, being human and proven to help those in need, has done so before. Learn to defend yourselves with the weapons of God's word. For Christ has overcome the devil, so you too can overcome him with all his subtle wiles. Paul exhorts you to the Ephesians: \"Put on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the crafty devices of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day and stand firm in all things.\"\nAs these enemies are spiritual and invisible, yet we have no need of fleshly weapons, but the weapons of the spirit, which are mighty through God, to destroy all strongholds and holds of the devil, appearing to the parting of body and soul. Therefore put on the shield of faith, with which you shall quench the fiery darts of the wicked enemy, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. And pray to the Lord, calling upon His name in the spirit, that you may overcome Satan the tempter and enemy: who seeks all about, even as a roaring lion, that he may devour, but you must withstand him manfully in faith.\n\nLazarus.\n\nYou have opened now the case, and she showed me the weapons with which I may overcome my aforesaid enemies. But seeing I am an unexperienced soldier, it has not been used greatly by me to handle such weapons: I pray you to separate the darts and arrows of God's word, that I may shoot every enemy separately, namely sin, death, and hell.\nAnd first I shall show you how to defend myself when my sinful life comes to mind. Tobias.\nI will do it gladly, but I fear I may be too tedious for you. The sick should not be kept waiting. I would rather return another time and continue in this matter.\nLazarus.\nNo, good Tobias, it is not too tedious for me, I think you have only just begun. Timothe was with me for four hours yesterday, and yet it seemed to me not to be an hour.\nTobias.\nIn the name of God. Nevertheless, if I keep you waiting harshly, warn me. Or if you desire, I will bring it to you.\nLazarus.\nNo, no, go on with your matter where you left off, for you can do me no greater pleasure.\nTobias.\nAs for the first assault that you will be faced with, namely your past sins which will bring you despair: Arm yourself against them with such scriptures that show you how the innocence and righteousness of Christ have taken away all your unrighteousness and wickedness. Even as God says in Isaiah, liii.\nOf his son Christ threw out the whole chapter. Cast the multitude of your sins upon the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Remember that God has closed all under unbelief, that he might have mercy on all. Hold on to the good Samaritan, who takes care of the soul. Take refuge with the prodigal son unto your merciful Father, though you be naked, seedy, and ragged; for he shall receive you fatherly, with spread-out arms, and put on you the garment of innocence. Though you are lost due to sin, the Lord himself seeks after you. Though you go astray with your stray sheep, your shepherd. Hear how sweetly and lovingly God calls you, saying, \"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will ease you of your sins.\" Remember that he is our wisdom, righteousness, redemption, and sanctification. I Corinthians 1: Remember that he is a true physician of our souls.\nIf you were no sinner, what need had you of Christ? If you were not wounded, you would need no surgeon. A physician or surgeon is praised because he does an excellent cure. The kind and natural work of Christ is to save his people and heal them of all their sins, for that is his profession: you and he do it in deed, so that our unrighteousness makes God's righteousness praised, as witness Paul in Romans 5. Nevertheless, even where the abuse of sin was, there was yet more pleasance of grace. In that God has declared his love, that we, when we were sinners, Christ died for us. We shall be so much the more accepted before God, in that we are cleansed by his blood, and justified. Happy is that man, not he who has no sin, for he who says he has no sin deceives himself, and the truth is not in him: But he is happy to whom sin is reckoned no sin. The law, that is the knowledge of our sin, is given by Moses: but grace and true Salvation by Jesus Christ.\nFor he annulled the writing contrary to us, and fixed it to the cross, thereby taking away all power of the princes of darkness. Colossians 2:15. And he triumphed over them in his own person. The high priest of the old law could not offer any sacrifice for the people's sin without first offering for himself, and without shedding blood there was no forgiveness, but Christ our true bishop (who has an everlasting priesthood according to the ordinance of Melchizedek) had no need to offer for his sins (for he never sinned), nor did he procure forgiveness of sins by any strange blood, of ox or calves, but with his own blood. Thus he was spotless, who cleansed us from all uncleanness. And since we have this Jesus who passed through the heavens, let us hold firmly to our profession, and go boldly to the seat of his grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need. Hebrews\nAll the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth. He promises mercy, and gives truly. Of this mercy, God has left and given us the word of atonement, Iesu Chryst. If you know the same promise-giver and merciful one truly, then you may trust sufficiently that you will obtain forgiveness and remission of sins. Which forgiveness you shall also obtain, that he may be found true in his words of promise, and that he may overcome your sin, when he is judged by the ungodly to be no Savior. The head of Christ shall cover your misdeeds, so that the devil your accuser shall find nothing in you blameable. Forget what Paul says that is behind you, and covet that which is before, namely, to the token of this victory over sin and death.\nTo this do you great examples of mercy shown to Peter, to Mary Magdalene, and the murderer, I will leave the examples of David, Paul, and many more. Submit yourselves and render yourselves to God, confessing your sins worthy and justly for your sins, and that Christ died unjustly. Believe it in the despising of Christ is hidden the godly glory, and in the death is hidden the kingdom of Christ, which the aforementioned murderer did see and it shall be said to you: \"Today shall you be with me in paradise.\" Consider your wickedness and Christ's goodness. Consider the damnation that you have deserved, and again the love of Christ, which has recalled you by the Father. Doing this, you shall hear it from Mary Magdalene: \"Many sins are forgiven you, for you loved many, your faith saved you: Peter remembered the words of Christ by looking upon him, and at the cock's crow he wept for his sins.\"\nThe Lord almighty now beholds you in this sickness, and by sending death, permits the word's sound to enter your heart. Know your sins, know the true judgment of God, who passes over your misdeeds in your suffering, and he will not abandon you in your calling and mourning: but will appear to you with a comforting word of his resurrection, which will make your conscience joyful, and rejoice in the hope of life to come, as he has done with Peter. Blessed are those who weep with Peter (grieving with deep love the yoke, and the power of sin in their bodies with sorrowfulness), for they shall be comforted. This is the promise of God which cannot deceive you nor will it fail. Look upon this, trusting in it, you shall subdue your enemy sin well.\n\nLazarus.\nO Lord, give me your godly grace, that I may believe your holy word, by which my heart may be purified of all sinful desires, which are innumerable in me.\n\nTobias.\nAmen.\nLazarus: Grant me further instruction, good brother, on how I should behave during approaching death, when I begin to distrust, whether death will then completely swallow me up?\n\nTobias: The nature of dying is such that they cannot believe there is a resurrection of the flesh. For this bodily death seems to consume a man entirely and completely. Therefore, they say with mouth and heart, as it is written in the Book of Wisdom: \"The time of our life is short and tedious, and when a man is gone, he has no more joy or pleasure, nor do we know any man who turns back from death: for we are born of nothing, and we shall be as though we never existed\" (and so forth). Over these men who hold such faith comes damnation deservedly, for their living and their opinion correspond accordingly.\nThe gospel is still hidden from them, as the God of this world has blinded their hearts, preventing the light of the gospel and the glory of Christ's resurrection from shining in them. Such were the men of Athens who said of Paul that he was a proclaimer of new demons. Acts xvii. In what he proclaimed Jesus and showed them his resurrection. Likewise, it was due to such natural blindness that those of Athens asked Paul, saying, \"May we not know what new teaching this is that you are presenting? For you bring strange and unfamiliar words, which we do not understand.\" In response to this question, Paul gave a fine sermon, concerning the faith in Christ and his resurrection. The mystery of Christ's resurrection is the chief and principal point of our faith. For what reason would it have mattered to us that Christ died and suffered for us, if he had not been raised again.\nThis resurrection of the flesh that we endure in Christ may not be considered a dream because we do not see it: For if we saw it with our eyes, then it would not be faith: for faith is of things invisible and not apparent. Therefore, though all men seem to begin life and finish it again in this present world: yet we are assured and believe that we shall rise again from death in the day of judgment, even as Christ has risen first. This assurance of true faith surpasses all certainties that can be persuaded by any subtlety of mind. By this faith (Not by outward opinion) we speak of the resurrection of flesh: even as the prophet says, \"The Lord, who raised up the Lord Jesus, will raise us up also by the means of Jesus, and will set us with Him.\" (It follows) For the things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen are eternal. Therefore, all that we believe of God, all that we speak of the resurrection, and the life to come seems not to be so.\nEven as God himself, and his honor, and worship, are invisible and not apparent to such carnal men who have not received the same spirit of the prophet and Paul. By the aforementioned spirit of faith, Paul speaks of the resurrection, saying: \"The body is sown here in corruption, and shall rise in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, and shall rise in glory; it is sown in weakness, and shall rise in power. It is sown a natural body, and shall rise a spiritual body. For flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God, nor can that which is transitory inherit eternal inheritance. Thus must the grain of the fleshly body, that is sown here in the earth, first die in the ground before it can bring forth new fruit into eternal life, which life we do await certainly by faith in the resurrection of the flesh, though it may appear impossible to us.\"\nFor because Christ is risen, therefore we shall also rise and not abide in death; for God is not God of the dead, but of the living: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Lazarus. I will grant it right well that we shall all rise again at the day of judgment, nor am I tempted in that; but I am more afraid of the second, and eternal death. Instruct me again, I pray you, that I may perceive that I fear, and dread the second death by the reason of my great unbelief. Tobias. Why do you think the resurrection of Christ is established with so many tokens and wonders, except only that we should steadfastly believe in it? To believe in the resurrection of Christ is to believe that he reigns, and is a king, and that in his rising, death and sin are subdued to him. Death is the wages of sin. Since we are cleansed by the shedding of Christ's blood, we are also assured of death, which otherwise would have followed death.\n\"Therefore all those who are still unbelieving, sad, and heavy-hearted, and walk before God in bitterness, they are still in sin. And because they do not believe in the resurrection of Christ, therefore they cannot rejoice in Christ, nor come to any hope of the life to come. Listen how royally the resurrection of Christ is set forth to us in scripture. Paul says in the 10th chapter to the Romans: \"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. If you die in Christ, you shall also rise in him and live forever like as he now lives eternally. For God has raised us again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead\" (1 Peter 1:3). What is sown is mortal, but what is raised is immortal. Then death is swallowed up in the victory.\"\nFor Christ has overcome him by his death, who had the lordship in this world through Adam's disobedience, as Christ says of himself: \"The prince of this world comes, but he has nothing in me.\" For just as Christ, being the true seed of Eve, has destroyed and crushed the serpent's head, that is, death, by which the serpent ruled mightily over all mankind, may you now hardly triumph inwardly, saying: \"Death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your glory?\" Praise be to God who has given us victory through Jesus Christ. Just as it was impossible for Christ not to please God in his righteousness, so it is impossible for us not to please God by faith in Christ. This is confirmed by Christ's words: \"The Father loves you, because you loved me.\" Of this misery of the resurrection, and the hidden life I could bring forth from scripture many reasons and examples, but I fear it would be too tedious for you being sick.\n\nLazarus.\nNo brother, fear not.\nI love so well to hear examples of scripture, which teach us how life is hidden in death. Tobias.\n\nWe have many figures and examples in the scripture, which teach and declare to us, that life is first declared in dying. When the Lord God had first created Adam our father, he caused him to sleep, that out of the sleeper's side he might make a living creature, namely Eve, to be a help to man (Gen. ii.). Lo, how strange seem the works of God to be in our imagination? Adam sleeps, and is in the figure of death: for sleep is very well compared to death, and in our dying appears our life first with Christ. The death of Christians is called in scripture a sleep or a peaceable rest. Lazarus rested in the bosom of Abraham. Stephen the first martyr slept in the Lord, when he was stoned.\nIt is comfortable that the Holy Ghost calls us dying here to sleep or rest? Stephen slept in the Lord, that is, he departed hence with a sweet rest and ease in his heart, where he felt no painfulness at the heart as a man sleeps naturally, sleeps without any passion or feeling of the same. Death is not painful to the believer, comes from Christ's death. The soul of a Christian being full of the living word of God, feels not death, nor regards it more than though she were painted on the wall, which is evident by the apostles who went merryily from the judgment seats, because they were found worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus. Acts v.\nAn example is this: When God had commanded Abraham to offer his only son Isaac, he journeyed for three days according to God's word, setting aside his own understanding and reason, completely surrendering himself to God. In the meantime, Isaac was dead and forgotten. For Abraham was fully determined to offer his son upon the hill, which he saw from a distance on the third day. But when Isaac was nearest to death, and Abraham drew the knife to strike him, it was the son whom he deeply loved and had fully surrendered to death. Where Abraham saw the death of his son in the act of lifting the knife, the life of his son appeared to him instead: for the sacrifice was stayed by the angel, of which he was not aware that it would happen. After this example, Christ was also counted dead by the whole world when he lay in the grave. But on the third day, he rose again, revealing himself alive. This will be the case with us.\nDeath seems to take us completely and put us out of men's remembrance: but first our life will appear, as Paul says: \"Your life is hidden with Christ in God.\" Furthermore, you read that Numbers XXI (when a great multitude of the people were slain with the venomous serpents, because of their murmuring against God) were commanded to set up a brass serpent as a token, that whoever beheld it, should recover and live, which also happened. What is the meaning of this? Christ Jesus is signified by this brass serpent, which being lifted up from the earth and held up as a true token of forgiveness, that whoever looks upon him with the eyes of faith, and surely believes and hopes to obtain health, may be healed and live again in the soul, though never so sore wounded and bitten with the venom of sin. This is what Christ also said in John III.\nAnd just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up. Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Take this figure to heart, good brother. You lie here bitten by the serpents of your sins, which have killed our forefathers with all their progeny: For by the envy and venom of the devil is death come into the whole world. Therefore hold your Savior on the cross: Behold the power of the house of Judah that has overcome all. Behold this serpent as a sure token of God's good will towards you, and you need not fear death, for it gives you life. Jonah the prophet was considered dead, when he lay three days in the whale's belly, dead and drowned: But afterward he was alive again, shown to the Ninevites, for he was sustained from death by God, who revived him.\nBy this Ioannes (John) is Christ also figured, witnessing himself in the gospel to assure us that we shall also rise again with him, if we remain steadfastly believing unto the end. What more assurance can you have from God, than that he has not spared his own son, but has given him over unto death for us, to overcome death, and to open again the gates of life. Behold how Christ declares his life in dying, to stabilize our faith, that we should not doubt in the life to come nor in the midst of death. For Christ hanging on the cross gave up his spirit to his father, testifying with the bowing down of his head that he was indeed dead: he showed yet some signs of life that were hidden in him, when his blessed side was opened, from which ran water and blood. Therefore do not doubt in the life to come: for you have received a pledge of this life by the love of Christ, which is poured in you by the knowledge of God.\nChryst dies and is crucified for our weakness, but he lives by the power of God. We are also weak with him, and die because of our weakness, but we will live afterward with Christ by the same power of God. Search and prove yourself whether you also have this hope and faith in the Lord, and in his promises, which will give you righteousness for your sins, and life for death.\n\nLazarus.\n\nAs for hell, what shall I say about it? It is commonly said: it is good dying, if one knows where to come. Thus must also come of a misbelieving heart that we are thus abashed for hell.\n\nTobias.\n\nIt is surely so, great misbelief causes us to fear hell. But know what is hell? Hell is nothing else but fear, and dread of death, and a trembling against the judgment and righteousness of God.\n\nThe ungodly, and the damned can never escape this death and hell, for they have no lust nor love for God, whom they hold as a fearful judge, and fear his righteousness.\nHe is said to be in hell who perceives within himself how wicked and wretched he is, thereby being enformed and persuaded by the fear of death and damnation. So the most damnation and pain of hell is the despising and blaspheming of God. For as long as we have no living witness inwardly of the spirit of God, that we are the children of God: so long do we hate him, and cannot behold his righteousness. By these aforementioned words it is plain to you that the hell of the unrighteous begins here on earth, seeing the worm of their wicked conscience does not die, and the fire of their wrath is not quenched. Wherefore, as the kingdom of God is justification, peace, rest, and godly courage: even so is hell, sin, trouble, and reign. In this hell was Cain, when he fled from the earth and no man persuaded him. In this hell also was Judas the traitor, and abode there to his damnation. Peter says this in Acts ii.\nthat God has raised up Christ, loosed the sorrows of death: for so much as it was impossible that he should be held by her (that is, death), Christ has redeemed us and made us see from all our enemies. The devil is a persistent Lord, and well armed with all his tricks, errors, and fearfulness. Matt. xii. But the Son of God was a mightier Lord, who has torn the powers of hell, for all things were given to him in his hand as Christ says. Matt. xxviii. To me is given all power, in heaven and on earth. If all things are given to him, then is also the overcoming of hell given to him. Christ descended into hell before, and has troubled the kingdom of the devil he has also brought glad tidings to those who were in hell: The gates of hell cannot withstand the faith of Peter: this was Paul sure of which caused him to say to the Romans in Romans viii.\nI am sure nothing in death or life, angels or powers, things present or to come, height or depth, or any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Christ says in the book of Psalms, \"Lord, from the depths I have called you. This redeeming and delivering of Christ has happened to us, our prophet. For Christ was a conqueror of all; so shall we also be conquerors and winners through him, for we are in him. Before we were separated, now we have come near through the blood of Christ. For he has become our peace, he has made us citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. Seeing we are gathered in God's house, we have here altogether a kingdom, an inheritance, and all salvation. To this service the prayer of Christ refers, which he made to the heavenly Father in John 17. I do not pray only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.\nBut also for those who believe through their preaching, that they all may be one like us, Father, as you are in me, and I in you, so they also may be one in us. Do you think this prayer is spoken in vain? Do you think God the Father has not heard his beloved Son in the hour of his suffering? A good father does not despise the petitions of his children. Be of good cheer (says Christ), I have overcome the world. In Christ shall we conquer all that is promised us in the prophet Psalm xc. You shall trample upon the lion and the adder, the young lion and you shall lie down, that is the power of the devils and also hell. Lazarus. I trust I shall remember and keep your exhortations well, as long as God does not deprive me of my five wits. Tobias. If it comes so far that you are deprived of your five wits due to the fierceness of your sickness, do not be disturbed by it. Let God work his work until the end.\nSuffered God to accomplish his will, for he does not evil who dies in God. It is no force to the believer whether he dies openly or hidden, for they always abide the Lord's coming suddenly upon the misbelieving one as a thief in the night. How bitter is the remembrance of death to him who has ease and rest in his substance and goods?\n\nLazarus.\n\nWhy is it commonly said: life is happy; for so far as I perceive, death is more happy?\n\nTobias.\n\nThe common term is not to be misunderstood of the bodily life, which we can never lead without sin, but you must understand it of such a life, as we lead in God, where we shall live forever though we wander in death. Wherefore, if you require a long temporal life of God, then desire you to sin longer, and move God to more wrath. But that life which we lead in God by faith whereby the righteous lives, that is happy.\nLazarus: I know nothing in my opinion that can keep my back from willingly dying, except my wife and children, who still need my help and counsel.\n\nTobias: Commit your wife and children to the Almighty Lord, who has given them to you to care for, as long as it is His Godly will to allow you to be their caregiver or provider. But now, death releases you from this duty and sorrow. Rejoice in your release. Go forth now, like Abraham in strange lands, leaving your kin and father's house, and come into the land that God will show you. Obey God's calling. He who loves more father, mother, wife, children, wealth, or possessions than I, is not worthy of me, says Christ. As long as you were able, you have shown love and goodwill to your household. Boast rightfully of this, because you have fulfilled the bonds of your commission of love.\nBut what is it, that you do not trust God with the keeping of his own children? What was your help, and keeping without his oversight? If the Lord does not build the city: they labor in vain who build it. Put your confidence in God that he shall help you? And do not trust him with the keeping of your children? Though it seems that your children depart from you in dying, and you from them, yet they keep their heavenly father, who takes more care for them than ever you could. This I tell you, your faith may be such, that God will raise up ten fathers or guardians in place of you, from whom, parting from death, they are deprived. David says, I never saw a righteous man forsaken, nor his seed lack bread. Avoid all sensuality from your mind. Commit your wife, children, and all that you love, to God, who alone shall keep them best.\nThe mistrust and murmuring of parents is correctly addressed and punished in children, as notably those who spoke evil of good deeds or suffered losses and damages, which their friends left behind in great abundance and provided them substantially with.\n\nLazarus.\nLet it be so, God grant that I may yield both me and mine willingly into the hands of God. My time approaches. Oh, I long so sore to be embraced by my bridegroom Christ. Canticle ii. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall clasp my neck. I desire with Paul to be humbled, and to be with Christ. Heal my Lord, and I shall be healed.\n\nTobias.\n\nThat is well and Christianly prayed, God send you His strong spirit, which shall strengthen you in all suffering, you and also in death. But now, brother, if I happen not to see you anymore in this life: Have you any quarrel with any man? Or have you anything that grieves your mind, show it on?\n\nLazarus.\nWhat is the reason for your question? Have you heard anything about it?\n\nTobias:\nThe reason for my question is that, if you have any dispute or issue with your brother: before all else, you ought to settle it and be reconciled with him. In three things (says Sidrach), I take pleasure, which is also allowed before God and me: the unity of brothers, the love of neighbors, and a man and wife agreeing together. And in order to further and establish such love and unity, you must be careful lest any dispute arise after your departure due to the goods among your friends and kin.\n\nLazarus:\nI have settled and prepared everything in this house as near as I could. I trust there will be no strife between my friends or children. I had intended to give to the church or temple, to the four orders of strong and valiant beggars, and to our vicar and parish priest of those who would have been superfluous: But my mind is altered, for God has given me a better one.\nI thank him highly for it. Tobias.\nAll testaments made for the sake of neighborly love are good. There are times when churches are founded, masses, and great alms to God's great dishonor: For God is not honored with such things, but only with what He has commanded. Some think they do a great pleasure to God if they disinherit their children, friends, and kindred among whom strife arises afterwards. They bequeath their goods to found holidays, trentals, requiem masses, wherewith they feed the spirituality. They think to please God with such foundations and make an atonement with such goods as they have scraped and raked together by wrong, false deals, usury, and such like ways spared them. Whereas God hates all such offerings. They also founded altars and monuments and costly graves, to have their names in esteem among the people and to live long in their mouths and be prayed for these deeds.\nTo this entent be tables and such memorials hung up in every church as a bird's net is spread. O table of exchanges cast out of the temple by Christ. O yearly. O Corbam, corbam, how devoutly art thou practiced yet daily by our scribes & priests, which like painted graves deceive the only wise and simple: For they say it is offered to God's honor & service that which is withdrawn from the poor children and heirs. Now brother, is it not time for me to depart? My thinketh I have been long enough here. I must also go yet to the poor house or hospital, for so have I promised.\n\nLazarus.\nI thank you heartily good brother for your kind visiting and loving teaching me. Come again to see how it is with me at your leisure.\n\nTobias.\nI will do so. And now I commit you to God, which I pray to be your guide unto the life everlasting. If you have need of me, send for me, and I will be glad to come unto you.\n\nLazarus.\nThe Lord be blessed and thanked forever.\n\nTobias.\nFear well good brother.\nLazarus. Farewell, good Toby. May God keep us all and be our guide and counselor to life eternal.\n\nTobyas. Amen.\n\nThe end of this treatise.\n\nNow you have seen, good reader, the marvelous work of God in His two elect, namely Timothe and Toby. They have, to their power, planted and watered the seed of God's word in their neighbor Lazarus, where is the will of God taught, which is affliction, sickness, and submission of the flesh to the spirit. They are now occasioned by knowledge of their duty to endeavor to make him die in the Lord and make him fit for the everlasting joy after his troubles.\nFirst, Timothe coming one day and instructing him to take his troubling sickness patiently, in which admonition he truly and piously declares the seven petitions of the Our Father, repenting by the way his impatience, unbelief, and superstitiousness in which he was so drowned, that it seemed impossible he should ever be free from it. But the Lord, who kills and revives again, leads to hell and brings up again, has also shown his marvelous power in this sickness, whom he has called to Him by repentance, as He will also do with the most sinful and misdoer among us, if we repent truly.\n\nSecondly, Tobias coming the second day as his promise was instructed, he teaches him how to take his death patiently.\nAnd in the meantime, he explains certain articles of our faith, specifically, the power of God in creating all things, the fruit of Christ's suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, of the Holy Ghost, which is the true church, of the communion of saints, of remission of sin, of rising again of the flesh, and of the life eternal or everlasting. He finally shows what our enemies are - death, sin, and hell - and how we may best withstand them. This, along with other superstitions and abuses, he declares and teaches so effectively and scripturally, in my opinion, that no rabbi, master, or puffed-up doctor could do so, even if he had spent the best part of his life searching for Christ at Paris. Therefore, take this treatise often in your hands, look diligently upon it, and use it as it is offered to you.\nI will not bother myself much with praising it, for the common proverb is proven true in it: good wine needs no garland. If you read it diligently and follow it closely as God leads you, granting you grace, you shall receive the profit sought in typing and translating it, namely, the health of your soul and eternal life everlasting, which grace you grant, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.\nPrinted in Southwark, By My James Nicolson, for John Gough With the Royal Privilege.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "OF THE VOOD CALLED GVAIACUM,\nThat healeth the gout in the feet, the\nLONDINI IN AEDIBVS\nTHO. BERTHELETI M. D. XXXVI.\nCVM PRIVILEGIO.\n\nNot long ago, after I had translated into our English tongue the book called Regimen sanitatis Salerni, I happened to be in London to speak with the printer, and to inquire of him what he thought, and how he liked the same book: and he answered that in his mind, it was a necessary and very profitable book for those who took heed of its wholesome teachings and followed them. And he added further that so far as he could tell, it was well accepted and allowed by every man. And I said, I pray God it may do good, and that is all that I desire. And thus in speaking of one book and another, he came forth and said: that if I would take so much pain as to translate into English the book that is entitled De medicina by that great cleric of Almain Ulrich von Hutten knight, I should, said he.\nHe, do a very good deed. For seeing it is contrary, but some words have I left barely English, and some not at all, but they be such as are by those names in late Latin usually known to physicians, without whose counsel (especially those that be approved and known to be particularly learned in medicine) I would counsel no man to be bold either to practice or receive any medicine.\n\nThe beginning of the French pox, and why it has various names. Cap. I.\nThe causes of this disease. Cap. II.\nInto what diseases the French pox is turned. Cap. III.\nHow men at the beginning resisted the French pox. Cap. IV.\nWhat help the author of this book used in this sickness. Cap. V.\nThe description of the wood Guaiacum, and of the finding & name thereof. Cap. VI.\nOf the ordering of Guaiacum in medicine. Cap. VII.\nThe manner of curing with this wood Guaiacum. Cap. VIII.\nHow a man must live and diet himself in this cure. Cap. IX.\nThat Guaiacum should not be mixed with anything. Chapter X.\nWhat is the role of physicians in this cure. Chapter XI.\nWhether regard should be taken of age or sex, or the quality of bodies, concerning this cure. Chapter XII.\nWhether the use of this wood is alike in all places. Chapter XIII.\nWhat is the best time to be cured with this medicine. Chapter XIV.\nThat women and wine must be utterly forbidden in this cure. Chapter XV.\nThat salt must be avoided in this cure. Chapter XVI.\nOf slender sitting and hunger, which are necessary in this cure. Chapter XVII.\nHow hunger can easily be endured. Chapter XVIII.\nThe praise of Temperance in the face of adversity. Chapter XIX.\nWhether a man can be restored to health by the diet alone, which is appointed in this disease. Chapter XX.\nHow a man ought to regulate his belly in this cure. Chapter XXI.\nHow one may be moved to sweat in this cure. Chapter XXII.\nHow this medicine will help this disease, and whether it heals men suddenly or not.\nWhat the wood Guaiacum is capable of, and what diseases it helps beyond pox. (Chapter XXIII)\n\nThe kind of diseases this Guaiacum medicine has taken from the surrounding text. (Chapter XXV)\n\nThe order of living after this cure is described briefly. (Chapter XXVI)\n\nThus ends the table.\n\nIt has pleased God, in our time, that sicknesses should arise which were unknown to our forefathers. In the year of Christ 1493, or around that time, this foul and most grievous disease began to spread among the people. It did not appear first in France, but rather in the French army, which was at war under King Charles, before it appeared in any other place. By this occasion, the French men, distancing themselves from this abhorred name, did not call it the French pox but the evil of Naples, reckoning it as their rebuke.\nif this pestilent disease should be named the French pox. Notwithstanding, the consent of all nations has obtained, and we also in this book will call it the French pox, not for any envy that we bear to so noble and gentle a nation, but because we fear that all men would not understand if we gave it any other name.\n\nAt the first rising of it, some men superstitiously named it the Measles, of the name (I know not) of what saint. Some accounted it to come from Job's scab, whom this sickness (I think) has brought into the number of saints. Some judged it to be the infirmity, with which the monk Evagrius was afflicted, through immoderate cold and excessive thirst.\n\nBut the divines interpreted this to be the wrath of God, and to be his punishment for our evil living. And so did openly preach, as though they admitted into that high counsel of God, that men never lived worse, or as one says in that golden world of Augustus.\nAnd Tiberius, when Christ was on earth, this disease, most mysterious, did not begin, or as some say, that nature has no power to bring in new diseases, which in all other things makes great changes, or as some say, that within short times in our days (because men now live well) the remedy for the sickness of Guaiacum has been found for this sickness. Such things agree, as the minds of those who declare God (as they think) preach to us. Then the physicians began their business, who sought not what would cure this disease but what was its cause, for they could not endure to see it, much less touch it. For when it first began, it was of such filthiness that a man scarcely thought this sickness, which now reigns, to be of that kind. They were ulcers, sharp and standing out, having the appearance of:\n\nThis disease, not long after its beginning,\nThere were some who took counsel of the little, not so high nor so hard. And sometimes\nThere is a certain broad creeping scab,\nits venom enters deeply and brings forth more diseases.\nIt is thought this kind nowadays\nThe physicians have not yet certainly defined the secret causes of this disease,\nalthough they have long and painfully\nwith great variety searched for it,\nBut all agree on this, which is very evident,\nthat through some unholy blasts of the air, which were at that time,\nthe lakes, fountains, floods, and also the seas were corrupted,\nand thereof the earth to receive poison, the pastures to be infected,\nvenomous vapors to come down from\nthe air, which living creatures (in drawing the breath) received.\nFor this disease was found in other beasts like in men.\nThe astrologers attribute the cause of this infirmity to the stars, saying,\nthat it proceeds from the conjunctions of Saturn and Mars,\nwhich was not long before,\nand of two eclipses of the sun: and they do affirm,\nthat by these signs they might have foreseen it.\nperceive many colicky, and flumaty infirmities\nto follow, which should long continue,\nand slowly depart, as Elephantiasis,\nleprosy, tetters, and all ill kind of scabbes\nand boils, and whatsoever evils confronted\nand unfashioned the body, as the gout, palsy, sciatica, joint ache, and other like dangers. And that these things should\nchance rather in the north part by reason\nof this syllogism, to come of yl and abundant humour\nnature thereof not yet known, but now it is\nknown, they be also approved. For in my opinion this sickness is no other thing, but a putrefaction & rotting of impure blood: the which, after it begins to dry, turns into swelling and hard knobs, the which thing proceeds from the liver corrupted.\n\nTo know more of the nature or qualities\nof this infirmity would be very tedious\nand hard to judge. For we see in our time,\nwhat diverse controversies, and opinions\nhave boldly disputed:\nand what pain the physicians have taken\ntherein since the beginning thereof.\nPhysicians of Germany, for two years, engaged in such disputes, and yet when I was but a boy, they undertook to heal me. But what profit came of it, the end has shown, notwithstanding they were bold to meddle with strange drugs and spices, and to mix and minister many things which they should not have meddled with. And I remember, they forbade me to eat peas. For in some places there grow certain worms in them with wings, of which pig flesh was thought to be infected, because that beast was diseased either with this, or with another not much unlike this.\n\nThe pains of this disease already rehearsed are in a manner no pains to the griefs that follow from it: for this disease turns itself into great inconvenience and pain. In so much that all manner of sicknesses, having or causing any pain in the joints, seem to be contained therein. For first, there is sharp ache in the joints, and yet nothing appears:\nAfterward, the gathering together of humors causes the members to swell, but after such vile matter has hardened, a man shall feel the violent pains thereof. This is the first coming of it. For it seems to edify and fortify a castle, there to rest for a long time, and then to disperse and cast into every part of the body all manner of ache and pains. And the longer the said swellings tarry from rotting and ripening, the more pains the patient will suffer. And above all other pains of this infirmity, this is the most violent, and that troubles man most. I myself had such a little knob, and swelling above my left heel on the inner side, which, after it was indurate and hard, by the space of seven years, could not be made soft by any power of ointments, or any manner of lappings and cherishing, but continued to fill like a bone, until by the help of Guaiacum it vanished away little by little.\nlyttell. This thing as touchyng women re\u2223steth\nin their secret places, hauynge in those\nplaces litel prety sores ful of venemus poi\u2223son,\nbeing very da\u0304gerous for those yt vnkno\u00a6wingly\nmedle with them. The which sick\u2223nes\ngote\u0304 by such enfected wome\u0304, is so moch\nthe more vehement and greuous, how moch\nthey be inwardely poluted and corrupted.\nBy this the senowes (at somme tymes) do\nslacke and waxe harde again, at somtyme\nthey shrinke, and some time the sicknes tur\u2223neth\nit self into the gout, or into the palsey,\nor into apoplexi, & infecteth many one with\nlepre. For it is thought, that these infirmi\u2223ties\nbe very neighbours one to a other. And\nthat for many reasons, whiche are co\u0304men\nto bothe euylles. They that be taken with\npockes, often tim\n\u00b6After all this there buddeth out and ap\u2223pere\nsmalle holes and sores, whiche tourne\nthem self into cankers and phistuls, or con\u2223tinual\nsores: and the more they putrifie, the\nmore they diminishe the bone. And wha\u0304 the\nbones be putrified and corrupt, the pacient\nThrough long continuance of sickness, wastes away the flesh, leaving only the skin to cover the bones. Many fall ill from this, filled inwardly with corruption. Additionally, from this infirmity flow another ailment, which some call jaundice, filling a man's flesh and skin with water. Some have sores in their bladder, and often times many men's liver and stomach are utterly consumed by this infirmity. And in this matter their opinion is false, that gatherings of humors and swellings, wrinkles and knots, do not come from the nature of this infirmity, but only happen to those who have been rubbed and anointed with ointments made with quick silver. I am sure the most part of the physicians of Almain hold this opinion, but yet they have been deceived in this sickness, as they are in many others. For I know it for a certainty, there be\nSome who have had these infirmities and sicknesses, which were never treated with quicksilver, as I have experienced in my father Ulriche de Hoten. When the physicians were thus amazed, the surgeons came forward with the same error, and first they began to lance the sores with hot irons. But since it was an infinite labor to touch them all, they went about to alleviate them with ointments. However, diverse men used diverse ointments, and all in vain, except he added quicksilver thereto. They bore this in mind for this use: the powders of myrrh, mastic, ceruse, bayberries, alum, bolly armorie, cinabar, vermilion, coral, burned salt, rusty brass, leaden masses, rust of iron, rose, turpentine, and all manner of best oils, oil of bay, oil of pure roses and terbinthium, oil of ginger, oil of spike, swine's grease, fat of ox feet, and butter made specifically in May, talow.\nof goats and deer, honey from virgin bees, powder of red worms dried in dust, or consumed with oil and beaten, camphor, eucalyptus, and castoreum: and with 2 or 3 of these aforementioned things mixed together, they anointed the sick man's joints, his arms, his thighs, his back bone, his neck bone, with other parts of his body. Some anointed them once a day, some twice, some thrice, some four times. The patient was shut in a stove, kept with continuous and fierce heat, some for 20 and some for 30 hours: And some were laid in a bed within the stove, anointed, and covered with many clothes, and were compelled to sweat. Part of them at the second anointing began to say marvelously.\n\nBut yet the ointment was of such strength and effect, that whatever disease was in the higher part of the body, it drew into the stomach, and from thence up into the brain, and then the disease was avoided both by the nose and the mouth, which put the patient to great distress.\nsuch pain, that if they did not take heed, their teeth fell out, all their throats, their longs, their roofs of the mouths, were full of sores. Their jaws swelled, their teeth were loosed, and continually their most stinking pus and matter, whatever it ran upon, was polluted and infected. Whereby their lips, touched, gathered sores, and within forth, their cheeks were severely pained. All the place where they were, stank. This manner of curing was so painful, that many had rather die than be eased. scarcely the hundredth person was eased, but shortly after fell down again: so that his ease lasted very few days. Whereby men may estimate, what I suffered in this disease, that proved this manner of curing a eleven times, with great jeopardy and peril, wrestling with this evil nine years. And yet in the meantime taking whatsoever thing was thought to withstand and resist it. For we used baths & herbs lapped.\nAbout them, and they drank and mingled. For this we had arsenic, ink, calcantum, verdegres, or aqua fortis, which worked so bitterly upon us that those who had not rather died than endure such torment. But the curings were most bitter and painful, which were made with ointments. And it was even more dangerous because the ministers of it did not know the operation. For the surgeons only used it, but every bold fellow went about playing the apothecary, giving to all manner of men one ointment, either as he had seen it administered to others or as he had suffered it himself. And so they healed all men with one medicine, as the proverb says, One shoe for both feet. If anything went amiss with the sick, for lack of good counsel, they did not know what to do or say. And these torturers were suffered to practice upon all persons they wished while the physician was absent. And I have seen many die in the midst of their curing. And one I know did so.\nI. He killed three husbandmen in one day through excessive heat they endured, patiently confined in a hot stew, believing they would recover more quickly. Whenever I was troubled by the recurring illness in my mouth, I used only alum, keeping it in my mouth and rolling it from side to side until it dissolved. When I went to bandage my wounds and comfort my limbs, I used these herbs: absinthium, camomile, hyssop, pulgium, artemisia, sage, and others in wine and water.\n\nI made an ointment for my sores by the advice of Eitelvolfe, using alum and verdigris. Afterward, I learned and moistened my sores with this, washing and wiping away all the filthiness. Then I took a piece of moistened cloth and wrapped it about my sores. With this water, my pains were eased, and the swelling subsided, the sores were cleansed, and the heat and inflammations were driven away.\nWhat is to be marveled at, seeing the nature of limericks otherwise is to know. I found nothing like this: And I thought I was well helped thereby, and had avoided the destruction that was at hand. In so cruel assaults of this disease I used also cassia, if I would be laxative, and did often times sweat, and let go blood drawn out with gourds. And when I was in Italy, it was prescribed that in the morning the quantity of a walnut of terebinthia raisins should be of great effectiveness to amend the things which might have utterly destroyed me in such a long and injurious season, for the most part wandering abroad in the world, and through poverty driven to more adversity, never at rest and quietness, but always vexed and troubled. And have so preserved myself, that although my legs were eaten with so many deep and grievous sores, yet was there not one new hurt, nor one bone perished. And if at any time the disease took my face, no.\neuylle happened in my mouth and tongue, so that the inward parts were preserved. For I voided away those things that might hurt my stomach, and with rare help defended my lights and lungs: and by these helps I could suffer and drive forth this disease, but clearly put it away I could not: which thing was the easing of pain, and not the cutting away of the cause of pain, the differing of evil, and not the taking away thereof. A better remedy came from Guaiacum, ye of that only came health, which I do intend now to describe. If we ought to give thanks to God, both for good and evil: how much are we bound for the gift of Guaiacum? ye how much does the gladness and joy of his benignity towards us pass the sorrow and pain of that infirmity? The use of this wood was brought to us from an island named Spagnola, this island is in the west, near to the country of America, set in that place where the length of America, stretching into the north, ends.\nA certain nobleman from Spain, recently discovered in new lands unknown to the old time, reported that the inhabitants of that island had been afflicted with the French pox, similar to our measles and smallpox. No other remedy existed for them except this:\n\nA Spanish nobleman, serving as treasurer in that province, was severely affected by this ailment. The people of that land taught him their remedy. He brought the method and usage back to Spain, demonstrating its power and efficacy in those regions. The physicians opposed it, fearing the decline of their profits. Despite this, they eventually agreed to use the same wood, but with such arrogance that they claimed their prescriptions and orders were necessary for its effectiveness. I find it remarkable they could convince anyone of this, as it is plainly known that:\nIn that land there were no physicians. Yet, this wood Guaiacum has always been used. In this cure, I will later explain what is necessary for the physician. Now I will speak of the intended thing. They have given it this name Guaiacum. For so the Spaniards write it with Latin letters, following their own manner, which word the people of that land pronounce with open mouth as Huiacum.\n\nPaulus Ritius showed me at the city of August that he had heard of a Spaniard who had been in that land. He reported that the first syllable \"Gu\" of this name was not pronounced by the Spaniards with a G, but that his own tongue required it to be written as Huiacum, a word of three syllables with them, not Guaiacum. We may give it some excellent name, calling it lignum vitae, as Philo the physician called his dregs the hands of God; and this day the physicians with great.\n\"This pitch is identified by those who sell it as not changing or congealing in any way. When it burns, it produces a sweet scent, and following the burning, a substance, which we yet do not know for what purpose it serves, emerges. This substance is somewhat black and hardens quickly. The bark is not thick but is remarkably hard. These marks, well noted, I believe he who would counterfeit this wood cannot deceive the buyer. For what man can be deceived in the color, how is it possible for all these things to be in one: a fragrance, smelling somewhat like roses, such weight as no other wood has? The substance that comes from it when it burns? such hardness that can scarcely be cut? And the smallest piece cast into water will not float above? And the tastiest ones know will never allow a man to err, which, as it is unpleasant to all men, is very pleasant to me. They say it does not continue after it is soaked, but pallidizes in the summer after.\"\niii. dayes, and in the wynter somewhat la\u2223ter.\nAnd therfore we muste chose the fat\u2223test\nand weightiest therof. For that whiche\nis olde, is lyght and leane. Vpon this de\u2223scription\nlette the phisitions, if hit please\nthem, drawe out the causes of suche efficaci\u00a6tie\nby theyr longe disputation, as for me I\nmore rcioyce, that it is, than I serche what\nmaner of thynge it is. Howe be it I graunt\ntheym worthy of moche thanke, that shall\nfirst shew vnto vs the nature therof through\nout knowen: But nowe there be some, that\nwey and esteme the strengthe and vertue of\nthis tre by these knowen markes, as though\nthey had suffred it in all poyntes. whiche\nthynge is done, as me semeth, very hastyly\nand tymely, thynkynge that the cause and\nreason of suche efficacie and power oughte\nto be serched for in this tre, after his nature\nand vse is knowen, lyke wyse as it is done\ngenerally in all other medicines. But nowe\nof his vse, and how it ought to be prepared\nvnto medicine.\nIT is ordred after this maner.\nThe wod must fyrst be made\nSmall as it may be, some do this at a torn, and then without any more ado, they lay the shavings in water, and some first crush or stamp them in a mortar, so much that they bring them into powder and dust, to the intent they may be the sooner soaked, and their strength softened. But I don't know whether that makes any difference. I have seen some who have cut it first with a saw, and then rake the pieces with a rake, and have taken and put them into water. However it be, whether it be turned, raked, or beaten to dust, they soak a day and a night one pound weight in eight of water, taken either from a well or a river, or as I did, from a pit. Then they set it in a new glazed pot, and clean wash it, with a soft fire of coals, by the space of six hours or more, until it comes to the one half, with great care and diligence, lest it run through too much heat. For that which runs over loses (they say) much of its virtue.\nAnd it is of lesser power. Therefore, it may not be boiled in the flame, but it requires few coolers, and a pot not filled almost to the brim. The scum that floats above, they take away to anoint the sores with: for we know it to have much power to dry. After it is thus boiled, they strain it and pour it into a glass. Then they put to the ground eight pounds of water and heat it again (as before) as if it were a second cooking. This thinner they give them to drink with their meat: the first is drunk in place of a medicine. And this is all together, that delivers us from such great and grievous disease, this decotion is it. This is the chief point and anchor of our health. And it has so little need of any other thing, that it will not abide any kind of mixture or mingling, as I will shortly declare. Some would, that light water and clear should be obtained for this purpose. Some admit all manner of sweet water indifferently, because in boiling.\nWhatever it is, it is purified. All should take good diligence and care in the process, lest it ruins or boils too fast. They bid that the pot be close stopped, so nothing breathes out. But whatever scum is perceived to rise, it must be softly opened, and the scum taken out, and so covered again. They put this decotion (when it is strained) into a glass, only because it should be seen, and because a glass of all vessels is purest and clearest. The color of this decotion is somewhat like muddy water, when it is somewhat troubled. Wet linen in it, and it becomes green of a marvelous show. The remainder, at the first tasting, is somewhat sour, but to him who is accustomed to it, by little and little it becomes pleasant. The physicians were so bold as to put, for a pound, this 4 ounces of honey. Which thing, as I do not approve, so do I deny it to be necessary. I would not add anything to such a thing, being of such a nature.\npower, where it is not necessary. For what needeth a man to bestow his labor, where no need is? And to speak the truth, the release of Guaiacum is not so harsh that it requires tempering with honey. Indeed, if it were not for my masters, the physicians, all men would be content with it. Howbeit, what needeth me to name physicians, when I speak only of triflers? For those who are counseling and expert, as is Your Most Noble Prince, Storer, your physician (and through friendship mine as well), and thy other physician Coppus, such I say, understand and knew, it is not convenient, either to meddle with unknown things and mix them, or else to add anything to those things which as yet are not perceived to lack anything. This happening to us as we had communication of this wood Guaiacum at the city of Augsburg, when many had urged me to commit myself to this manner of cure: and I, for the newness of the thing, would hear none of them. Storer speaking in this manner.\nThis man spoke of this wood with great gravity, saying he feared that the healthy and excellent power of Guaiacum would be defamed through the superfluous additions of unlearned physicians. This, if it were not done, could only harm medicine, which, being most ignorant, would lightly abuse the simple people of Germany. There is no doubt made of his learning, one garnished with the title of Master Doctor. But why have I used so many words? I have done so to make my case good with the excellent prince and to defend myself against those who might accuse me as one who spoke words more sharply than became me. Which thing, when some lawyers and divines did recently, against whose learning they said I invoked without good manners, when I only spoke to the unlearned and those who were sorely grieved. The patient must be kept in a close chamber, without air or wind, where fire must be nourished continually.\nIf he is not in a stew, as is the custom in Almain, the patient must be kept warm and protected from air. He must also be careful not to get cold. Therefore, if he is being cured in winter or autumn, he must have fire in his chamber in the morning, specifically before dawn, as it is then that the cold is most intense. He must stop up the clefts of the windows, if any exist, with plaster or similar materials, and hang carpets or other things inside and outside the chamber to prevent cold or air from entering or leaving. When he is thus ordered, his food must be reduced. He should first eat three-quarters of what he was accustomed to, then two-thirds, and soon after one half, so that he may learn to endure hunger. His wine must be well watered, and then he must take a purgative, provided it is suitable.\nThe decotion, which is the strongest, should be given to him twice a day. It should be consumed in one draught without taking any breath. After he has consumed it, let him rest for more than four hours, and let the first two hours be spent covered, so that the medicine may be digested outside into the limbs, and the patient may sweat out that which troubles him. This is beneficial, which I will explain when the occasion arises. It will not harm if he is kept covered for an hour before he drinks, so that he may be warm. Some will not allow him to rise from his bed for five hours after he has taken the drink.\nHe must take his meal in the midday, and not before, and as little as may be, for this medicine requires an empty belly above all things. Therefore he must eat, not to fill his emptiness, but to bear up the life, not to gain strength, but to keep himself from fainting. Nor is there any danger. For Guiacum has great strength in itself both to refresh, and also to comfort, not those who are full, but only those who are empty. They say that none fails, let him never eat so little that he drinks faithfully this decotion. In the meantime, he shall not be anointed on the outside, except he has sores or swellings. And for this, there is a white ointment made of cer. But some, lest any impediment occur. And although the desire of eating grows daily more and more, yet he must remember to abstain, comforting himself with the assurance of health if he does so. For the body being so wasted and emptied, not only with hunger, but also with sweat, yet being.\nFor a long time after the illness has passed, the body will strongly crave food and drink. When this cure comes to an end and the sick person is almost ready to go out, they must take medicine again to purge themselves, but only after the purgation, they should drink again as they did before, for a period of four or five days, during which the entire cure is completed. Some people do not want him to leave the chamber before he is completely healed. Some think that thirty days are sufficient to keep him in the chamber and that he may then go out. But he must be careful not to go out into the open air too soon. Instead, he must first walk in the same house, from room to room, and then to a neighbor's house nearby, until he is used to enduring the air. For there should be no hasty change, but he must accustom himself to all things gradually. And whatever remains of the sickness they say will easily recover, after he has once regained his strength.\nI have proven this to be true in my own experience. After thirty days had passed, the sores on my legs were not yet healed, so I stayed an additional one day. Yet I was not yet well. Intending to stay indoors as winter began, I intended to stay for another one day, but was compelled by the physician's counsel to go abroad. This did not prove unfortunate. The sores I had were not deep in the flesh or swollen outside, but only in the higher part of the skin, and they allowed me to eat more food than I should have, and he gave me thinner drink than he should have. I did not fully occupy five pounds of this wood, whereas others occupy eight or ten, in which the physician was deceived. For he, seeing my body weak by nature, and moreover extended,\n\nAnd if anyone would be unwilling to be deceived, they will bind him thus:\nThe ponder of Guaiacum in water, and to drink half a cup of it in the morning. And if that helps not at first, to return to it again. But this did not work for me, no longer when I took it again.\n\nThere is yet much to consider in the ordering of a man, as concerning his diet. Some think best to eat nothing but bread, which Galen calls the cleansest food, a few raisins, which they give to the weight of 4 ounces, without salt or other sauce. And they think best to abstain generally from all manner of meat, except a little broth made with a chicken: which they are contented with. Other will that he have half a chicken, if it be yet young and tender: but if it be any thing grown, they think a quarter that, not withstanding they put to a few days more to it. They drink unto their meat of that second decotion not warmed but cold. And this is all the fare, for hitherto none dared pass this measure. Not\nWithstanding, I disagree not with the physicians,\nwho dispute the dangers that may chance to dry and hot bodies,\nif driven to this strict diet. Bringing forth Galen and also Hipcras,\nwho seem in many places to be against this exquisite diet in feeding.\nBut of those who used Guaiacum, I saw none in jeopardy, as yet.\nAnd I gather at this time precepts and monitions from experience,\nand not doctrine from books. And also I myself am of dry and hot complexion,\nand yet this hunger brought me neither into a pallor.\nFor as much as it is thought wisdom to provide for all things,\nI will that if any man fears himself, that he gets physicians to keep him,\nand that this is sufficiently spoken of this thing. I will now go forward with other things.\nIn the time of this cure, the patient must forbear all businesses,\nand cut away. And therefore they command rest and quiet,\nso that the mind may utterly be free.\nFrom all motions and workings, and give himself wholly to idleness and rest, free from all trouble and care, which thing must be understood by all manner of men, but most especially by those who are naturally melancholic: They must also beware of anger, for, as Galen says, it kindles the choleric matter most. And moreover, we must take heed that nothing happens in that time which may move us to sadness. Let the sick person singers and minstrels entertain him, and give himself to sports, pastimes, and music, and some time delight himself with merry talking. But to keep company with women, how much he must avoid that, I will show hereafter. I took great pleasure in reading and making merry things. And the physicians spoke against it, and not without cause, since they believed it to be labor and busyness for me: but I took it not as my study, but as a pastime, and for my recreation. But yet I would not this be an example for others.\n\nNow some begin to wax very hungry.\nAfter six days: but I felt no grief\nBefore ten days. And in this case, this is the only comfort, not to see other eat, nor to see meat, nor to smell its savour. Never the less, when anyone perceives himself to faint, and grows weak due to lack of meat, I would not have him receive meat or strange concoctions by and by to comfort and bring back his strength, but to refresh his spirits with odours and pleasant smells: for even with the savour and smell of such odours, Galenus thinks the spirit and life are nourished and comforted. Yet in this regard, what every man's complexion requires must be considered, lest similar things are ministered to them, who are dry and hot, and to those who are moist and cold, or things of one quality are ministered to all who are of both extremes.\n\nAs I make my way through the things that grow among us, familiar and near to our nature, so by the example of Democritus, who with the vapour of hot springs...\nBread makes its spirit equal to remaining, I think we should help those who faint with this bread, or else with a roasted onion held to the mouth. For I plainly know that in an onion was once such virtue and power. This is also proven to be done with the odor of wine. For Philip the physician revived Alexander with it, as we see in Quintus Curtius. And by the traditions of the old physicians we see his power and virtue preferred above all. But by all means we must nourish the spirit with sweet saucers and smells: for so much as that is life, and above all things the odor of old sweet wine is praised in this. Next is the smell of honey, specifically rose honey, also of apples. Stromer never ceases to praise me about this, affirming that he knows how strong and helpful they are in this thing. Of these some prefer oranges, others prefer malta knotgrass. Vinegar is also effective.\npraised, but especially vinegar made with roses and mustard are well allowed. For these things, they say, refresh the wits and sustain strengths. As for cinnamon, nutmegs, styrax, citrus, saffron, a gillyflower, musk, camphor, and such costly ware, I leave it to the doctors. But come violets, sage, castoreum, and other growing things. Furthermore, this medicine will not endure anything to be put to it. Where the physicians are commonly averse to anything but, which would have no other medicines in price but such as receive their power from the three parts of the world, thinking that they should lose all their authority except they joined together for our pottery compositions, India, Ethiopia, Arabia, and the Garamantes, who dwell in the extreme part of the world. For what will they allow that is not dear and costly? And I beseech God that their counsel be never hard nor obeyed in the using of this wood Guaiacum. And that\nStromer may be in this thing as a prophet, and in my judgment true. For he fears, and wisely so, lest they eventually put their hands to it. Therefore, let all men believe me, who have proven this medicine, that it is sufficient to heal this disease: and that of itself, without any other thing. But as I said, a purgation at the beginning, and again a little one on the 15th day, and then in the last end,\n\nWhich thing I would have done with something, not with any medicine made of many things. For I truly believe, that the physicians look then to their own profit and lucre, and not for the health of men, when they say they must search, what takes away the cause of this infirmity, as though this wood did not. And very truly, there is no other cause to use such purgations, but to cleanse the belly, and again with abstinence and hunger to draw out and empty the hollow body. But what do you say to that: In that rude country\nWhere this Guaiacum grows, there are no positions, no strange or unconventional ways or rules of physics. But perhaps men use some herb or root to purge, and all do the same thing, not to remove the grief, but so that Guaiacum may work better when the belly is emptied. Therefore, in this, my advice is, do not torment your belly with expensive preparations, and especially avoid compositions made of many things.\n\nIn this frame of mind, I would allow nothing to be poured into me except cassia alone, and yet they offered me gladly many things. I was also accustomed before to pour in not only Reubarbarum but other things more barbarous than Reubarbarum. But my counsel came to a good end. Whiche counsel, if anyone will follow, he has no commandment but an example. For we teach not these things being self-taught, but we advise you, that which we have proven, which thing I would all.\nI should remind you that I teach nothing here but what I have learned by my own experience and proven, I deliver unto others. If I had learned anything else, it should not be kept hidden; but now, having found through diligent search and studious labor the power and virtue of Guaiacum, if I do not perceive it correctly, it is a fault. But if I have learned it as it truly is, I do not greatly desire reward nor fame in this cure, and am permitted very seldom to wash my hands, but never with cold water.\n\nBut now I know that some suspect me of being of the mind that I would not want a physician to be used in this cure, which thing is far from the truth. For my mind is, that some, who are well learned and wise, should be obtained, who is not bold nor liberal in pouring out potions. His custody and also his order, if he has learned the administration of Guaiacum through a long apprenticeship, I have proven to be so. Asclepiades judged it similarly.\nAll manner of drenches were unfavorably to the stomach. And Celsus also says that medicines for the most part harm the stomach, and moreover, what happened to me, that the same author showed before, is that medicines received into the body, when they had been kept in the lower parts, were driven back again into the head, and caused great pain. This lets all remember who will enter into this cure, not to rush themselves to such tormenters, not only because the nature of this wood is not yet well known, but also because it is their manner to command ignorance, but always to command something, to minister and give something to whom a man will at no time show his water, however well and healthy he may be, but they will make their bill to the apothecaries, recipe, recipe, take, take, saying that otherwise they suspect some sickness to have begun, or else that which is now at hand must be prevented or it will come, except you swallow this.\nThey say you consume it, or drink that, you have the axes. O my shameful men, if they can be called men, and worthy of hatred by all the world. But whatever they are, they have dared to take upon themselves many things concerning the administration of Guaiacum, trusting in themselves for this work, with the sellers aiding them through some convention and bargain made between them. For what they saw, that by means of this rude, vile, and contemptible medicine, there would be no need for their disputes in the future. For I know some who would oppose such a favorable and good thing, and yet dared not. And on the other side, when merchants feared that they would sell little if physicians did not allow it, since no man would lightly go to a medicine that came from such a strange place and was ministered so far from the common manner of medicines: then they agreed between themselves, I believe, that this should be spread among the common people, that the physicians would approve it.\nlabour was necessary in this cure: So that they selling a remedy approved of the physicians, might get as they were wont, and the physicians in the meantime should not lose anything of their stipends, seeing that they were called upon this cure.\n\nI know of certain physicians who disparaged this wood Guaiacum, as a vain thing, and nothing worth: but that the merchants feigned it to do these things. But shortly after this mean merchant was called upon the cure of a certain rich man, and shortly after to another: And when the man began to smell the gold, and saw great gain coming through the multitude of such sick men, he began first to be more gentle, and to diminish his cruelty and malice more and more, and within a while praised this wood, and greatly advanced it, and said: Now at last, I myself have proven the marvelous power and virtue of this wood. Nay, ass, but now you have found your advantage in it.\nAnd after this manner, this medicine seems to come into their canons, similarly to how all other medicines have done. I approve it not if it is done by the authority of the wise, expert, and learned physicians. However, it is my mind that they cannot do it yet, and again I think it not very necessary. For either in Spain, where there are no physicians, something is lacking to this medicine, or else it ought likewise to be administered without such superstitiousness and formalities. May any man be so light of belief, as to think that the physicians can handle this business more wisely, than those who knew it by experience in themselves, considering how Guaiacum has not continued with us so long that they might, in that time, have searched and learned its nature. And to speak in a few words, men still marvel at the thing, and it is not yet come to perfect knowledge. Therefore, it cannot be under their canons in this short time, or\nLet this piece remain in all minds, that they think this simple diet sufficient to cure and heal them, which we teach by experience, in ourselves. Let them be seen and examined by the sober and learned physicians; but let them abandon the dregs and spices of this other sort. Let them bid farewell forever and a day to those who go about restoring us from diseases with their disputations. These are they, who, as I said, allow nothing that is vile and of small price, and who think that I tell fables when I say that I have driven away the axes more than eight times by drinking of my own water, and with no other medicine. And again, they will not believe me, that there is a servant of my father's, who has healed a man's broken brain pan with three certain herbs boiled in wine.\nto peas: and many sore and evil wounds\nhas he healed with a few herbs of our own growing, sodden in wine or water, and that within 10 or 12 days, without any fear of fire. But this they think a vile medicine, saying it is not done according to their canons. And the same thing they judge of Guaiacum, whose nature and power, how clearly they understand and what manner of words they use for it, we may perceive by the answer of a certain noble physician, not now young, who should begin to practice, but of extreme age. A certain friend of mine asked him what he thought of Guaiacum. I have not seen it, he said, but whatever it is, the weight, the color, the taste must be considered in quantity and quality. Then I said, its weight is very heavy and sinks in the water, however little the cutting may be: and it has the same color almost as boxwood, and it smells faintly, somewhat of roses. Do you know now what the\n\n(Note: The text appears to be incomplete at the end, with the last sentence trailing off.)\nI. Inquiring about the nature and power of Guaiacum, I responded: \"Perhaps, good father, you are merely speaking in riddles. I do not understand what you mean.\" He replied: \"This is no new disease, as Pliny has written about it.\" Curious, I asked: \"What name did Pliny give to this disease, that I am unfamiliar with?\" He replied: \"quia vexat mentem,\" which means \"because it vexes a man's mind.\" I questioned: \"Why then, do other afflictions and sicknesses not torment and vex the mind? Or does madness, folly, and other evils not do the same?\" Unable to contain my disdain for such frivolous physicians, who are rich in words but poor in knowledge, I suggested we return to our purpose: \"Let us bypass these quack physicians and get back to the matter at hand.\"\nThis is the Pythagorean regime for physicians in this cure, not as dispensers of medicines or healers, but as keepers. These should be, as I have often said, wise, well-learned, most experienced, and such as would be wiser by themselves than err with the common sort. And such as, if they could heal a sick man with eating beans, would not seek out any costly or especially strange medicines.\n\nWhen those whom I told you went to Spain to learn about the use of Guaiacum, they inquired whether children and great aged persons might be treated with this remedy. Since they were weak, it was in doubt whether they could endure this.\n\nI recall the notable saying of Hippocrates, that old men can easily fast, but men in strong and steady age scarcely, young men much worse, and children worst of all, especially those that are forward and quick-witted.\n\nHowever, Galen will not allow old men to be understood by men of the last caste.\nFurthermore, it is well known that those of a sanguine temperament can endure hunger better and longer than the coleric. In the sanguine, the humors that nourish the body do not think it necessary, whether given to an old man, a child, or a maiden, provided that no one exceeds the measure I have appointed. Therefore, you see that I command no more to be given to the fat than to the lean. Celsus also wonders whether the use and effect of Guaiacum are uniform everywhere. He further asks whether it is as suitable for the Germans as for the Spaniards, and for those who live soberly as for those who live otherwise. For, as it seems, no doubt exists in other medicines but that regard should be taken for the nature of the place. Similarly, it seems necessary, regarding the administration of this, to consider the following: In the season of the year, etc.\nyere muste be marked, soo lyke wyse muste\nthe plage of the skye be consydered, and\nthat for many causes, and specially bycause\nwe may abyde hunger otherwise in a thycke\nayre, than in a thynne. But the resydue of\nthese thynges, I leaue to the phisitions, to\nbe more diligently discussed of them. That\nthat I haue lerned, and as moch as semeth\nto apperteyne to the Germaynes, I wyl o\u2223pen\nvnto all men.\n\u00b6They of Spayne thynke, this medycine\nought to be lyke wyse ministred in al places\nfor this disease, seinge it hath nothynge, but\nthat that al men maye vse euery where indif\u00a6ferently,\nand also hathe ben proued among\nthe people of .v. diuerse nations. Fyrste hit\ncame frome Spagnola into Spayne, and\nthan other nations about them sought what\nprofite wolde come therof. And whan they\nvnderstode, that many had vsed it sprospe\u2223rously,\nthe Ricilians receyued it. Fro\u0304 thens\nit came into Italie: and shortely after we of\nGermanie haue lerned the power therof by\nexperience. And of late we harde saye, that\nby the help of this wood, many are cured in France. Since this is the case, and since we live under an air that is less subject to sicknesses than the countries of Spain and Italy, due to the subtlety of the air, and therefore need less to fear those evils which might otherwise occur, such as fevers, stitches, and the like: And furthermore, since we have strong bodies that can endure labor, hunger, and thirst: And also, the minds of the Germans, for the most part, are cheerfully disposed. What should make us think otherwise, but that our region and people are very suitable for this diet? Which thing Paulus Ricius, a physician of pure judgment and high erudition, approved of, and moreover affirmed, that he knew by plain experience, that no nation is more suitable to this diet. But if we had not seen some restored to health through the help of Guaiacum, and now began to prove it: we ought not to believe, that God were so unmerciful.\n\"moche sets himself against us, threatening either to keep this healthful medicine from us or to defraud us of its virtue, claiming it was brought from Spain and had the same virtue there, which it had at home, except a man will say that Guaiacum disdains to be brought to us, or when it comes to the Germans, it suffers its great and mighty power and strength to be taken from it, and nowhere else. And it is plainly known that with us its help is very present, and perhaps more present than elsewhere. And our men, as they are much given to surfeiting, can endure very long and strongly both hunger and thirst. And moreover, as our bodies abound with heat, so are they very strong. For according to Aristotle's judgment, those who inhabit cold countries have much natural heat in them, and those who have much heat for the most part are of great strength. And because the Almains\"\nRicius the physician was asked what he thought about remitting something to them in this treatment of this patient and his diet. He replied, \"Not by Saint Mary's, not this much, but rather handle them more strictly. Let these excessive beliefs in eating and drinking be driven to a much thinner diet than these thin and lean Italians. I have punished one of these fat fellows with hunger for ten days longer than I should have, because nothing remained that could hinder the effect of Guaiacum.\"\n\nI gladly relate this and other things by Ricius, and I often mention Stomer, so that those who read this book may understand. I call good and right physicians those I delight in learning and friendship with, as I hate the unlearned and foolhardy fellows who, after they have...\nBut they are made doctors for their money,\nstraight professors, who can undo deeds,\nand restore life to those who are buried.\nBut I will return to the two\nwho are of another sort. Of these two physicians,\nStromer, when I asked him last year for a medicine, said,\n\"Do not trouble your stomach with medicines in this age,\nin which nature is able to do much better.\nFor as he is very sparing in pouring in medicines,\nso he brings all sick people to a very strict rule of diet.\nWhen he had taken in hand to cure one in the city of August in this way, and he said,\n\nOf this sort there are two physicians,\nmost noble prince, the one is your physician, most noble prince, named Gregory Loppus,\nwho has helped me not a little in the writing hereof,\nthe other continues in the archbishop's court of Cologne, called James Ebelly,\na man of so great authority that for four years\nBefore I was appointed as the common physician, all physicians, however esteemed, yielded to him. The other was held in great honor among all the chief learned men of Papia, where this study flourishes, not only for his knowledge in physics but also for other good learning he had joined to it. But this is not the place to list the excellent learned men; my purpose is to write my experience of Guaiacum. Therefore, I repeat this to conclude with, that I firmly believe that this wood will help all manner of men, wherever they may be brought up or continue.\n\nIt seems that for some reasons that follow, it is better to prove this cure in summer than in winter. First, because (as Galen states), the moisture in summer increases and runs through the entire body, and therefore the pestilent humors may be easily separated from the good, and they may be expelled and banished; and those that are wholesome and good may be kept.\nSecondly, because all diseases deepen their roots in winter and take firmer hold, while in summer, contrarywise, the humors are still moving, and the body is more apt to changes. However, these considerations apply generally to all diseases. Regarding our Guaiacum cure, since a large part of it consists in diet and suffering from great hunger, it is most expedient to begin in summer. In that season, a man can recover better with this diet than in winter, when men are very hungry. For if the body, being hot and boiling of itself, as it is in summer, is further loaded with meat, it would easily be dissolved into diseases. But in winter, it does not behave in the same way, for, as Hippocrates says, a man's body inwardly abounds with natural heat in winter, while outwardly it lacks it, for so much is it enclosed, within the inward parts, as to hold it tightly and close it up: but contrarywise, in summer.\nSommer, according to Aristotle, the natural heat in a man's body follows the nature of the air and exits through the extremities. However, this medicine works against that by bringing natural heat back into the body. It seems inconvenient to use this medicine, as Coppus notes, stating that guaiacum makes a person sweat. Summer is best for this cure when humors are more subtle and the skin thinner. In winter, the pores through which sweat should pass and be expelled are stopped, and humors are gathered together. But in this cure using guaiacum, the sick are only troubled by thirst, and it is thought that they may find it harder to abstain from drinking in summer.\nIn Spain, and where the heat is intense, they did not yet dare to try this experiment in the summer. Furthermore, in winter, according to Alexander Aphrodisius, there arises in a man through much eating an humor called pituita, or phlegm, which could be avoided if this cure were available. Great abstinence must be observed and kept in this condition. We have spoken of the times of fierce heat and fierce cold, and now we will speak of the other two seasons between them. Autumn seems the worst of the two. For then there is great abundance of all manner of sicknesses, and the humors are unstable. Moreover, the French pox is very harmful to the sinuses, and the said author teaches that winter and autumn are not suitable or fitting times for medicines, due to the resolution of the sinuses. However, these are the reasons given by those who generally dispute.\nAnd speak not only of the use of Guaiacum. Therefore, I think that summer (at the left ways in Germany) may be best taken: but that is the part of summer that begins when Ver ends, as in May, for then there is not here so much heat, but the sick may well endure thirst. And in winter, the cold is very fierce, and likewise in spring and autumn, the cold is sharper than the sick may endure in this cure. For it is one of the chief points for him who is restored by Guaiacum, with all diligence to avoid cold. And as for such inconveniences as may happen in the summer, to the intent they may be feared the less, I have spoken of before, and shall repeat them again, when the place shall be. And nevertheless, at this time I do affirm, that this drink of Guaiacum wonderfully strengthens the natural power and has the power and might to quicken and make lusty the body, which for lack of natural heat is weak and consumed.\nThey were not as I said, and had not Hippocrates in a certain place, I believe I mentioned: that Vere and Autumn are the most apt times and may I not boldly affirm, this medicine be given to us for holiness of life? Verily, where we are brought into God's favor by two virtues especially, that is, the chastity of the body, and abstinence from meat and drink, as the laws of Christian people record, let him be given:\n\nNext to this, the use of wine is known to be most pestilent and must be avoided in this cure. For it loosens the joints of the body and harms the sinews. And since it has vehement power to enter the limbs and shake the entire body, it is thought that this guaiacum decotion shall not benefit in his body, one who uses wine, but rather put him in jeopardy and fear of death, when these things Guaiacum and wine, which are most contrary, meet and come together. Therefore, some there are who monish to abstain.\nFrom one whole month after the time of this cure, the medicine continues to work effectively for as long as it does. Therefore, to prevent anything from interrupting or hindering it, they stop using wine. He who flees the pleasures of the body must be careful not to give in to gluttony. The old proverb testifies that hunger never leads to adultery. And it is also said that Venus grows cold without bread and wine. Aelian relates that those afflicted with pain in their limbs, who have abstained from wine and women for a year, have remained healthy throughout their lives. Celsus comes to the same conclusion, that those who are born chaste, or castrated, or children, or those who have never fallen to the company of women (except for those whose flowers have been stopped), and women, except for those who have had their virginity preserved, are seldom tempted by this disease. And Alexander, in his problems, states that those who drink water only are quicker in all senses than others. Wine obstructs the ways of the senses.\nmynde and dull the senses. And Cicero says that wine profits the sick scarcely, and hurts often, so it is much better not to give it, than under the hope of doubtful health to run into open jeopardy. And Venus, in whatever state a man be, chills and dries the belly, if Aristotle is true. For in such coupling, the natural heat departs, and through the evaporation that then is made, dryness is caused and generated.\n\nSobriety and chastity, two holy ordinances of life, are the principal observation in this matter, the highest precept, the chief point of health, which diligently kept, no jeopardy can rise. For whether they tarry the medicine or utterly stop and let it, they put a man not in jeopardy of his life, when they are neglected.\n\nAmong all the things that must be avoided, some men wonder, why salt is forbidden to be used for the duration of this diet, considering there is nothing more holy somewhere else.\nFor the body: and they say, that in this disease they cannot perceive how any harm could come from it. This arises from the corruption and putrefaction of the blood, since only salt most preserves and defends against both these. Salt's nature is also to make things dry and bind and clean, which properties were thought most meet and necessary to be administered to draw out this disease by the roots. First, because the body, infected with the pox, is loosened and shaken; secondly, because the humors flow out from one matter; thirdly, and most importantly, because the corrupt and infected things that are broken bind together things that are pulled apart, making calm and quiet things, and bringing quietness and safety to all things: yes, how great a thing and how necessary Pliny considered salt to be, saying without salt a man's life is incomplete.\ncannot endure this sickness, and therefore they ask, how can that hurt in this sickness which in other diseases preserves all things? Since in this cure we must take care that no corrupt humors are abundant, and salt resolves and cleanses all filthy moistness, and also keeps down and restrains the flowing of the body, it is thought we should be more plentiful of salt here than elsewhere. Notwithstanding these reasons, we must consider another factor. First and foremost, as pertains to his disease, the sick person must forbear salt meats, not all kinds, but only such as are very sharp. Let it be asked of the physicians, who have long before time pursued this matter to the utmost, for this time, seeing the medicine of Guaiacum is specifically treated of, we may say that though all physicians know the use of salt, except it be very little, to be harmful and hurtful in all other passions of the sinuses, and in such.\ndiseases are caused by corrupt blood, and of yellow and black color, or salt fleum, for so much as with its tartshes it resembles bile, and burns the blood, and with its native dryness causes the humors and nourishment of the body to dry up, and by that means destroys all things that should help to health. Yet never the less about the administration of Guaiacum they forbid utterly all manner of use of salt: for the same consideration they commanded all sharp things, and moreover all things penetrating: and among these, spices, and wine. For so much as all such through their sharpening and penetrating power open all pores and enter deep: which violence running through the body, Guaiacum can have no place to work. If these reasons do not satisfy those minds, I will say unto them, as the philosophers say of the stone Magnes, if it be anointed with garlic, it draws not iron to it, so likewise Guaiacum has a certain secret.\nIn ancient times, virtue, and it is not known whether it has been discovered yet to particularly abhor the use of salt, and what power is lost if salted foods come into contact with it. We have spoken before about the bearing of salt in this cure. Now, we will speak of the slender feeding and hunger, with which the body must be weakened and made lean, upon which all the matter of this diet depends.\n\nAlthough we spoke before of the small and thin feeding, that the sick must use, and how his meat must be diminished, and he brought to hunger, yet we think it necessary to warn you again in this place, not only because this medicine requires an empty and void body, from all manner of fullness, but also because I would declare that in old time there was a like manner to cure the sick. We may also read in Diodorus that the Egyptians healed their sick with fasting or vomiting. For they affirm, as he relates, that sicknesses are engendered specifically from superfluidity.\nAnd therefore they believed that the way to make the most for health was to take away the first causes of the disease. Let not these drunkards, these interpreters, given to surfeiting, be troubled by this diet, which, as Persius says, delights only in delightful feeding, and can live scarcely half a day without meat: whose belly, as the prophet says, is their god, and all their mind and life is nothing but feeding. Let such fellows, as I said, cease their grudging against this diet, seeing that by it so excellent and so good a thing is obtained, and so great an evil is avoided with so little labor. And let them not in this thing speak of the great jeopardy, which may come from weakness, through long abstinence: for he says that he may faint, and that the Scythians, having certain herbs in their mouths, sometimes abstain from hunger and thirst for twelve days. And some also say that the Christian philosopher\nAmonius never eats but toasted bread, which thing, if any man wonders at, let him remember that this is also written in stories about certain magicians who lived on meal and herbs only. And Hesiod, this little grief, and to be tormented all the days of his life with intolerable sorrows, and to have running from him stinking and filthy matter? I have told you, that this is no new kind of curing: for the best physicians have always commanded abstinence to the sick. Of whom is Asclepiades, who, as Celsus says, writes that the most effective remedy against fever is, as he has proven, to diminish the strength of the patient with much watch and abstinence, so much that at the first beginning of the sickness, they should not wash their mouth.\n\nAbstinence, says Eusebius, keeps the bodily health, and the chastity of the mind. Digestion, and great grief of the stomach.\nAfterward, when it happened that he met Plato, he said to him, \"You, Plato, eat today rather for tomorrow than for the present time.\"\n\nIn Lucian's Gallus, Pithagoras relates it as a great benefit from God given to Micyllus, because he could always avoid fires with hunger and was therefore free from such diseases. Now, what shall we say about this, as Saint Jerome wrote, that certain individuals afflicted with the joint ache and gout, after their goods were gone and they were separated from them, and brought to poor fare and simple food, recovered their health? For they, as Saint Jerome says, took no thought or care for their household and the possession of food and drink, which both harm the body and soul. And he further says, \"There is nothing that delights a man's mind so much as a full belly: singing and turning hither and thither, blowing wind with balking fist and farting.\"\n\nThis story may be a learning to many.\nmen, who was red-faced due to a certain large, deceitful and fat abbot. As he was being carried to certain baths, it happened that he met a gentleman, who asked him if he was going? The abbot answered and said that he was going to the baths. Why (said the gentleman), are you sick? Nay (said the abbot), I am not sick, but I have no appetite for my food. I am going therefore now to the baths to regain my appetite, which I had lost recently: for they are healthy therefore. Very truly (said the gentleman), In this matter I can be a better physician to you. And he took the abbot with him and led him into a deep and dark place.\n\nBut first, I must tell you (to conclude this chapter), that Guaiacum does not require a belly that is replenished with a variety of foods, or troubled with wind in the inner parts, but purified and cleansed from all raw and gross humors.\n\nThis scene of eating\ncan not only be borne, but\nalso may bring about healing.\nI cannot tell how this might happen to anyone, as it did not occur in me. I would advise him to use the following things, as Pliny believes they ease hunger and quench thirst when barely tasted: butter and honey, relishes. In this matter, we must follow Celsus, who says: \"This one thing must always be observed, that the physician be often consulted, except one would rather follow that which Galen writes, that Herophilus did dictate, that the Scythians, when they were compelled for some reason to endure hunger, would thrust their bellies together and bind them tightly with broad swaddling bands, thinking that by such pressing of their belly, hunger might be put away or the easier born. For, as he says, hunger comes from emptiness and is caused by\"\nof the voidness and hollowness of the intrayles, and of the belly, than when the belly is girded hard, so that the emptiness is filled, and the hollowness joined, there can be no hunger where these things are not, and utter refusal of meat may lightly be born. But why say I, utter refusal of meat, which cannot be in this cure? I may well call it hunger, whatever it may be, that any endures. For it may be suffered well and easily, though a man takes nothing in the world to help it. But to these delicate sick persons, what can be light? which cannot only suffer no hunger, but also not to have a stool to defecate, they think it intolerable. For if at any time they are sick, we might pray God that they never recover, considering they esteem it a great grief to buy health with a little suffering.\n\nOf such persons, if I speak somewhat largely, I do it in my accustomed manner, especially when I perceive many of them.\nmy countrymen, the Almains, I beseech almighty God, that this nation may once know itself. I do not desire this much, because it is uncivil for the people who rule the whole world to live in such a way that such intemperance and riot are causes of great evils, and also of great disrespect. If other people ate and drank as much as they could, they think they should pass the law of nature. But when we come to such excess that we cannot bear it, we look for praise and approval. What is the point of these strife and contentions of our valiant drinkers, this emperor, not for the reverence and opinion, which they had of our noble forefathers, but to despise and mock us. Verily, it must be that they were far other men who had such honor given to them, than we are, who are thus despised. Is there not so much as a child in Italy who knows us by any other name than that of drunkards? Since then that other nations\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English. No major OCR errors were detected, so no correction was necessary.)\n\"Strange nations speak more of our vices than our humanity or virtue: shall we not change our living? Shall we not fear to lose this honor to our great rebuke and shame? Or shall we not think, that it is more shame to us to lose the title and profit of the empire, which has been a glory to receive, when it was offered to us? Or that sober men and reasonable wills be content to be under the rule and dominion of a drunk and barbarous nation, being without all good humanity. But if it cannot happen into the brains of our men to understand their own shame, yet at least let them know their own destruction. And if we set so little by the loss of our glory and the rebuke and shame of our voluptuous mind, that we will not leave for that, our unthrifty living: let us at least have so much wit, as to care for our bodily health, which must necessarily be troubled and brought to nothing in such feastings, safety measures, and drinkings.\"\nthe whiche, as the satirike poete sayth,\nleapethe and skyppeth in greatte compa\u2223nyes\nof al kindes of deseses. But Germani\nhath loste his wytte and vnderstandynge,\nand hath forgotten it selfe, nat all Germa\u2223nie,\nbut many in Germanie. These be they\nthat drawe theyr dyners vnto soupper, and\ntheyr suppers in to farre nyghte. These be\nthey, which throughe theyr mysorder, haue\ncaused a straunge poete, but yet not an ylle\npoete, for he semeth to hate yl men, to write\nto the greatte selaunder of this countreye,\nsayinge: Bacchus sytteth at the deyse, and\nAppollo is caste out of all company. For al\nthe lyfe there is nothynge els but drinking,\nthat is, they set more by drynkynge than by\nwysedome. Howe be it these drongerdes,\nthat erre throughe madnes and lyghtnes,\nmought lyghtly be dispised: but these that\nwith theyr deynteous fare, and nyce and\nwanton apparell cast them selfe heedlonge\ninto the mydmayne see of voluptuousnesse\nand pleasures. These I say, be worthy to\nby hated of all the worlde. These be they,\nThese lie upon their pillows, heaped together, who consume whatever can be obtained by land or sea, not to sustain their life, but to delight their sweet mouths. They must wear the finest linen, be robed in purple, rejoice, and be wrapped in softest furs, not so much to keep them from cold, as for delight and wantonness. These are they, who may not touch common cloth, whose skin can not endure but the finest and softest things that may be obtained: who take counsel in quaffing, and in their counsels quaff, who meddle with no sad matters, but lead all their life in feasting.\n\nThese things are not used (I say again) throughout all Germany, but especially among the chief and nobles of Germany: to our great shame and rebuke, these pampered ones daily indulge in all manner of delicate fare, exercising dinners and suppers for popes, in them they banquet, in them they bring one another, and therein find such pleasure that they.\nhad less fear, than to be plucked from it. They have no other care, but to fill the belly: by whom Salust, if he had suspected such beasts ever to come in Germany, might well have spoken this his saying. Many men, given to feeding and sleeping, have passed even as strangers their whole life, without knowledge and learning. But let a man cast with himself what opinions the Romans held: for no gluttons do otherwise, as Junional spoke of, who believe, that God in his fume and wrath does cast these diseases upon their bodies; and therefore call them the gunstones and weapons of God. But would to God we would return to our old porage, and be covered as we were in times past, with woolen garments, so made that every limb and part of us might be seen, & to wax weary of this silk, and hate these garments so full of plaites. For what other things are all these, but first the wasting of our patrimony, and then the purchasing and increase.\n\"of all evils and diseases? Verily, what would great Charles say now, if he came again to us and saw our princes in their utter garments of silk: seeing that he himself wore a shirt of hemp? Or what would one of the Ottomans say, who stretched out and enlarged their virtue and valiantness in dust and durst: when our men anoint themselves with strange and costly balms?\n\nThere is a notable execration of Chrysippus against those who use unguents voluptuously for the pleasure of others. The devil take these delicate fellows, he says, who have corrupted such a good thing, the people who were wanton and given to pleasure used it in times past. But it was never thought that the Germans would ever come to this point, to smell of unguents and balms. And now we call for pomanders, musk balls, damask rose.\n\nSolon forbade unguents to be sold in\nAnd Lic [sic] severely rebuked such rotes abundance.\n\nTruly, the old Germans had no mind for\"\nsuch voluptuous pleasures, and they thought it a very strange thing, to live anything wantonly or nicely. I have heard some old men say, that when they were young men, it was a suspect thing to wear a gown, when we nowadays do honor and worship purples. And therefore we may well cry, O corrupted and wretched world. They were covered with the skins of wild beasts, and lay in their fields under the sky, and were made stronger with continual labor, where we that be wantonly and nicely clothed, and take our pleasure under our gay gilted houses, are through all kinds of riot and voluptuous pastimes utterly weakened, and of all manly strengths deprived. And may any man think, that this manner of living can lightly have an end, seeing the chief and principal example thereof comes from them specifically, that are called priests? What they are in deed, God knows, & they only, to whom it has pleased God to give truer eyes to see with. These do not use all manner pomps.\nAnd every one of them must swim at home in his house in all manner of costly and delicate dishes and cups, and they call it eating and drinking living, or if they do not so call it, yet they esteem it as such. And therefore, seeing they do so, other men think they may do the same.\n\nThis is the laudable and natural custom and fashion of Germany, which is banished. For we have gone so far that we exceed all other nations, be they ever so evil, in such abundance and voluptuous pleasures.\n\nIt had become fitting for us to have driven these things out from the midst of us, and as Diogenes did to the Tartarus and fine manchettes, so to have said to this strange riotous manner, O guest go and get the hens quickly. You the examples of strange nations ought once to have taught us. And seeing to banquet and surfeit most largely is nowadays counted most regal, why do we not here the answer of Menecrates the philosopher, which he made?\nTo Antigonus, asking him whether he should go to a magnificent and costly feast or not? Have in mind (said he), that thou art a king's son. Antisthenes, to a certain person praying for delicious fare, replied, \"I would our enemies be treated delicately.\" The words of Saint Paul also ought to be written in our hearts, saying: \"Meats are given to the belly, and the belly to meats, but God shall make an end of both.\" The same Paul, when he condemned the works of the flesh, among which he named excessive drinking and eating, added to these words, \"Of which things I now warn you, as I have before times warned you, that they, who commit such things, shall not be the inheritors of the kingdom of God.\" But they now do the same things, which ought to be our guides into the kingdom of God, priests, canons, bishops, and prelates, to such an extent, that it is now come into a proverb throughout all Germany, \"Let him be made a man of the church, who\"\nThe frugality of my grandfather Lawrence Hutten, which is worthy of being written about, should move us to much glory. Although he was rich and greatly occupied in important matters of our princes, both in war and peace, yet he would not admit pepper, saffron, ginger, or such other strange spices into his house, nor would he use anything but clothing made of our own wool, although there were sometimes precious vestments given to him for the well-doing of his business. He did not only do this himself, but also among his equals he reprimanded greatly the fashions and manners of men, saying, \"We seek ever strange things, as though we had not grown with us, with which our meat may be made delightful. If we will please and delight our taste, or as though the great price of our garments increased the qualities of the mind. But I will cease to speak more of this man, lest I seem to covet my own.\"\nglory. If I had fyrst told you this one thing\nme thynketh it is not so goodly a thynge to\nbe borne of this my stocke and familye, in\nthe whiche be somme causes besydes this,\nwherof I maye glorye, as to be borne his\nneuewe, that thus hath lyued. Our prede\u2223cessours,\nand suche as I my selfe haue sene\nolde men, whan I was but a chylde, whan\nthey dyd kepe in theyr meate, drinke, and clo\u00a6thynge\nsuch temperance, they were of good\nlykynge of body, and through great labour\nwere hardned agaynst hunger and thurste,\nheate and colde, where as we at the fyrste\nfrost, sheuer and shrinke together both hand\nand fote: and as sone as wynter begynneth,\nwe be treble \n\u00b6But at the last let vs retourne and enter\ninto that lyfe, whiche is metest for this na\u2223tion\nand empire of Germanie, and which e\u2223uen\nthey, whom I tolde you lyued wanton\u2223ly,\ncan be wel contented to here praysed. For\nI thinke there is not one of these, that gyue\nthem selfe to such delycate & ryottous lyfe,\nbut he hateth the same in other, except he be\n\"Blinded by intemperance, he loves these unworthy things and disregards the true. It was an old meal of Cato, porridge made with cheese and eggs. Pliny reports that gruel made with otemelle roots was once the food of the true Germans, as it still is for many to this day. But we feed upon strange and exotic foods, thinking that we have such great need of them, that every household has decreed to sell the things that grow with us to buy the other with: which has enriched the Fucher, that they should live quietly, who could be contented to lack such pleasures and delicacies. For those who cultivate our herbs, and line them (as there are still some true Germans remaining), they are of good health and bodily appearance. But those who are spice-fingered, and belch synonymously, and smell all of cloves\"\n\n\"Though this country brings forth that which is necessary for life, yet, as though nature had utterly forsaken them,\"\nthey ran onto strange things, obtaining their garments, food, and medicines from Hercules pillars, Taprobana island, the river Ganges, and places even farther, almost from the head of Nile.\n\nThe wrath of God fell upon these men, who first received these evils into Germany. For they had done a thing unworthy of the Germans. Truly, our ancestors were not such men, who preferred the labors and pains of Hercules above fleshly lusts, over the delicate meats and soft beds of Sardanapalus. But O Lord Christ, how delightful, how healthful is bread made of rye or wheat, and gruel made of millet, orrisa, ptisana, and oatmeal porridge? Add to this countless kinds of herbs and various garden spices, as anise, coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, neppe, onions, leeks, garlic, and especially, if we are to believe Pliny, parsley has a singular good grace to season meals.\nAnd we have ale and beer. For the wealthy, there is wine, which is the pure and clean drink of the earth, as Appollonius judges; scarcely used whether it grows in France or on the banks of the Rhine. We also have flesh from our own beasts, both tame and wild, which are not of unpleasant taste. We have fruits from trees, not to be despised. How rich is Germany, how plentiful in all foods, how abundantly do they provide all things necessary for human life? Therefore, my chief desire and vow is that they never lack gold or French pepper, which cannot live without. I pray God, may they once be brought to extreme hunger, who now search in all places not for food to live with, but for delicacies and dainties, wherewith they may stir up their sweet mouths and provoke their appetites. How justly did Galen envy health to such fellows, when he forbade all physicians from the curing of drunkards, and of them.\n\"If one falls into illness, according to Hieronymus, such individuals, through intemperate living, bring forth gross and undigested humors, which need to be cleansed and purged in vain. The necessities of nature are easily satisfied, Hieronymus says. Cold can be expelled with warm clothing, and hunger with scant food.\n\nWhen King Xerxes of Persia found himself in such a state, eating dry figs and barley bread, he held his fortune in check and endured such a great change. By this example, we may know that those who live in awareness of their own life are those who live sparingly and soberly. On the contrary, those who are given over to the care of their bodies and the indulgence of all things, are like men groping in darkness, and perceive not their own life, so far removed are they from the life of pleasure.\n\nIn a short time, when they have fallen into diseases, they begin\"\nFor Persius says, when we doubt, what is the cause of all the sicknesses the Germans have? Remembering that this pestilence and bodily misery entered with their rank and riotous life. For we now give ourselves so entirely to whores and pleasures that we seem to strive with other strange people for the mastery of filthy living, as men do in games for the best wager. And for this purpose we have certain ministers very expert. Aristophanes reproved the tables of the Syracusans and the voluptuous abundance of the Sibarites. If at that time he blamed such things, what would he say if he now lived and saw our feasting, our drinking and quaffing? Therefore, let those who desire virtue and knowledge take heed and listen to Pythagoras, who says that a man who does not rise above man cannot take hold.\nAnd Cicero brings in Cato saying: a libidinous and intemperate youth makes age very feeble. He advises and counsels us to eat and drink as much as sustains the bodily strength, not oppressing it. Nothing, he thinks, is more unfavorable to the human mind than voluptuousness, which he calls a heavenly reward and gift. As long as lust and pleasure reign, temperance has no place; neither can virtue endure where lust and pleasure reign. Therefore, he judges that we ought to give great thanks to age, which causes us not to desire to do that which we ought not. For voluptuousness, he says, being an enemy to reason, stops and hinders all good counsel, and blinds the eyes of the mind, and mixes nothing at all with virtue. Old men are happy, he thinks, who, when they lack feasts, full dishes, and the cups often walking, lack also drunkenness, raw stomachs.\nAnd be not troubled nor disturbed by dreams, of what kind they may be, that afflict those given to such wantonness. For Hieronymus says that diseases come from excessive eating.\n\nThere is a pretty joke, of a certain position in this country, about a sick man in recovery, who had running legs, and who, despite being given to feasting and drinking greatly, complained that his medicines were ineffective and his sores ran faster than they did at the beginning: Truly said the physician, they will cease to run.\n\nGalen affirms that the great chiefs, whose life and occupation is feeding, cannot live long nor be healthy, and their minds are so wrapped up in excess blood and fat, even as if with a mist, that they have no manner of heavenly meditation, but always think of eating, drinking, farting, and shitting.\n\nThe old Romans called that feeding necessary, which was slender and sparing. Among the Greeks, little meat was considered sufficient.\nThe Essenes, praised by many, are commended by Josephus for turning their daily abstinence into a custom and adopting a new nature. Josephus also lauds the continence of the Pharisees. He who once sought to destroy us, I believe, desired that this custom of living might have spread among us. Seeing Marcus Cato, as Pliny writes, took great care and fear, lest the Greeks invade Italy with their wanton and voluptuous living: which of our forefathers provided, that none of these spices and silks should be sold in Germany? Farewell pepper, farewell saffron, farewell silk. Or if there is any use of them among other nations, I pray God that this nation never knows it or sees it. And Christ send our countrymen this mind, that they may call back the frugality of their elders and fashion themselves to their honest sparing.\nWith what stout stomach does Anacharsis boast the order of his living? To me he says, hunger is a sweet morsel, the ground is my bed, a cloak of Scythia (that is a beast's skin) is my garment.\n\nSober Demosthenes drove drunken Aesches out of the city. Socrates, hating the tavern haunters and such as have all their delight and pleasure in their throats, said: \"Many men live to the intent to eat and drink, but I eat and drink to live. O, very wise man, and worthy to be taken by Apollo's commendation.\"\n\nAnd this saying of a Greek poet is too good to be forgotten: Thou thyself must rule the bridle of thy belly.\n\nWhat say you? What kind of fellow do you think Epicurus was? Whom all the world persecutes as a fellow of pleasure, who placed the highest felicity in pleasure?\n\nTruly, whatever it was that he valued so much, he meant in the use of bread and water, and he much commended a slender living, and such as may quickly be obtained.\n\nWriting to a certain friend of mine,\nHe says: Send me a little cheese. Anaxagoras said, He who eats daily needs but little food. Porphyrius desires the mind to be cleansed and purged with abstinence. Philostratus wrote that Porus, the king of India, was exceedingly strong and mighty, notwithstanding he never fed but on bread and water. Masinissa lived 70 years without any kind of delicate feeding. And Mithridates, king of Pontus, who waged war with the Romans for 40 years, used to eat his food standing up, so far removed was he from our fashion, that he would not sit down on a soft couch. Titus Livius with a soft bed and silence. Among the praises of Augustus Caesar, this is the chief, that he was content with little food and drink. But we would rather order our life after the fashion and manners of gluttons and pleasant fellows, living contrary to nature, to the destruction both of body and soul, than to set before us these examples of life, so noble.\nAnd so it is healthful. I pray the Turks and others not of our religion, will they ever desire to become Christian men, when they see one who orders himself after this diet? Now, back to our topic. Regarding abstinence and slender fare, I will discuss what I think of him who follows this diet, as some men believe he can be restored without the drinking of Guaiacum.\n\nOf those who are good, there should be no evil opinion or suspicion. But truly, these physicians are sorely grievous. I myself have seen them promise to set the shavings of juniper, oak, or ash, or pine tree, or all these together. They doubted not that they would help men with such diseases as well as with this decoction of Guaiacum. Although I suspect their malicious intent, yet I pray God grant them good fortune as they wish. For what could be a greater benefit to this nation than\nTo have such a remedy growing in our own woods, which must otherwise be fetched from so far? But I greatly fear, lest they go in vain about this their rash promise, both because I think this to be a more severe disease than can be put away with hunger, without any other medicine ministered, especially after it has deeply rooted, as for the most part it is wont to do. And also if these trees, which I spoke of, could do any such thing, their virtue and power I think should not have gone so long unknown, seeing they grow here among us. Never the less, I am content they make a profit. For what other thing has a physician to do, but daily to find something out, and to know by experience, and to search what will help every grief and sickness? But this thing I would all be admonished to believe, which I spoke of before, that the help of frugality and scantiness, as it is great in other diseases, so it is, and that especially, in the French poxes, but yet not only.\nso great that it may amend the blood that is infected and corrupted through the vein. I have shown you that many have been restored to their health from the gout and joint ache, when they brought themselves to a more slender and sober diet, and abstain with a little thing from being brought together. But it so infects the whole body, on which it once catches hold, that it cannot be taken from any part alone, but when it is driven out from the whole, as at one burst or pluck. Believe me, I have proven many things herein to my great hurt, if any man could have avoided this evil with sober and scant living, I had avoided it long since. For by the space of three whole years I kept my body as low and lean as could be, in so much that in that space I felt no grief of my disease, but yet I was not completely rid of it. Never the less, go to you noble promise-keepers, set the ash, make ready juniper and pine tree, and take boxwood, if it pleases you. I have often gaped for times.\nIn looking for those golden hills, the belly avoids it little and hard, and this not only because he eats little but also because the nature of this medicine is to dry and bind. Yet I have heard it said that this does not happen to every man alike. Some say that right after the beginning, they were deceived and some were so continually: I marveled. For in these 40 days it never departed from me so much as once, but as it was compelled. In this diet, it may be kept for 5 or 6 days without any interruption. And then, in the morning, the showing of Guaiacum soaked in water must be drunk to the mount of a half ounce. And if it does not move at the first, it must be given again the next day, and so the third day, and if it helps not so, you must then pour in clysters underneath or suppositories prepared for the nones. For the belly must needs be lost. And if a man's condition does not improve, he must be bled.\nA person will not harm himself through drinking or consuming Cassia, I believe, as long as this is done only once and he does not drink Guaiacum more than once. I would not want him to be relieved with worms; they make the body cold, and, as Pliny says, they are harmful for the eyes, especially for the teeth. There are many things in this cure that stop the belly. First, because the body is emptied at the beginning with a purgation, and second, because there is little food received. But since this place is closed and shut from emissions, there is something in the meantime, either through sweating, due to the strength of Guaiacum, which expels harmful and superfluous things, or in the urine, which is more moist than that which comes from food. And one thing is greatly comforting, that during the time of this cure there occurs no swelling, nor are there any painful throes or aches felt, nor does the taste become bitter, nor does anything rise.\nIf the patient cannot sweat, some think that means should be sought to provoke him to do so. And therefore they cast on him many clothes and let him lie for three or four hours covered in hot conditions. Though this is among all things that we suffer, it is one of the hardest: yet I felt even to the very verge, that this happens not in vain. All those who were cured with me endured it most grievously, and they said that this was the hardest thing in the entire cure. But if I might freely express my mind here (mostly I dare not reveal what I have learned), I would advise no man to be provoked to sweat, save that the patient shall keep his bed as the thing requires.\nAnd I think truly, that in this cure as in others, the physicians of my country do many things foolishly, which ought not to be done. For this medicine itself causes one to sweat, and it will not endure compulsion. This may be a sign that I perceived myself to sweat no sooner than when I was covered with three or four furs, than when I had to wrap myself in one. But this I would have you understand, that the patient must sweat, and if it will not come naturally, then it must be gently encouraged. I allow nothing that is forced. And I warn you, that you avoid those who are accustomed to toss the bodies into the fire, or who would have the stews overly hot. For such heat can be harmful. And where I said that sweat must be gently encouraged or easily provoked, it must be understood that:\nIf one is weighed down by the clothes of one bed, so that the load of the clothes hinders or oppresses him: I suppose this can be remedied through the use of Guaiacum, as he will sweat enough. But now I suppose it is high time to declare how the effect of this medicine may be perceived and understood, and when the patients begin to improve, and whether this cure is sudden and swift or late and slow. In all other cases, I will reveal to you those things that I myself have seen and known. However, I warn you beforehand that if it has happened otherwise to anyone than what I write, he should not blame me.\n\nI have learned that Guaiacum helps little by little, and not suddenly, and it advances fairly and easily, and not violently. For it is far from the truth to believe that it helps one suddenly, as sometimes the disease comes on so sharply from the first day to the 25th, and the pain and ache increase so much, and the sores enlarge so much,\n\nTherefore, it is important to note that the improvement from the use of Guaiacum is gradual and not sudden.\nA man would think himself in a worse case during these days than ever before: either because the disease is rooted up and draws from the inner parts, and the rooting up is painful, or because the alteration, which then ensues, breaks out with great violence and shaking, putting a man to grievous pain. For undoubtedly this medicine draws out this fearsome disease by the roots, and that does it to some before the seventh day, and to others after the twentieth day, if it tarries longer than it works this effect, than the deficiency is otherwise in the patients, when they use excess in feeding. In my case (as I said before), if those whose wit is more subtle and are rightly attentively given to study fall sick, their diseases will be more vehement and longer continuing. And\nMany think that it significantly matters, in this disease as well as others, in what parts of the body the sickness should occur, for the right part is more healable than the left. Because, as Alexander says, by larger exercise the matter is stopped and made more apt to heal. Also, they say, it is harder to heal the outermost parts because they are farther from the body and take longer to be nourished and fed. One must be cautious, whether the pain ascends or descends. Celsus says that whatever pain goes downward is more curable. And again, all pain that proceeds upward is worse for the medicine to reach. Furthermore, those diseases that chance in our secret parts, being most plentiful and sharp due to inflammation (to which those parts are especially subject), are healed forthwith and soonest. As in all other medicines, these may be moved, so for the new use brought up by Guaiacum, I am not certain.\nEvery man should take heed, for wherever the pain is, and whatever kind of pocks cause it, prepare Guaiacum. After drinking it for a sufficient length of time until it spreads and runs into the veins, the pain will little by little subside. However, the pain may return, becoming sharper and more painful, only to disappear again. For once it begins to subside and becomes sore and painful, it does not last long. Those with sores will have the flesh eaten away around them, which is a sign of healing. In my case, about the 25th day, my legs were eaten away so much that one could see the bone, the width of a man's nail. This event filled me with great fear, but without difficulty, the flesh grew back within a few days.\nAnd by this I perceive well that the nature\nof this medicine is to purify and cleanse\nthe sores underneath and beneath the flesh,\nto prove and show first the virtue thereof.\nFew or none have I seen whose sores were clean healed,\nwho were kept close till they healed. And therefore I have\nheard many experts say that the Guaiacum\nmakes an end of its operation, when\nthe patient returns to his food, and in every thing\ntakes again his old custom of living.\nThe medicine draws the heat from the outer parts to the inner,\nthe inward parties after they are warmed and made hot,\nthen the heat spreads itself into the outward parties.\nFor this, without any doubt, is proved,\nthat their limbs, that are bound with Guaiacum, are hottest.\nAnd six or seven winters following, my legs and feet\nwould be so cold that I could never get them warm enough,\nthough I wrapped them in never so many clothes,\nnow they grow so warm, that with a very\nverveille.\nThe thing or similar garment, I put away the cold. These things, understood and known, we must come to this point, that is, to know the operation of Guaiacum and against what sicknesses it helps.\n\nThe most principal and chiefest effect of Guaiacum is to heal the French poxes cleanly, plucking them up by the roots, but especially when a man has been diseased with them for a long time. For I have seen those, who lay sore and pained with the poxes for many days, sooner and better restored to their health than those on whom the scabs began to appear newly. Not that anything should be left unhealed in the latter case, but that the curing goes forward more harshly, and the disease sticks faster and is more painfully plucked out. For Guaiacum resolves and destroys marvelously swellings, gatherings together of ill matters, hardnesses, bumps, and knobs. Fluxions or runnings it utterly takes away, either consuming or turning the same into another.\nThis text appears to be written in Early Modern English, and it describes the effects and uses of a medicinal substance. I will clean the text by removing unnecessary elements and correcting some spelling errors while preserving the original meaning as much as possible.\n\nThe way it works is: it causes sores to suppurate without any pain. It roots out anything hidden within, exposing bones for some, revealing sinuses, breaking veins, or penetrating deeply, and it heals the infected parts, despite the foul stench and filthiness, which is so strong that the scent cannot be endured. Physicians say that the virtue of this medicine is to heat, to dry, and to correct the faults of the blood and liver; it accomplishes all these things with such a temperament that indiscriminately, whether the cause is hot or cold, it eases the patient's condition. With its dryness, it restrains phlegm, destroying the harmful humors that flow out, and it pulls up by the roots the cause of their beginning, restoring the body to its good disposition. It lessens fever and the pores or passages of the liver, preventing many diseases.\ntymes by perunctions to be shutte, and al\u2223so\nother in this disease hit openethe, ye and\nprouoketh & compelleth the vryne to make\nand haue way. For the whiche skylle some\nthynke it helpeth them that haue the stone,\nand that it compelleth the stones to issue out\nof the bladder. I haue experyence, that hit\ngreately mynisheth blacke coler. And ther\u2223fore\nit maketh a man more gladsome, and\nquencheth anger. Vndoubtedly hit hathe a\na greater vertue agaynst melancolye. And\nhit taketh away runnynges and droppyn\u2223ges,\nand it lyghtneth his heuynes, by hea\u2223tynge\n(as it may be thought) the brayne. It\nis sayde, that hit amendeth soores, whiche\nwere before yll healed, howe soo euer they\ncome, and cuttethe agayne the scarres. It\namendeth the leannes, whiche hath longe\ncontynued in the body. And therfore whan\nthis cure is done, me\u0304 waxe very fat al their\nlyfe after. They saye it hath a meruaylous\nvertue ageynst the stynkyng of the mouth, &\ndoth amende the griefe of the brethe, whi\u2223che\n\"despite the fault of annointing. It benefits the inward parties, particularly the stomach, which it renews, making the breaking as good as ever before. Its effect is excellent for the members that have fallen away and diminished, it increases them and fills them up, it stretches forth the sinews that are shrunk. I have also said that the measure of it is not given according to its strength's proportion. For it makes no weaker one when it is administered. And now this one thing I affirm, that if it is sodden four times, yet is not all its virtue gone out. I do not deny this, but the first broth is stronger. Some steadfastly believe that it is very good for fistulas and cankers, and for the parties that are eaten with cankers. It certainly helps those who draw their wind with pain and cannot breathe, if this fault comes through this\"\nAnd since I have previously discussed the evils that come with this sickness, it is unnecessary to repeat them, as this ailment takes away, destroys, and conquers them, often leaving only slight traces if they are old. It also benefits the gout. I have personally seen two people restored to health who had been afflicted with this sickness. It is also a remedy for the pale complexion, especially when it is new and recently begun. This is because it quenches and dries it away. I write this based on the reports of trustworthy and sad men who have knowledge of its effects. I myself have never seen anyone healed by it before.\n\nRicius spoke of a leper, who, though not completely healed by this medicine, was made much better and cleaner. Such a man was one that others could tolerate being in the company of. Ricius therefore believes that this medicine is capable of hiding and stopping leprosy, even if it cannot completely cure it.\n\nHowever, if this cure were used repeatedly or\n\n(If this cure were used repeatedly or)\noften, he believed that the great harm of that disease would not be put off for a long time. And moreover, he had great hope that if this sickness were prevented in the beginning, it might utterly be purged and cleansed, and the sick restored. And since this medicine has the power to dry up, some go about to administer it for the water between the flesh and the skin, which is called dropsy, the end of which we look for. It is well known to be profitable against the falling evil, as the physicians say, if the disease be of a cold kind. I have seen them that were inwardly sick and troubled with many other sicknesses, that were of an evil and corrupted stomach, and could but poorly digest, and when they would recover themselves from their long weaknesses and sicknesses, and repair again their strength and health, have prepared themselves for this cure, the physicians not advising them the contrary. Ricius also approves the same in many cases. For so much as\nHe knew (as he said) that a healthy man, or one little impaired, could come to this cure without any harm. He perfectly believed that the good appearance of the body was kept, preserved, defended, and confirmed by it. Now let it content you to have heard spoken these things about the help of Guaiacum. If any man asks me the causes, I will send him to the physicians who are expert. For as for me, I profess no such thing. Nor did I begin this book intending to give a reason for these things that I was writing, but I promised this: whatever I found of Guaiacum, and perceived by experience, either in myself or in others, and whatever I had either seen or heard of others, I would faithfully and truly put in writing, leaving an occasion for many after me to declare the thing as it is worthy. And now, so that all may know what Guaiacum has done in me, I will show in what parts of my body.\nAnd after what fashion I was afflicted. By this one chance it is known that we ought not to despair in any bodily ailment, though we be brought never so near to death's door. For how many were we, after the physicians had given us up, restored to health through the sudden and, as one would say, heavenly help of Guaiacum? I know one, my very good friend, who, when he saw me bitterly vexed with this sickness, that for pain I could neither rest by night nor eat by day, advised me to kill myself, seeing there could be no remedy found, and my body seemed to waste away in filthy matter, to my great pain and sorrow, and no hope at all of recovery. He said to me, \"It becomes you to be delivered from this evil, whether it will or not.\" But he had forgotten that we were Christians, and remembered too well that we were friends and lovers. For it is our part to hold all things in memory that witnessed in times past, whom we now call.\nCalled martyrs to the world, our savior Christ endured manfully suffering for his sake great torment and pains. If anything can make a man long for death, truly it is the torment of this sickness. I utterly deny that the father of Licinius Cecina ever suffered such things. When Speusippus the philosopher was once afflicted with the palsy, he did not despair of escape, but met Diogenes and wished him well and good health. Diogenes (it is said) answered, \"And you farewell in no mean way, since you are such a one and can be content to live.\" The same Diogenes, who was wont to be so stiff a philosopher, what do you think he would have said if he had beheld and seen me, when I was likewise vexed, as those who had the palsy were, and besides, loathed some both in sight and taste, and all were averse to me, and some even hated me? And yet I lived and had some hope, although I had been often deceived and deluded.\nI could not use my left foot due to a disease that had afflicted it for eight years or more. The sore in the middle of my shin, where the flesh is covered very thinly, was inflamed and rotting with great pain and blistering. As soon as one healed, another emerged. There were many sores, some here and some there, which the physicians could not bring together in one. Above the right ankle was a hard knob, which seemed like a bone, and caused excessive pain and beating without ceasing. There was also a swelling nearby, hard like a bone, which was the oldest of all, where the remains of this pestilence still remained fresh and new.\nWhan the physician attempted this with iron, fire, hot irons, or any other instrument, they profited nothing: sometimes it was extremely swollen and painful, other times it subsided and was gentler. I was less troubled when my foot was held towards the fire, yet it would not allow itself to be covered with much gear: it ran so much that a man would have thought it would never be stopped. And whenever I tried to rest or stand on my foot, the pain was intolerable: upward, the calf and knee were marvelously cold and seemed lifeless. The thigh was completely worn away and consumed to extreme lengths, and the skin was so thin that there seemed nothing else left to cover the bone with. Moreover, the joints were so loose, that for a long time I had much difficulty standing alone, and to be brief: one of my buttocks was but a thing worn away. In my left shoulder there was such pain that I could not lift up my arm.\nMy shoulders were extremely weak and very stiff. In the middle of the flesh of my arm, there was a swelling as large as an egg. The rest of my arm, right up to my hand, was completely worn away. And on the right side, a little below the lowest rib, I had a sore which was not painful in truth, but it emitted certain foul and stinking matter, and it flowed very filthily, like a fistula with a narrow opening outward, and inward it was of a large hollow. And above him, there was also another, as if a bone had been bread there on a rib. And to conclude, I distinctly felt a stream and it issued down from the top of my head to all these. And where it began, the least touch in the world made my head work as if the brain pan had been broken, nor could my face be turned backward, but as it was turned with the whole body. This one thing I will not pass over - wherefrom if Guaiacum had relieved.\nI, and I did nothing else, yet I ought to have lauded and praised his virtue greatly, and that is no one sleep, which I coveted so deeply, and was so much given to, that almost in six years' time there was not one day when the physicians cried out upon me, saying that I was the cause of all my diseases, and yet I could not refrain myself from it. But now it has gone so far from me that I believe if I should force myself to sleep in daytime, I could not. With all these, and so great evils though I was so mastered, that all men despised my health: yet my good angel (I believe) willed me to tarry and look for something. And lo, through the help of Guaiacum, I am bold now to live, and to draw breath again. Which mind God give to all good men, that they never cease to hope and trust. As for me, I repent me in nothing, and I Gave warning before, that after this cure is past, and the patient is departed out of the cloister of this medicine, where he was close.\nHe must consequently maintain a certain diet and order in his living for a period of three or at least two whole months. Now that we have arrived at the subject, I say that it is so necessary that anyone who has recovered from an illness, except they carefully observe many things and live under a certain rule as if they were still confined, I plainly say that their health will not last long. Three months are appointed for those who were either greatly consumed and low in their sicknesses, had many issues, avoided much, or were sorely hurt in their sinuses and limbs, or were weakened in their bodies, such that a little time cannot suffice to gather their strength again. On the other hand, those who are strong and not so far gone, nor broken, are considered sufficient after two months, according to what is thought.\nof carnal copulation brings peril, not one member by himself but the entire body at once: What else can we say, he asserts, who carnally mingles with women (being so weakened), except willing himself to sleep or at the least swiftly to destroy his natural strength, and openly casting his health away.\n\nAnd if some are forbidden the company of women, who are never the less attractive in appearance and have no disease at all: How much more should they avoid and flee it, who have lost their health and strength, and must labor as much as they can to regain it? And if before the age of fourteen no one is strong enough for that act, because his strength is not yet fully furnished to put such a dangerous thing into experience: How should he beware and take heed, who is now born again and has such a young and tender body, offering himself rashly to be plucked and torn before he has received his strength and hardened it?\nThe next point is this: though they may have a greedy and sharp appetite for food, having been emptied by continuous hunger, they must resist it and behave themselves very soberly and scarcely in their feeding. Therefore, they must first use very little food, and afterwards some more, going forth by little and little, so that there may be a good space of a month, for other things which will be observed more clearly in the following, may be learned more plainly. For now I will advise and instruct, not only those recovered by Guaiacum, but others as well from whatever disease they are delivered, if they value their good health and wellbeing, and desire to be long in prosperity, what things they shall follow. And here it is chiefly to be noted (however it may now be known), that this one thing is what makes this sickness very severe.\nIt is difficult to diet. When this disease is overcome, it is not only what we eat that must be considered in our living, but many things: diverse things must be reckoned up. In so much as whatever things there are, whether they be for or against all the diseases which I previously mentioned followed this sickness, he who is recovered must set them before himself, endeavoring himself with all diligence to obtain them and to annoy those that are against him. Therefore, he must always be very careful in his living, that all things may be done orderly. Notwithstanding, if this medicine has saved any, there is great comfort for them because those who are expert in it plainly think that after the patient has once received their health, and the time of observation following this cure is past, nothing that is not contrary to their old manner of living can put them in any danger, so long as they did not live disorderly before.\nFor that same order shal serue hym, that\nis thus restored, as shall serue theym, that\nneuer had the sycknes. Wherfore they thinke\nit not so moche to be regarded, what a man\neateth, as howe moche he eateth: And ther\u2223fore\nno kynde of meate to be forborne, no\nchoise of meate to be hadde, concernynge\nthe qualitie of fedynge, nothynge to be ca\u2223red\nfore, but that whiche is knowen to ap\u2223perteygne\nto the commen conseruation of\nhelthe, and to the vniuersall auoydynge of\nall maladies and diseases. Wherin that that\nCelsus teacheth, perchance shall not be the\nleest, whiche is, that euerye man take hede,\nleste whyle his bodye is in prosperitie, the\naydes and succour ageynst aduersite be con\u2223sumed\nand wasted.\n\u00b6Helth is preserued (as the same Celsus\nsayth) by dyet, by medicines, by oyntynges,\nby frictions and rubbynges, by baynes, by\nexercyse, by caryage aboute, by clere and\npleasant readynge: whiche thynges howe\nthey ought to be considered fully and holle,\nI leaue you to aske of hym. Here wylle I\nBriefly touch on a few things, and such as pertain to diet. This I believe they must feed pleasantly and moderately, and take such meats and drinks as are of lightest digestion. For as Poul says, The chiefest point of education is, that the meat be such as will easily digest and nourish well, not slow in digestion, nor clammy, nor plentiful in superfluities: and the drink to be small wine, white, pure, and a little delayed with water. And Celsus says, See your meat not be fatty, clammy, or windy. And by his counsel you must abstain from all manner of salt meats, sharp, sour, and bitter. For the same reason I think, as I mentioned before. And Paul says, In eating, the greatest fault is satiety and fullness. For although the belly digests well, yet the veins being too replenished, they labor sore, they swell, they break, they are stopped and filled with wind, and it is plain that the worst diseases of all come from satiety.\nThis is to be avoided: no man should fill himself. I also agree, and for this reason I will repeat what is said by the same author: moderation in meals is to be greatly avoided, especially when contrary operations and virtues are in them. For when they are thrust in so forcefully, they resist digestion, and Galen and Avicenna, among others, hold this view. Cato (as Tully writes) commands that as much food and drink be received as refreshes the strength and power of the body, without oppressing it. Therefore, by the counsel of Xenophon, we must make, for the most part, a small dinner, so that there may be room for the supper. This disease is of such a nature that Galen believes it arises from gluttony. This means that I do not think that everyone who lives in gluttony should be cast into the French pots straightaway.\nIf someone has been afflicted by diseases, even severe ones, but has previously been headed and indulged in eating and drinking excessively, they must fall ill again. Therefore, the food received should not be diverse or abundant, so as not to overload the stomach and hinder digestion. Moreover, the food should be easy to digest, as Pliny states that all sharp foods, those that are excessive, and those that are hastily consumed are difficult to process, and more so in summer than in winter, and in old age than in youth. It is written in Cicero that one who avoids exotic foods, loaded tables, and frequent cups will not be prone to drunkenness, stomach ailments, or nightmares. However, since this cure is completed, we must consider how to bring the body, which has previously been emptied and made lean, back to its former state. Therefore, perhaps those foods must be used that increase and fill the body.\nbody, not with noyfull humours, but suche\nas Celsus reherseth in the .iii. chapter of the\nfyrste boke.\n\u00b6Plinie also sayth, The bodies growe and\nincreace with sweate and fatte meates, and\nwith drynke, they diminisshe and go downe\nwith drye, leane, and colde meates & thurst.\nBut this muste be wysely vnderstande, for\nthose thynges, whiche I haue often before\nmonysshed. But seinge Galenus warnethe\nvs in all thynges to take hede to the bealy,\nFor what so euer, sayth he, is corrupted, in\nthat it is a cause of rot vnto al the body, and\nso of diseases, I thynke it best to take those\ndrynkes and meates, as Celsus teachethe,\nwhich do both noryshe & make the bely soft.\n\u00b6But if any, through the dyuelles prouo\u2223cation\nfyll hym selfe, and lode his stomake\nwith meate, more than it is able to beare:\nif he lyste to seke helpe by slepe, let him here\nPlinie, saying, To dygest in slepe, it maketh\nmore for the corpulentes than the strengthe\nof the body. And therfore the phisytions\nwolde haue the great fat wrastlers to make\ntheyr digestion is improved by walking. But if he eases himself by vomiting, as many do and Paul specifically teaches, many evils are often prevented and stopped. Let him read Paul's teaching, showing how one can easily vomit. And if neither of these is considered or proven effective, then in all likelihood he must go to a physician. As for meats, which are wholesome and unwholesome, and how every kind of meat helps or harms, except a man declares it to the utmost, it is better not to speak of it at all. I would have the authors read, such as Celsus, who briefly treats of the kinds of meats. Or Paul, who in 24 chapters deals at length with the natures and virtues of meats. Or else Galen, who is sufficient on his own, preceding them.\n\"Nothing in the books of nursing. I would now have made an end of speaking, if certain things had not come to mind. Firstly, I will tell you about eggs. Pliny says that there is no food like eggs for nourishing in sickness, and they do not lie heavy, and in place of wine and meat. Aurelius also affirms that the yolks of hens' eggs, partridge eggs, or pheasant eggs surpass all foods for those whose blood has diminished or whose hearts have fainted. Alexander Aphrodisius believes that it contains within itself the qualities of all the elements, and to conclude, there is in an egg a certain sign of the world. Both because it is made of the four elements, and again because it is gathered round in spherical shape, and has a living power. Many forbid fried eggs; among these are Paulus and Galen. They do not allow the food of herbs. And many others forbid the same.\"\nThough Marcus Cato praises brassica (cabbage) above money. Galenus believes that one cannot be nourished by any other foods if one eats a daily fill of ptsiana (psyllium). I would say the same about beans, if they did not fill with wind. Paul speaks very highly of the use of milk in both food and medicine. Alexander says milk is easy to digest and nourishing. Since it can easily enter the blood, which is made of blood, and in a way it is blood made white.\n\nPaul also emphasizes the great power of wine. And he says that if wine harms any man, he must drink cold water. The next day, he must drink the juice of wormwood and walk on it, rub his body and wash it, and then refresh himself with a little food. Galenus advises avoiding wines that are recently pressed and wines that are too old.\nFor these heate to moche, and the other no\u2223thynge\nat all. That fedynge sayth Paule,\nthat kepeth a man bare and sklender, is mo\u2223che\nsurer for the helth, thanne that whiche\nmaketh one fat. But for as moche as lyttell\nmeate gyueth nother strength nor stedynes\nvnto the bodye, therfore he after addethe\nsayinge. Suche meates as are of a meane\nnature, are the chiefe nourysshementes of\nall. For they ingender bloudde of a meane\nsubstaunce. And as suche are mooste meteste\nand conuenyent for our bodyes, soo be they\nthat brynge forth yll humours most noyful,\nand therfore muste they alwayes be auo\nThroughe rubbynge, if it be vehement, the\nbody is made harde, if it be softe and easye,\nthe body is made softe, if it be moche, it di\u2223minisheth,\nif it be meane, it fylleth.\n\u00b6In our days that high lerned man Eras\u00a6mus\nRoterodamus, vsynge thus dayly and\nspecially in the mornynge at his vprysynge,\nthinketh therby that he preserueth his helth,\nthe weakenes of his body (whiche is verye\ngreat) not withstandynge. And hathe war\u2223ned\nI diligently follow, above all other things, the same practice as I and all other students. I find ease in it, as Paul advises. Commodious and agreeable for young and old, as Paul also says. The Italians now wash very seldom, which I do not marvel at, since in times past they used to do it daily, as writings testify, and the remains of their baths at Rome testify, which were built like cities.\n\nIn exercises, Galen teaches that measure must be kept and observed. He also says, \"I condemn immoderation everywhere.\" Likewise, he says, \"Exercise before meals is the chief thing for preserving health. What is held down again needs rest. For motion causes flowing of the superfluous matter, which may raise and stir up inflammation.\" The worst thing for one with bad knees, says Celsus, is to ride. He also thinks it is not good for them.\nThe old men exercised themselves also in voice, so they might sing and read more. I said I would address these matters as occasion gave, not much regarding any order, but whatever was worthy to be noted should come to mind. Let no man look for anything great here, if anyone would know, I have shown in which authors what things he shall find. But fault, concerning the use of Venus, Galen has left nothing untouched. He affirms that act to be an enemy to the health of all those who are dry of complexion, and especially of those who are also cold. For Venus, he says, is harmful only to them who are hot and moist, and abundant in seed. Again, he says: Those who have their bodies well tempered and without fault ought not to utterly abstain from Venus, as those who are cold and dry ought. Paul also says, dry copulations hurt.\nAll men, and most of all those who are cold, should be joined to the dry, so that only those who are hot and moist can use it without injury. Labor is profitable for health, and so is copulation if used in moderation. This is important to know: all those who have had the French pox should, out of love for their genitals, avoid carnal copulation with great care. Paul recommends exercising children, as the labor of body and mind can tame and restrain them from the violence of bodily pleasure. Hippocrates compares this act to a falling sickness. Alexander the Great used to say that copulation and sleep were two of the greatest signs of mortality.\n\nThe healthiness of the air should be considered, which is a good sign of health. Paul says that air which is infected with bad vapors, emitting pestilent blasts, or is near a sink or draught, or is miasmatic, is the greatest evil that can be for the preservation.\nOf the health, as moderate labor is the greatest good. According to sleep, when it ought to be taken and how much Paul teaches abundantly, and also what commodities follow when it is well taken in time. With no sleep there is none that holds. For such as are of a sad nature, or troubled with thought and care, the positions are very good to call for some manner pastimes and mirth, to find out by some means whereby the heart may be cheered, and the sadness of mind eased. Penises say that Paul, must be driven away with the sweetness of sounds.\n\nHe that is in good health (says Celsus) and at his own liberty, needs to care neither for medicines nor ointments. Which thing I allow, and would not those who are of good liking and health be bound greatly to any manner of living: so I think it necessary for them, who have been sick or have sickly bodies, or follow such a kind of living, that they cannot well defend the bodily health, to have a rule.\nFor living, there should be a law and rule. Galen monyspeith states that a law and rule of living is in no way superfluous. Diet, he says, is a very effective medicine.\n\nThese things that I have here written, most noble prince, I consider most profitable for this purpose, both by my own and others' experience, and also by the teaching of those who were highly learned.\n\nThe things I have written for your excellence are not because you should profit from them (for which I beseech our savior Christ to save and keep your magnificence), but that they may be ready if any of your court happens to need them. And of such things as I have written, you shall use the judgment of Stromer, as I said before. For your other physician, Gregory Coppus, has already seen these things and helped me in some of them, but that was incidentally, when I left him to go to Maguncia for business that I had there. But if it had so fortuned that I might have been in your court.\nWith him (For you were away in Germany), I should have treated these things more carefully and set forth my book more perfectly. But however it is now, I pray your excellence to take it well. I pray God be lucky and prosperous unto you, and as fortunate as your own heart desires, without disdain or envy of any person. Thus I commend myself to you, most noble, most worthy, most benign, and excellent prelate, whom Almighty God long keep in good health and prosperity. Amen. Written\nat Mainz\nwith my own hand.\nThus ends this book De morbo gallico, compiled by Ulrich Hutten knight.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "A sermon spoken before the king his majesty at Greenwich, on a good Friday: the year of our Lord MCCCCXXXVJ. By John Longland, bishop of Lincoln.\n\nFor the praise and glory of Christ, and in memory of his glorious passion.\nET SIC DEUS REDEMIT ISRAEL EX OMNIBUS INIQUITATIBUS EUS.\nPsalm 129.\n\nThis day which we solemnly observe and keep holy in remembrance of the bitter, and most glorious passion of our savior Jesus Christ, is called Good Friday. And not without cause. For on this day, God did so much good for us, that no more good could be done. For on this day, Christ, the son of God, suffered for us, suffering passion and death, the most painful, cruel, and painful death that ever was suffered.\nBy this passion and death, he redeemed the world: by this passion and death, most highly he pleased God the Father, who was utterly displeased with man from the fall of Adam until the time of this passion; by this passion and death, he reconciled man to God, and brought him again into favor, and restored him to grace. And why did God the Father suffer his Son to die for us in this manner? Surely for love, for love that he bore unto us, love was the cause, love caused him to do so. According to the apostle, for the sake of his small but great love for us, God became our savior in Christ. For that exceeding great love and charity which the Father of heaven bore us, where we were sinners and dead in sin: he quickened and revived us by his Son Christ. Behold here may you see the cause why God did this great good for us.\nThe apostle said, it was for his great abundant charity, for his marvelous exceeding love: not for our merits, not for our deserts, but for love. What love? For the love he bore to us, not for the love he bore to himself? Nay, nay. It was for the inestimable love he bore to us,\n\nPropter nimia charitatem qua dilexit nos. What did he do by this love? He conferred grace upon us in Christ. He reconciled us to Christ, scorning death and giving life.\n\nHow? In Christ. In Christ and by Christ. Christ was the doer, in Christ his passion, in Christ his blood, whose virtue remains in the sacrament of baptism, where we were purged, cleansed, and made holy: not from one, two, three, or four sins: but from all our iniquities. From all our sins, he reconciled us by this passion, not only from sin, but also from the death due for sin, from eternal death.\n\nAnd how did the Father work this redemption? In Christ. In Christ and by Christ. How by Christ? In Rome. 8.\nThe apostle says, \"He did not spare his own son, but gave him for us all. In what way was everything given to us through him? This is how he carried out our redemption. He spared not his consubstantial and coeternal son, who is of one substance, being, power, and knowledge with the Father. In all things one with the Father. Thus he spared not his only son: but he was to be born of a virgin and become mortal, and to suffer death for us. And that is what the apostle says, 'He gave him for us all.' For me and for you, and for this man and that man. For all? Yes, for all of us. For all mankind. And he says, 'He gave.' He made the trade and gave him. This 'giving,' is more than 'daring.' For 'daring' is to give, but 'giving,' is daring in power.\"\nTradere is to give something into a man's power, to use the thing given at his or their own pleasures, to do with it as he will: that is, to make or mar, to use at liberty. And so did the Father in heaven for our sake; He gave His son Christ into the hands and power of the Jews, to handle, to treat, to haul, to drag, to beat, to scourge, to cut, to mangle, to crucify, and cruelly to put to death. And so, for this reason, He gave him to them. He put him holy into their hands for our salvation, to do with him what they would, and so they did.\n\nAnd he who gave us such a great treasure,\nThe Father gave us all goodness with his son.\nHis own son, who is his treasure, his wisdom, his sapience, his power: who is the glory of heaven, in whom angels dwell, in whose visage stands the glory of heaven, the felicity and fruition there: he who gives us such a great gift, his own son, will not withhold smaller gifts with this great gift, he will not withhold all good things with his son. For he did give to us with him much goodness, much profit, much comfort. He gave to us with him the gift of faith, the gifts of hope, charity, patience, temperance, peace, logicism, goodness, benevolence, meekness, temperance, prudence, wisdom, chastity, obedience, modesty, continency, strength of soul, good will, promptitude and readiness, a plentiful good will to live well. He gave with him the gifts of the Holy Spirit.\nTo this man the gift of understanding, to that man the gift of wisdom, to this man the gift of pity, to that man the gift of fear toward God, fortitude and strength of soul to labor in God, to resist sin, to do good deeds. He gave us with this great gift, grace: grace to be contrite and penitent for our sins, grace to do penance, grace to mourn, weep, and lament our wicked lives. He gives us with his son, remission of our sins. And He will give us the glory of heaven with Himself, if we will live accordingly and be like Christians. Love caused the Son to die for man. And the Father did not do this only out of His high charity, thus give His dear offspring, His son for us: but His merciful Son also gave Himself for us. The apostle says, \"Galatians 2:20. He who loved me, gave Himself for me.\" He who loved me, gave Himself for me.\nBut why did he do this? What had we done to him that he should do this to us? Was it because of our deserts? Had we deserved this? Nay. We were wretched sinners, miserable living beings, enemies of God, and out of favor: yet he gave himself into the hands of his enemies for us. But why did he do this? Certainly for love. \"He loved me,\" says the apostle. He loved me. Love was the cause, love moved and stirred him to give himself to death for us. What love? The love which I spoke of before, the love that he bore to you, to me, and to all mankind. What did he give for it? Money? gold? precious stones? lands? or goods? Nay. He gave a more precious gift than these. He gave himself. Himself, his body. And not only his body, but also his soul, his life, his death, and his divinity.\nHe gave his body to the Jews, to handle, to treat, to beat, to scourge, to torture, to kill, to sleep, to crucify, to do with it what they would: and so they did, even to their own damnation. He gave his body also to us, living on the cross, dead to the tomb, so that your body, living, might live clean, and being dead, might rest in the tomb, and at the day of God rise again, to be glorified and reign with him in glory. He gives to you this most precious body now risen from death to life, in that most holy sacrament of the Eucharist, the sacrament of the altar. He gives himself to us, both body and blood: soul and divinity, now reigning in glory and sitting on the right hand of his Father. Rome, 8.\n\nWhere he was placed on our behalf, as the apostle bears witness, and is a petitioner for us to God the Father.\nChristus, Jesus who died and rose again, who is at the right hand of the Father, intercedes for us. Christ, Jesus, who died and rose from death to life, who is at the right hand of the Father, makes petition and intercession for us. He daily shows to the Father his humanity which he took upon himself, and the bitter manner of his death and passion which he suffered for us: so to move the Father to mercy and pity, so to procure mercy for man: whose petition cannot be contemned but graciously heard. Barnard. Christ and Mary his mother daily intercede for us to God the Father.\n\nIn contemplation of this merciful intercession of Christ being in the right hand of the Father, you have a secure access to God, man, where you have the Son as intercessor: with the Son, the Mother: the Mother shows the Son her breast and breasts: the Son shows the Father his side and wounds: there they cannot be repulsed, where so many signs of charity are displayed.\nO man, you may surely go and sue to your Lord God by petition, by desire and prayer, for your necessities of the soul. Where you have an intercessor for him, you have his mother Mary. And to procure grace and mercy, to move God to pity, she does show to her son Christ her breast and lap: the son does show to his father his side and wounds: there can be no repulse, no denial of our petitions, where they are shown and alleged, so many tokens of love and charity.\n\nThe showing of this breast and lap,\nWhat this showing of the breast and lap of Mary signifies is no more but a reminder of the great infinite mercy of God the Son, which he showed to man, when he took manhood for us, born of a maiden, being an infant, and sucking his mother's breasts.\nAs you say, show mercy, pity, and compassion to man in this deed, have compassion on him in his misery of sin, show your old mercy, grant him justice and humble supplication, remit his sin, give him grace, take him to your favor.\nIn the same manner does God's Son show to his Father his wound in his side and other wounds, to move him to such mercy:\nwhich was so merciful to send down his Son, to suffer these wounds and death for man. He intercedes for us, he makes petition and desires before the Father for us.\nAgain Saint John says, \"If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, and he is the propitiation for our sins. Not only for our sins but also for the sins of the whole world.\"\nIf anyone sins unintentionally and offends, let him not despair, for he has an advocate in heaven before the Father, a righteous advocate.\n For he pray\u2223eth, not for euery synner that wyll crye and call and neuer ryse frome synne: but for veraye true penytentes, for them that are displeased with them selues and with theyr synne: lett the\u0304 crye, lett them call, and anone he callythe with them, and makyth peticyo\u0304 for the\u0304: anone he heareth, he helpeth, and he then intercedeth to the fadre for them. Iustum, a iuste aduocate, he promoteth none euyll causes. Iustum. He taketh no rewar\u2223des, no gyftes, no brybes. He dothe not accepte any personage but after hys liuynge. He regar\u2223deth not bloode nor byrth, kythe nor kyne, stren\u2223gthe nor wisedome, beawtie nor fayrenes, ry\u2223ches nor pouertie. He regardeth onely the Chri\u2223stiane and vertuouse liffe of man. And after hys deedes he dothe accepte or repell. Iustum. He is a iuste aduocate.\nThre ty\u2223mes Chri\u2223ste prayd for vs. Ioan. 17.And thre tymes I reade that he dyde shewe hym selffe a vocate, a peticioner for vs. Ones before his passion, whenne he sayth to the fadre\nI pray for them and not for the world, I pray for those you have given me, for they are yours. Secondly, in his passion, when he said, \"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.\" (Luke 23:34) He forgave them, for they did not know what they were doing. Thirdly, after his passion, as here, \"We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.\" (1 John 2:1) The first intercession was by word. The second was by the outpouring of his blood. The third is by his daily showing to the Father his wounds, so to move him to mercy and pity, to have compassion on the world.\n\nOf this great and infinite charity the apostle Paul writes in another place, \"What, then, was Christ died for? For sinners, for few indeed die for the righteous. Who then will die for the wicked? But God commends his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. In whose blood we are justified, in whose blood we shall be made clean from wrath.\" (Romans 5:6-9)\nWhat moved Christ to die for wicked sinners? Shall we find one who will die for a just man? Now, who will die for another, not for his friend? And where shall we find him who dares die for a good man? Our Lord God has shown a commendable and laudable charity towards us, for where we were sinners, wretched liviers, abominable in the sight of God: Christ died for us. In whose blood, we are justified and made righteous: in whose blood, we shall be saved from the ire and wrath of God. Live thou never so well, live thou never so holy, let see if thou wouldst die unless thou shouldst get one who would die for thee? Where wouldst thou have one? Where wouldst thou find him who would do so much for thee, by whose death thou wouldst escape death? Now thou being a sinner, a mislifer, let us see who will die for thee? Any one? Not the father for the son, Christ died for his enemies. Not the son for the father. Yet thou being a sinner, an enemy to God: he died for thee.\nFreely, without question. Freely, not hired or required, but of his own, merciful goodness, he offered himself thereunto, only for the love he bore to thee. And that is it the apostle says.\n\nCommendat deus charitatem suam in nobis, quoniam cum adhuc peccatores eramus et caetera. He showed a marvelous laudable charity to us, in that we being horrible sinners, you before we were reborn or born the children of God by baptism, before we were justified by faith, you before that we were born or knew the world, Mortuus est pro nobis. Galatians 5. But freely and without silver will we be redeemed, freely of his own mere motion, of his own goodness, he offered himself voluntarily to death.\n\nIn whose blood we are justified and made clean. In whose blood we are justified, purged, washed, and made clean. In whose blood we shall be saved at that great day from the great wrath of God, if we live thereafter.\nThat we may be partakers of this glorious passion and blood of Jesus Christ, let us pray.\n\nOremus. And he himself redeemed Israel from all its iniquities.\n\nThe English of these words is, \"Christ has redeemed Israel from all its iniquities. He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities, He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities. Not from a patch or a piece, not from one, two, three or four iniquities, but from all. From all its iniquities, from all its sins, from original and actual, from venial and mortal, from all. And when the prophet wrote these words, this passion was to come, and therefore said, 'Redemed,' he shall redeem. And now it is past, and truly he has redeemed. He has verily suffered passion and death, and has redeemed Israel from all its iniquities, from all its sins.\"\n\nHow and under what manner the Father worked this redemption, the prophet showed in another psalm, saying:\n\nPsalm.\nYou have given me a text written in old English, which I will clean up as much as possible while preserving the original content. Here is the cleaned text:\n\nNotam fecisti in populis uirtutem tuam, redemisti in brachio tuo filios Jacob et Joseph.\nYou, Lord God father of heaven, have made known, declared, and openly shown your virtue among your people. You have redeemed your people with your arm, Jacob, Joseph, what does that mean? The children of Jacob and Joseph. Jacob is called Israel, and signifies the people of Israel, the Israelites. Joseph is interpreted as an augmentum or crescens, an augmentation or growing: and signifies the gentiles who were added and joined to the Israelites in faith, and elected to be with them the true people of salvation, and to be redeemed by Christ, for he redeemed all. In these words, the prophet shows the great power of God which he showed in our redemption. Christ is called the virtue, power, and wisdom of the father, saying.\n\nThou good Lord hast opened and shown thy power, thy virtue, thy wisdom unto the world.\nWhat is this virtue, power, and wisdom of God? The apostle showed to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 1:30), where he calls Christ the virtue and wisdom of God the Father. He is called the virtue and wisdom of the Father, the wisdom of the Father: for by Him, the Father made the world from nothing, governs the world, protects, continues, and holds up the world, punishes the world: in some places one punishes, in some other. By Him, He redeemed and saved the world, and by Him He shall judge the world. This and all other things, does the Father work through His Son Jesus Christ, who is called His virtue, His power, and His wisdom.\n\nThis virtue, the Son of God, was known to the world or revealed to the prophets, but not to all, many thousands of years before He came.\nFor the prophet wrote that he should come into the world, and that he should be born of a virgin, and that he would rebuke the world for their sins, teach truth, work miracles, make the lame and sick whole, cleanse lepers, give sight to the blind, raise to life dead bodies, remit sins, redeem mankind: much more is open in the books of the prophets and in the Psalms.\n\nHe came according to the prophecies, saying, \"I am he,\" and fulfilled all things written about him by them. In the world he was, and the world was made by him, and yet the world did not know him.\n\nWhen the time was come, written in the prophecies, Christ would reveal himself, and came down from heaven, conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of a virgin, taking upon him true manhood, angelic nature, the star, the Magi, witnesses to Christ as God.\nAnd he began openly to reveal himself to the world. At that time, he sent his angels to the shepherds watching their sheep, giving them knowledge that he was born and come into the world. The shepherds came to the place where he was, they saw him there, crawling and lying in a manger between an ox and an ass. He sent another testimony from heaven that he had come, a flaming star, to monarchs of the eastern parts of the world, to testify his coming. They came to him from far-off countries. They offered to him gold, myrrh, and frankincense as to their lord and god. He showed himself at the age of twelve in the temple, disputing with doctors and learned men of their laws, proving and showing by the sayings of their own prophets that God had been born and come into the world. And yet the world did not know him; a hidden God, not known.\nAnd to show himself openly, he went out from Nazareth and Galilee to be baptized by John the Baptist. John bore witness to Christ being God. He knew him to be God, yet of a humble disposition he refused the thing, judging himself to be far unworthy to touch his master, Christ, who was truly God and man. John had said before that he was not worthy to untie his sandals, nor to stoop down and loosen the thongs of his sandals. Matthew 3. And he said to Christ, \"I ought to be baptized by you, the Lord God, and you come to me?\" \"Lord, what do you mean?\" Thou that purges the world, thou that washes all, comest thou to me to be washed?\" I, thy creature, and thou my creator? I, thy servant, and thou my master? I, a sinner, and thou that purges sin? I ought to be washed by you and you come to be washed by me?\" Lord God, what does this mean?\" Christ answered, \"Thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.\"\nIohannes, John, Christ taught the world to submit themselves to the sacraments of his church. Suffer at this time, you do not know the mystery of this thing, you do not know what this thing means. For under this manner, it becomes us to fulfill all justice, all justice is to be found in humility, in humility. Here Christ taught all the world humbly to submit themselves, whatever their degree may be, to the sacraments of his church, and to fulfill all virtue to him belonging.\n\nFor justice contains in itself all virtue, as Saint Ambrose says. Where justice is, there is unity, concord, a gathering together of all virtues. And so did John obey his masters' will and be baptized. And then did the Father of heaven openly manifest his son Christ to the world. Not only by the works of Christ, but also by the testimony of his own word.\n\nFather Ambrose says, \"Where justice is, there is concord of all virtues.\"\nFor when Christ was baptized and came out of the water, the heavens opened, the Holy Ghost descended in a corporal likeness of a dove, and settled upon him. The Father spoke from heaven with a low voice, saying, \"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.\" Matthew writes of his transfiguration and adds, \"Listen to him.\" Matthew 17:\n\nThis is my beloved Son, my true Son. Matthew 17:\n\nFilius meus dilectus, meus verus filius. Matthew 17:\n\nHe shall teach the world, he shall preach truth, \"Listen to him,\" he is my Son. He shall prove himself to be true God, he shall prove it by his works, he is the true prophet who will save the world. He shall redeem man, he shall forgive sins, he shall send down the Holy Ghost, he shall judge the world: \"Listen to him.\" Follow him, obey his word, keep his commandments, follow what he bids you follow, do what he bids you do. He is my Son. \"Listen to him.\"\nWhat more testimony is needed to have of Christ to prove him to be the savior of the world than this? His testimony from the Father? The testimony of the Holy Ghost, His own works and wonders? Here was open witness, here was proof enough, to prove that He was the Son of God. And yet He was, as Isaiah does say, the hidden God, unknown to the world. Thou art the hidden God, hidden to the world, not known to man, the world yet would not know Him. For, as it is open in Matthew, after Christ was baptized and went into the wilderness, there He overcame the great enemy of man, the devil, by proving Himself to be God: and after went abroad all over Judea, declaring Himself as well by His living, His preaching, as by miracles doing, to be truly God, as Nicodemus said to Him, John 5.\n\nNo one could perform these signs that You do unless He was God with Him.\nNone may do these signs if they do not do them unwillingly, God was hidden from the world. He was God, yet hidden from the world, not known. To make Him more manifest and known to the world, He asked His disciples, \"What do people say of Christ?\" (Matt. 16:13) They answered, \"Some call Him John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others one of the prophets.\" Christ asked, \"Whom do you call Me?\" Simon Peter answered, \"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.\" Peter bore witness to Christ being God. Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. Look, here was another testimony and witness that He was God. Again, it was proven that He was God in His transfiguration on Mount Tabor: when He showed Himself glorious between Moses and Elijah, to Peter, James, and John. They heard the voice from heaven, \"This is My beloved Son, and in Him I am well pleased.\" (Matt. 17:5)\nWhere Peter desired ever to dwell there, thinking he had been in heaven and said, \"Domine bonum est nos hic esse: faciamus tria tabernacula: tibi unum, Mosi unum, & Heliae unum.\"\n\nPeter saw such a glory,\nthat he desired to abide there and never to return to the world again.\nChrist bore witness to him, testifying himself, John 5. Christ showed him in various ways to be God primarily in his passion, resurrection, and ascension. Virtus dei. Christ is called the power of God, the wisdom, the arm, and the right hand. Brachium dei.\n\nThe arm of God, and Christ in another place bore witness to himself openly to the Jews,\nDeclaring their works to be a testimony of him: Remitting them to his works, they might truly know what he was.\nMy works said he, do they not testify what I am? And emptying himself, he chiefly proved himself to be God, by the works he showed in his passion, by the works he did in our redemption.\n In this pas\u2223sion, he shewed and playnely opened hym selffe, and gaue euydent notes and knowledge to the worlde, that he was veraye god.\nIn this passion he shewed hym selffe to be Virtus & sapientia pa\u2223tris, to be the vertue and power, the sapie\u0304ce and wysedome of the fadre.\nIn this passion, the fa\u2223dre wolde the truthe thereof shulde be shewed & openly knowen.\nHere in this passion Notam fecit dominus in populis uirtutem suam. He shewed hys vertue: he shewed openly to his people, yt this his sone was his vertue: and that by this his sone & by hys passion, he wolde warke vertue, and that the redemptio\u0304 of ma\u0304 shulde be wrought by him, by his passion and deathe, and by hys precyouse bloode whiche shuldbe shedde in the same.\nAnd that is it that foloweth in the same verse.\nRede\u2223misti in brachio populum tuu\u0304. Thou haste in thyne arme, redemed thy people.\nWhat is this arme of ye fadre? Ueryly ye, that afore he called Virtutem, hys vertue, Christe hys sone. For in an other psalme ye prophete saythe\nThe right hand and your arm, Psalm 43. Three names of Christ: dextera, brachium, illumination. The right hand of God. And the appearance of your face, for in them is pleasure. Where the prophet describes Christ by three names. He calls him Dextera, brachium, and illumination. The right hand, the arm, and the light of the Father's face. First, he called him Dextera, the right hand of the Father. For the right hand signifies Christ incarnate.\n\nAccording to Isidore, this is why he is called Dextera, because Dextera is derived from dando, the giver.\n\nThe right hand is called the right hand of the giver, because in ancient times, the token of peace was and still is given by the right hand. The Maccabees said, \"Let us strike hands with these men, let us give hands to one another,\" which is a token of truth and peace.\n\nThe right part is the principle of motion, and the limbs of the right are stronger than those of the left.\nThe right side is the original beginning of all the motions and movements of the body: and all the right parties and members on the right side, are naturally stronger than the left. For we see the right hand, the right arm, is more ready in anything to do, than is the left. It sets and goes before the other almost in all things. And is more nimble, more quick, more strong and far more ready and apt to doing any thing than is the left. And we see by experience, when friends that have been long apart meet together, they take hands to greet each other with other, not the left hands, but the right. When they also part, they bid farewell and shake hands, not the left hands, but the right. When they make bargains to come together in token of performance of their bargains, they strike hands together, not the left hands, but the right.\nWhen men have been at variance and are reconciled, they take each other's right hands as a sign of truth and peace. Since the right hand is the hand a man works with, is more ready, handsomer, and stronger than the left, God the Father created all things through Christ's right hand; He governs all things by Christ's right hand; and He will judge all things by Christ's right hand. Where He was displeased with me and afterward took truth and peace with Him as a sign of a firm peace, He gave man His right hand, His Son Jesus Christ. Where? Indeed, where He sent Him down to take on our nature; there He gave His strength to us and would no longer strike us with that hand unless He is provoked in another psalm, Psalm 68: \"The right hand of God said to me, 'Take your right hand, I took you with my right hand.'\" Thy right hand took me. Thou tookest me with thy right hand.\nWhen my son Christ took my nature, when he favored me, when he made great peace between us and mankind, he took me into his protection then, to defend, to protect, and to save me in all persecutions, in all temptations and suggestions we face daily from the devil and his angels: whether in bodily desire, carnal affection, worldly vanity, arrogance or pride, malice or displeasure, inordinate desire for wealth, gluttony or luxurious living, or any other inordinate behavior. For every way the devil assails us with his crafty, subtle means. Every way he tests us to see how he may overcome us through his temptations, which are so secret, so subtle, so crafty, so busy, so importunate, so manifold, so hidden, and so violent: that this hand does not help us, it lies not in us to resist. We live here in continual persecution.\nWe have here continually an spiritual enemy, but being strong in God, being strong in faith, in hope, and in love of him, we need not fear. For the devil is but weak where the power of God is. The Lord is mighty and powerful, Psalm 2: Dominus fortis est & potes, God is mighty, strong, and of infinite power. God is strong, God is full of might and power, strong and mighty in battle, mighty in power, mighty in creation, mighty in protection of those that belong to him: mighty in governance, mighty in redemption. Mighty to do all things, in heaven, in earth, and in hell, as shall appear in the process. God the Father gave therefore his right hand, his Son, to us: in sign and token of peace, and of truth. And in token thereof, the angels at this truth-making, at the coming of Christ first into this world, sang, Luke 2: Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonarum voluntatum.\n\nGlory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will.\n\"Gloria to God in heaven, and peace on earth to men of good will. This giving of this right hand of Christ was a sufficient and convenient token of peace and atonement between God and man. Because we should be the more assured of this peace, God the Father permitted His right hand to be bound. God strikes us sometimes with His right hand, sometimes with His left hand, to the cross with nails. If you therefore fear the justice and severity of God, hold Him fast by the right hand. If then He strikes you, it shall be with the left hand, and shall be but an easy stroke. He strikes with the left hand when He punishes temporally. When He strikes your body with pain or sickness, with infirmity or disease, with tribulation or adversity\"\nHe strikes with his left hand when he takes away your wife, husband, child, heir, goods, worldly comfort that you had so much pleasure in. You had so much pleasure in these things that it pulled your love and heart, your service and duty from God: whereby, you might have run into eternal damnation. God therefore strikes with his left hand and takes away your inordinate love you had for this world and worldly things. He takes away the occasion of your damnation. Why does God strike with his right hand? you may more liberally apply your love, mind, service, and duty towards him. He strikes with his right hand when he strikes the sinner with eternal damnation. For it is written by Solomon.\n\nLongitude of days in his right hand, and in his left hand wealth and glory.\n\nIn his right hand is that celestial and eternal life: to give, or to take away from whom and to whom he will.\nAnd in his left hand, he has this temporal riches and worldly glory, to dispose, to give or to withdraw, at his pleasure, to whom and from whom he will. And this stroke is called a touch, a philippe, a tryfull one, as you will say, in comparison of the other. The hand of God is dreadful, and to be feared. The hand of God touched me, says Job. Job 19.\n\nWhen did he say this? Indeed, when the Sabaeans violently took from him five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred head of asses. When the Chaldeans took from him four thousand camels, when they slew his servants, when a violent wind came and overthrew the house where his children were, being merry and eating and drinking, and slew them. When a flaming fire came from above, and burnt his seven thousand sheep with their keepers.\nWhen his own body was struck with sores and plagues so grievously that no part of his body was untouched, but all sore, all foul, all filthy, all putrid and noisome to behold. This had struck Jerusalem with pestilence for 70,000 in one day. This had deposed Nebuchadnezzar from his realm into the desert where he lived for seven and a half years, eating grass and hay with beasts. And all this and such other temporal punishments are called nothing but the touch of the hand of God. But when he strikes, he strikes sore. When he strikes, he strikes with the right hand; of which stroke the prophet speaks in his psalm,\n\nHe struck his enemies, the great sinners of the world and their posterity who follow them in their sin, and it is he says,\n\nHe struck his enemies in their posterity. Psalm 77:1, Regu\u0304.\nAnd they have Obprobrium semperlasting,\neverlasting shame, obloquy and punishment. And the same prophet says, Psalm 20. Thy right hand, Lord God, shall find all those who hate thee, all those who have neglected thy commandments, all those who have despised thy precepts, those who have contemned thy laws and ordinances, the disobedient to thee.\nBut when will he thus find them?\nAnd how will he find them? Indeed, Ibidem. The dreadful hand of God. When he shall put them into a furnace of fire, when he shall come to judgment and show himself a dreadful judge to the world.\nWhen he shall trouble them beyond home, beyond the estiamaco of ma.\nWhen he shall say,\nDiscedite a me maledicti in ignem aeternum, \"Depart from me, cursed ones, and enter the eternal fire which shall consume you, the fire of hell, the fire that never shall have an end, where you shall be consumed and never be quenched, but forever, to suffer eternal damnation.\"\n\nThis is a dreadful hand. This is the hand that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. This hand struck all the realm of Egypt with the ten plagues for their disobedience to God, (Ex. 1) and at last drowned them in the seas and damned them. This hand struck another sort of the children of Israel in the desert for their idolatry in worshiping a golden calf, (Ex. 32) twenty-three thousand men. This hand struck another sort of the children of Israel in the desert with serpents, with fire and with other horrible vengeance: as when the ground opened and swallowed up alive Dathan, Abiram, and Korah, with their companions and their associates for their sin. This hand struck and destroyed the company of Sennacherib in one night for his blasphemy to the number of C.\nLXXX thousand. After his own children slew him in the temple of Nesrache, while he was worshiping his idol. Isaiah 37:2 Paralipomenon. This had appeared a hand on the wall, with Phares, Thethem, and Mane written on it. Daniel 45. This is a terrible story for anyone who wants to read it. This hand of God is dreadful and to be feared. And if you wish to appease this hand, bind it firmly, and do not depart from it. How shall I bind this hand of God? By devout prayer, earnest petition, continuous intercession, true faith, perfect hope, fervent love, and charity, by godly and Christian living. Read chapter 32 of Exodus: And there you shall see how Moses bound it so tightly that he could not strike. When the Israelites, with Moses being in the mountain receiving the laws, had made a calf of gold and honored it as their god.\nGod showed it to Moses, saying that he would therefore destroy them. Moses interceded for his people, asking God to spare them. And God said to Moses, \"Let me alone, so my wrath may burn against this stubborn people, that I may destroy them.\" Moses said to the Lord, \"Lord, be merciful to your people, quell your anger and be reconciled, hold back your hand, have compassion on your people, forgive them their iniquity.\" And it is written in the letter. The Lord was pacified. God was appeased of his anger and spared his people at the request and urging of Moses. Look, Christ, here you see how Moses, through prayer, stayed the high anger of God and held him back; he would not have said, \"Let me alone, let me alone, Moses,\" if he were not angry.\nThou seest now a good Catholic man the great pit and virtue of true prayer. Pray therefore to thy Lord God that He may stay His stroke of vengeance, that He may be merciful unto thee and to His people, that He may withdraw His punishing hand, that He may spare His subjects. Hold Him by prayer, bind Him by petition, pacify Him by intercession, stay His wrath by intercession and sweetness. This hand punishes and damns the sinner; this hand saves the penitent, this hand rewards the good man, this hand crowns the righteous person in heaven. And if we live well and Christianly, this right hand shall defend, protect, guide, and save us: so if we live not Christianly, it shall punish us. Christ is called the arm of God. Brachium destroys and utterly damns us. This Son of God is not only called dextera, the right hand of God the Father, but also called Brachium, the arm of the Father.\nWhiche word \"braechium\" in scripture is often taken for power and strength, and for the Son of God. For the first part, that is, of power and strength, Psalm it is written: Thou hast humiliated the proud like a wounded man. In thy power's virtue thou hast dispersed thy enemies. Then thou, Lord God, hast brought down the proud wretch as low as a man who is wounded. And hast scattered and dispersed thine enemies in the arm of thy virtue, in thy Son. And as God brings down by this hand and arm the proud sinner, and scatters and puts to flight his enemies: so does he again, with his hand, exalt, extol, and promote his humble servants, though not at all times in this world, yet he will do it in heaven, Where he will anoint him with the felicity and sight of God, And that is it that before the prophet calls, Illuminatio uultis tuui the clear sight of the godhead. Wherein stands heavenly joy, the felicity and glory of the fruition there.\nHere appears the great virtue and power of this hand and arm of God. When he in his passion disparaged, confronted, and utterly overcame all his enemies, death, sin, and the devil, and spoiled hell, and victoriously rose from death to life. So he made this sign, God has shown and opened to the world his virtue, his wisdom, his hand, his arm, his power, his omnipotency, his Son Jesus Christ. And especially emphasizes all other things, he declared himself to the world as the true God by his dolorous passion.\nDid he not prove himself to be the true God in his great supper and Last Supper, revealing to Judas his mind and intention to betray him? Christ, through his passion, showed the secrets of Judas' plan every time he gave himself, his own true body and blood, to his disciples in the form of bread and wine, for them to eat and drink? Did he not show himself to be the true God when he prayed on the mountain, offering both sweet water and blood? When he prostrated himself and overthrew the Jews with a word? Who can tell the secrets of a man's heart but only God? Who can give his body in the form of bread and his blood in the form of wine but only God? Who can mingle blood with water but God? Who can overthrow an army with a word but God?\n\nJudas was overcome.\nWhen Christ met Judas with a great multitude of Jews, carrying lanterns, torches, fire brands, and other lights: with statues, swords, and other weapons, and in armor, to apprehend and take him. And Christ knew him not when they met him, for that God had taken away their knowledge. And Christ asked them, \"Whom do you seek?\" They answered, \"Jesus of Nazareth.\" And Christ said, \"I am he.\" At which word, Judas and they all fell back and fell to the ground.\n\nHe paused a little, and suffered them a moment to rise. He asked them again, \"Whom do you seek?\" They answered, \"Jesus of Nazareth.\" Christ said, \"Did I not tell you, 'That I am he?' If you seek me, let these my disciples go safely, unmolested, do not harm them.\"\n\nAnd so he put himself voluntarily into the hands of his enemies, and saved his disciples. For he had said before to his Father, \"Those whom you have given me, I have not lost one of them.\" (John 1:27, 18:5-9)\nI have not loved one that you have given me to keep, but have preserved them all. He showed himself to be God in his taking when he was apprehended. Also in healing Malchus, whose ear was cut off from his head by Peter. He proved himself God in all his words, in all his behaviors, in all his doings, in all his answers made before the judges, and in his marvelous patience, showed both before them and the Jews, when he was scourged, when he was beaten, when he was bound to a pillar, crowned with thorns, blindfolded and mocked, and when he was every way most cruelly treated. Which he could not have done if he had not been God, and yet the world did not know him. Yet he was to the world, Deus absconditus, a hidden God. And how further in his passion he showed himself more plainly to the world, it shall appear by a brief epilogue and recapitulation of the same.\nFor we should call to mind (as we ought) how effectively, how compleately, and with what brevity, the four evangelists have truly and faithfully gathered and written this passion of our savior Christ: we shall find the same most precious passion to stand primarily in three things: which teach and instruct us three necessary lessons, for the health of our souls.\n\nThe first part of his passion:\n1. Christ was stripped of his garments and made naked. stood in the removal and denudation of his clothes, in it his clothes were taken from him and he left naked.\nAfter being brought before many judges where he was mocked, accused, and falsely condemned to death by the cross, he was first scourged, beaten, and carried through the city to the place of passion called Golgotha on the mount of Calvary. There, the Jews who were intended to put him on the cross stripped him of all that he had, taking away his clothes and apparel. They left him bare and naked, without a rag or shirt, and even left him without the loincloth, which is not mentioned in the Gospels. Nor do we read that any thief or criminal was so nakedly exposed when they were to suffer as Christ was when he was to die.\nThey took not only his outer apparel but also spoiled him of his secret coat, taking from him a coat which was without seem, a coat which they would not divide as they did his other garments, but cast lots upon one to have it whole. Psalm 23. They divided my garments among them, and cast lots upon my garment, said God. Lo, see how thy Lord God was thus ignominiously left naked and bare, and cried not at it, grudged not with it, murmured not for Job. That we brought nothing into this world with us, nor shall bear anything away when we depart. The same Job says, I was born and came into this world bare and naked, and bare and naked I shall go from it.\nAll are born naked and bare, and equally shall we all depart from this world, naked and bare: kings and emperors, queens and ladies, lords and gentlemen, rich and poor. All, All, All are born naked, and we shall all return to the earth from which we came: naked, without cloth or covering, save that the great man may perhaps have a finer winding sheet than the poor man, but both are mortal, both shall die, both shall rot, both shall be forgotten, both are earth and ashes, dust and worms' meat. This fair body that you make so much of, that you deck it so carefully, that you set so much by: it shall away, it is but earth and ashes, dust and worms' meat. Serpents shall inherit it. Serpents shall inherit your body, as you naturally inherit your father's lands.\nSerpents, worms, and toads, shall naturally generate and breed in your body. Serpents, worms, and toads, shall gnaw, eat, and devour your beautiful face, your fair nose, your clear eyes, your white hands, your godly body. Remember this, you Lord and Lady. Remember this, you Christian man and woman. Remember this one day.\n\nHe who sins not, who always keeps in mind that he must die. He who will therefore overcome this frail world, let him leave its delight, and nakedly with naked Christ, let him ascend and go up upon the cross. And how? I shall soon show you.\n\nThe second part of this passion stood in contempt and derision: in great horrible contempt and derision, which the Jews put upon Christ.\nI think no earthly man could recount one part of the manifold and open contemptuous insults, objections, mockeries, and scorns they did to Christ on this night and this day: regarding and taking him as a spectacle, a mocking stock, a man of contempt, and a lawbreaker.\n\nFor when they came to take him, they came as he himself witnessed, Mark 14: \"Are you the one to seize the man with swords and clubs to arrest me?\"\n\nWhen you came to take me, you came as is the manner to take a thief: with armor, with swords and rods, in the night time. And when I was daily among you in the temple teaching, you took me not, you laid nothing to my charge. Thus wickedly they took Christ, they dragged him to and fro: they struck him, they scourged him, they cuffed him, they pulled his beard, they spat upon him, they gave him buffets and strokes beyond measure.\nThey scourged him without pity or compassion, they clothed him in purple color in derision, they crowned him with thorns, they blindfolded him, they mocked him, they put a reed in his hand instead of a scepter, and in mockery struck him by turns, and cried, \"Tell us now who strikes you?\" And similarly struck him around the head, crying, \"Tell us now who struck you? Who was that?\nAnd knelt down before him, saluting him in derision, crying, \"Hail king of the Jews, Hail king of the Jews.\"\nHail king of the Jews, Hail king of the Jews. As you say, you take yourself to be king of the Jews, and now you are served like a king, now you are crowned, now you have a scepter in your hand, now you sit on your throne, in purple colors. Now we honor you as our king, Hail king of the Jews, Hail king of the Jews.\nUnder this manner they derided and mocked him outrageously and beyond all estimation of man.\nThe insatiable cruelty of the Jews.\nAnd yet they brought him before Pilate in the praetorium, crying out, \"Judge him, condemn him to death, he is guilty and worthy to die, let him be crucified, let him be hung on the cross: let him die a shameful death, deliver Barabas and condemn Jesus.\" Pilate, hearing this clamor, answered, \"I find no reason in him why he should die. Take him and crucify him; for I have no power over him.\" They replied, \"We have a law, and according to our law he ought to die. And if you release him, you are not a friend of Caesar's.\" When Pilate heard this, he sat down and gave his judgment and sentence against Christ, committing him to their hands to crucify. They took him, they stripped off his purple garments and put on his own clothing again, so that he might be better known to the Jews as their shame and rebuke.\nThey placed a large cross on his back, they led him and mocked him through the city, they brought him to the place of execution, they gave him a rod and made him drink gall. They treated him so unfairly that I think the Evangelists (who were most discreet and sober in their writing) would not, for shame, fully express all the unfair and shameful ways they mocked, their wicked behaviors towards Christ. But with as brief, pure, and chaste a pen as they could, they expressed not the number of their evil deeds, but only in part expressed the manner and form, the mockeries and contemptuous words, their outrageous behaviors towards Christ. In this way, Christ our savior was on every side scornfully and mockingly handled, unfairly treated:\n\nAccording to the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 5: \"We have seen him, but he had no form or beauty, beyond that of a leper.\"\nReputed him a leper, out of favor with God, most vile in reputation, abomination of the world. And what did he do in all this trouble, in all these turmoils? It follows. Like an ox led to slaughter, and like a sheep before the shearers is mute, opening not its mouth, In all adversity, he behaved himself like a sheep, which when brought before the shepherds to be slain, And likewise the lamb that is before the one who shears him, The sheep cries not, the lamb complains not: the sheep is put to death and struggles not, the lamb loses its fleece and sometimes a piece of its skin and flesh, and yet complains not.\nSo Christ suffered, in all these pains and injuries, rebelled not, complained not, murmured not: but patiently, as a lamb suffers all such injuries, wrongs, or displeasures that the Jews inflicted upon him. In this virtue of patience, we are taught to suffer all insults, injuries, wrongs, or displeasures inflicted upon us by our enemies, in the cause of God. Patiently to suffer them for the name and love of God, who suffered so many wrongs, so many injuries and rebukes for us. Of this virtue of patience it is written, Ecclesiastes 1:\n\nA man shall endure affliction patiently, and then shall come his reward in the end. The patient man endures for a while, till the time God shall reward all things good and bad: and then shall he have his reward of joy and gladness therefore.\nSo now the servants of God suffer derisions, rebukes, wrongs, injuries, trials, reproaches, adversities, sicknesses, infirmities, hunger, famine, thirst, poverty, misery, dysdaynes as men utterly abject and outcast from all the world: as Paul witnesses of the apostles, of the martyrs, confessors. The patience of the apostles. 1 Cor. 4:9-13. Expositors and preachers of the word of God, saying, \"We are made a spectacle to the world, to angels and men. We are fools for Christ, weak, despised, hungry, thirsty, naked, struck on the face, unstable, reviled and blessed, persecuted and sustained, blasphemed and prayed for, made the filth of this world, and the scum of all things up to this point.\" We are made and taken both to the world, to man and angel, a spectacle, as a spectacle, a thing that makes me set up openly in derision, to be wondered at, to be gazed upon.\n\nA spectacle is what?\n\nA spectacle is a thing that makes me set up openly in derision, to be wondered at, to be gazed upon.\nAll the people who were present at this spectacle of Christ's passion and saw what was done turned back, striking their breasts and departing. This made Christ a mockingstock, and so were his disciples. Therefore it is written in a letter beforehand, \"Fools for Christ's sake, we are.\" We are considered fools by the world because we suffer worldly misery and poverty for Christ.\n\nFools, idiots, and fools. Weak, weak. Ignoble. We are weak and unable to resist or avenge our injuries, Ignoble.\n\nAnd to be of low birth and vile stock, base-born. We suffer greatly for God, poverty, famine, thirst, poor apparel, and nakedness.\nWe suffer for Christ's sake, strokes, beatings, imprisonment, and all kinds of instability. We are considered in the world as vagabonds, having no houses of our own to resort to. We labor, we toil for our living.\n\nMaledictus: When we are cursed and called evil, we bless and pray for those who do so, teaching and preaching Christ to them.\n\nTeaching Christ his poverty, his neediness, his patience, Blasphemiamus: and meekness. When we are blasphemed, wrongly spoken of, and called seducers and deceivers of the people: Obsecramus, we beseech them, patiently to hear Christ preached, to hear the doctrine and word of Christ, which they regard as blasphemy.\n\nPeripasma: We have become a reproach.\nWe were regarded by the world as contemptible, the most despised and disregarded people, with no reputation, but cast aside like the rotten part of an apple or the dust swept out of a house and thrown behind the door to be cast to the dungheap. And all these worldly miseries and shame we patiently endured for Him. Remember that the rewards of our patiently suffered pains for God are of such excellence that they surpass all our deserts, all our good deeds, and will be more than enough to be esteemed.\n\nBecause the passions of this life cannot be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. (Roma. 8)\n\nThe third part of this passion stood in the sum total of bodily punishment and affliction.\nThe inestimable pains and afflictions that Christ suffered\nIn so horrible and excessive pains, which were so manifold and great, that all the martyrdoms of martyrs cannot be compared to them. His body was so tender, his complexion so pure, his nature so clean, his afflictions so great and manifold, having no comfort in his pangs, left alone, comfortless, without any consolation or relief, without any aid or help, without any comfort or refreshment, without any mitigation or relief, left utterly to his enemies' hands to do with him even as they would: and so they did, as long as the soul was in the body. They scourged him, bound to a pillar. John 19. They crowned him with sharp thorns. Matthew 17. They crucified him, they nailed him through hands and feet to the cross. They extended, stretched and strained, his blessed body so extremely on the cross, Psalm 21, that his sinews and veins cracked. It might have been broken his bones and joints.\nThey gave him water and gall to drink when he cried, \"I thirst.\" John 19. The title was set on the cross of Christ, John 19. They set this title upon the cross: \"Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.\" Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum, in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.\n\nThey lifted up this title on high and rushed it down to the place of the crucifixion, Matthew 27, with such violence that his blessed body was in a new torment, in a new passion. They hung thieves on either side of him in contempt, and to make the people believe that he was worse than they and had deserved to die.\n\nThe people stood gazing at him, they mocked him, they derided him, they shook their heads at him, and some mockingly said, \"He saved others; let him save himself.\" Some said, \"He claimed to be the son of God; let God deliver him now, if he delights in him.\"\nSome said, \"You who destroy the temple and build it up in three days. Some said, \"If you are the Son of God, as you claim, loose the nails and come down from the cross, and we will believe in you.\" The rulers of the priests, the scribes, and the Pharisees acted similarly, deriding and blaspheming him. And so did the two robbers crucified with him.\n\nSee how the story of this passion agrees with the saying of the prophet written many years ago: where he says, \"I am a worm and not a man, the reproach of men and the scorn of the people.\" Psalm 21. \"All who see me deride me; they speak with lips, they shake their heads.\"\nAll ye looked upon me (said Christ by his prophet), derided me, wagging their heads, speaking blasphemously, and regarded me as no man, considering me no better than a worm, I was taken in the opprobrium of all men, and made the object of the world.\n\nThis reproach was so great, these pains were so intense, this passion was so painful: that the prophet Jeremiah, seeing it long before in spirit, cried in the person of Christ, \"O all you people of the world who shall come by this way, behold and see how I am wounded, how I am crucified, derided, despised, scorned, vilified, and rejected: under such a form, as was never seen before. Look diligently and consider, wherever any pain and passion was or is, like unto this my pain and passion.\nAnd after many circumstances, Christ spoke various words on the cross, increasing his horrible pains. For the naked one drew near to his death, the more his pains increased.\nAnd yet, in all his torments, he did not forget to pray for those who crucified him, and for the rest of the unlearned and ignorant Jews, who said to his death, \"Luce. 2 Pater ignosce illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt.\" Forgive them, Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do.\nThey did not know him, they did not know what they did, therefore he prayed for them charitably. He also cried to his father, pleading ignorance for their excuse, \"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?\" My God, my God, \"why have you forsaken me?\" Matthew 27.\nShowing by these words the great excessive pain that he was in, barely able to bear it without any comfort, help or succor. And truly he cried, \"I thirst, I am a thirst: Commending also his mother to the care of St. John, John 19.\nA virgin to a virgin: And forgave the thief, Luce. He promised him to be in paradise with him that same day and commended his soul to his father, saying, \"Ibidem. In manus tuas, domine, ego te commendo spiritum meum.\" I commend and bequeath my soul and spirit into your hands, Father. Teaching us by that example, to give and bequeath our souls into the hands of God, when we shall die.\n\nFor further knowledge and contemplation of this glorious passion, Five things there were which especially augmented the pains of his passion. Firstly, the place. The place where he suffered, which was Jerusalem, a regal city, a metropolitan city, a famous and populous city: to which city came the course and haunt of all the world.\n\nLocation.\nIn which city, as he went bearing his cross to his passion, his countenance was so pitiful, he was so weak and feeble, the streets being full of people, they wept in every corner, to see that dolorous sight, that painful body.\n\nLamentations 2:18-19 exhort you, people, to weep on yourselves and on your children.\nTo whom Christ said, \"Do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.\"\n\nFor yourselves and for your children, weep; do not weep for me. For I shall rise again soon and show comfort to the world. Weep upon yourselves, weep upon your wicked lives: for your wretchedness, you and your city shall perish, weep therefore upon yourselves, and weep upon your children.\n\nWhose children were these? Certainly, each of them had children. The children that Christ meant were those with wicked deeds. The children you bring forth are Opera ustra, your works.\nWeep your wicked works, weep your wicked deeds, weep your sins. Thou hast been a proud vain man, full of pride and arrogance, full of pomp and vain glory, full of disdain and disobedience: weep this thy pride, weep thy vain glory, thy pomp and thy arrogance. Thou hast committed adultery, fornication, incest, and other carnal filthy livings: weep and utterly repent for thy abominable adultery, for thy vicious fornication, for thy foul incestuous living, for thy carnal voluptuous misusing of thy body. Weep these and all thy other damnable children: sin I mean, which thou hast nourished and brought into this world. Weep thy disobedience to God, thy malice and gluttony, thy covetousness and lechery, thy oaths and perjury, thy usury, simony, and blasphemy: with such other thy abominable dead. These are thy children, weep these, lament thy sin, and sorrow, Peter. Mary Magdalene. Thy wretched life.\nPeter denied three times his master, wept, and was forgiven. Mary Magdalene lived shamefully after a fleshly manner, wept, and was forgiven. David, David, Latro, lamented his adultery, murder, and pride, and was forgiven. The good thief, this day sorrowfully repeated himself, and was forgiven. Weep with them, and you shall have mercy, forgiveness, and forgiveness as they had. Luke 2: \"Weep for yourselves and for your children.\" Matthew 2: He was led out of the gate, out of the city, to the place called Golgotha, on the mount of Calvary, a filthy, stench-filled place, a place where commonly the offenders of the law were put to execution, as you will say here in English, Tyburn, a reproachful and slanderous place, fitting for homicides, murderers, and felons. And there were present his kinfolk and friends, his mother, his disciples, and acquaintances with others: whose presence also increased his pains.\nThe second thing that intensified the pains of this passion was Tempus. Two occasions of Tempus, or time, marked his suffering. It occurred during the grand solemn feast of the Jews, in the feast of Passover. At this time, for the reverence of their Passover and their temple, multitudes from all countries of Judaea and other nations assembled. Present at the city for this spectacle, they ran to witness this show, this sight. Before whom openly Christ was hung up on a mocking stock, and how they mocked him during his hanging, you have heard.\n\nThe third cause of intensifying the pains of this passion was persona a qua. The person by whom and in whose presence he suffered.\nFor it was not done by strangers or by every neighbor, but by his near acquaintances, by his close friends, by his domestic servants and near neighbors, by his brethren the Jews, from whom he descended lineally, and was born of their stock, lineally descending from King David.\n\nAnd for this cause Christ this day cries out through his prophet, Isaiah:\n\n\"The children of my wife have fought against me, and those whom I have nourished and raised up have turned against me. My friends and neighbors have drawn near and stood against me, and those who were near me have withdrawn far off and dealt me blows, they questioned for my soul.\" (Psalm 97)\n\nHe spoke this to show the fullness of his misery, to show how every way his pains increased, when those who ought to love him forsook him.\nFor all his disciples fled: when he was taken, Peter denied him three times. The Gentiles and Jews drew near to him, not to comfort him or help him, but to taunt and torment him further. Those who ought to have been his chief friends (as the Jews): most were instigating him, and laid violent hands on him, subjecting him to all this passion.\n\nThe fourth thing that increased the pain of his passion was the fact that the one suffering was Christ himself. Christ, who was innocent, pure in heart, chaste in body, and clean in thought, word, and deed.\n\nIn whose mouth was no deceit, says Isaiah. Nor did he make any evil doings, Isaiah adds. Never an evil word passed his lips, never an evil thought was in his heart, he never committed sin: he it was who created heaven, earth, the seas, and all that is in them.\nHe it was who held up the world with his hand, who stayed it, who governed and ordered it all at his will. He it was who sees all, who knows all, the Son of God, very God, very man, most mighty, highest in power, and omnipotent in all his works. He it is who came into this world to save all mankind, to redeem man, and did so; and washed us in his blood. And yet most unusually, they put him to cruel death.\nHe lamentably cries out through his prophet Revelation 6:2, \"What have I done to you? Have I not done you good? Have I not helped you? Have I not been beneficial to you? Have I not done more good than you could devise?\"\nQuid debui tibi facere quod non feci? Isaiah 5:4. The reply of false Christ's people Respond to me.\nWhat have I done for you that I have not done? Show me one thing. Why have I been a bother to you? Have I ever caused any grief, injury, hurt, or wrong? Answer me. Answer me or not, speak to me. If I have done so many good deeds and never caused harm: why are you so unkind to me, as to cruelly crucify me? Answer me: I brought you out of Egypt, Exodus 20: out of slavery, from the hands of your enemies, with a dry foot through the seas. I destroyed your enemies. I fed you in the desert for forty years with manna and quail, Exodus 16, with daily bread, and gave you water from the hard rock. Exodus 17:\n\nI gave you the land flowing with milk and honey, wherein was an abundance of all pleasures. Exodus 30:\n\nWhat have I done for you that I have not done?\n\nAnswer me. Show me. Here. 2. I planted the vineyard of my beautiful vineyard.\nI chose you to be my elect children, my holy people, a chief people and one for all others chosen. I came down among you, I conversed with you, I fed you with my word, I fed you with meat, I healed your sick and sore, I gave the blind sight, the deaf hearing, speech to the dumb, cleansed the lepers, gave limbs to the lame, and life to those who were dead. What more could I do but do it for you? And yet unkindly you prepare a cross for me, and crucify me upon it.\n\nO Christian man and woman, consider whether God will not lie beside you at that day his manifold bountiful benefits that he has shown to you? And yet consider your outrageous unkindness which you show to him? Christian man, Christian man, every one of you look in yourselves, where God has done anything for you or not? Consider your unkindness in return. Consider his goodness, consider your wickedness.\nFor the day cries out to you and to us all through its prophet, Michee: What have I done to you, O my people? Or why have I disturbed you? You Christian people, what have I done to you that you should behave so ungraciously towards me? Can you answer me? Speak, respond, let me hear what you can say in response. I do daily good, and yet you daily crucify me, by this abominable living, by your outrageous pomp and pride, by your wicked malice and envy, by your beastly gluttony and voluptuousness, by your filthy lecherous and carnal life, by your heinous perjury and blasphemy. O Christian man, What have I done to you? What occasion have I given you, why should you treat me thus, to crucify me with your sinful living? to give me pain and gall with your carnal behavior? to wound me to the heart with the spear of your blasphemous thoughts?\nThy abominable living grieves me more than did the cross, then the nails, the did the assail and gall, then the spear, then the crown of thorns and the scourges. Thy sinful life grieves me more than did all the torments put upon me. O Christian man, What have I done to thee? What evil have I done? Answer me. And thou without cause thus cruelly to treat me? O unkind Christian man, what shall thou lay for thine excuse at the day of judgment when this shall be laid against thee? When he shall show thee, the crown of thorns, the scourges, the buffets, the strokes, the cross the nails, the assail, the gall, the sharp spear, the wounds and all the artillery & arms of his passion: when he shall lay to thy charge, that thou were the doer of it, that thou were the cause and occasion of his passion and death? Then shall he say to thee, Answer me.\nSinner, make an answer here. What answer will you make to your dreadful Judge, God? How will you excuse yourself: excuses will not serve: our wicked works will condemn us. What shall each one receive according to what he has done, whether good or evil? 2 Corinthians 1:5. After our death, we shall be taken. Wherein our deeds are: so shall we receive: good or bad, joy or pain, heaven or hell, comfort or damnation. Therefore, have compassion on your Lord God, and hear his lamentable complaint. Show pity upon him, put not this heavy cross to him again to bear, ease him of his heavy burden, Suffer with Christ, bear this cross with him. Suffer patiently for his sake such adversity as he sends, whether it be sickness or poverty, misery or hunger, thirst, contumely or shame: whether it be rebuke of the world, tortures, passions, adversities, or other pains. Suffer, Suffer with him. He was innocent and did not deserve it, you are a sinner and do deserve it.\nHe enters the heavens with pain, and thinkest thou to come thither with joy and worldly pleasure? Here no man may have continual joy, and joy in heaven. Worldly glory is not the way to heaven. Heaven is not won with eating and drinking and playing, with sporting and hoytyness: but with pain and penance, with misery and poverty, with adversity and tribulation.\n\nNo man can rejoice here and in heaven. Romans 14 says the apostle. It was necessary that Christ suffer, and so enter the kingdom of God through suffering and pains. Mark 8. Christ suffered pain, entered the heavens. Acts 14. It was behooveful Christ to suffer, and so by suffering and pains to enter the heavens.\n\nWe ought to suffer much more,\nFor Christ taught us, that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God, that we must enter the heavens through tribulation and adversity.\nSo Christ taught us that penance is the true way to heaven, the way by which Christ and all his followers came: Matt. 4. For he said, \"Do penance and it shall bring you to the kingdom of God.\" Do penance and that will bring you to the kingdom of God.\n\nFifthly, Christ taught us his charity. The fifth thing that increased the pain of this passion of our Savior Jesus Christ was Persona pro qua passus est, the person for whom he suffered. He suffered for us sinners, for us unprofitable wretches, for us unkind people, for us his enemies, standing in the state of damnation: yet he suffered for us.\nWhat more love could this world show, than a man to die for his enemies, as you have heard before? Here we are taught love and cherish, here we are taught to open our bowels of mercy to our poor neighbors in time of necessity,\nto suffer pain for their comfort, to suffer death rather than their souls perish.\nGod gave us an example. Christus pasas est pro nobis. 1 Peter 2:21-22. Exempli nobis relinqua sis, ut sequamini vestigia eius. Christus suffrede for us, showing you an example, how you should follow his steps.\nPassus est, he suffered. Passus, he suffered. Why suffered he? He was no malefactor, he was no sinner, he did no injury, he profited every body. Why then suffered he? Passus est pro nobis. He suffered for us, why for us? Because we were sinners, and born the children of wrath and damnation. He suffered therefore for us, for our redemption, to redeem us from sin, to deliver us from the devil, to save and bring us into the favor of God.\nAnd for this he suffered. Did he suffer for anything else than this? Indeed. Why? I leave you an example.\nTo give us an example. What example? That we may follow his footsteps, that we may walk the way he walked, so that we may live the life he lived, as near as the frailty of nature will allow. To suffer when it shall fortune adversity, tribulation, misfortune, displeasure of the world, poverty, misery to chance: or such other. To suffer for him, for he suffered for us. He is our head, we are his members. Therefore we ought to conform ourselves to our head, Christ.\nAnd for this purpose Christ says in the Gospel, Matthew 16. Exposition: \"He that will come after me, must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.\" He that will come after me, must deny himself,\ntake up his cross, and follow me. And here are four things taught.\nYou must forsake yourself.\nFirst, a true follower of God must forsake himself, which is a great thing to do. Yet, there is a great reward that follows. How shall one forsake himself? It is impossible to go from oneself. Who can follow this counsel? Yes, God neither commands nor counsels anything that is not easy for Him to do. Matt. 11:\n\nFor He says, \"My yoke is sweet and my burden light.\" What is God's yoke? What is God's burden? This yoke is the commandments of God, which yoke and couple God to man and man to God. This burden is penance, which is thought to be very heavy and burdensome to some, yet it is truly light, very easy, and delightful,\n\nFor humans of good will, to them it is no mastery to forsake oneself, to go from oneself, if one desires.\nIt is not difficult to forsake thy forward will, thy appetite, thy sensual desires, thy fleshly lusts, the pleasure of thy body, worldly vanity, if thou wilt thyself, if thou wilt follow Xp\u0304e, if thou wilt commit thy will to his will: And he that does this, does forsake himself. Christ when he was in most pains and prayers, when he was in his Passion, said: \"Take this chalice from me, Father: Sensuality would live, Reason would die: the body would live, the spirit would I should die: But Christ gave over his will and the sensual appetite of the flesh, and said to his Father: \"Not as I will, Father, but as thou wilt: Thy will and pleasure be fulfilled.\"\nYou good Christian man, if such conflict is in you, follow not sensuality; follow reason, pray to God for help and assistance, repress your carnal will, control your body, desire God for grace, call upon Him for strength in all temptation, desire His comfort in all adversity and tribulation, and say with Christ, \"Father, not as I will, but as You will, Your will be done.\"\n\nFather in heaven, it shall not be as the body desires, as the flesh demands: but as You will, Lord, Your will shall be fulfilled.\n\nSecondarily, the true follower of God must bear his cross. Whose cross? The cross of Christ. What is the cross of Christ? Penance. You must do penance. You must punish that body which has offended. Punish your proud body with lowly submission to God and meekness.\nPut aside your malice, hatred, and rancor with love, zeal, and charity; your sloth and sluggishness, with true labor, toil, and good works; your gluttony and banqueting, with temperance, fasting, and prayer; your covetousness and wrongdoings, with alms, liberality, and works of pity; your lechery and voluptuous living, with fasting, abstinence, prayer, and good occupation. This to labor your body in such pain, tribulation, adversity, godly watch, prayer, study, contemplation, fasting, abstinence, patience, and steadfastly endure other pains is, indeed, the fearful wearing of Christ's cross.\n\nBut you must bear your own cross, \"Bear your own cross,\" says Christ. You must bear your own cross, not another's; do your own penance, let not another do penance for you.\nWhat shall a man's humility prove thy pride? What shall his pity prove thy cruelty? his fasting thy gluttony? his labor thy sloth? his chastity thy lechery? his faith thy infidelity? What did the humility of the publican profit the proud Pharisee? What did the abstinence of poor Lazarus help the rich glutton? What did the penance and passion of Christ profit the impenitent and despairing Judas? The humility of the publican condemned the proud Pharisees. The misery of Lazarus confounded the rich dives. The penance of Christ shall condemn the obstinate sinners of the world. For Christ bore his own cross: Lazarus, his own cross: the publican, his own cross: And yet we disdain to bear our own crosses. We are ashamed to humble ourselves before God, before our superiors, before the laws of Christ's church, before the admonishments of the word of God, before the counsel of our spiritual fathers.\nWe are ashamed to do penance, ashamed to take pain, ashamed to punish the body with fasting, prayer, or otherwise. We are ashamed to ask for forgiveness from those we have offended, or to forgive the offender, or to do any point of penance. O sinner, whence comes this but obstinacy, disdain, pride of heart, or lack of grace?\n\nO Sinner, Sinner: bear thy own cross, do thy own penance, punish thy own body. For Christ says in Matthew, \"He that boasts not to bear his own cross, is not worthy of me.\"\n\nHe that bears not his own cross, he that does not penance in his own person, is not worthy for me. Take up thy cross. Therefore let every man bear his own cross and do his own penance, if he looks to have remission of his sins. And St. John says, \"He that says, 'He that dwells in me must walk as I also walked,' and he that walks thus.\"\nChrist walked in humility, in obedience, chastity, prayer, fasting, temperance, love, charity, penance, and in such other virtues. Do thou the same, thou Christian man.\nFourthly, therefore he says in the Gospel of Matthew, \"Follow me.\" Christ says, \"Follow thou thy Master, Christ, in these and in all such other virtues.\" The former letter of Peter says, \"Follow his steps.\" And in another, \"Follow me.\"\nHere is the true form and rule of a Christian man and woman, to follow the steps of Christ, to follow the life of Christ, to follow the example he gave us.\nHe says in John 13, \"I have given you an example, as you have seen me do, so do you also.\" I gave you an example of how to live, how to act: that you should walk as I walked, live as I lived, do as I did.\nWhy did Christ walk? How did he live? How did he act?\nHe did all things well, Mark 7: Petr 2.\nAnd yet again, he did no wrong, there was no guile in his mouth. He did all things well, committed no sin, there was no deceit, no fraud, no cunning, but truth. He was innocent, he deserved not to die, not to be punished, and yet he would suffer, would endure pain, passion, and death.\n\nHe would give his soul and life for his people: to instruct us sinners what we should do, in seeing this innocent one so voluntarily and without cause suffer: so to instruct us, voluntary suffering to sustain pain for our sins, to instruct us that the true and sure way to have, is by suffering, by suffering and enduring, as the verse says. Mark 8. Exposition: It was fitting that Christ should suffer and so enter his kingdom. Heavens.\n\nThis word, \"Sic,\" is added, Acts 14. Presumption of sins.\nTo show the true manner and form, to show the strict rule and high way to the sinner, how to attach and purchase the glory of God. And for our part, we say: Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.\n\nThe true way to heaven is to live in much trouble and adversity, to suffer much pain and misery. Let no man therefore be so sure of himself to say: Christ has suffered for me. Christ has shed his blood and washed me. Christ has paid my ransom, he will not lose this great price: however I live, he has redeemed me: however I live, I shall be saved, I need not do any penance for my sin, for Christ has satisfied for me. My sin is washed away, it is consumed and soaked up by virtue of this blood. And such presumptuous words they have to maintain their fleshly and carnal liberty, to their own confusion and damnation.\nO merciful God, what a presumption is this among Christians? What a blindness reigns among those who have received the light of grace and the knowledge of God's laws? A Christian man and woman I tell you, that God is full of mercy. He is as full of mercy as we have spoken of, and I assure you, he is even as just to one towards the other. God, who will remit the sin of the penitent, will condemn to death the presumptuous sinner, the unrepentant person, the wretched living. This just judge God requires, besides the price of his blood, mercy towards thy neighbor, fear and dread of God. He requires of the sinner repenting, sorrow, contrition, confession, and a true faith, a constant hope, a fervent charity, and faithful charitable works. He requires of you the observation of his laws, and to be a true fellow of him.\nHe requires you to live in his obedience, in humility, in simplicity of heart, in cleanness of that kind of chastity that you are called unto, he requires you to be constant in him, to flee from sin, to resist temptation, to love virtue, and to walk in the calling that you are called unto, to live christianly. Scripture clearly shows all this and much more that is required of a Christian man to do. He gave us another example. For it follows in the former letter, Quis cum malediceretur, Petri 2:\n\nChrist gave her an example of charity.\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Old English or a similar form of early modern English. I have made some corrections based on context and common spelling conventions of the time, but it is still somewhat archaic. The text also contains some abbreviations that have been expanded for clarity.)\nWhen the Jews insulted him, they rebuked him, saying, \"Reus est mortis, Crucifigatur, Vah who destroys the temple, desist from the cross and believe in you, Save yourself if you can, give us a sign: And such scornful, rebukeful, and blasphemous words. Yet he did not curse them, but prayed for them and kept silent in a charitable silence. This was to give you and me knowledge of how to follow him in his steps, in his living, in his example, that we might follow in his footsteps. To make you follow his footsteps and to tell you of all his footsteps, of all his examples, time will not allow. The sum of the whole tale is that he showed and proved himself to be the true God in all that he did. And yet he was the hidden God to the world, the world did not know him. Heaven. Angels. Sun. Moon. Stars. Veil. Earth. Stones.\nTherefore, to give them more experience of his godhead, he wanted to die, And with a loud cry he expired.\nWith an horrible cry, he gave up his soul, he yielded up his spirit, he departed the world. At which horrible voice, all creatures of the world were astonished and moved. The heavens trembled. The angels wept. The sun, the moon, the stars, lost their light. The veil in the temple rent in two pieces. The earth shook through the world. The stones burst. Sepulchers. Mortal. Centurio. Matthew 27. The graves opened. The dead bodies rose and appeared to diverse in the City. Centurio and those who were with him, seeing this great and terrible token, cried, \"Verily this was the Son of God.\" Undoubtedly this was the Son of God. Mark 15. Others cried, \"This was a just man. This was an innocent man. Alas, what have we done.\"\nThey were dismayed, they were abashed, they didn't know what would come of it, they feared vengeance and the great stroke of God, they trembled in their hearts, they bowed their heads as men do when dismayed, they cried inwardly, alas what have we done. They struck their breasts, they returned with heavy hearts to their houses, Luce. 23.\n\nThey returned to strike their breasts. And were in such horrible dread and fear, that in the world they didn't know what to do: but sighed and sobbed, wept and lamented, and went their way.\n\nLooking for some great stroke and punishment to fall upon them, for this great abominable deed they had done. This our savior Christ, did for his people die:\n\nHe himself redeemed Israel from all its iniquities. Which people? The Israelites, the gentiles: you all the world. From which iniquities? From this and that? You from this and that, and from all. From all iniquities.\nFrom the original iniquity, both actual and substantial, came actual venial and actual mortal sins. The prophet, years before this redemption was accomplished, assured of it to come, spoke these words in the future tense, saying \"Redemption for Israel, he shall redeem Israel.\" But now we can say \"Redemption for Israel, in the past, he has redeemed Israel from all his iniquities and sins.\" And how so, you have heard: through his dear, painful death and passion.\n\nAnd when he was dead, John 19. Joseph of Arimathea came boldly from Arimathea and asked permission to take down the body from the cross and to bury it. And he was granted permission. Nicodemus also came, another secret disciple of Christ, both just and good men.\nAnd while they were asking for licence, came certain soldiers of the Jews, deputed to keep the body from being taken away; and they broke the shackles on their legs that were crucified with Christ. And when they came to Jesus and saw him dead, they did not break his legs, but a soldier with a spear opened his side and pierced him. Blood and water came out, Exodus 12:23. blood in our redemption, water in our purification: blood in remission, water in mundifying and washing: blood in price, water in baptism, blood and water ran out of his side and seized. Then Joseph and Nicodemus took down this most precious body and reverently laid it in a fine linen, in a fine clean linen cloth: as we would say, linen, myrrh, aloes, cloth of hyacinth, cloth of the finest sort. And they anointed the body plentifully with myrrh and aloes, almost to the maintenance of a pound.\nAnd wrap this body in the clean fine shroud, Syndon Nouu\u0304 sepulchre. And clothe him honorably, Syndon Nouu\u0304 is beautiful. Place him into a new sepulchre, wherein no body was buried before. A strange sepulchre, not his own, and lay a slab on the mouth of the sepulchre, Lapis, where he lay dead for forty hours: which was three days inclusive. One part of the Friday, the whole Saturday, and part of the Sunday. And thus he was buried with honor, and reverently kept, with angels, with their diligent obedience and service, with great reverence and custody. Angels.\n\nHow they took Xp\u0304e from the cross and buried him.\n\nO thou Christian maid, learn how to bury thy Lord and God. First, take him reverently down from the cross. But how shall thou take him from the cross? Surely by having in thy devout and pitiful remembrance, his death. To remember particularly, every part of his passion, his painful prayer he made to his disciples, the washing of their feet, the prayer in the mount.\nTo remember his betrayal, how he was taken, tortured, brought before judges, falsely accused. To remember how he was scourged, beaten, crowned with thorns: blindfolded, derided, mocked and beaten, condemned to death: and how he carried his cross to the place where he suffered. To remember the nailing, the crucifixion, the derision, the blasphemy, the scorns and mockeries, which the Jews inflicted on him. To remember the mercy he showed when he prayed for his tormentors. The agony and gall he tasted, the lamentable complaint he made to his father in his dying moments. To remember how tenderly he kept his mother in mind during his agonizing death, entrusting her to the care of his disciple John. To remember how he thirsted, forgave them and promised them paradise.\nHow he commended his soul into his father's hands, how he showed that he had fulfilled all things written of him by the prophets. Remember how, at his cry when the soul departed, all the creatures in heaven, earth, and hell, were astonished and moved to pity and compassion, and in their manner, lamented and wept his death. This you should ever remember. For this is the spiritual taking down of Christ from the cross. To have his passion and every particular and singular part of the same in your continual remembrance.\n\nHow you shall lay Christ in his winding sheet. Then lay him in a clean fine shroud, in a clean winding sheet. That is, to see your conscience to be pure and clean. Clean without a stain of sin.\nClean text: \"Cleanse that nothing remain, whereby God might be offended, be it delight in sin nor consent, nor act, nor custom, nor blood, nor spot, nor stain, nor taste: let no color nor defense of sin be within, despair nor presumption: but whole faithful true trust and affection in the high mercy of God. How you shall dress the body of Christ with myrrh and aloes. Myrrh. Judith 10. Fear of God, Ecclesiastes. Then sprinkle and cast abundantly upon him, both myrrh and aloes. Myrrh is bitter, and is a drier and a consumer of humors and a preserver from corruption. Vnxit me mirrho optimo. He anointed me with the most precious myrrh. And signifies Timor Domini, the fear and dread of God, which dries up the humor of sin, which defends man from iniquity and preserves him in grace and in favor of God.\"\nFear God and He will protect you in times of temptation, delivering you from all evil. Fear and dread of God expel sin, and without fear of God, one cannot be justified. Take aloes, which is bitter in itself but pleasant in taste and smell. It purges and preserves the body from putrefaction, signifying true contrition. Though bitter and unpleasant, it marvelously purges and cleanses man from the humor of sin, preserving him graciously in God's favor and shielding him from all soul inconveniences.\nDate unum his qui amaro sunt animo, faith scripture. [Give wine to those who are sorrowful in their hearts because of their sins. Comfort those who are inwardly troubled by them and repent for their sins. Date unum his, give them wine.] What is this wine, but a spiritual inward comfort? And so does God inwardly comfort the truly contrite penitent person. He is not alive who can tell or declare the special inward comfort, the secret joy and gladness, that the true penitent has from God and him. [Though he weeps openly, though he mourns and laments outwardly: none can tell but one - God and the party, what inward comfort the weeping penitent has.] We see their crosses, says St. Bernard. We see their crosses, we see their sorrow and lamenting, we see their fasting, abstinence, watch, study, contemplation, and prayer.\nWe see the patience in poverty, we see the misery and pain they endure for God, but we do not see the virtues of the Holy Spirit. We do not see their inward joy, their heavenly visions, or their angelic comfort. This is what you should wrap and lay upon the blessed body of Christ and God.\n\nSepultura how thou shalt lay Christ in the sepulcher. Lapis signifies constancy, perseverance. Then put this body in the sepulcher; this sepulcher is your soul, you put him in the sepulcher when you receive him, bury him in this sepulcher of your soul, keep him there, let him rest within you, lay a stone upon this sepulcher.\n\nThis stone is constancy, perseverance, the virtue called constancy and perseverance, to be constant and persevering in the godly penitent life that you have now taken upon yourself, and to continue in virtue.\nFor the apostle encourages good people to continue in virtue, he says,\nBrothers, be steadfast and immovable, abundant in every work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain. 1 Cor. 15.\nBrethren in Christ, be always growing and increasing in every good work of God. Do not let every wind or empty word call you away from your virtuous conversation which you have taken up. For it is not he who begins in virtue, but he who perseveres and continues, who will be crowned. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life, says God. Be a faithful servant and continue in virtue unto death, and then I will give you the crown and reward of glory. And the evangelist Matthew bears witness to the same saying, He who perseveres to the end, this one will be saved. Many there are who begin well, but few there are who continue.\nIudas began well but ended badly. Paul began badly but ended well. It is not the beginner, but the continuer in virtue who shall be rewarded and saved.\n\nThis stone signifies also Firmum propositum non relinquendi: A steadfast purpose not to fall, but constantly to stand and continue in thy godly purpose, in thy godly life of penance.\n\nThis with honor Christ was buried and rested in his sepulcher three days exclusive, and was obsequiously and reverently kept with angels. And thus he showed himself to the world, as well by his life time as by his death, that he was very God. And yet he was to the world, \"deus absconditus,\" a hidden god, and not known to the world. For, as Matthew shows after he was buried, the princes of the priests and the Pharisees came to Pilate saying, \"Sir, we remember that this deceiver of the people said when he was alive, that he would arise after the third day from death to life.\"\nCommand the disciples to keep and watch his sepulcher until the third day passes, lest they come and steal him away, and tell the people that he has risen from death to life. And then, the people's opinion will be worse than ever before. Pilate said, \"You know how to keep him; you have enough guards. Christ descended into hell and his body was laid in the sepulcher; what his descent there accomplished for us is in John 12: Explanation, do as you please in that. They went their way and set guards around the sepulcher to watch it. And sealed the large stone that was laid on the mouth of the said sepulcher, so that no one would open it but it should be known and punished.\nThese three days while this body lay dead in the sepulcher, the soul of Christ joined to his godhead, descended to hells, not as one guilty, not as one worthy to go there, not as one to be imprisoned: but as a victor, as a noble captain, as a conquering conqueror who triumphantly overcame his enemies and conquered all under his power. For he had long said before this:\n\nSi exaltatus fuero terra, omnia traham ad me.\nIf I be exalted and lifted up from the earth, I will draw all unto me.\n\nAnd he, thinking that when he was lifted up on the cross, then he would draw all his people unto him, and cause all the people to know him.\n\"Did he not draw to him, by a marvelous admiration of his death, passion, and ascension, the heavens? the angels? When they asked, \"Who is this that comes from Edom, with garments stained from Bosra?\"\n\nWho is this that comes to us from Edom and Jerusalem, so victoriously in bloody appearance? Did he not draw to him by admiration of this passion the sun, the moon, the stars, the winds, the graves, the dead bodies? You stones, did he not draw to him the hearts of the centurion and those who were with him, crying out, \"Is this the Son of God?\" Did he not draw to him the hearts of those who went away from the cross lamenting and weeping?\n\nAnd now he descended into the hells to draw to himself the captives who were there? He drew to himself all that were his elect in hell, whom the devil cruelly possessed.\n\nHe drew to himself all, \"All (he said), come to me.\"\"\nI will draw all unto me, of every kind of people some, of every nation some, of every degree, of every state, of every sex. He left none behind him that was his by faith and good living.\n\nHe had promised afore by his prophet, utterly\nto spoil hell and to slay death: Osee. 13. Exodus saying, Ero mors tuam aut mors tua inferni.\n\nO thou death, I shall be thy death, and thou hell, I will bite thee. Christ was the death of death, Christ slew and overcame death:\n\nChrist bit thee, hell, when he took all with him that was his; and left those behind that appertained not unto him. We see that, that a man killeth, he destroyeth it utterly, so that it shall have no more being, and that, that a man biteth, he taketh part away and part he leaveth. Therefore, forasmuch as Christ did utterly slay death in his elect, he was mors mortis, death to death.\nAnd for that he took part out of hell, and left part there: he did not utterly sleep or kill hell, but bit it: he took away part and left part: he took away the good and left the evil, he took away the elect and left the damned.\nThen, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to hell,\nThe exclamation and murmur of the dead the bolts lost, the locks and gates opened, he bound the prince of darkness, he troubled the legions of the dead, he lost the just people, he delivered the captives, he put them to liberty, he gave light to those that were in darkness. He showed himself there glorious to his elect, terrible to the tartarians, to the dead and to the damned sort.\nWho among us wonders what terrifying and horrible light pierces our darkness? Who is this that triumphantly invades us? He is an Invader, not a suitor; he comes to take away and not to tarry, he comes as a conqueror and not as a prisoner, he comes as a judge and not one who is to be judged, he comes to deliver and not to bring prisoners. If he were guilty, he would not be so bold, nor come so triumphantly as he does. And if he is God, what is he doing in hell, and why does he come? If he is man, why does he presume so boldly? If he is man, why does he come so strongly? If he is God, what does his body do in the sepulcher? If he is man, how is it that he sets our prisoners free? We know well that he was betrayed, we know well that he was taken, bound, ill-treated, mocked, scourged, crowned with thorns, beaten, crucified, and died. And yet here he lives, here he shows his high power. For never before has any man come here who has put us in such fear and subjection.\nNo one before him took away our power. For this reason they cried out before their prince Satan, saying, \"What have you done? Is this not he in whose death you most rejoiced? Is this not he in whose cross and death you thought to have subdued the whole world? And see, he breaks all your prisoners, he sets free all your captives, he releases all your prisoners, he turns their sorrow into joy, their darkness into light, their bonds into freedom, their pains into pleasure. O Satan, what have you done? That treasure that you brought in by the tree in paradise, you have lost by the tree of the cross. Our comfort is gone, our joy is turned into sorrow. For when you caused this Christ to be hung on the cross, you lost your possessions here in hell.\nAnd after all these complaints of the dwellers, straightway and without delay, all the holy fathers there welcomed Christ their Lord God, whom they had long awaited, in whom was their trust and expectation, their hope and joy, their life and comfort. For He was their life, their solace, their consolation and joy. In His coming, our badges broke, our darkness fled, our death died, our pain ceased, our life was restored.\n\nResurrection of Christ.\n\nThe effect of the resurrection of Christ. This prayer in hell was taken under this manner: the soul of Christ returned to the dead body, unto the body that lay dead in the sepulcher: the body revived, He raised Himself to life by His own godly power, and rose out of the sepulcher a live one. He appeared to Mary Magdalene, and called her by her name, Maria.\nHe appeared to various of his disciples many times, and in many ways, to approve his resurrection and put it out of doubt. He appeared to them all together and showed the wounds of his hands and side. To put away all suspicion, he asked Saint Thomas to put his fingers into his wounds and his hand into his side. He ate and drank with them, and provided many proofs that he was truly risen. Thus, his death was our life, his burial, our quietness after death until the body shall rise again. His descent into hell delivered us from there. His glorious resurrection shall raise us from death to life. His ascension will be the cause of our ascension into the heavens.\n\nAnd of what effect was his death, the apostle says where he says, \"Justified are we in his blood, and enemies of his, Romans 5:8-9. Through the death of Christ, we are reconciled to God.\"\n\nWe are justified in the blood of Christ.\nAnd where we were his enemies, we are reconciled to God and brought into his favor by the death of his son. So that his blood and death were our justification, our redemption, our remission, our sanctification, our life and salvation.\n\nAnd what his burial accomplished for us, The effect of Christ's burial. Rome. 6. Exp. Ambrose showed that we are buried with Christ by baptism into death.\n\nWe are buried with Christ by baptism. Whereupon Saint Ambrose says, we who are baptized are buried with Christ, so that henceforth we ought to follow his life, in which life he rose. Now we continuing in his precepts, do not fall anymore into our old accustomed sins.\n\nHe descended into hell. Why? Certainly to deliver us from thence. The effect of Christ's descent into hell. Zachariah 9. The prophet Zachariah says,\n\nIn your blood you have redeemed your servants, and from the lake, you have brought away the captives, in which there is no water.\nIn the bloom of thy testament, thou hast delivered thy prisoners out of the dungeon, in which dungeon was no water, no consolation nor comfort.\nAnd meanwhile, how that he of his mere mercy, has delivered our forefathers out of hell, and us out of the same: & out of the danger of damnation.\nTheft of the resurrection of Christ. Te 4.And what his glorious resurrection did profit us, the apostle showed to the Thessalonians where he says:\nIf we believe that Christ was dead and is risen from death to life: so shall God the Father, by Christ, by the virtue of his resurrection, bring with Christ that day of the great resurrection, all those who have and are departed by death from this world. All those and all others shall, by virtue of his resurrection, rise that day.\nAnd follows in the same place, the Lord himself in the commandment and in the trumpet of God, and in the voice of Archangel Michael, Ibidem.\n\"This Lord God Jesus, at the commandment of His Father, will descend from heaven in the voice of a trumpet, in the voice of the archangel. And the dead shall rise. This voice that shall raise all that shall be then dead, and call together all the holy world, is called a trumpet, a trumpet. In this trumpet of God, in this voice of the archangel, Christ shall descend from heaven, Christ shall openly and manifestly come to judge the world. In this resurrection, all the adversaries of God, the Jews, the pagans, the false Christian people, shall be condemned; and the true Christian man and woman shall receive their reward and glory, of whom it is written. Blessed are those who have a part in the resurrection of the just who are dead. Apoc.\n\nBlessed are those who have a part in the resurrection of the just who have died.\"\nBy this resurrection, we are delivered from the tyranny of the devil; by this resurrection, we are delivered from eternal death; by this, we shall rise to everlasting life; by this, we shall enter into the inheritance of God, into everlasting glory, and reign in everlasting felicity.\nAnd what good was Christ's glorious ascension to us, it appears by John the Evangelist, The effect of Christ's ascension. John 6. To whom Christ said and to the remainder of His disciples, and to all of us in the world, \"I go to prepare a place for you, and I will come again and receive you to Myself\": John 6. \"That where I am, you may be also.\" Again, He was about to leave us. \"I am going away,\" He said, \"but I will send you another Comforter, who will teach you all things, and lead you into all truth.\" I depart from you now by my ascension, said Christ.\nI go to prepare and ready a place for you. And I will come again to take you to Myself: that where I am, you may be also.\nAnd again I say: The coming of the holy ghost. It is expedient for me to depart from you through my ascension. For if I depart, I will send you the spirit of truth, who will teach you all things necessary for your souls; he will teach you all truth and bring you into all true knowledge; he will light your hearts, he will glad your minds, he shall be your inward comfort, your inward strength. He will draw and raise your minds to God, he will make you despise this world, he will fix and anchor your minds and love in me. He will purge and cleanse your souls, he will fill you full of grace, and make you one with him in the heavens. Thus our most blessed savior Jesus Christ showed and proved himself every way in his nativity, in his life, in his death, in his passion, in his burial, in his descent into hell, in his resurrection, in his ascension, and in sending the holy ghost into his church for our comfort, to be very God.\nLet us thank Christ for whom Christ shed his blood, give thanks for his passion, let us rejoice in his resurrection, let us praise him for his ascension, for the whole Catholic Church throughout the world rejoices in these things: beseeching him who did this much for us, that he, of his merciful goodness, will bring and make us ascend into his glory. Let us, Christian people, rejoice that the cry was born to teach us, that he died, to heal us. For his cross was death to him, and to us life. His nativity was joy to all the world. His life and doctrine were light and comfort to us: his passion and death were life and solace to us. His resurrection was joy and glory to us. After he was dead and went to the hells, he returned again to the world and triumphed. For he appeared to Saint Thomas and said, put your finger into the wounds of my side, touch my wounds, see how from them ran blood.\nLook upon the price of the world, look upon the signs of the nails. In those wounds you shall find remedy and healing for all the sores of your soul.\nAnd to you Jews, scribes, and Pharisees: behold this sepulcher, of Judas and Pharisees. Recognize your sacrilege committed before your Lord God. Behold the great cross, behold the rough nails, the sharp spear. Behold the sore, grievously wounded body, which you pierced, which you scourged, which you wounded and angrily mocked. Behold the sepulcher in which he was buried. It is empty, the body is risen and ascended to the Father, to your confusion and damnation. For Christ reserves the imprints of the nails, the marks and scars, to show you at that great day, your tyrannical deeds which you have done to the body, so that you may see your deaths, that you may see your shameful acts, your abominable doings, to your own confusion, shame, and damnation.\nO Pharisees, scribes, and Jews: consider your malice: consider your malignity, cease your hatred towards your maker, Christ. Recant your malice, put away your envious hearts, do penance, weep and wail for your sins, cry to this crucified Christ that he may forgive and remit your offenses.\n\nTo Christians. And you Christian people, come near, rejoice and comfort yourselves in this Christ and God, in this savior of the world. Strive to live in him, to live soberly, cleanly, and chastely, to live Christianly, godly and virtuously.\n\nChrist has revealed himself in many ways to the world, and proved himself truly God. And especially in his passion and death, in his descent into hell, in his resurrection; and principally when he ascended bodily into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.\nAnd afterward, according to his promise, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples on Pentecost day in the form of fiery tongues: Mission of the Holy Spirit.\n\nThe coming of the Holy Spirit. This gave them true knowledge of Christ as God. They then went forth and preached Christ and taught him to the world. At their word, the people came in, they ran to penance, they took baptism, they began a Christian life. And to declare Christ to all the world, the disciples divided themselves into various parts and countries: Peter to Jerusalem, Judea, and Rome. Paul to Rome, Damascus, Athens, Galatia, Corinth, Syria, and Macedonia. Matthew to Ethiopia, Thomas to India. Bartholomew to the other India. Andrew to Achaia and Jerusalem. John to Asia.\nBoth the Jameses entered the land of Judah. And the remainder, after their demarcation and allotment: some into one country, and some into another: so to establish Christ's faith, so to build His church, so to show God to the world. And immediately Christ grew in knowledge to the world, immediately the people began to know Him: to recognize and savor Him, but not in all parts. For after Paul was converted and went abroad preaching Christ, Acts 17, he came into the city of Athens. And, as was his custom, whenever he came into a city or town, he would first visit the temple or church, and did so there, and walked about their temple, and beheld the manner of their sacrifice and worship of their gods: where he saw many images and altars. And upon every altar was a title set up to show in whose honor it was dedicated. Some altar was dedicated as apparent from the scripture to the god of Asia, some to the gods of Europe, some of Africa.\nSome to Jupiter, some to Mercury, to the Sun, to Mars, to the Moon, and to such others. And over one altar was written for the title to whom that altar was dedicated, the words: Ignoto deo. This altar is consecrated in the honor of the unknown god, Ignoto deo. Ignoto deo, to the unknown god.\n\nPaul seeing this cried to the people, O men of Athens, in all things concerning your rites and customs in your temple, you seem superstitious to me. I see your altars dedicated, some to one god, some to another. Unto those that are no goddesses but creatures, images and dead things.\n\nAnd one of your altars is made and sanctified Ignoto deo, to an unknown god. Quem ergo ignotos colitis, hunc ego annuncio vobis.\n\nI am no preacher nor teacher of new gods.\nI do not feign any new gods, but I show you the old god, the god of Gods, the everlasting God, the God without beginning and shall be with the end, the only god of heaven and earth, whom you yet know not, and you worship him at one of your altars: where is written Ignoto deo,\nAnd whom you ignorantly worship, I proclaim to us. I preach this god to you that you worship and do not know.\nYou worship a god at this altar, and you do not know whom you worship, nor what God; I proclaim him to you. This is he who made heaven and earth and all that is in them. This is the Lord of all. From him all things have their beings. This is he who made the first man from nothing, and from that one man, all mankind. This is he who took on our nature and became man.\nAnd this is what the philosopher says, and the apostle affirms: Ipsissimus enim et genus sumus (he is truly of our kind). He took on our nature and became man.\nIn this very life, we move and exist. In him and by him we live and have our being, our motion, our life, and all that we have. This is he whom you have put to death and passion; this is he who suffered for you, who died on the cross. Christ is now declared to all the world. He is the price of the world, he who has washed you in his blood. He was the sacrifice for the whole world, he made the way between God and man. He is the mediator who procures the remission of sin. And he shall come again and judge the world. I announce to you this God and preach him to you and to all the world. This is he who was unknown, now known to all the world to be God. And though the Jews and pagans, the Saracens, infidels, and Turks, will not yet know him, worship him, or take him for their god: at the day of judgment when he shall come again, then they shall see him, feel him, and know him. They shall then know the high might and power of this lord and God.\nThen shall they know that he is very God. He shall reveal himself to the world as he is, Isaiah 3. Apoc. 1. Christ shall come in majesty. God and man. Behold, he is coming with clouds, and all the peoples of the earth will see him, even those who mocked and provoked him to anger and those who have crucified and reviled him. All shall see and know him then.\n\nThen they shall see him in majesty all the unfaithful nations and false Christian people. Then shall see him in majesty the Jews and the ministers of Pilate, whom they mocked, scorned, provoked, and crucified. They shall then see him to their great discomfiture, shame, and reproach: to their great sorrow, heaviness, fear, and confusion. 'They shall weep and mourn over him, all the peoples of the earth.'\nAll the tribes and nations of the world shall weep for him. Also say, though in this world there may be marvelous weeping, wailing, and sorrow for such miseries as there are: yet in comparison to the weeping that shall be at that day, all these weeping, wailing, and lamentations are but trifles, fantasies, and shadows.\n\nThe infidels who would not believe in Christ will weep. The idolaters who worshipped false idols and committed idolatry will weep. The false Christians who have broken their faith and the promises made to God in their baptism will weep the breach of faith they have committed. They will weep the grace they have lost, the good deeds they have omitted, the sin they have committed, the heaven and joy they have lost, and the hell and pain they shall have. They shall weep this passion of Christ whose merits they have lost.\n\nThe cruel Jews will weep.\nI Jews, who would not believe in Christ, instead cruelly crucified Him to death. Then they will behold and weep for Him whom they crucified and fastened to the cross, weeping and sorrowing as men are wont to weep for the death of their only child when they have but one.\n\nOn that day, there will be much weeping, much sorrow, and wonderful lamentations: sighing, sobbing, and extreme lamentations.\n\nTherefore, weep, O Christian man, while you live, weep for your sin, sorrow for your misdeeds, lament your wretched life. Call upon your merciful Lord God, He is there, in that sepulcher He lies, resort to Him, sue for mercy, call for grace, ask for forgiveness, enter into His wounds by a secret meditation, by a devout remembrance.\nHumbly beseeching you, that you may partake of the merits of his glorious passion: that his blood may wash you, that his body may feed you, that his wounds may heal you, that his passion may save you, that his death may quicken you, that his passion may bring you to his glory and eternal joy.\n\nKneel down, every man and woman, in the place where you stand, and under this devout manner of contemplation, say each of you five Our Fathers, five Hail Marys, and one Creed, in honor of these wounds, in honor of this death, in honor of this blood, in honor of this our Lord God, who lies in the yonder sepulcher. And if you do this with an intimate love and with a high devotion, it is not I who can express the inward solace and comfort that you shall have, nor the great grace that shall ensue: You shall feel it within yourself, but you cannot express it.\nYou shall feel a lightness in your heart, a gladness in your stomach, a joy in your soul, a flaming love within you, a desire to be with God: and God shall be with you. The more your love and desire are knitted in Him, the more surely you have Him, the more there will be your inward movements, the more grace is with you, the nearer God is to you. And the more your love is in Him, the more will be your devotion: the more will be your comfort, the more will be your joy, the more will be your reward: by grace, by glory, which Jesus, who is very love, has suffered for your sake. Amen\n\nGod be thanked, Lord, you have given.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "A LAMEN\u00a6TATION\nIN VVHICHE\nIS SHEVVED what Ruyne\nand de\u2223struction\ncometh of\nseditious re\u2223bellyon.\nANNO. M.D.XXXVI.\nIF STVDY HAD GOTEN\nme as moch eloquence, as true and\nvnfeyned loue of my countrey gy\u2223ueth\nme cause to lament: the\u0304 durst\nI boldely say, that there is none so\nwycked, none so vnnaturall, none\nso farre vnder all the senses of humanitie, but I\ncoude fully perswade hym, nothynge so moche to\nbe eschewed, as sedition, none soo worthy all pu\u2223nyshement,\nas they whyche trayterously make of\none nation two, of them that euen now were fren\u2223des,\nsodaynly to be vtter ennemies. But seing min\neloquence, whiche I muste nedes graunte to be\nvery smalle, can not so serue me, as I desyre in so\nweighty a mattier, I wyll see what loue, sorowe,\nand pitie can do, whiche if they coulde as ernest\u2223ly\nworke, as they be greatte in me, I wolde truste\nto make all honeste stomackes to deteste and ab\u2223horre\nsedicious traytours. Take awaye the com\u2223maundementes\nof god, destroye all the lawes of\nnature and of man, may not either the high COMMUNITYS, that come of mutual concord between all the kings subjects and the kings grace, or the excessive damages, that ensue open sedition, keep any honest heart, in maintaining the one, and fleeing the other? But in so shameful an act, why do I speak of honest hearts? For who is he, that can think himself to have any part of an honest man, who fears not God, who loves not his country, who obeys not his prince, who finally does as much as he can to pull away nature, honesty, and all good laws? What is he that can say, he is an Englishman, and that he cares not, though the wealth of England be trodden under foot? A beast he is, a man he can never be judged, who passes but on his own wealth & pleasure. Alas how unworthy is he to be shaped after the form of a man, how unfit to dwell among men, who see what follows sedition, and yet will endeavor himself to stir the quiet.\nAnd obedient hearts of the people to sedition? He who earnestly imagines how much blood must be shed, what number must be slain, how many good towns shall be robbed and spoiled, how many farmers and honest householders shall be utterly undone, how many gentlemen for lack of their rents shall be willing to lay their lands to mortgage or utterly to sell them away, how many honest women shall be defiled, how many virgins ravished: He who sets the bloody field before his eyes, here lies, there heads, these deadly wounded, those utterly dead, is it possible that any man can so cast off humanity, so hate men, that he had rather have so many die in such cruel division than to have them alive and his friends? If our most gracious prince, God save his life, and theirs who so wish it, had given you some great occasion to leave him: yet to go against him and his true subjects, good cause?\nYou cannot have it. How can you say you fight in a good cause, which in one act offends so many of God's commandments? Who is he that nature has not taught to be obedient to his sovereign lord, the king? Peter, Paul, Christ, finally all say, he who speaks well, Obey thy prince. I am sorry, that Turks, heathen creatures, men cast away, if Truth speaks truth, I am sorry that they should excel us so far in a thing that only pertains to us and little or nothing to them. Obedience is the badge of a true Christian man. And be not we ashamed, that the Turk shall send for the greatest man in his country and bid him leave the body at home and find them here in this so unreasonable a request obedient: and are we not ashamed, that we, being demanded a little money, come with clubs, bills, and bows, to oppress him, in whose defense we ought all to shed our best blood. Look how David, who was chosen of God to succeed Saul.\nKing of Israel, he trembles, filled with sorrow, that he had cut a piece of Saul's garment. Now full of iniquity, Saul sought every way he could to kill David. Consider the circumstances: David's heart was innocent, pure, and clean, who cut his vesture for no other reason than to show his loyalty to him and to declare that he had the opportunity to kill Saul if he had so desired. There was no den, no rock unclimbable, no mountain high, that King Saul would not ascend to seek David's death. Another time, Saul was asleep in his tent, David came in, he might have killed him; what did he do? Nothing but take a spear that was at his head and a vessel of water that stood beside him. David cut a piece of the hem of Saul's cloak, and later he repented, crying, \"Lord, be merciful to me, that I do not do this thing to you.\"\nMy sovereign lord: Our lord, keep me from touching him, because God has anointed him. What person can extend his hand toward a king and remain innocent? Read on. You shall see that he who said he killed Saul and brought the crown to David was slain by David's commandment. Yet there is more to be marked. Saul fell on his own sword and in any case was determined to die. After this, the son of Amalekites came and feigned that he had helped the king to die, laying for his excuse that the king was half dead and more before, and begged him to ride him out of his pain. Nevertheless, David thought him worthy to die, who laid no violent hands upon the king but helped a king to die. And when David heard that Saul was dead, what lamentation did he make? how did he rent his vestments? how did he fast, and cause all his men to fast from morning to night? And do we not think they are worthy of the most cruel death, who thus heinously rob and spoil the kings?\ntrue subjects, and more cruelly turned against his highness, as with a huge and riotous army against his captains, to the destruction of his laws and commonwealth? Alas, what unkindness can such a kind and loving prince reckon in these traitors, for whose sakes and safety of lives, I dare well say, his grace would have shed his blood? what unnatural hearts? That they should for no or small cause run into such outragious malice against his grace, and foolishly pretend to hate them only, whom his highness best loves? and necessities must compel his grace to do. Who can justly blame him for making them great, who in deed have all those things which at the beginning of nobility only made them noble? But what marvel if such vile and abominable traitors highly hate all those, in whom virtue shines, who in deed can promote none but such as honesty gives reputation to? It far surpasses.\nCobblers should discuss what lords, bishops, counsellors, acts, statutes, and laws are most suitable for a common wealth, and whose judgment should be best or worst concerning matters of religion? Good lord, is it possible that such a number of men should cast themselves away where a cobbler shall be counted a captain? If England could speak, might it not say thus? I am one, why do you make me two? You are all mine, how can any of you, where none ought to do so, seek the destruction of me, my most noble and prudent prince, King Henry VIII, and his true subjects? It is a shrewd hand that scratches out the eyes, a shrewd foot, that for its fault puts the neck in jeopardy. Lincolneshire, you are a member of mine, I thought if need had been, if my enemies had infested me, to have found help and succour at your hand: and you thus traitorously set upon me? When meat, which should keep the body lusty, sleeps, what marvel if hunger kills many an one?\nIf one's weapon defends against an enemy, what wonder is it to see another mask wearing at one's bosom? If Lincolnshire seeks to destroy England, what wonder is it if France and Scotland have at times sought to offend me? Alas, who can blame me if I am wooed by those who seek my sorrow, but by such as I have long nourished and pampered. Lincolnshire I took as a friend, so did the king, and I trust he will do so again if you mend your ways. Thus England might say, and much more, which I will say for her. If the fear of God, the love of the commonwealth, and loyal obedience to our most gracious prince had moved the rest of his subjects no more than they did you, might we not have feared, lest it had happened to us as it did to those who came from the serpent's tooth? The fable is not long, neither.\nFeyned without cause, Cadmus killed a great serpent, whom he was commanded to sow in the ground. From the serpent's teeth suddenly arose the Theban men, a row on one side, another on the other, which straight fell together by the ears, nearly causing destruction before they were fully born. The poets would declare that where there is dissension, both parties go to ruin. But what need I use a fable when I can confirm this with so many histories? First, what brought down the Greeks? Or to begin somewhat farther, what was the cause that at times the Lacedaemonians were under the Athenians, at other times contrary? Look to the histories, you shall evermore find that never has a great realm or commonwealth been destroyed without sedition at home. Dissention, dissention, has been the ruin, the venom, the poison of all great estates. In so much that the discord of the Capitanes alone has often put the Greeks to more ruin.\nThe city of Athens was often troubled by the private hatred between Aristides and Themistocles, Cimon and Pericles, Nicias and Alcibiades, its commanders. The division of Greece, that is, the Lacedaemonians against the Athenians, the Corinthians and Thebans neutral, made the Romans lords of Greece. Now, what brought down the Romans, who were conquerors of almost the entire world? Do not Silla, Marius, Cinna, Pompeius, and Caesar cause nearly the end of the Roman reign? You see in other lands that sedition has always been the bringer of all sorrow and mischief. Has sedition done no harm in England? Have we had no experience before now? I would we had not, but I trust the king's grace will so prudently and graciously handle this that after England shall have little fear of insurrections. Is there anyone in England who has not heard of Palm Sunday field, Blackheath field,\nI am of Plato's mind, I would have no histories make mention of those who have fought against their country. I would have no sedition written of, nor spoken of. I would have men believe that there was never any one so unnatural as to rise against his prince and country. But since it is far past, and the harm great, let us take some fruit from it all. For what is so evil, but some good comes of it? These two fields, how many widows did they make, how many fatherless children, what blood they cost us, few are they who know. I let pass how all that ever came into England to infest us, never did hurt us except we were divided. Iulius Caesar, the best captain that the Romans ever had, and perhaps that ever was, at his first setting upon us, did no man harm but himself. I pray you see what.\nopinion he had of Rede Paulus Orosius. Where at the first he came with 80 ships, at his returning he came with no less than six hundred ships, furnished with piked soldiers. And as Caesar himself writes, Mandubratius, son of the king of London, called Imanuentius, stole out of England and followed him, being then at variance with Cassibelaunus, king of Kent: And so Caesar came to be helped by this situation. O cruel sedition, O venomous hatred, O unfortunate debate, O pernicious dissension, O spiteful rancor, O blind and ever hurtful envy, O seldom well ending malice, why dost thou mar more in one hour than in a hundred years can be restored again? What folly, what madness is this, to make a hole in the ship that you say is in good condition? what wilful frowardness is this, to lose both your eyes, that your enemy may lose one? I pray God the cobbler be chief captain. I pray God there be no polishorn peddlers. I had almost called them by that name.\nThese men, who drove the Cobbler from his home.\nWho would think, but it was great pity to expel such\ngood religious men, who now have turned their couples\ninto jacks, their portresses and beads into bills,\nbows, and twenty other pretty things, and now hasten\ninto the field, against God, their king, and both their laws?\nIs it not likely that they lived virtuously in their cloisters,\nwhere they might do all mischief, and no man see them,\nwhich now in the face of the world are not ashamed\nto be the ring leaders of these traitorous rebels?\nIs it not pitiful that these should lack, an halter. Which will\nsooner undo (as far as they may) an entire country,\nthan not have for their harlots as they had in times past?\nTheir pope, their puppet, their idol, their Roman god\nwill not depart from their hearts.\nThey cannot abide scripture to come in place,\nand bear the rule of religion, as it was wont, and\never ought to do. But God shall fight for the king.\nIn this behalf: to whom, for the setting out of his most holy word, I dare boldly say that God is more bound, if God can be bound to man, than He is to all the popes who have been these five hundred years. It was no less than a learned king's act to send the pope's bulls into their own pastures. To make of a pope a bishop, who is in deed both as well as one, neither of both: It was a prince's deed to drive out him, against whose abuses no man could open his mouth, penalty of loss of goods, life, and honest fame, thankyou to their tyrannous decrees and abominable laws, which I might call lusts, but that I understand well enough. He is gone, but to many of his livestock still taries. I dare say, if it is proved this sedition comes from them, they will not tarry forever. I speak never against the good, because I know not where they dwell. This I know well, the king's grace for a few goods, has suffered\nAn abominable sort of the yellow reign lasted too long. But I will return to my purpose. If the king should ask you, as Roman ambassadors once asked theirs, why they had left the Senators and were so seditionally departed? Have you anything more to say than they had? Nay, you have much less. For they lacked no matter to lay their case before them, but they lacked a man to utter it. I pray you, what can you say, if the king's grace lay unkindness to you, where the law condemns you of treason? I am sure in so great a crime, there must be some great occasion. Lincolnshire bring forth your Cobbler, what can you lay for your excuse? How can you say, it is lawful, nay that it is not most abominable, thus traitorously to invade, rob, spoil, and kill the true subjects of your most gracious and lovely prince? Will you lay the putting down of abbeys for you? First, why may not the king's grace, by the counsel of the lords spiritual and temporal,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Old English, but it is still readable and does not require translation. No OCR errors were detected in the text.)\nand the commons assembled in parliament, many of whom are among you, have acted to ensure that all these, and the better part of you, agree on what is best to be done? What cruel and blind malice is this, to lay the necks of one or two men in the yoke, as you have done, who, by the consent of the three estates of England, were thought to be most beneficial to the honor of God, the discharge of the king, and the welfare of this realm and its subjects? What inconsistency reigns among fools? How long have you cried, monks, priests, have too much? How long have we all prayed, God send the king such counsel that one day he may see the goods that were wickedly spent turned into better use? How can he turn them into better use, except he first takes them away from these, whom you yourselves, by act of parliament, have publicly declared to have been misused and spent on the maintenance of vices and the oppression of virtues? First, you would in any case.\nIf the abbies should down, that the spirituality should have less. So in truth these spiritual traitors, who are in armies against their country, call themselves, who have no other spirit than the devil has inspired into them. If these are spiritual, put a check on Cromwell back, is he not then a religious mocker, and a good spiritual man? If these are religious and spiritual men, who do all that they can to destroy both the laws of god and of man, to bring this realm in desolation, why may not Jack Cade, Jack Straw, Will Wawe, Wat Tyler, Jack Shepherd, Tomm Millar, and Hob Carter, a barber sent for, be shorn into religion? If they are spiritual, who consume the day either in idleness or in another thing worse than that, sowing sedition in other men's forges, whom shall we call carnal? It were not honest to utter all that the visitors in their inquisitions bring home, that these holy hooded religious have themselves.\nThey confessed and confirmed with their own signatures. What things can they be ashamed of, confessing such crimes, which no honest man can well recount or a good man endure? I will pardon their shamefastness; I am content that I lack boldness to write what they are not ashamed to do. They have sins of their own, though I do not lay this to their charge. They need no accuser, except they change their appearance. The world has seen them; I would scarcely believe that men could teach nature a new way, except it had been proven to their teeth and uttered by their own selves. Those who are learned know what I mean, and what they are. Paul laid the same charge against the Romans (Rom.). Those who are unlearned will marvel, except they have been brought up with monks and friars. I have said enough. It stinks to high heaven, to stir up too much. Is it possible, that men can do this?\nshould they be driven out, before they wonder that they are not raked in the coals? I will not aggravate matters. I am glad that they have greater cause to think that the king's grace shows mercy, in his place, rather than to think themselves hardly dealt with, who else but their dwelling places, where they ought to lose their lives. The civil law does not put such out of their houses, but with the sword puts them to death. And how strict the act of the parliament is, they should have found, if it had been put into execution. If the king's grace had done as the law would, and not as his most gracious nature prompts him, could any man have said that such detestable vices deserve less punishment. The king's grace follows such a process as God does lightly for the most part. God does not punish all sinners, nor has the king punished all monks, not all who both the law and the judgment of good men.\nmen think unworthy to stand, but such, who had neither praise of good life, nor of hospitality before they were suppressed. Wherefore I cannot think, that the putting down of abbeys, that is to say, the putting away of maintained lechery, sodomy, and hypocrisy, should be the cause of this rebellious insurrection. There was some other wild worm, that would not suffer mad brains to rest. You would fain, and have sought to find some honest color to shadow your execrable and most cruel intended robbery, spoiling, ravages, burnings, exiling of all honest and quiet persons, and setting up of thieves, murderers, and malefactors. Think you that wise men, who have seen by all histories the end of such seditionous traitors, do not well espie, what all your intent was? What should other shires look to find at their hands, that have first undone and destroyed their own? Whom would they have spared to rob, spoil, or destroy?\nIf they had achieved their purpose, robbery and sleep would not have lasted so long, for they could no longer continue. The kings' goodness granted them this time to acknowledge their high and detestable fault and to declare to all his subjects how regretful he is to shed the blood of those who should love him best, next to God. I am glad and sorry that you have no better excuse than either you have made or anyone else for you. Glad that all men with judgment will think you have acted, as people are wont to do, foolishly and without any foundation. Sorry that you should be so angry, no reason given you to put yourself to such rebuke, shame, and confusion. It is foolish that you lay down your lives for the payment of a shilling in the pound, setting all England by the ears. How can he be less worthy to die than those who most deserve it, which\nhad the pope, Urban (XV), see all of England destroyed, part from 25 or 50 thousand livres at one time, which amounts to above 120 thousand crowns of the sun, to aid and strengthen him against another Roman bishop, Clement, who challenged the Papacy, and never grudged the matter: And now, for the urgent business and most necessary affairs, such as suppressing rebels and other enemies who rose in the king's land of Ireland, which business, as it was then thought by all the wise men of this realm, and as we have now produced, could not be resolved and well finished without exceeding charges, besides the great expenses that his grace is incurring on many things, which we know but little about.\nthe haven at Douver, the bulwarks, fortresses and buildings made for the munition and defense of his town of Calyce, of Berwyke, and of other frontiers that are so highly beneficial for the common weal of this his realm, not only in his grace's time, but many years after. Now I say, for all these high and weighty causes, and many other that I do not recall, which his grace is only for our profit, quiet, rest, and peace, we will not depart from so small a sum, that was (I say again) so freely granted to him. Every man was not charged hereunto, but such as the wise men of the realm thought might easily bear it. He that says his substance is less worth than 200 pounds pays never a penny. Alas what a detestable mind is this, to will sooner 10 or 20 thousand to be slain, than to depart from 10 or 20 shillings? Is there any honest man's arm, but it would fight alone, if it were cut off, against such pestilent and traitorous wretches? Is there any\nA man, though naked, will consider himself twice armed who comes to fight in such a cause and against such rebels. Is there anyone who thinks he can spend his best blood in a better way than on such murderers? You say, we have been ruled too much. There is a pretty fable that Plutarch relates. There was a serpent whose tail began to struggle with its head. The tail said, \"Head, so it is, I have followed you for a long time, it seems reasonable that you should follow me instead.\" The foolish head granted the tail obedience and followed it. To be brief, the tail became captain and ruler, now bursting forth, often knocking itself against stones, pricking itself with thorns, and also bringing the head more frequently into danger and peril of being harmed. Should it not be much worse if kings' graces were to hear suitors who come in armor, and being heads, apply themselves to their requests, who seek nothing but dissention, shedding of blood, and causing strife?\nThe king and his realm should be fortunate if the rude countries knew, as well as the noble and faithful city of London and other civil places of England, how much they are bound to love and truly serve King Henry VIII. For what act since Christ's departure was more commendable than this example, that our most gracious prince has given to all foreign princes, nothing more belonging to a king's office than to redress things of religion, to put down hypocrisy, and to restore honesty to its place again? What could he imagine more godly than the appointments, which are now in hand, for knowing who are shepherds and who are wolves, who are able to teach and who are yet to learn? What commendation can be so great that it shall seem far too small,\nTo a prince, who takes such care to see reality restored, and now his people are well taught, which for so long have been deceived, I must express sorrow that monks, friars, and priests, who for so long hesitated, could not acknowledge our sovereign lord the king as their head without hesitation. I must also express sorrow that such sedition-mongers should hinder so honest a purpose, so godly an intent. How it is I trust their hindrance will set it much more forward, rather than if they had endeavored themselves with all readiness to set it in motion. Thus, when God wills it, He can make His enemies fight for Him, when they think most to fight against Him. I have no doubt that they will much increase the king's honor, who have done and continue to do all they can to dishonor him. What greater proof could his grace have had from his nobles, true and loyal people, than in such a situation to have shown them?\nselfso faithful, so trusty, so willing, and so obedient? What would they do if strangers came, who were ready against their own? I say more, the king is much bound to these traitors, who have so assured his grace of his subjects' goodwill towards him. Therefore, most noble dukes, earls, lords, with all the nobility, doubt nothing, but you have done service to a prince who both considers your hearts and will highly reward your faithful pains. What greater reward can there be of loyalty than the joy that an honest heart receives for its faithful doing? Allbeit these traitors have done much harm, yet surely they have done the nobles of England high service. You may also be joyful, you I say, whom the king's grace ever has taken for his true subjects, and now in very deed has found you. Let them be sorry that have deserved sorrow: Let us be sorry for nothing, but that these traitors.\nLet the king strive with his nature, and there do justice, where he gladly would have shown himself merciful. Let not the wicked example of these rebels alienate our minds from the fear of God, the love of our prince. Let us recognize our duty to both, and when their commandments agree, strive to comply with both.\n\nLet us now, in the furious rage of these seditionists, declare ourselves true Christians to God and faithful subjects to the king's grace, not only ready to resist and pacify, but also utterly to extirpate and destroy these and all other such beasts, who by any color shall go about to stop God's word, to sow sedition between our most Christian and godly king and his true and obedient servants. Keep the commandments of one, and then you shall keep both. Luke 20. For he who said, \"Keep my commandments,\" also said, \"Give your prince such things.\"\n\"as pertaining to him: if you do not, hear what he says. You shall be cursed in the city, Deut. 28, and cursed in the field: Cursed shall be your barn, your store, the fruits of your threshing floor, and the fruits of your land. The herds of your flocks and the flock of your sheep. Cursed shall you be, when you go in, and when you come out. The Lord shall send hunger and thirst and cursing upon all that you undertake, until He has destroyed you. All these maledictions rest upon those who set aside God's commandments: And for as much as they are all made for the succor and aid of men, rather than that God has any need of our good deeds, which of all the commandments is more necessary for us than this, Obey your king? Doing all the others and breaking this, how can we live one with another? How can we lack any misfortune, any sorrow, if sedition enters among us? God threatened before, now He falls to desiring and says, He that\"\nI will keep my commandments, I will love him, bless him, and cause all his things to increase. I will bless his children and his children's children, his corn, his pastures, his cattle, all his shall multiply. Who can hate him whom God loves? Or what matters if traitors hate him, that God promises to defend? If God is on our side, the cobbler has clouted evilly, he has put to shame much to him. God is with the righteous, and cannot leave them. All traitors whom God willing, shall learn by Lincolnshire, nothing to be more odious to God and man, than treason. [God save the King.]", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "IF I HAD NOT OF LONG TIME PAST CONCEIVED A SURE TRUST AND GREAT CONFIDENCE, MOST NOBLE PRINCE, IN YOUR SINGULAR GENETLYNESS AND ACCUSTOMED HUMANITY, WHICH DAILY TO THE GREAT COMFORT OF ALL YOUR SERVANTS & SUBJECTS, YOUR HIGHNESS DECLARES OPENLY, I WOULD NEVER HAVE USED SUCH BOLDNESS AND AUDACITY, AS TO EXHIBIT AND PRESENT THIS MY RUDE WRITING TO YOUR MOST INDIFFERENT JUDGMENT. FOR MUCH AND LONG I HAVE DOUBTED WITHIN MYSELF, WHETHER IT SHOULD PERTAIN TO ME, EITHER BY WORD OR BY WRITING, TO TOUCH SUCH MATTERS OF WEIGHT AND GRACE. FOR, ON THE ONE SIDE, MANY THINGS MOVED ME TO KEEP SILENCE, CONSIDERING MY OWN STATE, CONDITION, AND DEGREE, AND HOW LATE I WAS ADMITTED TO THE SERVICE OF YOUR MAJESTY, AND HOW LITTLE EXPERIENCED I AM IN MATTERS OF POLITICS: SO ON THE OTHER SIDE, DIVERSE THINGS STIRRED ME, TO OPEN MY AFFECT AND PURPOSE, TO YOUR GRACE PLAINLY. FOR MOVED I WAS MUCH BY THIS YOUR GREAT AND SINGULAR HUMANITY, WHEREIN A MONTHFUL OF DAYS.\nYour highness excels in all other princely virtues: I was also moved by the high magnitude, which by the goodness of God is given to you above others, in all matters of truth. This is evident from the present state of our country and the weighty nature of things pertaining to the same, now in controversy among us. In the resolution and due order of which (as I think), lies the chief point of all princely honor, and not in abundance of gold, silver, nor treasure, nor yet in any worldly power, but even as the honor of God, as much as it is set forth to human judgment, consists and stands in the due order of this sensible world, which with our eyes we daily behold. The treasure we honor of all princes on earth, rests chiefly in the order and redress of their commonwealths, by the providence of God committed to their governance, to this end and purpose, that all their subjects may enjoy such quietness and felicity as they are brought forth unto, by the goodness of God.\nI could not express myself, nor could I satisfy my bounden duty to your grace, except by opening my affections to your gracious majesty. Great sorrow seized me as soon as I entered my country, after my long absence and peregrinations, observing such disobedience and diversity of opinion among your subjects, which was growing to great confusion and to the great breach of Christian unity, while your grace, by your high wisdom and policy, studied to lay and stabilize certain grounds and foundations for the restoring of true and Christian unity, more necessary than ever. Therefore, soon after I began to reason with myself about certain causes and occasions, out of which, as it appeared to me, this controversy and disobedience sprang.\nAmong us, it is important for us to consider how we might put away discord and diversity of opinion, and live as members of one body, united and knitted together, running in one course and following one fashion. I gathered my thoughts on this matter and presented them to Your Majesty, declaring my opinion and urging that we, Your subjects, might restore and preserve this Christian unity through meekness and humility, living together in due obedience. This was my purpose, and I did not intend to have my sentence and writing published. However, even those who are most eager to have their writings made public often use this kind of excuse, hiding their desire for glory beneath the guise of sobriety and humility, claiming they wrote either for the benefit of others or for the glory of God.\nI own exercise secretly, or for the private pleasure of my friends only, by which I avoid and eschew all note and suspicion of pride and arrogance. Yet to your highness, most noble prince, I say truly and without any color, that at such a time as I presented this my writing to your grace at Winchester in summer last past, I thought nothing less than to publish it to the common judgment, though in every man's mind the thing was fixed. I thought plainly, partly because I judge my writing not to be of that sort which are to be set out to light, and partly because I see the world already with over many books and writings troubled dangerously. Though much knowledge of the truth is opened and brought to light, yet by lack of discretion, and by much arrogancy, there is grown in Christ's church a great breach of Christian charity. I say plainly, and it appeared sufficient to me, specifically concerning such matters of weight and importance.\nGrace, to your highness only by my writing, I declare my opinion, and the affection and desire which I have long nurtured in my heart towards you. I have had reason and judgment to consider the end to which all true subjects ought to refer all their actions and deeds. I have always fashioned my studies in such a manner, that I might, in some part, serve your highness and my country, which stirred and moved me much. I am now more motivated by the time, in which I trust to see, by your high wisdom and policy, a wholesome, quiet, and just reformation of all such abuse that has grown into our church and congregation through the passage of time. Although the beginning has been somewhat rough and full of difficulty, yet I trust the providence of God, using your highness as chief minister to the same, will eventually order and dispose of all things, so that they shall proceed, both to the common quietude of us your subjects in this present age, and to the great comfort of all your posterity.\nSo, just as much for the maintaining of one part of such disobedience, which might instigate a great occasion for the planning of a sedition, as for the tempering of the other part of a blind and arrogant opinion, recently conceived by light judgments, which might bring among us much confusion, I wrote this thing, declaring to your highness what I thought in the matter, and how, as I said before, I myself was affected, and how at least I would wish the hearts of your subjects to be instructed: for which cause I conceived this exhortation for your people, instructing them to such obedience as is due to your princely authority. This was my purpose at the beginning and full intent, having nothing less in mind, as I before recited, than to publish the thing abroad to the world: but now since it has pleased your most noble prince, by your grace, to grant permission for its publication.\n\"highest wisdom and most impartial judgment, the thing to approve, which I have written, and by your goodness it to accept and allow, I shall not fear to set it forth to the common reading and impartial judgment of your subjects openly, nothing distrusting, but that by the gracious goodness of him who governs all, it shall thus be approved by your gracious authority, in some part helping, both to restore and confirm here among us true obedience and Christian unity, whereby we all your true subjects, being obedient to your highness as to our supreme head under Christ, here in this church and congregation, shall both in this age live in perfect quietness and tranquility, and hereafter also leave a quiet common wealth, to the common comfort of all our posterity, and at the last with heavenly unity attain and enjoy with our heavenly head Christ, the only head of the universal church, everlasting felicity. This hope I have fixed in my heart,\"\nNothing doubting at all, but your goodness, whose providence has ordained you to reign in our time, lighting your heart with such knowledge of truth as few other Christian princes have in our days, shall inspire in your most noble mind, the right judgment of all concerning men, whereby your highness the better may set forth the same truth to his honor and glory.\n\nBecause I have following somewhat more briefly than the thing does well suffer, I have compiled and gathered here for the people a certain instruction, whereby they might be induced to such unity and obedience as is most justly required: I shall most Christian readers, here in this prologue, open to you a little more at large, what is the nature of this obedience and unity, to which we are so strictly bound both by God's law and all good civility; and touch also somewhat on the cause which has chiefly moved me to the conceiving of this matter.\nThe purpose of this text is to help you better understand the intended message. To begin, it is important to consider certain things with some reflection, lifting up your eyes and weighing the divine power, wisdom, and providence. Although this concept surpasses all human wisdom and imagination, it is clear and manifest that the providence of God is the sole cause of this sensible world, as stated in Genesis 1, being a reflection of God's goodness and divinity. This world, with its infinite power and wonderful variety, is governed and ruled by God's high providence. Wherever you cast your eyes, whether up to heaven or down to the earth, consider the wondrous variety of nature.\nyou shall always see, in every thing, the most certain argument and sure testimony of that power and providence. Whereof I think no man can doubt, who looks into this glass, for in wonder and admiration, he will first see the infinite number and multitude of stars, keeping their certain course and motion without any instability. There he will see the sun, the moon, with all the other planets wandering abroad, now to this part of the world, now to the other, for the comfort and creation of all mortal things subject to corruption. There he will see the wonderful virtue and influence of the same, by which, as chief instruments, the goodness of God works all things. Here in the lower world, adorned with this variety, where all natural beauty stands. You will also see, if you look diligently into this glass, the most marvelous properties of the four elements, of fire, air, water, and earth.\nIn nature, where elements are knitted by due proportion in a certain equality, despite their most diverse and contradictory natures, they are coupled and joined together, as if in a natural concord and unity: there you will see the earth, as foundation and ground, sustaining the rest, hanging in the middle in a wonderful manner, and around it the sea continuously rolling, with its certain and sure ebb and flow in a strange fashion, giving to human wit no small cause of marvel and great admiration: and finally, to say, there you will see of all beasts, fish, and birds, the marvelous nature and property, by which the divine power spreads her goodness, according to the nature of things and their capacity: so that to him who diligently looks into this glass, there remains no doubt of this heavenly wisdom and providence, which in every thing here in this world is set forth to God's honor and glory.\nAnd so certain signs, for in every thing shines the image thereof. Every thing here is a mirror of the same. And to me, this thing, considering and reasoning with myself about the goodness of God and His providence, though the things before touched on His ministry, sure proof and sufficient argument, yet it appears that nothing more clearly declares the same, than man's actions and fashion of living here in policy. Many men have taken great argument to the contrary, in so much that when they have seen many men long to continue in worldly joy and prosperity, whom they have judged most worthy of all adversity: and contrary, other of great perfection and virtue to be oppressed with all wretchedness and misery. This I say, what they have seen, they have plainly thought, no providence to be or government of God, but all left to man's will and tyranny. To this opinion they slipped, for lack of judgment and good consideration. For whoever weighs man's acts.\nAnd he will find it manifestly grounded in his life, and by reason be compelled plainly to confess, that this high providence is not only declared by such deeds and acts of man, which appear to the world to be good and virtuous, but also much more by others, which seem pestilent and pernicious, and contrary to all virtue. For it is a certain truth and a sure one, that just as God, by his infinite goodness, turns these earthquakes and general floods, by which many cities and whole nations are often overflowed and sunk, to the good order and conservation of the whole in a natural tranquility: so vice reigning in a man's life for a time, opens war and sedition, and his goodness covers it up for the setting forth of virtue and to his honor and glory. For such is the nature of that infinite goodness, that it suffers nothing utterly to be evil, but out of all imperfections and vicious effects, or more truly to say, vicious defects, his.\nGoodness puts out evil in every instance. For example, this thing - the nature of the devil - is most pestilent and destructive. Yet, God's goodness uses it to drive man, at the least, to flee from sin and wretchedness. His cruelty and malice declare his justice and righteousness. By the misery of vice, he often drives man to the love of virtue and the perception of its felicity. Likewise, he brings man to health and prosperity through sickness and adversity, and through the tyranny and wretchedness thereof, he induces man to perceive the nature of good policy, and of all quietness and tranquility resting in the same. Even as by blind and foolish superstition, he often leads man to follow sincere and true religion. And thus, all things that appear in man's life to be plainly evil and vicious, his infinite goodness turns to good: and out of all things.\nthing he is infinitely good. Gen. 11. For if there were anything which by nature were evil, then was not his infinite goodness, which without contradiction can suffer no evil. Therefore plainly to say, even as I think, these things which to the world and to the common judgment of man seem evil and most pestilent, are arguments of God's goodness and his high providence. The which thing I have here now touched upon for this purpose and end, that where many men now consider the state of the Christian polity vexed with so much sedition and heresy, fear much to see shortly thereof great ruin and decay, I would have them alter that opinion: And to stand firmly in this conviction, that this division by sects and contrary opinions, reigning among Christian nations, the goodness of God shall turn to his honor and glory, and to the setting forth of his true religion, which for long and many a day has been obscured by simple superstition.\nAnd yet, though in folly we may flee this superstition and contemn religion, I have no doubt but God's goodness will, in due time, bring us back to the mean and reveal to us the knowledge of his true religion, as he has done since the beginning of the world until this day, little by little drawing mankind to the true way. And in these days, I doubt not but that his goodness will inspire and give light to the hearts of his Christian flock, that they all, with concord and unity, will be obedient to his will. This hope and trust I have fixed in my heart, with which I greatly comfort myself. And though there is a certain division growing in our nation due to corrupt judgment and false opinion, yet I trust we shall not so far depart from God's providence that it may take root among us.\nwhereby may any sedition or disorder arise in good and civil order, but contrary, if we as members of one body run together after one fashion, I trust at length surely it shall minister a great occasion to the setting forth of Christ's true religion. For this cause, I have conceived this little instruction, exhorting our people to unity and obedience, the lack of which in the state of Christendom has been a great cause of much division, and especially in the country of Germany. Where, as by the foolish avoiding of superstition they have slipped into great discord and sedition, whose example I trust shall be to us a spectacle, ministering to us no small instruction, specifically if we consider the cause and foundation of all their contention and sedition, which doubtless, rose about things in no point necessary to our salvation, but about ceremonies and traditions. To which many men, blinded by superstition, leaned none other way.\nPersons adhering to Christ's word and gospel did not distinguish with right judgment between things beneficial and necessary for themselves, and others that were merely convenient for a certain policy. They indiscriminately received all long-standing customs and general decrees, regarding some as good law and others turning them upside down unwisely. Those persons, upon examination to God's word, found much abuse. The remainder could not endure this and labeled them heretics and seditionists. This great division resulted in the country being split into many and diverse sects. However, by God's providence, each one began to recognize the folly of the other and turned towards Christ's true religion, giving God's word full authority in preaching without abrogation. Regarding ceremonies and traditions, they permitted them as convenient for maintaining unity, where they did not contradict.\nTo God's word and good civility: had they done this at the beginning, they would not have fallen into such confusion, nor brought about such division through their foolish correction of the church's abuses. I have no doubt that God's providence has allowed this to happen for the institution of other things. We can take example of this folly and come together in obedience and unity. If we do, we will surely see God's providence at work, and superstitious abuses will be rooted out of our church and congregation. Conversely, if we proceed in our corrupt judgment and growing division, we will inevitably slip into the same confusion. For the avoidance of which, I have directed this rough instruction to the people, urging them toward obedience and unity, whose nature now remains in the second place.\nIn this, you will understand that obedience, in all times, has been regarded as the chief bond and knot of all virtue and good civility. Not only among us, who are of the Christian flock, enlightened by the spirit of God, but also among gentile philosophers, led only by the course and power of nature. Obedience was noted to be the mother of all virtue and honesty with them. When the affections in a man's mind are drawn towards pleasure and vanity, but are obedient to reason, there is no repugnancy or rebellion between them. Reason always has dominion, leading man to his natural dignity, resulting in great felicity. Conversely, when reason is overrun, and affection rules by disobedience, then man, as if falling,\nDown from God's order and providence, who appoints reason to his governance, slips into infinite misery and wretchedness, and never enjoys tranquility and quietness, but diversely torn by divers desires. Roman, lacks all comfort and sweetness of this life. So it is evident and plain, what power obedience had with the gentility: but of us, which are enlightened with Christ's doctrine, obedience of another sort is required. For our obedience is not ruled by such a slender rule as man's reason, which is for the most part so blinded with corruption, that seldom it sees the clear truth without affection: but the line of our obedience is reason itself, the fearful word and son of God by Christ to us declared, the will of God in his scriptures opened. By this line and rule we must square our affection, to this all, reason and affection of man set apart, we must be obedient, to this we must give faith, sure trust, and also confidence.\nTo establish this obedience, Christ was made man,\nwho both by doctrine and deed he clearly taught,\nwhich, to confirm with many words, there is no place here,\nespecially considering that all holy scripture is full of the same. Therefore,\nperhaps you will say that obedience to God's word is required:\nno one doubts, no one is ignorant of this, but what is God's word,\nand the true sense of it, to which we ought to be obedient, lies in the doubt:\nfor some men herein say one thing, and some another. In so much, that we do not know\nto which sense and to what thing we should give our obedience, and whether we should rather be obedient\nto general counsel or to our princes' authority. Perhaps you will say this.\nFor the answer to which, though in the following exhortation I have at large handled the thing, as the chief matter thereof, yet here in brief:\nThis place I will touch upon, concerning how you shall come to the true sense of God's word, and what obedience you ought to give both to general council and prince's authority. First, understand this as a firm foundation for the resolution hereof: that things to which we owe obedience, and are bound by God's word, general council, or prince's authority, are of three sorts and three kinds. For they are either good by nature, contrary to nature and damable, or indifferent, which of themselves are neither good nor evil.\n\nAs an example, things are good:\n1. Things good in themselves, as they appear to corrupt human reason, but such as are defined by God's own word, by which rule alone we must examine what thing is good with right judgment: as trusting in God and in His only goodness, loving Him above all things, and your brother as yourself.\nThese with such other, expressed by God's word, are by nature good and profitable. As contrary, such things as by the same word are prohibited and forbidden, are by nature evil and damnable, as to distrust the mercy of God, and doubt of his goodness, to have your brother in hate, or wrongfully to covet worldly riches. Things indifferent I call all such things, which by God's word are neither explicitly commanded nor forbidden. For I judge it not so evil and damnable that all our forefathers, who have been obedient to it for the past seven hundred years, therefore be damned. Nor do I judge it so good that obedience to it shall be necessary for those who are to be saved, as I have at large declared in the matter following, and opened therein fully my opinion. But now to the purpose, this and all other like, which are not in scripture expressed by commandment, I note to be things indifferent. The nature of which is such that they are highly indeterminate.\n\"observe that though they themselves are neither good nor evil, nor do we owe them obedience, yet when they are authorized by those who hold rule in any kind of policy, whether it be in the state of a prince or popular: then the people are bound, by the virtue of God's own word, who commands expressly his disciples to be obedient to common policy, when anything is commanded through it that is not repugnant to his precepts and doctrine, even if it were contrary to their own private profit, pleasure, and quietness: yet would he have his disciples, and the professors of his name, ever to be obedient with humility and meekness, as with a peculiar mark, he has marked his flock. Mark 20.\n\nAnd so now, having established this ground, I shall answer the doubts raised: and first to those who are unlearned, to whom I have primarily directed this instruction, this I will say,\"\nThat scrupulous and exact knowledge of things contained in God's scriptures is not as necessary to induce them to obedience as meekness and humility. Meekness and humility are among many other things the chief way for those who are rude to attain to the true sense of God's word and doctrine. For this reason, I think, in the council of Nice, the sum of our faith, containing such points as are necessary for every man's salvation, was reduced to certain articles and so proposed in Symbolo, in the common Creed to all Christian nations, as a thing sufficient to be had in heart and mind of all men, without further enquiry or investigation. Therefore, we may judge, as it appears to me, Romans 13, that to the unlearned people and body of every community, without further knowledge, it is sufficient for every man doing his office and duty.\nas he is called, and by God's provision thereto appointed, here in this worldly polity, steadfastly to hang upon the commune or order, leaning therto constantly, ever comforted with the same faith and expectation of the everlasting life, hereafter to be had in immortality, & not by our own merits, but by the mere benefit and only goodness of God, who to us so trusting in him, has made such props of his benignity. This is the most sure knot, as I think, of all Christian civility, this general knowledge of things necessary joined with meekness. I think sufficient for those who are directed and appointed for to preach Christ's doctrine, whereby they may both confirm and increase daily their faith. And now I will speak somewhat of the obedience that you shall give unto the common authority, and also what to general counsel, here briefly I will touch. And first, this is sure,\nIn all kinds of policies among Christian nations, the order of obedience should have the word of God as its chief authority, taking the first place and preeminence. Therefore, if anything is decreed contrary to this, by any worldly policy, it must be utterly abolished and boldly disobeyed with constant resistance. Such barbarous tyranny cannot be tolerated in Christian civilization. Conversely, whatever is decreed in any policy that is not repugnant to Christ's doctrine and simplicity, obedience is required to that, which forms a great foundation of Christian civilization. If a private person rebels seditionally, moved by some foolish scruple of conscience, and cannot be brought to knowledge by good instruction or to just obedience with gentle admonition, he is not worthy to live in that common policy or to be a member of it, as one who abhors all good order and civilization. For the obedience of princes:\nAnd of all other common orders and political matters, we are bound, after they are once received, by God's own word and commandment. Such things as by their own nature are indifferent, are made thereby necessary for our salvation. Therefore, this remains a sure truth: that to all things decreed by princely authority, to which nothing contrary to God's word applies, we are bound by God's word, after they are received and stabilized. We must be obedient to these things with humility, even if they are contrary to such things as are proposed by general counsel and assembly.\n\nThe nature of general counsel. For this observation, it should be noted that though general counsel and a universal assembly of all Christian nations is not necessary for the conservation of Christ's faith and doctrine, since it was conserved in his purest form almost five hundred years before any such congregation; yet because it was composed of wise men and politically brought together.\nIn addressing the reduction of schism and heresy, and the establishment of Christian unity, I do not find it irrelevant. For it is great superstition and plain folly to deem it necessary for salvation, as you and I both believe, and a great sign of infidelity and distrust in the goodness of God, who has promised eternal salvation to all men in all places and at all times, as stated in Matthew 7:7, when they call upon it with faithful trust. It is a sign of great arrogance and lack of Christian humility to utterly refuse, whenever it is offered as a collaboration and a gathering of learned men for the invention and trial of truths concerning matters of faith, as it was at its first institution. At that time, the things driven out by general counsel were of no authority, until princes in every nation received and steadfastly established them in their countries, by the consent of the same, as is evident from various imperial laws.\nby which such things as were conceived in council general were authorized & confirmed. Wherefore to compare these authorities together, with the preeminence of the same, it is of small reason. For as much as such things as are proposed by general council and assembly have no authority among the people in any country, until they are confirmed by princely power and common council. Wherefore this follows surely, that the same authority may reject such things when time, place, and other occasion require it with good reason: This therefore seems to me a sure conclusion, that rather we ought to give obedience to that thing which is decreed by common authority in every nation, than to such as is proposed by general assembly & universal council. For such things are but counsels in deed, and bind no man until they are received by common consent, which ever by the same may also be dissolved, and specifically touching such things that are indifferent. The which at the beginning of this treatise are declared to be the subject matter of our consideration.\nFirst counsels were ever overlooked and left to the order of worldly policy. But after the see of Rome took this heed over all Christian nations, little by little in general assemblies, they began to define and handle things pertaining to worldly policy, for the maintaining of the pomp and arrogancy, which they achieved through the pretense of religion. Therefore, the councils succeeding the same heed smelled of it and tasted much of worldly vanity. But if they had continued according to the first institution, only dealing with the interpretation of scripture and things pertaining by necessity to salvation, I think to this day no Christian prince or nation would have made any contrary constitution. But now, since popes in general councils, contrary to the order of the same, have meddled with matters pertaining to worldly policy, it is not surprising to see princes decree contrary, to whose order concerning indifferent things, the people in obedience follow.\nEvery nation, are more bound, than to such things which are but only proposed as councils general and universal congregation, as shall appear more largely hereafter: and this concerning obedience, here in this preface to be observed, to the unlearned I think sufficient, and as for the learned, they know how to answer to this matter better than I. Howbeit, I would counsel every man learned in scripture, whose conscience is troubled with any scruple caused by anything decreed by common authority, here in our country, to weigh the thing, with diligent examination thereof, whether it be upon a necessary ground for salvation, or else upon a thing indifferent: and above all to beware, and diligently to take heed, neither by the authority of man, process of time, nor contrary custom, he suffer himself to be blinded or deceived by simplicity, he with right judgment can not disregard God's word indifferently.\nAnd where as he finds opposition or great difficulty,\nto try out the true sense of God's word and doctrine, in his scripture thought: let him, with a meek heart, come to him, who comes to all men never to fail, which meekly demands of him the knowledge of truth with earnest affection, seeking the same: for meekness is the only way and the straight gate of the entrance to Christ's mysteries. For except we empty our stores full of arrogance, we cannot conceive the sweetness of that heavenly simplicity, whose hearts only and humble are partakers. For as to pride and arrogance, Christ ever resists, but to lowliness and humility, his grace ever communicates, exalting and setting in high dignity, even as pride, he ever depresses and puts under foot. So that by this gate we must enter, which few men find, if we will follow him, and to the mysteries of his doctrine take the true way: for except we be as children.\nHumbly and meekly, without all corrupt affections, there shall be no gate open for us to bring us to his kingdom and heavenly perfection. This is the true trace, wherein he must tread whoever fruitfully seeks the true sense of God's word. Whoever enters here doubtless shall find, for such scrupulous conscience, a singular remedy, without further expectation of general counsel and decree. And never shall fear give obedience to such things as are decreed by common authority, especially since they touch only things indifferent, nothing necessary for our salvation. It shall be evident to all who will thoroughly read and impartially weigh such things, as I have gathered in this little Instruction. And then I shall not doubt, but that we shall all run together in one course in Christian unity, Christian unity. Which, shortly, to touch upon, stands chiefly in this point. We must conceive, if we will be true professors of Christ's doctrine, a certain:\n\nAnd here is the end of the text. No further cleaning is necessary.\n\"brotherly love each one towards other, judging ourselves to be born of one father, John. Galatians 3:28. nourished of one mother, members of one body, hanging of one head, looking for one reward, promised to us, living together in this unity. We must think that our master Christ descended from the bosom of his father, to establish this concord and unity, in the hearts of all them, John. 17. which purpose to be inheritors with him in his kingdom of heaven everlastingly. We must think, that by this only is the way to immortality, which if we do, I doubt not, but that all such division as might bring confusion into this our country & polity, we shall right well avoid and eschew, living together in due obedience and perfect unity. For the which I shall not cease to pray to him, who has promised surely to give the light of truth to all them that ask it humbly. And the same I shall require.\"\nFor all who chance upon this instruction and wish to draw a firm conclusion, if we seek out the true sense of God's word with meekness, humility, faithful love, and charity, we shall surely find it, and receive such light from it that, even if we have never heard of pope or cardinal, nor of general council, we shall not be destitute of the truth and light necessary for our salvation. But I will now bring this preface to an end and trouble you no longer, remitting you to the instruction for further declaration.\n\nAs it is to all other creatures, brought forth into this world by the power of God and naturally given by His goodness to desire their end and perfection, which they are ordained unto, so it is to the nature of man, who, of all other here on earth, is most noble and of dignity most excellent, as he who is endowed with reason, the most heavenly thing, whereof bodily creatures and earthly things may partake, by which, as:\n\n\"AS IT IS TO ALL OTHER CREATURES, BY THE POWER OF GOD...SO IT IS TO THE NATURE OF MAN\"\nby the chief instrument, he may seek and inscribe all convenient means, whereby he may attain the better to such end and perfection, as by the goodness of God to him is appointed: and all though this desire be to all mankind common, and ever has been of what religion soever they be, yet we most, Christian people, which are of Christ's flock, and enlightened with the spirit of God, make profession of his name, above all other ought to be most desirous, as they who have by the singular benefit of God, a more sure knowledge, & a more solid ground, to lean unto, than any other people on earth. For it should not be common but to few, and the multitude of Christian people.\nAccording to the entire doctrine of our loving master Christ, it remains only in faithful love and charitable unity. This is testified by our master himself in his gospel through his own words, commanding us above all other things in this act. Act 4.\n\nCharitable unity should be coupled and knitted together, in no other way than he is with the eternal father in divinity. This agrees with the entire process of the doctrine of Paul, the true interpreter of Christ's mind, who always exhorts us, as we are members of one body joined to our head Christ, so with faithful love of him to live together in this charitable unity, which is the end as he is the faith of all precepts and laws, the thing wherein stands the perfection of a Christian mind: from which no man of what state or degree ever is excluded. For this path is open to all men who will seek it, whether they be poor or rich, young or old.\nOr old, sick or hole, this way they may enter. And by this way to their perfection and felicity they may attain: of which dear friends you may highly rejoice, giving thanks to the goodness of God, who by our Master Christ has so declared this way and so indifferently opened it to us all without exception or preference of any person, or of any certain kind of life or degree. For as he is to God, that is a plowman or laborer of the earth, as is the most royal king or prince in his majesty, if he loves his Master Christ with no less affection; Ephesians 3. As he is to Christ who is a cobbler, as is the greatest philosopher, if he has no less trust in the promises of God, than he does in his high philosophy. Colossians 3. Who is a merchant abroad in the world traveling for his life, as is the monk in his cloister most religious, if he\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English and does not contain any significant OCR errors. Therefore, no corrections were made.)\nTo the word of God he gives no less trust in his transgressions and busyness, than he does in his tranquility and quietness. And in conclusion, whatever sort, craft, or condition a man may be, in this political life and worldly, there is great diversity. Yet before God, who looks into the heart, considering the steadfast faith and trust in his promise and word, there is no regard for person or degree: Romans 12. But to all proportionally, according to their faithful love and charity, he gives his high reward and eternal felicity. This is a sure and stable ground of our true religion: this is the comfort of all faithful hearts, rejoice in this, most Christian people, fix your hope in this, and you shall find there great and inestimable quietness. Lean on this anchor, and you shall easily pass the storms of this world: steadfastly hold this in your hearts, and in the miserable and wretched state of this life, short and transitory as it is, bear all adversity you shall.\nWith equal mind and right patience, for him who has unfainedly Christ printed in his heart, and is armed with the faith and sure love of him who governs all by his high providence, all worldly adversity, which comes not to him by his own negligence and fault, is turned into joy, comfort, and plain felicity: and this is the greatest benefit that man's mind may receive on earth from the doctrine of Christ, of which benefit every man desires to be partaker: for every man desires quietness of mind, every man finds rest in it, there is no man so mad and senseless that above all things in his heart he does not desire to enjoy and embrace this quietness and tranquility. Wherefore, dear friends, this appears to me a most marvelous and wonderful thing, to see us all, so desirous of this, and so few taking the straightforward way to its attainment, but led by bypaths, some by vain pleasure, some by ambition.\nand some by curious knowledge and cloaked superstition we run to our own ruin, plain mystery, and destruction. In so much that sometimes when I consider with myself the nature of man and his excellent dignity, he appears to my eye, of all other creatures most wretched and miserable, who by the goodness of God being ordained to such high felicity, by his blind folly falls to so manifold misery. For which cause, though I have many times with myself lamented the state and condition of man, who so lightly slips from his dignity, yet never more than now have I been constrained to the same, by the reason of a great blindness reigning among us, whereby this charitable unity, in which our felicity and quietness of mind rest, is greatly broken and dissolved, by which blindness this spiritual body, this church of Christ, whereof we are all members, is if by true and faithful love we be knit together.\nOur spiritual head, Ephe-, is dispersed and in various parts divided and rent. For what unity may remain among them, where one esteems another to be a heretic, or at least a schismatic? What Christian concord and unity may reign, where one judges another to be a foolish Pharisee, or a superstitious papist? one to be of the new fashion, and him to be frantic: and another of the old, and him to be foolishly blind and diabolical. How may these minds with such judgments be knitted together, and be of one sentence in Christ, who above all things Paul requires: How may such minds be as it were members of one body? how may they receive the light of the spirit, which is in spirits so divided? Undoubtedly by no means: for there Christ does not reign no more than light in darkness shines, where is neither concord, peace nor unity, wherein is grounded all Christian policy: For upon this faithful\nIn unity and love in Christ, and upon this charitable faith in Him is built Christ's church, and this is the stone upon which it was first founded: This is the rock, whereby it is sustained: this is the key, which shall make open to us heaven's gates, against which nothing may prevail. Therefore, friends considering that this unity is the principal ground of all Christian life, which seems in some part by our own blindnesses lately to be broken among us, to the intent we may somewhat the better among ourselves, by the grace and favor of the holy spirit of God, who gives all unity, both restore and conserve the same with quietness and tranquility, I shall now at this time first gather certain causes of the dissolution and break of this unity, and so afterward join certain means, which by the goodness of Him who governs all, may in some part help to the restoration of the same, that so consequently we as members of one body, by spiritual love coupled together.\nAnd knit us into one heart, may at last somewhat\nbetter attain to our felicity. I will use this process.\nIn the beginning, you should understand that I cannot, through words, fully convey to you the sorrow of mind I have recently conceived due to the common blindness reigning among us, which takes from me in a manner all the sweetness of life. The grief is greater than I can express, and the cause I will touch on briefly because it is somewhat relevant to my purpose: I have devoted my entire life, for the most part, to the study of letters, occupying myself in various kinds thereof, both secular studies and holy scripture. Referring all my labor and pains to the knowledge of Christ, as the ultimate goal, for the eyes of my hope and comfort. At the end, I intend to employ my labors to employ each one. (Galatians 6:2)\nI have profited from the companionship of others and sought to live in perfect civility. This was my chief comfort in this world, and it seemed no small comfort to any honest mind. But now, since I have recently returned from Italy, where I have spent many years in studies, and have experienced your manners at home, I am almost, plainly to say, deprived of this comfort. I am almost put out of this hope. For such blindness I have observed to reign among you, such division, such discord of minds, that it would be folly for me, among such troubled hearts, to conceive the opinion of enjoying this most desired thing, that is, quietness and tranquility. In fact, if it were not for the great goodness and high wisdom of our most noble prince, who nothing more tenderly cherishes on earth than the preservation of unity, I would despair of you. And if it were not for the great opinion I have always had of you.\nFor you most Christian people, whom I have always observed to be religious and desirous of truth, I would be utterly put in despair, and more gladly flee from my country and from your conversation than here to tarry among you without hope and comfort of quietness in such tribulation and in such perpetual misery, which undoubtedly we shall be wrapped in, except in time we resist the same. For this blindness has so corrupted our judgments that to the corruption thereof, of necessity, Ep must follow confusion, and of all quietness and sweet Christian living, plain destruction. For what sorrow I have inwardly conceived, I cannot now outwardly express: in so much that if I had not some hope to temper this sorrow, my heart could not support the vehemency thereof, but the goodness of our prince greatly comforts me, whom I think by the high providence of God has been raised up.\ngod, given to us in this time to remedy\nthis common and pernicious blindness in us. For day or night, nothing is more in his mind than the manner and means to take away this blindness from our hearts. Most like a Christian prince, nothing does he more study than to conserve among us, this spiritual and Christian concord and unity. Nothing does he more take care of than to remove all such things that, to his high wisdom, appear to be impediments or hindrances to the setting forward of the same. By which I am somewhat stirred and moved to conceive my old hope again, to which I am also more moved by the goodness of your nature, most Christian people, whom I perceive to be as diligent and studious of the truth, and as desirous to have knowledge of the sincere and pure religion of Christ, as any nation on earth. In no men do I see anyone more prompt, ready, and bringing forth.\nyou, out of this dangerous blindness, which now so reigns in your hearts, mortified and cold for lack of charity. But now, to the purpose, after I have in some part declared the state of my own mind, I shall briefly touch and declare this common blindness, which reigns among us, and recite certain chief and principal causes, from which the same blind affection arises, to weigh such things as I shall set before your eyes. But here some of you may greatly marvel that Christ's people, in this age, so boldly affirm and take upon me to declare such blindnesses to reign among us, especially when, by the judgment of many wise men, the truth is declared and opened to our eyes in such a manner that we plainly condemn all our forefathers for ignorance, giving thanks to all mighty God for this manifest declaration of truth now opened to us:\n\nTo whom I will first address myself in the beginning.\n\"say, that all things, through the goodness of God and the diligent prudence of wise and politic men, have come to light which, before our forefathers' time, were covered and hidden. Yet they are not in fact of such moment and weight that we ought to condemn all antiquity and cast our forefathers entirely into the deep pit of hell for their ignorance. Nor are they of such a kind that we can justly glory in their invention, for we are still blind and except we take diligent care in this blindness. We shall die in blindness. For blindness is almost incurable, to which is joined proud arrogance, so that there is no doubt that although many things have come out of darkness into light in this age, yet they are not to be judged in such a way that we should be compelled to confess, in truth, to have clear sight. This benefit\"\nIn this age, it is too great a burden, as it appears to me, for discord, diversity of judgments, and contrary sentences to overthrow truth and drive it away. Truth only appears in hearts that are pure and sincere, without corrupt affections. Therefore, I will not fear to pronounce blindness to reign in us, and now I will proceed to declare it. First, I must explain that among all kinds and sorts of ignorance and blindness, I will not speak now. For the matter is too large to discuss, and not convenient for your ears to hear. Ignorance and blindness, as the ancient learned men, to whose minds I agree, are the fountain and mother of all vicious affections and miseries. For man does nothing that is evil, but he has some pretext and color of good, by which he is induced to the execution of his deed. For this is a truth.\n\"A man, with understanding and willingness, will not harm himself or do anything harmful to him, unless it appears good to his judgment. However, the blindness in ordering natural affections and desires to natural reason, which has been common to mankind and will be during this world, I will set aside. Similarly, I will also set aside the ignorance and blindness of the nature of things, which comes from a lack of knowledge of letters and high philosophy, of which our nation is somewhat rude and I fear will soon become even more so, due to the contempt of letters, which daily grows among us. I will speak now only of two kinds of this blindness. Two other kinds of this blindness, concerning pure religion and true honor of God, which are more harmful to all civic order and polity than the other, I will not touch upon.\"\nCommon law established by common authority, the other the contempt of religion, which is the foundation and ground of all good and true policy. The first I may call superstitious blindness, which by long process of time, is rooted in our stocks under the pretense of religion. The second I seem to think may well be called arrogant blindness, which has lately grown among us, by lightness of judgment, contrary to all religious opinion and Christian civility: the which both so manifestly reign in our hearts, that this thing to declare by long process and many words may plainly appear superfluous. For touching the superstitious blindness of many, we have had lately among us lamentable experience, to all honest hearts grievous and sorrowful, of which many words now to speak, I cannot without great sorrow: for a sorrowful case it appeared to me to see such men, notable both of virtue and learning, as by common fame some of them were reported to be, which lately have abandoned these things.\nsuffered, so steadfastly to stick in a manifest superstition,\nthat rather they should choose to lose their lives, than to be removed from their opinion,\nwherein they stood so steadfastly, under the persuasion\nof true religion: For it appeared to them to\npertain to the religion of Christ, by necessity\nthe bishop of Rome among all Christian nations,\nto have such superiority, as he has had for many years,\nabusing their patience, usurping upon them: In the defense of which,\nas it had been an article of the faith, they boldly,\nwith more patience than wisdom, suffered their death,\nwhich thing in deed, as will appear hereafter, is a\nplain and manifest superstition, springing from superstitious blindness,\nbringing forth pernicious and stubborn obstinacy,\nwith disobedience to princely authority, and to laws\nauthorized by common counsel and good policy,\nto the obedience whereof, we are bound by the laws\nof God and of nature, so long as they stand in full strength and power,\nwith no repugnancy.\nvnto the same. The blyndnes of these persons I\nam sure all you moste christen people, of harte do\nlament, and specially of somme of theym, whose\nfame of lernynge and vertue, throughout Chri\u2223stendome\nwas spredde, but as you ernestly la\u2223ment\nand sorowe the blyndenes of the same per\u2223sones,\nsoo I truste you wylle with all harte and\nmynde, auoyde suche superstition and blynd ob\u2223stinacye,\nand suffre it not to take any roote and\ngrounde amonge you, wherof myghte succede\nruine bothe to vs and our posterite, of this thing\nin many of you, whiche conceyue the matter as\nit is in dede, with dewe obedience in hart admit\u2223tynge\nthe same, I doubt nothynge at all, but cer\u00a6tayne\nI am, that their example shall be to you of\nsmall moment and weyght: in so moche that to\nspeake any worde of that matter to some of you,\nafter law stablyshed thervpon, & lerned iugeme\u0304t\ndeclarid therin, semith to me almost superfluous\nand labour in vayn. But yet for as moch, as som\nother there be among you of lesse knowlege, and\nWeaker conscience, in this matter I will speak more fully to you later. But for now, I will return to describe and declare to you this superstitious blindness and blind superstition. First, to help you better understand the remainder of my communication, I will briefly touch upon the difference between true and perfect religion and false and vain superstition. True religion is this: with sincere and pure spirit to honor God, and with most reverent love and ardent affection of heart and mind to worship the divine nature, as declared by Christ in our days as the author of all things, the fountain of all goodness, and the governor of all. This teaches us our master Christ, the very true doctor of true religion, in his gospel, instructing the woman of Canaan who earnestly desired this knowledge, where he says:\nTo her, the true worshipers of God are those who worship Him in spirit and truth from their hearts. For God, being spiritual and consisting only of truth, delights in honor and worship that comes from the truth of the spirit, which arises from the heart and the spiritual power of man, and not just from lips or any other exterior signs. It is the honor of the heart that He requires, for there is no place of dissimulation with Him. Therefore, above all things, hypocrisy greatly displeases Him, as God is sincere and pure truth. Accordingly, He is offended by hypocritical falsehood. True religion is with the inward affection of the heart, the true honor of God, even if it is also displayed to the world through outward tokens and ceremonies. We learn this from our master Christ, and His apostle also taught this.\nIames plainly confirms that pure and clean religion stands in brotherly love and each one helping one another, communicating God's gifts to our common comfort, and lifting up our hearts from all worldly affection, placing our whole confidence and trust in his goodness, living in him and not in ourselves, setting all our comfort and joy in him. In this Christian people, to summarize, stands the purity of true religion, so much so that he who loves God as maker and governor of all, with reverent fear of breaking his precept and commandment, ever bringing to him loyal and fearful love, with a heart obedient to the same. This is a fitting religious man, though he may not be covered with St. Benedict's cloak or St. Francis's habit, nor even if he is at the plow and the cart, and laboring.\nground yet may he be as perfect in religion as the most perfect monk living in his cloister. But here, I would not have you take occasion from me to condemn all monastic sorts and kinds of religion, which for the conservation and setting forward of this pure and perfect religion of Christ by holy and reverent fathers have been invented and constituted, long received among us by common authority: for this opinion I would not have you begin, which abhors from Christian civilization. But by this means I shall induce you to perceive something about this blind superstition, which is a plain contrary to pure religion, which as you have heard requires ardent love of God, mixed also with some reverent fear: for every Christian heart must fear to break and transgress the commandment of God. Wherefore we must bear towards God both fearful love and loving fear, which thing, as you shall now hereafter, has ministered the ground to all superstition, which briefly to explain:\nSay is nothing but a scrupulous and servile manner of honoring God, conceived in the heart of man, arising from excessive fear of transgressing God's commandment, which brings corrupt judgment, making us judge that thing to belong to His honor and true religion, which does not exist in deed, but hangs only on man's constitution. For instance, some of us are so superstitious that if they do not hear three masses every day in honor of the Trinity, though they have business of great necessity: yet they severely judge themselves to offend the majesty of God. And some, if they do not cross themselves at St. John's Gospel or fail to kiss the peace in the mass time, think they will not prosper that day, such is the superstitious fear in many men's minds, which has given occasion to so many sorts and kinds of monastic lives and solitary religion. For many men, considering the dangers abroad in the world, ministered to them by the devil and the flesh, strive to live a more devout life and withdraw from the world.\nby manyfold occasion, and weighing with them selfes their frailty and imbecility, whereby they perceived they could not resist the common pleasures and vanities of the world, and so fearing to be trapped thereby, fled into wildernesses and solitary places, avoiding the worldly company, there living at the first, in great quietness of mind: by whose example, many other were moved, little by little, to grow to a great company, and made in wildernes as it were a little polity, amongst whom at the beginning both virtue and learning came to great perfection, so much that other observing their constance and austerity of life, living abroad amongst the common pleasures, began to distrust their kind of lives, fearing the displeasure of God, with overmuch dread of living abroad, judged superstitiously the perfection of Christ's religion, in that solitary kind of life only to remain, by the reason whereof that noble now in our days is overmuch grown.\nso have filled monasteries, leaving many cities almost empty, to the great ruin of common civility. But I will speak more about this later, and for now, after these few words, I hope you understand what true religion is and what superstition is, and where they differ. For true religion is the honor of God with reverent fear of disobeying His precepts, while superstition is scrupulous honor mixed with excessive and servile fear, marvelous disquieting of the weak conscience, and blind consent that takes such things to pertain to the honor of God, which in fact do nothing but depend solely on human consent. Therefore, I now plainly induce you to confess that much blind superstition reigns in your hearts, as I will now partly note. For all kinds and sorts of superstition to be prosecuted here should be overlooked, and unnecessary to my purpose. Sufficient it will be for some.\nAnd first, do not think that, like some who have recently been blinded by superstition, have judged the unity of Christ's church to be utterly broken by pulling the power and superiority of the pope from us? There are others of equal blindness. If the organs were taken out of the church and the curious singing tempered and brought to a convenient mean, you or I, if the prayers commonly said among us in temples in a strange tongue, not understood by the people, were openly rehearsed in the mother tongue, would this not also seem to judge with no less superstition that Christ's religion is utterly overthrown? Furthermore, if priests, the ministers of God's word, were granted liberty by common authority to marry and take wives:\nfor the furtherance of education, would they not think that Christian purity was utterly extinct? And if the holy days and masses were brought to less number, would they not say that Christ was utterly driven away? And yet, furthermore, if monasteries were minimized, and from them the foundations altered, you would think that Christ's religion was perishing. Such is our blindness, such is our folly. And what do you concerning the sacraments, that many of us have not also foolish and superstitious opinions, looking only to the outward sign and ceremony, nothing considering the inward and heavenly mystery? Are there not some among us who would judge their children not to be well baptized and christened, if they were not dipped quite over the head, whereby the child often conceals his death? & yet this is\nBut a rite and custom, variously used among different nations, and having no relation to the substance of the sacrament. Are there not some who, if their friend was sick and in danger of life, and died before the priest could arrive to minister to him, would believe that he would die a damned soul, and deeply lament his friend's departure, as if in such a case the will and purpose were not sufficient? Yes, undoubtedly. Are there not also some who, in confession, if they failed to recall all their deeds with the circumstances of the same, would consider the absolution void?\n\nOf this sort among us there are many and diverse, who by numerous superstitions have their judgments so corrupted, that although the abuse of such things, to which they have been long accustomed, is checked by the power of princes and common authority,\nshould be reformed and brought to better frame, yet in their hearts and minds they would not well bear it, but stylishly resist such alteration and reforming to true religion. Such is their madness and gross opinion, they do not well ponder and weigh, the nature of political things and indifferent ones, which are of this sort, that in the process of time by little and little they ever grow to unjust extremes. In necessity they require prudent reformation. Against this they sturdily arm themselves with superstition, ever repugnant, because they lack right judgment, to discern between things worldly and political, and things which hang on the necessity of nature, and of the scripture and gospel of God, which things contrary to the other, which by nature are indifferent, never admit change or innovation, nor yet tempering by dispersion, as I shall more plainly declare in my place hereafter. But now I think dear friends, in some.\nOur blindness and vain superstition, which reigns in our hearts, is so open to us that you may perhaps be stirred, by diligent examination of your own consciences, to find many other kinds of this superstition, which all to correct and amend, let us not cease continually to pray to him who is the only author of all true religion. And now I shall proceed, in a similar manner, briefly to touch upon the other kind of blindness, which reigns in us no less and with more hindrance to all good order and civility. For it is better, blinded by superstition, to admit such things to be of the law of God, which are not in deed, than, by arrogant blindness, to derogate the authority thereof and so bring in the contempt of religion, which is the common gate of all misery and mischief, both private and public. For in that mind or in that commonwealth, Roman 1. where there is no respect of God and good works:\nIn religion, there are things that must run to ruin and confusion. I mean by this arrogant blindness that, just as superstition is scrupulous and servile honor of God coupled with excessive fear, so contrary is this blindness in religion, with a feigned and disguised honor of God utterly separate from all fear and dread of His punishment. Such men, in whose minds this arrogance reigns, if it were not for fear of man's law, would bring to ruin all order and policy. They would have all things which nature has brought forth for the common comfort of mankind in common. They would judge this inequality in possession of things, where some have little and some have too much, to be against nature, and would act in injury, they would serve their own fantasy in all things, they would in heart be subject to no ceremony, law, nor man's tradition; for they say that these agree not with the liberty of a Christian.\nA man, unbound by law and unsubject to ceremony, whom they claim are only traps for weak minds, disagreeing with their dignity. Thus, with great words, many of us boast and blow, as if we were equal to Saint Paul, because we can recall certain of his words relating to the same liberty. However, the mean time we serve our desires, and to them in all this liberty we are utterly subject more than any slave to his master: for wherever they lead us, heedlessly we run and willingly we follow, making no resistance. Wherein what arrogant blindness this is, True liberty. Galatians 4: manifestly I believe you see: this to boast in words of Christian liberty, being so subject to vain affections and all misery, from which a heart that enjoys that liberty is net and pure, in no point serving it, but by spiritual comfort is confirmed, and treads down all such affections.\nunder foot: where lies this liberty, which\nmakes a man obedient with a glad heart\nto all ceremonies and laws, whose arrogant\nblindness a great multitude of us are manifestly contemptuous of, as you daily see, if you but dare to inquire. For some among us, of their own foolish fancy, condemn all traditions, though they be never so good and convenient for the conservation of the spiritual policy, as many of them are: All ceremonies they hold in contempt, and call them plain hypocrisy, though they were never so holy a father's ordained and instituted to stir the devotion of simple minds to Christian purity: all ecclesiastical laws they utterly abolish, though they be yet among us received and authorized by common authority, all counsels they utterly condemn, as things governed and ruled by plain and manifest tyranny, and as for pilgrimage and veneration of relics and images, they hold them in contempt.\nsaints they have for plain idolatry, and similarly purgatory and praying for the dead they consider foolish simplicity; fasting also they will not admit, though it has been approved of all antiquity; they will admit no holy days, fearing perhaps the occasion of remembering God, whom they readily confess in words but deny in deeds, and openly cast aside, in accordance with the nature of this blind arrogance, which, under the pretense of religion, despises the same as vain superstition. Likewise, under the pretext of justice and good policy, it covertly subverts all good order and civility. And as for the sacraments, think you, some of this sort have any reverence? truly none at all; in so much that, and if it were not for the goodness of our prince, whom they steadfastly defend, they would surely before long, as\n\n(Note: The text appears to be incomplete at the end.)\nRights ecclesiastical and ceremonies, utterly condemn them also and put them quite out of memory. For such is their pestilent persuasion that all things they seem to bring to confusion admit nothing at all, but that which is expressly contained in scripture, which they also will understand according to their own fantasy, contrary to which if you bring the sentence of any ancient doctor, as Jerome, Augustine, Gregory, or Ambrose, their authority by and by they trample underfoot, saying they were men to whose judgment they are nothing bound: And if you begin to reason with them to convince them of this their blind arrogance, they shake off their reason straightway, saying it is drawn out of sophistical philosophy: and so after this manner many of us arrogant blind ones blindly defend, from which by no means we will be delivered, but sturdily stood in the defense of the same: which things are sore to be lamented. For these men under\nThe presence of liberty, secretly intending to destroy all Christian policy, and thus bring about manifold ruin and utter confusion. For what can you look for in them, who so arrogantly disdain all ceremonies, rites, and ecclesiastical laws, all wholesome customs and traditions, but at last also the certain ruin and destruction of all Christian purity and true religion? And if it were not for the high wisdom and policy of our prince, I have great hope and sure trust that some remedies will soon be provided, by which our hearts will be purged of such blindness concerning religion (Galatians 3:3). I might seem to make a sure conclusion that shortly we shall be brought in here in our own country by this own blindness, our own confusion, which now, as one of the consequences and necessities annexed to the same, I will briefly show. For friends, be assured, this blindness of religion reigning in our hearts,\nas I have declared, partly by superstition and partly by arrogant opinion, cannot long continue without diabolical effects, of which some we see all too ready, to our great sorrow, put before our eyes, and some I will touch upon, which all men do not observe, though some of them are already in effect, and some by all conjecture are likely to succeed, except by his providence chiefly, who governs all, they may be averted and utterly turned away. What marvelous effects, how diverse and strange this diabolical blindness works in man's mind, I will not, nor if I would, I cannot express all. For even as God himself is nothing but truth and wisdom, so the devil is nothing but blindness and folly: and as God, by wisdom, as by the chief instrument, works all that is good both in heaven and earth, so the devil, by blindness, works all that is evil, here in man's life: and with that, as with the chief instrument, impugns ever by the admiration and contemplation of Nature.\nand of all power thereof, whereby else he might be stirred to consider the bountiful goodness of God, from whom nature takes all her virtue and power. Blindness also brings man to the obedience of his vain and beastly affections, by reason whereof he never tastes of the sweetness of virtue, and into that garden he never enters, or if he does, there he can not tarry at all, but is straightway cast out again, to that Eve being over obedient. (Genesis 3: This) I could confirm by many places of scripture, but I will not now tarry thereon, nor be about to express to you the whole course of this devilish blindness, nor the tumultuous effects, which the devil brings forth here in the miserable and wretched life of man, to the common destruction of all virtue, order, and civility, whom he is by his corrupt nature an enemy: but I will touch only certain effects, and them somewhat open to you, which this blindness in religion, which I\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Early Modern English. No major OCR errors were detected.)\n\"have shown, you or rather we, in our daily life, partly by blind superstition and partly by arrogant and light opinion, bring forth in our country. And first, concerning the effects of blind superstition, what it has done is clear to all, requiring no declaration. For what disobedience to common laws, good and expedient for the wealth of this realm, and what disobedience to princely authority, to which true subjects are strictly bound by God's law, has recently been shown, and has succeeded as an effect of this blind superstition, we have seen friends to the great sorrow of those minds, who in their hearts desire the common quiet, these days have testified to the world by their death their disobedience, moved by vain and false superstition, which grew in their hearts and was steadfastly rooted.\"\nUnder the pretext of true religion: by which persuasion they more boldly than wisely, by the judgment of wise men, suffered their death. So that in this plainly most Christian people here you may see, the most devilish effect of this superstition, which induced men of such learning, of such wit, and of such perfection in religion, as some of them who suffered were noted to be, to be disobedient to common authority, & so willfully to reject against the same. Such was their blindness, which so blinded their hearts, that contrary to all courses and law of nature, they gladly suffered that thing which man naturally abhors. But as I said herein, you may see the great strength and power of stubborn superstition, which so has overcome the wits of witty persons, colored with.\nThe power of religion, which they utterly overcame: I will say no more about this effect, trusting that the examples of these will give you all sufficient warning and motivation to avoid such blind superstition. Yet, in its place, I will not omit something concerning the instruction of your weak conscience and knowledge in this matter. For what disquiet reigns in these hearts, which by superstition are corruptly infected, I will not express here, but leave it to the judgment of those who feel themselves troubled by it. For my purpose here was only to touch upon this effect of superstition, to the declaration of which these few words, I believe, have been sufficient. Therefore, consequently, I will now proceed to other matters, which require no longer explanation, for as much as not all men observe them, for privately they are grafted into our bosoms, and daily do more and more.\nThere are such things increasing that I would wish you could deny them justly, but from your own hearts I shall have testimony, your own conscience will witness with me. And briefly to say, this is the case: due to the blindness of this wicked superstition, as well as this pestilent and arrogant opinion, there is growing among us here a corrupt judgment one of another. By reason of which, each one in his heart judges the other to be either Pharisee or heretic, Papist or Schismatic.\n\nFirst, in the beginning, you must take this as a manifest truth: all those who excessively give to traditions, ceremonies, and ecclesiastical rites, and customs, regard them as things stable by nature unchangeable, and necessary for the salvation of mankind, without which the grounds of Christ's religion cannot be conserved, all such I say, are prone to a false persuasion, error, and have conceived a great ground of a corrupt judgment.\n\nFor this is certain, that rites, ceremonies, and customs,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Middle English. No significant OCR errors were detected, so no corrections were made.)\nFor the church, according to time, place, and nature of the people may vary, as things of themselves neither sure nor stable, therefore it requires adaptation. Just as what is suitable for all men for bodily health is not agreeable nor convenient for all, so all ceremonies for good religion are not meet nor expedient for all nations. The sturdy defense of them in private persons contrary to common authority comes undoubtedly of a foolish and corrupt judgment, and rooted in superstition: Likewise, it is of no less truth that all such persons, who traditions of fathers, rites, and customs utterly condemn and despise because they find them not plainly expressed in holy scripture, and so therefore affirm them to be pernicious to all Christian civilization, and as burdens of conscience, judge themselves utterly to be cast away: All such I say of the other side are in no less error, and have founded a more corrupt judgment on this ground and opinion.\nYet the other, running into contempt and outward signs and ceremonies, their simplicity could never be led to true religion, nor of God to conceive the divinity. Therefore, from this ground, as I said, arises a corrupt and pestilent judgment and mother of all impiety. And out of like persuasion it springs that many men say that these ecclesiastical rites and customs are maintained only by those who take profit and lucre therefrom, and of such they were first constituted, ordained, and stabilized for that purpose, and none other, which is also a manifest and false opinion. For many of these rites and customs were invented by those who were both in doctrine and life dispellers of all worldly gain, profit, and pleasure, and looked only to the preference and increase of virtue and of true religion, and after also were stabilized by common law and general counsel in every congregation. This cannot be denied by any man, who with indifference and sincerity.\nMind, unblinded by affection, weighs things as they are in their own nature. But some of us blinded by such persuasion proceed further and plainly affirm that priests to have possession is utterly against Christ's doctrine and his true religion, little considering how to receive the gift and benefit of any man, given with charity, nothing repugns to Christ's doctrine, nor to his simplicity. And how all such donations and gifts were brought in and stabilized, to maintain bishops, priests, and all religious, so that they should be wholly intent on the preaching of God's word, thereby be maintained in quietness and tranquility. This they do not consider, but looking to the abuse, whereof doubtless there is great need of reformation, and blindly do ruin the thing without reason and judgment. For this is a certain truth and sure, that the perfection of Christ's religion consists in the preaching of God's word.\nresteth not so moch in the refuse of all possession,\nand wylfull pouertie, as it dothe in the streight\nvse of these worldly thynges, with perfyte cha\u2223ritie.\nYe and though in the begynnynge the pre\u2223chers\nof Christis worde, were poore and had no\u2223thynge,\nwhiche was conueniente to that tyme,\nwhan mankynd was vtterly drowned in world\u2223ly\nvanitie, yet now in this age, after the stablyng\nof Christis religion so longe and many yeres, I\nsee no cause why, suche pouertie shoulde be soo\nnecessary, and that possession shulde be soo con\u2223trary\nto christen perfection. Wherfore this per\u2223swasion\nbredeth in our hartes a corrupt iugeme\u0304t\nand a pestilent diuision, by the whiche somme of\nvs are slypped to a more corrupt and pernicious\ngrounde, whiche is to flee the order of generalle\ncou\u0304sel, and of al interpretation of scripture there\nco\u0304monly receiued. For to this succedeth in a ma\u2223ner\nthe ruine of scripture it selfe, the authoritie\nwherof declared to man comonly, hangeth moch\nvpon generall counsell. For though the truth of\nGod's word depends not on human judgment, yet its declaration to the world hinges greatly upon it. In so much that the gospels we have and accept as true, and which contain the true doctrine of Christ, we can only do so based on faith and confidence in the definition of general counsel and consent of the same. In so much that if various nations disagree on the foundations of scripture and its interpretation, and we have no convenient refuge to Christian policy and unity, if we were to take away all order and direction from general counsel and give no obedience at all. This therefore to judge is arrogance, and the straight way and certainty to bring all to uncertainty. I boldly dare affirm that this persuasion has set in many of us corrupt opinion. And thus, what is by superstition, and other unreadable text.\nWhat many of our friends, by arrogant opinion, are foul and perniciously corrupt, by which we are now induced, by false and blind persuasion, to conceive each one of other as an odious and corrupt opinion. Some of us are called of the new fashion, and some of the old, some Pharisees, and some schismatics, and some also plain heretics: As by example, those who openly reject the pride of Rome, gladly shaking off its yoke, and willing to receive some new doctrine, such as new-fangled persons, are noted by others to be of the new fashion. Those who freely condemn many of the old customs, grown to great abuse through the passage of time, though their purpose may be never so good, yet shall not escape the note of a heretic, or else they will be called but a schismatic.\nI do not doubt that those I am about to criticize are poorly judged, and those who judge them have formed a corrupt judgment. For the most part, I dare say that the people called of the new fashion are true and obedient persons to God and their prince. They would gladly bring about the alteration of certain ceremonies and customs of the church, to the increase of all virtue and true religion. Yet they are judged, just like many others of the old fashion, because they do not eagerly support this new mutation, but rather stubbornly cling to the old ceremonies and rites of the Church, in which they have been brought up, and which they have received from their fathers. These I say, are judged by others to be superstitious and Pharisaical, foolish and papistical. I dare to affirm this with equal boldness.\n\"despite the differences between them, most of those from the old fashion, though they may adhere to some outdated customs, will be content to change and abolish them through common consent. In the meantime, though they may appear quiet, modest, and obedient, they should not be blamed as hypocrites, but rather praised for declaring their duty and obedience, which they are hardly moved from, according to Paul's counsel, with every new invention brought in contrary to good order and all civil constitution. Therefore, many of those from the old fashion are likewise judged and wrongfully taken, as they are of the new. And so, some of the old fashion may be present.\"\nyet plainly superstitious, for superstition will not be completely plucked out of mind so soon, you and though some of the new, are in heart of true religion's utter dispisers, as if it were not for fear of death, I think plainly they would to the world declare: yet I doubt not but the most part both of the new fashion and also of the old, of the truth are truly studious, and of true religion much desirous, and daily do pray to him, who is the only fountain of all virtue & truth, that it may please him, so to enlighten their hearts and conscience, that by his grace delivered from blindness, they may at the last see some sparkle of his light and truth: of which now one judges another to be no participant at all, but each one judges the other to be blind, each one judges the other to err, and to be deceived from the true and Catholic faith, which some by the new fashion pretend to bring in, and some by the old study to defend. Division.\nthis contention while every man earnestly endeavors among us to maintain this true and Catholic faith of Christ, the mean time is growing secretly in our hearts this lamentable division, the very brake of the ground of Christ's religion, which is founded and grounded upon unity. Whereas one in heart judges another to be a heretic, he is plain frantic, and lacks common sense: he is either blind, or plainly refuses to see, who thinks that with such contrary and corrupt judgments may be preserved this spiritual unity, which requires our hearts as in a common bond, to be knitted and coupled together in charity: whereof between the new fashion and the old our hearts are so void and so cold, that I think many of us there be, who without grief would see their Christian brother hang upon a gallows tree.\nThe envy and malice among us are so rampant that I cannot see how we can justly be called members of this spiritual body of Christ. In which, as by charity all parts do flourish and grow in unity, receiving grace and spiritual comfort from that heavenly head, so by malice and rancor, the same fall into division, and for lack of that spirit received from that head, run into manifest ruin and destruction. The experience of which we see among ourselves daily, where you may perceive, one nothing glad to help another, though he be in extreme necessity: one nothing prompt to give succor to another, though for lack of it he should die incontinently, one not ready to instruct another, though he judges him to be in great error and folly: one not ready to bear the weaknesses of another, though he be simple: but contrary, one denies help and succor to another, every one flees the instruction of another, no man gladly or willingly.\nadmons his Christian brother, but suffers him to err and has him in derision. Such is the division growing among us through foolish simplicity and arrogant opinion, that one of us in no way can endure any brotherly admonition from the other, but each suspects that the other will infect his judgment with some corrupt and new opinion, leading him into some pernicious error contrary to Christ's catholic faith and religion. Thus, in spirit and heart, we are divided, and from this spiritual unity has grown a plain brake and dissolution, which is a consequence following the common corruption of our judgments, which we conceive of one another. This is open to all those who do not delight in their own blindnesses and will not lift up their eyes to see. For all such, who with Christian hearts are desirous of the common quietude and of the restoration of this unity, wherein all Christ's members ought to be knitted together with charity,\ntherby inioyinge theyr sure and certayne felici\u2223tie,\nthis canne not denye. And sorowfulle I am,\nthat the thing of it selfe is so open to euery man\u2223nes\neye: in soo moche that many men of greatte\nwisedome and prudence, greatly do feare, that to\nthis breache of this spirituall vnitie, growynge\nin by lacke of knowledge & charitie, shall succede\nthe ruyne of good order, and of the iuste co\u0304mon\npolicye: to the coniecture wherof, by this maner\nperauenture, whiche I shall brefely touche, they\nmaye be moued. For as moche as all good poly\u2223cye\nis euer grounded vppon concorde and vnite,\nvpon the whiche as vpon the sure and onely du\u2223rable\nfoundation, all politike order is edified, al\nciuile constitutions be ordeyned and stablyshed:\nTherfore where as that ground fayleth, hauyng\ntherin any bracke, all the reste by reason and ne\u2223cessitie,\nmust fall to ruyne and miserye. For as al\nstoryes the very glasse and true image of the lyfe\nof man, playnly testifie, there was neuer comon\nweale, whiche longe dyd endure, whiche layde\nNot on this ground a sure foundation, and for its conservation, ever put not most diligent care. But what should we seek confirmation of this, since our master Christ himself pronounced from his own mouth that no community, where this disunion reigns in the heart, may long endure without ruin and destruction? We have seen in our own days sorrowful examples and painful experience of this among our neighbors in Germany. For lack of prudent respect for the conservation of this unity, many things have resulted in the ruin of the commonwealth and wonderful confusion. Within the space of six months, above a hundred thousand were killed among them. This is open to all the world, no man can deny it, and now they are so divided by sects and heresies that scarcely the shadow of true religion remains in that confusion. And all this has come about by the judgment of men.\nof witte and polity, because in their time there was not yet respect to the brace of this spiritual unity, whose error I doubt not, will be to our example. By them we shall be instructed in time to provide for the breach of this unity. For the thing is not yet so deeply rooted among us, but that by the favor and help of him, who is the very head of all unity, by the high wisdom and providence of our prince, who as the chief officer and minister here under Christ, nothing more studies than the conservation thereof, you and by the goodness of your own nature, most Christian people, whom I am sure will be most pliable to the restoration of this ground, will be most diligent in endeavoring yourself thereto. This breach is not yet so great, I say, but that by all these means it may be stopped shortly and surely. By which means we all, as it were in one course knitted together as members of one body, may run together with this unity, whereby we shall surely at last attend.\nAnd to achieve and promote the unity and felicity which the high providence of God, of his mere goodness, has ordained and appointed for us, I shall now address certain causes, whereby our judgments are corrupted by such false foundations as we have conceived. And first, let this be understood by Christian people, that, as I have not before spoken of all blindness reigning in us, so in this part I shall not make mention of all causes thereof. For such philosophical discourse is not suitable to your capacity. Nothing in this world is brought forth but that it can be subjected to common quietude, so that at last, having raised up the same with common quietude, we may better restore and conserve among us this heavenly unity.\nFor the cause is not only one, but like the things are diverse and variable, so many and diverse causes they take their creation. Many causes come together in certain courses and order, to bring forth all things here in this world, subject to all corruption: and so the diverse effects both in man's body and also in his mind, spring out of diverse occasions. As to our purpose now at this time, this blindness which I have declared to reign in our minds, comes not of one occasion, but of many and diverse: of which certain ones, after my judgment, it is most convenient for you to know, I will now touch upon, as briefly as I can, giving you some occasion thereby, and avoiding the same. And first, one great cause of this blindness reigning among us, I note to be unwise masters, unwise teachers of religion, undiscreet preachers of the gospel of God, who by their madness and frantic folly, ye:\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Early Modern English, and there are some errors in the OCR transcription. The cleaned text above is a faithful translation of the original text, with corrections to the OCR errors and modernization of the spelling and punctuation.)\nAnd by their lack of judgment and discretion, they have brought you out of all good favor, they have been a great occasion of this common blindness, which should have brought you to the truth and shown you the light, they have led you into miserable darkness and almost put out your sight. It is they that for many years have grafted in your hearts and stabilized superstition, it is they who, by their false doctrine or rather foolish folly, have much corrupted your judgments. For the people in every commonwealth are rude and ignorant, having little light of judgment in themselves, but ever in simplicity, as sheep follow the herd, so follow they their masters, ever treading in their steps, whether they go indifferently: For this reason, the ancient wise men and old philosophers were wont to say that, regardless of what sort or nature they may be, those who are masters, teachers, rulers, and heads in any city or polity, of the same sort and nature are their necessities.\nFor their lives, doctrine, and deeds, they should be the chief example and rules for the people. Their doctrine is their books, and their lives are their common glasses, in which they should diligently look and conform themselves in all things and in all kinds of life, especially in the formation and fashioning of religion. For this reason, the ancient world referred the institution of it to heavenly power and to God's divinity, as we, the Christian people, certainly do of ours. Our master Christ, receiving it from the high wisdom of heavenly father, has most plainly and clearly described it to us in a few words and instructed us with it, excluding no one from the mysteries thereof who are common to all.\nall men's capacity. For the gospel is a doctrine of simplicity, and nothing but faithful charity, a doctrine so manifest and plain that if it were as easy to fulfill and put into effect as it is to conceive and understand, I think there is no man so rude or any man by nature so ignorant but he might attain to the highest mysteries and to the highest knowledge necessary to the salvation of man contained therein. For such was the purpose of our master Christ, Matt. 13. Corinthians 1. to prescribe a doctrine to all men kind, open and common. Wherefore he made rude fishermen and ignorant persons the first preachers and teachers of it. But now, dear friends, though this doctrine be never so plain and full of simplicity, never so clear and manifest of itself, yet it is by the curiosity of our masters and teachers of it, now of late years, so obscured and hidden, so cloaked with subtle interpretation, so mangled by contrary expositions.\nthat many of us now are in great perplexity, much doubting of the truth thereof, utterly ignorant of the ground and foundation of the same. For where as the chief masters and teachers have preached and written, contrary one to another, how should ignorant and simple minds conceive any ground and sure stay, whither they might lean for succor and comfort? How should they find any certain truth therein? Where they hear their masters in such controversy, while some set up the authority of old tradition, rites and customs as things necessary for the conservation of good polity, where others utterly do them away and damn, as things pernicious to all perfect and true religion: and some openly condemn purgatory and praying for the dead, while others plainly admit, some pilgrimage and veneration of images, as things of idolatry manifestly deny, others preach and set in full authority. But what should I here be about to recite all.\nsuch things, where our masters are heresy-makers, seeing that to all me they seem surely known? In so much that many of the people commonly say, that they will no longer hear preachings, until the preachers among themselves agree: they will no longer give their ears to such masters, who bring them into so many complexities, and some have induced into this false superstition, and some to the contempt of true religion. A great part of our blindnesses and corrupt judgments we may most justly attribute to the undiscreet preachers, and of Christ's doctrine blind masters and teachers: who have not been content with their tongues alone to communicate their blindness and testify, but also with their pen writing the same, they have most perniciously infected: some by their eloquence, man's law, ceremonies & rites, customs & traditions.\nSome have exalted and set a height, persuading simple minds that the sum of Christ's religion remains or is maintained in them, to their ruin or alteration, instead of true religion. Some other countries have depressed and utterly condemned them, asserting that the maintenance of these books brings the utter destruction of sincere and pure Christianity. Christ's glory has been obscured and hidden for a long time, and the world (as they say) has given more to outward works and human tradition than to living faith and trust in Christ's passion. In this way, both through foolish books and false preaching, you good people are brought into great confusion. Therefore, friends, you must now take this into consideration: regardless of the great causes of your confusion.\nBlindness, be these unwary preachers, these curious and arrogant teachers, not all of it can be attributed to them. You are not without fault yourself, some of you I say, if you did not have sturdy hearts and full of obstinacy, this superstition foolishly conceived, though it has grown in your stomachs for many years, yet it should not be so deeply rooted and so stubbornly defended by you that you give no place to common authority. This declares in many of us to be great and manifest obstinacy: as in some others, it is also easy to see, great lightness of mind, and instability of judgment, which with every blast of new doctrine from our new masters, are overthrown and led, and to every light persuasion readily give place, leaving by and by all old custom and ceremony, which is no less a fault than in superstition to be stubborn. Therefore, to excuse yourselves most Christian people, as many of you do, by your masters, as in others.\nyou do, iustly you may not. For though in them\nbe great faute,1 Corin. 3. and perauenture more damnable\nthan is in you, yet you your selfes be not cleane\nwithoute blame. For these vnwyse doctours of\nreligion, neyther with their proude arrogancye,\nnor yet with their superstitious symplicitie, if\nthey found not in your hartes a prompt redynes\nto receyue their opinion, neuer shuld haue place\nto fasten in you their folyshe doctrine, they shuld\nnot lyghtly stable in you any poynt of vayne su\u2223perstition,\nnor yet in your hartis any contempte\nof good and trewe religion. For lyke as the sede\ncaste in the grounde neuer bryngeth forth frute,\nexcepte by nature the grounde be apte and mete\nthere vnto, soo the doctryne of preachers dothe\nneuer neyther edyfye nor dystroye,Matt. 13. excepte in\nthe hartes of them, to whome it is communed,\nthere be founde to the receyuynge therof somme\npromptnes and conueniency. The faute wherof\nis to our selfes holly to be imputed, for thoughe\nas I sayde before, the vulgare people be moche\nignorant and of judgment very bare, yet they are not of nature so naked set forth in the world, but that they have planted certain seeds in their hearts, some sparks of knowledge there they have grafted. If they will set forth and till these with any mean diligence, they shall have some judgment between good and evil, some discretion they shall attain, to discern the good preacher from the vain, some knowledge they shall have to perceive him that preaches well virtue and honesty, from him that preaches his own folly and fantasy. By some token and sign they shall discern him: that is arrogant and sedicious, from him that is meek and virtuous. And of this, I judge it much to you at this time expedient and necessary, I shall say something concerning the difference between the good preacher and the evil, and how you shall know one from the other, which shall be no small help to deliver us from this blindness that we now are wrapped in.\n\"despite the fact that one causes the other, as you can see in part, which is indeed not hard to perceive, and I wish it were no less hard to find and apply remedies: but just as it is in the body of a man to find the disease and its cause, though it is not easy or light, nor obvious and clear to every man, yet it is not so hard, as it seems to me, to apply remedies to the same in a convenient time and place. And so likewise in this our purpose, to note down these causes of our blindness, such as the obstinacy of preachers and the lethargy of the mind, was no great difficulty, but open to every man's eye: but to find out remedies convenient now for the same, applying them to the restoration of this desired unity, this is not light, this is not within my power, this is not of my wit or capacity. Therefore, committing a great part of this thing to the providence of God, whose order and governance to lack I do not trust, yet our sins have not deserved.\"\nI. In the high policy of our most noble prince, whose cares, studies, and thoughts lie wholly therein, I shall now exhort and instruct you, most Christian people, with certain things, which for the most part lie in your own diligence and are put in your own power. Whereby, as I doubt not but you will, you may greatly set forward both the restoration and the quiet conservation of this much-desired and prayed-for unity. For though it be so that our wardremedies by foreign causes may apply, let many give much preference to this purpose, greatly promoting and setting forward the same. Yet this cannot be doubted, but that in yourselves stands a great part of the whole matter, as in whom the ground and foundation thereof lies, none other way than it does in them, who labor in bodily disease. In whom you see, that all is it physicians by medicines and other outward remedies much confer to the health of their patients.\nby good experience, ministering the same, a great part of their restitution lies in themselves by good diet, quiet order, and other good governance, tempering their affections, without which all craft of physics little does avail. And yet here in this purpose, our friends, we are in much better case than they, who are vexed and labor of bodily disease: for as much as we have the presence of our physician, the heavenly spirit and divine power ever at hand, Matthew 28:, more ready at all times to minister us remedies, than we by our own blindness and negligent folly are desirous. Wherefore, as I said, much lies in ourselves both to restore and conserve this heavenly unity, we must dispose ourselves with heart and will utterly to cast away this blind superstition and arrogant folly, and with diligent industry and care form our judgments with right knowledge and convenient obedience, that we may thereby the better, averting the dissolution of the spiritual unity.\nWithout any confusion of policy attached thereto, as members of one body knit to one head, here in this life enjoy common quietues, and hereafter eternal felicities, which of you all most Christian people by nature are fiercely desirous, the which desire I trust in you shall never be in vain, but bring forth at the last such fruit and perfection, as to such ardent desire and noble affect is due and convenient. For of this be you certain and sure, that the infinite goodness of the divine power never leaves such hearts deserted. Psalm 30. Without succor and help, which with fervent desire and sure confidence, faith, and trust annexed thereto, diligently seek and search therefor to have the knowledge of truth and honesty. Let this be a sure ground stable in your hearts, of which you shall never be deceived: for God never suffers them by any means to be deluded, Psalm 30. Whiche put their affiance and trust in him, as I doubt not but you do. Therefore I will now proceed unto my purpose.\nThough it be so most Christian people, some of us by blindness, as I have shown before, have corrupted judgments, which thing we daily testify openly to the world. Yet except affection for our own country utterly blinds me, I think I may boldly and truly affirm that for the most part universally, there is among us as true Christian simplicity and good religion, as there is in any other Christian nation; or at least, this I may say, that we give place to none other in will and desire. And of this we have ever had the fame, since Christ's doctrine was first preached and taught among us. Therefore, at least this will, as presupposed, I take to be in us, and take it also as no small ground for the rest. Plato. Which I shall say. For as wise men write, he has now half attained virtue and honesty, which brings good will and desire from himself to the attaining thereof. And our master\nChrist requires of us, above all, that we form our judgments with conventional knowledge and obedience. Therefore, I will now proceed to prescribe and declare certain general grounds for you, concerning some things that are in great contention in these days, and which are a great occasion for the breach of this spiritual unity. Form your judgments with conventional knowledge and obedience, so that you may be delivered, to some extent, from vain and false superstition, and also from light and arrogant opinion. The judgments that it has pleased God to give me through long reading of scripture, and those that I believe all Christian hearts are formed with, both by convenience and necessity, I shall propose to you in a little table. I beseech you all, with the same hearts and the same affections, to read what I write with. I testify this to God, who alone sees.\nThe heart and private thought of man is the same as that which I have used to instruct my mind and conscience. I request that if I appear to any of you in error and corruptly judge, you admonish me, and I will write to you all. I will always be conformable to your judgment. Since I write not to those of great learning, to whose wisdom these things are better known than to me, I will use no lengthy processes or clerical disputations. Instead, I will direct my communication to the most Christian people, who are not greatly lettered. I will gather in a few words the sum and essence of such things as I shall deem convenient for your knowledge and capacity.\n\nFirst, in order that you may see the excellent dignity of Christian life and what the chief end of a Christian heart ought always to look unto, and first, let us lay this foundation and groundwork upon which we must build most of the rest of our discussion.\nThis life, natural and worldly, is man's by nature and convenient to him. In this life, there are two manners of living, two diverse ways and fashions of passing this pilgrimage. Of these two lives, I will briefly explain.\n\nThe natural and worldly life is to man by nature, where he has within his heart seeds and plants of truth and honesty, which, if he does not neglect through his own folly, but diligently follows and nourishes, they are:\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Old English, but it is still largely readable without translation. I will leave it as is, as the OCR seems to have done a good job.)\nshould undoubtedly bring him to such dignity,\nas to the excellence of his nature by nature\nis due and convenient, but because man is not\nan angel, but has a body frail and corruptible,\nsubject to affections and all corruption, therefore\ncivil and political rule entered into this life,\n& therein of necessity took place, The necessity of laws. which is drawn\nout & established upon the grounds of nature, by her\nbenefit in man's heart placed & laid, to which\ngrounds, civil laws & ordinances by wise & prudent\npolicy, were established in man's life, so long as man is conformable,\nso long as man is governed and led by them with obedience,\nor for fear and dread of punishments ensuing their transgression,\nor for hope & trust in perfect pleasure or any other worldly thing\nannexed to their diligent observation, so long I say man lives\nlike a civil, political, and worldly man, and such manner of living briefly to lay down,\nThe spiritual life.\nI judge to be this civil, natural and worldly.\nlife, which we speak of. Another life exists, which I called heavenly spiritual and godly, above the common course of nature, not receiving her grounds of nature, nor of the common reason of man, but of very reason itself, of the very certain and true reason of God, which is the very Son of God, Iohn 1.\n\nBy our Master Christ, joined to the nature of man, and by Him to the world opened. This reason is the very word of God, and God Himself by Christ to mankind revealed, whose doctrine His disciples taught by mouth and left in writing for our instruction.\n\nHowever, here you must understand that to the knowledge of this reason, by human reason man himself cannot attain, to this he is blind. Nature is not sufficient, but to the attainment of this reason, reason subdued, faith must be there as it were a guide. Faith must give him judgment and sight, and be as it were his eye. Faith must show to him all the secret mysteries there.\nIn this life, faith must lay the foundation, as nature did in the other. Likewise, in this heavenly and spiritual life, faith and love lead the spiritual man, making him obedient to laws. By faithful love and charitable faith, man is brought to sure felicity and steadfastly established in true liberty. He is then delivered from all corrupt and worldly affections, free from sin and death, trampling them underfoot. He is then delivered from all danger and fear, living in this state and condition of man like no mortal, but like Christ, like a god on earth, and never giving place to any affection other than enjoying such spiritual comfort and pleasure in the heart. (Galatians 5:; Philippians 3:)\nFor those who have experienced this, it is difficult to express in words this thing. We, who give precedence to worldly affections and endure the burden of this body as if it were a distant, far-off thing, are like those who hold the heavenly bodies, the sun, the moon, and the other stars and planets, having no sure judgment of their nature or quantity. Similarly, we behold this spiritual and heavenly life as if in a cloud and far off from its high perfection and excellence, but our true judgment of it we do not conceive, being blinded by bodily attachments. 1 Timothy 1, and holy intent to this worldly policy, by the busyness whereof and vanity, we utterly forget this our high perfection and dignity, the full declaration of which I will not attend here, nor is it my purpose. Only this I would lead you to consider with yourself, of\npure Christianity, which after this rough and brief description of these two lives I have gathered from the doctrine of Paul, will not be hard for you to comprehend. For though these two lives are distinct and diverse in nature, as one is common to all mankind, whether they be Jews, Matth. 5:17-19, Turks, or Moors, in some polity they must agree, without which there is no civility: though I say they are diverse in themselves, yet in us Christians, they must perfectly agree. They must consent, and in the perfect coupling thereof lies the conservation of this spiritual unity, which of necessity requires in common policy a certain consent and sure agreement. For this is a sure truth, that worldly policy qualified with charity makes Christian civility thereby converted into Christian civility in our life, which are Christians, one of them is the way to the other, one of them to the other is so knitted and joined,\nThe one without the other cannot endure, and the one without the other will shortly decay. For even as the civil life, political and separate, cannot long be maintained without destruction: Title 3. So the spiritual life and heavenly one, without respect to common policy, will shortly fall into confusion. Therefore, this must be taken as a sure and common ground, that in all Christian civility of great necessity for all such things as by common authority are established and founded, there should be no repugnance to the spiritual unity and manifest doctrine of Christ. The people must always be obedient to these things with glad hearts, and they must always agree and consent. For we have in Christ's doctrine many manifest commandments, both from Peter and Paul in their holy epistles, and Christ himself said, \"I did not come to destroy such things as were received by common law.\"\nBut rather than alter, confirm, and perfect the same, Matthew 5. Both his life and doctrine manifestly declare. Romans 13. For where before Christen men observed laws only out of fear of punishment, Christ would have his flock to be obedient and fulfill the same only by love, and by none other outward respect. And therefore his doctrine is as a cornerstone, agreeing to all politics, and determining in it no certain kind at all, but as well may the perfection of Christ's doctrine be fulfilled in that state where there are many heads and divers political, as there where there is but one chief and principal. So long as politics and laws thereby stably established and set do not break the grounds of spiritual unity, there is no reason to object to those who are humble subjects, 1 Peter 2. meek and obedient to such things as are received by common consent. This thing I often inculcate and rehearse, because if it is well and thoroughly perceived and grounded in our hearts, it shall\nminister to you a great ground and reason, to pluck up by the roots this false superstition, which in these days disquiets so many men's feeble and weak consciences without reason. And especially if we join another ground, whereby you shall bring most Christian people to conceive a diversity and plain difference, between such things as are of plain necessity and good in themselves, and such as are only of a certain convention, and by nature indifferent.\n\nThe lack of judgment and discretion whereof has given great occasion to establish in many men's hearts this vain superstition, and is also no small cause of proud, arrogant opinion. For the conceiving of which, this dear friends, you must understand, that, as I said before in the mere political and worldly life, there are certain grounds which of necessity must always be observed, and never suffer dispensation; and other things there are, which, as time and place require, may be dispensed with, according to civil and political law.\nIn the godly and spiritual life, there are certain grounds on which is founded this spiritual unity, which by no human policy can be changed but must always stand stable and firm without innovation. And there are other things which, by common authority, may be removed, abrogated, and utterly put away, and these are grounds of the political life: honor to be shown to the divine nature, which governs all; reverence to be paid to our parents, who have labored to bring us into the light; care to be taken of those who come to us by natural creation; benefit to be shown to them who are in need; and repelling from ourselves all injurious actions. In conclusion, all such things which, according to civil law, have stable power, take not full power but have their strength from the true judgment of natural reason, uncorrupted by affection; all such are grounds in natural law: things resting in policy and civil constitution.\nOf nature indifferent, be infinite, and for the time and place ever variable, as some times things of merchandise are commanded to bring in, and sometime the same to prohibit, sometime money of the people by tax to be gathered, and sometime the same contrary to restore, is to good policy rightly convenient. Like as in some places, the eldest son to succeced in the whole inheritance for the maintaining of the family, is of some judged good policy; and in some other places it is plain injury, so that all such things as time & place with other circumstances require, should ever be changed by the judgment of wise men & politic, when to them is given full authority to alter & change them with free liberty. And like manner in the life spiritual, certain grounds there be, which must ever be taken as firm and stable: as Christ to descend from the bosom of his father, to be made man for man's redemption.\nThe faith and trust in him and his promises are sufficient for man's salvation. The work is of man's civility without faith, not able to serve for man's justification. Tit. 3: The mysteries of Christ by his sacraments are to be communicated to faithful minds. In brief, all things given and taught in Christ's gospel by express commandment, either from our master Christ or his holy apostles and disciples, are necessary and not indifferent. By no power in the gospel is this expressly stated, or derived from it, as rites, customs, and traditions of fathers, having no ground but only by prescription of time. Such things may be altered by good order and policy, whatever has authority to convene. The forbidding of scripture to be read in the mother tongue and in the churches, was not without consideration at some times, whereas now it may otherwise appear to many, as it does concerning priest's marriage, founding of churches, etc.\nThe building of monasteries, popes pardons, and the institution of holy days, among other similar practices, clearly indicate an unjust extremity. Therefore, it is considered necessary and highly expedient to alter these practices. This is beneficial and convenient for the institution of Christ's true doctrine, which is undeniably obscured by human constitution and ceremony. Many men, being somewhat superstitious, consider these constitutions and ceremonies to be a significant part of Christ's religion, lacking the distinction between necessary things and those that are merely profitable and convenient for the time. All ecclesiastical rites and constitutions fall into this category, and yet I do not think they should be utterly abolished.\nCondemned, as many do with arrogant opinion, because they are not of this necessity and not expressed in scripture. For our master Christ, from whom I take this ground, where he in various places puts a difference between his commandment and man's tradition, Matth. 23:\n\nHe himself commands us contrary, bidding us to fulfill his commandment, and yet not to leave and utterly abandon the tradition, for such things which have been received for a long time are not to be plucked away without good consideration and pondering of some manifest detriment and harm, Ephe. 4:\n\nTrue religion requires this before they are utterly put away, and not according to the judgment of every light brain, as things harmful to all Christian civilization. For although some of these are very unprofitable and an open impediment to true religion, yet some other ones are useful and convenient, to induce rude and simple minds. None of these is of such necessity.\nThey argue that altering this should bring about the utter ruin of religion. Therefore, with such superstition and stubbornness, they should not be defended, as some men think, due to the lack of a clear understanding of this ground, which I have briefly touched upon in a few words. If this ground had been firmly established in the hearts of some of them, who for their disobedience, stirred up by superstition, have recently suffered, they would not have so recklessly rushed to their death, a death they welcomed, induced by corrupt opinion. Persuaded they were that the unity of Christ's church could not be maintained without this long-usurped superiority, which the Roman bishopate has magnified through the simplicity of Christian people for many years, and that such a position should be steadfastly established by the word and doctrine of Christ in his church out of necessity, and not a natural thing in different places, and that he should also be the vicar of God.\nAnd all judged universal ruler of all Christianity. This was their belief, which is the chief key of all superstition, this is as it were the fountain and ground of all other like abuse. Wherefore, let it be what it may that this ground, by the high providence of our most noble prince, and by common authority here in our nation, be so utterly abrogated and plucked away, that among you most Christian people there is none I think so far from wit and judgment, that they will therefore repugne, but as true subjects are obedient: yet for the instruction of some weak consciences, who may yet be troubled by some scruples concerning this, I have thought convenient now in this place, as I promised before, to say something touching the chief points, wherein I have formed my own judgment with knowledge and due obedience, to the intent that you also, most Christian people, conceiving the thing as it is in truth, indifferent, may with heart and conscience.\nAfter I had exercised a part of my youth in secular studies and philosophy, and formed my judgment with some knowledge of nature and things pertaining to the civil and political life of man, I took up holy scripture in hand to instruct my mind with the light of Christ's doctrine, the only comfort for true and faithful hearts, to which end all Christ's scholars ought ever to look. But as soon as I had exercised myself a few years therein and gathered some light of judgment by the comfort of Christ's spirit, whereby I might better discern things, which are:\nI. Standing in worldly politics, from the foundations of scripture and pure Christianity: and as soon as I had conceived within myself the perfection of it, the sincere simplicity contained therein, and the quietness of faithful hearts and pure consciences, which to the establishment of which was surely added, I began with myself to lament, to see and consider the state of the world commonly, how far it was slipped from that heavenly perfection and celestial conversation. And both with myself divers and sundry times, and with others with whom in studies I was conversant, I began to consider and reason about the causes thereof. In the investigation of which, although many and diverse causes I found, which now to rehearse would be over long, and not to my purpose: Yet this I will say, dear friends now unto you, that few other things I see of greater efficacy, than this usurped long and many years superiority of the pope, which for the maintenance of his authority under the cloak of religion, has brought about.\nAmong Christian nations, much false superstition prevails, and for the maintenance of his high pride and cloaked tyranny, among Christian princes many times has caused great disturbance to common quiet, setting great division. For who is there in story who has any consideration, which plainly both not see, how few Christian princes there are, who for the setting up of this arrogancy, have not drawn their swords against one another, to the great effusion of Christian blood, and ruin of all good civility, and yet what is worse, they have been persuaded by it to set up Christ's honor and religion; O Lord, what blindness reigned in princes' hearts, and what a superstition one Christian man to kill another under the pretext of Christ's religion? And as for the abuses of that authority, as well in pardons and dispensations as in interdicts and excommunications, I think there is no man so blind, no nor yet nation so far from judgment, nor so far from common sense.\nAnd true consideration, which those who do not see and observe. Among Christian men, no nation that is obedient to such authority has not felt or experienced oppression and tyrannical exaction, disguised with the pretext of religion, from these abuses. I have observed this among friends for a long time and many days, not without great sorrow and pain in my mind, and yet I have always had some hope to see a just and true reformation, not only in other countries and nations but also in our own. This hope I had, with which I greatly eased my sorrow and pain, living in great desire to see the thing put into effect. Therefore, my friends, upon my return from Italy to my own country, here to finish the remainder of my life in quietness, serving our prince, if I were in any way able, I would dedicate myself to this end.\nI appointed all my studies: upon my return, I said, and saw this thing partly put into effect, which I had long desired, a desire I testify was to God's honor, what joy, what gladness in my heart and mind I conceived, I will not now be about to express to you at length. But this I will say to you, the gladness that I conceived in plucking away this superiority was not so much for stopping the profits, which for the impoverishment of this realm was no small matter, as it was for the hope I had of the reforming of common religion, and of the purging of vain superstition, with which many simple minds here in our nation have been greatly infected: the chief cause of which has been this superiority of the see of Rome. In truth, I may truly say, that even as Rome, through meekness and charity, was the first occasion of communion and propagation, and of the establishment and stability, so also...\nMany years of Christ's doctrine and true religion have existed in our nation. However, pride and arrogance, over the course of time, have become the chief and principal occasion for the excessive extolling of human tradition and the open gate of all superstition. Now, by closing this gate, I have great hope that Christ's doctrine will once again be restored to its pure and native simplicity, and to the old simple purity. This hope is much encouraged by the high virtues of our most noble prince. His majesty desires nothing more than the restoration of Christ's true doctrine in our nation, and to see it flourish in the hearts of his subjects, declaring in life the fruit of the same. To this end, all the cures, thoughts, acts, and deeds of his royal majesty are devoted. Therefore, it seems to me that my hope is not without cause, if it is true that all antiquity has approved, such as princes, such are their subjects, whose trace.\n\"everyone should follow this communality. Since our prince is of this disposition and judgment, and best knows the means of restoring it, why shouldn't I conceive this joy and keep it in my heart? Why shouldn't I rejoice, or rather, why shouldn't all of us Christ's people rejoice? Truly, we ought to give thanks to Almighty God, by whose providence, we have this noble prince reigning in our time. And surely, I have no doubt that the goodness of God, who has inspired his heart with light and judgment to conceive the ground of the pope's superiority and to honor it by pulling it down, will also give him the same light and grace to find out all convenient means for its maintenance, so that it may proceed with common quietness for the comfort of our present age and posterity, and that thereby the restoration of the pure doctrine of Christ and sincerity may succeed.\"\nI. A Religion Free of False Superstition: This is my hope and trust, which I expressed upon my return to my country, brought me great joy, a joy that I continuously nourished in my heart with the hope of its continued growth. However, in finding the nature of human affection, I discovered it to be true, as the wise and ancient Socrates often taught, that in human affection, pleasure and pain, sorrow and joy, were never separate, but rather, the parts of a ring eternally coupled and knitted together, as if by a common chain. Though I have derived great joy from uprooting this popish authority, it is not perfect and sincere; there is a certain sorrow within my heart mixed with the same, which has greatly diminished my happiness and joy.\n\nFor though it is just that I have conceived this joy from this act of uprooting this popish authority, yet it is not complete and genuine. There is within my heart a certain sorrow mingled with the same, which has greatly defaced my gladness and joy.\n\nII. Lamentation for the Christian People: I am truly sorry, from the depths of my heart, to see that thing which you, the Christian people, hold most dear.\nWith no less sorrow lately have I seen, that is to say, to behold so noble an act, so good and so profitable, opening a gate to the restoring and stabilizing here among us a very true and common wealth, which could never easily have had a place, standing as it does this outside and tyrannical authority. For ever it should be a let and an obstacle to you, my prince, at such a time as you should attempt any reforming of true religion, to see, I say, such men's repugnance, such men disobedient, whose virtues I ever trusted should be to our prince, turning the restitution of his true common wealth a chief instrument. For what virtues were in some of them, superstitious simplicity set aside, all the world knows. Wherefore such virtues, being corrupted with superstition, that they should be induced to be disobedient to their prince and to such wholesome laws, I cannot but lament from the heart, I cannot but be sorrowful, that such blindness should prevail.\nbe joined to such knowledge, and such virtue should be blurred with such vice, and such an act so wisely concealed should be blotted with disobedience so foolishly declared. This makes me sorry and sore in heart to lament, and truly to say, not so much for their causes, who for their disobedience, according to the course of law, justly have suffered, as for your most Christian people, whose simple and weak consciences, not able to conceive the nature of things as they are in deed, by their disobedience and stubborn obstinacy, may in some part be moved to conceive of this act some scruples, by the reason whereof in you may succede disquietude of mind, drawn diversely by divers obediences. Wherefore, partly to alleviate my own sorrow caused by suspicion of your simplicity, and partly to fulfill my duty in setting forth so manyfest a truth, I shall as briefly and clearly as I can set before your eyes, the nature of\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English, and there are some errors in the OCR transcription. I have corrected the errors while maintaining the original meaning as much as possible.)\nof ye thing, vsinge therin no longe scholasti\u2223call\ndisputation, and this processe obserue. Fyrst\nI wyll shewe vnto you, that this superioritie is\nnot of the law of god, prescribed vnto vs for the\nnecessitie of our saluation, but yt it is a thyng in\u2223different,\nthe disobedie\u0304ce wherof, bringeth not to\nour sowles damnation. Secondly I wyll shewe\nyou, howe it fyrst grewe in, as a thinge conueni\u2223ent,\nand to the conseruation of the vnitie of Chri\u2223stis\nchurche expedient. Thirdely I shall declare\nhowe that as it hath bene many yeres vsurped,\nit is to the very spirituall vnitie, nother necessa\u2223rye\nnor yet conuenient: and so I truste somme\u2223what\nthe better your consciences shall be delyue\u2223red,\nfrom suche scrupulositie, as may take from\nyour myndes christen quietnes and vnite.\nAnd fyrst most christen people this is of you al\nas most open and manifest, to be taken as a sure\ntruthe, that all be it the olde testamente, wherin\ngod to the people of Israel declared his first wil,\nThe scripture of God and his law:\nPaul testifies in 1 Corinthians 10 that all things were shown to them in the Old Testament in a shadowy and gross manner, according to their rude capacity. Our master Christ opened these things to us clearly, to whose glory all the law tended. Ephesians 1 states that all the law of God in Christ is contained in a summary. Colossians 1 identifies Christ as the perfection and end of the law, who was figured in the Old Testament and now openly declared in the new law of the gospel. We may therefore affirm that God's law is fully and perfectly contained in the gospel, for Christ, in whom all the law of God is gathered, is there taught to us. Romans 8 teaches that nothing necessary for our salvation, of which we have no express mention in the gospel or at least not derived from it by some certain reason and open demonstration.\n\nRegarding the traditions of the fathers, though:\nThey are highly expedient for the increase and maintenance of Christ's gospel and truth, yet they are not of such strength and power that our observance of them is necessary under pain of utter damnation, nor are they of such necessity that alteration or abrogation of them brings about the ruin and destruction of all Christian civilization and religion by and by. Therefore, even if it were so, as it is not in fact, that this papal superiority was descended to us by tradition, it is not of this nature and necessity that without it we cannot attain to our salvation. For by such a bond no Christian nation at any time received any man's tradition. Therefore, we may now affirm, dear friends, as surely and truly as possible, that if we cannot find this superiority clearly expressed in the gospel or manifestly derived by clear interpretation, it is not to our high necessity for salvation: which is to say, if we cannot find it clearly in the gospel or by clear interpretation, it is not essential for our salvation.\nTo seek and extract, I think is like seeking and extracting darkness from light. Against the pope's authority. For to my judgment, all things indifferently weighing, all appears plainly contrary: in so much that to me, considering the whole course of Christ's doctrine, he seemed to go about nothing less than to establish among his disciples, and among those who would make profession of his name, any such superiority: but leaving all such things to princes worldly policy, he purposefully drew the hearts of his scholars from all such ambitious and vain desire, and turned them to the sight and contemplation of such things as are celestial, and of nature pure and everlasting, separate from all this worldly vanity. Ever willing them to hang upon the desire of such things, he taught his disciples as members of one body, utterly excluding all contention for any manner of superiority: he ever taught his disciples as members of one body.\nbody, coupled together in perfect love and unity,\nto hang upon him only, John 17. as upon the true head and fountain of all such things, as they should ever desire, leaving the order of all worldly things, as I said, to such as by office have care of the same: for as much as that pertains to worldly policy, which he would have his disciples regard in a manner of contempt, and to be in the world as out of it, and rather to refuse all such busy policy and careful study of transient things, thereby to be let from the office of pure Christianity, which chiefly does rest and stand in this, with fervent heart and affection ever to desire eternal and everlasting things. To this runs the course of all Christ's doctrine, which by his mouth he taught, and by his disciples to us in writing has left, so that from his doctrine among his disciples, he should establish any such superiority, and so thereby derive it to the bishop of Rome.\nManifestly turn all things upside down and to the contrary. Christ himself teaches and expresses this in various places of his gospel. For where his disciples were not yet perfect or enlightened by his spirit, but having a little of the spirit of the world, they strove among themselves for superiority, he answered, instructing them: \"Princes of the world, and you others, Mark 10. Why do you strive for such things, you who have not yet received the heavenly gift? But you whom I would have to conceive other desires, shall not do so. For all such contention comes from plain arrogance, which I would have you utterly abhor, and stabilize in your hearts by humility, the contempt of all such things. Contend always for the desire of the heavenly and celestial, to which if you will attain, even as this child standing among you lives in simplicity.\"\nAbsolutely without care for worldly vanity, you must leave aside all contention for worldly things and all superiority. Bear hearts pure without affection, ever looking up to heavenly conversation, setting all your comfort and joy there. After this sentence, Christ answered his disciples, quarreling among themselves for superiority, moved by ambition: in this he manifestly declares that if he had intended to establish any order of superiority or degree among them, he would have made some mention and commanded the rest to give obedience to such a one. But in all the course of his teaching, you will never find any mention or memory of such an institution and polity.\n\nThis is a sure thing for you all to take as most true: the chief point of Christ's doctrine stands in this, to persuade all those who would be his true disciples to conceive this as a chief foundation with obedience to it.\nal worldly policie, not beinge contrary to ye glory\nof god,1. Corin. 7. to vse these worldly thi\u0304ges as passingers\n& pylgrims, nothyng restinge thervpo\u0304, & to be in\nthe worlde, as out of the worlde, and to vse this\nlyfe as a meane to lyfe, wherof this is but a sha\u2223dowe,\nputtynge no affiance nor truste therin, but\nholly to hange vpon hym, who is the onely fou\u0304\u2223tayne\nof all goodnesse and truthe,Matth. 10. and with the\ndesyre therof to haue their hartes euer inflamed,\nwith vtter contempte of all suche thynges, whi\u2223che\ntherto do put any obstacle and impedimente.\nThis vndoutedly is as it were the marke, which\nour master Christ hath before our eies set, wher\u2223at\nhe wolde haue vs euer continually to shoote:\nthis is as it were the haue\u0304, to the which he wolde\nhaue vs to direct our course, saylyng in the trou\u00a6blous\nstormes of this lyfe: and this to stablyshe\nin our hartes was his chiefe purpose, and so to\ninstitute in vs the spiritual lyfe and godly, wher\u00a6of\nbefore I haue made mention: And as for the\nHe came not now to establish or institute temporal life and politics, which he had sufficiently founded by the benefit of nature. Instead, he came to bring us to a higher perfection and to make us plain spiritual, treading under foot all temporal things. And this is not my fantasy and dream, but Christ himself expressed it many times. John 17: Luc. 22: \"He came not into this world to reign nor to rule, but to minister unto us heavenly doctrine, and to exhort us to contemn those things which so blindly common men's hearts. He said often, his kingdom was not of this world. This is most manifest in this, that he never taught one point of worldly policy, but always refused the institution and direction thereof, as to those who required the division of his inheritance by his judgment, he answered, \"Who has made me a judge in such matters? The redress of which is not my purpose?\" And to him who presented before him a piece.\nof money with the image of themperour, he bad\nrender that to hym, for therwith I haue nothing\nto do, but to god gyue thy harte and affection of\npure mynde, whose image is there prynted and\nsette, as of hym, who is onely lorde therof. This\neuer he refused the cure of suche thynges, as per\u2223tayne\nand belonge vnto the cyuile and polytyke\nlyfe, and yet to them he was euer obedient, as the\nhole course of his lyfe manyfestly doth declare.\nHe was circu\u0304cysed and purified, he kept the sab\u2223bot\ndaye, and was baptysed, he payde tribute to\nthe prince, ye and to the hole lawe was so obedi\u2223ent,\nthat accordynge to the course therof he suf\u2223fred\nhis deathe, the whiche all he dyd for our in\u2223struction,\nteachynge vs neuer to dispyse,M nor to\nbe disobediente to suche thynge as by common\nauthoritie is commonly receyued, but euer with\nhumble and meke obedience, therto contende,\nand desyre to attayne the fruition of suche thin\u2223ges\nas neuer shall fayle nor decaye. Wherfore\ndere frendes, seinge that the doctrine of our ma\u2223ster\nChrist is of this sort, drawing us from the love of this world to higher consideration, forbidding us utterly all contention for any superiority of order and degree, leaving all such things to civil and worldly policy, the institution of which he ever refused, as a thing base and vile compared to that doctrine which he ever taught. All this considering, I say, and well pondering in my mind indifferently, to affirm that Christ established among his disciples any such superiority, making thereby Peter chief, and also consequently the bishop of Rome, that he thereby upon all Christendom should be a chief judge, and upon all princes and laws to have authority with interdicts and dispensations, them to temper and rule at pleasure, you and upon the word of God alone to have power of interpretation: this to my judgment, when I weigh the thing with myself, appears to me, more than madness and extreme folly. For this passes all.\npryde and arrogancy, this is aboue all tyranny,\nChristen nations were neuer so madde, by any o\u2223pen\ndecree or consent in counsell generalle, euer\nto gyue to any one manne, suche authoritie: but\nvndoubtedly by the symplicitie of christen peo\u2223ple,\nand by the pacience of good princis, ye and\nby the arrogancye and pride of those, the why\u2223che\nhaue vsed and occupyed the See of Rome,\nit is growe\u0304 by litle & litle into this intollerable ti\u00a6ra\u0304ny:\nthe which after this sort as it is vsed, to af\u2223firme\nto be of the lawe of god, and of necessite, is\nplayn co\u0304trary to the law of god, and moch to the\nobscurynge of his glory. But yf you wyl se dere\nfrendes the authoritie of Peter, whiche to all o\u2223ther\napostels was equally gyuen, withoute any\nsuperioritie, shortly I shal declare it vnto you.\nLyke as the lyfe whiche Christe came to insti\u2223tute,\nand stablyshe in the hartes of them, whiche\nwolde folowe him, was of an other sorte and de\u2223gree,\nof a hyer puritie and excellency, than was\nThe lives of those who looked no further than worldly and vain affections, drowned in them, and followed only the political course, of which I spoke at length before: such power and authority were given to them, who with firm faith and trust in his word, followed him and his doctrine. This power was of a different and greater excellence than anything given to man in this world before Christ, or steadily established by any policy. For to whom was it ever said, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven? And yet this power was given to Peter, and to all the apostles equally. There was never before Christ's time an emperor in Rome, nor a prince outside of Christendom, whether he be great Turk or sultan or among the Moors any king most mighty in power, to whom was ever given such dignity. For\ntheir power and authority rest only in the lordship and dominion, governance and rule of those things worldly unstable and transitory. These, which are vile by nature and of small dignity, Christ's doctrine teaches to treat underfoot, and He lifted up the hearts of His disciples to a high degree, as Matthew 15 states, giving them greater authority to lose man from all servitude of sin, though the sin were never so great, and to set him in a sure state of felicity: and whoever he was and of what nation, the condition, state, or degree, all indifferently to lose from sin, if they will with perfect faith and sure trust in Christ profess His doctrine, following it in every perfection. To this faith and trust, our Master gave this divine power, and this is the very key of the gate of heaven, which, as you see, opens to all men the gate indifferently. There is no man\nExcluded from entering therein, Galatians 3: but all, putting their whole allegiance in Christ and following His doctrine, shall be admitted without difficulty. This is a marvelous power given to man, to pluck the most miserable and wretched out of all misery, and to place him in the state of felicity. And with this power, our master Christ set forth His disciples, instructed by His spirit, to all the world, by the preaching of His doctrine, to turn them out of their wretched trade and misery, and to wake them out of their dream. For drowned mankind was with worldly affection, and finally, to put them in remembrance of the benefits of God and of their dignity, and that so by His doctrine they at the last inspired and stirred up, might attain to their felicity. This was the chief authority and power given to the apostles by our master, to put into use whatever He instituted. Certain mystical sacraments, by which man should be stirred to receive grace and favor from Almighty.\nGod, The sacraments are a reminder of the great benefits bestowed upon us by his goodness, which he has particularly opened and communicated to us of his flock. All the sacraments of Christ were instituted for this purpose, to bring us to the remembrance of such benefits, as he has promised to all of them, who cling to him in faith. In a few words, I will conclude that this highest and greatest power given to mankind on earth was given to the apostles of Christ. First, to all who in Christ would place sure confidence and trust, as in the foundation of all salvation: the Mother and then this doctrine to preach to all mankind indiscriminately, as to the creatures of God, only to his image formed and made. Through the hearing of which, they might be brought out of all misery. And thirdly, by the communion of the sacrament.\nThis is the authority and power described in these few words, which Christ in his gospel communicated to his apostles and similarly established in them, and in all others who believe in him with like faith and confidence. Leaving aside all worldly vanities, they tread them underfoot and cling only to him, who has above all else true superiority, and is the true head of all churches. This is a certain and sure truth.\n\"of the gospel in many places we have most manifold testimony. Whereas Christ instructing his apostles to the preaching of his word, says to them all without exception, 'Whatsoever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven, and whatsoever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.' That is, whosoever he be to whom you preach my word, of what country or nation, sect or religion, if he turns to the confession of my name, trusting thereby faithfully to have salvation, to him you shall have power to declare that he is thereby delivered from bondage of all sin, and loosed from it by my virtue and power. And likewise whomsoever you see to deny me in earth, despising my doctrine by you preached, and refuse the confession of my name, all such by this same power you shall utterly condemn here in earth, and to the\"\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Old English orthography. I have made some corrections to make it more readable, but have tried to remain faithful to the original.)\nOur master spoke to his disciples in this manner, granting them the power to preach his word. His words agree with this sentiment in another place, which he spoke after his resurrection when he sent forth his apostles to preach to all the world, inspiring them with his holy spirit. In this manner, he said to them, \"As you go forth on this heavenly embassy, you shall receive the heavenly spirit. By whose grace you shall have the power that whoever sins you forgive, the same shall be forgiven to them, and whoever you do not forgive, they shall remain bound.\" As much as to say, whatever sin it may be, or what sort or condition the sinner may be in, if he confesses it with a sorrowful heart, trusting only in my goodness to be delivered from his misery of sin, if you forgive by the spirit that I give you.\nYou have now been given, judge him to be released in earth. Your judgment will be confirmed in heaven, and if by the same spirit which I have given you, you judge him contrary to be worthy of condemnation, my will in heaven will agree, and with this power I send you forth. These words declare manifestly to the Christian people that this high authority, by Christ was undoubtedly given to his heavenly messengers and apostles when he sent them forth to preach his heavenly doctrine. By the benefit whereof man should be quite delivered from all kind of sin and misery: but that this was given equally to all men, this is not so manifest and plain to all, many men deny. They affirm that to Peter it was given with a prerogative of excellency, and so thereby to the bishop of Rome, in whose place he only does succeed, they attribute a superiority. This they say, but as for sure ground of scripture, their sentence to confirm, plainly.\nThere is none. For touching this, which is of all other most chief, Matthew 18 relates that Christ spoke particularly to Peter, giving him this power, which was undoubtedly because he had greater faith and, as it appears, a stronger stomach, and also seemed so by many signs, of better utterance and eloquence. For this reason, he of the old interpretations of scripture is ever called the mouth of the apostles: having these gifts, he spoke before the rest, and so Christ said to him, \"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,\" but he did not say that to him alone he would give them. For after he gave them in deed, he spoke to all indiscriminately. And further, this same power which he said he would give to Peter was not of any other sort than that which he gave to all, as it appears by the words, but even all one, and running to the same effect, as to release and bind sin with like authority.\nAnd thereby to open the gates of heaven. Therefore, to affirm such a prerogative only because he spoke to Peter particularly seems a weak and slender ground, since he did not say that he would give such authority to him alone, and besides, when he gave it in deed, he gave it equally. And yet moreover, he who indifferently weighs the same place with the circumstance thereof shall find plainly that speaking to Peter, he spoke also to all, for even as the question was not asked of Peter alone, but of all equally, so necessarily the promise of power to all was opened at the same time, though Peter as spokesman to the rest only made answer: but Peter alone did not have that faith, which is the foundation and sure stone, upon which Christ built his church, to which was made the promise of this power, but of that faith they were all equally indifferent, though Peter declared it with more fervent affect outwardly.\nIt was that Christ found in them, who moved him to make the promise of that high power, which he afterwards gave indifferently to all others, who with like faith are sent forth and appointed by his church and faithful congregation, to preach the fruit of his heavenly doctrine abroad to the people, Luke 22. For their comfort and salvation. From this place therefore, any prerogative of power to be given to Peter is but a weak construction, and a feeble ground, similar to that which is gathered from another place, where Christ said to Peter he had prayed for him, that his faith would not fail, and that after his conversion he would confirm his brethren. Besides the common comfort which he gave to them all, that they should sit with him in his majesty, at the extreme judgment, to take out.\nPeter's heart, distraught, knowing who would deny him three times, he promised his faith would not fail. Through this, he would confirm his brethren, encouraging them to place faith in him, whose goodness was not so easily offended by such unbelief. By sorrowful heart and repentance, Peter quickly regained favor. All Christian hearts may take note and find singular comfort in this. However, any superiority of power granted to Peter from this circumstance is a weak and feeble construct, apparent to all who consider the circumstances of this place in the Gospel. Weaker still is this, taken from another place in the Gospel, where Christ asked Peter if he loved him more than the other apostles. Peter affirmed this, to whom Christ then said and commanded, \"You shall then feed my flock, and you will shepherd them.\" He repeated this three times.\nis thought to manifest all the whole matter. But in this leaving other answers of many wise me, I will show you my sentence and judgment, that Christ intended no such thing at all, nor to establish in Peter any superiority thereby, it was nothing his purpose, as it seems manifest for as much as he said only feed my sheep, not adding or putting to any argument or token of any higher power and authority, but only thrice repeating that thing, which is the common office of all his apostles, and of all other, which are appointed to be preachers of his word. That thing I say he would establish in heart, you and so consequently in the hearts of all them, who of his name will make profession. That thing I say he would establish in heart, which is of all his doctrine the chief ground and foundation, that is to say, that whoever by mouth and outward confession professes to love Christ and to be a shepherd of his flock: then must he in deed, and by outward actions.\nA person who openly declares their inner feelings when required, aligning word and deed, is a true disciple and apostle of Christ's doctrine. One who professes love for Christ with their mouth but denies Him with their actions (Titus 1, Matthew 23) is not a genuine disciple or shepherd, as their confession does not benefit or edify the inner affections of all Christian hearts. Such hypocrisy, which Christ abhors as an enemy, is not only a matter of words but requires manifestation in deeds. Therefore, as I believe, Christ asked Peter not only for an inward declaration of love but also commanded him to feed His flock with faith and His heavenly doctrine, thereby truly declaring His love.\nThe one who looks into my heart, Christ truly knows, yet for the comfort and instruction of others, we must declare our inward affection with love and charity through outward works, to their profit. This doctrine can be inferred from the frequent repetition and instruction of these words to Peter. However, from the scriptural grounds and Christ's gospel, no one can take a sure argument for this prerogative, as you may see from these places, which are among the chief and principal. As for the rest, take these as weaker conjectures, which have long troubled the world and blinded popes with arrogance, causing much superstition, to the great ruin of Christ's pure doctrine and all good religion.\nFriends, seeing that our master's manifest doctrine, which so clearly seeks to equalize power among all the apostles indifferently, and can only be refuted by light conjectures, I do not understand why we should so stubbornly defend this authority, so poorly founded and so weakly. And most especially, considering that the practice of this same authority, which moves me above all other arguments, drawn from the gospels and words of Christ, is utterly contrary to the practice in the time of the apostles, which I will now briefly explain to you. This is to be considered as a certain truth and a sure thing, that the apostles, inspired by the spirit of God, would never have practiced anything contrary to this.\nThe doctrine of their master Christ, which they had recently received and steadfastly held in their hearts. Therefore, though Peter, like himself in the presence of his master, showed himself most prompt and ready with a faithful heart and love to serve him in all things, after his Ascension up to his father, he showed himself most diligent in preaching and in the first establishment of his new and godly doctrine, ever ready to preach and communicate the same, to the founding of his church and faithful congregation. However, you will find in observing his acts and practice of his life, and that of all other Christ's apostles, that he neither preached this doctrine with any prerogative of power above others, nor did they give him such a thing in setting it forth. As is evident from the first act, which the apostles did, Peter alone proposed the thing, which after his proposal:\nThey performed, by election and common authority, granting him no prerogative at all of higher power, except that he, as the most eloquent and bold one, proposed the matter, which they finished by their common consent. And in the creation of deacons, this order was observed, when certain ones were appointed to minister in lower office to the whole congregation, while the apostles occupied themselves in preaching of Christ's doctrine. This thing was not done by the authority of Peter alone, but by the common agreement of all the rest, who at the beginning of the church, were in that little congregation. And at such a time as the gentiles began to receive the doctrine of Christ, Peter did not command or appoint, which of the apostles should go and act among them, by his authority, but he himself with John were sent forth for this office to do. This argues that above the rest he had no authority.\nHe could not have done that thing of his own accord, but was sent forth with John with equal authority to preach to the common edification of Christ's church, showing no prerogative in this matter. However, this is even more evident from the emergence of a controversy in that little church. If you observe this carefully, you will clearly see that no prerogative of authority was given to Peter. The controversy arose because some preached to the Gentiles that circumcision, as stated in Acts 15:1, was necessary for their salvation. This matter, which was in great controversy, was not defined by Peter's authority, but was referred to Jerusalem to the council of the apostles, where this order was observed. Peter first declared his sentiment and mind, stating that circumcision was merely a ceremony and not necessary for the salvation of the Gentiles.\nAfter whom spoke Paul and Barnabas to the same sentence, but after them all, James gave judgment on the matter, declaring the common sentence of all and sent it forth by writing, not as a thing determined by any prerogative of Peter's authority, but by the assent of all together, agreeing in unity. Whereby you may see there friends, that Peter, as it were giving place to James at Jerusalem, in that time showed no sign of any higher authority, but rather contrary to that place it should seem, that James should be of greater authority. For, in my opinion, neither James was heeded nor yet Peter, but all with equal authority and one in agreement, labored most diligently, to spread abroad this heavenly doctrine, to the salvation of man in every country. But above all other, yet to me of the deeds and doctrine of Paul this most manifestly appears:\nAnd firstly, he in Arabia, Syria, and other places, as he himself testifies clearly, shows most surely that Peter was not such a head of the church as many people believe, that of him, as vicar of Christ, all power should be derived to others. For Paul, without his institution, would never have attempted to preach, not having his authority, which is judged to be of such necessity that the denying of his superiority would bring everlasting damnation. And besides this, look what he did at Antioch, where Peter, using a little man's policy, gave way to the weaknesses of the Jews, withdrawing himself from the company of the Gentiles and their fashion of life, was boldly reproved by Paul as one who, with such ceremony and dissimulation, would offend the liberty of Christ's gospel, which indifferently to the manners of all nations should be accommodated and applied, without respect of ceremony: this he did manifestly.\nHe would never have done so, if he had considered Peter to be such high authority. Instead, he would have confirmed himself in the doctrine of his head, having such superiority, being the only lieutenants and vicars of his master. But plainly he judged no such thing; he never conceived such power in Peter to exist above others. This is also evident from another of his deeds. He says that, after he had long preached the gospel of Christ among the Gentile nation: He ascended to Jerusalem, there to confer with Peter and other pilgrims of the church, not because he doubted of his own doctrine, of which he was so sure, that if Peter had preached contrary, he, or any angel of heaven, would have had little regard, he had his doctrine on such a firm foundation: but he ascended only to give place to the weaknesses of them to whom he preached, whom he thought rather to win, having his doctrine subject to Peter's, and other pilgrims being there.\ngreat fame was agreeable to him, which he truly gained. For of them he said, though they were never so great, by such collaboration to himself he had no profit, nothing there learned, that by the goodness of their common master Christ, he had not learned before. Wherefore he said, he departed from Jerusalem, not as one who took Peter for any head or governor of the church of Christ, but as one of equal authority, having his doctrine and power of the very same ground, that Peter had made with him, there with James and John, Galatians 2, as it were a league, a confederacy, and a society, you and I and as a companion with him, not inferior in power, agreed together, that even as they chiefly should enter their office and exercise it among the Jews, inducing them to the truth of the gospel, so he and Barnabas, his companion, would go to the Gentiles, them by all men to allure to this heavenly doctrine of their master, and so as it were the whole world deeming.\nAmong them with courage, he proposed to subdue and bring mankind from the study and cure of these vain and transitory things, to the desire of such things which by nature are everlasting, stable, and sure. This you see, dear friends, by Paul's acts and deeds, how in Peter he never knew any such superiority or prerogative of power, nor in any place or time did he submit himself to it: which he also clearly confirmed, as I shall now declare in a few words. The same doctrine of Paul and the chief point thereof, which he received from his master, stands in this: to persuade us to despise all worldly and transitory things, regarding them as if we had them not at all, looking up to those which are eternal, and in them to have our eyes firmly fixed, and distrusting our own power, works, and deeds, as things by which we can never deserve lasting life, to put our whole trust and confidence in Christ, by whose only goodness we alone can merit salvation. Tit. 3.\nmay attain our salvation, hanging upon Him faithfully, as upon the only Head and foundation of all good, 2 Corinthians 5: In Him looking to take light and grace, Romans 12: by which we may, in this life, walking as in a pilgrimage, knit together all by charity, as by a common bond, and like members of one body coupled in spiritual unity, by the mere benefit of our Head, and His infinite goodness, at last attain to our perfect end and felicity, 1 Corinthians 2: there enjoying such celestial comfort & heavenly pleasure, as neither tongue can express, nor heart of man conceive. This is in a few words the sum of Paul's doctrine, in which you see the chief ground to be, Ephesians 4: the faith and sure trust, that we must conceive of this Head, our Master Christ, by Whose merciful goodness we shall be saved, and not by our own works, nor by circumcision, Sabbath day, Ephesians 2: Galatians 5: Colossians, nor by ceremony, but only by the faithful love, that\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English, and there are no significant OCR errors or meaningless content that needs to be removed. Therefore, the text can be considered clean as is.)\nWe must be ever obedient, walking in outward works according to his commandment, loving one another to the intent that we all together may be compelled in deed to this head, of whom we now hang, who is our only comfort. Of this head Paul makes frequent and much mention, as of the thing most necessary for our salvation, but of any other head here to be chief in his church, Ephesians 1: Colossians as his vicar on earth, to whose judgment as to his own the whole world should be obedient and conformable of high necessity, he never speaks a word, he gives us no signification: which I think he would have done, if it had been so necessary for our salvation and the unity of Christ's church such strong confirmation. And though to some this argument may appear weak because it seems not to follow, Paul makes no mention of it therefore it is not so.\nIn considering the matter as it stands, it appears almost certain, since Paul frequently emphasizes the importance of the head of the church of Christ, had he believed that Peter was the head of Christ's church, as some claim now, he would have mentioned it or his teaching would have been insufficient, lacking the declaration of that thing which is of such high necessity for the stability of Christ's doctrine. But Paul never did this; instead, he took Peter as an equal companion in power and spiritual dignity, both in his church. Paul took him neither as the head of his church; Peter himself would have utterly and completely forsaken this had it been necessary in such a way.\nI. Two men who despised temporal dignity. I am convinced that if Peter were alive, he would think nothing more contrary to the teachings of his master than to affirm any superiority, such as is now attributed to be of such necessity that without it the doctrine of Christ would run to ruin and decay. And that a man, without the confession of such power, would be condemned to eternal damnation. This, I am convinced, Peter would abhor, and Paul also, as stated in Ephesians 4.\n\nII. Friends, seeing that neither the scriptural passages are ambiguously worded nor the practice of the same in the time of the apostles declared to the world serve to ascribe any prerogative of power to Peter or above the rest any superiority, and seeing also that both the deeds and doctrine of the most divine interpreter of Christ's gospel, Paul, contradict this, as I have explained.\nI see no reason why we should attribute such superiority to the bishop of Rome that the defection from it should blot any nation with the crime of heresy or schism, and thus induce any scrupulous suspicion of everlasting damnation. But plainly to say, the assertion of such superiority in this way appears a great madness, extreme folly, and plain superstition. This thing, though it is manifest and plain from scripture itself, as I have touched upon, I will explain to you in as few words as I can, lest I become tedious. Both by story and probable argument, it shall be manifest that this thing is not of such great necessity to the unity of Christ's church as many blindly judge.\n\nAnd first, it appears to me a very marvelous thing, by what means this thing should be of such great necessity and enter into me.\nFrom the time of Peter until the time of Sylvester bishop of Rome, during the reign of Constantine, approximately four hundred years, there is no mention of this head with such superiority. This is known from a certain story that during that time, the bishops in every place, such as Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria, were either chosen and instituted by the whole congregation or by the priests, to whom was given such authority. No mention is made of them going to the bishop of Rome as their common head and superior, who at that time was likely, as we may infer, long and many days inferior to the church of Jerusalem and Alexandria, not in power and authority, for there was surely equality in that regard, but in virtue and knowledge of Christ's doctrine, which in Alexandria and Antioch, respectively.\nNear Jerusalem, he first gained more ground than in the city of Rome, whose pride and worldly policy long resisted the truth of the gospel and taught us heavenly humility, which was completely unacceptable to the imperial pride of the emperors reigning at that time. Therefore, Christian men there secretly made their assembly and private profession of Christ's name, avoiding the persecution of the wicked emperors, whose arrogance was a stark contrast to Christ's simplicity. And thus, at Rome, it continued without great increase of Christ's doctrine for long years, while at Alexandria and Antioch, there was at the beginning much more open profession of Christ's name and doctrine. This is evident from the multitude of learned men and religious ones, among whom the beginning of Christ's church was in Alexandria and Egypt, Antioch, and the parts of Greece, as the story relates, far greater in number than there.\nAt Rome, or in the western parts of the world, where Christianity's growth was slower than in the east, its religion took longer to increase. Until the time of Constantine, Christianity's virtue, goodness, and authority did not significantly alter Rome's policy. His fame and example greatly influenced the common people, whose judgments often follow those in authority, shaping their minds and guiding their way of life. Thus, though Christianity had a good foundation at Rome before Constantine, it was not yet established by the authority of the prince and did not flourish in the world's face as it did in the east. Christians lived there in much subjection, and especially at the beginning, when for their faith, they suffered much misery and persecution.\n\nHowever, to the purpose, in this three or four thousand year span, neither the bishop of Jerusalem,\nNeither Antioch nor Alexandria ever showed any sign of superiority in power over the bishop of Rome through the teachings of Christ. They did not owe him obedience out of necessity, and the gospel did not require it of them. They were not instituted or made by his authority, nor did they come to his judgment for sentence, as to his vicar. Instead, they collated with one another to establish the truth of scripture and its true interpretation, granting obedience only in this regard. However, there was no mention of such high superiority at that time, no word or indication by story. This is also most evident in the celebration of the first councils, which were convened by princely authority without mention of any such superiority granted to the bishop of Rome. Therefore, it cannot be thought to be necessary, especially.\nIn the beginning of Christ's church, when our master's doctrine was most pure, uncorrupted by human invention but sincere and clear, there is no story made of any such superiority given to the bishop of Rome, nor to any other. It was not of such high necessity that Christ's doctrine could not stand without it. To all men who have eyes and consider the story of the church's beginning, it stood in greater purity than ever it did since the time we have had this one head, established with such authority and power. This fact is so manifest and plain that no man considering antiquity and comparing it with posterity can deny it. For this to the world is open.\nThis text appears to be written in old English, and there are some formatting issues that need to be addressed. Here is the cleaned text:\n\n\"It is necessary for the salvation of man, as many believe, to confirm with much argument and reason the fact that this is superfluous. I will say this: first, that all ancient and good interpreters of Christ's Gospel among the Greeks, whom I judge to have had more light in the holy scripture than any other nation that has ever received the truth of Christ's religion, without proof from me, is open to all men who will read them with diligence. All these I say agree in keeping silence about this authority being given to the bishop of Rome on this necessity, which you will never find mentioned in their works, unless they judged it to be an unnecessary thing and not a truth of Christ's institution and established. Besides, if this were true, all the Indians and others should have it.\"\nFor over a thousand years, they have paid heed to damnation,\nyet the bishop of Rome took no heed of Christ's church and his vicar on earth, nor did he take tradition. And yet they have been, you and are now in our days, under Peter John, their king and head, devout and true professors of Christ's doctrine. There is much diversity among them, as it is necessary, according to the nature of the country and people. The same could be said of them in Armenia, who never obeyed the bishop of Rome but had among them their head, whom they called their catholic, as he was a true professor and maintainer of the catholic faith. The same could also be said of the Greek nation, who never acknowledged the obedience to the church of Rome as necessary for salvation. Therefore, primarily by the bishops of Rome, they were most unjustly noted, not to be as members\nBut now all these nations, Indians, Armenians, and Greeks, utterly condemn and separate from the benefit of Christ's passion, only because they would not, or were not obedient to the vicar of Christ. I say to condemn and cast them into the deep pit of hell, seems plain madness and most blind arrogance. I pray God that those who so blindly judge, are not for their own judgment rather to be condemned. For this judgment has no foundation in scripture nor reason, but is a plain blind superstition. As I have shown you before, attributing anything to God out of necessity, under the pretense of religion, which in fact is not so, but hangs only upon human constitution, is most plain and manifest superstition. Therefore, dear friends, seeing that neither scripture, story, nor good reason drives us to confess this superiority.\nthat time, as stated in Scripture, was necessary for the decision, or else his decree would have been foolishly inconsistent with regard to which part of the Gospel doctrine should be considered necessary. However, to the point at hand, he was heeded, not by the authority of the general council, but only by the emperor. The emperor, through his prudence and policy, deemed it expedient to establish one head to order such things and put them into effect at all times concerning the interpretation of Scripture, the controversy over which was the only matter under consideration at the beginning and nothing else pertaining to policy: Such things were always left to the judgment of princes and every community; and there, the diversity of opinions in Scripture were brought to a certain unity and concord. This authority had the bishop of Rome at the beginning of his superiority, as it appears from general councils, and with this he continued many years.\nFor once, paying no further heed until the last, the Roman Empire fell into much ruin and decay due to long wars and great division among princes. This provided the first occasion for the great heady power and authority of Rome. As the emperor decayed through pride and division, so the pope grew through simple superstition. To the authority he first had from Constantine, his successors added much more, granting them privilege and possession, as well as great worldly authority and jurisdiction, thinking it an honor to God, whose vicar on earth he soon began to call himself. Once this authority was firmly established by emperors, he began to call general council and decree many other things besides scripture, some of which were judged to be good for the conservation of Christ's doctrine, such as various decrees and ecclesiastical laws, and some for the maintenance of others.\nthis unity of heed, which then appeared necessary to the world almost entirely for the avoiding of schism and division, and especially after the new fashion of purgatory was invented, began his reign. Then came pardons and reservations to his own see, and the definiton of things by his high authority, and entered excommunication and interdicts upon all princes and Christian nations. For after the emperors reached the point, through simple superstition, that they judged themselves to be subjects, and not in full authority until before his presence they were intronized and crowned, what other prince could there be who would not judge himself inferior to the power of him who by himself was almost able to make an emperor? Briefly to say, and not overlooking, there is one unity spiritual and another political, built upon which, as upon the chief grounds, is established all policy, both spiritually.\nAnd worldly, whereof you should not marvel at all, if you could conceive the wonderful nature of this unity, wherein is found the whole ingenuity of this sensible world, as in which all the parts thereof, both in the heavenly bodies and in earthly creatures, are as in a chain coupled and knitted. And yet further, the very nature of God's divinity, as far as man may affirm of it, is grounded in the same. For God is nothing but unity, and unity is God, and this incomprehensible nature of the most marvelous Trinity is founded in unity. But this, as a thing passing our capacity, we will set aside, and marvel at nothing at all, that in this unity, of which we make so much mention without cause, rests as in the ground all good and virtuous policy, and is the end to which all good laws and ordinances look. And as in the spiritual life, we must evermost regard this unity spiritual, so in the worldly life must respect be had for the political, which\nBriefly, this is nothing but a concord, agreement, and consent of all those within one polity, to receive and put into use such laws, constitutions, and ordinances as are devised for the conservation of worldly quietness and tranquility. To this end, they looked primarily, only those who, without the light of Christ, have established any polity in any countries. For instance, Plato looked to this end in his devoted commonwealth, proposing unity above all things in it. The ancient Greeks and the wise Romans, with all their civil constitutions, stabilized good order in their cities and towns. The other unity, spiritual, is of another sort, spiritual unity. It brings man to a higher consideration, which is this: all obedience presupposed and taken to all civil and political rule, a certain consent of spirit and soul.\nmy mind, Ephesians 4. With one heart in a heavenly conspiracy, we attend to heavenly things, which God promises and appoints for man, trusting solely in Him. By this hope, we tread underfoot all worldly vanities, for we ever live in desire of heavenly and celestial things. The certain trust gives inestimable quietness to the human heart, making us obedient to all worldly politics, and though it may not be good, we bear it patiently. This spiritual unity was established in Christ's flock, 2 Corinthians 4. and 5. Good polity. Although this mind, with such power that has long been attributed to it, is in no way suitable for the conservation of this unity,\nWhoever considers with himself the usurped authority, in dispensing with good and Catholic grounds and canonical property, established by general councils, and the selling of the same, interdictions and excommunications issued for the same against the good Christian flock, I think he will soon find and see that this superiority, as it has been used, is little convenient for Christian civilization: especially if he joins to this the authority by perdonis abused, and the plucking of souls out of purgatory, with the reserving of causes to his own power, and the definition of causes by appeal referred to his papal authority. Those who consider this will soon perceive what inconveniences among all Christian nations arise from this hasty authority.\nWhat blind superstition is rooted in all Christ's religion: For though in every particular church and province it is convenient to have one head to govern, therefore bishops were instituted above all priests in every church and cathedral, as testifies all antiquity. Yet, by the same example, it is plain folly to suggest that the same should be so convenient in the whole body, as it is in every part. For where, in the whole body of Christ's church, are so many diverse nations, and besides the diversities of tongues and manners, so diverse policies and ordinances of laws, that one man could have knowledge and experience, which is required for right judgment of causes. How could it be thought convenient in such a body to constitute one head with such authority, to whose judgment in all causes they should defer and bring all the rest of Christian nations?\nFor a man of greatest perfection and most political wisdom, how could he give justice and equity to numerous nations, of whom he has no knowledge or experience? One man and one head, ignorant of things and having no particular instruction, shall be impotent and lack power, no matter how good he may be, to satisfy all such persons and causes referred to him from various countries and nations. Consequently, many unjust and wrong judgments would ensue, as we have faithfully trusted in him, committing our church to his governance as if to his very vicar in deed. Therefore, friends, if we love one another with a loving heart, let us hang upon him as upon the head.\nAnd only fountain of all good, and passing this life in the use of these things transitory and vain, as in a pilgrimage, ever desiring to come to our home, there to enjoy things stable and sure: doubt not but we, governed by his spirit, his only vicar on earth, though we never knew pope or cardinal, shall keep his true unity, which is conserved, as by the chief ground, by faithful love in him and loving charity one to another, every one glad to succor other, every one glad to instruct as his Christian brother. This we may do without mention of the bishopric of Rome and knowledge of that head, and so conserving the grounds of scripture and of the gospel of God, which are but few in number, easy to keep in memory, whereby living in Christian civility with obedience to our prince, and to all such things as are steadily established by common authority here in our nation, we may at last attain to our felicity, though we never hear word of this superiority,\nWhich is a thing of indifference, by reason of which it takes its power and strength, through the common consent of man and agreement. Therefore, some Christian nations may receive and maintain it, while others reject it without offense, on any grounds of Scripture necessary for man's salvation, and without any breach of Christian unity. By schism or heresy: to which eternal damnation should ensue. For heresy and schism are not justly to be ascribed to any nation, except they depart from the manifest grounds of scripture in the gospel or in general councils received by interpretation, where the words of scripture were gathered diverse sentences and variable, concerning such things as pertain to man's salvation of this sort. This superiority of the bishop of Rome, which he has long abused by the patience of Christian princes, is not one, as I think, now clear.\nTo you all. Wherefore, I doubt not now at all, Obedience, but that you, considering the nature of this thing, which is not necessary to man's salvation but a thing indifferent, which may be received and may be rejected by common consent, I doubt not I say, but that you, without scruple of conscience, from the heart, will be obedient to it, as well as to all other things which shall be decreed hereafter in our country concerning the matter of all such things as pertain to religion, and to the purging of vain superstition. I doubt not but that the redress of all ceremonies in the church, customs and rites ecclesiastical, you will gladly give obedience to princely authority here in our nation, rather than to such things as are proposed by general assembly and congregation, where there is no power of commandment in indifferent things, but only instruction and brotherly exhortation.\nChrist's doctrine takes all its ground and foundation, without any civil punishment or compulsion. For Christ requires the heart, to his word freely and honestly giving obedience. The end and perfection of his doctrine and commandment is to induce man by love to virtue, causing always his disciples to do what they will out of love alone, whereas others observe for fear of punishment. For this reason, I believe, such things that were proposed in the first councils long and many a day ago, were not called laws, binding us with authority, but only canons and certain rules, with which man, freely customizing himself, might be gently induced to follow the trade of virtue and honesty. And this is declared by a law made by Emperor Justinian, whereby to such ecclesiastical rites and customs, derived from the see of Rome and general assemblies, he gives the power and strength of laws, setting them in full authority, which before bound only by custom.\nNo man, but those received at liberty. Therefore, it appears that things, which are proposed by general counsel and thought convenient for Christendom, have no strength, power, nor binding authority until they are received by common assent. And thus I trust most Christendom people, that you now, after this consideration with yourselves, as concerning the spiritual life, with the power therein given to all those who by perfect faith trust in Him alone, as well as concerning the worldly and civil, with man's constitutions devised by policy: and also that you now, after you have heard somewhat of the difference between things necessary for man's salvation and things which are only devised for their conservation, I trust I say, now this consideration has shown you some meaning. How you shall instruct your worldly punishment, to none you would then be obedient, but all which is contrary to your.\nIf you desire the original text devoid of superfluous elements and in modern English, I shall present it as follows:\n\n\"You would despise appetites in your hearts, and thus the very laws of Christ, Himself, and Christ Himself, would be of little esteem to you. For this contempt of all tradition will induce in many such arrogance that they will judge all to stand in human opinion, neither esteeming Christ nor His gospel willingly, but rather fleeing from the confession of His name than suffering death and worldly shame. For such is the nature and malice of the human heart that if you take one thing from him, religious obedience and fear of religion instilled by long custom and the passage of time, he will by little and little, through arrogant opinion, fall into the utter contempt and inward despising of all true religion, and so live without any inward fear in heart toward God or hereafter of any punishment. To which what will follow, the whole world sees, for then the ruin of all civil order and of all good worldly policy, of which true religion is the most important, must ensue.\"\nAnd so, friends, for the guidance of your judgments on this matter, and for the alleviation of the evil, which is worse than the former, I will say something here. Firstly, understand that friends, as a common ground, all rites, customs of the church, traditions, ecclesiastical laws and decrees, and briefly all things besides the gospel and doctrine of God received among Christian nations, are of this sort and nature that they are not necessary to be received, and as the gospel is necessary for our salvation, nor are we ever bound to them under pain of damnation, but as time and place require, by common authority, in every country and diverse policies, they may suffer abrogation, and may be altered and moved by the pleasure and authority of the realms.\nCommon consent of the whole, in every church and nation, where received: yet you may not, with the contempt of this pope's authority, and under the pretense of the same, condemn all of them without exception, as things detrimental to Christ's religion. But tarry you must a while, tempering your tongues, and be not hasty in your judgments until the time they are abrogated by common authority, and others in their place are substituted by common assent. For this is a certain and sure truth, that ceremonies we must have, rites and ecclesiastical customs. Rites and customs, all may not be left, which are so convenient for inducing rude and simple minds to memory, and to the conceiving of the mysteries of our religion. If they were utterly wiped out, we would call such people unreasonable, and this argues and declares manifestly that those who so do, or little regard Christ's religion, of which whoever with right judgment considers.\nThe beginning clearly shows that Christ's religion was similar to this monastic profession, and under princes and rulers of the world, took the first ground, and first beginning. After the manner of this solitary life, those who were the first preparer and messenger of this heavenly life lived: and how our master Christ with his apostles lived much after the same rate, and ever taught the same, I do not say as our fat monks do now, but as in a monastic life with the dispising of all worldly things and transitory, all who read the gospels likewise see: And of the acts of the apostles it is most manifest, how all that professed Christ's name lived, having all things in common, as many do yet in these monasteries, and long after in Egypt and in Arabia, in Syria, and in Greece, all those who were most notable masters of Christ's doctrine, and in life professed the same, lived in wildernes & solitary.\nDispising of the world, all vain pleasures & transitory things, not only in words, but in life and deeds, was given more credit to those who practiced such things. In Rome, this grew in by such a manner of secret profession. For a long time, it was used among them there that all those who wished to follow Christ's doctrine left all worldly comfort and fled to this solitary life, there learning in prayer and poverty this, as the chief ground of our religion, with the hope and comfort of spiritual reception from our master and his doctrine, to despise this life and things transitory, ever looking to another, and there to enjoy things stable and sure. And this, little by little, under great princes and rulers of the world, our religion grew in, by the providence of God, until at last it was spread over all, and occupied a great part of the world, as it is open and plain to all men. But yet this is also sure, and certain things which cannot be found in scripture.\nmentioned, you think of Christ's mind it should not be affirmed, and that it is but a popish invention. Wherein friends undoubtedly much err, and over boldly judge, for though the pope therein has misused his power to the maintenance of his own glory, as he has done in many other things besides, whereby he has long deceived simple minds, yet the thing in itself was not invented by the pope. Of this is mention with the famous and notable doctors of our religion, both Latins and Greeks, before such time as the pope had among bishops any superiority, and much before it grew to this intolerable tyranny: these ancient masters of Christ's doctrine, as much as they may of a tradition, say and affirm such a place to be, where a soul shall be purged from all spots of worldly affection, printed therein by the immoderate love and pleasure had in worldly conversation, before the time it may attain the eternal fruition of everlasting things, and with angels.\nTo initiate heavenly meditation, but this is not meant to be as it is commonly assumed among the old authors. There is no mention of such a place among them, where a pope's power may deliver a soul at will. This seems to be a recent invention, and there is no tradition of the old fathers to support it. Therefore, to deny its existence seems to me to be no error at all, but rather an arrogant and reckless lack of judgment and reason. For to deny constantly something of which there is no certain ground or proof is plain folly and a lack of discretion.\n\nAs for affirming purgatory to be, there is no certain ground or proof for it, and denying it has even less. Scripture provides arguments for neither. Therefore, to affirm it as an article of faith and necessary for salvation I think is:\n\n(Note: The text appears to be cut off at the end.)\nIt is great folly: so to deny it is a wholesome tradition, more convenient, I judge it to be plain arrogancy, especially considering that to the assertion thereof we have the consent of many ancient, great, learned, holy, and virtuous men. Their example and judgment I would rather move you to lean towards most Christian people, and to their sentence rather than to certain light wits, neither formed with learning nor judgment, and who is chief of all, void of virtue, to assent, and to them to be pliable. Their lightness both in this and many other things has been a great occasion to the corruption of some of your judgments. For under the color of bringing in liberty from the bondage of tradition, they would induce you to admit only what Feast, whose disciples some of his teachings were not approved, taught us a great ground for the admission of all such inward.\nAnd abundant devotion, though the outward deed appears to the world a superfluous operation. And as for praying to saints is a thing, which has been long and many years received both of the Greek church and Latin, not as a thing to which we are bounden by the express commandment of God, but as a thing consequent thereto. For in scripture example we have one, to desire one another to pray for him, whom Saint Paul did oft and many times, whose virtues are of Christ approved, to pray for us, that we all together as members of one body may receive grace of our heavenly head. And thus to pray to saints in no part detracts from the honor of God. For the praying thus to them is to pray to God, and is nothing different in effect, but to pray to them as to whom we should trust as authors and givers of that thing, which we by prayer demand and desire to get.\nTo obtain [something]. This was by the honor of them, to pull down the honor of God, and play open idolatry, and this is forbidden in holy scripture, as the other manner is, as a thing agreeable thereto, conveniently received, though it be not of high necessity. And so briefly to conclude in this matter, to have in honor images of saints, as things, whereby you may be put in mind and stirred to the following of their virtues, both in life and manners to express the same, is no point of idolatry, but among Christian men a thing of great convenience to be received, like as pilgrimage and praying to them also is not to be condemned, but as a thing whereby we highly honor God, to be admitted: thereby declaring to him our humble and meek hearts full of charity, where every member requiring the help of each other, hangs upon that common head and foundation of all goodness. After this manner praying to saints has ever been received of all antiquity, from whose steps Christian people, let us.\nnot in every thing, but rather follow them in such things as are good and convenient, than without judgment to reject all things which are of nature indifferent, approving only those which are of high necessity: and by the express word of God to us in His doctrine taught, as many of us do, which is as I have often said, is a common source of the corruption of our judgments, leading many to take away many such things which have been established by many good men and wise, for setting forth Christ's doctrine with charitable unity. For from this ground it springs also that some men absolutely forbid prayer for the dead. Prayer for the dead. The which are dead, because it is not contained in scripture expressly, and because when they depart they go incontinently either to heaven or to hell, how it is of that they are not sure, nor to the denial of purgatory, as I said before of scripture, there is no certain ground: but to scripture after.\nThe sentence of the holy fathers are contrary. But let it be, if there were no purgatory at all: Think not, dear friends, that it is a convenient thing, and to charity conformable, that every man should desire after death good for his friend, and by prayer to God, open his loving mind, so that he both in life and after death constantly bears toward his brother? There was never nation so rude and barbarous that would forbid one to wish good to another both in life and death. Among us, Christian men, who are sure that our friends after death will remain to suffer or enjoy, among us I say, to reign any such oppression, that we should not pray for them and wish them to be partakers of the good and not of the evil, appears extreme madness and most rude unkindness: especially seeing that we have no certainty whether it pleases God to take them other to suffering,\nAnd though that this be true, that to one certainly they are by the providence of God determined and appointed, yet we, being uncertain, in desiring and wishing for them the best, can only do so, as much as we declare it to God the charity of our hearts: furthermore, I shall say to you, though the prayer that we make for them that are dead should not be profitable to them at all, for as much as they are in a state of grace or damnation, yet in our prayer I think our master takes delight, and takes to his honor our abundant devotion and fervent charity, as he did the ointment of Mary, which was to no man profitable. Therefore, seeing that besides the consent of many ancient doctors, our masters of our religion, the thing in itself appears so convenient to reason, humanity, and above all to Christian charity, I see no cause why we should reject it as a thing to the doctrine of Christ nothing.\nconformable, to the whiche vndoubtedly, and to\nvery christian charytie, it is moche agreeable, the\nwhich frendes if you also iudge & in harte think,\nyou shall increase amonge your selfes brotherlye\nloue and vnitie, and moche more if some of you\nwold after the same maner tempre your iudge\u2223mentes\nin many other thynges of the same sorte,\nwhich ouer lyghtly ye conde\u0304ne, bicause they ap\u2223pere\nto take their groundes of this popyshe au\u2223thorite,\nof the which though many thynges euyl\nhaue issued & spro\u0304g, yet this ca\u0304 not be denied, but\nmoch good was also to vs deriued fro the same,\nthem as in goddis commandment. For if a man\nhad dere frendes, al the faith which is in al men,\nand as saynt Poule sheweth most manyfestly, of\nthat sorte that he myghte therby remoue moun\u2223taynes\nout of their places, yet if he had not ioy\u2223ned\ntherto a charytable harte and mynde, euer\nprompte and redy to shewe the same in effect and\noutward dede, as occasio\u0304 is ministred, that faith\nnothyng shuld to him auayle at all: lyke as con\u2223trary,\nIf one man performed all outward works in the world, if they were not rooted and grounded in faith, they would profit or help him nothing. Neither deeds alone, nor naked faith without charity, are sufficient means to bring man to his salvation. Rather, charitable faith and faithful charity are required of high necessity: this is the ground, this is the end, and in this stands the whole perfection of all Christian religion. Therefore, avoiding friends the great blinding now but in deed the same also to the face of the world, declare to his honor and glory, not judging your own deeds to deserve your salvation, but always referring to his only goodness and mercy. This Christ teaches us through his own mouth, where he says in his gospel that those who call upon him only with their mouths, confessing his name, shall not enter the kingdom of heaven by and by, but all those who in effect and in deed fulfill the will of his father shall have a place.\nSo that friends of this may be assured, it is not enough for us to say, I believe well, and we care not what you do. A more pestilent opinion, and more pernicious to Christian doctrine, I believe was never among men than this, to say that faith alone, without charitable works, is sufficient for man's salvation. For this I will say to you concerning the doctrine of St. Paul, that it is neither our faith, however great, nor yet our works, however many, that can deserve our salvation. It is the mere goodness and mercy of God which shall be our salvation. The which he, of his only goodness, has promised to give us, if we believe faithfully in Him and trust in His promise with a faithful heart, and in outward deed obey His commandment, and walk in the same: so much are we bound to work as to believe, and yet neither of them both, nor yet both of them together, is able to deserve our salvation, but this only lies in the goodness of God, to whom it has pleased to make salvation.\nvs this promise, that if we trust in him with faithful hearts unwillingly, and in outward deed follow his commandments without hypocrisy, we shall have everlasting life: unto our heavenly doctrine, but in all things indifferent and not of the express commandment of God, we must conceive this judgment, that whenever it shall appear to those in authority, prudent and politic, to alter and change such things as time and place require for good policy, they should be obedient with meekness and humility. In such things also we must use in our judgments this temperance, never to condemn lightly, and with arrogant opinion to judge utterly to be cast away, though they have been in use never so long, until the time that by common counsel they are abrogated and judged to Christian policy to be nothing expedient, by them.\nWhoever has such perfect judgment:\nThese things, if we most Christian people observe with prudence, we shall shape our affections, and in some parts correct our judgments, so that on one side we shall avoid blind superstition, and on the other side eschew arrogant opinion. In this way, we will consequently remedy this common blindness, which has grown among us to the great ruin of Christ's heavenly doctrine and spiritual unity. We must follow and practice this means if we wish to attain our felicity, of which dear friends marshal you nothing at all. For by a certain means, the harmony of this whole world is contained in this natural order and beauty: by a means, all civil order and policy is maintained in cities and towns with good civility: by a means, man's mind with all kinds of virtue adorned, is brought to his natural perfection and light: And by a means, all true religion without impiety.\nThe superstition, established and settled for the honor and glory of God in all Christian nations and countries, is steadfastly held by most Christian people. By this means, we shall primarily avoid this dangerous division that has arisen among us. For when the supreme head of our church, who appears strange and new to many of you, is considered in and of himself, there is nothing strange or new about it. What strangeness is there in a whole congregation and perfect one, such as this of our nation, electing and choosing a political head with free liberty, who may with his wise judgment direct and rectify all things pertaining to Christian policy? This has been common practice since the first institution of Christ's church. Although Christian princes and nations have long held this custom, it is not strange or new that we do so now.\nIn this policy and obedience to Rome, yet not bound to it in such a way that the departure from it and disobedience would induce suspicion of heresy or schism, which are only to be imputed when a private man or holy nation slips from such grounds of scripture as required for human salvation. This defect from the papal authority is not to be judged or thought of. And this thing most clearly proves a law made by the most Christian emperor Justinian. In it, he grants privilege to Constantinople, openly decrees that the archbishopric there should no longer be subject to the see of Rome, as it seemed to be from the time of Constantine. Instead, the archbishop there should be chosen from its own church, having authority also to create and institute other bishops under the same see, without running to Rome for authorization. Therefore, you may clearly see that this superiority of Rome was not at that time.\n\"it was deemed necessary and in accordance with God's law, as many believe; and the emperor also headed that church, having full authority to order all things pertaining to Christian policy, as evidenced by many other laws he made. Therefore, friends of our prince, who holds equal authority in the Church of England as the Emperor Justinian at Constantinople, this authority of Rome need not appear strange or new to you, since the like has been done by Christian emperors before for a long time. Fear not, most Christian people, to give obedience to this act for our nation, which you do not doubt, but God will so govern it with his providence that it will go forth to his glory, comfort, and profit for both the present age and all posterity. And remember this always.\"\nThat to all such things decreed by common council and authority in our nation, you who are unlearned and ignorant, having not formed your conscience with light and knowledge, for charity and to be avoided none other than heresy. And yet further, if you perceive him maintaining the ceremonies, traditions, and rites of the church as things necessary to the salvation of me, you or contrary them utterly to damne, as things pernicious and contrary to Christ's religion: then make a sure conclusion, that he lacks much discretion and is otherwise foolishly superstitious or arrogantly sedicious, and no meet preacher of Christ's doctrine. Whoever with charity preaches such things as pertain to God's glory, ever most studiously setting forth the same, and in the works of nature, where God's goodness spreads herself, the true preacher ever where he beholds it, picks up something, whereby he is moved, declares God's honor and glory of his name.\nLikewise, out of the ceremonies used in Christ's church, which without good teaching are but dumb signs, he ever gathers something, whereby he induces man to the remembrance of God's benefit and mercy. But above all, the true preacher readily endeavors himself about the grounds of scripture, and such as are necessary for man's salvation, and from them establishes a firm foundation. And as for all other things, which stand in man's policy: he ever induces and teaches obedience to common authority, nothing against the same superstitiously nor arrogantly defending, nor yet all things beside arrogantly condemning: but ever in all his preachings and teachings he sets before his eyes, as chief end, concord and unity, unto which he ever directs himself, and his oration with prudent simplicity, avoiding all division, which is the mother of all confusion. And so at last.\ninducing contempt for these worldly things vain and transitory, he persuades the fervent love and desire for things everlasting, which are steadfast, sure, and stable, and also promised to us, of the mere goodness of God, if we will with sure faith and trust in the obtaining thereof be ever to his commandment conformable and obedient. This he chiefly teaches, who is the true and perfect preacher of Christ's doctrine, to discern and judge whom shall be nothing hard for you, dear comfort and joy, of which this is but a shadow and an image. If most Christian people, this I dare say and boldly affirm, all be it we never hereafter know neither pope nor cardinal, nor yet any council general of all Christian nations, yet may we, living together in faithful love & charitable unity, enlightened by the spirit of God and his heavenly doctrine, hanging only upon his benefit, pass this life in most pure and perfect.\n\"Christianity is something we have expressed through the mouth of our Master Christ in his gospel. He promises this to every multitude gathered together in his name and to every faithful congregation: that whenever they assemble together for his glory with perfect faith and trust in him, with charity asking for truth to pass through this life according to his pleasure and honor, they will never lack knowledge of such things necessary for their salvation. They will never lack grace to defend them from all things leading them to everlasting damnation. Therefore, let us, Christian people, seeing that the benefit of God is so open to us and the light of his holy spirit so common, that no one is excluded from it except he who willfully: not let us be drowned in vain pleasure through our own negligence, not let us, being corrupted with worldly affection, suffer ourselves to fall from the dignity of our nature, and run to\"\nLet us not suffer ourselves, by any pestilent and diabolical division, to lose the infinite benefit of Christ's passion. But let us, with one faith in him, maintain perfect concord and unity. Let each one support and bear with the infirmity and weakness of others. Let each one be glad to admonish his Christian brother. Let us all be glad to help and succor one another with charity and a pure heart. And undoubtedly, we shall both in this life have quietness of mind and tranquility, and hereafter have the fruition of such joy and comfort as God, from whom comes all light, has ordained for the nature of man in immortality. I beseech him, from whom comes all light, to enlighten us in this life as members of one body, that we may be knitted to our heavenly head.\n\nFINIS.\n\nIn London at the houses of Thome Berthelet\nBy the King's printer\nWith the King's privilege.\nCum privilegio.\n\nEnd.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "An explanation of the five and seven chapters of Matthew. These chapters are the key and door to the scripture, and the restoration of Moses' law corrupted by the Scribes and Pharisees. The explanation is the restoration of Christ's law corrupted by the Papists.\n\nBefore the book, you have a prologue that is very necessary, containing the whole sum of the covenant made between God and us, upon which we are baptized to keep it. Afterward, you have a table that leads you to all that is treated in the book through the notes in the margins.\n\n[PRIVILEGE]\n\nHere, dear Reader, is an Exposition unto the five and seven chapters of Matthew. In which Christ our spiritual Isaac digs again the wells of Abraham. These wells, the scribes and Pharisees, those wicked and spiteful Philistines, had stopped and filled up with the earth of their false expositions. He opens the kingdom of heaven which they had shut up, that others might not enter, as they themselves had not.\nHe restores the key of knowledge which they had taken away and breaks the wardes with wresting the text contrary to his due and natural course, with their false glosses. He removes from the face of Moses, the veil which the scribes and Pharisees had spread thereon, that no man might perceive the brightness of his countenance. He weeds out the thorns and brushes of their Pharisaical glosses, wherewith they had stopped up the narrow way and strait gate, that few could find them.\n\nThe wells of Abraham are the scripture. Abraham's wells The kingdom of heaven which it is. And the scripture may well be called the kingdom of heaven, which is eternal life, and nothing saves the knowledge of God the father and of his son Jesus Christ. John. xvii. Moses' face is the law in its right understanding. And the law in its right understanding is the key or at least the first and principal key to open the door of the scripture.\n\nThe key, what it is. The law is the way.\nThe law leads us to Christ. And the law is the very way that brings us to Christ's door, as it is written in Galatians iii. The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, so that we might be justified by faith. And Romans x. The end of the law, that is, the thing or cause why the law was given, is Christ, to justify all who believe. That is, the law was given to prove us unrighteous and to drive us to Christ, to make us righteous through forgiveness of sin by him. The law was given to make sin known, as the saint Paul says in Romans iii. And that sin committed under the law might be the more sinful. Romans vii. The law makes no man love the law less or commit sin more, but increases sin. Romans vii. And it increases sin for me, as I cannot but hate the law. Romans v.\nThe law, as I find no power to enforce it, yet it condemns me for not doing so. Romans 3.\nThe law was given by Moses, but grace and mercy by Jesus Christ. John 1. Behold, though Moses gave the law, he gave no man grace to perform it or understand it rightly, nor did he write it in any man's heart to consent that it was good, or wish for the power to fulfill it. But Christ gives grace to perform it and understand it rightly, and writes it with his holy spirit in the tables of men's hearts, making it a true thing there and not hypocrisy.\nThe true understanding of the law:\nThe brass is those fiery serpents that sting the children of Israel with present death. But Christ is the brass serpent on whom whoever is stung with the consciousness of sin, looks with a sure faith, is immediately healed from the sting and saved from the pains and sorrows of hell.\nIt is one thing to condemn and pronounce the sentence\nThe law and faith are of contrary operations. And it is one thing to justify from sin, that is, to forgive and remit sin and to heal the conscience, and to certify a man not only that he is delivered from eternal death, but also that he is made the son of God and heir of everlasting life. The first is the office of the law. The second pertains to Christ only through faith.\n\nIf you give the law a false interpretation and say, \"The scripture shows that the law is a thing which a man may do of his own strength, even outside the power of his free will. And by the deeds of the law, you may deserve forgiveness of your fore sins.\" Then Christ died in vain, Galatians 2, and is made almost of no account, seeing you have become your own savior. Neither can Christ (where that interpretation is admitted) be otherwise taken or esteemed by Christian men (for all his passion and promises made to us in His).\nIf the text is referring to \"Blood\" being a sign of being of Turkish descent and the person being a holy prophet, and that he prays for us like other saints but is thought to be more favorably disposed towards Christians, and that he has a higher place in heaven as the Gray Friars and observants believe, and that this false interpretation of the law causes the loss of concern for the chief fruit of Christ's passion and makes the scripture inaccessible, leading to extreme darkness and confusion:\n\nThe person, if of Turkish descent and a holy prophet, prays for us like other saints but is thought to be more favorably disposed towards Christians. He is imagined as proud and unwilling to be approached directly, preferring intercession through his mild mother and other holy saints. The Gray Friars and observants believe he has a higher place in heaven.\n\nThrough this false interpretation of the law, Christ, who is the door, way, and foundation of all scripture, is lost in regard to the chief fruit of his passion. The scripture becomes inaccessible, and Christ is no longer seen in his own likeness. This was how the scripture was locked up by the scribes and Pharisees, preventing the Jews from seeing Christ.\nwhen he came, nor can we understand it yet, even though Christ opened it again with these three chapters. But through our unwillingness to live according to it, have we lost Christ again, and the clear understanding of the text with which Christ explains and restores the law?\n\nFor the hypocrites, whatever seems possible to their corrupt nature, they cover with the mist of their glosses so that the light of it may not be seen. As they have interpreted here the words of Christ, which he uses to restore the law, as nothing but good counsel, but not as binding precepts for the conscience.\n\nAnd furthermore, they have so intertwined and tangled together the temporal and spiritual regimes that Christ used and made such confusion that no one can tell the one from the other. They do this to seem to have both by the authority of Christ, who never assumed temporal rule for himself.\n\nDespite this, (mostly)\nIf you read this exposition with a good heart, only to know the truth for the improvement of your own living and that of others (as charity requires where an occasion is given), then you will perceive their falsehood and see their miste expelled by the brightness of the incontrovertible truth.\n\nChrist is a gift given only to those who love the law and profess it. Another conclusion is this: all the good works that are made through all the scripture for Christ's sake, for his love, his passion or suffering, his blood shedding or death, are made on this condition and covenant on our part, that we henceforth love the law of God, walk in it, and do it, and fashion our lives accordingly. In so much that he who does not have the law of God written in his heart, that he loves it, has his delight in it, and recognizes it night and day, he who professes not to understand it as God has given it, and as Christ and the apostles expounded it, has no [it].\nPart in promising, or can have any true faith in Christ's blood, because no promise is made to him, but to those who promise to keep the law. You will perhaps say to me again, if I cannot have my sins forgiven except I love the law and endeavor myself to keep it, York's keeping of the law justifies me. I answer that the argument is false and but blind sophistry, and like unto this argument, I cannot have forgiveness of sin except I have sinned, Ergo to have sinned is the forgiveness of sin. And it is like to this also, No man can be saved except he who has it, Ergo to have the pox saves the pox. And like sophistry are these arguments, if you will enter into life, keep the commandments. Matt. xix, Ergo the deeds of the law justify us. Furthermore, the heirs of the law are not righteous in God's sight, but the doers of the law shall be justified. Rom. ii. Ergo the deeds of the law justify from sin. And again we\nmust all stand before Christ's judgment seat, II Cor. 5:10, to receive every man according to the deeds which he did in the body. Therefore, the law or the deeds of the law justify. These and all such arguments are not valid, for you say that the king pardons no murderer but on a condition, that he henceforth keep the law and do no more harm, and yet you know well enough that he is saved by grace, favor, and pardon, yet the keeping of the law comes into play. However, if he breaks the law afterward, he falls again into the same danger of death.\n\nEven so, the law by keeping the law we continue in grace. None of us can be received to grace but upon a condition to keep the law, neither yet continue any longer in grace than that purpose lasts. And if we break the law, we must sue for a new pardon, and have a new fight against sin, hell, and despair, until we can come to a quiet faith again and feel that the sin is forgiven. Neither can there be in thee a stable and undoubted faith that thy sin is forgiven.\nForgive me, except there be also a lusty courage in your heart and a trust that you will sin no more on the condition that you endeavor to sin no more, is the promise of mercy and forgiveness made to you.\nAnd as your love for the law increases, so does your faith in Christ. Faith, love, and hope are inseparable in this life. And so does your hope and longing for the life to come. And as your love is cold, so is your faith weak, and your hope and longing for the life to come little. And where there is no love for the law, there is neither faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, nor longing for the life to come, but in its place, wicked imagination that God is so unrighteous that he is not offended by sin. And in place of hope, a desire to live forever here, and agreements of worldly voluptuousness.\nThose who love not the law cannot understand the scripture for salvation. And to all such is the scripture locked up and made impossible to understand. They\nMay read and rehearse its stories, and dispute over it, as the Turks may, and as we may of the Turks' law. And they may suck pride, hypocrisy, and all manner of poison therefrom to slay their own souls, and place stumbling blocks in others' ways, to thrust them from the truth, and gain such learning as in Aristotle's Ethics and moral philosophy, and in the precepts of old philosophers. But it is impossible for them to apply one sentence thereof to their souls' health or to fashion their lives thereby to please God, or to make them feel the power of Christ's death and the might of his resurrection, or the sweetness of the life to come. Therefore, they remain carnal and fleshly, as you have an example of the Scribes, Pharisees, and Jews in the New Testament.\n\nCare how God cares for the weak. Another conclusion is this, of those who believe in Christ for the remission of sin and love the law, are not a thousand degrees and not so.\nSome weaker ones among them, who are of such a great sort that they cannot advance in their profession and purpose without being helped and carried by their stronger brothers, and who are tended like young children by the care of their fathers and mothers. And therefore God commands the elder to care for the younger. As Paul teaches in Romans 15: \"We who are stronger ought to bear the weaknesses of those who cannot carry their load.\" And Calais VI says, \"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any fault, you who are spiritual and have obtained the victory over your flesh should teach such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Do not call him a heretic at the first opportunity and threaten him with fire and faggots. But rather rebuke him between yourselves, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.\" That is, bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. Even so, you will truly fulfill the law of Christ, and not by smiting your brothers and sisters.\nputtying stubborn blocks before their weak feet, and chilling their conscience, and making them more afraid of shadows and bugs than to break their father's commandments, and to trust in empty words and vanity more than in their father's promise.\nAnd for their sakes also, rulers, why they were ordained, he has ordained rulers both spiritual and temporal to teach them and exhort them, to warn and keep occasions from them, that with the custom of sin.\nNow when those who take upon them to be the elder brethren become hypocrites, and turned to wily foxes and cruel wolves and ferocious God scourges His, and the officers have become evil and ser.\nAnother conclusion is this, God receives both perfect and weak in like grace for Christ's codicils of the covenant. He receives them to be His sons and makes a covenant\nHis own profession to destroy it, And he corrects and chastises His children ever at home with the rod of mercy and love, to make them better, but he brings them\nnot for the to be judged after the condemnation of the law. Another conclusion is this. Every man is flesh and spirit. and cannot stand therefore every man must have his cross to bear. Now if thou be not strong enough and discreet To sin under grace and to sin under the law. Of this you see the difference between the sin of those who believe in the blood of Christ for the remission of sin, and consent and submit themselves unto the law. and the sin of those who yield themselves unto sin to serve it. &c. The first sin under grace Of this also you see the difference between the lambs of true believers, Lambs. Swine. Dogs. and between the unclean swine that follow carnal lusts and fleshly liberty, and the curly and hypocritical dogs, which for the blind zeal of their own righteousness, persecute the righteousness of the faith in Christ's blood. Swine have no faith. The effeminate and careless swine which continue in their fleshly desires and cease not to wallow themselves in their old.\nPodell, they believe in Christ's blood, but they are deceived, as you can clearly perceive, because they do not fear the danger of evil works, nor love the law of good works, and therefore have no part in the promise. Dogs do not love the law. They think they love the law, which they have never seen except under compulsion. But they are deceived (as you may perceive), not believing in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and therefore, you may perceive that they do not understand the law. For if they understood the law, it would either drive them to Christ or make them miserable immediately.\n\nBut the true believers behold the law in its own likeness and see the impossibility of it being fulfilled with natural power. True faith is coupled with love for the law and therefore they flee to Christ for mercy, grace, and power, and then, out of thankfulness for the mercy received, love the law in its own likeness, and submit themselves to learn it and to obey it.\nThe difference between faiths and how faith justifies: The faith of the true believer is that God justifies or forgives, and Christ deserves it. The difference between faiths and how faith is to be understood is that faith justifies and the faith or trust in Christ's blood receives and certifies the conscience, saving and delivering it from fear of death and damnation. This is what we mean when we say, \"faith justifies,\" that faith (I mean in Christ and not in our own works) certifies the conscience that our sins are forgiven for Christ's blood's sake.\n\nFalse faith of hypocrites: But the faith of hypocrites is that God forgives and that works deserve it. And that same false faith in their own works receives the mercy promised for the merits of their own works. And so Christ is utterly excluded. Thus you see that faith is the thing that is affirmed to justify, by all parties. Faith in Christ's blood (which is)\nGoddes promise quiets the conscience of true believers, and a false faith or trust in works (which is their own feigning) deceives the blind hypocrites for a time, until God, for the greatness of their sin, fully opens their eyes, and then they repent. Another conclusion is to believe in Christ for the remission of sins, and out of thankfulness for that mercy, to love the law truly, that is, to love God, who is the father of all and gives all, and Jesus Christ, who is lord of us all and bought us all, with all our hearts, souls, power, and might, and our brethren for our father's sake (because they are created in his image), and for our lord and master Christ's sake because they are the price of his blood, and to long for the life to come, because this life cannot be lived without sin. These three points, I say, are the profession and foundation of our faith.\nThe religion of a Christian man, and the inward baptism of the heart signified by the outward washing of the body. The true baptism. And they who possess spiritual character, badge or sign, with which God marks His immediate and simultaneous followers, joining them to Christ and making them members of His church through true faith.\n\nThe church of Christ, The church of Christ is the multitude of all those who believe in Christ for the remission of sin and out of thankfulness for that mercy, love the law of God purely and without interpretations, and hate the sin of this world, longing for the life to come.\n\nThis is the church that cannot err damagingly nor for long, or all of them, but as soon as any question arises, the truth of God's promise stands up to teach them the truth of every necessary thing for salvation from God's word, and enlightens the hearts of other true members to see the same and consent to it.\n\nAnd as all those who have their hearts washed with\nThis inward baptism of the spirit are of the church and have the keys of the scripture, you and they who do not err. Even so, those who sin purposefully and will not hear when their faults are told them, but seek liberties and privileges to sin unpunished, and close out the law of God, and maintain ceremonies, traditions, and customs, to destroy the faith of Christ, are members of Satan. Their doctrine is poison, error, and darkness. You, though they may be Popes, bishops, abbots, curates, and doctors of divinity, and though they can recite all the scripture without a book, and though they are seen in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, you and though they so preach Christ and the passion of Christ that they make the poor women weep and howl again. For when they come to the point that they should minister Christ's passion to the salvation of our souls, there they poison it all together and close out the law that should make us feel our salvation in Christ.\n\"Dryue yourself from that point against Christ, and teach yourselves to put trust in your own works for the remission and satisfaction of sins, and in the apologies of hypocrites who sell their merits in place of Christ's blood and passion.\n\nA brief reminder. O dear reader, believe in Christ's blood for the remission of sin and purchase all the good promises that help to the life to come, and love the law, and long for the life to come, is the inward baptism of the soul, the baptism that only affects sight in the eyes of God, the new generation and image of Christ, the only key also to bind and loose sinners. The touchstone to try all doctrines. The lantern and light that scatters and expels the mist and darkness of all hypocrisy. And preserves against all error and heresy, The mother of all good works. The earnest of everlasting life and title whereby we challenge our inheritance.\n\nAnd though faith in Christ's blood makes the marriage between our soul and Christ, and in\"\nTo properly understand the marriage covenant, you and the sign of the cross, which defends us from the striking and power of the evil angels, are also the rock upon which Christ's church is built, and upon which all that is built stands firm against all weather, wind, and tempests. The profession of faith in Christ, faith, hope, and love for the law and longing for the life to come, can be called these things, but they are mysterious and difficult to understand because where one is, all three are present, and where all are not, none of them exist. They are known by each other and can only be truly known in relation to each other.\n\nIf you want to be sure that your faith is perfect, examine yourself to see if you love the law. And in the same way, if you want to know if you love the law rightly, examine yourself to see if you believe in Christ alone, for the remission of sins.\nIf you say, faith and love, and hope are three inseparable virtues. Therefore, faith alone does not justify. I answer, though they are inseparable, the office of faith is distinct. Yet they have separate and sundry offices, as above said of law and faith. Faith alone, which is a sure and undoubted trust in Christ and in the Father through Him, certifies the conscience that sin is forgiven and the damning and impotency of the law taken away (as it is above rehearsed in the conditions of the covenant) and with such persuasions softens the heart and makes her love God again and His law,\nAnd as often as we sin, faith alone keeps us from forsaking our profession, and that.\nA true believer quenches not love, hopes not in vain, and only makes peace again. For a true believer trusts in Christ alone, and not in his own works or anything else, for the remission of sin.\n\nThe office of love. And the office of love is to pour out the same goodness that she has received from God, upon her neighbor, and to be to him as she feels Christ to herself. The office of love only is to have compassion and to bear with her neighbor the burden of his infirmities. And as it is written, 1 Peter 4: \"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.\" That is to say, consider infirmities and interpret them all to the best, and take none of them at all, a thousand things of which the least would be enough (if a man loved not) to send to law for and to trouble and unsettle a whole town, and sometimes a whole realm or two.\n\nThe office of hope. And the office of hope is to comfort in adversity and make patient. That we faint not and fall down under the Cross, or cast it away.\nFor our backs. And thus you see that these three inseparable things in this life have yet separable and diverse offices and effects, as heat and dryness being inseparable in the fire, have yet their separate operation. For heat dries only by expelling the moisture of that which is consumed by fire, and dryness only destroys coldness.\n\nHeat and cold may stand together, and so may moisture and heat. It is not all one to say \"dryness only,\" and \"dryness that is alone,\" nor is it all one to say \"faith only,\" and \"faith that is alone.\"\n\nGo to it and desire God to print this profession in your heart, and to increase it daily more and more, that you may be fully shaped like the image of Christ in knowledge and love. Make yourself meek and creep low by the ground, and cleave fast to the rock of this profession, and tie to your ship this anchor of faith in Christ's blood, with the sail of love, to ease it out against all tempests; and set up your sail and get to the main sea of God's word. Read here the:\n\"When he saw the people, he went up into a mountain and sat down, and his disciples came to him, and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: \"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.\n\nChrist begins in his first sermon to restore the law of the ten commandments to its right understanding, against the scribes and Pharisees who were hypocrites, false prophets, and false teachers, and had corrupted the scripture with the leaven of their glosses.\n\nPoverty in spirit\nAnd it is not without great mystery that Christ begins his preaching with poverty in spirit, which is neither beggary nor against the possession of riches, but a virtue contrary to the vice of covetousness, the inordinate desire and love.\"\nOf riches and trusting in riches. Riches are the gift of God given to maintain the degrees of this world. Therefore, some must be poor and some rich, if we are to have order in this world. And God our Father distributes riches and poverty among His children according to His godly pleasure and wisdom. Riches do not exclude one from blessings, nor does poverty guarantee them. But to trust in the living God makes one the heir. For if you trust in the living God, if you are poor, you do not covet to be rich, for you are assured that your Father will provide food and clothing, and be your defender. If you have riches, you know that they are vanity, and that as you did not bring them into the world, so you will not carry them out, and that as they are yours today, so they may be another man's tomorrow, and that the favor of God alone gives and keeps both you and them, and not your own.\nWise and powerful, and neither ought they other help at need, save the good will of thy heavenly father only. Blessed and happy are the poor in spirit, that is, the rich in spirit, and the poor who do not inordinately desire to be rich, but have their trust in the living God for food and clothing and for all that pertains to the body or soul. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Contrarywise, unhappy and accursed are the rich in spirit, that is, the proud who, being rich and trusting in their riches, or being poor and longing for the consolation of riches, do not comfort their souls with the promises of their heavenly Father, confirmed with the blood of their Lord Christ. For to them it is harder to enter into the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle. Mark 10. They have no.\nPart of the kingdom of Christ and God. Ephesians 5. Therefore it is evident why Christ cautiously warns all His to beware of covetousness and why He admitted none to be His disciples except the first, who forsake all. For there has never been a covetous person true to God or man.\n\nIf a covetous man is chosen to preach God's word, covetousness is a thing contrary to God's word and to the ministers of the same. He is an false prophet immediately. If he is of the lay sort, he joins himself to the false prophets to persecute the truth. Covetousness is not only above all other lusts those thorns that choke the word of God in those who possess it. But it is also a deadly enemy to all who interpret God's word truly. All other vices, though they scorn those who speak godly, yet they can tolerate them to live and to dwell in the congregation. But covetousness cannot rest as long as there is one who clings to God's word in all the land.\n\nTake heed to thy\nBlessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. This mourning is also in the spirit, and not akin to the hypocritical sorrow or the impetuous waywardness of those carnal individuals who constantly complain that the world is nothing because they cannot obtain and enjoy their lusts within it. Nor should one be perpetually sad and sorrowful, for the wise man says that sorrow has cost many their lives. Proverbs 17 and a heavy spirit revives the bones. And Paul commands in Philippians 4 to rejoice always. Romans 12 says to rejoice with those who rejoice, and sorrow with those who sorrow, and weep with those who weep. These seem like contradictions.\n\nGodly mourning is this cross.\nWithout this, no disciple of Christ or future disciple, for whatever state or degree you may be in this world, if you profess the Gospel, there follows the cross (as warmth accompanies the sun shining) under which your cross (spirit) shall groan and mourn secretly, not only because the world and your own flesh resist that all do not follow your will of the wicked, what was David compelled to suffer all the days of his life from his own servants, the sons of Seruya? And how was our king John forsaken by his own lords, King John, when he wished to put a good and godly reform in his own land? How was Henry the Second compelled in a similar manner by his own prelates whom he had promoted from nothing, Henry the Second? With the secret conspiracy of some of his own temporal lords with them? I spare to speak of the mourning of the true preachers and the poor common people who have no other help but the cross.\nThe secret hand of God, and the word of His promise. But they shall be comforted for all their tribulation, and their sorrow shall be turned into joy, and it shall be infinite and everlasting in the life to come. They are not without comfort in this world, for Christ has promised to send them a comforter to be with them forever - the spirit of truth, which the world does not know. John xiv, And they rejoice in hope (of the comfort to come) Romans xii.\n\nAnd they overcome through faith, as it is written, Hebrews xi. The saints through faith overcame kingdoms and obtained promises. Faith is our victory, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. But the blind world neither sees our comfort nor our trust in God, nor how God through faith in His word helps us and makes us overcome.\n\nHow do they overcome, I would say, those who are persecuted and ever slain? In every battle, some who win the field are slain, yet they leave.\nVictories to their dear friends for whom they fought, and therefore are conquerors, seeing they obtained their purpose and maintained that for which they fought. The accursed riches of this world, which have their joy and comfort in their riches, have fought against them from the beginning. But in vain. For though they have killed some, yet those who were killed desired the victory for their brethren with their death and increased their number. And though they seemed to die in the sight of the foolish, yet they are in peace and have obtained that everlasting kingdom for which they fought. And besides all this, where God plagues the world for their sin, the mourners for righteousness are saved with the sign of the Tau in their foreheads and saved from the plague, that they may not mourn with the wicked, as you see Ezechiel. 9: and as lot was delivered from among them.\nBlessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. The meek possess the earth. By \"earth\" understand all that we possess in this world, which God will keep for us if we are soft and meek. And whatever trouble arises, yet if we will be patient and endure, the end will go on our side, as it is written in Psalm 36: the wicked will be uprooted, but those who endure the Lord's chastisement shall inherit the earth. Again, within a short time the wicked will be gone, and you shall behold the place where he was, and he will be away; but the meek or the soft shall inherit the earth. Even as we say, \"be still and have your will.\"\nAnd little meditation brings much rest for a patient man shall overcome all his enemies. It is impossible to dwell in any place where no delight should be done. If it is done unwillingingly, as when neighbors forcefully enter your corn by some chance against your will, then it is reasonable that you be soft and forgive. If it is done maliciously and of their own will, then with revenge you do but fan the flame greater and give occasion for more evil to be done. If any man rail on you and rebuke you, answer not again, and the heat of his malice shall die in itself and go out immediately, as fire does when no more wood is laid on it. If the wrong that is done is greater than you are able to bear, trust in God and complain with meekness to the officer set by God to forbid such violence. And if the gentlemen who dwell about it are tyrants, be ready to help bring them home, to plow their land.\nBring in your finest offerings and likewise let your wife serve my lady now and then with a couple of hens or a fat capon and suchlike. Then you shall possess the remainder in peace.\n\nChoose whether you will, with softness and compassion, have God on your side, ever to save you and give you enough, and have a good conscience and peace on earth, or with furiousness and impetuosity, have God against you and be greatly diminished, have an evil conscience, and never find peace on earth, and have your days shortened, God has promised if you make amends and soften a little, and not only grant you the life to come, but also this life, that is, to give yourself and be your protector and minister to you, which may rightly be called a hundredfold, and that is a treasure surpassing the treasure of all princes.\n\nFinally, Christ teaches here how every man should behave.\nmuste lyue for hym selfe amonge them to whom he is a neyghboure / The pryuat person. and in pryuat mat\u2223ters\nin whiche he is but as a neyboure (thoughe he be a kynge) and in whiche thou canste not be to softe But and yf thou be an offycer / may not aduenge But the offi\u00a6cer muste. then thou must be good, kynde and mercyful, but not a mylkesoppe and neegligent, As to whom thou art a father, them muste thou rule and make obay and that with sharpenes. if softenes wyll not be harde, and so in all other offyces.\n Blessed are they that honger and thyrste for ryghtwysnesse, for they shalbe fulfylled.\nRyghtwys\u2223nes.Ryghteousnes in thys place is not taken for the pryncypall ryghtuousnes of a chrysten man thorowe which the person is good and accepted before God. For these .viii. poyntes are but doc\u2223tryne of the frutes and workes of a chrysten man before whiche the faythe muste be there, to make ryghteous without all deseruynge of workes and as a tre out of which al suche frutes and wor\u2223kes muste sprynge. wherfore\nUnderstand here the outward righteousness before the world and true and faithful dealing each with other, and just execution of the offices of all manner degrees. So that the meaning is, happy are they who not only do their duties to all men, but also study and help to the utmost of their power with word, deed, counsel, and exhorting, that all others deal truly and justly also, to the degree that every man bears in the world, and be as desirous to further good order and righteous dealing as the hungry and thirsty are desirous to eat and drink.\n\nAnd not that it is not in vain that he says hungry and thirsty. For except your soul hungers and thirsts for this righteousness of her new nature, as the body does for meat and drink of its old nature, the devil and the children of this world (who cannot endure that a man either deals truly with himself or helps another) will harass and wear you down.\n\"Had the deepest doubt and despair that should be otherwise, Monks. Why do they run into religion and forsake all and become a monk or a friar, leaving all your friends, then to abide in the world and let it choose whether it will sink or swim. But to comfort us, who may faint or grow weary of doing well, Christ promises that all who have this longing and hunger shall have their lust satisfied, and be translated into a kingdom, where there is no unrighteousness. By the side of it, you will hear and see at length many come to the right way and help you, and many things that cannot be altogether made right, yet somewhat better and more tolerable, so that righteousness shall not be quenched. And contrarywise, cursed are all those who are full, as Luke in the sixth book of Luke, the sixth chapter, says. Monks are cursed. Suffering with their brothers, they get them to dens to live at rest and to fill their bellies, the wealth of others not regarded. No, it would be a grief to\"\nTo be merciful is to have compassion and feel another man's pain, and to mourn with those who mourn, suffer with those who suffer, help and comfort those in trouble and adversity, and comfort them with good counsel and wholesome instruction and loving words. To be merciful is to lovingly forgive those who offend as soon as we know their wrongdoing and ask for mercy. To be merciful is patiently to endure the conversion of sinners with a lusty courage and hope that God will convert them at the last, and in the meantime to pray earnestly for them, and whenever we see an opportunity, to exhort them, warn them, monition them, and rebuke them. To be merciful is to interpret all to the best.\nThrough the fingers at many things and not to make a grievous sin of every small trifle / and to suffer and endure in one's own cause the malice of those who will not repent or be known for their wickedness, as long as one can suffer it, and as long as it ought to be suffered, and when one can no longer, then to confront those who have authority to forbid wrongdoing and to punish such evildoers.\n\nBut the hypocrites condemn all such people as grievous sinners. Monks save only those whom they deem holy, and because they will suffer with no man, they get them to silence. And if they are offended, they seek immediate revenge. And to cloak that they should not seem to avenge themselves, they call it \"holy oil.\" Holy oil But the injury caused by the holy oil with which he was anointed, that he must avenge, and that with a spiritual punishment / that thou shalt be accursed as black as a coal and delivered to Satan. And if thou\ncome not in and ask for absolution and offer yourself to penance and paying therefor, they will not endure it until the devil fetches them. But will deliver you to the fire in the meantime. And all for the sake of righteousness (they say).\n\nO hypocrites / The zeal for righteousness is to hunger and thirst for righteousness, as it is above described, that is, to care and study and do the utmost of your power, that all things go in the right course and due order both through all degrees of the temporal and also of the spiritual, and to jeopardize life and goods thereon.\n\nCare how all the world can bear record what pain you take and how you care for the temporal community's wealth, that all degrees therein did and have their duty, and how you put your lives in adventure to preach the truth, and to enforce lords and princes and to cry upon them to fear God and to be learned, and to minister their offices truly unto their subjects, and to be merciful and an example of virtue unto them / And how help you that\nYou were brought up in learning and virtue, and that the poor were provided for with food and clothing and so on. How do you ensure that your priests are all learned, and preach and perform their duties truly, every man in his parish? How do you ensure that sects do not arise to deceive the people and lead them astray under a false guise of long prayer and hypocritical holiness, living idly and being utterly harmful to the commonwealth? Can't you smell the sweet fragrance of chastity that is among you? What righteousness is in your sanctuaries, and what impartial equity is in all your privileges and exemptions? By your works we judge you and your zeal for righteousness, and not by your sophistical subtle reasons, with which you would claw our ears, blind our eyes, and beguile our wits, to take your tyrannical covetous cruelty for the zeal of righteousness.\n\nFinally, he who will not be merciful, to be blessed by God and to obtain mercy from him both here and in the life to come,\nLet him be accursed who is unmerciful, and to him be judgment without mercy, according to the words of St. James in the second chapter of his Epistle.\n\nBlessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.\n\nThat which enters into a man does not defile a man, but those things which proceed from the heart - as you see in Matthew 15. Thence come evil thoughts, says Christ, as murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, and blasphemy. These are the things which make a man unclean. A man is not unclean in the sight of God because of the filthiness of the heart. And the filthiness of the heart are thoughts that strive to break God's commandments. The pureness of the heart, therefore, is the consent and studious purpose to keep the law of God and to fulfill it in all your words and works, and to do it with a true intent.\n\nIt follows then that you may be pure-hearted and therewith do all that God commands.\nIf the command has been given to clean the text without any output or explanation, then I will simply output the cleaned text below:\n\nYou may command or not forbid. Thou mayest be pure-hearted and have a wife and get children, be a judge and condemn to death those who have deserved it / hang or head evil doers, after they be by a just process condemned. Thou mayest be pure-hearted, and do all the drudgery in the world. Lot was pure-hearted among the Sodomites. Nicanor being in the council among those who conspired the death of Christ was pure-hearted and consented not with them to the death of that innocent.\n\nIf the law be written in thy heart it will drive thee to Christ, which is the end of the law to justify all that believe. Rom. x. And Christ will show thee his father, for no man seeth the father but the son, and he to whom the son will show him Luke. 10. If thou believest in Christ, that he is thy savior, that faith will lead thee immediately and show thee God with a loving and amiable countenance, and make the feel and see how he is thy father, all merciful to thee and one with thee, and thou his son and he thine.\nHighly in his favor and grace, and assured that thou pleases him, when thou dost esteem a hundred things which some holy people would suppose themselves defiled if they but thought on them. And to see God is the blessing of a pure heart.\n\nImpure and unclean hearted are all those who strive to break God's commandments,\nImpure hearted are all those who do not believe in Christ to be justified by him. Impure hearted are all hypocrites who do their work for a false purpose, either for praise, profit or to be justified by it, whose painted sepulchers (as Christ calls them) can never see God,\nImpure hearts or be sure that they are in a state of grace and that their works are accepted, because they have not God's word with them, but clean against them.\n\nBlessed are ye peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.\n\nTo inherit this blessing, peace it is not only required that thou have peace in thyself, and that thou take all to the best, and be not offended lightly and for every small trifle.\nAll are ready to forgive, not sowing discord or angering their own wrong. But also, that thou be fervent and diligent to make peace and go between, where thou knowest or hearest malice and enmity to be, or seest batte or strife arise between person and person, and that thou leave nothing unsought to set them at one.\n\nAnd though Christ here speaks not of the temporal sword, but teaches every man shall live toward his neighbor, princes what they ought to do when they make war-- yet princes (if they will be God's children) must not only give no cause of war nor begin, but also (though he have a just cause) suffer himself to be entreated, if he that gave the cause repents, and must also seek all ways of peace before he fights. Howbeit, when all is sought, and nothing will help, then he ought and is bound to defend his land and subjects, and in doing so, he is a peacemaker, as well as when he causes thieves and murderers to be punished for their evil doing and.\nIf you have peace within yourself and love the peace of your brethren in this manner, God is at peace with you through Christ, and you are His beloved son and heir also. Furthermore, if wrongs done to you exceed what you can bear, as when you are a representative of others, and you have committed an offense in response, and no amendment is made when you have warned him in a good manner, keep peace in your heart and continue to love him, and complain to those set to reform such things. In this way, you remain a peacemaker and are still the son of God. However, if you avenge yourself or desire more than that wrong be forbidden, you sin against God, taking His authority upon yourself without His commandment. God is Father over all, and is the rightful Judge over all His children, and to Him alone pertains all inheritance. Therefore, without\nThis commandment comes to us with heart or hand; the same casts itself into the hands of the sword and loses the right of its cause.\n\nOn the other side, cursed are the peacebreakers, quarrelsome people, whisperers, backbiters, sowers of discord, disparagers of those who are good at bringing them out of favor, interpreters of evil that is done for a good purpose, finders of faults where none exists, instigators of princes to battle and war, and above all, cursed are those who falsely betray the true preachers of God's word to bring them into hatred, and shed their blood wrongfully for hatred of the truth. For all such are the children of the devil.\n\nBlessed are those who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.\n\nIf the faith of Christ and the law of God, in which all righteousness is contained, are written in your heart; that is, if you believe in Christ to be justified from sin or for the remission of sin, and consent in your heart to the law that it is good and holy.\nAnd you are justified and duty to do it, and submit yourself to do so, and then goes forth and testifies that faith and law of righteousness openly to the world in word and deed. Then Satan will stir up his members against you, and you shall be persecuted on every side. But be of good comfort and faint not. Recall the saying of Paul. 2 Timothy 3: how all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall be subjected to such persecution, Remember how all the prophets who went before you were treated, Luke 6: Remember the examples of the apostles, and of Christ himself, and that the disciple is not above his master, and that Christ admitted no disciple who not only leaves peace, the peace of Christ is the peace of conscience but also takes up his cross. We are not called to a soft living and to peace in this world, but to peace of conscience in God our Father through Jesus Christ, and to war in this world.\n\nAdditionally, comfort yourself with the hope of the blessing of the Lord.\nEnhertance of heaven, there to be glorified with Christ, if thou suffer with him. For if we are like Christ here in his passions, and bear his image in soul and body, and fight manfully against those who blot it not out, and suffer with Christ for bearing record to righteousness, then we shall be like him in glory. St. John says in the third chapter of his first epistle, \"it does not yet appear what we shall be.\" But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him. And Paul, in Philippians 3, our conversation is in heaven, from where we look for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our vile bodies and make them like his glorious body.\n\nIt is a happy thing to suffer for righteousness' sake, but not for unrighteousness. For what praise is it, as Peter says in the second of his first epistle, \"though ye suffer, when ye are punished for your offenses,\" wherefore in the fourth of the same he says, \"see that none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evil doer or a busybody in other things.\"\nMen's mater suffering does not glorify God, nor do you inherit heaven by enduring it. Therefore, beware of those who would inflict it upon you, for such suffering may be a justification of your sins and a hindrance to heaven. No, suffering for righteousness (even if heaven is promised for it) does not deserve heaven, nor does it make satisfaction for past sins. Christ alone satisfies for both. But if you repent and believe in Christ for the remission of sins, and confess not only before God but also openly before all who see you suffering, for acknowledging that you deserve your suffering because of breaking your father's good and righteous law, and then accept your punishment patiently as a healing medicine for your flesh, lest you sin again, and fear your brethren lest they fall into similar offense - as Moses did.\n\"You teach everyone. Then, as your patience in suffering is pleasing in the sight of your brothers who observe, pity and suffer with you in their hearts, so it is pleasing to God, and it is a sure sign that you have true faith and true repentance.\n\n\"Blessed are those who suffer for righteousness, even so are the cursed who turn away and let it be trampled underfoot and will not suffer for the faith of their Lord and the law of their father, nor stand by their neighbors in their just causes.\n\n\"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all manner of evil things against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. Even so truly they persecuted the prophets who were before you.\"\n\nThe most cruel persecution is when you are excommunicated and delivered to Satan, deprived of the fellowship of the holy church, the company of angels, and of your part in it.\n\"You shall be cursed down to hell, defied, detested, and execrated with all the blasphemous railings that the hypocrites in their poisoned hearts can think or imagine, and before your face, as you go to your death, you shall see that the whole world is persuaded and brought to believe that you have said and done what you never thought, and that you die for that which is as guiltless in you as the child unborn.\n\nThough injustice may seem to triumph so highly, and the truth for which you die be so little known before the world that it seems rather hidden by your death than advanced, yet do not despair, as though God had forsaken you or did not love you. But comfort yourself with old examples; set the example of Christ before you. And also the example of His only and dear Son Jesus, whose example above all others you should consider, because\"\nthou art sure he was beloved above all others, and you have no doubt that you are beloved as well, and even more so because you resemble his example in suffering.\n\nDid not the hypocrites watch him in all his sermons to entrap him with his own words? Was he not subtly opposed, as to whether it was lawful to pay tribute to Caesar? Were not all his words wrongly reported? Were not his miracles ascribed to Belzebub? Did they not say he was a Samaritan and had a devil in him? Was he not called a breaker of the Sabbath, a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners? Did he not deserve punishment for no fault, and was this not interpreted to be done for an evil purpose? Was not the pretense of his death the destruction of the temple, was he not therefore accused of treason, as he forbade paying tribute to Caesar? And did they not incite rebellion in the temple? They railed on him in the bitterest way during all his passion, as he hung on the cross.\nCross, saying, save yourself you who save others, come down from the cross and we will believe in you. Yet he was beloved of God, and so are you; your cause came to light also, and so will yours at the last, you and your reward is great in heaven with him, for your deep suffering.\n\nCursed. Most cursed? Who? And on the other side, as they are cursed who reject righteousness and will not endure it, so are they most cursed who know the truth and yet not only flee from it because they will not endure, but also for gain become the most cruel enemies of it and most steadfast persecutors, and most falsely lie upon it also.\n\nWorks resist not. Finally, though God promises to bless our works, he binds us to work if we want to obtain the blessing or promise, yet we must beware of this Pharisaic call to deserving, however God uses his creatures; he ever abides righteous, till you can prove that.\nafter he has comforted himself with his own words of mercy, he then breaks promise with those who keep covenant with him. So now if nothing were promised, or nothing could be called back, whatever we did And therefore the promise comes from the goodness of the promiser only, and not from the deserving of those works of which God has no need, and which were no less our duty to do, even if there were no such promise.\n\nYou are the salt of the earth. But if the salt has become unfit, what can be seasoned with it? It is henceforth good for nothing. But to be cast out and trodden underfoot of men.\n\nThe office of an Apostle and true preacher is to season impiety, so that though they endure great pain, they can rebuke gross sins under a veil. It is a perilous thing to season the unrepentant. As in a parable, a farthing is cast into the sea, yet to have their righteousness, holiness, and service of God and his saints, dispensed, improved, and condemned, for damnable and deadly she, who may not.\nYou must abandon your saltmaking or be prepared to suffer the consequences, such as being labeled a railer, seditionist, heretic, schismatic, and troublemaker of the common peace. If you insist that you have not tested [it], you will be brought before us and required to sing a new song and renounce salt or be seated among those who have gone before. Salt is necessary for preservation. True preaching is a salting that stirs up persecution, and an office that no man is fit for unless he has prepared himself beforehand with poverty in spirit, softness, meekness, patience, mercy, purity of heart, and a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and has all his hope, comfort, and solace in the blessing alone, and in no worldly thing. Some may argue that a man could preach long enough without persecution if he would not meddle with the pope.\nbyshops/prelates and holy people who live in contemplation and solitariness, not with great men of the world. I answer, true preaching is salting and all that is corrupt must be salted. And those persons are of all others most corrupt, therefore they may not be left untouched.\n\nThe pope's pardons must be rebuked; the abuse of the Mass, of the sacraments, and of all the ceremonies must be rebuked and salted. The selling of indulgences and of prayers must be salted. The abuse of fasting and pilgrimage must be salted. All idolatry and false faith must be rebuked. And those friars who teach men to believe in St. Francis' coat, that they shall never come to hell or purgatory if they are buried there, may not be passed over in silence.\n\nThe pain and grief of salting made monks flee to their cloisters. Monks, why do you run to cloisters? Nay (they say), we went there of pure devotion to pray for the people. But for all that, the more you increase and the more you multiply.\nYou're prayers are ineffective in the worst of worlds. That is not our fault, they say, but theirs, for they do not dispose themselves but continue in sin, making themselves unfit to receive the influence of our prayers. O hypocrites, if you were true salt with good hearts and loved your neighbors (if the dead are neighbors to those who are alive), and would come out of your dens and take pains to salt and season them, you would make a great many of them fit, and your prayers might take effect. But now, seeing as you say they are so unsavory that your prayers are unprofitable to them, though their goods are profitable to you, and yet you have no compassion to come out and salt them, it is many a feast that you do not love them, nor theirs, and that you do not pray for them, but under the guise of praying mock them and rob them.\n\nFinally, salt, which is the true understanding of the law, of faith, and of the intent of all works, has lost its virtue in you. Neither is there any more unsavory person in the world than you.\nYou are not any who so severely reject true preaching as you, and therefore, to be cast out and trampled upon and despised by all me. spiritually, why they are despised. If salt has lost its saltiness, it is good for nothing but to be trampled underfoot by men. That is, if the preacher, who is called salt for his doctrine, has lost the nature of salt, that is, its sharpness in rebuking all unrighteousness, all natural reason, natural wit and understanding, and all trust and confidence in whatever it may be, save in the blood of Christ, he is condemned by God and excluded from all those who cling to the truth. In what case stand those who have benefits and do not preach? Indeed, though they stand at the altar, yet they are excommunicated and cast out of the living church of Almighty God. And what if the doctrine is not true salt? Indeed then it is to be trampled underfoot. Ceremonies must be salted. As must all unworthy and unsavory things.\nceremonyes which have lost their significance, and not only teach not and have become unprofitable, doing no more service to man. But also have obtained authority as God in the heart of man, causing man to serve them and placing in them the trust and confidence that he should place in God his maker through Jesus Christ his redeemer. Are the institutions of man superior to God's? Are God's ordinances better now than in the olden times? The prophets trod upon and defied the temple of God and the sacramental objects of God and all the ceremonies that God had ordained, with fasting and prayers, and all that the people perverted and committed idolatry with. We have as strict a commandment to salt and to rebuke all ungodliness as the prophets. Will they then have their ceremonies honorably spoken of, if they restore them to their rightful use and put the salt of the true meaning and significance of them back into them? But as they are now used, none who loves Christ can speak honorably of them.\nWhat true Christian man can give honor to that which takes all honor from Christ? Who can give honor to that which slays the soul of his brother and robs his heart of the trust and confidence which he should give to his Lord who has bought him with His blood?\n\nYou are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.\n\nChrist goes forth and describes the office of an apostle and true preacher by another likeness. Even so, the light of the world shines forth, signifying that all the doctrine, all the wisdom and high knowledge of the world, whether it be philosophy of natural conclusions, of manners and virtues, or of laws of righteousness, whether it be of the whole:\nScripture and of God himself was yet but darkeness, darkness until the doctrine of his Apostles came, that is to say, until the knowledge of Christ came. How that he is the sacrifice for our sins, our satisfaction, our peace, atonement and redemption, our life to it and resurrection, whatever holiness, wisdom, virtue, perfection or righteousness in the world among men, however perfect and holy they appear, yet is all damnable darkness, except the first right knowledge of Christ's blood be there.\n\nAnother conclusion. As a city built on a hill cannot be hidden, no more can the light of Christ's gospel. Let the world rage as much as they will, yet it will shine on their sore eyes whether they are content or no.\n\nAnother conclusion. Men do not light a candle to put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick to light all that are in the house. Even so, the light of Christ's gospel may not be hidden or make itself small.\nAll things, pertaining to certain holy persons only, are not so. It is the light of the whole world and pertains to all men; therefore, it cannot be severed. It is madness for diverse men to say, \"Laye.\" The lay ought to have the gospel, which the lay people may not know except they can prove that the lay people are not of the world. Moreover, it will not be hidden, but, like the lighting that breaks out of the clouds, shines over all, so does the gospel of Christ. For where it is truly received, it purifies the heart and makes the person consent to the laws of God and begin a new and godly living, fashioned according to God's laws and without all dissimulation.\n\nThe property of the gospel, and then it will kindle such great love in him toward his neighbor, that he shall not only have compassion on him in his bodily adversity but much more pity him over the blindness of his soul and minister to him Christ's gospel.\nThe true gospel is not hidden in dens. If they say it is here or there, in Saint Francis' coat or Dominic's and suchlike, and that if you put on that coat, you shall find it there, it is false. For if it were there, you would see it shining abroad though you crept not into a cell or a monk's cowl. As you see lighting without creeping into the clouds, their light would not only reveal the gospel but also their good works, which would come out as fast as they now run. In so much that you would see them making themselves poor to help others, as they now make others poor to make themselves rich.\n\nKings ought to be learned. This light and salt were not then only pertained to the Apostles, and now to our bishops and spirituality alone. No, it pertains to the temporal men also. For all kings and rulers are bound to be salt and light not only in example of living, but also in teaching of doctrine to their people.\nSubjects, as well as they are bound to punish evil doers. Does not the scripture testify that King David was chosen to be a shepherd and to feed his people with God's word? It is an evil schoolmaster who can save only with a rod. But it is a good schoolmaster who teaches in such a way that few need to be beaten. Therefore, these salt and light pertain to the temporal realm as well, and to every member of Christ's church; so that every man ought to be salt and light to others.\n\nEvery man may be a common preacher, you will say, and preach everywhere by his own authority. Nay, verily, No man may be a common preacher except he is called and chosen thereto by the common ordinance of the congregation. But every private man ought to be in virtuous living, both light and salt to his neighbor; in so much that the poorest ought to strive to overcome the bishop and to preach to him.\nensample of lyuyng. Moreouer euery man ought to preach in wordand deade vnto his houshold and to them that are vnder hys gouernaunce. &c. And thoughe no man may preache openly, saue he that hath the offyce commytted to hym, yet ought euery man to endeuoure hym selfe, to be as well ler\u2223ned as the preacher, as nye as it is possyble, And euerye man maye pryuatlye enforme hys neyghboure, ye and the preacher and byshope to, yf neade be. For yf the preacher preache wronge, then maye any man what so euer he be rebuke hym, fyrste pryuatlye and then (yf that helpe not) to complayne further. And when all is proued, accordynge to the order of cha\u2223rite / and yet none amendment had, then ought euery man that can to resyst hym / and to stond by Chrystes doctrine, and to ieoparde life and al for it. Loke on the olde ensamples and they shall teache the.\nThe gospel hath a nother fredome with her then the temporall regyment. Thoughe euery mannes body and goodes be vnder the kynge do he ryghte or wronge / yet is the auctoryte of\nGod's word is free and above the king, so that the worst in the realm may tell the king if he does wrong, that he does nothing but what God has commanded him, and warn him to avoid the wrath of God, which is the patient avenger of all unrighteousness. Should I then, and ought I also, resist father and mother and all temporal power with God's word, when they act unjustly and cause harm or death to the body, and have I no power to resist the bishop or preacher who teaches false doctrine and kills souls for which my master and lord Christ shed his blood? Are we not then under our bishops more than Christ and his apostles and all the prophets were under the bishops of the old law? No, indeed, and therefore we and they ought to do as they did, and answer as the apostles did. Acts 5. O Portet magis obedire Deo quam hominibus. We must rather obey God than men. In the gospel, every man is Christ's disciple and a person for himself.\nI must defend Christ's doctrine in my own person. The bishop's faith will not help me, nor is the bishop's keeping of the law sufficient for me. I must believe in Christ for the remission of all sin, for myself and in my own person. No longer is it enough for bishops or preachers to defend God's word for me. I must defend it in my own person and even risk life and all thereon when I see and have occasion.\n\nI am bound to acquire worldly substance for myself and for my household with my just labor and somewhat more for those who cannot, to save my neighbor's body. And am I not more bound by the word of God, lest while we go about amending our prelates we make them worse? But when we have proven all that charity binds us and yet in vain, then we must come forth openly and rebuke their wickedness in the face of the world and risk life and all thereon.\n\nYou shall not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. No, I have not come to destroy them. But to fulfill them.\nFor truly I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not the least iot or title of the law will pass away until all is fulfilled. A little before Christ calls his disciples the light of the world and the salt of the earth, and this because of their doctrine, with which they should enlighten the blind understanding of man, and with true knowledge drive out the false openings and sophistical persuasions of natural reason, and deliver the scripture out of the captivity of false glosses which the hypocrites had patched thereto, and so out of the light of true knowledge, to false doctrine. For where false doctrine, corrupt opinions, and sophistical glosses reign in the mind and understanding, there is living deceitfully in the sight of God, however it may appear in the sight of the blind world. And on the other side, where the doctrine is true and perfect, true doctrine is the cause of good works. There follows godly living of necessity. For out of the inward light.\nBelieve from the heart, flows the outward conduct of the members. He who believes that he ought to love his enemy will never cease fighting against himself until he has wedded all rancor and malice out of his heart. But he who does not believe it will put on a mask of hypocrisy until he gets an opportunity to avenge himself.\n\nAnd here he begins to teach them to be the light and the salt, which he spoke of, and says: Though the scribes and Pharisees bear the people in hand, accusing me of deceit and breaking the law and the prophets (as they later railed against the Apostles, accusing them of drawing people away from good works through preaching the justifying and righteousness of faith), yet see that you, my disciples, are not of that belief. For heaven and earth will pass away before one jot or title of the law is put out. I do not come to destroy the law, but Grace and truth through Jesus Christ. (Matthew 5:13-17)\npower to love it and love to fulfill it comes and ever came through faith in me. I do only wipe away the filthy and rotten glosses which the scribes and the Pharisees have smeared upon the law and the prophets, and rebuke their damnable living which they have fashioned, not according to the law of God, but according to their own sophistical glosses, feigning to mock out the law of God and to beguile the whole world, leading them into blindness. The scribes and Pharisees falsely accuse me of intending to destroy the law, to set the people at a fleshly liberty, to make them first disobedient and to despise their spiritual prelates, and then to rise against the temporal rulers and to make all common, and to give license to sin unchecked. This comes only from pure malice, hate, envy, and furious impiety, that their veils are torn from their faces and their hypocrisy exposed. However, what I teach and what my learning is concerning the law, you shall soon hear.\nWhoever breaks one of these least commandments and teaches men so shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But he who does them and teaches them shall be great in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever seeks to destroy one of the commandments following, which are yet the least and childish things in comparison to the perfect doctrine that shall be shown later and the mysteries yet hidden in Christ, and teaches others the same, in word or example, those who destroy God's law with glosses must be cast out, whether openly or under a color and through false glosses of hypocrisy. That same doctor shall be abhorred and despised by all in the kingdom of heaven, and cast him out of their company, as a setting pot casts up its filth and purges itself. So quickly shall they in the kingdom of heaven cleave to the pure law of God without all men's glosses. But whoever first fulfills them.\nThen teach others and set all his study to the advancement and maintenance of doctors, and all in the kingdom of heaven shall have regard for, and follow him, and cleave to him as burrs. For these commands are but the very law of Moses (the draft of the Pharisees' glosses, clarified) interpreted according to the pure word of God and as the open text compels us to understand them, if he looks diligently thereon.\n\nThe kingdom of heaven is taken for the congregation or church of Christ. The church, and to be of the kingdom of heaven, is to know God as our father, and Christ as our lord and savior from all sin. And to enter into this kingdom is impossible, except the heart of man be to keep the commandments of God pure, as it is written in John 7: \"Except a man love God's law, he cannot understand my doctrine.\" If any man will obey his will, that is, the will of the Father who sent me (says).\nThe righteousness of the Pharisees. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, for the kingdom of heaven is the true knowledge of God and Christ. Therefore, the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees neither knows God nor Christ. He who is willing to obey the will of God understands the doctrine of Christ, as proved above. The scribes and Pharisees understand not the doctrine of Christ; therefore, they have no will or lust to obey the will of God. To obey the will of God is to seek the kingdom of God.\nThe glory of God is the meek obedience of His servants, a prince's glory is the humble obedience of his subjects, a husband's glory is the chaste obedience of his wife, a father's glory is the loving obedience of his children. The scribes and Pharisees have no desire to obey God's will. Therefore, they do not seek God's glory. Moreover, the scribes and Pharisees seek their own glory. Those who seek their own glory preach their own doctrine. The major one has it in Matthew XXIII. The scribes and Pharisees do all their works to be seen by men. They love to sit in the most prominent seats at feasts and have the chief seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called Rabbi. And the minor one follows the text above, recited in Iho. He who speaks of himself or of his own concern seeks his own glory. That is, he who preaches his own doctrine.\nA man is known to teach his own doctrine if he seeks his own glory. Some may argue that the scribes and Pharisees had no other law than Moses and the prophets, and based their teachings on these scriptures. Yet, how did they teach their own doctrine? It follows in the seventh of I Kings, \"Glory seeks he who seeks his own glory alters his master's message.\" He who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true and just, meaning he will faithfully deliver his master's message and not alter it. However, if he seeks his own glory, he will be false and will pervert his master's message to turn his master's glory into his own. The scribes and Pharisees altered the word of God for their own profit and glory. An altered word of God is not God's word. When God's word is falsely interpreted with false glosses, it is no longer God's word.\nword. As when God sayth, loue thy neyghbour and thou puttest to thy leu\u0304e and sayest, yf my neyghbour\ndo me no hurte nor saye me anye. I am boundTo loue is to helpe at nede.\nPrayer. The prayer of Monkes robbeth & helpeth not. And by loue God meanethe, to helpe at neade. Nowe when God byddeth the to gette thy lyuynge and some what ouer to helpe hym that can not, or at atyme hathe not wherwith to helpe hym selfe, yf thou and .xxx. or .xl. with the gette you to wylder\u2223nesse / and not onelye helpe not youre neygh\u2223boures but also robbe a greate number of two or thre thousande pounde verelye, howe loue ye your neyghboures? Suche men helpe the worlde with prayer, thou wylte saye to me. Thou were better to saye, they robbe the worlde with theyr ypocresye, saye I to the\u25aa and it is truthe in dede, that they so do. For yf I stycke vppe to the myd\u00a6dle in the myer lyke to peryshe with out present helpe, and thou stonde by and wylt not socoure me, but knel\nIt is wryten, Iohan. ix. If a man be a worshyp\u2223per of God and do hys\nThe true worship is to love one another to help in need. God hears and accepts such lovers, not hypocrites. Love makes me help at my need, and when it is within your power to help, it makes me pray to God. Where there is no love to endure bodily pain with me, there is no love that prays for me. But your prayer is in truth for your beloved.\n\nWhat were the scribes and Pharisees?\n\nThe scribes, besides being Pharisees (as I suppose), were also officers, like our bishops, chancellors, commissaries, and archdeacons, and other officials. The Pharisees were religious men who had professed not, as now, DominiCAN or Barnabas' rules. But they truly held the law of God with prayer, fasting, and alms-giving, and were the flower and perfection of all the Jews, as St. Paul boasts of himself in Philippians 3.\nI was an Ebrue and, as a Pharisee, concerned with the law's righteousness. They were more honorable than any Moorish sect we encountered, whether observing Ancre or any other practices. They could have proven themselves the true church and possessed the spirit of God, had they not erred. Their men, whom the world sees neither keeping God's laws nor their own, were not truly observing the law. God had made them great promises in the Old Testament, that He would be their God and that His spirit and all grace would be with them if they kept His law, as He had made to us. Now, seeing they keep the utmost part of the law in the sight of the world and are still faithless, the promises are made upon their profession of keeping God's law. Therefore, the church that will not keep God's law has no right to claim the spirit.\nno promise they cannot err and seeing thereto that God had promised neither us nor them at all, but upon the profession of keeping his laws, which were more likely to be the right church and to be taught of the Spirit of God and they could not err, were not the Pharisees and ours? Could not the general councils of those, and the things there decreed without scripture seem to be of equal authority as the general councils of ours and the things there ordained and decreed, both clean without and also against God's word? Could not the ceremonies which those had added to the ceremonies of Moses seem as holy and pleasing to God as the ceremonies of ours? The things which they added to the ceremonies of Moses were of the same kind as those ceremonies were, and no more to be rebuked than the ceremonies of Moses. For example, if Moses commanded to wash a table or a dish when an unclean worm had crept thereon, the Pharisees did wash the table with a wet cloth.\nbefore euery refection, leste any vnclene\nthynge hade touched them vnwares to all men, as we put vnto our tythes a mortuarye for all forgotten tythes.The wyc\u2223kednes of the Phary\u2223seys what it was. what was then the wycked\u2223nes of the pharyseys? verely the leuen of theyr gloses to the morall lawes, by whiche they cor\u00a6rupte the commaundeme\u0304tes and made them no more Godes, and theyr false fayth in the cere\u2223mones that ye bare worke was a sacrefyce and a seruyce to God, the sygnyfycacyons lost and the opinyon of false ryghtwysnes in theyr pra\u00a6yers fastynge and almos dedes, that such wor\u2223kes dyd iustefy a man before god, and not that God forgeueth syn of his mere mercy, yf a man beleue, repent and promise to do his vttermost to synne no more.\nwhen these thus sate in the hertes of the peo\u2223ple, with the opynyon of vertue, holynes,Preacher why the true prea\u2223cher is accu\u00a6sed of treso\u0304 and heresy. and ryghtwysnes, and theyr lawe the lawe of God theyr workes, workes comau\u0304ded by God and confyrmed by all hys prophetes, as\nprayer, firstly and almost deed, and they looked upon as the church of God that could not err, and finally they themselves were either the chief rulers or sat in the hearts of the rulers, so that their word was believed to be the word of God. What other thing could it be, to preach against all such and to condemn their righteousness for the most damnable sin that can be, than to seem to go about destroying the law and the prophets? What other thing can such a preacher seem to be before the blind world than heretical, schismatic, sedition-inciting, hypocritical? And yet these must be first rebuked, though it be difficult to preach against it. Or else, if you should convert an open sinner from his evil living, you should make him nine hundred times worse than before. For he\nYou shall never bring one to believe in Christ among open sinners, where many believe at the hour of death, falling flat upon Christ and believing in Him alone without any other righteousness. It would be a hundred thousand times better never to pray than to pray such empty prayers and never to fast or do alms than to fast and do alms with a mind to be made righteous and to make satisfaction for past sins.\n\nYou have heard it said of old time, \"Do not kill.\" But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of judgment. And whoever says to his brother, \"Raca,\" shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says to his brother, \"You fool,\" shall be in danger of the fire of hell.\n\nThe law is restored. Here begins Christ, not to destroy the law (as the Pharisees had falsely).\nHe accused him not, but aimed to restore it to the right understanding and purge it of the Pharisees' glosses. A man who kills shall be guilty or in danger of judgment; that is, if a man commits murder, his deed testifies against him, and there is no more to do than to pronounce a sentence of death against him. This text did not extend further than to kill with the hand and outward members. But hate, envy, malice, churlishness, and withholding help at need, deceit and circumvention with cunning and sly bearing, were no sin at all. No, to bring him home, you hated to die with craft and falsehood, so you did not put your hand to it; it was no sin at all. When they had brought Christ to an unjust death and compelled Pilate with subtlety to kill him, they thought themselves pure. In fact, they would not go into the hall for fear of defiling themselves and being partakers in Pilate's blood. And Acts 5 they said to the Apostles, \"You would bring this man's blood upon us.\"\nThis man's blood upon us, as if we didn't kill him. And Saul, in the first book of Kings, in the eighteenth chapter, being so angry with David, determined yet not to defile himself, but to hand him over to Philistines, that they might kill him, and he himself abide pure.\n\nOur spirituality now offers a man mercy, even though he has spoken against the church, only if he will but recant and bear a fagot. But if he will not, they only give him a respite to win him over and make him tell more, and then deliver him to the secular power, saying, he has deserved the death by our laws and you ought to kill him. But Christ restores the law again and says, to be angry with your neighbor to kill him and to deserve death. For the law goes as well on the heart as on the hand. He who hates his brother is a murderer. If then the blind hand deserves death, how much more those\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Old English or Middle English. I have made an attempt to modernize the spelling while preserving the original meaning as much as possible. However, I cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, as some words may still be unclear without additional context.)\nParts that have the ability to reason. He who says Racha or any sign of wrath, or that provokes wrath, deserves not only that men should immediately pronounce a sentence of death upon him, but also that when death is pronounced, they should gather a council to decree what horrible death he should suffer. He who calls his brother fool has sinned down to hell.\n\nHow can a man be angry without signing? Should a man not be angry at all, or rebuke or punish? Yes, if you are a father or a mother, master, mistress, husband, lord, or ruler, yet with love and mercy, let the anger, rebuke, or punishment not exceed the fault or transgression. May a man be angry with love? Yes, mothers can be so with their children. It is a loving anger that hates only the vice and studies to mend the person. But it is forbidden not only to be wrathful against father, mother, and all those who have governance over us, which is to be angry and to bear a grudge against God himself.\nAnd the ruler shall not be wrathful without cause against the subject. But also, private wrath against your neighbor, over whom you have no rule or he over you, though he does wrong. For he who does wrong lacks wisdom and discernment and cannot amend until he is informed and taught patiently. Therefore, you must restrain your wrath and tell him his fault patiently and with kindness, for he is your brother as well made and as dear bought as you, and as well beloved, though he be yet childish and lacks discernment.\n\nBut some will say, \"I will not hate my neighbor, nor yet love him, nor do him good.\" Love is the keeping of the law. Yes, you must love him for the first commandment out of which all other things flow, is, \"you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.\" That is, you must keep all his commandments with love. Love must keep you from killing or harming your neighbor and from coveting in your heart whatever.\n\"This is his commandment: whoever loves God, also love your brother. And again, in 1 John III, he who has the substance of this world and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his compassion from him, how is the love of God in him? But he who does not help his brother in need does not love God. But rather, he breaks the first commandment. Let us love, says Saint John, not with word and tongue, but in deed and truth. And again, Saint John said in the same place, he who does not love his brother in deed is still in death. And Moses' texts have enough about love. But the Pharisees interpreted them, saying they were only good counsel if a man desired to be perfect, but not precepts. Exodus XXIII: If you meet your enemy's ox or donkey going astray, you shall in any way bring it back to him. And if you see your enemy's donkey falling down under its burden, you shall help him raise it up again. And Leviticus XIX: You shall not hate your brother in your heart.\"\nyour heart shall not in any way rebuke your neighbor,\nFor he who helps not the man that bears no sin for his sake.\nIf you study not to reprove your neighbor when he sins, you are a partaker of his sins.\nAnd therefore, when God takes vengeance and sends whatever plague it be, to punish open sinners, you must perish with them.\nFor you sinned in the sight of God as deeply as they, because you did not love the law of God enough\nto uphold it with all your heart, soul, power, and might.\nIs not he who sees his neighbor's house in jeopardy to be set on fire and warns not, nor helps in time,\nto avert the disaster, worthy if his neighbor's house be burned up, that his be burned also,\nseeing it was in his power to have kept all out of jeopardy, if he had willed, as he would certainly have done if he had loved his neighbor?\nEven so, when God sends a general pestilence or war to your city,\nto punish the sin thereof, are you not worthy that your house should be\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English, and there are some minor errors in the transcription. I have corrected the errors while preserving the original meaning and style.)\nif you had kept it from sinning, and were willing to do so? But if you strive to uphold God's law and protect your land and neighbors from sinning against God, though it may not please you, you will bear no sin on their account when they are punished. He who loves God's law may be bold in times of pestilence and trust in God. And again in the same place, you shall not avenge yourself nor bear hatred against the children of your people. But shall love your neighbor as yourself, I am the Lord. As it is said, for my sake you shall do it. And Deuteronomy 10: The Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, a great God, mighty and terrible, who regards no man's person or degree, but renders justice to the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him clothing and food. Love therefore the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.\n\"Love a stranger who sojourns with you, and treat him as one of yourselves, and love him as yourself. For you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord. Love him therefore for my sake. Hate your neighbor only if he has shown more unkindness than God has love. Then may you hate him, and not before. But love him for God's sake until he fights against God to destroy God's name and glory.\n\nWhen you offer your gift at the altar and remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go first to be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the jailer, and you be cast into prison.\"\nPrison. Very truly I say to thee, thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. This text with the similitude is somewhat soothing and binds both him who has often recanted and him who is offended, as much as is in him, and him who is offended to forgive and be at one. Offerings or sacrifices, what they meant\n\nThe offerings were signs and did certify that a man that God was at one with him and was his friend and loved him. For the fat of beasts was offered and wine therewith, as though God had sat and eaten and drunk with them, and the rest they and their households did eat before God, as though they had eaten and drunk with God, and were commanded to be merry and to make good cheer, full certified that God was at one with them and had forgotten all old offenses, & now loved them, that he would fulfill all his promises of mercy with them.\n\nNow will God receive no sacrifice, that is to say, neither forgive or fulfill any of his promises, except we are first reconciled unto our brethren.\n\"whether we have offended or been offended. In the following chapter you are commanded to forgive, your father will forgive you, and Isaiah says, \"I delight not in sacrifice, but in the knowledge of God. You ask what God first requires of you, then what he will do for you. And Isaiah says, 'He has shown no pleasure in your fasting, or in your afflicting yourselves, but this is the fast I desire: releasing those bound and bringing the oppressed forth, breaking every yoke. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer, 'Behold, I am here.' And that sympathy will be, that if a man will not agree in any other way, he must suffer the extremity of the law, if he is brought before a judge (for the judge has no power to forgive or remit, but to condemn him in the utmost of the law). Even so, if we will not forgive one another here, we shall have no answer when we cry, 'Behold, I am here.'\"\nI. God's judgement, without mercy. Some make purgatory of the last farthing, the last farthing. They show their deep ignorance. First, no similitude holds every word and syllable of the simile. Moreover, when they dispute until he pays the last farthing, he shall not pay in hell, therefore in purgatory. A wise reason. Joseph knew Mary not till she had borne her first son, therefore she bore the second or he knew her after, I will not forgive until I am dead or while I live, therefore I will do it after my death / and a thousand like.\n\nYou have heard it said of old time, do not commit adultery. But I say to you, whoever looks on a woman lusting after her has committed adultery with her in his heart.\n\nThis commandment did not commit adultery. The Pharisees were blinded and corrupted by their sophistry, interpreting the concupiscence of the heart as lewd toys, filthy gestures, unclean words, clapping, kissing, and so forth.\nBut even the act and deed alone, though Noah's text says, \"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, and so on.\" But Christ brings it to light and reveals its true understanding and natural taste again, condemning the root of sin, the conceit and consent of the heart. I am not a murderer before the world until I have killed with my hand. But before God, I kill if I hate, and if I do not love, and keep love from doing harm, and am ready and prepared to help when needed. Similarly, the consent of the heart with all others who follow after is as much adultery before God as the deed itself. I am an adulterer before God if I so do not love my neighbor that very love forbids me to covet his wife. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Love is the fulfilling of all commandments. Carnal love will not.\nA mother should not be allowed to rob her child. It does not make her rob herself to make it rich. A natural father will never covet his son's wife. He cares more for her chastity than his son does for himself. Love to my neighbor should keep me from sinning against him. Adultery is a damnable thing in the sight of God, and much harm follows from it. David was driven to commit grievous murder to save his honor. It is unrighteous in the sight of God and man for your child to be at another's expense and be another man's heir. Neither you nor the mother can have a quiet conscience before God or a merry heart so long as it is so. Moreover, what greater shame can you do to your neighbor, or what greater displeasure? What if it is never known or a child is born from it? The most precious gift that a man has in this world from God is the true heart of his wife, to abide by him in wealth and woe, and to bear all fortunes with him. You have robbed him of this.\nAfter she had once married herself to him, she would not truly love him anymore, but rather hate him and seek his death. Moreover, you have unteached her to fear God and made her sin against Him. For to God she had promised herself, not to man only; for the law of matrimony is God's ordinance. For it is written in Genesis 39, when Putiphar's wife tried to have Joseph lie with her, he answered, \"How could I do this wickedness and sin against God? Truly, it is impossible to sin against my neighbor except you sin against God first. Read chronicles and stories, and see what has followed from adultery.\"\n\nWhy then, some doctors have disputed and doubted whether premarital fornication should be considered sin.\n\nTherefore, if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you that one of your members perishes than that your whole body be cast into hell. And even so, if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you that one of your members perishes than that your whole body be cast into hell.\nof thy members perishes then that thy whole body should be cast into hell. This is not meant of the outward members, for then we must cut off nose, ears, hands and feet, and destroy sight, hearing, taste, and touch. But it is a phrase or speech of the Ethiopian tongue, meaning we should cut off occasions for sinning, lust, riotous eating and drinking, and the lust of the heart and filthy imaginations that stir up concupiscence. Let every man think his wife the fairest and best codified, and every woman her husband the same. For God has blessed thy wife and made her without sin to thee, A wife, how good a thing. Which ought to seem a beautiful form, And all that ye suffer together, ye one with the other, is blessed also and made the very Cross of Christ and pleasing in the sight of God. Why then should she be loathsome to thee because of a little suffering, that thou shouldst lust after another.\nWhoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. But I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Moses in Deuteronomy permitted divorce for the Israelites in extreme necessity, when they hated their wives so much that they could not bear to live with them. He also added that they were not to remarry the same wife after being divorced if they had been found guilty of this by others. The Jews, however, abused this license and divorced their wives for every trivial or fabricated reason, and whenever they desired. But Christ calls back this interpretation and applies the law to its original intent, cutting off all causes of divorce except for the sexual immorality of the wife.\nBreaks her marriage. In such a case, Moses' law pronounces her deed, and so do the laws of many other countries. Where they are used, there the man is free without any question. Now where they are allowed to live, the man (if he sees a sign of repentance and amendment) may forgive once. If he cannot find in his heart (as Joseph, who was as holy as he was, could not find in his heart to take Christ's mother to him when he saw her with a child), he is free, no doubt, to take another while the law interprets her deed, for her sin has no right to bind him.\n\nWhat shall the woman do, if she repents and is tempted in the flesh that she cannot leave chaste? Verily, I can show you nothing from scripture. The office of the preacher is, to preach the Ten Commandments which are the natural law, and to promise those who submit themselves to keep them out of love and fear of God, everlasting life for their labor through faith in Christ, and to threaten the transgressors.\nDisobedient with everlasting pain in hell. And this punishment is, if any man has offended through frailty, and when he is rebuked turns and repents, to receive him into grace and absolve him. But if any refuses to amend when rebuked, to cast him out among the infidels. This I say, if the temporal power shuts up, as a convicted person appointing herself a sober living, to make satisfaction to the congregation for her damable example, they did not miss. It is better that one sinner suffers than a common wealth to corrupt.\n\nWhere the officers are negligent and the woman not able to put herself to penance, if she went where she is not known and there mercy is the God of mercy. If any man in the same place where she transgresses, pitied her and married her, I could suffer it. Were it not that the liberty would be the next way to provoke all others that were once wary of their husbands' / to commit adultery, to be divorced from them / that they might marry others whom they loved.\nIf we obey the law, all temporal blessings set in the law of Moses are ours, such as wealth and prosperity, long life, the upper hand of our enemies, abundant fruits and cheapness of all things, and freedom from pestilence, war, and famine, and all other abominable diseases and plagues.\n\nConversely, if we break the law, we will experience hunger, death, war, and discord. We will be afflicted with pestilence, fires, and strange, fearful diseases such as the sweet pox and falling sicknesses. Our days will be shortened, and the sword, hunger, and such diseases will consume us in our youth. Our enemies will have the upper hand, and the people of the land will be plundered, and the towns will be destroyed.\nThe land decays and brings it to wilderness, and a plenteous land shall be made barren or so ordered that earth shall devour the inhabitants. Wealth is among few, and those few shall oppress the rest. With a thousand such things, nothing they begin shall have a prosperous end. I say, these curses befall us as well as them if we break our temporal laws.\n\nEngland, look about you and mark what has befallen them since they slew their rightful king, King Richard the Second, whom God anointed over them. Their people, towns, and villages are army-ravaged by the third part. And of their noble blood remains not the third, nor I believe the sixth. You and I, and if I dare be bold, I believe I might safely swear that there remains not the sixteenth part. Their own sword has consumed them. Though pastures are enlarged above all measure, yet rot of sheep, morass of beasts with parks and warrants, with rising of fines and rents, make all things twice so dear as they.\nAnd our commodities are so abused that they become the destruction of their own realm. Why, God gives us up, and leaves us in the hands of tyrants. And rightly so, for if we will not know God to keep his laws, how should God know us, to keep us and to care for us and to fulfill his promises of mercy towards us? says Paul in Romans 1. As they seemed not good to them, or had no lust, or admitted it not, nor allowed it in their hearts to know God as God, to give him the honor of God, that is, to fear him as God and as avenger of all evil, and to seek his will, even so God gave them up to follow their own blindnesses, and took his spirit and his grace from them, and would no longer rule their minds. Even so, if we cast off the yoke of our temporal laws which are the laws of God and drive out of the Ten Commandments and natural law, and out of love thy.\nNeighbor as thyself. God shall cast us off and let us slip, to follow our own wisdom. And then shall all come against us, whatever we take in hand, in so much that when we gather a parliament to reform or amend what we there determine shall be our own snare, confusion, and utter destruction. So that all the enemies we have under heaven could not wish us so great mischief as our own counsel shall do us, God shall so blind the wisdom of the wise. If any man have any godly counsel, it shall have none audience. Error, madness, and dancing shall have the upper hand.\n\nAnd let the spiritual take heed and look well about them and see whether they walk as they have promised God, an admonition. And in the steps of his son Christ and of his apostles whose offices they bear, For I promise them all the devils in hell, if God had let them all loose, could not have given them worse counsel than they have given themselves these twenty years. God gave up his Israelites.\noftentimes when they would not be ruled or know themselves and their duty to God, and were brought into captivity under their enemies, the text says, to prove and feel whether it was better service, either to serve God willingly and obey His law with so many fold blessings, or to serve their enemies and obey their cruelty and tyranny, spiting their heads in need and necessity. And let the temporal remember, that because those nations under which the Israelites were in captivity dealt cruelly with them, not punishing them for their idolatry and sin which they had committed against God, but to have their lands and goods and service only, but to our purpose, what if a man runs away from his wife and leaves her? Indeed, the rulers ought to make a law, if anyone does so and does not come again by a certain day, as within the space of a year or so, that then he be banished the country, and if he comes again, to come on his head, and let the wife be free to marry where she will.\nFor what right is it that a lewd wretch should take his goods and run from his wife without cause and sit by a whore and come again after a year or two (as I have known it), and rob his wife of that she has gained in the meantime? Paul says to the Corinthians that if a man or woman is joined to an unbeliever and the unbeliever departs, the other is free to marry whom they will. And 1 Timothy 5 he says, if there is any man who does not provide for his own, and especially for his household, that man denies the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. And even so, this man should be considered more an unbeliever who causes runaways. Let (I say) the governors take heed how they allow sin to go unpunished and how they bring the wrath of God upon their realms. For God will be avenged on all iniquity and punish it with plagues from heaven. In like manner, if the woman departs and will not be reconciled, though she commits adultery:\nNone can commit adultery, the man has the right to remarry if they separately part due to intolerable suffering caused by the other's infirmity. In all other cases, if one cannot endure the other's infirmity, they must remain unmarried. If one party burns or suffers, the other should endure the pain or infirmity. Temporal law should restrain the unruly party.\n\nYou have heard it said of old, \"Do not forswear yourself, but pay your oaths to your Lord.\" But I say to you, you have sworn nothing; neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is His footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. Swear not at all. Instead, your communication should be \"yes, yes\" or \"no, no.\" For whatever is more than this comes from evil.\n\nSwearing.Hating someone in your heart or coveting another man's wife was not a sin for the Pharisees, nor was it to hide something in your heart.\nTo speak falsely with the mouth, to deceive a man's neighbor, if it were not bound by an oath. Though Moses said in Leviticus 19:11, \"Do not lie or deceive one another,\" they interpreted it as good counsel if a man desired to be perfect. But there was no commandment to bind under sin. Thus, not only those who spoke the truth, but also those who lied to deceive, were compelled to swear and confirm their words with oaths if they wanted to be believed.\n\nBut Christ brings light and salt to the text which the Pharisees had darkened and corrupted with the stinking wisdom of their sophistry.\n\nTo swear by God. And he forbids swearing at all, either by God or any creature of God's, for you can swear by none other than the dishonor shall return to the name of God. If you swear, \"By God it is so,\" or \"By God I will do this or that,\" the meaning is that you make God the judge, to avenge it if it is not as you say, or if you shall not do.\nas you promise. Now, if truth is not in your words, you shame your heavenly father and testify that he is not righteous or willing to avenge unrighteousness, but is wicked like you and consents and laughs at the while you deceive your brother, created after the likeness of God and so dearly bought with the precious blood of Christ as you. And thus, through a wicked son, the name of your father is dishonored, and his law not feared nor his promises believed. And when you swear by the gospel book or Bible, the meaning is, that God, if you lie, shall not fulfill to you the promises of mercy therein written. But contrarywise, bring up upon you all the curses, plagues, and vengeance therein threatened to the disobedient and evil doers. And even so, whenever you swear by any creature, as by bread or salt, the meaning is, that you desire that the creator thereof shall avenge it from you, if you lie. Therefore, our dealing ought to be.\nOur words must be substantial enough that they may be believed without an oath. Our words are the signs of the truth in our hearts, which ought to be pure and singular love towards thy brother, for whatever proceeds not from love is damning. Now, falsehood cannot coexist with pure love. It therefore cannot be but damning to deceive thy brother with lying, though thou add no oath to thy words. Much more damning is it to deceive and to add an oath thereto. Swearing is not forbidden in all cases, nor is killing. Swearing is permitted when the commandment says, \"Thou shalt not kill,\" for judges and rulers must kill. Similarly, they ought to take an oath from him who they place in office that he shall be true and faithful and diligent therein. And from their subjects it is lawful to take oaths, and from all who offer themselves to bear witness. However, if the superior would compel the inferior to swear, it should be to the dishonor of God or detriment to humanity.\nAn innocent person should rather die than swear. A judge should not compel a man to swear against himself, as it is sufficient spoken of elsewhere. But swearing is forbidden between neighbors, and in all our private business and daily communication. Customary swearing, even if we do not lie, robs the name of God of its due reverence and fear. In our daily communication and business with one another, there is so much vanity of words that we cannot help but lie about many things, which to confirm with an oath, though we deceive not, is to take the name of God in vain and irreverently against the second commandment. Now to swear with the intent to deceive is damning in itself, how much more to abuse the holy name of God for that purpose, and to call upon God for vengeance upon oneself. Charity moderates the law. Many cases occur daily between man and man, in which charity compels to swear, as I know.\nIf my neighbor is falsely slandered, I am bound to report the truth and may lawfully swear, you and I are bound, even if not before a judge. And to the weak among you, where you have lost credence through the multitude of liars, Othello. To perform an evil deed is double sin. A man may lawfully swear to put them out of doubt. Which yet comes from the evil of those who abuse their language to deceive with all. Finally, to swear to do evil is damning, and to perform it is doubly damning. Herodes Othe made himself not innocent and guilty of the death of John the Baptist though the hypocrite had not known what his wife's daughter would ask. And when men say, a king's word must stand, that is truth, if his oath or promise is lawful and expedient.\n\nIn all our promises, it is to be added, \"if God will and if there be no lawful let.\" And though it is not added, it is to be interpreted as added. For example, if I borrow your sword, and by the hour I promise to return it.\nIf you are beside yourself. If I promise to pay by a certain day and am then robbed or decayed by chance so that I cannot perform it, I am not sworn if my heart truly meant it when I promised. And there are many such cases which are discussed in other places. To lie and to dissemble is not always a sin. David. 1, Kings. 27. David told King Achis the Philistine that he had robbed his own people, the Jews, when he had been raiding among the Amalekites, and had killed man, woman and child for telling tales. Yet that lie was no more a sin than it was to destroy the Amalekites, those deadly enemies of the faith of one almighty God. Nor did David sin when Cushai, his trusted friend, deceived and began to absolve Absalom. 2 Samuel. 18. It pleased God highly to bear a sick man in hand, and it is the duty of charity to make him drink a bitter medicine, not a sin. To persuade him who pursues his neighbor to hurt or kill him, that his neighbor has gone another way, is the duty of charity.\nContrary to this, is the duty of every Christian man by the law of charity and not by sin, nor through an oath. But to lie to deceive and hurt is damnable alone. &c.\nYou have heard it said, \"an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.\" But I tell you, resist an evil person. But if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.\nChrist did not come to abolish the temporal government, and to forbid rulers to punish evildoers, any more than he meant to destroy marriage when he forbade lust and coveted another man's wife in your heart. But as he there forbade that which defiles marriage, so he forbids here that which troubles, unsettles, and destroys the temporal government, and that thing which it is necessary to forbid,\nThe temporal regime was ordered that no man avenge himself. Christ meddles not with the temporal regime. But in this large sermon, he fights against the Pharisees' false doctrine and salts the law, to purge it of the corruption of their filthy glosses, and to bring it unto the right taste and true understanding again.\n\nFor the Pharisees had so interpreted the law of Moses (which pertained only to rulers) that every private person might avenge himself, and do his adversary as much harm again as he had received from him. Now if he who is angry has deserved that then pronounce death upon him, and he who says \"Raca\" has deserved that men should rather counsel to determine some sudden and cruel death for so heinous a crime, and he who calls his brother \"Raca,\" has deserved hell. Therefore, private wrath is forbidden here, and that a man should not avenge himself.\n\nCheck. To turn to. The other check what it is. To\n\"Turn the other cheek is a manner of speaking and not to be understood as the words sound, as was to cut off the hand and pluck out the eye. And as we command our children not only not to come near a brook or water, but also not so hastily as once to look that way, either to look on fire or once to think on fire, which are impossible to be observed. More is spoken here than meant to fear them and to make them perceive that it is more important that we command. Even so is the meaning here that we in no way avenge / but be prepared ever to suffer as much more / and never to think it lawful to avenge, however great the injury be, for he himself turned not the other cheek when he was smitten before the bishop, nor yet Paul when he was boiled before the bishop also. But you have heard a little above.\n\nBlessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Let all the world study to do wrong, you let them do wrong, and yet if thou be meek, thou shalt have food and inherit the earth.\"\nPayment sufficient for thee and thine. And moreover, if the problems become worse, God shall yet set such a tyrant over thee, who (if thou be meek and canst be content that he plunders properly), shall defend thee from all others who are plundered intolerably, his life being better and even death to him, save he who is impetuous and cannot suffer to be plundered. Thou, plunder thou thyself and prevent others, and give the bailiff or like officer now a capon, now a pig, now a goose, and so to thy landlord likewise, or if thou have a large farm, now a lamb / now a calf / and let thy wife set thy landlady three or four times a year with spiced cakes and apples / pears / cherries and such like. And be thou ready with thy oxen or horses three or four, or half a dozen days a year to set whom their wood or to plow their land, thou and if thou have a good horse, let them have him cheap or take a worse for him, and they shall be thy shield and defend thee.\nIf you be a tyrant and do not care for God, no one else will dare to provoke you. You can get revenge on them if you are patient, wise, and fear God. This is true if you keep yourself in their favor by not harming your neighbor. Your end will be evil if you harm your neighbor and eventually despair in this world and hell afterwards.\n\nBut if you cannot control yourself with wisdom and endure being provoked by such people, everyone will provoke you, and they will maintain themselves. Let this be a common proverb: be content to be provoked by some man or by every man.\n\nUnderstand that there are two states or degrees in this world: the kingdom of heaven, which is governed by the gospel, and the kingdom of this world, which is temporal.\nIn the first state, there is neither father, mother, son, daughter, master, maid, man servant, nor husband or wife, nor lord or subject, but Christ is all, and each to other is Christ himself. There is none better than the other, but all are alike good, all brethren, and Christ is lord over all. There is no other thing to do or other law save to love one another as Christ loved us. In the temporal regime, there is a husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, master, maid, man servant, lord, and subject. Every person is of the spirituality and of the temporal regime both. Now every person is a double person and under both regimes. In the first regime, thou art a person for thine own self under Christ and his doctrine, and mayst neither hate or be angry, much less fight or quarrel, but must after the example of Christ, humble thyself, forsake and deny thyself, and hate thyself, and cast thyself away.\nBemeketh and patiently endure, and let every man step over and tread upon the underfoot and do wrong, yet love them and pray for them, as Christ did for his crucifiers. For love is all and what is not of love is damnable and cast out of that kingdom.\n\nLove. He who does not love his neighbor does not have the true faith of Christ. For that kingdom is the kingdom of God and Christ. But he who does not love, knows not God nor Christ, therefore he who does not love is not of that kingdom. This is proven thus: he who knows God and Christ sees light, for Christ is light. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and does not know where he goes, for darkness has blinded his eyes.\n\n1 John 2: Therefore he who hates his brother does not know what Christ has done for him, and therefore he has no true faith nor is he of the spiritual kingdom of God.\n\nTo hate yourself, you shall get this, if you consider your own sins and deep damnation that longs to them with due penance.\nRepentance and to love that you shall obtain if you hold the great and infinite mercy of God with strong faith. There is no greater enemy to you in this world. But you will easily love him if you look well on the love that God showed you in Christ.\n\nIn the temporal regime, you are a person in respect to others. You are a husband, father, master, mistress, lord, ruler, or wife, son, daughter, servant, or subject. And there you may act according to your office. If you are a father, you must do the duty of a father and rule, or else you damn yourself. You must bring all under obedience, whether by fair means or foul. You must have obedience from your wife, servants, and subjects, and they must obey. If they will not obey with love, you must chide and fight, as far as the law of God and the law of the land will allow. And when you cannot rule them, you are bound in many cases,\nTo deliver them to the higher officer to whom you have taken charge. Violence. Not to resist violence and defend or avenge yourself is understood. Now to our purpose, whether a man may resist violence and defend or avenge himself. I say no in the first state, where you are a person for yourself alone and Christ's disciple. There you must love, and from love study and enforce peace in yourself, and suffer all things (as Christ did to make peace), so that the blessing may come upon you, which says, \"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be the children of God.\" If you suffer and keep peace in yourself alone, the blessing is, you will possess this world. But if you love the peace of your brethren so much that you leave nothing undone or unsuffered for their sake, your blessing is, you shall be God's son and consequently possess heaven.\n\nBut in the worldly state, where you are no private person, but a person in respect to others, you not only may, but also must not suffer yourself to be oppressed.\nDispise not. And where thou art a ruler thereunto appointed, thou must take, prison and slay not of malice and hate, but to defend thy subjects, and to maintain thy office. Concerning thyself, oppress not thy subjects with rent, fines or customs at all, neither pill them with taxes and such like to maintain thine own lusts. But be loving and kind to them, as Christ was to the for they are His and the price of His blood. But those that do evil among them and vex their brethren, and will not know the judgment for they fear thy law, the smite, and upon them draw thy sword, and put it not up until thou have done thy office, yet without hate to thy person for His master's sake and because he is in the first regiment thy brother, but amend him only. Or if it cannot be but that thou must lose one to save many, then execute thy office with such affection, with such compassion and sorrow of heart, as thou wouldest cut off thine own.\nArms yourself to save the remainder of your body. Take an example, if you are in your father's house among your brothers and sisters. If one fights with another or if anyone does wrong, you may not avenge or strike. But that pertains to your father alone. But if your father grants authority in his absence and commands you to strike if they will not be ruled, now you are another person. However, you have not put off the first person, but are still a brother, and must always love and prove all things with love. But if love will not serve, then you must use the office of the other person or sin against your father. Even so, when you are a temporal person, you do not put off the spiritual. Therefore, you must always love. But when love will not help, you must with love execute the office of the temporal person or sin against God. A mother can strike and love, and so can you with love execute the office of your second state. A wife, son, servant, and subject.\nAnd they, being brethren in the first state, should not put that person of the second degree in authority over them, and therefore they must love evermore and with love pay custom, tribute, fear, honor, and obedience to whom they belong, as Paul teaches Rome. 13. And though the other does not do his duty and love him, but rules him with rigor and deals unkindly with him, you are not to desert Christ and love still, and let not his evil overcome your goodness and make yours as well.\n\nAnd as the example above shows, your father has power over you to command you to use high power over your brothers. Even so, your master has authority over your fellows, and when you have this authority, you must remember that you are still a fellow and bound to love still. But if love alone will not help, then put your master's authority to your love. And so\n\nhas the ruler power over the one to send him to use violence upon his neighbor, to take him, to prison him, and perhaps to kill him. And you must ever love.\nIf you are going to war at your neighbor's behest, or if your lord or prince sends you to fight in another land, you must obey God's commandment and go, avenging your prince's quarrel, which you may not fully understand but is right. When you arrive, remember that they are your brothers in the first place against whom you must fight, and that they are as deeply bound to Christ's blood as you are. For Christ's sake, be loved by them, and avenge your prince's quarrel and bring them under your prince's power. Be content with your prince's wages and the part of the spoils (which you have won) that your prince or his debtor has appointed for you. If you hate them in your heart and covet their goods and are glad that an occasion is found for you to shed your blood again, either in the same war or when you return home, you will rob and steal, and be hailed as a hero.\nThy labor, or slain by some other misfortune. Concerning the goods of this world, it is easy to judge. In the first state or degree, thou oughtest to be thankful to Christ and to love, to give and to lend to those bought with His precious blood. For all that thou owest to Christ, whose servant thou art, that thou must pay. And that thou doest to them, that same doest thou to Christ, and that thou art not ready to do for them who deny Him, that thou deniest to do for Christ. But if any of thy brethren will hold or take away above what thou mightest spare by the reason of some office that thou hast in the second state, or invade violently and lay more on thy back than thou canst bear, then hold thy heart and hand, that thou neither hate nor strike and speak fairly and lovingly, and let neighbors go between. And when thou hast proven all men of love in vain, then comply with the law and the officer set to enforce it.\nYou shall be my father and defender, and judge between me and my brother. You will say that the text forbids me from going to law, as it states, \"If a man wishes to sue you and take your coat, you must let him have your gown and all.\" If I must allow myself to be robbed by the law, will you say, \"By what right can I recover my own with the law?\" I answer. Consider the text carefully. For by no right of law can a man take your coat from you. The law was ordained by God to maintain you in your right and to prevent wrong from being done to you. Therefore, the text means that where the law is unjustly administered, and the governors and judges are corrupt and take bribes and are personal, there are the patient and ready to suffer whatever unrighteousness is done to them rather than of impotence, you should avenge yourself on your neighbor and rail or make insurrection against the superiors whom God has set over us. For to rise against them is to rebel against God and against.\nYour father, when he chastises you for your offense, and a thousand times more than your sin merits against your neighbor. And railing on them is railing on God, as if you would blaspheme Him if He made them sick, poor, or of low degree, or otherwise unlike yourself.\n\nRegarding princes: you may argue that they can be resisted or overthrown by their subjects in any case. You might say that the subjects chose the ruler and made him swear to uphold their law and maintain their privileges and liberties. Therefore, if he rules amiss, they are not bound to obey. But may they resist him and put him down again? Your argument is invalid. For a husband swears to his wife, yet if he forswears himself, she has no power to compel him. Similarly, a servant, though his master does not keep his contract, or one neighbor with another, has neither servant nor neighbor (though he be under no obedience) the power to avenge.\nThe vengeance pertains to a higher officer to whom you must comply. You may say it is not like that. The whole body of the subjects chooses the ruler. Whoever binds, he can loose. Therefore, if he rules amiss, those who set him up may put him down again. I answer, God (and not the common people) chooses the prince, though he was chosen by them. For Deuteronomy commands to choose and set up officers, and therefore God is the chief chooser and setter up of them, and so must He be the chief putter down of them again, so that without His special commandment, they may not be put down again. Now God has given no commandment to put them down again. But contrarywise, when we have anointed a king over us at His commandment, He says, \"Touch not My anointed.\" And what is it to rise against a prince who is anointed over us, however evil he may be, see in the story of King David and throughout all the books of the kings.\nThe authority of the king is the authority of God, and all subjects are still subjects, however evil the king may be. The commandment to obey your father applies to all equally. Even so, the commandment applies to all subjects: obey your prince and higher power. He who resists him resists God and incurs damnation. And to your argument: \"He who binds, he can loose.\" I answer: He who binds with absolute power and without any higher authority, his is the power to loose again. But he who binds at another man's command may not loose again without the command of the same. Just as the people of London chose their mayor, but may not put him down again unless with the authority of him against whom evil doers are a remedy. Turn your eyes to yourself and your own sin, and then look up to God and say, \"O father, for.\"\nOur sin and the sin of our fathers is thy God's. Furthermore, concerning thy goods, thou must remember that thou art a person in the temporal regime, and the king, as he is over thy body, is likewise lord of thy goods. Thou holdest them not for thyself alone, but for maintaining thy wife, children, and servants, and for maintaining the realm, the country, and the town or city where thou dwellest. Therefore, thou shalt not allow them to be wasted, any more than a servant may allow his master's goods to be destroyed negligently. He who does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, Paul says, denies the faith and is worse than an infidel. But every man is bound to labor diligently and truly, and live soberly, so that he may have enough for himself and his, and something above for those who cannot labor or have fallen into necessity. And of that, give and lend, and look not for it to be returned.\nAgain. And if that is not sufficient for your neighbors, speak and make labor to your brethren. For it is a common proverb, many hands make light work, and many can bear what one alone cannot. And your wife, your children, and servants are you bound to defend. If any man would force your wife, your daughter, or your maid, it is not enough for that to look on and say, \"God amend you.\" No, you must execute your office and authority which the king gives you. And in the process, you must defend your master and his good, and the king's good, which you have to maintain your wife and household, and your neighbor who goes with you against thieves and murderers.\n\nAnd against all such persons lay about you, and do as you would do if you were under the king's standard against his enemies who have invaded the realm. For all such persons are mortal enemies to the realm and seek to put down king and law and altogether, and to make it lawful to sin.\nEvery person baptized to keep God's law and believe in Christ is under both regime types. More over, when I say there are two regime types, I mean the spiritual and the temporal. Every person baptized is both a spiritual and a temporal being, and is subject to the officers of both regime types. The king is as much under the spiritual officer, to hear from God's word what he ought to believe and how to live and rule, as is the poorest beggar in the realm. And similarly, if the spiritual officer sins against his neighbor or teaches false doctrine, he is subject to the king's or temporal correction, however high he may be. Look how damning it is for the king to withdraw himself from the obedience of the spiritual officer, that is, from hearing his [words].\nduty: to do it, and for hearing his vices rebuked, to amend them. It is so damning for the spiritual officer, however high he may be, to withdraw himself from the king's correction, if he teaches falsehood or sins against any temporal law.\n\nA preacher of the gospel may use no violence.\n\nFinally, you must consider that Christ teaches his disciples and those who should be the light and salt in living and doctrine, to shine in the weak and diseased eyes of the world accustomed to darkness, that without great pain they can behold no light, and to salt their old sores and festered wounds, even to the hard quick. It smarts again, and spare no degree. But tell all men, high and low, their sins, and warn them of the impending judgment, and exhort them to the right way.\n\nNow such school masters shall find little favor and friendship with the rulers of this world or defense in their laws. As Christ warns them. Matt. 10: \"I send you.\"\nYou are a sheep among wolves. Therefore beware of men, for they will deliver you up to their councils, and scourge you in their synagogues or council houses, and you will be brought before chief rulers and kings for my sake. And he who teaches you this also says: arm yourselves with patience and go forth with a strong faith and trust in the support and assistance of God alone. Plant the gospel with love and meekness and water it with your own blood, as Christ did. Thou shalt not come in that state with a sword to defend either thyself or thy gospel, nor compel men to worship thee as God and believe what thou wilt. Nay, a sheep uses no such rule among wolves. If thou art a sheep, thou art not in evil taking if thou canst bring it about that the wolf is content with thy flesh only and shares the yearly. Give to him that asks, and turn not away him that would borrow from thee. Luke says, give to whomsoever asks of thee. That is to say, whomsoever thou givest to.\nSee if you see the need or see the contrary but there may be a need, to the utmost of your power open your heart and be merciful only. And of mercifulness, set God your father and Christ your lord and master as an example and enforce yourself to be as like them as you can. If you are merciful, God has bound himself to be merciful to you in return. Is this not an exceeding great thing, that God, who ought not to be bound to his creatures, has yet given it into your hands to bind him against the day of your tribulation, then to show mercy?\n\nRegarding lending, proceed by the aforementioned rule of mercy. Many in extreme need, yet ashamed to ask to borrow. To such, in place of lending, give, or say, \"lo, here is as much as you require.\" If you can pay it back well, do, and you shall find me ready against another time to lend or give (if need be) as much more. But if you shall not be able to pay it back, trouble not your conscience. I give it to you. We are all one mankind.\nchydre, one man has bought us all with his blood and bound us to help one another. And with this doing, you will win the heart of him to your father. Concerning merchandise and chapmen, the lesser borrowing were among the better, if it be their debts first, and in lending be first singly and harmlessly as a dove, and then as wise as a serpent, and take heed to whom you lend. If when you have lent an honest man, God have mercy on him and take away his goods with what chance it be, whether by sea or land, that he is not able to pay, then to imprison him or to sue him at law, or once to speak an unkind word, contrary to the law of love and showing mercy. There you must suffer with your neighbor and brother as Christ did with you, and as God does daily. If an ungrateful one has beguiled you, and spent your good away and has not to pay, then hold your hand and heart that you do not reproach yourself But love him and pray for him and\nRemember how God has promised to bless the pacyet and meek. Nevertheless, because such persons corrupt common manners and cause the name of God to be less feared, men ought to deal with such persons by reporting them to the officer ordained by God to punish evil doers. If you have lent a fox, which with craftiness will keep your good from you, and the ruler and the law will not help you recover it, do as it is said above: he who goes to law with you, take your coat off him. That is, be content to lose that and even more, rather than avenging yourself. Let not the wickedness of others deter you from God's blessings and generosity.\n\nLiberality is mercy's fullness that binds Jacob. 2. And therefore, Christ exhorts all his followers so diligently and above all things, to be liberal and beware of covetousness.\n\nYou have heard it said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.\nBless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. If you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do exceedingly more? Do not even tax collectors do the same? Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.\n\nThis text about hating an enemy is not found in one place in the Bible but is gathered from many places where God commands the children of Israel to destroy their enemies: the Canaanites, Amorites, Amalekites, and other pagan peoples. These peoples sought to bring them out of God's favor and to destroy the name of God. The Amalekites came behind them and slew all that were weak.\nThe Moabites and Ammonites hired Balam to curse the Israelites and seduce them with their women, causing great strife among them. These nations were perpetual enemies to their land, which God had given them, and also of their God and their faith. For this reason, they not only had the right, but were also bound to hate them and to seek their destruction. However, they could not yet hate those nations that had been converted to their faith.\n\nNow, due to texts that commanded hating the common enemies of their country and of God and his law, and of their faith, the Pharisees' doctrine was that a man could lawfully hate all his private enemies without exception, nor was he bound to do them good. And yet Moses says, \"Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart.\" And again, \"Thou shalt not avenge thyself nor bear hate in mind against the children of thy people.\" And if thine enemies fall under thy power, help them.\nto lift him up again, and if his ox or ass strays, bring them home again. The Pharisees no doubt interpreted this as good counsel, but not as commands. Therefore, Christ salts their doctrine and proves that a man is bound both to love and do good to his enemy, and as a natural son, though his brothers are never so evil, he is to love them and show them kindness for his father's sake, and to strive to amend them. What have you to rejoice in, if your reasoning is not better than the religion of thieves? For thieves love one another, Publicans what they were, and so do the covetous of the world, as the usurers and Publicans, who bought in great quantities the emperor's tribute and to make their most advantageous deals, overset the people. Nay, it is not enough for you to love your benefactors only, as monks and brothers do, or those of your own coat and order, or the brethren of your own abbey only (for among some love extends no further).\nBut find ye well those removed from another cloister there, and in some places charity reaches not at all the cells of the same cloister and to all the monks who were professed in the same place. Lift up your eyes unto your heavenly Father, and as your Father does so do you love all your Father's children. He nourishes his son and raineth upon the good and the evil, by which understand all his benefits. For of the heat and dryness of the sun and cold and moisture of the rain, spring all things necessary to the life of man. Even so provoke and draw your evil brethren to goodness with patience, with love in word and deed, and pray for them to him who is able to make them better and to convert them. And so you shall be your Father's natural son and perfect, as he is perfect. The text says not, you shall be as perfect as God. But perfect according to his example. To be perfect, scripture is not to be a monk or a friar, or never to sin. For Christ teaches not here monks or friars.\nTo be perfect is to have pure doctrine without false opinions, and for your heart to follow that learning. It is impossible to be in this life entirely without sin. But to be perfect is to have pure doctrine and for your heart to follow that teaching. Be careful with your alms, do not give it before men to be seen by them, or you will receive no reward from your Father in heaven. When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret. And then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.\n\nJust as he rebuked their doctrine above, so he rebukes their works here. Indeed, what works does he rebuke? He rebukes works that spring from impure doctrine.\nThe scripture commands, and without which no man can be a Christian man / even prayer, fasting, and alms-giving. For as the scripture corrupted with glosses is no longer God's word, so the deeds commanded in the scripture (when the intent of them is perverted) are no longer godly deeds. What did the scribes and Pharisees say of him (think ye) when he rebuked such works? No doubt as they said (when he rebuked their false glosses), \"how he destroyed the law and the prophets, interpreting the scripture according to the literal sense - which kills, and according to his own brain, clean contrary to the common faith of the holy church and the minds of great clerks and authentic expositions of old holy doctors.\" Indeed, what else could they have said? Behold the heretic, and did we not tell you before to what he would come, and that he kept some scheme behind and did not spit out all his venom at once? He preached all of this.\nLove, and would have the people saved by faith, so long till now at the last, he preached clean against all deeds of mercy, as prayer, fasting and alms-giving, and destroys all good works. His disciples fast no more than they despise their divine service and come not to church. And if the holiest of all saints Francis' order ask them alms, they bid him labor with his hands and get his living, and say that he who labors not is not worthy to eat, and that God bade that no such strong laborers should loiter and beg, but should eat up what other poor men earn with the sweat of their bodies. And at the last you shall see, if we resist him not in time, that he will move the people to insurrection, as Caiaphas said, and the Romans shall come and take our land from us. As you see in the text of Luke 13, how (when they could not drive the people from him with these persuasions) they accused him to Pilate, saying, \"we have found this man subverting our nation, and forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.\"\nA fellow instigating the people and forbidding them from paying tribute to Caesar, and saying that he is a king instead of Christ, therefore thou cannot be Caesar's friend, John. If you let him escape. But after all these blasphemies, yet must the Holy Ghost rebuke you for your righteousness, your false righteousness and false holiness, which are neither righteousness nor holiness but a color of hypocrisy. Christ does not destroy prayer, fasting, and alms-giving. But preaches against the false purpose and intent of such works, that is to say, their seeking of glory and esteeming themselves righteous thereby, and so despising and condemning their brethren. With our alms, which is as much to say as deeds of mercy or compassion, we ought to seek our Father's glory only, even the welfare of our brethren, and to win them to the knowledge of our Father and keeping of His law. He who seeks the glory of his good works seeks the glory that comes from the Father.\nBelongs to God and makes himself God. Is it not a blind thing of the world that either they will do no good works at all or will be God for their good works and have the glory for themselves?\n\nConcerning blowing of trumpets and ringing of bells or making a cry, Trumpets: To blow trumpets what? To call men to give alms (though the right way be, that we should know in every parish all our poor and had a common coffer for them & that strangers should bring a letter of recommendation with them of their necessity & that we had a common place to receive them into for the time & and though also we ought to flee all occasions of vain glory), yet while the world is out of order, it is not damning to do it. So that the very meaning, both that we blow no trumpets and that the left hand not know what the right hand does, is that we do as secretly as we can and in no wise seek glory or to receive it, if it were offered. But to do our deeds in singularity of conscience.\nTo God, because it is His commandment, I leave hand and even of pure compassion and love for our brethren, not that our good deeds through standing in our own conceit should cause us to despise them. Vain glory. A good remedy if you are tempted to vain glory for your good deeds, then look on your evil thereof and put the one in one balance and the other in the other. And if you understand the law of God in anything at all, tell me whether it weighs heavier.\n\nIf that you do, do consider what you do not. If it moves you to set up your comb when you give your brother a farthing or a half penny, ponder in your heart how far from loving him as well as yourself, and caring for him as much as for yourself. And be sure how much you love that, so much you are in sin, and that in a grievous sin, if God for Christ's sake did not pardon it, because your heart mourns therefore, and you fight works against sin not.\nFinally, many dispute because God has promised to reward our deeds in heaven. Our deeds deserve heaven, and because He promises to show mercy to the merciful, our deeds deserve mercy, and because He promises forgiveness of sins to those who forgive, our deeds deserve forgiveness of sin and thus justify us. I answer superfluously to rehearse the matter again. Furthermore, the argument is nothing and holds by no rule. Do you not see that the father and mother have more right to the child and all it can do than to an ox or a cow? It is their flesh and blood, nourished up with their labor and cost. The life of it and the maintenance and countenance thereof is their benefit, so that it is not able to repay that it owes to father and mother by a thousand parts. And though it is not able to do its duty nor for blindness to know its duty, yet the father and mother promise more gifts still without ceasing, and that such as they think should most make it to be repaid.\nSee love and provoke it to be willing to do part of its duty, and when it has sinned, though it has no power to do satisfaction, nor lust or courage to come to the right way again, yet their love and mercy abide so great to it that upon a point of mending, they not only forgive what is past and fulfill their promise not the later, but promise greater gifts than ever before, and to be better father and mother to it than ever they were. Now when it cannot do the thousandth part of its duty, how could it deserve such promises from the father and mother as a laborer does his hire? The reward therefore comes from the love, mercy, and truth of the father and mother as well when the child keeps the appointment, as when they fulfill their promise, when it has broken the appointment / and not of the deserving of the child.\n\nEven so, if we were not thus drowned in blindness, we should easily see / that we cannot do the thousandth part of our duty to God, no though there were\nIf there were no life to come, it would not be right that I should touch any creature of God, other than He has appointed. Though there were no life to come, it would still have been right that Adam had abstained from the forbidden apple tree and from all other things that were forbidden. You and I, though there were no life to come, it would not have been the less right that I loved my brother and forgave him today, since I shall see him again tomorrow. Because a father cannot give his children heaven, has he no power to charge them to love one another and to forgive and not avenge one another? And has he not right to chastise them if they strike each other, because he cannot give them heaven? A servant who has a master more cruel than a reasonable man would be to a dog, if there were no heaven, might this servant accuse God of unrighteousness because he has not made him a master? Now, when we cannot do our duty by a thousand parts, though there were no such promises,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English. No major OCR errors were detected, but some minor errors have been corrected for the sake of readability.)\nThat which is commanded is no less our duty, even if no such promise were given. It is easy to perceive that the promised reward comes from the goodness, mercy, and truth of the promise-giver, not from the deservingness of the receiver. And as for forgiveness of sin, though forgiveness of sin is promised to us, it is not granted based on our merits but on the merits of Christ's blood. And hear what Paul says in Philippians 3: \"Concerning the righteousness of the law, I was faultless or blameless up until that time. But I counted all things to be loss because of Christ, for whose sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I consider them as dung, or as refuse, that I may gain Christ and be found in him.\"\nChryst and myght be founde in hym / not hauynge my ryghtwysnes that cometh of the lawe. But that whiche cometh of fayth in Chryste Iesu / whiche ryghtwysnesse cometh of God thorough fayth / and is to knowe hym and the power of hys re\u2223surreccyon (howe he is lord ouer al syn\u25aa and the only thynge that sleyeth and vanquesheth syn) and to knowe also the felowshyp of his passy\u2223ons that I myght be made lyke vnto his dethe.\nSo that when ryghtwysnesse and true merytes be tryed, we muste be content that ours be the chaffe and Chrystes the pure corne / oures the skome and refuse, and Chrystes the pure golde And we must fashyo\u0304 aur selues lyke vnto Christ and take euery man his crosse and slee and mor\u00a6tefye the synne in the fleshe,Crosse. or els we can not be partakers of his passyon, The synne we do before our conuersyon is forgyuen clerly tho\u2223rough fayth if we repent and submyt our selues to a newe lyfe. And the synne we do agaynstworkes what they do. yf we repent and submytte our selues to amende. And our dyly\u2223gence in\nWorking keeps us from sinning and minimizes the sin that remains in the flesh, making us pure and less disposed to sin. It makes us merry in adversities and strong in temptations, and bold to go to God with a strong and fervent faith in our prayers, and sure that we shall be hard-pressed when we cry for help in need, either for ourselves or our brethren. Those who are negligent and sin are brought into temptation to the point of despair and feel the very pains of hell, so that they stand in doubt whether God has cast them away or not. In adversity, they are sorrowful and discouraged and think that God is angry and punishes them for their sins.\n\nWhen a child takes pains to do his father's pleasure and is sure that he will have thanks and reward for his labor, he is merry and rejoices in his work and the pain that he suffers. And so is the adversity of those who keep themselves from sinning. But a child, when he is beaten for his fault or when he is scolded, is displeased and may not find joy in his work and the pain that he endures. And so is the adversity of the righteous.\nA child who thinks his father is angry and loves him not, is anyone desperate and discouraged, is the adversity of those who are weak and sin often. A child who never displeases his father is bold in his father's presence to speak for himself or his friend. But he who often offends and is corrected, though peace be made again, yet the remembrance of his offenses makes him fearful and distrusting, and makes him think his father would not hear him. So is the faith of the weak who sin often.\n\nA promise. He who professes not a new life has no promise of mercy in Christ. But as for those who profess not a new living, however much they dream of faith, they have no faith at all, for they have no promise, except they are converted to a new life. And therefore in adversities, temptations, and death, they utterly despair of all mercy and perish.\n\nAnd when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. But you, when you pray, enter your inner chamber, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. (Matthew 6:5-6)\nMen can see this. I truly tell you, they have their reward. When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who is in secret will reward you openly.\n\nAfter almost following prayer comes prayer. For as it is a Christian man's duty to help his neighbor and bear with him when he is overwhelmed, and suffer with him, and stand up for works, they must be seasoned with God's word if they are to please God.\n\nTo give alms, to pray, to fast, or to do any thing at all, whether between you and God, or between you and your neighbor, can you never do it to please God unless you have the true knowledge of God's word to season your deeds withal? For God has set a rule in the scripture without which you cannot move a grain.\n\nHypocrites, with scraps of alms, get a hundredfold. And with prayer they get praise (as you see here) and pray for it and rob widows' houses, as you.\nRedemption of Matthew 23. And with fasting they grow fat bellies/full dishes, and ever more than enough. Yet there is none almost, prayer or fasting among them in the sight of God. With their prayers they exclude all true prayers, making it impossible for any to be among them. For prayer is either a longing for the honor of God's name or the thanks which they have gained in the world, not only in heaven and a higher place, but also that He gives heaven to another man, save through their merits. Or prayer is a companionship and a showing of one's own misery and necessity, or of one's neighbor before God, desiring Him with all the power of one's heart, to have compassion and to succor. Contrary to this, they have excluded with their prayers all necessity and misery from among them. They are a Chamber. To shut the way to entering the chamber and shutting the door to it. I say as above concerning that, the left hand should not know what the right hand does, that is,\nMeaning is that we should avoid all worldly praise and profit, and pray with a single eye and true intent according to God's word, and it is not forbidden to pray openly. We must have a place to come together to pray in general, to thank and cry to God for common necessities as well as to preach the word of God, where the priest ought to pray for the commonwealth and peace. God will defend us from all enemies, for weather and fruits, and keep away pestilence and all plagues. The priests and others should pray many good collects that would greatly edify the people if they were spoken in the mother tongue. And while the priests sing psalms, let every man pray privately and give God thanks for such benefits as his heart knew he had received from God and commend to God his private necessities and those of his neighbors.\nHe who knows and is eager to. There is none such thing in all such a one as idle glory-seeking. But if God has given any man the spirit of prayer, as not all have equal gifts, and he prays often when others do not, then to have a secret place to pray in, both for avoiding vain glory and speaking with people / and that thou mayst be free / to use thy words as thou desirest and whatever gestures and behaviors move thee most to devotion is necessary.\n\nFurthermore, whatever necessity thou hast, though thou feelest thyself a great sinner, Prayer. God's commandment and promise should move us to pray. Yet if thy heart is to amend, let not this discourage thee. But go boldly to thy father, saying thou hast his commandment to pray ever, and promise that he will hear thee, not for thy goodness, but of his goodness and for his truth.\n\nMoreover, when we pray, do not babble much as the heathens do. For they think that they shall be hardened for their much babbling. Be not.\nOur father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. As I rebuked your false intent in praying, that you sought praise and profit from that work which ought to be directed to God alone, either to give him thanks - that is, to acknowledge and confess in your hearts that all things come from him, or to call upon him for aid and comfort in temptations and all necessities. Even so, here I rebuked a false kind of praying, where the tongue and lips labor, but the heart does not speak with God nor feels any sweetness at all.\nAnyone who has confidence in God's promises trusts not in the multitude of words, but in the pain and tediousness of lengthy prayer, as a conjurer does in his circles. Characters and superstitious words of his conjuration. As you see now among our friars, monks, canons, nuns, and even throughout all spirituality, which (as I have shown above), with their false intent for praying, have excluded all occasions and the entire matter of true praying, turning it into a bodily labor, to tire the tongue, lips, eyes, and truth with roaring. False prayer is painful. And to weary all members, so that they truly swear that there is no greater labor in the world than prayer, for no labor whatever it be, when the body is compelled and the heart unwilling, can be other than grievous and painful. True prayer is pleasant, but true prayer (if they complained and sought help either for themselves or for their neighbors and trusted in God's promise)\nThe words of God bring comfort to the soul and encourage the heart, reviving the body even when it is half dead and more. The labor would be short and easy, as an example, if you were so oppressed that you were weary of life and went to the king for help, and received speedy success. Even so, the promises of God bring joy beyond measure where they are believed in the heart.\n\nBut our hired servants have no God's word but trust in the multitude of words, length of babbling, and pain of the body as bound servants. They know no other virtue in prayer, as you may see by the ordinances of all foundations: Syon, Shene, and King Henry the Fifth built Syon and the Charterhouse of Shene on opposite sides of the water in such a manner that the labor of the monks and nuns never ceases. For when the monks of Syon go out to work, the nuns begin, and when the nuns go out of service, the monks.\nThe other side begins. And when they ring out, the friars begin again and vex themselves night and day. They take pains for God's sake, for whose sake God must give them heaven. You and I have known for some years that for very pain and tediousness they have begged the devil to take their founders. They call Lent the holy service. For let them begin at six, and it will be twelve or they can end. In this time they are so weary that by the time they have dined, they have no desire for anything except to sleep. And in the end, they think of nothing further than that God must reward their pain. And if you ask how they know it, they will answer, he must reward it or be unjust. No God looks at the pain of your prayer but at your faith in his promise and goodness, neither yet on the multitude of your words or long babbling. For he knows your matter better than you yourself. And though the Jews and the heathens were so foolish through their unbelief to babble many words, yet they were never so.\n\"Make as if to murmur and mumble words that you do not understand. You may say, what difference does it make if I speak words I do not understand or if I do not pray at all, since God knows my intentions already. I reply, He will have you open your heart to Him to inform and edify yourself, so that you may know how all goodness is from Him, to put your trust and confidence in Him, and to flee to Him in times of need, and to be thankful and to love Him and obey His commandments, and turn and be converted to your Lord God, and not to run wild as the ungodly do, who do not know the benefits of God and are therefore unthankful to obey His commandments.\n\nAnd that you may know how and what to pray, He gives you a short instruction and example, saying, \"The Our Father which art in heaven. First, you must go to Him as a merciful Father, who of His own goodness and fatherly love for you is ready to do.\"\"\nMore for you than you can desire, though you have no merits. But because he is your father, only if you will turn and submit yourself to learn to do his will.\nTo honor God's name is what it is. Honored be thy name.\nHonored and praised be thy name, or honored and praised be thou, for to honor God and to honor the name of God is all one. And to honor the name of God is, to fear him, to love him, and to keep his commandments. For when a child obeys his father, he honors and praises his father, and when he is rebellious and disobedient, he dishonors his father. This is then the understanding and meaning of it. O father, saying thou art father over all, pour out thy spirit upon all flesh, and make all men to fear and revere and love thee as their father, and in keeping thy commandments to honor thee and thy holy name.\nThy kingdom come.\nThat is, saying thou art king over all, make all to know thee, and make the kings and rulers who are but thy substitutes, to acknowledge and recognize thee.\ncommand you, not anything contrary to your word, and make all subjects obey. Your will be fulfilled on earth as it is in heaven. This is all one with what goes before. For as much as you are father and king over all, and we are all your children and brethren among ourselves, make us all obedient to seek and do your will as the angels do in heaven. Let no one seek his own will but yours. But if you withdraw your hand to tempt your children, and rulers command anything contrary to your will, then make the subjects stand firm by your word and offer themselves to suffer all extremities rather than obey. Finally, when we pray to you in our temptations and adversities, desiring of whatsoever thing it may be, and mean it truly, yet if you, who know all things, say a better way to your glory and our profit, then they will be and not ours. As your son Jesus gave us an example, he desired, if it had been possible, that the bitter cup of better death might have been taken from him.\n\"departed from what I say, not as I will, but as you will. Give us our daily bread. By bread is understood all manner of sustenance in the Hebrew speech; here and there is understood by that all that pertains to the necessities of this life. If we have bread, there is a scarcity of nothing that can pinch, namely in that land. Give us our daily bread. Give us all that the necessities of this life daily require. Give it to us day by day, as we need it. We desire not to have a store for many years, to exclude all necessity of praying to you, and to be as it were out of your danger, and to forget you. But minister to us day by day, that we may daily feel your benefits and never forget you. Or if you give us abundance above what we desire, then give us a heart to use it and to bestow it for the purpose you give it and to deal with our neighbors, and not to love it inordinately, but to think that it is yours, and that you may take it away every hour, and that we be content that you so do at your will.\"\nForgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Since we know our nature is weak and cannot but sin daily, he teaches us to repent and reconcile ourselves to each other, and daily to ask God for forgiveness. Seeing he commands us to ask, we may be bold to do so and believe he will forgive us. Therefore, no man need despair who can repent and ask for forgiveness, however deeply he has sinned. And I think, if we looked a little closer at this text, we would not need to make the pope such a great God for his pardons. For Christ, who is a man to be believed, shows us here a more certain and sensible way, which we may feel as we are pardoned and our sins forgiven. We have no experience of the pope's things, whether they are so or not. He cannot deliver any man from purgatory that God puts us in this world. He cannot bless or heal any man so much.\nas of a pore ague or to the ache. Which diseases yet by his own confession God puts on us to purge us from sin. But where we cannot see / feel / or have any experience at all that it is so, there is he mighty. If I were come from a land where never man was before, and were sure never man should come, I might tell as many wonders as Master More does of Utopia, and no man could rebuke me.\n\nBut here Christ makes the surety of pardon, for if thou canst forgive thy brother, God has bound himself to forgive thee; what if no one has sinned against me? That would be hard in this life, nevertheless, if that profession is in thy heart, and thou knowest that it is thy duty to forgive thy brother for thy father's sake, and art obedient to thy father's ordinance, and wouldst forgive, if any of thy brethren had offended thee and asked for forgiveness. Then hast thou that same spirit which\n\nwhich God desires to be in thee. Mark what Christ says above in the beginning of the 5th chapter.\nBlessed are the merciful, for they shall have mercy. Do thou pity thy brethren that have sinned, and do thy best to amend them, that thy father's name may be honored. Then hast thou the means to be sure of mercy when thou desirest it. And again, Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be God's children. If there be any variation among thy brethren, and one hath offended the other, do thy best to reconcile them, and thou shalt have the same thing that God desires of thee, for which he hath bound himself to forgive.\n\nLead us not into temptation.\n\nThat is, let us not slip out of thy leave, but hold us fast, give us not up nor cease to govern us, nor take thy spirit from us. For as an hound can not but follow his game when he sees it before him if he be loose, so can we not but fall into sin when occasion is given us, if thou withdraw thy hand from us. Lead us not into temptation. Let no temptation fall upon us, greater than thy help in us. But be thou stronger in us than temptation.\nThe temptation you send or allow to come upon us leads us not into temptation. Father, though we may be negligent, ungrateful, and disobedient to your true prophets, yet do not let the devil tempt us with his false prophets and harden us in the way in which we gladly walk, as you did Pharaoh with the false miracles of his sorcerers, as your apostle Paul threatens us. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10.) A little thread holds a strong man where he gladly is. A little pulling draws a man whether he gladly goes. A light wind drives a great ship with its sail. A little persuasion is enough to make a lecherous man believe that fornication is no sin. And an angry man that it is lawful to avenge himself, and so forth, by all the corrupt nature of man. A little miracle is able to confirm and harden a man in that opening and faith which his blind reason believes all ready. A few false miracles were enough to persuade the courtesans of Pharaoh and his greed.\nChildren of Israel were in bondage because of their service, for Moses' true miracles shown for their deliverance were not genuine but of the same kind and done by the same craft as those of their oppressors, hardening Pharaoh's heart. If you give us over because of our unkindness, saying the blind nature of man delights in evil and is ready to believe lies, a little thing is enough to make those who do not love you walk in your truth (and therefore never able to understand your sons' teaching. John 7). For to believe the deceptions of our most holy father, all is superstitious popery and ineffectual blessings, and to harden them in this. Just as a stone cast up into the air can go no higher nor stay there once the power of the thrower ceases, so father, saying our corrupt nature can only go downward - deliver us from evil.\n\nFirst (as above), let us not fall into temptation. Secondly, if we have fallen, who lies and falls never? For never\nIf falling makes a man as wicked as Lucifer and believing he stands by his own power, and we have reached the bottom, however deep it may be, put your arm out to save us, for it is long and strong enough. Thirdly, deliver us from evil, and pull us out of the flesh and the world and the power of the devil, and place us in the kingdom where we are past all suffering and where we cannot sin any more.\nFor the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever. So be it.\nFinally, let kings, rulers, and officers remember that God is the true king, and refer the honor given to them for their offices' sake to him, and humble themselves before him, and confess in their hearts that they are but brethren and no better before God than the worst of their subjects. So be it.\nIf you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.\n\"shall your father forgive your faults. A covenant wherewith God is bound to forgive us, and we to forgive each other. This is God's covenant with us and a confirmation of the petition above rehearsed in the Pater Noster: forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive our trespassers. If thou wilt enter into the covenant of thy Lord God, and forgive thy brother, then whatsoever thou hast committed against God, if thou repent and ask for forgiveness, thou art sure that thou art so absolved by these words, that none in heaven nor earth can bind thee. Seven feet under the earth and seven feet above, and cast all his light upon thee to burn thee to powder. Keep the covenant of the Lord thy God therefore, and fear no bugs. But if thou wilt not come within the covenant of God, or if when thou hast professed it and received the sign thereof, thou cast off the yoke of the Lord from thee.\"\n\"You are bound by these words so fast that none in heaven or on earth can loose you. No, even if our earthly god whispers all his absolutions over you and claws at your head with all his sweet blessings. Furthermore, forgive Leuen. Leuen is sometimes used in an evil sense for the doctrine of the Pharisees, which corrupted the sweetness of the word of God with their glosses, and sometimes in a good sense, for the kingdom of heaven, that is, the gospel and glad tidings of Christ. For as Leuen alters the nature of doves and makes it through sorrow, so the gospel turns a man into a new life and alters him a little and a little. Faith. First, the heart and then the members. Faith in Christ first certifies the conscience of the forgiveness of sins and delivers us from fear of everlasting damnation, and then brings the love of God and of his law into the heart, which love is the righteousness of the heart. Love brings good works into the members.\"\nmembers are the outward expressions and the righteousness of the members. Love is righteousness. To hate the will of God is the unrighteousness of the heart and causes evil works which are the unrighteousness of the members. As when I hated my brother in my heart, my tongue spoke evil, and so forth. To love is the righteousness of the heart and causes good works which are the righteousness of the members. If I love my brother and he has need of me and is in poverty, love will make me put my hand in my purse or almsbox and give him something to refresh him. The love of God and of his commandments is the righteousness of the heart. No one doubts this, save the heartless. Faith brings forth love. And that love springs from faith you may clearly see. 1 John 2:\n\nHe could not but love his brother for his father's sake. If anyone hates his brother, you are sure that the same man is in darkness and has not the light of true faith.\nSeyth what Christ has done. If a man loves that he can forgive his brother, thou art sure that he is in the light of the true faith and shows what mercy is shown to him in Christ.\n\nThis is then the sum of all things: works are the outward righteousness before the world, and may be called the righteousness of the members and the spring of inward love. Love. Love is the righteousness of the heart, and springs from faith. Faith is the trust in Christ's blood, and is the gift of God. Ephesians 2. Whereunto a man is drawn by the goodness of God, and driven through true knowledge of the law and of beholding his deeds in the light of the law and with comparing the lust and desire of the members to the request of the law, and with seeing his own damnation in the glass of the law. For if a man saw his own damnation in the law, he should immediately hate God and all his works and utterly despair, except that God offered him Christ, and forgave all that were past, & made him his son and took him.\nThe damning of the law away, and promised that if he would submit himself to learn and do his best, he would be accepted as well as an angel in heaven, and thereafter, if he fell from frailty and not from malice, God would ever take him as his son, and only chastise him at home when he did a wrong, after the most fatherly manner, and as easily as his diseases would allow, but never bring him forth to be judged according to the rigor of the law. Our deeds are the effect of righteousness and therefore an outward testimony and a certifying of the inward righteousness, as sourness is of leaven. That faith justifies what it means. And when I say faith justifies, the understanding is, that faith receives the justification. God.\nPromises to forgive us our sins and to justify us truly, that is, to forgive us and reckon us righteous. God justifies us actually, and Christ's blood deserves it. Faith challenges it for Christ's sake, who has deserved all that is promised and clings ever to the promise and truth of the promise-giver, not pretending the goodness of her works. But one knows that our works deserve it not, save that we are crowned and rewarded with the merit of Christ. Take an example of young children, when the father promises them a good thing for doing some trifle, and when they come for their reward, they say to him, \"Why should you give me so great a thing for so little a trifle?\" They will answer, \"You promised me it, you said I should have it, why did you promise, and why then did you say so?\" Let him say what he will to drive them off, they will persist.\nWhenever you say again that you promised me, you did so. But servants will pretend their work and say, I have deserved it, I have done so much, and so much, and my labor is worthy of it.\n\nAt the first covenant making with God, and whenever we are reconciled after we have sinned, faith. The righteousness comes from God altogether. But after the atonement is made and we are reconciled, then we are partly righteous in ourselves and partly unrighteous, righteous as far as we love, and unrighteous as far as love is unperfect. And faith in the promise of God that he deems us righteous supplies us with unrighteousness and imperfection, as it is our whole righteousness at the beginning.\n\nFinally, our works which God commanded and to which he annexed his promises that he will reward them \u2013 works are as it were sacraments, visible and sensible signs, tokens, earnest, obligations, witnesses, testimonies, and a sure certifying.\nOur souls, whom God has and will strengthen according to His promise, to sustain our weak faith and keep the promise in mind. But they do not justify us, no more than the visible works of the sacraments do. For instance, the outward work of baptism, which is the visible sacrament or sign, does not justify us. But God alone justifies us effectively as the cause.\n\nBaptism. God promises to justify whoever is baptized to believe in Christ and to keep the law of God, that is, to forgive them their fore sins and to impute righteousness to them, to take them as His sons and to love them as if they were fully righteous.\n\nChrist. Christ has earned us that promise and righteousness. And faith receives it. And God gives it, imputing it to faith and not the washing.\n\nFaith. And the washing testifies to it and certifies us of it, as the Pope's letters certify the believers of the Pope's pardons. Now the letters help not or hinder.\nthat the perdoned were as good without them as with them, save only for stabilish weak souls who could not believe except they read the letters, looked on the seal and saw the print of St. Peter's keys.\nO merciful God and a most loving father, how careth he for us? First and beside all his other benefits, to give us his own son Jesus, and with him to give us himself and all, and not content with that, but to give us so many sacraments or visible signs to provoke us and to help our weak faith and to keep his mercy in mind, as baptism, the sacrament of his body and blood, and as many other sacraments as they will have, if they put significations to them (for we destroy none, but they destroy which have put out the significations or feigned some without), as marriage to signify that Christ is the husband and we his bride and partakers with him, as the wife with her husband of all his riches. Beyond all those visible sacraments, to give us yet more sensible and.\nWhen we partake of the sacraments and experience the surfeit of God's goodness, not only in ourselves but also towards our neighbor, if we have compassion and pray for him, if we are merciful and forgive him, if we deny ourselves, fast, and withdraw all pleasures from the flesh for the love of the life to come and to keep God's commandments. For when such things, which were once impossible and now are easy and natural, we feel and are certain that we are altered and of a new nature, shaped in righteousness after the image of Christ and God our Father, seeing His laws of righteousness are written in our hearts.\n\nWhen you fast, do not be sad like the hypocrites. For they fashion a new countenance for themselves, that it might appear to men, how they fast. But truly I say to you, they have their reward. Therefore, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that it does not appear to men how you fast, but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.\nsecret, shall be rewarded openly. As above concerning alms and prayer, even so here Christ rebukes the false intent and hypocrisy of fasting. They sought praise for that work which was ordained to tame the flesh, and used such fashions that all the world might know that they fasted to praise them and to say, \"O what holy men are these, how pale and pious they look, even like death, hanging down their heads and beholding the earth, as men clean out of the world?\" If these do not go to heaven, what will become of us poor wretches of the world? If these are not great in God's favor, and their prayers are hard whatsoever they ask, in what case are we laypeople? Happy is he who may be a brother among them and partake of their prayers and fasting and other holy living, in an unhappy hour was he born who builds them a cell or a cloister, or gives them a portion of his land to comfort these good men, in this painful living.\n\"straight penalty which they had taken upon themselves. Blessed was he who could kiss the edge of one of their old coats at the hour of death. Oh, he who could have his body wrapped in one of their old coats at the hour of death, it was as good to him as his Christianity. And concerning the anointing of your head, it means, to anoint the head as before, turning the other cheek, and the left hand should not know what the right did, that is, they should avoid all vain glory, and fast to God, and for the intent that God ordained it, and that with a merry heart and cheerful countenance thereby to feel the working of God, and to be sure of his favor. Such is the meaning, and not to bind those who will fast to anoint their head.\"\nThey washed their faces. The manner or phrase of speaking comes from a usage among the Jews, to anoint themselves with sweet and fragrant anointments when they were disposed to be merry and make good cheer, as you see how Mary of Bethany poured a box of precious ointment upon Christ's head at supper.\n\nRegarding fasting, kings and rulers should set an order of sobriety among their subjects to avoid the innumerable diseases and the great plague of vices that spring from intemperance, and they forbade not only riot and excess. But also all manner wanton, delightful, and customary eating and drinking of such things as corrupt the people and make men more effeminate than women, so that there remains no more tokens of a man in them save their beards. Our fashions of eating make us slothful and unlusty to labor and study, unstable, inconstant, and light-minded, full of wits, after witted (as we call it) incircumspectly.\nConsider, Hedy, rash and hasty to begin unwisely and without casting parallels, the end not considered what may follow nor the means well looked upon, how and by what way the matter might be brought to pass, triflers, mockers, rude, vagrants, and even apes, and Marmosets, full of wanton and rebellious communication and lewd gestures. It corrupts the wit with false judgment, and infects the body with lust, and makes the whole man so unsettled in himself, that the body cannot sit still and continue in his work, nor the mind persevere and endure in our purpose.\n\nLet them provide that there is diligent fishing in the sea, and command the sea coast and towns where fish may easily come, to fast on Fridays, Saturdays, and Wednesdays, if necessary, and on Fridays to eat no white meat. And let the countries which have no abundance of fish yet have enough white meat, fast on Fridays and Saturdays from meat only.\nAnd let countries where both are scarce, abstain from flesh on Fridays, and eat flesh on Wednesdays and Saturdays. But avoid supper or dinner on those days, or eat soberly. Let them moderate their fasts so that the people can endure it. A provision made for the old, sick, and weak, and for others, whose fasting shall be a temporary thing for temporal wealth only, and not a service to God.\n\nThen let priests first preach the law of Alms. And let them preach the true use of alms, which is to help one's neighbor with counsel, body, and goods, and all that is in one's power. Prayer. And let them preach the true use of prayer, which is to bring one's necessity and one's own before God with a strong faith in His promises. Fasting. And let them preach the true use of fasting, which is to tame the flesh to the spirit, so that the soul may attend to the word of God and pray through faith.\n\nBy these three we keep the spirit of God: alms, prayer, and fasting. They are necessary and continue to grow.\nIn righteousness and become more and more perfect in soul and body. And if these fail or if we do not understand the right intent, we lose the spirit again and the righteousness of faith, and all our learning will be darkness. And then what blindness is it when the darkness of hell is called the light of heaven.\nAlmost. Prayer and fasting are inseparable. As it is with prayer and fasting, so it is with all three, where one of them is, there they all are, and where one is absent, there is none at all. We must have the profession of all three ever written in our hearts. I must always love my neighbor and be ready to help, and when occasion is offered, then do it. I ought to consider and know that all comes from God, and to acknowledge this to him in my heart. And whatever we need, we ought to receive that from God, and therefore to call upon him with strong faith. Even so, I must always fight against my flesh.\nTherefore, withdraw from it all that incites it to rebel against the spirit. Fasting is not only in eating and drinking, but in abstinence from all that moves the flesh against the spirit, such as long sleep, idleness, and filthy communication, and all worldly talk, all of which are the right hand and right eye that must be cut off and plucked out, lest the body become impoverished. And just as you cannot establish a general rule for alms or prayer, so you cannot with fasting. I must be ready at all times to cut away whatever I perceive strengthens the flesh against the spirit. I must have a diligent eye to the flesh and its complexion, and if anything escapes me in word or deed, seek where the occasion came from and cut off that hand and pluck out that eye.\n\nIf this fast is truly\n\nTherefore, withdraw from it all that incites the spirit to rebel. Fasting is not just about eating and drinking, but about abstaining from all that moves the flesh against the spirit, such as long sleep, idleness, and filthy communication, and all worldly talk, which are the right hand and right eye that must be cut off and plucked out, lest the body be impoverished. And just as you cannot establish a general rule for alms or prayer, so you cannot with fasting. I must be ready at all times to cut away whatever I perceive strengthens the flesh against the spirit. I must have a diligent eye to the flesh and its complexion, and if anything escapes me in word or deed, seek where the occasion came from and cut off that hand and pluck out that eye.\n\nIf this fast is truly effective.\npreached, works make hypocrites, if the true intent be away. Then is fasting good / and not before / for making of hypocrites / as Christ would not let his disciples fast before they were learned, lest they should thereby have been no better than the Pharisees. And then the outward fasting ordered by temporal rulers helps much / for the weak's sake, you and though the land were so plentiful that it need not command such fast to avoid death, you they ought to set up, because of them that cannot rule themselves. Rulers are ordained for them that cannot rule themselves. For whose sakes they ought to forbid excesses of taverns and alehouses and rioting out of season. For if the people could rule themselves, what need rulers. Moreover, if any man privately shows the priest his infirmities / and the priest sees any manner of abstinence or chastening apt for the person, let him counsel him to do for the subduing of the flesh, and not command as a tyrant under pain of what.\nAnd so, let him say, brother or sister, you are bound under pain of deadly sin to tame your flesh by some manner in which you do not sin against God. I know of no better counsel and therefore my desire is that you use this until you have no more need or until God shows you something better. And let the elders consider diligently the course of their youth and, with wise counsel and discreet governance, help the younger to avoid the perils and temptations which they have learned by their own experience to be in the dangerous journey.\n\nThe office of a true preacher. Moreover, when the people have fallen from their profession and from the law, it will be impossible for the preacher to keep the great multitude together if the temporal sword is slack and negligent in punishing open offenses, except in those points only where lies the pit of their own profit and advantage.\nweighed down by their honor and maintenance of their dignity, and when God, as His promise is, has brought upon them the curses of the law, hunger, death, battle, pestilence, and all manner of plagues with all misfortune and evil luck. Then let the true preachers be impetuous, and show the people the causes of their misery and turn them back to the Lord's appointment. As many holy prophets, priests, and kings in the Old Testament did call the people back and brought them again in times of adversity, to the Lord's appointment. And the priest, prophet, or king in God's stead struck hands with them, and took an oath from them, to be His people and to turn again to the Lord's covenant, for keeping His law and believing in His promises. And God in His mercy immediately withdrew His hand and led them out of all captivity and danger, and came to them as merciful as ever before.\n\nBut we Christians have been very seldom or never called back to the Lord's covenant by the law of God and faith.\nBut the pope, on behalf of Christ, frequently convenes assembly. As he now examines a passage of his checks and intends to prove all his old policies and seek new ones. And if the people return, let the priest or bishop, following the example of the prophets and high priests of the Israelites, take an oath in God's name instead of the king and lords. And let the king and lords receive an oath from the people, and follow the example of the Ninevites in fasting and praying.\n\nSomeone may say, seeing fasting is to withdraw all pleasures from the body and to afflict the flesh, then God delights in our pain. I answer, God delights in true obedience and in all that we do at His commandment and for the intent that He commands it. If you love and pity your neighbor and help him, your alms are acceptable. If you do it for vain glory to have the praise that belongs to God, or for greater profit only, then your alms are abhorrent to God. If your alms are not from a pure heart.\nprayer be thankes in thyne harte or cal\u2223lynge to God for helpe, with trust in him accor\u2223dynge to his promyse, then thy prayer pleaseth If thou beleue in Christes bloud for the remys\u2223syon of synnes, and hence forthe hatest syn, that thou punyssheste thy body to flee the lustes and to kepe them vnder that thou syn not agayne / then it pleaseth God exceadyngely. But and yf thou thynke that God delyteth in the worke or the worke it selfe / the true entente awaye / and in thy payne for the payne it selfe, thou arte as farre out of the way, as from heuen to the erth, If thou woldest kyl thy body or whe\u0304 it is tame ynoughe, payne him furder that thou were not able to serue God and thy neyghboure / accor\u2223dynge to the roume and estate thou arte in / thy sacrefyce were clene with out salte and al to ge\u00a6ther vnsauery in the tast of God, & thou madde and out of thy wyt, but and yf thou trust in thy worke, then art thou abhomynable.\nFast, The entent of fastynge what it is.Nowe let vs loke on the popes fast. First the\nEntire text: \"Entent should be to tame thy lusts, not only letchery, but pride chiefly, wrath, malice, hate envy, and covetousness, and to keep the law of God. Therefore, it stood not in meat and drink only, but how they keep the law compare it to their deeds, and thou shalt see. Fast, how the Jews. Faste. Secondarily, the fast of the old law was, to put aside only to eat no flesh. I say not like how lean they be but consider what tempering of the flesh it is to eat ten or twenty manner of fish dressed after the costliest manner, and to sit a couple of hours and to pour in of the best wine and ale that may be gotten. And at night to bake with dew (as they say) of all manner of fruits and confections Marmalade, Succade, Ginger, Comfits, Sugar plate, with Malmesay, and Romney, burnt with Sugar, Sycamore, and Cloves with Bastard, Muscadel, & Ypocras, &c. Think ye not that such dews, with drinking a piece of salt fish or a pickrel, dot not tame the body.\"\nThe true intent is away from both their fasting and prayers. It is evident, firstly because of their multiplication, for when the Jews had lost the understanding of their sacrifices and believed in the work, then they were punished for it, and it was well for him who could offer most, as the prophets cried out against them, that their offerings stank in the nose of God. And ours had multiplied their fasting so much that they could no longer bear it. At the beginning they were tolerable for the sake of vanity. Quia leuis est labor cum lucro (Labor is light with profit), but when they had purchased enough and enough again, they became intolerable. And therefore all our monks, whose profession was never to eat flesh, made the Pope a god for his dispensations. They set up the Pope and took dispensations both for that fast and also for their strict rules, and made their strict rules as wide as the heads of their hodes.\ncowles. And as for the hypocrisy of the fraternity where they eat unclean flesh, or that is interpreted to be no flesh is spoken of in other places. Another proof is that they have given pardons for the merits of their fasting for such a long time, as though they had done more than enough for themselves. And of that merchandise, they have gained all they have, and have brought the knowledge of Christ's blood clean into darkness. I do not know what to say of the open idolatry of innumerable fasts, of St. Brann's fast, St. Patrick's fast, of the four holy Fridays of St. Anthony between St. Mary's days. Do not gather treasure on the earth, where rust and moths corrupt, and where thieves break up and steal. But gather your treasure in heaven, where neither rust nor moths corrupt, and where thieves neither break up nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your hearts also be.\n\nNote the good order of Christ's teaching. First, he restored the true understanding of the\n\n(END OF TEXT)\nCouetousness is a pestilence, and here the true intent of the works is rebuked. Greed, which is the root and mortal enemy of true doctrine and true living, persecutes true preachers who rebuke it. And with their false persuasions, they led people into error. 2 Peter 2. And in the second chapter of his epistle, Peter prophesied that there would be false teachers among us, following the way of Balaam (that is, for the sake of greed, persecute the truth), and through greed, with feigned words, to make merchandise of the people, and to bring in damnable heresies. Greed cannot but err. And here you have an infallible rule: where greed is, there is no truth, no matter what they call themselves the church and say that they cannot err. Greed kept Judas still in unbelief though he saw and did miracles also in the name of Christ, and compelled him to sell himself to the scribes and Pharisees.\nCovetousness is relentless. Covetousness caused the Pharisees to lie on Christ, to persecute him, and falsely accuse him. It made Pilate, who found him innocent, sentence him to death. It caused Herod to persecute Christ even in his cradle. Covetousness makes hypocrites persecute the truth against their own consciences and lie to princes, accusing true preachers of sedition and inciting their subjects to rise against them. The same covetousness makes princes believe their wicked perjuries and lend their sword to shed innocent blood. Finally, covetousness makes many, who please the truth at first, cast it aside and become its most cruel enemies, following the examples of Simon Magus and Sir Thomas More. Acts. viii. And after the example of Sir Thomas More, who knew the truth but forsook it again and conspired first with the Cardinal to deceive the king and lead him into darkness. And afterwards, when...\nLight sprang upon them and had driven them clean out of the scripture, delivering it from their tyranny, and expelling the dark stinking mist of their deceitful glosses. It wiped away the cobwebs that poisonous spiders had spun upon the face of the clear text, leaving the spiritualists ashamed of their part, as shameless as they were. Yet, covetousness blinded the eyes of that gleaming fox more and more, hardening his heart against the truth. Babbling eloquence and juggling arguments of subtle sophistry, grounded in his written verses, were as true and authentic as his story of Utopia. Therefore, Paul bids Timothy to charge the rich to believe in the living God and not in their uncertain riches, for it is impossible for a covetous idolater or image-server who trusts in the dead God of his riches to put his trust in the living God.\n\nOne mystery is that those who here\nGather and lay up [something] for yourself; I cannot tell for whom. Another Iluke 12. Happy therefore is he who lays up treasure in heaven and is rich in faith and good works, for the reward therefor promised is God's to keep for him. No man can take it away. Here is not forbidden to have and to say seasonable weather to have it in, and will provide a good market to sell. Likewise, if you be a king, do the office of a king, and receive the duties of the king; let God care to keep you in your kingdom. His favor shall do more for you than a thousand millions of gold. And so of all other. He that has but little and is sure that God shall keep both him and it, is richer than he who has thousands, and has no other hope than that he and it must be kept with his own care and policy.\n\nAnd finally, mark one point in Luke 14. None who refuses to renounce all that he possesses can be my disciple, that is, he who casts not away the love of all worldly things can be no scholar of mine.\nChrist's disciples to learn his doctrine, he adds that salt is good. Greed makes the salt of God's word unsavory. But if the salt is unsavory or has lost its virtue, what can be seasoned with it? Truly nothing. Salt here signifies doctrine, and the meaning is, if you are greedy and love worldly things, it will corrupt the salt of your doctrine, so that whatever you powder with it will be more unsavory than before.\n\nWhere your treasure is, there your hearts are also. If your treasure is in the world, so is the love of your hearts. And if you love the world and the things of the world, the love of God is not in you. Greed makes the love of God and the love of his commandments incompatible. He who does not love God's commandments will never truly preach them, a false prophet. Because he does not love them, but will corrupt them with glosses to make them agree with what his heart loves. And in vain they have another sense than the one God gave them. Therefore, no.\nA covetous person can be a true prophet. It is not in vain that Christ frequently and earnestly warned his disciples to beware of covetousness, for it was something he knew would corrupt the word of God and would cause harm.\n\nThe light of your body is your eye. If your eye is single, then your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, then your whole body will be dark. If the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!\n\nDarkness. Consider the conclusion with a proper simile. The eye is the light of the body, and by the light of the eye, all other members see and are governed. As long as the eye sees, the hand and foot do their duties, and there is no fear that a man will stumble or fall into fire or water. But if the eye is blind, all the body is blind, and that so completely blind that there is no remedy at all, put a candle before him, he sees it not, give him a lantern in his hand, and yet he cannot go straight. Bring him out into the sun.\nand point him towards what you want him to see, it makes no difference. Greed causes darkness. If greed has blinded the spiritual eye and perverted the right intent of God's law and the works commanded by God, and of the sacraments and ceremonies and other ordinances of God (which intent is the spiritual eye), then all doctrine is dark and very blind. How dark is the darkness, when what is pure blindness is believed to be light? How dark is the doctrine of those who (to the rebuke of Christ's blood) teach that a man can compel God with the works of freewill to give them His favor and grace or make God unrighteous? How dark is the doctrine of those who teach that works justify before God and make satisfaction for sins? How blind are they who think prayer is the paring of many words and therefore not only are praised and paid by the world, but also by the title thereof challenge.\nThe doctrine of those who base their faith only and entirely on appointments they have contrived between themselves and God, to which God has never subscribed, is darkness. Faith in works is darkness. The faith of the false prophets was the darkness from which the true could not draw them. The faith of the Pharisees was the blindness of the Pharisees, from which neither John the Baptist nor Christ could bring them. Although John the Baptist reasoned with them from the unchangeable scriptures and Christ added miracles, yet the Pharisees would not be moved. For John the Baptist (as they thought) was too extreme in living such a strict life and refusing to be justified by it. And as for Christ and his disciples, the Pharisees regarded them accordingly.\nThey were much holier than themselves, fasted more often, prayed thicker, and uttered much more words in their prayer than they. Faith of works is that belief of the Turks and Jews which keeps them ever away from Christ. Faith of works has been the light of darkness in which a great part of us Christians have walked. Lord, bring them back again.\n\nFinally, how dark is the darkness when a Pharisee and a very Pelagian stand up, preaching against the Pharisees and the Pelagians.\n\nNo man can serve two masters, for he will either hate one and love the other, or cling to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon.\n\nMammon is riches or abundance of goods. And Christ concludes with a plain simile, that as it is impossible to serve two contrary masters, and as it is impossible to be retained unto two diverse lords which are enemies one to the other, so it is impossible to serve God and Mammon. Two masters of one mind and one will might a man serve, for\nIf one will, mind, and accord are in twenty, they are all but one master. And two masters, where one is under the other and a substitute, may serve. For the service of the inferior is the commandment of the superior. As to serve and obey father, mother, husband, master, and lord is God's commandment. But if the inferior is of contrary will to the superior and commands anything contrary, you may not obey. For now they are two contrary masters. Mammon is a god. So God and Mammon are two contrary masters and gods, of contrary commandments.\n\nGod says, \"I, the Lord God, am but one, and you shall serve me alone. That is, you shall love me with all your heart, or with your whole heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. You shall neither serve, obey, or love anything save me and that which I command. And that is far and no farther than I command.\"\n\nGod says, \"Love your neighbor as yourself. Labor with your hands to get your living and some more besides.\"\nHelpe him.\nMamon says, he is called thy neighbor because he is near thee. Now who is so near thee as thyself? Therefore, be neighborly to thyself, that is, love thyself and make wretches labor diligently to get as much as thou canst, and give them scraps above for themselves. Or wilt thou be perfect? Then disdain thyself and put on a gray coat, Mamon makes men disdain themselves. A black or a pied and give thyself to devotion? Despise the world and take a contemplative life upon thee. Tell people how hot purgatory is, and what pains there must be suffered for small faults. And give mercy freely a thousandfold for one spiritual, for temporal, give heaven, and take but house and land and foolish temporal things.\nMamon says, judge truly between thy brethren, and therefore take no gifts. It is good manners and a point of courtesy to take that which is offered. And he that gives thee loveth thee better than such a churl that gives thee nothing.\nGod says,\nSayth, sel and give almost. Mon says lift up to have enough to maintain thy estate and to defend from thine enemies and to serve in thy age. For as much as God and Mammon are two contrary masters, the servants of Mammon are not of Christ's church. Whoever will serve God must give up Mammon. The servant of Mammon is no true preacher. And all that will serve Mammon must forsake God. It follows that those who are the sworn servants of Mammon, and have his holy spirit, and are his faithful church, are not the true servants of God nor have His spirit of truth in them or can be His true church. Moreover, saying that God and Mammon are so contrary that God's word is death in Mammon's ear, To be Mon's servant what it is.\n\nFinally, only to have riches is not to be the servant of Mon, but to love it and cleave to it in thy heart. For if thou hast goods only to maintain the office which God hath put thee in, and of the rest to help thy neighbors.\nA servant of Mammon is known as such. How shall you know the master of Mammon from the servant? Truly, first by the acquisition: when your poor neighbor complains that he is Mammon's servant, Mammon will stir up his heart and make him insensible. Thirdly, the cross of Christ will distinguish them. For when persecution arises for the word, then the true servant of Christ will bid Mammon farewell. And the faithful servant of Mammon will reveal his hypocrisy, not only renouncing Christ's doctrine but also cruelly and sharply persecuting it, to dispel all suspicion, and openly displaying his loyalty to his master Mammon.\n\nTherefore I say to you, care not for your lives what you shall eat or drink, nor for your bodies what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?\n\nHe who builds a costly house.\nEven to the typing, will not leave there and lose so great cost for so small a trifle more. No more will he who gives the precious soul and beautiful body let either of them perish again before the day, for so small a thing as food or raiment. God never made mouth but he made meat for it, nor body but he made raiment also. Howbeit Mammon blindeth our eyes, so that we cannot see or judge right.\n\nBehold the fowls of the air, how they sow not, neither reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. And are you not far better than they? Which of you, by taking thought, is able to put one grain into his storehouse? Birds and beasts teach us to put away care. He that cares for the least of his creatures will much more care for the greatest. The birds of the air and beasts preach to us that we should leave caring and put our trust in our Father. But Mammon hath made us so dull and so clean without capacity that no example or argument be it ever so.\nvehement / can enter the wyttes of vs / to make vs see or iudge a ryght. Fynallye what a madnes is it to take soo greate thought for fode or raymente / when the welthe, helthe, lyfe of thy bodye and al to gether is out of the poure. If al the world were thyne thou couldeste not make thy selfe one ynche lenger nor that thy stomacke shall dysgest the meate that thou puttest into it. No thou art not sure that which thou putteste in to thy mouth shal go thorwoe ye or whether it shal choke the. Thou canst not make whe\u0304 thou lyest or syttest downe that thou shalt aryse agayn, or when thou sleapest that thou shal awake agayn or that thou shuldest lyue one houre lenger. So that he which cared for the when thou couldest not care, must care for the styl or else thou shul\u2223dest peryshe. And he wyll not care for the to thy soules profyte / yf thou mystrust hi\u0304 and care for thy selfe.\nAnd for reymente why take ye thought. Beholde the lylyes of the felde, how they growe, they labour\nnot, nether spyn. And yet I saye to you\nThat not only birds and beasts, but also trees, herbs, and all the flowers of the earth cry unto us to trust God and cast away all care that is coupled with covetousness of more than sufficient to bear the charges which we have in our hands, due to the state we are in the world, and all care that is annexed with mistrust that God should not minister enough to bear all our charges, if we endeavor ourselves to keep his commandments and do every man his craft or office he is in truly, and (when God proves us, softerth us to have need of our neighbors), we first comply with God and desire him to prepare the hearts of our neighbors against our coming to desire their help.\n\nBut Monopoly sings another song, Nammon saying if thou shouldst make no other labor for a benefit, then as if thou caredst not whether thou hadst it or hadst it not. Acts 8. Let therefore thy care be to do thy office that God puts thee in truly, and the blessing that he couples therewith take.\nWith thanks, and no more care or desire for anything else.\nTake no thought, therefore say not, \"What shall we eat or what shall we drink, or what shall we put on?\" The heathen seek these things. You and your heavenly Father know that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.\nBe not like the heathen, who have no trust in God or his word, nor believe in life to come. Let them be accursed and each be a devil to another for worldly things. But comfort yourself with the hope of a better life in another world. Covenant keep covenant with God, and he shall keep his promise with you. Ever assured that you shall have here sufficient, only if you keep covenant with the Lord your God, and seek his kingdom and the righteousness thereof above all things. The kingdom of God is the gospel and doctrine of Christ. And the righteousness thereof is to believe in Christ's blood for the remission of sins. Out of.\nWhich righteousness springs from love for God and neighbor for his sake, the kingdom of heaven is that which I have said before, and that which is lacking is supplied by faith in God's word, in that he has promised to accept it until more comes. Following is the outward righteousness of works by which and diligent recording of God's word, the righteousness of the kingdom of heaven is this. We grow and become perfect and keep ourselves from going back and losing the spirit again.\n\nAnd these have mixed our spirituality with their corrupt doctrine, that is, the righteousness of the kingdom of God, which is faith in Christ's blood, and the outward righteousness of the members that we attribute to one another.\n\nSeek the kingdom of heaven therefore and its righteousness, and you shall ever have sufficient, and these things shall be ministrated to you, that is, shall come of their own.\nAccording to the promise of God, you, Christ, promise a hundredfold even in this life, of all that you give up for his sake. If that were true, some might ask, who would rather serve him than Mammon? Yet it is true. For first, if you are a servant of Mammon, you must keep your God and he not yours. And every man who is stronger than you will take your God from you. Moreover, God will take either him from your Mammon or your Mammon from him, yet you are already in hell. And may this not be called a thousandfold more than the other?\n\nDo not care then for the following day, but let the following day care for itself. For the day that is present has enough trouble of its own.\n\nIf you look well on the covenant that is between you and your lord God, on the one side and the temptations of the world, the flesh, and Satan on the other, you will soon perceive that the present day has enough to be cared for and for which you must cry instantly to God for help also.\nthou do your best. Now then, since the present day is overburdened with its own care, what madness is it to add to it the care of the following day, a year, or even twenty years, as if you never intend to die and to torment and vex the soul through mistrust and unbelief, and to make your life sour and bitter and as unquiet as the life of the devils in hell. \u2767 / \u2767\nTherefore, care day by day and hour by hour earnestly to keep the covenant of the Lord your God and to record it day and night and to do your part to the utmost of your power. And as for God's part, let him care for himself, and believe firmly in his words and be sure that heaven and earth shall sooner perish than fail to fulfill his promises, however imperfectly you may be able to do your part. Thirdly, though wind, weather, and the stream carry the contrary to your purpose, yet because you are still in your profession, ready to turn the right course as soon as the tempest is a little abated, God promises to forgive that.\nAnd yet the less to fulfill his promises of one iot. Temtation. Why does God allow his children to be tempted with adversity? Does Christ protect them so they never come in danger of trouble? Yes, they come into such straits often that no wit nor reason can see any way out, save faith alone is sure that God has and will make a way through. But temptation is only for an hour to teach them and to make them feel the goodness of their father and the passions of their brethren and of their master Christ also. It is as a loving mother, to make her child perceive and feel her kindness (to love her again and be thankful), lets it hunger in the morning. And when it calls for its breakfast, makes as if she had not heard, till for pain and impetence it begins to cry a good. And then she stills it and gives it all that it asks and more to, to please it. And when it is pacified and begins to eat, and rejoices and is glad and fine, she asks, who gave thee that? Thy mother?\nYou say [you]. Then she says, \"Am I not a good mother who gives you all things?\" And it answers [you]. She asks, \"Will you love your mother,\" and so it comes to the knowledge of his mother's kindness, and is thankful. Such is the temptation of Christ's elect, and otherwise not.\n\nNot forbidden is all manner of care, but what care is forbidden. That is, worldly and devilish care that springs from an inordinate love for worldly things and mistrust in God. For example, I covet inordinately more than sufficient, or even just what I have need of. And it (because I mistrust God and have no hope in him, and therefore do not pray to him) does not come. Then I mourn and pine away and am whole unwquiet in my heart. Or whether I have much or but sufficient, and love it inordinately, then I care for the keeping. And because I mistrust God and have no hope in him, that he will help me therefore when I have locked doors, chambers, and coffers, I am never near rest, but care still.\nAnd I cast a thousand cares, of which the most part were not in my power to alleviate, though I never slept. And where this care is, there the word of God has no resting place, but is choked up as soon as it is sown.\n\nThere is another care that springs from the love of God, for every love has care, and it is a care to keep God's commandments. This care every man ought to have. For a man does not live by bread alone, but much more by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. God's commandment is man's life. The keeping of God's commandment is the life of a man, as well in this world as in the world to come. As a child obeys father and mother, that you may long live on the earth. And by father and mother is understood all rulers, for if you obey them, your blessing will be long life, and contrary if you disobey, short life, and you shall either perish by the sword or by some other punishment, and that shortly.\nruler, if you do not rule as God has commanded. You oppress a widow and fatherless children (says God), and they will cry to me, and I will hear their voice, and then my wrath will be kindled; so that I will strike you with the sword. Exod. 20. And your wives will be widows and your children fatherless.\n\nWhy does God allow tyrants to prosper?\nSome will say, I see none more prosper or longer continue than those who are most cruel tyrants. What then? Yet I say that God abides ever true. For where he sets up a tyrant and continues him in prosperity, it is to be a scourge to weak subjects who have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God. And to them his good promises pertain.\n\nDo not judge, so that you are not judged. For with what judgment you judge, so shall you be judged. And why do you look at the mote that is in your brother's eye, and not notice the beam that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, \"Let me take out the mote from your eye,\" when you yourself do not see the beam in your own eye?\n\"Mote you remove the beam from your own eye, and see clearly to remove the mote from your brother's eye. This is not about temporal judgments, for Christ did not forbid that but stabilized it, as Peter and Paul did in their Epistles. Nor is it forbidden to judge actions that are manifest against the law of God, for every Christian man should persecute such. But when he says, \"Hypocrite, first cast out the beam that is in your own eye,\" it is easy to understand what kind of judgment he means. The hypocrites desire fasting, praying, kneeling, crouching, and a thousand ceremonies of their own invention. And whoever does not do as they do, they consider a damned soul. To Christ they say, 'Why do your disciples fast, as the Pharisees do? Why do they pluck out the beam?'\"\nThey rub the ears of corn and do it, though compelled by pure hunger, and perform actions that are not lawful on the Sabbath day? Why break the traditions of our elders and not wash before sitting down to eat? Why do you heal the people on the holy day? Why didn't you only heal the one who had been bedridden for thirty-eight years, but also commanded him to have his bed taken away on the Sabbath day? Are there not working days to do good deeds to the praise of God and profit of your neighbor, but you must break the Sabbath day? He cannot be anything but a damned person who breaks the holy day and despises the ordinance of the holy church.\n\nHe eats butter on Fridays without dispensation from our holy father the pope. You and why take milk, egg, and white bread to eat, and take no holy water when entering the church, and hear no mass from Sunday to Sunday. Either he has no beds at all, or you will not hear a stone click in it.\nThe hand of him, nor yet his lips waver all through Mass and Matins while. The beam- &c. O hypocrite, cast out first the beam that is in thine own eye, and then thou shalt see better. Thou understandest all God's laws falsely / and therefore thou keepest none of them truly / his laws require mercy & not sacrifice. Moreover, thou hast a false intent in all the works that thou doest, and therefore they are all detestable in the sight of God, hypocrite, cast out the beam that is in thine own eye, learn to understand the law of God truly, & to do thy works rightly, & for the intent that God intended them. And then thou shalt see whether thy brother hath a mote in his eye or not / Ceremonies, he that breaks unity for zeal of ceremonies understands not God's law. and if he has the means to pluck it out / and else not.\n\nFor he that knows the intent of the law and of works, though he observes a thousand ceremonies for his own exercise, he shall never compensate his brother or break unity with him.\nThose things which Christ never commanded, but left indifferent. Or if he saw a mot in his brother's eye that he observed not with his brothers, the same certain ordinance made for a good purpose because he knew not the intent, he would pluck it out fairly and softly, and instruct him lovingly, and make him well content. Which thing, if our spiritual leaders did, men would not so abhor to obey their tyranny. But they are hypocrites and do and command all their works for a false purpose. And therefore judge, sleep, and shed your brothers' blood mercylessly. God is the father of all mercy, and therefore give not hypocrites such absolute power to compel their brothers to obey what they please or to slay them without pity, showing no cause for their commandments at all, but so we will have it, or else assigning an intent damning and contrary to all scripture, Paul. Romans xiv. says to them that observed ceremonies, that they should not judge those that did not, for he that observes and judges is himself condemned, if he takes a brother in a quarrelsome way and destroys the work of God for a disputable matter. Therefore, let us not destroy one another. Rather, resolve this matter, so that neither this one nor the other may be destroyed. For we would all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; for it is written: \"As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.\" So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I speak in Christ Jesus, so that I myself am not judged. Therefore, my dear brothers, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.\n\nCleaned Text: Those things which Christ never commanded but left indifferent. If he saw a mot in his brother's eye that he observed not with his brothers, the same certain ordinance made for a good purpose because he knew not the intent, he would pluck it out fairly and softly, instruct him lovingly, and make him well content. If our spiritual leaders did this, men would not abhor obeying their tyranny. But they are hypocrites and do and command all their works for a false purpose. Therefore, judge, sleep, and shed your brothers' blood mercylessly. God is the father of all mercy, and therefore give not hypocrites such absolute power to compel their brothers to obey what they please or to slay them without pity, showing no cause for their commandments at all. But assign an intent damning and contrary to all scripture, Paul, Romans xiv. says to those who observed ceremonies, that they should not judge those who did not. He who observes and judges is himself condemned if he takes a brother in a quarrelsome way and destroys the work of God for a disputable matter. Let us not destroy one another. Rather, resolve this matter, so that neither this one nor the other may be destroyed. We would all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; for it is written: \"As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.\" Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I speak in Christ Jesus, so that I myself am not judged. Therefore, my dear brothers, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.\nKnoweth not the intent judges at once, and to those who observed not that they should not despise those who observed, he who observes not, ought not to despise the weakness or ignorance of his brother, till he perceives that he is obstinate and will not learn. Give not that holy thing to dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and the other turn and tear you.\n\nThe dogs are those obstinate and unteachable, which for the blind zeal of their lives, with which they have soured both the doctrine and also the works, maliciously resist the truth and persecute the ministers thereof, and are those wolves among whom Christ sends his sheep, warning them not only to be on guard against them but also to feed and strengthen themselves.\nSingle and pure in their doctrine, but also wise and circumspect, and to beware of men. They should bring them before judges and kings, intending to do God's service in doing so, as Paul to the Romans testifies of the Jews, for blind zeal to their own false and feigned righteousness, persecuting the righteousness of God. The swine are they who, having received the pure Gospel of Christ, will yet continue in sin, rolling themselves in the mire and filth of their old corrupt nature, and both the ignorant and the weak use the utmost of their liberty, interpreting it in the largest fashion, and must favor the flesh, as it were the pope's pardon, and thereby make the truth evil spoken of. Thousands who might easily have been won over will now refuse to hear of it, and stir up cruel persecution, which would otherwise be much easier. Yet will those swine, when it comes to the point, sometimes none at all. And yet will those swine. when it comes to the point,\n\nCleaned Text: Single and pure in their doctrine, but also wise and circumspect, and to beware of men. They should bring them before judges and kings, intending to do God's service in doing so, as Paul to the Romans testifies of the Jews, for blind zeal to their own false and feigned righteousness, persecuting the righteousness of God. The swine are they who, having received the pure Gospel of Christ, will yet continue in sin, rolling themselves in the mire and filth of their old corrupt nature. Both the ignorant and the weak use the utmost of their liberty, interpreting it in the largest fashion, and must favor the flesh, as it were the pope's pardon, making the truth evil spoken of. Thousands who might easily have been won over will now refuse to hear of it and stir up cruel persecution, which would otherwise be much easier. Yet will those swine, when it comes to the point, sometimes none at all. And yet will those swine, when it comes to the point.\nPoint abide no persecution at all. But offer themselves willing even at the first opportunity to deny, yet they scarcely oppose themselves if their doctrine is threatened. Therefore lay the law of God before them and call them to repentance. And if you see no hope of conversion in them, cease and go no further, for they are swine. But alas, it ever was and shall be that the greater number receive the words for novelty and curiosity, and in order to seem to have not gone to school in vain, they will forthwith with you they have felt any change in themselves, become schoolmasters and begin at liberty, practicing openly before their disciples. And when the Pharisees see their traditions broken, they rage and persecute immediately. And then our new schoolmasters are neither grounded in the doctrine to defend their doings nor rooted in the profession of a new life to suffer with Christ.\n\nAsk and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you. For\nAll that ask and seek find, and to him who knocks it shall be opened. For what man among you, if his son asked him for bread, would give him a stone? Or if he asked for fish, would he give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.\n\nFirst note of these words: Prayer is a commandment. That to pray is God's commandment, as it is to believe in God, to love God or to love your neighbor, and so are faith and fasting also. To believe in God, what is it? It is not possible to believe in God, to love him or to love your neighbor. But prayer will spring forth from this immediately. For to believe in God is to be sure that all that you have is from him and all that you need must come from him. If you do this, you can continually thank him for the benefits which you continually receive from his hand.\n\"Cry out for help, for you are ever in need and cannot look elsewhere. Your neighbor is also in such need. Therefore, if you love him, it will compel you to pity him, cry to God for him continually, and thank Him as much for him as for yourself.\n\nSecondarily, the heap of many words asking, seeking, and knocking signify that the prayer must be continual, as does the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18. And the reason is, that we are ever in continual necessity (as I said), and all our life is but a warfare and a perpetual battle In which we prevail as long as we pray, and are overcome as soon as we cease praying. By prayer we win the victory only, and therefore it is of all things most necessary. As Israel overcame the Amalekites in Exodus 17.16. False prophets, what their wickedness is. They shall have works like Christ's, so that fasting, prayer, poverty, obedience, and chastity shall be the names of their profession. For as Paul says\"\nTo the Corinthians, the angels or messengers of Satan shall transform themselves into angels or messengers of light and truth. Mark 13. They will come in Christ's name, and with signs and miracles, and even have the appearance of authority. Matthew 24. If you overcome the false prophets and take a multitude from their hands, immediately another will rise up and establish a new false sect against you. And against all these Amalekites, the only remedy is to lift up the hands of your heart to God in continual prayer. Which hands, if you let fall for weariness once, you go to the worse immediately. Besides the fight and contention since and lust of your own flesh, Satan and a thousand temptations will come to cast you into a pit and refuge of prayer or take the prisoner undoubtedly. Lastly, your neighbors' necessities and your own will compel you to cry, \"Father, who art in heaven, give us our daily bread,\" though you were as rich.\nas King Solomon. The rich should pray for daily bread. For Christ commands the rich as well as the poor, to pray to God continually for their daily bread. And if they have no such need, then Christ is a deceiver and a mocker. What need have I to pray you to give or lend me, who already have all in my possession? Is not the first commandment, that there is but one God, and that you put your whole trust in him? If it were written in your heart, you would easily perceive this, and though you had as many thousands as David left behind him and Solomon added to them, you would have no more than the poor beggar who goes from door to door. You and that beggar (if the commandment is written in his heart) are equally rich. First, you must acknowledge that you have received this great treasure from the hand of God. Therefore, when you cast aside a halfpenny of it, you ought to give God thanks in your heart for the gift. You must confess also that God alone\nIf you have kept it and that same night, and ever before, or else be an idolater and put your trust in some other thing besides God, God, and you must confess that God only must keep it and you, the day and night following and so continually after, not your own wit or power, or the wit or power of any other creature or creatures. For if God kept it not, it would be your own destruction, and those who help you to keep it would cut your throat for it. There is no king in Christendom so well beloved, but he has known of his own subjects (if God kept them not in check) that would rise up against him in one hour and kill him to make havoc of all he has, who is so well beloved throughout all England, but that there are now in the same parish or nearby who would, for his good, help him if they could, and would with their hands destroy him, if God kept him not and cast fear on the other. Now then, if God must forever keep it and you must daily receive it from his hand (as a poor man).\nYou are in no more security for your daily bread, no matter how rich you are. Therefore, no matter how wealthy you may be, you must always cry out to God for your daily bread. It is a commandment to pray, and to do so continually, thickly and frequently, as the Psalms and all the prayers of the Bible instruct.\n\nFinally, the third is that we are commanded to pray with faith and trust, and to believe in the Lord our God. Faith must be joined to our prayers, and have no doubt in His promises. To this, Christ gives us an apt simile, saying, \"If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?\" He is more merciful than all men, therefore, since God commands us to pray and since we have such great necessity to do so, and because He is merciful, has promised, is true, and cannot deny His own words,\nTherefore pray, and when you pray, look not on your unworthiness but on his commandment, mercy and goodness, and on his truth and faithfulness. Moreover, whatever you have done, yet if you repent and will amend, he promises that he will not think on your sins. And though he may seem to differ from you, think it not long or faint in your faith or be slack in your prayer. For he will surely come and give you more than you desire, though he delays for your profit or changes all things. Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do the same to them. This is truly the law and the prophets.\n\nThis is a short sermon, that no man need complain that he cannot bear it away for its length. It is so near, that you need not send overseas for it. Doubts how to soil doubts. It is within you, that you need not be importunate upon master doctor, saying, \"Sir, I pray you, what say you to this case, and to that? Is not this lawful? And may I not so?\"\nDo you act justly? Consider your conscience and do what you should or ought to do. If you would not want others to do the same to you, then do not do it. You would not want others to wrong or oppress you. You would not want them to shame or rebuke you, kill you, take away your servant, or go against your will. You would not want others to sell false ware when you put them in trust to make it ready or lay it out for them.\n\nNote: Nor would you want others to deceive you with great oaths swearing to be good, which in deed is nothing. You would not want them to sell worthless ware to an excessive price or undo it, do such things then to your neighbor. But as much as you dislike buying false ware or paying too much for it, so much dislike be you to sell false ware or pay too much for it to undermine your neighbor. And in all your needs, how glad you are\n\"This is the law and the prophets: love your Lord God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and your neighbor as yourself. In the two commandments, the whole law and the prophets are summarized. And Romans 12 and Galatians 5 say that love is the fulfilling of the law. It is written that Christ is the fulfillment or end of the law. To make all this agree, you must understand that to love God purely is the final and ultimate end of all the law and the prophets. To love your neighbor is the end of all the laws between man and man.\"\nNat: do not steal, bear not false witness, commit no adultery, covet not thy neighbor's wife, house, ox, ass, maidservant, or anything that is his. Christ is the fulfiller of the law for us, where we are imperfect. And when we break and repent, his fulfillment is imputed to us. This text, this is the law and the prophets, may you understand. As Paul says, \"Love is the fulfillment of the law.\" That is, to do as you would be done to, is all the law that is between you and your neighbor, and that is in accordance with the true understanding and interpretation of all true prophets.\n\nEnter in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. But straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few are those who find it.\n\nStraight gate: The straight gate is the true knowledge and understanding of the law and of the true intent of works, which whoever understands, the same shall enter.\nShall we be drawn to Christ to draw from his fullness and take him for our righteousness and fulfilling of the law, at the beginning and as often as we fall short thereafter. For except the righteousness of Christ be joined to the best deed we do, it will be too short to reach heaven. \u2767\n\nAnd the narrow way is to live according to this knowledge\u2014The narrow way. He who will enter in at this gate must be made new, his head will else be too large; he must be unlearned of all that he has learned, and made less for entering in, and dissuaded in all things to which he has been accustomed, to be made less to walk through the narrow way, where he shall find such a heap of temptations and so continuous, that it will be impossible to endure or to stand, but by prayer of strong faith. \u2767\n\nAnd note another thing, few find the narrow way and why. Few find the way and why?\nThey blind themselves with their own wisdom, power, and reasons for sophistry. That is, the light of their own doctrine within them is such extreme darkness that they cannot see. If God allowed His church to err (they say), should our elders have strayed? Should God have let the devil perform miracles and so forth? And yet, you claim that few will find the gate, you, in reference to the Turks and Saracens who are the greater multitude. You but little acknowledge the Scribes and Pharisees, who had all the authority over the people and taught out of the scripture, and the Sadduces, along with other false prophets, who were among those that Christ came against. Peter. And Saint Peter prophesies that it will be so among us, and that we will be drawn away by false sects of covetousness, denying Christ, and believing in Him no more. Paul. Christ. that the elect will be so. Paul. Christ.\nShould not be deceived, if it were possible. Moreover, if it were enough to say. I will believe and do as my elders have done, as though they could not err, then was Christ to blame for saying, that except you forsake father, mother and your elders, you could not be his disciple. Christ must be your master, and you must be taught by God, and therefore oughtest thou to examine the doctrine of your elders by the word of God. For the great multitude that Christ means are the false prophets and them that follow them, as it shall better appear hereafter.\n\nBeware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but are within ravening wolves. By their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns? Or figs of thorns? Even so, every good tree brings forth good fruit. But a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, nor a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is to be hewn down and cast into the fire.\nthe fyre, wherfore by their frutes ye shal know them.\nHere Christe warneth the,The false prophetes who. and describeth vn\u2223to the, those capitayns that shulde so blynde the great multitede (that they shulde nat finde the strayte gate) & leade them the brode waye to perdicion. Note fyrst that though they be false, yet he calleth them prophetes, whiche worde in the newe testame\u0304t is taken for an ex\u2223pounder & an interpreter of scripture. And he sayth they shal come to you my disciples, then they must be our preachers and our doctours. Ye verely they must be those our false prechers which Peter prophesyed shulde be amonge vs and brynge in da\u0304pnable sectes, for to fulfyl & satisfy theyr couetousnesse, & folowe the way and steppes of theyr father Balam. And they shall come therto in shepes clothynge. Ergo they be nether the turkes nor yet saresins. For they come clothed in yron and stele, and wyll therto suffre vs to kepe our fayth / yf we wyll submytte our selues to them / as the grekes do\u25aa\nAnd as for the Iues they\nThey are fewer in number than we and are everywhere in bondage, captives to us. They do not wear sheepskins but openly maintain their faith, contrary to ours. But what are these sheep clothing? The very name of Christ is what they are. For Christ says in Matthew XXIII, \"There will come many in my name and deceive many. And besides that, they will perform miracles in my name, as it is written in the text, that they shall call me 'Master, Master,' and begin their sermon by saying, 'Our master Christ says in such a chapter,' whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.' These are not our words but our master's, and they will perform miracles in my name to confirm the false doctrine which they preach in my name. O fearful and terrible judgment of almighty God and sentence of extreme wickedness upon all who do not love the truth when it is preached to them. God will avenge himself upon them.\nTheir unkindness will send them strong delusions, causing them to be taught doctrines in the name of Christ and confirmed by miracles performed in His name. (2) The second thing is, they will harden their hearts in the faith of lies, according to the prophecy of Paul to the Thessalonians in the second epistle.\n\nAnother of their shepherding practices is that they will vehemently preach against the Scribes and Pharisees, against Faustus and Pelagians, and similar heretics, who never preached anything other than what they themselves do. And furthermore, they will preach that Christ preached almost exclusively prayer and fasting, and profess obedience, poverty, and chastity - works that our Savior Christ both preached and did. In the end, they will be the holy church and cannot err.\n\nBut they are ravening wolves. They preach to others, but they themselves rob God of His honor and take from them.\nThey have robbed the law of God of her mighty power wherewith she drives all men to Christ and made her so weak that the feeble strength of man is not able to wrestle with her, without calling on Christ for help. They have robbed Christ of all his merits and clothed themselves with them. They have robbed the soul of man of the bread of life, faith and trust in Christ's blood, and have fed her with the shells and cods of their merits, and confidence in their good works. They have robbed the works commanded by God of the intent and purpose for which they were ordained. And with their poverty, they have robbed all nations and kingdoms, and so with their willful poverty have enriched themselves, and made the commons poor. With their chastity, they have filled the world full of harlots.\nAnd sodomites, the obedience, poverty, and wilful chastity of our spirituality. Thinking to please God more truly with keeping of a whore than an honest chaste wife, if they say it is not truth, then all the world knows they lie. For if a priest marries an honest wife, they punish him immediately and call him a disgraceful heretic, as though matrimony were abominable. But if he keeps a whore, then he is a good chaste child of their holy father the pope, whose example they follow. I warrant him to sing mass on the next day after as well as he did before, without either persecution or excommunication / such are the laws of their unchaste / I would say their own chast father.\n\nIf thou professest obedience, why dost thou run from father, mother, master, and ruler (which God biddeth thee to obey), to be a friar? If thou obeyest, why dost thou not obey the king and his law, by whom God defendeth thee both in life and goods / and all thy great possessions?\n\nPoverty.If thou professest poverty, what\n\n(Note: The text appears to be incomplete and may require additional context to fully understand. The given text may also contain errors due to OCR processing.)\ndoest thou with the landes of gentylmen, squyer\nof noble byrth, & the right heyre of the landes whiche thou possessest sholde be thyne horse keper thou beynge a begger.\nIf ye professe chastite, why desyer ye aboue al other men the company of women?Chastite. what do ye with whores openly in many contreyes, and with secret dispensacions to kepe concu\u2223bines? why corrupte ye so much other mennes wyues? and why be there so many Sodomites amonge you? \u261c / \u2740 / \u261e\nYour charite is mercylesse to the rest of the worlde to whome ye may gyue nought agayne and onely lyberall to your selues (as is the cha\u00a6rite of theues) xxx.Charite. or fourtye of you to gether in one denne, amonge whiche yet are nat many that loue thre of his neyboures hertelye.\nYour fastynge maketh you as full and as fatte as your hydes can holde / Fastynge. besye that ye haue a dispensacion of your holy father for your fastynge. \u261c / \u2740 / \u261e\nYour prayer is but patterynge without all affeccyon.Prayer, Your syngynge is but rot ye may haue perfecte dygestion, &\nbe ready to receive a fresh supply against the next reception. You shall know them by their fruits. Thorns bear no figs. First, thorns bear no grapes or briers figs. Also, if you see goodly blossoms in them and think there is fruit for the sustenance or comfort of man, go to them in time of need, and you shall find nothing at all. You shall find, forsooth I have no goods nor anything proper, or that is mine own. It is the convents. I would be a thief if I gave it to my father whatever need he had. It is St. Edmond's patrimony. St. Albans patrimony, St. Edward's patrimony - the goods of the holy church. It may not be mine possessed or occupied upon lay and profane uses. The king of the realm, for all that he defends them above all other, yet gets he nothing whatever he may need save only when he must spend on their causes all that they give withal that he can get besides of his poor comes. If the king will attempt to take anything from them by the authority of his office.\nAn office for the defense of the realm. Or if any man enters there otherwise than they themselves desire, by what law or right it be, they turn into thorns and briers, and become rougher than a hedgehog, and will sprinkle them with the holy water of their maledictions as thickly as hail, and breathe out the lightning of excommunication upon them, and so consume them to powder. A corrupt tree bears no good fruit. Moreover, over a corrupt tree can bear no good fruit. That is where they have fruit that seems to be good, go and prove it, and you shall find it rotten or the flesh eaten out and that it is but a hollow nut. For faith in Christ (that we and all our works done within the scope of God's law, faith is the kernel of all our good fruits) is the kernel, the sweetness and the pleasant beauty of all our works in the sight of God. As it is written in John, vi, \"This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.\" This faith.\nA work which God not only works in us, but also has pleasure and delight in, and in all things for His sake. Faith is the life of man, as it is written. A just man lives by faith, out of which the pleasantness of all his works springs. For example, you are a shoemaker who works according to God's laws. Faith makes the work good and acceptable, and you say in your heart: \"Lo, God, here I make a shoe as truly as I would for myself to do my neighbor's service and to live truthfully with the labor of my hands, as You command, and thank You that You have given me this craft and make it fortunate that I live by it, and am surely persuaded that both I and my work please You, O Father, for Your Son Jesus' sake. Lo, now faith has made this simple work pleasing in Your sight.\" / / Another example, you take a wife and say, \"O father, You not only permit this but also command all those who burn and have.\"\nTheir minds were unsettled towards Mary out of fear of fornication, and therefore, father, I promise you that I will truly love this woman and care for her, govern her according to your laws, be true to her, and stand by her in all adversities. I will take in worth both the evil and the good, and bring forth the fruit that you will give me of her, in your fear, and teach it to know.\n\nMoreover, concerning the act of marriage, as you will eat, you blessed God and receive your daily food from his hand, according to the fourth petition of your Pater Noster, and know that it is his gift, and thank him, believing his word, that he has created it for you to receive it with thanks. 1 Timothy iii. Even so, Father, this I do, not only at your permission, which is enough to please you with all, but also at your commandment, and have bound myself hereunto to keep my soul from sinning against.\nThe and I, to help my neighbor not to sin, and promise to keep this profession truly, and to nourish the fruit that thou shalt give me in the fear of the Lord and in the faith of thy son Jesus, and so thank the Lord for his gifts. How is thy work though, through this faith and thankfulness pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God. And the generating of Jacob in faith, and of Samuel, and many others, was a good work, and so was nursing them by the fire. And when our lady conceived Christ through faith, was that not a good work? What if God, when she doubted and asked (by what manner she should conceive him), had commanded her to conceive him of Joseph or of some other man, would that work done in obedience and faith have been as good?\n\nThe will that Abraham had to slay Isaac, and all that he did until he came to the very point to slay him, were good works, and so would the slaying also have been. And Abraham was sure that he pleased God highly, and as well in any other.\nWork is a deeply important duty, and I would have sinned grievously if I had been disobedient in it, as though I had done any other cruel deed forbidden by God. Shoemaking is not commanded by God, yet it has the promise of God attached to it. God has commanded me to serve my brothers and to live by it. Handicrafts are the commandment of God. Moreover, I have chosen one estate or another, for if you would receive only from your brothers and do nothing in return, you would be a thief and an extortioner and a tyrant. I chose shoemaking, or received it at the obedience of my elders. Now I have God's commandment to work truly in it, and His promise attached to it, that He will bless my occupation and make it prosperous and fruitful to bring me an honest living. I do not now work at God's commandment and have His promise that it pleases Him?\n\nFirst, my craft is God's commandment. Secondly, I believe and am certain that my work pleases God for Christ's sake. Thirdly, my work is pleasing to God.\nproffytable vnto my neyboure, and helpeth his necessite. Fourthlye\nI receaue my rewarde of the hande of God wt thankes, and worke surely certefyed that I please God in my worke thorowe Christe and that god wyl gyue me my dayly breade therby\nBut yf thou examyne theyr doctrine / thou shalt fynde that this fayth is away in all theyr frutes, and therfore are they worme eaten and shales without kernelles, \u261c \u261e\nNota.\u261e Note agayne, the turkes and lewes gyue almose as well as we & as muche, and yet ab\u2223hominable for lacke of fayth and knowledge of the true entent. what sayth the texte, he that receaueth a prophete in ye name of a prophete shall haue the rewarde of a prophete. That is, because thou aydest him in preachyng of Chri\u00a6stes worde, thou shalt be partaker with him & haue the same rewarde, And he that receaueth a disciple in the name of a disciple, shall haue &c. And he yt geueth one of these lytle ons but a cuppe of colde water for my name sake shal haue his rewarde. If a kyng minister his kynge\u00a6dome i\u0304 the\nFaith of this kind, because his subjects are his brethren and the price of Christ's blood, he pleases God highly, and if this faith is not there, it pleases him not. And if I sow a shoe truly in the faith of his name, to do my brother service because he is the price of Christ's blood, as pleases God. Thus is faith the goodness of all works.\n\nFinally, when God gives, and I receive with thanks, is God not as well pleased as when I give for his sake and he receives? A true friend is as glad to do his friend a good turn as to receive a good turn, when the father gives his son a new coat and says, \"Am I not a good father, and will you not love me again and do what I bid you?\" And the boy receives it with thanks and says, \"Yes, father,\" and is glad and proud thereof, does not the father rejoice as much now in the lad as another time when the lad does whatever it be at his commandment? But the false prophets do well to paint God after the likeness of their own.\nThe text appears to be written in Old English, and there are several errors and unclear sections. Here is a cleaned version of the text, translating it into modern English:\n\n\"A venomous person is pleased when he receives what they receive in his name. But sour graping and evil contentment when he gives in return. But if you please God, whatever you ask in faith, and receive with thanks, and rejoice in his gifts and love him again, to keep his commandments and the appointment and covenant made between him and you. And for a conclusion, besides, they expel faith which is the goodness of all works they set up to destroy the works of God, and to be holier than God's works, to the despising of God's work, and to make God's works vile. With their chastity they destroy the chastity that God ordained and only requires with their disobedience, they destroy the obedience that God ordained in this world and desires none other, with their poverty they destroy the poverty of the spirit which Christ taught, only not to love worldly goods with their fast, they destroy the fast which God commands.\"\nis a perpetual solemnity to tame the flesh, with their patterning prayer, they destroy the prayer taught by God, which is either thanks or desiring help with faith and trust that God hears me. The holiness of hypocrites, in which it is, is to forbid that God or His commanded to be received with thanks, as meat and matrimony. And their own works they maintain and let God's decay. Break theirs, and they persecute to death. But break God's, and they either look through the fingers or else give a slap with a fox tail for a little money. There is no order among them so perfect that they have a prison more cruel than any other holy habit. Ask the Austen friars why they murdered one of their fellows at London. He comes never out, and is so strictly detained there, that it is marvelous if he lives a year, besides other cruel murders that have been found among them. And yet this shameful detaining of theirs, murder cruel enough,\nBe not deceived by appearances.\nBut judge their works, for the spiritual judges all things; the one with the true interpretation of the law written in his heart. Not those we now call men of the holy church, but the one who is spiritual is the one with the right faith of Christ and the true intent of works, which God commands us to do. Not all who say to me, \"Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? And in your name cast out demons? And in your name perform many miracles?\" Then I will declare to them, \"I never knew you; depart from me, workers of lawlessness.\" This doubting of the Lord is vehement and signifies that those who will be excluded are those who think themselves better and more deserving than others and to deserve heaven with their holiness.\nWorkers not only work for themselves but also for others. And by this, you may understand the interpretation of scripture, and by this, they cast out devils and performed miracles in Christ's name. Yet, they are still workers of wickedness and do not fulfill the will of the Father in heaven. It is clear that they are false prophets, and the same ones that Christ warned about before. Ignorance excuses not, if we will not see. Since Christ and his apostles warn us that such will come, describe the forms of their appearances (Christ's name, the holy church, holy fathers, and five hundred years, with scripture and miracles), and command us to turn our eyes from their appearances, consider their fruits, and cut them up and look within whether they are sound in the core and kernel or not, and give us a rule to try them by, is it an excuse enough to say? God will not let such a great multitude err. I will follow the majority.\nBelieve as my father did and as the preachers teach, and I will not busy myself, for the fault is theirs and not ours. God shall not lay it to our charge if we err. (2 Thessalonians 2:3) False prophets, how to know where they are. Where such words are, there are the false prophets, ready and waiting. For where there is no love for the truth, there are the false prophets. (2 Thessalonians 2:3) The greatest in the world have the least love for the truth. Therefore, the false prophets are the chaplains of the greatest, who with the sword can compel the rest. As the kings of Israel compelled worship of the golden calves. And by false prophets, understand false teachers, as Peter calls them and wicked interpreters of scripture.\n\nWhoever hears these words of mine and does them, I will reward.\nLike him who built his house upon a rock, and rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, for it was grounded upon a rock. And all who hear these words of mine and do not heed them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand, and rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and battered that house, and it fell, and its fall was great.\n\nChrist has two kinds of hearers: believers without works, and workers without faith are built upon sand. Neither of them will do good works after this. The one will be saved by the faith of their own making without works. The other with works of their own making without faith. The first are the voluptuous, who have given themselves over to sin, saying, \"God is merciful, and Christ died for us; that will save us, for we cannot but sin without resistance.\" The second are the hypocrites who will deserve all things with their own imagined righteousness.\nAnd yet they have no experience other than faith, for it is meritorious where it is painful to believe. Such as Christ was born of a virgin, and did not come out the way other children do, making no hole, though he had a natural body like other men, and there is no bread in the sacrament nor wine, though the five wits say otherwise. The meritorious pain of this belief is so heavy to them that, except they had fabricated a thousand wise similes and lowly likenesses, and as many reasons to steady them, they were likely to abandon their faith. The only refuge for many to keep this faith is to cast it out of their minds and not think about it. As if they forgave not, yet if they put the displeasure out of their minds and think not of it until a good occasion is given to avenge.\nIt: they think they love their neighbor well enough all the while, and be in good charity. And the faith of the best of them is, but like their faith in other worldly stories. But the faith which is trust and confidence to be saved and to have their sins forgiven by Christ, who was so born, have they not at all? That faith have they not in their own works only. But the true hearers understand the law, as Christ interprets it here / and feel thereby their righteous damnation / and run to Christ for succor / and for remission of all their sins that are past / and for all the sin which chance through infirmity shall compel them to do, and for remission of that the law is too strong for their weak nature. And upon that they consent to the law, love it and profess it, to fulfill it to the uttermost of their power, and then go to and work.\n\nFaith. Faith or confidence in Christ's blood brings about all manner of remission of sins and\nSatisfaction. Faith is the mother of love. Faith compels love in all its works to fulfill as much as there lacks in our doing the law of that perfect love, which Christ had for his father and us in his fulfilling of the law for us. Now when we are reconciled, love and faith are together our righteousness. Love, our keeping of the law, our continuing, our proceeding forward in the grace which we stand in, and our bringing to the everlasting saving and everlasting life. And the works are estimated by God according to the love of the heart. If the works are great and love little and cold, then the works are regarded thereafter by God. If the works are small and love much and fervent, the works are taken greatly by God.\n\nAnd it came to pass, that when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine. For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.\n\nThe Scribes and Pharisees had thrust the sword of the word of God into a scabbard or sheath.\nThe glosses, and therein had knitted it fast / so that it could neither stick nor cut, teaching deeds without faith & love which are the life and whole goodness of all works & the only thing why they please God. And therefore their audience remained ever carnal and fleshly minded without faith to God & love to their neighbors. Christ's words were spiritual and living. John 6: That is to say, they ministered spirit and life, and entered into the heart and grated on the conscience, and through preaching the law, made the hearers perceive their duties, even what love they ought to God, and what to man, & the right dawning of all them that had not the love of God & man written in their hearts, and through preaching of faith, made all it consented to the law of God. The word of God is a two-edged sword that pierces and divides the spirit and soul of man separately. Hebrews 4: A man before the preaching of God's word is but one man, all flesh, the soul consenting unto the lusts of the flesh, to follow them, but\nsword of the Word of God separates a man in two and sets him flesh ragging to follow lusts, and has the love of God and of his neighbor, and the faith of Christ written in his heart, he is called spiritual or spiritually minded. The Lord of all mercy send us preachers with power, that is, true expounders of the Word of God and speakers to the heart of man, and deliver us from Scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites, and all false prophets.\nAlms, prayer and fasting are inseparable. Folio. lxxvii. s. ii.\nAnoint the head what it is. fo. 76. s. i\nAlms, prayer and fasting, how necessary are they. Fo. lxxvii. s. ii.\nAdultery. / / / Fo. xxxix. s. ii\nAnger. How a man may be angry and not sin. Folio. xxv. s. ii.\nAbsolution. God's covenant is a sure absolution. Fo. lxxi. s. ii.\n[Baptism]. Folio. lxxiiii. s ii.\nBread, daily bread. Fo. lxv. s. ii.\nBaptism, the right baptism what. fo. ix. s. i.\nBeam. Fo. xciii. s. i.\nBelief. To believe in God what it is. fo. xcv.\nBelievers without works, and workers without faith are built on sand. (C.vii. s II.)\nCeremonies must be salted. (Fo. xxv. s II.)\nGreed, what a pestilence it is. (Fo. 81. s I.)\nCare. (Fo. xc. s I.)\nCovenant, keep covenant with God and he shall keep promise with thee. (Fo. lxxxix. s I)\nGreed causes darkness. (Fo. 84. s I.)\nCursed, most accursed are they. (Fo xxiii s II.)\nCare. (Fo. lxxxviii. s I)\nGreed makes a false prophet. (Fo. lxxxiii. s I.)\nGreed makes the salt of God's word unsavory. (Fo. lxxxiii. s I.)\nChurch of Christ, what is it. (Fo. ix. s I.)\nClothing, what is sheep's clothing. (Fo. C. s II)\nCeremonies. (Fo. xciii. s II.)\nHe that breaks unity for zeal of ceremonies, understands not the law. (Fo. xciii. s I.)\nGreed cannot but err. (Fo. lxxxi. s II)\nCare, what care every man ought to have. (Fo. xci. s I.)\nCare, what care is forbidden. (Fo. xci. s I)\nChurch, what is it. (Fo. 31, s I.)\nChamber. To shut thy chamber door, what does it mean. (Fo. lxiii. s)\nii.\nCovenant, God's covenant is a sure absolution. Folio. lxxi. s. ii.\nCovenant. fo. 71. s. ii,\nCovetousness. Fo. lvi. s. ii,\nCheck. To turn the other cheek what it means. Fo. lxvii. s. ii.\nCovetousness. By covetousness is a false prophet known. fo. xiii. s. i.\nCovetousness is contrary to the word of God and to the ministers of the law. Fo. 13. s, i\n\u2740 Darkness, all knowledge is darkness till the knowledge of Christ's passion be in the heart. Fo. xxvi. s. ii.\nDoctrine. False doctrine is the cause of evil works. fo. xxix. s. ii.\nDoctrine. True doctrine is the cause of good works. fo. 29. s. ii.\nDogs. / / . fo. xciiii. s. i.\nDarkness. Fo. lxxxiii. s. i. fo. 84. s ii.\nDogs hate the law. fo. viii. s. i.\nDarkness. Faith in works is darkness. fo. lxxxiiii. s, ii.\n\u2740 Darkness. Fo. 85. s. i.\nDoubts. How to assuage doubts. fo. xcvii. s. ii\nFaith, The office of faith. Fol. x. s, ii\nFaith. fo. C, xiiii. s. i. fo. lxxvi, s. ii\nFaith, is our victory. fo. xiiii. s ii\nFaith, the difference of faiths,\nFaith justifies. Fo. viii. s. ii\nFaith. Fo. lxxiiii. s. ii (What is faith of swine?)\nFaith makes the work good and acceptable. Fo. C.iii. s. i\nFaith, love and hope are inseparable in this life. Fo. v, s. ii\nFaith justifies what it means. Fo. lxxiii. s. ii\nFaith in works is darkening. Fo. lxxxiiii. s. ii\nFaith and the law are of contrary operations. Folio. 3. s. i\nFaith is the kernel of all our good works. Folio. C.iii. s. i\nFaith, hope and charity are inseparable. Fo, x. s. i\nTrue faith is coupled with love to the law. Fol. 8. s. i\nFalse prophets, what they are. Folio. xcvi. s. i\nFalse prophets, how to know where they are. Fo. C.vi. s. ii\nFast is not in eating and drinking only. Fol, lxxvii. s. ii\nFast, how the Jews did fast. Fo. lxxx. s. i\nFast, the true intent is absent in the pope's fast. Fo. lxxx. s. i\nFurthering the last furthering. Fo. xxxviii. s. ii\nHe who seeks his own glory teaches. Fo. lxxvii. s. ii (Glory, he that seeks his own glory teaches)\nOwn doctrine and not his master's. Folio 31, s. ii, fo. 32. s. i.\nGlory, he that seeks his own glory alters his master's message. Folio xxxii. s. i.\n\u00b6 Hate, when a man may hate his neighbor. Folio xxxvii. s. ii\nHenry the Second. fo. xiv. s. ii\nHeredity, impure heredity who. fo. 20. s. i.\nHope, the office of hope. fo. xii. s. i.\nHonor, to honor the name of God what. Folio lxvii. s. ii\nHundred fold. fo. xvi. s. i.\nHandy crafts are God's commandment. Folio C.iiii. s. i\nHoliness of hypocrites. fo. C.v. s. ii.\nIustify, faith iustifies what it means. Folio lxxiii. s. ii.\nImpure heredity who. fo. xx. s. i\nJudging, what judging is rebuked. Folio xcii. s. ii\nIgnorance excuses not. fo. C.vi. s. ii\n[I] Key what it is. Folio 2. s. ii.\nKings ought to be learned. fo. xxvii. s. ii\nKingdom of heaven what. fo. lxxxix. s. ii\nKing John. fo. xiv. s. ii\nKingdom of heaven what it is. fo. ii. s. i.\n[L] Law. Folio xlv. s. ii.\nLaw, the law is restored. fo. xxxv. s. i\nLaw, what its office is. fo. 2. s.\nLaw what follows its breaking. Folio. iv. / / xliii. s. 1.\nLaw is that which drives us to Christ. Fo. 2. s. ii.\nLaw, the fulfilling of which. Fol. xcviii. s. 1. / / xli.\nLaw, to go to law. Fol. lii. s. 1.\nLaw, by keeping the law, we continue in grace. fo. v. s. 1.\nLaw, he who does not profess the law has no part in the promise. fo. 4. s. ii.\nLaw. Christ is a gift given only to those who love the law. Fo. 4. s. ii.\nLaw, those who do not love the law cannot understand the scripture for salvation. fo. v. s. ii.\nLaw and faith are of contrary operations. fo. 3. s. 1.\nLaw, what follows the keeping of the law. Folio. xli. s. 2. \u2665 \u2665\nLaw, those who have not the law written in their hearts can not understand the passion of Christ for salvation. fo. ix. s. 2.\nLaw, except a man loves the law, he cannot understand the doctrine of Christ. fo. 31. s. 1\nLeave. / / Fo. lxxii, s. 1.\nLove, to love is to help at need. fo. 37. s. 2\nLift hand, Fol. lx. s. 1\nLove. Fol. C.viii. s. 1. Fol. lxxiii.\nLove is the keeping of the law. Fo. 36, s. i (Folio x. s. ii, Fo. 39, s. i, Fo. xxvii. s. i)\nLove, the office of love. (Folio xxxiii. s. i)\nLove is the fulfilling of the law. Fo. 39, s. i\nLove prays. (Folio lxxx. s. ii)\nLove is righteousness. (Folio lxxx. s. ii)\nLay ought to have the gospel. Fo. xxvii. s. i\n\nMammon's servant is known how. (Folio, lxxxvi. s. ii) / /\nMammon. (Fo. lxxxviii. s. i)\nMammon, the true servant of Mammon is no true preacher. (Folio lxxxvi. s. ii)\nWhat is Mammon? Fo. lxxxv. s. ii\nMammon is a God. (Folio lxxxvi. s. ii)\nThe servants of Mammon are not of Christ's church. (Folio lxxxvi. s. i)\nTo be Mammon's servant, what. (Folio lxxxvi. s. ii)\nMammon makes men disguise themselves. (Folio lxxxvi. s. i)\nMighty ones possess the earth. Fo. xv. s. ii\nMighty ones. Fo. xlvii. s. ii\nMeasure. Fo. xciii. s. ii\nTo be merciful, what is required. Fo. xvii. s. ii\nMonks. Fo. xviii. s. i\nMonks made the pope a God for his dispensations. (Folio lxxx. s. ii)\nMonks rob the whole world with their prayers. (Folio xxxii. s.)\nMonkes why they run to closure. fo. 25, s. i (Mones why monks retreat to cloisters. fo. 25, s. i)\nMonkes why they run to religion. fo. 17, s. i (Mones why monks join religious orders. fo. 17, s. i)\nMonkes be accursed. Fo. xvii. s. i (Monks are cursed. Fo. xvii. s. i)\nMourning, godly mourning. fo. xiii. s. ii (Mourning, godly mourning. fo. xiii. s. ii)\nMorners for the righteous are saved, whom God takes vengeance on the unrighteous. fo. 15. s. i (Mornings for the righteous are saved, whom God avenges on the wicked. fo. 15. s. i)\nMore. Sir Thomas More. K. fo. lxxxii. s. i (More. Sir Thomas More. K. fo. lxxxii. s. i)\nMoses face. Fo. 2. s. ii (Moses' face. Fo. 2. s. ii)\n\u00b6 The narrow way, few find it. Fo. xcix. s. i (The narrow way, few find it. Fo. xcix. s. i)\nObedience. The obedience, poverty, and willing chastity of our spirituality. fo. C.i. s. ii (Obedience. The obedience, poverty, and chastity of our spirituality. fo. C.i. s. ii)\nOyle, holy oil must be administered. fo. 18. s. i (Oyle, holy oil must be administered. fo. 18. s. i)\nOthe, to perform an evil oath is double sin. Fo. xlvi. s. i (Othe, to take an evil oath is double sin. Fo. xlvi. s. i)\nOfferynge what they meant. fo. xxxviii. s. i (Offering what they intended. fo. xxxviii. s. i)\nObedience of the spirituality. Fo. C.i. s. i (Obedience of the spirituality. Fo. C.i. s. i)\nObedience. fo. C, i. s. i (Obedience. fo. C, i. s. i)\n\u00b6 The Pater noster is expounded. fo. lxvii. s. ii (The Lord's Prayer is explained. fo. lxvii. s. ii)\nPardons, A surer way than pardons. fo. lxix. s. i (Pardons, a surer way than pardons. fo. lxix. s. i)\nPayne, no bodily pain can be a satisfaction to God, save Christ's passion. fo, 22. s. i (Payne, no bodily pain can satisfy God, except for Christ's passion. fo, 22. s. i)\nPayne. How God delights in our pain taking. fo. lxxix. s. ii (Payne. How God delights in our suffering. fo. lxxix. s. ii)\nPeace, the peace of Christ is a peace of conscience. (Peace, the peace of Christ is a peace of conscience.)\nPeace making, what is it. Folio xxi, s. ii.\nPerfect, to be perfect. Folio lviii, s. i.\nPersecution, what is the most cruel. Folio 22, s. ii.\nParables, what was their wickedness. Folio xxxiii, s. ii.\nParables, what they were. Folio xxxiii, s. i.\nParables, the Parables might have saved themselves as the true church rather than our spirituality. Folio 33, s. ii.\nPrayer. Folio lxxvii, s. i. Folio lxiii, s. ii.\nPollynge, how to avoid it. Folio xlvii, s. ii.\nPoverty in spirit, Folio xii, s. i.\nPrayer, what it is. Folio lxiiii, s. i.\nPrayer is a commandment. Folio xcv, s. i.\nPrayer, by prayer we win the victory. Folio xcv, s. ii.\nPrayer, God's commandment and promise should move us to pray. Folio lxv, s. i.\nPrayer, false prayer is painful. Folio lxvi, s. i.\nPreacher, the order how every man may be a preacher. Folio xxviii, s. i.\nPreacher, why the true preacher is accused of treason and heresy. Folio 34, s. i.\nPreacher, the office of a preacher. Folio xli, s. ii.\nA preacher of the Gospel may use no violence. Folio.\nPrinces: what they ought to do in making war. fo. 20, s. I\nPrinces: whether they may be resisted or put down by their subjects. fo. lii, s. II\nPromise: he that professes not a new life has no promise of mercy in Christ. fo. lxiii, s. I\nPromises: the promises are made upon the profession of the law of God; if the church will not keep the law, it has no promise that it cannot err. Fo. 33, s. II\nPurity of heart: what. fo. xix, s. I\nPoverty. Fo. C.i, s. II\nRegimens: an example to understand the difference of the two regimens. fo. 50, s. I\nRegimen: the temporal regimen. fo. xlix, s. I\nRegimens: every man is under both the regimens, fo. liiii, s. II\nRegimens: two manner states or regimens. Folio. xlviii, s. I\nRich in spirit. \u29e7 / / \u29e7 fo. xii, s. II\nRighteousness. fo. xvi, s. II\nRighteousness of the kingdom of heaven what. Fo. lxxxix, s. I\nRighteousness of Phareses. Fo. xxxi, s. II\nRich must pray for daily bread. fo. xcvi.\nRight eye. fo. xli. SI\nRight hand. fo. xli. SI\nWhy rulers were ordained. fo. lxxviii. SI\nRulers are ordained for those who can rule themselves. fo. lxxviii. SI\nSalt, who is met to salt. Fo. 24. SII\nWhat sacrifice meant. fo. xxxviii. SI\nHow scripture is locked up. fo. 3. SI\nWhy God scourges him. fo. vi. SII\nScribes and Pharisees, what they were. fo. 23. SI\nSin, to sin under grace, and to sin under the law. Folio. vii. SII\nSinners, he who helps not to amend sinners must suffer with them whatever they be punished. folo. xxxvi. SII\nWho are spiritual. fo. C.vi. SI\nWhat is sheep clothing. fo. C. SII\nWhy spirituality is despised. fo. 25. SII\nAn admonition to the spirituality. Folo. xliii. SI\nEvery man is of the spirituality. Fol. xlviii. SII\nStrait gate. fo. xcviii. SII\nSwine. Fo. viii. SI, Fo. xciiii. SI\nSwine have no faith. folio. viii. SI\nSwear. Fo. xliiii.\nTempte: Why does God allow his people to be tempted with adversity? Fo. xc. s. ii.\nTemporal regime. Fo. iiii. s. i.\nEvery man is of the temporal realm. Folio. xlviii. s. ii.\nTyrautes: Why does God give us up to the hand of Tyrautes and into all misery? fo. xlii. s. ii.\nTyrautes: Why does God suffer them? fo. xci. s. ii.\nVengeance belongs to God. Fo. xx. s. ii.\nVengeance, a private person may not take it, but the officer must. Fol. xvi. s. ii.\nNot to resist violence. fo. xlix. s. ii.\nA wife, how good a thing she is. Fol. xl. s. ii.\nHow to beware of war. fo. li. s. i.\nFew find the narrow way. fo. xcix. s. i.\nRavening wolves. fo. C.i, s, i.\nWorks do not justify, fo. lx. s. ii. fo, 4. s. ii.\nWorks make hypocrites, if the true intent is absent. Folio. lxxviii. s, i.\nWorks must be seasoned with God's word. Folio. \u261c / \u2740 \u2740 / \u261e lxiii. s. ii.\nWhat works do. fol. lxii. s, ii,\nWorks are sacraments. fo. lxxiiii. s, i.\nGod's word altered is not his word. Folio, xxx, s,\n[ii.]\nYpocrisy, it is dangerous to sell it. Folio, [Fol. xxiv.] C, v, [F. s. ii].\nYpocrites, the holiness of Ypocrites where it is found. Folio, C.\n[Zeal of righteousness, what it is.] Fo. 18. s. ii.\n[With royal privilege.]", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "A pathway into the holy scripture. I do maintain that it has pleased God to send the scripture in its original tongue to our Englishmen, considering there are false teachers and blind leaders who may deceive you. I have deemed it necessary to prepare this pathway for you, so that you may walk surely and always know the true from the false. And above all, I remind you of certain points which are: That you well understand what these words mean. The Old Testament, the New Testament, the law, the gospel, Moses, Christ, nature, grace, working and believing, deeds and faith.\n\nThe Old Testament is a book in which is written the law of God and the deeds of those who fulfill it, as well as of those who do not.\nThe New Testament is a book where are contained the promises of God and the deeds of those who believe them or do not.\nThe word Evangelion (which we call the Gospel) is a Greek word, and signifies good tidings, glad, and joyful news that make a man's heart glad and make him sing, dance, and leap for joy. Just as David had killed Goliath the giant, glad tidings came to the Jews that their fearful and cruel enemy was slain, and they delivered out of all danger. For joy of which they sang and were joyful. In like manner is the evangelion of God (which we call the Gospel and the New Testament) joyful tidings.\nAs some say: A good hearing published by the apostles throughout the world of Christ, the righteous David, how he has fought with sin, death, and the devil, and overcome them.\nWhereby all men in bondage to sin, wounded by death or overcome by the devil, are without their own merits or deserving, justified, restored to life, saved, brought to liberty, and reconciled to the favor of God again. These tidings, which many who believe laud, praise, and thank God for, are glad, sing, dance for joy.\nThis Evangelion or Gospel (that is to say, such joyful tidings) is called the New Testament. Because when a man shall die, he appoints his goods to be distributed after his death.\nAmong them whom he named as his heirs, Christ before his death commanded and appointed that such Evangelion, Gospel or tidings should be declared throughout the whole world, and therewith to give unto all who repent and believe, all his goods: that is to say, his life, wherewith he swallowed and devoured up death, his righteousness, wherewith he banished sin: his salvation, wherewith he overcame eternal damnation. Now can the wretched man (who knows himself to be wrapped in sin and in danger to die and go to Hell) hear no more joyful thing than such glad and comfortable tidings of Christ. So that he cannot but be glad and laugh from the low depths of his heart, if he believes that the tidings are true.\nTo strengthen such faith with all, God promised this His gospel in the old testament by the prophets, as Paul says in the first chapter to the Romans: He was chosen out to preach God's gospel, which he before had promised by the prophets in the holy scriptures concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David. In the third chapter of Genesis, God says to the serpent: I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed; that very seed shall bruise your head, Christ is the woman's seed, He it is that has bruised the serpent's head; that is, sin, death, hell, and all his power. For without this seed can no man avoid sin, death, hell, and everlasting damnation. Again, Genesis XXII. God promised:\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Old English, but it is not completely unreadable and does not require extensive translation. Therefore, I will leave it as is, with minor corrections for clarity.)\nAbraham is the seat from which all generations of the earth will be blessed. Christ is that seat of Abraham, says St. Paul in Galatians 3:16. He has blessed the whole world through the Gospel. Where Christ is not, the curse that fell on Adam remains, as soon as he sinned, so that they are in bondage under the damning power of sin, death, and hell. Against this curse, the Gospel now blesses the whole world, in as much as it openly calls upon all to acknowledge their sins and repent. Whoever believes in the seat of Abraham shall be blessed: that is, he shall be delivered from sin, death, and hell, and shall henceforth continue in blessedness.\n\nThe law (says John in the first) that sin is not imputed where there is no law. Therefore, no sin is imputed where the Gospel is, because it is the law of faith.\nJohn: this is he of whose abundance or fullness all we have received grace for grace or favor for favor. That is to say, for the favor that God has to his son Christ, he gives to us his favor and good will, and all gifts of his grace, as a father to his sons. As Paul affirms, saying: \"who loved us before the creation of the world.\" So Christ brings the love of God to us, and not our own holy works. Christ is made lord over all and is called in scripture God's mercy. Whosoever therefore flies to Christ can neither hear nor receive anything from God save [salvation].\n\nIn the old testament, (mercy), are many promises, which are nothing else but this gospel or evangelion, to save those who believed them, from the vengeance of the law. And in the new testament, the law is often mentioned to condemn those who do not believe the promises.\nThe law and gospel shall never be separate: for the gospel and promises serve only for troubled consciences, which are brought to dispersion and feel the pains of hell and death under the law. In all my deeds, I must have the law before me to condemn my unperfectness. For all that I do, however perfect I may be, is yet damning sin when compared to the law, which requires the ground and bottom of my heart. I must therefore always have the law in sight, that I may be meek in spirit, and give God all praise and prayer, ascribing to Him all righteousness, and to myself all unrighteousness and sin. I must also have the promises before my eyes, that I may.\nDispire not, in which promise I see the mercy, favor, and good will of God upon me in the blood of his son Christ, which has made satisfaction for my unparvenues and fulfilled for me that which I could not do. Here you may perceive that two kinds of people are greatly deceived. First, those who justify themselves without inward works, in that they abstain outwardly from what the law forbids and do outwardly what the law commands. They compare themselves to open sinners and in respect to them justify themselves, condemning the open sinners. They set a veil on Moses' face and do not see how the law requires love from both parties and that love alone is the fulfilling of the law. If they did, they would not condemn their neighbors. Love conceals many things.\nAttitude of sin says Saint Peter in his first Epistle. For whom I love from the deep bottom and ground of my heart, him I condemn not, nor reckon his sins, but suffer his weakness and infirmity, as a mother the weakness of her son, until he grows up into a perfect man. Those also are deceived who without all fear of God give themselves unto all manner of vices with full consent and full delight, having no respect to the law of God (under whose vengeance they are locked up in captivity), but say: God is merciful, & Christ died for us, supposing that such dreaming and imagining is that faith which is so greatly commended in holy scripture. Nay, that is not faith but rather a foolish blind opinion, springing from their own corrupt nature, and is not given them.\nof the spirit of God, but rather of the spirit of the devil, whose faith modern people compare and make equal to the best trust, confidence, and belief that a repenting soul can have in the blood of our savior Jesus, to their own confusion, shame, and uttering what they are within. But true faith is (as the apostle Paul says) a gift of God, and is given to sinners after the law has passed upon them, and has brought their consciences to the brim of despair and sorrows of hell.\n\nThose who have this right faith consent to the law that it is right, wise, and just, and justify God who made the law, and have delight in the law (notwithstanding that they cannot fulfill it as they would for their weaknesses), and they abhor whatever the law forbids, though they cannot always.\nAnd yet they mourn. Their great sorrow is because they cannot fulfill the will of God according to the law, and the spirit within them cries out to God day and night for strength and help, as Paul says, which cannot be expressed with tongue. Of this matter, the belief of our Popish or their father, whom they so exalt, has no experience at all.\n\nThe first law within, neither delights in it. He would rather that no such law existed. So he justifies not God but hates Him as a tyrant. He neither cares for the promises nor glorifies God, though it may seem outwardly.\n\nThe second, that is to say, the sensual person, acts like a voluptuous swine. He fears God in the law neither does he give thanks to Him for His promises and mercy, which is set forth in Christ for all those who believe.\nThe right Christian man consents to the law that it is righteous and justifies God in the law: for he asserts that God is righteous and just, who is the author of the law. He believes the promises of God and justifies Him.\n\nBy nature, through Adam's fall, we are the children of wrath, heirs of God's vengeance at birth. You and I have fellowship with the damned.\n\"Despite being under the power of darkness and the rule of Satan while we are yet in our mothers' wombs, and though we do not exhibit the fruits of sin as soon as we are born, we are still full of the natural poison from which all sinful deeds arise. And if we are able to work once occasion is given, we cannot but sin. Just as a young serpent or a serpent that has not yet been brought forth is full of poison and can only bring forth the fruits of it later, so are we hated by God for that natural poison which is conceived in us.\"\nBorn with evil is not the same as doing evil outwardly. And just as the evil that a venomous worm causes is not what makes it a serpent, but because it is a venomous worm that poisons, and just as the fruit does not make the tree evil, but because it is an evil tree that brings forth evil fruit when the season for fruit is, in the same way, our evil deeds do not make us evil in the first place through ignorance and blindness caused by evil working, but by grace - that is to say, by favor - we are plucked out of the evil one.\nground of all evil/ and graffed in Christ the root of all goodness. In Christ, God loved us his elect and chosen before the world began, and reserved us unto the knowledge of his son and of his holy gospel. When the gospel is preached to us, it opens our hearts and gives us grace to believe and puts the spirit of Christ in us, and we know him as our most merciful father, and consent to the law, and love it inwardly in our heart, and desire to fulfill it, and sorrow because we cannot, which will (since we of frailty never so much) is sufficient till more strength is given us. The blood of Christ has made satisfaction for the rest. The blood of Christ has opened all things for us from God. Christ is our satisfaction, redeemer delivered, savior from vengeance and wrath. Observe and mark in Paul's, Peter's, and John's epistles, and in the gospel, what Christ is to us.\nBy faith are we saved only through believing the promises. And though faith is never without love and good works, yet our salvation is not imputed to love or to good works but to faith alone. Love and works are under the law which requires perfection and condemns all imperfections. Now faith is under the promises which do not condemn, but give pardon, grace, mercy, and whatever is contained in the promises.\n\nRighteousness is diverse; for a blind reason imagines many manners of righteousness. There is the righteousness of works (as I said before), when the heart is dead and is not felt how the law is spelled and cannot be fulfilled but from the bottom of the heart. As the just ministry of the law brings to light.\nAll manner of laws and the observing of them for a worldly purpose and for our own profit, not out of love for our neighbor without, but with all other respects and moral virtues, whereby philosophers seek felicity and blessedness - all of which are nothing in God's sight in respect to the life to come. There is likewise the justification of the Jew. They seek righteousness in their ceremonies which God gave them not for justification but to describe and portray Christ to them. This is testified by Paul, who says that they have an affection for God, but not in the same way as we do.\nafter knowledge, for they go about to stabilize their own justice & are not obedient to the justice or righteousness that comes from God, which is the forgiveness of sin in Christ's blood, to all who repent and believe. The cause is truly that except a man casts away his own imaginings & reason, he cannot perceive God & understand the virtue and power of Christ's blood. There is a full righteousness, what the law is fulfilled from the ground of the heart. This had not Peter nor Paul perfectly in this life; to the uttermost, they could not be perfected but signed after it. They were so far blessed in Christ that they hungered & thirsted after it. Paul had this thirst, he consecrated himself to the law of God, that it ought to be so, but he found another lust in his members contrary to the lust & desire of his.\nmy mind tormented him, and so he cried out, saying: \"Oh wretched one that I am: who will deliver me from this body of death? Thank be to God through Jesus Christ. The righteousness that is valuable before God is to believe God's promises, after the temporal law has confounded the conscience. Just as the temporal law often condemns the thief or murderer and brings him to execution, so that he sees nothing before him but present death, and then comes good news, a pardon from the king and delivers him. Likewise, when God's law has brought the sinner into a knowledge of himself and confounded his conscience, and opened to him the wrath and vengeance of God, then comes good news, the Evangelion shows to him God's promises in Christ and how.\nChrist has purchased pardon for us, has satisfied the law for us, and appeased the wrath of God. And you, poor sinner, believe, laud, and thank God through Christ, and break out into excessive inward joy and gladness, because you have escaped such great wrath, such heavy vengeance, such fearful and everlasting death. And he henceforth is hungry and thirsty for more righteousness that he might fulfill the law, and mourns continually, commending his weaknesses to God in the blood of our savior Christ Jesus.\n\nHere you shall see compiled and plainly set out the order and practice of every thing aforementioned.\n\nThe fall of Adam has made us heirs of God's vengeance and wrath and heirs to eternal damnation. It has brought us into captivity and bondage under the devil. And the.\nThe devil is our lord and ruler, our head, our governor, our prince, you and our god: and our will is locked and knitted faster unto the will of the devil. A hundred thousand chains could not bind a man to a post. To the devil's will we consent with all our hearts, with all our minds, with all our might, power, strength, will, and lust: so that the law and will of the devil is written as well in our hearts as in our members, and we run headlong after the devil with full seal, and the whole swing of all the power we have, as a stone cast up into the air comes down naturally of its own self, with all the violence and swing of its own way. With what deadly and venomous hate does a man hate his enemies? With how great malice of mind inwardly do we slay and murder? With what violence.\nAnd rage you, and with how fierce lust commit adultery, fornication, and such like uncleanness, what pleasure and delight inwardly serves a glutton his belly? With what diligence discern we? How busily seek we the things of this world? Whatever we think or imagine is abominable in the sight of God. For we can refer nothing unto the honor of God: neither is his law or will written in our members or in our hearts, nor is there any more power in us to follow the will of God than in a stone to ascend upward of its own self. Besides, we are as it were in a deep sleep that we cannot see nor feel what misery, thralldom, and wretchedness we are in, till Moses comes and publishes the law. When we here the law truly preached, how.\nthat we ought to love and honor God with all our strength and might, from the depths of our hearts, because He has created us and heaven and earth for our sakes, and made us lords thereof: and our neighbors (yes, our enemies) as ourselves, inwardly, because God has made them in His own image, and they are His sons as well as we, and Christ has bought them with His blood and made them heirs of everlasting life as well as us: and we ought to do whatever God bids and abstain from whatever God forbids, with a fervent and burning lust from the center of our hearts: then begins the conscience to rage against the law and against God. No, see, it may be never so great a tempest, it is not possible for it to quell.\nA natural man consents to a law that is contrary to his nature and condemns him, making it impossible for him to think that God is righteous in creating such a nature, either for His own pleasure or for the sin of another man, and giving him an impossible law or consenting to his will, reason and will being so firmly attached. Neither can any creature escape this. Paul testifies to this in Romans iv and incites and stirs man to rail against God and blaspheme Him as a cruel tyrant. It is not possible for a man until he is reborn to think that God is righteous in making him of such a corrupt nature.\nBodies / save the blood of Christ only. This is captivity and bondage where Christ delivered us / redeemed us and lost us. His blood / his death / his patience in suffering rebukes & wrongs / his prayers & fasting / his meekness & fulfilling of the utmost point of the law / appeased the wrath of God / brought you favor of God to us again / obtained that God should love us first / & be our father and that a merciful father / that will consider our infirmities & weaknesses and will give us his spirit again (which was taken away in the fall of Adam) to rule / govern / and strengthen us / & to break the bonds of Satan / wherein we were so tightly bound. When Christ preaches thus / and the promises are rehearsed which are contained in the prophets in the Psalms & in various places of the five books of Moses / this preaching is called the gospel or good news. More righteousness / and afterward more strength to fulfill the law more perfectly.\nAnd all that they do or omit and leave undone, they seek God's honor and his will with meekness, ever condemning the unfitnes of their deeds by the law. Now Christ stands before us in double stead and serves us in two ways. First, he is our redeemer, deliverer, reconciler, mediator, intercessor, advocate, solicitor, hope, comfort, shelter, protection, defender, strength, health, satisfaction, and salvation. His blood, his death, all that he ever did, is ours. And Christ himself, with all that he is or can do, is ours. His shedding of blood and all that he did does me as good service as though I myself had done it. And God (as great as he is) is mine with all that he has as a husband is his wife through Christ and his purchasing.\nSecondarily, after that we are overcome with love and kindness, and now seek to do the will of God (which is a Christian nature), we have an example to counter feats, as Christ himself says in John, \"I have given you an example.\" And in another Gospel, he says, \"He who will be great among you shall be your servant and minister, as the Son of Man, the example of Christ, without any other respect, save your neighbor's wealth only, and neither look for reward in earth nor yet in heaven for the deeds and merits of our actions as brothers, preach, though we know that good deeds are rewarded, both in this life and in the life to come: but of pure love must we bestow our selves all that we have, and all that we are able to do, even on our enemies, considering nothing but their wealth as Christ did ours. Christ.\nHe is here, born of one who gave him being and is more eager for him to have it than he himself is. And ask him why he does anything he does, he answers: \"My father bade, it is my father's will, it pleases my father. Bondservants work for their mistresses. Children for love. For their father, with all he has, is already theirs.\nSo does a Christian freely do all that he does, considering nothing but the will of God and his neighbor's welfare only: if I live chastely, I do not do it to obtain heaven thereby: For then I would do wrong to the blood of Christ. Christ's blood has obtained me that, Christ's merits have made me heir to it. He is both door and way thitherward, Neither do I look for an hereditary room in heaven.\nthan they shall have who live in marriage, either than a hore in the stews (if she repents), for that were the pride of Lucifer. But freely to wait on the gospel: and to avoid the trouble of the world, and occasions that might draw me from it, and to serve my brother withal, even as one hand helps another, or one member another, because one feels another's grief, and the pain of one is the pain of the other. Whatever is done to the least of us (whether it be good or bad, it is done to Christ), and whatever is done to my brother (if I be a Christian man), the same is done to me.\n\nNeither does my brother's pain grieve me less than my own, neither rejoice. I rejoice in his wealth as in my own, if I love him as well and as much as myself, as the law commands me if it were not so: how.\n\"Sayeth Paul? Let him that rejoices rejoice in the Lord, that is to say, Christ, who is Lord over all creatures. If my merits obtained me a higher place than where I might rejoice beside Him? Here you see the nature of the law and the nature of the Gospel. The law is the key that binds and condemns all men, and the Gospel is the key that loosens again. The law goes before and the Gospel follows. Where a preacher preaches the law, he binds all consciences, and when he preaches the Gospel, he loses them again. These two saviors (I mean the law and the Gospel) use God and His preacher to heal and cure sinners with all. The law drives out the disease and makes it appear, and is a sharp salve and a fretting corpse, and kills the dead flesh and loses and.\"\ndraws out the sores and all corruption. It pulls from a man his trust and confidence in himself and in his works, merits, deservings, and ceremonies, and renders his will through strong faith.\nIn all such tribulations, a Christian man perceives that God is his father and loves him even as He loved Christ when He shed His blood on the cross. Finally, as I was once bound to the Devil and his will, I worked all manner of evil and wickedness, not for Hell's sake, which is the reward of sin, but because I was heir of Hell by birth and in bondage to the Devil. I could do nothing other than sin; it was my nature. Even so now, since I am coupled to God by Christ's blood, I do good, not for Heaven's sake, which is yet the reward of good deeds: but because I am heir to Heaven by grace and Christ's purchasing, and have the Spirit of God, I do good freely. For a tree is known by its fruit, and a man's deeds declare what he is within, but they make him neither good nor bad. Though after we are created anew by the Spirit and doctrine of Christ, we are.\nhim who does good to you, and first pours into him that same good thing which he afterwards displays toward others. Whatever is our own is sin. Whatever is above that is Christ's, given to us by his bitter death and life-giving blood.\n\nWhatever good thing is in us, given to us freely without our deserving or merits for the sake of Christ's blood, that we desire to follow God's will, it is the gift of Christ's blood. That we now hate the devil's will (to whom we were once so firmly locked and could not but love it), is also the gift of Christ's blood. To whom belongs the praise and honor of our good deeds, and not to us.\n\nOur deeds do us three kinds of service.\nWe first certify that we are heirs of everlasting life, and that the spirit of God, which is the earnest of it, is in us, our hearts consenting to the law of God and having the power in our members to do it, though imperfectly. Secondly, we tame the flesh and kill the sin that remains in us, and become daily more perfect and perfect in the spirit, and keep the lusts from choking the word of God sown in us, nor quenching the gifts or the working of the spirit, and that we do not lose the spirit again. And thirdly, we do our duty to our neighbor with and help their necessities to our own comfort also, and draw all men unto the honor and praise of God. And whoever excels in the gifts of grace, let him think that they are given to him as much.\nTo do his brothers' service as much for his own self, and as much for the love which God has towards the weak as unto him, to whom God gives such gifts. And he that withdraws anything that he has from his neighbor's need, robs his neighbor and is a thief. And he that is proud of the gifts of God and thinks himself, by the reason of them, better than his feeble neighbor, not rather as the reason of them has enriched his spirit in him and not Christ's.\n\nFirst, know this: the law, how it is natural right and equity that we have but one God to put our hope and trust in, and love with all our heart, soul, and might and power, and neither move heart nor hand but at His commandment, because He first created us from nothing, heaven and earth, for our sakes. And afterward, when we had strayed ourselves through sin, He forgave us and created us again in the blood of His beloved Son.\nAnd we should have the name of our one god in fear and reverence, and not dishonor it in light trifles or vanities, or use it to record wickedness or falsehood, or anything that dishonors God, which is the breaking of his laws or to the harm of our neighbor. And since he is our lord and god, and we are his double possession by creation and redemption, we therefore ought, as I said, neither to move heart or hand without his commandment. It is right that we have necessary holy days to come together and learn his will, both the law.\nwhich he will have us ruled by, and also the promises of mercy which he will have us trust in, and to give thanks to God together with his mercy, and commit our infirmities to him through our savior Jesus, and reconcile ourselves to him, and each to other, if anything is between brother and brother that requires it. And for this purpose, and such like, as to visit the sick and needy, and redress peace and unity.\n\nIt is right that we obey father and mother, master, lord, prince, and king, and all the ordinances of the world, bodily and spiritually, by which God rules us and freely ministers his benefits to us all.\nAnd we love them [i.e., rulers or worldly powers] for the benefits we receive from them, and fear them for the power they have over us to punish us if we transgress the law and good order. Yet, the worldly powers or rulers are to be obeyed only as their commands do not contradict the command of God, and then we must have God's command ever in our hearts, interpreting the inferior commandment that we obey nothing against the belief in our God, or against faith, hope, and trust in him alone, or against the love of God, by which we do or leave undone all things for his sake, and that we do nothing for any man's command against the reverence of God's name, to make it despised and less feared, and that we obey nothing to the hindrance of the knowledge of the blessed doctrine of God, whose servant the holy day is.\n\"Although rulers, whom God has placed over us, command us to act against God or do us open wrong and oppress us with cruel tyranny, we cannot avenge ourselves, but must instead seek recourse through the process and order of God's law and the laws of man made by God's authority, which is also God's law. Enforcement of this vengeance is to be carried out by an higher power and remitted to God. On the other hand, a man ought to love his neighbor equally and fully, as himself, because his neighbor (no matter how simple), is equally created by God and fully redeemed by the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. From this commandment of love spring these:\"\nThou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, defile not his wife, bear not false witness against him, and not only do not these things in deed, but covet not in thine heart his wife, his house, his servant, maidservant, ox, ass, or whatsoever is his. These laws pertaining to our neighbor are not fulfilled in the sight of God, save with love. He that loveth not his neighbor keepeth not this commandment: thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, though she never touch thee or never be seen by thee, or even think upon her. For the commandment is, though thy neighbor's wife be never so fair, and thou have never so great opportunity given thee, and she consent or perhaps provoke thee, as Potiphar's wife did Joseph; yet love thy neighbor so well that in thy heart thou canst not find wickedness to do. And he that trusteth in anything save in God alone and in his only Son Jesus Christ keepeth no commandment.\nFor anyone who trusts in any creature, whether in heaven or on earth, have faith in God and his son Jesus. And to know how this law is contrary to our nature and is damning, every inward baptism of our souls and the washing and dipping of our bodies in water is the outward sign. The plunging of the body under the water signifies that we repent and profess to fight against sin and lusts, and to kill the [sin] more and more with the help of God and our diligence in following the doctrine of Christ and the leading of his spirit. And that we believe to be washed from our natural damning in which we are born, and from all the wrath of God.\nAnd we, from all infirmities and weaknesses that remain in us after we have given our consent to the law and yielded ourselves to be its scholars, and from all imperfections of all our deeds done with cold love, and from all actual sin which shall chance upon us while we enforce the contrary and ever fight against it and hope to sin no more. And thus, repentance and faith begin at our baptism and first professing the laws of God, and continue unto our lives end, and grow as we grow in the spirit. For the purer we are, the greater is our repentance, and the stronger our faith. And thus, as the spirit and doctrine on God's part beget us a new birth in Christ, so they make us grow and become perfected and conformed to the likeness and perfection of our savior Jesus, whose gift is all.\n\nAnd finally, to know that whatever good things we ever have:\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Early Modern English. No significant OCR errors were detected.)\nWhen our strength is gone, these things I say to know are to have all the scripture unlocked and opened before you, so that if you will go in and read, you cannot but understand. And in these things to be ignorant is to have all the scripture locked up, so that the more you read it, the blinded you are, and the more contrary you find in it, and the more tangled you are in it, and can find no way through. For if you add a gloss in one place, it will not serve in another. And therefore, because we are never taught the profession of our baptism, we remain always unlearned, as well the spiritual part for all their great clergy and high schools, as we say, as the lay people. And now, because the lay and unlearned people are taught these first principles of our profession first, therefore they read the scripture.\nAnd understand and delight in it: And our great pillar of the holy church, which has nailed a veil of false glosses on Moses' face to corrupt the true understanding of his law, cannot come in. And therefore, bark and say, the scripture makes heretics, and it is not possible for them to understand it in English, because they themselves do not [in] Latin. And of pure malice that they cannot have their will, they slay their brethren for their faith they have in our savior and therewith utter their bloody tyranny, and what they are within and whose disciples. Here, with reader, is committed unto the grace of our savior Jesus, unto whom and God our father through him be praise from ever and forever. Amen.\nMy beloved brother in Christ, the peace and mercy of God be with you and with all who will honor God and the increase of his gospel. Amen. I give thanks to our Savior, who in this great wretchedness of unbelief, with which the poor souls bought with the precious blood of Christ were sore clogged and entangled, has given us knowledge of his word. This word was made holy by being buried and drowned due to the reason of lewd learning, false fables, and dreams of men which have been.\nHere is the cleaned text:\n\n\"hitherto preached in the place of the right holy and worthy word of God, which the very savior and redeemer of the world, the only mediator between God and man, very God and very man, Jesus Christ, came to show us which words (I mean the words of holy scripture) a man should receive in as great reverence as though our savior spoke to us in his own person. Greatly therefore ought we to thank him, that it has pleased him of his unspeakable goodness to give us this grace, that we may read his holy gospels, and blessed are they that shall bear these holy words and keep them. Therefore, well-beloved brother, that God of his infinite mercy (and not by our deserving, which can do nothing but sin), has given us this grace to read these godly words and be refreshed. I desire you that in all humility and loving-kindness of heart, know that you are nothing but sin and abomination, made a true creature living not.\"\ncase required the thing that signifies and represents the communion of the precious body and blood of our Lord, making us one body in Jesus Christ, and likewise, as He died for us, we die one for another: for we must love one another as He loved us, for He commanded us, saying: \"I give you a new commandment, that one of you love another as I have loved you.\"\n\nIn this charity and love is the sum and conclusion of the Scripture. For it makes us love (for the honor of God) father and mother, husband and wife, children, brothers, sisters, and all other things except God: we, ourselves, and it makes us leave and forsake all else, for otherwise we cannot be the disciples of Jesus Christ, and without being His disciples we can have no portion or share with Him. He who only for the love of God loves God and nothing else, and neither does nor wills anything else, but for the love and honor of God, has truly...\nthat their bellies be full / keeping the [thing] to the rulers that have made setting by the commandment of God: you and breaking them daily in the color of long prayer and feigned holiness.\nTo the end that such as seek not other but to devour you / discern you not, it is necessary that you hold you unto the word of God. And that you may more easily understand the scripture, you shall understand that in holy scripture we have the law, which is called for the most part, and sometimes it is called the law of bondage of the flesh and of sin, we have of works and of righteousness of man, and also of works of the flesh of the law. And of grace: of faith and of the righteousness that comes of God of the gospel, faith and spirit.\nThe law is called every commandment that commands us to do or not do anything, such as you shall love God above all things, you shall not kill, you shall not desire anything, that is, you shall not covet or desire anything contrary to the will of the spirit: for all concupiscence of lust contrary to the will of God is sin, and when the law is set before us and gives us, our flesh, that is, we ourselves who are nothing but flesh without the spirit of God, begin to grow angry and inflamed, and are moved and stirred with great indignation because of our sin and filthiness which the law reveals.\nBefore the working of the law, peace brought Mawn a sleep, not perceiving that concupiscence and lusts were sins, but when he has received the law, he feels his sin; out of which he cannot draw himself, for the more he goes about his own works, virtues, and strength to rise out of sin, the more he augments and increases his sin. For, as St. Paul says, God sent His son to us because it was impossible for us to keep the law due to the infirmity that was in us. To the end that the righteousness which comes of faith might be perfect in us. For if it had been possible for us to have been justified by the law and to have fulfilled it, what need would Christ have died? Because it is impossible to accomplish.\nand fulfill the law without the spirit of God / the flesh grudges full of anger and malice / saying: How is it possible that I love God above all things / or by that means I should have my heart always up to God / which heart of its own nature cannot think nor imagine anything but vanity / requiring always and in all things its own glory and profit / and not the honor of God nor the profit of my own even Christ. Alas / I seek not that which should be to Christ's pleasure / but all together my own comfort. How is it possible but I should have concupiscence and lust contrary to the will of God / considering that I am nothing but flesh / which has ever desires against the spirit? Alas why has God given this law which\nis the law so burdened and heavy that the flesh is sore oppressed by its weight, perceiving how it condemns him and all his deeds? Beginning to curse and hate the law, the flesh, in turn, works anger within as the law lays open its offenses before it and the flesh sees it cannot rise above them. Paul says, \"The law works wrath,\" for in knowing one's offenses, the flesh wrestles and struggles within itself, murmuring against the law, as was said before, and questioning and reasoning within itself: why did God give the law?\nand his high wisdom: which being but ashes and dust, may bring him down from his pride. Wherefore to will that these holy laws were not given to men is to will that God were not: and such are the blasphemies of the flesh when it receives the law, which is spurious, in which it has no understanding nor intention: for it thinks to pass it by works, which thing alone faith does. And now, when he sees and perceives that though he does never so much, he cannot accomplish or fulfill the law, then is he full of horror and despair, seeing that hell is ready for him because of the transgression of the law.\nA humble man recognizes that if our merciful Lord does not deliver him from death and damnation, which he deserves through transgression of the law, he would perish and be damned forever. For if our fearsome and proud heart is not first made humble by the law and make us confess our sins, we shall never be saved by Christ, who came to save sinners and the unrighteous, not the righteous and just, who justify themselves by their works. But when a man recognizes his filthiness and abomination, and sees that he is rightfully condemned to everlasting death, then comes the gospel, which is good news and is presented to him who says: Thou wretched thief, who would have deprived God.\nOf his godhead / and would have been thine own god through thy pride: Thou wretched and desperate sinner, who after the just judgment of God deserved to be hanged on the gallows of hell / which hast the halter about thy neck / that is to say / thy will, thy flesh, and thy lusts / which be lords over thee because the spirit of God rules not in thee. The most merciful God has sent thee thy pardon / and will not that this judgment be executed / but that thou be quit and have thy life / & be delivered from the hands of the devil of hell / which was thy master / whom thou didst serve and work for. And he has not only rid thee from death and made thee his servant / but also grants thee to be his sole and heir with our sweet savior Jesus / who has become thy brother / & whom the.\nThe father of infinite goodness and kindness (not because of thy good deeds which thou hast never done but evil) has given thee the means to make full satisfaction for all thy evils, so that thou mayest believe that he died for thy sin and rose again to justify the one who desires nothing other than to save that which was lost. That is to say, sinners, who though they throw their own deservings in the way of damnation. And what the conscience which was before full of great fear hears of these good tidings (if God gives thee the grace to give credence to it and believe it), then they are certain, by the reason of this faith, that they are pardoned of all their offenses through the death and passion of Jesus Christ. Then they receive a great joy, mirth, and inward rejoicing in themselves. And our merciful Lord, in giving us this faith, also gives us His spirit, which makes us the very children of God through faith, and the very elect.\nThe spirit destroys and consumes our concupiscences and lusts through the fire of charity. Although concupiscence is a mortal sin of its own nature, it is not imputed or reckoned to us, who are members of Jesus Christ. Considering that by the reason of the spirit of God we love God with all our heart, and desire nothing so much as the will of God to be done in us, we never sin. For this new nature, by which we are made infants of God, preserves and keeps us - that is, the Holy Ghost, which is given to us through faith. However, all our faculties, will, and intentions are but flesh, as long as we are in the flesh.\nwithout seeing that all things in us, except the gifts of God which come through faith, are always contrary to the spirit. Therefore, touching the old man and first Adam, the outward man, the man of sin and flesh, we are sinning. And if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and because of this, we have cause to make ourselves and put away all confidence in us or in our works, giving all glory to God, who by his only grace delivered us from the captivity of death, making it of no effect or power to lose or destroy us. For the life which he has given us by the spirit of his Son is far greater than this death, and therefore it cannot harm us. Which is a great assurance to a man's conscience, for when he believes.\nIn Jesus Christ, he is assured and certified that Jesus Christ is in him, and therefore he has no reason to be afraid, seeing that Jesus Christ is powerful and mighty, who has conquered the world and all power contrary to the soul, in which he dwells by his holy spirit. So nothing can separate him from his sovereign wealth, which is Jesus Christ, who comforts him with his holy promises, which every faithful person ought to have continually before him. And by this means, the soul is delivered from the great quaking and trembling that it was in before the gospel was presented to him, which fear the law brought him unto, showing him that he had deserved damnation in its breaking. But when he hears those same glad tidings, he has an inward joy in himself, which no human heart can think about without having proven it.\nFor the more harsh the condemnation is, and the sharper the death that follows it, and from the more grievousness that he is delivered and brought to this blessedness and life, which he never looked for, the greater is his joy. And therefore, soul considering the exceeding goodness, the endless mercy that the Father of heaven has done for him, ponder also the most inestimable sweetness of the most benign Jesus, who has spent and shed his blood for him, taking upon himself all his sins, canceling and making void the obligation of death in which he was bound, washing him pure and clean in his blood, baptizing him with the holy spirit. This which of an ardent love would vouchsafe to come down and,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Old English or Middle English. I have made some assumptions about the intended meaning based on context, but there may be some errors due to the ambiguity of the original text.)\nThe text dwells in his conscience to direct and instruct it or reinforce his faith in God's word. He gathers all these great gifts and various benefits through the working of the Holy Spirit, which inspires in him a marvelous ardent love for God. Reasoning that he cannot please God as much as he desires due to the flesh and his adversary, and that his work is not perfect because of his infirmity, he mourns within himself, desiring to be delivered from the service of corruption of the flesh. However, he is then brought to quietness by the Holy Spirit, which prays for him with unspeakable sighs, that this impediment or let may be removed, allowing him to fulfill the will and the law of God without hindrance.\nIn order to prove and test our faith and confidence in God's goodness, we set aside all our troubles. Whether it be the loss of goods, children, wife, husband, life, or all honor, or whatever it may be, we reason that our filthiness deserve to see all things against us. In this marvelous temptation, it is folly to seek comfort for our good works, for the best of our deeds come from ourselves and are filthiness and abomination before God.\n\"A cloth defiled and contaminated with a woman's flowers. In such a testing, there is no remedy but faith, having full confidence and trust in God's promises: He who believes in me shall not taste eternal death. Nothing is impossible to him who believes. All who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. And according to your faith, it will be given to you. Such promises promise us life and deliverance from evils. Our soul also has another assurance from the holy scripture: our health.\"\nWe should have lost it within a while, but in the hand of God, out of whose hand no power can take it. And we are the sheep of Christ, which cannot be ransomed out of his hand, as he himself says. No person shall take it away from us nor deprive me of it. And this we must believe, that he came to save sinners, and in as much as we are sinners, he is come to save us. The more the soul perceives itself oppressed with great and horrible sins, the more it should have confidence in the death of our Savior, which satisfied for all the sin of the world, leaving any trust in his good works but only having confidence in the great goodness of God, which he declared abundantly in the passion and death of his Son. If by works a man could accomplish and fulfill the law, Christ came not.\nWe suffer in vain. Therefore, on Jesus alone must we set all our confidence. We must not because Christ has come to save sinners and help the sick. We must not, therefore, sin still, to the end that he should save us still: for we have done too much already and sin every day and every hour greatly. For there is not so righteous a man but he sins at least seven times a day: but those same sins of the righteous man are not imputed to him, because the spirit of God is within him. For the faith continues whole and perfect in the spirit, which faith has put away the whole body of sin, so that sin is not in him.\nAnd though our weakness causes us to sin, yet this sin is not imputed to us because of the strife we have against it. Therefore, we must humble ourselves before God and know ourselves to be sinners. We must also have a sure belief that our sins are forgiven us, as God's infallible promises assure us. For as much as we believe, so much we receive from God. It is not possible for us to believe that our sins are forgiven us in Christ, but they are in deed.\n\nNote well these words and print them fast in your heart that you do not forget them. For it shall be very necessary for you to have recourse to these holy words and promises that you may defend yourself against all temptations. For I am certain that if you are of Christ, loving Him above all.\nThings that the devil shall lay unwelcome things upon you, great assaults, to make you stumble from the faith of Jesus Christ. Wherefore pray instantly God our good Lord that He will strengthen you and increase your faith.\n\nBeloved brother, the word of God cannot lie. It has given us this: \"It must be alike for the head to be full of thorns and the members full of pleasures and delights, just as the head was not of the world, neither should the members be. Therefore, the world despises them as enemies and contrary to their pride, their carnality, and their fleshly pleasures. But it is necessary that you comfort yourself with the blessings that our Lord gives to those who take trouble for His honor.\n\nAnd that you lay evermore before you the sermon that our Savior Jesus spoke in the mountain, where He says: \"Blessed are those who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake, that is, for the love of Jesus Christ, for He is our right.\"\nAgainst you lying for my sake / for great shall be your reward. &c.\nBecause we should not despair and think ourselves out of God's favor because we are persecuted; he gives us warning that the elect and chosen have been persecuted from the beginning of the world: for the enemies of the truth never cease nor shall cease until the end of the world to persecute the faithful.\nFor the quarrel and honor of the king. Likewise, the faithful ought greatly to thank God / in that He suffers for His honor. For all our fellow citizens lie in this / that we are made conformable and like to our captain and head, Jesus Christ; and if we are troubled and vexed in this world with Him, we shall also reign with Him.\nIt cannot be but there must always be debate between the world and the faithful / for they are of contrary affections.\nThe world is nothing but pride, covetousness, all filthiness and fleshly lusts.\nThe faithful and children of God are all together in humility and charity, full of faith, hope, and love. Estimating themselves as nothing, setting nothing by worldly goods, loving nothing but God's honor.\n\nThe world desires nothing\nThe faithful desire the contrary\nThe world desires nothing so much\nThe faithful care not\nand spring forth all goodness.\n\nThose who are of the world love nothing but themselves and that which pleases them and those who love them. Hating all things contrary to their mind, all things that cause grief or displease them, and above all, they cannot endure tribulation and persecution. They hate all things that reveal their faults, infirmities, and weaknesses.\nThe faithful love nothing but God, having no delight in themselves, and loving nothing carnally but that which is contrary to their concupiscence and desires. Above all things, they receive the cross of Christ gratefully, which is tribulation, affliction, and persecution, and have it in great favor, which shows them their faults, abhorring all flatterers, avoiding and fleeing from all errors, destroying the knowledge of God, hating all things that hinder the correction and punishment of the will. He who does not forsake himself shall not be his disciple. So he also does at the cross.\nHe says I renounce Satan and all his pomps, in which baptism there is great abuse, as well as in many other church ordinances. The child knows not what is said, nor the godfathers or the priest who baptizes multiple times. This is done by the priests because they wish to be made much of and order everything at their pleasure, saying all in Latin, where the simple people understand nothing. This is against the commandment of God and the ordinance of the apostle, who commands such people praying or speaking in that manner to keep silence in the congregation or church, or else that they speak so that men may understand them.\n\nBy these things said above, you may understand that there shall never be peace between the world and the spirit, and that the worldly faithful, but, shall.\nAnd inuations of man: for seeing that every man is a liar, he who comes from him must needs be lying. Therefore we must set our strength in truth and righteousness, which is Jesus Christ, who gives us confidence and trust, saying: Have good confidence and trust, I have overcome the world. Thus we must take the breastplate of righteousness, which is Jesus Christ, our righteousness and justification. For in another place, Paul admonishes us to clothe ourselves with Jesus Christ, that is, that we have no other protection or any other refuge to trust upon but him alone, who is the sure and true protector. Now, after this, we must have our feet shod in the preparation of the gospel of peace, that is, that our affections and lusts be mortified, that we may walk after the spirit of God. And what we have all this, we must have the shield of faith to take up against the temptations that they harm not our consciences, having a firm belief in the holy promises of God, which we must see.\nAnd this is the spirit, which is the word of God. And how we must use it as our capital and heed has shown us. What the devil came to tempt him, we read not that he took anything to resist him but the only word of God, showing us that in all temptations we should have recourse to that and be contented with that.\n\nIn this point, the enemies of Jesus Christ are greatly to be reproved. They say that the lay people and worldly (for so they call them) ought not to read the holy scripture nor come to the word of God. One says, \"Christ spoke to clerks only and showed them only the secrets of his father, and not to the vulgar and common lay people.\" And also he thanked his father that it pleased him to hide his secrets from the prudent and wise of this world and had opened it to you.\nThe god [replenished] with the spirit of the devil [began to blaspheme] the word of God. Above all things, they murmured about the writing of St. Paul behind my back. Yet they had nothing to answer me there, and therefore they spoke nothing before me on the subject, for they knew well that by the grace of God I was sufficiently armed against them in the councils. The decrees and decretal letters of the popes serve to cover [this].\nFor the holy scripture has been given with evident and manifest signs and tokens, so that there is no doubt but it is from God, as the law which God gave through Moses, which no one doubted to be God's, seeing that in such evident tokens it was given on the mountain, covered with fire and clouds. Whoever was ever so bold to judge one of the books of Moses or of the Prophets? Likewise, by even stronger argument, the books of the New Testament, which are so much more perfect than the old, clearly show Christ, just as Jesus took no witnesses but only of the Father, and likewise, the word of God is not to be judged nor can it receive its authority.\nChristians. For in judging them, they exalt themselves above it. He who exalts himself above the word of God exalts himself above God and the power of God. Therefore, these matters of decrees and other traditions, as offerings, tithes, and other inventions, with which.\nFaithful Christians should know what holy ordinances they are, and the effect of their laws, such as priests not having wives by lawful marriage, and men not eating meat that God sends with giving thanks: this is completely contrary to God's commandment. And in order that these things not be known, they have forbidden any laypeople to dispute about the faith, either openly or privately. For when one reasons with them about such matters, he must hold his peace or say as they say, or else they will curse him and make an heretic of him, saying that he speaks more than becomes him or is befitting for him. One of that sort checked me once because I read the Bible, having not read philosophy before it.\nThey bring out of the right course all those who are newly planned in the faith in all universities in Christendom. But this thing sets me little: seeing that this ordinance is made clean repugnant to God, for the sustaining of all ungracious sciences. Therefore, beloved brother, take no regard to the words of these outraged dogs, but take unto you the word of God, which only can save your soul. Study in:\nhim only the grace to understand his right worthy words, giving diligence to be obedient to the holy motions of the spirit: so that at the last thou mayest do those things that those holy words command, setting no regard by anything in the world: you / though the Angels in heaven should tell the less, if that men full of vanity should go about to persuade the except it be grounded upon the word of God, which can neither deceive nor be deceived, wherefore it must be received purely without adding anything of man thereto. For the word of God is so pure, so net, so clean, and so perfect, that it can suffer nothing to be mingled thereto. And for this cause remember the rule which I have so often times inculcated unto you. Do that only to the Lord.\nHe commands you to add nothing to it, nor diminish anything from it. Remember also that by faith we are made the members of Jesus Christ, and that is the thing which joins us to him and our consciences. By faith we are made his spouses, and for this reason he gives us all his goods.\nAnd fulfilled, as you may more largely understand, if you diligently read the scripture, as you well do. In which God give you grace to continue with the increase of faith and spiritual understanding. The which He who hung on the cross and did cancel the obligation of faith in which we were held captive, and rose the third day to justify us, having this understanding, you may edify your household in the fear of God and your neighbors, to the edifying of the very body of Jesus Christ, of whom we hope to be very members, when His glory shall appear: even as we are now in this mortal life by true and quick faith, which we must pray Him to augment, to the end that worthily we may offer up our bodies, and evermore studying to be newborn, and so to be made a new creature after the shape of God, a man spiritual and interior man.\nThe grace of the almighty father the peace of the mercyful Jesus / the consolation of the most holy spirite be alwayes with you. Amen.\nI praye you haue remembraunce of me in your prayers / that I maye worthely walke in the holye worde of god / to the glory of god. Amen.\n\u00b6 Finis.\nTHe gospell is written for all persones / & for all estates of the worlde. And there is no\nIn the world but that he may find in the gospel how that he should live if he will follow it. Let none think that he is not bound to live according to the gospel though he be never so great a person, be he duke, prince, emperor, or bishop. For God has commanded that the gospel be preached to every creature, that is, to all mankind. Before God there is no difference, no distinction, whether thou be a common husbandman or a governor of a town or country, noble or unnoble. We have all promised at our baptism the same, we have all taken one rule, that is the teaching of the Gospel after which we must lead and govern our life. We may not say, let the monks and priests keep it; for we have all promised at our baptism, one as much as the other.\nWherfore whan the lordes wyll ly\u2223ue as they shulde do after the Gos\u2223pell / they must fyrst obserue and ke\u2223pe two thig{is} / that is to say / mercy & iustice. And also that they knowe whan they muste be mercyfull / and whan they must vse iustyce.\nThan first it behoueth that thyne inte\u0304t be to defende the rightuouse & innocent / & so with the seculer ryght to come in ayde vnto the right of the Gospell / reprouynge and rebu\u2223kyng openly & without any fauoure all vnrightousnesse / to thentent that the people may liue frely vnder thy protection / preserued from theues / murtherers / and from all maner op\u00a6pressyon and iniurye / as farreforth as is possyble vnto the / whan thou dost so thou art goddes seruaunt. But it be houeth yt thou be well wa\u2223re in suche thinges to aduenge thy self in thy iugeme\u0304t & that thou gyue\nYou shall pass judgment and sentence only where you know it is justified, and neither out of hatred, envy, nor favor. Yet you must do it with great mercy and compassion, as you would cut off a corrupt member from your own body, for if you let it be, it would corrupt your entire body due to malice or corruption. It would also be no harm in this matter to keep the ordinance made by Theodosius, the emperor, which ordered that no one should be put to death before they had been in prison for thirty days. This was done so that the accused might have time to be well advised and make an answer. A judge should not cause anyone to die hastily and without advice, but rather give them time to cool their enflamed courage. And whatever member of the community should happen to do any evil unintentionally against right and justice, which has always been of good law of Moses.\nThis I say to those judges, that you shall not think that you offend if you help such. For who have hope and likelyhood that the evildoer shall amend, you must always be merciful, as Christ was to the woman found in adultery. You have strife among yourselves, one does not wrong the other without looking that every man should comply with him, and the widow does not enter not to the king that it is good and not contrary, but agreeable to the gospel, which commands that we who labor should not eat. The lords should procure and sell to the rich folk that they should do their duty to cause the poor.\nafter the name of the poor, and that they should exhort the rich to give their alms to that common treasure, and be it known that they would bequeath other ways to that common treasure by their testaments. For we can find means to build great abbeys to nourish strong people in delicate living, who can labor and sometimes horses and oxen also. And why cannot we find means to do our charitable works according to the gospel for the poor, impotent, sick, and weak? We should also buy houses for the poor to dwell in, like hospitals, situated in a fair pleasant and large place outside the town. And likewise, we should provide an honest man who could every day make a sermon to show them the word of God for their comfort in their poverty and sufferings. This would be an honest, wholesome, and very acceptable service to God.\nA bishop must be faithful; the husband of one wife, sober, discrete, honestly appareled, hospitable, apt to teach, not drunken, no fighter, not given to filthy lucre: but gentle, abhorring fighting, abhorring covetousness, and one that ruleth his own house honestly, having children under obedience with all honesty.\n\nYou that are rulers of the earth, see that you love righteousness, and that you commit none unrighteousness in judgment. Leviticus 19:\n\nYou shall not favor the poor nor honor the mighty: but shall judge your neighbor righteously.\n\nYou shall not deceit your brethren, neither in weight nor measure: but shall have true balances and true weights; for I am the Lord your God.\n\nHusbands, love your wives even as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for it to sanctify it, cleansing it by the washing of water with the word, to present the church to himself as a glorious body, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.\nMen ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself, for no man ever hated his flesh but nourished it. Wives submit yourselves to your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church. Therefore, as the church is subject to Christ, so let wives be to their husbands in everything.\n\nHusbands do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the nurture and instruction of the Lord. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.\n\nServants, be obedient to your earthly masters with respect to what is good, and not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone endures pain, having endured it in the name of Christ, as doing the will of God. So also do the good and the evil together and whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.\nShe that is a very wise and friendly woman trusts in God and continues in good works and prayer night and day. Love your neighbor as yourself, and whatever you would like others to do to you, do the same to them. And do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you. Finis.\nPrinted at London by Thomas Godfray. With the Royal Privilege.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "A comprehensive letter which Iohannes Pomeranus, curate of the congregation at Wittenberg, sent to the faithful Christian congregation in England.\n\nGrace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. We could not but rejoice, when we heard that in England, as in other countries, the joyful message of the glory of God was well received by many. However, this is also shown to us that many weaknesses still draw back because of unfounded rumors spread against us by those who oppose the gospel of God. Nevertheless, I think it unnecessary to refute such lies against the preachers of the gospel. For what should this blessing be meted out for, namely, \"Blessed are you, according to Matthew 5:11, when men revile you and persecute you.\"\nyou and others do not allow, or support anyone behaving unchristianly under the pretense of Christian liberty. For all who have taken upon themselves the name of Christ have also put on Christ. And this we marvel at, why some of you fear to take upon yourselves the holy gospel of Christ because of the misreport that we are misreported, not remembering that it behooves the Son of God to be reproved by the world and the preaching of Matthew 16:1, Corinthians 1: the cross to be counted folly. Though it were true that men falsely surmise things against us for Christ's cause, should they therefore reject so freely offered health from God? What is more foolish than this, namely, that you are more curious about my wickedness.\nIf therefore you will not be a Christian because I am a sinner, why should you not rather follow Paul's rule and prove all things and keep that which is good? If I shall have respect to man's righteousness or unrighteousness, when shall I be delivered from error (whereby the whole world was near perishing) and know the righteousness of God? Now the rude will say who can perceive these doubtful things? For men dispute about man's free will, about vows and monastic sects, about penance and satisfactions, about the abuse of the blessed sacrament of worshiping saints that are dead, and such like. Some other say that we fear lest under this variation some poison be hidden, and much more. As though\nwe went about with enticing words of human wisdom, 1 Corinthians 2:1, and not with evident scriptures against whom the gates of Matthew 16 could not prevail? Or as though our adversaries brought anything else against us save statutes and traditions of men, which God damns Esaias. xxix, and Christ Matthew xv. But what poison do you fear here, while we attempt nothing in secret: but we propose all our deeds to the whole world's judgment. And because you shall not excuse yourself with the diversity of John 18, doctrines, to be brief, we teach but one article, though we preach much daily and write much, and do many things for our adversaries, that they also may be saved. And this is the article, namely:\nEphesians 1:2. He who does not grant us this, is not a Christian man, and he who does grant it to us will soon give us all righteousness. Here the heresy of Pelagius will not help, with which (though they have altered the words) those persons are effectively deceived who claim to be Christians alone. The confidence of sects and outward works, as they are now practiced, will not benefit us. Our Pharisees have brought these things to us, refusing the shame of Christ's cross, in that they set our works in Christ's place.\nAgainst whom and the entire kingdom of Satan, we bring forth this most certain argument with Paul saying: If righteousness comes through the law of Galatians 2, and our own free will, then Christ died in vain according to Galatians 2. This righteousness which is Christ has witness from the law and prophets. But those who follow Romans 3 their own righteousness do not attain to the true righteousness of God Romans 9. Twice-bornness as the Jews did. For they cannot be brought subject to the righteousness of God Romans 10. This righteousness of Christ is yours if you receive Christ by faith. For Christ did not die for himself or for his own sins, but for you and your sins. Therefore, what other thing soever you attempt to be made righteous by (that is), to be made free.\nFrom the displeasure of God, from sin, from death, and from hell, it is but a hypocritical and wicked pretense that it has never had such a fair appearance of holiness. For it will strive against the grace of God and deny Christ. Perhaps you will ask what our opinion and teaching is regarding costumes, worship of God, the sacraments, and the like. To this I answer, that Christ, who has become our righteousness, is also our teacher. Whatever he has taught us by his word, we counsel to be observed, just as he himself has commanded in the last chapter of Matthew. First of all, he has taught us that we believe in him whom the Father has sent. Whoever believes\n\nCleaned Text: From the displeasure of God, from sin, death, and hell, it is but a hypocritical and wicked pretense that it has never had such a fair appearance of holiness. For it will strive against the grace of God and deny Christ. Perhaps you will ask what our opinion and teaching is regarding costumes, worship of God, the sacraments, and the like. To this I answer that Christ, who has become our righteousness, is also our teacher. Whatever he has taught us by his word, we counsel to be observed, just as he himself has commanded in the last chapter of Matthew. First of all, he has taught us to believe in him whom the Father has sent. Whoever believes in him\nin him he is a good tree, and Math. 7 can not but bring good fruit at his season: not the fruit which hypocrisy feigns, but that fruit which the spirit of God brings forth there, of his own accord. For those who are led by the spirit of Christ, they are the children of God. Therefore he shall live soberly, godly, and righteously: he shall worship God in spirit and truth, and I John 2 not in elements of this world, not in change of meats, and diversity of vesture, or other hypocrisy. He shall believe or feel of the sacraments that which God has taught and ordained. He shall serve his neighbors tea, counsel, prayer, in his substance, you with the parallel of his life also, not to his friend only, but also to his enemy. These things\nChrist teaches us that the spirit, which draws the hearts of those who believe, requires these actions to be performed. Since we are still in the flesh, anything not done by the motion of these [parts of the body] does not satisfy and recompense God. Therefore, we teach with Christ that forgiveness of sin should be continually desired. Christ's commandment to pray was: \"Forgive us our debts.\" And for this faithful trust in God, we assure those who believe that the sin which remains in the flesh will not be imputed to them again. Paul says in Romans 7: \"I find in me (that is, in my flesh) no good. But thanks be to God, that Christ came not for the righteous, but for sinners.\" (Matthew 9:13, Luke 5:32)\nFor publicans and prostitutes shall enter the kingdom of heaven before the Pharisees, acknowledging them as righteous by their works. What will the wicked mock and say scornfully, seeing we preach and teach other things? God speaks through Moses: Whosoever does not hear this prophet (meaning Christ) I will avenge myself upon him. Let these enemies of the gospel take note of this sentence spoken against them. The father also says of Christ: Hear him. And Christ himself says in Matthew 17 and John 10: My sheep will hear my voice and not the voice of strangers. I have written these things to you, my brethren, to testify to you the rejoicing that I have for you, Philippians 4:1, and also to give an account to you of the good hope that we have.\nHave to God against them, who shamefully, cruelly, and contemptuously lie and persecute all that we buy from them. Pray to God for us, and for all the saints, and for all our adversaries, that the word of God be known and grow, Colossians 4:6 in the world, to his glory and the health of men, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. To whom be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.\nLet the lying lips be put to silence, who speak cruelly, contemptuously, and spitefully against the righteous.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "I. Ezekiel xiii.\nWoe to you who dishonor me among my people for a handful of barley and a piece of bread. comes with the Royal Privilege.\nII. I, Jack of Lande, make my money by deceiving God and all true believers in Christ, as Antichrist and his disciples, by the guise of holiness, corrupt Christ's church through many false figures. But the most deceptive people that Antichrist ever found were last brought into the church, and in a remarkable way, for they were of various sects of Antichrist, sown in various countries, and kindreds. And all men know well that they are not obedient to bishops, nor do they let men be kings, nor do they till, sow, weave, nor reap wood, corn, nor grass, nor do they help anyone but only themselves.\nAnd these men claimed all power of God in heaven and on earth, to sell heaven and hell to whom they pleased, while these wretches never knew where to belong to themselves. And therefore, if your order and rules are grounded in God's law, tell Jack up land that I ask of you, and if you are or think yourself on Christ's side, keep your patience. St. Paul teaches that all our deeds should be done in charity, and otherwise, it is not worth it, but displeasing to God, and harmful to our own souls. And since brothers challenge the greatest clerks of the church and those next following Christ in living, charity requires that we show them respect and ask them to ground their answers in reason and holy writ, or else their answer would not be worth it, no matter how beautifully it was presented, and men might skillfully do this of a brother.\nFrere, how many orders are in the earth, and which is the perfect one? Of what order are you? Who made you your order? What is your rule? Is there only a perfect rule than Christ himself made? If Christ's rule is most perfect, why do you rule not accordingly? Why should a friar be more punished if he breaks the rule that his patron made than if he breaks the highest that God himself made?\n\nApprove Christ no more regulations than one that St. James speaks of? If he approves none more, why have you left his rule and taken another? Why is a friar an apostate who leaves his order and takes another sect, since there is but one regulation of Christ.\n\nWhy are you more wedded to your habits than a man to his wife? For a man may leave his wife for a year or two, as many do, and if you leave your habit a quarter of a year, you should be held apostates.\nMake you your abbey, men of religion or not? If it does, then whatever it wears, your religion wears the same, and when it is improved, is your religion improved, and when you lie it beside you, and are an apostate, why do you so proudly wear clothes, since no one seeks such but for vain glory, as Gregory says.\n\nWhat does your great hood, your scapery, your knotted girdle, and your wide coat signify?\n\nWhy do you all use one color more than other Christian men do? What does that signify, that you are clothed all in the same manner?\n\nIf you say it signifies love and charity, certainly you are often hypocrites, when one of you hates another, and in that you wish to be called holy by your clothing.\n\nWhy may not a brother wear clothing of another sect of brothers, since holiness does not stand in the clothes?\n\nWhy do you keep silence in one house more than in another, since I ought to speak the good and leave the evil over all?\nWhy eat you flesh in one house more than another? If your rule and order are perfect, and the patron who made it?\n\nWhy do you seek dispensations to have it easier, since either it seems that you are imperfect, or he, who made it so difficult, that you cannot hold it? And be sure if you do not hold the rule of your patrons, you are not better than their brothers, and so you lie to yourselves.\n\nWhy make you yourselves dead men when you are professed, and yet you are not dead but more quick beggars than you were before, and it seems evil for a dead man to go about and beg.\n\nWhy will you not suffer your novices to hear your counsels in your chapter house before they are professed, if your counsels are true and according to God's law?\n\nWhy make your houses so costly to dwell in? Since Christ did not, and dead men should have but graves, as falls to dead men, & yet you have more gorgeous buildings than many lords of England, for you may wander through the tedious girdle, and your wide coat?\nWhy do you all wear one color more than other Christian men? What does it signify that you are clothed in the same manner?\n\nIf you say it signifies love and charity, then you are hypocrites, for when any of you hates another, and you wish to be called holy by your clothing.\n\nWhy may not a brother wear clothing of another sect of brothers, since holiness does not stand in the clothes?\n\nWhy do you keep silence in one house more than another, since I ought to speak the good and leave the evil?\n\nWhy do you eat flesh in one house more than in another? If your rule and your order are perfect, and the patron who made it?\n\nWhy do you seek dispensations to have it easier, since it seems that you are incomplete, or he who made it so difficult that you cannot hold it? And be sure if you do not hold the rule of your patrons, you are not true brothers, and so you betray yourselves.\nWhy make you act like dead men while you are professed, and yet you are not dead but quicker beggars than before, and it seems evil for a dead man to go about and beg?\nWhy won't you allow your novices to hear your counsels in your chapter house before they are professed, if your counsels are true and according to God's law?\nWhy do you make your houses so costly to dwell in? Since Christ did not, and dead men should have but graves, as falls to dead men, & yet you have more gorgeous buildings than many lords of England, for you may wander through the realm, and each night lie well in your own courts, and so few lords do\nWhy hear you to farm out your livelihoods, giving therefore each year a certain rent, and will not suffer one in another's limitation, just as you were yourselves lords of countries.\nWhy are you not under your bishops' visitations, and liege men to our king.\nWhy aren't you writing letters to the heads of other men as you ask them to do the same for you? If your letters are good, why don't you grant them to all men for greater charity? Why make one man more fitting for your prayers than God has made him by our belief, by our baptism, and His own grant, if you can, certainly than you are above God? Why make men believe that your golden trental song of you saves them, or at least brings souls out of hell or purgatory, if this is true, you could bring all souls out of pain, and yet you refuse, and that is out of line. Why make men believe that he who is buried in your abbey shall never come to hell, and you don't even know yourself whether you will go to hell or not, and if this were true, you should sell your high houses to make many abbeys; to save many souls.\nWhy steal children to make them part of your sect, since stealing is against God's command, and since your sect is not perfect? Why don't you correct your brethren for their transgressions according to the law of the Gospel, since forgiveness is the best remedy, but you put them in prison when they disobey God's law and according to St. Augustine's rule, if anyone persisted in not amending, you should exclude them from you? Why covet the shrift and burial of other men's parishioners, and none other sacrament that falls to Christian folk? Why don't you hear confession from poor people as well as from rich lords and ladies? Since they have more need of confession fathers than poor people do. Why don't you say the Gospel in the houses of the fearful, as you do in the houses of the rich who can go to church and hear the Gospel? Why don't you bury poor people among you? Since they are the most holy, as you claim to be.\nfor your poverty. Why will you not be at her dyingas you have been at rich men? Since God prizes her more than he does rich men. What is your prayer worth? Since you will take, therefore, of all chapmen you need to be most wise for fear of simony. What cause have you that you will not preach the gospel? Since God says that you should, since it is the best lore and also our belief? Why are you evil paid that secular priests should preach you the gospel? Since God himself has commanded him. Why do you hate the gospel to be preached, since you are so much held to it for the win more by a year with In principio than with all the rules that ever your patrons made? And in this minstrels are better than you, for they do not contradict the miracles that they make: but you contradict the gospel both in word and deed.\nFrere, why do you receive a penny to say a mass, do you sell God's body for it or your labor? If you say you would not labor to say the mass but for the penny, and if this is true, then you love little reward for your soul, and if you sell God's body instead of your prayer, it is simony, and you have become a chaplain worse than Judas who sold it for thirty pieces of silver.\n\nWhy do you write her names in your tables who gives the money? Since God knows all things, it seems, from your writing, that God would not reward him but you write him in your tables, God would otherwise have forgotten it.\n\nWhy do you bear God in hand and slander him who begged for his food? Since he was lord over all, for then he would have been unwise to have begged, and no need was therefor?\n\nFrere, by what law do you rule this? Where do you find in God's law that you should beg in this way?\n\nWhat kind of men need to beg?\n\nFrom whom do such men owe to beg?\n\nWhy do you beg so much for your brethren?\nIf you say that you do it for their perfection, or for the least, or for the mean, if it is the most perfection, then all your brothers should do so, and no man would need to beg but for himself, for then no one would beg but who needed. And if it is the least perfection, why do you love other men more than yourself? For you should seek the more perfection for yourself, living yourself most after God, and thus leaving that imperfection you should not beg for them. And if it is a good mean to beg as you do, then no man should do so unless they are in this good mean, and yet such a mean granted to you may never be grounded in God's law, for then both the learned and the lewd in the middle degree of this world would go about and beg as you do, and if all such should do so, certainly nearly all the world would go about and beg as you do, and so there would be ten beggars against one ever.\nWhy do you hire men to give alms here and say you are too full, yet you will not win the reward yourself, why not beg for the poor brother who is poorer than any of you, lying and unable to help himself, since we are all brothers in God and this brotherhood passes beyond any other, where most need is there is most perfection, or you do not hold him your pure brother or worse, but you are imperfect in your begging. Why do you make so many masters among you, since it is against the teaching of Christ and his apostles.\nwhose belong all your rich courtes and all your rich jewels, since you say that you have nothing improper or common if you say they are the pope's, why then do you gather from poor men and lords so much from the king's hand to make the pope rich. And since you say that it is great perfection to have nothing in proper or common, why are you so eager to make the pope, who is your father, rich and burden him with imperfection?\nIf you say that all his goods are yours, and he should therefore be the most perfect man, it seems open to question that you are cursed children for slandering your father and making him imperfect. If you say that God's grace is yours, you are going against your rule, and if it is not against your rule, then you might have both plow and cart and labor as other good men do, and not beg idly and shamelessly as you have done. If you say that it is more perfection to beg than to travel or work with your hands, why do you not preach openly and teach all men to do so? Since it is better and more perfect life to help the souls of children as you make beggars out of those who might have been rich heirs.\n\nWhy do you not make your feasts for the poor and give them gifts, as you have done for the rich? Since the poor have greater need than the rich.\n\nWhat does it signify that you go two and two together? If you are out of charity, you do not agree in soul.\nWhy do you beg and receive more salaries than other priests, since you take on the most responsibility? Why do you not follow St. Francis' rule and testament? Since Francis himself says that God showed him this living and this rule, and if it were God's will, the pope could not forbid it or Francis was a liar in saying so. And but this testament that he made in accordance with God's will, else he erred as a liar who acted out of charity, and as the law states, he is cursed if he lets the rightful will of a dead man lack. This testament is the least will of Francis, who is a dead man; it seems that all his brothers are cursed. Why do you not touch coined money with the cross or with your kindred's head, as you have done with other jewels of gold and silver? Certainly, if you do not,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Middle English. No significant OCR errors were detected, and the text is mostly readable. No meaningless or unreadable content was removed, as there is no such content in the text. No introductions, notes, or logistics information were present in the text. Therefore, the text is output as is.)\nDespise the cross or the king's head more than you are worthy to be despised by God and the king, and since you receive money in your hearts rather than with your hands, it seems that you hold more holiness in your hands than in your hearts, and therefore you are false to God.\n\nWhy have you exempted yourselves from the king's laws and the visitation of our bishops more than other Christian men who live in this realm, if you are not guilty of treason to our realm or transgressors against our bishops? But you will have the king's laws enforced for trespasses done to you, and you will have the power of other bishops more than other priests, and also have leave to imprison your brothers as lords in your courts more than other peoples have been the king's legal men.\n\nWhy should some sect of you friars pay each year a certain sum to their general provincial or minister, or else\nIf he steals a certain number of children, as some say, and indeed if this is true, then you are compelled, under certain pain, to do the same against God's commandment. Do not steal.\n\nWhy are you so bold to grant letters of fraternity to men and women, allowing them a share and merit in all your good deeds, yet you never know whether God is repaid with your deeds because of your sin? Also, you never know whether that man or woman is in a state to be saved or damned; therefore, he will have no merit in heaven for his own deeds or for those of anyone else. And even if he should have a part of your good deeds, you would have no more than God would give him when he is worthy, and each man will have of God's gift without your limitation.\n\nBut if you will say that you are God's followers, and He cannot act without your consent, then you are blasphemers to God.\nYou have ordered that when one whom you have made your brother or sister, and who has a letter bearing your seal, such a letter may be brought into your holy chapter, and read aloud, or else you will not pray for him. You will not pray specifically for anyone who is not your brother or sister, unless you are not in right charity towards them.\n\nBrother, what charity is this that you charge the people with, under the guise of preaching, praying, or singing masses? Since holy writ does not command thus, but rather the contrary. For all spiritual acts should be done freely, as God gives them freely.\n\"Brother, what kind of charity is this for orphans or those coming to discord, and bind them to your orders that are not grounded in God's law, against His will, since by this folly many have apostatized both in intention and deed, and many have apostatized in her will who would gladly be discharged if they knew how, and so many have apostatized who should have been true men in other states.\n\nBrother, what kind of charity is it to make so many friars in every country responsible for the people? Since persons and secular priests alone, monks and canons alone, bishops above them, were sufficient for the church to perform the priestly office, and to add more than enough, is a foul and great burden on the people, and this is openly against God's will who ordered all things to be done in weight, number, and measure.\"\nChrist himself was paid with twelve apostles and a few disciples to preach and perform the priestly office to the whole world. It was better done then than it is now at this time by a thousand deals, and just as four fingers with a thumb in a man's hand help him to work, and the more number that passed the measure of God's ordinance the more a man was let to work. Rightly it seems that it is of these new orders that have been added to the church without grounding in holy writ and God's ordinance.\n\nBrother, what charity is this to lie to the people and say that you follow Christ in poverty more than other men have, and yet in curious and costly housing and fine and precious clothing, and delicious and pleasing feeding, and in treasuries and jewels and rich ornamentation? Brothers pass as lords and other rich worldly men, and they should bring her cause about as soon as possible, no matter how costly it may be, though God's law be put aside.\nBrother, what charity is this to gather up the books of holy writing and put them in a treasury, and thus imprison them from secular priests, curates, and by this means let him preach the gospel freely to the people without worldly reward, and also to defame good priests as heretics and openly accuse them, so that they may show God's law to the Christian people by the holy gospel.\n\nBrother, what sanctity is this that you call your habit, making many blind fools desire to die in it more than in another? And a friar who leaves his habit late found is not reconciled until he takes it up again, but is an apostate as you say, and cursed by God.\nA man, the brother believes in truth and patience, chastity, meekness, and obedience. Yet for the most part of his life, he may soon be consoled of his prior, and if he brings much good to his house each year, even if it is falsely begged and pilfered from the poor and needy people, in courts and around, he shall be held a noble brother. O Lord, is this charity?\n\nBrother, what charity is this that you place upon a rich man, and to entice him to be buried among you from his parish church, and to such a rich me give letters of fraternity confirmed by your general seal, and thereby to bear him in hand that he shall have a part of all your masses, matins, preachings, fastings, wakings, and all other good deeds done by your brethren of your order both while he lives, and after that he is dead, and yet you know not whether your deeds are acceptable to God, nor whether\nThat man who has that letter should be worthy by good living to receive any part of yours, and yet he is a poor man whom you know or suppose in certainty to have no good of it, you give him no such letters, though he may be a better man to God than such a rich man. For as men suppose such letters, and many others that friars bestow on men are full of false deceits of brothers without reason, and contrary to God's law and Christian faith.\n\nFriar, what charity is this to be confessed to lords and ladies, and to other mighty men, and not to amend them in their living, but rather to appear bolder to punish your poor tenants, and to live in lechery, and there to dwell in the face of a confessor for winning worldly goods, and to be held great by the love of such spiritual offices, this seems rather the pride of friars than\nthe charity of God.\nWhat charity is this that he who lives according to your order lives most perfectly, and next follows the state of Apostles in poverty and penance, and yet the wisest and greatest clerks of you endorse, or send, or procure to be made cardinals, bishops, or the pope's chamberlains, and to be absolved of the vow of poverty and obedience to your brothers, in which, as you say, they attain most perfection and merit of your orders, and thus you fare as Pharisees who say one thing and do another to the contrary?\n\nWhy name you more the patron of your order in your confession whom you begin mass, than other saints as apostles or martyrs that hold more glory than them, and call them your patrons and your advocates?\nIf Frere was Saint Francis in making of his rule, was he a fool and liar, or wise and true? If you say he was not a fool but wise, not a liar but true, why do you show the contrary by your doing? When by your sugestion to the pope you said that Francis' rule was made so hard that you could not live to hold it without declaration and dispensation of the pope, and by your deed you let your patron appear a fool who made a rule so hard that no man can keep, and also your deed proves him a liar, where he says in his rule that he took and learned it from the Holy Ghost.\n\nHow could you in shame pray the pope to undo what the Holy Ghost commands, as you prayed him to dispense with the harshness of your order?\n\nFrere, which of the four orders of friars is best for a man who knows not which is the best, but would\nIf you claim that your order is the best, you are implying that none of the other orders are as good as yours. Each brother in the other orders would dispute this, as they too believe their order is best. Therefore, if each brother answered this question as you do, there would be three false answers and one true one. It seems that most brothers would be or should be liars in this regard and should answer accordingly. If you claim that another order of the brothers is better than yours or equal, why did you not join that one instead of choosing yours?\nAt the beginning, and why should you forsake thy order and take to that which is better, and yet why do you not go from your order into it? Is there any more perfect rule of religion than that which Christ, God's son, gave in his gospel to his brethren? Or that which St. James mentions in his epistle? If you say yes, then you place Christ, the wisdom of God our Father, above unkindness, power, or evil will. For either he could not make his rule so good as another did, and so he would be unkind, that he might not make his rule so good as another man could, and so he would be unpowered and not God, or he would not make his rule so perfect as another did, and so he would have been ill-willed towards himself.\n\nIf he could, and would have made a perfect rule without fate, and did not, he was not God's.\nIf anyone is more perfect than Christ, then Christ's rule would lack that perfection by the same degree, and thus Christ would have failed in creating his rule. If you say that Christ's rule is the most perfect, and St. James makes mention of it as such, why then do you not hold that rule without more? And why do you call the rule of St. Francis or St. Dominic's rule or religion or order, rather than Christ's rule or Christ's order?\n\nCan you assign any defect in Christ's rule from the gospel with which he taught all men to be saved if they kept it to the end? If you say it was too hard, then you are saying Christ lied, for he said of his rule, \"My yoke is easy and my burden is light.\"\nIf you say that Christ's rule was too light, that cannot be assigned as a fault, for it can be kept better. If you say there is no fault in Christ's rule in the Gospels, since Christ himself says it is light and easy, what need was it for patrons of friars to add more to it? And so, they created a harder religion to save friars than the religion that Christ's apostles and his disciples held, and we were saved by, unless they wanted their friars to sit above the apostles in heaven for the stricter observances, and so they would sit above Christ himself for the more, and stricter observances: then they should be better than Christ himself with my misgivings.\n\nGo now forth and fray your clothes, and grind yourselves in God's law and give Jack an answer, and when you have absolved me for saying sadly in truth, I shall soil you of your order, and save you to heaven.\nIf brothers cannot or may not excuse him of these questions asked of them, it seems that they are horribly guilty against God, and she, even Christian, for these guilties and defaults it would be worthy for the order they call her order to be abolished.\nAnd it is wonderful that men sustain him or suffer him to live in such a manner. For holy write bids it thou do well to the meek, and give not to the wicked, but forbid to give them bread lest they become mightier through you.\nFinis.\nPrinted for John Gough.\nWith Royal Privilege.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "\"Nor such as I write about are those who live in need and spend their entire life in idleness, leading to such inconvenience that they must end in merchant-like indigence. Christ in this world showed us an example of poverty in spirit. \"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.\" (Matthew 5:3-5) They are not poor who have necessity if they are truly content. Nor are they rich who have great abundance if they think they have enough and are ever pleased with what God has sent them. It is our Lord's ordinance that each should be pleased with sufficiency. The man who has more than sufficient with goods at his will and daily increases, and who is ever bare, hungry, and indigent, scraping and ever coveting the mind has no peace but lives by robbery and usury.\"\nAnd he cares not how he comes by it,\nEven in distress, doing no one any good,\nLeaving the poor to die in great misery,\nHis neighbor in prison does not inquire,\nNor forgives a small debt of duty,\nTrue travelers in the streets suffer greatly,\nThe dead bodies without any burial,\nHis goods, his god, a man may truly call,\nOf such rich men the gospel recites,\nMaking comparisons of impossibilities,\nSaying that more easily a great camel\nCan pass through a needle's eye,\nThan a rich man in heaven can be,\nFor whoever mistreats him whom God has sent,\nWith cursed devils in hell shall be burned.\nThese are the beggars begging from place to place,\nNor are these needy of all kinds,\nThese apprentices who renounce all grace,\nThese hired servants who keep no condition,\nNor all those who feign perfect devotion,\nNor many others living in need concealed,\nThough they lack goods, they are not poor of heart.\nSay not daily of all manner of estate,\nHow in the law they travel and conjecture,\nHow neighbors fall into anger and debate.\nTwo men, a wife each, live imperfectly;\nA father and child, from quietude depart,\nAnd both for good, make each other wise,\nA sign they're not poor at heart.\n\nIf our prince asks for a subsidy,\nOr if our creditors demand their due,\nTo confess poverty then we pretend,\nBut if our neighbor in anything offends us,\nWe find money to pay extravagantly,\nA sign we're not poor at heart.\n\nHow many poor have little in store,\nAre content with their small substance,\nBut ever they grudge and wish for more,\nTo be promoted and have advancement,\nThe very beggars for their alms\nAre loath to part with bag and staff,\nA sign they're not poor at heart.\n\nOf these two estates, there are four degrees:\nA rich rich, a poor poor, an aristocratic poor,\nA poor rich in all necessities,\nThe two can agree, but the other cannot,\nA proud heart, a beggar's purse,\nThe rich purse and the poor spirit,\nMay well agree and be in one perfect state.\n\nI pray all you, who have enough with grace.\nFor the love of God, to do your charity\nAnd from the poor, never turn your face\nFor Christ says, whatever he be\nThat to the least of mine, does it in my name\nTo myself, I do accept the deed\nAnd for reward, my realm they shall possess.\n\nFinis.\n\nTo write of Sol in his exaltation\nOf his solstice or declination\nOr in what sign, planet, or degree\nAs he in course is used for to be\nScorpio, Pisces, or Sagittarius\nOr when the moon her way does contrary\nOr her eclipse / her wane / or yet her full\nIt were but lost / for blockish brains dull\nBut plainly to say / even as the time was\nAbout a forty-night after Hallowmas\nI chanced upon a certain spittle\nWhere I thought best to tarry a little\nAnd under the porch for to take shelter\nTo abide the passing of a stormy shower\nFor it had snowed and frozen very strong\nWith great hailstones on the eaves long\nThe sharp north wind hurled bitterly\nAnd with black clouds, darkened the sky\nLike in winter, some days are natural.\nWith frost and rain and storms over all,\nI still stood, as it chanced, by the door\nThe porter of the house also stood by me,\nWith whom I reasoned about many things\nConcerning the course of such weather,\nAnd as we spoke, people gathered at the gate\nWho, in my opinion, were of very poor estate\nWith bag and staff, both crooked, lame, and blind\nScabby and scurvy, pockmarked flesh and thin,\nLowly and scalding, and pitifully ape-like,\nWith scarcely a rag to cover their shapes,\nBarefooted brethren, all stinking with dirt,\nWith M. of tatters, dragging at their skirts,\nBoys, girls, and lusty strong knaves,\nDrooping and dawdling, leaning on their staves,\nSaying \"good master,\" for your mothers' blessing,\nGive us a halfpenny, toward our lodging\nThe porter said, \"What need have you to ask?\nThat in the spittle shall your lodging have,\nYou shall be entertained, as you ought to be,\nFor I am charged daily to see\nThe sisters shall perform their observances\nAs is the due ordinance.\"\n-Copland.\nPorter said, \"May God's blessing and our lady grant you speaking so courteously to these poor people. And may God pardon the soul of him who made this foundation for their sake. But, sir, do you lodge all those who ask lodging in this hospital? \"\n\nPorter.\n\n\"Yes, indeed, we do lodge all those who ask lodging for the Lord's sake. And truly, it is our custom and practice. Sometimes we take some in, and sometimes we refuse.\n\nCopland.\n\n\"Then it is common to everyone how they live all day, to lie here at night, and there are wandering tramps that roam over the lands. Mychers, hedge-crepers, filloks, and lusks, who all summer keep, Lusting and wandering from place to place, And will not work, but trace the bypaths, And live with haws, and hunt the blackberries, And with hedge-breaking make themselves merry. But in the winter they draw to the town, And will do nothing but go up and down, And all for lodging that they have here by night. I think that in this you do no right, Nor in such places of hospitality To comfort people of such iniquity.\"\nBut sir, I pray you, of your goodness and favor, tell me which side you're on and which you support? For I have seen at various hospitals that many have lain dead outside the walls and have died wretchedly due to lack of support. To yours, many resort and have lodging. But I marvel greatly at one thing: that in the night so many lodge outside? For in the watch when we go about, under the stalls, in porches and in doors, in sheepcotes or in the hay loft, and even at St. Bartholomew's church door full, and even here always by this bridge wall, we give them food, those who are both lame and sick and hold them among us. And in many corners where we go, but:\n\nPorter.\nHospitale.\nPorter.\nSir, I pray you,\nPorter.\nThose who are at such misfortune and have no friends to support them, the poor, the wounded, and those eaten with pox and other infirmities, wayfarers, and maimed soldiers, have they their relief in this poor house of ours?\nAnd all others who seem good and plain have here lodging for a night or two. In these places, they most rely. And if they happen within our place to die, then are they buried well and honestly, but not every vagrant idle knave For then we should have over many.\n\nCopland.\n\nHow say you by these common beggars, who daily on the world and in the highways lie at Westminster, and in all streets they sit as desolate souls? I think it is a very well-done deed With devotion to feed such people.\n\nPorter.\n\nWhere one gives alms with good intent, the reward cannot be wasted.\n\nCopland.\n\nYet, sir, I will not lie by my soul. As I walked to the church of St. Paul, there sat beggars: one on each side of the way, as is seen daily, they are wont to do. Sir, one there was, a mighty idle slave, who for the other began to beg and crave. Now, master, in the way of your good speed, behold the need for all four of us, and make this farthing worth a halfpenny.\nFor the five joys of our blessed lady,\nNow turn again for St. Erasmus' sake,\nAnd on my bare knees here I make a vow,\nOur lady's psalter three times I will recite now.\nNow turn again, as God shall turn to you,\nMaster, do this no man did this day,\nOn this poor wretch who rots in the way,\nMaster, for him who died on the tree,\nLet us not die for lack of charity.\nThus he spoke, as he well could,\nUntil at last an honest serving man\nAppeared. His words he kept,\nWhen he was gone a little from then,\nI saw the beggar pull out eleven pens,\nSaying to his fellows, \"See what's here,\"\nMany a knave have I called master for this,\nLet us go dine, this is a simple day,\nBy master, with this I shall scarcely pay,\nPorter.\nNo indeed, this house is not of such a supporter,\nThey have houses and keep full ill-behaving men,\nAnd to the resort all the whole company,\nIn Houndsditch, and behind the Fleet,\nAnd in twenty places mother there,\nWhere they make true and gaudy cheer,\nAnd when they have their heads full.\nThou beggar, neither staff nor bag hast thou\nBut I daily lend thee the one,\nThou shalt get it no more, though it lie rotting,\nNor my long cloak, nor my new patched coat.\nThou art like swine that lie sleeping upright,\nSome beggarly curs to whom they resort,\nBe the maintainers of a great sort,\nOf mighty lubbers, and have them in service,\nSome journey men, & some to their apprentice,\nAnd they walk to each market and fair,\nAnd to all places where people repair,\nBy day on stilts or stooping on crutches,\nAnd so dissemble as false lepers,\nWith bloody clothes all about their leg,\nAnd play stars on their skin when they go beg,\nSome counterfeit lepers and others some,\nPut soap in their mouth to make it,\nAnd fall down wailing as St. Cornelius' evil,\nThese vices they use worse than any devil,\nAnd when they are in their own company,\nThey are as hole as either you or I,\nBut at the last, to the spittle house they must come need.\n\u00b6 Copland.\n\u00b6 Ah, Iesu mercy, what man could conject.\nThe mystery of such a wretched man, I earnestly pray you tell me of others who come this way, any masterless men who everywhere go and renounce, who have served the king beyond these lands and now, being out of wages, must either beg or else resort to thievery and stealing. I think it is a great soul's healing to help some of them. Some of them were proper men and tall.\n\nPorter.\n\nThat is truth, but they use one evil thing.\nFor when they are weary, they will parch their throats, and so when a man would bring them to try, they will rob him and from his good take.\n\nCopland.\n\nThough some do so, not all do.\nPorter.\n\nThat is true / but it has been seen long ago\nThat many have\nThe one of them\nOur time to this\nFor\nThen farewell labor / and has such delight\nThat theft and\nAnd in such misery they live day by day\nThat of very need they must come this way\n\nCopland.\n\nOf the other now, what is their estate?\nPorter.\n\nBy my faith nightingales of Newgate.\nThese are the men who daily walk and say, \"Good masters, of your charity, help us poor men who come from the sea. God knows as poorly as we stand, and so they say that they were taken in France. They have been there for seven years in prison: in Muttrell, in Brest, in Tourney or Morlays, in Clermont or in, and to their countries they have returned. Among them all, they have none but pennies. Now, good men, will they say then, for God's sake, help keep us true men, or else they say they have been in prison: in Newgate, the king's bench or marshalsea. As many true men are taken by suspicion, and were quit by proclamation. And if anyone asks what company, and like your mastership of the north, all three, or of Cheshire, or elsewhere near Cornwall, or where they list for to gab and rail. And perhaps one is of London, another of York, and the third of Hampton. And thus they loiter in every way and stretch it.\"\nIn towns and churches where people meet,\nIn lanes and paths, and at each crossway,\nThey prate, babble, lie, and pray.\nBut if you come cleanly and happily alone,\nYour purse and clothing may be gone.\nBut at no door for bread, drink, nor pottage,\nNor sculls of meat, nor such baggage,\nThey don't desire to put in a bag or male,\nBut very white thread, to sew good ale.\nAnd when they have gotten what they may,\nTo their lodging, they do take their way,\nInto some alley, lane, or blind hostelry,\nAnd to some corner or house of bawdry.\nThere they meet, and make their gaudy cheer,\nAnd put on their clothing and other gear,\nAnd there they revel as unworthy braggarts,\nArms, nails, wounds, heart soul and blood,\nWith all other words of blasphemy,\nBoasting themselves in deeds of their mischief.\nAnd thus they pass the time,\nThe hangman shall lead the dance at the end.\nFor now other ways they do not present.\nTo maintain such a life they fall to stealing\nAnd so this way they come at the last\nCopland.\nMore pity to see our own nation\nFor to behave them in such a fashion\nThere must be an act of parliament\nThat you find this bold vagabond\nTo be set in a pair of stocks openly\nCertain days / with bread and water only\nAnd then to be banished from town to town\nI think that act is not yet enacted\nIf it were enforced as to my reasoning\nMen should not see within a little scene\nSo many of them / nor idle loafers\nAnd mighty beggars / with their pouches and crouches\nBut they are maintained by this wicked sect\nThat infects all this land with them\nI mean these bawdy, brazen knaves\nWho lodge and support those who beg and fawn\nIt would be alms that they were looked upon\nFor they are worse than any thief or felon\n\nBut to our purpose comes not this way\nOf these Rogers? who daily sing and pray\nWith Au\nQuem terra ponthus / and Stella maris\nAt every door they beg and freeze\nAnd say they come from Oxford or Cambridge\nAnd be poor scholars, having nothing, nor friends, to keep them at learning. And so do labor only for crust and crumb, with staff in hand and fist in bosom. Passing time both day and year, as in their legend I purpose shall appear. Another time after my fantasy.\n\nPorter.\n\nSuch people of truth come here daily,\nAnd ought of right this house for to use,\nIn their time of virtue,\nWhereby they should rise to honor.\n\nCopland.\n\nSir, yet there is another company,\nOf the same sect, that live more subtly,\nAnd are in manner as master wardens.\nTo whom these Rogers obey as captains.\nAnd called,\n\nPorter.\n\nBy my sooth, all false harlots be they,\nAnd none,\nIn the country most of them find ye,\nThey say that they come from the university,\nAnd in the schools have taken degree\nOf priesthood, but friends have they none\nTo give them any exhibition,\nAnd how that they forth would pass,\nTo their,\nAnd there pray for their benefactors,\nAnd serve God all times and hours,\nAnd so they labor in such rogueries.\nSeven or eight years they have walked their stations,\nAnd do but beg and follow idly,\nFeigning true doing by hypocrisy,\nAs another time shall be shown plainly.\nBut yet there is a like manner of train,\nOf false brethren, deceitful and fraudulent,\nWho among people call themselves Sages,\nThese ride about in many various ways,\nAnd in strange array disguise themselves,\nSometimes in the guise of a physician,\nAnd another time as a heathen man,\nCounterfeiting their own tongue and speech,\nAnd have a knave that teaches them English,\nWith, me no speak English by my faith,\nMy servant speaks what I say,\nAnd makes a manner of strange countenance,\nWith admiration his falls to encourage,\nAnd when he comes there as he would be,\nThen will he feign marvelous gravity.\nAnd so chance it with his hosts or hostess,\nThey demand, \"From what strange land or coast\nComes this gentleman?\" \"Faith, hostess,\nThis man was born in paganism,\nSays his servant. And is a clever man,\nFor all the seven sciences surely he can,\nAnd is sure in Physic and Palmistry.\nIn augury, a soothsayers:\nHe can right soon espie\nIf anyone is disposed to malady\nAnd therefore can give such a medicine\nThat makes all accesses decline\nBut surely, if it were known that he\nShould meddle with any infirmity\nOf common people, he might get hate\nAnd lose the favor of every great estate\nHowever, of charity, yet now and then\nHe will minister his cure on poor men\nNo money he takes, but all for God's love\nWhich by chance you shall see him prove\nThen says he, \"Who speaks my hostess?\nGrave malady make a great excess.\nDisinfant rumple,\nBy God he all a mort took under them.\nWhat says he? says the good wife.\nNostesse he swears, by his soul and life\nThat this child is vexed with a bag\nIn his stomach, as great as he may wag\nSo that or two or three days come about\nIt will choke him without doubt\nBut then he says, except you have his read\nThis child then with you will suddenly be dead\nAlas says she, if I love it well\nNow sweet mayster, give me your counsel\nFor God's sake I ask it, and our lady.\nAnd here is twenty shillings by and by, he asks, \"What is it?\" She offers twenty solid coins to help, he replies, \"No silver lies here, I care not,\" He will take no money, the hostess urges, \"For God's sake, he does it freely,\" He then calls for his casket and takes out a powder of experience, \"A cartload is not worth two pence,\" He folds it up in a paper, bidding it be kept for three days, \"Then for a while he takes leave,\" God knows if he has paid for anything, And so he departs, and on the next day, one of his fellows will go the same way to bolster the falsehood. He sits down and makes it good. In a similar manner, he looks at the child, saying, \"Heavenly virgin, undefiled, Our lady Mary, present this child now, For it is sick, hostess, I tell you, For three days, but our Lord save him,\" I assure you, it will be in a grave. \"Good sir,\" she says, \"alas, and well,\" A gentleman was here yesterday.\nThat told me the same, the hostess says,\nIf it pleases you, she says, I don't really know,\nWhat kind of man was it? Please tell me,\nGood sir, she says, in truth I don't know well,\nBut he speaks English, in fact he can't speak any other,\nAnd he's a Jew, her man told us each one,\nYes, he was, she says, I know him well,\nI would have spoken with him or he with me,\nBut hostess, in truth, he took nothing from you,\nBy my truth, she says, not even a fart,\nI know that, he says, but I'm surprised that he won't,\nBut for charity, in such a poor household,\nShe says so much, for your great estates it seems,\nThey would all avoid his company,\nGood sir, she says, yet because of your gentleness,\nHelp this poor child, of this sickness he speaks,\nAnd here is. twenty shillings for your trouble,\nAnd your expense for a week or two.\nWell, hostess, he says, I will do more than that,\nBut I'll tell you what,\nFor my labor I ask for nothing at all,\nBut for the drugs, which are dear and very precious,\nAnd surely I will never leave your house,\nUntil he is well, either you or I.\nA knave goes to a town to buy\nThese drugs that aren't worth a torrent\nAnd there they lie for fourteen nights at board\nWith good people and put them to expense\nBoth meat and money clearly have they lost\nYet God knows what waste they made and revel\nSo at last departs this Jauel\nWith the money and rides straight away\nWhere the thief his fellow and divers other\nAnd there they prate and make their vows\nOf their deceits and drink a taunting farewell\nAs they live, I pray God they amend\nOr as they are, to bring them to an end\nFor the spy is not for their estate\nBut howbeit they come daily by the gate\n\nA shrewd sort, by our lady, and a comberous\nJesus keep them out of every good man's house\nBut comes any pardoners this way?\n\nYes, sir, they are our protectors & fine they may\nChirns\nAnd their bullysh indulgences overthrown\nThey are all nothing, reckon each with other\nSubtlety is their father, and falsity their mother\nB. a Roger. A an Iurium. S.\nBut they know each other certainly,\nYet when their judging organs fail,\nThey run aground and here strike sail,\nCopland.\n\nBy my truth, I am weary of their living,\nTherefore I pray you, if you are pleasing,\nTell me briefly of all people in general\nWho come the high way to the hospital,\n\nPorter.\n\nIt is tedious, but for your mind,\nAs near as I can, I will show the kinds\nOf every sort, and which by likelihood\nAddress their way to the spittle,\nBut as for order, I promise none to keep,\nFor they come as they were scattered sheep,\nWandering without reason, rule, or guide,\nAnd for other lodging do not provide,\n\nBut to our purpose. In this voyage,\nThere come those who, on their way to God,\nHave no courage and give no heed,\nAlso to father and mother do not show reverence,\nThose who despise people in adversity,\nThose who seek strife and iniquity,\nThose who keep nothing for themselves,\nAnd such as hate others in their well-doing,\nThey may be sure or ever they die,\nLest they lack lodging here to lie.\nPreists and clerks who live viciously,\nNot caring how they should perform their duty,\nUnruly in manners and slack in learning,\nAlways at the alehouse for sitting, idly by,\nNeglecting obedience to those in charge,\nAnd to Christ's flock, taking no heed,\nBut like wolves that ravage the fold,\nThese people hold this way,\n\nYong heirs who enjoy their heritage,\nRuling themselves or coming to age,\nOccupying unthrifty company,\nSpending up their patrimony,\nWhile they are young, and using dissolute plays,\nOf necessity they must come these ways,\n\nAll such people as have little to spend,\nWasting it till it is at an end,\nAnd when they are sick and have nothing,\nBesides what they are coming with,\n\nThey that have small lands and tenements,\nWearingly donning costly garments,\nMust at last be forced to sell their rents,\nThemselves to sustain.\n\nThis is a token of true experience,\nThis way to come by consequence,\nBailiffs, stewards, caterers, and renters,\nPay maysters, creditors, and receivers.\nThat is gently to make reckonings\nDelivering and trusting without writings\nUnconcerned for renouncing in arrears\nBy this way they must necessitate passage\nLandlords that do not repair\nBut leave their lands in desolation's\nTheir housing unwind and water tight not\nLetting the principals rot down right\nAnd suffer their tenants to run away\nThe way to our house we cannot deny\nThey that sow in the court daily\nFor little business and spend lavishly\nWith great gifts and yet their labor lost\nThis way they come to seek for their cost\nFarmers and other husbandmen that be\nIn great farms / and do not exceed\nTheir husbandry / but let their corn rot\nTheir hay to must / their sheep die in the cot\nTheir land untilled / undrained / and unsown\nTheir meadows not defended and unmown\nTheir fruit to perish / hanging on the trees\nTheir cattle scattered / and lose their honey bees\nAll young heirs born in a rich estate\nAnd would live still after the same rate\nBeing young brethren of small possibility.\nNot having wherewith to maintain such degree\nBut make shifts and borrow overall\nSuch people to be their hospitality\nSelf-willed people who cannot be at rest\nBut in the law do ever write and wrest\nAnd will not fall to any agreement\nUntil in their necks is laid by judgment\nThe costs and charges, and so are made full bare\nLodging for such people we do ever spare\nPeople who always will be at a distance\nAnd on their neighbors ever take revenge\nBeing avenging on every small wrong\nFrom this way they cannot be long\nThey that will meddle in every man's matter\nAnd of other people's deeds do always clatter\nMaintaining their own saying to be true\nAnd is not but they must needs come hitherward\nFor by much meddling their credence is marred\nMerchants who beyond the sea they see\nHere\nThey that sell good cheap in spite\nThey be very deceitful in our presence\nCraftsmen who do work day and night\nHaving great charge and their gains light\nWasting their tools and cannot renew,\nThey may well bid farewell to thrift, adieu.\nHe who wins much and has done,\nWith waste and games spends it soon,\nLeaving not wherewith to begin anew,\nIn this high way he hastens to run.\nHe who has a good occupation\nAnd will live in the courtly fashion,\nWishing to live more,\nSometimes makes an unthrifty change,\nWith bag and staff in our park to range,\nRufflers and masterless men who cannot work,\nSleeping by day and walking in the dark,\nAnd with delicacies gladly feed,\nSwearing and cracking an easy life to lead,\nDaily haunting common women,\nMaking revelry and drink a dieu taunt,\nSaying let us make merry as long as we can,\nAnd drink a toast, the d.\nWine was not made for every haskerd,\nBut beer and ale for every wastrel,\nAnd when their money is gone and spent,\nThen this way is most convenient.\nTaverners who keep bawdy and plying,\nMarrying wine with brewing and rolling,\nInnholders who lodge harlots,\nSeldom their getting any way proves.\nSo, because of their greed,\nThese people renew many a season,\nBakers and brewers, who with musty grain\nServe their customers, must take it again,\nAnd many times have they no other,\nFor their weight and measure are of no substance,\nAnd lose both their credence and good,\nCome this way, by all likelihood,\nFor they infect that which should be man's food.\nAnd will pay more than they ought to be set,\nTo be named a man,\nAnd in manner he has,\nSuch folly,\nTo the spittle ward they run incontinently,\nYoung folk who wed or are wise,\nAnd always charge on their heads do rise,\nRents and children, and every other thing,\nAnd can do nothing for their sustenance,\nAnd have no friends to sustain them,\nTo come this way, at last they must be fine,\nThey that sell away all their rents and lands,\nAnd bestow it for merchandise,\nAnd venture till then have all lost,\nAnd turnabout from pillar to post,\nAnd ever lose all that they go about,\nComes this way among the other rout.\nThey that hope to have their friends die\nWill do nothing but live wantonely\nTrust young to have the treasure that is left\nBut many times it is them bereft\nAnd have nothing, and nothing can do\nSuch come this way with others\n\nThey that do good deeds to other people\nAnd have themselves in greater need\nQuench the fire of another place\nAnd leave their own, when it is in worse case\nWhen it is to the spittle, must he needs hire\n\nThey that will not suffer their clothes to hole\nBut jag and cut them with many a hole\nAnd pay more for making than it cost\nWhen it is made, the garment is but lost\nPatching them with colors like a fool\nAt last they are ruled according to our school\n\nThey that make too much of their wives\nSuffering them to be nothing of their lives\nLetting them have overmuch of their will\nClothing them better than they can fulfill\nLetting them go to feasts, dances, and plays\nTo every bridal, and do nothing on days\nAnd give them all the sovereignty\nMust come this way, for they cannot pass\nAt Copland.\nCome hither one of these woeful creatures\nThat before were wounded and much endure\nWith a shrewd wife and am never quiet\nBecause she would have all her diet\nBut bridle and\nEver uncontented both day and night\nPorter.\nOf them always come this way now\nWe have chambers specifically for them\nOr else they should be lodged in Bedlam\nAt Copland.\nMary God forbid it should be as you tell\nPorter.\nBy good faith, the very devil of hell\nI truly believe to my mind has not much more pain\nOne were in a manner as good be slain\nFor there is no idleness but ever anguish\nOn both sides they do always languish\nFor one goes thither, and the other thither\nBoth they spend, and lie nothing together\nSo at the last of very necessity\nThey come hither to ask lodging of me\nI do know it is the right fashion\nA realm stirring in itself goes to desolation\nGod amend all, I have heard what it is\nTell of some other, I am weary of this.\nMasters who allow their servants to play,\nFeed them daily with deceit,\nAnd clothe and pay them as they should be,\nBeing negligent,\nSuffering them to waste and spill,\nTheir good in their presence, to do their lewd will,\nAnd all those who do not pay their hire,\nUnjustly, God's vengeance is desired.\n\nThis way come such servants in a great throng,\nAll such servants as are negligent,\nIn their service, and unwilling to be content,\nTo do their work, but slack their pace,\nBribe and convey from master to master,\nChanging masters, and roam from town to town,\nAnd are late rising, and lie down too long,\nPlaying by night, and try,\nOf righteousness they do here stay.\n\nPeople who take on great rents in soils,\nFor their inconvenience, unto their ability,\nAnd often remove,\nEnterprising that they cannot achieve,\nDoing curious labors, and have small wage,\nTo our house they come for hostage,\n\nAnd those who borrow on their garments,\nAnd do not fetch them back shortly,\nBut let them be worn, and then pay the sum.\nIn our way come those who borrow and do not intend to pay, and forswear that which is their due.\nThose who sue for a debt unwittingly and receive money in another man's name, refusing to restore it,\nThose who forget what is owed to them,\nAnd those who quarrel with all people,\nAnd those who lend and set no time to pay,\nReason will drive them this way.\nOld folks who give away all their goods,\nKeeping nothing wherewith to live,\nAnd put from their house when they have need,\nSpeed toward our house quickly.\nThose who give children money to spend,\nBut do not teach them virtuous faculties,\nAre the cause that some\nTake the way toward our household.\nThose who ever have a delight,\nTo feed and make feasts at their pleasure,\nWith costly dishes and delicate drink,\nLetting their stock ever shrink,\nMaking a great show and being little worth,\nCome hastily here they come.\nThose who take no heed to their household.\nBut let their implements mold\nTheir hangings rot, their linen unwashed\nTheir furs and woolen overshadowed\nTheir vessel marred and their goods decay\nCannot choose but must come this way\n\nLechers, incestuous women, harlots, bawds, and bolsterers\nApplesellers, enticers, and ravishers\nThese have daily heralded their arrival here\n\nNo marvel at them, and happy they be\nIf they end in such an honorable state\nFor surely their ending is fairest\nIf they are powerful\n\nI find written of adultery\nThat these five sorrows ensue therefrom\nEither he will be poor here, or suddenly die\nOr wound some member of the body\nOr be there\n\nTherefore poverty is fairest, and yet besides that,\nThey are so beaten\nThat with great pocks their limbs are eaten\n\nNow say you by these horrible swearers,\nThese blasphemers and these God terrorizers,\nCome any this way to seek succor?\n\nPorter.\nI. Every hour they are, rotten and torn, arms, heads, and legs, the most sort that only beg, and the people that most annoy us.\nII. Copland.\nIII. I believe well, for I find writings,\nIV. A great swearer is full of iniquity,\nV. And from his house the plague shall never be,\nVI. In the commandments it is written plain,\nVII. Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain,\nVIII. For whoever swears does use it customarily,\nIX. The stroke of God cannot escape truly.\nX. That be so,\nXI. They care not how the world goes,\nXII. Neither holy days nor working days also,\nXIII. But lie in bed till all masses are done,\nXIV. Lew.\nXV. And so enjoy longer and to sleep,\nXVI. And to their living they take no manner keep.\nXVII. Porter.\nXVIII. These people come in such great numbers,\nXIX. That all the ways they do encompass,\nXX. And with them come all these people that spare,\nXXI. To try their friends for their d,\nXXII. But follow their own minds always,\nXXIII. Nor to their friends,\nXXIV. And of their promises, they are no more bound by,\nXXV. But to this way they must their needs apply.\nXXVI. Copland.\nAnd how, filled with covetousness, these people, who cannot be satisfied with the world's good, resort to usury, rapine, and extortion. They plunder and tease the lands of the poor, living in ease day by day. They prolong their own lives by deceitfully seizing and taking the sheep like wolves. As for dealing with them, it is a lengthy matter. Now, if they should chance to be poor, they often come to our door.\n\nBut how about those who break this precept (Non furtum facies), thieves and murderers, and those who watch waysides, robbing and stealing both by night and day, delighting in murder and theft? Their conditions cannot be left unchecked. Do they not frequently come here by you?\n\nOf them, there comes daily now. But they are led and usually quickly bound, as their lodgings may be found more easily and they are conveyed by men of charity where they have hospitality.\nAnd they are well kept and wrapped surely. And when the time comes that they must die, they are buried aloft in the air because dogs shall not repair to their graves.\n\nAlmighty Jesus, in Your mercy defend every good man's child from such an end. And how say you by all these great drunkards who sup all of it from pots and tankards until they have but a token or a half, rather than fail, and fill the pot again round about, give us more drink for sparing of bread, till their caps are wiser than their heads, and so sit them down and spend up all their thrift, and after come here, they have no other.\n\nHow say you by these people full of ire, who burn in wrath hotter than fire, and never be quiet but chide and brawl?\nWith wrath and anger fuming heart and gall,\nWhere they dwell, quietness cannot thrive,\nBut strife, mistrust, and great disease,\nNone can please them, and in no wise live,\nBut fall out with each one and make dispute,\nCausing people to hate, and will suffer them to dwell nowhere,\nBut are content to remain here.\n\nCopland.\n\nIt may well be so, for where is none agreement,\nBut I,\nFor I,\nBut of these people that bear it so out,\nThat pride will not suffer them to fall,\nI think this way they do not all come.\n\nPorter.\n\nO yes, yes, God wote, there are many of them,\nFor here all day they assemble in a crowd,\nAnd here they crack, babble, and make great boast,\nAnd among all others would rule the roost,\nWith stand back, you lewd, vile, beggarly knave,\nI will that you know, my wife and I have\nSpent more in a day with good, honesty.\nThan you in your life ever were like to be, I tell you I have kept or now have such a report that all my neighbors did resort to me, and have or now keep a great household, and had enough of silver and of gold in all our Parishes, and there was none better dressed than I in Parishes, and I think of such lewd persons that never had good, and also I am born of as good a blood as any in this town, and a gentleman, but if I had as much as I knew when I should make a retinue of these poor carles to know what manner of thing a gentleman is, I trow.\n\nCopland.\n\nLo here one may see that there is none worse than a proud heart and a beggar's purse. Great boast and small roost, this is for a proud heart, for it never spares. But good porter, I pray you be so kind to tell me of them out of my mind. As for the envious, I let them dwell, for their hospitality is the deep pit of hell.\n\nPorter.\n\nHow say you by this lewd hypocrisy that is used so superfluously? I cry God mercy if I make any lie of them that devoutly pray me to occupy.\nAs God commands, they should be undone [and sit] in the church till it is noon.\nNever speaking in any person's presence,\nBut it sounds to virtue and reverence.\nYet when they are moved to anger and wrath,\nNot half the spite, vengeance, and rigor\nThey will have for their poor neighbor,\nFor some of them, if they could be a lord,\nWould hang another\u2014they are of such discord.\nAnd where they once took hatred or enmity\nDuring their life, have never charity.\nAnd he who has no charity nor love\nCan never please amity above.\nAnd so this way they come.\n\nCopland.\n\nI believe truly, for there are some\nWho neither have love for one nor other.\nI benefit if it were sister or brother,\nThey would pity them no more nor grieve\n(They are so cruel) / than on a thief or Jew.\nFor when you have them most in reason,\nThey will bring one to an extreme.\nAnd never pardon, nor any man forgive,\nUntil their neighbor has nothing left to live.\nAnd so they make by their own conscience.\nBetween God and the devil no difference, but alas, do none of this way trace,\nWhich cannot get, bestow, nor yet save,\nAnd to go gay they will spend and beg,\nMaking men without good gowns, but not of hoods,\nPorter.\n\nThey must come hither, for they cannot choose,\nFor those who will themselves so use,\nThe one to,\nAnd when all is brought to an end,\nSir, I beshrew all the whole sort,\nSuch,\nTheir husbands must obey as dog to bow,\nAlas,\nThese deceitful wives for to feed and please,\nFor so they sit and sew half an hour on a clout,\nTheir whole days' work is patched out,\nAnd so by other means they are brought hither,\nCopland.\n\nWell, good porter, I pray you let them alone,\nFairly happy is he that hath a good one,\nI pray you show me of other gestures,\nFor against women I love no jests,\nThe show is,\nCome none of these peddlers this way also,\nWith pack on back, with their bawdy speech,\nIagged and ragged, with broken hose and breeches,\nPoster.\n\nI now, you now, with bawdy coue maund nace.\nCome gather the partying crowd in the dark cloak,\nDock at the dell for a copper make,\nHis watch shall bring a noble's notice,\nCyarum by salmon, and thou shalt peck my ear,\nIn thy hand - for my watch it is not here,\nFor the b,\nAnd thus they babble till their thievery is thine,\nI don't know what, with their peddling French,\nBut of the spittle, they have a party stench,\nAnd with them comes gatherers of cony skins,\nThat chop with lacings, points, needles, & pins.\n\nCome any mariners hither of Cock lorels boat,\nPorter.\nEvery day they are always a float,\nWe must receive and give them costs free,\nAnd also with them the fraternity,\nOf unthrifty,\nAnd never fail with brethren always new,\n\nAlso here is kept and held in degree,\nWithin our house the orders,\nThe eighth time three,\nOf knaves only, we cannot keep out,\nThey swarm so thick as bees in a rout,\nAnd chief of all that do us encompass,\nThe order of fools, that are without number,\nFor daily they make such press and cry,\nThat scarcely our house.\n\nCopland.\nYet one thing I wonder that you do not tell,\nWhy come no women this way to dwell?\nPorter:\nOf all the sorts that be spoke,\nI warrant women indeed,\nWe are weary of them every day,\nThey come so thick that they stop the way,\nThe sisterhood of drabbes, sluts, and callets,\nDo here resort, with their bags and wallets,\nAnd be partners of the confrery,\nOf the maintainers of ill husbandry.\nCopland:\nA lewd sort they certainly are.\nMaster porter, I thank you heartily,\nOf your good talking, I must take my leave,\nThe show is done, and it is toward evening,\nAnother time, and at less expense,\nI will for you do as great a pleaser.\nPorter:\nThere be a Master M. more than I can tell,\nBut at this time I bid you farewell.\nAnd on your mater's desire, them to look,\nDesiring them for to pardon me,\nThat am so bold to put them in my book,\nTo shun vice, I the undertook.\nI were to blame y,\nNone in this world or well,\nA Rose garland.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "Where the kings' henchmen are informed, that various and sundry light persons, called pardoners, go daily abroad in this realm, declaring and publishing to his people, both in parish churches and elsewhere, various indulgences and pardons, corruptly and deceitfully obtained from the bishops of Rome. Most of these pardoners are confederates with the great errant thieves of this realm. By going about, they spy where the richest and most substantial men inhabit and dwell. To whose houses they often guide and bring the said thieves' confederates, to rob and spoil.\nAnd also, they illegally extracted money from innocent people using their indulgences, spending it on riotous living and carnal vices. They carried around with them drab whores and cut purses, to the great scandal of the realm, and to the damage, deceit, and impoverishment of the king's loving subjects. For repressing this, the king's most royal majesty, who daily strives to extinct vice and exalt and increase virtue in this his realm, to the glory and honor of God, and quietly (God save the king).", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "Whereas in the statute made at Caterbury in the twelfth year of King Richard, among other things it was ordained and assented that the servant:\n\nItem, it is ordained in the seventeenth year of King Edward IV that after the least of Easter next coming, no person governor or occupier of any house, tenement, garden or other place within this realm, shall wittingly suffer any person to occupy or play any of the said games called closes, kails, half-bowles, handball and handball at the wall, or quoits, or any of them, within any of their said houses, tenements, gardens, or any other place, upon pain of having the imprisonment for three years, and forfeiting and losing for each offense twenty li. The other half thereof to our sovereign lord the king, to be applied to the use of his house, in all such places where such forfeiture shall happen to fall, other than where any person ought to have the forfeiture of the goods of felons and fugitives, by any lawful grant, authority of parliament, or otherwise.\nAnd it is ordered by the said authority that all such persons, their heirs and successors, who ought to have any such forfeitures in such places, shall have half of all such forfeitures hereafter forfeited by any of the premises. The other half thereof to him or them who in this behalf will pursue by action of debt at the common law. In which action like process, trial, judgment, costs, damages, & execution shall be had as is used in other actions there pursued. And no person from the said feast of Easter shall use any of the said games, called close, halfbowle, kyles, hand in hand, or queerborde, upon pain of two years imprisonment, and to forfeit for every default ten pounds.\nThe one half belongs to our sovereign lord the king, to be applied to the use of his house, in all such places where forfeitures shall happen to fall, other than where any person ought to have the forfeitures of the goods of felons and fugitives by any lawful grant, authority of parliament, or otherwise. And it is ordained by the said authority that all such persons, their heirs and successors, who ought to have any such forfeitures in such places shall have all such half that shall be hereafter forfeited by any of the premises: And the other half thereof to him or them who in this behalf will sue by action of debt in like manner and form to be had, tried, ruled, and ordained as is aforesaid.\n\nItem, it is ordained and enacted in the 11th year of the reign of the most noble king of famous memory Henry VII.\nNone apprentice or servant in husbandry, laborer or servant artisan, shall play at the tables after the tenth day of January next coming, except for food and drink, nor at the tens, dice, cards, bowls, or any other unlawful game in any way, except during Christmas. During Christmas, they shall play only in the dwelling house of their master, or where the master or any of the said servants is present, on pain of imprisonment for one day in the stocks publicly. And that the householder where dice-playing, card-playing, ten-pin bowling, or any other unlawful game mentioned above is used, shall be employed otherwise than as mentioned, and that this be presented legally before the justices of the peace, the mayor, sheriff on his tour, or steward in his lieutenanty, or by examination before the said justices of the peace, and that process be made upon the same as upon an indictment of trespass against the king's peace. And that the said offender be admitted to no fine under the sum of 6 shillings 8 pence.\nIt is ordered and enacted in the 19th year of the said most noble King Henry VII that no apprentice, servant at husbandry, laborer, or servant artisan, play at tables from the Feast of Esther next coming, nor at tennis, closes, dice, cards, bowles, or any other unlawful games in any way, except for the twelve days at Christmas. They may only play in their master's dwelling houses or where their master or any of the said servants is present, on pain of imprisonment for one day in the stocks publicly.\nAnd the householder, who engages in dysing, carding, tennis playing, bowling, closing, or any other unlawful games as aforementioned, shall be used otherwise than as aforementioned, and if presented lawfully before justices of the peace, mayors, sheriffs in turn, or stewards in their lieu, or examined before the said justices of the peace, process shall be made on the same as on an indictment of trespass against the king's peace, and the said wrongdoer shall be admitted to no fine under the sum of 6s 8d.\n\nGod save the King.\n\nThomas Berthelet,\nRoyal Printer.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "Among many good and healthful laws and statutes of this realm, there is one made for the maintenance of archery, and various ones for the repression and reform of playing at dice, cards, tumblers, bowling, and other unlawful games. A statute for the reform of apparel and rayment, and another for the punishment and ordering of sturdy beggars. All which statutes, through the obstinacy and wilfulness of the subjects of this Realm, as well as the negligence and affection of the kings Justices of the peace, and other ministers who have the power to put them into due execution, have not been observed and kept, but neglected and contemned: to the great displeasure and discontentation of the kings highnesses, and to the great harm of the common wealth of this his realm.\nThe king's majesty, therefore, with the advice of his spiritual and temporal lords and the commons assembled in this present parliament, deeply pondering and considering that the said statutes greatly contribute to the advancement of the common wealth and security of this his realm, and to the great benefit of his loving subjects of the same, strictly charges and commands all and singular his subjects, of what estate or condition soever they be, that from the feast of the Annunciation of our lady next coming they keep and observe the statute of apparel in such manner and condition as is particularly contained and expressed in the same statute.\nAnd shall keep and observe all other statutes, made for or concerning archery maintenance, punishment of beggars, and reformation and abuse of unlawful games. Enforce and execute all and every of the above-mentioned statutes in due and perfect execution, according to their tenors, purportes, and effects, upon the pains and losses of the forfeitures limited in every of the said statutes. The kings highness will not hereafter at any time remit, pardon, or forgive any offenders in any of the said statutes, but intends to take the same pains and forfeitures according to his laws, from time to time, as the case shall require.\nAnd over this, his highness strictly charges and commands, as well his spiritual and temporal lords as also all justices of the peace, mayors, sheriffs, bailiffs, and all other ministers and officers whatsoever they be, that they and each of them, within their jurisdictions, both within liberties and without, without favor or corruption, shall put forth their effective efforts and diligences for the due observation and execution of the said statutes and every one of them, and especially every lord and all other householders among their own families and household servants, as they and each of them, and all other his loving subjects, will have his most gracious favor and thanks, and avoid the penalties limited by the said statutes and his most dreadful indignation and displeasure, and will answer to his majesty for contemning his laws and this his gracious proclamation, at their uttermost perils.\n\nGod save the king.\n\nThomas Berthelet\n\nRoyal printer and publisher. With privilege. O.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "The confession of the faith of the Germans presented to the most victorious Emperor Charles V in the Council or assembly held at Augsburg in the year 1530.\n\nThe Apology of Melanchthon, who defends with reasons the aforementioned confession, translated by Richard Taverner, at the command of his master, the right honorable Master Thomas Cromwell, chief Secretary to the king's grace.\n\nPsalm 119.\nAnd I spoke of your testimonies in the presence of kings, and I was not confounded.\n\nWho is not one who most highly commends and extols your most reverent godliness and most godly circumspection in the cause and matter of our Christian religion, which not only permits the pure, true, and sincere preachers of God's word freely to preach, but also yourself, to the uttermost of your power, promotes and advances the cause of Christ.\nAnd not only have I animated and encouraged others to do the same, but I, as of late, have animated and impelled me to translate the Confession of the Faith and the defense or Apology of the same. This book, after the judgment and censure of all impartial wise and learned men, is as fruitful and as skillfully composed as any book that has ever been published or set forth. But in order that the people for whose sake this book was commanded to be translated may more eagerly consume the same, I dedicate and commit it to your name. And if any faults have escaped me in this my translation, I desire not only your mastership but also all who shall read this book to remember the saying of the poet Horace in his Art of Poetry: \"In a long work, it is lawful for a man to fall asleep at times.\" That is to say, in a long work, it is permissible for a man to fall asleep at times. But as for your most honorable mastership, I doubt nothing (such is your inestimable humanity).\nBut most accept Emperor Caesar Augustus, your most gracious lord. Since your imperial majesty has summoned a parliament or assembly of the Empire to be held at the city of Augusta, intending that there it might be consulted and deliberated on the aids and supports to be had against the Turk, our bitter, hereditary, and old enemy of the Christian name and religion, on how his furiousness and cruel enforcement might be resisted with durable and perpetual ordinance and provision of war, and also on the disputes in the cause or matter of our holy religion and Christian faith. In this cause of religion, the opinions and minds of either parties among themselves might be heard, understood, and pondered in the presence of the said parliament.\n\nFurthermore, we, the undersigned Cornwall or Electors, and princes, as well as other Electors, princes, and estates, were summoned to the aforementioned parliament.\nFor obeying your imperial commandment, we came with haste and maturity to the aforementioned City of Augusta, and, so that no one would judge this to be boasting on our part, we were among the first to arrive. Since your imperial majesty, at the very beginning of this assembly and parliament, caused it to be proposed and urged the Crown of Aragon princes and other estates of the empire to present their opinions and sentences in both the vulgar and Latin languages. After deliberation, an answer was made to your imperial majesty on the following Wednesday that we would present the articles of our confession on the next Friday. Therefore, in accordance with your majesty's will and pleasure, we here present to you in this matter of religion the confession of our preachers and ourselves. In it shall be:\nWe openly send from the holy scriptures and the pure word of God the doctrine that princes, lords, shires, and cities in our lands have hitherto taught and treated in our churches and congregations. If other electors' princes and estates in the late and vulgar tongue, with similar writings, according to your motion and proposition, bring forth their opinions in this cause of religion: we offer ourselves willingly before your majesty, as before our most merciful lord, with the aforementioned princes and our friends, to commune and treat of tolerable means and ways. To the extent that it can be done honestly, we may agree together, and the matter may be peacefully debated between us, the parties (God willing), the dissension may be ended, and reduced to one true concordant religion: as we all are and do wage war under you. Furthermore, your imperial majesty to the Courts' princes and other estates of the empire.\nnot ones but often has Signified in the parliament held at Speyer, which was in the year of our Lord 1526, according to the form of your imperial institution and commission, caused it to be read and openly declared that your majesty, in these religious matters for certain causes alleged in your name, would not determine or could not conclude anything, but that, according to the office of your majesty, you would diligently labor the matter with the bishop of Rome, so that a general council might be gathered. This was more largely declared more than a year ago in the last common assembly held at Speyer, where your imperial majesty, by the Lord Ferdinand, king of Bohemia and Hungary, our friendly and loving lord, and afterwards by your ambassador and commissioners, proposed and declared this, among other things, that your imperial majesty had understood and expended the deliberation and counsel of your lieutenant.\nin the presence and of the president and counsellors in your regiment and of the ambassadors sent from other estates, which assembled together at Ratisbon, concerning a general council to be gathered. And because your imperial majesty judged it profitable that a council should be gathered, as the matters then treated between your imperial majesty and the bishop of Rome drew near to a concord and Christian reconciliation: your majesty doubted not that the bishop of Rome might be brought in mind to convene a general council. Therefore, your imperial majesty signified to us that you would labor that the aforementioned bishop should be summoned together with your majesty to gather such a general council and with all expedition to send out letters publishing the same. If, in this cause of religion, the dissensions between us and the parties are not amicably and charitably reconciled and ended (which may happen), we here before your imperial majesty declare:\nWith all obedience, we offer ourselves (this being more than is required of us) to appear and answer ourselves in such general free and Christian councils/which have been held and kept in the time and years of your imperial majesty. It has always been entreated and with full assent and agreeable voices concluded in all imperial assemblies and parliaments. To which general council and also to your imperial majesty before this time in this most high and most grave cause, we have after due manner and form of law procured and appealed. To this appeal to your imperial majesty and to the said council, we yet cleave and stick fast/neither do we intend or can go from it by this or any other treaty, unless the cause between us and the parties according to the tenor of the last imperial citation is lovingly and charitably pacified, ended, and reduced to a Christian concord. Of which we here solemnly\nAnd openly protest our Churches, with full consent, teach that the decree of the Nicene Council concerning the unity of the Godhead or divine essence and the three persons is true and should be believed without any doubting. That is, there is one God who has a proper being of Himself.\n\nThey condemn all heresies that impugn this article, such as the Manichees, who put forward two principles or beginnings, one good and another evil; the Valentinians, Arians, Eunomians, Mahometans, and all such other. They also condemn the Samosatans, both old and new, who contend that there is but one only person, but dispute over the word (which we call the second person) and the Holy Ghost. They craftily and wickedly say that they are not distinct persons, but that the word (which I have said is the second person) signifies a pronounced word, and the Ghost or Spirit signifies a moving which is created in.\nThey teach that after the fall of Adam, all men, born according to nature, are born with original sin; that is, without fear of God, without trust or affection for God, and with concupiscence or lust. This original sin, they assert, is in fact sin which brings eternal death to those not reborn through baptism and the Holy Spirit.\n\nThey condemn the Pelagians and others who deny that this vice is original sin. To the utter defacing and abridgement of the glory of Christ's merits and benefits, they dispute that man, by his own natural powers without the Holy Spirit, can satisfy the law and be deemed righteous in God's sight for the works of reason.\n\nThey teach that the Word, that is, the Son of God, took on human nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary.\nTwo natures shall be in a person, divine and human, inseparably joined and knitted as one Christ. Truly God and truly man, born of the Virgin Mary, suffering truly his passion, crucified, dead, and buried. For the purpose of bringing us again into favor with the almighty Father, and to this end:\n\nOn justification. They teach that men cannot be made righteous in God's sight by their own proper powers, merits, or works. But that they are freely justified for Christ's sake, through faith, whereby they believe they are taken again into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, who with his death has satisfied for our sins. This faith God repays.\n\nOn the acquisition of faith. The ministry of teaching the gospel and giving the sacraments was ordained for the acquisition of this faith. For by the word and by the sacraments as instruments, the Holy Ghost is given, who works faith wherever and whenever it pleases God in them.\nWhoever hears the gospel (that is to say), that God justifies those who believe, not for our own merits but for Christ's sake, and receives them into favor and grace for Christ's sake. They condemn the Anabaptists and others who think that the Holy Ghost comes to men without any heresies through their own preparations and works. They teach that this faith ought to bring forth good fruits and that men ought to do good works commanded by God, not that we should trust that by those works we deserve to be justified in God's sight. For the forgiveness of sins and justification is purchased by faith; as testifies also Christ, who says, \"When you have done all these things, yet say, 'We are unprofitable servants.' \" (Luke 17:10) This is established and instituted by God: whoever believes in Christ is saved by faith, freely receiving the remission of sins.\nwithout work only by faith freely receiving forgiveness of sins.\n7. Of the holy church. They teach that one holy Church shall continually remain. The church is a congregation of holy persons in which congregation or company the Gospel is rightly taught and the sacraments rightly administered. A true unity of the church requires only consent to the doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments. Neither is it necessary that in every place be like human traditions, rites, or ceremonies ordained and instituted by men. As Paul says, \"one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.\" &c.\n8. Of the ministers of the Church. Though the church properly is a congregation of holy persons and of true believers, yet nevertheless in this life many hypocrites and evil pastors are mixed among the good: it is lawful to use the sacraments which are ministered by evil men, according to the saying of Christ, \"The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.\" &c.\nSacraments and words, despite the ordination and commandment of Christ, are effective notwithstanding they are administered by evil priests.\n\nHeretics, such as the Donatists and those like them, deny it to be lawful for us to use the ministry of evil men in the church and consider the ministry of evil men to be unprofitable and ineffective.\n\n9. Of Baptism. Of Baptism, they teach that it is necessary for salvation and that by Baptism, the grace of God is offered. Children are to be baptized, who, by Baptism, being offered to God, are received into His favor and grace.\n\nHeretics, such as the Anabaptists, deny the baptism of children and say that children are saved without baptism.\n\n10. Of the Sacrament of the Altar. Of the Lord's Supper, they teach that the body and blood of Christ are truly present and that He is distributed to the eaters in the Supper or the body and blood of the Lord. They condemn those who teach otherwise.\n\n11. Of Confession. Of Confession, they teach that...\nTeach that private absolution in churches should be retained and kept, though in confession the rehearsal of all sins is not necessary. For it is impossible, according to the psalmist, \"Who can understand his sins?\" (Psalm 19:12)\n\nThey teach that those who have fallen into sin after baptism may be forgiven their sins at any time they turn and repent. And the church should grant the benefit of absolution to such penitents. Penance consists of two parts: the first is contrition, which is a fear driven into the conscience after sin is discovered. The second is faith, which is conceived by the gospel or absolution and believes that, for Christ's sake, sins are forgiven and comforts the conscience, delivering it from terrors and fears. Afterward, good works must follow, which are the fruits of penance.\n\nThey condemn the Anabaptists who deny that those who have been baptized can be re-baptized.\nJustified individuals may lose the Holy Spirit. Those who contend that some men achieve such great perfection in this life that they cannot sin, also deny the necessity of repentance. They reject and disallow those who teach that the remission of sins comes not by faith but by our own love and works. They are also rejected and disallowed who teach that the canonical satisfactions are necessary to redeem eternal pains or purgatorial pains.\n\n13. On the use of the sacraments. They teach that the sacraments were not ordained and instituted only to be cognizances, badges, or marks by which Christian men are distinguished and known from other people, but rather that they should be signs and testimonies of God's will towards us, to stir us up and to confirm faith in us, which is why we must use the sacraments in this way: so that faith is added to them.\nBelieve the promises exhibited and shown by the sacraments. Errors. They therefore condemn those who teach that sacraments justify and make righteous by their own proper virtue, and who do not teach that faith is required in the receiving of the sacraments, or that faith may believe that sins are forgiven.\n\n1. Of ecclesiastical order. Of the ecclesiastical order they teach that no man ought to teach openly in the church or congregation, or to minister the sacraments, unless he is duly and lawfully called and appointed.\n2. Of rites or customs of the church. Of the rites of the church they teach that such rites ought to be kept which can be kept without sin and which are profitable to a tranquility and good order in the church, such as certain holy days, festive days, and the like. However, they are also admonished not to observe such rites and ceremonies lest their consciences be offended, as though such ceremonies were necessary for salvation. They are also admonished that human traditions ordered by men.\nto pacifye god / to de\u00a6serue grace / and to satisfye for synnes be contra\u00a6rie to the gospel and doctrine of fayth. Wherfore vowes and traditions of meates & so forthe or\u2223deyned to purchase grace and to satisfye for syn\u00a6nes be vnprofytable and agaynst the gospell.\n16. Of poli\u2223tike or ci\u00a6uile ma\u2223ters. Of politik or ciuile thynges they teache that lawful ordinauncies for a publyke weale be the good workes of god / and that it is lawfull for Christian men to bere officies and authorities / to excercise iudgementes / to iudge thinges ac\u2223cordinge to themperours lawes or other prese\u0304t lawes of kynges and rulers / to execute due pu\u2223nyshmentes by the lawe / to holde batel or warre by the lawe / to be a soudiour / to co\u0304tracte or bar\u00a6gayn by the lawe / to holde a thi\u0304ge in proprietie to take an othe / when officers do lawefully re\u2223quire it / to mary a wyfe to take an husbande.\nHeresies. They condempne the Anabaptistes whiche inhibite / & forbydde these ciuile offyces to chri\u2223sten men. They da\u0304pne also those whiche do\nThe gospel does not place perfection in the fear of God and faith, but in leaving behind or relinquishing political and civil offices. The gospel teaches the eternal righteousness of the heart. Therefore, it does not destroy political and civil governance but primarily requires their conservation, as good orders of God. Christen men ought to obey their governors and their laws, save where they command sin; for it is said in the fifth chapter of Acts that they are rather bound to obey God than man.\n\nThe gospel also teaches that Christ shall appear at the end of the world to judge and shall raise up again all that are dead, giving eternal life and perpetual joys to the godly and elect people, but wicked men and devils eternal damnation.\n\nThey condemn the Anabaptists, who deny that the suffering of evil men and devils has an end.\ndampness and other things nowadays sow abroad judgement before the Resurrection of the dead, the wicked shall be oppressed in every place, and the good men shall occupy and possess the kingdom of the world.\n\n18. Of free will. They teach that man's will has some liberty to work civily and outwardly righteousness, and to choose things subject to reason, but it has not might without the Holy Ghost to do the righteousness of God or spiritual righteousness.\n\nThis is conveyed by the word. Saint Augustine says similarly in his third book of Hypoglossa. The words of Saint Augustine. We grant (says Saint Augustine), every man having reasonable judgement has free will, not that he is able in these matters pertaining to God, either to begin or at least to bring about an end, but only in the works of this present life, as in good works which proceed from the goodness of nature, such as the will to labor in the field, to will to eat and drink, to will to\n\n18. Of Free Will\n\nThey teach that man's will has some liberty to act civilly and righteously outwardly, and to choose things subject to reason. However, it does not have the power, without the Holy Ghost, to do God's righteousness or spiritual righteousness.\n\nThis is conveyed by the word. Augustine says similarly in his third book of Hypoglossa. The words of Augustine. We grant (says Augustine), every man having reasonable judgement has a free will. He is not able, in matters pertaining to God, to begin or at least to bring about an end. But only in the works of this present life can he will, such as the will to labor in the field, to will to eat and drink.\nHave a will to have clothing, to build a house, to marry a wife, to nourish beasts, to learn a craft of diverse good things, to will whatever good thing pertains to this present life, of which things none has being without the governance of God. Evil works, I say, as having a will to honor an image or idol, to commit murder, and so on.\n\nHeretics they condemn the Pelagians and others who teach that without the Holy Ghost, by the strength of nature alone, we may love God above all things and do the precepts of God as concerning the substance of the acts (as they call it). For though nature can do some outward works (for nature may keep her hand from killing me), yet she cannot work the inward motions, as the fear of God, the trust in God, chastity, patience, and so on.\n\nOf the cause of sin they teach that although God does create and conserve nature, yet the cause of sin is the will.\nthem that be evil, that is to say, of the devil and of wicked men, who, when God helps not, turn themselves away from God, as Christ says in the eighth chapter of John, when he speaks a lie, he speaks of himself.\n\nOn good works. Our teachers are falsely accused of prohibiting and forbidding good works. For their writings which go abroad concerning the Ten Commandments and other like matters testify that they have taught profitably about all kinds of living and offices, as what kinds of living and what works please God, in every calling. Of these things, preachers heretofore spoke little, only they magnified and set forth unnecessary works, such as certain holy days, certain fastings, fraternities, guilds or brotherhoods, pilgrimages, worshipping of saints, rosaries, entering into religion, and such like. Our adversaries, through our monition, now unlearn and leave this matter, so that they no longer preach these unprofitable works.\nThey have continued to speak little about faith, though they have not ceased to obscure and darken its doctrine. They teach not that through faith in Christ, we may be certain to obtain forgiveness of sins. For just as the doctrine of faith (which ought to be the chief and principal in the church) has lain unknown for so long (as we must all confess that the righteousness of faith has been deeply and profoundly silent in preaching, and that the doctrine of works has been exercised and practiced in churches), therefore our teachers have warned and admonished the churches of faith in this way: first, that our works cannot reconcile God to us or merit forgiveness of sins and grace, and justification.\nGetty only by faith/believing that only for Christ's sake we are received into favor, who is set forth and proposed to us as a mediator and a mercy store by whom the Father is reconciled and his favor regained. Therefore, he who trusts to deserve favor or grace with works despises the merit and grace of Christ and seeks a way and coming to God with human power, without Christ. This doctrine of faith is everywhere treated in Paul, as in Ephesians 2: \"By grace you have been made saviors.\" For Augustine, in many volumes, defends the grace and righteousness of faith against the merits of works. And Ambrose teaches similarly in the book titled \"On the Calling of the Gentiles.\" In the book \"On the Calling of the Gentiles,\" he says in this way:\n\nAmbrose: The redemption of the blood of Christ would be base and little worth, and the prerogative of human works should not\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Old English or a similar dialect, and there are several errors in the OCR output. I have made some corrections based on context, but there may still be errors or uncertainties. The text also contains some abbreviations that have been expanded as best as possible.)\n\nGetty only by faith/belief that only for Christ's sake we are received into favor, who is set forth and proposed to us as a mediator and a mercy store by whom the Father is reconciled and his favor regained. Therefore, he who trusts to deserve favor or grace with works despises the merit and grace of Christ and seeks a way and coming to God with human power, without Christ. This doctrine of faith is everywhere treated in Paul, as in Ephesians 2: \"By grace you have been made saviors.\" For Augustine, in many volumes, defends the grace and righteousness of faith against the merits of works. And Ambrose teaches similarly in the book titled \"On the Calling of the Gentiles.\" In this book, he says:\n\nAmbrose: The redemption of the blood of Christ would be base and little worth, and the prerogative of human works should not be considered.\n\"Yet, though this doctrine is disregarded and little valued by those who are ignorant and lack knowledge, good and fearful consciences know from experience how comforting it is. For consciences cannot be made quiet and at rest by any works but only by faith, and that is when they are assured and certain that through Christ, God is appeased, as Paul teaches in Romans 5: \"When we are made righteous by faith, we have peace with God.\" This doctrine refers to the conflict or battle of a troubled conscience, and without this conflict, it cannot be well understood. Therefore, those without knowledge and unlearned in the scriptures judge this matter to be a mistake, believing that Christian righteousness is nothing but civil and worldly.\"\nIn times passed, consciences were troubled by the doctrine of works but they did not find comfort in the gospel. Some of their conscience drew out that grace, remission of sin, and justification could be attained through faith in Christ. Men are also reminded and warned that in the name of faith, it does not signify only the knowledge of the history, such as the faith in wicked men and devils, but signifies the faith that believes not only the history but also the effect of the history. That is to say, this article remission of sins. I mean, to speak more plainly, through Christ, by Christ's merits, and for Christ's sake, we may have grace, righteousness, and remission of sins.\n\nThe significance of faith\nHe who knows that through Christ he has the Father merciful and favorable to him, truly knows God. He knows that God is concerned for him, he loves God, and calls upon him.\nHe is not without God, as Gentiles are not, for devils and wicked men cannot believe in this article of the remission of sins. Therefore, they hate God as an enemy; they do not call upon Him; they look for no goodness from Him. Austyn. Austyn also warns the reader about the name of faith. Likewise, he teaches that this word (faith) in scripture is not taken for knowledge, such as in wicked men, but for trust, which comforts and raises up fearful and trembling minds. Faith, according to St. Ambrose, furthermore teaches us that it is necessary to do good works: not that we should trust in deserving grace by them, but because it is God's will that we should do them. The remission of sins and peace of conscience are taken together by faith. And because the Holy Ghost is received through faith, therefore, hearts are renewed and endowed with new affections, so that they may bring forth good works. For so says Ambrose, that faith is the mother and bringer.\nFor the attainer of good will and of just and righteous doing. For a man's power, without the Holy Ghost, is full of wicked affections, and weaker and more feeble than that which can do good before God. Moreover, it is under the dominion of the devil, which drives me violently to diverse sins, to wicked opinions, to manifest and open crimes, as we may see in philosophers, who, although they strove to live honestly, yet could not bring it to pass, but were contaminated and polluted with many open crimes. Such is the impotence and feebleness of man, when he is without faith and the Holy Ghost, and governs himself alone with his own strength. By this it is clear enough that this doctrine is not to be accused as prohibiting good works, but much rather to be lauded and praised as showing us how we may do good works, for without faith, the nature of man can in no way do the works of the first and second commandment.\nA man does not make an invocation to God; he looks for nothing of God, bears not the cross, but seeks for worldly help, trusting in human help. In the heart reigns all manner of lusts and desires and human counsels, when faith is a way, and trust is toward God. Therefore Christ also said, \"Without me you can do nothing.\" John 15, and the church sings without Your influence nothing is in man, nothing is unfruitful.\n\nOn the honoring of saints. They teach that the memory or remembrance of saints may be proposed or set forth, to the end that we may follow their faith and their good works, according to our vocation and calling. For example, the Emperor may follow the example of David in leading battle to drive the Turk from his country, for either of them is a king, but scripture does not teach us to call upon saints or to ask for help from saints, for scripture sets forth to us Christ alone as a means, a mediator, or a bishop.\nIntercessor he is to be prayed to and he has promised that he will hear our prayers, and he chiefly allows this honor, that is, that he be called upon in all afflictions. 1 John 3: if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father. This is almost the same doctrine with us, in which (as every man may see), there is nothing that varies from scripture or from the Catholic and universal church, or from the church of Rome, so far as it is known to writers. The which thing shows it is thus: these fellows judge unfairly and cruelly, requiring our men to be had, reputed, and taken for heretics. There is no dissension but about certain abuses which have arisen. If there should be any dissimilarity, it might become bishops to be of such a level, since the Churches with us in no article of the faith disagree from the Catholic Church, all allowing they omit a certain few abuses which are new and against the will and intent.\nin the Canons, through the passage of time (which gathers much vice), we desire and pray that Your Majesty will favorably hear both what has changed and the causes, why and wherefore the people are not compelled to observe those abuses against their conscience, and that Your Majesty will give no credence to these fellows who sow among the people wonderful slanders only to inflame and kindle hatred against our preachers. By these means, they provoke the minds of the good, and gave occasion for this dissent in the beginning, and by the same craft they are now attempting to increase debate and make more discord. For Your Majesty will certainly find the form of doctrine and also of ceremonies to be more tolerable with us than the wicked and ill-willed men describe it, neither from the gossiping of the vulgar people nor yet from the evil reports of our enemies. But this may soon be judged that nothing helps more.\nTo maintain the dignity and worthiness of ceremonies and to show reverence and godliness in the people, it is necessary that ceremonies be properly conducted in the churches. Both kinds of the sacrament are given to laymen during the Lord's Supper, as commanded by the Lord Himself in Matthew 26:27 (drink from this all of you), where Christ clearly commands that all should drink from the cup. To prevent any man from making objections and claiming that this applies only to priests, Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, provides an example in which the entire congregation used both kinds, and this custom remained in the church for a long time. It is not known exactly when or by whose authority it was changed. Cyprian and Cyprian in certain places bear witness that the blood was given to the people. Similarly, Jerome testifies to the same thing, stating that \"the priests serve and minister the body, and they divide the blood of Christ to the people.\"\nGelasius ye Gelasius the byshoppe of Rome commaundeth that the sacrament be not diuided / Distinc. 2. de consecratione. capt. comperimus. Only the custome not verie aun\u2223cient is other wyse. But certayne it is that a custome brought vp agaynst the co\u0304maundemen\u00a6tes of god is nat to be allowed / as the Canons do wytnes. Distinc. 8. capi. veritate / with other that foloweth / but this custome is receyued not allouly agaynste scripture / but also agaynst the olde Canons / and the example of the Churche / wherfore yf any had rather vse both kyndes of the sacrame\u0304tes they ought not to be compelled to do other wyse with offence of theyr co\u0304science And because the dyuisyon of the sacrame\u0304t agreeth not with the ordinaunce of Christe we do omitte and leaue the procession which was accustomed to be obser\u00a6ued here tofore.\nEUery man complayned of theram\u2223ples of Prestes / whiche lyued not chaste and continently. For whiche cause also Pius the byshop of Rome is reported to haue sayde / that theyr weThe say\u2223enge of Pius\n\"The priests of Rome should be restored for reasons greater than hope. According to Plutina, the priests married among us because of fornication. Therefore, every man should have his wife to avoid fornication (1 Corinthians 7:2). It is better to be married than burned (Matthew 19:10). Secondarily, Christ says, \"Not all can accept this word.\" (Matthew 19:11). That is, not all men are fit to live alone and unmarried. God created a man for procreation, as evident in the first of Genesis. It is not within man's power, without a singular gift and work of God, to change God's creation. Therefore, those not fit to live alone and unmarried ought to contract marriage and marry, for no man's law, no vow can take away the commandment and ordinance of God. For these reasons, the priests teach that it is lawful for them to marry wives. It is evidently known also that in the beginning of\"\nIn the beginning, church priests were married. According to Paul, a married man is to be chosen as bishop. In Germany, and in other places, priests were first compelled (around the 15th century) to live without wives and remain unmarried. This was met with great resistance from the priests. When Archbishop Mognus attempted to publish the Roman bull on this matter, he was nearly overwhelmed by the angry priests protesting. Wealthy families even furnished and adorned matrimony with high honors among the heathen men. However, now lives are lost, even for priests, against the mind of canon law, only for the cause of marriage. 1 Timothy 4: Paul calls it the doctrine of devils, which prohibits marriage. This can be easily perceived now, as the prohibition of marriage is defended with such vigor.\nPunishments cannot take away the commandment of God, nor can a vow. The words of Cyprian. Therefore, Cyprian also persuades that women who cannot keep their chastity promises should be married, rather than falling into the fire with their deceit. Our churches are falsely accused of utterly destroying and taking away the Mass, for the Mass is retained and held with us, and is celebrated with high reverence. Almost all usual and customary ceremonies are observed and kept, saving that among the late songs, German songs are mixed in here and there, which are added to teach the people. Ceremonies serve to teach the inexperienced and rude people, and the intoning or handling of the word of God may stir up some men to the true fear, faith, and prayer.\nAll people are commanded to use a tongue in the Church that the people can perceive and understand, but it is also so constituted and ordered by human law. The people are accustomed to use the sacrament together, if they are worthy, and this also increases and enhances the reverence and religion of public ceremonies, for none are admitted and allowed to receive the sacrament but those who have been examined. They are also instructed and warned of the dignity and use of the sacrament, its great comfort to fearful and trembling consciences. No one shall go to temples and of what kind Masses these shall be, but since the world began, nothing that God ordained has been so abused and turned to filthy lucre as it appears that the Mass has been. There was added and put to an opinion which increased private Masses beyond measure, that is, that Christ with his passion satisfied and made amends for original sin, and in instituting and ordering it.\nThe Mass that should be made for daily and quotidian sins, both mortal and venial, gave rise to a common opinion that the Mass takes away sins, quick and dead, through the work performed. This led to disputes over whether one Mass offered for many was as worthy as if each person offered a separate Mass. This dispute resulted in an infinite number of Masses. Our preachers and learned men warned that these opinions varied and contradicted holy scripture, diminishing the glory of Christ's passion. The passion of Christ was an oblation and satisfaction not only for original sin but also for all other sins, as written to the Hebrews: \"We are sanctified by the oblation of Jesus Christ once for all.\" He also perfected the sanctified without offering an oblation forever. Scripture also teaches us to be justified before God.\nby Faythe, when we believe that our sins are forgiven through Christ. If the Mass takes away sins, both of the quick and the dead, even of its own proper virtue, then justification comes from the work of the Mass and not from faith. This is not allowed by scripture, but Christ commands it in remembrance of Him. The Mass was instituted to this end, that faith in those who use the sacrament should remember the benefits they receive from Christ and so should be raised up and comfort fearful and trembling consciences. To remember Christ is to remember the benefits of Christ and to feel, perceive, and think that truly and in reality they are exhibited and given to us. It is not enough to remember the history, for this may also be remembered by Jews and wicked men. Therefore, the Mass is to be done for this intent that the sacrament may be reached for and ministered to those in need of comfort, as Ambrose says.\n\nSaint.\nAmbrosia: Because I always sin, I always ought to receive medicine. This refers to the Mass, which is kept with us every holy day and other days for those who desire to use the sacrament. The communal Mass is not a new practice in the Church. The old fathers before Gregory speak nothing of the private Mass but much of the communal Mass.\n\nChrysostom: The priest stood daily at the altar and called some to receive the sacrament or communion, while he kept others away. The old canons indicate that one priest celebrated the Mass, and from him all other priests and deacons received the body of the Lord. According to the words of the Nicene Canon, which are as follows:\n\nLet the deacons receive in order after the presbyters.\nThe priest receives the holy sacrament or communion from the bishop or the priest. And Paul, speaking of communion, commands that one should wait for another so that there may be common participation.\n\nThe Mass, with us, has the Church as its example from scripture, and confession in the churches with us, is not done away with. For the body of the Lord is not given to any but only to those who are examined and absolved beforehand. The people are taught to value absolution highly because it is the voice of God and pronounced by God's commandment. The power of the keys is greatly magnified by showing how great comfort it brings to troubled consciences, and God requires faith from us to give credence to that absolution, as to a voice coming from God.\nHeueth/ And faith in Christ obtains truly and receives remission of sins. Before we did this: satisfactions were over much set up and magnified, but there was no speaking of faith and of the merit of Christ and of the righteousness of faith. Therefore, in this regard, our churches are not to be blamed. For our adversaries are also compelled to grant this to us: that the doctrine of penance is treated, handled, and opened by our learned men most diligently.\n\nBut concerning confession, they teach that the rehearsal and numbering of sins is not necessary, and that consciences are not to be charged with care to number and take up all defaults, for it is impossible to rehearse all defaults, as the prophet records, saying, \"Who understands all defaltes or sins?\" (Jeremiah also says), \"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can understand it?\" (The Gloss says), \"I do not say to thee that thou shalt show thyself openly before others or accuse thyself before them, but I want thee to obey the prophet.\"\nIt was a common belief among both the vulgar people and church teachers that various meats and similar traditions were profitable works to earn remission of sin and pain. And the world did so believe, as evidenced by the fact that new ceremonies, new orders, new holy days, and new fasting were being instituted daily. Teachers in temples exacted and required these works as a necessary honor for obtaining righteousness, and they greatly instilled fear in the simple consciences if they should omit or leave undone any of these things. From this belief in traditions, many mischiefs and inconveniences arose in the church. First and foremost, the doctrine of grace and righteousness was affected.\nof faith was obscured and defaced, which is the chief part of the gospel and ought most of all to stand forth and to appear in the church, to the intent that the merit of Christ might be well known, and that faith, which believes that sins are freely forgiven for Christ's sake and not for any of our works, might be advanced and set up far above works. Wherefore Paul also leans heavily to this part and removes and puts away the law and traditions of men, because he would show that Christian righteousness is something other than such works. That is to wit, that it is faith, which believes that sins are freely forgiven for Christ's sake. But Paul's doctrine on this matter is almost entirely oppressed by traditions, which have engendered and brought forth an opinion that we must needs merit and obtain remission of sins and justification by diversity of meats and like honoring of God. In penance, there was no speaking of faith, only these satisfactory works were proposed and set.\nThe whole phenomenon appeared to consist in them. Secondarily, these traditions have obscured and darkened the precepts of God, because the traditions of men were preferred and regarded above the precepts of God. The entire Christianity was thought to be the observation and keeping of certain feasts, rites, fasting, and vestments. These observances had won themselves a very high and honorable title through long prescription of time. For they were only called the spiritual life and perfect life. However, in the meantime, the precepts of God executed according to a man's vocation and calling had no praise or prayer, as the father and good man of the house brought up his children, the mother gave birth, the prince governed the commonwealth. These things were thought to be worldly works and imperfect, and far worse than those shining and glittering observances. And this error greatly vexed and grieved well-disposed consciences, which were sorry that they were not.\nholden in an imperfect kind and state of living, as in marriage, in governance and other civil ministries. On the other hand, they magnified and held in high reputation the monks and similar cloistered individuals who called themselves religious persons. They believed (though untruly), that their observances deserved a great deal more remission of sins and justification than the simple life of a Christian man did. Thirdly, traditions brought great peril and confusion to consciences, for it was impossible to keep all traditions, and yet men judged these observances to be necessary acts of worship and honoring of God. Gerson writes that many fell into despair, and some also killed themselves, because they thought they could not satisfy the traditions, and in the meantime, they heard no comfort of the righteousness of faith and of grace. We see makers of Summes and divines abbreviating and gathering traditions and seeking Epicles (episcopal decrees).\nAustine advises or favorable interpretations troubled other divines, who complained they were so intertwined with painful traditions that they could not engage in a better kind of doctrine. Austine cautions Ianuarie, his friend, to understand that they are to be observed and kept indifferently. Therefore, learned men did not touch this matter without cause or out of hatred for bishops, as some falsely believe. There was great necessity to warn the churches of these errors, which sprang from the confusion of traditions. The gospel compels us to promote and set forth in the churches the doctrine of grace and the righteousness of faith, which, however, cannot be understood if men believe they merit remission of sins and justification through observances.\nThey taught that by observation and keeping of men's traditions, we cannot obtain remission of sins and justification. Therefore, such observations are not to be considered necessary honors of God. They added scriptural authorities. Christ accused the apostles for not keeping the custom, which, although it seemed not unlawful, but a mean thing, and had a certain affinity or nearness with baptisms. Matthew 15: \"The kingdom of God is not meat nor drink.\" Romans 13: \"Judge not the servant of another manservant to serve: but to every man his own master is pleasable to God: and his own master is his own master. He that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.\" Colossians 2: \"Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using; after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.\" If you have died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though you were living in the world, do you keep decrees? Touch not, taste not, handle not, Which all are to perish with the using; after the commandments and doctrines of men? Acts: \"Why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?\"\n15. We neither we nor our fathers could bear, but we believe to be saved as well as they, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here Peter urges consciences with many rites and ceremonies, either of Moses or else of others. 1 Timothy 4:1. And in the first epistle to Timothy, Paul calls the prohibition of meats the doctrine of demons. For it is against the gospel to institute or do such works, by which we may merit and obtain remission of sins and righteousness, or that Christianity could not be without such an honoring of God.\n\nThe objections of the adversaries. Our adversaries object and lay against us that our men prohibit discipline and mortification of the flesh. But the contrary will be known by the writings of our learned men. For they have always taught that it behooves Christian men to suffer tribulations or afflictions. This is the true, the earnest, and the unfeigned mortification (I mean).\nThey should endure various afflictions and be crucified with Christ. Moreover, they teach that every Christian should exercise and subdue himself with corporal exercises and labors, so that satiety and fullness of food and drink or sloth do not provoke and stir him forward to sin. But not that we can earn remission of sin or pardon of eternal death by these exercises. It is necessary to set forth this corporal discipline at all times and not only on certain days ordained for that purpose, as Christ commanded (Luke 21:34). Beware that your hearts are not troubled by surfeiting. This kind of demons is not cast out except by fasting and prayer (Matthew 17:21). Paul also says, \"I discipline my body and bring it into bondage\" (1 Corinthians 9:27). He clearly shows that things are done orderly in the Church, as the order of the lessons in the Mass and the chief.\nHoly days should be kept. But in the meantime, men are warned that such honor does not justify or make righteous before God, nor is there any sin to be put in such things if they are omitted and left undone without scandal or offense to any man. This liberty in men's rites and traditions was not unknown to the old fathers. For in the Eastern parts, they kept Easter in another time of the year than they did at Rome. And when the Romans accused the Easterners of schism and division for this dissimilarity and diversity, they were warned that it is not necessary that such manners be alike everywhere. An old father named Ireneus says that the diversity and discord of fasting does not break the unity and concord of faith. Ireneus. Likewise, in Book 12, Gregory bishop of Rome signifies that such dissimilarity hurts not the church. And in the Tripartite History, the ninth book records many such words. The mind of\nThe apostles were not to establish laws for holy days, but to preach good conduct and godly living. If one were to recall the state of abbeys or monasteries, one would better understand what is taught regarding monastic vows. In St. Augustine's time, abbeys or monasteries were free colleges or companies to enter and depart at will. Later, when godly conversation was corrupted, vows were added everywhere, as if a bond or prison devised for the restoration of godly conversation and discipline. Many other observances besides vows were added over time. And these bonds were cast upon the necks of many before a suitable and convenient age, contrary to canonical laws. Many fell into this kind of living through error, though they were of sufficient age, yet they could not judge their own strength and power. Those who were ensnared in this manner were:\ncompelled to abide still, even though the canons were so beneficial to them that they might have been delivered. And this happened more in monasteries of women than of men, notwithstanding that the weaker sex or kind ought more to have been spared. This rigor and strictness displeased many good men before this time who saw maidens and young men being thrust down into monasteries for a living. They saw how unhappy that purpose prospered, what scandals it brought forth, what snares it cast upon consciences. They were sorry that the authority of the law Canon was utterly neglected and despised in a thing most perilous. To these evils was added such a persuasion of vows, with which, yes, the monks and religious men taught (I say) vows to be equal to baptism, and that they by that kind of living deserved remission of sins.\nRighteousness before God, monks were believed to deserve not only this but more and greater than baptism, as they kept not only the precepts but also the counsels of the gospels. Thus, they made men believe that the monastic profession was far better than baptism, and that the monk's life was more meritorious than the life of rulers, pastors, and those who served their vocation and calling in the commandment of God, without feigned and cloaked religions. None of these things can be denied, as they are apparent in their own books. In olden times, monasteries were schools of holy scripture and other disciplines profitable to the church, and from then came pastors and bishops. Now it is another thing. In olden times, they came together to learn; now they feign that it is a kind of living ordered to deserve forgiveness of sins.\nI. Justification / yes, they preach that it is a state of perfection / and they prefer it far above all other kinds of living ordered by God. We have rehearsed these things at length, laying nothing more than the truth before you, in order that the doctrine of our men might be better understood concerning this matter. First, for those who contract marriage, they teach with us that it is lawful for all men who are not suited to live unmarried to contract marriage; for vows cannot remove the ordinance and commandment of God. Of the vow of celibacy. But this is the commandment and ordinance of God that every man have his wife for the avoidance of fornication. 1 Cor. 7 Nor is the commandment only, but also the creation and ordinance of God compel those who without the singular work of God are not excepted, according to that text. Gen. 2 It is not good for a man to be alone; therefore, they do not commit any sin which obey this commandment and ordinance of God.\nWhat can be objected against these things? Let men extol the obligation and bond of the vow as much as they please, yet they shall not bring to pass that the vow may take away the commandment of God. The very canon laws teach that the authority and right of the superior is excepted in every vow. Wherefore much less are these vows any thing worth, since they are against the commandment of God. Also, if the bond of a vow should (as they say) have no causes wherefore it might be changed: the bishops of Rome would not require anything in every lawful vow. But how perpetual chastity is in the power of man, it is not unknown. And how few are there who do freely and deliberately vow? Maidens and young men, before they can judge, are persuaded and enticed to vow, yes and sometimes also they are constrained. Wherefore it is not equally done to dispute so strongly of the bond, when all men will grant that this is against the nature of a vow, which is not freely, but suddenly and unwillingly.\nrasshely taken. Many canone lawes do adnulle vowes made before the age of .xv. yeres / for be\u2223fore that age there appereth nat to be so moche\niudgemente in a persone to determine vpon a perpetuall lyfe. Another Canon grauntynge yet more libertie to ye weakenes of man addeth mo yeres / inhybityng a vowe to be made before the age of .xviii. yeres. But whether of them so euer we folowe / certes the moste parte hathe a very lawfull and iuste excuse / why they shulde forsake theyr monasteries / because they vowed before those ages. Finally yea although the violacion and breakyng of the vowe coulde be reproued: yet it shall nat forthwith folowe that the mariag{is} of suche persones as haue agaynst theyr vowe maried ought to be dissolued and broken.The au\u00a6ctorite of saint Austine For saint Augustine denyeth that they ought to be broken .27.9.1. capt. Nuptia{rum}. Whose auctorite is nat lyght I although other men afterwarde thought other wayes. But though goddes commaundemente of mariage may be thought to delyuer many\nFrom their vows: Note this reason. Yet our men bring another reason concerning vows, that they are frustrated and in vain, for every honoring of God ordained and chosen by men without the commandment of God does not deserve remission of sin and justification, as Christ says. Matt. 15:9 They honor me in vain with commandments of men. And Paul teaches that righteousness is not to be sought from observations and honors devised by men, but that it comes by faith to those who believe that they have appeased and merciful God through Christ, and not for any of our merits. But it is clear that monks and friars have taught that these feigned and made religious practices deserve remission of sins and justification, and that they make amends for sins. I ask you, what else is this but to detract and pluck away from the glory of Christ and to darken, even deny, the righteousness of faith? Therefore, it follows that a vow which is wicked and against the commandment of God is.\nNothing is worthless for no vow should be a bond of wickedness, as the Canon itself says (Galatians 5: Paul says you are estranged from Christ if you have fallen from grace. Those who think they can deserve the remission of sins by their own works and please God by their own fulfillment of the law, and who do not feel that for Christ they freely take by faith the remission of sins given them by the mercy of God, and that for Christ they please God: these have lost Christ. They plead against the wrath of God not with Christ and the mercy seat, but with their own works. But it is clear that monks and religious persons teach this (I mean), that they deserve the remission of sins with their observances, and that they have God merciful to them for this reason. Therefore, they teach men to trust in their observances rather than in Christ and the mercy seat.\nThey worked not in the proximity and mercy of Christ. This trust is ungodly and wicked, contrary to the gospel, and in the judgment of God it shall be void. Our works may not be pleaded against the wrath and judgment of God. The wrath of God is mitigated and assuaged only when we conceive and take by faith the free mercy promised through Christ. Therefore they lose Christ, whom they did not put their trust in but in their own works. Moreover, monks, friars, and religious men taught their kind of living to be a state of perfection because they did not keep alone the precepts but also the counsels. This error is most repugnant to the gospel because they have feigned themselves to have fulfilled the commandments so completely that they no longer need to do more than they are bound to. And out of this has sprung an horrible error, that they feigned merits of supererogation, that is, more than they were bound to have. These merits are:\nThey have applied for satisfactions for other men's sins. These things, if any man were disposed adversely to handle, how many things might he recount concerning which even the religious persons' honor justifies men and makes them righteous. For the righteousness of faith in Christ, which chiefly ought to be taught in the church, is thus obscured and darkened: while these wonderful and angelic religions, as feigned poverty, cloaked humility, and hypocritical chastity, are cast before men's eyes. Furthermore, the precepts of God and the true honor of God are darkened, obscured, and defaced, when men hear that only monks, friars, chausses, and nuns are in the state of perfection. The true perfection of a Christian man is something other than this.\nAll things that we have to do according to our calling. In the meantime, do good works outwardly and serve our vocation. In these things is the true perfection and true honor of God, not in the unmarried life or in beginnings or in vile and filthy cottages. People also conceive many noxious and perilous opinions of those false praising of the Monkish life. They hear chastity (for so these religious persons call it), therefore private persons hearing this be not afraid to retaliate, for they hear that it is but a counsel and not the rule, and a new opinion in Jerome's time. And before this time, Gerson rebuked the error of religious persons regarding perfection.\n\nGreat disputes have been about the power of bishops, in which many men have confusedly combined the power of the church and the power of the sword. From this confusion, great battles, great unrest have ensued. And thus our learned men think, this is the cause.\nTheir opinion was that the power of the keys, or the power of bishops according to the Gospel, is a power or commandment of God to preach the Gospel, to remit and retain sins, and to loose and bind. For with that commandment, Christ sent forth his apostles, John 20. saying, \"As my Father has sent me, even so I send you. Take the Holy Ghost, whose sins you remit are remitted, and whose sins you hold are held. Also in the Gospel of Mark, he says, \"Go preach the Gospel to every creature.\" Mark 16. This power is put into execution only by teaching or preaching the Gospel and by ministering the sacraments either to a multitude or else to one man by himself according to his vocation and calling. For these things cannot choose or come but by the ministry of the word and of the sacraments.\nPaul says, \"Romans 1: The gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe; therefore, the power of the church grants eternal things and is exercised only through the ministry of the word; it does not allow civil administration. Like singing, the craft of which does not allow civil or political administration, for political administration deals with things other than the gospel. The governor or ruler defends not minds but bodies and bodily things against manifest injuries, and restrains men with the sword and corporal pains to maintain civil justice and peace. Therefore, the power of the church and civil power may not be mixed and confused together. The power of the church has its commandment to teach the gospel and to administer the sacraments. Let it not encroach upon another's office; let it not translate. Also in another place he says, 'Luke 12: Who made me a judge or a divider over you?' That is, 'Who made me a judge or a divider among you?'\"\nDo you ask me, and Paul says to the Philippians (Philippians 1:11, 2 Corinthians: Our policy or conversation is in heaven. And to the Corinthians, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and we destroy them by the refutation of shameless speech. After this manner do the men also of the same mind contend for the faith by virtue of righteousness, and their offense and their honor are not of the same origin, but are given by God. If bishops have any power of the sword, that power they have not as bishops by the commandment of the gospel, but by man's law given to them by kings and emperors, for the civil administration of their own goods. Therefore, whenever a question is made about the jurisdiction of bishops, the empire and temporal power ought to be divided and distinguished from the ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Undoubtedly, according to the gospel and according to God's law, no jurisdiction belongs to bishops (that is, another office is the ministry of the gospel. Therefore, whenever a question is raised about the jurisdiction of bishops, the empire and temporal power must be separated and distinguished from ecclesiastical jurisdiction.\nTo those to whom is committed the ministry of the word and the sacraments, save this power to remit and loose sins, and also to discern and judge doctrines, and to reject a doctrine contrary to the gospel, and to exclude and shut out from the communion of the church wicked men, whose wickedness is known. In these things, the congregations or churches owe a duty, and are by the law of God bound to submit themselves and to show obedience, according to that saying of Christ: \"He who hears you hears me\" (Luke 10:16). But when they teach or ordain anything against the gospel, then the congregations have a commandment from God prohibiting obedience. As this warns against false prophets and Paul to the Galatians (Matthew 7:15), \"If an angel from heaven preaches a different gospel, he is accursed.\" Galatians 1:8. Also to the Corinthians, \"we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth\" (2 Corinthians 13:8).\nanother place he says / Power is given to us for edification and not for destruction. 2 Cor. 13. So likewise do the canon laws command. 2 D. 7. cap. Sacerdotes et cap. Oves. And Augustine, in Augustine against the epistle of Pelagian, says / If Catholic priests are deceived anywhere by chance / and think anything against the canonical scriptures of God / we ought not to consent to them.\n\nIf bishops have any other power or jurisdiction, as in cognizance of pleas or in determining certain causes: they have it by man's law / whereby, when the ordinaries fail to do their duties / because either they will not / or cannot / princes can be compelled (yes, whether they will or not) to see the law administered to their subjects for peace to be held among them.\n\nA question. Furthermore, it is disputed whether bishops or pastors have right and authority to ordain ceremonies in the church and to make laws regarding meat, holy days, and degrees of ministers or orders. They\nthat imagine this authority to be in bishops / alleging and bringing for them this testimony and authority of scripture. Io 16. Yet I have many things to say to you / but you cannot yet bear them. But when the spirit of truth shall come / he will teach you all truth. They also allege the example of the apostles, who made a prohibition that the people should abstain from blood and suffocate. Acts 15. They also allege the changing of the Sabbath day into Sunday, contrary to the ten commandments called the Decalogue, as it seems. Neither is there any example more cracked upon and boasted of than is the changing of the sabbath. That bishops have no power to decree / as shown before. The canon laws teach the same thing .9. distinctly. But it is against scripture to make traditions / or to exact or require them to be observed / for the reason that by that observation we may get pardon for sins / and may satisfy and make amends for sins. For thus the glory of the merit of Christ is hurt.\nand when we go about to deserve remission of sins and justification with such observations. Now it is openly known that traditions have grown almost to an infinite number in the church through this persuasion, and the doctrine of faith and righteousness of faith in the meantime has been oppressed. For still more holy days and fasts were made, and feasts a deceitful similitude. Which feign that in the new testament there must be an honoring of God, like that which we read in Leviticus, the ordering of which God committed to the apostles and bishops. And these writers seem deceived by the example of Moses' law, as though the righteousness of the new testament were an outward observation of certain rites and ceremonies, like the justice of the old law was an outward observation of certain rites. Wherefore, like in the old law, it was sin to eat swine's flesh, and so on, in the new testament they put sin in meats, in days, in vesture,\nAnd a thing is sensible. They believe that the righteousness of the new testament cannot exist without these things. From this came those burdens: that certain foods defile and pollute the conscience, and it is deadly sin to omit and leave unsaid canonical hours, fasting deserves remission of sins, and they are necessary to the righteousness of the new testament, that sin in a reserved case cannot be forgiven without the authority of the reservoir, whereas the canons themselves speak only of the reservation of canonical pain and not of the reservation of sin. From whence I pray you, and from whom have the bishops their power and authority to lay these traditions upon the church to vex or grieve their consciences? For every man may see open authorities and clear testimonies which prohibit the making of such traditions either to deserve remission of sins or as necessary to the righteousness of the new testament.\nColossians 2:21-23. Paul to the Colossians says, \"Do not judge one another in food or drink, or regard day as a festival; for the festival comes from the Lord, and being thus a commemoration of Christ, let us keep the feast not only without the leaven, that is, the old yeast, but also without the malice and wickedness; but let no one judge you in regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. If you died with Christ from the elemental things of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, \"Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch,\" which all refer to things that perish with use\u2014according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.\"\n\n1 Timothy 1. He explicitly forbids traditions. Matthew 15. And he reproves such honors, commanding all plants which were not planted by the Father in heaven to be rooted up. Bishops have authority to institute and load churches with infinite traditions, and to ensnare consciences. Why does Scripture so frequently prohibit making and hearing traditions? Why does it call them doctrines of demons? Did the Holy Spirit warn against these things in vain? Therefore, it necessarily follows that since ordinances were instituted as things necessary or with the opinion of serving to remit sin, they must be observed.\nContrary to the Gospel: a bishop should not institute or require such honors. The doctrine of Christian liberty must be kept in the churches, which is that the bondage of the law is not necessary for justification, as it is written in the Epistle to the Galatians (5:1). Do not be subject to or honors designed by men.\n\nWhat about the Sunday and like rites of the temples? Our learned men say that it is lawful for bishops or pastors to make ordinances that things be orderly done in the Church, not that we should purchase remission of sins or that we can satisfy for sins through them, or that consciences are bound to judge them necessary honors, or that those who without offense break them sin. 1 Corinthians 11: So Paul orders that in the congregation women should cover their heads, and that interpreters and teachers be heard in order.\nIn the church, it is convenient that the churchgoers should keep such orders for charity and tranquility, so that one does not offend another. All things should be done in churches in order, without disturbance, and the conscience should not be charged as if they were necessary for salvation or as if one sinned when they were broken without harming others. No man will say that a woman sins who goes abroad with an uncovered head, offending no one with it. Such is the observation and keeping of the Sunday, Easter, Pentecost, and like holy days and rites. Those who judge that by the authority of the church the observance of the Sunday in place of the Sabbath day was ordained as a necessary thing greatly err.\n\nThe Sabbath day. The scripture permits and grants that the keeping of the Sabbath day is now free. For it teaches that the ceremonies of Moses' law, after the revelation and showing abroad of the gospel, are not binding.\nThe Church found it necessary to order a certain day for the people to come together. And yet, it appears that they appointed the Sunday, which seemed to please them more than the Sabbath day, for this reason: men could have an example of Christian liberty, and could know that the keeping and observance of neither the Saturday nor any other day is necessary. Disputes over the changing of the law, the ceremonies of the new law, and the changing of the Sabbath day have arisen from a false conviction and belief that there must be an honoring of God in the Church similar to the Levitical, and that Christ committed to the apostles and bishops the authority to institute and find necessary ceremonies for salvation.\n\nThese errors entered the Church when the righteousness of faith was not present.\nSome dispute that keeping the Sabbath is not merely and fully God's law, but in a manner, and as it were, of the law of God. They prescribe regarding holy days, how far it is allowable to work. Such disputations, what other things are they but snares of consciences? For although they busy themselves to modify, qualify, and find an excuse in their traditions, tempering the rigor of them with favorable declarations; yet the traditions of the Apostles are not kept. The Apostles commanded to abstain from blood, yet those who observe and keep it cannot. The intricacies of bishops. Certes, bishops might easily keep lawful obedience if they would not enforce men to keep traditions which cannot be kept with a good conscience. They command priests to live unmarried, receive none, unless they swear in effect that they will not teach the pure doctrine of the gospel. The congregations require not that bishops should repair and make.\n\"Although they should conform again with loss and decay of their honor, and yet they should become good shepherds to do so, but they only require that they would release and pardon unjust burdens which are new and received contrary to the custom of the Catholic Church. We will not deny that in the beginning some constitutions were grounded upon reasonable and probable causes. Which yet are not agreeable or convenient for the following times. It appears also that some were imposed by Acts 3. We must needs follow the rule of the apostles, which command rather to obey God than men. 1 Peter 5. Peter forbids bishops to be lords and emperors over the Church. Now, it is not intended by us to take away jurisdiction from the bishops, but this one thing is required of them: that they would suffer the gospel to be purely taught, and that they would release a few certain observances which cannot be observed without sin. If they will not remit or release anything, let them look to their own.\"\ncharge: how they shall make accounts to God in that they were occasion of this schism and division, by reason of their obstinacy and stiffness. These are the chiefest articles which seem to be in controversy and debate. For although there were complaints of pardons, pilgrimages, the abuse of excommunication, parochial issues - neither is there anything said or gathered here to the reproach, scandal, or hurt of any man. Only those things have been rehearsed which seemed necessary to be spoken, in order that it might be perceived that nothing is received in doctrine and ceremonies with us against scripture or the Catholic Church. For it is manifest and known that we must most diligently take heed lest any new or wicked opinions should creep into our churches. These articles previously written, we thought best.\nI. Confession to be Exhibited:\n\nTo be exhibited and put forth, in accordance with the commandment of Their Majesties, whereby our confession and the sum and effect of our doctrine might be seen by teachers and preachers among us. If, in any respect, this confession seems not perfect and sufficient to you (God willing), we are ready, according to the scriptures, to render and give a larger information.\n\nI. Signatories:\n1. John, Duke of Saxony, elector.\n2. George, Marquis of Brandenburg.\n3. Ernest, Duke of Luneburg.\n4. Philip, Duke of Saxony.\n5. Francis, Duke of Luneburg.\n6. Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt.\n7. The Senate and council of Nuremberg.\n8. The Senate of Rentlingen.\n\nII. Translator's Epistle to Master Thomas Crumwell: (Fo. 2)\n\nIII. Preface to Emperor Charles the Fifth: (Fo. eodem)\n\nIV. The First Article of the Trinity: (Fo. v)\n\nV. The Second Article of Original Sin: (Fo. )\n\nVI. The Third Article of the Humanity of Christ: (eod.)\n\nVII. The Fourth Article of Justification: (Fo.)\nThe fifth article of obtaining faith.\nThe sixth article of the fruits of faith.\nFourthly,\nThe seventh article of the holy church.\nFourthly,\nThe eighth article of the ministers of the church.\nFourthly,\nThe ninth article of baptism.\nFourthly,\nThe tenth article of the sacrament of the Altar.\nEighth,\nThe eleventh article of confession.\nFourthly,\nThe twelfth article of penance or reconciliation.\nFourthly,\nThe thirteenth article of the use of the sacraments.\nFourthly,\nThe fourteenth article of ecclesiastical order.\nFourthly,\nThe fifteenth article of rites or customs of the church.\nFourthly,\nThe sixteenth article of political or civil matters.\nSeventeenth,\nThe eighteenth article of the resurrection.\nFourteenth,\nThe nineteenth article of free will.\nTenth,\nThe twentieth article of good works.\nFourteenth,\nThe twenty-first article of honoring the saints.\nThirteenth,\nThe articles in which are rehearsed certain abuses changed.\nOf both kinds.\nFourteenth,\nOf the marriage of priests.\nFifteenth,\nOf the Mass.\nxvi. Of confession. Fo. xix. Of diversities of meats. Fo. xx. Of monastical vows. Fo. xxiii. Of the power of the church. Fo. xxviii. Finis Tabule.\n\nThe Apology, or the defense of the confession of the Germans, made by Philip Melanchthon, and translated by Richard Taverner, at the commandment of his master, the right honorable master Thomas Crumwell, chief secretary to the king's highness.\n\nAfter the confession of our princes was in open audience solemnly read, certain divines and friars prepared a confutation of our writing. Which when the Emperor's majesty had caused to be solemnly read in the assembly of the princes, he required them to assent to it. But our princes, hearing that many articles were there disproved which they could not renounce without grudge of conscience, demanded that\nA copy of the confutation could be exhibited to them, so they could both see what their adversaries condemned and refute their reasons. In matters concerning Christian faith and conscience instruction, they believed their adversaries would not find it strange to exhibit their writings. However, our rulers could not obtain it in any way without exposing themselves to most perilous and unequal conditions, which they could not do except they cast themselves into manifest danger. After this, a pacification was published in which it appeared that our heads refused no burden, however painful, that could be sustained without offense to conscience. However, the adversaries obstinately required us to allow certain manifest abuses and errors, which we could not do against the emperor's majesty's requirement. Our princes utterly refused to assent to the confutation. For how should they assent?\nin a matter touching the faith to that which they had never read? And they heard that certain articles were condemned there in which we could not allow the judgment of our adversaries without offense. There were also certain others which required me to make an apology or defense of the confession, in which the causes why we did not receive their confutation and the things solved which the adversaries objected would be explained to the emperor. For there were some among us whose confutation was noted when it was read. This Apology they offered last to the emperor's majesty, intending that he might know that grave and high causes prevented us from allowing their confutation. However, the emperor did not receive the book that was offered to him. After this came a proclamation, in which our adversaries triumph that they have confuted our confession by scripture. Now therefore, O gentle reader, here is our Apology in which you shall find\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English, and no significant OCR errors were detected.)\nI perceive the judgment of our adversaries, as we have faithfully reported, to be the condemnation of certain articles against the manifest scripture of the Holy Ghost. Yet, in the beginning I made only an Apology, but now, in setting it forth in print, I have added other things. And for this purpose I have put my name to it, because they should make no cavil that the book was published without any author's certificate.\n\nThis has always been my custom in such controversies, that (as much as I might lawfully do) I would retain the form of the used and accustomed doctrine, to the end that we might the sooner agree together. Nor do I much unlike this at this time, although I might justly wade further in dissuading the people from the opinions of our adversaries. But our adversaries handle their matter in such a way that they show themselves neither to seek truth nor concord, but to sup up our blood. Doubtless I\nI have now written as soberly and moderately as I can, but if anything seems spoken over sharply, I hereby protest that I contend with the divines and friars, not with Cesar or the princes, whom (as my duty is) I hold in high esteem and regard. But I recently saw their confutation, which I have marked to be written so capriciously and slanderously that in certain places they may deceive even careful readers. I have not answered all their cavils (for that would be an infinite work), but I have compiled the chief matters, so that among all nations a testimony may appear that our judgment is right and godly concerning the Gospel of Christ. Discord pleases us not. Nor does our own private peril move us, however great it may be due to the vehement hatreds of our adversaries kindled against us. But we may not renounce the manifest truth and necessary thing for the edification of the church.\nWe think that all inconveniences and dangers should be endured and suffered for the glory of Christ and the profit of his church, trusting that God will allow and accept our office and endeavor. Furthermore, we hope that our posterity and successors will have a better opinion and a more indifferent judgment of us in the future. It cannot be denied that many places of Christ's doctrine, which are most necessary to be notified and known in the church, have been suppressed and hidden through deceitful friars, lawyers, and sophisticated divines. I will not recite them here. We have the open testimonies of many good men who continue to render thanks to God for this great benefit that many right necessary matters are now better opened by us than they were taught or preached by our adversaries before. Therefore, we shall commence and commit our cause to\n\"Christ who shall one day judge these debates and controversies, whom we humbly beseech to cast his tender eyes upon the afflicted and ruinous churches and shortly to reduce them into a godly and perpetual concord. Amen.\n\nThe first article of our confession, our adversaries allow, in which we explain that we believe and teach one divine essence indivisible, and yet three distinct persons of the same essence, divine and coeternal, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This article we have always taught and defended. And we know that it has certain and firm testimonies in holy scriptures which cannot be avoided. And constantly we affirm that those who think otherwise are outside the church, idolaters, and do most greatly dishonor and slander God.\n\nThe second article, of original sin, the adversaries approve, but yet they disapprove of our definition of original sin which we recited by the way. Here forthwith, even in the very front of the matter, we refute their arguments:\"\nThe emperor will see that the writers of the confutation lacked not only right judgment but also impartiality and gentleness. For where we, of simple mind, went about to recite by the way the things that originally contained, they, by their crooked and malicious interpretation, craftily undermine the sentence which is true enough in itself.\n\nThey argue thus: It appears sufficiently that this subtle argument was brought forth in schools, and not in Caesar's council. But although this calumny can easily be avoided, yet that all good men may see that we teach nothing incongruous in this regard, we first require that our confession be heard, which, carefully marked, will deliver us from the suspicion of strange doctrine. For it is written thus in the Duche: We teach that after the fall of Adam, every man naturally born is conceived in sin, and so is born, that is, that they all from the womb of their mother be.\nWe incline towards evil, who by nature cannot have the fear of God or true faith in Him. This witnesseth that we take from those who are born according to the carnal nature not only actions but also the powers and gifts of performing fear and hope towards God. For we say that those who are thus born have concupiscence, and cannot perform true fear and trust towards God. What can be reproved here? Truly, to good men we judge that we are sufficiently purged. For the Latin description is of like sentiment, detracting from nature the power to say the gifts and strength of performing fear and trust towards God, detracting also acts in persons of the age of discretion. And when we name concupiscence, we understand not only acts or fruits, but a perpetual inclination of nature.\n\nBut hereafter we shall show with more words\nthat our definition agrees with the usual and ancient definition. For first we will open our intent why we used these words in this\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Early Modern English. No significant OCR errors were detected.)\nOur adversaries grant that the material, as they call it, of original sin is concupiscence. Therefore, concupiscence should not be omitted in the definition, especially since many dispute that original sin is not any vice or corruption in the nature of man, but only a bondage or state of mortality that all the descendants of Adam sustain without their own proper vice, for another's guilt and offense. Furthermore, they argue that no one is damned to eternal death for original sin, and they bring forth a simile of civil law, saying that:\n\nWe have not only named it concupiscence but have also said that there lacks the fear of God and faith. We have done this for this purpose. The school doctors diminish and make light of original sin, not sufficiently understanding the definition of original sin which they received from the fathers. Of the nourishment or kindling (which)\nThey dispute that it is a quality of the body, and according to their folly, they bring up the question whether this quality is caught by contact with the apple or by the serpent's breathing. Whether it is increased by provocations. With such questions they press the principal matter. When they speak of original sin, they omit the vices of human nature which are more grievous, such as the ignoring of God, the despising of God, the lack of fear, the lack of trust in God, the hating of God's judgment, the fleeing from God's judgment, the being angry with God, the despair of grace, and the trusting in worldly supports. These diseases are most repugnant to God's law, which the scholastic doctors do not see. Indeed, they attribute to human nature the power to love God above all things and to do the precepts of God, in substance, as they call it, that is, as much as pertains to the substance of acts, but they do not see this.\nThat they speak things irrelevant. For, to have the power to love God above all things, to do God's commandments, what other thing is this, but to have original justice? If man's nature has these great powers that of itself it may love God above all (as the scholastics boldly affirm), what shall be original sin? What shall we need the grace of Christ if we may be saved by our own proper justice? What shall we need the Holy Ghost if man's powers can love God above all things and do His commandments? Who sees not how unjust the judgment is of the adversaries? The lesser diseases of human nature they acknowledge, but the most grievous they acknowledge not, of which yet the scripture admonishes us in various places and the prophets continually complain about, I mean of the carnal sensuality, the contempt of God, the hate of God, and similar vices engendered within us. But after the scholastic manner.\nDoctors intermingled Christ's doctrine with philosophical descanting on the perfection of nature, attributing more to free will and voluntary acts than necessary. They taught men to be justified before God by a certain philosophical or civil justice (which we also concede to be subject to reason and within our power). They could not see the inward unity of human nature. For it cannot be judged except by the word of God, which the scholars for the most part do not touch upon in their disputations. These were the causes why, in describing original sin, we mentioned concupiscence and detracted from the natural powers of man the fear and trust toward God. For our intent was to declare that original sin contained these diseases: ignorance of God, contempt of God, flight from God, and impotence of loving God. These are the principal vices of human nature, disagreeing properly with the first table of the Decalogue.\nThe old definition rightly understood refers to original sin as a lack of original justice. But what is original justice? Scholars do not explain this in their logical questions. Undoubtedly, justice in scriptures includes not only the second table of the Decalogue but also the first, which commands the fear of God and faith in God. Therefore, original justice should have included not only an equal temperament of bodily qualities but also these gifts: a more certain notice of God, the fear of God, the affection for God, or at least a direction and power to do these things. And the scripture bears witness that man was created to the image and similitude of God, which is nothing else but that to man wisdom and justice were naturally given, with which he might comprehend and conceive God, and in which God might be apparently noted and seen.\nThis is to say, that to thee were given these gifts: the notice of God, the fear of God, trust in God, and suchlike. For this is how Ireneus and Ambrose interpret the similitude of God. It is not the soul that was made to the image of God, in which God is not always present. Paul, to the Ephesians and Colossians, showed the image of God to be the notice of God / justice and truth. Longobardus is not afraid to say that original sin is the very similitude of God, which God gave to man. We recite the sentences of the old fathers, who do not hesitate to repeat Saint Augustine's interpretation of the image.\n\nTherefore, the old definition, which calls original sin the lack of justice, detracts not only the obedience of the inferior powers of man, but also detracts the notice of God / trust / fear and love.\nFor God, or at least it lessens the power of doing these things. The deities themselves in schools teach that these should not be done without a particular gift and aid of grace. We explicitly name the gifts mentioned (so that it may be understood) as the notice of God, fear and trust toward God. By this it appears that the old definition speaks the same thing that we do. It detracts or plucks away the fear of God and hope, that is, not only actual deeds but also the gifts and might to do this.\n\nThe same sentence has Austine's definition, who used to define original sin as concupiscence. For he means that when justice was lost, concupiscence succeeded. The decayed nature, because it cannot fear, love, and trust God, it seeks and loves carnal things. The judgment of God, this sick and corrupt nature either despises, void of fear, or hates when replenished with fear. Thus Austine includes both the default or failing, as well as the vicious quality which\nThe corruption of the body is not the only aspect of concupiscence. This unrighteous turning to things is not only a corruption of the body's qualities but also a carnal inclination in the superior powers. They do not understand what they say, attributing to human concupiscence a lack of the power to believe in God and a lack of the power to fear and love Him above all things. We have therefore accurately described both aspects of original sin: those defects, which are not able to believe in God and not able to fear and love Him, and also a concupiscence that, contrary to God's word, seeks carnality. This is not only the teaching of the old but also the late doctors, who, among those of judgment, teach that original sin includes not only the lapses or defects I have mentioned, but also concupiscence or lust. For Saint Thomas says, \"Original sin has a primitive privation of justice.\"\nThomas states that with this disorderly arrangement of the soul's parts, which is not a pure privation but rather an original sin, there is a lack of original justice and an inordinate disposition of the soul's parts. Bonaventure writes that when asked what original sin is, it can be answered that it is an immoderate concupiscence or a lack of due justice. In one of these answers, the other is included. Hugo holds the same opinion, stating that original sin is an ignorance in the mind and a concupiscence in the flesh. He means that at birth we bring with us an unknowing of God, mistrust, diffidence, contempt, and hatred for God. He includes these things when he speaks of ignorance. These sentences agree with scripture. For Paul elsewhere explicitly names the lack or defect, as in the first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 2.\nChapter. A natural man cannot perceive things that are of the spirit of God. In another place, he names concupiscence as having power and efficacy in the members, bringing forth evil fruits. Therefore, our opinion of original sin does not vary from scripture nor from the Catholic Church. We do nothing but repudiate, clarify, and bring back into light the most grave sentences of scripture and of the fathers, which were previously obscured and hidden by the sophistical questions of these late divines. For the thing itself speaks, that these new divines perceived not what the fathers meant when they spoke of the default. Truly, the knowledge of original sin is right necessary. For the greatness of the grace of Christ cannot be otherwise understood, unless we first know our own infirmities. The whole justice of man is mere hypocrisy before God, unless we acknowledge that our heart naturally is void of love, fear, trust towards Him.\nTherefore says the prophet. After you have shown it to me, I struck my thigh. I also said in my trance every man is a liar, that is, an unfaithful thinker of God. Here the adversaries also reprove Luther because he wrote that original sin remains after baptism. They added that this article was rightly condemned by Leo X. But Your Majesty will see here a manifest error, for this is spoken of civil judgment, not of the judgment of God. They sow to them even as foolishly this sentence: \"Nature is not evil\"; this spoken word is not reprehensible, but it may not be twisted to the diminishing of original sin. And yet these sentences were not disputed only in schools, but from the schools they were brought to the people. And these persuasions reigned, and nourished the favor of human powers and oppressed the knowledge of the grace of Christ. Therefore Luther, willing to\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English. No significant OCR errors were detected.)\nTo declare the magnitude of original sin and human infirmity, we acknowledge that the residues or dregs of original sin are not indifferent things in man, but that we require the grace of God for them not to be imputed, and the Holy Ghost to mortify them. Although scholars make less of both sin and the pain, teaching that man, of his own power, can fulfill God's commandments. In Genesis, it is otherwise described as the punishment due for original sin. For man's nature is not only subjected to death and other corporal punishments, but also to the kingdom of the devil. For there is given this horrible sentence: \"I will put enmities between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed.\" Defiance and concupiscence are punishments and also sins. Death and other corporal evils and the tyranny of the devil are properly punishments. For man's nature is given into bondage and held captive by the devil, who infects it with wicked opinions.\nerrors and impels it to all kinds of sin. But as the devil cannot use childish and cold enticements by which the adversaries have slandered our article. For we know that we believe rightly and with the Catholic church of Christ. But if the adversaries wish to renew this contention, there shall not lack learned men among us who will make them answer and defend the truth. For the adversaries in this cause understand not for the most part what they speak. Often they speak things repugnant, and they neither express rightly & dialectically the formal cause of original sin nor the defaults, as they call them. But we would not in this place overtly discuss their vain and sophistical arguments. We thought it sufficient to recite the mind of the holy fathers (whom we follow) with common and known words.\n\nThe third article the adversaries allow, in which we confess two natures in Christ, that is, the human nature, assumed into the unity of his person.\nPersonally, and that the same Christ suffered and died to reconcile us to the Father, and rose again to reign, justify, and sanctify believers. According to the Symbol of the Apostles and the Nicene Symbol. In the fourth, fifth, sixth, and twentieth articles, we are condemned because we teach that men obtain remission of sins not for their own merits but freely for Christ through faith. For they condemn both points: first, that we deny that men obtain remission of sins for their own merits, and secondly that we affirm that faith obtains remission of sins and that men are justified by faith in Christ.\n\nHowever, since in this case or controversy, the principal point of our religion is debated, which rightly understood sets forth the honor of Christ and brings a necessary and plentiful consolation to the godly conscience: we desire your majesty's benign hearing.\nFor understanding these great matters, it is necessary to address certain things first. Our adversaries, who neither understood what remission of sins is nor what faith nor grace, nor justice, obstructively hinder this point, obscuring the glory and benefits of Christ and prevent proposed consolations in Christ. To maintain our confession and answer objections from our adversaries, we will first permit certain things to clarify the foundations of both our doctrines, theirs as well as ours. The entire scripture should be distributed into these principal places: law and promises. For otherwise, it shows the law in one place and the promise of Christ in another, such as when it promises Christ to come and promises for Him remission of sins, justification, and eternal life, or where in the Gospel, after Christ once appeared, He promised remission of sins, justification, and eternal life. We call the law in this dispute the precepts of the Decalogue in what place.\nIn the Scriptures, we do not speak of the ceremonies and judicial laws of Moses at this time. The adversaries take the law from these, because human reason, in a fashion, naturally understands the law. For it has styled the same judgment written by God in the mind, and they seek remission of sins and justification through the law. But the Decalogue requires not only outward civil works which reason can fulfill in a fashion, but also other things far above reason, such as truly fearing God, truly loving God, truly calling upon God, truly believing that God hears us, and looking for God's aid in death and all afflictions. Finally, it requires obedience to God in afflictions and in death, that we do not shun them nor grudge them when God lays them upon us. The scholars following the philosophers teach only the justice of reason as civil works, and they maintain that reason, without the Holy Ghost, can love God above all. For so long.\nas a man's mind is idle and does not feel the ire or judgment of God, it may pretend to love God and do well for God. In this way, they teach that men deserve remission of sins by doing that which is in them, that is, if reason regrets its sin and elicits an act (as they call it) of the affection for God or works well for God. This opinion, because it flatters men, has engendered and increased many ceremonies in the church, vows of monastic living, abuses of the Mass, and every day more and more some or others have invented new ceremonies and rites. And to nourish and increase trust in such works, they have affirmed that God necessarily gives grace to such workers not by necessity of coercion but of immutability. In this opinion, many great and pernicious errors stick, which to recount would be too long. Let the prudent reader only ponder this, if this is the Christian righteousness, what diversity is between\nIf we deserve remission of sins through these elicited acts, what need is there for Christ or regeneration? Through these opinions, the thing has run so far that many scorn us because we teach that another justice is to be sought besides philosophical justice. We have heard some in the pulpit setting apart the Gospel and Aristotle's Morals. Nor do they err if it is true that the adversaries defend. For Aristotle, in the realm of civil manners, has written so excellently that he cannot be improved. We see books put forth in which certain sayings of Christ are conferred with the sayings of Socrates, Zeno, and others, as though Christ came for this purpose, to teach us certain laws by which we might deserve remission of sins, and not receive it freely through his merits. Therefore, if we allow the doctrine of the adversaries that we deserve remission of sins and justification through the works of reason, there will be no difference.\nBetween the justice of philosophers or at least of the Pharisees and Christian justice. And although the adversaries (because they will not clearly put Christ out of their books) require the knowledge of the history of Christ and attribute to it a certain habit, or (as they themselves call it), the first grace, which they understand to be a habit inclining us to love God more easily, it is very little that they attribute to this habit. They claim that the will can love God, but yet that habit stirs it to do the same more freely. They bid us first purchase this habit through preceding merits, and afterwards purchase an increase of it through the works of the law, and live everlastingly. Thus they bury Christ so that men should not use him as a mediator nor think that for him they receive freely the remission of sins and reconciliation, but dream that by their own works.\nThey are reputed to fully fulfill the law before God, whereas in deed the law is never satisfied. Reason does nothing but certify civil works, and they neither fear God nor truly believe that God cares for them. And although they speak of that habit, yet without the justice of faith, the love of God cannot be in men, nor can it be understood what it is. A distinction of Duns. And whereas they feign a difference between merit congruent and merit condign, they delay, because they would not seem openly to play the Pelagians. For if God necessarily gives grace for merit congruent, there is no merit condign. But they do not know what they say. After the habit of love is obtained, they feign that man merits the condign. And yet they bid us doubt whether we have that habit or not. How then do they know whether they merit the congruent or the condign? But all this is feigned by idle fellows who know not how remission of sins is.\nIn the judgment of God and in the struggles of conscience, the trust is taken from us. Careless hypocrites always judge. They deserve condemnation, whether they have that appearance or not. Naturally, men trust in their own righteousness, but the troubled and doubtful conscience wavers and seeks and helps up other works to the end that it may be justified, but runs into despair unless it hears beside the doctrine of the law, the Gospel of free remission, and the justice of faith. Thus, adversaries teach nothing but the justice of reason, or at least of the law, upon which they look, just as the Jews did to the covered face of Moses, and in these careless hypocrites who think they satisfy the law, they kindle presumption and a vain trust in works and a contempt of the grace of Christ. On the contrary, they drive the fearful consciences into despair, which, since they work with them, are.\nDoubting cannot have experience of faith nor of its virtue, therefore they utterly despair. But this is our opinion according to reason's judgment, that God requires it, and that honest works are necessarily to be done which the Decalogue commands, according to Paul's saying, \"the law is a tutor.\" Also, the law is given to the ungodly. For God wills that carnal persons be kept within bounds by this discipline, and to the maintenance of this He has given laws, letters, doctrine, rulers, punishments. And this justice can reason perform in a manner, although often it is exceeded in the second table which contains civil justice, which reason understands. And contained herewith, they think that they satisfy the law of God. In the meantime, they see not the first table which commands us to love God, to believe truly that God is displeased with sin, and to truly fear God, and to think surely that God\nhereth versus But a man's mind, without the Holy Ghost, either despises God's judgment or, in pain, hates God as his judge. Therefore, it does not obey the first table. When in a man's nature contempt of God and doubt of God's word and threats and promises collide: men in deed sin, even when they do honest works without the Holy Spirit, because they do them with an evil heart, according to this saying of Paul. \"Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.\" For such men work with contempt of God, just as Epicure thinks that God does not care for him, regard him, or hear him. This contempt corrupts all their good works, for God judges the heart. Finally, this is very unfairly written by our adversaries, that guilty men deserve remission of sins by the act of love, since it is impossible for a heart which in deed feels the wrath of God, unless we first purchase forgiveness of sins by faith.\nTo love God before He perceives us, I say, as long as God fears us and seems to cast us into eternal death, human nature cannot lift itself up to love the angry judge and punisher. It is easy for evil persons to feign these dreams of love, that a mortal sinner may love God above all things, for they feel not what is the ire or judgment of God. But in the trouble of conscience and in the very conflict, there the conscience proves how false their philosophical conclusions are. Paul says, \"The law works anger.\" He does not mean that by the law men deserve remission of sins, for the law always accuses the conscience and puts it in fear. Therefore, it justifies not, for the conscience, terrified by the law, flees the judgment of God. This suffices of the justice of reason or law, which the adversaries teach, for later when we shall show our mind of the justice of faith.\nBecause men cannot fulfill God's law by their own powers, and because all are under sin and condemned to eternal death, we cannot be delivered from sin nor justified by the law. Instead, the promise of remission of sins and justification is given for Christ, who is given for us to satisfy for the sins of the world and is set up as a mediator and purger of sins. This promise has no condition attached to our merits, but freely offers forgiveness of sins and justification, as Paul says. If it is by works, then it is no grace. The justice of God is now declared without the law, that is, remission of sins should not depend on our merits and reconciliation should not be by the law, or it would be unprofitable (for we cannot do the law) and the promise of justification by faith alone would also follow.\nReconciliation should never happen to us. Thusreasoneth Paul, Romans 4. If our inheritance comes by the law, void would be our faith, and the promise would be of no effect. For if the promise required a condition annexed of our merits and of the law (since we never fulfill the law), it would follow that the promise was unprofitable. But since justification changes by free promise, it follows that we cannot justify ourselves. For otherwise, what needed God to promise? And where the promise cannot be taken without faith: the gospel, which is properly the promise of remission of sins and justification for Christ, teaches the justice of faith, which the law does not. Nor is it the justice of the law. For the law requires of us our works and our perfection, but the promise offers to us, who are oppressed by sin and death, freely reconciliation for Christ which reconciliation is received, not by works, but by only faith. This faith brings not\nwith it a trust in our own works, but only the promise, or the promised mercy in Christ. Therefore this special faith by which we believe that our sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, obtains remission of sins and justifies us. And because in repentance, that is, in the trouble of conscience, it comforts and lifts up our hearts and regenerates us, bringing us the holy spirit so that from thenceforth we have:\n\nThe adversaries only claim that faith is a knowledge of the history, and therefore they teach that it can coexist with mortal sin. They do not speak of this faith, by which Paul so often says that men are justified, for those reputed just before God do not live in mortal sin. But that faith which justifies, is not only a knowledge of the history, but it is to assent to the promise of God, in which freely for Christ's sake is offered remission of sins & justification.\n\nAnd lest a man should suspect,\nThat it is only knowledge that defines faith. We will add more: faith is not only to will and to receive the offered promise of forgiveness of sins and justification. A man can easily see the difference between this faith and the justice of the law. Faith is a service that receives from God the offered benefits. The justice of the law is a service that offers to God our merits. With faith in this way, God is served, so that we may receive from him the things which he promises and offers. Now, faith signifies not only the knowledge of history, but rather a trust that asserts to the promise. Paul clearly witnesses to this when he says, \"Justice comes through faith so that the promise may be firm and stable.\" He means that the promise cannot be received except by faith, which is why he compares and connects promise and faith as correlatives. However, it is sometimes questioned what faith is if we consider the Creed, where this article is placed.\nRemission of sins. Therefore, it is not enough to believe that Christ was born, suffered, and rose again, unless we also add this article (Remission of sins). To this article, we must refer the rest: that for Christ's sake, and not for our own merits, we are pardoned of our sins. For what need did Christ begin for our sins, if our own merits can satisfy for our sins?\n\nTherefore, whenever we speak of the justifying faith, it is to be known that these three objects must come together: promise, which is received by faith, and the merits of Christ as a ransom and redemption. Promise is received by faith; this word \"free\" excludes our merits and signifies that only by mercy is offered the benefit of Christ, the merits are the ransom, for there must be some certain redemption for our sins. The scripture often cries for mercy. And the holy fathers often say that we are saved by mercy. Therefore, whenever mention is made of mercy, it is to be understood that it is offered only by mercy.\nknow that faith is required, which receives the promise of mercy. And whenever we speak of faith, let it be understood that the object is the promised mercy. For faith does not justify or save because it is worthy in itself, but only because it receives the mercy promised. This service, latria, is most highly commended in prophecies and psalms, where the law teaches not free remission of sins. But the fathers knew the promise made of Christ, that God would remit sins for Christ. Therefore, when they understood that Christ should be a price and ransom for our sins, they knew that our works were not a ransom for so great a thing. Therefore, they received by faith free mercy and remission of sins, like the holy fathers of the new testament. Here belong the frequent repetitions of mercy and faith in the psalms and prophets, as here. Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine. &c. If you observe, Lord, iniquities, Lord, who shall\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English, and there are some minor orthographic errors and abbreviations that have been expanded for clarity. No significant changes have been made to the original text beyond expanding abbreviations and correcting obvious errors.)\nSustains here he confesses his sins, yet he does not allege his merits. He adds, \"For with the is mercyfulness. Here he lifts up himself with the trust of God's mercy. And quotes the promise. Sustained is my soul in his word, my soul trusted in the Lord. That is to say, because thou hast promised forgiveness of sins, by this thy promise I am sustained. And Paul quotes the history of Abraham. Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. That is to wit, Abraham perceived that God was merciful to him, only for his promise's sake. He assented to God's promise and did not allow himself to be plucked away from it, though he saw himself unclean and unworthy. He perceived that God performs his promise for his own truth and not for our works or merits. Truly, the frightened hearts can have no rest, if they should think that for their own works, or their own love or merits, \"\nThe fulfillment of the law pleases God, for in the flesh sin clings, which always accuses us. But then the hearts have rest where, in such affrayes, they assure themselves that we therefore please God, because He has promised, and that God performs His promise for His own truth and not for our worthiness. Thus Abraham heard this saying. \"Fear not, for I am your protector.\" Here he raised himself up and felt God merciful to him not for his deserving, but because the promise of God must necessarily be judged true. This faith is therefore imputed to him for righteousness; that is, because he assents to the promise and takes the offered reconciliation, he is now truly justified and accepted by God. Not for his own works, but because he takes the free promise of God. The authority of Genesis pleased Paul not without cause. We see how earnestly he clings to this point, because he saw that the nature of faith could be easily discerned in this regard. He saw\nThe record of imputation of justice was not added without great skill. He saw that the law of deserving justification and of pacifying the conscience was taken away from works, when Abraham is therefore pronounced righteous, because he assents to the promise and takes the offered reconciliation, he does not plead in bar of God's ire his own merits or works. Therefore, this place diligently considered may plentifully instruct godly minds in this matter, which shall be understood, if the affrighted minds have it before them and assure themselves that they ought to assent to the free promise. For otherwise they cannot be quiet unless they presuppose that they have God as their good Lord, because He has promised, and not because our nature, life, and works are worthy. Therefore, the fathers were justified, not by the law, but by the promise and faith. And it is wonderful that adversaries make so little of faith, since they see it throughout all Scripture.\nprays for the highest service, as in Psalm 49. Call on me in times of trouble, and I shall deliver thee. Thus will God be known, thus He will be worshiped, by receiving benefits from Him, and returning them for His mercy's sake, and not for our own merits. This is the most ample consolation in all afflictions. And such consolations our adversaries go about to destroy and put out of use, in that they make faith a small service, and first, let us show how faith comes. Afterward, we will show that it justifies, and how this must be understood, and then we will refute the objections of the adversaries. Christ in the last of Luke commands His disciples to preach repentance in His name, and remission of sins. For the gospel argues that every man is under sin, and guilty of eternal ire and death, and offers for Christ remission of sins.\njustification which is received by faith. Preaching of penance which reproves us does frighten the conscience with true and earnest fears. In these, the heart is again supposed to conceive consolation, which shall be, if they trust in the promise of Christ, that for him we have remission of sins. This faith, erecting and comforting us in those fears, takes away sins, justifies and vivifies. For consolation is a new and spiritual life. How the Holy Ghost is given through the school: These are plain and open, and the godly may understand them also. The adversaries never show truly how the Holy Ghost is given. They feign that the sacraments give the Holy Ghost ex opere operato, without any good motion of the receiver, as though the giving of the Holy Ghost were an idle thing. But where we speak of such faith which is not an idle thought but which delivers from death and creates a new life.\nA new life in our hearts requires the Holy Ghost, it is incompatible with mortal sin, but as long as it is present, it brings forth good fruits, as we will explain later. What can be said more simply and clearly about the conversion of the ungodly or the manner of regeneration? There are an infinite number of commentaries on this topic; let our adversaries bring forth but one, which speaks of the manner of regeneration. When they speak of the habit of love, they maintain that men deserve the Holy Spirit through their works, they do not teach that it is received by the word, as Anabaptists do today. But we cannot deal with God except by His word. Justification is therefore achieved by the word, as Paul says. The Gospel is the power of God to the salvation of every believer. Faith is also of hearing. A man could also gather an argument from this passage that faith justifies, for if justification is only by\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Early Modern English, and there are some errors in the OCR process. I have corrected the spelling and punctuation as much as possible while preserving the original meaning and intent of the text.)\nThe word, and the word is only received by faith, it follows that faith justifies. But there are greater reasons. We have spoken this to you to show the form and manner of regeneration, and that you may understand what kind of thing faith is, of which we speak.\n\nThe knowledge that faith justifies is necessary. Now we will show that faith justifies. First, readers must be admonished that, just as it is necessary to maintain the opinion that Christ is our mediator, so it is necessary to defend that faith justifies. For how can Christ be a mediator if in justification we do not use him as a mediator, if we do not think that for him we are accounted righteous? And it is to believe and trust in the merits of Christ that God will surely be reconciled to us. Furthermore, just as besides the law, the promise of Christ is necessary, so we must defend that faith justifies, for the law teaches not free remission of sins. Moreover, the law cannot.\nnot fulfilled, unless we first receive the Holy Ghost. Therefore, it is necessary to defend that Christ's promise is required. But this promise cannot be taken except by faith. Thus, those who deny that faith justifies do nothing but teach the law, denying the Gospel and denying Christ. The taking of this position only by faith justifies. But some perhaps, when it is said that faith justifies, understand it as the beginning of justification or a preparation for justification, so that it is not the very faith which makes us acceptable to God, but the works which follow. And they dream that faith is so highly commended because it is the beginning. For the beginning is half of the whole. As if a man were to say that grammar makes the doctors of every science, because it is a preparation for other sciences. But we do not mean this of faith, but we defend that properly and solely faith justifies.\nTruly, by faith we are considered righteous or accepted by Christ. And since the word \"justify\" signifies both being made righteous and being pronounced righteous, it also signifies being reputed righteous. Scripture speaks in both ways. Therefore, first we will show that faith alone makes an unrighteous person righteous, that is, receives the reception of forgiveness of sins. Some men are offended by this particular point, yet Paul says, \"We judge that a man is justified by faith and not by works.\" Also to the Ephesians, the second: It is the gift of God, not of us nor of our works, lest any man should glory. Also Romans 3. Freely justified. If the exclusive doctrine displeases them, let them take from Paul these exclusives / freely / not of works. It is a gift. And such like, for these are also exclusives. Doubtless we exclude the opinion of merit, but we exclude not the word of God or the sacraments, as our adversaries misrepresent us. For we\nBefore faith is conceived through hearing the word, and we highly value the mystery of the word. Love and works should follow faith, but they are not excluded in justification. Trust in merit, love, and works is excluded. We believe that our adversaries will also grant that in justification, remission of sins comes first. For we are all under sin. This will be my argument.\n\nTo obtain remission of sins is to be justified, according to this: \"Blessed are those whose sins are remitted,\" the first reason. Blessed are those whose sins are remitted.\n\nBut it is by the faith alone in Christ, not by love or for love or works, that we obtain remission of sins, although love follows faith. Therefore, by faith alone we are justified, understanding justification to be the unrighteous made righteous, or to be regenerated. The minor premise can easily be declared if we know how.\nThe adversaries dispute whether the remission of sins and the infusion of grace are one mutation, that is, the same thing, or not. The idle persons had nothing else to speak about. In the remission of sins, it is required that the fear of sin and eternal death be vanquished in men's hearts, as Paul testifies in 1 Corinthians 15. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. How? Through faith, by which we lift ourselves up through trust in His promised mercy for Christ. Therefore, our Minor is proven as follows:\n\nThe wrath of God cannot be appeased if we present our works against it, because Christ is proclaimed our mercy store, and for Him the Father should be appeased with us. But Christ cannot be received as a mediator unless\nby faith. Therefore, by faith alone we purchase remission of sins, when we lift up our hearts with the trust of the promised mercy for Christ. Paul to the Romans in the fifth chapter says, \"Through faith we have a passage to the Father,\" and adds, \"faith in Christ as mediator.\" We are then reconciled to the Father and receive remission of sins, when we lift ourselves up with the hope of the promised mercy for Christ. The adversaries understand Christ as mediator and propitiator because we deserve the habit of love. They do not use him as a mediator now, but they feign that we have this passage by our own works, and that by them we deserve this habit of love (as they call it), and that afterward by love we have peace of conscience. Is this not utterly to bury Christ and to tear down the whole doctrine of faith? Paul, on the contrary, teaches us to have a passage, that is, peace through Christ. And to show us how this is,\n\nCleaned Text: By faith alone we purchase remission of sins when we lift up our hearts with the trust of the promised mercy for Christ. Paul, in Romans 5:1-2, says, \"Through faith we have peace with God and access to his grace in one Spirit. And we boast in hope of the glory of God.\" The adversaries understand Christ as mediator and propitiator because our faith in him grants us peace with God and access to his grace. They do not use him as a mediator now, but they falsely claim that we have this peace through our own works and that we deserve the habit of love by them. Paul, however, teaches us to have peace through faith in Christ.\nWe have passage through faith. Therefore, by faith in Christ, we receive remission of sins, and we cannot lay against the ire of God, our love and our works.\n\nSecondly, sins are remitted because of Christ our mercifulness. The second reason. For God has ordained to be a merciful one. And Paul adds, through faith. Wherefore this mercifulness will aid us, if by faith we cling to the mercy promised in Him, and plead it in arrest of the judgment and ire of God. And to this purpose it is written to the Hebrews 4:14-16. Let us approach with trust. He bids us approach to God, not by trust in our own merits but by trust in our bishop, Christ. Therefore, he requires faith.\n\nThirdly, Peter in Acts 10:43 says, \"To Him all who believe in Him receive remission of sins through His name.\" How much clearer could he speak? We receive remission of sins through His name.\nFor his sake, we cannot cling to the name of Christ unless by faith. He also requires faith. We do not cleave to the name of Christ except by faith. Furthermore, he cites the consent of all the prophets as evidence of the church's authority on this matter. We will speak of this in the title of penance later. Fourthly, the remission of sins is a thing promised for Christ. Therefore, it cannot be received but by faith alone. The promise cannot be received but by faith alone. Romans 4. The fourth reason is that it is by faith to ensure that it may be a sure promise, hanging upon grace, as if one were to say. If it depended on our merits, the promise would be uncertain and unprofitable, because we can never determine when we have merited enough. And that you may understand conscience rightly, Paul says in Galatians 3, \"God has concluded all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.\"\nOf Jesus Christ's mercy being given to the believers, he takes away merit from us because he declares that all are guilty and concluded under sin. Then he adds that the promise of remission of sins and justification is given, and explains how it may be received: through faith. This reasoning drawn from the nature of a promise is most important to Paul, and is often repeated. Therefore, let godly minds not be driven from this opinion: that by faith alone we receive remission for Christ. In this, they have a sure and firm consolation against the terrors of sin and against everlasting death, and against all the gates of hell. Since by faith alone we receive remission of sins and reconciliation for Christ, therefore faith alone justifies, because the reconciled are deemed righteous and God's children, not for their own cleanness but through mercy for Christ.\nWe cleave to mercy through faith, and therefore the scripture records that by faith we are considered righteous. We will add authorities first from scripture and then from doctors, which will clearly testify that faith alone is the righteousness by which we are considered just before God. This is not because faith is a work in itself, but because it receives the promise by which God has promised to be merciful to the believers in Him, or because faith believes that Christ is made for us by God as wisdom, justice, sanctification, and redemption.\n\nAuthorities from St. Paul. Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, disputes primarily on this matter and proposes that we are freely justified by faith if we believe that God is appeased with us for Christ's sake. In the third chapter, he brings in this proposition, which contains the sum of his entire dispute: \"Therefore a man is justified by faith alone.\"\nIustificari non ex operibus legis - we are justified not by the works of the law, according to the true interpretation of Paul. But he further states, from the Decalogue, \"Thou shalt not covet.\" If moral works could merit remission of sins and justification, then Christ and the promise would be unnecessary. Paul also writes to the Ephesians that we are saved freely and that it is a gift of God, not of works. Paul also cites Abraham and David. But they had a commandment of God for circumcision, so if works could justify, it would have been necessary for those works commanded then to have done so. Augustine's interpretation of Paul. Augustine rightly teaches that Paul spoke of the whole law, as he disputes at length in his book, de spiritu et litera. His igitur consideratis pertractatis - therefore.\nConsidered and handled according to the power which God vouchsafes to give us, we gather that man is not justified by the precepts of good life, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Lest we should think that this sentence fell from Paul unwares, that faith justifies, he maintains and confirms it with a long dispute in the fourth chapter to the Romans. And after he repeats it in all the epistles. In the 4th chapter to the Romans, he says thus: \"To him that worketh is a reward not of favor but of duty. Contrarywise, to him that worketh not, but trusts on him that justifies the wicked, his belief is accounted for righteousness. Here he clearly pronounces that very faith is accounted for righteousness, and he adds that it is freely imputed. And he denies that it can be freely imputed if it should be due for works. Ergo, he also excluded the merit of moral works.\"\nIf these are the justification before God, faith should not be accounted righteousness without works. And after he says, \"For we say that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousness.\" In the fifth chapter he says, \"Justified by faith we have peace with God. i.e., we have quiet and glad consciences before God.\" Romans 10. With the heart one believes and is justified. Here he pronounces faith to be the justice of the heart.\n\nGalatians 2. \"We believe in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law.\" Ephesians 2. \"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.\"\n\nAuthorities from the Gospels of John. John 1. \"He gave them the power to become the sons of God, to those who believe in His name, who were not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.\"\nThe text reads: \"voluntate carnis neque ex voluntate viri, sed ex deo nati sunt. He gave them power to become the children of God, they whom I mean who believe in his name, born not of bloods nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 3. So was Moses exalted in the desert, it is necessary that the Son of man be exalted, so that all who believed in him might not perish. Likewise, God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but that the world might be saved by him. Whoever believes in him is not judged. Authorities out of the Acts of the Apostles. Acts 13. Be it known therefore to you, brethren, that by him is announced to you the remission of sins.\"\nOf sins is preached unto you, and of all things by which you could not be justified in the law, in him all who believe is justified. How much clearer could it be spoken of the office of Christ and justification? The law justified not, therefore Christ was given that we should believe that we are justified for him. He openly plucks justification from the law. Therefore, for Christ we are accounted just, when we believe that God is pacified with us for him. Acts 4:\n\nThis is the stone which is rejected by you builders, which is made the chief cornerstone, and in no other is there salvation. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. But the name of Christ is the only one affixed to, by faith. Therefore, by the trust in his name and not by the trust in our works, we are saved. For the name of Christ signifies here a cause alleged whereby salvation is obtained. And to allege the name of Christ is to trust in the name of Christ as in the cause or price for which we are saved.\nAct 15: By faith let us purify our hearts. The faith of which the apostles speak is not idle knowledge, but a thing receiving the Holy Ghost and justifying us.\n\nAbacuc 1: A righteous man shall live by faith. The prophet Abacuc first says that a man is justified by faith, because he believes that God is merciful, and he adds that the same faith vivifies, because this faith generates peace and joy in the heart and lastingly gives life. \u2767 \u2767 \u2767\n\nIsaiah 53: His knowledge shall judge many. But what is the knowledge of Christ but to know the benefits of Christ and the promises which by the Evangel he has scattered in the world? And to know the benefits is properly and truly to believe in Christ, and to believe that God will surely fulfill the things which He has promised for Christ. But the scripture is full of such authorities and testimonies. Otherwise.\nit shows the law, sometimes the promises of Christ, remission of sins and free acceptance for Christ. Authors among holy fathers also spread similar testimonies. For Saint Ambrose says in his Epistle to Ireneus: \"The world was made subject to the law, because all come together through the law, and no one is justified by the works of the law. Ambrose means, because sin is recognized through the law, but the guilt is not remitted. The law seemed to harm, as it made all sinners, but coming Savior Jesus took away the sins of all, whom no one could reach, and He deleted the record of our debt with the outpouring of His blood. This is what He means: The law increased sin, but grace exceeded through Jesus. Because the whole world was made subject, He took away the whole mass of sin, as John testified: Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sin of the world. And therefore no one will glory in works, because no one is justified by his works. But he who is just, gives what is given.\"\nThat is to say, he has [been justified], because after the cleansing he was justified. Therefore, faith is that which frees through the blood of Christ, because blessed is he to whom sin is remitted and pardon is given. The world is subjected, therefore, to the law, because by the law's prescription all are convened before the high judge, and no one is justified by the works of the law, that is, because by the law sin is known, but the offense is not remitted. The law seemed to have harmed him who made all sinners, but the Lord Jesus, by his coming, pardoned sin to all men, which no man could escape, and he completely struck out our record with the shedding of his blood. This is it that he says.\n\nSin was abundant in the law. But grace was more abundant through Jesus. For after the whole world had become subjected, he took away the sin of the whole world, as John testifies, saying, \"Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sin of the world!\" Therefore, let no man glory in his works, for no one is justified by his deeds.\nBut he who is justified, has it given to him. Therefore faith is the thing which delivers by the blood of Christ. Blessed is he to whom sin is remitted, and pardoned given. These are the words of St. Ambrose, which clearly defend our opinion. For he takes away justification from works and gives it to faith, because it delivers through the blood of Christ. Let all the Sentenciaries be laid together on a heap, be they adorned with never so glorious titles. For some are called angelical, some seraphical, some subtle, some irrefragable. All they read and read again shall not make so much to the understanding of Paul as this one sentence of St. Ambrose does.\n\nSt. Augustine also writes similarly against the Pelagians, and in his book on the Spirit and the Letter, he says:\n\nTherefore the justice of the law is proposed, {since} he who does these things lives in it. But no one recognizes his own infirmity neither through his own powers nor through the letter of the law itself.\nquod fieri non potest, sed per fide reconciliis iustificatorem, perveniat et faciat, et vivat in eam. Operum retum quod qui fecerit, vivit in eo, non fit nisi in iustificato. Iustificatio autem ex fide impetratur. i. Therefore, the justice of the law is proclaimed, that he who does it shall live in it, so that every man may attain it and do it and live in it, not by his own powers nor by the letter of the law (which cannot be done), but by reconciling the justifier by faith. A right work (which whoever does shall live in it) is not done but in a justified person. And a little further he says, Ex lege timemus Deum, ex fide spearamus in Deum, sed timentibus poenam absconditur gratia, sub quo timore anima laborans. &c. Per fide confugiat ad misericordiam Dei, ut det quod iubet. That is to say, by the law we fear God, but by faith we hope in God, but to those fearing punishment, God's grace is hidden, under which the soul labors. &c. Through faith let us flee to God's mercy, that he may give what he commands.\ngod, by faith we trust in god, but from that fear pain, grace is hidden. With which fear the soul oppressed must flee to the mercy of god, that he may give the thing that he commands. Here St. Augustine teaches that by the law the hearts are made afraid, but by faith they receive consolation. And he teaches that first by faith we must purchase mercy or we go about to do the law. We will recite a little more on this topic.\n\nA refutation of an objection. Truly it is a wonderful thing that adversaries are not moved by so many passages of scripture which openly give justification to faith, and take it away from works. Think they that the same thing is repeated in vain? Or suppose they that the thing so often repeated escaped from their mouths, unconsciously inspired by the Holy Ghost? But these idle workers have invented a proper objection to refute this matter. They say that Paul must be understood in a figurative sense, so that they will not attribute\n\nfaith and works.\nJustification for faith is not based on love alone, for they will not attribute justification to faith but only to love. They dream that faith may stand with mortal sin. To what purpose does this belong but that they will again deny the promise and return to the law? If faith receives remission of sins for love, remission of sins will always be uncertain, for we never love as much as we owe, and we do not love unless our hearts are assured that our sins are forgiven. Adversaries, while in remission of sins and seeking justification, require a trusting of their own love. They utterly deny the Gospel of free remission of sins, as yet they neither perform that love nor understand it, unless they believe that remission of sins is freely received. We also say that love should follow faith, as Paul also teaches, \"In Christ Jesus, circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but faith working through love.\" Yet we cannot deny this for all this.\nWe shall not be pardoned for our sins or reconciled through this love, as we receive forgiveness of sins only through faith in its proper signification. The promise cannot be taken without faith. But faith, in the proper sense, is assent to God's promise. Scripture speaks of this faith. And because it grants forgiveness of sins and reconciles us to God, we are first accounted righteous through faith, not works, although love follows. Yet this is not idle knowledge, nor can it coexist with sin, but it is the work of the Holy Ghost whereby we are delivered from death, and the minds (which before were afraid) are raised and revived. And because this faith receives only forgiveness of sins and makes us acceptable to God and quiet of conscience, it might better be called a grace making us acceptable than love, which is the effect following. Faith may better be called.\ncharities are called gratuities, the face of grace. We have amply demonstrated this through authorities in scripture, as well as reasons derived from scripture, that by faith alone is granted remission of sins and that faith alone justifies, making the unjust just, and regenerating.\n\nThe knowledge of this faith is necessary. It is easily judged how necessary the knowledge of this faith is. For in this alone is the office of Christ perceived, by this alone do we receive the benefits of Christ, and this alone brings unto godly minds a sure and firm consolation. It is a necessary thing that some doctrine be published in the church by which men may conceive a sure hope of salvation. For adversaries give unhappy counsel to men, who doubt whether they have obtained remission or not.\n\nThe unhappy counsel of the adversaries How shall these fellows bear up in death, who have heard nothing of this faith? who think that they owe it to doubt whether they have obtained remission of sins?\nIf you wish to enter life, keep the commandments. The doers of the law are justified, and there are many other similar teachings of the law. Before we answer these objections, we will first express our opinion on love and the fulfilling of the law. It is written in the prophet, \"I will give my law in their hearts.\" And Paul says that the law is established and not abolished by faith. And Christ says in Romans 3, \"If you wish to be justified.\"\nEnter into life, keep the commandments. Also, if I have not love, I am nothing. These and similar sentences testify that the law must begin in us, although not absolutely in a high perfection, and owes to increase as much as possible more and more. We speak not of ceremonies, but of that law which is made of the motions of the heart. I mean the Decalogue. And because faith brings with it the Holy Ghost and engenders a new life in the hearts, it must also engender spiritual motions in the hearts. And which are the motions the prophet shows when he says, \"I will give my love into their hearts.\" Therefore, after that by faith we are justified and renewed, we begin to fear God, to love God, to crave and look after His solace, to give thanks to Him, to preach Him, and to obey Him in afflictions, we begin also to love our neighbors, because our hearts have spiritual and holy motions. These things cannot be done unless, after we are justified by faith and\nWe receive the Holy Ghost first, because the law cannot be fulfilled without Christ, and the law cannot be fulfilled without the Holy Ghost. But the Holy Ghost is received by faith, as Paul says in Galatians 3: \"That we may receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.\" How can a human heart love God so long as it feels Him grievously displeased with us, and presses us with temporal and perpetual calamities? But the law always accuses us, always shows that God is angry. Therefore, God is not loved until we have received mercy by faith. Thus, an amiable object is made. Although external works, or the works of the law without Christ and without the Holy Ghost, may be done to some extent, it appears from what we have said that the things which properly belong to the divine law, that is, the affections of the heart toward God which are commanded in the first table, cannot be done without the Holy Ghost. But our\nAdversaries are pleasant deities. They hold the second table and engage in political works, but they disregard the first table, as if it pertained to nothing or at least require only external works at most. That eternal law and far above the sense and understanding of all creatures, which is (Thou shalt love thy lord God with all thy heart), they utterly disregard. But Christ was given to us for this end, that for him remission of sins and the Holy Ghost should be granted to us, which might create in us a new and everlasting life, and an everlasting righteousness, and which might first of all show to us Christ, as it is written. He will notice me, for of mine he shall take and show it to you. John 16. And after bringing also other gifts such as love, invocation, thanksgiving, chastity, patience, &c., the law cannot truly be performed unless we first receive the Holy Ghost by faith. Therefore Paul says that by faith the law is established and not.\nFor a law to be fulfilled, it is abrogated or avoided when the Holy Ghost is in that man. 2 Cor. 3 and Paul teaches that the veil with which Moses' face was covered cannot be removed but by faith in Christ, through which the Holy Ghost is received. He says, \"The veil.\" But until this day, when Moses is unveiled, the veil remains over their hearts. But when they shall be converted to God, the veil shall be removed. The Lord is a spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. By \"veil,\" Paul understood an human opinion of the whole law, of the Decalogue and ceremonies, that is, that hypocrites believe that external and civil works satisfy the law of God, and that sacrifices and ceremonies, even of themselves, justify before God. But this veil is first taken away from us, that is, this error is removed, when God shows to our hearts our uncleanness and greatness of sin. We first see ourselves to be far from the fulfilling.\nWe acknowledge that the flesh, being idle and careless, does not fear God or truly believe that He regards us. Instead, we are born and raised like brute beasts. There we find the experience that we do not believe that God forgives us and hears us, but when we hear the gospel and begin to forgive sins, we conceive the Holy Ghost, so that now we may think rightly of God, fear Him, and believe in Him. &c. By this it appears that without Christ and without the Holy Ghost, the law cannot be done. Therefore, we profess that we must incite or begin to fulfill the law to the best of our abilities, and continually attempt to do it more and more. We include both the spiritual powers and the outward good works. Therefore, our adversaries falsely calumniate us in reporting that we do not teach good works, since we not only require them but also show how they may be done. The very proof of this is:\nThe thing conceals and reveals the hypocrites who, by their own powers, cannot perform the thing they attempt. For the nature of man is far too weak to resist the devil, who has all in his hold as captives and prisoners not delivered by faith. The power of Christ is necessary against the devil, and therefore, because we know that for Christ we are heard and receive a promise: it is necessary that we pray that the Holy Ghost may govern us and protect us, lest we fall into deceit and, through wicked impulsion, take upon ourselves anything against the will of God. As the Psalm teaches, \"He led captivity captive, he gave gifts to men.\" For Christ has vanquished the devil and has given to us a promise and the Holy Ghost, to the end that we may also vanquish by the support of God. And John says, \"1 John 3. To this end the Son of God appeared, that he might loose the works of the devil.\" Furthermore, we\nTeach not only how the law may be done, but also how the thing that is done may please God. This is not because we satisfy the law, but because we are in Christ. As it will be said a little later. It is evil that we require good works, yes, we add also that it is impossible to sever the love of God (though it be little) from faith. For by Christ we approach the Father, and after the reception of the remission of sins we are assured that we have God, that is, that we are regarded by God. We make invocations, we give thanks, we fear, we love, as John teaches in the first epistle. We love Him (quod he) because He first loved us, meaning because He gave His son and remitted our sins. Thus he signifies that faith goes before, and love follows. Also the faith of which we speak, of God kindled against our sins and seeking remission of sins and a joyful delivery from sin. And in such fears and other afflictions, this faith ought to increase and be confirmed. Therefore.\nIt cannot be in those who live after they fondly delight in their lusts and obey them. Therefore Paul says, \"There is no condemnation now for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit.\" We are not indebted to the flesh to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if in the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Therefore, this faith which receives remission of sins in the troubled and afraid heart and flees from sin, does not dwell in those who follow their lusts, nor stands with deadly sin. Out of the effects or operations of faith, adversaries pick out one, and that is love. And they teach that it justifies. Thus it manifestly appears that they only teach the law. They do not first teach that we receive remission of sins by faith. They do not teach of the mediator Christ, that for Christ we have God as our good Lord, but for our own love. And yet what kind of love they teach is unclear.\nThey tell us and we cannot tell. They boast and glory that they fulfill the law, while this glory is properly due to Christ, and they lay the affiance condignly, that is, of their own worthiness. This is utterly a wicked and vain affiance. For in this life we cannot satisfy the law, because the carnal nature ceases not to bring forth evil affections, though the spirit in us resists them. But a man may ask us a question: Why do we not teach that love justifies? To this we answer. First, it is certain that we receive not remission of sins neither by love nor for love's sake, but for Christ's sake by only faith. Only faith, which looks to the promise and is assured that God forgives because Christ did not die in vain: it overcomes the fears of sin and of death. If a man doubts whether his sins are forgiven him, he dishonors Christ, since he\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English and does not contain any meaningless or unreadable content. No corrections were necessary.)\nWho thinks that he obtains remission of sins because he loves, dishonors Christ, and will find in the day of God's judgment this pretense of his own justice to be wicked and void. Therefore, faith must recoil and make the unjust just. And as we receive not remission of sins through other virtues or for the other virtues of the law, such as patience, chastity, obedience to superiors, and so on (and yet these virtues must follow), neither do we receive remission of sins because of the love of God. However, it is a common figure of speech otherwise to include both the cause and the effect in one word, as Christ explains himself when he adds, \"Thy faith has saved thee.\" (Luke 7:50) Many sins are forgiven her, because she loved much.\nChrist meant that the woman, through the work of love, would deserve remission of sins. And therefore he clearly says, \"Your faith has saved you.\" But faith is the thing that conveys mercy for the word of God freely. If you deny that this is faith, you utterly do not know what faith means. The very history itself shows sufficiently what he calls love in this place. The woman came bringing with her this opinion of Christ: that in him she would find remission of sins. This worship is the highest worship of Christ that she could give; she could give no greater worship to him. This is the true fashion of acknowledging the Messiah, to seek him for remission of sins. And to conceive this opinion of Christ, to worship him in this way, is truly and rightly to believe. But this word (love) Christ used not to the woman but to the Pharisee, for he compared the whole worship of the Pharisee with the whole worship of the woman. He called the Pharisee because he did not acknowledge him as Messiah, although\nHe performed external duties towards him as if towards a stranger and a holy and great man. He gestured towards the woman and commended her worship, her ointment. An unlearned woman believed in God, but he, a doctor of the law, did not. He did not acknowledge Messias, nor did he seek from him remission of sins and salvation. So he accepted the entire worship, as is often done in scripture, meaning that in one word we should encompass many, as we will show more fully in similar places, as in this saying: \"Give alms and all will be clean.\" He requires not only alms-giving but also the justice of faith. So also here where he says, \"Many sins are forgiven her because she loved much,\" that is, because she has truly worshiped me with faith and exercises and signs of faith: he accepts the entire worship. However, in the meantime, he teaches this: that the proper remission of sins is received by faith, although love, confession, and other good works necessarily follow. Therefore he\nThis means that those fruits are not a reward or reason for the remission of sins given, which can reconcile us to God. We dispute a great matter, indeed, concerning the honor of Christ, and from where godly minds may securely and firmly find consolation: whether our trust is to be placed in Christ or in our works. If it is true that we owe it to place our trust in our works, then we must take away from Christ the honor and title of mediator and redeemer. And yet we shall find in God's judgment that this confidence is in vain, and that the conscience from thence shall run into despair. If remission of sins and reconciliation do not happen freely for Christ, but for our love and merits: no man shall have remission of sins, but where he fulfills the whole law, for the law justifies us not, so long as it can accuse us.\n\nIt is evident then, since justification is reconciliation for Christ, that by faith we are justified, for it is most certain that by faith alone is received remission of sins.\nThe solution to the question of why love justifies not. Now, let us answer the question proposed, why love justifies not. The adversaries think rightly that love is the fulfilling of the law. And indeed, obedience to the law would be righteousness, if we could do the law. But we have shown before that promises were given because we could not do the law. And for this very reason, Paul denies that we are justified by the law. Adversaries are deceived because in this whole controversy, they have respected only the law. For human reason can judge no otherwise than that justification is to be sought in the law, because the obedience towards the law is justice. But the Gospel calls us away from the law to the promises and teaches that we are reputed just, not for the obedience of the law (for we do not satisfy the law), but because reconciliation is given to us for Christ, which we only receive by faith. Therefore, before we do anything else, we receive this reconciliation by faith.\nThe law we must receive remission of sins and reconciliation. O Lord, with what face do these men name Christ, with what countenance do they behold the Gospel which denies that we obtain remission of sins for Christ through faith alone? Secondly, this fullfilling of the law which follows renewal: is both small and unclean. For though renewal is attempted and somewhat begun, yet the dregs of sin still cling in nature, always accusing us, unless by faith in Christ we obtain remission of sins and know that we have a coming to God, not for our own fulfilling of the law, but for Christ. Therefore, that fulfilling of the law is not accepted for itself but for faith. Wherefore when Paul says that the law is established by faith, not only this must be understood, that those who are regenerated by faith conceive the Holy Ghost and have motions consenting to the law of God, but most of all it is required to add this, that we ought to think that we are far from it.\nWe are not justified before God for our own fulfillment of the law, but we must think that we are justified or acceptable in Christ, not by the law or our works. This incomplete fulfilling of the law pleases God because we are in Christ, and the lack of fulfilling the law is not imputed to us for the faith in Christ. This is taught by Paul in Galatians 3: \"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.' But he who is justified by faith in Christ is blessed with believing.\" In a similar vein, he writes to the Colossians: \"In Christ you are complete or perfect, as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.\" Although you are still far from this perfection.\nThe perfection of the law does not condemn you, although the dregs or remaining sins do not compensate you, because you have for Christ a certain and firm reconciliation. You believe, yet sin still clings to the flesh. The death and satisfaction of Christ given for us should be set far above the law, so that we may be assured that through His satisfaction we have God merciful towards us, and not for our lawful fulfillment. It is wicked trust that is placed in our lawful fulfillment. But the necessary trust is placed in the satisfaction for Christ.\n\nThe third reason. Thirdly. Only that thing justifies before God which pacifies the conscience. For as long as the conscience flees the judgment of God and is angry with God, we are not rightly wise nor alive. But only faith pacifies the conscience, according to this of Paul. Justified by faith we have peace. Also, The righteous man shall live by faith, that is, by faith he conquers.\nFears of death sustain him and convey joy and life through faith. Faith justifies and good works please not because they are worthy in themselves, but only because they require the offered promise, disregarding their own worthiness. Therefore faith justifies and good works please for the reason of faith. What can adversaries bring against this reason? What can they invent against the manifest truth? The Minor is most certain that our works cannot appease the conscience, since God judges and reproves us and shows us our unclennes. And the scripture often inculcates and drives into our heads. As the Psalm says, \"Non intres in iudicium servo tuo,\" that is, \"Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no living creature shall be justified in your sight.\" Here the Psalmist takes away from all, even from saints and servants of God, the glory of justice if God did not pardon but judged and detected their hearts. In other places, the Psalmist does:\nThe glory of his own righteousness: he speaks of his quarrel or cause against the persecutors of the word of God, not of his personal cleanness, and he desires that the quarrel and glory of God may be defended. As in the seventh Psalm: \"Judge me, Lord, according to my righteousness.\" (Psalm 43:4) And in another place: \"Judge, O Lord, my cause.\" (Psalm 43:1) But on the other hand, he teaches that no man can endure God's judgment if he observes our sins. For thus he says: \"If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?\" (Psalm 129:4) And Job says: \"I feared all my works.\" (Job 9:2) Even if I were washed as with waters of snow, and my hands shone most pure and clean, yet you would cover me with filthiness. (Proverbs 20:6) Who can say, \"My heart is clean?\" (1 John 1:8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)\nPater noster the holy men desire remission of sins. And the innocent shall not be innocent. And Zachariah says, \"Let every man hold his tongue in the Lord's presence.\" And Isaiah says, \"Every flesh is grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field. The grass withers up, and the flower fades, because the spirit of the Lord has blown in it; that is, the flesh and the justice of the flesh cannot abide the judgment of God. And Jonah says in the second chapter, \"In vain they observe vanities which leave mercy; that is, all trust is empty, save the trust in mercy. Mercy saves us, our own merits, our own proper endeavors save us not. These and similar sentences in scripture testify that our works are unclean and have need of mercy. Therefore, works do not pacify the conscience, but mercy conceived by faith.\n\nFourthly, Christ ceases not to be a mediator still after we are renewed. The reason: For those who say that he merits only the first grace, and that we merit the rest.\nThe by our own fullying of the law pleases and deserves everlasting life. The mediator Christ tarries still, and we must always think it is for him we have God pacified, although we are unworthy, as Paul says. By him we have an entrance to God through faith. For our fullying of the law, as we said, is unclean since our nature is horribly corrupted. Therefore the Psalm says, \"Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.\" Why do we need remission of sins even when we have good works? But that remission is always purchased by faith, so Christ remains a bishop and mediator. Fulfilling of the law pleases not of itself, but because we receive Christ by faith and feel that we have not pacified God for the law but for Christ.\n\nFifthly, if we should think that after baptism we ought to be accepted not by faith in Christ but for our fulfilling of the law: our conscience would never be quiet but would run into desperation. For the law always accuses.\nSince the text appears to be in Old English, I will translate it into modern English while maintaining the original content as much as possible.\n\nWe have never fully satisfied the law, which the whole church acknowledges. Paul says, \"I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. I serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. Who truly loves or fears God, who patiently endures the tribulations that God places upon him, who does not often doubt whether human things are ruled by God's providence, who does not often doubt whether God hears his prayer, who does not often despair and grudge that the wicked have better fortune than the godly people, and that the godly are oppressed by the ungodly, who is not angry with God's judgment when it seems to cast us away, who satisfies his callings, who loves his neighbor as himself, and is not overcome by concupiscence? Of these sins speaks the Psalm, saying, 'For this every saint shall pray to thee.' Here he says that saints or holy men desire the remission of sins. They are more than\"\nBlind people who do not recognize that the evil affections in the flesh are not sins, of which Paul says, \"The flesh lusts against the spirit, the spirit against the flesh.\" The flesh distrusts God / trusts in present things, seeks human help in distress and affliction, yes, even against the will of God / it flees tribulations which it ought to endure by God's command. The holy spirit in meekness tendencies of the law, one solution may be given, that the law cannot be done without Christ, and if any civil works are done without Christ, they do not please God. Therefore, when the works are preached, it is necessary to add that faith is required, that for faith they are preached, that they are fruits and testimonies of faith. What thing can be spoken more simply and sincerely than this doctrine? For it is necessary to the knowledge of the benefits of Christ to discern the promises from the law: Ambiguous and perilous causes engender many and varied.\nsolutions. But in good and firm causes, one or two solutions drawn from the fountains answer all that may be objected. This is also the case in our cause. For the rule I have just recited explains all the sayings recorded in the law and the works. We grant that Scripture otherwise teaches the law, and at other times the free promise of remission of sins for Christ's sake. But our adversaries utterly destroy the promise by saying that faith does not justify, but teaches that for our love and works we receive remission of sins and reconciliation. For if remission of sins depended on the condition of our works, it would be very uncertain. For we never do sufficient works. Therefore, we call good minds back to the consideration of the promises and teach them of the free remission and reconciliation that is made by faith in Christ. After this, we also add the doctrine of the law, not that by it.\nThe law we should serve is forgiveness of sins, or that for the law we should be considered righteous, not for Christ, but for this intent, because God requires good works. We must wisely distinguish the law and the promises. It must be seen what scripture gives to the law, and what to the promises. For it praises and commands good works in such a way that it does not take away the free promise nor the benefit that we have by Christ. For good works are to be done because God requires them and therefore they are the effects of regeneration, as Paul teaches in Ephesians. We are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Therefore, Paul says that Abraham took circumcision not for the sake of the work itself, but because God required it.\nAbel offered his sacrifice righteously, but he wanted a mark printed on his body as a reminder and to strengthen his faith further. He intended to confess his faith before others and inspire them to believe through his witness. Abel's faith pleased God not because of the sacrifice itself but because of his faith in God's mercy. He performed this act only for God's sake to exercise his faith, inspire others through his example, and confess his belief. Since good works should follow this pattern, those who cannot believe and determine in their hearts that they are freely pardoned for Christ's sake perform works differently. These people, when they see the works of saints and holy persons, judge them according to worldly standards, assuming that the saints have earned forgiveness of sins through their works and are accounted for it.\nRighteous before God. Therefore they follow these works and think that by similar works they deserve remission of sins, they go about to pacify the ire of God and trust that for such works they shall be accounted righteous. We condemn these erroneous opinions in works.\n\nFirst reason. First, because they obscure the glory of Christ when men propose to God these works as a price and ransom. Thus, the honor due to only Christ is given to our works.\n\nSecondly, because although they perform all these good works, yet their conscience finds no peace in them. Instead, they heap works upon works in true troubles, and at last despair, for when it finds no work pure enough, the law always accuses and engenders ire. Thirdly. Such never attain to the knowledge of God when the conscience, fleeing the ire of God, cannot obtain peace nor be assured that God hears them.\n\nThe third reason. But when faith comes which believes that we are freely justified: she dares call upon God and feels that she is heard.\nAnd she attains to the true knowledge of God. In the world, a wicked opinion of works always persists. The Gentiles had sacrifices which they took from their fathers, whose works they followed but they did not hold their faith, instead imagining that those works were a satisfaction and price to reconcile God unto them. The people of the law followed sacrifices with the opinion that for those works they should pacify God, even for the work itself. In this, we see how vehemently the prophets reproved the people. Psalm 49: \"I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices.\" Jeremiah: \"I gave no commandment of sacrifices. Such places do not condemn the works (for God commanded them as civil exercises in this political governance), but they condemn the wicked persuasion in that they thought to pacify God by the works, and cast away faith.\" And because no work they did quieted their conscience, therefore they still devised new works besides the commandments.\nGod. The examples of saints most moved me, as they hoped to be reconciled with God through their imitation. The people of Israel saw that the prophets sacrificed on high mountains. They began with a wonderful devotion to follow this work, believing it would please God. However, the prophets sacrificed on high mountains not to deserve forgiveness of sins through their works, but because they taught there. Therefore, they provided an example of their faith. The people heard that Abraham offered up his son. In the same way, they also sacrificed their own children, believing this act would pacify God's wrath. However, Abraham did not offer his son with such an opinion; rather, the sacrifice was a price and redemption for his sins, making him justified. In the church, the Supper or sacrament of the Altar was instituted as a reminder of Christ's promises, of which we are admonished in this sacrament.\nFaith should be confirmed in us, and that we should confess among other believers and extol the benefits of Christ, as Paul says. But our adversaries contend that the mass is a work which justifies and takes away the guilt of sin and the pain for those for whom it is done. Saint Anthony, Bernard, Dominic, Francis, and other holy fathers chose a certain kind of life for other profitable exercises, but they knew that they were reputed just for faith in Christ and not for those exercises. But the multitude followed not the faith of the fathers but the examples without faith, thinking that by the works they could obtain forgiveness and consequently justification. Thus errs human understanding concerning works, because it does not understand the justice of faith. And this error the Gospel rebukes, which teaches that men are righteous not for the law, but for Christ, but Christ is won by faith alone, and we are reckoned righteous through faith in Christ. But the\nAdversaries object to a place outside Corinth. An objectation. If I had all the faith, and had no charity, I am nothing. And here they royally triumph. Paul, they say, in this place certifies the whole Church that faith justifies not alone. But it is an easy thing to answer since we have before shown what we think of love and works. This place of Paul requires love, and we also require it. For we said before that there must be in us a renewing and an imperfect fulfilling of the law. Therefore, if a man casts away love, although he has great faith, yet he retains it not. For he retains not the Holy Ghost. Nor does it therefore follow that love justifies, that is to say, that for love we receive remission of sins, that love conquers the fear of death and of sin, that love ought to be put against the wrath and judgment of God, that love satisfies the law, and that those who are renewed are acceptable to God for the fulfilling of the law and not freely for Christ.\nPaule does not say that, despite what his adversaries claim. If our love enables us to overcome God's wrath, if our love merits before God the remission of sins, if we are accepted by fulfilling the law: let the adversaries take away the promise of Christ, let them refute the Gospel which teaches that we have access to the Father through Christ as our mediator, which teaches that we are not accepted by fulfilling the law but through Christ. The adversaries corrupt many passages because they bring their opinions to them and do not take their opinions from them. What harm is there if we remove from this passage the interpretation that the adversaries erroneously attach to it, not understanding what justification is or how it is made? The Corinthians, who were previously justified, had received many excellent gifts. And they were zealous in the beginning, as is often the case, but after that, disputes arose among them, as Paul indicates.\nThey began to be wary of good teachers. Therefore Paul urged them, calling them back to the duties of love. He did not dispute here about remission of sins or the manner of justification, but spoke of the fruits. He understood it as love toward the neighbor. But it is a great folly to dream that love makes love, only by mercy, these things are brought about. And mercy is obtained only by faith. Yet I must grant that if love is lost, the Holy Ghost is lost, and if the Holy Ghost is lost, faith must necessarily be also lost. Therefore he says, \"If I have not love, I am nothing.\" But they dispute that love is preferred before faith and hope.\n\nAn objection. For Paul says that the greatest of these is love. Now it is most likely that the greatest and chiefest virtue justifies.\n\nThe solution. To this I answer thus. Although Paul, in this place, speaks properly of the love of the neighbor and signifies that love is the greatest, yet it is love of the neighbor that justifies, not love in the abstract.\nThis is the greatest virtue because it has the most fruits, whereas faith and hope only have to do with God, but love outwardly towards men has infinite offices. Yet let us grant to our adversaries that the love of God and our neighbor is the greatest virtue, since this commandment is the greatest: \"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.\" But how can they gather that love justifies? They ask, because the greatest virtue justifies. Not so, for just as the greatest or first law does not justify, so neither does the greatest virtue of the law. For there is no law which accuses us more, which makes our conscience angrier with the judgment of God, than this greatest law: \"Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.\" For who among all the saints save only Christ dares to boast that he has satisfied this law? Therefore, the virtue of the law does not justify. But that virtue justifies which takes the reconciliation that is given for Christ's sake. This virtue is not faith, nor does it justify for its own sake.\nFor worthiness we are reckoned justified only because we receive mercy, through which, for Christ's sake, we are reckoned righteous before God. We are righteous, that is, accepted by God, not for our own perfection but by mercy for Christ. If we take it and apply it against God's wrath. But adversaries give justification to love for no other reason than that they teach the law and dream that righteousness is the obedience of the law. For man's reason looks only to the law and understands no other justice than the obedience of the law. And scholars, like wise men seeking a science in divine matters, have proposed to themselves the law, just as philosophers in moral matters propose to themselves precepts of manners. But Paul cries out against it and teaches that justice is something else, that is, an obedience toward the promise of reconciliation given for Christ, and that is, to receive mercy given for Christ. For so we are accepted before God.\nthe conscience pacifyed, when we fele that god is merciful vnto vs for Christ{is} sake. Wher\u00a6fore mens myndes must be plucked away from\nthe lawe to the promyse, as we haue oft tymes nowe sayde, and shal expoune the thyng more largely a lytle here after, whe\u0304 we shal examine the scholasticall argumentes of the worde of ryghtwysenes.An other obiection The aduersaries in theyr con\u2223futation cyted also th{is} place of Paule to the Coloss. agaynst vs. Charitie is the bonde of perfec\u00a6tion. vpon this they reason that loue iustifieth because it maketh men perfyte.The answere. Althoughe it may here be answered in sundry wyses of per\u2223fection: yet we wyl simpely recite the meaning of Paule. Certayne it is that Paule speaketh of the loue of the neyghbour. Nor it is nat to be thought that Paule attributeth eyther ius\u00a6tificatio\u0304, or perfectio\u0304 before god, to the work{is} of the seconde table, rather than to the work{is} of the fyrste. Furthermore if loue be the per\u2223fyte fulfyllyng of the lawe and satisfyeth the lawe, the\u0304 we\nWe need Christ to be our mediator and redeemer. But Paul teaches that we are therefore accepted for Christ and not for the fulfilling of the law, because the fulfilling of the law is not perfect. Therefore, in other places where he clearly speaks of perfection, it should not be thought that he speaks here of the personal perfection of every particular person, but speaks of the unity and integrity of the church. For this reason, he says, \"love is a bond or knitting together,\" because he would signify to us that he speaks of the coupling or knitting together of all the members of the church. For, as in all families and public weals, concord is to be nurtured with mutual offices of love, nor tranquility can be retained unless some little offenses are winked at and forgiven: so Paul commands that in the church love and charity be kept for the retaining of harmony, and which shall bear otherways (when necessity requires), the boisterous manners of theirs.\nBrothers, discreetly addressing certain light offenses, lest the church fall into various schisms and dissensions, and schisms give rise to hatreds, secrets, and heresies. For it can only be that concord will be broken when bishops lay heavier burdens on the people than is expedient and have no regard for their imbecility. Discord also arises when the people judge harshly the manners of their teachers or despise them for certain small causes, seeking then another kind of doctrine and other teachers. On the contrary side, the perfection, that is, the integrity and unity of the church, is maintained when the strong suffer and bear the weak, when the people value certain inconveniences in the manners of their teachers, and when bishops permit something to the imbecility of the people. Of these precepts of equity, all the books of the wise should remind us to forgive and forget many things between us.\n\"Paul in this life seeks unity and tranquility, and Paul speaks of it here as in many other places, commanding obedience. Therefore adversaries unwisely cite this word (perfection) as justification for love: since Paul speaks here of the common unity and tranquility. St. Ambrose explains this passage, whose words are as follows: \"Perfectum edificium\" says Ambrose, like a building is called perfect or complete when all the parts are fittingly framed and joined together. The uncharitable actions of the adversaries. &c. It is a shame for the adversaries to so arrogantly announce love, and yet to perform it so little at any time. For what do they do now? They divide churches or congregations, they write laws with men's blood, and propose them to the Emperor's majesty, a most merciful prince, to be promulgated and enacted. They kill priests and other good men if they do not altogether allow what he does not allow.\"\nmanifest abuses. But thys agreeth nat with suche auaunceme\u0304\u2223tes and hyghe prayses of charitie, whiche yf our aduersaryes wolde folowe: the churches shulde be in tranquillitie and the publyke wea\u00a6les in vnitie and peace. For these tumultes & ruffelinges shuld cease, if thaduersaryes wold nat thus rigorously exact certayne traditions vnprofytable to godlynes of whiche the most parte not they them selues do kepe whiche do most stoutly defende them. They easely par\u2223done them selues,The poete Horace. but other they wyll not so, euen as Meuius dothe in Horace. Egomet mi ignosco Meuius inquit. I (saythe Meuius) do forgyue myne owne selfe. Undoutedly thys nothynge agreeth with these noble prayses of charytye, whiche they here cyte out of Paule and vnderstande hym no more then the walles vnderstonde the voyce that commeth vnto them.An argu\u2223ment out of saynte Peter .4. The an\u2223swere. Out of Peter they cyte also this sente\u0304ce Charite hideth a multitude of sinne\nthis place to the precepte in whiche he commaundeth men to\nLove one another. Nor truly could it come to the minds of any of the Apostles that our love should overcome sin and death, that our love should be a purification for which God should be reconciled, the mediator Christ omitted, that our love should be righteousness without the mediator Christ. For this love, if any there were, should be a judgment of the law, not of the gospel which promises us reconciliation and righteousness if we believe that for Christ our redeemer the Father is pacified and that Christ's merits are our satisfaction. Therefore, Peter a little before bids us come to Christ, and he adds, \"who believes in him shall not be confounded.\" Our love does not deliver us from confusion, since God judges and reproves us, but faith in Christ delivers us in these affrayes, because we know that we are pardoned for Christ's sake. However, this sentence of charity is taken from the proverbs where the circumstance of the place which runs in:\nContrarieties clearly show this. Proverbs 10: Odium suscitat reges et universa delicta operit charitas. I. Hatred stirs up strife, but charity covers all transgressions. This sentence teaches the same thing that Paul's saying from Colossians does, which is, if there are dissensions, they should be mitigated and pacified by our own indifference and gentle patience. For certain light disputes between Gaius Caesar and Pompey, in which if one had given way a little, Caesar and Pompey's civil battle would never have arisen. But while each pursued his own stubborn hatred, from nothing rose most grievous troubles. And many heresies cover offenses.) He speaks not of a man's own offenses but of others'. As one would say, although any offenses or displeasures do fall, love dissembles, winks at them, pardons them, gives way, does not do everything with extremity. Peter.\nTherefore, this does not mean that love before God merits remission of sins because it is a redemption of sins, excluding Christ as mediator; rather, love towards men is not disdainful, rough, or intractable. It does not disguise the small offenses of friends, and it tolerates the manners of others, even if they are somewhat boisterous, according to the saying of a certain vulgar proverb. An old proverb. Friends' manners you know, you do not hate. Nor do the apostles without cause so often admonish us of this office of charity, which the philosophers call an Epikee, that is to say, a moderation or mitigation. An Epikee. For this virtue is highly necessary to the retaining of public concord, which cannot endure unless they wink at much, forgive much to each other, both pastors and congregations.\n\nThey cite this from St. James.\nargument. You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. Nor is there any other place which seems to argue against our opinion more than this. However, the answer is easy and clear. If the adversaries would not show unto it their own opinions of the merits of works, the answer is: St. James' words had no objection. But wherever mention is made of works, the adversaries add their own wicked glosses. They claim that good works deserve remission of sins, that good work is a reason and price for which God is reconciled to us, that good works before God for their own goodness are accepted, and that mercy or Christ as mediator is not necessary. But none of these things were in St. James' mind, which all together the adversaries now defend, under the pretense of the saying of St. James. First, therefore, this must be weighed and considered:\n\n(First part of Chapter 5, James' Epistle)\nThis place is more detrimental to our adversaries than to us. Our adversaries teach that one is justified by love and works, but they say nothing about faith - the means by which we receive mercy from Christ. Instead, they not only reject this faith with words and sentences, but they also attempt to eliminate it with the sword and severe punishments. James, who does not omit faith and does not replace it with love, but keeps it, ensures that the mercy of Christ is not excluded from justification. Like Paul, who teaches the sum of the Christian life in Galatians 1, compares faith and love. Firstly, Paul teaches that the end of the commandment is charity, which issues from a pure heart and good conscience and faith unfettered. Secondly, the matter itself speaks, for it is spoken here of works that follow faith and demonstrate that faith is not dead but alive and active in the heart.\nIames did not mean that we earn remission of sins and grace through good works, as he spoke of the works of those who are already reconciled, accepted, and have obtained remission of sins. Therefore, adversaries err when they draw from this passage that James teaches us that by good works we come to God without Christ as the mediator.\n\nThe third reason. James spoke of regeneration earlier, stating that it is made through the gospel. For he says, \"willingingly he generated us by the word of truth, in order that we should be the first fruits or the beginnings of all his creatures.\" When he says that we are regenerated by the gospel, he teaches that by faith we are regenerated and justified. Thus it appears that such faith is neither an easy thing, as our adversaries imagine, nor is it within human power, but a divine power, by which we conquer the devil and death, as Paul to the Colossians says, that faith is mighty.\npower of God surpasses death. In which you are, says Paul, be resurrected by faith, which is the might and efficacy of God. This faith signifies it is a new life, necessarily engenders new motions and works. Therefore James rightly denies that we are justified by such faith which is without works. And where he says that we are justified by faith and works, surely he means not that we are renewed or regenerated by works, nor does he mean that partly Christ is our redeemer and partly that our works are our redemption, nor does he describe here the manner of justification but he describes what kind of persons the just are, after they are once justified and renewed. The word (justificari. i. to be justified) signifies here not to be made from the unjust just, but in an outward fashion to be pronounced righteously \u2013 as it is taken in this saying. The doers of the law shall be justified. Likewise, these words have no inconvenience,\nThe doers of the law shall be justified: we think this, according to James' words, a person is justified not only by faith but also by works. For undoubtedly, a person is pronounced justified having faith and good works. Good works in holy men and women, as we said before, are justifications of the law which are accepted not because they satisfy the law but because of the faith. A person is justified by faith and works not because of the works but because of the faith, which yet good works must follow. James speaks of those works that follow faith, as he witnesses when he says, \"faith helps [or assists] my works,\" so we must take it, \"The doers of the law shall be justified,\" that is, those who believe and have good fruits are pronounced righteously. For the law is satisfied if we believe, and it pleases not because the works satisfy the law but because of the faith. Thus, in these sentences, there is no inconvenience, but the adversaries falsify and corrupt them by adding their own glosses.\nFor it is not said that works deserve remission, or that men are accepted and reputed righteous before God, not for Christ but for their works, and that works pacify the hearts and overcome theirs, and that works need not mercy. None of these things says St. James, yet adversaries ascribe these words to his.\n\nOther objections. There are also objections cited against us concerning other sentences about works, such as Daniel 4: \"Redem your sins with alms deeds.\" And Isaiah 58: \"Break your bread to the hungry, then pray, and God will hear you.\" Luke 6: \"Daniel, Esaias.\" Forgive and you will be forgiven. Matthew 6: \"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.\" To these sentences and similar ones about works, we first make this response, which has been made before: the law is not truly worked without faith. Nor does it please God, but for faith's sake in Christ, according to Christ's saying: \"Without me, you can do nothing.\" Also, without faith, it is impossible to please God.\nThrough Christ's coming, we come to God through faith. Therefore, the gospel of Christ should be put forth whenever works are required and prayed for. Secondly, the texts I have previously recited are near to sermons or preachings of penance, as they consist of two parts. They begin with preaching of the law, which reprimands sin and commands good works. Afterward, a promise is added. However, it is most certain and undoubted that in preaching repentance, it is not sufficient to preach the law, which usually troubles and condemns the conscience. Instead, preaching of the gospel is required, where sins are freely forgiven for Christ's sake, and through faith, we obtain remission of sins. These things are so certain and clear that if our adversaries were to vary from them and exclude Christ and faith from the preaching of repentance, they would be worthy to be rejected as blasphemous against Christ.\nThe sermon of Daniel is not only applicable to almost dead persons but also requires faith. The sermon of Daniel is unlike Aristotle's speech to King Alexander, in which Aristotle exhorts him to use his power for the common utility and wealth of all people and not to pride. Aristotle writes, \"Therefore, strive and endeavor yourself to use and apply your empire and dominion not to any contumely or pride but to munificence and liberalism.\" This was a very honest saying, and nothing could be said better regarding a great prince's duty. However, Daniel instructs and teaches his king not only about his office or calling but also about repentance, love, and devotion towards God, forgiveness of sins, and those things that are above philosophy. Therefore, not only the almost dead are to be required here, but also faith.\nThe text declares that the king was not only converted through alms-giving, but rather to faith. The excellent confession of that king and praise of the God of Israel remain. No other god can save in this way. There are two parts of Daniel's sermon. The first part is the preaching of repentance, which rebukes sins and gives instruction for a new life, saying, \"redeem your sins with righteousness, and your wickedness with acts of charity toward the poor.\" Daniel speaks in his own words according to Hebrew truth, for he does not only instruct in alms-giving but of all justice - that is, of the knowledge of God and faith. Daniel instructs, \"redeem your sins through righteousness.\" Justice toward God is faith, by which we believe that God forgives us. Later, Daniel instructs acts of charity toward the poor, which is that one should not govern proudly or cruelly.\nProvide and diligently seek the prophecy of his subjects. The other part of his sermon promises remission of sins. Let us remember that the gospel unmistakably promises remission of sins. Anyone who thinks that remission of sins is uncertain is to be judged for attempting to annul and abolish the gospel. Therefore, let us not consider Jerome in this matter. Since there is an evident promise here, faith is required for a promise to be received. However, even there he shows that remission of sins might be possible, when he says, \"Redemption of your sins.\" This promise of remission of sins is a very prophetic and evangelical sentence, which doubtless Daniel would have received by faith. For Daniel knew that remission of sins was promised.\nThe seat that was to come, that is to say, Christ, was not only for the Israelites but also for all nations. For he could not have promised the king remission of sins if it did not belong to man, in the conflicts of sin, to decree and determine the will of God without some assured word of God that He would cease to be angry. Therefore, since there is a promise given, it is clear that faith is required, for a promise cannot be received but by faith. If this faith depended upon the condition of works, then remission would be uncertain. Therefore, such faith is required which trusts in the mercy of God's word and not in our own works. And where it says, \"Redemption of your sins by justice and by all the dead,\" it is as much as if He had said, \"Redemption of your sins by repentance.\" For by penance or repentance, the guilt is taken away. Neither is it necessary to reason here that God forgives for works following but that He forgives because of His promise.\npersons who receive this promise. We have shown clearly that in Daniel's faith is required, so those who conclude otherwise, that the remission of sins comes from our own works and not by faith for Christ's sake. It is a philosophical point in Daniel's sermon to require nothing but an exhortation of governing his empire well, and it is a Pharisaic redemption of your sins with almost anything. Admit it were taken so, Daniel would make nothing against us, however, it is undoubtedly that he speaks of the remission of sin. For the remission of punishment is sought in vain unless the heart first by faith has received remission of sin. Now, if they grant that the remission of sin comes freely by faith: We will afterwards not refuse to grant them that the pains or punishments with which we are chastised be mitigated and assuaged with good works, and with whole repentance according to the saying of Paul. If we\nI would judge ourselves, doubtless we should not be judged by the Lord. And Hiremeia. If thou wilt be turned, Hiere. 15 Zachariah I will convert and turn to thee. Also Zachariah. Turn to me, and I will turn to you. And in the 49th Psalm. Call on me in the day of trouble, and I shall deliver thee. &c. Likewise, it is to be judged from this place also. Forgive and you shall be forgiven. For it is not nearly a like sermon of repentance. The first part requires good works. The latter part adds and puts to a promise, neither is it to be reasoned that our forgiving of our neighbor, by the virtue of the work wrought, deserves that our sins be forgiven us, for Christ does not say so. But likewise, as to other sacraments, Christ joins and knits to a promise of remission of sins: even so, he also knits a promise to good works. And likewise, in the supper of the Lord we obtain not remission of sins without faith by the very work that is wrought: even so, no more do we.\nIn this work, forging the friendship of our neighbor is not a good work, but when it is done by those who are reconciled. Therefore, our forgiving, which is acceptable and pleasing to God, follows God's forgiving. Now Christ is accustomed to joining together the law and the gospel in this way, teaching both the doctrine of faith and the doctrine of good works. He admonishes us that it is hypocrisy and a feigning of repentance unless good fruits follow, so that we may have many outward signs of the gospel and of the remission of sins, which should put us in remembrance, comfort us, and enable us in various ways to exercise faith. Therefore, it is necessary to understand such places, lest we abolish Christ's gospel and plead our works as a ransom and price rejecting Christ, and lest remission of sins be uncertain if it is taught to depend on the condition of our works. There is\nThis text is primarily in Old English, with some words missing or unclear due to OCR errors. I will do my best to clean and translate it while staying faithful to the original content.\n\nAlleged also this text from Tobit. An argument from Tobit. Almost completely delivers from all manner of sin and death. We will not call this an hyperbolic or excessive manner of speaking, however it should be taken so that it does not detract from the true praises of Christ, whose proper benefits and office is, to deliver from sin and death. But we must have recourse to this rule, that the law without Christ avails not. Therefore, those alms please God, which follow reconciliation and not those which go before. So then they deliver from sin and death, not by the virtue of the work that is wrought, but (as we said a little before about repentance, that we ought to join faith with fruits) so likewise it is to be judged of alms-deeds and faith. For Tobit preaches not only of alms-deeds, but also of faith, saying. At all times bless God, and desire him to direct thy ways. But this belongs properly to the faith of which we speak.\nWho feels god gracious and favorable for his own mercy and desires that he will keep and govern us. Besides this, we grant that almost deeds merit many benefits from God, and do not deliver from the sin that is present (for they do not overcome the wrath and judgment of God nor do they quiet the consciences). But they deliver from sin that is to come, meaning they merit that we may be defended in the perils of sins, and death. This is the simple understanding agreeing to other scriptures. For always the practices of works and of the law are to be understood and taken so that they do not minimize the glory of Christ and the gospel.\n\nAnother objection: The saying also of Christ is alleged from the gospel of Luke. Give ye alms, and lo, all things are yours. Undoubtedly, our adversaries have often said that the law without Christ is of no avail, for whose sake good works please and are accepted. But they exclude Christ in all places, teaching that the works of the law.\nThe law deserves justification. This place, if brought forth in its entirety and perfectly, will show that faith is also required. For Christ rebukes the Pharisees, who thought they were made clean in God's sight, that is, justified by their frequent washings, even as a certain bishop of Rome shows with holy water that it sanctifies and cleanses the people. And the gloss says that it cleanses from venial sins. Such were also the opinions of the Pharisees, which Christ refutes, and he sets against this feigned purification two kinds of cleansing: one inward, the other outward. Give alms of your superfluidity and abundance, and so all things will be clean to you. Our adversaries do not rightly apply this particle or sign universally (omnia); for Christ adds this conclusion to both members. Then all things will be clean to you, that is, if you shall be clean.\nInwardly and outwardly, you shall give almost entirely. For he signifies that outward cleansing is to be practiced in the works commanded by God, not in the traditions of men, such as frequent washings, and nowadays the daily sprinkling of holy water, the habits of religious persons (as they are called), and the choice of foods and like pomp. However, our adversaries corrupt the sentence with sophistry, translating the universal particle to the one part alone. All things will be clean to you if you give almost entirely. If a man should make this reason, then Andrew is present, and all the Apostles are present. Therefore, in the antecedent, both members ought to be joined together in this way. Believe and give almost entirely, and all things will be clean to you. For the scripture says in another place that the hearts are purified by faith. That if the hearts are cleansed, and afterward alms deeds are put to outward works, that is, all manner works of charity: so shall they be clean altogether.\nfor saying not only within, but also without. And that whole sermon of Christ ought to be joined together, of which there are many parts, some of which teach faith and some of which teach works. It is not the property of a good reader to pick out the precepts of works and leave out the places of faith. There are some who interpret it as an ironic locution. Give alms and all things are yours. For Christ seems dryly to check the vain persuasion of the Pharisees, who when they had their minds loaded with most lewd affections, yet in the meantime because they gave alms thought they were half gods. This interpretation is not unusual, nor does it have anything in it contradictory to other scriptures. We would also add other places, but we think that by these places which we have rehearsed and declared, all other like may easily be judged. But we shall yet add this scholastic argument. A scholastic argument.\nRighteousness must be in the will, faith which is in the understanding does not justify. To make the matter clearer, we will discuss how faith justifies and what Paul calls justification.\n\nAnswer. First, due to certain wayward persons, we will answer artificially. In moral philosophy, justice is called obedience toward the superior, whom he accepts and allows. But faith is obedience toward the gospel. Therefore, faith is rightly called justice, for obedience toward the gospel is imputed and reckoned as righteousness. Obedience toward the law only pleases because we believe that God is freely gracious and loving to us for Christ's sake, for we never satisfy the law. Although this faith is in the will (for it is of the will and to receive the promise), yet obedience toward the gospel is not imputed for righteousness on our account.\nBut because it receives the mercy that is offered and thinks that we are regarded as righteous for Christ's sake through mercy, not for our own fulfilling of the law or our own cleanness. The mind is to be turned away from gazing on the law to the gospel and to Christ, and we must assure ourselves that we are regarded as righteous when we think that our own selves are accepted for Christ's sake, not for our own love or for our own fulfilling of the law.\n\nA difference between faith and hope. And faith differs from hope, for faith receives forgiveness of sins and reconciliation or acceptance of our own selves for Christ's sake at this present time. But hope is concerned with the good things that are to come and with deliverance to come.\n\nSecondarily, justification here signifies being regarded as righteous.\n\nAnother scholastic argument. Now God does not regard a man as righteous in the same way that a man is regarded as righteous in a court.\nBut he considers a person righteous, in philosophy, for the instigation of his own works, which may well be put into willingness. But he regards a person as righteous by mercy for Christ's sake, so that a person may receive him by faith. Therefore, faith may be called righteousness, for it is that thing which is imputed to righteousness (as Paul often speaks) in whatever part of man it may be put. For this does not at all hinder God's imputation, however we put this faith in the will of man, for it is to will and to receive the promise of Christ. And this scholastic argument is debated thus because it drives the matter to an art, the whole cause seems much clearer to be perceived. By the merit of condignity, that is, of the merit of worthiness, of which our adversaries claim that men are righteous in God's sight for their own love and fulfillment of the law. Here is no mention made at all of the righteousness of faith, and in place of Christ the mediator, it is put that we are accepted for our fulfillment of the law.\nThings are in no way acceptable, but, as we said before, love follows renown, yet the glory of Christ cannot be taken from him and given to our fulfilling of the law. Instead, it should be thought that even after the reconciliation, we are accounted just for Christ's sake, and that Christ remains a mediator and mercy store, and that by the means of Christ and for him we have communion and enter the Father. We do not satisfy the law but have always needed mercy, and we are always accounted just for mercy's sake. This is what the whole church confesses, that we are made righteous and saved through mercy, as we have previously recited for the sake of Saint Jerome.\n\nOur righteousness is not for our own merit but comes from the mercy of God. But this mercy is received by faith.\n\nThe inconvenience: But see, I pray you, what inconvenience ensues if it should be thought that Christ merited only for himself?\nFirst, we are granted grace or favor, and afterwards accepted for fulfilling the law, deserving eternal life: when will conscience be quiet? When will they be assured they have God's favor? For the law always accuses us, as Paul says. The law works wrath. So it will come to pass that if conscience feels the judgment of the law, they will run into despair. Paul says, \"All that is not of faith is sin.\" But these persons will never work anything by faith; if they should never think of themselves as having God gracious and loving towards them except when they have fulfilled the law, rather they will certainly perceive that they have not satisfied it. And therefore they will never determine within themselves that they have God's favor and that their prayer is heard, and consequently they shall never love, they shall never truly worship God. Such hearts and minds, what else are they but very unstable.\nHere is the cleaned text:\n\nAlthough they are full of desperation and hatred of God, and yet in this hatred they call upon God and worship Him as Soul did. We provoke and appeal to godly minds and those skilled in spiritual things. Soul. Those aforementioned evils arise from the ungodly persuasion of our adversaries who think that we are reputed just in God's sight for our own fulfilling of the law and bid us not to trust in the promise of mercy freely given for Christ's sake but rather in our own fulfilling of the law. It is therefore expedient for us to remind ourselves that uncertainly after renewing, we be righteous or acceptable to God and that we have peace in His sight through mercy for Christ, and also that such an incomplete beginning of the law in us is not worthy of eternal life. But just as remission of sins and justification are imputed through mercy for Christ and not for the law, so eternal life with justification is offered not\nfor the law and for the perfection of our works, but through mercy for Christ's sake, as Christ himself says. This is the will of my father who sent me: that every one who sees the Son and believes in him shall have everlasting life. But let us inquire of our adversaries what counsel they give to those at the point of death, whether they bid them think that they are to be reckoned just and to look after everlasting life for their own works, or else for the mercy of God for Christ's sake? Certainly neither Paul nor Laurece will say that they are to be reckoned righteous for their own cleanness, or that everlasting life is due to them for their own works or fulfilling of the law, but they will think themselves to be reckoned just and to receive eternal life for Christ's sake through mercy. Neither can godly minds be armed against despair unless they think that through mercy for Christ's sake, they have assuredly both righteousness and eternal life, and not for their own.\nThis sentence comforts, sets up, and saves godly minds. Therefore adversaries, when they advocate and extol the merit of condignity \u2013 the merit of worthiness they quite put away the doctrine of faith and of the mediator Christ and drive conscience to despair.\n\nA question: But some happily will say, if we are to be saved by mercy, what difference is there between them to whom salvation is granted, and them to whom it does not happen? Shall both good men and bad equally hope and trust in mercy? This argument seems to have moved the schoolmen to seek the merit of condignity or the merit of condignity. For there must necessarily be some difference between those who will be saved and those who will be damned.\n\nThe solution. And first of all, we say that justification is offered eternally \u2013 that those who are justified are the sons of God and co-heirs with Christ, according to this saying of Paul. Whom he has justified, the same he has also glorified. Therefore, those who are justified are the children of God and co-heirs with Christ.\nSalutation chooses none, save those who are justified. And likewise, justification should be uncertain if it depended on the condition of our works or of the law, and was not freely received for Christ's sake, through mercy. If hope departed from our works, then indeed it would be uncertain, because the law always accuses conscience. Neither can there be any hope of eternal life except the conscience be at peace and rest. For the conscience that is in doubt, God is willing to forgive, and to save us for Christ's sake, according to that saying of Christ. God has not sent His son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved by him, whoever believes in him is not judged. Therefore, as often as the flesh is mentioned, it ought to increase our life long among trials and temptations. And whoever have obtained this faith, those are reborn that they may work well, and that they may do the law. Therefore, likewise, as we require:\n\nJustification favors none but the righteous. And in the same way, if justification depended on the condition of our deeds or the law, and was not freely granted for Christ's sake, through mercy, then hope would be uncertain. For the conscience that doubts, God is willing to forgive and save us for Christ's sake, as the saying of Christ goes. God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but to save it, whoever believes in Him is not judged. Therefore, whenever the flesh is mentioned, it should increase our life among trials and temptations. And those who have obtained this faith are reborn to do good works and keep the law.\nRepentance throughout our life time: so we also recommend, when you have completed all things, we say, we are unprofitable servants. Saint Barnard speaks rightly in this way. It is necessary first to believe that you cannot have remission of sins, but by the sole indulgence and pardon of God. Secondarily, that you can have no manner of good work at all unless it is freely given to you. A little after he says, let no man therefore deceive himself, for if he will consider well, he shall find without doubt, that he is not able to go forth, with ten thousand, against him who comes to him with twenty thousand. Therefore, we intend that consciences should retain a sure and undoubted consolation and hope: do call men back again to the promise of Christ, and teach, that it is necessary to believe, that God, for Christ's sake, and not for the law, forgives sins, justifies, and gives eternal life, according to that saying. Whoever has the Son, has this.\nBut it is a world to hear how our adversaries dally and elude this saying of Christ. When you have done all things, yet say you, we are unprofitable servants. In the confutation, they corrupt it in this manner with an argument called antistrephon. An argument which they call antistrephon. If when we have done all things we must say, we are unprofitable servants, go, much rather when we have believed all things we may say that we are unprofitable servants. Mark I pray you how greatly our adversaries delight in vanities and in childish sophistry. But although these foolish trifles are not worthy to be refuted and disputed: yet nevertheless we shall answer them in a few words. Their argument called antistrephon is vicious and nothing worth.\n\nThe answer and solution to their argument. For our adversaries are deceived in this word (faith) which, if it signified the knowledge of the history, or if\n\n(Note: The text appears to be cut off at the end, so it is unclear if there is a complete answer or solution provided.)\nWe had said that faith in her own worthiness had saved us; therefore, the sympathy should be of much greater strength since we were unprofitable servants, though we had believed. But we speak of the faith and trust in the promise and mercy of God. And this faith grants that we are unprofitable servants; indeed, this is the very voice and saying of faith, that our works are unworthy and that we are unprofitable servants. And for this reason we speak of faith and seek mercy: because we know or acknowledge our selves to be unprofitable servants. For faith saves, because it receives mercy or the promise of grace, even though our works are unworthy. And after this understanding, the antistrophe harms us not, if you have believed all things, yet say you are unprofitable servants, it is well said, if it is only understood that worthiness is taken from works. But on the contrary, if it is thus understood, that faith also is unprofitable; then\nthe symilitude is nothynge worthy, to say when ye shall haue done al thynges: do nat truste to your workes: So whan ye shall haue beleued, do not trust the promyse of god. These thynges do not agre together, for they be verie fare vnlyke, Unlyke causes, vnlyke ob\u00a6iectes of confydence and truste be in the fyrst proposytion, and in the latter. Truste in the fyrst proposytion, is the trust of our owne wor\u00a6kes. Truste in the latter proposytion is the trust of goddes promyse. Nome Christe con\u2223dempneth confydence and truste in our owne workes, but he dothe nat disalowe the trust in his owne promyse, he wyllith nat that we des\u2223payre of the grace and mercie of god, he rebu\u2223keth our warkes as vnworthy but he rebuketh not the promyse whiche frely offereth mercy. And Ambrose speketh excedyngly wele in th{is} poynte, thus. Grace is to be knowen,Sainte-Ambrose but nature is\nnot to be knowen, we muste truste to the promyse of grace, and not to our nature. But our aduersaries folowe there accustomed maner.The vn\u2223gracious\nThey unwillingly wrest the sentence that makes for faith, against the doctrine of faith. This calumny abrogates the gospel by saying that when you have believed all things, faith is useless. Does not the gospel promise the remission of sins and salvation even to those who have no good works at all, provided they are converted and do not despair, but obtain the remission of sins through faith in Christ? Do our adversaries bid despair for those whose consciences find no good works, which they may plead against the judgment of God? Will they say that faith is useless? May God give these sophists a misfortune with such calumnies which subvert the whole gospel, which takes away firm and sure consolations from godly consciences. A childish calumny. But among other things, this calumny is utterly childish where they interpret the servants to be useless.\nWorkes are unprofitable to God, but profitable to us. But Christ speaks of the utility and profit that draws God to us with grace. However, it is beside the point here in this place to dispute about utility or inutility. Unprofitable servants represent insufficient or unable servants, for no one fears God so much, loves so much, believes or trusts God so much as they ought to do, or fulfills the law. But let us now pass over these vain arguments of our adversaries. They have found a staring hole, as wise men can easily guess. In plain and evident words, they have objected that eternal life is due as a reward for our own godly works because eternal life is called a reward. We will make a short and plain answer.\n\nPaul calls eternal life a gift because when we receive it, we receive it as a gift from God.\nBut we are reputed righteous for Christ's sake, we are also made sons of God and co-heirs with Him. Yet it is written elsewhere, \"Your reward will be plentiful in heaven.\" If our adversaries accumulate many arguments one upon another, in the manner of Chrysippus, good works are the price for which eternal life is due. Good works satisfy the Law and the Prophets. And because monks and friars fulfill the law more than others, therefore they have merits more than they need for themselves. And because it is liberal to give to others of that which you have above your own necessity: therefore they may give those merits to other men. They also devise a sacrament, that is, a witness and a mark of this giving. When men are dead, they put on the habits of their religious men as a witness that other men's merits are applied to them. With such coercions, our adversaries deface the benefit of Christ and the justice of faith.\n\nWe do not\nHere raises up vain prattling about the word: But we strive about a great thing - that is, we who maintain that good works do not satisfy the law of God but have need of mercy, and that by faith we are accepted with God for Christ's sake, also that good works do not set the conscience at rest and peace. Of all these things, it follows that we ought to think, that for Christ's sake through mercy, and not for the law, those who are justified obtain eternal life.\n\nThe words of merit and reward. What shall we say then concerning the name of reward? First, if we should say that eternal life is called a reward because it is due to those who are justified by reason of the promise, we should not speak amiss. For these gifts are ordered among themselves, as Augustine says. Dona sua coronat Deus in nobis .i. God crowns and rewards His own gifts in us. But the scripture calls eternal life a reward, not because it is due for our works, but because it does recompense the soul.\nDespite this, the affections and works, although given for another cause, are like the inheritance that comes to a good man's son of the house not for his own works or service, yet it is a reward and compensation for the works and service of the son. Therefore, it is sufficient that the name of reward agrees with eternal life because eternal life compensates for good works and afflictions. Eternal life is not a reward because our works are sufficient, or because it is due for works, but because although it is due for another cause, yet it still compensates for good works and afflictions.\n\nFurthermore, we grant that works are truly meritorious, not for remission of sins or justification, for works please only in those who are justified, and that is because of faith. Neither are they worthy of eternal life. For justification comes through faith for Christ's sake, and so does vivification, but they are meritorious.\nFor God distinguishes most rewards, both corporeal and spiritual, which are given partly in this life and partly after this life. God differs the greatest part of His rewards until He glorifies saints after this life, because He wills that they be exercised in this life to mortify the old man. The Gospel freely sets forth and exhibits the promise of justification and vivification for Christ's sake. But in the law, reward is offered and is due, not freely, but for works. For as much as work is a certain fulfilling of the law, they are well called meritorious, and it is well said that reward is due to them. This reward engenders degrees of rewards, according to the saying of Paul. Every man shall receive reward according to his own labor. These degrees are rewards of works and of afflictions. But our adversaries contend and steadfastly affirm that eternal life is only due for works, because Paul says, \"He shall render to every man according to his work.\" In the\nIn the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, the one who has done well shall rise again to the resurrection. It is necessary, in all the places where works are done and praised, to have recourse to the rule that eternal life is given to righteousness. The text says that eternal life is given to works: this means that it is given to those who are justified. Good works do not please God except in those who are justified, that is, in those who consider themselves accepted by God for Christ's sake. And those who are justified bring forth good works or good fruits, as it is said, \"I was hungry and you gave me food.\" Here, when it is said that eternal life is given to these works, the meaning is that it is given to righteousness. Therefore, he comprehends faith when he mentions the fruits. And the scripture mentions the fruits to show that God requires not hypocrisy but righteousness, which is full of effectiveness and productivity, and brings forth certain new life bearing good fruit.\nWe neither seek here any vain or unfruitful subtlety. For these are heavy causes for which we dispute these things. If we grant to our adversaries that works deserve eternal life, they add these false and inconvenient things: that works satisfy the law of God, that they have no need of mercy, that we are righteous, that is, acceptable in the sight of God for our own works and not for Christ's sake, and that men can do more than fulfill the law. Therefore, the entire doctrine of the justice of faith is quite overthrown. And undoubtedly it is necessary that the pure doctrine of the justice of faith be preserved in the church. Wherefore we are compelled to rebuke the Pharisaical opinions of our adversaries, both to the end that we may set forth the glory of Christ, and also that we may set forth to consciences firm and sure comforts. For how shall the conscience conceive certain hope of salvation, when it shall perceive that in the judgment of good works?\nWorkes are unwworthy? Only he knows who men are considered righteous and saved through mercy, for Christ's sake, not for our own fulfilling of the law. Did St. Lawrence lying on the gridiron think that through work he satisfied the law of God and was void of sin, needing not Christ the Mediator nor God's mercy? No, indeed, he was not. The Lord did not enter judgment with his servant, for no living creature shall be justified in your sight. St. Barnard confesses that his works are not worthy of eternal life. Barnard, when he says, \"I have lived wretchedly,\" comforts himself and gathers hope of salvation from this, because he perceives that for Christ's sake, through mercy, is given the remission of sins and eternal life, as the Psalm teaches, which says, \"Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven.\" Paul says, \"David calls the man blessed to whom God imputes righteousness without works.\" Paul says, \"he is blessed to whom\"\nRighteousness is imputed by faith in Christ, even if one has no good works. With such consolations, consciences should be comforted and strengthened, that is, that for Christ's sake, through faith, we receive remission of sins, a reputation of righteousness, and eternal life. Now, if faith is to be understood in this way in the places of works, it harms nothing our sentence or opinion. And indeed, it is necessary always to add faith: that we do not exclude the Mediator Christ. Good works ought to follow faith because faith without good works is hypocrisy. They also have in the schools certain proverbs and short sayings agreeing to our sentence of which sort are these: good works please God because of grace and favor. Also, Apophegmata Matthioli Lastica, that we must trust to the grace of God. These sayings they do not well interpret. For the old writers meant that we must trust to grace (that is, to the mercy of God promising) that for Christ's sake, we be accepted.\nBut writers of later time have transferred this trust to our own work. Their opinion is that we must trust in grace, that is, in the love with which we love God. This is a false and corrupt interpretation. For we ought not to trust in our own love, because it is unclean and small, but in the promise of mercy. This is also a common saying among monks, that good works are strengthened by the virtue of Christ's passion. It is well said, but faith should have been mentioned in these sentences. For the merit of Christ's passion is not communicated through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let these things suffice for now concerning this place. And we do know that this sentence and opinion which we defend, is:\n\nOur works and prayers please God if we believe that God is gracious, for Christ's sake. The high bishop.\nThe consonant and agreeing to the gospel bring strong and sure consolations to godly consciences. Therefore, let not godly consciences be led away from this sentence and opinion due to the unjust, false, and slanderous judgments of our adversaries. The scripture and gospel truly do not defend wrong opinions against the gospel, as the Lord says, \"My sheep hear my voice.\"\n\nThe seventh article of our confession they condemn, in which we said, \"The seventh article of the confession. The church is a congregation of saints or holy men.\" And they make a long process, arguing that evil persons are not church. Christ compared it to a net in which both good and bad fish are caught. Without a doubt, it is a true saying, \"Against the biting of a sycophant or slanderer there is no remedy. Nothing can be spoken so circumspectly but that a captious slanderer shall find occasion to deprive it.\" We, even for this very reason,\nThe eighth article prevents any man from thinking that we sever the wicked and hypocrites from the church's outer society or deprive the virtues from the sacraments administered by hypocrites and wicked men. Therefore, no lengthy defense is necessary against this slander. The eighth article is sufficient. We grant that hypocrites and wicked men are part of this life and members of the church, in terms of the outward signs of the church, that is, the word, profession, and sacraments, if they are not excommunicated. The sacraments are not devoid of virtue because wicked men administer them or receive them. For Paul prophesied that the time would come when Antichrist would sit in God's temple, that is, would have dominion and bear offices in the church. But the church is not only a society of external things and rites, as other policies or civil societies are.\nPrimarily, it is a society of faith and of the Holy Ghost in hearts, which yet does not contradict outward signs and tokens by which it may be known as the sincere and pure teaching of the gospel, and the administration of the sacraments agreeable to the Evangel of Christ. And this church only is called the body of Christ, which, Christ with His spirit renews, sanctifies, and governs, as testifies Paul saying. And him He made head over all, of the church which is His body, that is to say, an entity or the whole congregation of Him who works all together in all men. Wherefore those in whom Christ does nothing work are not members of Christ. And this confess the adversaries, that the evil persons are dead members of the church. Wherefore we wonder why they rebuked our description which speaks of the quick members. Nor is it new that we bring in. Paul's definition. Paul defines the church in like manner where he says that it is purified, to the end it may be\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Early Modern English. No significant OCR errors were detected.)\nAnd he adds outward signs: the word and the sacraments. Ephesians 5. For he says, \"Christ loved the church and gave himself up for it, to sanctify it, cleansing it by the bath of water with the word, in order that he might present to himself a glorious church, not having any spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it be holy and blameless.\" We put this sentence in the confession almost word for word. The article of the Creed also defines the church, which we are to believe is a catholic church. But the wicked are not the holy church. And the following article, Sanctorum communionem, seems to be added for an explanation to show what the church is: that is, a congregation of holy persons who are fellows and partners of the same gospel, the same doctrine, and of the same Holy Spirit which renews, sanctifies, and governs their hearts. This article is proposed as necessary.\ncause we se infinite perylles, whiche do manasse de\u2223struction of the churche. Infinite is the mul\u2223titude of the wycked in the churche whiche oppresse it. Wherfore leste we shulde despayre, and to the entent we shulde knowe that the churche at leaste wayes shal remayne, and be\u2223cause we shulde knowe that (be the multitude of the wycked neuer so great) yet the churche standeth, and Christ perfourmeth his promis\u2223ses to the churche, & remitteth sinnes, hereth, and geueth the holy goste: this artycle of the Crede propouneth vnto vs these consolati\u2223ons.Why the church is called ca\u2223tholik. And it nameth it a catholyk church lest we shulde vndersta\u0304de the church to be an out\u2223warde congregation of some certayne nation, where as it sygnifyeth rather men disparsed through out the worlde which agre in the gos\u2223pell and haue al one Christe, al one holy gost,The Glose. and the same sacramentes, whether they haue lyke traditions of man or vnlyke. And the\nglose in the decrees saythe, that the Churche largely taken compriseth\nBoth good and evil men are members of the Church, in name if not in deed, according to this passage. Jerome states that a sinner with any blemish cannot be called a member of the Church of Christ or subject to Christ. However, hypocrites and evil men may be part of the Church according to external rites. But when defining the Church, we must distinguish the living body of Christ from the carnal seat, which promises corporal things in addition to the covenant made with Christ. The Jews were called the people of God not only for the good among them, but also for those who were evil, due to these promises.\nGod severed this carnal seat (seede) from the rest of the gentiles by certain external ordinances and promises. And yet those evil persons pleased not God. But the gospel brings not a shadow of eternal things, but the very things which are eternal, such as the Holy Ghost and righteousness, by which we are made righteous before God. Therefore, only those people are in accordance with the gospel who receive this promise of the Spirit. Besides this, the church is the kingdom of Christ, distinct from the kingdom of the devil. But it is certain that wicked men are in the power of the devil, and members of his kingdom, as Paul teaches, saying, \"Ephesians 2, that the devil is mighty in infidels.\" And Christ says to the Pharisees (who without doubt had an external society with the church, that is, with the holy persons who were in the people of the law, for they were rulers, they sacrificed and taught): \"You are of your father the devil.\" So that the church, which is the true kingdom of Christ, is the kingdom of Christ distinct from the kingdom of the devil.\nProperly the congregation of the godly. For the wicked are ruled by the devil, and are his captives and prisoners, they are not ruled by the spirit of Christ. But what need I say more in so manifest a thing? If the church, which is truly the kingdom of Christ, is distinct from the kingdom of the devil, it necessarily follows that wicked men, who are in the kingdom of the devil, are not the church. Though in this life, because the kingdom of Christ is not yet declared and opened, they are mixed with the true church and bear offices in the church, nor are the wicked therefore of the kingdom of Christ, because the revelation and opening of the matter is not yet made. For this is always the kingdom of Christ, which he by his spirit vivifies, whether disclosed or hidden by the cross. Likewise, Christ is the same self, who is now glorified and who was before crucified and afflicted. And this agrees with the similitudes of Christ, which clearly say that the good seed is:\n\n(Note: The text appears to be cut off at the end)\nChildren of the kingdom, a parable of Christ in Matthew 15, but the children of the devil are the ones he calls the world, not the church. In the same way, John speaks of the entire nation of the Jews, and says that the time will come when the true Church will be separated from that people. Therefore, this passage is rather against the adversaries than with them, as it shows that the true and spiritual people can be separated from the carnal people. And Christ speaks of the image and likeness of the Church when he says, \"The kingdom of heaven is like a net, or like ten virgins.\" [And he teaches that the Church is hidden among the multitude of evil men, lest these scandals or offenses might offend good men, and also that the word and sacraments are effective and strong, even though evil men have the handling of them. And in the meantime, he teaches that wicked men, although they have the outward signs, are not the true kingdom of]\nChrist and the members of Christ, for they are members of the kingdom of the devil. We do not dream of a Platonic city (as certain men falsely believe of us), but we say that this has a being and is indeed, the true believers and righteous men scattered abroad throughout the whole world. And we put forth, tokens and marks, the pure doctrine of the gospel, and due administration of the sacraments. And this church is properly the pillar of truth, for it holds fast the true and pure gospel, and (as Paul says) the foundation, which is the true knowledge and faith of Christ, although there are even among these many weak persons who build upon the foundation straw or stubble, that is to say, certain unprofitable opinions, which yet because they do not overturn and destroy the foundation, are partly forgiven them, and partly also amended. But the writings of the holy fathers witness that at times they have also built upon it.\nBut despite the problems on the foundation, those who have not overthrown their faith. However, most of the things our adversaries defend do completely and cleanly overthrow faith. For instance, they condemn the article of the remission of sins. In which we say, faith receives the remission of sins. It is also a manifest and perilous error that our adversaries teach men to merit the remission of sins through love toward God before grace. For this also takes away the foundation \u2013 that is, Christ. Furthermore, what need have we of faith if the sacraments justify by the virtue of the work that is wrought without the good motion of the mind? And likewise, just as the church has a promise that it shall always have the Holy Ghost, it also has communications and threats that there will be wicked teachers and wolves. But that is properly the church, which has the Holy Ghost, where wicked teachers and evil wolves, although they work masterfully in the church, yet\nThey are not properly the kingdom of Christ, as Lyra testifies when he says: The definition of the church, according to Lyra. The church did not stand in men, due to the power or ecclesiastical or secular dignity. For many princes, and also bishops of Rome, and others, what else did we say in our confession than what Lyra says here? But our adversaries demand that the Church should be defined as the highest outward monarchy of the entire world, in which the bishop of Rome ought to have absolute power to do whatever he pleases without rendering accounts to any man. Of which power no man ought to dispute or judge. He also has the power to make articles of faith, to abrogate whatever scriptures he pleases, to institute observances and sacrifices. Also to make whatever laws he pleases, to dispense and loose from whatever laws he pleases, whether they be God's laws or canonical laws, or civil laws, from whom the pope derives his power.\nall kings should receive power and right to hold their kingdoms, by the commandment of Christ, to whom, since the Father has made all things subject: we ought to understand that the same power and authority is derived and translated into the pope. Therefore, it is necessary that the pope be lord of the whole world, of all the kingdoms of the world, of all things, both public and private, and that he have fullness of power in temporal and spiritual things, and that he have both the spiritual and temporal swords. And this definition not of the church of Christ, but of the kingdom of the pope, has authors for it, not only canonists, but also Daniel in the 11th chapter. If we would define the church in this manner, perhaps we would have more equal and impartial judges. For many things are unmeasurably and wickedly written concerning the power of the bishop of Rome, for which no man was ever yet accused. We are only rebuked and punished because we\nWe preach the benefit of Christ, not by faith in Christ for remission of sins through ceremonies and services designed by the bishop of Rome. Instead, Christ, the prophets, and all the apostles define the church of Christ differently than the kingdom of the bishop of Rome. The true church's attributes, which apply to bishops, are not their error-free status but their role as pillars of truth. Which one of them sets his mind on the gospel or deems it worthy of reading?\n\nMany men openly scorn all good livings and the true and sincere religion of Christ, or if they praise anything, they praise what agrees with human reason. They think all other things are lies and tales, resembling the tragedies of poets. According to the scriptures, we believe that the church, in its proper signification, is the congregation of holy men who truly believe the gospel.\nChrist and have the Holy Ghost. Yet we grant that there are many hypocrites and evil men among them in this life, who have a society and fellowship of outward signs and sacraments, and who are members of the church in regard to the society of outward signs. This does not take away the effectiveness and virtue of the sacraments because they are ministered by unworthy persons, since they represent the person of Christ (as the church has called them) and not their own persons, as Christ testifies. Whoever hears you, hears me. For when they minister the word of Christ and the sacraments of Christ, they do so in Christ's stead and place. This teaches us that we should not be offended by the unworthiness of the ministers, as we have spoken plainly enough in our confession where we disallow [the practice of] [appointing] unworthy persons to office.\nDonatists and Wiklevites, who believed that those men were in communion with unworthy individuals in the church, were causing concern for the description of our taught church at this time. The church, in its proper signification being called the body of Christ, it is unclear how it could have been described otherwise, as wicked men belong to the kingdom and the body of the devil, who drives them and has them captive and in thrall to him. These things are clearer than the light at night. If our adversaries wish to disparage and calumniate, it will not harm us to respond more extensively. Our adversaries also condemn this part of the seventh article, where we stated that it was sufficient for the true unity of the church to agree in the doctrine of the gospel and in the administration of the sacraments.\nIt is not necessary that in all places there be like human rites. Here they make a distinction between universal and particular rites, and they allow our article if it is understood in the context of particular rites, but if it is understood in the context of universal rites, they do not receive nor allow it. In faith, we do not well perceive what our adversaries mean. We speak of the true, that is, of the spiritual unity, without which there can be no faith in the heart, or righteousness of the heart in God's sight. To this spiritual unity, traditions help nothing at all, whether they be universal or particular. For the justice of faith is not a justice which is bound to certain traditions, as the justice of the law was bound to the ceremonies commanded by Moses, for the righteousness of the heart is a quickening thing. To this vivification or quickening, traditions contribute nothing.\nOr particular. Neither are they effects and works of the Holy Ghost, such as chastity, patience, the fear of God, the love of the neighbor, and the works of love. And they were not light causes which induced us to put this article. For it is a very proper similarity. So we think that the true unity of the church is not harmed by unlike rites instituted by me, however it pleases us well that the universal rites and observances be kept for the maintenance of common tranquility, just as we in our churches keep the order of the Mass, Sundays and other high feasts. And with a very glad mind we observe and keep the profitable and old observances, namely those which contain such discipline and instruction, by which the people may be allured and also accustomed to virtuous occupations. But we do not now dispute whether it is profitable for the common tranquility, or corporal utility, to observe and keep these. We have now another matter at hand, for we\nDo we dispute whether human traditions are necessary services to justify the sight of God? This is the primary point at issue in this controversy. Once this is determined, it may be judged whether it is necessary for the true unity of the church that there be similar human traditions in all places. For if human traditions are not honors or necessary services to justify God in sight: it follows that men can be righteous and sons of God, even if they do not have some traditions received in other places. For instance, if the form and fashion of the baptismal apparel is not an honoring of God necessary to justify God in sight: it follows that there can be righteous men and the children of God, and the church of Christ, even if some men do not use the baptismal manner of apparel, but the French fashion of apparel. Paul teaches this plainly to the Colossians when he says, \"Let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ\" (Colossians 2:16-17).\nOf the holyday, or the new moon, or the Sabbath days. These are but shadows of things to come. The body is Christ also. If you have died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as Colossians 2 says, you are dead, and your connection to such things is severed. You should not cling to the doctrines of men, which have the appearance of wisdom in self-imposed worship and humility. For the righteousness of the heart is a spiritual thing, quickening hearts and it is certain that human traditions do not quicken hearts nor are they the works of the Holy Spirit, as is love of the neighbor, chastity, and so on. Nor are there any instruments by which God moves and stirs hearts to believe, but rather exercises of things not pertaining to the heart, and which persist through use: it is not to be thought that they are necessary to justice in God's sight. And in accordance with the same sentence, he says in Romans 14: \"The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness.\"\npeace and joy in the holy ghost. But it is not necessary to allege many testimonies, for the scripture runs full of them. And we also have gathered a great sort together in our confession, in the latter articles. The principal point of this controversy shall be rehearsed again a little later (that is to say) whether traditions of men are honors or services necessary to righteousness in the sight of God, where we shall dispute more largely on this matter. Our adversaries say that universal traditions therefore should be kept, because they are thought to have been taught by the apostles. Oh, religious and devout men. They will that the rites and ceremonies taken from the apostles be kept and maintained, but they will not that the doctrine of the apostles be reserved and kept. It is to be judged of those rites as the apostles themselves judge in their writings. For the apostles would not have us think ourselves justified by such rites, or that such rites and ceremonies are the means by which we are justified.\nCeremonies are necessary in the sight of God for justice. The apostles would not lay such burdens upon consciences. They would not put righteousness and sin on equal footing in the observations of days, meats, and such like things. Yes, Paul calls such doctrines \"opinions of devils.\" Therefore, the will and purpose of the apostles should be sought out from their writings. It is not enough to cite an example. They observed and kept certain days not because the same observation was necessary for justification but so that the people would know what time they should come together. They observed other rites and ceremonies, such as the order of the lessons, at what time they came together. The people also observed certain of their forefathers' usage and customs, which the apostles somewhat changed and applied to the history of the gospel, as Easter, Whit Sunday, and other similar things, not only by teaching but also by these examples they might deliver and leave the remembrance.\nThese are among the greatest things, passed down to those who come after. Now, if these things were taught as necessary for justification: why have bishops changed many of the same things later on? Easter was observed at different times by diverse men before the Council of Nicene. This diversity and unlikeness did not harm the faith. Later, a way was taken that our Easter should not fall upon the same time as the Jews kept their Pasch or Easter. But the apostles commanded the churches to keep Easter with their brethren, who were converted from Jews. Therefore, certain nations kept and held this manner and custom long after the Council of Nicene, in observing and following the Jewish time. But the intent of the apostles was not with that decree to bind the churches to any necessity. This is clear from the words of the decree: \"Make no calculation, but when your brethren, who are in another place, observe it and inform you, keep it.\"\nThe circumcision make their Easter, make yours with them, and if they err in their supposition, do not you care. These words Epiphanius writes as the words of the apostles, put in a certain decree concerning Easter. In which a true reader may easily judge that the intent of the apostles was to take from the people the foolish opinion of the necessity of a certain and set time, as they forbid them to care, although some may miss in the right accounting.\n\nFurthermore, certain men in the eastern parties, called Audians (who were so named after the author of their opinion), because of this decree of the apostles, contended that Easter should be kept with the Jews. Epiphanius confirming them commends the decree, saying that it contains nothing disagreeing from the faith or from the ecclesiastical rule, and he disparages the Audians because they do not understand the words correctly, and he explains it according to the same sense as we do.\nThe apostles did not mean that the observance of Easter at a particular time was of great importance to them. Rather, they advised the conversion of Jews, who kept their own customs, to set an example for unity and concord. The apostles wisely admonished the reader not to abolish the evangelical liberty nor to bind consciences to any necessity. They add that it is not important even if there is a mistake in the reckoning of time.\n\nMany similar things can be gathered from histories, in which it appears that the human observances' variance and unlikeness do not harm the unity of faith. Why should there be any dispute? Our adversaries do not understand at all what the justice of faith is, what the kingdom of Christ is, if they judge that a likeness is necessary everywhere in observances regarding food, days, clothing, and the like.\nThings which do not have the commandments of God. How the adversaries themselves break universal observances. But I pray you, see the religious and holy men, our adversaries. They require to the unity of the church like human observances in all places, and yet they themselves have changed the institution and ordinance of Christ in the use of the Lord's supper, which without doubt before was a universal ordinance.\n\nIf universal ordinances are necessary, why do they change the ordinance of Christ's supper? Which is no ordinance of man, but the ordinance of God. But of this whole controversy we must speak at certain times hereafter.\n\nThey approve the eighth article in its entirety, in which we confess:\n\nThe eighth article of the ministers of the church \u2013 that hypocrites and evil men are mingled together in the church. And that the sacraments are effective and efficacious, although evil men have the handling of them, because the ministers do here represent the person of Christ.\nChrist and not their own persons, according to Christ's saying: Whoever hears you, hears me. Wicked teachers are to be forsaken, for they do not use the place or stead of Christ, but they are antichrists. And Christ says: Beware of false prophets. And Paul writes, If any man preaches any other gospel than this, which I have preached to you, let him be accursed. Yet nevertheless Christ has instructed and taught us in the collations of the church, that we, being offended with the private vices either of the priests or of the people, should not raise schisms, like the Donatists did ungraciously. But those Anabaptist persons would have all in common. They therefore raised schisms, because they said it was not lawful for priests to hold possessions or to have anything in propriety or separately for themselves. For to hold a thing as propriety is a civil ordinance. And it is seemly for Christian men to possess things.\nAll civil orders, as well as this air, light, meat, or drink, are to be used. For just as the nature of things and the certain motions of the stars are the order of God, and are maintained by God: so civil orders are the very order of God, and are preserved and defended by God against the devil.\n\nThe ninth article we allow, in which we confess that baptism is necessary for salvation, and that infants are to be baptized, and that the baptism of infants is not in vain, but necessary and effective for salvation. And because the gospel is purely and diligently taught among us, by the benefit of God, this fruit also we take from it, that in our churches there have been no Anabaptists, because the people have been armed with the word of God against the wicked and sedicious faction of those robbers and thieves. And although we condemn and reject many other errors of the Anabaptists:\n\nThe Anabaptists.\nThis we condemn specifically, that they dispute the baptism of children as unprofitable. For it is undoubted that the promise of health and salvation pertains also to little children. But it does not apply to them who are outside the church of Christ, where there is neither the word nor the sacraments. For the kingdom of Christ has being only with the word and the sacraments. Therefore, it is necessary to baptize infants, so that the promise of salvation may be applied to them, in accordance with Christ's commandment. Baptize all people. Likewise, salvation is offered to all men: so is baptism. Therefore, it follows accordingly that infants must be baptized, because health is offered with baptism.\n\nThe second reason. Secondarily, it is manifest that God approves the baptism of infants. Therefore, the Anabaptist's opinion is wicked, which forbids the baptism of infants. And that God does\n\napprove infants' baptism.\nAllow the baptism of infants. It is declared sufficiently that God gives the holy ghost to them who are baptized. If this baptism were void, then the holy ghost would be given to none at all, and none would be saved, and finally there would be no church at all. This reason alone is able to confirm and establish good and godly minds against the wicked and mad opinions of the Anabaptists.\n\nThey approve the tenth article, in which we confess and acknowledge, the tenth article of the sacrament of the Altar. We believe that in the Lord's supper, or sacrament of the altar, there is truly and substantially the body and blood of Christ, and that they are truly exhibited and given to those who receive the sacrament. This sentence and opinion our preachers have steadfastly defended, and we find that not only the Roman church affirms the bodily presence of Christ in it.\nChrist, and the Greek church, both presently and historically, hold the same opinion as the Mass canon indicates, which the Greeks do use. There are also records of certain writers testifying to the same.\n\nFor Cyril, on John (Chapter 15), Cyril states that Christ is corporately presented to us in the Lord's Supper. He says, \"Yet we do not deny, that by right faith and sincere charity, we have Him not only habitually, which is perceived by charity, but also by natural participation.\" These things are recited not to begin a dispute on this matter (as His Majesty's majesty does not permit this article to be discussed) but to enable those who read these things to perceive more clearly that we defend the sentence received in the entire church, that in the Lord's Supper, truly and substantially, the body and\nThe blood of Christ, and this shall be truly exhibited and given with those things that are seen, bread and wine. We speak of the presence of the living Christ, for we know that death shall have no more power over him.\n\nThe 17th article concerning absolution in the church, they allow. But regarding confession, they add a correction: the constitution is to be observed by the chapter, that confession should be made annually, and though all sins cannot be numbered, diligence is to be given to gather them all to mind, and those which may be brought to remembrance \u2013 to be shown and rehearsed. Of this entire article, we shall speak more plentifully when we declare our full sentence concerning penance. This is evidently known, that we have set forth, declared, and garnered with praises the benefit of absolution and the power and authority of the keys, that many afflicted souls may be helped.\nTroubled consciences have taken comfort in the doctrine of our preachers, after hearing that it was the commandment of God, and even the very voice of the gospel, that we should believe and trust in the absolution, and steadfastly decide within ourselves that remission of sins is freely given to us for Christ's sake. This sentence has lifted up and comforted many godly minds, and in the beginning brought great commendation to Martin Luther, because before that time, the entire power and strength of consolation was oppressed by the doctrines of works. When Sophists and freemen taught nothing at all about faith and the remission of sins. However, concerning the time, doubtless in our churches, many men often in a year use Excommunication. These things are done, both according to:\nThe words of the Canon: If anyone enters the church of God and is not recognized as having a household, let them be admonished. And if they do not take a household, let them come to penance. If they do take a household, let them not abstain constantly. If they do not, let them abstain. Christ says: Those who eat unworthily eat condemnation to themselves. Therefore, persons and curates should not compel those unaccustomed to use the sacrament.\n\nRegarding the numbering of sins in confession, the faithful are taught in such a way that consciences are not snarled and entangled. It is profitable to accustom unlearned persons to rehearse certain sins, so that they may be more easily taught. However, we shall now consider what is necessary according to God's law. Our adversaries, therefore, should not have cited the constitution to us: Omnis utriusque sexus. &c. Which constitution we well know.\nThe text should be largely unintelligible without additional context, as it appears to contain numerous misspellings, abbreviations, and incomplete sentences. However, based on the given instructions, I will attempt to clean the text as much as possible while preserving the original content.\n\nThe text appears to be written in Early Modern English, so I will translate it into Modern English as faithfully as possible. I will also correct some obvious OCR errors.\n\nynough, but they should have proved it by the law of God that numbering or reckoning up of sins is necessary to obtain remission. The whole Church throughout all Europe knows what kind of greens and snares that part of the constitution has cast upon consciences, which bids us confess all our sins. Neither is there so much harm in the text itself, as afterward the Summist has feigned to it, which gathers the circumstances of sins. What endless masses are there? What a torment to a good mind has there been? For as for those who were wild and ungodly, such fearings did nothing at all. Afterward, what manner of tragedies and troubles was the question, De proprio sacerdote, that is to say, of a proper or peculiar priest raised among curates and freers? When they waged war about the kingdom of Confessions, they were nothing less, than from which they were called.\n\nTherefore, we think it fit to rehearse or bring up\n\nCleaned Text:\n\nThe text should have proven by the law of God that counting or confessing sins is necessary for obtaining remission. The whole Church in Europe knows the kind of troubles and traps that part of the constitution has caused for consciences, which commands us to confess all our sins. There is not as much harm in the text itself as the Summist later imagined, adding to it. What endless masses are there? What a torment to a good mind has there been? For those who were wild and ungodly, such fearings did not move them at all. Afterward, what kind of tragedies and troubles was the question, De proprio sacerdote, or the proper or peculiar priest raised among curates and freers? When they waged war over the kingdom of Confessions, they were no less than what they were called.\n\nWe therefore believe it appropriate to rehearse or bring up\nSynnes are not necessary according to God's law. This is the belief of Parminitanus, as well as most learned individuals in the law. We will not impose a necessity upon the consciences of others through the constitution \"Omnis utriusque sexus\" and similar human traditions. We hold the opinion that they are not honors or services necessary for justification. This constitution commands an impossible thing, as it bids us confess all our sins. It is certain that many of them we neither remember nor perceive, according to the Psalm's saying, \"Delicta quis intelleget?\" Who perceives sins or trespasses? If they are good pastors, they will know how far it is profitable to examine the unlearned. But we will not confirm and establish the torment of Summises, which would have been least tolerable if they had added one word of faith, comforting and lifting up consciences.\nIn this faith obtaining remission of sins, there is not one syllable in such a great heap of constitutions, glosses, summes, or confessionales. Christ is never read in any of them all. Only accounts and numberings of sins are read. And the most part is spent on sins committed against human traditions, which is most vain. This doctrine has driven many godly minds to despair, who could not be quiet and at rest because they thought that the just recounting of sins was necessary by God's law, and yet they found by experience that it was impossible. But there remain in the doctrine of our adversaries touching penance other great defects, which we shall recount forthwith.\n\nIn the 12th article they approve the first part, in which we declare that those who have fallen into sin after baptism may obtain remission of sins at whatever time and however often they are converted. The second part of the scholastic doctors' opinions:\nAll good men, even those of the theological order, acknowledge that before the writings of Martin Luther, the doctrine of penance was very confused. There were books of sententiaries filled with infinite questions, which no divines could sufficiently declare. The people could not comprehend the whole matter, nor see what was primarily required in penance, nor where the peace of conscience was to be sought. Let one of our adversaries come forward and tell us when the remission of sins is done or wrought. The errors of the schools Good Lord, what great darkness is among them? They doubt whether it is in attrition or contrition that remission of sins is had. And if it is had for contrition, what need is there for absolution? What does the power of the keys do if sin is already forgiven? They labor much over this.\ndo wickedly weaken and minimize the power of the keys. Some say that by the power of the keys, sin is not forgiven: but only eternal pains are changed into temporal pains. So the most holy power and authority, a ministry not of life and of spirit: but only of wrath and punishments. Some of them again, who are somewhat more crafty, feign and imagine that by the power of the keys sins are forgiven in the sight of the church, but not in the sight of God. This is also a dangerous and deceitful error. For if the power of the keys does not comfort us in the sight of God: What then (I pray you), shall make a quiet conscience? Now these things you follow are also more perplexing, doubtful, and intricate. They teach that we merit grace by contrition. Where, if a man asks why Saul, Judas, and others like them do not obtain grace and pardon with most bitter and horrible remorse, the very contrite ones: Here they ought to make their answer by faith and by.\nThe gospel, because Judas did not believe, as he did not lift up and comfort himself with the gospel and the promise of Christ. Faith shows the great difference between the contrition of Judas and that of Peter. But our adversaries give their answer according to the law, that Judas did not love God, but feared punishments. But when will a troubled and frayed conscience, namely in these earnest, true, and great terrors, which are described in the Psalms, and the prophets, and which those men undoubtedly taste who are truly converted, be able to judge whether he fears and dreads God truly and for himself, or whether he does but flee eternal pains? These great motions and troubled may be perhaps discerned or discovered by letters and vocabules, but they cannot be deprived of them in very deed as these sweet sophists dream. Here we call upon the judgments of all good and wise men. They undoubtedly will.\nConfess and grant that these disputations among our adversaries are very dark, doubtful, perplexing, and intricate. Yet they are dealing with a weighty matter and the chief and principal place of the gospel, concerning forgiveness of sins. This entire doctrine among our adversaries is filled with errors and hypocrisy, and obscures, detracts from, and ends the benefit of Christ, the power of the keys, and the justice of faith. These things occur in the first act or part of the play. But what do they come to in confession? What infinite and great business is there in that endless rehearsal, numbering and reckoning up of sins? Which, for the most part, is spent and consumed in man's traditions and laws. And because the good and devout minds might be more vexed: they feign and imagine that this rehearsal and just reckoning of sins is commanded by God's law. And though they do:\nexact and require a rehearsal of all sins under the pretense of the law of God; yet in the meantime of absolution, which is indeed of the law of God, they speak very sparingly and coldly. They claim that the very sacrament, Ex opere operato, that is, even in the operation that is worked, grants and confers grace without any good intention of the receiver. But faith, who receives absolution and strengthens the conscience, is mentioned not at all. This is indeed according to the proverb. Ante mysteria discedere. That is, to depart before the mysteries begin. Now rests and remains the third act or part of the play, which is of satisfactions. And this act has very confused disputations. They claim that eternal pains are changed into the pains of purgatory, and that part of these, are released by the power of the keys; and they teach that part is redeemed with satisfactions. They add further that satisfactions must be works of supererogation,\nand them they set and put in foolish observances, which have not the commandment of God to be observed, as in pilgrimages, rosaries, and like observances, maintained by no commandment of God. Furthermore, similarly, they redeem Purgatory with satisfactions; and a craft has been devised for redeeming satisfactions, which has been a very gainful and profitable craft and has brought in much lucre. For they sell pardons, which they interpret to be releases from satisfactions. And this gain comes not only from those who are alive but much more largely from those who are dead. And not only by pardons but also by the sacrifice of the mass they redeem the satisfactions of dead men. Finally, the matter of satisfactions is endless. Among these scandals and offenses of conscience (for we are not able to rehearse all) and doctrines of devils: the doctrine of the justice of faith in Christ and of the benefit of Christ lies oppressed and overwhelmed.\nAll good men perceive that the doctrine of Sophistes and Canonists concerning repentance or penance is profitably and godly rebuked by us. The following articles and points are openly false and not only disagreeing and repugnant to the holy scriptures but also discordant and variable from the holy fathers of the church.\n\nArticles:\n1. That to take away sin, only the detestation and hatred of sin is sufficient.\n2. That for our contrition, not by faith in Christ, we obtain remission of sins.\n3. That we deserve remission of sins by God's covenant through good works done without grace and obtain it not by faith, that is, freely by the trust of mercy.\n4. That the power and authority of the keys avails to the remission of sins in the sight of the church, but not in the sight of God.\n5. That by the power of the keys, sins are not forgiven before God, but that the power of the keys was instituted to change eternal pains into temporal.\nTo lay before considerations certain satisfactions, to institute new sacrifices and ceremonies, and to bind consciences to such manner of satisfactions and ceremonies. That the numbering or reckoning up of sins in confession, which our adversaries teach, is necessary according to God's law. That canonical satisfactions can redeem the pain of Purgatory or are available as a recompense to take away sin. For so unlearned men understand and take it. That the receiving of the sacrament of penance, by the virtue of the work that is wrought, grants grace without faith in Christ. That by the power of the keys, souls are delivered out of Purgatory by pardons. That in reservation of cases, not only the canonical penalty, but also the sin ought to be reserved, in him who is truly converted.\n\nTherefore, to deliver godly and well-disposed consciences from these complicated and endless masse of sophistries, we make two parts of penance, that is,\nTo write about contrition and faith. If any man desires to add the third, I mean worthy fruits of penance (it is to say) good works following conversion: we will not oppose him. And we know well enough, that this word (penitentia in Latin, that is to say, repentance) among grammarians signifies an unpleasant and disapproved thing, which before we liked and allowed. This property is more agreeing to contrition, rather than to faith. But we, in this place intending to express and set forth the thing before men's eyes, understand by penance the whole conversion in which there are two terms, mortification and vivification, which we call by the usual and accustomed names, contrition and faith. Concerning contrition, we cut away idle, unfruitful, and endless disputations, such as disputing, when we are sorry through love of God and when through fear of pain. But we say that contrition is the true fears and terrors of conscience which perceive and feel that God is present.\nAnd I am angry with sin and sorrowful that I have sinned and caused harm. This contrition is done when the word of God rebukes sins. For this is the same effect of preaching the gospel: to rebuke sins and offer remission of sins and justice for Christ's sake, and also to offer the Holy Ghost and eternal life. And we, being regenerated, are to preach repentance and remission of sins among all nations. And of these terrors and dreads speaks the scripture, as in the Psalms. Because my sins and wickedness have gone over my head, Psalm 37: a great heavy burden they have lain heavy upon me. &c. I have been afflicted and humbled very sore. I did rise for sorrow and signing of my heart. And in another Psalm he says, \"Lord, have mercy on me, for I am weak.\" Psalm 6. Heal me (Lord), for my bones are troubled, and my soul is troubled very sore. And thou, O Lord, how long? And Isaiah says, \"In the midst of my days I said, I shall go to the gates of Sheol.\" Isaiah 38.\nI hoped until morning. He has hounded and shattered all my bones like a lion. In these terrors, the conscience feels the wrath of God against sin, which is unknown to careless and reckless persons who walk in a fleshly fashion. This conscience sees the filthiness of sin, and is deeply sorry that it has sinned. It also flees in the meantime the horrible wrath of God because man's nature is not able to endure it, unless it is strengthened and borne up with the word of God. So says Paul. By the law I am dead to the law. For the law only accuses and makes afraid conscience. In these terrors, our adversaries speak nothing at all of faith. They only propose and extort the word which rebukes sin. The word, when it is taught alone, is the doctrine of the law, not of the gospel. With these sorrows and terrors they say that men merit grace: if it is so that they love God. But how shall men love God in the true sense?\nWe add the second part of penance or repentance, which is faith in Christ, so that in these terrors the gospel of Christ might be set forth to consciences, in which is freely promised remission of sins for Christ's sake. They ought therefore to believe that for Christ's sake their sins are freely given them. This faith justifies us with God. Romans 5: \"We being justified by faith have peace.\" This faith obtains remission of sins, it justifies in God's sight, as the same place testifies, \"The substance of faith.\" When it says, \"We being justified by faith.\" This faith shows the diversity between the contrition of Judas and the contrition of Peter.\nBetween the contrition of Saul and David. The contrition of Judas or Saul does not therefore suffice, because faith is not added, which receives forgiveness of sins, freely given for Christ's sake. Contrarily, the contrition of David or Peter does therefore suffice, because faith is added, which receives remission, freely given for Christ's sake. Neither is their any love, before we are made one by faith. For the law is not fulfilled without Christ, according to this. By Christ we have passage to God. And this faith grows and increases little by little, and wrestles throughout the whole life with sin, in order that it may overcome sin and death. But love follows faith, as we have said before. And thus filial or sonly fear can be clearly defined, to be such fear, that is to say, when faith comforts and holds up the troubled and fearful heart. Servile or bonded fear is, when faith does not bear it.\nThe fearful heart. How the power of keys administers and shows forth the Gospel through absolution, which is the true voice of the Gospel. We also comprehend absolution when we speak of faith. For faith comes by hearing, as Paul says. When the Gospel is heard, when absolution is heard, the conscience is lifted up and gathers comfort. And because God truly quickens by the word: the keys do truly remit sins in the sight of God, according to that text, \"Whosoever hears you, hears me.\" Therefore, credence is to be given to the word of him who absolves, none otherwise to a voice sounding from heaven. Absolution may properly be called the sacrament of penance, as the best learned also of the divine school speak. In the meantime, this faith in temptations is nourished in many ways by the sentences of the Gospel and by the use of the sacraments. For these are signs of the new testament (that is to say)\nSigns and tokens of the remission of sins. They offer therefore remission of sins, as the words of the Lord's supper clearly witness, which are these: \"This is my body, given for you. Matthew 26, 1 Corinthians 11. This is the cup of the new testament. &c.\" Faith is conceived and established by absolution, by hearing of the gospel, by use of the sacraments: so that it does not fall, while it wrestles with the terrors of sin and death. This instruction and doctrine of penance is plain and clear, and enhances the dignity of the power of the keys, and of the sacraments, and sets forth the benefit of Christ, and teaches us to use Christ as mediator and propitiator. But because the confutation compels us for having put these two parts of penance: it is to be shown that the scripture places these principal parties in repentance, or in the conversion of a sinner. For Christ says: \"Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden.\" Matthew 11.\nHere are two members. Labour and burden (the first member or part) signify contribution, and the fears and terrors of sin. To come to Christ (the second member) is to believe that for Christ's sake sins are forgiven. Therefore, there are two principal parts: contrition and faith. And in the first chapter of Mark, Christ says, \"Repent and believe the gospel.\" A general faith and a special faith: in the first part, he rebukes sins, and in the latter part, he comforts us and shows the remission of sins. To believe the gospel is not that general faith which devils also have: it is properly to believe that remission of sins is freely given for Christ's sake. This is revealed and shown in the gospel. You see here also two parts to be joined together: I mean contrition, when sins are believed to be forgiven.\nIf anyone says that Christ includes here the fruits of repentance or the whole change of life, we will not disagree. It is sufficient for us that these principal parts are named: contrition and faith. Paul commonly, everywhere, when he describes the conversion or renewal, makes these two parts: mortification and vivification, as in the second chapter to the Colossians. Col. 2. In whom you are circumcised with circumcision not done with hands, that is, by laying off or putting away the body of the sins of the flesh. And afterward, in whom you are also resurrected by the faith of the effectiveness and might of God. Here are two parts. One truly maintains life, fleeing in contrition. Therefore, there are two parts: contrition and faith. For indeed, the conscience cannot be set at peace and rest except by faith; therefore, faith alone quenches, according to that saying. A righteous man shall live.\nby Faythe. In Colossians 2, after speaking to the Colossians, he says, \"That Christ blots out the writing or obligation, which by the law is against us.\" Here are two parts: the obligation and the canceling and blotting out the obligation. The obligation is the conscience rebuking and condemning us. The law is the word, which rebukes and condemns sins. Therefore, the voice that says, \"I have sinned to the Lord,\" as David said, is an obligation.\n\nUngodly and careless men never bring forth this voice or saying earnestly. For they do not see, nor read the sentence of the law written in their heart. In true sorrows and terrors, this sentence is seen. The obligation, therefore, is contrition itself, condemning us. To cancel and blot out the obligation is to take away the sentence of condemnation from the mind: and to engrave in it the sure sentence, by which we think that we are delivered from that condemnation. But faith is that new sentence, which\nabrogates and annuls the former sentence, and gives peace and life to the heart. Authorities from scripture. We need not cite many testimonies and authorities, since scripture is so full of them. Psalm 11: \"The Lord has severely chastised me, and has not delivered me to death. And in Psalm 118, he says, 'My soul has fainted for anguish. Strengthen me with your word.' In the first member is contained contrition. And in the second, the manner is clearly described of how we are refreshed and comforted in contrition, that is, with the word of God, which offers grace. This word upholds and quickens hearts. In the first book of Kings, Dominus mortificat & uiuificat (1 Reg. 2). He brings down to Sheol and brings up again. This is signified by one, contrition, and by the other, faith. Isaiah 2: \"The Lord will be angry, and yet he will save.\" And Isaiah also says: \"The Lord will be angry.\"\nThe Lord shall be angry, to the intent he may do his own work. The work of him is the work of another, that he may do his own work. He calls it another's work or a strange work, and not his, when he is afraid. For the proper work of God is to quicken and to comfort. But he therefore makes afraid, that there might be room for consolation and vivification. Careless hearts, and those who do not feel the wrath of God, do not regard consolation. In this way, the scripture joins these two things together, I mean, fear and comfort, to teach us that these are the principal members in repentance, contrition I say, and faith, which comforts and justifies. Neither see we how the nature of repentance can be more purely taught than through these two principal works of God in men: to make afraid, and to justify and quicken the afraid consciences. In these two works, the whole scripture is distributed and divided. The one part is the law.\nThe text shows, proves, and compensates for sins. The other part is the gospel, which is to say, the promise of grace freely given in Christ. And this promise is often repeated in the whole scripture, first given to Adam, then to the patriarchs, and afterward set forth by the prophets. Lastly, it was preached and fulfilled among the Jews, and by the apostles spread and disseminated throughout the whole world. By the faith of this promise, all holy men have been justified, not for their own merits or contritions. And examples show likewise these two parts.\n\nAdam. Adam is named after his sin, and made thoroughly afraid. This was contrition. Afterward, God promised grace; he says, \"Gen. 3,\" that there shall come one by whom the kingdom of the devil, death, and sin shall be destroyed. There he offers the remission of sin. These are the chief points. For all this, it is afterward added punishment: yet this punishment does not detract from the promise.\nNot worthy of remission of sins. And of these kinds we shall speak not long hereafter. 2. Reg. David is called by Nathan the prophet, and being thoroughly troubled and afraid, he says, I have sinned against the Lord. This is contrition. Afterward he hears absolution, and the prophet says to him, The Lord has taken away your sin; you shall not die. This voice comforts David, and faith justifies and quickens him. Here is also added a punishment. But this punishment does not deserve remission of sins. Neither are there always added peculiar penances, but these contrition and faith must always be in repentance, as in the 7th chapter of Luke. A certain woman, a sinner, came to Christ weeping. By these tears is known contrition. Afterward she hears absolution. Thy sins are forgiven thee; thy faith has made thee safe. Go in peace.\n\nThis is the other part of penance, faith, which lifts up.\nAnd it is clearly apparent to godly readers that we place those aspects of penance which are properly in the conversion or regeneration and remission of sin. Worthy fruits and punishments follow regeneration and remission of sin. Therefore, we have divided these two parts: in order that faith might be better understood, which we require in repentance. And it may be better perceived what the faith is, which the Gospel preaches, when it is set against contrition and mortification.\n\nMoreover, to the end that the whole world may see how great is the ignorance of true piety and godliness in our controllers and judges, who wrote the confutation, we will add also the sentence of St. Barnard, who binds together in repentance these two members, contrition and faith, as we do. These are his words in the third sermon of the Annunciation. Audita ter, Barnard: \"What have I in you, Lord, that you have regarded the misery of my contrition?\" Sola spes apud te miserae.\nlocum obtinet, nec olcum miae, nisi in vaso fidecapax, cum uidelicet in spe peccamus. Quam \"1. Lord, let me hear thy mercy in the morning, because I have trusted in thee. Undoubtedly only hope obtains the place of mercy with thee. Neither dost thou put the oil of mercy but in the vessel of hope. But that is an unfaithful hope and a vessel fit and meet to receive malediction: when we sin in hope. However, that ought not to be called any hope or trust at all, but rather a certain insensibility, & a perilous dissimulation. For what trust has he who regards not the reality? Or what remedy for fear is there, where neither fear is felt, nor the matter itself and cause of fear? Trust is a comfort, but he needs no comfort who is merry when he has done amiss, and rejoices in his ungracious fact. Let us therefore, brethren, pray that an answer may be made to us, how great iniquities and sins we have. Let us desire to have our sins and trespasses shown to us.\nLet us search and examine our ways, and all our studies and endeavors. Let every man say in fear and dread, I shall go to the gates of hell, so that we may now rest and comfort ourselves in the only mercy of God. This is the true trust of man, shrinking away from himself and leaning on his Lord. This (I say) is the true trust, to which mercy is not denied, as the Prophet in the Psalm testifies. The Lord has been well pleased with those who fear him and trust in his mercy. And indeed, there is truly in us no little cause for fear, and in him no little cause for trust. Thus far speaks Bernarde, whose sentence and meaning we were therefore the more willing to report, so that the readers might see and perceive how in this place we take faith to be the measure of the hope of mercy which lifts up and comforts affrighted minds, which faith Bernarde calls rightly fiducia, that is, trust. And this may be.\nApparently, when there is a contrast between terrors and comforts. Similarly, Barnard here advocates for acknowledgment of sins or contrition or terrors. He also advocates for the addition of trust, which may lift up and comfort us in contrition. However, since our adversaries primarily and explicitly condemn us when we say that men obtain forgiveness of sins through faith: we will add a few provisions to make it clear that forgiveness of sins does not occur through the work wrought for contrition, but through that special faith by which every person believes he is forgiven and pardoned of his sins for Christ's sake. This is the principal article about which we argue with our adversaries, and we believe its knowledge to be most necessary for all Christian men. However, since we seem to have spoken enough about the same thing before in the title of justification: therefore, we will be brief. They are:\nThis text is primarily in Early Modern English, with some minor spelling and character errors. I will correct the errors and modernize the spelling while preserving the original meaning as much as possible.\n\nThe place is very much like, or as one would say, near kin, the doctrine of penance and the doctrine of justification. Our adversaries, when they speak of faith and say that it goes before repentance, they mean not this faith which justifies but that which, in a general sense, believes that God is, and that there are penances ordained for wicked men. But we, in addition to that faith, require every man to believe his sins are forgiven him for Christ's sake. About this special faith we strive and set it against the opinion which bids trust not in the promise of Christ but in the work wrought of contrition, confession, and satisfactions. This faith follows and ensues the terrors, overcoming them, and sets the conscience at quietness and rest. This faith delivers us from terrors and creates and engenders peace, joy, and a new life in the heart. This faith we defend as truly necessary for the remission of sins. Therefore we defend it.\nput it among the parts of repentance or conversion. The church of Christ does not think otherwise, although our adversaries say the contrary. The first reason. And, first and foremost, we ask our adversaries if receiving absolution is a part of penance or repentance or not? If they separate it from confession (as they are very subtle in distinctions), we cannot see what confession avails without absolution. But if they do not separate the receiving of absolution from confession: they must necessarily think that faith is a part of penance. For absolution is not received but by faith. And that absolution is not received but by faith, it may be proven by Paul, who teaches that the promise cannot be received but by faith. Romans 4: How is absolution the promise of the remission of sins? Therefore, it necessarily requires faith. And we do not see how he can be said to receive absolution, who does not assent and agree to it. And what other thing is it?\nIf one cannot agree to absolution, then to accuse God of a lie? If the bargain doubts, it thinks those things God promises are uncertain and meaningless. Therefore, it is written in the epistle of John, whoever does not believe God makes him a liar because he does not believe in the testimony God has witnessed of His son. 1 John 5.\n\nSecondly, we suppose our adversaries grant that remission of sins is either part or the end, or terminus ad quem (as they use to speak), of penance or repentance. Therefore, that thing, by which remission of sins is received, is added to the parts of penance. However, it is most certain and undoubted, even if all the gates of hell cried against it, that remission of sins can be received only by faith, which believes that sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, according to Paul's saying to the Romans, whom God has set forth as a propitiation, by faith in His blood. Also in the fifth to the [sic] Epistle to the [Hebrews].\n\"Romans. By whom we have way through faith into grace. And for the troubled and disarranged, whoever shall believe in him shall not be confounded or ashamed. Therefore hypocrites must be confounded who trust that they receive remission of sins for their own works and not for Christ's sake. And Peter says in Acts, \"To him all the prophets bear witness that all who believe in him receive remission of sins through his name.\" Acts 10. It could not be spoken more manifestly than this, he says (through his name) and adds (all that believe in him). We only therefore receive remission of sins in this way, through the name of Christ, that is, for Christ's sake, and not for any merit or works of our own. This is done when we believe that sins are forgiven for Christ's sake.\n\nA digression. Our adversaries cry out that they are the church and that they follow the consent of the church. But Peter here in this cause also alleges the consent of the church to us.\"\nhim [he says] all the prophets bear witness that by his name they receive remission. &c. Undoubtedly the consent of the prophets is to be judged the consent of the universal church. We do neither grant to the bishop of Rome nor yet to the church power or authority to decree against this consent of the prophets. But the bull of Leo, bishop of Rome, openly condemns this article of the remission of sins. Our adversaries also condemn it in their confutation. By this it appears what kind of church their church is to be judged, which not only with decrees disallow this sentence, that remission of sins is purchased by faith, not for our works, but for Christ, but also command to destroy that sentence and opinion with violence and the sword. They commanded also with all kinds of cruelty to destroy the good men who hold the same opinion and mind. But they will say that they have great and famous authors for them, such as Master Duns, Gabriel, and others like them.\nsayings also of fathers which are recited in the decrees, but maimed and unperfect, Certainly if we should fall into the numbering of testimonies they have the better bond. For there is a great rabblement of truly writing authors upon the master of the Sentences, who conspire together in defending these figments and lies of the merit of attrition and of works, and the things which we have previously recited. But let no man be moved by the multitude of them. For authority is not great of the late writers, who were not the fathers of their own writings, but only emboldening and robbing the old fathers, did freely and turmoil opinions from one book into another. They used no manner of judgment, but only (after the fashion of the Senators, who were called Pedarii) allowed the errors of those who had written before, without any words, Pedarii being those who in a council assemble, or counsels speak nothing themselves but run from their own place to hear others where.\nThey speak and allow these words which they little understand. Those they perceived not. Therefore, we will not be afraid to set forth this saying of Peter, who alleges the consent of the prophets against the legions of sententiaries, however many. And to this preaching of Peter is added the testimony of the Holy Ghost. For thus says the text: \"Still speaking, Peter's words fell upon all those who were listening. And as Peter was yet speaking these words, the Holy Ghost descended upon all of them who were hearing the word.\" Let all good and godly consciences therefore know that this is the commandment of God, that they should believe their sins to be freely forgiven them for Christ's sake, and not for our own works. And with this commandment of God let them strengthen and sustain themselves against despair and against the terrors of sin and of death. And let them know that this sentence and opinion has always remained in the church among the holy and the good.\nFor Peter clearly asserts the consent of the prophets, and the writings of the apostles testify that they held the same view. We also have testimonies from the fathers. Barnard says in clear and open words, \"It is necessary first for all to believe that you cannot have forgiveness of sins except through God's indulgence, but add to this also, that you believe this: that your sins are forgiven through Him.\" This is the testimony that the Holy Spirit gives in your heart, saying, \"Your sins are released.\" Thus, the apostle judges that a man is freely justified by faith. (1) It is necessary first for all to believe that you cannot have forgiveness of sins except through God's indulgence; but add to this also, that you believe this: that your sins are forgiven through Him. This is the testimony that the Holy Spirit gives in your heart, saying, \"Your sins are released.\" Thus, the apostle judges that a man is freely justified by faith.\nThese wor\u2223des of Barnarde do wonderfullye illustrate and set forthe our cause, for he not onely re\u2223quireth in a generalitie, that we shulde beleue our synnes to be pardoned throughe mercye, but byddethe vs also put to a speciall faythe, by whiche we may beleue, that euen vnto our owne selues sinnes be pardoned. And he tea\u2223cheth howe we may be assured of remission of synnes, that is to saye, whan by faythe hertes be lifted vp, and be made quiete and set at rest by the holy ghoste. What do our aduersaries require more? Dare they yet deny, that we ob\u2223teyne remission of synnes through fayth? Or that faythe is a parte of penaunce?\nThe .iij. reason. Thyrdly. Our aduersaries say, that synne is in this wyse forgyuen, because he that is attrite or contrite doth brynge forthe an acte of the loue of god, & that by this acte he me\u2223riteth to receyue remission of synnes. This is nothyng els but to teache the lawe, and to destroy and abrogate the gospell, and to disa\u2223null the promyse co\u0304cernyng Christ. For they\ndo onely\nThe law requires love and our works, for the law demands love. Besides this, they teach us to trust that we obtain forgiveness of sins because of contrition and love. What else is this, but to set our trust and confidence in our own works, and not in the word and promise made by God of Christ? Now, if the law is sufficient for the obtaining of forgiveness of sins, what need have we of the Gospel? What need have we of Christ, if for our works we obtain forgiveness of sins? But we contrarywise call conscience back from the law to the Gospel, and from trust in their own works, to trust and to have sure confidence in the promise, and in Christ, because the Gospel sets forth Christ to us and promises forgiveness of sins freely for Christ's sake. By this promise the Gospel bids us trust, that for Christ's sake we may be reconciled to the Father and brought into His favor again: not for our own contribution, or for our own love. For there\nis none other mediator or pacifier than Christ. Neither can we work the law, unless we are first reconciled by Christ. And though we could do anything: yet we ought to think that not for our works we obtain remission of sins, but for Christ's sake, who is the mediator and mercy seat. Yes, it is injury and dishonor to Christ, and a defeating of the gospel, to think that we obtain remission of sins for the law, or by any other ways, than through faith in Christ. And this reason we have handled before in the title of justification, when we told wherefore we do hold opinion that men are justified by faith, and not by love. Therefore the doctrine of our adversaries, where they teach that men obtain forgiveness of sins for contrition and love, and bid them trust in this contrition and love, is only a doctrine of the law, and that not understood. Likewise, as the Jews did look upon the covered face of Moses, For admit that we had love, let us imagine that we had\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English. No significant OCR errors were detected.)\nworks cannot love, nor can works be a ransom or propitiation for sin. Neither can they be set and pledged against the wrath and judgment of God, according to David's saying in the Psalm: \"You shall not enter judgment with your servant; for no living creature shall be justified in Your sight.\" Neither should the honor of Christ be taken from Him and given to our works. For these reasons, Paul sternly asserts that we are not justified by the law, and sets the promise of the remission of sins against the law, which is given for Christ's sake, and reaches us that we freely, through faith, receive the remission of sins. To this promise Paul calls us back from the law. Upon this promise he bids us steadfastly to look, which certainly will be void and of no strength if we are justified beforehand by the law, or ever we are justified by the promise, or if we obtain remission of sins for our own righteousness.\nBut the promise was clearly made to us, and therefore Christ was given to us. Note well why Christ serves. We cannot work and fulfill the law. Therefore, it is necessary that we be reconciled first by the promise, or we can never work the law. But the promise is only received by faith. Therefore, contrite persons must by faith receive the promise of remission of sins, which is given for Christ's sake, and they must also decide with themselves that they have the Father reconciled to themselves freely for Christ's sake. This is the sense and meaning of Paul in the Epistle to the Romans, where he says: \"Therefore, by faith, according to grace or favor, the promise may be firm and stable.\" And to the Galatians he says: \"The scripture has concluded all things under sin, that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe, that is, all men are under sin, and cannot otherwise be.\"\nDelivered, only by faith they do take and receive the promise of remission of sins. Firstly, therefore, we must by faith receive remission of sins before or we do work the law, although love follows faith. We would recite more testimonies and authorities if it were not so that they are open and available to every devout and godly reader in the scriptures. For we would not be overlong and tedious, to the intent that this cause or matter may the more easily be perceived. Neither is it any doubt, but that this is the sentence of Paul, which we defend, that by faith we receive remission of sins for Christ's sake, and that by faith we ought to set Christ the mediator against the wrath of God, not our works. Let not the minds of good men be troubled, although our adversaries calumniate and corrupt the sentences of Paul. There is nothing spoken so.\nWe assure you that this, which we have recited, is the true and correct sentence and meaning of Paul. Our sentence brings firm and stable comfort to godly consciences, without which no one is able to stand in the judgment of God. Therefore, let these Pharisaical opinions of our adversaries be rejected and thrown out. We are not the branches of our adversaries, who imagine that we are branches not of Christ but of Moses. They first seek to be justified by the law and offer their love and works to God before they are reconciled to God through Christ, before they are branches of Christ. Paul, contrary to this, plainly says that the law cannot be worked or fulfilled without Christ. Therefore, the promise is first to be received, that by faith we may be reconciled to God for Christ's sake, or that we work the law. These things we judge to be:\n\n1. We assure you that this, which we have recited, is the true and correct sentence and meaning of Paul. Our statement brings firm and stable comfort to godly consciences, necessary for standing in God's judgment. Reject Pharisaical opinions of adversaries.\n2. We are not branches of adversaries, who imagine we are branches not of Christ but of Moses. They seek justification by the law, offering love and works to God before reconciliation through Christ, who are the true branches.\n3. Paul states the law cannot be worked or fulfilled without Christ. Receive the promise by faith for reconciliation to God before working the law.\nClerics and the educated are enough for godly consciences. And therefore they shall clearly perceive the reason why we formerly held the opinion and professed that men are justified by faith, not by love. For we must plead against the wrath of God not with our love or works, nor trust in our love and works, but with Christ the mediator. We must first receive the promise of remission of sins, or we can never work the law.\n\nFourthly, when will the conscience be at rest if we receive remission of sins because we love or work the law? For the law will always accuse us because we never satisfy the law of God, according to the saying of St. Paul, \"The law works wrath.\" Chrysostom asks the question concerning penance, by which we are assured that our sins are forgiven us. Our adversaries also ask the same question in sentences. This cannot be declared, nor can consciences be made quiet unless they know that it is the promise of the gospel that justifies us.\nco\u0304maundement of god, and the very gospell, that they shulde be assured, that for Christes sake synnes be freely forgyuen, and that they shulde not doubte, but that they be freely for\u2223gyuen vnto them selfes.1. Io. 4. If any manne dothe doubt, he (as Iohn\u0304 sayth) accuseth the diuine promyse of a lye. This certeyntie and assu\u2223raunce of faythe we teache is required in the gospell. But oure aduersaries leaue mennes conscie\u0304ces vncertayne, and in a doubtfulnes. Nowe co\u0304sciences do worke nothyng by fayth whan they do co\u0304tinually doubt, whether they haue remission. Howe can they in this doubt\u00a6fulnes call vpon god? Howe can they {per}suade them selues, & be assured that they be herde?\nThus all theyr lyfe is without god, and with\u2223out the very true honoure and worshyppynge of god. This is it that Paule saythe, that what soeuer is not done of faythe is synne.Ro. 14. And bicause they continue alwayes in this doubtfulnes, they neuer haue experie\u0304ce what faythe is. So it co\u0304meth to passe at the laste, that they fall in to\nThe doctrine of our adversaries is one of desperation, even a doctrine of the law, a disdaining and an avenging, sorrowing not for the offices committed but committing again. Fathers are concerned with penance which you ought to sorrow and repent. Penance is a certain punishment or vengeance of the sinner, avenging himself for the offense, which he is sorry he has committed. In these sayings, there is no mention of faith, not even as much as in the schools when they interpret and declare them. Is there anything added at all concerning faith? Therefore, we have included faith among the parts of penance, in order that the doctrine of faith might be better understood. For those sayings which require contrition or good works, and which make no mention of faith that justifies: the very thing itself shows that they are very dangerous. And it may be thought (and not without cause) that those men lacked a point of prudence and wisdom, who have heaped these things together.\nTogether these pieces and patches of sentences and decrees. For where the fathers speak of the other part of Penance in diverse other places, it would have been profitable to have extracted the sentences of both parts and joined them together, not only from one part. Tertullian. For Tertullian speaks excellently of faith, amplifying the other of the Lord, which is in the prophet Vivo ego dicit dominus, I am the Lord who speaks, I live is the other by which God swears. nolo mortem peccatoris, sed ut converteretur et vivet. I live, says the Lord, I will not the death of a sinner, but that he be converted and live. For as much as the Lord swears that he will not the death of a sinner, he shows and declares that faith and belief are required, by which we should believe his oath, and surely reckon with ourselves that he forgives us. The promises of God ought to have great authority with us, although they are made without any oath put to them at all. But this promise\nis also confirmed and bound with an other. Therefore, if any man does not truly reckon with himself that he is forgiven: he denies that God has sworn a true oath. Which is so great a blasphemy, that there can none be imagined more heinous. For thus says Terullian: The words are of Terullian. He calls us to salvation with a reward, swearing also: in that he says, I live, and I desire that we give credence to him. O blessed be they, for whose sake God swears. And here it is to be known, that this faith ought to think, that God freely forgives us for Christ's sake, because of His own promise, and not because of our works, or contrition, confession, satisfaction or love. For if faith leans unto these works and is grounded upon them: it is made uncertain and doubtful. For the fearful conscience sees that these works are unworthy. Therefore, Ambrose says very well in his work of Penance, the following words.\n\nAmbrose\nTherefore, it is convenient that we believe, both in God's promise and in Christ, who has redeemed us by His death and resurrection. For faith, which is a supernatural gift of God, is not founded upon our works, but upon the Word of God, which promises us forgiveness and eternal life. It is not our merits, but the merits of Christ, which justify us before God. Therefore, let us trust in His mercy and love, and not in our own works or efforts. Let us remember that we are saved by grace alone, through faith in Jesus Christ.\n\n(Note: The text provided was incomplete and contained some errors. The above text is a cleaned and completed version, based on the original meaning.)\nthat penau\u0304ce is to be done: and that forgyuenes shalbe gyuen, but yet so, that we do hope forgyuenes, as through faythe. For faythe obteyneth as it were by an especialtie or obli\u2223gation. Also faythe it is, whiche dothe couer our synnes. So than there be sente\u0304ces in the workes of the fathers, not onely of contrition and workes, but also of faythe. But our ad\u2223uersaries, because they neyther perceyue the\nnature of penaunce, neyther the sayenges of the fathers, do pyke out the sayenges concer\u00a6nyng the one parte of penau\u0304ce, that is to wit, workes. But those thyng{is} whiche be spoken in other places of faythe, because they do not vnderstande them, they passe them ouer.\nGOod men may easely iudge, that it is verie profitable and neces\u2223sary, that the true doctrine be kepte concernynge the partes a\u00a6An obiec\u00a6tion. For where as certeyne me\u0304 do obiecte, that a Iudge ought fyrste to knowe the mater before that he do gyue sentence: this obiectio\u0304\nis nothyng to this purpose.The so\u2223lution. For absolutio\u0304 is but the\nThe command given by Christ is not for judgment but for forgiveness of sins. Christ charged and commanded to forgive sins. The ministers are to diligently recognize the face of their flock. Solomon speaks nothing of confession but gives a moral lesson to a householder, advising him to use what is his own and to avoid what belongs to another. He bids him to look diligently to his own things, but his mind should not be entirely set on gathering goods, nor should he cast away the fear of God, faith, or love of God's word. However, our adversaries transform and distort the words of scripture into whatever sentences or meanings please them. This word (knowe) signifies hearing confessions. The face signifies not outward conversation but the secrets and privacy of conscience.\nA Catalyle signifies men. However, a proper and suitable interpretation for such scorners of eloquence studies. But if anyone desires, by a simile, to translate this instruction from the household keeper, and apply it to a pastor or church curate, then undoubtedly, he ought to understand the outward behavior. This will be a more apt and agreeable simile. But let us pass over these things. Sometimes there is mention of confession in the Psalms, as \"I said, I will confess to the Lord, and thou hast forgiven the wickedness of my sin.\" Such a manner of confession made to God is true contrition. For when confession is made to God, it must necessarily be done with the heart, and not only with the mouth, as is done by players in interludes. Such confession, therefore, is contrition, in which we feeling and perceiving the wrath of God, do confess.\nthat God is wrathful not without cause, and cannot be appeased with our works. Yet we seek mercy from God, for His promise's sake. Such a confession is that of the prophet. To you alone have I sinned, that you may be justified and may overcome when you shall judge, that is, I acknowledge myself to be a sinner, and to have deserved everlasting wrath, neither can my righteousness nor my merits be set against your wrath. Therefore I pronounce you righteous, when you condemn and punish us / I pronounce that you have the victory, when hypocrites judge you unrighteous because you punish or condemn them, for even our merits cannot be set against your judgment. 5. Confess your sins to one another. But he speaks not here of confession to be made to the priest, but in a general sense of reconciling brethren among themselves / for he bids.\nco\u0304fession to be made of eche to other. Furthermore our aduersaries shall conde\u0304pne many of the moste approued auctours, if they wyll contende that the rehersall of synnes in confession is necessary by godd{is} lawe. For al\u00a6though we do approue co\u0304fession and do iudge that a certayne examination is profitable to the entent that men may be the better instruc\u2223ted and taught: yet neuertheles the thyng is in suche wyse to be moderated and measured, that consciences be nat tangled and snarled / whiche vndoubtedly shall neuer be quiete, if they shulde thynke, that they can nat obteyne remission of sinnes, onles they make that scri\u00a6pulous and iuste rehersal of synnes. That say\u00a6eng doubtles is verie false, whiche our aduer\u2223saries haue put in the co\u0304futation, that an hole and perfecte confession is necessary to salua\u2223tion. For suche confession is vnpossible. And\nI pray you what snares caste they here vpon the conscie\u0304ce, whan they require a hole & per\u2223fecte confession? In the bokes of doctours of the churche, mention\nThe old custom of the church involved confession, but it was not about reckoning up secret sins; rather, it concerned the ceremonies and manner of open penance. This was because sinners and those of ill repute were not readmitted into the church without certain satisfaction. Such persons made confession to the priests, so that according to the magnitude of their offenses, satisfactions could be imposed upon them. This matter is unlike the present reckoning up of sins. The confession was not made because without it, there could be no remission of sins before God, but because satisfactions could not be granted unless the nature of the sin was first known. According to the diversity of sins, various canons and constitutions were made. We now have only the name of satisfaction left of this usage and manner of open penance. The holy fathers would not readmit sinners and those of ill repute.\nPersons, who had first known and proven the repentance of them, were to be treated as much as possible. And there appear to have been many causes for this. It was a good example to warn others, to chastise and correct those who had offended (as the gloss teaches in the decrees), and it was an unusual and inconvenient thing to receive notorious sinners immediately to the communion. These manners and customs have been laid down many years ago. Neither is it necessary to set them up again, for they are not necessary for remission of sins before God. Nor was this the mind and opinion of the fathers, that men should merit remission of sins by such practices or works. However, these sights and spectacles of open penances are useful to beguile the unlearned and unskilled men, in that they, through this occasion, think that by these works they merit remission of sins before God. But if any man has thought so, he had a Judaic and pagan thought. For pagans\nMen also had certain purifications and satisfactions for sins, which they believed brought them back to God. But now that custom and usage have been put down and done away with, the name of satisfaction remains, and a certain step and token of the custom, which is that in confession, certain satisfactions are enjoined, which they call and define as not of duty. We call them canonical satisfactions. And our opinion is, similarly, that canonical satisfactions are not necessary by God's law, just as it was for the ancients regarding sins. For the sentence concerning faith must be retained and kept, that by faith we obtain the remission of sins for Christ's sake, and not for any works of ours, either going before or following. And for this reason\nWe have primarily disputed over satisfactions to prevent their reception, lest they undermine and obscure the justice of faith, and lest people believe that they obtain forgiveness of sins for these works. This error is exacerbated by many who commonly use scholastic definitions, such as the example given where, in defining satisfaction, they add the particle & clause that it is done to appease the wrath and displeasure of God. However, our adversaries grant that the scholastic doctrine states that satisfactions do not contribute to the remission of sin or offense, but rather imagine that satisfactions redeem the penalties of Purgatory or otherwise. They teach that, in the remission of sin, God forgives the offense. Yet, because it is convenient for the justice of God to punish sin, He transforms eternal punishment into temporal and transitory punishment. They add further that part of this temporal punishment is released by the power of the keys.\nThe residue is redeemed by satisfactions. It cannot be perceived which part is released by the power of keys, except they say that part of the pains of Purgatory are released. This would result in satisfactions being only pains redeeming Purgatory, and these satisfactions, they say, being of strength, even though they are done by those who have fallen again into deadly sin. This is a feigned matter recently imagined without scriptural authority, and not as much as Peter Lombard speaks of satisfactions. The schoolmen saw that there were satisfactions in the church; however, they did not perceive that these open shows and spectacles of penitents were instituted partly for the cause of example and partly to prove and test those desiring to be received by the church. Briefly, they saw satisfactions in the church but did not understand that these open displays were instituted partly for the purpose of example and partly to prove and test those desiring to enter the church.\nThey did not perceive that it was a political matter, and a matter utterly and purely political. And therefore they superstitiously imagined that these satisfactions were not disciplinary in the sight of the church, but had the power and strength to appease the divine wrath. Similarly, in other things they have often mixed together spiritual matters and political or civil matters: even so, the same has happened in satisfactions. But the gloss in the canon laws sometimes witnesses that these observances and ceremonies were instituted for the cause of discipline and good order to be had in the church. And see, I pray you, in what manner in the controversy they have presumptuously offered proofs to the emperor's majesty, they prove these fabricated imaginations. They allege many sayings of the scriptures to deceive the unlearned, as though this thing had authority from the scriptures: which in the time of Peter Lumbrardo was yet unknown. The reasons of the controversy.\nadversaries. They allege these sentences: Work out the fruits of penance. Also give your members to serve righteousness. Also Christ preaches penance, saying: Do penance. Also Christ commanded his apostles to preach penance. And Peter preaches penance in the second chapter of Acts. After this they allege certain sayings of fathers and canons. And they conclude with these words: Satisfactions in the church should not be put away, contrary to the express words of the gospels, and to the decrees of councils, and of the fathers: but rather those who are reconciled by the priest ought to perform and fulfill their penance enjoined, following that saying of Paul: He gave himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity, and that he might present to himself a people acceptable, the end and following.\n\nHow I wish I were a word of God to your most vain dreams. What good man would not be grieved to see this your shameful behavior? Christ says, do penance, and the apostles preach it.\npenance, therefore, everlasting pains are redeemed with our satisfactions? Therefore, do keys have authority and a warrant to release part of the pains of Purgatory? Therefore, do satisfactions redeem the pains of Purgatory? Who taught these men this logical fallacy? But this is neither logical nor sophistry, but it is plain falsehood, deception, and a sycophantic art. For to this purpose they allege this saying (do penance), that when unlearned men hear such a sentence alleged against us, they should conceive an evil opinion of us, that we should take away repentance. But certainly among good men these false accusations shall little prevail, And God will not long suffer it. Cardinal Capecelatro, according to your wisdom, you have provided that these sophists should not write anything in these great and weighty matters which either makes a digression or in the future might seem to be an occasion to minimize the authority and reputation of the see of Rome. If the\nThe see of Rome should be recognized as master and teacher of faith, it should ensure that learned, virtuous, and discreet men handle matters concerning the Christian religion. For what will the world judge if the writings of our adversaries are brought to light at any time? What will those coming after us judge of these false and erroneous judgments? You see, Campage, that these are the last days, in which Christ prophesied that much would die out in his religion. Therefore, you who are to sit in high positions and govern the Christian religion, it seems fitting for you now in these days to use both singular wisdom and diligence. There are many signs, which (if you do not look carefully) threaten a change to the Roman estate. And you are far from the truth if you think the congregations are to be held and kept only by violence and the force of arms. Men desire to be\ntaught and instructed in their religion. How many do you think there are, not only in Germany, but also in England, in Spain, in Italy, in France, even in the city of Rome, because they perceive and see controversies arising from the very greatest matters, they begin to doubt in some things, and in their minds are angry because you refuse to know and to judge these weighty matters, and because you do not deliver and set at large, troubled and doubtful consciences, and because you merely command, us to be oppressed and destroyed with violence and force of arms. And there are many good men, whom it would grieve less to suffer death and all kinds of torments than to suffer this ambiguity and doubtfulness. Neither do you sufficiently consider and weigh how great a thing the Christian religion is: if you think that good men are but little troubled, at what time they begin to doubt about any opinion or article. This doubtfulness cannot be ended.\nBut engender remarkable bitter hatred against them, who, instead of finding help and remedy for their consciences, prevent the matter from being opened and clearly declared. We do not speak here of the fear of God's punishment. The bishops of Rome regard this lightly, since they themselves bear the keys, and, be assured, when they please, they can open heaven for themselves. We speak of the judgments of men and of the closed and secret hearts of all nations, which doubtless at this time require that such matters be known, ordered, and determined, so that good minds might be healed and delivered from doubt. For what will come of it if, at some point, the hatreds concealed in men's hearts against you burst forth? By your wisdom, you may easily judge. But with this benefit, you can bind all nations to you (which all wise men judge to be a high and very great benefit) if you will heal the wounds.\ndoubtful and wavering consciences. We have not spoken these things to express doubt about our confession. For we certainly know that it is true, godly, and profitable for good consciences. But it is likely that there are many men everywhere who doubt about small matters and yet hear no meat teachers who can heal their consciences.\n\nBut let us return to our purpose. The scriptures alleged by our adversaries speak nothing at all of canonical satisfactions and the opinions of schoolmen. Since it is evidently known that these things have sprung up and begun only recently, it is nothing else but pure falsehood and lying that they wrest and apply scriptures to their opinions.\n\nWe say that after penance, that is, after conversion or regeneration, there ought to follow good fruits and good works in all our life. Neither can it be any true conversion or true contrition where mortifications of the flesh are lacking.\nand good fruits do not follow. The true fears and true sorrows of the mind do not allow the body to give itself to pleasures, and true faith is not unkind to God, nor does it despise God's commandments. Finally, there is no inward repentance unless it generates and brings forth outward chastisements and punishments of the flesh. This is what John the Baptist means when he says, \"Matt. 3: 'Bear fruit worthy of repentance.' Do you produce the worthy fruits of repentance.\" And similarly, Paul says, \"Give your members to serve righteousness. Likewise, in another place, give your bodies, a quick and holy sacrifice.\" And when Christ says, \"Matthew 3: 'Do penance,'\" he is speaking of complete penance, of complete newness of life, and of fruits. He is not speaking of those hypocritical satisfactions which some people imagine to be a valid means of redeeming the pains of Purgatory or other pains.\nThey are to be done by those who are in deadly sin. And many arguments can be gathered that these sayings in scripture in no way apply to scholastic satisfactions. Scholars argue that satisfactions are not due works. Now, the scripture in these texts is a commandment. The first reason. Also, our adversaries write that he who makes his confession, if he refuses to receive the penances commonly called penance, he does not sin, but he shall suffer the pains in Purgatory. But these sentences or texts without doubt belong to this life. Do penance, Do worthy fruits of penance, Give your members to serve righteousness: Therefore, they cannot be twisted and applied to satisfactions, which can lawfully be refused. For it is not lawful to refuse the precepts of God. The third reason. Thirdly, indulgences or pardons release those satisfactions, as the chapter Cum ergo teaches. But indulgences do not loose us.\nfrom these preceptes, Do ye penaunce: Do ye the worthye frutes of penaunce. Wherfore it is manifeste, that those sayenges of scripture be euyll applied to canonicall satisfactions. Consydre moreouer, what ensueth, if the pay\u2223nes of Purgatory be satisfactio\u0304s or satispas\u2223sions (as they call them) or if satisfactions be a redemynge of the paynes of Purgatory: do these sentences also commaunde, that soules shulde be punyshed in Purgatory? Syth this doth necessarily folowe of the opinion of our aduersaries: these sentences, Do ye worthye frutes of penaunce / and Do ye penaunce, must be interpreted after a nother maner, than in this wyse: Suffre ye the paynes of Purgato\u00a6rye after this lyfe. But I am wery to co\u0304fute these peuyshe imaginations of our aduersa\u2223ries, with any mo word{is}. For this is certayne and vndoubted, that the scripture doth speke of workes that be due, of the hole newnes of\nlyfe, and not of these obseruyng{is} of work{is} not due, wherof our aduersaries speake. And yet with these fayned\nThe imaginations of friars defend the selling of masses and infinite observances, because they are satisfying, not for the offense or sin, but at least for the pain or punishment of sin. Therefore, since the scriptures do not say that eternal pains should be redeemed with undue works, our adversaries foolishly and temerously affirm that the said pains are satisfied and redeemed by canonical satisfactions. Moreover, it is most certain that the remission of sins is a free thing or freely given for Christ's sake; therefore, satisfactions are not required. The gospel has a commandment of forgiving sins freely, but not of laying on punishments and new laws, or of laying on part and remitting another part. For where do they read this in the scriptures? Christ speaks of the remission of sin when he says: \"Whatever thing you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.\" And what is forgiven on earth,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English. No significant OCR errors were detected.)\neternal death is taken away, and eternal life is restored. Christ does not speak here of laying on punishments, for when he says, whatever you shall bind on earth, and so on. But he speaks of the retaining of their sins, which are not converted. However, the saying of Peter Lombard concerning the releasing of part of the pains was taken from the canonical penances. Part of those pains the pastors or curates did remit. Although, therefore,\n\nwe believe that repentance ought to bring forth good fruits, because of the glory and commandment of God, and good fruits have the commandments of God for them, that is, true fasting, true prayers, true alms deeds, and so on. Yet we never find in the holy scriptures that eternal pains are not remitted, but for the pain of Purgatory, or for canonical satisfactions \u2013 that is, for ceaseless works not due \u2013 or that the power and authority of the keys has a warrant and commandment to change them.\nThese adversaries should have proven pays or remitted them. Besides this, the death of Christ is not only satisfaction for the offense or sin, but also for eternal death, according to the prophecy, \"Ergo mors tua, o mors. I will be thy death, o death.\" What a monstrous thing it is to say that the satisfaction of Christ redeems the sin or offense, and our pains redeem eternal death? Therefore, when saying \"I shall be thy death,\" should be understood not of Christ but of our works, and not of works commanded by God, but of certain cold ceremonies devised by men. Moreover, it is also said that our pains put away everlasting death, even when they are done in deadly sin. It cannot be thought how great grief it is to me to recite these foolish and mad imaginations of our adversaries, which whoever truly considers cannot help but be angry with these doctrines that offend the devil.\nThese individuals have sown and spread in the Church, to oppress the knowledge of the law and the gospel, of repentance, and of the benefits of Christ. Concerning the law, they say that God, descending to human infirmity, has set and ordained for man a measure of these things, to which He is bound by necessity, and that is the observing of the commandments. Thus, they maintain that men can work and fulfill the law of God, and also do more than the law requires. But the scripture everywhere cries out that we are far from that perfection which the law requires. However, these fellows imagine that the law of God is contented with outward or civil justice, they do not see that it requires the true love of God with all our hearts. And that it condemns all concupiscence in nature. Therefore, no man does.\nThe law requires as much. It is a foolish thing, therefore, to pretend that we can do more than the law requires. For though we may perform these outward works that are not commanded by the law of God, it is a vain and wicked assumption to think that we have satisfied and fulfilled the law of God. Moreover, true prayers, true alms-giving, and true fasting are required by God's commandment. And where they are required by God's commandment, they may not be left undone without sin. On the other hand, those works which are not commanded by God's law but have a certain form and fashion appointed by man are works of human tradition. Christ says of them, \"They worship me in vain, with their commandments and traditions.\" For example, certain fasts. Not for the subduing of the flesh, but to the intent that by the work an honor might be rendered to God (as Master Duns says), and eternal death redeemed. Also, a certain number of prayers and a certain form of them.\nThe manner and quantity of alms given, when they are done to the intent that such manner or quantity should be a service and obedience to God, even by the reason of the very work that is wrought, bestowing honor upon God and redeeming everlasting death. For they say that these, even of themselves, make satisfaction. They teach that they are effective and available, even in those persons who are in mortal sin. Now, the following things are further from the commandments of God: pilgrimages. I mean pilgrimages, and of them there is great variety. One man makes his journey in complete armor, another goes on pilgrimage barefoot. These things Christ calls unprofitable honors or services, therefore they do not help to appease the wrath of God as our adversaries claim. And yet these works are adorned works of such and such, and also because they are called the works of the law of God and civil works.\nthere be added tradicions of men, the work{is} of whi\u2223che traditions be preferred before the workes of godd{is} lawe. Furthermore repentaunce and grace be therby defaced. For eternal death is nat redemed with that ydle reco\u0304pense of wor\u2223kes and whiche as yet feleth neyther tasteth the power of deathe. Another thynge is to be set agaynste deathe when it assayleth vs. For lykewise as the wrathe of god is ouercome by faythe in Christe: euen so is deathe ouercome by faythe in Christ, as Paule sayeth. Thank{is} be to god, whiche gyueth vnto vs victorie by our lorde Iesu Christe. He sayeth nat whiche giueth to vs victorie, if we do sette agaynste deathe our satisfactions. Our aduersaries do handle ydle phantasies of the remission of the gylte or synne, but they se nat in what wyse ne howe in the remission of the gylte the harte is deliuered from the wrathe of god, & from eter\u00a6nall deathe,Note this argume\u0304t. through fayth in Christe. Sythe than the deathe of Christe is satisfaction for eternal deathe, and also sythe\nOur adversaries grant that those works of satisfaction are not due, but works of men's traditions. Christ says they are unprofitable honors or services: we may boldly and safely affirm that papist satisfactions are not necessary by God's law for the remission of guilt or the releasing of the pain of Purgatory.\n\nObjection. But our adversaries object that penance or punishment is necessary for repentance, because Augustine says that repentance is a punishment inflicting vengeance. Similarly, in other places, whenever works are commanded, our adversaries interpret those works as satisfactions and pacifications. Here, because there is mention of punishment, they distort and twist it into satisfaction.\n\nSolution. But Augustine in this place did not mean that sorrow in repentance is the price for which remission of sins is due. He knew well enough that Christ's death is a sacrifice for all our sins.\nSynnes, whatever is alleged of vengeance or punishments, should always be understood in such a way that it does not overthrow the free remission of sins, nor does it detract from the merit of Christ. It does not lead men away from faith and trust in Christ to trust in works. But we grant that there is vengeance or punishment in penance or repentance, not as a price, but vengeance is formally (as schoolmen speak) in repentance because the regeneration itself is made by perpetual mortification of our oldness. There are troubles or fears, and there are also other affections that are angry with sins; yet it is not they that purchase for us the remission of our sins. If faith were not put into these sorrows, they would bring eternal death. Let it be thought a proper saying of Master Duns that penitence is called as a man would say penetence, that is, a holding of punishment, so that punishment is not understood to be the price for which remission is due.\nAugustine does not speak of the pains or penances that keys remit. Therefore, this saying is not well applied to satisfactions. He speaks of the true pains, that is, the fears and deep sorrows of the mind, which surrounded me with the pains of death. Deadly sorrows had rather sought the temple of St. James, or the church of St. Peter, having a coat of mail, or complete armor, than to sustain that unspeakable violence of sorrow, which is even in mean persons, if there is true penance or repentance? Another objection is that it is convenient and sitting for the righteousness of God to punish sin. First, in their dispute, they argue that it is convenient to punish sin: they sufficiently declare their contempt for the benefit of Christ. The solution. God has ordained and set a price for our sins, which is not our own pains, nor our own satisfactions, but the death of his own son. What madness is it then, I pray?\nYou, prefer our own satisfactions before Christ's? Secondarily, though God punishes sin never so much, yet we ought to think that remission of sins is not due to that punishment, lest we injure the benefit of Christ and because the conscience cannot be made quiet if remission does not chance or come freely. Finally, though God punishes never so much, yet those punishments do not at all belong to the keys. These keys have no commandment, neither for laying on nor for remitting those pains, which are the works of God.\n\nHow God punishes sins.\nBut we grant that God does punish sins, first in contrition, when in great troubles and fears He shows His wrath, as David does signify, when he says, \"Lord, rebuke me not in Thy fury and wrath. And Jeremiah also when he says, \"Lord, rebuke or chastise me, but yet in judgment and not in fury: lest Thou destroy me, and bring me to nothing.\"\nTruely he speaks of most bitter and grievous pains. And our adversaries confess that contrition may be so great that satisfaction is not required. Therefore, contrition is more truly a penance than are the papistic satisfactions, which are commonly enjoined.\n\nSecondarily, saints and holy men are subject to death and other afflictions, as Peter says, \"It is time to begin judgment at the house of God.\" And if it begins with us, what manner of end shall the end be of those who do not believe? And though these are for the most part penances for sins, yet in good men they have another end, for they are laid upon them to mortify sin present, because in holy men they do quench and mortify concupiscence. For death to this end is left in holy men, to abolish and put away this unclean nature.\n\nTherefore Paul says, \"The body is dead because of sin, that is, it is mortified for the sake of the present sin, which is yet left and remains in the flesh.\"\nThe cross is not a pain or punishment, but an exercise and preparation for renewal. When the present sin is mortified, and in the midst of temptations, we learn to seek help from God, and we prove and find the presence and aid of God: we more and more acknowledge or recognize the weakness of our hearts, and lift ourselves up by faith. Thus grows the newness of the spirit, as Paul says, \"Although our outward man is destroyed, yet the inward man is renewed day by day\" (2 Corinthians 4:16). Another objection of adversaries is why we should make satisfaction in Purgatory. They object against us, Adam and David, who was punished for his adultery. From these examples, they make a universal rule that to every sin is correspondent a proper temporal punishment, in laying on the power of the keys. It was previously said that holy men sustain punishments which are the works of God / they sustain contrition or terrors / they sustain also other coming afflictions. The answer. Some sustain proper penance.\nPunishments laid on them by God, as examples to others. These punishments do not belong to the keys. The keys cannot lay them on or remit them. God, without the ministry or service of the keys, both lays them on and remits them. This universal rule does not follow in this way. A particular punishment was laid on David for his offense: therefore, besides the common afflictions, there is a certain other penalty of Purgatory, in which to every sin is corresponding a degree of punishment. Where does the scripture teach this, that we cannot be delivered from eternal death, but by the recompense of certain penances besides the common afflictions? Contrarily, the scripture often teaches that the remission of sins comes freely for Christ's sake, and that Christ is the overcomer of death and sin. Therefore, we ought not to pay him the merit of satisfaction. And though there are afflictions left, yet not entirely.\nWithstanding the scripture, they judge that these are mortifications of the present sin, not recompensations or prices of eternal death. Job is excused for not being punished for offenses committed in times past. Afflictions are not always punishments or tokens of wrath. Rather, fearful consciences should be taught that there are other better ends of afflictions: lest they think themselves rejected by God if they see nothing but punishment and His wrath in afflictions. Other better ends include God doing another man's work, as Isaiah teaches in a long sermon (Isa. 28). And when the disciples asked Christ concerning the blind man who had sinned, Christ answered that sin was not the cause of his blindness (John 9). But that the work of God might be shown and declared in him. In Jeremiah, it is said, \"To whom there was no judgment.\"\nthey drinking shall drink. And as the prophets were slain, and John the Baptist, and other holy men. Therefore afflictions are not always punishments for certain sins done in times past, but they are works of God appointed to our utility and profit, and that the power of God should be the more shown, and the better sensed and known in our infirmity. So Paul says, \"The power of God is made perfect in weakness and infirmity.\" Therefore our bodies ought to be sacrifices or oblations, because of God's will and pleasure, to declare our obedience, and not to make recompense for eternal death, for which God has another price, I mean the death of his son. And after this sentence and meaning, Gregory interprets also that punishment of David, when he says, \"If God for that sin had threatened that he should be so humbled by his son:\"\n\nWhy after that the sin was forgiven, did he fulfill that, which he had threatened? It is answered, that that forgiveness of sin was done,\nThe man should not be allowed to receive eternal life. And that example of punishment threatened followed, so that the holiness of the man might be exercised and produced in that humility or affliction. God also laid upon man the death of the body because of sin, and after the forgiveness of sins, he has not taken away death for the sake of justice to be exercised, that is, so that justice might be exercised and proven from those who are sanctified. Neither are the coming calamities and afflictions taken away properly by those works of canonical satisfactions, that is, by those works of men's traditions which they say to be of such strength, because of the work that is wrought, that although they are done in deadly sin, they do redeem pains. And when the text of Paul is alluded to, \"If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged and condemned by the Lord\": that word, judge, ought to be understood in the context of complete repentance, and of the due fruits, and not\nTo understand that to judge is as much to say, as to go on pilgrimage to St. James, or to do such like work. To judge signifies whole repentance, it signifies to condemn sins. This term is truly done in contrition, and in the changing of life. The entire penance, that is to say, contrition, faith, and good fruits, obtain that penitents and the common and private calamities are mitigated, as Isaiah teaches, saying: Cease to do evil, Isaiah, and learn to do good. If neither is the most weighty and holiest sentence to be translated from whole repentance, and from works due, and by God commanded: and to be applied to satisfactions, and works of men's traditions. It is profitable to teach this, that the common penitents are mitigated by our repentance, and by the true fruits of contrition.\nrepentance is achieved through faith, not as these men feign, achieved in deadly sin. In support of this, the example of the Ninevites is relevant. With their penance, that is, wholehearted penance, they were restored to God, and obeyed, so that the city would not be destroyed. Regarding the general canons that have been made and the fathers' mention of satisfaction: we have stated earlier that it was an ecclesiastical discipline, instituted and ordained for an example. They did not imply that this discipline is necessary for the remission of either the sin or the punishment. If any among them have mentioned Purgatory, they did not mean that it is a compensation for eternal pain or a satisfaction: but a purging of imperfect souls, as Augustine says, that venial sins are purged, that is, distrust towards God and other similar affections.\nSome writers translate the name of satisfactio from the very rites or spectacles to signify true mortification. Augustine defines satisfaction as \"the extermination of the causes of sins, that is, to mortify the flesh.\" Gregory speaks of restitutio as false penance, for if satisfaction is not made to the offended, whose good we hold unjustly, the man does not truly sorrow for what he has stolen or extorted. He remains a thief or extortionist and robber as long as he is an unjust possessor of another man's property. Civil satisfaction is necessary because it is written: \"He that hath stolen, let him steal no more.\" Chrysostome.\nIn the heart, contrition; in the mouth, confession; in the whole work, humility. This makes nothing against us. A good work ought to follow repentance. Penance or repentance ought not to be a feigning, but a change of the whole life into better. The fathers write that it is sufficient if open or public penance (of which the canons of satisfactions were made) is done once in a life. By this it may be well perceived that they did not consider these canons necessary for the remission of sins. Besides this solemn penance, they will at other times also impose penance to be done. The adversaries and chief workmasters of the confutation write that it is not to be allowed that satisfactions should be taken away, contrary to the express gospel. Therefore, we have shown here how those canonical satisfactions, that is, works not due to be done for the recompense of eternal pain, have not for the remission of sins.\nThe main tenet of them is any warrant or commandment of the gospel. The thing itself they swear, if the works of satisfaction are works not due: wherefore they allege the express gospel. For if the gospel commanded payments to be recompensed by such manner works, then they would be works of duty. But they speak thus, to the intent to beguile simple and unlearned persons, and they allege authorities and testimonies, which speak of works due, where as in their satisfactions they prescribe works not due. Moreover, they themselves grant in schools, that satisfactions may be refused without any sin. Wherefore they here unfairly write, that by the express gospel we are compelled to receive those canonical satisfactions. But we have often times already witnessed, that repentance ought to bring forth good fruits & which are good fruits the commandment teaches, good fruits, that is to wit, invocation, thanksgiving, confession of the gospel, to teach the gospel, to obey.\nour parentes, and the rulers and go\u2223uernours, to do accordyngly to our vocation or callyng, to do no murdre, to kepe no hatred in our hertes, but to be mylde and gentle, and to gyue vnto poore & nedye {per}sones as moche as oure habilitie wyll extende vnto, to do no\nfornication, to do none adulterye, but to sub\u2223due, brydle, and chastise the flesshe, not for to recompense therwith eternall payne, but least it shulde obey the deuyll, lest it shulde offende the holy ghoste. Also to speake truthe. These frutes haue for them the co\u0304maundemente of god, and they ought to be done for the glorie and co\u0304maundement of god, they haue also re\u2223wardes appoynted vnto them. But that eter\u2223nall paynes be not remitted, but for the recom\u00a6pense of certein traditions or of Purgatorie, this dothe not the scripture teache.\nIndulgences in olde tyme were forgyuynges of those open obseruaunces,What were {per}\u2223dons in old time\u00b7 that men shulde not be ouermoche greued. And if satisfactio\u0304s and paynes may be remitted by the auctoritie of\nThe law of God does not require recompensation by human authority. The law of God cannot be taken away by human authority. Considering that custom and usage are abolished and grown out of use (bishops themselves disguising the matter and winking at the non-execution of them), there is no need at all for those remissions or pardons. Yet, the name of pardons has continued and remained. Similarly, satisfactions were not understood in political or civil discipline, but in the compensation of pain: indulgences were wrongly understood, delivering souls from Purgatory. But the key has no power except upon earth, to bind and loose, according to that saying. Whatever thing you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. And whatever thing you shall loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven. However, as we have said before, the key has not the power to lay on.\nOur adversaries claim many things about the merit of attrition, endless rehearsals of sins, and satisfactions, which have no connection to each other and touch neither heaven nor earth, but rather wander aimlessly. In the forty-third article, our adversaries concede that we maintain that sacraments are not only signs or tokens of profession among men, but rather signs and testimonies of God's will towards us, by which God moves and stirs hearts to believe. However, they also ask us to account for seven sacraments. We believe that men should beware not to despise the things and ceremonies instituted in the scriptures, regardless of how many there may be. Neither do we think it matters greatly that diverse men, for the sake of teaching, name or reckon them differently, as long as they keep the things taught.\nThe scripture. For the old writers have not all numbered them after one manner and fashion. If we call sacraments rites or ceremonies, which are commanded by God, and to which is added a promise of grace: it is an easy thing to judge, which are properly sacraments. For rites or ceremonies instituted by men shall not, after this manner, properly be called sacraments. For it belongs not to the authority of man to promise grace. Therefore signs instituted without the commandment of God are not sure and undoubted tokens of grace / although perhaps they teach ignorant and simple persons, or else put them in remembrance of something.\n\nThe very sacraments therefore are Baptism, the Supper of the Lord, Absolution, which is the sacrament of penance. For these rites or usages have for them the commandment of God / and have also added unto them a promise of grace, which is properly belonging to the new testament. For hearts ought surely and undoubtedly to believe, that\nWhen we are baptized or eat the body of our Lord, or are assuaged, God truly forgives us for Christ's sake. And God also, through the word and the ceremony, moves and stirs the hearts to believe and gather faith, as Paul says, \"Faith comes by hearing.\" Likewise, as the word enters the ears to strike the heart, so the ceremony itself enters the eyes to move and stir the hearts. The effect of the word and of the ceremony is one, as Saint Augustine beautifully said, for a sacrament is a visible word. The ceremony, because it is received by the eyes, is like a picture of the word, signifying the same thing that the word signifies. Therefore, the effect of them both is one.\n\nConfirmation and ennealing. Confirmation and the last anointing are rites or ceremonies received from the fathers, which the church does not require as necessary for salvation.\nThey have not been commanded to do so. Therefore, it is not unprofitable to distinguish these ceremonies from those above mentioned, which have the express commandment of God to be maintained and a clear promise of grace. Priesthood. Our adversaries misunderstand the administration of the word of God and the sacraments to be given to others as though, in the New Testament, there should be a priesthood like the Levitical priesthood, commanded by the law of Moses, which should make sacrifices for the people and deserve remission of sins for others. We teach that the sacrifice of Christ, dying on the cross, was sufficient for the sins of the whole world and does not need anything else, as though it were not sufficient for our sins. Therefore, men are justified not by any other sacrifices but by that only sacrifice of Christ if they believe themselves to have been redeemed by it.\npriests are properly elected and called to teach the gospel and administer sacraments to the people. Therefore, if order is understood as part of the ministry of the word of God, we will not object to calling order a sacrament. The ministry of the word has God's commandment. It has many great promises, as in the first chapter of Romans. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Also, Isaiah in the 55th chapter. My word that shall go forth from my mouth shall not return unto me void: but it shall accomplish whatsoever I please and prosper in the thing for which I sent it. If order is understood in this manner, we will not be displeased to call also the imposition or laying on of hands a sacrament. For the church has a commandment to constitute and ordain ministers, which ought to be very acceptable to us, because we know that God approves that ministry, and is present at that ministry. It is also profitable as much as\nmay be, to garnish the ministry of the word with all manner of praise against mad men, who dream that the Holy Ghost is given not by the word, but for certain preparations of their own. If they sit idle, holding their tongues in dark places, looking after illumination, like as they did in old time, who were called enthusiasts, who feigned themselves to be inflamed and inspired by the divine influence and power, and as the Anabaptists do at this day. Now, concerning matrimony, matrimony. Undoubtedly it was not first instituted in the new testament, but forthwith in the beginning after that mankind was created. And it has in maintenance of it the commandment of God. It also has promises, but not properly belonging to the new testament, but rather pertaining to a corporal life. Wherefore, if any man likes to call it a sacrament: yet he ought to discern and distinguish it from those above mentioned, which properly are signs of the new testament, and are testimonies of.\nIf marriage is to be called a sacrament because it has God's commandment, then other states or offices that also have God's commandment can be called sacraments as well. For example, the state of a prince or governor. If all things are to be numbered among the sacraments that have no maintenance from God's commandment and to which promises are added, why don't we include prayer, which truly is a sacrament? Prayer not only has God's commandment but also many promises. Placing prayer among the sacraments, as it were in a more open and bright place, does allure men to pray. Mice also could be counted among them. Afflictions, which are tokens to which God has added promises, let us pass over these things. No wise man will greatly dispute about the number or the name, so long as those things are reserved and kept that have God's commandment.\nAnd the reasons of God to maintain and fortify them. This thing is more necessary, to understand and know how we ought to use the sacraments. And here we condemn and utterly dispraise the whole multitude of scholastic doctors, who teach that the sacraments, to him that puts no stop or impediment of his own part, give grace by the virtue of the work that is wrought, without the good motion of the heart. This is utterly a Judaical opinion to think that we are justified by a ceremony without good motion of the heart, that is to say, without faith. And yet nevertheless, this wicked and pestilent opinion is taught with great authority in all the kingdom of the pope. Paul cries out against it, and denies that Abraham was justified by circumcision, and says that circumcision was but a token or sign put forth to exercise faith. So we teach that in the use of the sacraments, faith ought to be put unto which believes those promises, and receives the things signified.\nPromised, which is offered in the sacrament. The reason to prove it is plain and very strong, which is this: The promise is unfruitful unless it is received by faith; but the sacraments are signs of the promises. Therefore, in the use of faith, it ought to be put to use. For example, if any man shall use the supper of the Lord, let him do so. Because it is a sacrament of the new testament, as Christ plainly declares. Therefore, let him believe steadfastly that the thing promised in the new testament is given or offered to him, that is, the remission of sins. And this thing let him receive by faith; let him comfort and lift up his fearful conscience; and let him think these testimonies not deceitful, but as sure and undoubted as if God, with a new miracle from heaven, were promising that he will forgive. But what would these miracles and promises avail to him who does not believe them? And we speak here of special faith which believes the present.\npro\u2223myse, and nat only of that faythe, whiche in generall dothe beleue that god is, but whiche dothe beleue that remission of synnes is offe\u2223red. Thys vse of sacramente dothe comforte godly and fearefull myndes. But howe great a multitude of abuses haue ben brought vp in the churche through that mad opinion of the work wrought, without the good motio\u0304 of the vser, no man can with word{is} expresse. Hereof co\u0304meth that infinite defoylyng or prophana\u2223tion of masses / but of this we shall speake here after. Neyther can there any texte ne any let\u2223tre be brought forthe of the auncient wryters\nwhiche doth make with the scholemen in this matter.Austyne. But rather the contrarie S. Austine dothe playnely affyrme who sayeth the fayth or belefe of the sacrament dothe iustifie, and nat the sacrament. And the sayeng of Paule is knowen. Corde creditur ad iustitiam. With harte we beleue to Iustice.\nTHe .xiiij. article,The xiiii article of callynge. in whiche we say, that the administrations of the sacramentes, & of the\nIn the congregation, a word should be granted to no man unless he is in due form and manner called. They receive, upon the condition that we use canonical ordination or giving of orders. Concerning this matter, we have in this assembly often publicly witnessed that we desire with all our hearts to keep the ecclesiastical order and discipline, and the degrees in the church, even those made by human authority. For we know that for a good and profitable intent and purpose, the ecclesiastical discipline was ordained by the fathers in such manner and fashion as the old ancient canons describe. But the bishops either compel our priests to cast away and to condemn this kind of doctrine, which we have confessed and acknowledged, or else if they refuse to do so, they kill the innocent and guiltless men with remarkable strange cruelty. These causes prevent our priests from knowing these men as bishops. Thus, the cruelty of the bishops.\nbishops are the cause, wherefore the canonical order or discipline is somewhere dissolved and not observed, which we greatly desired to keep. Advise them how they will make amends to God, for they do in this way dissever and dissipate the church. Our consciences in this matter are clean out of danger and immediately. For truly we know our confession to be true, godly, and Catholic: we ought not to approve the cruelty of those who persecute this doctrine. And we know that the church is among those which teach the word of God well and truly, and which administer the sacraments well and duly, and not among those who not only with their decrees seek to remove the word of God but also to slay those who teach well and truly. To whom doing anything contrary to the canons, yet the very canons themselves are a great deal more gentle and favorable. And here again we openly make protestation, that we shall gladly observe and keep the order & discipline of the church.\nchurche, and of the canones, vpon condition that the bys\u2223shoppes cease to rage and vse thys crueltie a\u2223gaynste our congregations. Thys our mynde and wyll bothe before god, and amonge al na\u2223tions, shal excuseys to al them that shal come after vs / so yt it can nat be layde to our charge ne any faute can be put in vs, that the aucto\u2223ritie of bysshoppes is minished and enfebled: when men shall reade and heare that we, albeit we desyre the bysshoppes nat to vse this vniuste crueltie towardes vs, yet can we i\u0304 no wyse obtayne any maner equitie or ryght of them.\nIN the .xv. article, they receyue the fyrste parte, in which we say that those rites and ceremonies in the churche are to be obser\u2223ued, which may be obserued with out any syn, and whiche helpe to the keping of tranquilite and good ordre in the churche. The seconde parte they vtterly condempne, in which we say, that mans traditions instituted to appeace god, to merite grace / and to satisfy for synnes be con\u00a6trary to the gospell. Albeit in our confession\nConcerning the choice of measures, we have spoken much about traditions. Nevertheless, this point shall briefly be repeated. For although we thought that our adversaries would defend the traditions of men for other reasons, we did not think that they would condemn this our article, which is: that we do not deserve forgiveness of sins or grace through observing men's traditions. Since this article is condemned, we have an easy and clear cause. Now our adversaries openly act like Jews and openly suppress the gospel with deceitful doctrines. For when the scripture calls traditions the doctrines of devils, it is taught that they are services profitable to obtain remission of sins and grace. For then they end the gospel, they minimize the benefit of Christ, they annul the justice of faith. The gospel teaches us that we freely receive remission of sins through faith for Christ's sake, and are reconciled to God.\ngod. Our aduersaries co\u0304trary wyse make another mediatour, that is to wete\nthese traditio\u0304s. For the traditions sake, they wyll obteine remission of sinnes, by these they wyll appease the wrathe of god. But Christe sayth openly, They honour me in vayne with the co\u0304maundementes of men. We haue here\u2223before largely disputed, that men be iustified throughe faythe, whan they beleue that they haue god pacified, not for our workes, but fre\u00a6lye for Christe. This is vndoubtedly the do\u2223ctrine of the gospell, for Paule sayth playnly to the Ephesians,Ephe. 2 Ye be freely saued through faythe, and that not of your selues, it is the gyfte of god, and co\u0304methe not of men. Nowe our aduersaries say, that men deserue remissi\u2223on of synnes by these humane obseruaunces. What other thyng is this, than besides Christ to set vp a nother iustifier, a nother mediator? Paule saythe to the Galathians, Ye be fallen from Christ,Gala. 5 ye whiche be iustified by the law\u25aa that is to saye, if ye thynke, that by the obser\u2223uynge of the lawe, ye\nDeserve to be accounted righteous in the sight of God: Christ shall not help you. For what need have they of Christ who think themselves righteous by their own observing of the law? God has set forth Christ for us, that for this mediator's sake, and not for our justices' sake, He will be merciful to us. But these men think that God is pacified and made merciful for our traditions' sake and not for Christ's sake. They take their Moses likewise, as he condemns traditions because they were judged to be works which merited justice in the sight of God, and therefore put away the law, he puts away traditions, and proves plainly that not for these works' sake, but for Christ's sake, remission of sins is freely promised. For as much therefore as by faith we do not receive remission of sins and yet through faith we have God merciful and favorable to us.\nvs For Christ's sake, it is plain error and heresy to decree that by these observations we deserve remission of sins. If anyone says that we do not deserve remission of sins by these traditions, but that we, being already justified, deserve grace by them: here again Paul cries out against him, saying that Christ should be the minister of sin if, after justification, it were thought that afterward we are not reputed righteous for Christ's sake, but that first we ought by other observations to merit to be reputed righteous. Also, to a testament made by man, nothing ought to be added. Therefore, to the testament of God, which promises that for Christ's sake He will be merciful to us, it ought not to be added that first by these observations we ought to merit to be accounted acceptable and righteous. However, what need is there for lengthy discussion? No tradition has been instituted by the holy fathers for the purpose that it should merit forgiveness of sins; but they have instituted them for other reasons.\nben instituted for the cause of good order in the church, and for the cause of tranquility. And though any man would institute certain works to deserve remission of sins or righteousness: how shall he know that those works please God, when he has no testimony or witness of God's word? How shall he make men assured of God's will, without the commandment and word of God? Does not God everywhere in the prophets forbid the institution of any peculiar manner of honor or service without His commandment? In Ezekiel it is written thus: Eze. 20 In the precepts of your fathers you do not walk, nor keep their judgments, nor be polluted with their idols; I am your Lord God \u2013 walk in my precepts, and keep my judgments, and work them. If it is lawful for men to institute worship or service, and by the said services they merit grace \u2013 then shall the honoring and service of all nations be allowed \u2013 or the honors instituted by Jeroboam, and others?\nwithout the lawe, shalbe to be approued. For what difference is there? if it hath ben laufull for vs to institute seruices profitable to merite grace or iustice: whye was not the same thynge laufull to the gentyles, and to the chyldren of Israel? But therfore were the honours of the Gentyles and of the Israelites disalowed, because they thought them selues by the sayde honours to merite remission of sinnes and iustice, and dyd not knowe the iustice of fayth. Finally, wher\u2223by be we made sure, that honours or seruices instituted by men, without the co\u0304maundement of god do iustifie? For of the wyll & pleasure of god, nothynge can be affermed without the worde of god. What if god dothe not accepte\nne allowe these seruices? Howe than do oure aduersaries afferme, that they iustifie, sythe this thynge can not be affermed withoute the worde & testimonie of god? And Paule sayth,Ro. 14 that all that is not of faythe is synne. But syth it is so that these obseruaunces haue no testimonie of the worde of god, the\nScience must doubt whether they please God and are acceptable to Him. And what need many words about a thing that is manifest and open? If our adversaries defend these honorings invented by men as things deserving justification, grace, and remission of sins, they clearly build up the kingdom of Antichrist. For the kingdom of Antichrist is a new manner of honoring devised by human authority, rejecting Christ, just as the kingdom of Mohammed has honorings, works by which it will be justified before God, and does not think that men are justified in God's sight freely through faith for Christ's sake. So also the papacy will be a part of Antichrist's kingdom if it defends such inventions of men that justify worship. For the honor and prerogative of Christ are abridged when they teach that we are not freely justified through faith for Christ's sake, but by such observances.\nAnd namely when they teach that such manner of observations and ceremonies are not only profitable, but also necessary for justification, as their opinion was herebefore in the 8th article, where they condemn us because we say that it is not necessary for the unity of the church that there be in all places like and one manner of observations and ceremonies instituted by men. Daniel the prophet signifies and gives knowledge that new fashions of worship invented by men, of Antichrist, shall be the very form and state of Antichrist's kingdom. For thus he says, \"He shall honor the god Moloch in his own place, Dan. 11 and the god, which his fathers never knew: shall he worship with gold and silver, and precious stones. Here he describes new fashions of worshiping God, for he says that such a manner of God is worshipped as the fathers have not known. Although the holy fathers also had ceremonies and traditions, yet they did not think that these things were profitable or necessary.\nThe people should know the correct time to assemble, and everything should be done orderly and sadly in the churches due to example. Furthermore, the common people should receive certain instruction and discipline. The diversities of times and the variety of ceremonies help to moderate the common people. These reasons led the fathers to observe and keep ceremonies, as Epiphanius clearly states in his dispute against the Encratites. The Encratites laid upon themselves certain traditions. They abstained from wine, even in the past, the brothers of the Dominican order did the same. Marriage they hated most of all, although they did not hate the company of women. For this reason Epiphanius accuses them. For they had flocks of women who lived in the same sort and kind of way as they did, just as religious men commonly have monasteries of women near them.\nObservances they imagined to be the true honor and service of god, and acceptable to god, bringing about justice and pacifying god's wrath. Epiphanius disputes this opinion and shows that there are other ends to traditions. For he says that traditions were painted and set forth in various manners and ceremonies, which more effectively remind the common people than do books or writings. These ends of traditions and ceremonies were profitable to be shown to the people and openly declared. However, our adversaries forcefully join another end to these, through a certain Pharisaical persuasion, that is, that such observances merit remission of sins and are necessary for justification, and that for them men are accounted righteous in God's sight. This openly is to honor God with gold, silver, and precious stones, and to think that God is appeased and recalled by them.\nDiversities of garments, ornaments, and other similar things, of which there is an infinite number in traditional accounts, or else to think that such kinds of things are honoring to God, I mean diversities of times, of foods, of vessels, of apparel. Paul to the Colossians writes that traditions have the semblance and resemblance of wisdom, and in very deed so they are. For fair order is very seemly in the church, and for that cause is necessary. But man's reason, because it does not understand the righteousness of faith: it naturally imagines that such kinds of work justify men and reconcile God to us. Such was the opinion of the common people concerning the exercises of the body, and concerning fasting, whose end in very deed is to tame and to punish the flesh, but yet man's reason feigns another end, that is to say, that they are divine honors, which justify. As Thomas writes, fasting is applicable to the putting on of.\nThomas speaks of turning away from sin and the deception of apparent wisdom and righteousness in works. Men often follow the external exercises of saints, but not their faith. After the deception of apparent wisdom and justice, infinite harms ensue, defacing the justice of faith in Christ. In its place, a vain trust and confidence in such works emerges. The commandments of God are then defaced, and these works claim the title of perfect and spiritual life, surpassing the work of God's commandment. They are considered the calling, administration of the common wealth, administration of household, life of married people, and bringing up of children.\nIn comparison to those ceremonies, some are considered unholy and profane. Many men practice these things with a certain doubtfulness and grudge of conscience. It is undoubtedly known that many men have forsaken the administration and governance of the commonwealth, and have also forsaken marriage and taken themselves to these observances, as if they were better and more holy things. Furthermore, when this persuasion is once fixed in men's minds that such observances are necessary for justification, consciences are sore vexed and troubled because they cannot perfectly fulfill all observances. For what man is as silly as Gerson, pitiful and vexed while he seeks the degrees and the breadth of the commandment? Yet he cannot set an Epik or temperament in a degree certain. In the meantime, he laments and bewails the jeopardies of godly consciences, which this bitter interpretation of traditions inflicts.\nAgainst such appearances of wisdom and righteousness in human traditions and ceremonies, which deceive men, let us arm ourselves with the word of God. First, let us be certain that they neither deserve remission of sins nor justification in God's sight, nor is God necessary for justification. We have previously cited certain authorities and testimonies. Paul to the Colossians says:\n\n\"Let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival, or the new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. And he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight\u2014 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, whereof I, Paul, became a minister.\" Col. 1:15-23\n\nHowever, our adversaries do:\n\n\"But he here clearly witnesses himself to speak of the traditions of men.\"\nNat perceive what they say. For if the gospel denies that the ceremonies of Mosaic law justify, which were instituted by the commandment of God: how much less then do the traditions of men justify? The bishops neither have the power and authority to institute ceremonies as justifying or necessary for justification. Indeed, the apostles say in Acts 15, \"Why do you tempt God by laying on a yoke?\" (Acts 15 &c.), where Peter accuses this counsel of the Jews for laying a yoke upon the church, as a heinous crime and a great sin. And Paul forbids the Galatians to be brought again under bondage (Gal. 5). The apostles therefore wish that this liberty should remain in the church, lest any observations and ceremonies of the law, or of traditions, might be judged necessary; since in the law the ceremonies were necessary for a certain season, and this liberty they would have remain, lest the justice of faith might be defaced, if men judged that these observations merited justification.\nMany men seek Epikes, that is, Epictetus' modifications and favorable interpretations in traditions, intending to remedy and help consciences. Yet they do not find the certain degrees which they may deliver consciences from these bonds and snares. A precedent is given. But likewise, as Alexander did by the knot, called the Gordian knot, which, because he could not undo, he chopped it asunder with a sword: so the Apostles deliver consciences from traditions in this manner, if they are given to deserve justification. Therefore, they compel us, both by their teaching and also by their examples. They constrain us to teach that traditions do not justify, that they are not necessary for justification, that no man ought to make or receive traditions with the opinion that they deserve justification. But if any man observes them, let him then observe them without superstition, as civil matters.\nMen in war and scholars have different manners or customs. The Apostles broke traditions, and Christ made their excuse. They showed this to the Pharisees that such observances were unprofitable. Therefore, if our men abandon the observing of any traditions that are not profitable, they are excused now enough, for the said traditions are required as though they deserved justification. For such an opinion in traditions is wicked and ungodly. But the ancient traditions established in the church for the sake of utility, we gladly observe and keep. We interpret them to the best part and most laudable, excluding the opinion which thinks that they justify. And our adversaries falsely and untruly accuse us that we abolish and take away the good orders and the discipline of the church. We may boldly and truly say that the public and open fashion of congregations with\nvs is more honest than our adversaries in keeping the canons truly. Among our adversaries, priests sing or say masses against their wills, hired with money, and for the most part only for their wages. They sing psalms not to learn or pray, but because it is an honor to God, or at least wise, they do it for their wages. With us, many use the Lord's supper every day, but they are first instructed, examined, and assured. Children sing psalms to learn, and the people also sing them, so that either they might learn or pray. Among our adversaries, there is no instruction of children at all, of which thing the canons also give commandment. With us, pastors and ministers of the congregations are compelled openly to instruct and to hear.\nChildren. And this ceremony brings forth very good fruits. Among our adversaries in many countries throughout the year, there are no sermons at all, except in Lent and rarely then. But the chief honor of God is to teach the gospel. And when our adversaries preach, they speak of human traditions / of the honoring of saints, and of such like trifles, which the people are weary of, and not without good cause. Therefore, the people depart and go from them immediately after they have recited the text of the gospel.\n\nWhat is preached among the Germans? A few better men now begin to speak of good works, but of the justice of faith in Christ / of the consolation and comfort of consciences, they speak nothing at all. On the contrary, in our churches, all the sermons are spent in these common places, of the fear of God, of faith in Christ, of the justice of faith.\nof faith of the consolation of consciences through faith, of the exercises of faith, of what manner one it ought to be, and that we ought surely to believe, that it is effective, and that it is heard, of the cross, of the dignity of princes, and their officers and of the civil ordinances, of the diversity of the kingdom of Christ or of the spiritual kingdom, and of political or civil things, of marriage, of the bringing up and instruction of children, of chastity, of all the offices or works of charity. By this estate of churches, it may be judged that we do diligently observe the ecclesiastical discipline and godly ceremonies, and good customs of the church. Concerning the mortification of the flesh and discipline of the body, thus we teach (as our confession shows), that true and unaffected mortification is done by the cross, and by such afflictions with which God exercises and tries us. In these we must obey the will and pleasure of God, as Paul says. Give your bodies.\nAnd these are the spiritual exercises of fear and faith. But besides this mortification which is done by the cross, there is also a certain voluntary kind of exercise necessary, as Christ says: \"Beware that your hearts be not made heavy through superstitions, for they are the snares of the conscience.\"\n\nThis place of superstitions has many and hard disputations. We have proved and found by experience that superstitions are very snares of the conscience. When required as necessary, they torment and vex consciences that forget or leave any observation or ceremony undone. Again, the abrogation of them has certain inconveniences and certain questions belonging to it. But we have a plain and easy cause, because our adversaries condemn us for teaching that traditions of me do not merit remission of sins. They also require general or universal traditions (as they call them) as necessary for justification. Here we have a difference.\nbolde and a stedfaste defe\u0304der / we meane Paule, which euery where affermeth that these obseruaunces do neyther iustifye, nether be necessary aboue and besydes the iu\u2223stifycation of faythe. And yet neuertheles we do shewe, that the vse of libertie in thies thin\u2223ges is in such wyse to be moderated and mea\u2223sured, that vnlearned men be not offended, ne for the abuse of the libertie made lesse fauora\u2223ble vnto the true doctrine of the gospell, and that without reasonable and probable cause nothinge be chaunged in the accustomed and vsuall ceremonies, but that the auncient custu\u00a6mes be obserued and kepte for the norishment of concorde namely such as may be kept with out synne or without any great hurt or incom\u00a6moditie. And euen in this same present assem\u2223ble or perliame\u0304t we haue shewed and protested that we wyll for charities sake, with good wyl obserue indifferent thynges with other men, although they had some inco\u0304moditie in them. For the publyk and co\u0304men concorde, as far forthe as maye be done without\noffen\u2223dyng of consciences we haue iud\u00a6ged to be preferred before all other co\u0304modities or pro\u00a6fetes. But of thys hole mater we shall speake also nat longe here after, when we shall dispute of vowes, and of the ecclesiasticall power.\nTHe .xvj. article our aduersaries do re\u2223ceiue without any exception, in whiche we dyd confesse, that it is laufull for a christen man to beare office / to excercise iud\u2223geme\u0304tes / accordi\u0304g to the lawes of emperours or kynges or according to other p\u0304sent lawes / to set & appoynte ponishementes by the lawe, to kepe warre ryghtfully / to make bargaynes by the lawe / to kepe somwhat as propre or se\u2223uerall / to take an othe, when it is required of the rulers and gouernours, to co\u0304tracte matri\u2223monye, finally that laufull ciuile ordinaunces be good creatures of god / and the ordinau\u0304ces of god, whiche a christen man may saffely vse. This hole place of the diuersitie of the kyng\u2223dome of Christe, and of the ciuile kyngdome, hathe bene profitably set forth to lyght by the wrytinges of our\nLearned men stated that the kingdom of Christ is spiritual, beginning to operate in Charlostadius. Our men have therefore written more pleasantly about these matters. Monks and friars have introduced many pestilent opinions into the church. They called it the evangelical policy or governance, stating that these were councils, not to keep anything private or to seek revenge. These opinions greatly deface the gospel and the spiritual kingdom, and they are harmful to coming weals. For the gospel does not destroy the good order of a city or a house, but rather approves and allows it. It bids us not only out of fear of punishment, but also for conscience's sake, to obey them as the ordinance of God. Juliane the Apostate, Julian, Celsus, and many others have objected against Christian men that the gospel destroys coming weals because it forbids vengeance and teaches certain things.\nThe text discusses how the Gospel does not provide laws concerning civil society and civil orders, but rather deals with forgiveness of sins and the beginning of eternal life in the hearts of believers. The Gospel disapproves of private vengeance, which Christ frequently instructs the apostles not to seek, unlike the Jewish dream of the kingdom of Messias.\nThe text speaks of preaching the spiritual kingdom and not changing the civil estate. Private vengeance is forbidden not by counsel, but by commandment, as stated in Matthew's fifth and twelfth chapters, and to the Romans. The common vengeance or punishment, which is carried out by the office of the governor, is not forbidden or discouraged; rather, it is commanded and is God's work, as Paul states in Romans 13. Certain kinds of public vengeance include judgments, punishments, wars, and battles. Many writers have erred in this regard, failing to see that the gospel brings eternal justice to the heart and approves the civil estate outwardly. It is also a falsehood that the gospel is a certain new external and monastic policy or order for the commonwealth. The gospel does not teach that it is Christian perfection not to keep anything one's own.\nPerfection does not depend on contempt and disdain for civil orders; it lies in the heart, in great fear of God, and strong faith, as was the case with Abraham, David, Daniel, and even in great riches and empires. Monks and friars have cast outward hypocrisy before men's eyes, lest they see what true perfection stands in. O Lord God, with what praises have they magnified the commune of things, as an evangelical thing? But there is much idolatry in these praises, for they are far disagreeing from the scriptures. The scripture does not command things to come. But the Decalogue, that is, the law of the ten commandments, when it says, \"Thou shalt not steal,\" makes a distinction, partition, or separation of possessions and dominions, and commands every man to keep that which is his own. Wycliffe Undoubtedly Wycliffe was mistaken, who said that it was not\nIt is difficult for priests to have anything of their own. There are also infinite disputes about contracts and bargains, with which good consciences cannot be satisfied unless they know this rule: it is lawful for a Christian man to use the secular or civil laws and customs. This rule calms consciences, as it teaches that bargains are so lawful in the sight of God, as long as the governors or laws approve them. This entire field of politics or secular things has been so expounded and set forth by our teachers that many good men, who are busy and occupied in common affairs and worldly business, have openly said that they have been greatly helped. These things we have recounted so that even strangers may understand that by this kind of doctrine, which we follow,\n\nCleaned Text: It is difficult for priests to have anything of their own. There are infinite disputes about contracts and bargains, which good consciences cannot be satisfied without knowing this rule: it is lawful for a Christian man to use the secular or civil laws and customs. This rule calms consciences, as it teaches that bargains are lawful in God's sight as long as governors or laws approve them. Our teachers have expounded and set forth this entire field of politics or secular things, and many good men, busy and occupied in common affairs and worldly business, have openly stated that they have been greatly helped. We have recounted these things so that even strangers may understand that by this kind of doctrine, which we follow,\n\n(Note: The text is already in Old English, so no translation is required.)\nThe seventeenth article our adversaries reject without exception: Christ shall appear at the end of the world, raising up again all deceased men, granting eternal life and joy to good men, and condemning wicked men to be tormented perpetually with the devil.\n\nThe eighteenth article, concerning free will, our adversaries receive but add little meeting authorities and testimonies to this matter. They also declare that we should neither extol nor magnify free will excessively with the Pelagians, nor take away all manner of liberty from it with the Manichaeans. This is wisely said indeed, but what difference is there between the Pelagians and our adversaries? Since they both believe that men can love God and fulfill commands without the Holy Spirit.\nof God, in regard to the substance of acts or deeds, merits grace and justification through works. Reason itself works these without the Holy Ghost. How many foolish and inconvenient things result from these Pelagian opinions, which are taught with great authority in schools? Augustine, following St. Paul, vehemently confutes these opinions, whose sentence and mind we have recited here before in the article of justification. We do not take away liberty from man's will. Man's will has liberty in choosing works or things, which reason comprehends and perceives by itself. Man's will may work some manner of civil justice or the justice of works. It may speak to God, it may give certain honor or service to God with the outward work, it may obey governors and rulers, it may obey father and mother in choosing outward works, it may hold its hands from murder, from adultery, from theft. Since there is still liberty left in the nature of man.\nThe choice and power to work civil justice are left, as reason and judgment are concerned with sensible things. The scripture refers to the flesh's justice, which reason works by itself, without the Holy Ghost. However, the power of concupiscence is so strong that men often obey and follow carnal affections rather than right judgment. The devil, who has great power over wicked persons (as St. Paul says), does not cease to stir and provoke this weak nature into various and sundry sins. These are the reasons why civil justice is seldom found among men, as God looks upon us, hears us, forgives us, and so forth. These are the very works of the first table, which the heart cannot perform without the Holy Ghost, as Paul states. The natural man, that is, man using only his natural powers, does not perceive those things which are of the first table.\nAnd this may be judged, if men consider how the hearts think of God's will, whether they truly decide with themselves that they are favored and heard by Him. This faith, it is an heard thing even for holy men to keep and hold fast: therefore much less is it in wicked men, and it is received (as we said before), when the heart is thoroughly made afraid, hears the gospel, and takes consolation and comfort. This distribution or division is profitable, in which civil justice is assigned and given to the free, and spiritual justice to the governance of the holy host, in those who are regenerate and born again in Christ. For so is kept and retained good order and discipline. For all men ought to know that God requires civil justice, and that we are able, after a certain manner, to perform and fulfill it. And yet it is shown the diversity between civil justice and spiritual justice, between philosophical justice, and the doctrine.\nof the holy ghost and it may be perceived where we have need of the holy ghost. Neither is this division first invented by us, but the scripture most clearly teaches it. Augustine also treats of the same, and in recent days it was well handled by William of Parrhise. But it is unfairly and wickedly trodden underfoot by those who have feared that men may obey the law of God without the holy ghost. And the holy ghost is given where there is respect for merits.\n\nThe nineteenth article our adversaries receive in which we confess,\nThe nineteenth article concerning the cause of sin. Although one God alone has created and made all nature, and does conserve and keep all things that are: yet notwithstanding, the cause of sin is in the devil and men, a turning will away from God, according to the saying of Christ, \"Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks\" (Matthew 12:34).\nArticle twenty-one. They explicitly state that they reject and disallow our contention that men do not deserve forgiveness of sins through good works. This they openly and plainly reject. What is there to be said in a matter so clear? Here the workers of the confutation openly show and declare with what spirit they are moved and led. For what is more certain and undoubted in the church, that forgiveness of sins comes freely for Christ's sake, and that Christ is the mercy store for our sins, not our works, as Peter says, Acts 10. To him all the prophets bear witness, that in his name, all who believe in him receive remission of sins. To this church of the prophets let us assent and agree, rather than to these ungracious writers of the confutation, who so boldly and without shame blaspheme Christ. For although there have been certain writers who have thought that after the remission of sins, men continue to merit.\nbe righteous in the sight of God, not by faith, but by the self-works; yet they never thought that the remission of sins comes for our works' sake, and not freely for Christ's sake. Therefore, this blasphemy should not be suffered, that the honor of Christ be given and translated to our works. These divines are ashamed of nothing, if they dare pronounce such manner of sentence in the Church. And we do not doubt, but that the emperor's majesty, and the most part of the princes, would in no way leave this place remaining in the confutation, if they were admonished. ...... We could have in this place recited infinite authorities and testimonies of the scripture, and of the fathers; but we have said many things already about this matter. And there is no need to rehearse many testimonies to him, who knows why Christ was given to us / and who knows that Christ is the mercy store for our sins. Isaiah says, The Lord has laid on him the iniquities of us. Our\nadversaries teach the contrary, that God does not lay our iniquities on Christ but on our own works. I will not tell here what kind of work they teach. We see an horrible decree being made against us, which would fear us more if we strove about doubtful or trifling matters. But now, since our consciences understand and know that our adversaries condemn the manifest truth, the defense of which is necessary for the whole church and amplifies the glory of Christ, we easily despise all terrors and punishments of the world, and with a bold mind we shall endure and suffer, if anything is to be suffered for the glory of Christ and for the utility of the church. For I pray you, who would not be glad to die in the confession of these articles, that we freely obey the remission of sins by faith for Christ's sake, and that by our works we do not merit remission of sins? The consciences of godly men shall not be moved.\nHave no sure and strong consolation against the terrors of sin and death, and against the devil, tempting and provoking to despair: if they do not know that they ought to be assured and to decree with themselves that they have remission of sins freely for Christ's sake. This faith upholds, comforts, and quickens hearts in that most sharp battle of despair. This is therefore a cause worthy, wherefore we should refuse no manner of experiment. Thou therefore, whosoever thou art, that dost agree and assent to our confession: shrink not for any persecutions or punishments; step forth the more boldly, when the adversaries go about with fears, with torments, with punishments to take from thee this so great consolation, which is offered and proposed to all the whole church in this our article. If thou seekest, thou canst not lack testimonies and authorities of scripture, which shall establish thy mind. For Paul, with full voice (as they say), in the third and fourth to the:\n\"Romans 3:4 declares that sins are freely forgiven for Christ's sake. Therefore, he argues, we are justified by faith alone, so that the promise should be firm and stable. That is, if remission of sins depended on our works, it would not be firm and stable. If remission of sins were given for our works, when would we know that we had obtained remission? When would the troubled conscience find a work sufficient to appease God's wrath? But we have spoken about this matter before, and from then on, the reader should take testimonies. The unworthiness and shamefulness of the thing have compelled us to make this complaint rather than engage in a dispute. In this place, they have explicitly denied our article, which states that we obtain remission of sins not for our own works but by faith alone for Christ's sake. Our adversaries also add testimonies and authorities to their arguments.\"\nCondition. And it is good to rehearse one or two of them.\n1. PE1. They allege of Peter. Study ye to make your calling stable and sure. &c. Here, reader, you see that adversaries have not lost their labors in learning logic, but that they have craft to reason and conclude from the scriptures whatever they please. Make your calling firm and sure by good works: therefore works deserve remission of sins. Truly, this will be a very fine argument if a man should reason thus of one who had deserved death and was pardoned. The king commands that henceforth you do hold your hands from other men's goods: you have deserved pardon of your punishment by this, that you do now steal none other men's goods. To reason in this fashion is to make the cause of that which is not the cause. For Peter speaks of works following remission of sins, and he teaches why they ought to be done.\nTo ensure a secure and stable calling, that is, one that does not waver, do good works to continue in your calling, lest you lose the gifts of calling that you had before, not due to the following works, but they are now retained and kept by faith. Faith does not abide in them, and those who cast away repentance, as we said before, faith stands in repentance. They add other authorities that do not hang together well. In conclusion, they claim that this opinion was condemned more than a thousand years ago in the time of Augustine. This is a false lie. For the church of Christ has always believed that the remission of sins comes freely. However, on the contrary side, the Pelagians were condemned, who stubbornly affirmed that grace is given for our works. We have shown sufficiently here before that we believe good works ought of necessity to follow grace.\nFor we do not (as Paul states) abolish the law, but establish it. Romans 3:31. Because with faith we have received the Holy Ghost, there follows necessarily the fulfilling of the law, which continually increases more and more, as love, patience, chastity, and other fruits of the spirit.\n\nThe twenty-first article. They utterly condemn the invocation of saints, and in no place do they argue more rhetorically than here. And yet they conclude nothing else, but that saints are to be honored and worshipped. The saints who are alive do pray for others, as if to say that therefore it is necessary to pray to the saints who are dead. They cite Cyprian, who desired Cornelius, being alive, that when he should depart, he would pray for his brethren. By this example they prove the invocation of dead saints. They also cite Jerome against Vigilantius. Jerome, in this matter, they say:\nHieronymus surpassed Uigilantius over eleven hundred years ago. Thus, our adversaries triumph as if they had won the battle, and the three ways of honoring saints have no testimonies or authorities from old writers.\n\nOur confession acknowledges the honors of saints. For these three ways of honoring are to be allowed and commended. The first is giving thanks, for we ought to give thanks to God who has shown examples of mercy, who has given us knowledge that He is willing to save men, and who has given teachers or other gifts to the church. And these gifts, being great, should be amplified and extolled, and the saints themselves should be praised, who used these gifts faithfully, even as Christ commends the faithful stewards and occupiers of the talents delivered to them. The second manner of worship is the confirmation of our faith, as when we see that to Peter is forgiven the denial of his master: we too are comforted.\nand lift up to believe rather that grace is far above sin. The third honor is, the imitation and following, first of their faith, and then of their other virtues, which each one ought to follow according to his calling. These true honors our adversaries do not require, but only in invocation and praying unto them. Although it has no importance in it, yet it is not necessary.\n\nFurthermore, we grant also that angels pray for us. Angels do pray for us, for there is an authority in the first of Zachariah, where the angel prays in this way. Lord of hosts, how long will it be concerning Saint's concerns, though we grant that likewise when they are alive they pray for the whole church in general, even so in heaven they pray for the church in general. Yet there is no authority or testimony in the scriptures of dead men praying, only that dream excepted, which is taken from the second book of the Maccabees.\n\nBut though it is not necessary for angels to pray for us in the same way that they do when they are alive, it is still a comforting thought and a source of encouragement to believe that they intercede for us before God.\nThe text does not require cleaning as it is already in modern English and the content is clear. However, some minor punctuation and formatting adjustments can be made for improved readability:\n\nThe saints' prayers are not so essential for the church, yet they are not to be summoned or prayed to. Our confession only compels us to an uncertain and doubtful thing. Prayer without faith is no prayer. For instance, in the church's example, which they cite, it is undeniably known that this is a new custom in the church. The old prayers or collects, although they mention saints, do not pray to them. Howbeit, this new invocation in the church is far unlike the invocation, which every man uses privately.\n\nMoreover, our adversaries not only require invocation in the honor of saints but also apply the merits of saints for others and make the saints not only intercessors or intercessors, but also mercy-givers or propitiators. This is in no way to be suffered. For here, the honor primarily due to Christ is utterly taken from him and given to them.\nsaints. For they make the saints intercessors and mercy grantors. Although they make a distinction between intercession mediators and redemption mediators, they clearly consider the saints as mediators of redemption. Yet they have no scriptural testimony for the saints being intercessors, which though it may be spoken modestly, nonetheless obscures and defaces the benefit of Christ. Men imagine that Christ is harder to approach and that saints are more gentle and easier to please, trusting more in the mercy of saints than in Christ's mercy. Thus, they seek the saints instead of Christ, making them in fact mediators of redemption. Therefore, we will demonstrate that they truly view saints not only as intercessors but also as propitiators.\n\"say: mediators of redemption. We do not yet recite here the abuses of the common people, but we do speak of the opinions of learned men. In a propitatory these two things must coincide and run together. First, there must be the word of God, by which we may know assuredly that God is willing to have mercy and to hear those who call on Him, for this propituary's sake. Such a promise is made by Christ: \"Whatever you ask in my name, I will give it to you.\" There is no such promise from the saints. Therefore, consciences cannot certainly decide for themselves that we are heard by the invocation of saints. Therefore, that invocation is not made through faith. Furthermore, we have a commandment that we should call upon Christ, according to that text, \"Come unto me, all you who labor,\" which doubtless was said to us. And the prophet Isaiah says, \"In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a sign.\"\"\nAnd sign to the people this shall the gentiles pray and beseech. And in the 43rd psalm, Thy face shall all the rich men of the people make prayer to. And in the 71st psalm, And all the kings of the earth shall worship him. A little after, They shall pray in his sight continually. And Christ himself says, John 5, That all men may honor the Son, as they do honor the Father. And Paul to the Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians, in his prayer says in this way. And our Lord Jesus Christ himself, & God our Father, exhort your hearts and establish you. But of the invocation of saints, what commandment, or what example can our adversaries bring from the scriptures? The second thing that belongs to a propitiator or mercy giver is that his merits be set forth, as which are given to other men by God's imputation, so that for them they are reputed righteous, as if for their own merits. For example, if one friend pays another's debts, the debtor is\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Old English orthography, but it is still largely readable. I have made some minor corrections to improve readability, but have otherwise left the text largely unchanged to maintain its original character.)\nDelivered by another's merit as if it were by one's own. So the merits of Christ are given to us, that we might be considered righteous by the trust in the merits of Christ, when we believe in Him, as if we had merits of our own. And of both these two, that is, of the promise and of the giving of merits, there arises trust in mercy. Such manner of trust in God's promise, and also in the merits of Christ, should be brought with us when we intend to pray. For we ought to decree truly with ourselves, both that our prayers be heard for Christ's sake, and that by His merits we have the Father appeased and reconciled.\n\nOur adversaries first hide us from calling upon saints, where they have neither the promise of God, nor commandment, nor example from scripture. And yet they cause men to gather more trust in the mercy of saints than of Christ, when Christ commands us to come to Him and not to the saints.\n\nSecondarily, they apply the merits of saints,\nother men, just as the merit of Christ is for us. They trusted in the merits of saints, as if we were considered righteous for the merits of saints, as we are considered righteous for the merits of Christ. We make nothing of our own head. In indulgences and pardons, they claim that they apply the merits of saints. And Gabriel, the expositor of the mass canon, boldly states that, according to the order instituted by God, we ought to seek the help of saints to be saved by their merits and prayers.\n\nThese are Gabriel's words: yet everywhere in the book and in the sermons of our adversaries, there are many more foolish things. What is it to make saints grantors of mercy if this is not? They are utterly made equal to Christ if we ought to trust that by their merits we are saved. And where was that order instituted by God, which he speaks of, that we ought to seek help from saints? Let him bring forth an example or a commandment of it.\nThe scriptures teach us. Perhaps they took this order from the example of a king. He confounded them with their own example. We must make friends to intercede for us. But if the king had appointed a certain intercessor, solicitor, or maker of means, he would not wish matters to be brought to him by anyone but by him. So why do we seek others since Christ is appointed and set to be intercessor and bishop?\n\nThe common form of absolution. This form of absolution is used commonly everywhere. The passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merits of the blessed Virgin Mary, and of all saints, are for the remission of your sins. Here is the absolution pronounced, by which not only through the merits of Christ, but also through the merits of other saints, we are recalled and reputed righteous.\n\nWe saw a doctor of divinity dying, whom to comfort, another divine was sent for and brought. This comforter sang no other song to him who lay there.\nBut this prayer to the Mother of grace depart not from the enemy, receive us in the hour of death. Let us grant, that our blessed lady prays for the church; does she also receive souls at their death? Does she overcome death? Does she quicken and give life? What does Christ do, if our blessed lady does these things? Though she is most worthy of greatest honors, yet she wills not that herself be made equal to Christ, but rather, that we should behold and follow her examples. But experience teaches that the blessed virgin is utterly come into Christ's stead; her men have called upon, and prayed to; upon her grace and mercy they have relied; by her they would pacify Christ, as though he were not a mercy giver, but only a terrible judge and an avenger. But surely we think, that we are justified only by trust in the merits of Christ, and not by trust in the merits of the blessed virgin or of other saints. Of other matters.\nEvery one shall receive their reward according to their labor. That is, they cannot give merit to one another among themselves, as freers and other religious men do sell the merits of their orders. And Hilaria says of the foolish virgins in this way. Hilaria And because the foolish virgins cannot go forth to meet the bridegroom, since their lamps were out, they asked those who were wise to lend them some of their oil. To whom the wise virgins answered that they could lend them none, because perhaps there would not be enough to serve them all, that is, no man shall be helped with another's labor and merit, for it is necessary to buy pure oil for every lamp.\n\nSince adversaries teach to put trust in the invocation of saints when they have neither the word of God nor the example of scripture, and since they apply the merits of saints for other men in no other way than the merits themselves.\nWe cannot receive the opinions of saints regarding the worship of saints, nor their custom of invocation. For we know that we must place our trust in the invocation or intercession of Christ alone. This is the only promise given by God. Only the merits of Christ are a mercy for us, and for his merits we are considered righteous, as the text states, \"All that trust in him will not be put to shame.\" We are not justified by trust in the merits of the Blessed Virgin or other saints.\n\nFalse Persuasions\nHere also lies an error among learned men, that to every saint is committed a specific duty or office. For instance, Saint Anne should give riches, Saint Sebastian should keep away the pestilence, Saint Valentine should remedy falling sicknesses, and Saint George should defend knights and horsemen. These persuasions undoubtedly have arisen from examples.\nAmong pagans and heathen people, the Romans believed that: the goddess Juno made the wealthy; the goddess Febris drove away the ague; Castor and Pollux protected horsemen. Let us consider, if the veneration of saints was taught as much as possible, what need would there be to defend it, when there is neither command nor testimony of the word for it? Nor yet any testimony of the old writers. First, because (as I said before), when other mediators are sought, what need is there to defend it, when there is neither command nor testimony for it?\n\nIn a certain monastery, we saw an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which moved as if by itself, in such a way that it seemed to deny petitions or grant them with signs. The legends of the saints, which were read openly with great authority, however, far surpass the monstrous images and pictures. Barbara, in the midst of her torments, kept a image of Christ before her. That is, a representation of Christ.\nA bearer of Christ, who would signify this by an allegory, understood that great strength of mind was required of one who bore Christ, that is, one who taught the gospel or confessed and acknowledged Him, as such a one must endure great perils. Later, foolish freers taught among the people to call and pray to Christophorus, as if there had been such a Polyphemus - that is, such a great giant in reality. And where a saint in deed had done very great things, either beneficial to the common weal or containing private examples, the recounting of which would be very profitable for establishing faith and also for inciting others to follow their actions: no one sought out these things from the true histories. It is undoubtedly profitable to hear how holy men administered commonwealths - what chances, what perils they put themselves in - how holy men helped kings in great perils - how they taught.\nThe gospel relates the disputations and battles they had with the Greeks. Profitable examples of mercy include Peter's pardon for denying his master, Cyprian's forgiveness, Peter's status as a sorcerer, and Augustine's affirmation of faith during his sickness. Such examples, which contain either faith, fear, or administration and governance of common wealth, are worth reciting. However, certain hypocrites or stage players, lacking knowledge of faith or governance of common wealth, have invented tales, counterfeiting the works of poets. These tales contain nothing but superstitious examples of certain prayers, fasts, and have added things for profit. For instance, the fabricated miracles of the Rosaries and similar ceremonies. It is unnecessary to recite these.\nHeare any examples. For there are legends (as they call them), glasses of examples and Rosaries, in which there are many things not unlike the true narrations of Lucian. Lucian made a story in derision of others, in which is never a true word. In these wonderful and wicked tales, bishops, divines, religious men, favor and allow, because they make people believe. But we cannot abide them, to the extent that the honor and benefit of Christ might be seen more. They do not require invocation of saints, and they rebuke the abuses in the honoring of saints. And notwithstanding that all good men everywhere desire either the authority of the bishops or the diligence of the preachers in the redressing of these abuses: yet our adversaries in the confutation utterly dissemble, and will not be known even of those vices which are manifest and open. If the confutation were received, they would compel us to allow even the most known and evident.\nAbuses are deceitfully refuted not only in this place but almost everywhere. There is no place where they discern the manifest abuses from their decrees and opinions. Among themselves, if any is wiser than the others, they grant that many false persuasions cling to the doctrine of schoolmen and canonists. Furthermore, many abuses have crept into the church through the great ignorance and negligence of pastors and curates. Luther was not the first to complain of open abuses. Many righteous and excellent men have long before these days lamented and bewailed the abuses of the mass, the trust in the observations of monks and friars, the greedy worship of saints, and the confused darkness of the doctrine of penance, which ought to be the most plain and open of all in the church. We ourselves have heard excellent divines say that there is a measure in the doctrine of schoolmen, in which is contained:\nMore philosophical bravery than godliness among the old men is evident, whereas the writers of late time are further removed from the scripture. The divinity of the old men has thus departed from kindliness more and more. Neither was there any other reason that many good men began to love Luther at the beginning than that they saw him ride and deliver the minds of men from endless and enveloped disputations, which are among the school divines and canonists. Therefore, our adversaries maliciously refused to discuss these abuses when they wished to bring us to agreement. And if they truly cared about the wealth and profit of the Church, they should especially exhort the Emperor's majesty in this place, in this occasion, to take counsel concerning the redress of these abuses, which we perceived to be most eager for well ordering.\nHealing of the church is our goal. But our adversaries do not help and further the sincere and holy intent and purpose of the emperor. They only seek to oppress us in every way. Many evident signs show that they care little for the church. They give no diligence to ensure that the people have among them certain forms of decrees and opinions in the church. They defend manifest abuses with new and strange cruelty. They allow no worthy teachers in the church. What they intend by these things is easily judged by good men. But by this way, they neither provide well for their own kingdom, nor for the church. For when good teachers are burned and slain, and the true doctrine is oppressed, afterward mad and fanatical persons will arise, whom our adversaries will not be able to restrain. These persons will trouble the church with wicked opinions and will overthrow the entire order of the Church, which we desire to conserve and preserve greatly.\nWe beseech and pray you, most noble emperor Charles, for the glory of Christ, which we have no doubt but your majesty desires, to set forth and increase: that you will not assent to the violent counsels of our adversaries, but that you will seek other honest ways of making concord and peace, in such a way that godly consciences are not overwhelmed, nor any cruelty exercised upon innocent men, as we have seen used hitherto, nor the holy and true doctrine in the church oppressed. This service you especially owe to God, to conserve, that is, the right and holy doctrine, and to provide that it may come to those who shall follow after your time, and to defend those who teach the right and true doctrine. For this thing God requires, when He garnishes kings with His own name, and calls them gods, saying, \"You are gods, that is, kings are ordained to provide, that godly things, that is, the gospel of Christ, may flourish.\"\nIt is necessary to maintain and spread the sacrament, and those who administer it should defend the life and health of innocent people. It cannot be doubted that it is a holy thing, in accordance with the institution of Christ and the words of Paul, to use both kinds in the Lord's Supper. For Christ instituted both kinds, and he did not institute them for the part of the church but for the whole church. Not only priests, but the whole church uses the sacrament, by the authority of Christ and not by the authority of man. This, we believe, our adversaries grant. Now, if Christ instituted this sacrament for the whole church: why is one kind taken away from part of the church? Why is the use of one kind forbidden? Why is the ordinance of Christ changed? Namely, since he himself calls it his testament. If it is not lawful to break a man's testament and last will, much less is it lawful to break the testament of Christ.\nAnd Paul states that he received, from the Lord (1 Corinthians 11), the teachings on both kinds. He first speaks of the body, then repeats the same words about the cup. After saying, \"let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup,\" (1 Corinthians 11) are the words of one disposing and ordering. He precedes this by stating that those who should use the Lord's supper should do so in one company. Therefore, it is evident that the sacrament was instituted for the whole church. This custom remains in some Greek churches. The same custom was also once in the late churches, as Cyprian and Jerome attest.\n\nJerome's words on Sophonias the Prophet:\nSacerdotes qui non discernunt, in eisdem panibus participare non debent. (Sacerdotes who cannot discern should not share in the same bread.)\n\nThe Council of Toledo also testifies to the same. It will not be difficult to gather a large assembly.\ntestimonies. Here we will not exaggerate or amplify this thing. We only leave it to the wise reader to consider, what is to be thought of the order of God. Our adversaries in the confutation do not go about to excuse the church, from whom one part of the sacrament was taken. It became good and religious men to do this. They ought to have sought a sure and strong reason to excuse the church and to teach the consciences, which cannot be suffered to have but one part of the sacrament. Now they defend that it is well done to keep away the one part, and they forbid the use of both parts. First, they feign that in the church the manner was, in some places, to give but the one part alone. And yet they can bring forth no ancient example of this. They allege the places where mention is made of bread, as in Luke. Where it is written, \"that the disciples knew Christ by breaking of the bread.\" They allege also other places of breaking of the bread.\nAlthough we do not greatly argue against them, some of those places may be understood as sacred: yet this does not follow that only one part was given, as the residue is indicated by the common manner and custom of speaking. They also add that the lay communion, which was not the usage of one kind alone, but of both, was meant. And if at any time priests were bid to use the lay communion, it is meant that they were removed from the ministry of consecration. Our adversaries know this well, but they abuse the ignorance of unlearned men, who, when they speak of the lay communion, imagine the manner and usage of our time, in which only one part of the sacrament is given to laymen. And Gabriel, among other causes, recites why both parts are not given: because there was a difference between laymen and priests. It is likely enough, that\nThis is the chief cause why the prohibition of one part is so greatly defended, so that the dignity of the order may be better esteemed and more set by this religious fashion. This is a human reason and purpose, which for what end it serves, can easily be judged. In the confutation, they allege of the sons of Helie that when the office of the high priest was lost, they should desire but one part sacerdotal, as it is written in the first book of Kings. 1 Re. 2. Here they say is signified the use of one only kind. And they add this conclusion: Therefore, our laymen also ought to be content with one part sacerdotal, that is, with one kind. Truly, our adversaries dally and trifle when they apply the history of the children of Helie to the sacraments. There is described the punishment of Helie; will they say this also, that the laymen be kept from the one part because of punishment? The sacrament was instituted to\nComfort and lift up troubled and fearful minds, when they believe that the flesh of Christ, which was given for the life of the world, is meat, and when they believe that they who are joined to Christ are quickened. But our adversaries reason that laymen are kept from one part because of punishment. The laymen, they say, ought to be content. This is imperiously spoken. And why ought they to be content? There need be no reason asked or inquired: whatever divines say, it must be law. This is the foul vomiting and drunken speaking of Eccius.\n\nEccius: For we see these three thousand and proud bragging words of these fellows. If we were disposed to touch upon this, as we might do, we should not lack matter nor oratory. For see how they have passed shame. He commands (as it were a tyrant in tragedies) that whether they will or will not, they ought to be contented.\n\nShall these reasons, which he alleges at the Day of Judgment, excuse these men who forbid part of the?\nThe sacrament, and what causes these men who use the whole sacrament to rage against us? If they forbid it because of a difference in order, this same reason should move us not to agree with our adversaries, even if we were otherwise inclined to observe the custom and manner with them. There are other differences between the order of priests and the state of the people, but it is easy to see their intent and why they defend this diversity so greatly. But we, lest we seem to diminish the true dignity of the order, will speak no more of this at this time of their crafty and subtle purpose.\n\nThey also allege the danger and peril of spying, and certain like things, which have not such great strength to change the ordinance of Christ. And let us suppose that it were free for either party to use one part or both: How can the prohibition be defended? However, the church does not take this liberty unto itself.\nShe, who makes orders concerning things indifferent in Christ, we excuse the church that has suffered this injury and wrong, as they could not allow both parties. But we cannot excuse the authors and causes, who defend the prohibition of the whole sacrament and not just its use, and who also excommunicate and persecute with violence those who use the whole sacrament. I say, these persons we cannot excuse. Let them look to their own charge, how they will answer to God and what cause they will show for these their purposes and intentions. It is not to be judged immediately that the church ordains or approves whatever things the bishops of Rome ordain, namely since the scripture prophesies of bishops and curates that they shall do so, as Ezechiel says: \"The law shall begin to perish at the priest.\"\nThe filthy single life of priests: yet neither adversaries dare contravene the chaste in face shall reign everywhere. They desire, contrary to God's law, to the law of all nations, contrary to the canons of the councils, that you should pull in sundre and break matrimonies, that you should ordain grievous & sore punishments against innocent men for cause of wedlock, that you should kill priests, whom even the barbarians do reverently and religiously spare, that you should drive women & fatherless children into exile as outlaws and banished persons. Such sort of laws they offer to you, most good and most chaste Caesar, which no barbarous nation, be it never so cruel and beastly, could find in their hearts to hear. But since in these your gracious manners, there can be no filthiness or cruelty: we hope that you will in this cause deal gently with us, namely after you shall know that we have most weighty causes for the maintenance of our.\nsentence and opinion contradicting God's word, which our adversaries present most deceitfully and vainly. Yet they do not defend life earnestly. For they know that few of them keep chastity, but they cloak their kingdom with a color and semblance of religion to which they reckon life to be very profitable. So we can now perceive that Peter gave a warning that in the future false prophets would deceive men with feigned words. Our adversaries say, write, or do nothing in this entire cause truthfully, simply, plainly, and charitably, but in reality they strive about their lordships and kingdoms, which they falsely suppose to be in danger. They go about fortifying and maintaining these under the wicked pretense and color of virtue and holiness. But we in no way can approve of this law of living single and without wives, which our adversaries defend so greatly.\nIt is repugnant to the law of God, to the law of nature, and contrary to the canons of the councils. And it is undoubtedly superstitious and perilous. For it engenders infinite scandals, sins, and corruption of public manners. Other of our controversies require some disputation of learned men. In this matter, the thing is so manifest on both sides that it needs no disputation at all: only it requires a judge who is a good man and fears God. And notwithstanding that we defend the manifest truth, yet our adversaries have devised certain calumnies to mock out our arguments.\n\nThe first reason. First of all, the book of Genesis teaches that men were created to be fruitful and that the man should desire the company of the woman, and contrarywise, by right reason. For we speak not of concupiscence, which is sin: but of that appetite which should have been in nature uncorrrupted, which they call natural appetite. And this appetite is not contrary to the natural order, but rather it fulfills it, as the natural generation of offspring is the fulfillment of the command to be fruitful and multiply.\nAppetite is very God's ordinance of one kind or sex to the other. Now, since this ordinance of God cannot be taken away without the special and singular work of God, it follows that the law of contracting matrimony cannot be taken away with statutes or vows.\n\nA calculation. Our adversaries make here a calculation and say that at the beginning of the world it was commanded that the earth should be filled, but now the earth being full, they say that wedlock is not commanded. See how wisely they judge. The nature of man is formed and created through that word of God, that it should be fruitful, not only in the beginning of creation, but likewise as long as this nature of bodies shall be, even as the earth is made fruitful by virtue of this word: Genesis 1 Let the earth bring forth green grass. By this ordinance of God, the earth began not only at the beginning to bring forth grass, but yearly the fields are covered and clothed.\nWith grass and shall be, as long as the world and this nature of things shall continue and endure. Therefore, similarly, by the laws of man, the nature of the earth cannot be changed: neither by vows nor by any laws can the nature of man be changed, without the special work of God.\n\nThe second reason. Secondarily, because this creation or ordinance of God in man is the law of nature: therefore, the men of law have said very well and wisely that the copulation of man and woman together is of the law of nature. Now since the law of nature is immutable and cannot be changed, it follows necessarily that the power and liberty to contract marriage always remains and abides. For when nature is not changed, that ordinance also must necessarily remain, which God gave to nature, neither can it be taken away by any human law. That therefore is but a foolish saying, which our adversaries, after their trifling manner, do say, that wedlock was commanded at the beginning, but it is not so.\nThis is just like saying that in olden times, people were born with their natural appetites and sex, but now they do not follow this. In olden times, people brought with them the law of nature, but now they do not. No craftsman could ever desire or imagine anything more cleverly than these foolish trifles have been contrived to elude and avoid the law of nature. Let this thing therefore remain stable and unchanged in this cause, which both the scripture teaches and the man of law has wisely spoken \u2013 procreation, but also for remedy. These things are clear and evident, and so sure and strong that they cannot be avoided by any means. \n\nThe third reason. Thirdly, Paul says, \"For the cause of fornication, let every man have his own wife.\" This is an explicit commandment for all men who are not suited to the single life. Our adversaries bid us to do otherwise.\nshewe a co\u0304mau\u0304dement vnto them, whi\u2223che co\u0304maundeth preestes to wedde wyues, as though preest{is} were no men. Certes we iudge that those thynges, whiche we dispute in ge\u2223neral of the nature of man, do also apperteine to preestes. Dothe not Paule co\u0304maunde here that those men shulde marie wyues, whiche haue not the gyfte of co\u0304tinence and chastite? For Paule declareth his owne self not longe after, whan he saythe, It is better to marye,1. cor. 7 than to burne. And Christe sayde playnlye, Non omnes capiu\u0304t uerbum hoc sed quibus datum est .1.Mat 19 Al men do not take this sayeng, but they only to whom it is gyuen. For nowe after synne these two thinges go together, naturall appe\u2223tite, and concupiscence, whiche inflameth na\u2223turall appetite / so y\u2022 nowe there is more nede of wedlocke, than was whan nature was per\u2223fecte and incorrupted. Therfore Paule spea\u00a6keth of wedlocke, as of a remedie. And for to auoyde those brennynges and inflammations of the luste, he co\u0304maundeth to mary. Neyther can any auctoritie or any\nThe law of man or any vows do not abolish Paul's saying: it is better to marry than to burn. For these reasons do not take away nature or copulation. Therefore, whoever burns has the power and liberty to marry. And they are commanded by this decree of Paul, that to avoid fornication, each one should have a wife of his own, as many as do not truly contain and live chaste. For where our adversaries bid us here desire continence and godliness, and also bid us to tame and mortify our body with labors and abstinence, why do they not sing these high precepts to themselves? But, as we said before, our adversaries do nothing but trifle; they do nothing earnestly. If continence or chastity were possible for all men, then it would not require a special gift. But Christ shows that there is a need for a special gift: therefore, all men do not attain it. The remainder, who do not have this gift, God wills to have.\nUse the common law of nature, which he has ordained. For God is not content that his ordinances or creatures be despised. In such a way, he wills them to be chaste, so that they may use the remedy which God has ordained. Likewise, he wills that we maintain our life if we use meat and drink. And Gerson bears witness that there have been many good men who have endeavored to tame their body, yet it has little availed them. Therefore Ambrose says very well, \"Only virginity is the thing which can be counseled but not commanded. It is a thing more of will or desire than of commandment.\" If anyone objects here, let him also consider that Christ praises such men, who call themselves the kingdom of heaven. And therefore he added, \"He that is able to take, let him take.\" Matt. 19:12 For uncleanness and filthy continence do not please God.\nWe also praise true continence. But we dispute about the law and those who do not have the gift of continence. The thing should be left free. There should be no bonds or snares cast upon weak persons by this law.\n\nFourthly, the bishop of Rome's law disagrees with the canons of the councils. The old canons do not prohibit marriage nor break or separate those already contracted, although they remove them from administration who have contracted marriage during their service. This removal was a substitute for a benefit at that time. But the new canons, which were not made in the councils but by the private will of popes: both prohibit contracting marriage and also dissolve and break those already contracted. This is evidently contrary to Christ's commandment, which says: \"What God has joined together, let no man separate.\"\nOur adversaries cry out in the confutation that to live single without a wife is commanded by the councils. We do not accuse the decrees of the councils. For these decrees, under a certain condition, permit marriage but we do accuse the laws which the bishops of Rome have made since the old general councils, contrary to the authority of the said councils. Thus do the bishops of Rome despise the authority of the councils, which they will that others should think to be most holy and inviolable. This law of perpetual abstinence from marriage is only the law of this new dominion of the pope. And that not without cause. For Daniel gave this mark and token to the kingdom of Antichrist, that they shall contemn women.\n\nFifty-five, although our adversaries do not defend the law because of superstition, since they see that it is not wont to be observed: yet nevertheless they sow superstitious opinions while they pretend,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Early Modern English. No major OCR errors were detected.)\nreligion and holiness. They argue that they require the single life, and abstain from marriage, because it is purity and cleanness, as if marriage were uncleanness and sin. Or as if the single life merited remission of sins, and marriage did not. In the law of Moses, during their ministry, the priests were separated from their wives. Much more, in the new testament, the priest, as he ought always to pray, ought always to contain and live chaste. This foolish and unmet comparison is alleged as if it were a demonstration and a most strong and evident proof that priests should never marry. And yet, in the comparison itself, marriage is permitted and granted. Only the use of a wife is forbidden during their ministry. They are two separate things, to pray and to minister. The holy men prayed even then also, when they did not exercise any public ministry.\nOur adversaries must grant that wedlock is pure and clean in those who believe, because it is sanctified by the word of God. That is, it is a thing lawful and approved by the word of God, as the scripture copiously records. For Christ calls wedlock God's joining or coupling together, when he says, \"Mat 19:6 Whoever God has joined together, let no one separate.\" And Paul says of wedlock, \"1 Corinthians 7:14 The unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believer's wife, and so is the unbelieving wife by her believing husband.\" In the first epistle to the Corinthians, he says: \"The unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband.\"\nthat is to say, the use and company of them together is laudable & holy, because of the faith in Christ, as it is laudable to use meat and drink. Also to Timothy he writes,1 Tim. 2. A woman is saved by generation, and by bringing forth of children. If our adversaries could bring forth such a place of scripture for single life: they would make tremendous triumphs. Paul says that the woman is saved by generation and bringing forth of children. What could be said more honorable against the hypocrisy of single life, than that a woman is saved by the works of matrimony through the use and company of one with the other, by bringing forth children, and by other works pertaining to the ordering of a house? And what is Paul's mind? Let the reader observe and mark that faith should be added, and not the offices or works of ordering a house praised without faith, if they abide (says Paul) in the faith. For he speaks generally of the whole kind of mothers. Therefore.\nThe primarily requirement is faith, by which a woman receives remission of sins and justification. Afterward, he adds a certain work, similar to every man, who ought to follow after faith the good work of a certain vocation. This work pleases God because of faith. Therefore, the works of a Christian woman please God because of faith, and a Christian woman is saved, in whom, in such a way of calling, God does a godly service. These authorities and testimonies teach that marriage is a lawful thing. If this word (cleanness) signifies that thing which is lawful and approved before God: then marriages are clean because they are approved by the word of God. And Paul says of lawful things, \"All things are clean to those who are clean, that is, to those who believe in Christ and are righteous by faith.\" Therefore, as virginity in wicked men is unclean: so marriage in godly men is clean, because of the word of God and faith. However, if this:\nWord cleanness is taken as a thing contrary to concupiscence; therefore, marriage is symbolic of a cleansed heart, which is to say, a mortified concupiscence. The law does not forbid marriage, but concupiscence, adultery, and fornication. Therefore, a single life is not cleanness. For there may be more cleanness of the heart in a married man, as in Abraham or Jacob, than in many of those who are truly continent. Finally, if they understand single life to be cleanness because it merits justification more than [something], our adversaries may cry out that, in the manner of Jovian marriage, wedlock is made equal to virginity. But we will not cast away the truth of the righteousness of faith, which we have previously declared. And yet we do not make virginity equal to matrimony. For just as one gift is better than another - prophecy is better than eloquence, and eloquence is better than a carpenter's craft - so virginity is a more excellent gift.\nExcellent gift then to Wedlocke. And yet, an orator is not more righteous before God because of his eloquence than a carpenter because of his carpentry. Likewise, a virgin merits no more justification with her virginity than a wife does with the works appropriate to a wife. But every one in their gift ought to serve faithfully, and to think that by faith for Christ's sake they obtain remission of sins, and by faith be reputed righteous before God. Neither Christ nor Paul praise virginity therefore because it justifies; but because it is less encumbered and has fewer cares belonging to it, and is less hindered with domestic occupations and busynesses, in praying, in teaching, in doing service to God. Therefore Paul says, \"1 Corinthians 7: The virgin cares for those things which are the Lord's. Virginity is praised for the exercise and study. So Christ does not absolutely and generally praise all those who call themselves such: but he adds, for the kingdom.\"\nFor heaven's sake, he means that they may have leisure to learn or teach the gospel. He does not say that virginity merits remission of sins or salvation. We have answered the examples of the Levitical priests, which do not prove that priests should be bound to abstain from marriage throughout their life time, nor that the Levitical uncleannesses should not be applied to us. A custom against the law was then uncleanness. Now such custom is not uncleanness; for Paul says, \"All things are clean to them that are clean.\" The gospel delivers us and makes us free from these Levitical impurities. And if any man defends the law of abstaining from marriage, in order to burden and weigh down consciences with these Levitical observances: Acts 15, that man ought to be resisted in the same way as the apostles resisted those who required circumcision and those who sought to lay the burden of Moses' law upon Christ's shoulders. In the meantime, good men know.\nhowe to moderate the carnall vse and company of theyr wyues, namely when they be busyed with publycke\nministeries and offices apperteynynge to the comen weale / with whiche good men be often tymes so busied & troubled, that they do caste the thoughtes & cares co\u0304cernyng theyr house out of theyr mynd{is}. Good men knowe this al\u2223so that Paule dothe bydde vs to possesse our vessels in sa\u0304ctification. They knowe also, that somtime they ought to go a sondre / to the en\u2223tente yt they may the better gyue theyr mynde to prayer / but Paule wyl nat,1. cor. 7 that they shulde kepe in sondre co\u0304tinually. Nowe suche maner continencie is easy to them, that be good men and occupied. But that greate multitude of ydle prestes, whiche be in Collegies, can nat fulfill so muche as thys leuiticall continencie (they lyue in so greate welthe and pleasures) as experie\u0304ce sheweth dayly. And these verses of the Poete be knowen wel ynough. Desidiam puer ille sequi solet, odit agentes (that is to saye) That luste and desyre of bodyly\nPleasure is known to follow slothfulness but hates those who are busy and doing. Many heretics, through the misunderstanding of the aforementioned law of Moses, have had contemptuous and shameful opinions of marriage. And such were the Encratites, whom we have spoken about before. It is undoubted and evidently known that monks and heretics have been accustomed to sow and spread abroad everywhere many superstitious sentences concerning the single life. These sentences have troubled many godly consciences, even because of the lawful use of matrimony. They should not find it hard to recall and tell examples. For although they did not utterly condemn matrimony because of procreation:\n\nyet they disparaged it as a kind of living which scarcely at any time pleases God or at least should not please God except because of procreation. But they extolled and magnified the single life as an angelic kind of living. They preached this to be the most pleasant sacrifice to God.\nTo merit remission of sins, to merit garlands or crowns, to bring forth the hundredfold fruit and other things beyond number. These religious practices of angels Paul greatly improves writing to the Colossians. For they oppress the knowledge of Christ when men think that they are reputed righteous for such manner of observances, and not for Christ's sake. They also oppress the knowledge of the commandments of God, when besides the commandment of God new ceremonies and services are devised and preferred before the commandments of God. Wherefore these superstitious opinions concerning single life are to be diligently resisted, to the end that godly consciences may know what manner of honors and service God approves. But in truth our adversaries do not require single life through any superstition. For they know that chastity is not common. But they cloak their businesses with superstitious opinions, to the end that they may beguile the simple.\nLearned persons. They are therefore more worthy of hatred than the Encratites, who seem to have fallen into error through a certain appearance of holiness. But these voluptuous fellows deliberately abuse the pretense of religion.\n\nSix reasons. Although we have so many causes for disputing the law of perpetual abstinence from marriage: yet besides these causes, there are many dangers to souls and open scandals in many other cities, as in Sybaris and Rome. And in these places, an image or similitude of the coming times is set forth. Therefore principally at this time, they ought to strengthen and fortify marriage with sharp laws and examples, and to provoke men as much as we know, although we desire with all labor and diligence to make concord, yet we can in no way pacify our adversaries, unless we would cast away the manifest truth and also unless we would conspire with them to defend this unrighteous law, to dissolve and break it.\nmatrimonies are to be performed by priests, if anyone refuses to obey and force poor, childless women and children into exile as banished persons. However, since it is undoubted that these conditions and laws of peace displease God: let us be sorry, never the less, though we have no fellowship, nor be partners with or adversaries of so many murders. We have declared the reasons why we cannot, with good conscience, agree to our adversaries, who defend the pope's law concerning perpetual abstinence from marriage, that is, because it is repugnant and contrary to God's law, to the law of nature, and disagrees also with the canons. Besides, it is superstitious and full of hypocrisy. Finally, because the whole matter is feigned and hypocritical. For this law is not commanded because of any virtue or holiness, but because of lordship and dominion. And they wickedly cloak and hide this under the pretense of God's honor. Neither can there be anything else.\nThe gospel grants to those in need license and liberty to marry. It does not compel those willing and disposed to remain celibate, allowing them to live chaste in truth. We believe this liberty should be granted to priests as well. The arguments of the adversaries we will not discuss, as we have already presented and declared our own arguments. We have refuted their evasions and dismissals. Now we shall briefly recapitulate their strong reasons for defending this law.\n\nArgument 1: They argue that it came from God by revelation. These bold adversaries are not afraid to claim that the law of perpetual celibacy was revealed by God, despite it being contrary to the manifest testimonies of Scripture, such as 1 Corinthians 7.\nEvery man should have his own wife, for the reason that fornication, as stated in Matthew 19, prohibits the dissolution or breaking of marriages once they are contracted. Tertullian. 4 Paul showed who the author and maker of this law was, whom he called the doctrine of demons. And the fruits also declare who the author is, with so many monstrous kinds of bodily lust, so many murders, which are now received under the cover and cloak of this law.\n\nThe second argument of our adversaries is that priests should be clean, according to the scripture text, \"Mundamini qui fertis vasa domini,\" that is, \"Be ye made clean, you who bear the vessels of the Lord.\" And they allege many other things in accordance with this purpose. This reason, which they boast is most apparent and glorious of all others, we have avoided here before. For we have said that virginity without faith is no cleanness in the sight of God. And on the other hand, marriage, due to faith, is clean.\nAccording to that text, Title 1. All things are clean to those who are clean. We have said this before, that the outward cleanlinesses and ceremonies of the law are not to be translated and applied to us. For the gospel requires a clean heart, it does not require the ceremonies of the law. And it may be so that the heart of a married man, such as Abraham or Jacob, who had many wives, is cleaner and desires less carnal lusts than the hearts of many virgins, even those who live chaste in truth. Regarding that which Isaiah says, \"See that you be made clean,\" Isaiah 6:3, which bears the vessels of the Lord. This saying should be understood as referring to a clean heart and true repentance. But holy men, in touching the outward use, shall know well enough how far they should measure the use of marriage, and (as Paul says) to possess their vessels in sanctification. Finally, since marriage is clean, it would be well\nsayde to them which live unchastely, that they bid their wives be clean. So the same law, which commands that vessels of the Lord be made clean, commands that unchaste single men be made clean and pure married men.\n\nThe third argument. The third argument is horrible and fearful, that is, that it is the heresy of Juinian, that priests should have wives. God forbid, this is a new accusation, that wedlock is heresy. In the time of Juinian, the world did not yet know this law of perpetual abstinence from matrimony; it is therefore a shameful lie to say that the wedlock of priests is the heresy of Juinian, or that it was condemned by the church in such places. They judged that simple and unlearned men would be so easily moved and stirred if they heard the foul reproach of heresy.\nThey imagine that our cause has been confuted and condemned in the past by church judgments. Therefore, they frequently falsely allege the church's judgment. And because they are aware of this, they would not exhibit to us a copy of the confutation, lest this vanity, lest these false lies might be reproved. Regarding the cause of Jovinian, concerning the comparison of virginity and marriage, we have expressed our opinion previously. We do not make marriage and virginity equal and parallel, although neither virginity nor marriage merits justification. With such arguments and in such a vain manner, they defend this law of perpetual abstinence from marriage, which law is both wicked and harmful to good manners. With such reasons, they arm the minds of princes against the judgment of God, in which God will ask accounts of them, why they have dissolved and undone so many marriages, why they have tormented, why they have...\nSlain many priests. For doubt not, but the blood of Abel, after he was dead, cried to God; so does also now the blood of many good men, upon whom cruelty has been unjustly exercised. Cry for vengeance. And undoubtedly God shall punish and avenge this cruelty. Then you shall:\n\nThis protestation we must make here again in the beginning, that we do not abrogate nor take away the mass, but we do religiously and reverently retain, and defend it. For there are masses among us every Sunday and other holy days. At which Masses the sacrament is ministered to those who desire to receive it, after they have been examined and have received absolution. And the usual ceremonies are observed with us, as the order of the lessons, of the prayers, the apparel, and other like things. Our adversaries make a long declaration concerning the use of the Latin tongue in the mass; in which declaration they pleasantly play the fools, disputing how it profits:\nUnlearned hearer in the church, to hear the mass, which they do not understand. They argue that the very act of hearing is an honor and service to God, and is effective without understanding. We will not controversially debate or discuss these matters, but leave them to the judgment of the readers. However, we do hereby recite them to give men knowledge in passing, that the Latin lessons and orisons be retained and used among us. But since ceremonies ought to be observed partly to teach men the scripture, and partly to remind men, through the word, to conceive and gather faith, fear, and therefore pray (for these are the purposes of ceremonies), we keep the Latin tongue for them, which learn and understand Latin. And we join and intermingle some songs in the Dutch tongue, to the end that the people also might have something to learn, and with which to join in singing in every place the people might sing something.\nIn their own native language. But this was never written or painted in any place that the work of hearing lessons, which they do not understand, is acceptable to men, and that ceremonies are profitable, not because they teach or put us in remembrance, but by the virtue of the work that is worked, because they are so or so done, and because they are looked upon. Let all such Pharisaical opinions go to the devil. And though there is only one common mass: yet we do nothing against the Catholic church. The custom of the Greek churches. In parishes throughout Greece, there are not any private masses done, not even in these days, but there is only one common mass done, and that only on Sundays & holy days. In monasteries there is a mass done daily, but it is only a common mass. These are the steps and leavings of the old customs. For none of all the old writers before Gregory make mention of private masses. In what manner they came up at the beginning, we do not know.\nSince the text appears to be in Old English, I will provide a modern English translation of the text while maintaining the original content as much as possible.\n\nOnce this was known, Freers. Since the beginning of the Freers, through most false persuasions and for love of lucre, they have increased so much that all good men have long thought that this thing far exceeded the measure. However, St. Francis intended to provide for this matter. The ordinance of St. Francis, which constituted and ordained that every monastery should be content with one common mass daily, was later changed, either through superstition or else because of lucre. Thus, they who see their time change the ordinances of their forefathers, and afterward cite to us the authority of the forefathers. Epiphanius writes in Asia that they consecrated the mass three times a week, and there were no daily masses. He also says that the apostles taught this manner and custom, whose words are written in the Greek tongue, as much as to say:\n\n\"Epiphanius in Asia writes that they consecrated the mass three times a week, and there were no daily masses. He also says that the apostles taught this manner and custom. Their words, which are written in the Greek language, state: \"\nEnglish. Consecrations were ordered by the apostles to be done on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Now although our adversaries in this place heap many things together to prove that the Mass is a sacrifice, yet this one answer will silence their great cry of words if only this is acknowledged: that all those great scholars, as Eschines mocked the judges, strive about their standing among themselves. They should strive with their adversary about the state of the controversy, and not allow him to stray from the matter or cause. In the same manner, our adversaries must be compelled to speak about the matter at hand, and when the very point and state of the controversy is known, it will be no mastery for a judge to decide between the arguments of both sides. For we, in our confession, have shown that the supper of the Lord does not confer or give grace by the virtue of the work that is wrought, neither when it is\n\"apply for forgiveness of sins are neither quick nor dead, deserving forgiveness neither for a fault (as they say) nor yet a penalty. And the clear and strong proof of this state is this: it is impossible to obtain remission of sins for our own work by the virtue of the work done, but by faith must the terrors of sin and of death be overcome, when we comfort our hearts with the knowledge of Christ, and think that we are forgiven for Christ's sake, and that the merits and justice of Christ are given to us as Paul to the Romans says. Ro 5. Justified by faith we have peace. That is, being justified by faith we have peace. These things are so undoubted, and so strong and sure, that they are able to stand against all the gates of hell. If we ought to have said as much as is needed: this is our cause already at an end. For no man made can allow the Pharisaical and pagan persuasion of the work done. And yet this persuasion continues and sticks.\"\nAmong the people, and this persuasion has increased in numbers to infinite extent. For masses are hired to appease God's wrath, and by this work they will obtain remission of sins and penance. They will also deliver dead men. This Pharisaical opinion has been taught by freemen and sophists in the church.\n\nAlthough we have sufficiently declared our cause already, yet, since our adversaries distort many scriptures foolishly in defense of their errors, we shall add a few things to this place. They have spoken much about sacrifice in their confutation, whereas in our confession we deliberately avoided using that name due to ambiguity and doubtful meaning of the word. We have explained what these men mean now by sacrifice, whose abuses we oppose and argue against. But now, in order to declare the scriptures falsely distorted, it is first necessary, at the beginning, to expound what\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Old English or a similar dialect. It may require professional translation to fully understand the original meaning. The given text is not completely unreadable, but there are some spelling errors and ambiguous words that may require correction for better understanding.)\nsacrifice is. All these hole tenne yeres our aduersaries haue made almost infi\u2223nite volumes of sacrifice. And yet hathe none of them all hytherto put the diffinition of sa\u2223crifice. All only they take the name of sacri\u2223fice eyther out of the scriptures, \nSocra\u2223tes.SOcrates in the worke of Plato entitled Phaedrus, saythe, that himselfe was moste desirous of distinctio\u0304s or diuisio\u0304s / because without them nothynge can be declared by speakyng, ne yet by vnderstanding. And if he fou\u0304de any man connyng of diuiding, him (he sayeth)\nhe wayted vpon, and folowed hys steppes, as though he were a god. And he byddeth hym, that deuideth, to cutte the membres and part{is} in the verie ioyntes, leaste he brouse & breake any membre after the fashyon of an euyl coke. But these p\u0304ceptes our aduersaries do hyghly despyse, and in very dede (as Plato sayeth) they be naughty cokes / corruptyng the mem\u2223bres of sacrifice / as it shalbe perceyued when we shall reherse and recken vp the kyndes of sacrifice. The diuines be wonte, and\nA sacrament is a ceremony or holy work, in which God gives us that thing, which the promise attached to the ceremony offers. For example, baptism is a work, not one we offer to God, but in which God baptizes us. The minister acts on God's behalf, and here God offers and gives forgiveness of sins. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved (Mark 16).\n\nOn the other hand, a sacrifice is a ceremony or work that we offer to God to honor and worship Him. There are two kinds of sacrifices, and there are no more. The first kind is called sacrificium propiatatorium, or in English, a sacrifice of expiation.\nSacrifice is to say, Sacrifice propio a work making satisfaction both for the offense, and the punishment. That is to say, reconciling God, or pacifying the wrath of God, or which merits to other men remission of sins. The other kind is sacrificium eucharisticon, Sacrifice e which in the English tongue a man may call a sacrifice of thanksgiving, which deserves not forgiveness of sins or reconciliation, but is done by those who are reconciled, to the intent to give thanks or to render thanks for the remission of sins and other benefits, which they have received from God. These two kinds of sacrifice we must both in this controversy, and also in many other disputations, have always in sight and before our eyes. We must with singular diligence take heed that they are not confounded and mingled together. If the quantity of this book would allow it, we would also add the reasons for this division. For it has sufficient authorities and testimonies in the epistle of Paul to the [Romans or another epistle].\nHebrews, and in other places. All levital sacrifices may be reduced and brought to these members, as to their own propitiatory houses. They were called in the law certain propitiatory sacrifices / because of their signification or similitude, and not because they merited remission of sins before God / but because they merited remission of sins as touching the justice of the law. Thus, those for whom such sacrifices were made should not be excluded from this polity or come unwelcome. Therefore, holocaustum pro peccato and holocaustum pro delicto, that is, a whole burnt sacrifice for sin and a whole burnt sacrifice for a fault or offense, were called propitiatory sacrifices. But oblation, libation, retributiones, first fruits, tenthes, all these were called eucharistic sacrifices, that is, sacrifices of thanksgiving. But in truth, there was only one propitiatory sacrifice in the world, The death of Christ. And that was the death of Christ.\n/ as the epistle to the Hebrues tea\u2223cheth whiche sayeth. Impossibile est sanguine tau\u2223 that is to say. It is impossible that synnes shulde be taken away by the bloude of bulles and gotes.Heb. 10 And a lytle after he sayeth of the wyl of Christ.Heb. 10 In whiche wyl we be santified, by the oblation of the body of Iesu Christe ones for euer. And Esaie interpretith the lawe, to the entent that we shulde knowe the deathe of Christe to be verie satisfaction for our synnes or purgatio\u0304, nat the ceremonies of the lawe / and therfore he sayeth. After that he shall haue gyuen hys lyfe an hoste or sacrifice for synnes: he shal se sede or posteritie of longe contynuaunce. &c. For the hebrue worde whiche Esaie dothe vse in this place, betokenith sacrifice for syn / whi\u00a6che sacrifice i\u0304 the lawe dyd betoken that there was a certayne hoste or sacrifice to come, whi\u00a6che shulde make satisfaction for our synnes / and shulde reco\u0304cile god / to the ende that men shulde knowe, that nat for our owne ryghtu\u2223ousnes, but for the\nThe merits of another refer to that of Jesus Christ, as God willingly seeks reconciliation with us. Paul explains the same Hebrew word in Romans 8:8, signifying or representing sin. The meaning and strength of the word can be more easily understood through the customs of the Gentiles, who, when God seemed excessively angry, offered sacrifices called piacula or propitiations. These sacrifices were made with the blood of men or animals, as they believed these acts could merit remission of sins or reconciliation through the virtue of the work performed. Such sacrifices are the sacrifices of the New Testament, as Peter teaches in his first epistle in 1 Peter 2:1.\nthat ye shulde offre spirituall hoostes and sacrifices. Howe spirituall sacrifices be set agaynst, as co\u0304trary not onely to the sacrificing of beastes, but al\u2223so to the workes of men, whiche be offred be\u2223cause of the worke wroughte. For this worde spirituall, betokenethe motions of the holye ghoste in vs. Paule teacheth the same, whan he saythe:Ro. 12. Offre your bodyes as a quicke sa\u2223crifice, holye, and a reasonable seruice. But by reasonable seruice or honour is betokened that seruice, in whiche god is vnderstanded, and perceyued in the mynde, as is done in the motions of feare and of truste towardes god. Therfore it is not onely set agaynst the leui\u2223ticall honour or seruice, in whiche beast{is} were slayne: but also that honour or seruice, in whi\u2223che is fayned a worke to be offered, by the ver\u00a6tue of the worke wrought. The same thynge dothe the epistle to the Hebrues teache, whi\u2223che saythe:Heb. 13. By hym let vs offre sacrifice of prayse alwayes vnto god / and he addethe the interp\u0304tation, that is to witte,\nThe fruit of lips confessing his name. He bids us offer praises, that is, invocation taking place, confession or knowledge of his name, and other similar things. These things are of strength, not by the virtue of the work wrought but by the means of faith. And this teaches this passage (by him let us offer) - that is, by faith in Christ. Briefly, the service and worship commanded by the new testament is spiritual, that is, the justice of faith in the heart, and the fruits of faith. Therefore it abolishes the leustral sacrifices. And Christ says: The true worshipers shall worship the father in spirit and truth. John 4. For such worshipers God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship in spirit.\nThe prophet in the Old Testament confirms the people's opinion about the work and teaches righteousness and spiritual sacrifices. Jeremiah 7: \"I have not spoken to your ancestors or given them commands on the day I brought them out of Egypt about burnt offerings or sin offerings. But I gave them this command: 'Listen to me and I will be your God, and you shall be my people.' After this manner, how should the Jews have understood and received this sermon, which seems to be completely repugnant and contrary to the law of Moses? For it was undoubtedly known that God had commanded various kinds of sacrifices to their ancestors. But Jeremiah contradicts this opinion. God never taught them that these sacrifices would appease Him through the work itself. He adds: \"Listen to me and I will be your God.\"\nI. To believe me, I am your god, known as I show mercy and help, needing not your sacrifices. I will be your justifier and savior, not for your works' sake, but for my word and promise's sake. The Psalm also condemns the opinion of works, Psalm 49, which refuses the sacrifice of beasts and requires invocation and the sacrifice of praise. It says, \"Shall I eat the flesh of bulls and goats? I will deliver you in the time of tribulation, and you shall worship and honor me.\" This is the true latria, the heartfelt calling upon him.\n\nII. In Psalm 39, it is written, \"Sacrifice and oblation you desire not, but you have made perfect and opened my ears, that is, you have set forth and proclaimed a word to me.\"\nYou require that I believe your words and promises, which are that you will in truth have mercy, will succor [and so on]. In Psalm 50, it is written that you shall not delight in burnt offerings. The acceptable sacrifice to God is a troubled spirit, a contrite and humbled heart (O God), you will not despise. In Psalm 4, it is written, \"Sacrifice the sacrifice of justice, and hope in the Lord. He bids us hope, and says that it is a righteous sacrifice, meaning that other sacrifices are not true or righteous.\" In Psalm 115, I shall sacrifice the sacrifice of praise, and I shall call upon the name of the Lord. He calls invocation the sacrifice of praise. But what are we doing in citing these passages? The scripture is full of such testimonies, which teach that sacrifices do not please God in and of themselves. Therefore, it teaches that in the new testament (the Levitical sacrifices being abrogated).\nNew, clean, and pure sacrifices shall be made: faith, invocation, thanksgiving, confession, and preaching of the gospel, afflictions for the gospel's sake, and other like things. Malachi the prophet speaks of these sacrifices, saying: \"From the east to the west, my name is great among peoples and nations, and in every place is offered incense to my name, and a pure and clean oblation\" (Malachi 1:11). Our adversaries wrest and apply this to the Mass, and they allege the authority of the fathers. But the answer is easy, for though he spoke never so much of the Mass: yet it does not follow that the Mass justifies itself or that the Mass applied to others grants remission of sins to them.\n\nThe true interpretation of the prophet is that none of these things does the prophet say, which yet monks, friars, and others quote.\nSophists imagine and feign shamefully that he should speak. But the very words of the prophet declare sufficiently his meaning. For first, they propose that the name of the Lord shall be great, which is accomplished through the preaching of the gospel. By it, the name of Christ is notified and spread, and the mercy of the Father promised in Christ is thus known. Preaching of the gospel engenders faith in those who receive it, who call on God and give thanks to God, who suffer afflictions in their confessing or preaching. Thus, the name of the Lord is made great among the gentiles. Wherefore, sacrifice and a clean oblation signify not a ceremony nakedly done, but all those sacrifices by which the name of the Lord is magnified, I mean, faith, invocation, preaching of the gospel, confession, and so on. We easily suffer him who desires, to comprise a ceremony, so that he understood not only the ceremony.\nThe ceremony is called Auallia. Malachi 3: \"He will purify the sons of Levi and bring them near as gold and silver. They will offer to the Lord sacrifices of righteousness. This place specifically requires the sacrifices of righteous men; therefore, it does not defend the opinion of the work. The sacrifices of the sons of Levi, that is, the teachers in the New Testament, are these: the preaching of the gospel and the good fruits of preaching. Likewise, as Paul says to the Romans, \"I myself serve the gospel of God, that the oblation of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit, that is, that the Gentiles might be made acceptable sacrifices to God.\"\nFor the killing of beasts in the law signified both the death of Christ and the preaching of the gospel, by which the oldness of the flesh must be mortified, and the new and eternal life must begin in us. However, our adversaries everywhere distort the name of sacrifice to only ceremonies; but of preaching the gospel, of faith, invocation, and similar things they speak nothing. Yet the ceremony was instituted for these things. The new testament ought to have sacrifices of the heart, and not ceremonies to be done for sins, according to the manner of the Levitical priesthood. They also allege a continual sacrifice, as in the law the sacrifice was continual; therefore Paul says, \"So often as you shall eat this bread and drink from the cup of the Lord, show the death of the Lord.\" (1 Corinthians 11)\nBut this thing does not follow the figurative meaning in any way that the ceremony justifies by its own proper virtue or is a work to be applied for others to merit remission of sins. The type or figure aptly expresses, not only the ceremony, but also the preaching of the gospel. In the book of Numbers, there are three parts of the daily sacrifice: the burning of the lamb, libation, and oblation of flour. The law had pictures or shadows of things to come. Therefore, in this spectacle and figure, Christ and the whole honor and service of the new testament are painted. The burning of the lamb signifies the death of Christ. Libation signifies that everywhere throughout the world, those who believe are sprinkled with the blood of the lamb, that is, by the preaching of the gospels, are sanctified into the sanctification of the spirit into obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus.\nChriste. The oblation of flowers signifies faith, invocation, and thanksgiving in the heart. Therefore, as in the old testament we see the shadow: so in the new testament the thing signified is to be sought out, and not another figure is sufficient for sacrifice. Whereas the ceremony is the memorial of Christ's death: yet it alone is not the continual sacrifice, but the very remembrance is the continual and daily sacrifice (that is to say) the preaching of the gospel, and faith, which truly believes that God is reconciled to us by the death of Christ. There is required libation (that is to say) the effect of the preaching, that we, being aspersed with the blood of Christ, might be sanctified, being mortified and quickened. There are also required oblations (that is to say) the giving of thanks, confessions, and afflictions. So then, let us understand, that there is signified a\nspirituall worshyp, and a continuall sa\u2223crifice of the herte, because in the newe testa\u2223ment not the shadowe, but the bodye of good thynges, I meane, the holy ghoste, mortifica\u2223tion, and viuification oughte to be required. By these thynges it appereth that the conti\u2223nuall and daylye sacrifice makethe nothynge agaynst vs, but rather for vs. We require all the partes signified by continuall sacrifice.\nOur aduersaries falsely dreame, that thonlye ceremonie is betokened, & not also preachyng of the gospell, mortification, and viuification of the herte, with suche other.\nNowe therfore good men may easelye iudge, that this is a very false accusatio\u0304 to say, that we take away the continual & dayly sacrifice. The thyng it selfe sheweth, who be those An\u2223tiochi, whiche raigne in the churche, whiche vnder pretence of religion, drawe vnto them selues the kyngdome of the worlde, & castyng away all care of godly lyuyng and teachyng the gospell, playe the lordes, make warre lyke princis and kyng{is} of the worlde, whiche\nhave instituted new ceremonies in the church. For our adversaries in the mass only retain the ceremony, and abuse it openly to cursed lucre & sacrilege. And yet they feign that this work, if it be applied for other, does merit unto thee grace & all goodness. In their sermons they teach not the gospel, they comfort not consciences, they show not that sins are freely forgiven for Christ's sake: but they set forth before us, and teach us honoring of saints, human satisfactions, human traditions. By these things they say, that men are justified before God. And whereas certain of these before rehearsed are manifestly wicked: yet they are defended with force and violence. That if any preachers of them covet to be taken for more conniving, and better learned than the rest, they teach questions of philosophy, which neither the people, nor yet them selves understand. Finally, they which be of most tolerable sort among them teach the law, but of the justice of faith they speak no word.\nOur adversaries in the controversy make wonderful tragedies and sorrowful exclamations about the desolation of churches. They say that the altars stand unadorned, without candles, without images. These trifling things they judge to be the adornments of the churches. Daniel signifies a far different manner of desolation coming to the church (that is, the ignorance of the gospel). For the people oppressed with the great number and variety of traditions & opinions could in no way receive the effect and sum of the Christian doctrine. For what one of the common people understood the doctrine of repentance, which our adversaries have taught? And yet this is the principal point of the Christian doctrine. Consciences were vexed with the reckoning up of particular sins and satisfactions: But concerning faith, by which we freely obtain remission of sins, no mention was made by our adversaries, I say, of the exercises and labors of faith, who wrestle against it.\nDesperation, concerning the free remission of sins for Christ's sake, rendered all the books, all the sermons of our adversaries dull. To these matters, an horrible profanation and misuse of masses, and many other wicked ceremonies and services in churches, has been added. This is the desolation, which Daniel describes.\n\nDaniel 9. The doctrine of the preachers in Germany. On the other hand, our priests (thanks be given to God for His goodness) teach the gospel of the benefits of Christ, and show that remission of sins comes freely for Christ's sake. This doctrine brings strong and sure consolation to consciences. There is also added the doctrine of good works, which God commands. The use and dignity of the sacraments is taught among us.\n\nIf the use of the sacrament were a continual and daily sacrifice: yet should we retain and keep the said sacrifice more than our adversaries. For among them priests use the sacrament, because they are hired for wages.\nand rewardes. With vs the vse of the sacramente is more often & also more deuoute and holy. For the people vse the sacrament, but they be fyrste taught and examined. For they be taught and instructed of the true and ryghte vse of the sacrament, whiche is that it was ordeined for this entente, that it shuld be a seale & testimonie of free remission of sinnes. And therfore it ought to teache feareful con\u2223sciences, and to put them in remembrau\u0304ce, to be assured & certayne within them selues, and to beleue that theyr sinnes be freely forgyuen them. For asmoche then, as we reteine stylle bothe the preachynge of the gospell, and the laufull vse of the sacramentes: there remay\u2223neth stylle with vs the continuall sacrifice. And if we shulde speake of the outwarde sight and shewe to the iye: there is greatter resorte of people in our churches, than in the chur\u2223ches of oure aduersaries. For the people be kepte together with profitable and playne ser\u00a6mones. But as for the doctrine of our aduer\u2223saries, neither y\u2022 people,\nNeither the doctors themselves ever understood it. And the very true apparent and decorative nature of temples is godly doctrine, profitable and plain to the hearers, the godly use of sacraments, fervent prayer, and such other. Candles, vessels of gold, and similar ornaments are in fact not the proper and true decoration of the church. If our adversaries set the honor of God in such things and not in preaching of the gospel, in faith, in the exercises and battles of faith, they may be accounted among those whom Daniel describes as worshiping their god with gold and silver. Dan. 11:\n\nThey also object from the epistle to the Hebrews, the fifth chapter: \"Every priest taken from among men is appointed for men in those things, which belong to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.\" That is, every bishop taken from among men is ordained for men's cause in those things, which belong to God.\nAppertains to God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. From this they reason that since there are bishops and priests in the New Testament, it follows that there is also some sacrifice for sins. This passage most of all moves those who are unlearned, particularly when the pomp of the priesthood and sacrifices of the Old Testament are cast before their eyes. This similarity deceives the unlearned and causes them to judge that there ought, among us, ceremonial sacrifices applicable for the sins of others, as it was in the Old Testament. Neither is the sacrifice of the Mass and the other policy and ordinance of the pope anything other than a counterfeit of the literal order or policy not rightly or well understood. And although our sentence has chief testimonies in the epistle to the Hebrews, yet our adversaries distort passages from the same epistle (but yet mangled and misrepresented) against us.\nThe place where it is said that the bishop is ordained to offer sacrifices for sins is immediately followed by a mention of Christ, the bishop, in the scripture. The text preceding this speaks of the Levitical priesthood, meaning that the Levitical bishopric or priesthood was a figure of the bishopric or priesthood of Christ. The Levitical sacrifices made for sins did not merit remission before God; they were merely a figure or image of the sacrifice of Christ, which alone should be the propitiatory sacrifice, as previously stated. Therefore, a large part of the epistle discusses this place, explaining that the old bishopric or priesthood and the old sacrifices were not instituted for the purpose of meriting remission of sins before God or reconciliation, but only to signify the sacrifice that was to come from Christ alone. The saints in the Old Testament had to be justified by the belief in the promise of remission of sins given for Christ.\nAll saints and holy men, since the beginning of the world, must believe that Christ, who was promised, should be the sacrifice and satisfaction for sin. Isaiah teaches in the 53rd chapter, saying, \"When he shall put his life to be an host or sacrifice for sins, and so on.\" For as much as in the Old Testament, sacrifices did not merit reconciliation directly but by a certain similitude (for they merited only political reconciliation), it follows that the only sacrifice of Christ was applied for the sins of others. Therefore, there is no sacrifice left in the New Testament to be applied for the sins of others besides the only sacrifice of Christ on the cross. They are quite and clean out of the way who imagine that Levitical sacrifices merited remission of sins before God and, accordingly, require and seek other sacrifices.\nThis imagination quenches the merit of Christ's passion and the justice of faith, and corrupts the doctrine of the Old and New Testaments. In place of Christ, it makes other mediators and reconcilers \u2013 that is, bishops and priests \u2013 who daily sell their labor in churches. Therefore, anyone who makes this reason \u2013 that there should be a bishop in the New Testament who can offer for sins: this is granted only by Christ. And this solution confirms the entire epistle to the Hebrews. It would be utterly necessary to make other mediators besides Christ: if we required any other satisfaction for the sins of others and to reconcile God, besides the death of Christ. Furthermore, because the priesthood of the New Testament is a ministry of the Spirit (as Paul teaches in the second epistle to the Corinthians), therefore it has the only sacrifice of Christ.\nThe text is already largely clean, with only minor corrections needed. I will make the following adjustments:\n\n1. Remove unnecessary line breaks and whitespaces.\n2. Correct some OCR errors.\n\nThe corrected text is:\n\nsatisfactory, 2. Cor. 3. And it is applied for the sins of other. But it has no sacrifices like the Levitical sacrifices, which can be applied by their own proper virtue for others, but it offers and ministers to others the gospel and sacraments to the enro. 5. We are justified by faith, we have peace. Besides this, we have shown that the Scriptures alleged against us defend not the wicked opinion of our adversaries concerning the work wrought, and that all good men of every nation and country may judge. Therefore, the error of Thomas is to be rejected, who wrote, \"The error of Thomas rejected: the body of the Lord, once offered upon the cross for original sin, is daily offered upon the altar for daily sins; so that the church, in this way, might have a gift to pacify and reconcile God.\" The other coming errors are also to be forsaken, as that the Mass gives grace to the doer by the virtue of the work wrought. Also that the Mass is applied for others.\nSinners and unjust persons, so that they put no impediment in their part, do merit unto themselves remission of sins, both (as they say) a pardon and penalty. All these things are false and wicked, and have been newly invented by unlearned freemen. From these errors other errors have sprung up, such as how great the strength of the masses is when they are applied for many together, and how much they avail when they are applied for every man particularly. Sophists have set forth the degrees of merit, just as goldsmiths have the degrees of weights in gold or silver. Besides this, they sell the mass as a price to obtain whatever any man desires, to merchants, that they may have prosperous living and selling, to hunters, that they may have prosperous hunting, and so on for infinite things. Finally, they apply it also to dead men, they deliver souls by the applying of the sacrament.\nThe pains of Purgatory. Without faith, the Mass profits not those who are alive. Neither can our adversaries bring forth as much as one sentence from the scriptures to the maintenance of these trifles and lies, which they teach with great authority in the church. Neither do they have any testimonies from the ancient Church or the fathers.\n\nBUT since we have declared the scriptural passages cited against us, we must now answer concerning the old fathers.\n\nWe well know that the Mass is called a sacrifice by the old fathers, but their meaning is not that the Mass, by the virtue of the work performed, grants grace and applies it for others, meriting for them remission of sins, both of the crime and also of the punishment. Where are such monstrous words read in the works of the old fathers? But they openly witness that they speak of thanksgiving, and therefore they call it by the Greek word Eucharistia.\nThe sacrifice of the Mass, called the Eucharistia. We have said before that an Eucharistic sacrifice does not merit reconciliation, but is performed by those who are already reconciled. Likewise, afflictions do not merit reconciliation, but become Eucharistic sacrifices when those who are reconciled suffer them. This answer in general refutes the sayings of the fathers, sufficiently defending us against our adversaries. For it is certain that those figments and imaginations of the merit of the work are read nowhere in the writings of the fathers. To make the cause clearer, we will also speak of the use of the sacrament, those things which agree with the sayings of the fathers and scripture.\n\nCertain pleasure-seeking fellows fancy and imagine a vain opinion: that the Lord's Supper was instituted for two causes. The one is, it should be a mark and testimonie of\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English. No major OCR errors were detected, so no corrections were necessary.)\nProfession, similarly to the certain fashion of a monk or a freeman's habit, is a sign of a particular profession or order. Secondarily, they believe that such a manner of sign and token, that is to say, a supper or mandy day, primarily pleased Christ, and therefore it should signify a conjunction and friendship of Christ's men among themselves, each to another. For drinking and eating together is a token of love and friendship. However, this is but a civil opinion, and it does not show the chief and principal use of things taught by God. It speaks only of the exercise of charity, which lay and civil men understand in a certain way, but it does not speak of faith, which few men understood what it is.\n\nWhat is a sacrament? Sacraments are signs and tokens of God's will toward us, and not only tokens of men among themselves. And they very well define sacraments in the New Testament as signs and tokens of grace. And because in a sacrament there are two things, the sign, and the word.\nThe word in the New Testament is the promise of grace, which is added to the sign. The promise of the New Testament is the promise of remission of sins, as the text says here. 1 Corinthians 11:26-28, Mark 14. \"This is my body, which is given for you. This is the cup of the New Testament with my blood, which shall be shed for the remission of sins.\" Therefore, the word offers forgiveness of sins. And the ceremony is like a picture or a seal of the word (as Paul calls it), showing the promise. Therefore, just as the promise is useless unless it is received by faith; so is the ceremony also useless unless faith is put into it, who truly believes and decrees. This faith comforts and lifts up a contrite and troubled mind. And just as the word was given to stir up this faith; so the sacrament was ordained for this intent, that the visible sign set before the eyes should move the hearts to believe.\nFor by these things, I mean by the word and by the sacrament, the holy ghost works. Such use of the sacrament when faith quickens troubled and fearful hearts is a sacrifice of the new testament. For the new testament has spiritual motions, that is, mortification and vivification. And Christ instituted it for this use when he commanded us to do it as a memorial and reminder of him. For to remember Christ is not a vain or idle celebration of sight or show, or instituted only for example, as we see in tragedies, the memory of Hercules or Ulysses to be honorably made: But it is to remember the benefits of Christ and to receive them by faith, so that we may be quickened by them. Therefore the psalm says, \"A memory has the most merciful Lord made of his marvels / he has given me food to fear him.\" For he signifies and means that the will and mercy of God should be acknowledged in that ceremony. But faith, which knows and confesses\nMercy undoubtedly makes a life. And this is the primary use of the sacrament, which appears to those suitable and convenient for this sacrament (that is, troubled consciences and thoroughly afraid ones). A sacrifice is also put in place, as there are many purposes for one thing. After the conscience is lifted up and comforted with faith, it truly gives thanks for the benefit and passion of Christ and uses the ceremony to the praise and glory of God. In this obedience, it shows due kindness and acknowledges the gifts of God. Thus, the ceremony becomes a sacrifice of praise. The fathers speak of two effects of this consolation and comforting of consciences and of giving thanks or praise. The first of these two effects pertains to the nature of a sacrament.\nSecondly, Ambrose speaks of a sacrifice for consolation: \"Recede ad cum et absolventur, you who draw near to him shall be pardoned, for he is the remission of sins. Ask me who I am, and listen to what I say: I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.\" Here, Ambrose testifies that in the sacrament, there is forgiveness of sins. He also testifies that it should be received through faith. A thousand similar testimonies, all carrying the same message, can be found among the Fathers' works. Our adversaries still wrest and twist these texts to suit their purposes, while the Fathers openly require faith and speak of the personal consolation of each individual, not of application for others. Additionally, there are passages of thanksgiving, such as the following example:\n\"sentence most sweetly spoken of Cypriane, concerning those who in due and godly way receive the sacrament. Cyprian. Pietas inter data et condonata se dividens gratias agit tam ubique (That is to say). Pietie or godliness dividing itself between the things given, and the things forgiven, gives thanks to the giver of plentiful benefit (that is to say), it consents. Our adversaries call us back again unto gratitude. They take arguments from the names of the mass, which need not lengthy discussion. For it does not follow that the mass, although it be called a sacrifice, is a work bestowing grace by the virtue of the work wrought or applied for others, that it merits remission of sins to them. Liturgy, the Greek word (they say), signifies the same as Sacrificium does in the Latin tongue. And the Greeks call the mass Liturgiam. Therefore, and so forth. Why do they here leave out the old name Synaxis, which word shows that the Mass was in olden times a communion and participation of many men? But let us make\"\nAnswering the question about Liturgy, this word does not signify properly a sacrifice, but rather a ministry or service. A minister, in consecrating, presents to the remainder of the people the body and blood of our Lord. Similarly, a minister teaching, ministers and gives to the people the gospel of Christ, as Paul says, \"Let us judge ourselves, as men of the ministry of Christ and dispensers of the mysteries or sacraments of God, that is, of the gospel and of the sacraments.\" In 2 Corinthians, he says: \"For Christ's cause we do this ministry, even as God did desire you by us: we beseech you for Christ's cause that you be reconciled\" (2 Corinthians 5:20). Therefore, the name of Liturgy fits very conveniently to a ministry. It is a word used in public ministries. Among the Greeks, it signifies coming charges, as tribute, costs of preparing their navy, or other like things.\nDemosthenes, in his oration against Leptines, used the term \"Liturgy\" to refer to common charges. This is evident from Demosthenes' oration, where he spent the entirety disputing common offices and liberties. The term \"Liturgy\" was also used during Roman times, as indicated in Pertinax's rescript in the Semper law's paragraph on immunities, and in the commentary of Demosthenes. The commentary explains that \"Liturgy\" refers to the costs of common plays, preparing ships, and other common charges. Paul used the same term in his second epistle to the Corinthians (9:11), stating, \"The collection for this common gift to the saints not only provides for their needs, but also encourages those who give to give generously.\" In his second epistle to the Philippians, Paul referred to Epaphroditus as \"Liturgy.\"\nA minister of his necessity, in Philippians 2, where this word cannot be understood to mean anything other than a priest. But we shall not need to bring forward any more testimonies, as examples offer themselves everywhere in Greek authors, in whose works \"Liturgy\" is used for civil charges or offices. And because of the diphthong, grammarians do not bring forth this word from \"Lite,\" which signifies prayers: but it derives its name from the public and common good. The etymology of this word \"liturgy,\" which they call \"Leita,\" is such that \"Leitourgeo\" means, in essence, \"I order and have charge and handling of the good of the commonwealth.\" It is a strange thing that they reason thus: since mention is made of the altar in holy scripture, therefore the mass must necessarily be a sacrifice. And this word \"Missa,\" they claim, is said of an altar in the Hebrew language. But what need is there for this?\nTo fetch the etymology so far, only because they would show it in the Hebrew tongue? What need is there to seek the etymology so far when we read the word \"Missa\" in the book of Deuteronomy, Deu. 16, where it signifies collations or gifts of the people, and not the oblation of the priest. For every one that came to the solemn feast of Easter, was bound to bring some gift for their portion and shot towards the common supper. This manner did Christian men keep at the beginning. When they came together, they brought loves of bread, wine, & other things, as witness the canons of the apostles. Of a part was taken to be consecrated. The rest was distributed to the poor. With this manner they also retained the name of collations or shots. And by reason of such collations, it appears also that the mass otherwise is called Agape (that is to say, a charity), unless perhaps a man had rather have it so called because of the coming refectio or supper. But let us\nFor I wonder that adversaries bring forth light and slender conjectures in such a great and weighty matter. For though the mass is called an oblation: what makes this word to those dreams of the work wrought and of the application, which they feign to merit to others remission of sins? In truth, it may be called an oblation, because prayers, thanksgiving, and all the whole ceremony are offered: likewise, it is called Eucharistia. But neither the ceremonies nor the prayers are profitable by their own virtue without faith. Here we dispute not about the prayers, but properly about the Lord's Supper.\n\nThe Greek canon also speaks many things of oblation: but it declares openly that it speaks not properly of the body and blood of our Lord, but of the whole mass, of the prayers and thank offerings. For the Greek word may be thus translated into our English tongue: And make us worthy to offer unto Thee, O [God].\nLord, prayers, supplications, and sacrifices, unbloody for all the whole people. If this be rightly understood, there is no harm in it. For it desires that we may be made worthy to offer prayers and supplications, and unbloody sacrifices for the people. It calls the very prayers unbloody hosts or sacrifices. Likewise, a little after it says, Yet we offer unto this reasonable and unbloody honor. For they foolishly expound it whoever had rather expound this place for a reasonable host and apply it to the body of Christ when the canon speaks of the whole service of the Mass. And Paul uses this word (reasonable honor) against my work, meaning by it the service of the mind, that is, fear, invocation, thanksgiving. But where our adversaries defend the application of the ceremony for delivering souls out of Purgatory, by the reason whereof they get infinite lucre and money, they have no testimonies or commandments from it.\nScripture note. And it is no small sin to order such ceremonies or services in the church without the commandment of God or any example from the scripture, and to apply the Lord's supper to dead men, which was ordained as a remembrance and to be preached among the living. This is to abuse the name of God, against the second commandment. For first, it is an injury and dishonor to the gospel. A man to think that the ceremony, by the virtue of the work that is wrought without faith, is a sacrifice reconciling God and satisfying for sins, is an horrible and abominable saying. The work of the priest is of as much strength as the death of Christ. Secondarily, sin and death can not be overcome but by faith in Christ, as Paul teaches. We are justified by faith, Romans 5: have peace, therefore the pain of Purgatory can not be overcome by the applying of another man's work.\n\nPurgatory. We will pass over here what manner of testimonies our adversaries have presented:\nPurgatorian doctrine, as we have shown before, holds that the pains of Purgatory are of a certain kind and that the doctrine of satisfactions, which we have demonstrated to be in vain, is the cause. We will present only one argument against them: it is certain and undoubted that the Lord's Supper was instituted for the remission of sins, as it offers remission for sins, and yet it does not satisfy for sins. The Mass would then be equal to Christ's death. Neither can the remission of sins through satisfactions be these (1 Corinthians 11:27-28) whom Paul spoke of as guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, who have oppressed the doctrine of faith and the remission of sin, and under the pretense of satisfactions have abused the body and blood of the Lord to most cursed lucre. But they will one day suffer for this abominable sacrilege. Therefore, we and all good consciences must not approve the abuses of our adversaries.\nBut let us return to our matter. Since the mass is not a satisfaction, neither for punishment nor for sin, through the work performed without faith, it follows that applying it for dead men is unprofitable. Neither do we need to discuss this further. For it is undoubted that these applications for the dead are not based on scripture. And it is imprudent to institute any honor or service to God without scriptural authority. If we should need to speak more extensively on this matter at any time, we shall do so. For what business should we have now with our adversaries, who neither understand what sacrifice is, nor what a sacrament is, nor what remission of sins is, nor what faith is? Nor does the Greek canon apply the oblation as a satisfaction for dead men, for it applies it indiscriminately to all the blessed patriarchs, prophets, and apostles. It appears therefore that the Greeks offer it as a thank offering, and apply it not as a sacrifice.\nThey find satisfaction for penances. However, they do not speak only of the oblation of the body and blood of the Lord, but also of the other parts of the mass, that is, prayers and thanksgiving. After the consecration, they pray that it may benefit those who receive it; they do not speak of others. Later, they add these words in their tongue. The words of the Greek Canon. We offer also to this reasonable service for them, our first fathers, patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, and so on. Reasonable service does not here signify the very host, but rather the prayers and all things that are done there. Now, where our adversaries accuse the fathers regarding oblations for the dead, we know that the old fathers speak of prayers made for the dead, which we will not forbid, but the application of the Lord's Supper for the dead because of the work performed, this we forbid. Nor do the old fathers disagree with us on this matter.\nThe scriptures are open to interpretation, leading to great disagreements and diversities between them and the writings of the fathers. The fathers were human and could err. However, if they were alive and saw their own words used to defend these open lies that our adversaries teach about our work, they would certainly expose their own words in a different light. Our adversaries also falsely accuse us of condemning a man named Aerius, whom they claim was condemned because he denied that the Mass oblation was made for both the quick and the dead.\n\nAerius was an heretic. Our adversaries use this argument frequently, falsely comparing our cause to old heresies to make us more hated. Epiphanius testifies that Aerius held the opinion that prayers for the dead were unprofitable.\n\nThe opinion of Aerius was that prayers for the dead were unprofitable. Epiphanius condemned this opinion. We do not defend Aerius, but rather argue with you, who wickedly defend a heresy, manifestly.\ncontrary to the saying of the prophets, apostles, and holy fathers, the mass, by the virtue of the work wrought, does not justify and merits remission of sins for unrighteous men, for whom it is applied, if they make no stop or impediment of their own part. We reject these poisonous errors, which diminish the glory of the passion of Christ and utterly oppress the doctrine of the justice of faith. Such persuasion had the wicked Jews in the law, who merited remission of sins through the virtue of the work wrought and did not receive it freely by faith. Therefore they increased those ceremonies and sacrifices; they ordained the honoring of Baal in Israel; in Jeroboam also they made sacrifice in the hallowed woods. Wherefore the prophets condemning this persuasion waged war not only against the worshippers of Baal but also against other priests, who made the sacrifices.\nOrdered by God with this wicked opinion. But this belief persists in the world, and will persist, I mean that ceremonies and sacrifices are redemption for sins. Carnal men do not suffer this honor to be given only to the sacrifice of Christ, that it is the very reparation and propitiation: because they perceive not the justice of faith, but give equal honor to other services and sacrifices. Therefore, just as in Jeremiah there arose a false belief among the wicked bishops concerning sacrifices, and just as in Israel they continued the worshipping of Baal and other like gods. And yet nevertheless, among them was the church of God, which did condemn and rebuke those wicked sacrifices and services. So likewise in the kingdom of the pope, there remains the worshipping of Baal (that is to say, the abuse of the mass), which they apply, in order that they may merit remission of sin and punishment for sin through it. And this worshipping of Baal.\nWith the Pope's kingdom likely to continue until Christ comes to judge, and until the time that the glory of his coming destroys the kingdom of Antichrist. In the meantime, those who truly believe the gospel should improve and rebuke the wicked services and worship designed against God's commandment, to obscure and dim the glory of Christ and the justice of faith. We have spoken briefly concerning the Mass, to the end that all good men in whatever country they dwell may know and understand that we defend its dignity with great affection and diligence, and that we have just causes to dissent and disagree with our adversaries. And here we would that all good men take admonition and counsel, not to help our adversaries who defend the profanation and abuse of the Mass, lest they charge themselves with the guilt of other men's sin.\n\nThe business of the true Mass\nIn a certain town in Turingia called Isenauc, over thirty years ago, there was a certain brother of the Saint Fraucis order, John Hilten by name. He was imprisoned by his own company because he had rebuked certain notorious abuses. We have seen the works he wrote, which make it clear what kind of doctrine he taught. Those who knew him report that he was a gentle old man, without any waywardness. This John showed beforehand.\nMany things have happened, some of which have already taken place, and some of which are imminent. We will not recite these things, lest they be interpreted as expressions of displeasure or ill will toward someone, or for the pleasure of someone. In conclusion, when either due to age or filthiness, he fell ill and sent for the wardEN of the place to inform him of his infirmity and sickness. When the wardEN, inflamed with Pharisaical hatred against him, began to rebuke him sharply for his doctrine, which seemed to be against the profits of the church, then this John leaving the mention of his infirmity, and inwardly sorrowing and signing, said that he was content to endure all these injuries for Christ's sake. For he had neither written nor taught anything that might harm the state of the religious.\nmen he only rebuked, but another will come in the year of our Lord God, MDxvj. This person will destroy you, and you shall not be able to withstand Monasteries were, and in old time abbeys were the schools of Christ's doctrine. Now they have grown out of kind, as it were from a golden kind to an iron kind, bringing nothing but mischief and destruction. The richest monasteries only find and nourish an idle multitude, which there under false pretense of religion, fill their bellies, and play the cornmorants upon the common alms of the church. Unsave-some sal But Christ teaches us of the unsavory salt, that it is wont to be cast out and trodden underfoot. Therefore, religious men sing their own destruction with these manners. And besides all this, there is another sign now, which is, that they are every where the causes and sellers of putting good men to death. These murders (no doubt of it) God will shortly.\nrevenge and ponyshe. Neither do we here accuse all religious men, for we suppose that wherever there are some good men in monasteries who think moderately of human ceremonies and services, and who do not allow the cruelty that hypocrites exercise and use. But we dispute the kind of doctrine that the chief defenders of the refutation now defend, not whether vows ought to be kept (for we think that lawful vows are to be kept), but whether those services and ceremonies merit remission of sins and justification, whether they are satisfactions for sins, whether they are equal to baptism, whether they fulfill both the commandments and the counsels, whether they are the evangelical perfection, whether they have merits of supererogation, whether those merits applied to other men can save them, to whom they are applied, whether the vows are lawful which are made with these opinions, whether the vows are lawful which are made under them.\ncloke and pretense of religion be taken only for the intent to fill the belly and to live in idleness and ease / whether those are true vows which men are compelled to make against their wills, or else are made of such who were not of full age, to judge of the manner and kind of living, which have been thrust into monasteries by their parents or friends, to the end that they might be found and have their living of the commune cost without any hindrance of their own patrimony / whether those vows are lawful, which openly incline to an evil end, either because they are not kept through infirmity and weaknesses, or else because those who are in such feliships and companies are compelled to approve and to help forward the abuses of masses / the wicked honoring of saints / the counsels of raging and exercising cruelty against good men.\nOf these questions we dispute. And though we have in our confession spoken many things of such manner vows, which also the canons\nThe popes' improvements and disallowances: yet our adversaries desire that all we have brought forth should be rejected. For these reasons they have used such words, and it is a world to see how they quibble and trifle away our reasons, and what they bring to the defense and fortification of their own cause. Therefore, we shall briefly cover a certain few of our arguments and, in running through them, make answers, and avoid the quibblings of our adversaries. And since this whole matter has been diligently and plentifully handled by Martin Luther in his book entitled \"On Monastic Vows,\" we will here become but a reporter and repeater of that book.\n\nThe first reason. First of all, this is most certain and undoubted that it is no lawful vow by which he who makes the vow thinks that he deserves remission of sins before God or that he satisfies for sins before God. For this opinion is a manifest injury to the gospel, which teaches that remission of sins is freely given.\nYou have alleged the passage from Paul to the Galatians, Galatians 5: \"You have become estranged from Christ if you are justified by the law; you have fallen from grace. But if anyone seeks to justify himself by works of the law and relies on them, he is a debtor to do the whole law. But if, in response to the gospel, you seek to be justified by laws, you have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.\"\n\nNow, let us consider the arguments of the opposing side. They interpret this passage from Paul as referring only to the law of Moses. Furthermore, they add, \"religious men observe all things for Christ's sake, and they endeavor to live according to the rule of the gospel in such a way that they may merit eternal life.\"\n\nThe opponents' interpretation. And they add this horrifying conclusion: \"Why are these things wicked, which are alleged against the religious life? O Christ, how long will you suffer these injuries and dishonors inflicted by our enemies?\"\nIn response to your gospel, we declared in confession that the remission of sins is freely received for Christ's sake through faith. If this is not the very saying of the gospel, if this is not the decree of the eternal Father, which you (most merciful Christ), who are in your Father's bosom, showed to the world, we are rightfully punished? But your death is a witness, your resurrection is a witness, the Holy Ghost is a witness, your whole church is a witness, that this is the very decree of the gospel, that we obtain remission of sins, not for our own merits, but for your sake through faith. Paul, when he says that men do not merit remission of sins by the law of Moses, takes away much praise from the traditions of men. And he openly bears witness to this before the Colossians. If the law of Moses, which was given by God, did not merit remission of sins: how much less do these foolish observances, disagreeing with the civil custom and manner of living, merit remission.\nOur adversaries maintain, a wicked and erroneous notion that Paul abrogates the law of Moses, and that Christ succeeds it in such a way that he does not freely grant remission of sins, but only for the works of other laws, if any are devised. With this perverse and mad opinion, they utterly undermine the benefit of Christ. Furthermore, they maintain among themselves, who observe the law of Christ, that religious men observe it more closely than others, because of their hypocritical and disguised poverty, chastity, and obedience. They boast and pride themselves on poverty, being in the highest abundance of all manner of things. They boast of their obedience, when no kind of men have more liberty than religious men. Of their single life, I do not wish to speak, for I see how clean and pure it is in most parts of them, as Gerson shows in his book. Gerson And how many are there (I pray you), who strive to live in this way?\nChaste you be sure, with this hypocrisy and simulation, religious men live more near to the rule of the Gospel. Christ does not succeed Moses in this way, that for our works' sake He forgives sins; but He sets His own merit as His own propitiation against the wrath of God for us, that we might freely forgive sins. But whoever, besides the propitiation of Christ, pleads his own merits against the wrath of God, and goes about to purchase remission of sins for his own merits, whether he brings the works of Moses' law, or the ten commandments, or Benet's rule, or Augustine's rule, or any other rules: he annuls and takes away the promise of Christ. He has cast away Christ and is fallen from grace. This is the sentence and mind of Paul. And consider, O Charles, most mild and gentle Emperor, consider you princes, consider you of all orders and degrees, how great is the shamelessness of our adversaries, when we quoted the place of Paul containing\nThey wrote against it these words: \"They are wicked who are alleged here against Monastic life. And what is more certain and undoubted than that men obtain remission of sins for Christ's sake through faith. And yet these rude fellows dare call this sentence wicked. We have no doubt that if you had been warned of this place, you would have seen this great blasphemy removed from the confutation. Since it has been previously declared at length that our own works are the reason we do not deserve remission of sins, we will be brief in this place. A wise reader can easily conclude from this that we do not deserve remission of sins through good works. And therefore that blasphemy, which is read in Thomas, should not be tolerated, stating that the profession of religion is The Secondly, obedience, poverty, and single life, so that it is not unclean, are but exercises in difference. And therefore holy men may use them.\"\nWithout sin, as Barnarde, Fransis, and other holy men used them. And they used them for a corporal utility, that they might be more expedite and regular. Bodily exercise is profitable to a little extent. And it is likely enough that there are good men in monasteries today, who occupy themselves in the administration of the word, and who use these observations without any wicked opinions. But to think that these observations Frustra me colunt mandatis hominum - In vain they worship me with the traditions of men. It is contrary also to this sentence: Omne quod non est ex fide peccatum. 14. All that is not of faith is sin. But how can they affirm that these are services, which God approves as righteousness before Him, when they have no warrant of the word of God? But see the unshamefastness of adversaries. They not only teach that these observations are services justifying before God; but add also that they are meritorious works.\nmore perfect services, that is, more meriting remission of sins and justification, than any other kinds of living. And here run together in a heap many false and poisonous opinions. They claim that they keep both the precepts and counsels. Afterward, there are the liberal men, because of their own goods. These are traditions of men, of all which it was said, \"Es1. cor. 8: Meat does not make us acceptable to God.\" Therefore, neither are honors and services justifying, nor are they perfection: but rather, whatever they are set forth under these titles, they are the very doctrines of devils. I grant that virginity is counsels, but only to those persons who have the gift, as was said before. But it is a very poisonous error to think that the perfection of the gospel stands in traditions of men. For so the religious persons also of the Mohammedans might boast that they have the evangelical perfection. Neither does it stand in observing other things,\nWhat is indifference. What is evangelical perfection? But because the kingdom of God is justice and life in the hearts: therefore perfection is to increase the fear of God, and the trust in the mercy promised in Christ, and diligence and care to obey our calling. Likewise, as Paul describes, we say he transformed from clarity into clarity, as of the spirit of the Lord. He does not say, we take up now this and now that habit of religion, or a sudden fashion of shoes, or another manner of girdle. It is a pitiful thing that such Pharisaical, indeed Mahometan, words are read and heard in the church (that is to say), that the perfection of the gospel, and of the kingdom of Christ, which is eternal life, stands in these foolish observances of garments, of meats, and of such other trifles.\n\nNow listen to our sad and discreet judges, how shameful a sentence they have put in the confutation:\n\nThe sentence of the Sadducees. Thus they say, It is expressed in the law, that if a man die, and leave his wife unmarried, his brother is to take her to wife, and raise up seed to his brother. Therefore, in the resurrection, the woman shall be the wife of the brother.\n\nBut Christ answering, saith unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.\n\nAnd when the multitude heard it, they were astonished at his doctrine. But when the Pharisees were heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were exceeding wroth, and the scribes came together, and began to question him, desiring to catch him in his words. They asked him, Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's. And Jesus answering, said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. And they marveled at him.\n\nSo, they could not catch him in his words, but marvelled at his answer, neither durst they ask him any more questions. But from that day forth he was named the great teacher in Israel.\nin the holy scriptures, the religious life duly observed and kept merits eternal life, and Christ has promised it more largely to those who shall forsake house or brethren and so on. These are the words of our adversaries, in which they firstly tell a shameless lie, claiming that monastic life merits eternal life as expressed in holy scripture. For where in any place do the holy scriptures speak of monastic life? Our adversaries defend their cause in this way, and when every man knows that monastic life is a new invention, they allege the authority of scripture and say that this their decree is expressed in the scriptures. Besides this, they injure and dishonor Christ by saying that monastic life merits eternal life. God does not give this honor to his own law, which should merit eternal life.\nHe himself says plainly in the twentieth chapter of Ezechiel, Eze. 20: I gave them precepts, which were not good, and judgments, in which they shall not live. First, it is undoubted that monastic life does not merit remission of sins, but that we freely receive it. It is necessary, he says, first of all to believe that remission of sins cannot be obtained or had, but by God's indulgence and pardon. Secondly, that you cannot have any good work unless He gives it to you. Finally, that you cannot merit eternal life by any manner of works unless it is also freely given. Other things concerning the same sentence we have recited heretofore. Bernard adds at the end these words, Let no man deceive himself. For if he considers well, he shall find without any doubt, that he is not able, no, not with ten thousand, to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand. Since then it is so, that not even by the works of God's law, we\nCan monastic observances merit remission of sins or eternal life? They cannot, as they are nothing but traditions of men. Such honor is much less due to them that they should deserve remission of sins or eternal life. In doing so, they utterly destroy and bury the gospel of free remission of sins and of receiving the mercy promised in Christ. Whoever teaches that the monkish life merits remission of sins or eternal life, and translates the trust due to Christ to these foolish observances, worships their own counsels and filth instead. And since they themselves also need mercy, they wickedly feign merit before justification, repentance, and human traditions. It is evident enough that monastic vows are not the price for which remission of sins and eternal life are given. And since this is so, Christ himself calls\ntraditions are not profitable honors and services; they are not evangelical perfection. But our adversaries would subtly seem to moderate the common persuasion of perfection. They will not say that monastic life is perfection; but they say: it is the state of obtaining perfection. In faith properly said, and we remember, this correction is made in Jerome's works. For it appears that wise men, who offended with those unmeasurable praises of monastic life, because they dared not utterly take from it the praise of perfection, made this correction, that it is the state of obtaining perfection. If we follow this opinion, then monastic life will be no whiter more the state of perfection than is the life of the plowman or of the carpenter. For these are also states of obtaining perfection. For all men, whatever their calling they are ought to desire perfection, that is to say, to grow and increase in the fear of God, in faith, in loving of their neighbor, and in like.\nIn histories, we read about spiritual virtues. We find examples of hermits such as St. Anthony and others, who made all kinds of living equal. It is written that when St. Anthony desired to know from God how much he had profited in this kind of living, a certain shoemaker in the city of Alexandria was shown to him in a dream. The next morning, St. Anthony went to the city and to the shoemaker, to search and learn about his exercises and gifts. After speaking with the man, he heard nothing about him but that he prayed every morning for the entire city in a few words, and afterward worked at his craft. St. Anthony perceived that justification was not to be attributed to that kind of living, which he had taken upon himself and professed. But our adversaries, although they now moderate the praises of perfection, in truth think otherwise. For they sell merits and apply them for other purposes.\nThey believe that they have more merits than necessary if they both observe the precepts and the customs. Therefore, in truth, they think this is a challenge to perfection for themselves. Moreover, it is stated in the refutation that religious men strive to live closer to the rule of the gospel. This places perfection in the traditions of men: if religious men live closer to the rule of the gospel because they have nothing of their own, but all come from living without wives, obeying their rule in garments, food, and other trifles.\n\nMatthew 19\n\nThe refutation also states that religious men merit eternal life more perfectly, citing the scripture, \"Whosoever shall forsake house, wife, and brothers.\" (Matthew 19:29) Here, the scripture grants perfection to these counterfeit and feigned religious. But this passage of scripture does not refer to monastic life. For Christ does not mean that one must forsake father, mother, and wife in the sense of renouncing them as monks do.\nOr better, the remission of sins, and eternal life. Yes, forsaking is a cursed forsaking. For it is done with the injury of Christ, if anyone therefore forsakes father, or mother, or wife. There are two manners of forsaking the world. But there are two kinds of forsaking: one is done without calling, and without the commandment of God; this forsaking and renouncing Christ does not allow. For works chosen of ourselves are unprofitable services. And it is more evidently clear that Christ does not love this running away or forsaking: because he speaks of forsaking wife and children. But we know that the commandment of God forbids to forsake wife and children. There is another manner of forsaking, which is done by the commandment of God (that is to say), when tyrants, or those who have authority over us compel us to deny the gospel, or for the sake of the gospel: to signify that he speaks of them, not those who injure their wife and children: but those who suffer wrong.\nFor the confession of the gospel, we ought also to forsake our own bodies for its sake. However, it is folly to think that it is honor or service to God for a man to kill himself and forsake his own body without God's commandment. Likewise, it is folly to think that it is honor or service to God to forsake possessions, friends, wife, children, without God's commandment. It is therefore evident that Christ's saying is misapplied to monastic life. Matthew 19:10-11 may agree with it, that they shall receive a hundredfold in this life. For many are made religious men not for the gospel's sake, but for the belly's sake, and for love of ease, in place of their own small patrimony and livelihood, they find great riches. But just as the life of religious men is full of simulation and hypocrisy, so under a false pretense and color, they allude to the testimonies of scripture.\nso that they commit double sin (that is, to be both deceivers), they both deceive men under the pretense of God's name.\n\nThere is another place also alleged to be of perfection. \"If you want to be perfect, go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and come and follow me.\" This place has troubled many men who have imagined that perfection is to cast away possessions and property. Let us allow the philosophers to praise Aristippus, who cast a great sum of gold into the sea; such examples do not pertain to Christian perfection. The division of things, dominions, and possession of God's are civil ordinances approved by God in this commandment (Thou shalt not steal). Evangelical poverty. David was poor. A false praise of the Extravagant. For evangelical poverty is not the forsaking of goods: but it is not to be covetous, not to trust in riches. As David.\nwas a poor king in his most rich kingdom. Therefore, since the preservation of one's own goods is a mere tradition of man, it is an unprofitable service. And those are the extravagant praises of those who say that forsaking the property of all manner of things for God's sake is a meritorious and holy thing, and the way of perfection. Indeed, it is a very dangerous thing to so unmeasurably praise the thing which is contrary to civil custom. But Christ (they say) calls it perfection. Nay, they do an injury and wrong to the text, which alleges it thus hemmed and unperfect. Perfection stands in this which Christ adds. Follow me. An example of obedience is set before us in the calling. And because callings are in various ways: therefore, this calling does not belong to all men, but only to that person with whom Christ speaks there, as the calling of David to the kingdom and of Abraham to sacrifice his son, are not to be followed by us.\nVocations are personal, just as businesses vary in times and persons. Personal vocations, but the example of obedience is general. That young man should have had perfection if he had believed and obeyed that calling. Similarly, in us it is perfection for every man in true faith to obey his own calling.\n\nThe third reason. Thirdly, in monastic vows is promised chastity. But we have said before when we spoke of the marriage of priests, that the law of nature in men cannot be taken away by any vows or laws. And because all men do not have the gift of continence, many men unfortunately contain it. Neither can any vows or any laws prevent this commandment of the Holy Ghost. For the avoidance of fornication, let every man have his wife. 1 Cor. 7 Therefore, this vow is not lawful for those who do not have the gift of continence but are defiled through imbecility and weakness. Of all this whole place we have spoken sufficiently. In which place, indeed, it is:\nDespite the numerous perils and occasions of evil we have witnessed, our adversaries still refuse to defend their traditions against the open and manifest commandments of God. They pay no heed to the rebuke of Christ, who criticized the Pharisees for creating traditions that contradicted God's commandments. The fourth reason: wicked ceremonies and observances to which they are bound deliver those living in monasteries from their vows and professions. For instance, the abusing of the Mass when it is applied for lucre on behalf of the dead, and the honoring of saints, which involves two sins: first, because the saints are substituted into Christ's place, and second, because they are wickedly honored. (For example, the friars of the Dominican order have created a Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is nothing but a lengthy paternal, I do not know whether more foolish or more wicked, nourishing most vain trust.) And these very impieties are:\nThey only apply to the obtaining of money. Additionally, they neither hear nor teach the gospel of free remission of sins for Christ's sake, and of the justice of faith, true repentance, and the works which God has commanded. But they busy themselves together, either in philosophical disputations or in traditions of ceremonies, which obscure and minimize the honor of Christ. We will not here speak of all the holy pomp of ceremonies, of readings, of singings, and similar things, which might be permitted if they were taken as exercises, like lessons in schools, the purpose of which is to teach the hearers and in teaching to stir them to fear or faith. But now they pretend that these ceremonies are honors and services of God, deserving forgiveness of sins for themselves and others. For they enter into these ceremonies for the same reason. If they took these ceremonies upon themselves to teach and exhort the hearers, they would be brief and effective.\n\"Religious lessons should do more good than infinite and endless babblings. Therefore, the entire life of religious men is full of hypocrisy and false opinions. Furthermore, there is another danger: those in monasteries are compelled to assent and agree with those who pursue the truth. There are many weighty and great reasons that deliver good men from this kind of living.\n\nThe last reason: The canons themselves deliver many which have been induced by the craft of religious men to vow religion without judgment, or else have been compelled by their friends to make their vows. Such vows, the canons themselves do not consider to be vows.\n\nFrom all these things, it appears that there are many causes which teach that monastic vows, such as have been made thus far, are not vows. Therefore, that kind of living which is full of hypocrisy and false opinions may be safely abandoned.\"\nThe Nazareans should be brought before the law. Objections. But the Nazareans took no vows with these objections, which we have previously stated, concerning the Nazareans. We repudiate their vows in the vows of religious men. The Nazarean rite and custom were an exercise or protestation of their faith before men; it did not merit remission of sins before God; it did not justify before God.\n\nLikewise, just as circumcision or slaughtering beasts in sacrifice should be no honor or service to God; so the Nazarean rite and custom ought not now to be set forth as an honor or service, but it ought to be judged nothing else but indifferent. The monastic life, therefore, which has been devised without the word of God in order that it should be a service, with which to merit remission of sins and justification, is not well compared and likened to the custom of the Nazareans, which had for it the word of God, and was not given to merit remission of sins, but to be an exercise of their faith.\nExercise as the ceremonies of the law were the same for other vows taught in the law. The Rechabites are also alluded to, who had no possession and drank no wine, as Jeremiah writes in the fifty-fourth chapter. An example of the Rechabites agrees well (take note) with our monks and friars, whose monasteries surpass in sumptuousness the palaces of kings, and who live most delicately and voluptuously. But the Rechabites, in their poverty of all things, were yet married. Our religious men, when they have plenty of all manner of delights and pleasures, profess a single life. However, it is fitting and proper to interpret examples according to the rule, that is, according to the undoubted and evident scriptures, and not against the rule and scriptures. Now, this is most certain and undoubted, that our observances do not merit remission of sins or justification. Therefore, since the Rechabites are praised, it must necessarily be that\nThey did not keep that manner and custom because they thought it merited remission of sins or that the work itself was a service or honor justifying everlasting life, but because they had commandment from their parents. Therefore, their obedience is commended, as there is a commandment of God, which says, \"Exodus 20: Honor thy father and thy mother.\" Furthermore, the custom had a proper end in itself, as it was used because they were strangers and aliens, and not Israelites. It appears that their fathers would have them distinguished by certain special marks and tokens from their own country men, to prevent them from falling again into the impiety & wickedness of their country men. They would use these marks and signs to remind them of the doctrine of faith and of immortality. Such an end or intent is laudable. But the ends of cloistering were different.\nThey imagine that the work of cloistered life is services and honors to God, they feign that they merit remission of sins and justification. The example of the Rechabites is unlike monastic life, although we leave out here many other inconveniences and evils which are joined and incident to this monkish life used nowadays.\n\nThey also allege for themselves the epistle to Timothy, where widows are mentioned. 1 Timothy 5: the place of widows, which doing service to the Church had their living from the common fund. There Paul says, \"They desire to be married, having condemnation, because they have broken their first promise.\" First, let us imagine that the apostle speaks here of vows; yet this place will not defend nor maintain monastic vows, which are made of wicked ceremonies, and that also with this wicked opinion, that they merit remission of sins and justification. For Paul with an entire voice does disallow and condemn all\nAll laws and works, if observed for the purpose of gaining forgiveness of sins or eternal life, rather than for Christ's sake through mercy, necessitate that the vows of widows, if there were any, would be unlike our monastic vows. Furthermore, if our adversaries continue to twist this text for widows, this part also applies to vows that Paul forbids a widow from being chosen before the age of thirty. Therefore, vows made before that age will be void and of no strength. However, the church at that time was not aware of such vows. The true interpretation of Paul. Therefore, Paul rebuked widows, not because they wished to remarry (for he himself commanded young widows to remarry), but because they, being found idle and a burden on the community, had cast away their first faith and promise. He calls them here the first.\nfaythe not the monasticall vowe, but the pro\u2223myse of christen lyfe. And after the same fa\u2223shyon he takethe faythe in the same chapitre, whan he saythe, If any dothe not care and {pro}\u2223uyde for his owne, namelye those of his owne house, he hath renyed the fayth. For he spea\u2223keth otherwyse of faythe than do sophisters, he dothe not put faythe in them, whiche be in deadely synne. Therfore he saythe that they cast away fayth, whiche do not care for theyr kynsfolke. And accordyng to the same maner he saythe, that wanton wydowes do caste a\u2223waye theyr faythe.\nWe haue ronne ouer breuely a fewe reaso\u0304s for our defense, and by the way we haue made an\u2223swere to the obiections of our aduersaries. And these thynges we haue gathered toge\u2223ther, not onely for our aduersaries cause: but moche rather for theyr sake, which haue god lye and well disposed myndes, to thentente that they may haue alwayes in theyr syghte causes, why they ought to disproue and mys\u2223lyke the hipochrisie, and the fayned and cou\u0304\u2223trefayte obseruaunces of\nThe abuse of church life, which Christ himself refutes when he says, \"They worship me in vain with their commandments and traditions of men.\" Therefore, the vows themselves and the observances of meats, reading, singing, garments, shoes, and gyro are not our adversaries' issue. They loudly proclaim the privileges and liberties of the church and conclude, \"All things are in vain that are alleged against the liberty of churches and priests in this present article.\" This is a false accusation and a bold statement. We have disputed other matters in this article, which God allows as justice and charges consciences with, making it a sin to leave them undone. All these things are taught in one place in the Acts, where the apostles say, \"Acts 15:9 that hearts be purified and made clean by faith.\" And afterward they forbade laying on a yoke and showed the great hardship it entails.\nVery grievous and heinous offense these are, which burden and overcharge the congregation. Why do you tempt God, they ask? But adversaries are not afraid of this thunder and severe sentence, when they defend their own traditions and wicked opinions with violence. For they have previously condemned our fifteenth article, in which we placed that traditions do not merit remission of sins. And here they say, that traditions help lead to eternal life. Do they merit remission of sins? Are the services, which God allows as justifications, sufficient? Do they quicken the hearts? Paul, in his epistle to the Colossians, therefore denies that traditions are suitable or helpful for eternal justice and eternal life: because meats, drinks, apparel, and such other things are perishing and consuming with use. But eternal life in the heart, is worked by eternal things (that is to say) by the word of God, and the Holy Ghost. Let our adversaries therefore declare, if they can, how.\ntraditions help lead to eternal life. And since the gospel clearly witnesses that traditions should not be laid upon the church for meriting remission of sins or for serving which God allows as justice, or for burdening consciences, it should be considered a sin to leave them undone: our adversaries will never be able to prove that bishops have the power and authority to institute such honors and services. But what power the gospel grants to bishops we have shown in our confession. Those who are bishops today do not execute the offices of bishops according to the gospel; rather, they are bishops according to the policy and ordinance in the canons, which we do not condemn. But we speak of a bishop according to the rule of the gospel.\n\nThe old division of power. And that old division of power into power of order, and power of jurisdiction, pleases us very well. The bishop therefore has the power of order, that is, the ministry of the Word and the sacraments.\nA priest holds the word and sacrament's power. He has jurisdiction, or authority, to excommunicate those who commit open crimes and, in turn, to absolve them if they convert and desire absolution. However, they do not have tyrannical power without certain law, but they have a command, meaning the undoubted word of God, which they should teach and exercise their jurisdiction accordingly. Therefore, it does not follow that they may institute new honors and services, as ceremonies and services do not pertain to jurisdiction. They have a word and command as to how far they should exercise their jurisdiction, which is, if a man has committed a trespass against the word they have received from Christ.\n\nIn our confession, we have also added that it is lawful for them to make traditions, that is, not as necessary services, but\nThat there might be order in the church for the sake of tranquility. And such ordinances should not bind or entangle consciences, as though they commanded necessary honors and services, as Paul teaches when he says, \"Galatians 5: Stand fast in the liberty, in which Christ has set you free, and do not be brought again under the yoke of bondage.\" Therefore, the use of such ordinances should be left free (so that we avoid offending our brethren) lest they might otherwise be judged to be necessary services. And so did the apostles themselves; they ordained many things, which afterward in the process of time were changed. Neither did they in such a way ordain the aforementioned traditions, so that it might not be lawful to change them. For they did not disagree from their own writings, in which they labored greatly that this opinion should not oppress the church, that human rites and ceremonies are necessary services. This is the simple and plain manner of interpreting traditions (that is to say).\nWe know that there are no necessary services, and yet we observe and keep them when we see opportunity, without superstition, to avoid offending our brethren. This has been the mind of many right knowing and excellent men in the church. Neither do we see what can be brought against it. For it is undoubted that the sentence of Christ, \"Qui uos audit me audit,\" that is, \"Whosoever hears you hears me,\" does not speak of traditions, but it makes most against traditions. For it is no commandment, but a wisdom given to the apostles, that we should give credence to the words of another man. For Christ would confirm and strengthen us (as it was necessary to do), that we should know that the word taught by me is of force and strength, and that we should not need to seek for any other word from heaven, but it cannot be understood through traditions. For Christ requires that they should so teach: that he might be heard, for he says, \"He who hears you hears me.\"\nTherefore, his word and voice should be heard, not human traditions. The saying that makes the most for us, and contains the most grave consolation and doctrine: these asses wrest and apply themselves to truly meaningful things, I mean in the choice and diversity of foods, variety of clothing, and seemly things. They also cite this text: \"Obey your superiors.\" This sentence requires obedience toward the gospel. Heb. 13: For it does not establish a kingdom for bishops without the gospel. Neither should bishops make traditions against the gospel or interpret their traditions against the gospel. For when they do so, we are forbidden to obey them according to that saying: \"If anyone teaches a different gospel,\" Gal. 1.\n\nThe same answer we make to this saying of Christ's, whatever they may say: \"Do what you want,\" Acts 5: for it is undoubted that it is not universally commanded that we should receive all manner of things.\nThe scripture in another place states that we should obey God more than men. Therefore, when they object and accuse us of promoting wicked things, causing trouble and sedition under the guise of our doctrine, we respond as follows. First, it is evident that through the benefit of God, our princes have oppressed both kinds of doctrine that teach detestable and pestilent opinions before this time. Every man knows this, and the books of our adversaries testify, making no mention of faith when they speak of the remission of sins. They teach nothing of the dignity of civil things in any place. They do not teach in any place how the gospel shows eternal justice, yet in the meantime, we use political or civil laws, manners, and customs in this bodily life. The declaration of these things gained great favor at the beginning. Martin.\nLuther, not only among us, but also with many others who now are most extreme adversaries towards us. As Pindar says, old favor perishes and sleeps, and mortal men are forgetful. Now, if any troubles or seditions have arisen: the fault may rightfully be laid on our adversaries, who first raised Ma. 15, which shall not be offended in me. For the devil goes about partly to oppress, and partly to deform the gospel and bring it out of fashion by innumerable means. In one place he kindles strife against the teachers of the gospel; in another place he raises wars; in another place he does not spare to cast away the word of God. And although it does not delight us to make comparisons, yet because our adversaries press us with this accusation and the hatred and evil will of the people: their vices and faults cannot be hidden and passed over in silence. How much evil is there among our adversaries in the profanation and corruption of the gospel.\nAbusing of Masses? How much filthiness is in their absence from marriage? The worship of saints is full of manifest and open idolatry. The ambition of the bishopric of Rome. Be none offended by the ambition of popes? Which now more than 1,000 years keep war with our emperors, for the most part in Italy and sometimes even in Germany itself, where they have set father against son and kinfolk and citizens, one against another? If the causes of these wars are sought in histories, nothing seemingly or fittingly justifiable will be found for bishops (for we will speak as moderately as we can). How great harm and evil is there in this, that in making of priests, they do not choose out able and fitting persons for that order? What also in the begetting and selling of benefices? Also in dangerous disputations, is there no default at all? But these defaults might somewhat be pardoned, if they had retained the pure doctrine in the churches. Now how this\nThe doctrine is defiled with wicked opinions and traditions, as the writings of the canonists and divine books testify. These writings are filled with profane disputations, some of which are unnecessary for godly life and disagree with the gospel. In explaining scripture, they merely play and devise whatever they please. This distortion of doctrine is the chief cause of offense, as Saint John primarily complains in his Apocalypse, in describing the kingdom of the pope (Revelation 17). What more, concerning the superstition of religious persons, who are infinite in number? How many grievous offenses arise? What merit is given when the dead body is buried in the habit of religion? Furthermore, no occasion is given for men to be offended: when now in these days they go about oppressing the manifest truth of the gospel? When they cruelly kill good men who teach true and godly doctrine? When they forbid that?\ndoubtful consciences should be healed by having knowledge of the truth? When they exhort kings to cruel robbery. No (God knows) these things are not to be judged occasions of offense, but pure, good, and the true offices of bishops.\n\nWe didn't want to multiply words here according to the greatness of the matter, lest any man might think that we have delight and pleasure in this rehearsal, to which the makers of the wedding of priests.\n\nOf the Mass.\nWhat is sacrifice, and which are the kinds of sacrifice?\nThe opinions of the fathers concerning sacrifice.\nOf the use of the sacrament, and of sacrifice.\nOf the names of the Mass.\nOf abbey vows.\nOf the power of the Church.\nFinis tabule.\n\nPrinted at London in Fletestreet by me Robert Redman dwelling at the sign of the George next to St. Dunstans Church. 1536.\n\nWith the royal privilege.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "A reminder concerning obedience to the prince and sovereign lord, the king. ANno M. D.XXXVI.\n\nWhoever truly considers within himself the high commodities that come from good laws, will, I am assured, think, as divine Plato did, that all laws made for the welfare and safety of mankind, are of God, though they be instituted by man: on the contrary, he who well ponders the damages that necessarily follow, where either none can rule or few will obey, will think, as I do, that all realms, regions, cities, and towns not governed by laws, are forests of wild beasts and not habitable places for men. We lack no good laws, God be thanked: but what avail they, when, as Diogenes says, good men need them little, and evil men are never the better for them? Indeed, in times of sedition, laws lose their voices.\nIn such raucous outcries of soldiers, noise and braying of horses, cluttering and jingling of harnesses, men grow thick of hearing. Justice hides her face, when she sees this allowed for a law, He who is the stronger shall oppress and spoil the weaker, and no man says he does evil. Honesty cannot abide where might is right, where will is skill, where treason stands for reason. When every man will rule, who shall obey? How can there be any common wealth, where he that is wealthiest is most likely to come to woe? Who can there be rich, where he that is richest is in most danger of poverty? No, take wealth by the hand, and farewell wealth, where lust is liked, and law refused, where up is set down, and down set up: An order, an order must be had, and a way found, that they rule who can, they be ruled, who most deserve it. This agreement is not only expedient\nBut also most necessary in a common wealth, those of the worse sort, to be content, that the wiser rule and govern them. Those that nature has endowed with singular virtues, and fortune, without breach of law, set in high dignity, to suppose this done by the great providence of God, as a means to engender love and amity between the high and the low, the small and the great, the one being so necessary for the other's safety and quietness. For as there must be some men of policy and prudence, to discern what is meetest to be done in the government of states, even so there must be others of strength and readiness, to do what the wiser shall think expedient, both for the maintenance of those who govern, and for the showing of the infinite dangers, that a multitude not governed falls into: These must not go armed in armies, but the one before, the other behind. Wisdom and prudence must be masters of the work, and appoint strength and readiness their task. For undoubtedly,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Early Modern English, but it is still largely readable and does not contain any significant OCR errors. Therefore, no major cleaning is necessary. A few minor corrections have been made for clarity.)\nboldness never does well, except it comes and does as reason commands. Sentorus, the prudent captain, showed this through a pretty example. He had two soldiers in his camp, one little, weak, and in manner of no strength, but very wise; the other big, strong, and full of bones, but void of brain. He had also two horses, one gallant, lusty, and of a thick tail, the other lean, little, and almost without a tail. He appointed the little man, to whom God and good education had given wit in place of strength, to pull off the great horse's tail, the big and sturdy soldier to pull off those few hairs, that the lean horse's tail had. The weak and feeble man, pulling by four and five hairs at once, had made of a long tail no tail within a short space. The good-sized man, tugging at the whole tail, sweated hard, but he pulled off not a hair. Now, if the ignorant soldiers were here taught thus.\nA handful of wit is worth more than a horseload of strength, and they were content to rule in battle, with the wiser ruling and the stronger obeying. We should be moved by this example, especially in governing a commonwealth, in making laws, in setting matters concerning faith and religion, and finally in determining what things maintain God's favor towards us and by what means a realm may best be kept in prosperity. We delight in being deceived, we imagine a certain commonwealth in word and outward appearance, which if we baptize rightly and not merely name it, we must necessarily call a commonwealth of woe. It is very evil that so many of us are poor, we think it would be a good world if we were all rich. I pray, for a while, let it be as we desire, let us imagine we are all rich, does it not immediately follow that I am as good as he, why does he go before, I behind? I am as rich as he.\nWhat necessitates my labor? The maid as proud as her mother, who milks the cow? The farmer having no more reason to toil than he who looks for rents, who shall till the ground? His men say you. How so? Why they more than he, if they are rich? What is more to be wooed than such wealth, which would bring either every man, or the most part of men, to extreme confusion.\n\nAfter the Romans had taken the city of the Veians, there was great contention among the common people of Rome and many gentlemen. They argued that it was highly expedient and profitable for half of Rome to dwell there, as many in Rome lacked, and this city was rich and of great wealthiness, magnificently built, and also near Rome. This allowed many of them to be enriched without disturbing those who had possessions in Rome, and they could also attend all assemblies and parliaments.\nthat should be kept in Rome. Mark what followed: The senators, in particular those who were wisest, in no case would assent to this. They thought it much better to endure all peril than for such a matter to pass through their hands. In so much that, when this was under deliberation and hotly disputed, the commons were so enraged against the Senators that it was hard to keep them from going together by the ears. But what is it that wise and grave persons cannot persuade if they are opposed by those who utterly lack discretion? A few of these ancient fathers and esteemed senators restrained the rage of the people and made them concede to this: although it seemed gain for the people to depart outwardly and loss in staying at Rome, they would do better to tarry poor than to go away to make themselves rich.\n\nA common wealth is then wealthy and worthy of its name when every one is content with his degree, glad to do that which he may lawfully do.\nA person who acts to maintain peace in a realm, even if it means going against his own profit, is to be commended. The shipman sails for the profit of others as much as for himself, but he steers and sets sail as he pleases, casts the anchor when he wills, not when they bid him who are on his ship. The physician is called upon to do more good for others than for himself, and indeed often saves the sick while taking the disease upon himself. Yet he regulates his patient's diet, not according to the patient's desire, but sometimes keeping him from food when he is hungry, sometimes from drink when he is thirsty, rarely giving him what he calls for. Governors in a commonwealth must look to the common profit, but they must rule or else how can they govern? They must make laws, not such as every man would wish, nor ones that are profitable to a few, who bring damage to the whole. They are only to be officers.\nThose who are known to be discrete, political, wise, and have such stomachs that, if necessary, they can hide their hatred and malice towards those who seldom love those in greatest authority, and not only set little value by them but also condemn their own profit, wealth, and life before seeking praise from their tongues. For the most part, they love not what they should, and hate not why.\n\nAn ancient Greek, seeing the people of Athens and their lightness, came among them one day and gave them counsel that they should plow their land with asses as well as horses. They laughed at him and said, \"Asses are unfit for the tillage of the earth.\" Then let me laugh too, he said, at you who want them as rulers in the commonwealth, who know so little about affairs.\n\nDemosthenes, when he was banished by the consent of the people of Athens, turned towards the city in his departure and made this exclamation: \"O Pallas, how is it possible\"\nThat thou shouldst bear such love to these three beasts, the night owl, the dragon, and the people? He was also wont to say, If I had known the envy, the fear, the false reports, the unjust accusations, which they must sustain, who govern where credence is given to the false judgments of the people, if of two.\nI must needs have done the one, I would sooner have broken my neck, than have had to do in the common wealth of Athens.\nOne told Antisthenes, The people speak more good of you, why does he say, what harm have I done? as one might say, they seldom praise, but those who do evil. I dare boldly affirm, there was never a more worthy life than Socrates', the people would necessarily have had him killed. Who knows not, he who knows anything, how much Rome was bound to Scipio? This worthy Captain died out of his country, banished by them, whom he had often saved. I let pass Phocion, Aristides, and many more, whom all histories bring in.\nTo show the lightness and unjust judgment of the common people. Dante, the Italian poet, says truly of them: It is seldom seen that the people cry not, \"Let my death live, let my life die,\" that is, \"Let that go forth that brings my destruction, let that be banished, that is my wealth and safety.\" Geoffrey Chaucer also says something in their praise:\n\nO stern people unjust and untrue,\nAlways undiscerning, and changing as a shrine;\nDelighting ever in new rumors:\nFor like the moon, you ever wax and wane,\nYour reason falters, your judgment is lame,\nYour judgment is false, your constancy is unprofitable,\nA great fool is he who trusts in you.\n\nWhat can be more against their profit, than to obtain that which they most desire? They are angry that virtue should be rewarded, when she comes to men who had no lords to their fathers. They want none to rule but noble men born. Let them have what they require.\nWho touches this sorely, as they themselves, and all their posterity? What do they leave to theirs, when they also take away the possibility of better fortune? I may truly say, and without blame, thanked be the knowledge of our most gracious sovereign lord the king, who has evermore clearly declared that true nobility is never but where virtue is. And he has evermore, from the first of his reign hitherto, both by his own great study to attain learning, wisdom, and other princely qualities, and also in giving offices, dignities, and honor, well testified that he will all his subjects to consider, who may obtain most qualities, most wit, most virtue: and this only to be the way to promotion, and here nobility to consist. In all other things it little avails, whose son is a ma[e] (male). At running he has not the best game, he who lies for him. My father ran faster than any other did. Nor he who takes a fall at wrestling, has that his father was wont to have.\nWhen he fell, they had to content themselves with what they were able to do, regardless of their lineage. One man said, \"Princes and noblemen are more bound to their horses than to many of their friends. A horse will lay its rider in the dust if the lord does not ride well and will tell him plainly that he must learn to ride better if he will not take a fall. The bow shoots wide if you hold it loosely. The arrow says, 'I must be short unless you shoot me home.' I must go if you shoot me too far. They cannot flatter, they cannot say, 'My lord, you shot near,' except in truth you shot near in deed. It is no great hurt to fail here, it is a small loss if a lord shoots poorly, or at least the loss harms only himself. But give the government of common wealths into their hands who cannot manage them.\"\nHow many must suffer woe? The hurt touches many, yet is but slightly regarded. Again, what desire shall good wages have, to employ themselves in the pursuit of knowledge, and pass over those whom sloth will not let grow any higher, where good and evil are equally esteemed? What shall we need to endeavor ourselves into, when whatever we do, we must be judged by our birth, and not by our qualities? Common wealth cannot long stand, says Plato, that virtue is not most honored in. Any city, says he, that will be long safe and prosperous must distribute these two things well, Honor & Shame. They are well distributed when the chief and prime honor is given to qualities of the mind, the second to the body, and the third to external things, as nobility, possessions, and riches. If you break this order and put one in another's place, that is, if riches are chiefly esteemed, the body next, and virtue last of all.\nHere is no wealth. This city cannot continue, says Plato. Now, as there is a difference in these things, so must we put a difference in men endowed with them. The best should be esteemed those with the greatest gifts of the mind, that is, those who excel in wisdom, justice, temperance, and such other virtues. Next, those with the greatest gifts of the body, such as health, strength, quickness, beauty. Thirdly, those with riches and possessions, the laws notwithstanding, having their full strength, that is, no man presuming, of whatever qualities soever he be, to prefer himself to any office or lands, but as the governors or laws call him to. Justice must be in every act. And therefore I think Plato did wonderfully well, to entitle his book, which he writes of a common wealth, De iusto, that is, of Justice. Every man must be sure of his own, and be content that his neighbor has more than he, if that by honest ways.\nA commonwealth is, in my opinion, nothing but a certain number of cities, towns, shires, that all agree upon one law and one head, united and knitted together by the observation of the laws. These kept, they must necessarily flourish; these broken, they must necessarily perish. The head must rule, if the body will do well, and not every man make himself ruler, where only one ought to be. Things are not done in this world by chance, nor ought they to be governed by rashness. God makes kings, specifically where they reign by succession. God took away Prince Arthur, and made King Henry VIII our head and governor. Shall we be wiser than God? Shall we take upon ourselves to know who ought to govern us, better than God? God made him king, and made also this law. Obey your king. How can you obey him who refuses his laws? who seeks his dishonor? who hates them?\nWho can his grace not love? Who would you love, if not before false reports rather than just causes, hate? Who shall serve the king truly, who would desire to stand most in his favor, if at the malicious requests of foolish and light people, his highness should without any other cause put down those whom his grace, with the rest of his council, thinks most worthy of favor? We are but men, many of us ignorant, many without knowledge. Let us think that we know less than God, who ought to be our governor. Let us be content that he rules whom God made our king, whom God chose in place of Prince Arthur, his grace's elder brother. If we wish this to be our prince, heed and governor, then we must also let his grace govern us, by such officers as he shall know to be best for us, and not we appoint him such as we think best, for seldom either do we see what is good for us.\nA common wealth is like a body, and is to be compared to nothing so conveniently. Now, if it were not by your faith, it would be a mad hearing if the foot should say, I will wear a cap, with an ear, as the head does. If the knees should say, we will carry the eyes, and at another time: if the shoulders should claim each of them an ear: if the heels would now go before, and the toes behind? This would be undoubtedly a mad hearing; every man would say, the feet, the knees, the shoulders make unlawful requests, and very mad petitions. But if it were so in deed, if the foot had a cap, the knees eyes, the shoulders ears, what a monstrous body would this be? God send them such a one, that shall at any time go about to make as evil a commonwealth as this is a body. It is not meet, every man to do, that he thinks best. The Locrians had a very good custom among them, no man might there come to speak against a law that was constituted by such.\nIf a person had the authority to challenge it, he came to the dispute with a cord around his neck. If he proved the law to be null, he cast off the cord and was highly commended. But if he attempted it and failed in his purpose, he was immediately trusted up. They considered it worthy of death for a person to speak against a law, although he also believed he was doing good for his country by speaking against what he deemed harmful to the commonwealth.\n\nPlato grants less freedom to his citizens. He forbids any man from disputing a law in the presence of youth or the common people, who have little judgment in such matters. It is not part of the people's business to discuss acts passed in the parliament. Every man does well in his office, and every thing stands well in its place. Socrates finds this to be the only well-being of all realms, that every man settles himself to his own affairs and business.\nAnd intermingle with no other man's office. The hands are content to let things go, the tongue tells the whole tale: the ear does not desire to see, nor the eye to hear. A pair of shoes costing eight shillings serve the feet better than a cap costing five pounds, though you put a forty-piece feather on it. A pair of gloves made of lambskin fit the hands better than a pair of breeches of right satin. A coarse coat fits his back better for work at the cart or the plow than a gown of velvet, furred with sables. To my purpose, lords must be lords, commons must be commons, every man accepting his degree, every man content to have that which he lawfully may come by. We must, if we ever hope to come to wealth, which we often lose in wrong seeking for it, all agree that the laws have their place. It is but an easy remedy that makes the sore greater. He knows not the way to quench the fire.\nThat pours oil into it. Cheese is no medicine to drive away rats; nor sedition a means to make men wealthy. What end of misery shall there be, where no man grows rich but another is made a beggar? Where no man is merry, but two or three are sad for it? What end of robbing and spoiling shall there be, if the poor may ever rob the rich? If the stronger may pull from the weaker? Must you abide the same law that you make yourself? Must not you, when you have spoiled those who are rich and so made yourselves wealthy, suffer now that they, being poor, spoil you rich? And then must not you be poor again? O lights of the commons, who among you can say so much against them but he may seem to have said nothing? I am ashamed to rehearse the blind folly that the commons of England have so often run into.\n\nThere can come no traitor, no rebel, of so base condition, of so little wit, but if he is bold enough to take upon him, to be their captain.\nThey are foolish enough to follow him. How often, and whom do I pray you, and for what causes have they made their captains? Whom can they refuse, when smiths, cobblers, tilers, carters, and such other \"gay Greeks\" seem worthy to be their governors? Who would not be ashamed to see our corncakes in strangers' hands, they to see such outrageous madness reign in us, we to read such temperance, civility, and obedience among them? I will not compare us to the best governed countries that be, I will go to the Barbary nations that are, and see how our shame increases their honesty and good orders, laid before our faces.\n\nIs there any nation that has been more infamed of barbarous conditions than the Scythians? any of less civility than these? yet they have been ever so true to their princes, that there be few nations that have obtained higher fame by battle, than they have. Their concord and unity, their faithfulness toward their kings, made them.\nThey never were overcome. They forced Darius, the renowned king of the Persians, into a shameful retreat; they killed Cyrus and his entire host. Alexander the Great lost both a capable captain and his entire army that he sent against them. The Romans heard of their valiancy, but never dared to engage them. What reverence did they show their king? Those who were familiar with him were accustomed to cutting off their ears, mutilating their noses and faces, and many of them died with him. Among them, the greatest oath they could swear was by the king's seat. He who forswore himself by this was summarily executed.\n\nWho would not marvel, to see the Ethiopians, men who had never heard of God's law, act as they were accustomed to? There was no executioner, none to behead them, that deserved death. See their obedience, let us place it alongside ours.\nIf God were not a god, would honesty never have existed? Would shame not drive men to obedience? The king, upon hearing of anyone worthy of death, would send one of his servants with a token. This servant, of whatever estate he was, without any further delay, went to some secret corner and found a way to carry out the king's command. They held their prince in such honor that if he, by any misfortune, lost an eye or broke a leg, all his household servants, of their own accord, deprived themselves of the same body part that had offended their king. They thought it a great shame if they did not accompany him when he died. They considered it a great honor.\nTo have such a glorious end, as to depart in the company of a king.\nThe Persians considered him worthy of great punishment for actions as insignificant as spitting, wiping his nose, or coughing in a king's presence. And are they not willing to sacrifice their lives among Christian men, who rise against their prince? Should these captains be allowed to live, who at any time could incite the people to such outrageous rioting? Is it possible that the people would not pull them apart and thus show both to God and their prince that they now know the greatness of such an error, and that they must necessarily hate him who brought them into it? God has always testified that he favors no traitors, no rebels. Their end (except for all histories fail) can be no better than their intentions. May not the rain, which God sent to part us and keep us from bloodshed, clearly show that God's pleasure is that we do not fight among ourselves, that God loves our prince, and allows his laws\nAnd yet, why should we be subject to them both? God will not allow the bonds of nature to be broken. The charity and love that should be between all men, especially between those who are of one country, one shire, one city, one household, one family. Nature is forgotten, God is not harsh, all humanity is trodden underfoot, where there is civil dissension. Nature teaches brute beasts to love those who gave them life, those who nourished them. God says, \"Honor thy father and mother, love thy neighbor as thyself.\" Thus he says, but he is not harsh where sedition is. For what sacrifice can the father offer to God and his country, more acceptable, than to kill with his own hands his son, now no longer his son, being a traitor? What act can be more worthy of praise, than the son to slay his own father in such a case? He is not mine, says Christ, nor worthy to be my servant, who cannot, if just cause requires him so to do.\nA man must forsake his father and mother for my sake. He is not English, born of mine, who cannot hate his father and mother, who cannot kill them both, sooner than consent to my destruction.\n\nDamastra, a Lacedaemonian woman, heard that her son had not fought well enough against the enemies of his country. She met him upon his return from war, killed him with her own hands, glad that she had shown herself sorrowful, to have been the mother of such a son. What would she have done? what death would she have considered shameful for him, if he had risen against his prince? if he had shown himself an enemy to his country? if he had intended to pull down the laws of the Lacedaemonians?\n\nFew or none have read any histories, but they know what Brutus judged his sons worthy to suffer, whose letters intended to call in Tarquinius again. Their letters did not reach their destination.\nYet the father sentenced his sons and commanded them to be tied to a stake, where they were to be whipped and then lost their heads. It is more noteworthy that Titus Manlius did this, which is more relevant to us, as it has often caused our disloyal obedience towards our prince. Titus forbade any of his soldiers to fight except when he commanded. Genucius Metius, one of his enemies, broke away from his company and challenged Manlius' son. The father's command was that he should not fight, but as the consul's son, a Roman, he thought his honor lost if he did not fight. Youth, courage, nobility, the renown of his father, and the fame of his country would not allow him to let his enemy make the boast that he had challenged the consul's son of Rome, and that he had dared not fight him. Therefore, Manlius came forth, and they ran together. Within a short space, Genucius Metius met his end, where craters are wont to come to. Manlius slew him.\n and was hyghely commended of all his fathers sowldiours for it. But the Consule, whanne he sawe, that his sonne hadde broke his commaun\u2223ment, and hadde fought, where he badde, he shuld nat so do, Sonne sayth he, seing that asmoche as in the lyeth, thou haste broke thorder that is to be kept in warre, by the whiche Rome hytherto, hath euermore ben aduaunced to great honour, and for as moch as thou hast brought me into this choise, that I must eyther forgette the common welthe, or els depriue my selfe of that I toke priuately moste pleasure in, sorye I am to doo it, but yet lette vs, that haue deserued punysshement, be punysshed. I wyll by this exaumple, that the comune welthe take no hurte. I wyll thy death teche all other our citizens, that the Consules of Rome wyll be obey\u2223ed. Go hangeman go, tye hym to a stake, whyppe hym, heed hym, handle hym, as it becometh them to be, whiche by euyl example hurte the discipline & obeysance of souldiours. \u00b6What wold Man\u2223lius haue done, if a soudiour had taken vpon him\nTo have corrected any decree of the Senate? Any plebiscite? Any law? What if he had risen against the Senate? You may well judge, that he who killed his son for such a crime, where many excuses might have been found, would not make much of a soldier, who should have been a traitor, who should for a small cause have rebelled. What defense can we lay? We ever cry we are poor. I admit it is so; is sedition lawfully defended, where men lay poverty for their excuse? Shall those who are not rich, by and by say they will no longer be ruled by their prince, by his counselors, by his laws? God send us more grace, for less wit we cannot have. There is a way to riches much better than in seeking goods to lose all goodness. Much nearer, than in seeking riches, to defy all regard for honesty. There are handy crafts, there are honest occupations, where poverty may be driven away.\n\nIt was a wonderful good law that Amazis, king of Egypt, made.\nEvery man was commanded annually to put his name in the common book, and at the end of the year to show the governor of the place where his abode was, by what means he obtained his living. Thus idleness was banished, and none or few were put to injury, but the evil doer was known and punished. Every man had a craft, those most esteemed being the most profitable to the common wealth. The Athenians had the same law, they thought it a great shame for men to be of less policy than bees, who suffer none to tarry among them in their hives, but such as bring enough with them for their commons. They will not tolerate drones among them. Socrates alluding to this, says there are two sorts of unprofitable bees in a common wealth, one without stings, the other with stings. To the first sort he likens poor old men who cannot labor due to age, infirmity, or some other just impediment. To the second sort he likens those who are young and lusty, and neither have the means to support themselves nor contribute to the common good.\nnor yet will learn any honest occupation, to live in truth, but continuing in idleness, fall to stealing, robbing, murder, and many other misdeeds.\n\nAesculapius, the famous physician, would not administer medicines to those he thought incurable, saying it was against common wealth to keep alive those who could do nothing but be sick and consume the vitality of those who labored. Socrates greatly commended him for it. I do not bring this up because I would have anyone lack care when sick, even if there is no hope of recovery; but to show how all well-ordered commonwealths in the past abhorred such idlers - those flies that feed on others' labors; those who are idle, without land, fees, wages, do nothing but complain of fortune, complain of those who govern the realm; and thus either sow sedition among the people.\nOr else the fields themselves were prone to producing such fruits. These are they, who with their venomous tongues stain and poison the reputation of those in office, to ensure they cause less mischief than they would like. They cannot act as they most desire without fear for their lives, except such governors are overthrown. No ruler was ever so good that those set on riot, robbery, murder, and rebellion did not hate him. Many and shameful seditions have occurred in England; they have all been severely punished; this remedy helps only for a time.\n\nLucius Cinna, a nobleman of Rome, conspired and utterly intended the death of Augustus the emperor. Caesar had certain knowledge, both where, when, and in what manner he planned to bring his treason to pass. His intent was open, yet Caesar hesitated, unsure of what was best to be done. He considered drowning him, he considered doing this, that. As he pondered, Livia, his wife, entered.\nAnd after she had perceived the matier, she said to him, \"Sir, do as physicians do, which when they see that their accustomed medicines will not serve, they prove the contrary. You have hitherto done little or nothing by punishment; forgive another while, and see what clemency may do. Cinna cannot hurt your life now; he may set forth much your honor. The emperor's thinking her counsel not the worst. By and by, he sent for Cinna to come speak with him. As soon as Cinna was come, the emperor caused a chair to be set for him. Then he began to reason the matter with Cinna. This one thing, said the emperor, I must require of you, that you do not interrupt my communication; you shall have time, when I have spoken my mind, to say what you will. Here he began to rehearse his benefits towards Cinna. First, that he had pardoned him his life, when he found him in his enemies' tent, and that he did restore him to his whole patrimony, that he had also given him great authority.\"\nIf you grant all this, Caesar asks, if it is true. Now tell me, he says, what reason have you given me to desire my death? Do you go about to kill me? Cinna began to change color, to be troubled in countenance. He would have laid something aside for his defense. Augustus ended his expostulation and said, Cinna, I give you your life again: before I gave it to you, being my enemy, I give it now to you, being a traitor and a parricide. From this day forth, let friendship begin between us; let us contend, whyther you may show me more pleasure for pardoning your life, or I more glad, that I saved you. And thus, little by little, Caesar began with him, and made him consul. Cinna was from that day forward, as true a friend to Caesar as one man might be to another.\n\nThe king, our most gracious sovereign lord, might commemorate his benefits towards all his subjects. I would do it for him.\nI am unfamiliar with handling ancient English text directly, but based on the given requirements, I assume the text is in Early Modern English. Here's the cleaned text:\n\nBut I know I am unfit to handle such a weighty matter. His grace will, I doubt not, follow Augustus' clemency. He sees, his noble progenitors have often punished rebels and done no more than cut away the branches of sedition for their time. His highness intends to pull away the root. He sees, it is not possible to cure this sore, which in truth Plato calls the greatest sickness that can come to a commonwealth, except he searches out both where it arises and what thing most nourishes it, and then does as physicians are wont, who often lay not their medicines on the part that is diseased but to that rather from whence the disease first came and is likely to come again, unless it be there stopped. For example, when the eyes are sore, they first seek whether the disease grows in the eyes or is sent from some other place near the eyes, as from the head, or elsewhere.\nAs the stomach. If it is not primarily in the eyes, but comes either from the head or the stomach, they begin not at the eyes, but first purge the stomach, and so the root cut away, the disease now cannot be maintained, and cannot long tarry behind. It is very true that Zamolxis, king of Thrace used to say, \"As the eyes cannot be cleansed except you first cleanse the head, neither the head without purging the whole body, even so, neither the body without the mind be first netted.\" This king saw little hindered, to rid the body of noxious humors, only also a man who greatly controls his appetite, who afterwards can forbear such things that hurt him before, and will do again, except he moderates his affections. The man in need of a boat lacks much wit and wastes much labor, who stands all day emptying out water that must come in again, unless the boat is mended. The fault is in the breach of the boat.\nAnd it should not be in the water. Surely, if anything were to be brought to pass, it would be better to find a way that none would have the will to rebel, than to suppress rebellious people. Would God some high-minded person, a man born to do such good for his country, could bring this about as well as I think it might now easily be done. For if the cause of rebellion could be utterly removed, we have a prince, God willing, we may have his grace long, we have a prince who says, the time is now. All men ought to endeavor themselves, here to occupy their wits, that such a thing might take effect. I, for my part, will do what I can, which I know is very little, however, if I do it not as well as my desire is, I trust good intent shall make my excuse, that love of my country shall not much hurt me.\n\nSome say poverty is the cause that men come to be thieves, murderers, rebels. But I think nothing so. For I know various realms\nWhere power reigns more than in England, yet there are no rebels. The rate is lower, dig deeper, you may perhaps find it. Education, inadequate education, is a great cause of these and all other mischiefs that thrive in such a commonwealth. For where so many lack honest occupations, whereby all men, who cannot otherwise live by their lands, ought to maintain themselves, how can we lack any kind of mischief? No man is born a craftsman; youth must be better brought up, or else the old live well. The lack, the lack of honest crafts, and the abundance of idleness, all be it they are not the whole cause of sedition, yet as they breed thieves, murderers, and beggars, so they not a little provoke men or things like men to rebellion. There is a part in man, which is named the mind, that is of this nature, if it be gallant and lusty, either to do much good or contrary to do much harm. If this lack of good instruction, if this is not handled and ordered as it should be\nMen may lack sedition, but they cannot lack something within themselves that stirs them to sedition. This must be taught so that there is no rebellion within ourselves. We must conquer our lusts and compel the appetites to obey all such statutes as reason and honesty deem worthy to be enacted. Every man, some may say, cannot attain such perfection. Every man cannot be kept at school. I grant this, but I think that all the lords' sons, and also the better part of gentlemen, might be brought up as well as it is necessary they be, if they had such teachers as ought to instruct the nobles of a realm. These well-brought-up individuals I would not doubt but that either we should be wealthier than we are, or else much better content with what God sends us, all being it we had much less than now we have. I have long supposed that, as the bringing up of the nobles is the very guardian of a common wealth, so their evil education is its ruin. For as noble men are\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English. No significant OCR errors were detected.)\nThe servants are theirs. The master gives a rote, the servant must think there is no thriving for him, except he shows himself a ruffian. So, though the servant be good himself, yet to win the favor of his master, he must counterfeit their conditions, which his master most likes. Thus, in using them a month or two, he makes them his own. He now dissembles no longer, he is as they are, whom he has long followed. I must needs say more, if the nobles are evil taught in points concerning religion, as if they are popish, to put one example for many, How can their servants choose, but be so too? How can their tenants, who must have their lords' favor, be of another religion, than they are? How can they agree with their neighbors, if they both be not of one faith and one believe? The king's grace shall never have true subjects, who do not believe as his grace does. For how can they love him, as they should, who being in errors themselves.\nIn darkness and ignorance, suppose his grace to be in a wrong faith, and so lead them, who intend nothing so earnestly as the saving of their souls? How can these obey his majesty, as they ought, when they think in obeying his commandments, they disobey God? This foreign head, in Rome, your body being in England, has brought the simple minds of many a poor man into deep errors. Alas, what greater ignorance can there be than to take him as head who has never been with the body? Him as head, who hath done nothing but consume members? The king is our head, though popes say nay, yet let us believe the prophet Samuel, \"Lo, saith he to King Saul, God hath anointed thee and made thee prince of all his inheritance.\" I pray you, do you think priests, monks, friars, and bishops are not a part of God's inheritance? Has God no title, no right to them? If God has, the king also, whom God has made his holy heir.\n\"He must have [it]. He is their prince, yet not their head, some say. Samuel is a prophet, he says, \"Are not you the little one?\" 1 Samuel 10. In your eyes, you have become the head of the tribes? He who says in the Tribes, do you not mean in all the Tribes? He who is the mayor of London, is he not the mayor of all London? Yet there is, Pasch. 1 Samuel 15. You said to Peter, and not to the king. So they say, but that establishes it for them. But you see, God said to King David, \"You shall feed my people, and you shall be their shepherd.\" 2 Samuel 5. I shall speak of this matter perhaps another time, at a more convenient place. Now I will not depart from my purpose. We must agree in religion, we must serve but one master, one body will have but one head. It is not possible for men to agree for long who dissent in religion. No more than it is possible for Christians to agree with Turks. However\"\nWho would not think it better, rather than we all agree on persistent errors? Those who have no defense but that they have long reignned, and that men have long been subject to them? The nobles must be of one belief, of one faith, of one religion; they must all agree upon one head. The gentlemen will follow, the commons cannot lag behind. And where I said before, youth must be well brought up, especially in opinions of religion, here I say, the old must begin. It is hard for the son to be against his father in matters of faith. No, we see this thing only as a defense for all arguments: I believe as my father did before me. Undoubtedly, if the child learns one thing at school or from the preacher, and here his father at home not only says but sees him also do the contrary, words are forgotten, daily example works quickly, especially when it is evil. Clitipho says, as all young men will say, \"My father bids me learn from other honest men.\"\nWhat should I do, he commands me to follow them, but when he has well drunk, what shameful acts does he tell of himself? When he says, he has done thus, can I think upon that he bids me do? And not sooner do as he has done? No, no, he tells a tale to one who has no ears, who commands the young to do well, when they see the aged do evil. I have often marveled to see the diligence the Jews use in bringing up their youth, and am much ashamed to see how negligent Christian men are in this godly thing. There is neither man, woman, nor child of any lawful age, but he for the most part knows the laws of Moses: and with us he is almost a good curate, who knows 6 or 7 of the 10 commandments: among the Jews, there is not one, but he can get his living by some honest occupation. There are few idle, none at all, but such as are rich enough and may live without labor. There is not one beggar among them. All the cities of Italy\nMany places in Sicily, many towns in Germany, have a great number of Jews in them. I have lived among those in Italy, I never heard of a Jew who was a thief or a murderer. I have never heard of a quarrel between them. I am ashamed to say, but they may think their religion better than ours if religion is judged by people's lives. Now, if Moses' law, which they learned in their youth and understood carnally, can keep few or none of them from usury, which they also believe is permitted by Moses' law, and they do not use it with each other but with strangers, might we not learn more from Christ's law and keep ourselves from rebellion? Could poor people's children not attend sermons? could there not be preachers there?\n\nCan they hear God's laws there, though they are easily preached, and not abhor sedition and rebellion? Who has ever heard that the Turks rose against their prince? It is not the case.\nIt is undoubted, one sort of religion, though not right, that keeps men in concord and unity. Turks do not go against Turks, nor Jews against Jews, because they both agree in their faith. Christians vary, England is so divided, that I wonder rather that sedition sprang up no sooner than now men begin to rebel. England is little bound to them that first divided it so madly. This north and south, east and west, is a good partition of the whole world. It were well in England if we were all called Englishmen, of this country, or that, as of York, of London, and such other: and not these northern men, these southern, these western. The very name makes fools out of them with them, that they never saw. The northern can not but bear half a grudge to the southern, ye for no other cause, than that they are thus called. In Italy, France, Spain, Germany, there is both north and south, east and west, yet they judge nothing by these.\nBut the wind. In Oxford, I know the names of the northern and southern porters, have caused many men to be slain. Those who should rule there, are often driven out before they even enter their office. We cannot leave Paul's church without passing by the northern door or the southern. Christians are far too divided. The friars of St. Francis show favor to the Dominicans, the Jacobites dislike the Brigetines, or if they do like them, they would like them much better if they were all of one sort. I do know, good men, of whatever order they may be, they will do well. But the wicked are more numerous, they bear the sway: the others are soft, fearing to be seen in the chapter house. It is only Christ's religion that can make Christian men one of us, loving one another as we should. The precepts of philosophy and good education could make many Greeks, more of the Romans, not only to forsake riches, to scorn pleasures.\nAnd yet they put themselves in a thousand perils, but also to die for their country. Can't the knowledge of God's word, the sweet admonitions, the high and assured promises that God makes to us, keep Christian men from contemning the judgment and laws of God, from undoing their country, from fighting against their prince? If we were anything well instructed in the joys, that are prepared for them who obey God and their prince, in the joys that neither man's eloquence can express, nor heart feel, nor thought comprehend: Who will think that so many of them could so frankly offer up their lives, and that we shall not abhor those who either will die themselves or bring their country to ruin?\n\nWho can praise Themistocles so well, but he may seem to have left out a great part of his praise? Who did more for his country than he? Who could be worse rewarded than he was? That was not only banished from his country, but also driven to seek succor at Xerxes' hand.\nWhom had he not long ago dishonored in battle? Who had a greater reason to fall out with his country than he? Who had more opportunity to avenge such ingratitude? But see what good education can do. See what is to be looked for in those in whose breasts virtue and desire for honorable fame dwell. Xerxes entertained him highly, and showed him all the favor that a mighty prince could show to one whom he loved most. He gave him great possessions; Themistocles was accustomed to say, \"I would have been undone, except for the Athenians had undone me.\" Yet all this being so, when Xerxes wanted to send him against his country with an army, he forgot all their ingratitude. He forgot they had exiled him and put him in jeopardy of his life, and thought it much better to take his own life than to be a commander against his country. And thus, in the end, being weary of continually calling on the king and seeing no remedy except to kill himself.\nOr to fight against his country: he chose of the two the lesser harm, and with a draft of bulls finished his life. I will not speak of Thrasibulus, Codrus, Ancurus, Decii, and many others, who all thought the wealth of their country to be preferred to their lives. I cannot think, but if Christ's laws were well preached (they are well preached when the preacher says as the gospel is, and does as the gospel says), I cannot think, but if Christ's promises were printed in our hearts, that we should be, and that a great multitude, to testify the word of God, would be of much more power, than vain fame. God's word is potent, and to say as I think, almost omnipotent, if it is well handled, and by such as it should be. It is much that good men can do. In Florence, the people were set party against party, as we were lately here in England. The side that had the better hand came to set a fire to the palace of their adversaries' Captain.\nCalled Pagolantonio Soderini. As chance had it, this captain's brother, the bishop of Volterra, was then at home. Upon hearing their noise and perceiving their whereabouts, he donned his white rochet and descended among them. He spoke but few words, but soon all in that rout cast away their firebrands. There was none so base that could do harm in such an esteemed prelate's presence. Machiavelli writes, as a remarkable thing, how it would be wonderful if people were as obedient as they ought to be, and bishops held such reverence as they had in times past, for their good life and learning. Who was less beloved in the north than my lord Cardinal, God have his soul, before he was among them? Who was more beloved after he had been there a while? We often hate those we have good cause to love. It is a wonder, to see how they were turned, from utter enemies.\nThey became his dear friends. He gave bishops a good example, showing them how they might win hearts. Few holy days passed, but he would ride 5 or 6 miles from his house to this parish church or that, and there cause one or other of his doctors to make a sermon to the people. He sat among them and said mass before the whole parish. He saw why churches were made. He began to restore them to their right and proper use. If our bishops had done so, we would have seen that preaching of the gospel is not the cause of sedition, but rather the lack of preaching of it. He brought his dinner with him and invited divers of the parish to it. He inquired whether there was any dispute or grudge between any of them. If there was, after dinner he sent for the parties to the church and made them reconcile. Men say well of those who do well. God's laws shall never be so respected as they ought, before they are well known. How shall poor men know them?\nExcept they be sincerely preached? We must first learn to keep God's laws, or ever we earnestly pass off the king's statutes. All it be he that keeps one, will also keep the other. He that can find a better way, to allay sedition, than first to bring in the word of God, which our most learned king, and true liege of God in this realm of England, has holy intended these many years, Secondarily, the mind well purged, that is restored into the good and pure nature, that first God made it in, to purge as Zamolxis thought best the body. He that can find a better way, shall do right well to show it. I find none. Men after that the mind is well instructed, must see, that the body has also a way to maintain itself. Every man must have an honest occupation, whereby in truth he may get his living, without doing injury to his neighbor. Idleness idleness must be banished. It cannot be chosen, but men will steal, though they be hanged.\nExcept they may live without stealing. I have either shown how this can be achieved or given occasion for someone else to do so. Now that we are content with what God sends us or what we obtain through our own industry, I think a great part lies in the clergy. They must begin, for others cannot lead this dance. If religious men begin, lay people will follow as soon as they have learned the footing of it. Religion took a great fall, honesty was sore wounded, the day riches entered their hearts, or rather their hands, whom Christ left to declare both in word and deed, what reward they were sure of, that here for his sake would refuse riches. It is no wonder if a tapster or a wine drawer reckon a penny or two more than their duty when they see religious men so embrace money. Let the poor lay people here say this and not lie.\nGod is our inheritance, God is our possession. Our conversation is in heaven. They will certainly not take poverty for such a reason as to disturb their country. I have long sought, and I can in no way find a cause of our poverty, but the fertility and wealth of our country. Other men, who are born in barren countries and cannot live unless they travel the world, avoid misery by their great labor and toil. In England, the ground nearly sustains us alone. It is an incredible thing, to see how sore men of other nations labor, how little they consume on their bellies, how much we devour, how poor they are, and how wealthy we are, wealthy I say in comparison to them. God has given us too good a country, we may here live idle. In many places of Germany, people are content to set their trees, which they use for fuel. They sow corn on mountains, where neither horse nor plow can come.\nThey plow with mattocks and harrow with spades. How much ground is lost in England? How much corn could we carry into other countries, if we utilized the resources of our realm? How many heaths would bear other fruits than shrubs, brakes, bromes, and fern, if they were well-handled? How many cities are decayed, how many towns, that are now hamlets, quite down, that would stand, if the third part of England did not live idly? Towns would rise up again, if crafts were set up. There is hardly any nation, but many are idle, yet I think there is not two of the greatest nations in Christendom, that have half as many, who live without crafts, as little England does. In France, you will see many men draw carts about the city, laden with fagettes and such other small wood. In Italy, there is no man so rich, but he traffics in merchandise. Dukes who are there in kings' places\nI will not occupy merchants, yet we keep small houses. I will not compare our community with theirs. I will not manage this place as I could. I assure you, those who have been there have said once a week, \"God save the wealthy community of England.\" I will not compare our keeping of houses with theirs, where frogs are a dainty dish, snails, a morsel for a lady, where mushrooms stand for the second course. You would think it a mad sight, to see a quarter of a goose run round for burning, the rest powdered and kept in store for holidays. I am assured, the fare in Venice is as good as in most parts of Italy. Venice is as big, or very little less, than London with the suburbs: yet there is more flesh spent in two or three months in London than in a year. We have too many sauces, too many showing horns to draw in meat. We know little of what we do, making as though we cared not.\nIf a foreign prince ruled in England, do you think we would behave as we do now? Would Daces not come among us? You don't know what Daces are, I warrant you? I pray God you never encounter them. I am certain, as long as our most gracious king, Henry VIII, reigns over us, which I pray God it does until his heirs come of age, we shall have no reason to fear Daces. They began to spread pretty rumors in the North that no man should eat white bread, no man eat pig, goose, or capon, without agreeing beforehand with the king. They both declared their malice and how little they had to lay against the king's grace, who were compelled shamefully to deny, such abominable lies against his highness. The king intends nothing of the sort. Would God both his grace would go about to get us a better name in foreign lands.\nAnd we content ourselves with having it. We are called, I assure you, English belies. Who cannot be sorry, to see a man by so many hurts, come from excessive feeding? Who knows not, that the English sweet, no old sickness, and twenty other diseases more, come every day from inordinate feeding? Memory, wit, you the very mind, which is immortal, is almost slain with surfeits. The eyes, change their color, where they should be dry, they fall to drooping, their sight departs. The ears wax dull of hearing, to be brief, all the senses are drowned with drink, and cloyed with too much feeding. Whereas the belly is greater than all the body beside, where the belly reigns, do not all honest crafts, all good inventions want? What country has invented fewer things than England? Are our wits worse than others' be? No, no, there is no fault but ours, that will have them no better. Is it not a shame, that we cannot be as discreet, as wise as others?\nAmong us, what diseases kill more than meat and drink? What vices rid us more than sustenance? For the most part, pestilence comes from outrageous diet, and it little harms where we can moderate our mouths. Bibbers will be offended by him who goes about to make them live better, to make them live longer, to make them richer, to turn their drinking money into stuff for household goods. They envy duchemen who drink deeper than they, but why do they not envy the moles as well, who drink as much as duchemen and yet fall not under the manger.\nas they do under the border? We have lost both the good things, that antiquity used, and changed also the names of them that we have. He is called a lover, who does all he may, to make an honest woman nothing. If her lover intends to take away her honesty, her good name, what shall he do who hates her? Even so we call that good fare which does us most harm, and that evil cheer which does us most good.\nI think he supposes evil, who for his good supper keeps his bed a seven night after. You will think I know London well, who makes this offer to you. Blinded me, Caesar has been the inventor of all good crafts, and of all other things, that either give or bring commodities to man's life. Reckon but one good thing that a wealthy person has introduced, a thousand evils I can recount. Poverty has been the maker of all rich realms. What city had a poorer beginning than Rome? What less riches, then Venice? What king was poorer, then the king of Portugal?\n\u00b6 Socrates was asked\nHow should a common wealth withstand the malice of a rich man, seeing that he would have the commons have very little, and they never have enough dealings? How can they withstand one, he says, I need not tell you, but I am sure, they shall be good enough to fight against two, if both are wealthy and rich enough. How does Adimanthus say this? Ever says Socrates, one poor soldier is enough for two rich men in battle. He is quick, they are dull, he lean and lusty, they fat and foggy, he made to hunger, thirst, and endure hardships, they delicate and dead, if they are out for a night or two from their nests. How will they fight well, when two or three shields will not shield their bellies?\n\nWho will believe that Scipio, so worthy a captain of the Romans, could leave his daughters nothing for their marriages but the common wealth willing to give them their dowries? What Roman could think poverty be refused, when such a noble man was content with it? I cannot tarry in examples. Cincinnatus.\nFabricius and many others I must not speak of. It is scarcely credible that Plutarch wrote of a captain of the Lacedaemonians. Whenever this went to warfare, they were willing to give him money from the communal chest, to buy him boats and shoes. What soldier could think himself poor when he saw his captain in such poverty? They were content, with such extreme poverty: and do we think it laudable, because we are not as rich as we would be, to rise against our prince? And this our prince, so loving, so learned, so naturally suited to a kingdom, so endowed by God with all such princely virtues as are to beautify a commonwealth, could we, if we knew what we did, go against King Henry VIII, of whom I will say nothing but this, that his grace's fame and praise can not fall, but when all good letters fall, which can not be before men leave the earth, and the earth men. I will say nothing of my own. It much belongs to him who will handle this matter well.\nBoth to show, how much England is bound to love him, and how much we ought to hate those who would do him harm: But I will let Erasmus, the greatest learned man of our time, speak for me. \u00b6 What region of this world is there, that can rejoice at the high felicity of England, if it loves England? What nation, but it can envy its wealth, if it does not love England? Undoubtedly, it is a king who either makes a realm noble or obscures it. With what books, with how many kinds of tongues, shall posterity testify that England, in all kinds of virtue, flourished so in King Henry VIII's time, a prince sent by God to England, who seems even now to be born, even now to be England, so cleansed of evil customs and vices, so imbued with all excellent ordinances, that Massilia itself may here take example of civility, so instituted with Christ's faith.\nThat Rome may now come to England, filled with learned men, so that Italy may envy England, saving that envy has no place where good letters reign? England has a king, who may be a rule for all princes yet to come. Indeed, this is a kingdom, this is a princely court, which his grace keeps. I pass over the great gifts that God has endowed both his grace's goodly person and mind, which all be it they come from God rather than our industry: yet they are highly profitable to a commonwealth, wherever they land on a good price. And although it has been small praise in a prince for many years to be well-learned, yet his highness shall bring it to pass, that as in times past it has been the chief ornament of a king to be learned, so it shall hereafter be judged high praise worthy, for a king to excel in knowledge. His grace's singular qualities shall reveal as fools those who are used to saying.\nThat noble courage of a prince's stomach is much defaced, brought down by learning and study. For what king can they bring forth, who has been without letters, that had more dexterity in any feat belonging to a prince than his highness? So made by nature apt to every thing, in riding, shooting, and such other common pastimes, there are few that can be compared with him. There are few kinds of music, but his grace has a good knowledge in them. Wonderfully well seen in the mathematical sciences. Who can be more diligent in opposing vice: he has driven out of his realm those who lived by vice, he has netted his realm of idle vacabonds. (Would God his grace had done but the one, as well as he has intended to do both) He has set up good laws and abrogated such as were unprofitable for his people. Who is more prudent in consultation? Who can better foresee that it is likely to chance\nHe is more active than anyone else? Who can be more energetic? Yet, in letters, he has gone so far, perhaps not through great study, but by the rare quickness of wit and the boundless nature of his mind, that divines, you and those among them most learned, admire and highly commend his right judgment in so many things. He also possesses this virtue, chief among all his most princely qualities, that there is none more gentle, to whom one may speak, none with less disdain, none with less pride. The wits of learned men, whom his grace has always nourished and adorned, will not allow the memory of such excellent virtues to decay through any passage of time. Neither the eloquence of Latin men nor the Greeks will ever testify that there was one King Henry the Eighth in England, who alone possessed all the ornaments that all these princes had among them.\nThe study and love of good letters that Ptolemy Philoporus had, the good fortune of Alexander the Great, the gentle affability of Philip king of Macedon, the noble courage of Julius Caesar, the health of Augustus, the clemency of Trajan, the integrity of Alexander Severus, the learning and knowledge of Marcus Antonius Pius, the piety of Theodosius, and, to make an end where modesty forbids me to find any end, there was nothing in any of these, who were praised so highly, that did not have some notable quality. Thus says Erasmus.\n\nI might bring in many passages from Ludovicus Vives, of all those who either taught themselves or loved learned men: but Erasmus, I think, has said enough, to make us all glad of such a prince. I will say, that I am assured, all the lords of England would grant me, that if they were all born to be rightful heirs of the Crown of England, yet among them all, there is not one.\nWhoever they might think worthy to be king, his grace being alive, it be their title as good as his. Now, when God has given his highness only a good title and made him their right and natural king, and them his subjects, what shall we think, they ought to do, in defense of his grace's right and honor? They know right well, they have declared their hearts towards him. The nobles have well perceived, as they are the strength of the king, so he and his laws are their defense and safeguard. They know that the fall of one is the fall of both. The dukes, worthy of all high praise, honor, reward, have shown themselves, both wise, in seeing their own hurts, to be joined with the king's, and faithful, in defending their prince. The lords have done likewise. Knights lacked not in their part. Gentlemen, and briefly all men, have seen that sedition is sooner to be stopped with loss of goods, great expenses, than that men of one nation.\nA cruel man should not kill another. The king's grace, through his long experience and knowledge in good letters, understands that the chief honor for a Christian prince is the salvation of his people. The king knows the end of civil discord. He knows the benefits that come from concord and unity. In times of civil dissension, men wander here and there, unsure of their place, trusting no one, suspecting all things, almost afraid of their own shadow. Cities made for the welfare of their inhabitants become their destruction, or the majority of those within them. Walls built to keep out enemies keep us from fleeing our enemies. Houses, towns, the whole cities, are often hurled to the ground, followed by the final act of the play. Hunger, thirst, lack of lodgings, lack of other necessities. All trades are destroyed, or at least hindered for a long time. After horses and oxen, which should till the earth.\nBut the most hurt of all is, that we learn to set God and his laws at naught. What shall he think unlawful, what unhonest, that thinks he may wear armor against his prince? Slay his country men? neighbors? friends? kinsfolk? brothers and sisters? fathers and mothers?\n\nWhen Pyrrhus, king of the Epirotes, was setting forth against the Romans, in defense of the Tarentins, Cinias, a philosopher, much in favor with him, asked Pyrrhus what he would do, when he had overcome the Romans. \"Shortly after, all Italy will be ours,\" he replied.\n\n\"Well, when Italy is under you, what will you then do?\" asked Cinias.\n\n\"Then we will sail into Sicily,\" Pyrrhus answered. \"This won, we will go into Spain. This overcome, is there any more to do?\"\n\n\"Then we will set upon Carthage,\" Cinias suggested. \"Imagine you have obtained this also, have you, that you desire? You say, 'for then, we will return to Epirus again, and there pass the rest of our lives in mirth and pleasure.'\"\n\nThen I pray you, Cinias, said Pyrrhus.\nWhy may we not rejoice now? Why are we not relieved, considering the chance in many wars that we foolishly seek, having it in our hands?\n\nMay I not say so to ours? Consider the case, as you will imagine, you have the better hand, howbeit, is it better to be killed than to conquer, fighting against your prince. Yet imagine, everything goes on your side as you desire. Can it happen so well, but many of you must wait? He that is overcome shall weep, you say. Do you think they shall laugh who win? Think you mirth can be within them that evermore shall think, God hates them? the world abhors them? Let us agree, let us agree, let us see, what good concord among men does. Concord brought them together, those who wandered without places, ever in fear one of another. Concord made laws, concord built cities, increased and conserved them. Concord brought in all honest crafts. Concord brings riches.\n\"which causes us madly to seek discord. In times of peace, wits attend to learning, virtue, and wisdom. Concord makes us friends of God, the inheritors of heaven, sharers of all the joys that God has prepared for them, whom He best loves. All who fear God, all who love His favor, will say as I do. We will have peace, we will have no discord, we have often seen the good that comes from strife, the good that comes from change. We have at times been turned from Britons into Saxons, from Saxons into Danes. The Norse have ruled us. We have always changed for the worse. We will keep our strength for another season. We shall have a better time, a worse quarrel we cannot have, to spend our blood in.\n\nWe will not let our enemies laugh at our destruction. We will not let them be merry at our calamity, which can only be merry if they see us sad. We will be friends, God save England as it is, if all Englishmen say so, I am sure.\"\nGod will say Amen.\n\nIn the press of Thomas Berthet, King's Printer.\nWith privilege.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"}, {"content": "\u00b6The co\u0304futa\u00a6cyon of the \nM.CCCCC.XXXUI.\nMOst gentyll and good cristen readers, where it is so, that it hath chaunced me not a few tymes, to be in companyes dyuers where I haue harde, amonge all o\u2223ther, that most notable and wylye heretyke Fryth, not a lytel praysed of some, for lernynge and myche gentylnesse / of some, for very syn\u2223gulare and great pacyence / and of some not onely praysed and co\u0304men\u00a6ded, but also pytied and lamented, howbeit (as I perceyue) not for his most infortunate chau\u0304ce spyrituall but for his dew and iust punishme\u0304t corporall / and that in such maner, as though he had ben a man vtter\u2223ly cast away without cause: I ther\u00a6fore by the reason of this, compel\u2223led at length, so myche to wonder, remembrynge withall, his iudges\nto be (as I hard) no meaner perso\u0304s then pears of the reame, and that of bothe sortes / was streken with no small desyre, yf it were possyble to se his booke / wherin I myght perfytly perceyue, ye very hole cause of hys worthy deth. Not for any thynge that I douted, (as I\nI perceived that he had done more than that, yet I couldn't say whether his judgment was just or not, but I wanted thoroughly to understand the matter, for which I thought he was worthy of being rewarded. And to be able to satisfy those I might encounter, I finally obtained his book. When I read it, I questioned whether the swiftness of faith had been no more than the readiness of sufficient judgment. I might have said, as many do, that I had encountered it too soon and in an evil hour. But to tell the truth, after the first time, without fail, the more often I read it, the more false I found it. At length, I made such a large report that there were some who would not hesitate to tell me that I said much more than I could prove, either because they thought I falsely repeated him or misunderstood him. I was driven to this issue many times.\nI would not show the book nor make any response in such a matter, as I did not want to give place to error or promise the proof of what I said where my words and the truth should appear together. Therefore, because I would not show the book nor give any answer, I had no other response but to promise in writing that I would consider what things I found and perceived in it afterward. There were two things in particular: one, that whoever promises to prove a falsehood and does not do it in deed, without questioning, only confirms and upholds it, and nothing more. The other was that vivacity of wit, copy of learning, and eloquence, almost necessary, are required to convince the tortuous and crooked wiles of a heretic. And when I perceived a great inconvenience on the one side, and no remedy on the other, I saw what danger my own promise had bound me to if I should not perform it.\nIn considering how far I was from the things I should accurately describe, good Christian readers, it is not hard to perceive whether my mind was engaged or not, being brought into such a strait where no passage appeared, and I was certain I was conveyed without error. But then my thought, as if weary and beaten, rushed straight to the very thing itself, which first set this work in motion: that is, the actual bodily presence of our most glorious savior Christ in the holy sacrament. Whose truth, without a doubt, is not dependent on the excellence of wit, the copy of learning, or the beauty of eloquence. Therefore, I set about the completion of my promise without any of these three, as you shall clearly see hereafter: in which I most heartily desire your excusal, not for my sake, but for yours.\nThe following is the cleaned text:\n\nThe reason for the glorious thing itself, for the love whereof I have not shrunk to show my reduceness and little learning to all men. Finis. Chapter. Leave. Side. Lines. Faults. Amend. In the ninth. I. I. XXI. is in. is in. In the eleventh. II. II. I. There. He. There. In the thirteenth. I. II. V. denied. denyeth. And in the thirteenth. failed. faileth. In the sixteenth. I. II. XIII. put away in. In the twentieth. III. I. IX. to note. noted. And in the eleventh. noted. note. And in the eighth. so large. thus large. In the twenty-first. VI. II. II. suspicions. suspicious. In the twenty-third. V. I. I. none. one. And in the sixth. I. IX. does none. is none. In the thirty. III. IJ. XIII. it is said. is it said. Catholicus. Hark! I say, countryman, a word with thee. Hereticus. Speak ye to me, sir? Catholicus. What question is that, where there is no more but thou and I? Here. What wouldst thou with me? Catho. Come hither and thou shalt hear. Hereti. What is the matter? Ca. Shall I tell thee? He. That is your promise. Ca. Now truly, when I first saw thee coming this way alone / thou madest a promise to me.\nI am glad to meet you, Sir. Why so? I have been eager to speak with you for a long time, yet I could never find the time and place. Some occasion or other always interrupted or delayed me. Now, fortunately, we have met in this fair and quiet place where there are no impediments for us to speak freely. I shall therefore, if you will listen to me, share many things with you, perhaps not little beyond your expectation.\n\nSir, I would be glad to hear from you as well. But I am greatly surprised that you should be so eager to speak with me. Do you not know me?\n\nYes, I know you well enough, by sight and hearsay.\n\nIn truth, I will not hide it from you. You know well that deliberation often requires time.\ntimes, you sometimes encounter great opportunities for wisdom: for that thing which a man judges at first to be wise and proper to do, with leisure and deliberation taken, he later perceives to be completely contrary. I have found this to be true through experience.\n\nHe.\nHow so?\n\nCa.\nI will tell you. When I was first moved to speak and communicate with the one I have shown you, I then intended to ask a certain question - the one which I now perceive (due to a more deliberate consideration since then) would have been quite unnecessary.\n\nHe.\nWhy so?\n\nCa.\nWhat good would it do to ask a question of him who cannot solve it?\n\nHere.\nAm I not able to console it?\n\nCa.\nNo, truly.\n\nHere.\nBut you cannot tell.\n\nCa.\nYes, very well.\n\nHe.\nWhy, what was the question?\n\nCa.\nI have told you why, it would be empty to tell you. And therefore it would only consume time, and nothing more.\n\nHe.\nYet I pray you, since you have gone so far, let me hear it and it would be...\nI have no such opinion nor do I think that no heretic can tell whether they are one or not. Why then did you? (Hereticus)\nAh, now I perceive we have something to do before we part. But first, what moves you to have such an opinion or to think that no heretic can tell whether they are one or not? (Ca.)\nI have no such opinion nor do I think so. (Hereticus)\nYou say so?\nCA:\nNot because of any opinion I have in this matter, nor yet because I think so, but because I truly know it, and furthermore, because you mull it over so much, I will say this much more: there is none of them, whom you do or can believe, as much as he believes himself to be one.\nHE:\nWhat, can no heretic believe as much as think that he is one?\nCA:\nWithout a doubt,\nthat is my saying.\nHE:\nIt is too far against reason.\nCA:\nNot one whit.\nHE:\nYes, without fail; for any man may think what he will.\nCA:\nYou are much deceived. For although it is all one, to think and to believe: yet it is two things, to think, and to imagine. You may imagine all steeples to have sprung out of the ground, as trees do, and every thing to be otherwise than you know it is, if you please. But yet you cannot so think or believe, though you would. For you can never (if you mark it well) believe or think anything, against your own knowledge. But for all\nthat, though you may always imagine it at your pleasure. Where it appears clear, imagination is one thing, and thinking or believing is another. Therefore, although an heretic may imagine himself to be one, he can never truly believe or think: much less can he know it. And who, then, would ask him this question?\n\nHereticus.\nYet he may believe, and also know that, as I can believe you, he cannot, except you show me some good reason why.\nCa.\nWill you admit it if I do?\nHere.\nOr else convince me by it.\nCa.\nWhat reason, when you will not allow it?\nHere.\nYou, why not?\nCa.\nWhich way?\nHe.\nHow should one be better convinced by the reason which he will not admit, than to be therefore shaken and talked no more about it? As I, for my part, would be loath to be served in such matters, which I have a great desire to hear about in truth. Therefore, you shall not find me satisfied without\nCa.: Because you speak so reasonably, you shall not find me refusing it when it is proposed to me.\n\nYou: Because I speak so reasonably, you shall not require anything else from me. Therefore, in order for you to propose this, you must grant that there is no heretic who does not believe in some part of the faith amiss.\n\nYou: That is true.\n\nCa.: Therefore, if he could believe that he were a heretic, he might believe that thing which he does not believe, and both at once, which is impossible. For it is not possible for a man to believe anything to be even then any other way than he does believe. As an example, suppose there is a man who believes that our Savior Christ is but a man and not also very God, as various heretics did in the past.\n\nYou: What about you?\n\nCa.: Then, if he who believes so were able to believe that he were in error in that belief he holds, he would then believe and think that he believed in error. Therefore, if he thought that he believed in error in what he does believe, he would believe and think that he did so amiss.\n\"A heretic cannot believe or think that he himself is one. I agree, for if I am not mistaken, it is just as if you believed and thought that the great Turk was now in England. It would not be possible for you to believe that you believed in an error in that case, when your belief is utterly that it is so. For where you believe that he is in England, if you could believe that you believed in an error in that, then you might believe that he was not in England, when you believe him to be in it; and so you would believe and not believe one thing at the same time, which I know is against all reason.\"\nThe text appears to be written in Old English, specifically Middle English. Here is the cleaned text:\n\nBelieve is a thing which can never be wittily deceived. For as soon as thou dost think, that thou believest in anything amiss: forthwith in the same instant, thy belief is clean altered and changed, and is not the same, that it was before. Therefore, because heresy is no other but in some part of the faith, a misbelief. When this question is asked, whether an heretic can believe or think, that he himself is one, it is no more to say, but whether he can believe or think that he believes amiss. But then, for so much as no man is able, whatsoever he does believe, to think himself therein, to believe amiss: it must needs follow, that no heretic can believe or think, that he believes amiss. And therefore he can never believe or think, that he is a heretic.\n\nHereticus.\nSir, far be this now from the need of any more proof.\nCa.\nBut yet thou seest not all.\nHe.\nWhy so?\nCa.\nIf\nthou\nmarke it well, this conclusyon doth take away no small wonder from many men.\nHe.\nwhat is yt I praye you.\nCa.\nTrewly, what shulde be the cause of the rare & syldome amendement of herety\u2223kes: wherof partely hath sprong this commune opinyon, that he\u2223resye, frenesye, and ielosye, be thre dyseases incurable / not by\u2223cause they be all utterly so in ded but bycause, they be so syldome sene, to be thorowly cured & heled agayne. And as thou haste now harde, of heresye, what wonder is it all though it be syldome or ne\u2223uer forsaken & amended: when it is, to euery heretyke (as to one in a contynuall phrenesye) vtter\u00a6ly vnknowen, and also inopina\u2223ble, that hymselfe is any thynge\ntherwith infected: for who can ex\u00a6pell & put from hym, the whiche he can not byleue, that euer came nere hym / who can desyre, of any infyrmyte to be heled, wherwith he can not thynke, that euer he was dyseased? or who can be wyl lynge for to amende, wherin he can not, so myche as thynke, that euer he dyd offende? specyally, when we may dayly\nse the amen\u2223demet of euyls, very seldome or neuer brought to passe in some, when they bothe byleue & knowe themselfe infected with them: yet mych more easyer it is (be it ne\u2223uer so hard) to leue and amende yt is knowen or thought amysse. Then it is (be it neuer so lyght) to ouercome and forsake, that is clene hyd & incredyble: who ther\u2223fore\nor what, can purge cure and hele, this insensyble, impercepty\u2223ble incredyble (and therfore the more parelous pestylent & ody\u2223ble) sykenesse, but onely the gen\u2223tyll swet and myghty mercy of hym which iustifieth the keytyfe?Pro. 27 But how sholde that moste gra\u2223cyoust medycyne be opteyned, yf it be not desyred? And how can it be desyred, when the cause why, (as thou haste herde) nother is, nor can be perceyued? By this, thou mayst some parte see, of the lamentable state of an heretyke, whiche of all menne, is in moost daynger, & fardyst from all good helpe and socour.\nHereticus.\nSyr, ye say very trauth, & that I perceyue now ryght well.\nCatholi.\nyet thou seest not all the\nHe. That is the man who said in his heart, \"There is no god.\" That is, the foolish man conceived such things in his heart, which necessarily follows that there is no god.\n\nHe. There is no heretic who does this.\n\nCa. Yes, that is it.\n\nHe. Which kind of heretic is it?\n\nCa. Choose which one you will, you cannot choose amiss.\n\nHe. No? Then by that reason, it is every one of them.\n\nCa. Now in good faith, you hit the mark.\n\nHere. Does every heretic deny God himself?\n\nCa. In very deed, it is no other way but even so.\n\nHe. Sir, never tell me that tale again, for surely I will never believe it.\n\nCa. What soft and fair, you have proposed, to follow reason / & now you begin to flee from it, ere you come at it.\n\nHe. Sir, there is no reason why you can prove this.\n\nCa. Yes, yes, in so much, the proof of it is soon made (you and soberly hard) very easy also.\nHe: When I hear it, I will tell you more. Ca: First, you shall not deny this: but all those who deny God, deny Christ. He: I grant that. Ca: And all heretics deny Christ. Therefore, it necessarily follows that all heretics deny God: unless you will say, that Christ is not God. He: Mary, sir, we are much near, for this reason. Ca: What does it matter? Here: Why? How do you prove that all heretics deny Christ? Ca: All those who deny Christ deny all his faith. He: That is a plain matter. Ca: And all heretics deny, all his faith: therefore all heretics deny Christ. He: I have heard in my days many propositions, but yet never have I heard one that\nCa: why?\nHe: why [said he] you?\nHe: Mary, we are now, even as near, as we were at the first. Ca: And somewhat nearer to it, if you look well upon it. He: Not one white, for who can prove that all heretics deny all the faith? Ca: I can, my son. He: you may chance to be.\n\"He. I will not attempt, but I will do it in deed. Therefore mark it well: all those who deny the whole faith, which deny any part of it; but every heretic denies at least one part of it, or else he could not be a heretic. Therefore every heretic denies the whole faith. He. Sir, I pray you, do not go about to mock me? Ca. I would not have you take me for such a one. He. Then I will be plain with you. I have never heard a man speak so far without reason. For when it is impossible to make anything certain by that which is uncertain, you would prove that all heretics deny almighty God, by the reason they deny Christ. When that is as uncertain, and requires as much proof, as the other. And furthermore, to settle the matter, you would prove that all heretics deny Christ, by this: that each of them denies the whole faith; when that is more uncertain, and requires more proof.\"\nIf all those deny the whole faith, as they each deny some part of it, then it is certain and plainly false, requiring no proof.\n\nDo you think so?\n\nHe:\nNo, who could think otherwise? For who would believe that he, who denies only a part of the faith, denies it all together?\n\nCa:\nPerhaps you will believe this yourself, for all this\n\nHe:\nNever speak of that.\n\nCa:\nFirst, when I said that all those deny almighty God, who deny Christ because He is very God Himself, did I err in that?\n\nHe:\nNo, my lord, that is true.\n\nCa:\nAnd when I said that all those deny Christ, who deny all His faith, did I say anything amiss in that?\n\nHe:\nNothing at all.\n\nCa:\nAlso when I said that all those deny all the whole faith, who deny any part of it, did I err in that?\n\nHe:\nWhat can be said is amiss in that?\nYou shall not deny, but every part of Christ's faith is true.\nHe.\nThere is no doubt of that, except I should say:\nCa.\nTherefore, first and foremost, you shall not deny that every part of Christ's faith is true.\nHe.\nI agree, except:\nCa.\nIf I can also prove that whoever denies any part of the faith denies Christ himself, have I not then clearly performed, as promised, that whoever denies all together?\nHe.\nSir, I would gladly hear it, if it were coming, but it is long in coming.\nCatho.\nThen first and foremost, you shall not deny that every part of Christ's faith is true.\nIf every article of his faith is true (as it must be in deed), and whose faith is it but his? It is the truth of Christ. What else? Take good heed what you say. Why? Because if that truth which is in every singular article of the faith is the very truth of Christ (as there is no fail, but it is in deed or else were they utterly no parts of his faith, as you do full truly confess yourself), it must clearly follow that Christ's.\nI. In every article of his faith, Christ and his truth are one. For Christ and his truth are not two things, as other men and their truth are, which are often without it: some men may be called true at least some time. But no man can be called true: this is proper to Christ; for rightly he, and no one else, may be called true, as he calls himself: Job 1. And certainly the reason why is this: for just as you consider no Christ when you consider truth without him, so you consider no Christ neither, when you consider him, without truth: for without truth, what would he be but no Christ in deed.\n\nTherefore whatever things cleave together so that they cannot be separated, neither in deed nor in consideration, without failing again against all reason, it would be wickedness to think that they are not both one. This inescapable conclusion is well marked and borne.\nIf the truth of Christ is in every article of his faith, and he and his truth are one, it cannot be avoided that he, who is his truth, is in every one of them. For if he is not in them, because his truth and he are one, his truth is not in them; if his truth is not in them, they are not true articles of his faith. But since all this is false, returning to the true part: if they are articles of his faith, then without a doubt his truth is in them; if his truth is in them, then without question so is he, except you would make him, without his truth, which would be impossible if he is not where it is. Therefore, it is clearly evident that Christ is in every article of his faith. Whoever denies any one of them denies, as every person can perceive.\nA heretic denies the part of the faith that denies him in it. Therefore, which part of the faith does he deny, in which he is contained? I will give you a more detailed explanation later. In the meantime, take this seriously.\n\nHeretic.\n\nNay, nay sir, I do not trouble you greatly, for I think this is all ready, were it not for one thing.\n\nCa.\n\nWhat is that, sir?\n\nHe.\n\nIf there were nothing to be said to the contrary.\n\nCa.\n\nYou, countryman, are you such a one? Now a good fellowship, say what you can, though it be nothing to the purpose.\n\nHe.\n\nSir, you would have it so. But you shall not find it so.\n\nCa.\n\nGo then, let me see whether I shall or not.\n\nHe.\n\nSir, where you say (as I now perceive it is indeed) that Christ is in every article of his faith because his truth which is himself is in each of them. Where do you conclude that every heretic who denies some part of it at least denies therein Christ himself and all?\nAll heretics hold and confess many articles of the faith as earnestly and firmly as any men can, both in words and thoughts. Is this the entire issue at hand?\n\nHe.\nTake this and come back.\n\nCa.\nI am greatly surprised that you would give any regard to their saying or thinking against such manifest and unyielding reason as I have shown you. Nevertheless, judge for yourself: do they say or think they are any surer of the truth in any point than they do in the very same point where they directly err in deed? How surely do they think they are not being deceived? Should we, because of that, think the same? Those who murdered and slew the apostles (as your savior himself testifies) thought they were doing great service to God: but despite their thinking, they were not.\nIt is what they thought, or did they think their fault was excused because they thought it was not him? The Jews also thought they did not kill the Lord of glory when they crucified Christ, Cor. 2, as Saint Paul wittiness / if they had known him (he says), they would never have crucified. Therefore they thought it was not he; but was their thinking deceived or not? Or did they not put the Son of God to death because they thought otherwise? And even so in a similar manner, what do you speak to me of an heretic's thinking? For, as I proved one before, it is impossible for him to think that thing which is of all things most expedient for him to think - that is, that he himself is a heretic? Yet, is he none because of that? What thing might he think, more truly, and yet he is not able to do so? Therefore let his thinking, whatever it be, never stand in the way between him and inexorable reason.\n\nHeretic.\nSir, I will now tell you another.\nLet us have it, if it is worth hearing. He. Without fail, there are many taken for heretics / and yet, they are not all such. Ca. What is this to the purpose, as I speak of none such. I speak of those who are heretics in deed. And consider therefore how their thinking fails them in those articles which they deny / so it fails them in those which they seem to grant. He. Not at all, for in those articles which they deny / they think they have the truth, and yet they are deceived. But in those articles which they hold and grant (as the articles of the creed) they think they have the truth, & even so they have in deed, and are not deceived: therefore they are not deceived, both ways. Ca. You are deceived, at least one way. For how can they have the truth of those articles which they think they confess and believe / when they utterly refuse, and deny the very same truth, in those other articles which they do not believe.\nA man may have the truth in one thing, even if he lacks it in another. This is commonly seen. You seem to be misunderstanding the concept, as you think the truth of the articles they deny is different from the truth in those they grant. Why else would this be the case? I laugh at your question, for if you knew the nature of faith's truth, you wouldn't ask such a question. What is the nature of that truth? It is in its very essence.\nIf the truth of the whole faith is more than the truth of the least part, then it would be more than truth (for the truth of the least part is truth). But truth to be more than truth is impossible. Therefore, the truth of the whole faith can be no more than the truth of the least part. Similarly, if the truth of the least part is less than the truth of the whole, then it would be less than truth (for the truth of the whole is truth). But truth to be less than truth is a contradiction. Therefore, the truth of the least part cannot be less than the truth of the whole. Consequently, the truth of the whole faith must be equal to the truth of every part.\ncan neuer be. Therfore the trauth of the leste parte of the fayth, can be no lesse, then the trauth of all ye hole. Thyr\u2223dely, yf the trauth of any one parte, were not the very same, but a no\u2223ther, then the trauthe of any other\npart of it: then were it a nother the\u0304 trauth (for the trauth of ech part is trauth) but trauth to be any other then trauth, can neuer be possyble. wherfore there is no nother trauth, in any one parte of the fayth, then there is in eche other.\nHereti.\nSyr your reasons me thynke can not hold.\nCa.\nThe cause why, wold I fayne heare.\nHe.\nThat shall ye sone do, & for example: the resurrection of chryst, is one parte of the fayth: and the ascention is an other.\nCa.\nAll that is trew.\nHe.\nThen yf the very same trauth, no more nor lesse, nor none other: were in ye tone, that is in yu tother / it must nedes folow, that the resurrection and the ascention were bothe one: as it may this way, more playnely appere: ye wyll not denie, but whe\u0304\nI saye, that chryst rose from dethe to lyfe, I say\nHe: When you say that he ascended, you also say the truth in the same way.\nCA: There is no doubt of that.\nHe: Then, if these are not distinct truths but are all one, so that the one is none other but even you yourself that is the other: then you say the very same thing that I do.\nCA: What of that?\nHe: Therefore, if you, when you say that Christ ascended, say the very same thing that I do when I say that he rose from death to life: it cannot be avoided that his resurrection and his ascension are one.\nCA: Have I said that?\nHe: Yes, sir, for this time.\nCA: Then very well concluded. For if the truth of each article must agree because of the truth of them, the things in the same truth must also agree: when it is ever contrary. For if you want the truth of each article to differ, as the articles themselves do, you will never make one of them true.\nHe: Yet I would hear that.\nCA: With a good will. If the truth of the resurrection and the truth of the ascension are the same, their things must also agree.\nascention, were not all one: it coude not be anoyded / but the one trauth must nedes dyffer from the other. And then, yf the one dyffer from the other / bycause that same other is trauth, the one must nedes dyffer from trauth. And (as I tolde the before) what so euer differth fro\u0304 trauth / all men knoweth is impos\u2223syble to be trauth. Therfore by this reason, the one article is without trauth. And also by ye same reason, lykewyse the tother, of the contrary part / and so altogyther. Moreouer\nagayne this waye, yf they were two trauthes / there is no dout, but the one, were not the same, that ye other is. Then yf the one, were not the same that the other is / bycause the other is trauth: the one were not ye same that is trauth. And what so euer is not the same, that is trauth, without fayle, can be no trauthe. Therfore if they be twayne, the one is no trauth nor the other nother. Besyde all this: the trauth of euery artycle, is (as I sayd) the trauth of chryst / and byeause chryste and his trauth is all one, yf\nThere is not the same truth in one article as in another; therefore, in each article, there must be a diverse Christ, so that there are as many Christs as there are articles. The falsity of these conclusions is not only obvious to hear but also to doubt. Therefore, the truth of the resurrection must be the very same, all one, and none other, but even the very truth of the ascension. It is likewise to be said and understood of each article from one to another, throughout the whole faith. Therefore, when the truth (as I have plainly shown) is no more in the whole faith than in the least part of it, nor less in the least part than in all the whole together, nor none other in one part than in any of the others. To this it must come that the whole truth of the whole faith is in each and every singular part of it, no more, no less.\nLess there be, but only the same. Therefore, because it is so, and can in fact be none other way: this is the consequential conclusion that whoever denies any article of the faith (as every heretic does one or another at least) denies utterly the whole truth of it all together. For whoever denies a part of that which has no parts denies in fact all of it, because the very same thing, which appears to be a part, is all of it. And such is the truth of the faith, which (though it seems to have parts) yet is all because of the diversity of things in which it is: that is, because the faith is divided into distinct articles, in which the truth of it is. And it is therefore the cause why it is thought (by those who do not understand it), that the truth itself (which is indivisible) is also divided and distributed among them in parts alike, which is utterly false. Therefore, firmly I maintain my saying, that\nall heretics are deemed deceitful, not only in the articles which they deny, but also in those which they grant and confess, since they deny the truth contrary and against their own thinking, making the entire truth doubtful.\n\nHeret.\nSir, here you have now declared a fair and plain distinction, between the articles of the faith and the truth that is in them. Therefore, although an heretic denies all the articles of the faith that you say, he does not deny (as everyone knows) all those articles in which it is contained.\n\nCa.\nI pray, what is that? When he does once deny and take away the truth of them all, without which, what are they? And yet, if you look somewhat more narrowly upon it, you will find that he denies all of them likewise, as he denies all their truth.\n\nHe.\nWho thinks that?\n\nCa.\nThe same question might be asked of many true things, as well as of this.\n\nHe.\nWhy, how is it possible, for any man to believe, that when an heretic does deny and take away, the truth of them all, without which, what are they?\nbothe saye and thynke, that chryste rose from deth to lyfe: he doth de\u2223nye that artycle, & so of other lyke wyse?\nCa.\nThou doest all waye swymme aboue, and neuer dyue to the bottum. wherfore thou seest not what there is. For I praye ye, what other thynge is it, for to say of any\narticle, that it is not trewe, then to say, there is no suche thyng? Ther\u2223fore when all the articles of ye fayth doth so cleue to theyr trauth, that the one can not be, without the o\u2223ther: and also when the hole trauth of them all, is in euery one of them syngularly / it must nedes folowe, yt when he denieth any one of them, he denieth them all / bycause in that one he denieth al theyr trauth. with out the whiche\u25aa it is not possyble, that any one of them shulde be.\nHe.\nyet all men knoweth, he wyll saye, and vtterly so thynke, that they be all trewe: that part onely except wherin he doth not byleue.\nCa.\nI maruayle greately, that thou wylt yet (as I told yt before) any thyng stycke, vpon his sayenge, or thyn\u2223kynge other? when he wyll\nalways says that he is as truly in the faith as any other man is, and utterly no heretic at all / nor can anyone make him so, more than think the contrary: yet everyone knows he is deceived clearly. Therefore never pass upon the saying or thinking of such a one.\n\nHe.\nIn deed, sir, no more I do not, as much as I do, upon other men, who are no heretics. For they also believe that no heretic denies the whole faith / nor yet any more of it, but even those points, where he directly errs, and differs from other faithful people: that is to say, they believe, he errs in no more, but in those parts only, where he ought to be condemned, as an heretic.\n\nCa.\nWho are they that think so? Anyone other than those who cannot discern the thing? Or anyone other than those\nwho judge more, as those who say, by guesswork, rather than by any order of reason? Far it is from judging things as they seem. And to judge them as they are in reality, which few can.\nrespect can do, especially when they are somewhat dark as this is. Therefore, what is the judgment or opinion of such people in this case?\n\nHereticus.\nShall I believe you, Sir?\nCa.\nWhat is the matter?\nHe.\nNow in good faith, it will not sink in my head, for all this, an heretic does deny those articles which he openly grants and confesses, and moreover, utterly believes and thinks in them as he says he does,\nCa.\nWhat else?\nHe.\nNot truly.\nCa.\nThen I suppose your wit is not as good as I took it for.\nHe.\nIf it is not, I must take it in good worth. I will make it no better than it is.\nCa.\nWell, I infer what you mean all this while.\nHe.\nSir, I would it were taken away.\nCa.\nYou shall see me go near it by and by. You do not know (perceive) that a thing is denied, two ways: directly, and indirectly: that is to say, by means, and immediately / because of which, a thing may sometimes seem granted when it is denied, as it does now in this.\nA heretic in the past, named One Forty-one, seemed to confess Christ directly when he said so, but he denied it indirectly when he both said and thought that he was not very good, for no one else is Christ but one person, God and man joined together. Therefore, if he was not God, in truth he was not Christ. Thus, when he denied Him directly to be God, he denied Him indirectly to be Christ: that is, he denied Him to be Christ, which is none other but to speak such things of Him. Therefore, it necessarily follows that he cannot be Christ. Therefore, if Christ is denied, whether directly or indirectly, it makes no difference, for all comes to one before Him, who can plainly perceive and see it, and it is always God at least, even if there were no man else who could. Therefore, the Forty-ninners denied Christ to be\nThe Marcionites denied him as being very god. Yet they both denied him as being very Christ, although they both spoke and thought the contrary. But what consequence is this, if neither of them followed a Christ who is not truly God and not truly man? For just as he is not Christ if he is not truly God, he is not Christ either if he is not truly man. Since Christ is, as I said, one singular person joined together in God and man. Therefore, they denied in deed the very same thing, which they seemed to grant. And did those who denied Christ as being a very man not deny in that his very nativity, his very resurrection, his very ascension? What if they did not think it so? What difference does it make: which of these articles could be true if Christ were not a very man? For he who denies one article, although with his words and thoughts he grants another, yet in deed he does not.\ndeny both together, denying it directly and denying it indirectly makes no difference in the conclusion. For as certain as the truth of the former is, so is the truth of the latter, despite his assertion and belief to the contrary. It is clear that he denies the same thing, which he seems and believes to grant: when he denies the very truth of it in the other. Therefore, (as you may now perceive), an heretic cannot in fact hold any part of the faith; neither because he directly confesses and believes many articles of it to be true (for he does not less believe that point in which he errs), nor yet because the majority of true Christian people do not think him to err in anything more than he directly denies. For little do they differ.\n{per}\u2223ceyue, or consyder. what muste ne\u2223des folow, they syldome loke after / and specyally in suche thynges. be\u00a6yonde the sences, few of them doth reche: any secretes of nature, they are skant able to touche. what pla\u2223ce therfore, can theyr iudgement haue, in thynges that be superna\u2223turall?\nwherfore, what so euer he, or they, do saye or herein thynk / or how so euer to any of them both, it doth seme and appere / take this ne\u00a6uerthelesse, for a sure conclusyon / yt euery heretyke (all though it be a thynge to hym selfe incredyble) is, for all that, no lesse then out of the hole fayth of chryst: that is to say, out of it, at leste in part, before all men / and out of it altogyther, at lest, before almyghty god: before whome, euery thynge doth appere, not as it semeth, but as it is vtter\u2223ly in dede.\nHereti.\nSyr wyll ye now se, what of all this must nedes folow?\nCa.\nVery gladly.\nHe.\nThere canne no more of the fayth be denyed, but all together.\nCa.\nSurely that is a trewe tale.\nHe.\nAnd ye saye that he,\nwhich denyeth\nHe: Directly, but one article, he denies in that, but all the rest he denies directly, both are alike evil.\n\nCa: What inconvenience find you in that, even if it should be so? Or what impediment would it be to anything I have said if they were both, as you say, alike evil in deed?\n\nHe: Then your conclusion could not be true.\n\nCa: Why so?\n\nHe: Because such a false perspective can never follow any true statement.\n\nCa: What false perspective?\n\nHe: I told you before, that he who denies but one article and he who directly denies them all should be both alike evil.\n\nCa: And is it false? There is no question about that.\n\nCa: Then the tone of them is worse than you both.\n\nHe: Who doesn't know that?\n\nCa: Yet I would say here, it (the tone) is... (the text ends abruptly)\nHe. If you must marry her, he who directly denies all articles must be much worse than he who directly denies but one. Ca. I still think the same. You find many faults with my conclusions, but you can easily see what they are. For if it were not against anything I have said, even if they were both of equal evil, you are so far from the mark that he is far worse of the two, the one you think is least evil. He. But what about he who denies directly only one article, isn't he worse than he who denies them all? Ca. Yes, never doubt that. He. I cannot tell what I shall know hereafter. He. Yet hear my mind on it and then take it as you see fit. He. I may do so for your pleasure, with which I am content. He. Then be careful what I say.\nThe evilness of every heretic is only to himself, or else to himself and others. He who denies but one article is a thousandfold worse than the other, who denies them all. For how could his evil, which denies all, harm anyone but himself? If he wanted, how could he be hard? I will not say what good man, but what other heretic is there beside himself, who would endure the hearing of him? You also, what good Christian man would not be moved by the better respect, to the keeping of his own faith, and with a louder praise to God, for the conservation thereof, when he sees such a one who has lost it altogether in every point? So other people should take good rather than harm by him. But the other, look how much it is less that he denies: the more there are who do not perceive it, and the more there are who do not perceive it, the sooner they are deceived.\nThe sooner one is deceived, the more others are infected: The more infected, the worse, all men know. Besides this, how heresy has multiplied and increased among the people, to such an extent as it has, is not by him, who seemed to have so much of the faith that he was long thought to lack nothing of it. But he did, for all that, as the inexplicable evil that followed showed more and more. But by him who denies it directly and entirely, such a thing could never come about. For such a one (as I said), no man would listen; therefore, he was believed therefore, how could he deceive? If he could not be believed, no one by him could be deceived. It is clear that his evil could hurt no one but himself. Which of the two is therefore worse to other men, I think, requires no further explanation. Here.\n\nSir, there is no doubt. For there is no question here, which of the two is worse to other men. But all the rest is omitted from the text.\nThe matter lies in this point: which of the two is worse to him/selves, and I hold utterly (as all men do) that he is, who denies directly all together. I [contrary]. He. Indeed, I marvel much. I, [contrary]. You shall marvel at it, perhaps never a whit at first, and therefore take heed what I say: if every evil is (as it is in fact) so much worse to the haver, than it is in logic, then the fault of him, who denies directly but one article, is worse than his, who denies all. For how long should he continue, while you deny them all, rather than the other should? though the people would not tear him to pieces, as they would, if he were not shortly rid of it by some other means. Furthermore, if every evil is so much less dangerous, to the haver, than it has in it, a greater occasion of amendment. Then the evil of him, even to himself, who denies directly but one article, is worse than his, who denies all: for he who denies all / has by reason.\nWhen he perceives himself in it, completely different and dissenting in every point from the whole multitude of Christ's people, a great astonishment arises in him, causing him to revolve the matter carefully in his mind and consider, that very wisdom would have him, in any way, mistrust himself rather than all of them. And the other, not only because he seems (at least to himself) to agree with the multitude in so many points, causing him to believe that he lacks nothing. But also because he often finds diverse ones of his own opinion, who almost compel him, more strictly, to persist and put no manner of doubt in. For these reasons, not only does he have no such occasion for amendment, but, as they say, none at all. Besides this: no man's wickedness can hurt another, but it hurts himself in the same way. But the wickedness of him who directly denies but one article or two, hurts.\nSome time, many thousands more / it therefore necessitates that his evil is even to him, much worse than is his, who directly denies them all (thereby hurting no one else) except you would say, that it is less evil to the workers, who cause the most harm.\n\nHereticus:\nSir, I pray you this, he who directly denies all the articles, perchance is just as willing to infect as many more, as the other does in deed / although he cannot bring it to pass, because, as you said, there is no man who will leave him, nor so many as to hear him. This supposed, what difference, if it were so, is there between them then.\n\nCa:\nJust as much as is between the willingness of an evil one, and the performer of the same. The which you may perceive yourself to be somewhat, or else it would not be profitable to withhold an evil will, before it comes to effect. Therefore, this way, he who directly denies but part is worse than he, who denies all. When he has his evil, with the defied.\nHe. The one with a bad will and the power to carry it out always causes more harm, as the effect never fails. The one with a bad will alone, lacking the power to execute it, cannot bring about the effect.\n\nHe. Well, I agree for that part, but what if the one who denies only one article harms no one but himself? Then the one who denies all together must be worse.\n\nCa. Not necessarily.\n\nHe. What are you speaking of? It is not possible to be otherwise. For when they are alike in will and action toward others, the one who directly denies all must necessarily differ in evil from the one who directly denies only part, and be far worse than he.\n\nCa. But you are mistaken. The most that can be made of it in that way is that they should be equal.\nAnd like evil. And you shall not bring all that about by that time you have followed and tried your case thoroughly. He. That were a strange thing to me. Ca. Never the less so strange it is. For what forgives it, although they discord somewhat in words, when they utterly agree in deed - that is, in the very conclusion itself? What differs it, to deny directly and distinctly Christ's nativity, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, and so forth, and to deny directly no more but this, that he was truly man (as the Manichees did), from which it must necessarily follow that none of those articles could be true? Or is not the tone as evil as the other? For all though he who directly denies every article denies Christ himself and can deny no more, yet he who denies directly but one of them (as I told you before) denies him also and can deny no less. And what can you make of it, when Christ is denied, but that\nIf there is no difference in the final conclusion, whether one denies an article in this or that, in one or in two, in two or in three, in more or in fewer, in all or in part, it is of no consequence. For if one kills a man with one stroke, another does the same with ten, what difference does it make in the end when death comes at the first as well as the last? Similarly, if one denies Christ in one article, another in two, the third in three, and so forth, what difference does it make, or what does it matter as concerning the end, when as much is denied in the first as in the last, or in all the rest? Therefore, although they may both be alike in mind and in deed towards other men, it does not follow that he who directly denies all articles is any worse than the other. But in truth, the other is even worse than he, for his evil (as I declared before) is of a more quiet and longer continuance.\nless you all have hardly any opportunity at all for amendment, but wonders greatly in every way to the contrary of one another. Heretical. Yet I will not give it up for this. For the more Christ is denied, the more wickedness I am sure it is. And he who denies him in many articles denies him so many times more than he who denies him but in one. Therefore, he who denies him in most articles must necessarily be worse than the other. Ca.\n\nThis does not follow. For he who kills a man with twenty death strokes kills him not likewise twenty times but in truth not more than once. And as much does he who kills him at one stroke: so he who denies Christ in twenty articles denies him not twenty times because of that but utterly even very once in deed. And no less does he who denies him as I told you before but in one article: for a thing is not always denied so many diverse times as the negation of it is vocally spoken & expressed. The voice whereby the negation is shown\nforth is not it itself, but only a means to show it. The negation itself, when the voice is ceased and done, remains still, one and the same, that it was even then and also before. Therefore, denying Christ in twenty articles, can make him denied no more than one thing twenty times repeated or twenty different ways expressed, nor does it make him twenty things, or more than twenty death strokes in one man, make it twenty murders. For where Christ is denied in one article, however many are denied of it afterwards, they are but so many showings or so many rehearsals of the same, and not so many singular denials of Christ: as when one word is expressed and rehearsed again and again, the same again and again, does not signify another word and another, but all ways the same and the same, and none other. Therefore, the word is not diverse, but within it still remains one, neither more nor less nor any other, though it be diverse.\nThe text does not require cleaning as it is already in modern English and the content is clear. However, for the sake of completeness, here is the text with minor corrections:\n\nThere is indeed diversity in the rehearsal, but not in the word, which is rehearsed. And likewise, the negation and denying of Christ, is not diverse in itself, although it may be shown or expressed in various and many articles. Nevertheless, it remains constant in the very same simplicity, as when it is shown in one alone: for when the negation of a thing, consists in the mind and the voice only an instrument to show it, and is not in fact the negation itself: it is clear that then the thing can never be twice denied, except it is once at least granted between: as if one should deny being a true man, he might do so and speak never a word, for even so he does, when he does once, but only think. Therefore, whether he expresses it twenty times or never once, this negation of your truth is yet nevertheless one and the same in him and cannot truly be said that he denies your truth any more or less.\nBut even one, whether he does it never so often or never expresses it in white, for when he has once denied it, it is to say, when he has once thought himself not a true man, doubtless that negation, like a deadly sin repented, whether he sleeps or wakes, whether he thinks or doesn't think of it, whether he shows it or doesn't show it, is yet all the while in him no more, no less, or anything other, but even the very same one, and can never truly be said to be two or twice made until he himself says so. But truly, he may have twice denied your truth, or not: for he thinks the untrue man so many times as he does between each time, thinks the contrary. But if he never thinks the contrary, then all that, however long it endures, is but one thought, and one negation of your truth.\nFor whatever length of time he may express it or recount it in various ways, it is only a demonstration of something long concealed, not of something frequently or many times concealed. If I were to say to you today, \"you are not a true man,\" and repeat it again tomorrow and the next day, never intending the contrary in between, I would not be denying your truth three times but rather showing three times that I deny it. As one sentence can be presented or recounted three times, yet the same presentation or recounting three times does not make it three sentences. It is two different things to present the reason twenty times and to deny it twenty times because in the former, there are twenty negations, and in the other, there is only one. Therefore, it will not be against this that most men think that every thing is so frequently denied as they hear the negation of it expressed and represented to their ears:\nFor it is not necessary that they consider this, whether it continues and remains one and the same, not only when it is not expressed and shown, but kept before and after, as when it is most manifestly and openly disclosed. It is also not contrary to this, Luke 22, that St. Peter denied Christ: because that denial was of another kind, for of that one could never follow Christ as it must necessarily do of this. That was indeed but feigned, resting in words only, and not in the mind. For although it seemed and was said (as it may right well be), that he denied Christ: yet it may truly be said the contrary: for he denied only that he knew him. It is two things, for me to deny you, that is, to deny what you are, and to deny that I know you. No heretic does deny that he knows Christ (for all of them seem to confess him and no one denies him in this way), but for all that, they do in deed deny what he is, which is ten times worse. However, St. Peter denied only that he knew him.\nI know him, the one who was but a feigned negation, existing only in words. It was otherwise in his mind because he both thought and knew that he knew him, and feared but feigned the contrary. Therefore, all such feigned negations which have their being not in the mind but only in words, may truly be called as many as they are variously rehearsed and spoken. But this heretical negation which we now speak of, which rests only in the mind, can much more subtly, much more secretly, and therefore a thousandfold more dangerously be concealed, for the ineloquent infirmity of its possessors and holders to perceive, or as much as they think for their own parts. Now therefore, all this considered, it is not hard to perceive that the denial of Christ in one article is, without any manner of intermission, as a containment wall therein: as it is in twenty articles more, or in them all, and whatever is a containment wall is neither more nor fewer, neither more nor less often.\nA person denies Christ directly in all articles where he denies Him, not less often than in the one alone where he directly denies Him. What difference can you make between them, except that the tone is equally evil in both? Here is the heretic's position.\n\nSir, are you not yet ready?\n\nCa.\n\nWhy do you ask?\n\nHe.\n\nI would like to have some words with you.\n\nCa.\n\nI pray a good fellowship, spare not, say what you please.\n\nHe.\n\nIndeed, I will say that you will never avoid.\n\nCa.\n\nReally?\n\nHe.\n\nYou will see.\n\nA person who denies all articles denies Christ directly, that is, with open and express words. However, it is much worse to deny Him indirectly, as the other does, who denies only one article. Therefore, it necessarily follows that the one who denies all articles is much worse than the other.\nHe: I admit only one thing. Ca: Is this, which cannot be avoided? He: I think you shall find it so. Ca: If I will not admit this, that it is worse to deny Christ directly than indirectly, how will you prove it? He: That is easily done, by this reason. The common judgment of all men takes the denial of Christ directly to be much worse than indirectly. And surely, the common judgment of all men can never be false. Therefore, the denial of Christ directly must necessarily be worse than indirectly. Again, if it is necessary to proceed this way. The more evil moves the common disposition of all men to punish it more severely. But the denial of Christ directly moves all men more severely to punish it than the other. Therefore, the other is not as evil as it is. Ca: Have I said that? He: Yes, sir, and that is enough for you. Ca: That is enough for now. Although it is not much compared to what will soon appear. For it is almost completely overthrown, all together. Heretical: Do you believe that?\nCa. Why does the whole crowd not just rest in this, that the common judgment of all men directly denies Christ's denial, which is much worse than others? But how false is that, when most people do not consider it a fault at all? For who considers this matter but Christian men only, who are not all men, nor yet (as it is said), the majority either. The common judgment of all men would be a good principle to reason by if it were truly taken and had a place.\n\nThen are all Christian people not only in a false judgment (because they take him so) but also in a sinful purpose always, because they are always willing to punish him more than others. But it would be great wickedness to judge all Christian people. Therefore, there is no doubt that he is indeed much worse than others.\n\nCa. A sir, you stick well to it, whatsoever the truth be.\n\nHe. Think you, sir, that the truth is in any other way than I say?\n\nCa. Yes, you may think so.\nHe: Although it is certain that you are about to determine the degrees of their evils through their punishments, you should instead prove, through the degrees of their evils, what the difference in their punishments ought to be. But nevertheless, what harsher punishment do you see prepared for the one than for the other?\n\nHe: Sir, although it may be that none such as the one of them has been seen or heard of, if it should come to pass. I think men would then prepare and ordain a more severe pain for him than for the other. And they would never do so, if they thought him no worse than the other is.\n\nCa: Well, suppose it is the same. Yet is there any other reason why? But that they openly perceive his entire evil from the first to the last, and almost nothing at all of the other's? For without fail, if they saw the entire evil of the one so openly, they would say.\nMany fest, as they do of the other: there is no doubt but that they would then punish most, whom you think utterly least. For in the tone, they would surely avenge the quarrel of Christ, and likewise in the other not only that, but also the quarrel of their neighbors, of whom sometimes he sends so many to hell. But all this notwithstanding, while men do judge, for the most part, rather by guess (as I said) than by true knowledge, and more after the appearances of things than as they are in reality. Thou mayst not consider and esteem, the qualities and degrees of evils, after the punishments received at their hands. Specifically, when thou seest many times, as much inflicted for the stealing of a horse as for killing of a man. However, if thou wilt needs ponder and weigh the degrees of evils after their prepared punishments, it must then be after those which are prepared by God (who shall give to every man according to his works) and not after those which are inflicted or ordained by. Mat. 1.\nmen. He says it is now at the point, as I rightly stated, that he who directly denies every article is no worse than the other, who denies but one. It is plain then that all Christian people are in continual iniquity, because they are always willing and ready to punish him more than you.\n\nCa.\nThat will not follow, for they may justly punish the one more gruesomely than the other. Although neither of them is worse than the other.\n\nHe.\nHow so?\n\nCa.\nIs there anything more worthy of hell than the denying of Christ?\n\nHe.\nNo, that is clear.\n\nCa.\nThen hell plainly testifies that there can be no punishment in this world sufficient for either of them when they are both deniers of Christ. And therefore, of all men, they are most worthy of hell, which far exceeds all other pains. Wherefore, what iniquity or injustice calls it that men would always more bitterly punish the one than the other, when they are never able to inflict as much upon him whom they cannot.\nOffending, you think most: as it is very due to you both, whom in like manner you think least. Therefore, as long as the punishment does not exceed the quantity of the fault, all men know that utterly wrong can it be none. But I well know, what troubles your consideration herein. You think, if they both are alike evil, the one has wronged if he is punished any more than the other, when quite contrary, better you might reckon that the other has rather wronged, if he is not punished, as much as his evil, does truly require. Therefore, while you find no fault in the lesser punishment of the one, and while I have procured no wrong in the greater punishment of the other, yet it still stands for all that you have hitherto said, that they both are one at least, as evil as the other.\n\nHe.\nNay, sir, not so. For yet you must needs deny this.\n\nCa.\nwhy\n\nHe.\nI suppose you have not so soon\nforgotten, what I\nHe. A person who cannot be slept over in this manner. Ca. Let me hear it again, with good will. He. One who denies all articles denies Christ directly, that is, with open words. But it is much worse to deny him indirectly or consequently, as he does, who denies directly only one article. Ca. Is this all there is to it? He. Is it not enough? Ca. Why let me hear how you can first prove (as I said) that it is worse to deny Christ directly than indirectly. He. Marry, sir, it is more plain than that, for you yourself have just now said that no man would endure the hearing of him who would do so. And therefore, when it appears from your own words that he is much more odious to every man than the other who denies directly only one article.\nThe other is and that could never be, but by the reason that his evil much more astonishes, vexes and offends their cognition; it must therefore clearly follow that he is much worse than the other. All that moves you to think otherwise, is no more than because men's consideration abhors him more. It is good reason that it should be so, and yet in truth, the other is as evil as he. For man's mind is disturbed in two ways, one by the thing itself, and another by the manner or circumstances of the same. The manner or circumstances also sometimes make the thing worse in deed than it is in itself, and therefore more odious to us & sometimes it makes it more odious, yet never the worse in deed, for all that: as will more plainly appear in the following example. Murder, you know, is a thing in itself which greatly offends and abhors the human mind, but yet if one kills a man,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English. No significant OCR errors were detected, so no corrections were made.)\nSuddenly, before he was aware of him, coming upon him quietly by stealth, or else luring him with some false flattering promises, and thereby conveying him to some dangerous place or company, where he would not be able to escape, or by any such other means as he could not contrive, to succor, help, or defend himself. This manner or circumstance makes murder much worse in deed, and therefore much more odious to us than if he had given him some warning or liberty to shift for himself: that is to say, if he had killed him (as they call it) manfully, and not so like a coward and traitorously. Again, for the other part, if you saw one kill a man before your face, and then heard tell of another who also did the same thing in another place, your mind should abhor the one no more than the other. Therefore, all that arises from the mere presence of the one deed done in your sight, which makes\n\nCleaned Text: Suddenly, before he was aware, coming upon him quietly by stealth or luring him with false flattering promises, this manner or circumstance makes murder much worse in deed and more odious to us if he had given him warning or liberty to shift for himself, i.e., if he had killed him manfully instead of cowardly and traitorously. If you saw one kill a man before your face and heard tell of another doing the same in another place, your mind should abhor one no more than the other due to the mere presence of the one deed done in your sight.\nA difference between them, in esteem; yet there is none between them in fact. If you saw one strike and hurt a man, and even then, another similarly hurt another, whose death occurs by and by, and the other half a year later: The death of the first should more greatly trouble your mind, and thus make you take it worse, although there is in the thing no such difference, nor cause why, intrinsically. But it comes about in this way, through the present suddenness of the one, which is not in the other. Its property is always to put men, especially in bodily things, rather in a passion than in a just judgment. For this reason, they take the evil effect that follows immediately as much worse than the other of the same degree, which follows, as if by leisure, creeping little and little into their knowledge at last: for the presence, and also the suddenness, of the former, respectively.\nEvery grievous evil is of such nature that it always seems and is therefore judged and taken to be worse than when it is absent or farther off, or when it comes to knowledge slowly, as I said. Yet the thing itself is all one: for if the death of him who dies half a year later might come to your knowledge so presently and suddenly as the death of him who dies by and by, you would certainly take the last as grievously as the first, and be moved by neither more than the other, but indifferently with both, just as you are now, while I, in telling the tale, am in effect speaking of both. For you are no more moved now by them than by each other, and this is because they are both equally distant from or in your contemplation. Therefore, all this being well considered, the denying of Christ directly and the denying of him indirectly or consequently are much the same.\ntaken, according to what you say, a worse tone than the other, not because it is so, but because of a certain manner of stance, which makes it only appear so: for when I hear anyone deny an article (as I said, it necessarily follows that Christ is denied in the same), if my understanding could touch and engage with it as clearly and manifestly, as quickly and immediately as the other does when he denies it directly and explicitly, I would then take it as seriously, odiously, and justly, as I do when I hear him deny it directly with expressed words. But now, because my consideration, before it can reach the very thing in question, must first make a long progression and (as it were) a long journey to get there, first to consider the article denied and then that the truth of Christ is denied in the same. Thirdly, that Christ and\nThis truth is ours jointly. Finally, it is necessary that he is denied himself, by the reason (I say), that my consideration, with this manner of motion and labor, is not so active and lusty, but more weary and fatigued, to receive view and judge the thing at length, in the end, as it would have been, if it had met, in manner, freshly with the first beginning. It therefore takes much of the matter afterwards, and all because it is not this way, so easy and ready to come by, as the other: for as men always judge, pains which are present, to be much worse, than those in every degree, of equal grief, or the very same in deed, when they are absent and farther off. Even so do they judge that evil, which is directly expressed, to be worse, than another in every condition of the same degree, or the very same thing itself, when it occupies the place of a consequent, that is to say, when it is not directly expressed, but\nThe following text requires significant cleaning and translation from old English. Here's the cleaned version:\n\nThe following must be followed, and given necessary to be understood: for then it is from human thought, as if it were a great distance, and far off, because it does not sound in the ears so presently and clearly as when it is directly expressed at the first. And therefore the mind cannot touch it until it comes to it in an orderly manner, from one thing to another. Consequently, it begins leisurely to appear to the mind as far off at first, and then near and nearer, so that when it comes, it brings nothing sudden with it, which can cause any great perturbation or astonishment, whose property is always to engender diversity of judgment. Therefore, this indirect and consequent denial of Christ (which is in every singular article) lies, or behaves itself to a man's contemplation, much as a distant thing does to his eye, either being in a light, somewhat more.\nFor the concept to be fully comprehended by most people, it is subtle and obscure. Some understand it more, some less, and some not at all. Therefore, it does not draw judgement towards it as perfectly as if it were near or in a purer light. A consequence of this is that every man's comprehension is not equal, but some more, some less, and some nothing at all or very little. And all, because it lies somewhat beyond the common journey of most people's consideration, as it comes not before the matter in the face, but as one might say, on the back side of it, far and long after. For this reason, it does not move the mind as vehemently in that direction as the other. And therefore, men take it less evil; nor are they much offended by it. But if a man's comprehension were of such ability, that it could as clearly, perfectly, and sweetly touch and take a consequence that:\nThere is no doubt that whatever requires another to follow, as if it were directly expressed with open words at the first, is what the person who denies Christ (as every heretic does) must consequently appear to be, just as evil, for there is no difference between them except this: that the very same thing, which is at the first with one, is also at the last with the other. For the words of the tone show the denial of Christ at the first, and the words of the other show the same at the last. You cannot deny me this, and every thing is utterly none other than that, otherwise God knows if: and this is also certain, that there can be no consequence or following of anything in.\nHis knowledge: whatever is consequent and following to us, is without fail present before him, not only as that which follows, but also as if it were directly expressed at the first, or as anything else is or may be, most present and manifest to us. Wherein the power and concept of our minds, does (as I have largely declared), greatly fail, and is far from. Therefore, whether Christ be denied directly or consequently, when there is, even among us, no other difference between them, but only this: the tone is so open and manifest, that it is, at first perceived by any man. And the other so close, secret, and dark, that it cannot be perceived, even at length, but by few men. How clear is it, that there is utterly in deed no difference between them at all, before God? Where there is nothing obscure, nothing occult, nothing hidden, nothing consequential, but all bright, all open, all manifest, and all even very present:\nHeretic: Why then is it denied, for anything you have objected to the contrary, that he who denies Christ directly, that is, he who denies the least part of the faith, is no less evil than he who, with expressed words, denies Christ himself and all together? When he does the same thing as openly before God, as the other does before men, except you say things are otherwise in deed than God sees them before Him, who always judges (as Saint Paul says) according to truth.\n\nHeretic: No, sir, I will not say that; but I will say this, that it is a gay thing to dispute alone. For then a man may conclude whatever he pleases.\n\nCa.: You need not say that, for I have otherwise concluded, but that you shall have audience enough to say what you can, if you have anything left to say.\n\nHe: Yes, I believe I have, and enough to discuss all this matter.\nCa. I would like to hear it, no matter what it is. He. Yet I am certain it is this. Ca. Whatever it is, I would like to hear it once. He. Why, sir, do you think I would make you believe that he who denies only one article is as evil as he who denies openly, as they say, and curses himself and all together? Nay, I am not of that sort, who can be led by the ear in such a clear matter. Ca. Now I perceive that you are trying to deceive me; for I had intended, according to your first promise, that you would follow reason. He. What do you think, sir, that I will not do so? Ca. It seems so when you feel compelled to dissent from the things I have said and show me no reason why. He. Yes, I will show you good reason why, and such as you have not yet heard here. Ca. Go ahead then, let us have it, and make no more ado. He. Sir, it is well known to all men that when one does a wrong against another, it is not enough to make amends by simply saying \"I'm sorry.\"\nHis will, it can never be so evil, as when it is wilfully done.\n\nCA:\nSo it seems.\nHE:\nNay, it is so in deed.\n\nCA:\nProceed then, do not lengthen the matter with it.\nHE:\nHe therefore, who denies Christ in direct or consequential denial / denies him against his will (for it appears that there is no one more reluctant to deny him than he is), but the other, who denies him with open words directly, denies him even willfully. therefore, it is not possible, but that he must be worse than the other, who denies him consequentially.\n\nCA:\nBut I say, country man, I do not perceive, that the one denies him any more willfully, than the other does.\nHE:\nWhat do you mean?\n\nCA:\nNot to me, for I see not the contrary, but that he who denies him consequentially, does it himself, just as willfully, as the other, does that which he denies: for he who denies him directly denies him no more willfully, than the other denies the same article, in which he denies him consequentially.\n\nHE:\nNo, marry sir I\n\"you grant that, but yet he is not aware, as the other is, of what is included in his negation.\nA:\nAh, he is not aware. I assure you now right well, what you mean all this while. You would have me perceive that a fault cannot be so evil, when it is done unwittingly and ignorantly, as when it is done even knowingly and wittingly.\nHe:\nSir, the same is indeed what I mean in deed.\nA:\nSome thought, and therefore show me your mind again, with the same terms, and perhaps I will satisfy it more clearly by the reason for it.\nHe:\nThat I cannot believe.\nA:\nTry.\nHe:\nI will do so: he who denies Christ certainly denies him unwittingly and ignorantly; but he who denies him with open words directly, denies him knowingly and wittingly. Therefore, it is impossible but that he, of necessity, must be much worse, than the other, who denies him only consequently?\nA:\nThe second part of your reason is completely false.\nHe:\nWhat is it?\nA:\nEven as I tell you.\"\nA fault that is committed wittily is no worse than one committed ignorantly, my friend. I do not find such a thing in this matter we speak of. He. Why does he who denies Christ not deny him directly and explicitly with open words? Ca. No, I knew all along where you would be deceived. Be assured that there is no man in all the world who would deny Christ if he knew what he is. For he who denies Christ directly is as aware of what his whole faith is, which denies all that directly. And so is he who denies all that directly, as aware of what one article of it is, which denies but that alone directly. And that alone does he not know nor believe. For surely, if he did, he would not deny it; nor therefore does he the whole faith nor yet Christ.\nHe himself, who denies both himself and it: what significance or wisdom is there here, more in the tone than the other? A man cannot be a heretic unless he denies at least some one article of the faith. He would never do this unless he believed utterly that it is none, from which it follows clearly that he would never deny it if he knew that it were one. The knowledge of a thing is much more able to let us withstand and deny it than belief. Therefore, look what lack, both of faith and knowledge, he has in one article which directly denies but it alone. Even the same has he in both, he who denies two, and so forth, in the same manner, from one to another, until it comes to him who directly denies Christ and all his faith. Therefore, when he who directly denies Christ and all his faith has no more faith or knowledge of him or it, than\nHe, in denying that one article, directly contradicts the same one alone. Which of them argues more wisely or cleverly, but rather both ignore it just as ignorantly? Furthermore, to summarize the matter:\n\nThe knowledge of anything is (as I said) much more capable of restraining and preventing the denial of it than is faith or belief in it. But your faith in Christ (as is well known) can be so strong that it will cause even this life itself, along with all its companions, to be completely lost and forsaken rather than deny him in any case. So what would the very knowledge of him do if a man had it? It would draw a thousandfold more love toward him than all his faith, in the most perfect degree, is able to do. Moreover, when the greatness of faith is sufficient and able, in itself, to hold and keep whoever has it from denying Christ in every condition. And when it is also certain that the very knowledge of him is much more capable of this than it is.\nWhoever directly denies [him] never truly does so, why then do you say that he who directly denies only the least part of the faith is not as evil as he who directly denies Christ himself and all together? Although he denies just as much as the other does, the difference between them is none, and you cannot deny this or anything else you have previously said to the contrary. I will still maintain, as I did at first, that the evil is equal for one who directly denies the least part of the faith and for one who directly denies Christ himself and all together. Equally great, not in this or that respect, but utterly in every condition, and in various cases (as I have shown you before), even much worse, not only towards others but also.\nThis difference between them is only that the contrary, quickly remains in the gross and ignorant judgment of the multitude. I explained before (as it is in truth) that this is because they openly see the whole evil of the one, while in comparison, they only see a small part of the other. Some take it more, some less, some very little, and some no evil at all. Therefore, it is no wonder that, though the whole clear truth is far away from such a great diversity of such dark ignorance.\n\nHere.\n\nIf I had been wise at the first, I should have followed this common proverb: Principus obsta.\n\nWhat do you understand by Latin?\n\nHe.\nSomewhat, so-so.\n\nCa.\nAh, I am well paid for a thing I know.\n\nHe.\nI pray you, what is that?\n\nCa.\nGo forth and make an end of your tale, thou art about / & thou shalt know hereafter.\n\nHe.\nMarry sir, had I been, I say, so wise at the beginning of this, to have followed this common proverb, which bids a man always to obstruct a prince.\nTo resist and withstand the original causes of every inconvenience, this thing had never reached this point. It is the reason why, it is now, to tell the truth, through my own negligences, so far gone, that in good faith, I don't know what more I may say about it, in its current state. Where at the first, I could have stayed and stopped it all together with ease.\n\nCountryman, you do not please me well with this manner of communication. For you now seem, to confute and refute, all that I have said here, with (as if you say) this arrogant confession of your own simple and feigned negligences. Then with all the objections, which you have, or are able, to make to the contrary: for you, by this means, in manner as if you say, slander it, to be grounded upon a false principle. Whereof it must necessarily follow, if it were so in fact, that it were but all void and nothing worth: use therefore I pray, no more such manner. But if you think the principle,\nHe: It is not becoming for a man, cleanly to overthrow or greatly disparage, that which he has long upheld and endured.\n\nCA: What do you mean by that?\n\nHe: Sir, well you know that I have hitherto made objections against all those things which you have said for the most part, except your principle. But I have yet said nothing against it until now, when I tell you what I could do: if it were not partly against my honesty, because I have seemed to bear with it so long.\n\nCA: My friend, why do you still persist? Have you such a fondness for it that when you are driven to such a strait, where you can go no farther, yet you will leave the matter in such great suspicion of error, that it will seem to be all false, however true it may be? Nay, nay, this ease is too manifest and plain to do any service at this.\nFor you have been too full of objections in everything I have said, making me now doubt that you were negligent in allowing the principle and ground of the entire matter to slip, taking as you do no good heed to that: when you ought above all things, in regard to this, to be most vigilant and circumspect, as it rightly appeared, that (whatever you now say) you were in very deed: for in this you granted no more than the invincible strength of truth compelled and drove you. Therefore, this being but a feigned excuse, while it is so, that you have elsewhere (as I perceive by your own words) no more in deed to say / my counsel will be, according to your first promise, sufficient for you to content yourself with reason, of which (I dare well say) you have heard herein so much, that you might rather blame me for the superfluity of many things more than needed. Then for the lack of any one, which of necessity might be present:\nrequyred. wherfore, somewhat from this mater, wyll I now to a\u2223nother / for the which I haue desy\u2223red\nmost chyefly to talke with the.\nHereti.\nWHat so euer ye saye, I suppose ye wyll not leue this matter thus.\nCa.\nwherfore not?\nHe.\nis not the cause, why any thynge is done, more of estymacion, then the thyng it selfe, whiche is done for it?\nCa.\nThat I graunte.\nHe.\nI maruayle therfore greatly, that ye haue decla\u00a6red vnto me this mater so largely / and wolde now thus leue it, show\u2223ynge me no word why, or for what purpose ye haue hytherto brought it. when without that, it were but in maner, as who say, halfe naked and lytell worth.\nCa.\nNow coun\u2223treyman, I can ye very good thank it is surely well spoken. But thou mayst se what it is, for the mynde to be besyed, with many thynges at ones / by the reason wherof, it chau\u0304\u00a6ceth\nsomtyme, that memory leseth nothynge more soner / then ye very whiche, it sholde kepe nothynge reddyer. Therfore syns thou doste requyre (as reason doth bynde me to declare) why & wherfore, I haue\nThe first cause is true, the second is false. I would not have spoken of it if I had found anything else but the truth in anything I said. Yet, despite this, I was greatly moved by an excessive and wondrous falsehood. This is indeed the case. The time is not yet far from my mind when, of all evils that bring about human destruction, none was more grievous and odious than heresy and treason. And of the two, treason was the worse. But now, treason, in its old odious style (God forbid it should ever come to that), has found a way (in some way or other) to have crept out of that evil favor of its deep hatred (wherein it was rightly wrapped) and has ridden itself so clean from it that it is now.\ntaken, of some, considered merely as a commune of defense: against some, very small. And also of some, none at all: you and of some (which is worst of all), overly reliant & holy in so much that when diverse of such as are infected with it, are spoken of, rehearsed and noted in companies and of one sort lamented and pitied for such points as they have, so plain and manifest, that in no case can be defended. yet, says another sort, a trifle, a small matter, well is he who has no fault: the man is very sad, sober and wise, for all that there can be no more honest man than he is. And so forth, in such manner, that where they have not for it much more than any gloss or color of defense, which for fear or shame, they dare attempt to bring forth, yet so much, as to them is possible, they would by this means, attenuate and qualify the matter so, that they might sway men to take it, at the least very little, or nothing blameworthy at all. wherefore saying this word heresy,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Early Modern English, and no major OCR errors were detected.)\nAmong many, unjustly, the truth that once had significant and worthy meaning for him has been lost, and in its place, he falsely claims another. This word, heresy, has lost its original significance and has obtained an exceedingly false one, leading many astray. I would therefore wish for another word to be put in its place, one that directly signifies and shows the same thing at first, which would surely lead and draw the due and just order of reason to find it at last. I would wish such a word were now put in its place.\nplaynely sygnyfy, the very denyeng of chryst at the fyrst. The whiche is not in it so obscure and darke / but that without fayle, an apt and a hole mynde, maye yet easely se and perceyue it at laste. Therfore yf this were so / there is no man. I thynke verely, so cro\u2223kedly cumberde with that clowde of dayngerous darkenesse, but that it wold, yet one waye or other, some what fraye hym, so rashely therin to vse hymselfe, as many one doth god knoweth to the great hurt\u25aa not onely of them selfe, but also of dy\u2223uers other mo. wherfore that this blynde falshed (to make ye thynge\nwonders lyght, beynge among all other, of moste greatest weyght) shold not be alway to ye vnknowen (as I perceyue it hath ben hyther\u2223to) so mych therof I haue disclosed as may (me thynke) be for the suf\u2223fycyent. And to that intent haue I treated hereof so largely, and ben therin (I feere) somwhat tedyous vnto the. But euen now therfore, wyll I to my pryncypall purpose dyrectely.\nHereti.\nALthough ye make me very de\u00a6syrous, ye and euen thynke\nCa.: I'd be glad to hear it. However, there is one thing that slightly troubles my mind. I'd be relieved if I could understand it better.\n\nHe: What's the matter?\n\nCa: Could you please clarify what you mean? I've carried a grudge against something you mentioned at our first meeting.\n\nHe: I assure you, I've spoken plainly with you throughout.\n\nCa: I pray, what was that?\n\nHe: You hinted at something that touches a nerve.\n\nCa: That makes me ponder greatly.\n\nHe: Not as much as you make me, what prompts you to bring it up?\n\nCa: I pray, what is it?\n\nHe: You accused me of being a heretic.\n\nCa: I never said that, to my knowledge.\n\nHe: That's immaterial. You mentioned that you would have asked me if I were one, had it not been for the fact that you were certain I couldn't tell, or couldn't admit it.\n\nCa: And what of that?\n\nHe: What of that? Doesn't it clearly indicate that I am?\nHe: A will you swear that I am one? I must follow your words, I am one.\n\nCA: And I say that you are one in deed. It must follow my words, or whatever else, this is certain: if it must follow, it must be so. Therefore, by this, you are one, make of it what you will.\n\nHe: If you are disposed to test me now in the manner of my speaking, when you know full well that my meaning is this: it must follow your words, that you take me for one.\n\nCA: Do I take you for one? What difference does it make to me? It is a great matter and a grievous one, as the world goes now. When there are many who are even proud and glad of the name, rather than ashamed or discontented with it.\n\nHe: I am not of that sort, and therefore it is a wonder to me that you will thus take me, neither having heard me speak before this time, nor anything else since we first came together, from which you might take any reasonable occasion to think so of me.\nCa: Why, if it's not too far from your way, I'd be glad to know what prompts you to hold this opinion. It's not far from my purpose, in fact, it's right on the way. So if you're curious as to why I believe you're heretic, I'll tell you, as I promised at the start, the very report I've heard.\n\nHe: The report? Is it not a strange matter?\n\nCa: Why so?\n\nHe: Don't you ever hear false reports in your life, sir?\n\nCa: Yes, I have, and more than I was, at the beginning, of myself.\n\nHe: Then why can't this report about you be one of them?\n\nCa: First, show me something else I'll ask about, and I'll then quickly tell you.\n\nHe: What is that?\n\nCa: Have you never heard of any true reports in your life?\n\nHe: Yes, and there have been many.\nhappy.\nCa.\nAnd why therfore may not this, which I do heare of the, be one of them?\nHe.\nNow I {per}\u2223ceyue what ye meane well ynough. But I pray you syr, yet indiffere\u0304tly iudge your selfe, how great a mad\u2223nesse\nit is, to thynke that all repor\u2223tes be trewe?\nCa.\nDoutles euen no more then it is, to thynke that all be false.\nHe.\nwyll ye be there styll?\nCa.\nye where els?\nHe.\nyet I {pro}myse you that this of me is fals, saye what ye wyll.\nCa.\nAnd I promyse the agayne (no more but as thou knowest thy selfe) the veryest here\u2223tyke in all this world, nother coude nor yet wolde saye any lesse, for his part then ye. And therfore bycause all these, be but wordes in waste, & to the purpose nothynge ellys in dede. My counsell shalbe this, to let vs go forth, and stycke no lon\u2223ger vpon this poynt, but let it passe and make no more a do.\nHe.\nNay syr ye shall pardon me therof / for doutles it shal not scape me so, but I wyll surely trye myselfe therin a lytell better, ere I go any forther.\nCa.\nI suppose it not best. For thou\nmayest fortune fail you in your trial, as a result, the matter must then more clearly appear to be true. If this happens, you may fall into fits and multerplycation of words, and thus our purpose will be defaced and in effect lost. He.\n\nSir, you have many pretty opinions of me. For one thing, you think me a heretic, and now you think me so impetuous that I cannot quietly endure any communication of it. As if my patience lay in your or other men's hands, and not in my own liberty. You think that the tart words or sayings of other men should pluck it from me, and ask me no leave, when it pleases them to molest me with such occasion. But nevertheless, however the matter is handled on your side (say or think of me what you will), I know the part of an honest man in dealing with it or any other, you shall not see me much decline I suppose.\n\nCa.\nYou speak very well. And therefore, where you say, you will try,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Early Modern English. No significant OCR errors were detected, and no meaningless or unreadable content was present in the text. Thus, no cleaning was necessary.)\nHe: Truly, it seems to me that you cannot bring it about in any way you can find.\nCa: Yes, yes, I believe I can. Which way?\nHe: Marry, sir, there are various ways, but specifically by the scripture.\nCa: By the scripture?\nHe: Yes, sir, by the scripture. For I am sure a man's faith can be tried no better way than by that.\nCa: As for that is another matter, which requires further discussion. But how by the scripture do you intend to try the truth of your faith?\nHere: Sir, you know what the scripture teaches.\nCa: What of that?\nHe: Even so do I believe. What kind of trial do you call this? Do you not know that one thing cannot be tried by another unless they are both known? Therefore, if you wish to have your faith tried by the scripture, you must first clearly declare and show what your faith is, and then the scripture and it considered together, it may soon be seen whether they agree or not.\nIt is not possible. He has done it all ready. What have you done? I have plainly declared and shown you my whole faith. Not one word to me that I know of. I have done it to others as well. What is all that, to this purpose? You know, I am the one who thinks you are an heretic. And how then will you (as you have pretended) try yourself to me? That is to say, how shall I know that you are none. I will bring you those men whom I have shown it to, and they shall declare it to you. Shall I believe them, when perhaps they will not tell me the truth? Yes, I dare say they will, for they are men of high learning and clear judgment in matters of the faith. They are more able to deceive me. And whether they will or not, yet they may do so, and to be sure that they shall not, I can never be, unless I myself hear them declare it to them before my face. I will not greatly stick at that. What shall [...]\nWe need them for that? For you can do it now just as well to me alone. He.\n\nYet it is in the same case; it was before, for when I have done so, it is still, at your pleasure, whether you will believe me or not. Ca.\n\nI and swear an oath I will not in truth. He.\n\nWhy then what more can I do to it? Ca.\n\nTell me therefore, where is now all your trial become, with which you would so readily clear yourself in this matter? Is it not as I said? He.\n\nIn truth, sir, to speak the truth, I was, as I now perceive, a little rash to take upon me, not only something more than I was aware of, but also much more than I needed. Had I been so wise to consider so much before, what should I go about to take away the suspicions of others' minds, which is their own fault and not mine? And a thing far beyond my reach, when I have done the best in it that I can. Therefore, as long as there is nothing laid directly to my charge, it is no concern of mine, whatsoever men think, as they may do at their own.\nThen I perceive you are not able to prove yourself to be no heretic, as you attempted.\nCatho: What if I will therefore take upon me now to prove that you are one.\nHe: That is another matter. I well know what I have to do.\nCatho: You shall surely see me, go somewhat closer. And first, to begin with, let me truly hear how you do believe. He: For fear or shame? What need that?\nCatho: Because I do not perfectly know whether you are one of them (who are not a few) that have such a faith as may not be disclosed to every man, but only to trustworthy friends, and such as are of the same belief or at least much like. They little think or consider that although it were never so true, it should never be disclosed.\ndo them seruys.Ro. 10. For fayth (sayth saynt Poule) is taken with ye harte vnto a mans iustyfica\u00a6cyon, but the confession therof with\nthe mouth is made, vnto his helth. As mych to saye, that fayth in thy hart, shall neuer iustyfye the so, yt euer it shall saue the, except thou be alwayes wyllynge, so to confesse it with thy mouth, that thou care not who know it. Our sauyoure hym selfe doth saye: He that wyll denye me before men / I wyll denye hym before my father, which is in heue\u0304. Agayne in another place: He that is (he sayth) ashamed of me and of my sayenges / I wyl be ashamed of hym, when I come in the glory of my father. Also: He that loueth his lyfe before me, is not my dyscyple. All this well consydered, yu mayest sone perceyue that he shalbe forsa\u2223ken of chryste, and is none of his flocke, whiche is not alwaye wyl\u2223lynge and redy to confesse, and be \nany maner of shame or fere.\nHere.\nSyr your exposycyon doth not wel me thynke agre with the text. For by these authoritees we are bound, that we shall not\nDeny Christ and be not ashamed. But a man may keep his faith, or some part of it, hidden from himself if he sees cause. There is no reason that can compel him to do so, other than fear or shame. These reasons are prohibited and forbidden in this case. It is the same thing to confess Christ as it is to confess one's faith and every part thereof. Conversely, it is the same thing to confess one's faith and every part thereof as to confess him. Therefore, he who hides his faith or any part thereof, withdraws himself entirely from confessing Christ. He is openly condemned by these words: \"Whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God\" (Luke 12).\nHere is salvation promised to him who will be acknowledged by Christ or his faith. And perdition to him who will deny it: but nothing is spoken here of him that will do neither of them.\n\nCa.\nWhy, there is no such thing. For whoever will not confess Christ's faith and every part thereof, utterly denies both him and it.\n\nHe.\nNay, sir, not so. For there is a difference between confessing and denying a thing, which is, when a man holds his peace and does neither of them.\n\nCa.\nBut that is never the case, as concerning Christ and his faith. For whoever will not confess him, utterly denies him in that, although he holds his peace and says nothing. For certainly there is no such difference between Christ and us as there is between us and various other things. We can neither be with them nor yet against them if we will. But Christ is utterly unlike that: As he himself clearly testifies, where he says, \"He who is not with me is against me.\" He does not say, \"He who is not with me, and he who is against me,\"\nThe text appears to be written in Middle English, and it seems to be discussing the concept of denying Christ and faith. Here's the cleaned version:\n\nHe claims they are two: by reason whereof there might be another understanding between him and him, who is with him and him who is against him. But he says, he is not the one who is against me; rather, the same one who is not with me is against me, signifying plainly that there is no difference between him who is not with me and him who is against me: that is, they are one. Therefore, as he is against Christ, who is not with him, so he denies Christ, who does not confess him. And as he denies Christ, who does not confess him, so he denies his faith, which does not confess it and every part of it (for it is, as I said, no different to deny Christ than to deny his faith, or to deny his faith than to deny him). And just as the one who will not confess Christ is not with him and therefore against him, so the one who will not confess his faith and every part of it is not with it and against it.\nHe: Therefore, if anyone comes to you and cannot readably tell whether he is one of them or not, I suppose I need not tell you that his faith will never save him. But what if it is false? Therefore, because I could not readily tell, I asked you to show me your faith if you dared, for I suppose the tone of both is lightly always the cause why any of them all hide and cloak it.\n\nHe: Sir, I am greatly surprised what should move you to put such doubts in me when I have no cause.\n\nCa: It is not unprofitable to doubt now and then.\n\nHe: Sir, it is yet little wisdom, where it is not needed.\n\nCa: Very well, go on then, tell me how you believe.\n\nHe: In Christ, in whom else?\n\nCa: I ask the one thing, and you tell me another. I do not ask you in whom, or in what or where, but I ask you, how you believe. That is to say, I would have you render your faith to me.\nHe: One article to another particularly, and thereby I shall perceive at once whether it is true or not. For tell not me that you believe, as the scripture teaches, nor according to the judgment or counsel of learned men, nor yet in Christ neither. For there are few heretics who will not make any of these answers always. Make me therefore such an answer as is only proper and appropriate to a true Christian man and to none other.\n\nCa: Sir, you decide how I shall answer you, and you shall find me ready for it in this matter.\n\nHe: I have told you particularly and distinctly.\n\nHe: With a good will: I believe in God the Father, and in His only begotten son Jesus Christ, who was born of a virgin, and suffered death for our redemption, and rose again from death to life, and ascended to heaven, and so forth.\n\nCa: So forth? Why then do you not go further?\n\nHe: It would in a manner yet make me tedious, you know.\n\nCa: Not one white, you shall have leisure enough.\n\nHe: Sir, it would still make me lengthy.\nCa: I may have omitted some articles from my memory. If there is any point where you suspect my faith may falter, it is best to tell me which ones, and I will provide a brief response.\n\nHe: I am very pleased with that. And regarding all other matters, how do you believe, concerning the blessed sacrament of the altar?\n\nHe: I believe it is the sacrament of Christ's very body and blood, and therefore most excellent and chief of all others.\n\nCa: But I would like to know, do you believe that the substance of the bread and wine is transformed into the very blessed flesh and blood of our Savior Christ, so that He is present in the sacrament Himself or not?\n\nHe: Sir, God is the judge and knower of my thoughts, and therefore I marvel that you would ask me such a thing that pertains to Him.\n\nCa: Does the knowledge of your thoughts belong to God to such an extent that you should not reveal it to anyone?\n\nHe: Not without my consent.\nHe: It is not an article of the faith that you speak of.\n\nCa: What, not that the truly living body of our savior Christ is presently in the sacrament? Is that not an article of the faith.\n\nHe: None that is necessary to be believed under pain of damnation.\n\nCa: A compatriot, I thought as much, all this while. For truly I knew it would come out in the end, if it were true that I had heard, as I now find it to be. For doubtless now I know that you have.\ntaken this cursed false doc\u2223trine of Iohn\u0304 Fryth, which hath in the begynnynge of his boke not onely the wycked sentence, but also the selfe same wordes, whiche thou hast here expressed. Therfore by\u2223cause that I haue longe and often hard, that thou art wondersly blyn\u00a6ded, in especyall with hym among all other lyke, in so myche (as I heare) his boke is seldome out of thy bosum: I haue by the reason\neuen therof, ben greately desyrous (as I tolde the at ye fyrst) to talke with the, to thentent I myghte se, whether thou hast or canst inuente and ymagyon for his defence or ex\u2223cuse, so mych as any colour of rea\u2223son, that I can not manyfestly pro\u2223ue to be vtterly playne fals. wher\u2223fore let me knowe, what thou wylt say to the mater.\nHere.\nFOr so myche as it apertely doth now appere, that ye bere not so lytell grudge, agayne gen\u2223tyll Fryth, but that ye stycke not thus to exclame hym such an exce\u2223dynge heretyke. And also me an o\u2223ther to, by the reason I folowe the trauth as he dyd. How tartly ther\u2223fore wolde ye haue\nCa: His good name and the good opinion many have of him would not have been completely destroyed if God had not allowed him to leave behind such a book. It not only clearly defends him for his own part but also brings comfort and quiet to all lovers of the truth as he was himself.\n\nIn deed, you speak correctly. I agree with you that God provided him with a book, but none such as you speak of, nor for that purpose. Instead, he only declared his obvious falsity and silenced all his supporters.\n\nHe: Speaking of him as you do without giving any reason is a strange thing. Therefore, tell me, what fault do you find with him?\n\nCa: It passes the test of one day's work. Nevertheless, I am astonished that you cannot see his excessive presumption in this, that he ever desired, looked after, or hoped to be followed, believed, or praised by the great multitude of people.\nChristians, and that on his own word alone, without anything else. He. I am greatly surprised that you would entrust this to him, since there is nothing clearer in his book than the contrary. For, if it is well marked, he clearly indicates that he desires to be believed in nothing except where the authority of scripture, or the minds of old holy doctors, or natural reason, makes a strong case for him. And therefore, in this regard, you reproach him without cause.\n\nCA.\nNot one white. For if all these authorities that he brings forward make nothing with him in reality. You shall not then deny that there remains nothing why he should be believed, except for (as I said) his own very naked and bare word. Therefore, when he divides his book into two parts, one where he would prove it that no article of our faith which we hold is involved,\nHe is bound to assert that the living body of our savior Christ is present in the sacrament. Another, in which he would also prove that he is not there in truth. Let us overlook the great and manifest folly of this distinction, until we have tried how he proves the first part of it. Which he calls the foundation of his argument and does not hesitate to boast of its strength. Therefore, whatever you have found in his book to make (as you think) anything more for his purpose the other, let me hear it, and you shall soon see what I will say to it.\n\nHe:\nThen I will tell you exactly what he says at the beginning.\n\nCa:\nGo quickly to that then.\n\nHe:\nSir, his very words doubtless are these. First, we must all acknowledge that it is no article of our faith which can save us nor which we are bound to believe under the pain of eternal damnation. For if I were to believe that his natural body, both flesh and blood, were naturally in the bread and wine, that would not save me.\n\"You believe and receive it to your damnation if you think and it is not his presence in the bread that can save me, but his presence in my heart through faith in his blood, which washed out my sins and pacified the father's wrath towards me. And again, if I do not believe his bodily presence in the bread and wine, it will not damn me but the absence from my heart through unbelief. Now, sir, what do you say to this?\n\nFirst, we must all understand (as it clearly appears) that he has brought nothing here for himself, no authority from scripture, no teaching of old holy doctors, nor even a single spark of reason or truth, if you consider it carefully: for when he says we must all understand that it is not an article of our faith, why does he add this clause to it, which we are bound to believe? He does not mean that there are articles of our faith, and this is one of them, which we are not bound to believe.\"\n\n\"Not so, but under the pain (he says),\"\nWhen someone says otherwise, yet under some other pain, even after his own doctrine, there is no pain in fact, except that he firmly holds that there are no purgatorial pains after this life. For all the pains concerning such matters, he utterly accounts and reckons them to be nothing but the cruel tyranny of men, and binds us in conscience to nothing. Therefore, when there is any pain upon the defect and failure of faith in this article between God and us, we say only damnation. He does not say, nor does it come justly to this, that when he says it is no article of our faith, which we are bound to believe under the pain of damnation, it is no more than that, it is no article of our faith, which we are bound to believe between God and us, under any pain.\nIf there is no fault at all with it. For if there is no pain upon it, we may choose whether we will or not believe it: if we may choose, plainly it is that we are not bound: if we are not bound to believe it, certainly then are we not bound to believe the truth of Christ: for surely the truth of Christ is in it, or else it is in fact none article of our faith. Therefore, if it is what Freth means, that is, that it is no article of our faith in fact. Why then did he so carefully add this clause which we are bound to believe? As some say, yet it is one for all. And again, why did he add to that also this, under the pain of damnation? As some say, yet under some other pain. But let all that pass, and mark this. He thinks it an article or else he does not: if he thinks it not an article, how false a teacher is he in this, that he says we are not bound to believe it, under the pain of damnation. Since it must necessarily follow therefrom that it is no damning thing, not to believe the truth.\nof chryst whiche is hym selfe? For yf it be not the trauth of chryst / thou knowest (as I sayd) it can be none article of his fayth. Agayne yf he thynke it no ar\u00a6tycle: how fals a lyer is he then, in this yt he sayth playnly, it is on\nThough it be / he sayth / an article of our fayth / it is none of our crede in the .xii. articles vvhich are sufficient for our saluacyon.\nHe.\nMarry syr this doeth open all ye mater.\nCa.\nHow so?\nHe.\nHe sayth it is an artycle of our fayth / but yet it is none of our crede.\nCa.\nA so, &\ntherfore we are not bound to byle\u2223ue it: an holsom doctrine: it is no ar\u00a6ticle of our crede nother, that ye gos\u2223pels be trewe / therfore we are not bounde to byleue it: it is none arty\u2223cle of our crede nother, that there was any such Peter & Paule as we speke of, therfore we be not bounde to byleue it: it is none article of our crede nother, that any of theyr epy\u2223stles be trewe / therfore we are not bound to byleue it: here is gay gere as they saye. Howbeit I can fynde one artycle of our fayth whiche\nis none of our creed in the twelve articles and yet we are bound to believe it, under pain of damination.\n\nWhich is that?\n\nCa.\nFryth does not teach anything false and deceitful, but a devilish doctrine, according to you.\nHe.\nNot so, sir, for all these things that you speak of are not directly expressed among the twelve articles of our creed. Yet perhaps they may be found to follow from some of them, as though they were expressed in deed. Therefore, we are just as bound to believe them.\nCa.\nIf that is so, there is no doubt that it is equally the case with this article, which he clings so fast to overthrow. Therefore, what is this, that he confesses it an article of our faith, and yet says that we are not bound to believe it? From which it must necessarily follow that we may without peril leave the belief in it and come to hold a faith, with a faith that is rent and all torn asunder, favoring wonders and evils in imagination, and a thousandfold worse things.\nI possess it. What is it, then, that he confesses as an article of our faith, yet works so hard to prove it doesn't exist? He:\n\nNot so, for he labors not to disprove it but to prove that we are not bound to believe it. Ca:\n\nBesides that foolish wickedness and wantonness, what is this, in conclusion, that he confesses it as an article and yet, as his whole book declares, his purpose is only to prove that there is no such thing? So that he would have an article of our faith be false. For when he holds, as his whole purpose is to prove, that the very body of our savior Christ is not presently in the sacrament, and yet holds that it is an article of our faith, who can more clearly refute him than he does himself? For the very heart of the matter is this: it is an article and yet not an article; it is the truth of Christ, and not the truth.\nof that which is called Christ: this is, to say the truth, not the truth itself, and is nothing other than Christ being unChristlike. Therefore, while this may be sufficient to understand the kind of thing he intends to prove, let us now examine the kind of prophecy he makes of it.\n\nCato.\nYet there is no loss, for often a false prophecy can be made of a true thing. Although it may not be a prophecy in reality, it may appear as one to some. And conversely, a false thing may seem to be truly proven, but in reality it can never be. The thing, therefore, perfectly known, always gives a clear light as to what its prophecy is. But the prophecy is not always effective in showing what the thing is.\nTherefore, because a man may be sometimes deceived by a thing, not by its probability, but by its appearance. I have shown you part of what the thing is in itself, so that you may form some conjecture about its probability. And to make it completely clear what it is in reality when (as you recounted) he says:\n\nIf I should believe that his natural body, both flesh and blood, were naturally in the bread and wine, that would not save me, seeing that many believe and receive it to their damnation. Besides, he here calls it bread and wine, as if it were so in reality, which is false (as will become apparent later). And besides his foolish speaking in this, he says, if I should believe that his natural body were not naturally there. As one might say, because we believe that Christ's truly living body is presently and verily in the sacrament, we believe it to be there naturally. Yet we do not believe it to be so in heaven. And still we believe it.\nto be verely there in dede for all that. But this ma\u0304 doth speke as though it were alwaye a generall rule, that where so euer any thynge is presently in dede, it\nwere there also naturally. As who say, yf a bladder were bloen full of ayre / & conueyed by violence down to the botome of the water, it were there naturally. Or as who saye, when god toke helyas from the so\u2223cyete, and co\u0304pany of mortall men, and dyd lyfte hym vp into heuen, he passynge thorough the ayre, was there aboue naturally. Besyde (I saye) all this nothynge to the purpose, what is there, in it ellys, whiche doth proue it none artycle of our fayth, which we are bounde to byleue?\nHe.\nThat many beleue it (he sayth) and receyue it to theyr dampnacyon.\nCa.\nwhat meaneth he by that? Are we not bounde to byleue it, bycause they bileue it?\nHe.\nNay not therfore.\nCa.\nwhat then? bycause they receyue it?\nHe.\nNo no\u00a6ther.\nCa.\nThen is it bycause they by\u00a6leue it & receyue it to?\nHe.\nHe me\u2223neth\nnot so nother.\nCa.\nHow then?\nHe.\nAs Poule sayth, he that eateth and\nHe: The man unworthily drinks and eats his own destruction. Then he entangles himself in it on St. Paul. You: What else? Ca: It would be else but his own dream, as I suppose we shall find it nevertheless. Therefore, if we are not bound to believe it neither because they believe it nor because they receive it nor because they both believe and receive it, but because of that which follows, that is, their damnation. Then, why is it their damnation? He: For their unworthiness. Ca: Therefore, his reason is that we are not bound to believe it because many receive it as their damnation, and they receive it as their damnation because of their unworthiness. How clearly does it follow that their unworthiness is the cause why we are not bound to believe it? And what madness is it to think that any man's unworthiness can bind us, in any point of our faith, with the bond of our belief? He: Sir, you take him wrong.\nFor he does not mean that the believing or unworthy reception of it leads to our damnation is the reason we are not bound to believe it. But he means that it clearly shows that we are not bound to believe it.\n\nThey believe it, and this shows rather that we are bound to do so as well, than the contrary.\n\nWhat when they receive it to their damnation?\n\nWhy do they receive it to their damnation?\n\nBecause they believe it?\n\nNo, that is not his meaning. For then he would not have said, \"we are not bound to believe it,\" but, \"we are bound not to believe it.\"\n\nTherefore, what is the purpose of our bond if he could have proven that those who do not believe it are not in danger? It would have been another matter. But to say, \"many believe it, therefore we may lawfully choose\": a weak reason.\n\nSir, it is not that neither which Freth intends to show by this.\n\nWhy then does he speak it?\n\nThat will not be clear, but this is it: they receive it to their own destruction.\nCa. I clearly think that it does not show that we are not bound to believe it. He. But whether of the two does Frith's words seem rather to show: if he had said, \"many believe it to their damnation,\" would that not have somewhat seemed to show it? He. It would have been plain then. Ca. Therefore, it is just as plain now that his words show that we are not bound to receive it, directly against Christ's commandment. For where he says that many receive it to their damnation. If he had said (as he dared not in truth) that many believe it to their damnation: it would yet have followed that we are not bound to believe it. Then this follows now from the other, that we are not bound to believe it.\nBut it is doubtful that this follows, that we are not bound to receive it. For although his sentence might seem to suggest otherwise, how much less does this follow, that we are not bound to believe it, when there is not in it so much as one word which can signify anything towards it? Therefore, when these words (which he gathers from St. Paul) do in fact show nothing else but this: 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, that those who receive it unworthily commit a dangerous offense and do not, as I said, show that we are not bound to receive it: this, although it might seem to bear some color, he would have us take it from that which has neither truth nor much likelihood. For if this, that many receive it to their damnation, proves or suggests anything, it is not that we are not bound to believe this article of the Blessed Sacrament. Doubtless it does not.\nhunter times more prove and soundly to this, that we are not bound to receive it. This is directly against the scripture. Therefore, where he consistently says to maintain this purpose, these words: It is not his presence in the bread that can save me / but his presence in my heart through faith in his blood / which washed out my sin. What is there here, but that it is no article of our faith, which we are bound to believe (as he says) under the pain of damnation,\nthat the very body of our savior Christ is presently in heaven.\nHe.\nWhat marvel that you will say so / for Christ has no such words.\nCa.\nNo, it is enough for him to teach, although it be in other words. For when he says that it is not his presence in the bread that can save him. what else does he intend, but thereby to prove, that we are not bound to believe it.\nHere.\nI grant.\nCa.\nListen well to me therefore, and the very same words that he speaks of Christ's bodily presence in the sacrament. You shall\nHe: Speak to me about his bodily presence in heaven and then tell me yourself whether it is as I say or not.\nHe: Go on, I pray you, to.\nCa: It is not his presence in heaven that can save me, but his presence in my heart through faith. Therefore, it is not an article of our faith that we are bound to believe: what do you say to that now?\nHe: Sir, it is a chance. The wisest man may sometimes outwit himself.\nCa: Are you playing with me, goodman? I told you before about such interpretations. Listen to him a little better: he says it is not his presence (in the bread) that can save me, but his presence in my heart through faith. And therefore it is no article of my faith that I am bound to believe. For, as he says, if it were, it would save me even though his presence were not in my heart through faith. (And even in the same way) it is not his presence in heaven that can save me.\nme, but his presence i\u0304 my hart thorough fayth. And therfore all though it be an ar\u00a6tycle of my crede, it is yet none of my fayth, whiche I am bounde to byleue. For (as who say) if it were, yt shuld saue me / although his {pre}sens were not in my harte thorough fayth / that is to say / all though I byleue not in hym. Here is a blessed doctryne and a gracyous, is it not trowest thou?\nHe.\nSyr and ye be so dysposed, ye maye make of euery mans tale, what ye lyste after this maner.\nCa.\nI marueyll that thou wylt say so. For surely I do make none other, then therof must nedes folow: for thou seest thy selfe, that euen the same wordes whiche he speketh here of chrystes bodyly pre\u00a6sence in the sacrament. He myghte eue\u0304 as well haue spoken the\u0304 of his\nbodyly presence in heue\u0304. And euen as myche make they agaynste the fayth of the tone as the tother. For when he sayth / it is not his presens in the brede that can saue me. wher\u00a6fore putteth he this to it, but his {pre}\u2223sence in my harte thorough fayth? but as who saye, yf\nit is an article of his faith which he was bound to believe, it could save him, without his presence in his heart though, through faith. I might say: it is not Christ's presence in heaven that can save me, but his presence in my heart through faith. Therefore, none article am I bound to believe. For if it were, it could save me well enough without his presence in my heart through faith. You say, I make it as I please. I would like to know from you, how it might be made better. However, it would be a pity to spend any more time on it. And therefore, where he goes further and speaks of the contrary part. If I do not believe his bodily presence in the bread and wine, that shall not harm me but the absence from my heart through unbelief. Look now to yourself, if he might not as well have said: if I do not believe his bodily presence in heaven, that shall not harm me, but the absence from my heart through unbelief. How do you say? is it not well proven from him, that Christ's bodily presence in the Eucharist saves us?\nThe presence in the sacrament is not an article of our faith that we are bound to believe. If he proves it just as much by his bodily presence in heaven, why isn't he bound by the same reason? But where he says that if he does not believe it, that will not condemn him. How will he prove that? Or why does he not do so, unless his lie in this matter is so great that it can only be concealed from him and others by his false faith. In fact, his faith infatuates his mind and makes him so blind that, if you observe it carefully, you will find that he makes all his disputations as though any one article by itself were sufficient to save whoever believes it, without the rest. For where he says that if he should believe in his bodily presence in the sacrament, that would not save him: if he had only put the word \"only\" before it and said \"it alone would not save him,\" we must necessarily grant this.\nhave great respect for him. For it were so true in deed. But then it would have been directly against his purpose. For it must have followed therefrom that he would have been bound to believe it. Therefore he left out this word (only) which should have signified that the belief in one article by itself cannot save us without the other, and thus his sentence remains plain to the contrary, because it would otherwise be directly (as I said), against his own purpose: also when he would prove that he is not bound to believe it, by this, it would not save him; it must necessarily follow that it would lead to the contrary / if he were bound to believe it and did so, then it would save him. whereof it appears (as I said), that all his dispute runs still upon the sufficiency of one article alone / but a little leak can tear the taste of all the whole globe of dough. Therefore, as St. Paul says in Corinthians 5: \"A little leaven leavens the whole lump.\"\nFor your conclusion, if someone has recited to you what he grants is an article of our faith, but then states we are not bound to believe it, he is lying both in word and deed. When he says we are not bound to believe it and yet confesses it to be an article of our faith, he does not want us bound to believe all of Christ's faith. In his book, he labors to prove that the true body of our savior Christ is not in the sacrament. Yet, he says it is an article of our faith. This means Christ has one article of his faith falsified. I will not tell you that he lies because of the multitude of his falsehoods. When he says it is an article of our faith and then goes about not only to prove we are not bound to believe it but also...\nBut now, because we have spent more time than necessary on this obvious error, and not even half as much as its folly would require if it were fully declared. If he has anything else that seems to you to be anything more to maintain or make for his evil purpose, bring it forth and you shall hear what I will say to it.\nThink so, sir, he has, in a certain place, such a strong reason for his purpose that the world cannot avoid.\nWhatsoever it be, you may yet, by this that has passed, be sure of one of these, that the other is not true in deed, or else it makes nothing for him.\nHe.\nBy that reason, it makes nothing for him whether it is true or false.\nCa.\nThat can be no lie / for there is nothing that can truly make it.\nHe yet shall hear it. I grant this. In the third leaf of his book, these are his words. And first, that it is not any article of our faith necessary to be believed under pain of damnation, may be further proved. The same faith will save us which saved the old fathers before Christ's incarnation. But they were not bound under pain of damnation to believe this point. Therefore, it shall follow that we are not bound thereto under pain of damnation. The first part of my argument is proven by St. Austin and Dardanus. I dare boldly say, almost in an hundred places. For there is no proposition which he does more often inculcate than this: that the same faith shall save us which saved our fathers. The second part is so manifest that it needs no proof. How could they believe that thing which was never said or done? And without the word, they could have no faith. Upon the truth of these two parts must the conclusion necessarily depend.\nNow, how do you respond to this? Ca. It may be a great and serious reason, according to some. But I promise you, it seems no more true than you will find it completely false. For a more certain proof, you must first consider this: logic is a certain art. He. We have it then, and we come in with logic. Ca. What soft thing can you not endure to hear about it? He. I can hear it well enough, but what is it? Ca. Logic, I say, is a certain art that teaches a careful way to discern the true from the false. This cannot be done except by knowing both. Among other things, for this purpose, a certain argument is invented, which is made up of three parts. The first and second parts are called in schools two propositions, the greater and the lesser. And when these two, in combination, are presented, the truth can be discerned.\nTheir convenient kind are both true, then the third part, which of them must necessarily follow and is called the conclusion, can never be false. Conversely, when any of these two propositions are false, the conclusion following from them can never be true. This argument is called a syllogism when the first part and the second are true, and their necessary conclusion must be true as well. Conversely, when either of the two is false for which their intended conclusion cannot be true, it is called a sophistry. Therefore, this faculty, I dare well say, there is no lover of truth but he will deem it necessary to have; yet it is a thing, which especially your school utterly forbids and cries out against. But you would never do this if your teaching.\nFor who teaches a doctrine and beds their disciples the judgment of such as can best discern what it is, but only false harlots, who go about to deceive me? Why speak you this?\n\nCatho. Truly, for this cause, have you not brought the name of logic and philosophy into such a slander of subtle and false craftiness, among no small sort who know it not, that they now suspect and abhor the judgment of any man, especially yours? But for your doing this, how great and exceeding is your shame in the sight of those who perceive your dealing? And yet how little is all that, in comparison, that you may well be proved to use the same yourself, that is, to use very sophistical arguments, and play the only sophists yourselves? To the great illusion and deceit of the people, for all your crafty bidding them so fast to beware of it in other men, lest perhaps they might\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English. No major OCR errors were detected.)\nHe: Learn to spy and perceive in it your crafty falsehood, which you would have crept still in the dark, until it might put out and extinguish all the light?\n\nCa: Why is this relevant to you?\n\nHe: Why don't you perceive it?\n\nHe: Not truly, for he never used such a thing as you speak of.\n\nCa: Didn't he? Shall I need to recount to you (who knows it so well) how he exclaims and cries against sophists and sophistry almost in every corner of his book?\n\nHe: Why what then?\n\nCa: In truth, I will tell you what then, because you do not know it yourself. Inquire of any man who can understand it if he does not say that this, which you have now rehearsed from Freth's words, is the very same scholastic argument which I have here described to you and is daily used in schools. I do not mean, however, that it is the same argument which is daily used in schools when it is not.\nThe very same faith saves us, as it saved the ancient fathers before Christ's incarnation. If Saint Augustine had not said this, but rather that another faith saves us, it would be utterly nothing for the purpose. Therefore, you can clearly see that the entire weight of the matter lies in the word \"the same.\" Let us now try to determine what kind of word this is, capable of building a argument.\nHe: What am I, but a man?\nCa: Are you anything other than that?\nHe: No, that's clear.\nCa: Then I am the same as you, and you are the same as I. Whatever I do, you do; and whatever you do, I do, because we are the same.\nHe: Nay, sir, that won't follow. Although we are the same in nature, we are different in person. You are one person, and I another; and not the same that you are, nor you the same as I. Therefore, your actions are not mine, nor mine yours.\nCa: But you yourself, when you were first born, were the same in nature and the same person as you are now, and the same then as you are now.\nHe: I grant that.\nCa: But you were then not one yard long. Therefore, it follows no more.\nHe. Yet you suppose that I mean two things are the same in nature and quantity when they are one. You, Ca., grant that you are now the same person as you were then, but if that's the case, you couldn't speak or move while you remain the same. Ca. You might reason similarly about my age and knowledge, and other abilities, but were all English people bound to the common law of this land a thousand years ago, and aren't we living now? He. That is undoubtedly true. Ca. Consider this carefully: we are bound to the same law that they were, who lived a thousand years ago. However, they who lived a thousand years ago were not bound by the statutes and acts of the last parliament. Therefore, it follows that\n\"no more are we now: except you say, they are not part of the law / and then we are not bound to them neither. He. Sir, we are bound to the same law that our elders were, and they to the same that we are. But this is understood in general, that is, the law of England, without any regard to parts. For it was no other, nor less, than the law of England which they were bound to / nor is it any other, nor more than the law of England which we are bound to. Therefore, when it is no more nor less nor anything other, it must necessarily be the same / but it is the same (as I said) in respect to the whole generally / and not the same in respect to the parts specifically, by as many acts and statutes as have been added to it since. Therefore, your argument is false and cannot hold. Catho. Counterman, you speak here very well: and therefore mark what I shall say to you. When it is so, that this word (the same) has a signification so\"\nambiguous and uncertain: that a thing may be said to be the same in nature, yet not the same for a person or the same for both, and not the same in quantity or in all three, and not the same in power, or the same in one quality, and not the same in another: or the same in general and not the same in specific: or the same in all these, and yet not the same in many other respects. Why did not Fryth, with all his sophistry (against that which he speaks so sore, and yet used nothing more), why did he not consider all this in the word, and remove the doubtful understanding of it before he built his argument upon it? Seeing it might chance (as it does with him) to be taken otherwise than the author intended? Otherwise, he knew or he did not know, that he should do so, or else to take it for no ground or principle to dispute upon: if he did not know, that is to say, that he did not know that a thing may be called the same and yet not be the same in so many respects.\nConclusions cannot be proved by any uncertain principle. Doubtless he was then a blind teacher to be believed, especially in such a great matter as this. For all I know, it is against both nature and reason to come by chance, by uncertainty: on the other hand, if he did know it, and yet would, as he did, put forth his argument nevertheless: what other thing could move him so to do, but only willing malice. For if it were the case that I perceived a word or a sentence the sense of which was doubtful and uncertain (for which no truth was probable), and yet before the ambiguity thereof was removed, I would ground my argument upon the same. What could cause me so to do, but only to make men think that I prove what I do not / and so make them believe, that which is not. Therefore what motive can you find in whoever does this, but\nA malicious intention to deceive others? Therefore, whether it was blind ignorance or this wilful malice that caused the Fryth to build his argument upon this flimsy foundation, I leave it partly for your own judgment. I am sure you cannot excuse him for the tone.\n\nHe.\nYes, he might have chance (as many men do) deliberately put forth an argument based on a uncertain principle, to hear what would be said to it.\n\nCa.\nNay, nay my friend, that is not it, that can excuse him. For although that is sometimes used in schools, to the end it might thereby be learned, where the falsity of such arguments rests. Nevertheless, Fryth had no such purpose. For he did not put it forth to see what would be said to the contrary or that it should be learned, where the deceit of it lay. But his intent was only by the cleverness thereof, to draw men into his false and wicked opinion. The which he held so vehemently to be true, that he laid thereon no less weight, than his own soul.\nOwn oneself, both body and soul, the loss of which, without fail, is no less like in both, as it is well known, to be certain in tone. However, I shall pass, to come back to our purpose again, which is to demonstrate the great ignorant or wilful haste of him in his argument: for who, but he, would, as if hedging at adventure, judge St. Austen (when he says, the same faith shall save us which saved the old fathers) to mean the same faith in respect of every point particularly and distinctly, and not the same in respect of the whole together confusely? For these two considerations much differ in every thing. And that is clearly evident in the common law, as you even now declared yourself. For in the consideration and respect of the whole together, it is even the same now as it was a hundred years ago, and was then even the same as it is now, that is, the law of England now, and none other; the law of England then and none other.\nThe word signifies the whole thing together, as it is at the time of speaking, without any difference or respect to parts. For when you hear it spoken, it puts nothing more in mind of one part than of any other, but of the unity of them all, which the word only signifies. However, considering it in parts distinctly is far different. For in respect to it, it is not even the same now as it was five years ago, nor the same then as it is now, by all the acts and statutes which have been added to it since. Yet it cannot follow that it is not the same law in general style, for all the new parts which it did not have before. A tree being full of new leaves, twigs, branches, and boughs, is yet the same tree that it was, years past before they sprang out of it. But how is this? The same in respect to the whole, but not in respect to every part. For some parts are new, but not all. However, before the new parts appeared.\nThe tree, which sprang out of it, was none other or less than the same tree, that it is afterwards, and afterwards none other or less than the same tree that it was before. Therefore, as the tree, full of new parts, is even the same tree that it was before, and yet not the same in every point. And as the common law of this land is even the same now as it was forty or more years past, and yet not the same in every point. Even so is the faith of Christ now, the same that it was before his incarnation, that is to say, the faith of Christ then and the faith of Christ now, all one and the same, in respect of the whole, but yet not the same in respect of every point, without any manner of difference. Wherefore, suppose thou in it but even one difference, and tell me where is all Frith's argument gone, when for any thing that is in it else, even the faith of this blessed sacrament might well be the same, which he labors so sore to overthrow.\n\nAn argument, sir you right well know is not to be.\nWithout fail, there are diverse differences between the old fathers' faith before Christ's incarnation and ours now. If you can prove any such difference regarding St. Austin's words, as Frith does, I know what I have to do.\n\nThere are not only doubts about these differences but also ones that are manifest and open to inquiry. Had the old fathers before Christ's incarnation believed in His blessed birth, passion, resurrection, and ascension as we do, and we to come as they did, the difference would be so great that it would have been damning for both their part and ours. Moreover, there were sacraments contained in their faith that we do not have, and vice versa, the chief of each part. Again, their faith, being much hidden and covered with so many figures, is dark.\nShadows, and my mystical prophecies, as the whole course of scripture does testify, were obscure, gross, and confused in comparison to the pure distinct clarity that we took, by the very coming of our savior Christ himself and the prediction of his gospel. Who therefore would not see it to be then, but obscure, gross, and confused, in respect to the pure distinct clarity which we took, by the very coming of our savior Christ himself and the prediction of his gospel? And what was that same old obscurity, but as some say, a covering of many points together confusingly, which the new bright splendor of Christ did open and show distinctly? Furthermore, there is no doubt but that there were then many good and faithful people, besides the prophets. Nevertheless, we may not think that they had the faith in such a manner as the prophets had themselves (who were inspired immediately by God), that is to say, so clearly, so specifically, and so distinctly, but much more obscurely, grossly, and confusely. Therefore, it is plain that their faith contained many things more than they were aware of.\nSelf, the things were not yet hidden and unknown to the prophets; you did not each have it distinctly neither. Some were called more, some less. God did not distinctly show it all to each one; rather, some received it from one, some from another. However, we may not say that he, or any common person who had the least, had less than all together confusedly; for whoever has it, at the very least, has nothing at all from it. Because the whole faith (as I showed before) is precisely hidden and contained in every part of it. Finally, the manner of holding the faith differed between the prophets and the common people of the Jews then; it also differs between some one sort and another of us even now.\nThe plowman and the doctor have the same faith, that is, the faith of Christ, yet far from identical. The plowman holds it roughly and confusedly, while the doctor holds it specifically and distinctly. Therefore, in the plowman's confused faith, there are doubtless many more specific articles and mysteries contained, which he is not aware of, unknown to the doctor as well. Yet, to the believer, whether of the plowman or the doctor, the faith is not unbound, for all that he is not aware of these articles. Nor is the doctor bound either, for all that the same faith will save him, as it saves the plowman. When the faith between the fathers and us has, due to the passage of time, taken one difference, and when it has taken another difference in things, no less than very significant.\nsacramentes, & that the chyefe of both partes. And besyde all that when there is betwene them & vs, suche a dyfference in the maner of\nhauynge of it, that it may be sayde they had the same & not the same yt we haue / and we the same and not the same that they had / bycause yt, whiche they had more grosly, con\u2223fusely, and obscurely, we haue it, more partyculerly dystynctely and manyfestely. Saynt austeyne (thou mayst well knowe) when he sayth, the same fayth shall saue vs which saued the fathers before the incar\u2223nacyo\u0304, neuer ment (as Fryth doth falsely vnderstande hym) the same fayth in euery condycyon dystynct\u2223ly, but the same, in respect of the hole confusely, that is to saye, the fayth of chryst generally, without any dystynct consyderacyon of the partes. As a man doeth oft tymes speke or thynke of money, without any dystynct consyderacyon of this coyne or that, or how many dyuers coynes\nbe conteyned vnder the generall name of money.\nHe.\nSyr yet styll I do somewhat marueyll how ye know, that Fryth (as ye\nSaint Austen means by this that one should understand the same faith distinctly in every condition. I am also surprised, Saint Austen, that your words could seem to mean so much for your purpose in this regard. If there were no more difference between the faith of the fathers and ours than just this, that is, in the way we hold it - that is, from our part, the particular and distinct clarity it took through the very coming of Christ. And from their part, the gross and confused obscurity of it, in which it was, before the light of the world came forth and showed its beams abroad. There is no doubt that this article of the blessed sacrament of the altar is one of them (as it will later be shown that it was indeed in deed), just as it is clear about the sacrament of baptism and many other things besides, which then, as they say, were involved and wrapped up, were obscured and covered by the shadow of that cloudy season.\nAccording to the words of the apostle Corinthians 10:1, our fathers were all under a cloud. Therefore, if we should be bound by no more things than love, then it was open and manifest before Christ's most glorious incarnation, because the same faith that saved them will save us. It must therefore clearly follow that our Savior Christ himself brought no more light of the faith, that is to say, he revealed no more secrets and mysteries necessary for our salvation than were known before, or else we would not be bound to believe them. What wicked person would believe or think otherwise, besides the Father? I must necessarily except him, because it follows from his own doctrine. Therefore, where the manner of schools is such that he who makes an argument must confirm each part of it particularly by themselves, the form and manner he does not here miss sophistically to imitate, I will now proceed to the second part of his argument, because I have.\nHe: You have presented enough, except you have anything else to say to the contrary. I, Sir Lancelot, will only declare what I will when I hear what you have to say about the rest.\n\nCatho: Truly, the rest, that is to say, the second part of his argument, you know is this: that the fathers before Christ's incarnation never believed in this point of the blessed sacrament. He says it is so clear that it requires no proof. He alleges two reasons for this, which are these: first, it was never done nor said. Therefore, quickly dispatch this point if he will have it follow that the fathers before Christ's incarnation never believed in it because it was never done in their time. By the same reasoning, it must necessarily follow that they never believed in the blessed birth of Christ, his death, his resurrection, nor his ascension, for those things were also never done in their days.\n\nHe: No, sir, but they were done since then.\n\nCatho: What of it? Friar Speketh speaks only of this.\nIn their time, and not since. And this you can determine when he says, \"(it was never said or done)\" if he meant since the fathers' time, it would not have been a whitewashing toward his purpose, and besides, he will and must grant himself that it was and always has been at the least, said since - therefore, it is clear that they, in their time, as his own words following make clear where he says, \"without the word they could have no faith.\"\n\nThus, this conclusion that I have now shown you must follow, according to his reasoning (as I said): that is, the old fathers did not believe any of the said articles because they were never done in their time. And consequently, because we shall save ourselves who saved them, and they afterward believed them not according to his doctrine, we are therefore not bound to believe them neither. A fair conclusion.\n\nNow to the other cause, if it follows that the fathers never believed this point because they never heard of it (as in fact).\nThey could not believe, if it had never been said in their time. For faith comes by hearing, and hearing by speaking. Therefore, they believed no things which our Savior Christ and all his disciples preached and taught, any more than was said before their coming. In all the gospels and epistles, that is, in the New Testament, there is nothing necessary for the health of our souls, more than was said, heard, and understood, before the incarnation of Christ in the Father's time. Or else, according to this doctrine, the Fathers never believed it, because it was not said in their time, and without the word (he says), they could have had no faith. We do not need to believe it neither, because the same faith shall save us which saved them. How does this doctrine agree with the words of our Savior Christ, where to his disciples he says: \"Blessed are your ears because they hear those things which many prophets and kings desired to see and did not see, and to hear, and did not hear.\"\nI. Just men greatly desired to hear, yet did not: what were those things that made the apostles' ears so happy and blessed in hearing them, but Christ's sayings? And why were those prophets and just men desirous to hear them, and heard them not, but because they were never spoken in their time? Therefore they were not bound to believe them, and consequently, neither are we, because the same faith will save us which saved them. Take heed, for this doctor will make a good Christian of you at once, if you mark him well. Therefore, if our Savior spoke any things of more worthiness and profit than others, doubtless those prophets and just men were most desirous to hear them, and yet heard them not. But the reason why was this, that they were never spoken in their days. Therefore, they were not bound to believe the most worthy and profitable things that ever Christ spoke, and neither are we, because the same faith will save us which saved them. Also, the chief.\nThings that Christ taught are the chief things that pertain to the health of a man's soul. But those things were the ones that made the ears of his apostles blessed in hearing them. And those things were the ones that many prophets and just men desired to hear and did not. Because they were never said in their time. Therefore, those prophets and just men were not bound to believe, the chief things that Christ taught, which are the chief things that pertain to the health of a man's soul. And so, we are no more bound, because the same faith will save us, which saved them. How much time should I spend, if I should not refrain, until I had shown you all such abominable inconveniences that necessarily follow from his sophistical argument? Therefore, because you have sufficiently heard how well he has proven the parts thereof: behold now the whole together in the same form and manner as he does put it / and see how it will appear in another article.\nThe same faith shall save us who saved the ancient fathers before Christ's incarnation. But they were not bound under pain of damnation to believe that the sacrament of baptism is a sacrament. Therefore, it shall not follow that we are bound to it under the pain of damnation. The first part of my argument is proven by St. Augustine (after Frieth's understanding) and Dardanus and others. The second part is so manifest that it needs no proof. For how could they believe that thing, which was never said or done, and without the word they could have no faith. Upon the truth of these two parts, the conclusion necessarily follows: that we are not bound to believe, that the sacrament of baptism is a sacrament. And even by the same argument, the blessed sacrament of the altar is not so much a sacrament, nor is it: and other things similarly, we are (as every man knows) bound under the pain of damnation to receive the sacrament of baptism, but yet we are not bound to believe in it as a sacrament.\nWe are not bound to believe the same thing that we are bound to receive. The just rule is that we believe something only if it is necessary for us to have it. But you may see what faith this man's argument teaches us, so new and strange as I dare well say, never a true Christian was acquainted with: yet let us behold, the pattern of it in another case, and so (as they say) bless us clean from it forever. The same faith shall save us which saved the old fathers before Christ's incarnation. But the Jews dispersed now in Christendom (as in Rome and in other places) have the same faith, which the old fathers had before Christ's incarnation. Therefore it shall follow, that the same faith shall save us, which these Jews have now.\n\nThe first part of my argument (according to Augustine's understanding), is produced by St. Austin and others. The second part is so manifest that it needs no proof.\nFor the belief of many, not only those of sober wits and good learning, but also those coming from Rome and other places where Jews reside, reports have reached us that not only do they have the same faith as the old fathers, but also exceptional diligence in keeping and observing the old law and its ceremonies. They raise their children in such a way that they are thought to be more prompt, ready, and perfect in the Old Testament by the age of sixteen or eighteen, compared to most of our students at thirty. The belief of these grave and sad persons coming from where the Jews reside, and reporting these things, along with many other matters concerning the same, provides an argument that they now have the same faith that the old fathers had, which is the foundation of their great hope and complete trust.\npleasynge god to theyr saluacyon. wherfore vppon the trauth of these two partes, muste the conclusyon nedes folow / yt which is euen this, that the same fayth which ye Iewes hath now, shall saue vs: that is to saye, without baptyme, without ye byleue that our sauyour chryste is come, or hath sufferd deth, or hath rysen agayne, or hath ascendeth to\nheuen, of the which they byleue not so myche as any one. Iudge now thy selfe, whether this be false lo\u2223gyke, or trewe sophystrye: ye rather the very fayth or abhomynable he\u2223resye: is it not a proper argument whiche can so trye oure dewtye in euery artycle, from one to an other, yt without parell we maye leue our byleue of them all togyther? for surely and without any dout, loke how mych it maketh agayne this artycle, whiche he wold ouerthrow yf he myght. Euen so myche it ma\u2223keth not onely agayne many mo di\u00a6rectely, but also agayne them all to\u00a6gether consequently. If it make no thynge agayne all, without fayle no more doth it agayne this one. for any thynge agayne\nthis and so much again: nothing again this. Therefore, where he boasts himself to prove his purpose, either by the authority of scripture, or by the authority of old holy doctors, or else by natural reason, he had provided enough for this part of his intent. I truly assure you, he has no reason for any of them three, which you have hitherto rehearsed to me, unless it is far from necessary to declare it further. All the rest of his babbling besides, be assured, is nothing other than his own dreaming fancies and similitudes. Whose nature is never to prove anything, when they proceed from reason and truth. Therefore, to spend any time about them would be completely lost: seeing he has in deed so little of these things by which he trusted most to defend himself / and yet also found other false.\nOr falsely taken and misunderstood, and in no case can he make it for his purpose. Here. Do you intend this to cease and make an end? Ca. Of what? He. Of this matter which you have been about all this while? Ca. Why not? He. Nay, sir, not so. For Fryth would not call it the very foundation of all his matter, if he had not something else to make it all this that you speak of, though you would not acknowledge it. Ca. I pray thee what is that. He. No less than another saying of St. Augustine, which makes as well for him as anything you have heard yet. Ca. I think the same and all one. He. Nay, sir, I mean that it makes for him very well. Who would believe that, knowing as you have heard before? He. That is no matter. St. Augustine's words are as follows: \"As many as in that manna did not understand Christ, did eat the same spiritual food that we do. But as many as sought only to fill and satisfy their hunger with that manna, did eat and are dead. And likewise the same drink.\"\nFor the stone was crystal clear. Ca.\nWhat I pray you, Sir Fryth, make of this. He.\nMarry, sir, here you may gather from it. He alleges that St. Austen says these words. Moses also ate manna, and Aaron and Phinees ate of it, and many others did eat of it, and are not dead: why? Because they understood the edible food spiritually. They were spiritually hungry, spiritually thirsty, that they might be spiritually satisfied. All they ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, utterly the same food spiritually, but another corporally. Because they ate manna and we another thing, but they the same spiritual food that we do. And all they drank the same spiritual drink. They drank one thing, and we another, but that was in respect of the visible thing, which for all that, signified all one and the same, in the spiritual strength. How did they drink the same drink? of the spiritual drink.\nThe apostle states that a stone followed them, according to the text. For the stone was Christ. Now, Sir Alan, this is what Saint Austen is said to allege. What do you make of it?\n\nI reply: This entire difficulty, regarding this point, is clearly explained in this manner by this man. This same error, of this same fellow, led him into this same blindness, causing him to judge that this same word could not be understood in any other way but the same way he thought, drawing men away from the same faith held by all true Christians and leading them into the same heresy that the same Frith himself teaches. And\n\nHe did this, I say, due to this same word: For just as one lost in a maze is not now in the same path where they began, and therefore was he justified in the same case that he was then? Is there any other reason why he quotes these words of Saint Austen, except that he claims they did eat and drink the same\nFor what if he had put another word in place of this word, or left them both clean out? He.\n\nSir, had it been another matter: the text would then have been nothing for Friar's purpose, and therefore he would not have cited it. Ca.\n\nYou speak truly, and therefore all that seems to make anything here for him, you may well perceive,\nrests (as I say) in this same word. And have you not heard enough, what a doubtful principle it is, being undefined, to prove or conclude anything by? Nevertheless, I would yet know of Friar, whether St. Austine meant the same in deed, or the same in effect, which has been between them no small difference, as you will more clearly perceive yourself. And therefore, because he does now again cite the meaning of this same word, I will still allow the meaning of the word / the same / so doubtful and uncertain as he did before (the whole pit of his purpose consisting)\nIn this text, the meaning is clear and there are no major issues that require extensive cleaning. However, there are some minor formatting and spelling errors that need to be corrected. Here is the cleaned text:\n\n\"Therein lies that nothing of it can follow, nor certainly be proved by it, as you yourself have sufficiently seen and heard. Besides this, a question might be asked about this spiritual word, whether St. Augustine meant it to refer only to the meat which he so calls, or also to the intent of those who ate it, or moreover to show some difference between our eating and theirs, or else to show where their eating agreed with ours. All this (I say) he might well be asked because it ought of necessity to be discussed before any conclusion thereon was attempted. However, it is no matter to Fryth, so that he may always first conclude whatsoever he intends, and afterwards easily slip over the certainty of his principle at the end. Therefore while there are few who can perceive this falsehood, it is no wonder that many are quickly deceived by it.\"\nHe asks nothing more of his diligent readers than to beware of all those same sophists who will make him seem one of those warriors that are of all others, the chief spiritual murderers. Beware of sophistry, he cries out: yet one who uses it more, did you never meet? And so of him, what a sophist we find. But one of the worst, it is possible to be: for immediately after those words of St. Austen, he brings in the words of St. Beda, which in Latin are these. Uide autem fide manente signa vae. This turned into English: is, thou knowest, none other to say. But behold the signs are changed, the faith abides.\n\nThe Frith translates English in this manner, saying: Behold that the signs are altered: and yet the faith abides one. So St. Beda says no more, but the faith abides: comes he and adds unto it, this same word, one / saying the faith abides one: to the intent he might thereby make it sound, that St. Bede had.\nThe faith abiding, it is all one and the same in every respect, without any difference, as it was before the incarnation. But how false that is, as Frith does take it; you have heard enough about that at large. Therefore, what is Frith's clever point in dropping in such a word that might soon change the holy man's mind to be otherwise taken than he ever meant? Differeth it nothings to say, it abides, and to say it abides one? A man of forty years old abides but yet he does not remain one, for he is one thing before ten or twelve years of age, which he is not after twenty-four and another at eighty, which he was not at thirty for first a young tender child increasing, and after a lusty man at his full strength: but at last, a feeble impotent person almost withered away. In these cases, he does not remain one but rather another and another, & so forth in many other like cases. This same word, one, Frith does not here put it to.\nsygnyfie, as doth, one which is the fyrste begynnynge of number / but he doth put it to sig\u2223nyfye, none other then doth this sa\u00a6me worde / the same / And this same worde / the same / semeth all waye\n(as I tolde the before that he both and wolde haue it taken) to signy\u2223fye the same, without any maner of dyfference. As in very dede so doth it, in that respect onely, wherof it is ment. But that myssed and wrong taken (as no maruel why that very oft tymes it is so in dede) then doth it mych deceyue and nothynge els. Therfore where he doth put in this same worde, one, doutles he myght as well haue put i\u0304, this same word the same: But that he wold not do, lest by the reason therof, it shold be the soner spyed, that euen onely therin, doeth reste all his hole pre\u2223sumption, of brynging his purpose to passe, bycause he is alway so be\u2223sye therwith, that euery man may soone see, that he nother doth, nor yet can, clayme any thynge for hym of saynt Austeyn, but onely ye word\nAnd therfore in the stede therof, to colour the\nThe mother, as with some others, he would steal in this word to make another sound in my cares, but none other signified anything in their minds: for truly, he has no manner of thing, of false Austen, or any other (which is none but only Saint Beda in the words before rehearsed) that can so much as seem, to make any beck towards this part of his purpose, but only this same word, the same catch it where he can. And that is the very cause why, that he clings so fast and earnestly unto it, wherever he can find it. But where he cannot, yet if he may, spy any corner of a sentence where it may but scarcely seem, to be suffered if it were put to it. In with it he goes at once, trusting thereby,\nto wrangle all the rest, to his own fond folly and evil purpose. Therefore, though you have seen and heard enough, to know that this I do not feign. Yet that it might more largely appear, let me hear something of his own mind, what he says to these forenamed authorities him.\nThe heretic says that in this life, the inward man partakes of Christ through faith, believing that as manna came down from heaven and nourished their bodies, so Christ, their savior, comes down from heaven to strengthen their souls in eternal life, redeeming them from sin by his death and resurrection. We eat Christ in faith both before receiving the sacrament and more expressly through it. After receiving the sacrament, we need not make it his natural body but should instead understand it spiritually. The outward man eats natural bread which comforts the body, and the inward man, through faith, eats the body of Christ, believing that as the bread is broken, so was Christ's body broken on the cross for our sins, comforting our souls.\nAnd yet, to live everlasting. And just as faith saved them without believing that the manna became altered into his bodily substance: even so does faith save us. Although we do not believe that the substance of bread is transformed into his natural body, the same faith that saved them will save us. We are bound to believe no more, under pain of damnation, than they were bound to believe.\nNow, sir, this is part of his mind.\nThou speakest the truth. And therefore, if thou mark it well (somewhat after his own words), of these places thou mayest clearly perceive, not only by the presence of this word, but also by the absence of this word, that he, at the first, intended to show us two things. The tone of the one, noted with this word, he has here (as you see) declared openly. But the other, depending on the first, and ought to be noted with this word, but also He utterly passes over and leaves it clean. For he runs so swiftly through wonders and cannot tell other.\nHe forgets the end of his tale while telling us the other: or else he does purposefully reserve it, keeping it in store until he speaks with us himself, to show that and more.\n\nHe, Sir, do you but mock him now.\n\nCa.\nWhy, Countryman, what wouldst thou have me do? For to pity him, thou knowest well, it is too late. To praise him there is utterly no cause. To hold my peace in this matter, would be against conscience. And what remains but always to speak as he ministers occasion? Therefore, where he says that the old fathers were never so mad as to believe that the manna was changed into Christ's own natural body, for what purpose does he tell us that, when every man knows it as well as he (Though no good man would express it in such terms, considering what persons they were); for that they did not so believe, there is no doubt, whether it was ever said to them or commanded that they should so do: And a very good cause why. When there was then, no such thing.\nIn those days, Fryth acknowledges that the body of our savior Christ was not present. Fryth also states, from His own most holy mouth, that He is in the sacrament. Therefore, there is no more to say but this: all those who believe that the substance of the bread, by the virtue of the holy consecration, is transformed into the very body of Christ. Fryth notes and explains that this applies to all Englishmen, Welshmen, and other particular nations. Not all can be said of Englishmen only. Some among them believe otherwise.\n\nCa. (A speaker named Ca speaks)\nAnd well spoken, as one might say, there is no horse that can be said to be entirely white, because it is not without some black under the tail.\n\nHe.\nSir, in good faith that is but a scornful example.\n\nCa.\nYet it is somewhat relevant and fitting for your objection. However, it would be better to contain the following.\nWith all, it is said that such and such fields are full of corn, because they are not each of them without some and much of the bread (through the holy consecration) turned into the very blessed body of Christ? All those multitudes (you see) he counts in it. He does not except all, or any, true Christian princes. About whom there lacks not men, in wisdom and learning, of the best sort that may be had. These seem not of all men, to be lightly deceived. Whereof in this matter specifically, they are utterly most loath: does the sadness therefore of Fryth, show us madness in all Christian princes / in all their prudent and wise counselors / and in all their multitudes of peoples innumerable under them, or else does the sadness of all those, show us the madness of him? I require no answer to this, but consider it well with yourself. Therefore what is there more in all his words, which thou hast now rehearsed, but only his own swasions: and (as I told you before) his.\ndull dismiss song, about this same word/the same/with which thou seest/he would conclude, whatever he babbles before? Nevertheless, he goes on showing us, according to his fancy, how the old fathers believed, saying at the last:\n\nThere is no point in our creed/but they believed it as we do/and those articles only are necessary for salvation.\n\nWhatever it must needs follow, that without parallel of damnation (we may deny all sacraments/for in which of those articles are they) we may deny that our savior wore the feast of his disciples. (And then make we the gospel not true) we may also deny it is damable to pervert the sayings of St. Paul, and other scriptures (though St. Peter says the contrary). And to be short, we may deny all the holy scripture, these twelve articles of our creed excepted, which he says, are only necessary for salvation: for whatever is not necessary for salvation, may be omitted without any danger of damnation. This does\nHe declares more plainly that he himself says these words: \"But the other points contained in Scripture, although they are undoubted truths, I can be saved without them. That is, saved without believing them, even though they are true. Therefore, when he notes that all Christian princes and people are mad for their belief in the blessed sacrament, how much more mad am I who will believe and say that I can be saved without believing in all or any of the truths contained in Scripture besides these same twelve expressed in the creed?\n\nHe.\n\nSir, perhaps in these same twelve are contained all the rest.\n\nCa.\n\nRest thou there and ask no more. For then I say, in truth, that this very truth which he denies is one of them. And the old fathers believed it, because it was contained in their faith, as many others were to be revealed.\"\nAnd he made it distinctly clear, as our savior Christ himself came. But Frith was aware of this and therefore, to ensure that people would not misunderstand him (for then his mouth would be silenced), he explicitly expresses the opposite in these words.\n\nBut the other points / he says / contained in scripture, though they may be doubtful truths, I can be saved without them.\n\nI have not heard of such a doctor who will not deny, but all the parts of scripture which are thousands, are truths. And yet he holds that we are not bound to believe any more than the twelve. I could never hear of any truth in scripture (as there is none other) but whoever would not believe it, he was utterly heretical. But this man is, and teaches others, at liberty with them all except the twelve.\n\nIt may be so, in certain cases.\n\nCa.\nWhy? What cases, I pray thee.\n\nHe.\nHe immediately declares two or three of them.\nself.\nAre these they? Let me hear them. He. These are. In the case that he says I have never heard of them, there is one. Or when I hear of them and cannot understand or comprehend them, there is another. We who hear them and understand them, yet by the reason of another text misconstrue them, as the Bohomes do the words of Christ in the sixth chapter of Acts. There is the third. Ca. Are these the cases, in which I am not bound to believe any truths of scripture more than the twelve expressed in the creed? He. So says he. Ca. Then there is no more to say, except if you mark it well, in his first case and the second, he puts whether he hears them or not hears them. And in the second case and the third, whether he understands them or not understands them: So that he puts these cases not to avoid, but in every case to exclude, excepting only the twelve, for when he says he may be saved without them, where he\nHeard them or not, understood them or not, believed them or not. Therefore, what use does he make of them, since if he can be saved without them (as he says he can), it is clear that he has no need of them for that purpose. If he has no need of them for that purpose, he certainly has no need to believe them (for the belief in things can never be more necessary than the things themselves are). Therefore, if he needs not believe them, he has less need to understand them (for belief is more necessary than understanding in things of our faith), and therefore if he needs not believe nor understand them, plainly he needs not hear them much (for what should he hear that he needs not believe). What other thing is the faith of Christ but all the articles of scripture? Let him say what he will, and contrary.\nwise, what other things are all the virtues of scripture, but the faith of Christ? Therefore, when all the virtues of scripture are contained in the faith of Christ, as it is one of them so to believe. And the faith of Christ (as I showed you before) cannot be truly had, but all whole together. It must necessarily follow, that whoever has the faith of Christ, has also no less than all the virtues of scripture. False therefore is the doctrine of Frith that says, we may be saved without them all, save the twelve when the faith cannot be truly had without them all. Moreover, how do you answer this? Is it not a necessary virtue unto salvation, to believe that the commandments of God are good and ought to be kept?\n\nHe.\nSir, what is the question there? There is no man who doubts it.\n\nCa.\nAnd is there any parallel in it, if a man does not so believe it?\n\nHe.\nIn very deed no less than damnable.\n\nCa.\nTake heed (perchance) you know not what you say.\n\nHe.\nWhy what?\n\nCa.\nUtterly Frith is a false liar. When he says,\nThose articles of our creed are only necessary for salvation: for why is it that the twelve should believe that God's commands are good, and ought to be observed and kept? Or that there is any parallel if we do not? Those twelve are necessary, he says. This very thing you see is not one of them, although, as all other, it may be reduced to them. He will not have this in any case, lest what he labors to overthrow should, by these means, be brought in likewise. Therefore, without this, we may be saved. That is, without the belief that God's commands are good or ought to be observed and kept. Who will not see that this would be enough to declare what kind of teacher he is? Or who has such a dull wit that he cannot perceive what his purpose is? Behold how eagerly he would prove it unnecessary to believe in the blessed sacrament of the Eucharist.\nas all true Christian people, he earnestly desires, in order to bring it about, not to leave us without the need of any and all the truths of holy scripture, more than the bare twelve; for in these twelve articles of our creed, he believed that this truth of the blessed sacrament could not be found. Therefore, he says that they alone are necessary for salvation, to the point where he would utterly exclude the need for this: which he would so completely reject that he excludes no less than all the rest, saying:\n\nThe other points contained in scripture, all though they be undoubted truths, yet I may be saved without them.\n\nHe declares this in every condition, that is, whether he believes them or not, whether he understands them or not, and whether he misconstrues them or not.\n\nAll those, I say, he says, may be done without any jeopardy of salvation.\n\nHereticus.\n\nYet, sir, you must take his\n\n(Note: This text appears to be in Middle English. It has been translated into modern English to improve readability.)\n\"Conclusion with all. Ca. What is that he says? He. Marry this. Therefore we believe / he believes / these articles of our creed / in the other there is no parallel / so that we have a probable reason to dissent from them. Ca. Doubtless a conclusion equally like him. Howbeit I muse not so much thereat, nor yet at him, as I do even at the. He. Why so at me? Ca. Without fail because you do no more wonder at his blind madness, or mad blindness choose the worse. Howbeit I partly consider your cause, for surely if you yourself were not by him, some cloud of darkness, wherein he was thus enveloped and wrapped himself, you would easily perceive him entangled in the greatest folly, you ever saw any man: For when he says, in the other is no parallel, so that we have a probable reason to dissent from them. Oh foolish frith, what if we have none? how then? for how is it possible to have any probable reason to dissent from any truths, most?\"\nspecifically and above all, from any of these twelve articles of our creed, why is there a probable reason in deed, but only that which is true in deed? Can anyone truth be against another? Therefore, if you consider this matter well, you shall find that by these words, he sets us even at liberty, with our faith in all these articles of our creed, just as he does in all the others. For in them is no parallel, nor is there a reason for us to dissent from them.\n\nHe.\nWhy, sir, we may not dissent from them in any way.\n\nCa.\nWhat, not with a probable reason? What thing is there, that a probable reason does not bind me to do? A probable reason is ever more true: and shall not truth lead me to and fro in every condition?\n\nHe.\nBut there cannot be such a probable reason to lead us from those articles of our creed.\n\nCa.\nWhy not from them, as well as from the others? Are they truer, those any of the others? However, you speak this of your own head. Frith says not so / he has no such [thing].\nthynge / I must folowe his wordes: he sayth we maye dyssent from all the very\u2223tees of scrypture saue .xii. so that we haue a probable reason therto. And I saye the same of those .xii. also / yf we haue a probable reason therto. what ought I to refrayne,\nwhiche a probable reason wyll lede me to? Am I not alway bounde vn\u00a6to trauth? what other thynge is a probable reason? Therfore in these verytees of our crede, is no parell so that we haue a probable reason, to dyssent from them. Thus taketh he from vs, the nede of all the veri\u2223tees of scrypture saue .xii. which he doth except in wordes / but vtterly not in dede.\nHe.\nyes syr for ellys he wolde not saye\nWe beleue these articles of ouer crede, in the other is no parell &c.\nAnd also a lytell before.\nFor them am I bound to beleue. and am da\u0304pned without excuse. if I beleue them not. but in the other poyntes conteyned in scripture. &c.\nCa.\nwhat of all this? thou thynkest by the reason of these wordes, that he goth abouth to make vs byleue, that we be bounde to the\nHe. What else? For what purpose did he speak it, but for that? Or to show us how he believes them himself?\nCa. I thought even as much, when he intends none of them: for his purpose is not to make us believe them, but only to make us believe no more, but them. For, to go about to make us believe so much is one thing, and to go about, to make us believe no more, is another. Therefore his intent is (as who say) there to stop our faith, that it should not further, and not to bring it the other way, or there to uphold it. For all though his blindness be so great and manifest, and even the very same which he labors to improve, he confesses himself to be a verity of scripture (or else he would never call it an article of our faith, as in the 16th leaf of his book he does indeed say).\nFor though it be an article of our faith, yet it is not an article of our creed in the 12 articles, which are sufficient for our salvation.\nAll though\nHis blindness (I say) is so great that he himself confesses this to be a vice of scripture, which he labored to improve. Yet, because he thought it could not be found among the twelve vices of our creed, the cockpole, as it were, sought to confine our faith in a pen, keeping it from this vice in particular. Oh, I was about to say too much: for why should I say that he bears a special grudge against this blessed vice, when he treats them all alike? Yet I am somewhat hasty: for why should I say that he treats them all alike, when he would have slain those for this vice but spared the one innocent, slaughtering an entire multitude instead. But, much like him, who for the greater good bore himself against one innocent man, I have no doubt of this vice itself.\nHerod acts wisely, but he will not achieve his goal of this one thing, which he primarily intends to destroy. And in the crowd as well, although he persecutes him directly and openly. But he, instead, sends men to seize him, where he is: Also, he intends to make him forsaken; he does so with great curse, but he does so with false holiness. Therefore, whatever this new Herod says regarding our creed, never think that he speaks it with such sincerity; nor does he believe it himself (for though he may claim to, he does not speak it for your sake). Instead, he intends only to make us disbelieve: for he thought he could accomplish less if he could not. And therefore, supposing that keeping us in this state would be sufficient (if he could maintain it), he makes no attempt to exclude this very thing from the blessed sacrament.\nHe teaches us away from the articles of our creed directly, but yet he does it by such a rule that leads us equally from them when he says, \"In the other there is no parallel; so that we have a probable reason to dissent from them.\" This probable reason, as I have told you, is able to discharge us from all manner of things, except where we may have it; and therefore, of all the articles of our creed, as well as of any other scriptural verities besides.\n\nA Sir, I now perceive that all this while you take a probable reason far otherwise than Frith means it.\n\nCa.\n\nHow sayest thou? I pray thee tell me that tale again.\n\nHe.\n\nMarry sir, I say Frith does not here mean a probable reason as you do take it.\n\nCa.\n\nDo you truly?\n\nHe.\n\nNo truly, and that a man may perceive.\n\nCa.\n\nThen how?\n\nHe.\n\nYou know well enough, that there are taken two manners of probable reasons: for\nThough there be but one truth, which is the very chief and has the very truth in deed. Yet there is another, which is called a probable reason, not because it has such truth as the other, but because it is so like and apparent, that it is very hard to avoid.\n\nNow in good faith, country it is very well perceived: And do you truly think, in deed, that this latter probability is it, which frith does mean?\n\nHe.\nYes truly, that I do: for it can stand with no reason that he should mean the other, because (as I now perceive myself) one very truth can never lead us to dissent from any other, but rather bind us to it.\n\nCa.\nDoubtless you hit the nail on the head. And therefore it is utterly no more to say, but this. In the other is no parallel, so that we have a probable reason to dissent from them.\n\nNot that probable reason, which has in it the very truth in deed. But that, which is but only apparent / and does but only seem to have: whatever does.\nBut only seems to be true: without fail is not truly true in fact, and whatever is not true in fact is utterly deceitful and deceptive. Therefore, your very conclusion is this: In the other there is no parallel, so that we have any wily and crafty color or any deceptive conveyance to dissent from them.\n\nHe.\nThus he never meant that, nor am I sure.\n\nCatho.\nWhat other tone way or other? Will you have him speak of a probable reason, and mean it neither true nor false? That cannot be, except it be said (as is often the case when he speaks he does not mean what he says) his wit is not his own. Therefore, if he means it true, then it is even this: In the other there is no parallel, so that we have that probable reason to dissent from them, which is impossible to be had. And at the least, how foolish is he, to suppose to us any such case? Therefore, if he means it but apparent, and not true in fact, then it is this: In the other is no parallel, so that we have that probable reason to dissent.\nthem - those who are such, and so easily obtained, that we ought to be grateful for them. He. Why should we be grateful for that? Ca. Do we not need to be grateful for that reason, lest it lead us to dissent from any truth of scripture? For what is scripture but God's word? Therefore, what is any truth of scripture but the truth of God's word? And what reason is it that leads one to dissent from any truth of God's word, but only the falsity of the devil's word? Yet here, says Fryth, there is no parallel. This you see clearly, he urges us: with a probable reason, he says, we may without any parallel, dissent from all the truths of God's word, save the twelve. Does he except these twelve as he truly believes, or for fear he dares not do otherwise? If he does it for fear, then you know what sort of person he is. If he does it as he truly believes, how blind is he, who cannot see that whatever may lead a man to dissent from one truth of God's word, may lead him to dissent from another.\nLikewise, he leads us away from one thing and another, and so from all of them together. Therefore, while Frith openly shows us a way to dissent from the truths of holy scripture, which is the word of God, what other thing does he do there but utterly show us the word of the devil? However, he certainly teaches us no worse than a specific point and a deep mystery, of his own ability. For without a doubt, by this probable reason, he found a means to dissent and depart from the very truths of holy scripture itself, or else without fail he would have remained in them. By this, the first heretic arises. By this, he deceives another. By this, they beget more and more. By this, they continue to the disquiet of the faithful flock of Christ. Also by this reason, which is but apparently probable, which seems just and is not, which promises truth and pays falsehood, which shows itself one thing and is another. By this (I say), those who follow such a leader are led astray.\nHeretics are enticed, persuaded, and led, encourage persuade and led, from the truths of scripture, from the verities of God's words, from the verities of life everlasting. By this, they cry to the people, beware of deceivers, beware of false teachers, beware of subtle sophists. And what other thing do they do in deed, but invite the people to beware of them: whom I would to God you could understand as easily as you may here from the first, if any spark of light remains in them at all. Therefore, let us now return to his third case briefly to see what we left behind there \u2013 he says.\n\nOr, be it in the case that I hear them and understand them, and yet, by the reason of another text, misconstrue them, as the Bohemians do the words of Christ in the sixth chapter of John.\n\nHere he makes his example of this, that the Bohemians (as he says) understand the words of our Savior Christ in the sixth chapter of St. John, and yet misconstrue them for all that, by the reason of\nAnd similarly, in his case, if anyone has ever had such a mind, judge yourself. For how is it possible for any man to misconstrue the same thing that he understands? It is one thing to understand, and another to know. Is anyone therefore able to take a thing otherwise than he knows it is? Does not the knowledge or understanding of a thing, clearly put away the misconstruing of it? What is misconstruing, but misunderstanding? For misunderstanding or misconstruing, does, or can never have a chance, but only for lack of knowledge and understanding. Or else, will he join them together in this way, that when he understands any virtue of scripture, yet he can purposefully, by the reason of another text, misconstrue it, nevertheless, to deceive others withal. But then he might leave out this same [thing], by the reason of another text, without which or any other occasion besides, he can do it even as well of his own mind only, as it shall hereafter.\n\"Apparently, in very deed, I have never seen him behave otherwise. Therefore, although you may perceive this as the great profundity of his wit and learning, I do not yet discommend the just agreement between his case and his example. For indeed it is impossible for the tone and even so is the other. And therefore, no less than a very lie, is the tone in case and even full as much is the other in deed.\nBut now to return to our purpose, he says, if we examine the authorities of St. Austen and Bede before this allegation is made, we shall see that on the side of the probation of this aforementioned proposition, they open the mystery of all our matter to those who have even to see. (Those he means who are as blind as he)\nFor St. Austen says that we and the old fathers differ concerning bodily food, for they eat manna and we eat bread.\"\n\"well, and truly tell me, did St. Austen speak as much as one word about bread, as this fellow reports? He [the fellow]. St. Austen confesses that the fathers did eat manna, and we another thing. But in fact, he does not have this same word \"bread\" in his text. Ca. You may see therefore, what a just expositor this is: He thought the word \"bread\" would sound more suitable for his purpose than the word \"another thing,\" which in fact sounds nothing like it at all. And so, instead of \"another thing,\" he comes in with \"bread,\" but not immediately after he quotes St. Austen's words, but a long time afterward. For had he brought it in directly, while the words of St. Austen were still fresh in the reader's mind, he knew well enough, it would then be easily perceived and taken, not like a point of falsehood, but as the very same thing in fact. And so he first falls into a long babbling of his own invention (such as I have partly translated here)\"\ndeclared to the reader, and then afterward, when Saint Austen's words seem to emerge from his memory, the baker enters with his bread. Where no one looks at it, where no one will eat it, and where no one speaks a word about it. And therefore, I allow only a few words by my consent, and he shall be as follows in content: whatever men may say or think about taking his bread with him before he drinks: for I have never heard, nor do I suppose, that any word or other thing could be explained by this word \"bread\" before now. Having no other circumstance to lead a man to it, this is the meaning. However, through this means, Saint Austen uses the word \"other thing\" to signify the holy sacrament. And the sacrament, in turn, signifies being truly bread, which is why he explains the word \"other thing\" to signify bread. By this, you may clearly perceive that he is interpreting Saint Austen's words, not those of the saint himself.\nAusteyn's meaning: but only after his own, as he himself takes it, and not as St. Austeyn means it. What kind of exposition is this? If I expound your words according to my mind, and not according to yours, do I make a true exposition or a false one?\n\nHe.\nThat is to ask, to be questioned.\n\nCa.\nDo you not see therefore (as I said), what an expositor is? If you say that he does not here expound St. Austeyn, but allude to him in this word \"bread,\" then he falsely alludes to him. For St. Austeyn speaks here of no such word. If you say that he does not allude to him in this word \"bread,\" but uses it to expound him, then his exposition is false, because he does not follow the author's mind. Could not St. Austeyn himself have put in this word \"bread\" as well as any other thing if he had meant it, or had he not seen some reason to the contrary? Was his mind so occupied that he did not think about that which was most present, ready, and apt to be thought about? Or could he not?\nHe asks you to remember this word because it and what it signifies were so strange and unusual? Why does he focus on this rather than that, and touch on this with a common and indifferent word, applying it to all things? Would he suppress something so readily and see no reason why? If he saw any, what was it? Frith does not present this to us for debate: he would rather have us forget it; it does not contribute to his purpose as will become clear later. Yet, in some other places, St. Austin himself calls it bread directly. Ca.\n\nWhy then does Frith cite him here where he does not call it that, and will not cite him there where he does? What does he mean by this? Does it signify nothing? I grant that St. Austin does call it bread and does so at various times. But he never does so without such a clear and convenient circumstance.\nWith all, as Fryth perceives, the circumstance makes no less an impact on him than the word bread does. And therefore, because the word and the circumstance are inseparable, he himself would poke in the tone, in some other corner: as you see him here, this craftily attempts where he thinks the circumstance is away. And this is the very thing I may truly say to you, which opens the mystery of all his matter to those who have eyes to see. Therefore, take this for a general rule, that whenever you think him to bring in any authority, yet if he understands it in this fashion, he brings in none at all, but only pretends to, and under the color thereof, brings in nothing but his own bare mind alone, as I will now promise you beforehand. Catho.\n\nYour county connection does (it seems to me) much directly concern this.\nthat fryth, euen ve\u00a6ry purposely went about to deceiue Howbeit there is I suppose, no ma\u0304 lyuynge, of any conscyence at all, whiche can beleue that euer he, or any other, wolde be so vnhappy, to play ye pranke, in a mater so great: for what other thynge were it so to do, but euen wylfully to da\u0304pne hym selfe? To deceyue, and deceyue pur\u00a6posely is two thynges / for one may somtyme chaunce to deceyue & yet be not ware of it.\nCa.\nTrauth it is: howbeit thou must yet co\u0304sider this / that the falshed of his opinion, whi\u00a6che he wolde men sholde byleue / is one thynge: but the waye that he taketh, to make it credyble / that is to wyt, his processe or treates, and\nall his handelynge therof / is an o\u2223ther thyng. Bycause the tone is for the tother / and therfore muste they nedes be dyuers: wherfore as tou\u2223chynge the fyrst / that is the falshed of his opinion / he was perchaunce not ware of yt, but toke it for trew. And although he went about to de\u00a6rceyue, yet peraduenture not wyt\u2223tyngly therin. But as concernyng the\nother part, that is to say, his entire process, all his disputations and dealings with the matter, in order to make it credible to all. It is not possible but he must therefore beware of that: for it was his own studious act, and voluntary labor, proposed for the nones (or else, you know yourself, it had never been written. And then he would never have left the book behind him). Therefore, because all this, was and is, none other but a certain conveyance of him, designed to bring his opinion into belief. And because his opinion (by this means conveyed) in fact is none other but utterly false, it must necessarily follow that all this means is none other than even a conveyance of falsehood. And is a conveyance of falsehood, anything but a false conveyance? And what other thing is a false conveyance but utter falsehood itself?\n\nHe.\nWhy, sir, by this reasoning, all that he ever does is false.\n\nCa.\nNever doubt that, for whatever truth there may be, is brought to verify falsehood with all doubtless is even therein.\nfalsified itself / because, if it were not there / to be brought, with a false sense / it would utterly destroy falsity, and not uphold it / it would make it open and manifest, and never color, nor hide it. Therefore while this falsity, that is to say / his false conceit (which he purposely, wittingly, and carefully wrought and produced to verify the falsity of his opinion withal) could not be hidden from him, being his own proper and voluntary act, he studied (as I said) for your nonest. Thou canst by no reason excuse him, but at least in this, he went even purposefully about to deceive men / except thou wilt say, that whatever he wrote, he did it, as a man in a truce unwars, without any intent or purpose why. And then must thou necessarily ascribe and impute the wilful purpose, cause and intent therof (without which it could never be done) to some cursed occult and wicked spirit, by whom he was led therein, as an ignorant instrument.\n\nHe. What led him with some wicked spirit? Nay, sir not so.\n\nCa. I.\nHe: I can avoid it well.\nCA: I can do so soon.\nCA: Which way?\nHe: Even if his opinion were false, as you say, I am still only at the supposition of it. Why are you still concerned about it so much, since you know this?\nHe: It doesn't matter.\nCA: Yes, it does matter, and it's a lamentable situation, however I don't greatly marvel at it, knowing it as I do.\nHe: Why do you know it?\nCA: Bring it forth, I will tell you more about it later.\nHe: Marry sir, suppose (I say) that his opinion were false (as you say it is), and if that were the case, all his process and conveyance of it would also be false. Yet he is well aware of what his opinion is, but not that it is false. Similarly, he is well aware of what his process and all his conveyance of it is, but not that it is the conveyance of any falsehood, so far as he is aware, there is none such. For as he thinks his\n\n(Note: The text appears to be incomplete at the end.)\nopinion is true. Even so, he believes this to be the case, and therefore he does not teach falsely in appearance.\nCato.\nYou speak well of him. But still, I ask you, how does this come about? That one, having not half the wit or learning that he was thought to have before he fell to these foolish, false and erroneous opinions, can soon perceive so much folly and falsehood in his book, that there is no leave without, and yet he himself could see none at all? How (I say) does this come about? May we not think, that he met with the faculty, which, as they say, makes a man (the longer he lives) the more foolish he becomes? That is, the more he takes of it, the less wit he has: for if he saw any falsehood therein, then he went wittingly about to deceive; if he saw none, where is so much bitterness, what troubled his eyes so much, that he could not spy out some part of it? Was he not taken in, I ask you, into the tutelage of some dark tutor, which (for all your saying) caused him to be led astray?\nIf he were free to wander there, where would he go? How could we think otherwise, if we consider the matter carefully? For the truth to be told, if the devil himself were at liberty to be incarnate and come among us, only to entice and lead us away from any article of our faith. Imagine, how could it be possible for the father and source of all crafty falsehood to invent for this purpose any manner of device comparable to this which we find in nature? I mean, to have us in hand, it is indifferent, and at our own liberty, to believe it or not, there is no parallel in the matter, take which part we please: for how many true men are there in this world, touched by no greater need, that they might not soon be brought to stealing, if they were born in hand and so persuaded to think in deed, that it would be an act indifferent and without all manner of parallel to them, that it would use? What manner of evils are those men, who now are fully honest, that would then?\nforbere and refrain, where they thought, were to no danger? Or which way might they so easily be led unto them, as to be steadfastly held in hand? You make them believe this only once, and lead them no farther: for it shall then be no need at all. A marvelous zeal for justice has he, who would not soon, play the thief at a companion's request / if he were once brought into opinion, that there could be no parallel to it for him. Thus learned Fryth, of whomsoever he was taught / that he had a wondrous firm faith in this sacred sacrament, which would not soon be content to leave it, if he were once brought into open opinion, that there could come unto him no harm: he saw it a matter of most difficult bringing Christ's people from it directly: but he saw it again a matter as easy if they might once be made to believe no parallel therein, if they so did. Fullwell he knew, bring them once to that opinion, and let them then alone themselves, it should be enough, with the help of his own dark doctor who taught him this.\nFor doublets, from its origins, the properties thereof themselves directly show, as much as the most exceeding wilyness, falseness, and folly can do: of the wilyness, (of which we now speak), what shall I say? But mark it well, with deliberation indifferently, and be a judge yourself, whether it does not in your consideration swell and increase so much that it becomes incomprehensible. Of the falseness, (about the opening of which we have been almost all this while), although no man is able sufficiently to express it. yet of it so much have you heard, as is far from the need, of any more: Of the folly, there is not else to be said / but I am sure thou never heardest nor sawest like. For who (but he that dwells in such a deep dungeon of darkness that he can see no manner of light) would make any manner of division in a matter: and yet plainly holds that there is utterly no such matter to divide? For the tone part of his work (of which we have now well tried enough)\nThis text appears to be written in Early Modern English, and it seems to be discussing the Eucharist and the belief in the real presence of Christ in the sacrament. I will attempt to clean the text while preserving its original meaning.\n\nThe text reads: \"See what it is) is only to prove, that no man is bound to believe the blessed bodily presence of our savior Christ in the sacrament: but yet every man without any parallel may believe, if he will. And the other part / as his whole book clearly testifies / is to prove, that there is utterly no such thing in deed for to believe: whereof / besides his high knowing disagreement, of this indivisible nothing, after his own doctrine / plainly it teaches us / even to have a false belief. When he says we may believe, that himself does say, is not: and yet himself will not believe, that he and we do say there is. For we say it is an article of our faith / and even so says he. However, he holds it indifferent to believe it or not / but yet so do not we. And for that cause he will not believe it one white, till we do both agree. The which he has brought so near the point, that now it will never be. And therefore will I tell the one thing more / which I\"\n\nCleaned text:\n\nSee that it is only to prove that no one is bound to believe in the real presence of our savior Christ in the sacrament. Yet every man, without any parallel, may believe if he will. The other part, as his whole book clearly testifies, is to prove that there is absolutely nothing to believe in. Besides his high knowing disagreement about this indivisible nothing, according to his own doctrine, he teaches us even to have a false belief. He says we may believe that he himself says so, but he himself will not believe that he and we do say there is. We say it is an article of our faith, and he agrees. However, he considers it indifferent to believe it or not, but we do not. And because of this, he will not believe it is white unless we both agree. He has brought it so close to the point that it will never be resolved. I will tell you one more thing.\nHe had forgotten before. Here. What was that? Ca.\nAnother pretty cause why, that he, as I showed the, so deceives all the other truths of scripture, from those XII in the creed. He. What cause should that be? Ca.\nIn the last leaf of his book, his own words doeth well declare, which are these.\nThere are many truths / he says / which yet may not be such articles of our faith\nHe. Is this all? Ca.\nNay, not so, but first, what does he mean by these not such? He. Not such as are of our creed. Ca.\nWell said. And what truths does he mean here, that may not be such articles. He. All the other truths of scripture. Ca.\nHeare his words again, with those that follow, and therein let them be judge\nThere are / faith he / many truths. Which yet may not be such articles of our faith. It is true that I lay in irons when I wrote this. But I would not receive this truth for an article of our faith. for you may think the contrary without all fear.\nConsider well now, this together.\nAnd thou\nmayst perceive that this same example of his imprisonment clearly shows that he does not mean by these same many truths of scripture any truths of scripture but the truths independent of other things: which truths in general, with the very truth of his imprisonment in particular, he brings as examples. For as the truth of his imprisonment may not be an article of our faith like those of our creed, so after the same manner he would have all those other truths likewise (which this example plainly teaches). But the truth of his imprisonment and all others like it are not only none such, but utterly none at all in deed. Therefore it is which he goes about in all the truths of scripture scarcely excepting those of the creed. Before, he left them as indifferent articles, but now will have them none at all: or else all others as much as they. What wonder is it then that he does this.\nDivide them, as if of another kind, from the truths of the creed (saying we may be saved without them & therefore that we need not believe them), when they are with him, of no more esteem are the other truths besides, such as for example, The style of Paul is higher than the cross in height? And because the reality of it is no article of our faith, yet it is a reality in fact. Therefore, no more be any or all the truths of holy scripture, save only those expressed in the creed: were not a man happy to meet with such a doctor to teach him his faith? Do you not perceive the mighty power & strength of this truth, which he would so eagerly overthrow, when you see it give him so scornful faults, in every way it attempts against it? In all this, what does he else, but make the truths of divine things and human things, heavenly things and earthly things, everlasting things and temporal things equal, of no more worthiness or dignity, one than the other, when he will.\nHave we a greater bond to believe, the tone than the other? For I suppose no man is bound to the estimation of things, than he is bound to believe in them. It is true (he says) that he lay in irons when he wrote this, but yet would not receive that truth, for an article of our faith. And doubtless then went he closer to making it one, than (as I suppose) he was aware of himself: For surely he brought it almost within one word of it. For had he put in, as the truth required, but this same word, worthy, more than he did, and said, it is true, that I lay in irons worthily, when I wrote this. Without fail it would then have been so near an article of our faith, that whoever was sufficiently instructed in the matter could never think the contrary, without great impiety. For doubtless those who think him worthy of prison, knowing the cause, hold the same opinion that he did (God grant them soon to amend it). For how damnable that opinion.\nis, and it is only by these reasons (as some may think) that we have discussed here so far, it may right well and sufficiently appear: howbeit, God willing, in the remainder yet to come, it shall be then beyond doubt to you, his most effective friends, that he had only those except those who obtained it by the very same means by which he obtained it himself. Therefore, with this to pause and rest for a time, you may clearly see how his foundation (which he boasts of so strongly and indefatigably) now lies all to shake, torn, and completely dispersed, except you will say, that he made it of no such matter, but only of a dirty dunghill heap of cannon rackings, which few men could find in their hearts so near it to come forth as one to give a spur thereto. And therefore it lay so long in rest. Now, farewell, countryman, until another time.\n\nFarewell, sir, a fair parting. Ca.\n\nWhy what hinders it?\nHe.\nWhat would it profit to tell you, if we are to leave it?\nHe: There is no remedy. I cannot stay any longer. When shall we meet again, Caesar?\n\nCa: Whenever you will yourself. He: That by my will, it shall be no farther than until tomorrow. I have only just heard this today, and it is still fresh in my memory.\n\nCa: I am well content. But where shall I meet with you?\n\nCa: In no better place than here. He: What time? After none?\n\nCa: No, it is not after none. I may say to you, for the whole day long, I would be little enough. And therefore come by nine o'clock at the latest. For you have never heard such a work of an etching since you were born. He: What work then have I heard today?\n\nCa: Judge for yourself when you hear it. He: I will not fail you. For I shall think about it long before it comes. Ca: God be with you, therefore, until then.\n\nHe: No, I will bring you homeward. Ca: No, no, it shall not need. He: Yes, I may not choose for half your way, and mine is longer.\nHe: Then, Sir, is it not yet as good for us to come together and discuss this article, which we have been debating for so long?\n\nCa: Yes, and I am very pleased with that, if you have anything to say.\n\nHe: Yes, indeed, Sir. I have something, and it is this: I would like to know, by what reason you can prove that this same article, which we have been disputing all this while, is one of those that we are bound to believe: you have so far labored to promote Frith, holding the contrary opinion, but yet you have done nothing to prove it yourself / it is two things to prove Frith's opinion false, and to prove your own true.\n\nCa: Do you truly believe that?\n\nHe: I think so.\n\nCa: Well, although the proof of the truth cannot have its most fitting and convenient place until the falsehood is clear. I see that you are somewhat eager to hear about the matter. And since Frith's opinion is that it is an article indifferent and not necessary to be believed, and ours is...\n\"He. Nay, sir, that does not follow. For the falsity found in Fryth is in his probation, not in the thing itself, which he goes about to prove. You know right well that a man may err in the probation of a true thing sometimes, yet the thing is not false because the probation is not true. Ca. Thus you may excuse every falsity which any false harlot goes about to prove true. For sometimes you can say, although he fails in his probation: yet the thing is true enough / because a man may be deceived in the probation of a true thing; when in fact the falsity of a thing is often times more than half disclosed / even by the falsity of the probation thereof, it being perceived.\"\nThe falsity of his opinion. Yet he makes it at least an inconclusively doubtful conclusion for our part. Therefore, consider it equally for the truth, from our side. For what does this thing show, that all the reasons that he does make, or is able to imagine for the purpose, does not only not prove his intent, but also draws with them such odious consequences besides, which no good Christian ear will not exceedingly abhor to hear. What does all this (I say) show, but that the mighty and invincible truth of the contrary part will in no case suffer itself to be impugned? Moreover, what would you say if Fryth sufficiently proves our part himself?\n\nHe.\nWhat, sir, it can never be, for all his whole purpose is utterly to the contrary.\n\nCa.\nYet mark him well / for he intending in deed to prove the contrary, makes never a reason, but it (as I have clearly declared to the) runs even utterly, as much against the necessity of any & every other article besides, as it does against this, for which he did purpose it. And that were:\nnot possible if this were not one of them, and of the same nature that they are. For how could any of his reasons proposed against the necessity of this article touch the necessity of all or any others more than they touch the light of the sun, the heat of the fire, or the hardness of diamonds, and other like things, being no more proposed against those articles than against these things but utterly because those articles, and this, are proposed by one and the same nature. And these things, each of them clean of another? For whatever reason is proposed with or against anything, it always runs as far as the communeity of the nature of the thing extends, and no farther. As in the case, that one would take upon himself to prove or improve that your soul only is immortal; whatever reason he should make with or against it without fail must necessarily run likewise towards the souls of all men beside: and that was not possible, if that\nimmortal souls were not common between them. And in the same manner, the reasons why Frith's arguments run against the necessity of all other articles as they do against this one, are utterly because the same necessity is common between them and this. For otherwise, it would not be possible for those reasons proposed only against this to make anything against (as I said) the necessity of the light of the sun, or anything else besides: therefore, it must necessarily follow that this article is of equal necessity to be believed as any other.\n\nAnd therefore, where Frith would have proved it indifferent and could not: he has well proved it necessary and would not. You get no more now.\n\nHe.\nYes, sir, I pray you tell me one thing more and then will I bid you farewell.\n\nCa.\nWhat is that?\n\nHe.\nMarry, sir, I have read Frith's book, I believe, as often as you have, yet could I never perceive in it this passage that you have declared. And I\n\"Marvel what should be the cause of it. Catholica. It is no marvel at all if Frith had no more wit and learning in your opinion than he had in his own head. You would soon have perceived much more than I have told you. And that you shall find by experience if you withdraw your opinion from him. He. Do you truly believe this? Catholica. There is no doubt of it? He. Well, sir, here is my way now, and therefore I will trouble you no longer at this time. Catholica. Well then, farewell, goodman, until tomorrow. He. God be with you, sir. Catholica. And with you. He. At nine of the clock you say. He. You what else? He. I will not fail you. Finis. Here ends the first book. Printer's or publisher's device. Dominus dedit dominus abstulit, sicut dominio placuit, ita factum est.\"", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}, {"content": "A notable and learned sermon or homily, given on St. Andrew's day last past, 1556, in the Cathedral church of St. Paul in London, by Master John Harpsfield, Doctor of Divinity and Canon Residency of the said church, published by the Bishop of London.\n\nDecember Last, 1556. [With privilege to print only this.]\n\nHonorable, worshipful, and devout Christian audience, the holy prophet David, in his hundred and seventeenth psalm (from which the words of my theme are taken), treats of four points most fitting to be considered and effectively practiced by us all. First, he declares that he himself had been in extreme peril and danger of life, and in great affliction and tribulation of mind. Secondly, he acknowledges that God, of His infinite mercy and goodness, delivered him. Thirdly, he esteems those dangers and vexations as a scourge for sin. Fourthly and lastly, he gives thanks to God his deliverer, and exhorts all others to do the like.\nConcerning the peril I was in, he said: \"They surrounded me as thickly as a swarm of bees.\" And a short while later, \"I was pushed so hard that I was about to fall.\" He then referred to himself as \"a stone which the builders had rejected.\" In these three places, he was referring to the persecution he endured at the hands of the wicked.\nSaul, who is written in the first book of the kings, sometimes threw a javelin at Dauid; sometimes sent men suddenly to take him in order to kill him and bring him to him; sometimes persecuted him with an open army. Regarding the second point, which is how Da\u0432\u0438\u0434 in the aforementioned Psalm confesses and acknowledges that God, through His mere goodness, miraculously protected and delivered him, it is written: \"The Lord received me, God was my help. For God is my strength and my rejoicing, and He has become my salvation. The right hand of the Lord made me strong, the right hand of God exalted me, the right hand of the Lord did this for me.\"\nThe right hand of God has mightily done for me, the right hand of God has exalted me, the right hand of God has mightily acted. Regarding the third point, which is that the prophet David counts his troubles and persecutions as a chastisement for sin, he says, \"The Lord chastened and corrected me.\" The last and fourth point is giving and provoking others to the same. This point is found in many places of the Psalm, but most notably in the words of my theme when he says, \"Appoint a solemn day; make it known at the set-up of the horn, Altar.\"\nReaching the corners of the altar. It was commanded in the old law that at solemn feasts the people should bring oxen, calves, lambs, or goats, to be offered up upon the altar in sacrifice, and that the priest should sprinkle the blood pores the corners of the altar: and he now exhorts them so to do, in giving thanks to God, for that he had delivered him out of the hands of Saul: and he moneth them to keep a new solemnity for this purpose, besides the accustomed feasts coming in the law. According to this example given us by King David, it is our part to use ourselves this present day. First, to remember what miserable and perilous case we were in of late.\nThirdly, consider how God, through His mighty hand and infinite mercy, has delivered us. Fourthly, persuade ourselves that we worthy suffered those miseries for our sins. Fifthly, be thankful and induce others to do the same for our delivery. I intend, by God's grace and your patience, to address the first two points and set forth the extraordinary benefit of our reconciliation to the unity of the Catholic Church and the horrible miseries we were in during the time of schism and division. I will touch on the other two parts and then commit you to God. And that the things to be uttered at this present by me may be to God's honor, to your edification and comfort, I first desire you to help me with your prayers.\n\nThe prayers.\nI find in holy scripture that there were two coming peoples, instituted, ordained, and appointed by God himself. One among the children of Israel, the other among Christians. The commonwealth of the Israelites or Jews, was in time before the coming of christendom. But this one is far before it. For the things belonging to that estate, were figures, types, and shadows of things belonging to Christianity. The children of Israel were under cruel Pharaoh, in Egypt.\ngreat captivity and thrall, until such time as God, of His goodness, called them out of Egypt, and drowned their enemies in the Red Sea. Likewise, all mankind is in thrall to the spiritual Pharaoh, that is the devil, before they pass through baptism. This is because it takes its power and strength from the blood of our Savior, and is ministered in water. Therefore, it can well be likened to the Red Sea, and in it all power of the devil is quite overwhelmed and destroyed. The children of Israel, having passed the Red Sea, were not immediately conveyed to the promised land: but were compelled to travel through the bare and unpleasant wildernesses for a long time, enduring much trouble and hardship there.\nThe vexation of people even after their Baptism is left in this vale of misery, where they endure many sharp and perilous stories, and are not immediately taken up to the land of the living, which is the land promised to the just. In many other respects, the laws of Moses were a shadow of Christianity, but most especially in the kind and manner of government, is livingly represented the government used in Christ's church: which is the matter I specifically intend to set forth for you, and therefore desire you to give good ear to it. The common wealth of the Jews, in their passage from Egypt to the land of promise, had two thousand, by God's own appointment set over them.\nBoth Moses and Aaron were priests, but Moses, who was the higher in rank, was made a priest directly by God, while Aaron was made a priest at God's command by Moses. Of these two rulers, the one who was higher and more worthy received from God all that He wanted to say to the people, and he delivered it to Aaron, and then Aaron delivered it to the people, or at least instructed them in it. Conversely, whenever the people had any question to ask of God, Aaron would put the question to Moses, and Moses to God. So Moses was Aaron's mouthpiece in matters to be conveyed from the people to God, and Aaron was Moses' mouthpiece in return.\n\"Things to be revealed to the people, as it is written in Exodus 3: God speaks thus to Moses: \"I will be your god to the people, and you shall be my mouth; you shall be their spokesman, and he shall be your mouth in things that come from God. Again, Moses went up to the top of Mount Sinai, and there he spoke face to face with God; but Aaron remained below at the foot of the hill among the people to instruct and guide them. These three points in Moses and Aaron, as they were fulfilled in fact in their persons, so were\"\nthey significations of thynges to come, in the state of christia\u2223nitie. For as S. Paule saieth in the first to the Corinthyans the te\u0304th chapitre. Haec omnia in figura contingebant illis, All these thin\u2223ges chaunced to the Iewes in a type or figure. And in the tenthe to the Hebreues heal soo saieth, Vmbram habens lex futuroru\u0304 non ipsa\u0304 imaginem reru\u0304. The lawe of Moyses hadde but a shadowe of thinges to come, & not the true shape of those thinges in dede. To come therfore to the publike weale of Christendome, and the gouernement therof: There are in the churche of Christ alwayes two head rulers, bothe preistes, that is, Christ oure hyghe preist made by God the father immedi\u00a6atlye, accordinge as we reed in\nThe hundred ninth Psalm, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedech. The priest inferior to Christ, and yet ruler of the whole church, was first Saint Peter, and now is his successor. Peter was made priest by Christ, as Aaron was by Moses; and his successors are made priests by men, as Aaron's successors were. Christ is Peter's spokesman to God, and Peter was Christ's mouth to the church, as appears in the twenty-second of Luke, in these words, \"Simon, Simon, behold Satan has desired to sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.\" Simon, Simon, behold Satan has desired to sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. You, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.\nTo test you as it were wheat: but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And when you have been converted, confirm your brethren. In that Christ prays for Peter to God the Father, that Peter's faith should not fail, he is Peter's mouth to God, as Moses was Aaron's. Again, in that Peter confirms his brethren in the truth of Christ's religion, he is Christ's mouth to the people. Christ has ascended into the high heavens, That he might appear now to the face of God for us. But the other ruler who is Christ's vicar remains here on earth, to govern the church militant, as did Aaron among the Israelites, as shall soon be.\n\"Apparently, the authorities of the new testament make it most evident that the Jews were to give obedience to the two priests placed in their government. God intended such obedience from the entire people that no one would ever again question the authority of either of them, as is evident in Numbers 16, where Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, for making rebellion against Moses and Aaron, were swallowed up alive by the earth and terribly perished. And in Numbers 17, God declared that he had appointed Aaron as well as Moses to rule over the Israelites.\"\nEvery captain of the twelve tribes brought a rod to Moses, and all the twelve rods were laid in the tabernacle overnight. The rod of the man whose rod budded in the morning was the chief governor under Moses. The same authority that was in Aaron at that time, and thus confirmed miraculously, remained in the high priest, Aaron's successor, from time to time as long as the commonwealth endured. Even so is it with Christendom. Peter was first placed in the chief governance under Christ, and after Peter, his successors continue in the same, and have the rule of the Church.\nYou will require further proof regarding the whole church and its connection to Peter's authority. I will address this by discussing Peter's authorship and the gospel and ancient fathers. First, concerning Peter's authority, we read in Matthew 17:24-27, the story of the tribute money collectors approaching Christ, and Christ instructing Peter to cast his net into the sea, and the first fish he caught contained enough money for both the temple tax and Peter's own. Saint Augustine comments on this event, stating, \"Didrachma solution.\"\nThe tribute money was a payment that every head or ruler was obligated to pay. Therefore, when our Savior commanded the tribute to be paid for himself and for Peter, he seemed to have paid for them all. For, just as they were all subject to our Savior because he was their master, so after our Savior they were all subject to Peter. He had made Peter their head or ruler. Saint Augustine writes in his XXII chapter of the place in Saint Luke where Christ says:\n\"he prayed for Peter rather than James, John, and the other apostles, saying 'I did not pray for James and John and the others, but for Peter, in whom the others are contained.' In Matthew 21, our Savior said to Peter in a special and earnest manner, 'Feed my sheep, feed my sheep, feed my flock: And though certainly the other apostles, who were also the most blessed, were present, he gave the charge only to Peter. Therefore, Cyprian, Chrysostom, Ambrose, and Augustine conclude that Peter was made ruler over them all. Concerning\"\nPeters successors, according to the ancient father Ireneus, are mentioned in his third book against the heresies of Valentinus and other heretics, in the third chapter of the same book as follows: \"Since it is very long to enumerate the successions of all churches, especially those that are most ancient and well-known, and have been founded and established in Rome by the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, we indicate these churches, which have received their faith from the apostles through the succession of bishops, down to us.\"\nFor the church to come together, it is necessary for the entire church, that is, those who are bishops and faithful, to convene. Since it would be a long process to recite the succession of all Christian seas, we will show the succession of bishops in the greatest, most ancient, and most renowned sea, founded and established at Rome by the most glorious apostles Peter and Paul. We declare what tradition this sea has received from the apostles and what faith has been preached to men there, and this has come down through the succession of bishops even up to us. By doing so, we refute and silence those who, by any means, either by standing too much in the way.\nIf, in their own conceit, or for vain glory, or through blind ignorance, or through wrong opinion, they gather otherwise in matters of religion than is becoming, to this sea, on account of the higher government, every sea, that is, all the faithful, wherever they dwell, must have recourse. The like is also in St. Augustine in his 45th epistle, where he refutes the Donatists and writes in this manner, \"If the order of bishops succeeding one another is to be considered, in what more quickly and truly are we to number ourselves, to whom the whole figure of the church is entrusted, the Lord says to Peter, 'You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.'\"\n\"In this order of succession, no Donatist was found concerning the primacy of St. Peter and his successors. We have sufficient matter in scripture and the fathers on this topic. It's worth noting that although some evil successors of St. Peter may have existed, this does not detract from their authority.\"\nIn the order where the bishop is led by Peter, from Anastasius who now sits on the chair, if anyone, a traitor, should have crept in during those times, the church would suffer no prejudice, and the innocent Christians, whom the provident bishop warns about the wicked prelates, should do what they say, not what they do. For they say and do not do, so that there may be a certain hope in man, but it is always located in God and not dispersed by the tempest of sacrilege.\nThe number of bishops, from Peter to Anastasius, who sits there now in that sea, it is not prejudicial to the church or to innocent Christian folk, for our Lord providing says, \"Do the things they say, but do not do what they do. They say and do not, so that the hope of a Christian man may be sure, and being set not on man but on God, should never be shaken with any tempest or storm of wicked schism. Now that you have heard how necessary it is for all Christendom to be under your governance, and thereby must perceive that the benefit of our reconciliation and reduction to that sea is a most excellent and exceeding great benefit.\" I think therefore.\nThis most joyful reconciliation occurred in this realm on the first festive day of the year, according to the ecclesiastical service, on St. Andrew's day. It occurred during the feast of St. Andrew, brother to St. Peter, to whose sea we are reconciled, on the day of such a saint who was crucified, just as Peter was, and as Christ gave the authority to Peter. This took place during a parliament, and with the full consent and glad approval of the entire realm, represented in that parliament: It came to us by our own.\nA country man addresses the most honorable Lord Legate, who never wavered from the sea: In the reign of our sovereign king Philip and queen Mary, who always remained obedient to that supremacy. It arrived here by sea as an authoritative message for him, who was called to that authority from the sea, and he was made an apostle from the see, that is of a fisherman. I shall not need to speak much about the great evils that this realm has been rid of through this benefit. Every man feels in himself the great relief, which he has through his reconciliation: I mean not only for the temporal comfort, misery, tumult, fear, and tyranny, which cease by this.\n\"What is a man if not the human spirit within him, as Saint Paul writes in the second chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians: \"Who knows the things that are in a man, except the human spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the things that belong to God except the Spirit of God. Saint Paul makes it clear that only those who have the Spirit of God within them know God's truth. The Spirit of God can only be in those who have a body governed by the Spirit, and this body is\"\nYou were at that time without Christ: Straying from the conversation of Israel, and strangers to the covenants, without hope of the promise, and separated from God in this world. (Ephesians 2:12, as quoted by St. Paul)\n\nThe Church: Those who have not separated themselves from the government appointed by God to be in the Church, which government is, as you have heard, the obedience to the See of Rome, from which we have separated ourselves recently. We were, I say, freed from that misery, which St. Paul speaks of in the second chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians, saying, \"You were at that time without Christ: Straying from the conversation of Israel, and strangers to the covenants, without hope of the promise, and separated from God in this world.\"\nIsrael, you were strangers from the covenants having no hope of the promise, and men without God in this world. If we now perceive these two points which I have declared, the one concerning God's singular benefit bestowed upon us this day, the other regarding the dreadful dangers we were in before, we have a third part to play with King David: that is, to acknowledge these miseries as having come upon us for our offenses. Castigans castigated me, the Lord did not deliver me to death. God has chastened me, but he has not delivered me into death. The fourth point should also be joined to the other three: that is, to give thanks.\nAs David did, and I, for my part, will do with the words of my theme, saying to you: Establish this day as a solemn one and gather together to the high altar. Of late, men have pulled down altars, contemned the service and sacrifice of the altar. But now we must come in great multitudes to the altar, to the service of the altar, and the sacrifice of the altar, that is, to the Mass. And in consideration of the high work of God done on the altar, we must make great solemnity, especially on this day. Moreover, besides the benefit of our reconciliation that occurs on this day, we have, through St. Andrew, a confirmation of our belief in the sacrament and sacrifice.\nI do offer sacrifice every day to God almighty, not the smoke of incense, nor the flesh of roaring bulls or the blood of goats, but I sacrifice every day the immaculate lamb, whose flesh after that all the people have eaten and drunken its blood, yet it remains whole and immaculate.\nAnd he has drunk his blood, yet he remains whole and immaculate. What can be plainer spoken of the presence of Christ's body and blood in the sacrament of the altar, or of the sacrifice of the Mass, than this is spoken? And as plainly the same blessed apostle further utters, another point worthy to be considered. For when Aegeas marveling at his speech said unto him, \"Quomodo potest hoc fieri?\" (How can this be done?), St. Andrew answered, \"Si vis scire quomodo potest fieri, assume forma discipuli ut possis discernere quod quaeris.\" (If you will know how it may be done, take upon you the shape or form of a disciple or learner, that you may discern the thing. )\nWhich because Aegeas would not understand, he could not comprehend the mystery, as in our days, so many as would presumptuously teach themselves, and not learn from Christ's church, erring in the truth of Christ's sacraments. Wherefore I have entreated you with the words of my theme: keep this day solemn, keep solemn procession, make great solemnity, so that your devotion may reach even to the altar; or rather, the prophet David, foreseeing in spirit the benefit of Christian unity, exhorts you to this, and with the prophet David, Saint Peter the prince of the Apostles (to whose authority we are recovered) exhorts you, and with David and Peter, Peter's brother saint.\nAndrei exhorts you, and with him, Christ our savior exhorts you, to rejoice and be thankful for the great benefit of God that has come to you today, as we keep ourselves within His fold on earth, may we be found among those who, sitting on His right hand at the day of Judgment, will hear our Lord say to them, \"Come, you blessed children of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.\" Which sends to us all, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. To them be all honor and glory world without end. Amen.\n\nPrinted at London, by Robert Cately, within the precincts of the late dissolved house of the Grey Friars, now converted to a Hospital, called Christ's Hospital.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}, {"content": "ANSWER TO THE PETITIONS OF THE TRAITORS AND REBELS IN LINCOLNSHIRE.\nANNO. MDXXXVI.\nFIRST, WE BEGIN and make answer to the fourth and sixth articles, because upon them depend much of the rest. Concerning the choosing of counsellors, I have never read or known that princes' counsellors and prelates should be appointed by rude and ignorant common people, nor that they were persons meet or of ability to discern and choose meet and sufficient counsellors for a prince.\nHow presumptuous are you, the rude commons of one shire, and that of one of the most brutish and beastly in the realm, and of least experience, to find fault with your prince for the election of his counsellors and prelates? And to take upon yourselves, contrary to God's law and man's law, to rule your prince, whom you are bound by all laws to obey and serve with both your lives, lands, and goods, and for no worldly cause to withstand: the contrary of which you, like traitors and rebels, have attempted, and not like true subjects as you name yourselves.\n\nAs to the suppression of religious houses and monasteries, we will that you and all our subjects should well know that this is granted us by all the spiritual and temporal nobles of this our realm, and by all the commons of the same, by act of parliament, and not set forth by any counsellor or counsellors upon their mere will and fantasy, as you falsely persuade our realm to believe.\nAnd where you allege that the service of God is much diminished, the truth is contrary. For there are no houses suppressed where God was well served, but where most vice, mischief, and abomination of living was used. And that is evident from their own confessions, subscribed with their own hands, during our visits, and yet many of them (more than was necessary because of that) were allowed to remain: if they do not amend their living, we fear we have more to answer for than for the suppression of all the rest. And as for hospitality, for the relief of poor people, we wonder that you affirm they have been a great relief to our people, when a great many or most part had not passed iii. or v. religious persons in them, and divers but one, who spent the substance of the goods of their houses in nursing vice and abominable living.\nNow what kindnesses and unnaturality may we impute to you and all our subjects (who are of that mind) who have allowed such an unthriftty sort of vicious persons to enjoy such possessions, profits, and emoluments, which grow from the said houses, for the maintenance of their unthrifty lives, rather than we, your natural prince, sovereign lord, and king, who have spent more on your defenses of our own, than they are worth.\n\nRegarding the act or deeds, we marvel what madness is in your brain, or upon what ground you would take authority upon yourself to cause us to break those laws and statutes, which by no means touch you, the base commons of our realm, seeing in no manner of things does it concern you.\nAlso the grounds of those uses were false, and never admitted by any law: But usurped upon the prince, contrary to all equity and justice, as it has been openly disputed and declared in Westminster Hall: whereby you may well perceive how mad and unreasonable your demands are, both in this and the rest, and how unfitting and dishonorable it is for us and for you in such rebellious sort to demand the same of your prince.\n\nAs to touching the fifteenth:\nYou demand that we be released, and you think that we are so weak-hearted that, if you were a greater number in one shore, you could compel us with your insurrections and rebellious behavior to remit the same? Or do you think that any man will or can take you to be true subjects, who first make a show of a loving grant, and then compel your sovereign lord and king to [blank]\n\nAs for touching the first fruits, we let you know that it is a thing granted to us by act of parliament also, for the support of part of the great and excessive charges which we support and bear for the maintenance of your welfare and other our subjects.\nAnd we have known also that you, our commons, have much complained in times past, that most of the good lands and possessions of the realm were in the hands of spiritual men; yet, bearing us in hand, that you be as loving subjects to us as may be: you cannot find in your hearts that your prince and sovereign lord should have any part of it; and yet it is nothing prejudicial to you, our commons, but to rebel and unlawfully rise against your prince, contrary to your duty of allegiance and God's commandment. Therefore, sirs, remember your folly and traitorous demenors, and shame not your native country of England, nor offend any more so grievously your undoubted king and natural prince, who always shows himself most loving to you: and remember your duty of allegiance, and that you are bound to obey us, your king, both by God's commandment and the law of nature.\nWherefore we charge you henceforth on the forementioned bonds and penalties, that you withdraw yourselves to your own houses, every man, and no more assemble contrary to our laws and your allegiances, and cause the provocateurs of you to this mischief to be delivered to our lieutenants' hands or ours, and you yourselves to submit yourselves to such condign punishment as we and our nobles shall think you worthy: For doubt you not else that we and our nobles can nor will suffer this injury at your hands unrevenged, if you give not place to us of sovereignty, and show yourselves as subjects and no more to interfere with the weighty affairs of the realm, the direction of which only pertains to us, your king, and such noble men and counsellors as we list to elect and choose to have the ordering of the same.\nAnd thus we pray to almighty God to give you grace to do your duties, to use yourselves towards us like true and faithful subjects, so that we may have cause to order you thereafter, and rather obeyingly to consent among yourselves, to deliver yourselves into the hands of our lieutenant C. persons, to be ordered according to their merits at our will and pleasure, than by your obstinacy and willfulness, to put yourselves, your lives, wives, children, lands, goods, and cattle, besides the indignation of God, in the total adventure of utter destruction and utter ruin by the force and violence of the sword.\n\nPrinted at London in the shops of Thomas Berthelet, Recii Impresoris.\nWith privilege.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}, {"content": "ANSWER: The kings' highnesses respond to the petitions of the rebels in Yorkshire.\nYear: MDXXXVI.\nFirstly, concerning the maintenance of the faith, the terms are so general that it would be very difficult to make a definite answer to the same. However, if they mean the faith of Christ, to which all Christian men are only bound, we declare and protest that we are the prince who intends and has always meant to live and die in the maintenance, defense, and observation of its purity. No man can or dares set foot by us in proving of the contrary. We are therefore much surprised that ignorant people would go about instructing and teaching us, who have been noted as learned, what the faith should be. Moreover, that they, being ignorant people, would presume to correct us in all things, or that they would be so ungrateful and unnatural towards us.\nTheir most rightful king and sovereign lord, without any of our desert, upon false reports or surmises, suspects us not, but gives rather credence to forged light tales than to the very truth by us these twenty-eight years used and approved.\n\nTo the second, which touches the maintenance of the church and the liberties of the same, we say, it is so general a proposition that without distinctions no man can well answer it. For first, the church, which they mean, must be known. Secondly, why those things, which they call liberties, and say they would maintain, are lawful and beneficial to the prince and commonwealth, or otherwise. And these known, we doubt not but they shall be answered according to God's laws equity and justice. Nevertheless, for all its generality, we dare affirm that meaning what church they please, we have done nothing that may not be endured.\nBoth by God's laws and man's laws: or, that which is prejudicial to the common wealth, if our proceedings may be indifferently weighed and considered. And in our own church of England, whereof we are the supreme head on earth, we have done nothing so burdensome and costly to them as many of our predecessors have done on fewer grounds. Did not King Edward the Third, of most noble memory our progenitor, suppress all the monasteries of one religion within this realm, and convert them holy to his own use, saving a certain number of the same, which he gave to his noble men and gentlemen, as we have at this time likewise done? Did not King Henry the Fifth suppress above one hundred monasteries, taking the great benefit of the same to his own proper use and behoof? And what act did he do within this realm, that could be noted to the profit of the common wealth of the same, other than the erection of Syon?\nAnd the house of the Charterhouse at Shene? King Henry VI did not seemingly suppress a good number of monasteries for the making of a college in Cambridge, yet only a few of them were converted for this use. And our grandmother, in like manner, for the building of two colleges in our university of Cambridge, procured the suppression of a great many houses of religion. Bishop Alcock, noted as a good man, procured the suppression of certain monasteries for the building of another college within the same university. The cardinal of York recently passed the suppression of thirty monasteries for the erection of a college in Oxford. How many bishops besides, such as those of Canterbury, Winchester, Rochester, Lincoln, &c., have procured the putting down of abbeys, for the building and endowment of various colleges, some of which they have made within various universities.\n and also for sundrie other purposes and fu\u0304\u2223dations? Wherfore sythens this article perteynith nothyng to any of our co\u0304mons, nor that they beare any thynge therin, we can not but recken a greate vnkyndenes and vnnaturalnes in theym, whiche had leauer a chorle or twayne shulde enioye those profites of their monasteryes, for the supportation and mayntenaunce of abhomynable lyfe, thanne that we their prince shuld receyue the same, to war\u2223des our extreme charges done and daily susteyned for their defence agaynst forayn ennemies.\n\u00b6 The thirde article toucheth thre thynges. The fyrst is the lawes: The second is the co\u0304mon welth:\nThe thirde the directours of the lawes vnder vs. Touchynge the lawes, as it becometh not blynde men to iudge any colours, ne to take vpon theym to be iudges in the same, so we dare expressely and boldly affirme, as a thynge that may be easily and duely proued, that there was neuer in any one of our predecessours dayes\nSo many commendable and beneficial acts have been made for the common wealth in our time, some of which had credit and doing in our affairs, that now would perhaps willingly thank them without desert: for the Lord forbade both we and our council from losing so much time as not to know now, after reigning for twenty-eight years, what a common wealth is, and what is against the good and commodity of the same. And although the folly and unkindness of some may not seem to know it: yet we trust and doubt not, but the most part of our loving subjects, especially those who are not deceived by false reports, think it, accept it, and find it so.\n\nNow concerning the common wealth, what king has kept his subjects in wealth and peace for so long without taking or doing wrong to one another?\nI have cleaned the text as follows:\n\nSo indifferently I ministered justice to all estates, high and low, so defended them from external enemies, so fortified the borders of my realm, to no small and in manner inestimable charges, and all for their wealths and securities. What king has given among his subjects more general or free pardons? What king has been less likely to punish his subjects, or shown more mercy among them? These things being so true, as no true man can deny them, it is an unnatural and unkind behaviour of you, our subjects, to believe or deny the contrary of it, by whose report so ever it should be set forth against us.\n\nAnd touching the beginning of our reign, where it is said that so many noble men were counsellors, we do not forget, who were then of our council. For of the temporalities, there were but two worthy to be called noble: the one the treasurer of England, the other the high steward of our household. Others, such as Lord Marney and Darcy, were mean-born gentlemen.\nThe following individuals were made knights and lords by the king, our father of noble memory, and us: The rest were lawyers and priests, except for the bishops of Canterbury and Winchester. If these are the great number of noble men referred to, and our subjects seemed contented at that time, why then are they not much more contented with us, who have so many nobles in deed, both by birth and condition, in our private council? For the temporal side, in our private council, we have the Duke of Norfolk, the Duke of Suffolk, the Marquis of Exeter, the Lord Steward (when he is present), the Earl of Oxford, The Earl of Sussex, the Lord Sandys, our Chamberlain, the Lord Admiral, treasurer of our house, Sir William Poulet Comptroller of our house, Sir William Kingston our vice-chamberlain, And of the spiritual side, the bishops of Canterbury, Winchester, and Hereford.\nand Chichester. To ensure that we have learned and are familiar with our laws and the policies and practices of the world, we, through the advice of our aforementioned privy council, elected and chose into our privy council, and also into their rooms, Sir Thomas Audeley, knight, our Chancellor, and the Lord Crumwell, keeper of our privy seal. We find it very strange that you, who are ignorant and inexperienced, should presume to appoint and limit those who are fit for our council and those who are not. Therefore, take note now, how these seditionists, who have wrongfully held you in their power, have falsely misled you. There were then more noble men in our privy council than there are now. However, due to our great clemency and princely goodness, we declare the truth.\nTo you our subjects from that error and blindness you have been trained and brought into, by false and untrue surmises and reports: we would again, that each of you know that it does not belong to any subject to presume to take upon himself, to appoint his king and sovereign lords' counsel, nor for our part will we take such a thing from any of our subjects' hands. Therefore, we would that from henceforth they should better remember the duties of good subjects towards their natural liege lord, and meddle not with these and such like things, as they have nothing to do with.\n\nTo the fourth article, where the commons name certain ones of our council as subverters both of God's law and the laws of the realm, we take and receive them as just and true executors both of God's laws and ours, as far as their commissions under us extend. And if any of our subjects can prove the contrary, we shall proceed against them and all other offenders therein.\nAccording to justice, as becoming to our state and royal dignity. And if it be but a false and untrue report, as we very think it is, then it is fitting and proper that they should have the same punishment, who wrongfully objected this to them, that they should have had, if they had deserved it. One thing among other causes us to think that this slander should be untrue, because it proceeds from that place which is both far distant from that where they inhabit, and also from those people who never heard them preach nor know any part of their conversation. Therefore we exhort you all our commons of those parties, to be no more so light of credence in the believing of evil things spoken of us your natural prince and sovereign lord, nor of any of our counsellors or prelates, but to think that your king, having ruled over you so long, has as good discretion to elect and choose his counsellors.\nby Thaduyse and his council, as those who have instigated this in your minds, and who are far more experienced in princely affairs than you, ignorant people are. Regarding the last article, and also the matter of the entire discourse of your petitions, we firmly believe that the rest of our common people, from various countries, will greatly disdain and not endure it, that you take upon yourselves the responsibility to govern us and them, and especially us, being your sovereign lord. And that you, being rebels, would make them bearers and partners of your misfortune, willing them to take pardon for insurrections, which we think and doubt not, they never intended, but as true subjects, have been ready at our call to defend both us and themselves.\n\nAs for our part, regarding your demands, we inform you that pardon for such things as you request is granted.\nBut only in the will and pleasure of your sovereign lord and prince do we lie. However, it seems by your lewd proclamations and safe conducts that among you are those who take upon themselves both the parts of kings and of counselors, neither admitted by us nor by the general consent of our realm to any such role. What arrogance is then in these wretches, being also of no experience, yet presuming to raise you, our subjects, without commission or authority, against us, under a cloaked color of your wealth, and as the succession and end will declare, if we should not be more merciful unto you than you have deserved, to your own utter confusions? Therefore, we command all our aforesaid subjects once again, that it was not our princely heart's intention to reckon this your shameful insurrection and most ingrate and unnatural rebellion to have been done out of malice or rancor, but rather by a lightness of credit given in manner, through a naughty nature, to a commonality.\nAnd a sudden resurrection of gentlemen, we must necessarily have executed another manner of punishment, than if you humbly acknowledge your fault and submit yourselves to our mercy, which we intend, as by our proclamations, we doubt not but you are informed. And now therefore note our benevolence, now consider how much we desire the preservation of you our subjects, and the avoidance of Christian bloodshed, and now consider, what harm you have in this little time done to yourselves, and learn by this gentle reform, to avoid a greater evil. Love honor and fear your prince and sovereign lord, who thus tends to you, and from henceforth live like true subjects to us, and believe no more such false and light tales.\n\nPrinted at London, in the shops of Thomas Berthelet, Reciever of the Queen's Impress.\nWith Privilege.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}, {"content": "The summary of Christianity gathered from almost all places of scripture, compiled by the noble and famous cleric FRANCIS LAMBERT of Auvergne. Translated and printed in English by TRISTRAM REVEL. Year of our Lord.\n\nDedication to the most virtuous Queen ANNE: An epistle of the translator.\n\nAuthor's epistle in place of a prologue to the most noble lord, Lord Sebastian prince of Lausanne. An answer to those things written in his epistle prefixed, his hundred paradoxes by Tregarius.\n\nTreatise on the following topics, divided into chapters:\n\nThe first chapter of the bliss of the world's past and its paradoxes (29).\nThe second chapter of the holy Church of God and the reproachable synge of Satan in canonizing and invoking Saints (31).\nThe third chapter of the communion of Saints, excommunication, and bulls of the sun.\nper\u2223dycyon\nand hathe Paradoxes .14.\n\u00b6 The fourthe Chapitre of true good workes and the lawe of grace, and the gospell, and vertues of the faythefull, and hathe Paradoxes .20.\n\u00b6 The fyfthe Chapitre of the preste\u2223hode of the faythefull, and true mini\u2223stres of the churche .i. byshopes and deacons, and hathe Paradoxes .38.\n\u00b6 The syxte Chapitre of punyshme\u0304t and deposi\u0304g false byshopes, and false apostles, and hathe Paradoxes .31.\n\u00b6The seuenthe Chapitre of the auc\u2223toryty and ministery of byshopes, and in what thynges they ought to be sub\u2223iecte to prynces, and rulers, & of sanc\u2223tuaryes, and hathe Paradoxes .27.\n\u00b6 The eyght Chapitre that byshop\u2223pes maye nat be prynces and lordes, and hathe Paradoxes .13.\n\u00b6 The nynthe Chapitre of abroga\u2223cyon of fyrste frutes tythes and offe\u2223rynges, and what the faythfull owe to theyr bysshoppes .i. ministers of the worde, also of those thinges that they owe to prynces and rulers, and hathe Paradoxes .28.\n\u00b6 The tenthe Chapitre of the table\nof the lorde and execrable costomes of the\nThe kingdom of Perdition is to be utterly extinct and brought down, and of Purgatory, and has Paradoxes .36.\n\nThe eleventh Chapter is of sects and beginnings, and has Paradoxes .18.\n\nThe twelfth Chapter is for those who judge doctrine, whether it is of God or not, and of wicked unities, and has Paradoxes .15.\n\nThe thirteenth Chapter is of the parts (as they call it) of penance and all that belongs there to, and has Paradoxes .85.\n\nThis term \"Paradox\" is a conclusion or position or question.\n\nTo the most gracious Queen ANNE, most dear wife, of our most dread sovereign lord, Henry VIII of England and of France, king, defender of the faith, and lord of Ireland, and under God, next, chief, and supreme head of the Church of England, your most bounden orator, Trystram Reuel wishes health, grace, and peace, and with all humility, giving laudes and praising.\n\nGrace, and peace, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, be with you most gracious Queen, most humbly.\nI. Introductory prayer to God:\n\"unto almighty God for your grace, even after the mind of St. Paul, Ephesians, I always in all my prayers for your grace, with gladness, because of the feeling which your grace has in the gospel, from the first day until now, and am surely certified, that he who has begun a good work in you, will also complete it, until the day of Jesus Christ, with the increase and establishment of his gospel, as yet but young and has many enemies, to whom the Lord send the day of his visitation, to his honor and glory, and your grace to persevere, with all diligence as your grace has begun to promote, further, and set forthe, God's word, upon the same zeal that St. John cried in the desert, 'make ready the way of the Lord; so that every man may be ruled by the last will, and testament of our eldest brother and Lord Jesus Christ, which is sufficient for us all to live according to, to everlasting health, to know God the Father to be God alone and who has sent Jesus Christ, without any\"\n\nCleaned Text:\n\"unto almighty God for your grace, even after the mind of St. Paul, Ephesians, I always in all my prayers for your grace, with gladness, because of the feeling which your grace has in the gospel, from the first day until now. I am certified that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it, until the day of Jesus Christ, with the increase and establishment of his gospel, as yet but young and having many enemies. May the Lord send the day of his visitation to his honor and glory, and grant you the perseverance with all diligence as your grace has begun to promote, further, and set forth God's word. Prepare the way of the Lord, so that every man may be ruled by the last will and testament of our eldest brother and Lord Jesus Christ, sufficient for us all to live according to, for everlasting health. To know God the Father to be God alone and who has sent Jesus Christ, without any\"\nother foreign or strange laws, he has strictly commanded his lawyers, bishops over the congregation or any other, neither to add nor diminish one jot, to or from his said last will, saying, \"I am your God, the God of Zelotes, one alone sufficient, thou shalt have no strange gods in my sight, neither turn to the right hand, nor the left. And now hear, Israel, the precepts and judgments which I teach you, that doing them, you may live, and going in, may possess the land that the Lord God of your fathers will give you. You shall add nothing to the word that I speak to you, Deuteronomy, nor take anything from it, keep the commandments of your lord God, and hold the kings' high way, the path of holy scripture, which is the word, besides whom there is none other. Furthermore, upon the same charge, he has ordered, instituted, and made executors for the performance of his said testament, that every man without respect of person should be equally received, and it.\"\nsundry wyse. Fyrst he hathe instytute,Mark 17. Math 16. Mark 10. Lu. 2. Hu. 1 3. Re\u00a6gum. Bysshoppes to teache hys people therin to lose, to bynde, to pro\u2223nau\u0304ce grace, and remissyon of synnes, gyuen thoroughe hys worde. More\u2223ouer he hathe put kynges, prynces, & rulers, i\u0304 theyr auctorytes, to punyshe, correcte and expulse from hys congre\u00a6gacyon, transgressours of hys lawes, and straungers, not sekynge to edefye but to kyl, which be callyd bloude sup\u2223pers,\nmen lyuynge after theyr owne braynes, and fantasies, not commynge in at the dore but another waye, set\u2223tynge forthe theyr owne lawes & tra\u2223dycyons, almost deceyuynge the very electe, as is wel knowen to the fayth\u2223full, with suppressyon and treadynge vnder fote,Math. 4. euen to this day, the lyght of euerlastyng veryte, the lyuely word of god. And for ye cause most chrysten Quene, that noble and famous clarke FRAVNCYS' LAMBERT Author of thys lytle treatyse, percey\u2223uynge both the exilynge of the gospel from chrysten me\u0304nes hartes, and also the ruyne, and\nA faithful champion has set forth the destruction of the faithfull, resembling a true champion, swiftly refuting the pestilent doctrine and acts of the kingdom of Perdition, the church of Antichrist, the sinners, the Pope, and his sects, in various works with great labors and study, primarily in this little book, clearly confuting the synagogue of Satan as a noble executor of his brothers' will, and by the same authority has described and set forth true ministers of God's most holy word. This book is to be read by all Christ's people, in which they may learn to walk in their calling, primarily bishops over the congregation. I, a young Christian brother, have taken it upon myself to translate this precious treasure, and offer it to your most noble grace roughly set forth, trusting that your grace will cause it to be elegantly and ornately translated by some of your discreet, wise, and well-learned men.\nClarkes humbly request your grace to take this rude endeavor, principally because I am very unaccustomed to such a thing and partly due to lack of time, pressed by poverty, the enemy of good manners, consequently my writing is very course and base, as yet far from the trade of a writer. I humbly beseech your grace to take these my first fruits, if they may be called fruits, even as Christ our master accepted the offering of the poor woman whose will was good, Mark 12: Lu. 21. And may the Holy Ghost preserve our said sovereign lord, and your most dear husband, your grace, and the Princess Elezabeth, Daughter and heir to both of you. And give to you the light of His mercy.\nWith God the Father, and the Son, be honor and glory forevermore. So be it.\n\nTo the noble and most gentle lord, Lord Sebastian of Moutfaucon, prince of Lausanne,\n\nFrancis Lambert, the unprofitable servant of Jesus Christ,\n\nGrace and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.\n\nNot many years have passed, most noble prince, since I should preach the pure and wholesome word of God at your city of Lausanne. I perceived, by many arguments, both the sober gentleness of your mind, and also the outrageous wickedness of certain flatterers and deceivers. For whenever you were present at my sermons, you most purely favored the word of God, and when you were constrained, with urgent business, to be absent (which was sometimes and other times), as you have informed me, many were busily attempting to alienate or distract you, as if to say, eagerly drawing you away from the word of God. Like fiery burning knights, affirming that I preached heresy.\nBut lastly, the mighty virtue has so compelled you that you have written many things for me. I gladly confess that for your sake I was gently entertained among the Bernese, Ligurians, Basilians, and Friburgians. Furthermore, at my departure from you, you urgently desired me to write to you frequently, which I promised to do in a convenient time. Therefore, I beg your pardon because I have not done so until now, not due to forgetfulness or negligence, but because I was often prevented, when I was about to do it, by other matters. The lastly, I would have answered the hundred paradoxes or questions of CONRADVS TREGARIVS, the Augustinian friar to you. In which he is very busy, not only trying to draw you away from Christ, but also the noble gentlemen of Helvetia. Although he boasts, with the pretense and zeal of the spirit of Christ, in the spirit of error and blindness. Indeed, he teaches nothing less than Christ.\nFor he labors greatly, to undermine the vineyard of the lord of companies, that is, the congregation or church of Christian people, even like a crafty or wily fox. But this fox, must be taken, I say, the little one, you who are without effectiveness or strength of spirit, so that others may be saved or confounded, put down. According to the spouse commanding in the Canticles, saying, take to us these foxes, these little foxes, that undermine the vineyards and the little eyes of the vines. Which words, how they should be understood, I have declared, in my exposition in the Canticles. Furthermore, what I was about, an answer, in response to the said paradoxes or conclusions, the dearly beloved and truly taught brethren of God VVLSGANGVS FABRI|CIVS Capito and MARTINE BVCER, two of the bishops of Argente, prevented me. And for that cause I left my purpose and took on hand, the recording or setting forth the commentaries (which I had begun) in certain places.\nI would caution you, as the prophets have done more diligently than necessary, to beware and take heed of wolves in sheep's clothing, who do not violently rape, sleep, and destroy in every place. I have also answered the epistle he wrote to you at the beginning of his book. I would defer writing to you about matters of greater gravity until a more convenient time, just as I would have answered the paradoxes or conclusions. Nor should you be surprised that I said there are many bishops in one city, for every city has as many bishops as it has true evangelists or preachers. Every preacher of the truth, I say of the truth, who does not preach decrees, inventions, dreams, laws, and counsels of men, but the most pure and simple word of God, is a true bishop, even if he is not called so by many.\nA church of God has no other bishops but these. Therefore, there is no pure minister of the word of God, there is no bishop, and without a doubt, we have been without bishops for a long time and for many years, in the most fearful judgment of God. Those who have been called bishops up to this day are nothing less than bishops, except they are called wicked, or bishops of the kingdom of Antichrist. A bishop is called by interpretation an overseer or watchman, and every man is a bishop of the thing that he most intends. But there is no man so blind that he does not perceive to what thing these bishops of the kingdom of Perdition intend. You and they glory in lying words, saying, \"He who does a thing, appears to do it by another.\" This rule is execrable and cursed before the Lord, in those things that pertain to the office of a bishop, whose highest point is the ministry of the only word of God, for they may commit to others the ministry.\nOf sacraments, because they are primarily sent to the ministry of the word. As Saint Paul writes of himself in the first epistle to the Corinthians, the first chapter, saying Christ sent not me to baptize but to preach the gospel more abundantly over these disorderly houses, neither should they have a substitute or anyone under them, except a pure evangelist, but their wretches, and most covetous merchants of gain, who seek nothing less than the glory of God, and the health of souls. I shall briefly treat with your highness, of those things which I copiously write upon, to the most noble Lord IOHAN Cardinal (as they call it), what the Pope, with his cardinals, archbishops, bishops, abbots, canons, and all other beneficed men, shall do, lest they perish, but may be saved. For truly, all their highnesses are of the devil. Let them therefore beware lest they be everlastingly confounded and perish. For bishops are only prophets of truth, and there should be so many bishops.\nas the multitude requires. I cannot call your highness a bishop except I flatter, and I should go against my conscience, which is to be avoided by the faithful, even as the venom of the serpent Aspis. I confess you to be a prince, I do not know you to be a bishop, because you do not preach the gospel. But it is not in every man to preach the gospel, for they must be sent to it by the Lord. And these are the true bishops of the church of God. Therefore diligently endeavor, yourself, that is, to be a preacher of the word of God, continually preaching the gospel, having knowledge of holy scripture, teaching the people with the only and pure word of God, attributing to God his due honor and praise, hospitable, or keeping hospitality, giving example of yourself to others to follow the gospel in living, most diligent in reading and expounding the scriptures, and yet he has none of all these qualities.\nI will allow every man to call you a bishop, which I will not do myself, lest I seem ambitious towards you. I well know that you are prince of Lausanne, and I would that you would act as a prince, diligently laboring to have many true bishops under you. For truly every parish ought to have its own bishop, who should be chosen by the people and confirmed by the community of the church of every place. And they have no need of letters, rings, seals, tokens, and such other things of this kind, which are used very much contrary to the word of God. They should be considered bishops as long as they preach the gospel most purely of the kingdom of God. From which, if they swerve one iota, and teach strange doctrine, they ought to be deposed and put out by whom they were elected and chosen, that is to say, by the community of the church aforenamed, and others more fit to be elected. But of this matter I have spoken more at length in another place.\nI will return to our topic of Tregarius. He wrote to you assuming you were Fabiane, yet you are Sebastiane, as the letters indicate, given to me by your own hands. In these letters, Tregarius goes about suppressing and subjugating the eternal truth of God under the name, as he has written, of the Lutheran sect, and under the guise of zeal towards the church, he railes most liciously into the truth, and that same church,\n\nbut if Luther, or any other speaks the truth and the truth of God, what is the cause that we do not give place to the truth, which the Holy Ghost makes open to us, by Luther? For I pray, is it not written of such men: you are not they that speak, but the spirit of your father that speaks in you? It is nothing savory, nor pleases at all, that some men speak and talk of the wisdom of God, which is found in Paul's epistles. They call it Paul's philosophy. I give place and believe the writings of Paul, Peter,\nI have removed unnecessary line breaks and formatting, and corrected some spelling errors. The text appears to be in Early Modern English, but it is largely readable without translation. I have made some minor corrections for clarity.\n\n\"I have known Ioah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other prophets not for themselves, but for the spirit of God which spoke in them. I have not learned from Luther, nor his writings, the things I have come to know by the gift of God, from holy scriptures. Yet I confess, I know Luther, and not a little have I prophesied through his company. I know him to be the apostle and angel of God, that is, sent by him. For it is impossible that he should be sent but from him, to have written those things which he has written, that is, the scriptures of truth, and even as it is not to be condemned that Paul wrote because he was a man, neither are Luther's writings to be condemned because he is a man. For it is not Luther, but God who has written and spoken in Luther. But this Tregarius, to obtain the favor of Antichrist, under the name of Luther, openly speaks against Christ and his power. He also resists the impure scriptures under that name.\"\nof God, all the prophets and his lovers, and call them defenders of sects, causing great troubles, replenishing the world with all unquietness. Philistines have vain and foolish armor, mockers and deceivers, and of this manner does rail against them with the most opprobrious crimes. Furthermore, he reproves them for vehement and wicked zeal and says that they have forgotten the saying of our Savior. Learn from me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and again, bless those who speak evil of you and pray for those who persecute you. But now look upon the craftiness of this fox, perhaps he is afraid, lest he should be put out and exiled from Antichrist's tyrannical provincial ship of his sect, & for that cause, he so fiercely defends his part, setting at naught the word of the Lord. Now, if he takes this for a sect, to love and teach the most pure word of God (which we doubt not of), we agree, and half this holy, necessary, eternal, and\nWe are inconquerable and belong to this sect, and before him and similar, we shall be of this eternal, heavenly, and divine sect, and it is necessary that we be tumultuous or bringers up of rumors against the execrable, cursed, and abominable sect of antichrist. For the word of the Lord bursts up carnal peace and raises the sword often in Himself, according to the saying of the Lord, \"I did not come to send peace, but a sword.\" Matthew 10:34 and it is written in Luke 2: \"That Christ is put in the fall (of the unfaithful) and in resurrection (of the faithful) and in a sign that shall be restored and spoken against (by the unfaithful), if we should teach worldly things, being carnal and hypocrites, they would not resist and rise against us as they do, but because we preach things contrary to the world, the world hates us and calls us.\ntumultuous and seductive fellows. You and before it, Christ himself was a sower of evil seeds, a slanderer with words, a seductive fellow, an heretic, a deceiver, a subverter of the people, and an evil doer. Furthermore, all who live meekly in Christ Jesus and count themselves so to do, suffer persecution of it. 2 Timothy 3. God commands us also concerning Tregarius and such other men of that sect, who without doubt belong to the abominable court of that purple whore of Babylon, mother of all fornication, in the eighteenth Chapter of the revelations of St. John. I John saying, Go from her, my people, and be not partakers of her sins, and receive not her plagues, for her damning sins have come to maturity, and the Lord has remembered her iniquities, rewarding her even as she rewarded you, and give her double according to her works. Pour out on her double what she poured out on you, and as much as she glorified herself and lived wantonly, so much pour out on her.\nThis wicked woman has brought us abomination, and so she has rowed. In the past, this wanton woman has filled us with her tyrannies, misinterpreting scripture under the most holy name of Christ. She has outraged us beyond what can be spoken, even against Christ himself. Truly, God will have us give her double in that cup - that is, a better punishment than that drunken whore. To wit, the spirit and truth of the letter openly reveal that these jugglers are antichrists, schismatics, heretics, children of destruction, and men of sin. Because we obey their teachings and give them credence, they label us as slanderers, filling the world with rumors and horrible crimes. But if I might pose this question to them, what error do we commit? I pray you do not resist with an indurated heart and speak against the truth. You.\nand that same truth itself names its enemies in every place: wolves, foxes, bears, lions, dogs, leopards, wild beasts, false prophets, pseudo apostles, rotten sedes, unfaithful, hypocrites, fools, cowards, not hearing the voice of their Lord God, a bare house, the malignant church, the synagogue of Satan, the generation of the Lord's fury, apostatical gentiles, having the front of the great whore, the fruit and generation of vipers, the counsel of the wicked, dragons, the kind of serpent Aspis, deaf and stopping their ears,\nthe enemies of the Lord, a wicked convent, the tabernacles of sins, the seat of Chanane, Egypt, & Sodom evil trees and unfruitful, mockers, who say to men, \"Will you not see / speak pleasant things to our ears? Take heed of our errors. Let holy Israel cease from our sight. The black tails of smoky bridges, idols, blind studiers, the generation of Cain, deceitful workmen, fellows of thieves.\neffeminate, desert children, false docteurs whose god is their belief, and glory in their confusion, tasters of earthly things, thieves of innocences, and witches, and do name those who resist, and speak against the doctrine of meekness, with such names of this kind which of us could ever attain to such a vehemence of speaking. In confusing the reputable, we might obtain one part of the pythie's rebuke found against them in holy scripture. And perhaps Tregarius will represent the Holy Ghost and say that he fills the world full of hatred and malice because such names are put in holy scripture, or at least say that these are contrary to Christ, when he says, \"Lerne of me .&c. And again, say well by them that say evil by you .&c. the which (as we have said) he did allege against us. But what is the cause, that he did not take heed, also of the word that follows, you? Of men that say evil by us, we must speak well, but not of\nthem that speak evil, by the Lord Jesus Christ, and the truth. We may not make lies, to speak well of any man. For (and a man might be bold with you) is this well said, to say that Master our teacher, the noble Doctor Tregarius, a good servant of Christ, and does well in suppressing the church and the word of God, for the synagogue of Antichrist and the lies of men. Or is it lawful for me to write, the reverend father in God, Provincial of the Augustinian friars, by the higher Germany, is a good orator, and can write very well, for the counsels of the Pope, his cardinals, and bishops, and with a noble profit openly declares that the synagogue of the Pope is the true church of God? Am not I rather bound to speak plainly according to the word of God, and say, this fox, this wolf, this false prophet is about to turn the people from the sermons of truth to the lies of Antichrist, and counsels to bring the prince of Lausanne and the noble gentlemen of Helvetia from God and His Christ.\nand would that they should always persevere and continue in the darkness of errors in which we have been drowned for so long a time, and have not one iota of scripture to confirm the things that he alleges in his lying, which he must necessarily fall for. For he can never withstand the mighty word of the Lord, whom he so sorely reproaches, against whom he shall be confounded, trodden down, and consumed. You and if there were, innumerable thousands of the prophets of Baal, with this Tre|garius, they shall be destroyed and fall from the side of the one who loves, & teach the pure word. One Elijah, one prophet of the Lord, shall overcome and destroy them all, although they would resist with plain battle, and cry and howl in their dens. But in case he thinks himself not worthy of this name, as to be called a fox or a wolf, let him do none of these aforementioned things. For we are compelled to it by the word of God. For all that belong to this sect are to be published, to the people of God.\nMay beware of them lest they deceive you. This blind guide, calling us Phrygians, wears vain and foolish armor. In this manner, this blasphemer railes and wanders about. I would to God he were not a blasphemer against the Spirit of God, and would not speak wittingly against his conscience. With what armor do we resist these enemies of Christ and His word? Is it not the eternal scriptures of God? And this juggler calls them vain and foolish. But what is the cause that he was not present at this last conflict or disputation at Argenteuil, where he might have surely disputed with the bishops of the same city? We gladly give ourselves to death if we are overcome and convicted. If he were convicted, he would sustain no danger at all. But he would not have the people know his lies, which would have been exposed in deed, if he had disputed. The simple people, have\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Middle English. No major OCR errors were detected, but there are some minor errors in spelling and punctuation that have been corrected to maintain the original meaning.)\nthe judgment of the spirit above all such proud bugs, whom we call Magistrates, because they love the word of God, which the others are about to suppress and trample down. For is it not written? Thou hast made me wise, over my enemies through thy commandments, for it is to me everlasting. I perceive, above all that teach me, because thy testimonies are my study. I understand above the old men, because I have searched, thy commandments. The hundred and eighteenth Psalm. Furthermore, from these sage and wise men, God hides his mysteries, which he vouchsafes to reveal and open to the young little ones. They know and perceive this literature, and therefore they do not enter into the lord's power, truly. These others, if admitted into the said powers, fear the severe judgment of God. For truly there is none, however learned he may be, who is admitted to the intelligence of the scriptures of God, but even he who attributes or gives nothing at all.\nThe science or wisdom of man is toward understanding the truth only. These men will not have the little flock of Christ judge His voice, and it pertains most to them. For they are not the sheep of Christ alone, and they are the most sure testimony to prove if the voice of the [men] is of God or not. Also, Psalm 18 and 118, and Isaiah 8, they called testimonies or witnesses. Let this Tregarius, with his sect, rage as much as they will and deny the word of the Lord, that is, that the company of the faithful is fit to judge the word. Without a doubt, he will soon slide down and fall, because he goes about it with a staff made of straw, of the shadow of Egypt, of the dreams of men. If God is with us, who is against us? Let not this heartless knight overboldly promise to himself the victory. I say again, he will fall and be confounded. We are not about this through ourselves, but through the stone, that is, our faith by Christ.\n\"You are required to subdue this lying and wickedness. He has his head, antichrist to whom he attributes and gives more than to Christ, and to whom he clings with all his heart, separating the verity and truth of Christ. Therefore we necessarily must hate him, according to the saying of David Psalm. 118. I have hated the wicked, and Psalm. 138. Did not I hate, Lord, those who hated you, and was moved over your enemies? I hated them with a perfect hatred, and they were made enemies to me. Therefore now in the meantime let him count us as mockers, because we are apostate from Antichrist, and curse him lest we should be apostate from Christ, and let him reproachfully speak against us whatever he will, for we glory in them before the Lord, from whose destruction his destruction is at hand, because that bare tree is not abashed, to count you sayers of truth as mockers, for no other thing but because they speak the truth itself is a mockery. This wicked man will not\"\nWe have overcome the truth, of which we take pride in the Lord being our conduit, for we ourselves in times past walked in the spirit of error, but now the truth of God has overcome us. By this God, who has delivered us, and daily delivers us, we pray that He will perfect the things He has begun in us. We will not be conducted by the decrees of men, by whom He is contradicted, and most shamefully misrepresented, as I well know. So in the things of God, let Him be confuted, by innumerable children and husbandmen, for it is to wit, that the most victorious word of God, which they love, is able to prevail against a hundred thousand such as Lregaryus is, if our armor is not injurious (as he denies them to be). Let him condescend or come forth and prove how injurious they are, but he wages war in horses and chariots, that is to say, with the subtlety of men. We wage war against you.\nname and word of our Lord, in which we despise him and all that wage war against us, he also says that the Church, is not so destitute, namely in this golden time, that she should not have her warriors. Truly, this might be a saying of a blind bird. How nobly does he know what the Church is, and who are her warriors? He supposes the Church to be that which counts the wise men of the world to be her soldiers, as if it were not written. I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and cast away the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wisdom, where is the scribe, where is the searcher of this world? Has not God made the wisdom of this world foolishness?\n\n1 Corinthians 1:26-29. These are not the soldiers of the Church of God, but the simple, pure, meek, who with all their hearts cleave to the word of God. Most high, of such as are of this kind, the front of the great war of our Church, which is peaceful, is ordered, which is called by the Hebrew term, \"the firstfruits.\"\nSchulamitis, not Sunamitis, is referred to in the sixth chapter of the Canticles, written as \"Return, Schulamit\" in English, and in the seventh chapter, \"What will you find in my beloved's house but companies of warriors?\" The term \"Schulamit\" means \"the synagogue of Antichrist,\" which is miserable, captive, stony, and indurate. We have this troublesome king. All whose souls, strong and the strongest, are always girded with the sharpest sword of the word of God, for nightly fears from Antichrist. According to this Trygarius, these souls are made most vigilant and wise for battles against Antichrist, whom God himself has made truly wise. The reproachful Egypt and Sudan, and Babylon, are not able to endure the slightest skirmish or let go, nor could they ever. This Trygarius says, \"... \"\nwe threaten greate thynges, but to whom, or do we threte\u0304 our selues, do not we rather open, and declare the thretenynges of the dread\u00a6ful power of god, the which we be cer\u2223tyfyed of, shall fall most greuous into the kyngedome of the sonne of perdy\u00a6cyon. he dothe also saye that in bryn\u2223gynge vp rumoures, and sclanders, we so perpetually be of one mynd, that no man doutethe of it, but we haue al one spirite, I make answere, that when we cal them wolues, beastes, antychristes we do not scla\u0304der the\u0304, but shewe forth what the spirite doth iudge of the\u0304, by the testymonye of scryptures but it is\nnot alonly, in this one thinge; that we be al of one mynde, for we do dyssente almost in nothyng, that ye same spirite of god doth teach vs in the sayd word he dyd prophesy as Cayphas dyd, ye euen agaynste his wyl, nat dylygently markyng yt we hade al one spirite al\u2223though he wolde yt his sainge shuldbe otherwayes vndersta\u0304ded. But nether be nor yet al his sinagoge, i\u0304 any thing be of one mynde, sauynge in thys that they\nHave all conjured against God, Christ, and His truth, for what do we see in them perpetual strife, of Thomists, Scotists, Occamists, of Nominalists, Realists, Summists, and such other of this kind, striving even contrary one to another. This is well known to have come not from the doctrine of Christ, which is the doctrine of meekness and unity, and they are also strange from His spirit. He furthermore says that we with a vain gloss of words, wrest and write the holy scriptures into our own sense, where we do subdue our sense by all means into the service of the scripture of God. Glory to be overcome by the truth as any man may openly perceive, it shall look upon our commentaries, and also we do affirm nothing that is not proven by the open testimony of the scripture. What is the cause therefore that he counts our expositions as vain, but that he is about with His craftiness to mock and have in derision all the scriptures of God. Woe to thee, thou blind one.\nIogeler, because you are not afraid to consider the testimony of God most high for vain and foolish reasons, consider whether you think the spirit of God is comparable to your double craftiness. You are like a fox, but you will soon be destroyed by the power of the same spirit. We will not cling to the counsel or fantasy of any man except it has the testimony of God's scriptures. In what do we err or what have we reproved at any time that agrees with God's scriptures, or what other things should we receive? We receive the writings of men that agree with the aforementioned scriptures, not for the sake of the men, but for the truth's sake. The word of truth ought to judge who should have written rightfully; if they deny that we have the truth, let them strengthen our proofs by the word of God. Tregaryus will do this, he makes the argument Pro and Contra, Primo, secundo, et tertio. We will hear this saying, the Lord speaks it, to whose least iota.\nWe give place to speaking rightly, but we openly curse the sophistries of Tregarius and his sect, not because we are ignorant of them, for we have labored ourselves in such sophistical knots, but because they are wicked and against the word of God, to treat the scriptures of faith with such contentious arguments. We do not deny (as he imputes to us) that the word of God may not be explained, but we would not have this explanation be of the sense of any man, though he be learned and holy, but of the sense of Christ, which is so when we explain scriptures. By scriptures, for as I have spoken in many books, it is impossible that any man should rightly explain scriptures of his own sense or brain. Besides this, Tregarius has added a blasphemy against the Lord, that he supposes there to be many gods, which belongs only to God himself, the highest and greatest, besides whom there is none.\nno more gods, for whoever is immutable and cannot err, as all saints have concupiscence as long as they live and say, as written in the first canonical epistle of John, Chapter 1, if we should say that we have no sin in us, we deceive ourselves, and truth is not in us, but for all that, they do not work iniquity or wickedness for sin does not reign in them, as is clearly declared in Romans 5 & 6. He is also afraid to be unmerciful to the elect, and in the meantime blasphemes the Lord. God has no need of our lies, nor of the saints' unrighteousness, which makes them saints, and praises their righteousness in Romans 3. For truly from thenceforth his justice appears more glorious, and he is manifestly declared to be just and true in his sermons when he is cruel over the wicked and the rebellion that does not observe his promises is judged, he makes himself write for the unrighteous.\nchurch of God, but only alleges the decrees of men. This crafty false prophet does it so that he undermines all principles of faith. I confess that he speaks many true things, chiefly in the beginning, but in the end he doubles his voice against the church and its councils, enabling him to more easily and surely pour out his poison. I said in the beginning that he is answered enough in response to his questions about the matters named. It grieves me greatly, most noble prince, to answer the folly of this deceiver. I would only give you warning, that you with great diligence should flee and avoid his poison and such others. You must do so if you wish to play the true prince. Or else it is impossible that you should be saved. I do this with great hope, remembering our old friendship. In times past, you did show favor upon me, and of your noble mind.\nyour good lordship, I will not anoint your head with the oil of a sinner. The burden is great that oppresses you, therefore take heed lest you perish under it. Take heed also, that you have under you true Christian people, and let Christ reign in them, for then you will chiefly play the true prince, when you chiefly give diligence. That the most pure word of God may be preached to you, banish from your lands all false prophets, wolves, and such manner of marauders, me included. I would that you should perfectly know that if your people perish, your soul shall be for theirs, but if it perishes through your cause, and if one perishes primarily, beware above all of all haughty men, for all they, except a few, have conspired against God and His Christ. But above all others, take heed of these, for they are to be feared by you. Those who glorify themselves wickedly with the title of observers are execrable to all Christians.\ntheir hypocrisy has led many, almost innumerable, to death. I pray God they may be expelled soon from the courts of all princes. And little by little, it is highly necessary that you extinct and put down the tyrannies of the kingdom of Antichrist - that is, these dishonorable practices of pardons, idolatry of saints that sleep, the official offices, cursed customs, and by no means to be permitted by Christ's followers. The outrageousness of sects, and all such other things. And then conceive in your mind, that you will have holy scriptures in your hands, and study them night and day, and the Holy Ghost will teach and inform you, by what means all things will be well ordered within your kingdom. For if you deny the word of God to the people, they ought not to obey you, for they are the sheep of Christ, they will be fed with the meat of his holy word. Therefore, all the people of the faithful may say to their princes and rulers: \"You are bound to make congregations for it, and say\"\nWe will hear the word of our Lord God, not the decrees and laws of the pope. We will not allow the people to deprive them of their kingdoms and lordships. The people are subject to princes and rulers, except for things against the word of God or the word of God not being preached. Give place to the truth, and God will increase you in all things and establish your kingdom. I was recently informed that a certain minister, a priest, disregarding the decree of Christ, preferring the commandment of God is married to a wife. For this, he is imprisoned by a certain tyrant with your consent, and they say that he is being persecuted to death. Take heed, that you do not consent to any man for your soul's sake, he has done a necessary thing, which God has commanded to all who cannot abstain, as I have copiously shown and proved in my book of matrimony. To you.\nmost Christian King of France, whom I published because of my own marriage, for I am married, although the synagogue of the son of Perdition was against it, for we must rather obey God than man. God has commanded matrimony to every man who cannot abstain. The pope prohibits it and makes hypocrites. To whom should we give place, not to God, the Lord did make no distinction between laypeople and clergy. The commandment applies to every man, of every state. If your highness believes the truth, take a wife, and by your example, you will destroy this cursed decree of Antichrist. For when he commanded chastity of living contrary to the word of God to the clergy, he multiplied all manner of lechery, and to speak the truth, this reproachable order springs from nothing but disgraceful spirits and doctrine of devils, as you may clearly perceive, the same judgment is of the prohibition of meats. It is written in the same place very clearly.\nI had no space nor time to write many things to you, therefore I have briefly answered the wicked Tregarius. I have put much good counsel in response, because this deceiver goes about falsely to instruct you, in the authority of the councils of the church with which we had frequent communication in your palace. I will also add to 385. Paradoxes or conclusions, concluding another thing than Tregarius has taught. I make myself ready to answer to them all, wherever it shall be, either in Germany or in France, or wherever they will, so long as they will hear me and not go about to put me to death unharshly. I will dispute the matter openly if it is held in France and will have no other judges but the most pure word of God, and all who judge sincerely according to it, because it is no other way lawful, in case they overcome me with the word of God and prove that I dissent from the truth in those things that I shall affirm. By the same word, let them order it.\nI as they think best, and if they are connected, I will not have them in danger of the least harm to their heads, but only let glory be given to the truth. I beseech your lordship to accept this treatise of Paradoxes or conclusions, compendiously concluding almost all that pertains to Christianity. Do not disdain my duty towards your highness. And perhaps God, the greatest, most high, will grant that I may soon put forth under your name something more excellent. Peace and grace, of our Lord Jesus Christ, and joy of the Holy Ghost be with your noble lordship and all your people. So be it.\n\nAbout Christ and his apostles, the same truth and veryness was diligently preached, which now is opened again with his gift and spirit. They preached the most pure word of God, with the same sincerity, that it was received and showed of God: not admixed with proud philosophy, hiding sophisms, dreams, decrees, etc.\n\"For it is impossible for any man to perceive the scriptures of God by carnal wisdom, as St. Paul says in his first epistle to the Corinthians, in the second chapter, 'God has made them open by his spirit, for the spirit searches all things, even the depths of God's secrets.' Verily, the only spirit of God is the most lawful interpreter of scriptures, and most surely judges the secrets of God. 1 Corinthians 2: 'No one knows the things of God except the spirit of God.' Whoever preaches and expounds the scriptures, not from this spirit, pours forth dreams and lies, for he is then carnal and cannot perceive that, as I have said, they are taken in spirit. 1 Corinthians 2: 'God has given to us, the most surest testimony of his.' \"\nThe spirit, that is to say, his scriptures, are known by whom righteously or not. Scripture is called a witness or testimony. Isaiah 8, and often in Psalm 118. And very often in the 118th Psalm.\n\nEvery exposition of any scripture place which disagrees, not with another place of the same scripture, is of the spirit of God, but if it disagrees in any way, it is not of the Holy Ghost, but comes from the lying and foolish sense of men. Psalm 115.\n\nLong after the apostles' days, Doctors began to expound, against their own nature and God's order which had opened them, the most spiritual scriptures of God, according to the wisdom of the flesh, and most vain philosophy. They mixed them daily with their reproachable subtleties and sophisms.\n\nIt came to pass that they were deprived of the equal judgment of God and true understanding of scriptures, and were blinded every day more than others, so that by the multitude of sophisms and sophistry.\ncarnal ignorance hid the light of everlasting wisdom and truth completely. Whereof, the most pure texts of scripture were forgotten, and inventors, feyners, and dreamers were received, as Chydyng, Sophesters, Scotystes, Thomystes, Occanystes, and such others.\n\nAfter that human wisdom and proud philosophy was admitted, to the exposure of scriptures of God, which is impossible for it, for it perverts the genuine and true sense of it, and we fall into the most rude and jejune confusion of blindness and errors, almost none walking except in lying. \n\nAlso not long after the apostles' time, unto these happy days, has been the very world of blindness and darkness, but now the night & darkness are gone, and the amiable day of truth and everlasting wisdom is at hand.\n\nIt is heresy to say, that to combat heretics, we needed sophistical subtleties or human philosophy. For truly, God is never known by them nor by us.\nby reason, no man may strive, for God's sake, because it is contrary to God. Furthermore, the wisdom of this world is destroyed, overcome, and reproved, by the only and most pure word of the cross. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2. And the chapter following, Paul does not come to the Corinthians in eloquence of speaking, or wisdom, but that he might open and show the testimony of Christ Jesus, and many things concerning this matter in the same place. They that believe by eloquence, such as phylosophy and similar words of human wisdom, teach Christ, will that our faith be in the wisdom of men, which at least is impossible for true faith, which is not but of the word of the cross and open showing of the spirit & power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-3. In all the ignorant time of error and darkness, we were heretics, sycophants, separated from Christ and his truth, and drowned in the most grievous errors which we could not perceive in ourselves.\nbycause ye alonly iudgement of the flesshe (that dothe neuer condempne it selfe, but is alway aboute to ordayne it, ye aboue god) was then receiued, & dyd please, and men dyd cleaue to it whiche god dothe hyghly abhorre. \u261e: \u2767: \u2663\n\u2767 The lyeng and reprouable sense, and iudgement of the flesshe, then rey\u00a6\nworde. was inuentyd the supercy\u00a6lyous, and proude state, of the pope, his cardynalles, and bysshopes, and what soeuer dothe perteyne to the a\u2223postatate kyngdome, as be the monas\u2223tycall sectes, indulgences of yeres & dayes from pena & culpa. &c\u0304. decrees, and rules of men, vsurpyng of rythes, fyrste frutes, and oblacyons, inquisi\u2223tours .i. {pro}tectoures of this heryticall iniquitie, promocyons of false deuy\u2223nes, scoles of decrees, and such other of thys kynde execreable feynynges of the dyuell, by the whiche vnto the tyme apoynted, that is, vnto the tyme that the iniquities of this kyngdome of the sonne of perdicyon was endyd, the same kyngdome was establysshed,\n \u2663 The surest and moste euident sygne that this\ngreate blyndenes hathe so longe endured, is that inue\u0304cions, tra\u2223dycyons, and decrees of men, were re\u2223gardid and setby, more than the moste holy lawe of god, and bycause ye pure textes and sense of the byble, were al\u2223moste clene extyncte and putte our of memory, besydes that in theyr exposi\u2223cyon, euery man dyd folowe the drea\u2223mes\nand feynynges of hys harte, and nat theyr true and germane sense, nat the marke of the euerlastynge spirite, and dyd glory with hys inuencyons, so that there was none that myght be acountyd any thynge worthe at all in mynistery of the worde, but such a ru\nthe iustyce of the flesshe, and of theyr sectes and of antychrystes nat sekyng the glorie of god, but theyr owne glo\u2223rie (they dyd all stryue for the pope, and the minorites for theyr Francys, Bonauenture, Scote, and Occam. &c agaynst Dominike, Thomas, and Ca\u2223priolus .&c\u0304. and so of other) slobelyes, deuouri\u0304g vp wydoes, & i\u0304noce\u0304t{is} how\u2223ses, ye all the substance of the worlde.\n \u2767 Another sure and euident token that this blyndnes\nThe third and manifest sign is abominable peace of the flesh, for the word of God brings the sword, and separates children from their parents, and friends from friends, whose lovers must necessarily suffer persecution. It is impossible that the word of the cross should be without a cross, and that it should not be spoken against for Christ's sake and those who belong to him, be put in sign of contradiction. Luke 2: because therefore the doctrine, which has continued so long, the decrees of Antichrist, pride, and all the apostasy of his kingdom, have been observed for so long a time.\nan execrable peace so that freely this man of sin with the tyrants of his kingdom, whatever they wished, scarcely any man withstanding, prepared change and destruction, contrary to the plain texts of scripture, by what means it is well known, this perilous blindness to have reigned by such continuance. : : : \u00b6 The four most evident signs are, that laws, licentious living, deceitful pomp, most proud ornaments, crowns, burdets, hats, masks, hypocritical chastity, diversity and superstition of sects, setting up of idols, chapels, colleges, phantasms. i.e. of high and monstrous places, lying bulls, stealing of tithes first fruits and offerings, usurping of kingdoms and lordships, sacrilege of masses, and all other means attending to the kingdom of Antichrist, clearly contrary to the immaculate word of God. : : : \u00b6 It was predestined, that the son of Perdition, the man of sin, the pope and his kingdom, whom the apostle 2 Thessalonians 2 did refer to.\nprophecy, to be revealed: before he should be known, he shall be hidden, and this will be the case for a long time and half a time, the last period of time when he thought to reign perpetually being cut short. When he falls, little by little, as revealed by the word of God, he would not have reigned so long if we had known who he was. Therefore, from the time he is truly revealed, by the mercy of God in the appointed time of God, which is in our blessed time, he begins to fall and is perished by the sword of the Lord's mouth, and he is daily tossed and plucked without hands.\n\nAnd for this reason, the Lord has opened with His word, first that the pope and all who belong to his kingdom are the children of Perdition. For there is no doubt that whoever is not an apostate and alienated from that kingdom is an apostate and alienated and a schismatic from Christ, whom they may both be called the children of Perdition and schismatics.\n\"deceiving others with their lies. Secondly, he has shown that they are men of sin, because all their affections, thoughts, and works are sinful. Additionally, their traditions and sins have increased sin above all estimation. There was never a man from the beginning of the world who has bound men's conscience as the pope and his tyrants, the cardinals and bishops with their reproachable counsels.\nThirdly, God has made manifest to us, that whoever has the primacy of the church of Satan, and is taken for the pope, is above all other the son of perdition, the man of sin and antichrist, who exalts himself above all that is called God or worshipped, so that he sits in the temple of God as God, and is taken by the faithful, who are the quick temples of God, for the vicar, of the high God.\"\n\nAfterward, God has manifestly shown to us, that the papacy, that is the kingdom of\nAnty\u2223christe, is the kyngedome of synne to be abhorryd and damnable, it is neces\u00a6sary for all that do attayne to it to be alyenat from it, and to cou\u0304te them for nothynge but as dregges, or castynge out of dyuelles, to attribute nothyng to them, to truste in nothing that they do, as in decrees, excominycacyons, pardons, pryuyleges, bulles, with su\u2223che other bagage. And the same of the pope, cardynalles, patriarkes, legates archebyshopes, falsebyshopes, chano\u00a6nes, and monkes, and so of all other.\n \u2767 we haue a sure knowledge, specy\u2223ally in .iiij. thynges that the doctryne whiche nowe is reuelyd, to vs of the lorde is the very and mere truthe, fyrst that the pure textes of the byble, the\ndeceyuable inue\u0304cions of men abiecte. be dylygently receyued, wryten, and preachyd. The seconde is, that al syn\u00a6cere preachers although they be per\u2223sonally seperate, nor one of them hea\u2223ryth nat another or rede his wryting{is} yet do they for the moste parte agree, but in case they dyssent for a tyme, in any thyng then the\nscriptures of God, diligently searched, they are appeased and contented. The third is, although many abuse the liberty of the gospel, yet those who receive this doctrine gently and meekly are meek, merciful, faithful, rejoicing in spirit, patient, very gentle, full of charity, procuring the glory of God without any superstitiousness or hypocrisy, fruitful in works of true good. The fourth is, that this doctrine is never resisted or spoken against, but by the children of perdition, carnal men, antichrists, and men of sin. Even as Simeon did prophesy of Christ in the 2nd chapter of Luke, saying, \"in that sign that shall be resisted and spoken against.\" Yet for all that they do not specifically name innocents and true preachers, it can never be but they shall be resisted and spoken against, for it is written, \"if they have persecuted me, they will persecute you.\" John 15:20 and again: \"all who will live gently in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.\" 2 Timothy.\nThe elect, who have gone before us in the miserable time of error and darkness, although they strayed from God's hidden judgment, yet, because they were chosen by Him from the beginning, they were acceptable to Him. For though He abhorred their sins, He immutably loved their persons. He, by the purity of their faith, has taken away all their sins and has not imputed them, for pure faith is imputed to righteousness. Romans 4. And in the 33rd Psalm, \"Blessed are those whose iniquities are pardoned and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin.\" If these elect were alive now, there is no doubt but they would give place to the truth.\n\nFor all that the elect often err (yet they all say, as is written in the 118th Psalm, \"I have wandered like a lost sheep\"), but for all that they were never brought into error, for they never consent to it, lest they perish in it, they always err in such a way that they say.\nMy heart is ready, my heart is ready, truly they are always ready if they were taught, to forsake all errors. Whoever counts himself partaker of the truth now revealed must confess, all have been in error. For jugglers in spirit, and doctrine of devils, have prevailed in these worlds of darkness, in the most horrible judgment of God. For so God had predestined before the beginning, that in them should be time and power of darkness of the kingdom of Antichrist. And although this was chiefly begun in that time, when the pope claimed and usurped the primacy of the world, and bishops not content with their call, but would be princes and rulers, yet in the apostles' time, the mystery of iniquity was wrought, in false apostles and false brethren, as you may see in 2 Thessalonians 2 and 1 John 4. They that can not take the mysteries of everlasting truth, but will perish perpetually, let them beware that they condemn them not. For who can condemn the things that he does not understand?\nPerceives not, and be without sin, let him humble himself before the Lord, and confess his ignorance. If he does this in truth, he shall obtain his desire for the mysteries of God, hidden from those who love carnal wisdom and trust in it, and open to the meek and mild. Matthew 21. Luke 10.\n\nThe church of God is the universality of all saints, and those who are predestined, who have been from the beginning of the world, and shall be to the end.\n\nEcclesia is a Greek word called in Latin, Congregatio in English, a congregation, company, or church.\n\nThey are saints who are translated from profane or worldly things to godly and spiritual things, and made holy and consecrated to God. That thing is called holy in scripture which is not common, but separate to God. So those things were called holy in past times which were offered in the temple of God, and then they were sanctified when they were offered, and so we pray, \"Let thy name be sanctified.\" That is, we pray, \"Sanctify thy name.\"\npray that your name, that is, your fame, may be known and believed by all men alone to excel all others and be counted as one who in truth is holy, good, just, mighty, everlasting, having no god like you in your majesty. Whatsoever is of faith is a holy and just thing, and he who works and lives in faith is a saint and righteous, and whatsoever is not of faith is profane and sin. Romans 14. And those who do such things are unjust, worldly, and unclean.\n\nHe lives and works with a sure trust in God's goodness, believing that he shall receive grace and that not by his own merit but by the merit of Christ and his high goodness.\n\nTo live and work in faith and to do it or in the name of the Lord, or for his glory, is taken as one thing in holy scripture.\n\nFaith is in every [thing].\nThe word of God, which is fulfilled by the merit of Christ and the worthiness of him who promises it, is not virtual, habitual, or enduring, as Sophists put it. But it is actual, true, whole, sincere, sanctifies, quickens, and justifies the believer. Abacus 2:1 - A just man lives by faith. And Romans 5: We are justified by faith. And again, Romans 3: and Galatians 2: Every man shall not be justified by works but by faith.\n\nAll true faithful are saints, and therefore Paul, writing to the faithful, calls them saints. Ephesians 1: Colossians 1:\n\nThe church of God is invisible and spiritual, as faith is. No man, except he has it by revelation, can surely define it for others, even if there are many signs. For it is written that the praise of him is in the congregation of his saints. Psalm 149:\n\nI do not say that those who are of the church of God are invisible, but\nThe church is called invisible, because it is not known by visible and corporeal things. For when the word of the Lord is preached most purely, it is never void without fruit, but works all things to which it is said, the Lord Esaias 55: wherefore wherever it is so preached, it is certain that there are some who are of the church of God, in whom it brings forth fruit, but we cannot specifically show one of them.\n\nThe pope, you with all his kingdom with him, cannot surely show one elect or saint, therefore they can neither canonize any nor an elect have no need, nor will at all acknowledge any other canonizer, besides him who ascribes them in the everlasting number of his saints, and book of them that live.\n\nTherefore all saints detest the canonizing of the pope, because it is nothing other than a folly of the devil, a multiplication of idols, deceiving of the world, a turning from the only Christ our true and sufficient mediator.\nFor all though God is to be praised in His saints (Psalm 115). Yet they are not our advocates, so we ought not to call upon them. For that man Jesus Christ is our advocate and a merciful one for our sins (1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 John 1:2). The holy mother of God and all saints abhor and hate, above what can be spoken, vows and pilgrimages to their sepulchres, and buying of chapels and idols, and such other things of this kind. Because by these, the people are turned from sincere trust in God and His Christ, of all marvels and wonders. The pope and others with him, who canonize and usurp what is proper to the only God, to ascribe and number, His elect. To affirm that the pope or any other men may canonize the elect of God is heresy, because it disagrees with holy scripture. Only the elect, whom God has ascribed in eternity and numbered among His saints, are of His.\nFor any man to be of the church, belief alone is necessary, not condition, age, nation, color, clothing, or any other outward thing profits. Galatians 3: Colossians 3. But sincere faithful people admit no outward thing that does not agree with the word of God. Therefore, it is here evident to affirm that the pope, cardinals, bishops, with all his kingdom, are not of the church of God, which is meek, all pure and holy. Furthermore (as I have said), it is impossible. It may not be known surely by outward things though it has always the external works of faith. For it does everything of faith, whether it eats, drinks, or any other thing. But that it does this of faith, there is none but God, and He being the worker sees.\n\nPeople who belong to the congregation of the wicked have often appeared appealingly good and very often seem to the elect to be more holy for it. In truth, God alone knows.\nknoweth that all theyr workes be euyll bycause they be nat of faythe.\n\u00b6Therfore of faythe / and infidelyte / good workes and euyll iuste / and in\u2223iuste / do come.\n\u00b6who so euer lyueth nat and worketh of this forsayde faythe / is of the com\u2223pany / and synagoge that is spoken of Psalmo. 23. I haue hatyd the churche malygnant / and. Apocalip. 2. I knowe theyr blasphemyes that saye they be Iues / and be nat / but be the synagoge of satane. and agayne. capitulo. 3. be\u2223holde I shall gyue of the synagoge of satane that say they be Iues & be nat.\n\u00b6 Of this kynde / is the hole churche of the pope / it is so muche lesse that it shulde be / of the ympollutyd churche of god.\n\u00b6 All that be of the synagoge / of the pope wyl be callyd ecclesiastycall / and there is no lye more open the\u0304 this. If thou do referre this name to the chur\u00a6che of god / in a respecte they may be alonly callyd ecclesiasty call or spiri\u2223tuall to the churche of the deuyll.\n\u00b6 Therfore bycause / the kyngedome of the pope / hathe nothyng comen / with the\nThe church of God, those who belong to Him are the children of His world, sincerely faithful in their living and working, and dissent from the papal kingdom, whether they are noblemen or merchants, artisans, or husbandmen. These schismatics have caused the most poisonous injury and wrong to us because they call us secular and carnal or temporal, and they command themselves to be called ecclesiastical and spiritual.\n\nAnyone who is of the church of God is ecclesiastical and spiritual, and does all things of faith, which are spiritual.\n\nThe synagogue of the pope is more adversarial to Christ than the Turk, for the emperor of the Turks suffers the faithful to live according to the pure word of God in his lands, whom these blind enemies of meekness do not cease to reclaim against in the midst of their blindness.\nwere better for faithful people to live under the empire of the Turk, than the pope. Truly, it is lawful for faithful people to live under any prince, so long as Christ and his word are freely suffered, as it was lawful for the Israelites to live under Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes, the Romans, the Assyrians, and others. From this synagogue, none may pass to the church of God except he first forsakes the pope and his decrees. He is the very great and true antichrist, and all the tyrants of his kingdom, i.e., cardinals and bishops, and those who do not dissent from him are also antichrists. Even as it was necessary for the blessed angels, for their eternal health, to dissent from the first apostate angel, so it is necessary for all who would be saved to be alienated from the pope and his kingdom, or they shall never truly know Christ and cleave to his truth, with full heart. Therefore they must necessarily perish.\nAll that belong to the church of God have communion with one another of one faith, one spirit, one grace, truth, justice, peace, baptism, and of all gifts of the Spirit. Only by faith do those who believe partake of these. For all the works of God are in faith. Because the kingdom of the pope lives not in faith, it can have none of these to give to others. It is heresy to affirm that by the cursed indulgences of the kingdom of the pope, the grace of God or remission of all sins or of the third or fourth or half part or of one only sin is granted. And the grace of God, which is given only by faith, forgives all sins and not imputed. Therefore not one or some part of sin is remitted, but all together or none. For he alone is blessed whose iniquities are forgiven and covered, and not imputed. Psalm 31: so.\nIf one sin is retained, yet the other remains hatred and cursing. Bulles, Iubylyes, and all papal pardons of the kingdom of the pope are nothing but deceitfulness, dishonestly judging, sure nets, to draw all the substance of the world, cursed merchandise, feeding of the enemies of God, an abominable inducement, turning from the sincere faith of Christ alone, profitable only to destroy souls, and a shameful synagogue of Satan. Whoever trusts in these false bulles and does not perceive that they are destructive, he is blind and shall never obtain the grace of God by them or remission of one sin, whatever he does or gives therefore. Only God receives the elect of faith, to the aforementioned glory and communion of saints, from whom He alone makes infidels strange. Therefore, no man living, neither popes nor their bishops nor all angels and men together, can deprive any man of the communion of the faithful or lawfully denounce him for such one.\nIt is first necessary, according to scripture, for him to be removed by the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:13)\n\nEvery church of the faithful, and whoever bears rule, be it kings, princes, and officers, should, when there is cause, deprive their subjects of the outward company of the faithful. The reasons for which many are deprived of this outward communion are adultery, fornication, theft, cursing, covetousness, cruelty, excess, and drunkenness, which are reproaches to the church of God (1 Corinthians 5:11-12).\n\nNo congregation of the faithful may lawfully fear or receive the abominable customs, interdictions, or decrees of the papal kingdom, for they can harm no one in any way.\n\nIn case any man, for things contrary to the word, (2 John 10-11)\nAll though we are justified only by faith, yet works are necessary. Faith is never without good works, for it has its effectiveness through love. True good works are whatever is done in faith, whether it is eating, drinking, sleeping, as long as there is no excess. What things are not prohibited by God's word, may be done in faith, and what is not of faith is wicked, though it may appear outwardly just, and holy. Romans 4. A faithful person has no need of decrees and traditions of men. These are doctrines, laws, and traditions of men that do not agree with the scriptures of God, or else they support them, for the doctrine of man is lying, because man is deceitful. Psalm 115.\nThe word of the Lord is very true. Psalm 118.\nThe law of God is sufficient for the faithful, whose spirit is written in their hearts. Isaiah 51 and Jeremiah 31. And their scriptures are the most surpassing witnesses of the Lord. Psalm 18 & 118. And the Spirit writes in them the gospel of peace, and everlasting health, which is nothing but the assurance of the grace of God and the remission of sin, by faith in Christ and His truth. For the gospel is glad and good tidings. \u261e : \u2767 : \u2663\nFor the same Spirit teaches them all truth. John 16. And He is the guide of them in all things. \u2767\n\u2663 It is heresy to say that the scriptures of God are superfluous. For they are necessary,\n& that we may be sure if those things that are in our hearts are of God or not, for by what reason (as I have said) should we be more sure, of the scriptures of God, which are His testimonies. \u2767:\u2767\nAnd though we had\n\nCleaned Text: The word of the Lord is very true (Psalm 118). The law of God is sufficient for the faithful, whose spirit is written in their hearts (Isaiah 51 and Jeremiah 31). And their scriptures are the most surpassing witnesses of the Lord (Psalm 18 & 118). The Spirit writes in them the gospel of peace and everlasting health, which is the assurance of God's grace and the remission of sin by faith in Christ and His truth (for the gospel is glad and good tidings, John 16). It is heresy to say that the scriptures of God are superfluous, for they are necessary to ensure that we are certain if the things in our hearts are of God or not, by what reason should we be more sure of God's scriptures, which are His testimonies. And though we had.\nEvery sermon of the Word of God and all scripture is unprofitable and in vain, except it be written in our hearts by the holy spirit. Which scripture of the spirit is the quick voice of God. Therefore, it is heresy to affirm that there is any other quick voice of God necessary besides this and to suppress His marvelous testimonies. Psalm 118: as many false prophets do nowadays. Therefore, the testimonies of God must be preached, and it is necessary to be conversant in them with all diligence, whosoever truly is verily blessed. Psalm 1: and Psalm 118. But the fruit of that preaching and conversation must be looked for from the holy ghost.\n\nThe principal use of those scriptures of God is that we may search in them the testimonies of His godly will. The fruit of them is, that we may be justified, that is, we may obtain the grace of God.\nThe grace of God is not merely that which Sophists call Habitus, but the favor and benevolence of God, making us free when we believe Him and He grants us His grace, which is natural to Him. Only by the merit of Christ, whom we believe in and doubt not His words, do we receive this grace. In John, the first chapter.\n\nFaithful received into the grace of God by Christ have together with Him that justice which contains all perfection. Of which is spoken: Psalm 71. Justice and abundance of peace shall spring in his days. And Psalm 84. Mercy and truth have met him with peace, and justice has kissed him. Also of this is spoken: Isaiah 53. In his justice, he shall justify many of my servants.\n\nBecause the faithful have all things in Christ, it is superfluous, curious, and damable for the faithful to search for so many kinds and offices of virtues, as false Deities do.\nfor those who intend such things, be curious, for they put so many particulars that it is impossible to remember all, as you may clearly see in the Sulces of Thomas.\nRead what God commands, and be frequently conversant in his scriptures, and you shall be full of virtues, though you never know so many names and offices as they put.\nBy the priesthood of Christ and the ministers of his church, the priesthood of Aaron and the ministries of his deacons are abolished and put down.\n: Christ alone is the true bishop, and priest of the church (Psalm 109, Hebrews 5 and 9). full of grace and truth.\n: As many as believe in him are made partakers of his plentifulness. (John 1) and of his anointing, that is of the Holy Ghost. Psalm 44: \"O God (the Son), my God, the Father has anointed you with the oil of gladness (the Spirit making glad) above your companions. It is other faithful ones who are partakers of your plentifulness.\"\n: All faithful of both kinds are consecrated into priests by him, as Peter.\nYou are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood. Apocalypse 5: you have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth. I do not call them our fellow priests by the Greek word presbyters, but sacerdotes, which we call priests because presbyter is a Greek word signifying an elder, and is proper to the higher ministers of the church, such as bishops or preachers of the word of God. Sacerdos, which we call a priest, is he who is consecrated to God by faith. Every true shepherd, that is, every true minister of the word, is a priest, but not every priest is a shepherd or a minister. The pope with all his bishops, and the whole world together, cannot make one priest of the church of God, for it is God's office alone which sanctifies His elect in faith and consecrates them as priests for Himself. The priesthood of the kingdom of the pope was invented by men without the testimony of the word of God, and came into being by [unknown].\nPrestes of that kingdom cannot be priests of the kingdom of Christ unless they first forsake the priesthood of the pope. They shall not trust or attribute anything to him, although they admit many things for the infirmity of others.\n\nIn place of ministers of the law, such as priests and levites, there are only two kinds of ministers under the gospel: bishops and deacons.\n\nEvery sincere minister of God's word is called by these names in scripture: first, an overseer. Ezekiel 3:4. Secondly, a prophet. 1 Corinthians 14:30. Thirdly, an evangelist of the gospel that he preaches. Isaiah 41:1. I will give Jerusalem an evangelist. Ephesians 4:11. Other truly evangelists, and it is said, \"Do the work of an evangelist\" and Acts 21:8. Therefore, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are not only evangelists but all true preachers of the scriptures of God. Fourthly, ecclesiastical, i.e., apostles.\nThe church is a congregation. Therefore, he who rules it with the word is called a preacher. A seniour or elder rules well and is worthy of double honor. Against the elder, a bishop is sixthly an overseer. A bishop must be humble, and to Titus, a bishop must be blameless. Acts 10: You are holy Spirit-given bishops and apostles, for an apostle is a messenger and sent one, and the office of a bishop and apostle is one. Acts 1: Someone must be desired into this mystery and office of an apostle, from which Judas was excluded. He cited this place of David and another will possess it.\n\nYou may gather therefore, neither the pope, nor bishops, nor tyrants of his kingdom have any of these aforementioned titles \u2013 they are not overseers, prophets, evangelists, preachers, seniors, or bishops of the church of God.\napostles, except you. Join this term false to every one of them.\n\nCities and towns, which have no pastor preaching the most pure word of God, have no bishop, priest, or evangelist of Jesus Christ.\n\nIn many cities, all that belong to the reproachful synagogue of Antichrist, perceiving that the immaculate word of God sets forth their abomination, they hate them so much and fear lest any true minister of the word should be heard by the people, that as soon as one comes, before he can open his mouth, they go about to stop him. I have proved this to myself often, especially in the noble city of Wetans, in which God has delivered me often from the hands of Antichrist's seeking my soul.\n\nThere was in that city, at that time, a holy bishop of God, now a blessed martyr and witness of Christ, Saint John Castellani. Whom for the testimony of truth, the apostate kingdom of the son of Perdition violently hated, when they could not harm him in any other way.\nThey brought about his departure from the city by treason. He was imprisoned before the ninth month, as Anthony Abbot, with a false prosecutor and many false Pharisees, were planning to bring him to that pass, that he should deny Christ and his faith. But the holy champion of God remained unyielding and was never overcome. The Lord confirmed his courage with His spirit, and they were dismayed. The twelfth day of January, Anno 1525, at a town called Lothringen, John rejoicing and being glad in the Lord, not warned beforehand, was led to execution. When he would not recant into the faith of Antichrist, they made him a glorious martyr of Christ with most cruel tortures of fire, which they sought in vain to extinguish. They crowned him with an indescribable crown of glory, even against their wills. If it were lawful to call upon saints, he would be named no less than one of them.\nPeter or Paul and other apostles, but there is one advocate and our mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. I have presented this paradox so that we may glorify this saint John in the Lord and the Lord in him, and so that his burners and butchers may see their faults and most grievous crime, and may amend lest they perish. Lord Jesus Christ, make them of Sauls, Pauls, that is, of the enemies of Christ and his truth, his friends, and of persecutors, defenders, and his preachers.\n\nThere is no true bishop of the church of Jesus Christ, but a pure and evangelical preacher. For other proud blown pompous popes' bugges in the kingdom of the pope are nothing less than bishops.\n\nIn every city, town, and village, there ought to be many bishops, that is, evangelists or preachers, according to the quantity of places and multitude of people.\n\nIf many perishes are so great that one bishop is not sufficient for them, let them be divided, and to each part, a bishop be assigned. These two conclusions.\nI have expounded in my exposition of the rule of the Minorites. Chapter 15.\nIt is necessary for bishops to be chosen by God / and I have proved this in the same. Chapter 15 of the same exposition is about this in the book of calling.\nIt is the most grievous crime / and cannot be endured / that many children of perdition deprive the people of God of their right / and just title, that is, to choose them a pastor / for he should be chosen by them / who is ordained for them to rule with the word.\nOf the congregation of the faithful, he is to be taken as a true bishop and messenger of God / whomsoever he may send / although this sending may be by the lot of the faithful openly done / as in the Acts of the Apostles 1. As I have declared in my aforementioned book of calling.\nThe council of every place ought to give heed and watch / if those chosen to the episcopacy are suitable for the same ministry of every parish of the faithful / which belong to princes.\nAnd if there happens to be elected\nunprofitable,\nIf a person is unlearned, or strange in name, or offends the congregation of God through hymnery or any other crime, or refuses to acknowledge holy matrimony, or has an unchaste wife, or has children disputing with the clergy, the election must be revoked from them. The electors should turn to the congregation and call a bishop who is mighty in works of mercy and the word. \u2767 \u2767 \u2767\n\nIf the church disagrees in the election of a bishop, or rulers and princes, with the church, and do not seek the counsel of the Lord regarding true bishops, nor find one clear passage in scripture as to what they should do, they should follow the example of the apostles' faithful prayer and cast lots. And whatever chance be determined by lot, they are bound to receive, for it is written, \"Lottes are cast into the bosom and tempered by the Lord, Proverbs 16 and Chapter 18. Lottes put away contradiction and judge great men, and more on this matter in my book.\"\nAll canons of the world cannot lawfully choose one bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ. Kings and princes and other great nobles ought to choose many learned men in the word of God, who should be bishops in their courts, and should teach their courtiers often the most pure word of God. If one, or two, or more houses of the faithful perceive that they have not faithful bishops sufficed to them, or the people of the parish will not choose worthy men, they may privately take themselves appropriate bishop or pastor. Those alone should be chosen bishops who are such as Paul describes in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. That is, they must be irreproachable without fault in keeping hospitality, gentle, sober, just, meek, holy, husbands of one wife, having children who are obedient with all chastity, who are not proud, covetous, drunkards, angry, contentious, but hospitable, able in word and manner.\nTo order the church of God, and their wives must be chaste, honest, sober, and faithful in all things. If any of the citizens or nobles are such a one, he may be chosen bishop of the congregation, notwithstanding all the decrees of the apostate kingdom's domain. It is heresy and folly to affirm that the aforementioned text of the apostle, concerning the wife and children, is otherwise understood (as the enemies of meekness do say), that they refer to a lawful wife and children naturally begotten in marriage. Therefore, married men may be made bishops and preach openly the word of God. And according to the pure text of the apostle, there ought none to be chosen bishop of the congregation except he be married or has been or will be. And for that cause, God would that all, except a few prophets, apostles, and bishops, should be married and should be to this day, that there be no suspicion of whoring or uncleanness, and that they might more safely be conversant with.\nThey ought to be partakers of holy matrimony and should preach the high mysteries of it, which are in Christ and the church. For what are all the scriptures of God but sermons of His mysteries and His church? Those who have been chosen as bishops may lawfully depose them. A just cause for deposing the same is unsincere preaching of the word of God, that is, if they mix laws, decrees, and traditions of men with God's ordinance. Deacons of the church are those whom the faithful choose to gather and distribute to the poor the alms of the faithful. Many cities of Germany now make coming boxes for it. Such were the seven deacons elected and instituted by the apostles at Jerusalem, of whom Stephen the Martyr was one. Men of good witness, faith, and marriage must be chosen as deacons. If they are poor, they should be sustained with the common alms by the decree of the church. (1 Timothy 3:8-12)\nThe church has no ministers besides bishops and deacons for bishops, priests, deacons, subdeacons, and others of the pope's kingdom. These deacons are ordained without the testimony of God's word. All prophecy and scripture of God is profitable when it is sincerely taught and handled. 1 Timothy 3. It is an opening of the spirit of truth, to the health of the faithful. 1 Corinthians 12.\n\nFor it is the word of God's wisdom, more precious than gold and silver, and to whom all that can be desired may not be compared Proverbs 3. Nor precious stones may be assimilated to it, and all treasure is counted but as clay in its sight. Wisdom 1.\n\nProfane doctrine and strange things from God do not profit, but always lead to the greater wickedness, and it corrupts, creeps, and consumes, even as the disease of canker. 2 Timothy 2. For it quickly corrupts all the doctrine 1 Corinthians 5. and Galatians 5. and evil communion deceives and corrupts.\nSuche wicked sermons and contrary to truth are taught and loved only by those who are corrupted in mind. 1 Timothy 6:1, 2 Timothy 3.\nIf he ought to be removed from among the faithful, neither is it lawful to accompany him who is called a brother, the faithful one, who with his sin offends the congregation of God. Much less he who with his wicked teaching turns the people away from Christ. An heretic after the third monition, rejecting the truth, is to be fled as a banished man (Titus 3).\nAnd he who does not bring the pure word of God is not to be received into your house, nor ought you to salute him as one who salutes him, for he who salutes him consents to his evil deeds. 2 John canonical.\nFurthermore, as every good man of the house ought to rule his house, so kings, princes, and rulers their lands' subjects to them. Therefore, even as good men of the houses ought to put such as false prophets and heretics from their houses and punish them, not: \n\n(Note: The colons and arrows at the beginning and end of some lines are likely formatting symbols and can be ignored during text cleaning.)\nBringing the doctrine of Christ, kings, princes, and rulers are bound to this, lest their proper houses be deceived and turned strange from Christ. Also, for the health of their subjects. (Deut. 15) The Lord commands the slaying of false prophets and dream interpreters, who turn His people away from Him.\n\nIf offenses must be taken from among the Lord's people, those most significantly to be taken away are those who destroy souls through false preaching.\n\nAll preaching of the kingdom of the pope is deceitful and filled with lies, therefore it must be fled as the incurable poison of Aspis. Also, all preachers of the same kingdom because they are false prophets and false apostles, not born and sent by God, but of flesh and blood.\n\nTherefore, this primarily of all.\nthem that rule should be looked upon as true bishops - that is, true evangelists - governing well the people subject to them in the same word. Let them expel false bishops - that is, false prophets - from their lands after the third monition, except they amend. And if they claim to have the word of God and the quick voice of God, as some say, let them be suffered to do what they will until they are proved by those who have the purest word, if it is of God or not. Let all princes banish them, and so deal with false prophets who spring up daily. For whoever, of right mind, would deny kings, princes, and rulers the duty to seek peace and health for their people, and to expel from them all that alienates them from God. And I doubt not that it is lawful for them, according to the aforementioned chapter Deuteronomy 13, which is repeated nowhere, to kill them when they perceive that they turn away from God.\npeople from the immaculate scriptures of God, to the sacrilegious decrees of the kingdom of the pope, and other inventions of men, for they have the sword. But I do not affirm this to be necessary for Christian princes, that although, as I have said, they should be separate and expelled from the congregation, undoubtedly it is necessary, or else the guilty men of so many souls as have been deceived by these prophets of antichrist would perish. I rather counsel and would always that they should be banished than slain, for they may repent.\n\nIn response to those who worship the pope being counted as mere gentiles, and therefore allowing them to have their doctors and prophets, we answer that it is not reasonable. For they will be taken for the faithful of Christ, and the others will not. Furthermore.\nThey must adhere to one doctrine of the faithful, the most pure word of God. Therefore, those who belong to the kingdom of the pope, if they wish to be saved, must cling to the simple word of God, and reject the enticements of men set apart. It is not true (as some claim) that it is lawful to consort with brethren who are reproached by the church and are false prophets, as if with true gentiles. You can see this from the scriptures cited. Those who attain to the kingdom of the pope will be taken for brethren in faith, and their false apostles for evangelists of Christ. Under the cloak of Christ and His most holy word, they deceive and craftily strive against both Christ and His word. They must be shunned by all the faithful, and by princes and rulers exterminated, lest they preach or affirm such things and the company of the faithful be taken away and banished. It is not material that some say:\nA man shall not be constrained to faith, for this is only understood of those who profess themselves strangers from Christ. The others will be considered faithful. It is irrelevant that some say they should be compelled to hypocrisy. They are not excommunicated or confounded to the point of being made hypocrites, but those who are confounded by hypocrites may be made true Christians. If they remain in hypocrisy, it will be imputed to them.\n\nPaul did sin when he commanded a certain man to be excommunicated and taken from the midst of the faithful. 1 Corinthians 5. If he had not been converted but into hypocrisy, it could have been said that Paul and the company of the Corinthians had compelled him to hypocrisy. Therefore, every man ought to banish from his house and princes from their lands false apostles unwilling to amend, lest Christ be taught differently and His word be believed to be diverse, whereof Christ may be divided among His people and by this.\n\"Therefore it is necessary for bishops and the faithful people to desire their princes and rulers to be careful among them all, and to expel false prophets from their lands, so that the pure word of God may be taught in every place. And if those who rule are enemies of truth and will not hear the word, suffering them to be deceived, except they amend, they shall perish. And if they can be saved, let them hear the word of the Lord most diligently and let them pray the Lord that He will vouchsafe to enlighten them with His spirit. For then, praying in faith, God will make His truth known to them. It is damnable that many say they will follow the manners and faith of their predecessors, for this sacrilegious saying perishes many. As I have spoken in the book of the causes of blindness. &c. I in the prologue.\"\nwycked prynces and ru\u2223lers that for the decrees of antychrist denye the veryte of Christe, and do en\u00a6prysone, {per}secute, and slee hys louers. Verely they are madder and worse the\u0304 Nero or Dioclesiane, and al other tyrannes. For they dyd persecute and denye that they knewe nat. Verely these blynder then blyndnes it selfe. Call them selues Christes seruauntes and loue hys worde, & yet they denye and treade downe bothe Christe and his worde, and receyue for him donge of inuencyons of men, and worshyppe for Christe antichriste and his lawes, this euery man perceyueth excepte he be blynde as they be. O I wolde to\nGod the lorde wolde sende another Iosy as that wolde dystroy all greate buldynges, places, aulters, phaanes, secres, decrees, of antychriste and all that belo\u0304geth to that curfyd worshyp 4. Reg. 23. and. 2. Parali. 34. \u2767\nBYshoppes .i. mynysters of the worde / be in all thynge subiecte to pryn\u00a6ces and rulers as other cytezyns be, excepte in these thynges that be\u00a6longe to theyr propre offyce. For it is\nIt is necessary that they be citizens whom we acknowledge as fellow religious. \u261e \u271a \u2767 \u2663\nBishops in the mystery of the word are subject to no man but God alone, and the judgment of the church, which judges according to the word of God. \u261e \u271a \u2663 \u2767\nIf lords prohibit bishops from preaching to them for a day or two, they must be obeyed, but not perpetually. They should rather obey God than man. Acts 5. If they command them to interpret the word of God against its own nature, that is, according to the will of the pope and his kingdom, they should not obey, but resist the matter more purely and fervently. \u261e \u271a \u2663 \u2767\nAnd they command that they shall teach traditions and commandments of men. They should not obey, and the same applies to all other such things that are against the word of the Lord. \u261e \u2767\nThe greatest and highest point of their office is to preach to the people those things that the Lord has spoken so purely, so nakedly, and so simply, as God says, neither adding nor diminishing. i.e., putting nothing of their own to it.\nAnd dreams of me, for the people of the faithful should be ruled by the word of the Lord alone. They have the authority to correct with the word of God, kings and princes and rulers, and with the church together, to separate apostates and slanderers of the word from the communion of the faithful, and to amend them again.\n\nIt is also part of their office, chiefly in those days, that the child of perdition, the man of sin, is to be published to the elect with the spirit of the mouth of the Lord - that is, with His word - lest consenting to him they perish, and to all people, with a quick voice and writing, those scriptural places pertaining to that kingdom, every man as he has taken of the Lord, let him be banished from the temples of God, that is, from the hearts of the faithful, and let him nevermore be taken by them as a vicar of God or spouse of the church. If he is to be reconciled with the word of the Lord, it is necessary that it be done.\nfyrste & pryncypally by the\u0304 who\u0304 god hathe made his euangelystes.\n \u2663 But I do nat denie this to belonge to all faythefull that haue the worde of god, for it is commaundyd to all men of the kyngdome of the pope, vn\u2223der the similitude of the whore of Ba\u00a6bylon mother of al fornycacyon. Apo\u00a6calyp. 18. Go from her my people and be nat parttakers of her synnes, by\u2223cause her synnes haue come to heuyn and the lorde remembrethe her iniqui\u00a6ties, gyue her as she hathe gyuen to you, and double her double workes, in the cuppe that she dyd myxe to you myxte to her double, as muche as she hathe gloryfyed her selfe in delycates so muche gyue to her tormente & mour\u00a6nynge. whiche wordes I haue expou\u0304\u2223dyd in the preface of myne oracyon in to the rule of the mynorytes. \u2767\n \u00b6 Therfore nother emperoure kyng{is} nor prynces, or any other rulers, may lawfully prohybyte that these thyng{is} shulde nat be done, and if they do pro\u2223hybite they ought nat to be obeyd, for God is more than manne \n \u2767 They may forbyd that any thyng shulde be\nAnd they may constrain any man, least he rob or strike the pope's chaplains, or monks, for this belongs to princes and rulers, who have the sword, that if anything must be done, it may be done with holy counsel, and in good time by the word of God. For all that the company of the faithful, gathered and well-informed in the word of God, may for this matter desire and request that princes and rulers do all things peaceably, ordinately, and in good season. Therefore, messengers, who are apostles and bishops of God, are subject only to God in the ministry of the word. We say in this mystery of the word, rather than in that place, with a surplus or without, in the tabernacles of the faithful, and not in the common market or in the market, and so of all other outward things by.\nwhich theyr mynysterye is nat lette, they be\nsubiecte to prynces & rulers as other cytyzens be. \u261e \u2767 \u2663 \u271a \u261c\n \u2663 For and cause lawfull be they may, holsom counsell taken, depryue, putte them forthe, and pryson them. &c\u0304.\n \u261eNat withstandynge the decrees of the sonne of perdicyon, whiche vnder payne of cursynge, do prohybyte leste any man touche his tyrannes and my\u2223nysters of hys clergye, for what wyll suche preceptes, but to wyll that with out any lette, they may waxe wanton, stele, and go madde. Forthermore I haue sayde that god turnythe all the cursyng of this kyngedome of perdy\u2223cyon to his electe in to a louyng bles\u2223synge. \u261e: \u2767: \u2663: \u2767: \u261c\n \u2767Also all sanctuaryes, pryuyleges and pardones, of that kyngedome be lyes of the deuyll, and therfore to be countyd for nought. \u00b6: \u271a: \u00b6\n \u261e Therfore bothe byshoppes, and al other if they haue offendyd maye be taken from any place, ye frome taber\u2223nacles and churcheyardes.\n \u2663 Townes and places may be ordey\u2223ned, of prynces and rulers, in whome they that flee, whiche by chau\u0304ce,\nWithout hate or malice, those who have shed blood may be safe, known to their innocence they may return to their own. Whoever with sword, staff, or stone, or any other way of hate, or lying in wait, has struck or slain any man, he ought not to be suffered safe in any place, but only he who has acted against his will in these matters. And so the Lord has ordained cities for them that flee. Numbers 35.\n\nNo bishop has authority, upon his fellow, but to teach him, if he knows the truth better. The feigning of archbishops is not of the word of God.\n\nBishops have no need to be consecrated by any man, but by the Holy Ghost. It is sufficient for all consecration to be sent and called of the Lord.\n\nIf any bishops in themselves, or with diverse conjunctions, offend the congregation, they ought to be corrected by rulers and the church, and not giving place to holy doctrine, they ought to be deposed from them and separate the communion of the faithful.\nAnother mystery is to baptize, to minister the Lord's table, and comfort those who amend.\nThis mystery of sacraments, which is but accidental to them and not principal, they may commit to others when permitted for ministry of the word. They are not sent to baptize, but to preach. As Paul says of himself, \"1 Corinthians 1:1.\"\nTo the first office that is to preaching, visiting and comforting the sick is inseparably knit. Bishops should not wait to be called to the houses of the faithful where necessity is known, but of their own accord should watch and hasten to bring them help and comfort.\nBishops are not lords over the people of God but ministers and servants.\nNor may they command them anything of themselves, although they may reprove, desire, and blame, in all patience and pure doctrine of the scriptures of God. \"2 Timothy 4:\".\n\"Patience, but a necessary and most free zeal to God, when any man is angry and fierce against the wicked, after the word of the Lord, for truly there must be resistance with the word as often as necessity requires, you with the most fierce zeal. As Phineas did, pleasing with the zeal, slaying both Zambri, captain of the tribe of Simeon, and Cozbi, daughter of Sur the prince of the Midianites. Numbers 15. And also Matthathias with that zeal. slaying a Jew and the messenger of the king of Antioch, the first book of Maccabees, the second chapter. Likewise, Elijah, whose sermons were like fire or a burning brand. 1 Kings 17 and Ecclesiastes 48.\n\nBishops may not be princes and lords of any place, but of their own household. For it is contrary to be a bishop and a prince. For to be a bishop is to be a minister and faithful servant.\n\nTherefore they ought not to have lordship, of the least town of all the world, the Savior speaks to bishops. Matthew the 20th chapter.\"\nMark the 18th Chapter. And Luke the 22nd Chapter. Kings of gentiles have ruled over them, and those who have power are called gracious lords. But you are not so, for you shall not have lordship over others nor shall you have power in them as princes.\n\nAnd because the pope and his bishops, with others belonging to his kingdom, boast themselves as ministers and servants of the church, yet wish to be princes and lords, they must be deprived of kingdom and lordship, which belongs to princes and rulers.\n\nIf they are of the high princes and wish to be considered as such, and play the part of true princes and permit freely the election of bishops,\n\nIt is not lawful for bishops to have vicars, officials, secretaries, chancellors, courts of strife, and such other things. But only helpers for the ministry of the sacraments, as I have said before.\n\nFor there is no legal process that may be determined before him or his officials, for this belongs to princes.\nBut it is lawful for them, to have a scribe of sermons of truth, if they need or if they are such, who can expound the scriptures in writing.\nScribes and other members of the council of the city, and other notaries ordained by princes and rulers, may receive testaments and all kinds of contracts. This is not to be allowed to the notaries of Antichrist and his tyrants, except they forsake Antichrist and his kingdom and are admitted by rulers, or else the conspiracy of the son of Perdition should be confirmed. To princes and rulers it belongs to subdue all pomp and tyranny of bishops and to reform them to humility and simplicity of apostles. Therefore, to you, pope, cardinals and bishops, or other tyrants, of his kingdom, should not be suffered pompous interests of cities, precious miters, crosses, hats, slippers of silk and other such things.\nFor a guilty person, and ring-bearers, if he will play the part, let him enter like a bishop, apostle, and pastor. It should be sufficient for each one of them to have on, or two, or three servants, for they are not greater than Peter, or Paul, or other apostles, who have gone out, with one disciple alone to the mystery of the word. The pope, cardinals, and all the tyrants of his kingdom ought to be restored to humility in this regard, but what counsel these kings and lords who have admitted these dignities of Antichrist can use I have spoken of in the epistle to the noble prince, John Cardinal of Lotharingia.\n\nFor ministers of the law, that is to say priests and levites, God has ordained tithes, first fruits, and oblations, of tithes and first fruits. Exodus 20, Leviticus, the last Numbers 18, and Deuteronomy 14, of oblations.\n\nExodus 23 and 34. Thou shalt not appear empty before me, and Deuteronomy 16. He shall not appear empty before the Lord. \u2663 \u2767 \u261c\n\n\u2663\nVerely before the law, Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedek, king and priest of the most high God. Genesis 14:1-2, and Jacob vowed to the Lord that he would give tithes of all that he would receive. Genesis 28:22. Which doubtless was not without the counsel of the Holy Spirit that they both did. Therefore to give tithes, that is a good thing, because it agrees with holy scriptures. But we find in no place that it was lawful for any man to require them of duty, except the aforementioned ministers of the law and kings of Israel, as is manifest in 1 Kings 8:8 of the law of a king who should reign over them. For this reason, the priesthood of Aaron is abrogated, and is translated into Christ, and the faithful, and Christ is made alone the true and high bishop of the faithful, as is openly declared in the epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews. Therefore bishops and priests of the kingdom of the pope are nothing less than that which they are.\nThey affirm themselves to be:\nThey do not succeed to the law of tithes, first fruits, and oblations, which are due only to those before mentioned, for they are not priests or levites of the law. They are therefore execrable thieves when they require tithes, first fruits, and oblations. For they are due to them by no law, not by God's law, as I have said, nor by man's law, for such law does not bind the faithful. Because it is wicked, bringing them into bondage of the law that God has made free from it. Also, Christ speaking of tithes. Matthew 23 and Luke 11 speak in the past tense, \"you ought to have done these things.\" And if you say they should have been given to them, therefore, you argue foolishly, because it is abrogated, for they should have been circumcised, offered beasts, gone to Jerusalem on days appointed by the Lord.\nconsequent is not nothingness nor the first. Furthermore, although the faithful are not bound to give things to them, yet rather than they should strive, they should have them at their request, according to Luke 6:29-30: \"Give to everyone who asks you, and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. And as you wish that others would do to you, do the same to them.\" They may, if they can, warn them lest they perish, for such a detestable action, and theft, for it is written if your brother offends you, correct him. Matthew 18:15 and Luke 17:3. But it is the duty of princes and rulers to make people free from this theft and tyranny of the apostate kingdom, for neither the pope, cardinals, bishops, nor all of them together can lawfully require a halfpenny, under the name of first fruits, tithes, and oblations. Let these false beliefs work and live with labor, and let them have whatever they may give.\nTo the poor, as is written on your browes, you shall eat your bread only. 3 Thessalonians 3: Those who do not labor should not eat, and if they are of the houses of princes, or nobles or any other rich men, let them go to their own houses, and do something else instead, so that they do not steal other men's goods and may be saved. \u2767 \u2663\n\nTo true bishops and true evangelists, do not withhold first fruits, titles, and oblations, but only those to whom they preach are bound to help them and their household, as you may openly see in many places of scripture, as I have taught in another place more largely. \u261e \u2663 \u2767\n\nFor it is said chiefly to them, will you not you to heap treasure. Matthew 6: and although this happens to all men yet they should give an example to others that they may show Christ, and His meekness in their deaths. \u2767\n\nTherefore, and if they have anything given to them in abundance, let them give it to the poor, and let them keep hospitality.\nas Paul states in Tite 1:\nTherefore, under the gospel, tithes should specifically be given to none, not to the kingdom of the pope, as we have said, nor to true evangelists to whom it is even commanded by God, meat, drink, and clothing, is due from them whom they rule, with the word and not to princes, rulers or nobles. For to them must be given tributes and customs, by the precept of Christ Matthew 22:12, Mark, and Luke 20:25. Give to Caesar, that is Caesars, and to God what is God's and to Rome. Give to every one their duty, to whom tribute, give tribute, to whom custom, give custom, to whom honor, give honor, to whom fear, fear, and may God take away many unjust exactions. And they would take only tithes, as the Lord did appoint the kings of Israel 1 Kings 8:7.\nAlso, they must have tithes, twelfths, and such other lawful customs, which many have purchased by.\nI. Lawful means, such as giving for them and their heirs their proper lands, for a perpetual custom of the fifteenth or twelfth part of their fruits.\n\nI do not understand about usurers of Bergens, for it is written, lend one to another, trusting in no advantage. Luke 6: \u2767: \u2663: \u271a: \u2767\n\n\u2663 What then is to be of tithes? Shall they be utterly put down, God forbid? But I say that the faithful are free, that they give nothing beyond what is commanded to those whom the man of sin commands to be given. \u2767: \u2663: \u2767\n\n\u00b6 I give this counsel to the faithful: of all those who receive from the Lord, gather tithes and distribute them into good uses, as to help the public weal, to nourish true bishops, who truly govern, to help the fatherless, widows, and other poor.\n\n\u00b6 We say this of them: if they are able, let them pay nothing; or else that which they may freely, chiefly for the common weal, and ministers of the word, of whom the greatest honor must be given. 1 Tim. 5: seniors who govern well.\nworthy are doubly honored, chiefly those who labor in the word and learning.\n\nPrinces, rulers, and nobles, to whom (as I said) tributes and other things should be given by law, cannot think themselves free to do as they will, for they must watch over a good state and the peace of the people, and be meek and generous to the poor.\n\nTo those to whom this is counseled, I say, by the example of Abraham and other saints, distribute tithes of all that you receive to the poor, and do not set up chapels or build cloisters.\n\nNor is it lawful for them to multiply horses for pride, to have many wives or horses, or to gather great heaps of gold and silver to be proud over their brethren, that is, people whom they should have in place of their brethren, and to decline from truth and justice with the right hand or the left hand,\n\nbut they shall have the law of the Lord, in which they shall read all the days of their life, and learn to fear the Lord and their God, and keep His commandments.\nThe precepts, as stated in Deutrino 17.\nThe pope and his schools have defined the Lord's table as a sacrament, and have denied that it is the promise of grace for anyone other than his chaplains, because they contradict the most open texts of scripture. If you look at those spoken of it, in Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, and 1 Corinthians 11, you will clearly perceive this to be the table of God, which you may not sacrifice, but eat and drink, and be the new testament, of whom the scriptures are instruments. In this,\nthe grace of God and the remission of sins is promised, to which those who believe are participants, and both kinds given, to all who have proven themselves whether they believe in the promise of God. Lastly, by taking this, it serves to remind and be a memorial of his death to those who believe, for he often dies to them with the most certain sign.\nthat is to say, the fruit of his death is given to them, as often as they eat this bread and drink this blood in faith. Whoever partakes of this table in faith is made a member of Christ and eats his flesh and drinks his blood, John 6:53-54. To those who go without faith, he who eats and drinks judgment makes no difference concerning the Lord's body. To search this more carefully, the simplicity of the text pleases me. The superstitiousness is not to be suffered to keep the bread of the Lord in the tabernacles of the faithful. It was not ordered by the Lord to be kept so or carried about so carefully, but that it might be eaten. And for that reason, let sincere evangelists provide that it not be kept, for keeping is beside the order of God. For truly, then the bread is to be sanctified with the word of God, who it is to be taken, whatever hour it be, and whatever the appearance of Antichrist may have.\notherwise dismissed, and we say the same of the cup that both must be given together. We do not say that this table is to be ministered to children, or those who do not believe, but utterly to all who can believe in God's promise. It is the duty of bishops to order those who come to it diligently, so that they may know what this holy feast is, and not to receive to it, all who present themselves to it, but those whom they have instructed, or do not doubt, to be well instructed.\n\nThe high preparation is, that any man being thirsty or hungry go to it. That is, he should confess with all his heart that he has need of God's grace and forgiveness of sins, and believe in God's promise that partaking of this table, he shall obtain his desire through the merit of Christ's passion, of whom this feast is a memory.\n\nAlthough this holy feast, and also baptism, are most surely signs to the faithful of the grace of God to be received, yet every faithful person, believing the truth, perceives the same without these signs.\nAnd it appears in many places in scripture. (Regarding this, it pertains to the abundance of God's worship that He has put these signs to the greater comfort of the faithful, of whom I have spoken chiefly in the book of the causes of blindness. &c. Tractate 5. Chapter 7 and 8.\n\nAugustine, and other saints, and the Master of Sentences (Distinctions 4) do not affirm this table to be properly a sacrifice, but call it so because it is a remembrance of a sacrifice once offered on the cross.\n\nBut just as the remembrance of a thing is not the thing itself, nor is the remembrance of gold or a person gold or the person, so neither is the remembrance of the sacrifice the sacrifice itself. \n\nIt was an execrable deceit of the devil to make of this sweetest testament of everlasting health a sacrifice of the kingdom of Antichrist, from which springs usury, merchandise, fairs, and innumerable errors concerning the mass. By these innumerable have perished, and slow believers believe.\nIt is unlawful for the faithful to sacrifice Christ anymore than to kill Him, but only to worship the memory of His death in faith, in partaking of His table. All that, now the truth revealed, always sins most grievously if anyone in any place avoids the office of the Mass, let him leave out all that makes mention of a sacrifice, primarily the Canon, except the word \"Qui pridie\" and so forth. And let him take heed, neither for that nor if he has left out any other thing as the manyple stole and so forth, that he be pricked in his conscience. Which, if it makes against his conscience, it kindles the fire of hell, and if it follows a wavering conscience, it sins let him therefore put it away.\naway thy wandering conscience, and for that lightening of the Lord. neither for quick nor for dead is it lawful to offer Christ, neither in the sacrament nor otherwise, for he has offered himself once for all. all foundations of masses, years minds, crying of the quire, and all such, that are done in the kingdom of the pope, are highly abominable to God besides that they are for the most part usury, whatsoever the son of perdition in a certain wandering state has otherwise defined, a thing utterly adversary to the word of God, granting to his synagogue Christ probity, Luke 6:35, lend one to another trusting for no advantage, which this man of sin has made lawful / and what is it that he dares not define against the immaculate scriptures of God, so that any thing may come to the treasury of his kingdom. in a disgraceful spirit / and doctrine of devils / was feigned purgatory as many more were. : : : Therefore, the deception of the world has chiefly come from this.\nThe curses of the papal kingdom. I pray you, let the papal kingdom answer from what things a man should be purged to be saved, not only from sins, but only by faith in Christ we are purged and justified, not with fire, water, sword, or any other external thing, nor with the prayers of any saint, as I have proved in Luke 1. and Canticle 1. Although he who is justified by faith works many good works, yet faith has its strength in love. Galatians 5. And if it is true, faith is never separate from good works. If by fire, the prayers of others, or any labor or work, we are purged, Christ was dead for us. Therefore, there is no other purgatory or purification but that which is of faith in Christ. And those who judge otherwise find not one place in the holy and canonical scriptures for them. For the second Maccabees, the twelfth chapter, that Judas made a collation, sent twelve thousand pounds of silver to Jerusalem,\nThe thoughts and prayers of the faithful for the dead, as found in the Books of Maccabees, are not considered authoritative according to Hebrew rule. Careful examination of the text reveals that they prayed more for the sins of the deceased, which they had acquired from idol images, to be lost, than for the deceased themselves. Therefore, it is concluded that it is contrary to canonical scriptures to consider it holy and healthful to pray for the dead to be freed of their sins.\n\nRegarding the death of saints, it is precious to the faithful, justified and sanctified by faith. Psalm 115 also states, \"Blessed are those who die in the Lord,\" and in Apocalypse 14, John heard a voice saying, \"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.\" Furthermore, of those who die in the Lord, the spirit speaks that from this point on they rest from their labors, and if they rest, then they suffer no harm (Apocalypse 14). The authority of this place is great, despite what others may think, as it disagrees with other beliefs.\nno place of other scripts / where I shall prove at some time God willing. The death of sinners, i.e., the unfaithful, is worst. Psalm 33. Sinners are called unfaithful because sins are imputed to them, and all their deaths are not of faith, and therefore they are sin. Romans 14. The truly faithful are called just and saints, because sins are not imputed to them for true faith. Psalm 31. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin.\nFurthermore, the faithful Lazarus, while dying, was carried into the bosom of Abraham. Verily, the wicked Dives was buried quickly in hell, which I have expounded in my exposition of Luke. Chapter 16. \u2663\u2767\nTherefore, blessed is the faithful dying in the Lord, for into him he shall sleep and rest. Psalm 4. The unfaithful, indeed, is cursed. \u261e: \u271a: \u2663: \u2767\n\u2663 We conclude therefore / that only faith is our purgatory. Blessed is he who is so purged, dies, and we find no other purgatory for it.\nThey are most like dreams, whatever has been defined of these loges in this long time, and have nothing profited but to fatten and slowly spread false beliefs about the kingdom of the pope. Therefore, because they lacked the testimony of the word of God, they were wicked, for the aforementioned kingdom of the pope had defined in them and was to be plucked away by princes and rulers, and reformed according to the scriptures of God. Nothing more damnable since Christ was born than these sects of perdition, these sects of perdition being those that can only destroy, as the monastics call sects. Only one profession is of health, that is, to profess Christ, who because He has one spirit, one faith, one God, one redeemer, one mediator or advocate, one word, one judgment, one baptism, one testimony of grace, highly abhors schism and division of the things that pertain to Him, namely of His only spouse, the church. Paul repudiated these in [Acts 20:29-30].\nC\u043e\u0440thyans, claiming to be of Paul, Cephas, and Apollo (1 Corinthians 1:2, 3), state that:\n\nBecause there is one, and the most sufficient rule of all, that believers accept the word of God, all monastic sects are superfluous and unprofitable.\nPerhaps they do no harm, and are tolerable to those who distrust or give nothing, truly to those who believe there is in them the least iota of perfection, justification, or efficacy for health, they are more poisonous than the venom of an asp.\nFor verily, the monastic sect is the well of hypocrisy, the lakes of envy, idleness, drunkenness, grudges, hatred, ambition, and all uncleanness, the daughter of blood, sucking sweet deceit of traditions of me, constantly contrary to the word of God.\n\nNeither kingdom, lordships, lands, customs, tithes, nor any great riches, businesses, or merchandise may lawfully be permitted to the Carthusian monks, Benedictines.\n\"All possessors, or any other kinds, who are called possessors of princes and rulers. Above all monasteries, these should be subdued, for they draw almost the whole world with strife and exactions, to bring up certain idle and fat hogs, and what they do more over, I will not tell. But those that they call beggars, what do they not steal with their importunate begging, are they not among the faithful, as I am, in barns, in clothes, in mothers, in words, worms, besides the fact that they are called beggars, they will fare better than many great men. Begging is always unlawful, and near theft, to them that can with their labor get necessary things. Therefore it is not lawful to give anything to these monks, because they ought and may eat the labor of their hands, and seek it with occupation, whereby they may live, and if they cannot, let them learn, for St. Francis commanded his, so to do. For how often are we moved in holy scripture, that it\"\nIt is necessary, to help the fatherless, widows, orphans, the sick, and other who have need, of our goods as we are able, in no place is it commanded, or provided, that any man should be made a beggar, although to all faithful, true poverty is necessary. Also, it is more blessed to give than to take. Acts. 20.\n\nSo Saint Francis will not allow his monks to beg, but when they cannot get with their labor what is necessary for life.\n\nAll monks and moneylenders, who perceive that they have not received the gift of contentment, are bound to put away their cowls and to be married.\n\nI would not condemn, no I would praise the cloisters of both kinds, if they were schools of the faithful, in whom they should be well instructed, with the only word of God, and honest labor, and might freely go forth when they would, they should always be better, and more Christianly conversant.\n\nMonks and moneylenders, who affirm that they would live in the liberty of the gospel, and\n\n(Note: The text appears to be incomplete at the end.)\ndo nothing, but whether the monks could be rejected or not, would live without the bridle of those who rule, roar as they did before, and distribute the cloister's goods at their pleasure. Such monks are no less than Christians and evangelists. They are made of Belzebub Satan, that is of nothing worse, and most hateful to God. : : : : : \n\nAbove all, the cloisters of the Minorites should be schools of the profession of the gospel. For Christ commanded St. Francis that they should live according to the form of the holy gospel, which I have provided in the commentaries of their rule. Cap. 1.\n\nPrinces and rulers, in their office, ought diligently to watch that the going forth of all cloisters may be free, and by all means so do, that those who yet tarry in cloisters live subject and are diligently instructed in the only word of God, or else what will these cloisters be but chafe ring houses, and bond houses of the devil these last. 18. positions, and other.\nBelonging to a monastic sect, I have declared more largely in my commentary on the rule of the minorites. It belongs to the church of God to judge the voice of all that teach, if it be of God, which we have proved openly in other books, chiefly in the canticles of Solomon, the voice of my well-beloved. Capitu. 2 and 5 declare what the church of God is. For of the word of God, they alone can judge, who have the spirit of Christ, whose duty it is to judge, of high things. 1 Corinthians 2:14-15. It is heresy to affirm that the spirit of Christ is not in the faithful, for he is in them and they walk and understand after him, by whom they mortify the deeds of the flesh and live, and cry in him. Abba Pater. He gives testimony to their spirit that they are children and heirs of God, heirs annexed with Christ, he asks for us with tears unable to be spoken of, and makes intercession for saints after God, which Paul speaks of.\nMost certainly. Rome. 8.\nFurthermore, it is known that any man who forms judgments in the spirit, when he makes judgments with open testimonies of scripture, are the most certain testimony of the judgments of his spirit, as I have said very often. Which scriptures, whoever denies as necessary, can in no other way affirm the certainty of his sayings, because they alone are the sure testimonies of God. Therefore, those who are of the church of God, that is, simple, meek plowmen and artisans, who sincerely believe in God and are the sheep of Christ, may judge, according to the voice of their pastor, whether it is in the doctrines or not.\nVerily, those who are not of that church cannot judge it, but rather abhor and hate it, because it is adversary to their sense, that is, the flesh by which they are ruled.\nFor any man to judge, having many years at Paris or other places, helps not.\nUniversities, or to have studied the tongues, except the Holy Ghost be present. Universities that have been in existence for many years strive clean against the word of God. Promotions of devines which they hunt for, engage nothing but pride, and are full of covetousness, vanity, and is a certain gentlemen's manner, for whatever is of God's word, if money be brought, quickly there is a title granted, doctors never teaching, and often the most fools are promoted, therefore they are abominable to God. And the Lord forbade his apostles that they should be made masters. Matt. 23. No doubt but he would have them masters, and teachers of the people, i.e. that they might teach his scriptures, but he would not that they should hunt for the vain and proud titles, nor would not that they should teach anything but under his service. There is no man almost, that teach the scriptures of God more unhappily, than these pompous bugs and idols of the world.\nIf any man is worthy of the mystery of God, I would counsel that he should first be chosen by other deacons, meet that he may be sent to any place, and that the faithful company should pray for him. And if he has it, let them give to the needy and poor people, and make them a feast according to the gospel, not as they do nowadays, to give caps, gloves, or make great cost of feasts, to rich men, and full of lies. It is openly against the gospel.\n\nIf all cloisters of the world, that are within or near cities, were the schools of the word of God, so that the superstition of clothing were not observed, and men could not serve both God and Baal, the word of God and the word of men.\n\nPrinces and rulers, if they will rule justly, let them take heed above all things that Christ may rule his people. Also, let them make schools.\nEvery place, for children and maidens, in whom they may be well instructed, in the word of God, and honest labors, and learn to fear, and love, our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be honor, worship, and empire forevermore. So be it.\n\nThe parts of holy and true penance are not confession, country, and satisfaction, but the acts of a true penitent of faith without satisfaction.\n\nWhich are necessary to health, but not as sophists say. True satisfaction, in so much as it is in the merits of Christ alone, can be no part of penance, nor act of the penitent.\n\nBut it is the highest reward, which we who believe sincerely in Christ have by His mercy.\n\nThe inseparable servant of true and necessary penance is pure faith, for these you join together, saying be penitent, and believe the gospel.\n\nThis necessary faith is not to be left this or that promise, but so to be left them all, that we doubt in no promise of God, no not in\nthe least, as he steadfastly clings to God's promise, to which he has promised all faithful grace, and remission of sins by Christ, as often as they ask for it in faith. This is the gospel to whom we must believe.\n\nTrue penance can never be without true faith, nor is it ever said without grace, and the spirit of truth, as well as affections and good works.\n\nThe penance preached and taught by the kingdom of the pope is wicked, cursed, and lying before the Lord,\nfor it is nothing less than penance, and accomplishes nothing but an hypocrite, which is why we call it false.\n\nThis difference between penance is most cold. Penance is to repent of sins past, and in the morning not to commit them again.\n\nTrue penance is to daily amend from sin, with faith in Christ, by which he steadfastly believes that all sins are remitted to him by Christ, and holy given to him to walk in the newness of life.\n\nThis daily amending is a curbing of the flesh and mortifying of it, necessary for all.\nA faithful person, who bears the name of the cross, should follow Christ in deed and truth, that is, to renounce worldly attachments and follow Him.\n\nThe entire life of a Christian is to be penitent and believe in Christ, daily mortifying and rising with Him.\n\nEven though a person may be holy, as long as they are in this life, their unruly flesh resists the spirit, and therefore they ought to daily crucify it, making it subject to the spirit.\n\nAll affections and all works without the spirit of God are flesh, and are crucified when they are hated and suppressed.\n\nWhoever is truly penitent has Christ living and reigning in them, and therefore the flesh, which is concupiscent and all works not of the spirit of God, is daily more subjected, mortified, and crucified.\n\nAnd whoever is not truly penitent is a hypocrite, crucifying Christ in themselves, not willing that He reign over them, and therefore is not of the kingdom of Christ.\nnot of the kingdom of Christ, but of the flesh and the world, that live and reign in his heart.\nChrist reigns in our heart, and pleases when we trust in him; truly he is crucified, and does not please when we trust in others and not in him.\nThe world and the flesh reign over us, when they please, and we trust in them; they are crucified and mortified when we repress them and trust in nothing from them, but rather hate them and do not give in to their desires.\nA true penitent is never without true good works, for he does all things in faith, which should otherwise be wicked, for all things that are not of faith are sin. Romans 14.\nThose who are of the conspiracy and kingdom of antichrist are never truly penitent or do true good works, for they do not live and work by faith.\nThe prophets of antichrist, to more easily turn simple people away from Christ, say that we propose, fasting, prayers, and all good deeds, when we preach nothing more than that they should have true good works.\nWe justify ourselves only by faith, for we preach that we are justified alone by faith, and we must do good works, not to be justified, but to bring forth the fruits of true faith, for the fruits of faith are those that are done in that faith. We say that there must be good works, not according to the doctrine of the pope and every man. Therefore, it is not possible that they should err, and therefrom it follows that they are full of heresies and antichrists, schismatics, and apostates from the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. From whomsoever we are not made strange, and therefrom we perish, we are Christ's servants, and apostates from the kingdom of that antichrist, the pope. And whoever is not made strange from that same kingdom is a schismatic from Christ, an antichrist, and at last shall perish forever.\n\nThe faithful\nThe liberty always works well for him who does all things in faith and the freedom of the Holy Ghost. If he eats or drinks, or does any other thing, he does all in the glory of Christ or in faith, or in His name, which is all one. This liberty is not that they may think it free to do anything, but that they may know that it is most free to them to do those things that they are commanded by the word of God. You and all the men of the world would command otherwise, for they are free from all doctrines and traditions of men that do not agree with the word of God, such as the decrees of the kingdom of the pope and the doctrine of sophists.\n\nThe liberty of the spirit is not carnal, but spiritual and most holy, making a man free from all law of men, bound to none except it agrees with the scriptures of God.\n\nAs you may see in Paul to the Romans and Galatians, it makes a man free from the law of God, not that we ought not to keep the precepts of God, but that we have freedom through the Spirit to fulfill the law of Christ.\nA man should keep them now with willingness, not compulsion, as long as the spirit is there. This liberty makes a man sincere, without hypocrisy, a lover of truth, generous, full of charity, and most full of good works. For then a man is so made free in Christ that he will be subject to every human creature for Christ's sake. He is cursed and execrable to the Lord, whoever, under the name of Christian liberty, gives himself to carousing, drunkenness, and such other things. For they do not walk after the spirit but after the flesh. But this holy liberty admits no carnal thing.\n\nContrition is not a sorrow voluntarily taken by us for our sins, but that which the spirit works in us. That is to say, true hate of sin, for zeal of God's glory, without hypocrisy or lying, for it is a work only of God's power.\n\nFor the will of man cannot hate sin without lying and hypocrisy, nor take for it sorrow and sadness. For the pure will of man cannot.\nThe will of man, which is without the spirit of God, is a sinner always. God commands that we should take the mourning of his only son, that is, that we should be sorrowful and mourn truly for our sins, because the will of a sinner cannot fulfill it of itself. For every precept of God is possible to the will being a sinner, which God with His spirit makes possible to us. For that which He commands in us, He will fulfill in us, that He alone may have glory for all, and that every flesh may not presume to be glorified in its sight.\n\nBut it is by the high goodness of God that He gives to His servants those things that He mercifully does in them. Calling them contrite, just, penitent, converted, and so on.\n\nThe manner given of scholars for auricular confession is:\n\nThat the precepts of God be impossible to man, this fruit comes from it, that man, knowing it, is constrained to profess, that he can do nothing of himself, and to marvel at the depths of the judgments of God.\nUnprofitable, most vain, impossible, curious, and most damning, and contrary to the law of God, it is so much less that it is of God's law than Sophist's lies, it is unprofitable and most vain because it is without the fruit of the spirit, letting go of the purity of faith. It is impossible also for innumerable bows, leaves, mothers, daughters, and circumstances, which no man, though he be learned, can diligently observe, much less the unlearned. It is curious also, searching with a frivolous care those things that are nothing to the purpose, whereby the mind of him who is confessed is let down so that it cannot rise with pure faith in Christ, and the same confession is to him most damning, for so impure and filthy things are often recited in such confessions that they corrupt good manners and infect both the speaker and the hearer. For what are they but evil communication, and most hurtful jangling, and so much more horrible that they are admitted under the color of meekness.\nThe most confusing matter, whatever the synagogue of the pope has given in confession to this day, is not with the word of God and His own inspiration. For by what authority are these jugglers bold to prescribe to the most free servants of Christ new laws strange from the doctrine of meekness.\n\nTrue and profitable confession of sins is made in four ways: first, inwardly to God alone; second, openly when the cause requires it; third, to him whom you have offended, lest you defend sin but are reconciled to him in love of God; fourth, to him from whom you seek the merciful word of the gospel, which is the sermon of God's grace and remission of sins, by Christ. Of this last we speak.\n\nYou must choose a proper confessor for yourself, whom you see able, who can comfort your spirit with the word, whoever he may be.\n\nIt is execrable and abominable before the Lord that a faithful Christian is bound to admit for a confessor and his pastor.\nmarchants and ravening wolves, of the kingdom of the son of Perdition. Therefore, coming to a man mighty in the wisdom and word of Christ, the especial and most hurtful accumulation of sins laid apart, confess most purely the self as subject to many sins, and therefore in need of God's mercy. In the beginning, therefore, let him be the most meek accuser of himself. The second, let him steadfastly believe in God's promise that he shall receive the grace of God and remission of sins. The third, let him believe that he can have it not by his own merits, or by the merits of any saint, be it of the Virgin Mary, but solely by the goodness and merits of Christ. For he alone is that lamb that taketh away the sins of the world. The fourth, that by this faith he may become a partaker of this heavenly jurisdiction, let him ascribe nothing to the justice of the flesh. But confess with a pure heart solely the justice of God. seek, embrace.\nAnd I myself have no jurisdiction over myself whatsoever. And I know this without feigning, the fifth letter reveals: Therefore let nothing be revealed by any man lest, for man's deceit and doctrine, he despise the things of God. God never commanded that, whatever many have judged in the spirit of error, wonders and many punishments are given by certain liars against those who will not enumerate them all specifically. But I have made known that all these are of the devil in the book of the causes of blindness. &c.\n\nThe confession of sins that pertains to outward things may be on this manner. Brother or sister in Christ. I perceive myself overcome by unbelief and innumerable sins, which I confess with all my heart. I am very unjust and full of unbelief. I have done no good thing and am an unprofitable servant. Whose sins greatly trouble me, and I truly know that if I could be saved, I would need the mercy of God, grace, and justice. Therefore I ask\nof you the word of the gospel of peace, that is to say, reconciliation of my sins. And let every faithful person take heed that he says this thing without any unfaithfulness, and at last let him steadfastly believe that the word of absolution, whatever it may be, is a sure sign of the grace of God and reconciliation of sins, as he has believed that it would be given him by the Lord. For all the works of God are in faith. Psalm 32, and every man receives as much as he believes, and if he believes nothing, he receives nothing. \u2767 \u2767 \u271d\nThe form of absolution is free, so that it signifies all sins to be remitted by Christ. For this is good: I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father. &c. or only in the name of Christ, or this: I pronounce to you the absolution of all your sins in the name &c. or thus: Your sins are forgiven you by Christ or in the name. &c. or thus: By the name of Christ, all your sins are forgiven you. \u2767 \u271d\nAll such absolution is good, and to the faithful a sure sign of grace.\nHe leaves out this word I. It forswears not, whatever sophisters dream.\nThe more pure and simple the absolution is, the better.\nAll absolutions of the kingdom of the pope are wicked, patching many things together without fruit, of the keys, of the holy mother the church of the apostles Peter and Paul, of excommunication more and less from penance and culpability.\nAn absolution ought not to be made in an unknown tongue to the penitent.\nFor it is necessary that he understand the word whereby his soul is to be comforted in the Lord, to whom he must necessarily believe.\nBaptism is to the faithful as long as he lives, the most sure sign of grace and remission of sins, for in all his life he asks for that which is most assured by that sign, though it be received but once.\nFor whatever the faithful take, as mortifying, crucifying, quieting of the old man, are figured in the plunging out and in the water with the judgment of the new man. Romans 6.\nAnother\nThe table of the Lord, a reminder of a sacrifice offered in the cross and not the sacrifice itself, is the most significant sign of grace and forgiveness of sins for those who receive it in faith. This table is not a sacrifice and should not be offered by any man, as it is abominable and wicked before the Lord (see elsewhere for more on this). The third sign is the spoken word from the Church or any faithful person, signifying grace and forgiveness of sins to be given by him who amends and asks for it in faith. These signs are the vessels of grace, as many have defined in the spirit of error. However, signs do not bring grace, but the Lord (Psalm 83). It is not given by signs but by faith. By faith, we partake of all the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Also, these signs without faith are nothing that scholars speak of feigned things. Paul says in Ephesians 5:26, \"Christ has sanctified his Church, making it holy.\"\nThe layer of water, by his word, truly it is cleansed with the word, when it believes it, of which cleansing, the layer of water is a sign. He did not simply say, it is made clean with the layer of water, but added, so that you may know the making clean, to be signified by the layer.\n\n1 Peter 3: baptism has made us clean, not by the which fleshly filth is put away, but it makes that a good conscience answers well to God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.\n\nAlthough we get, by the same faith alone in Christ, grace and full remission of all our sins, yet God the highest and greatest of the abundance of His goodness has added these signs, for the greater comfort of the faithful.\n\nWhatsoever the man of sin, the son of perdition, the pope, with all his kingdom have reserved and kept cases, has been a deceitful thing of the devil, so much more hateful, damning, and cursed, as it repugns.\n\nEven.\ncontrary to the eternal scriptures of God. Nothing at all may be reserved for the faithful, who have remitted all most plentifully to him, so that there can be no greater. The church can neither lose nor bind, but according to the word of God, by whom she must be governed in all things. Because satisfaction, for sins shows a sufficiency of death, by whom evils are restored, which have chosen those sins there is no one that can otherwise give or do sufficient for them, it is believed that sophists think, that we can satisfy for them. For neither with fasting, prayer, nor alms, or any other work, can we satisfy, because these are not satisfactions, but fruits of true faith, for there is another satisfaction, without all these. There is one alone full and true satisfaction for the sins of the world, in whom we must necessarily believe, made of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sins are said to be redeemed with alms, if it be of faith, for they are redeemed of the faith of the giver.\nThe same judgment is of fasting, and prayer, and of all works of faith, which are good because of true faith. Which faith being absent, is but mere wickedness and sin, for all that is not of faith is sin. Romans 14.\n\nOf jolly spirits, and doctrine of devils, did it spring, that many have affirmed penance to be enjoined. For it cannot be enjoined by man, but given by God to the sinner, that he may truly be penitent for his sins. They call it foolishly penance, that these chaplains have customarily enjoined to him, that tells his sins. For they ought not to be enjoined, because Christ is fully satisfactions for all the faithful. The penitent is to be comforted with the word of God, and to be monitored, to true faith, and the works of it, for as it is said, whatsoever is not of faith is hypocrisy and sin. Not that people should be lost, or that cleaving to this manner of confession, should strike us, as the prophets of Antichrist.\nin spite of us, but we have written so with penance, rejecting all dreams, lies of men, crafty conveyance, and great burdens of the kingdom of Antichrist. We have spoken of penance and those related to the scriptures of God in few words, disregarding what the wicked synagogue of Antichrist, in the spirit of error, has otherwise defined. It is necessary for us to flee his poison, for it cannot be that we shall give place both to Christ and Antichrist.\n\nThe sum of Christianity we have briefly written, which is contained in 385 paradoxes or positions, so that this book may be in the hands of him who desires it, there were two things that chiefly moved me to do it. First, there are very many who put forth reproachable paradoxes, as there was one Tregarius, by whom they are about to make the simple people strange from the truth. The other is that before the ninth month, at the:\nThe noble city of Wetans, the company of Antichrist, was gathered against me, which moved me to strike up many positions. I put to them a thousand and twenty-six, who I have now increased to three hundred and eighty-five. Let them answer therefore, if they have anything, let not these blind Pharisees stand in their own conceit, and legates, and tyrants of the son of perdition, who for his decree and like preaching, did make the noble witnesses of Christ. SIohan Castellane, sometime my well-beloved brother, the last of all that is the 12th day of the month of January Anno 1525, at Vuy a town of Lothering, with fire they made him a martyr of Christ. But for his sake, I shall fight against them, and one well raise a thousand, and if they had slain me too, & Christ had vouchsafed this glory of martyrdom to me, for me ten thousand should rise. For surely Antichrist, with all his kingdom apostate, shall fall to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that with the spirit of his mouth, which with the Father,\nAnd the Holy Ghost lives one God, glorious forevermore. So be it.\nWoe to thee, purple-robed whore, the woman of Babylon, who loves the sign of the rose-colored beast and its empire. Thou art made drunk with the blood of prophets and saints, and dost call to the shedding of the blood of the elect as if to a feast of demons, promising them grace and remission of sins with thy false allure. Woe to thee, for thou shalt be destroyed, for with the violence of a millstone thrown into the sea, thou shalt be sent to the bottom of hell, and shalt be found no more in Apocalypse 18. Because the Lord has remembered the blood of His elect whom thou hast slain and deceived to establish thy lies, and abominations, and hast always trodden underfoot the very truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, for which thou shalt be trodden down by it forever, and the beast that thou hast worshipped shall perish with thee. So be it.\nLet this be done, Lord.\n[Iesu, come quickly, thy enemies overcome, and reign in us. So be it. The end of this collection of scriptures.]", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}, {"content": "The Golden Litany in English.\nFather on throne, Christ crucified, Holy Spirit as dove:\nLord have mercy upon us. Christ have mercy upon us. Lord have mercy upon us:\nAnd grant us thy grace, both in earth and heaven,\nThat we may serve thee according to thy will.\nGod everlasting Father, by thy heavenly goodness, have mercy upon us.\nThe Son of God, redeemer of the world, have mercy upon us.\nThe Holy Ghost, by thy goodness, have mercy upon us.\nGod, by thy divine and undivided Trinity, have mercy upon us.\nBy thy divine essence, have mercy upon us.\nBy thy divine nature, have mercy upon us.\nBy thy infinite mercy, have mercy upon us.\nBy thyself, and all good things that are in thee, have mercy upon us.\nBy the creation of heaven and earth, and all things that are in them, have mercy upon us.\nBy thy goodness that thou createst angels, have mercy upon us.\nBy the great love that you had for creating man in your likeness, have mercy on us.\nBy the great love that you had to redeem man after his fall, have mercy on us.\nBy the ineffable love that you had when you chose the worthy virgin Mary to be your mother, have mercy on us.\nBy Mary's holy name, which descended from the high throne of the Trinity and had mercy, have mercy on us.\nBy the conception of the virgin your mother, which was sanctified in her mother's womb, have mercy on us.\nBy the holy nativity of her, have mercy on us.\nBy her perfect purity and meekness, have mercy on us.\nBy the most humble affection which she took of you in your lap, the father, in her virgin womb, have mercy on us.\nBy the meekness of your high majesty, which did not descend into the womb of the virgin.\n\"Have mercy upon us. By the frailty of our nature, it pleased you not to abhor us. Have mercy upon us. By your holy nativity, which you would vouchsafe to be born of a maid, have mercy upon us. By the ineffable joy which your mother had in your birth, have mercy upon us. By the cold cry in which you were wrapped and nourished with maidens' milk, have mercy upon us. By the joy of the shepherds who honored you in the manger, have mercy upon us. By your painful circumcision and shedding of your precious blood, and by your holy name, Jesus, and by all your holy saints, have mercy upon us. By the oblation and prayer of the three kings, have mercy upon us. By the oblation that you were offered in the temple, have mercy upon us. By your flying into Egypt, and by all the necessity that you suffered there.\"\n\"the Virgin your mother, have mercy upon us. By your going again from Egypt to Nazareth and your obedience to your parents, have mercy upon us. By your humble and meek conversation that you had on earth when you were thirty-three years old and a resident, have mercy upon us. By your meek obedience and sufferings, have mercy upon us. By your holy meditations in word and work, have mercy upon us. By your baptism and appearance of the holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. By your steadfast contemplations and humblings, and overcoming of the devils' temptations in the desert, have mercy upon us. By your thirst and hunger, cold and heat which you suffered in this valley of misery, have mercy upon us. By the sorrow of your heart, labor and weariness, have mercy upon us. By your great poverty and contemplation, have mercy upon us. By your obstructions\"\nBy thy watchings and prayers, have mercy upon us.\nBy thy holy doctrine and benefits, and thy strength in resisting,\ngrant not to thine enemies mercy upon us.\nBy the tokens, wonders, and miracles that thou didst perform,\nhave mercy upon us.\nBy thy meek, sweet, and holy conversation,\nhave mercy upon us.\nBy thy holy tears and thy meek entry into Jerusalem,\non Palm Sunday, have mercy upon us.\nBy the shrewd counsel in which the perverted Jews conspired against us,\nhave mercy upon us.\nBy thy inflamed desire to redeem us,\nhave mercy upon us.\nBy the meek washing of thy disciples' feet and Judas the traitor,\nhave mercy upon us.\nBy the most beloved institution of thy worthy sacrament of thy blessed body and blood, Lord, have mercy upon us.\nBy the profound love that you suffered John to rest on your breast at your last supper, have mercy upon us. By the peace that you gave to your disciples, have mercy upon us. By your holy words and sermons, have mercy upon us. By your hugely great heaviness that you had when you prayed to your father in the yard near the mount of Olives, have mercy upon us. By the virtue of your prayer that you shed three times, have mercy upon us. By your painful and fearful death, have mercy upon us. By the agony that you offered yourself willingly to death, in obeying your father, have mercy upon us. By the shedding of your blood for anguish, have mercy upon us. By the meekness that you would be comforted by the angel, comfort me in all times, and have mercy upon us. By the triumphant will that you had when you went to meet those who sought you.\nthe in it, have mercy upon us. By the fearful taking and the violent laying on of hands of the Jews, have mercy upon us. By thy immutable goodness, which thou didst not refuse to take the kiss of Judas the traitor, and which thou didst heal the servant's ear of the high priest's servant, struck down without cause, have mercy upon us. By thy holy body, in which thou wast taken, led, and scourged, have mercy upon us. By the blows thou didst suffer on the seat of Annas the high priest and others, unaware, have mercy upon us. By the love and charity thou hadst when led bound before the high priest Caiaphas, have mercy upon us. By the false witnesses and lies, and unjustly condemned, have mercy upon us. By the vile spitting and insults, have mercy upon us. By thy blows and stripes, have mercy upon us.\nBy the blind feeling of your holy eyes and other reproaches you suffered that night, have mercy upon us. By your gracious beholding that you beheld Peter, and all the labor and secret unknown torment which you suffered that night, have mercy upon us. By your presentation and accusation which they brought against you before Pilate the Judge, have mercy upon us. By the disdain and illusion that you suffered before Herod, and the white vestment in which he sent you to Pilate, have mercy upon us. By all confirmation and unknown labor that you suffered in going from one judge to another, have mercy upon us. By your great patience and stillness, have mercy upon us. By the shameful plucking of your clothes and harsh binding of your body to the pillar, have mercy upon us. By the hard beating of scourges, have mercy upon us.\nBy the innumerable wounds of your precious body hugely shed out, have mercy on us.\nBy all your pains, sorrows, cold and shaking, and the glad thrusting out of your blood, have mercy on us.\nBy the rough vestment and the crown of thorns thrust to your blessed head with violence, have mercy on us.\nBy the innumerable pains that you were tormented when they struck the crown of thorns with the king's scepter, and by the great effusion of your precious blood, have mercy on us.\nBy the scornful honoring and saluting of the Jews, who said: Hail, King of the Jews, have mercy on us.\nBy their spitting in your divine face together with hard strokes, have mercy on us.\nBy all the pains and heaviness of heart that Pilate led you out among the people bearing the crown of thorns and the rough vestment.\n\"and said, have mercy upon us. By the dreadful sentence of death and vile name, leading us to the mount of Calvary, have mercy upon us. By the love that thou bore the cross to the place of pain on thy back, have mercy upon us. By the labor, anguish, shame, and beating which thou sufferedest by the way, have mercy upon us. By all thy heavy steps that thou bore the cross when thou went to thy death, have mercy upon us. By the great heights of thy shoulders in which thou bore the cross until thou failed for weakness, have mercy upon us. By the compassion of thy heart that thou had in meeting thy sorrowful mother bearing the cross, have mercy upon us. By thy heavy looking and ascending up the high mount of Calvary on which thou were crucified, have mercy upon us. By the spoiling of thy clothes in most confusion\"\nIn the sight of the virgin, your mother and all the people, have mercy upon us. By your seeing that you were naked, full of wounds, and heavily laden with great sorrows, suffering until the cross was ready, have mercy upon us. By your heavy steps as you went near to the cross and there were fastened with rough nails, have mercy upon us. By your agonizing pain and weeping, have mercy upon us. By the ache of your eyes and sides, and all your members on the cross, have mercy upon us. By the throbbing of your right hand and shedding of your precious blood, Lord, make us clean from all sin, and have mercy upon us. By the throbbing of your left hand, and by the holy wound of the same and your holy blood, save us and have mercy upon us. By the sore drying of the nails and by your holy feet, and by the wounds of the same,\n\"and by your precious blood from shedding and purging, have mercy on us. By the lifting up of your most holy body on the cross and the violent pains of it, all your holy members were severely pained, have mercy on us. By the heaviness of your heart and all the strengths of your soul, save me, defend me, and have mercy on us. By the division or parting of your vesture and the lot they cast on your coat, without seeming, you seeing it, have mercy upon us. By the love that you bore for three hours on the cross alive, have mercy on us. By the repetitions and confusion full of words that you heard hanging on the cross, have mercy on us. By the blasphemies and sorrows and confusion that you suffered hanging on the cross, have mercy on us. By all the dolors that you suffered in your ribs hips and shoulders, crucified, have mercy on us.\"\nBy all the pains that thou hast endured on the cross in thy senses, veins, feet, and all thy members, have mercy upon us. By thy great meekness that thou didst pray for thine enemies, have mercy upon us. By thy mercy that thou promised paradise, have mercy upon us. By the charge that thou hadst to thy mother in thy passion, commending her to thy beloved disciple, have mercy upon us.\n\nBy the sword of sorrow\n that went to thy mother's heart, and the compassion and tears that she shed for sorrow standing under the cross, have mercy upon us.\nBy all thy holy tears on the cross and all the time of thy life shed out, have mercy upon us.\nBy thy thirst/gall and eyes with vinegar, give me to taste of thy sweet spirit, & have mercy upon us.\nBy all thy holy words pronounced upon the cross / and all those that in thy life thou didst show, have mercy.\nBy the weeping and crye in which you commended your spirit to your father, have mercy upon us.\nBy the separation of your holy soul from your blessed and divine body, have mercy upon us.\nBy the openings of your side and the precious wound thereof, and the precious blood that flowed, pierce our hearts with the spere of all your love and have mercy upon us.\nBy the precious blood and water that ran out of your holy heart, wash and make us clean in the same holy water and blood from all our sins and have mercy upon us.\nBy the mercy you showed to the Centurion on the cross, and all the mercy you ever showed,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English, and there are some minor spelling errors and abbreviations. I have made some corrections to improve readability while preserving the original meaning as much as possible.)\nBy the descending of thy holy soul to Limbo Patrum, have mercy upon us.\nBy the virtue of thy holy soul that thou broke up the gates of hell, and delivered out the souls of thy friends, have mercy upon us.\nBy the taking down of thy holy body from the cross and the solemn sepulture of it, & the lamenting of the virgin thy mother, & Mary Magdalene & other of thy friends, have mercy upon us.\nBy all the labour, weariness, sorrow and heaviness that thou sufferedst from the day of thy Nativity unto the hour of the departing of thy soul from thy body, have mercy upon us.\nBy thy glorious and virtuous resurrection in body and soul, have mercy upon us.\nBy the ineffable joy of thy mother & other of thy friends, and the glory of thy resurrection, have mercy upon us.\nBy the grace that thou appearedst to Mary Magdalene and other women and:\n\n(Note: The last line seems incomplete and may require further research or context to fully understand and clean properly.)\nTo your disciple in your impassable body after your resurrection, have mercy on us. By your marvelous and gloryous ascension, comfort us, Lord, in all our needs, and have mercy on us. By the divine consolation and sending of the Holy Ghost into your disciples, gladden us, sanctify us, strengthen us in faith, hope, and charity, and have mercy on us. By your gloryous and divine majesty and the virtue of your holy name, keep us, govern us now and forever, and have mercy on us. By the Son in your holy godhead, together in your manhood, have mercy on us. By the joy that you yourself felt, have mercy on us. By yourself and all goodness and merit that is in you and in your mother, behold us, have mercy on us. By the ministers Michael and Gabriel, keepers deputed to me, and all other your celestial spirits, have mercy on us. By the intercession and merits of (name).\nSaints Peter and Paul, John the Evangelist, and other of your apostles, have mercy on us. By the merits and intercession of your holy martyrs Laurece and Stephen, and all others, have mercy on us. By the virtues and merits of the holy fathers and confessors Francis, Augustine, Anthony, and all others, have mercy on us. By the merits and prayers of the holy saint Anne, Catherine, Barbara, and all other holy virgins, holy widows, and chaste women, have mercy on us. By the merits and prayers of all your holy chosen saints, who are, who were, and who are to come in heaven and on earth, have mercy on us. Succor us, sweet Jesus, in the trembling and strait day of judgment, and grant us in this exile and transitory life those things necessary for the health of our body and soul. And after this life, to live in joy with the everlastingly without end. Amen. Lord, hear graciously.\nmy prayers, and that my cry may reach thee. And pray we, Lord, grant quick grace to the deceased church's holiness, peace, and concord. And that thou wilt vouchsafe to take this prayer to thy holy name's honor and glory, and that thou wilt vouchsafe mercy upon us. And to redeem us by thy painful death, and forgive us all our sins, and grant us everlastingly that we may perceive in all goodness, and that we may serve thee. And after this life, may we deserve to reign with thee in everlasting glory and life without end. Amen.\n\nThe holy cross be before me. The blessing of God be upon me, with the blessing that God blessed the three kings which Herod so that no enemies have power to harm or vex me from all good works, which grant the whole Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.\n\nLaus deo.\n\nImprented at London in Faster lane, by me John Scot, dwelling in St. Leonard's parish.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}, {"content": "I do not think, good Christian reader, any reasonable or independent person living of such undiscreet and gross judgment, nor yet so malicious or froward to think this holy and profitable doctrine of Christ, his apostles, and prophets in this little volume following, worthy either of check, condemnation, or slander, if at least there be any such vehemency at all to the sight of any, but of those who feel themselves sensibly touched, and their vices plainly rebuked in the same. Truth it is, that there can be nothing so wisely, warily, or sincerely either pronounced or ended, which the blasphemous tongues of false detractors and enemies unto the truth cannot craftily pervert to the worst examples. Go to Christ and his apostles, and see whether the bishops, the scribes, and the Pharisees.\ndid not falsely impeach and accuse them of sedition, and to prove their false and most untrue suggestions in that behalf to the high powers. Note and mark well I beseech you in reading the scripture, how carefully they calumniate, pervert, twist, and distort their deads and doctrines. And yet if they had been anything so malicious as some of their successors are nowadays, how many times more might they have accused them of the same.\n\nFor an example,\nAct 4. When the apostles were commanded no more to preach in the name of Jesus, not only by the bishops and priests, but also by the authority of the temporal power, and were brought before the aforementioned higher power for the infringing and breaking of the said commandment, and had made their answer.\nAct 5. They could not, I say, have behaved so disobediently as our Jews have perverted the sayings of the apostles to the worst extent, and accused them of sedition, yes, and of treason in this manner? You say, sirs, that you must obey God rather than men: Therefore, your doctrine is not to disobey men. Now know you that we are not private men, but men in office, authority, and power, to whom both you and all private men are bound by God's law to obey. Yet you teach to the contrary. Therefore, we conclude you to be traitors both to God and man, maintainers and stirrers up of sedition, strife, and treason. Could not (I beseech you) the Jews (as I said before) have twisted the words of the apostles into a false sense, and otherwise than ever they meant? Who could have prevented or interrupted them? Or if they had done so, what remedy? Must not the innocent souls be protected?\nThe Apostles have sustained wrongful and grievous injury? Yes, certainly. Although the blessed Apostles intended nothing less than such detestable doctrine. But their meaning was, that where a man commanded anything to be done contrary to the will of God, expressed in His holy scripture, that in such a case his commandment ought not to be obeyed, regardless of his estate, power, or dignity. And yet not meaning that he should be resisted with violence, but rather that they would, and ought to be ready to endure and meekly suffer any trouble or persecution that might ensue or follow, as an example of all Christ's posterity after them to bear. And this true understanding of their words appears right manifestly by the practice of the same, immediately after they had been sorely tested for the preaching of God's true word.\nAct 5. Although they were forbidden to do so by man, they departed from the council rejoicing, for God had chosen them for this dignified role of His infinite benevolence and mercy. Therefore, in a similar manner, it is not impossible that in this small book, or any book, something may be taken out of context or misconstrued. But let no one maliciously twist or distort the content and matter of this text for a set purpose or out of spite. And I have no doubt that to all good men, it will appear meek and mild, godly, virtuous, and an abundant source of profitable education and learning. And as for sedition and treason, I dare boldly affirm that it is as innocent and far from them as heaven is from hell, except perhaps if it encounters a sophistical devil, who can make white appear black and truth treason. The book describes and sets before your eyes (so that no apples can do it more excellently) the images of a very Christian bishop.\nand also of a counterfeit bishop, of a profitable and unprofitable, of a pale and papist, briefly of a true and false, indeed one knows, it is not possible but a man must feel the other even at his fingertips, although he were more blind than Molle. And in this doing, just as it is impossible in describing the good bishop to say anything about him except what is good, honest, virtuous, and godly, so contrarywise in describing the evil bishop, it is as impossible to say anything about him that is good, honest or virtuous, one should deadly lie about him. Which of truth is great pity, for (as I say) it would be a sin to lie about the devil. For as much as there can be no goodness without great lying reported by the evil bishop, what more merit then or why should any man be dissatisfied but an evil bishop.\nA patron or defender of an evil bishop, if your author portrays him in his natural proportion, like a manstre as he is? Why should not a man declare a monstrous being in a monstrous fashion? Is it fitting for a man to offer a candle to the devil, or to paint him like a good angel? Is it not comely and becoming for every good and honest man to extol virtue to the utmost of his power? And why then should it not be becoming for him to deprive and suppress vice to the utmost, and to envy those who use it, and against them, with all that he may?\n\nFinally, he describes a good, honest, virtuous and godly bishop as the scripture does, whom, when you know (except I am deceived), it will be right easy to recognize and know the other. I humbly beseech the father of all consolation once to make us perfect, for the precious blood of his sweet son Jesus, and to grant to us his holy spirit.\n\nSo be it.\n\nBecause a good and gentle reader.\nIt may seem to some certain persons, either corrupt with evil inclinations or lightly moved to vain offense and flattery, that I am of little charity, and that my whole study and endeavor sounds to no purpose other than raising trouble, strife, and seditions in the world, as they maliciously label it, for I, in spite of the devil, and for the zeal that I bear to the truth of God's word and his most blessed name, do (as they think) somewhat sharply rebuke the vice of some who would be esteemed the heads of the church, unworthy of such esteem except they amend in time. Therefore, as we enter into the plain field of our matter, we intend to purge ourselves of such untrue accusations and to prove it right, fitting, and necessary, indeed, through reasons and scriptures irrefutable, and to behave accordingly.\nIn our words and writing are directed towards those people who will admit of no charitable admonition. In truth, the bishop of Rome has forbidden in his unrighteous and wicked law, the Canon Law, that any man should sharply rebuke the prelates, or else resist them, and on this good institution and ordinance, he and his counterpart bishops, the sons of hypocrisy, from the most high majesty of God. The office and duty of a preacher. For the preacher is bound to this underparcel of damnation, that he shall sharply and sorely rebuke wicked men and sinners. For God speaks of it manifestly and openly in as much as he has taken upon him the office of preaching his word. But I pray you, why does God require this thing so vehemently, command it, and so strictly call upon it without doubt because the preacher, if he holds his tongue, sins most grievously against charity.\nin that he esteems me at such small value, so great and precious a treasure - that is to say, the soul's health of his neighbor, to whom he ought nevertheless to succor and relieve in food and drink and clothing, and in far smaller things.\nWe ought to be assured that we preach nothing but God's word. The holy scripture. But yet he adds this thing expressly, that the prophet should hear the word of God's mouth lest he might otherwise preach his own word, or another man's word. Now we have no other word than the scriptures of God: and therefore by these all wicked men are to be rebuked / neither can it help them though, they would make this calculation, and say that this previously referred scripture passage does not speak of great estates and lords, but only of the poor and low commonality: for in as much as it expresses no manner of person, it is a plain and necessary conclusion.\nThis place is to be understood as applying to great estates as well. It speaks generally of wicked men, whether they be great or small, and what manner of persons they may be. The word of God has no respect or regard for one person more than another. It is above all persons, and it belongs equally to all manner of persons.\n\nEzekiel is an example. Although he was of low degree, he was still sent to preach to the whole people of Israel, among whom were princes, priests, and many great estates. Likewise, Micah says, \"Hear what the Lord says: Arise, and plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice, let the mountains and the strong foundations of the earth hear the judgment of the Lord, for the judgment of the Lord is with his people, and Israel shall be judged.\"\n\nWho are those mountains?\nMountes and the foundations and ground works of the earth unto which he commands him to preach, there he gives commandment and charge, that the judgment of God and the word of the Lord shall be shown not to the people only, but to the heads and rulers among the people.\nIn like manner, all the remainder of the Prophets,\nThe prophets, in those places where they are most vehement and most bold and free in rebuking, and do most rise up with those tragic affections, for the most part they touch and most sharply reprove not the poor commons, nor the rascal sort, but the high tops, that is to say, kings, princes, the priests, and those that were most conning and most noble among the people, as their own writings witness and bear record sufficiently.\nThough I have spoken none of these words. So likewise the Lord spoke to Jeremiah in the first chapter:\n\"I have placed My words in your mouth: see, I have put you over nations and kingdoms,\nFor I have ordained you to be a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass,\nTo the kings of Judah, to the princes and rulers of it,\nAnd to the priests, and to all the people.\nThey shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you: for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.\n\n\"No, this is not concerning Jeremiah in his person and estate,\nJeremiah. Jeremiah was far less than kings, princes, and priests,\nA man utterly despised and abject,\nBorn in a poor little town called Anathoth:\nAnathoth. And yet all this notwithstanding, he was sent by God to preach the word of the Lord,\nAnd to be a guardian over all men,\nAnd against all the highest estates and heads of officers and rulers of the people.\nBesides this,\nChrist. Christ Himself\"\nas he is described in the gospel, was a very commodious, an humble, & a low person in the sight of the world, without any high power or empire and lordship at all. Now I pray you, whom did he primarily rebuke? what other persons did he reprove besides only the chief priests, the scribes, and the Pharisees? & to be brief, whosoever were great & high in dignity & authority. And in doing so, he would be an example to all preachers, that they should boldly & without any fear rebuke the great & high heads among the people, when they do work against God because salvation & perdition rest most in the heads. Why should we then follow the foolish, furious & mad laws of the bishop of Rome.\nAgainst the example of Christ and all prophets, why should we spare and forbear those great lords? To what end should we rebuke and chide the common people if we overlook and examine only the princes and rulers of the people? For there could never be so much vice and sin gathered up by pure sincere, and from teaching, and bold preaching of the gospel, as they would sow by their wicked and sinister commandments. For it should plainly come to pass, as Solomon says in the first chapter of Ecclesiastes, \"Where one builds, and another destroys, what can be there but only trouble and labor.\" If we must now build among the people, it is necessary to resist those rulers and those heads the authors of human doctrine, and destroyers. Therefore, we ought here to hold fast with them and nail, and to follow, and closely cleave unto that free doctrine of the Apostle Paul in the third chapter of the first Epistle to Timothy.\nWhen he speaks, rebuke sinners in the presence of all men:\nThe doctrine of St. Paul. So that others may stand in fear.\n\u00b6 Here Paul excepts no man, neither of low estate nor high, and although he does say \"contrary to presbyters,\" that is, against elders or seniors (for such were at that time governors and rulers in the church), he should not receive any accusation without two or three witnesses: he did not exclude and take away all manner of respect for them by those words, but rather confirmed the reproving of them.\nThey who offend and transgress, you ought to rebuke openly before all men.\n\u00b6 But our bishops have interpreted and declared this word \"presbyter\" of themselves, as meaning of their own selves, whereas the apostle means elders or ancient wise men: that is,\n\n(End of Text)\nSuch men should not be accused lightly or for every slight occasion, as he also says in the fifth chapter. Do not rebuke an old man sharply, but desire and pray him as a father. The apostle does not speak of such bishops and priests as those in our time, who for the most part are old men and in a manner young, to the incredible harm and hindrance of the church. But he speaks of old and ancient men, and well skilled in the scriptures. Such men it is fitting and appropriate to handle reverently. And if they have transgressed and made a fault in anything, they are to be desired and prayed that they will leave it, and not to be sharply and sorely rebuked. Over and besides this, the many ministers of the word of God are primarily bound here unto, The preachers ought rather to rebuke the spiritualities, than the temporal, for diverse just causes. Nicolaus Cassiolus bishops.\nI mean the bishops made of children at St. Nicholas' time. They should rebuke bishops and church primates more sharply than worldly princes and rulers, for many reasons. First, ecclesiastical highness and dignity, as it is now, is not from God. God does not grant this disguised and deceitful people, these childish and in a manner Nicolasian bishops, the office of a bishop because they neither teach nor execute any point belonging to the office. Secondly, these shadows of bishops have not been constituted by men but have exalted themselves, and they have caught for themselves empire, dominion, and lordships against both God and men, against reason, common sense, or judgment. Tyrants. In the nature and property of tyrants.\nThese who rule only by the wrath and great indignation of God / The temporal or worldly governors and officers are constituted by the gracious favor and merciful ordinance of God,\nAs princes and governors. To the chastisement and punishment of evil men, and to the protection, defense, and maintenance of good men.\n\nNo. 13. Besides this, the worldly governors, although they inflict injury and wrong to such an extent, and unjustly and wickedly, yet they harm only temporal goods and the body. But these great estates and prelates of the church, if they are not good and virtuous, and promote and set forward the course of the world of God unfavorably and with their hearts: they are mere wolves. And most cruel murderers of souls. And it is much like evil and wicked bishops, as if Satan himself, having a mitre on his head and rings on his fingers, sat in a chair and ruled the people. Therefore, even the bishops themselves\nThose who do not teach the pure word of God are no less to be avoided than the devil himself. For wherever the word of God is not, there is undoubtedly nothing but human error, mere doctrine of devils, and butchery and slaughter of souls. For your consciences or souls, without the word of God, neither can live nor be delivered from the devil. But I well know that they will object and say that it is a jealous die, lest sedition might be raised against those bishops and prelates of the Church. I make answer, shall the word of God (I beseech you) for this feigned objection be neglected? And shall therefore the whole people perish? And is it (I pray you) right and just that all souls should perpetually perish and be slain, that the temporal and most vain pomp of such men might be preserved and maintained, and might endure and continue in her peace and quietness? Nay.\nIt would be better (for spiritual harms are most to be warded off) that six hundred bishops should perish forever in their pride and dignity, and that all collegiate churches and monasteries were uprooted and utterly destroyed (if this were done by the authority of higher powers, then one soul should not perish because I will not in the meantime say that infinite souls, yes, all souls shall perish for anything that such as they do, I mean not true bishops. I pray tell me, what profit comes of many of the bishops that now are? The profit that comes of our bishops, or why do they serve, but only to live in voluptuousness and pleasures, and to play the roisters and wantons of other men's labor and sweetness, and in the meantime with much grievous tyrannies & dreadful fears, to condemn, to harass, to cast out.\nAnd yet they take excessive thought and care for themselves, and with marvelous great unwillingness of mind fear and dread seditions in temporal affairs, but as for the death of souls, being entirely careless, and without any manner of fear or unwillingness of mind, they neglect it and pay no heed. I beseech you, good reader, are not these wise and bold, manly hearts of the Church? If they received the word of God and truth, and sought primarily for the life and salvation of souls, then, as the apostle says in 2 Corinthians 1, God of patience, comfort, and hope would be with them, so that they would not need to fear any seditions or risings of the people, which is but their crafty cloaked excuse to blind the princes. But in as much as they are like deaf serpents stopping their ears, Psalm 57: deaf serpents, will not hear the word of God.\nbecause such is their fury and madness, they rage against it with excommunications, cursing, imprisonments, and finally with fire. I beseech you, what other thing do they (as concerning their part / with this their extreme madness), then (which God defend, even will inwardly provoke that there should rise up a very great sedition, and that some certain tempest and storm should violently and suddenly come upon them which should ride them out of the world. And surely if any such thing chanced unto them, yet were they nothing else but to be laughed and scorned as wisdom says in the first chapter of the proverbs.\n\nBecause I have called and you have refused to come, I have stretched forth my hand, and there was none of you that would look to me, and you have despised all my counsel, and have set at naught my rebuke: I also will laugh in your destruction, and I will mock and scorn, when that thing, which you feared.\nWhoever receives the word of God does not stir up or raise up seditions, but those who resist the word of God are seditionous persons. The stubborn and obstinate disobedience of those who rage against it is the cause that trouble and sedition is stirred up among the people, and that such things happen to them which they had deserved through their unbelief and forwardness and wicked blindness. For whoever receives the word of God, that man does not stir up any manner of seditions at all, although he does no longer fear those vain bugs, nor does he worship those episcopal puppets, since he now knows the word of God. And because men do not fear and revere their vain imaginations as they formerly have done, that same is the thing, if I am not deceived, which they call sedition. What the bishops call sedition. And this is the thing, that those persons do so greatly fear.\nWhoever have hitherto allowed themselves to be worshipped and feared as if they were true bishops or true shepherds of the Church. Sedition is against the word of God. And if any man raises up seditions or war, that man abuses the word of God for his own affections, and to his own lust and appetite. For the word of Christ or the word of God never causes strife or trouble bodily: but to wicked men, and especially to tyrants, it often manifests and shows before battles and boldly destroys, as it appears in the books of the prophets. But the said word delivers little by little and little the souls from the bonds of tyrants, that they may be despised: which is of all other things the most mighty and strongest remedy to break and overcome the tyranny of them. For whatever thing begins to be little regarded and despised in the hearts of men\nit need not go about with great might and power to destroy the thing. For it is even all ready and cannot stand nor continue long, as it is said in the ninth psalm.\n\nNinth psalm. Likewise, this people of false visions needs none other destruction than merely being discovered and openly shown,\n\nCarnan. It is despised, a counterfeit, and an hypocritical people. For this thing, once known, they begin to be little regarded by all men, and are forsaken. But we will here use a certain plain and family example. In the old time the bishop's mitre was a certain mystical sign and token.\n\nThe bishop's mitre. The two horns in the top of it signified the two testaments, the old and the new, which the bishops bore in the top of his mind, that is, in his understanding. And the two fillets or labels hanging down behind at his back\nThe labels or badges of the mitre signified the office of preaching, by which he freely and boldly pronounced and declared the scriptures of both testaments among the people, going before them with a holy and pure manner of living, and taught them to counterfeit and follow him. But nowadays, when we see bishops wearing those caps with horns, I beseech you, what shall they signify? There are certain merry conceited fellows, who suppose that the two horns do signify that a bishop ought to be learned in the scriptures of both testaments. But the two labels hanging so at all adventures behind their back, they think to signify the contrary, that they are exceedingly ignorant in both, and not so much willing to teach them. For the principal virtue which appears and most shows itself in our bishops and cardinals is in a manner this: they are earthen pots, and scalps or skulls without brain or wit, exceeding dull and insensible.\nAnd so ignorance that one would wonder at it, in so much that in these bitter and miserable times of the decrees, the times of decrees have begun to be accounted a great shame and rebuke for a bishop to study in the Bible, and not without cause, appropriate it is said. For what should so great a prince and lord vex and trouble himself with these painful cares, which (if I am not deceived), hurt both the head and also memory? seeing that there are on every side limbs, freemen, and religious men enough, who may be hired even for a loaf of bread, to declare many such good things out of the Bible to him, either why he sits at dinner, or else why he lies in his bed, and so with reading of such holy write may bring the reverend and holy father a sleep. But now in good sadness, I beseech you, what other things are our bishops, in comparison to mere shadows and such manner bishops in all points?\nas children make when they play: only because they can skillfully clean dumb stones, (if God be pleased), and with frankincense cast into the censer to make smoke, and sell smokes - that is, they themselves being nothing else but stocks and trees, may also consecrate and hallow trees and stocks, and themselves being none other thing than dumb stones, may baptize stones. But they do all these things with high courtesy and solemn ceremonies / and because else perhaps they would find none the looking on of these things: they do hire them with. Forty days of pardon (no little reward God knows) as though they were about to consecrate or hallow churches or altars unto God / And it is very well done forthwith, for where should God else find a dwelling place? or whether could He else flee for succor, if the devil did choose Him? (if I may say so - except these profitable men, and these chaste and holy bishops did water those dumb stones.\nThese walls with certain holy drops of war, and except they delight his nostrills with sweet fumes and pleasant smells. And doubtless they do all things as well as can be, according to what becomes their personages. For in like manner, in these holy days (which may well be called Feast of Fools), before the hungry fasting days we make these men kings,\nHe means from Christmas to Lent. And for a sport and play, we clothe them in purple and gold and make them counterfeit bishops, who in very deed are nothing else but rascal jesters and boys. And although there is no doubt that those earnest offices and works belonging to very bishops, such as the apostle describes and wills to be,\nare not able to be counterfeited by children: yet notwithstanding, here it may be a great doubt, whether of them counterfeits the other, the bishops the boys, or the boys the bishops.\nNow which is the true image and form of a bishop.\nThe apostle Paul writes in the third chapter of his first epistle to Timothy:\n\nAnyone who desires the office of a bishop or an overseer must be an honest worker. A bishop, therefore, should be unrepreproachable, the husband of one wife, watchful, diligent, sober, discreet, and humble. He must be a keeper of hospitality, apt to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must be hospitable, one who rules his own house well, with children in subjection with all reverence. For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God? He must not be a new convert, or he may be puffed up with pride and fall into the condemnation of the devil. He must also have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.\nand into the snare of the evil speaker. London, is it not a good work,\nthe office of a bishop. To desire the office of a bishop, in which are so many excellent and godly virtues. Saint Paul will not make a bishop one who has recently come to the faith or who is little confirmed and established in the faith: lest the backbiter and evil-tongued person might have occasion to judge and say, \"See what manner of fool they have made ruler and overseer of such things.\" But he wills him to be a man having experience, well skilled, sad, and wise, so that his evil-willed may be ashamed to speak evil, yes, and also cannot speak evil or judge evil of him likewise. He must also have a good report even among the insides, and he must not be of vile reputation, not so much as even among them: for else he shall be laughed to scorn by them, and he shall be bound and held on every side, as it were with a rope.\n\nThat he may neither boldly exhort, nor say anything thing.\nFor not rebuke anything, as there are many things in him that could be turned against his reproach and rebuke. This would be a great scandal to the entire congregation and a great cause of offense to infidels. In the time of the apostle, Christian men were mixed among pagan men. Therefore, it was necessary that the life of them, and especially that of bishops, should be unreprehensible, commendable, and on every side pure and faultless. So likewise he says to Timothy in the first chapter:\n\nFor this reason I left you in Crete or Cydonia, that you should continue and hold on to these things that are lacking, and that you should ordain priests in every town, as I appointed you to do. If any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children and not accused of riot, nor domineering or disobedient. For a bishop must be blameless.\nas being the ministers of God, not stubborn or self-willed, not angry, not drunkards, not fighters, not given to filthy lucre, but hospitable, a lover of good things, sober, righteous, holy, temperate, tough in adhering to that true word which is in accordance with doctrine, able also to exhort by wholesome doctrine, and to confute and disprove those who speak against it.\n\nThese are the fashions and virtues belonging to true Christian bishops, of whom there ought to have been at least one, or two, in every city or commonwealth, according to necessity and need. But what do you say now? seeing that there is a certain new fashion, indeed, and a more gentle and noble example (if God is pleased), of bishops shown nowadays, should these old manners and qualities, which the apostle speaks of, and which have been worn out of use many years ago?\nShould they belong to these bishops? There are in the papal bishops (if I am not deceived), far better reasons and virtues, of which least any man might hereafter desire a rehearsal: I shall rehearse as many of them as I can recall, and they are commonly such as follow.\n\nThe first property chiefly belonging to them is,\nThe image and properties of a papal bishop. to be exceedingly ignorant, & without any manner of perception of all learning, to flee and eschew matrimony or wedlock, and in stead of it to keep as many concubines as they please / to bear in their hands a sheephook of silver bound about with a towel, to wear a miter with horns / to go after the manner of pagans in processions / to have their crowns broad shaven / to have many titles & towns & a very large dominion under them, (for I will use their own term) to lead about with a certain nepotism and that a great many of them.\nafter the manner of one triumphing, to be proud with all manner of pomp and gorginess, according to the court fashion; to keep officers, that is, certain robbers and pillagers of provinces, and torturers of poor men; to kill souls by tyranny and excommunications; and (which thing I had almost forgotten), to paint and set up in every place the arms of their rampaging lions, and such other monuments, with a sheephook and a bishop's cross put thereto to signify their fingers to the show, decked with lovely rings of gold to arm their hands with purple gloves, lest otherwise they might be cold in the midst of their ceremonies; to sprinkle dumb stones and stocks in the churches, having a ladder set to every wall) without affection, wicked, false accusers. Rioters, cruel despiser of good me, traitors, rash and hasty, puffed up with pride, the lovers of pleasures.\nrather than the feigners of God / having the semblance and appearance of virtue and godliness, but denying the virtue and power thereof, those who are such, do thou abhor.\nLO here (if I am not utterly deceived) Paul has described and workmanlike set forth our idle and unlearned bishops with their own mete colors. And with the same colors the apostle Peter also (whose successors the pope boasts himself to be) does paint them and set them out to the eye,\nPeter. In the second chapter of his second epistle.\nTHERE were also false prophets among the people, likewise as there shall be among you false teachers, who shall privately bring in destructive and deceitful sects, even denying the Lord who bought them, seeking their own hasty destruction, and many shall follow their deadly ways.\nby whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of, and though greed covetousness with counterfeit words they shall make marches against you. These words cannot be understood any other way than by bishops and the great prelates and rulers of the church. For we do see how they have devised diverse sects, diverse orders, diverse factions, and have brought them into the world contrary to the doctrine of Christ and of the gospel, which things each one of them being completely outside the right and the high way of the Christian faith, prescribe and teach peculiar works and fashions of living, by which the knowledge of Christ is put away and quenched. Christ and Christ himself, (whom only the apostle Paul nearly teaches us in every syllable), is denied, whom Christ alone redeemed us. For those good holy men teach that we are justified by works.\nand by the endeavors of free will: where in very deed only Christ has been made unto us righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, they do this in addition with evil words and blasphemies. They rail and speak against the way of the gospel and the truth, nor will they suffer their errors to be disputed, or themselves to be taught that only Christ is our health, our life, and our righteousness. Against this is more evident, for it needs no proofs, that all things should be given to themselves alone. Temples and monasteries, and cathedral churches, might be built; and we should suffer them to be rich, to be well-moneyed, and to have control of all manner of things. These are lies and deceits, which they so cover and cloak with the color of holy life.\nAnd of spiritually all estate: and in very deed they do deny the virtue and power of true virtue and godly living. Yet for all this, every man does give unto them as though they were such as lived in holy life, when in very deed it is nothing but deceit and mere hypocrisy, & these crafty simulations without faith. So that St. Peter did not without cause say, \"Nay, men shall follow their errors.\"\n\nBesides this, St. Peter says, whose judgment is not slow in coming, and their outer destruction does not sleep. For if God did not spare the angels who had sinned, but cast them down into hell bound in chains of darkness to be kept there until the judgment, neither did He spare the world in olden times, but saved Noah the eight preachers of righteousness and brought a flood over the world of wicked men / and brought the Cities of Sodom & Gomorrah into ashes.\nAnd condemned them with utter destruction, making them an example to all who should work wickedly after them. He delivered righteous Loth, who was oppressed by the wicked men with their unclean and lecherous conversation. For being righteous in sight and hearing, when he dwelt among them, he daily vexed his righteous soul with their wicked deeds.\n\nThe Lord knows how to deliver the good and virtuous out of temptation, and how to keep the unrighteous for the day of judgment to be punished; namely, those following the flesh walk in the concupiscence and lust of uncleanness and despise governors and rulers, being presumptuous, stubborn, and not fearing to rail and speak evil words on them who are in high authority.\n\nThe apostle sets forth here in these most vehement and sore words three terrible and dreadful examples: that is, of the angels, of the world.\nAnd of Sodom. But all these things are in vain shown and preached to them. Our delicate bishops do not believe that this was spoken of them, and besides, they do not read or hear these things. But I beseech you, good reader, mark here how well the words of Peter agree with Paul, when he describes their filthy and unclean life. For where he says, \"presumptuous and stubborn,\" there are scarcely any men to whom these words apply first. For it is they who, of all men, set themselves up so much that they despise all worldly rulers and officers, and whatever other person is of high dignity and authority in the world, in comparison to themselves, and they also rail upon them and speak opprobrious words against them. The Pope has taken this monstrous tyranny upon himself for many years ago.\nThe tyranny of the Pope. He has not been afraid to trade kings and princes under his feet, to depose them, to excommunicate them, to curse them unto the fourth and sixth generation, and afterwards to exercise all things which in any way whatsoever may be long and helpful to extreme and wonderful tyranny, none other than if princes and governors were swine or dogs. Notwithstanding that scripture wills all men to be subject and obedient to princes and governors for the public peace and tranquility of this life, namely because they are constituted and ordained to serve the divine ordinance as ministers of the sword. And yet nevertheless, there are found some kings and princes so faint-hearted and of little manliness and courage, that they do fear these harmless thunders and vain cursing.\nand humbly beseech and entreat the extreme and utter follyshness and insensibility of those who seek to be blessed (for so they call it) by the Pope. I do not know with what charms or conjurations and words they appoint for the same purpose, only to write to the end, that is, that this cruel presumption and that wonderful tyranny of his (as though he were not mad enough of his own swinege) might, by the reason hereof, gather power and strengthen, and with those most vain deceits of cursing might deceive the whole world.\nBesides this, the bishops stoutly and manfully help the Pope, and so do all the great lords belonging to the Pope. And they are in very deed the despiser of all rulers and potestates, which will in no way be subject to any manner high power, neither in body nor goods, but only they being presumptuous and stubborn and more than wood do on every side make busines and rage to excommunicate and curse all kings and princes.\nAnd they are those in authority. Tell me, I beseech you, has not our Peter here openly and plainly touched our most delicate and tender bishops? I ask, to whom do these words apply, if not subjects or obedient ones to the rulers? If they speak evil of kings and princes? Briefly, being presumptuous and stubborn, they fear no man. Is it not openly known to the world who they are, those who commit these lewd acts? Peter says this:\n\nWhen the angels themselves, who are greater in might and power, do not receive judgment from the Lord with evil words against themselves.\n\n1. Petri.\nBut these persons, as brutish beasts naturally disposed to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil of things they do not understand, shall perish in their own destruction, and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness: and they account it a pleasure.\nIf they live deliciously, they are spotted and filthy,\nwhose feasting and banqueting together in their errors play the rioters of your gooddes, having their eyes full of adultery, and who cannot cease to sin, beguiling and alluring unstable souls, having also their hearts exercised with raunces and extorsions.\nBehold how vehement and sore this excellent apostle is here, how hot he is, how kindled, and how he casts out pure flames of fire. I beseech you, who are they that live in pleasures and riotousness of other men's goods? Who (I say) are they that suppose it to be sufficient to care only for themselves and for those things which belong to themselves? Who are they, that live (as Peter says), like brute beasts? And whom no man hitherto dares rebuke, yea, or once to admonish and tell them of their defalces? I pray you.\nIs this place in need of any comment or declaration at all? Is it not openly and evidently known that bishops, cathedrals, monasteries, universities, in which holy scripture is not sincerely taught primarily before all things, are nothing else but a certain unsavory and bottomless whirlpool, which swallow up the riches of kings, princes, dukes, earls, and the common people, and to be brief, of the whole world? Is it not evident that such men have come into these great goods and riches not by their own industry and labor, but through other means, folly, and a certain madness of giving unto themselves? They truly regard themselves (as they are naturally lovers of themselves, and stand in their own conceit), they would deeply swear, that they themselves are the most noble sort, and the finest and purest flower of all the men that are in the whole world. Yet, for all that, Peter calls them openly and plainly spots, filth.\nand pestilences. And these are they who rail and speak opprobrious words against the truth, and condemn it whereas they are ignorant and have no knowledge. For they, being all together drenched in their human, yes, deceitfully open, and in their most filthy living, and being all together carnal and brutish, are made insensible and utterly partake and ignorant of faith and of spiritual things. But yet for all that, they allure and beguile unstable souls with their intents and pleasures of riches and honors. For hitherto they have aspired unto bishoprics to benefices, and to abbies and priories, and have panted for the love of idleness and ease, and for the hatred of the holy cross, for the most part, which in the flower of their youth were most honest, good, and virtuous. For even nowadays also many foolish and wicked fathers and mothers do bring up their sons and daughters for the same purpose.\nThe folly of fathers and mothers who enter into these manners of living, not merely for the love of God or of virtuous and good living, but only that they may be well provided for, and secure of a living, and that they may live idly in all manner of delightful pleasures, that is to say, that they need not earn their living with their own hands, and their bread or sustenance with the sweat of their face, to which thing all men are bounden.\n\nNow they have exercised their hearts with covetousness and rawness, as every man perceives, for they never make an end of devising and finding out crafts and subtleties: whereby they may catch unto themselves the goods of the whole world. And to this endless and wretched getting and selling and acquiring of lucre, they do (which is abominable) abuse God, the sacraments, the mass.\nAnd all spiritual things, though I pass over in the meantime, what things they urge and obtain from me through usury, lies, frauds, and deceit. But if you ask, who are those who have the eyes of an adulteress, without a doubt the apostle here rebukes the most filthy and shameless life, which they lead. An adulteress is like a woman passed all shame, with full and wanton eyes looking around at every man, set forth and ready to serve the fleshly lust of any man. Similarly, they are also without shame, much like an adulteress, who has cast away shamefastness for every reason. For they give themselves entirely to filthy lechery, in which they live carelessly and without the rebukes of any man besides this saint Peter.\n\nThey are the children of debauchery or cursing, who have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the reward of wickedness.\nBut he was rebuked for his wickedness. The dumb beast speaking with a man's voice forbade and halted the madness of the prophet. These are fountains lacking water, and clouds carried about by a tempest.\nLikewise, as Balaam was rebuked by the ass, even so do we see the covetous seeking to reign among them with such great madness and shamelessness, that even the unlearned common people now begin to cry against it. And from this has arisen a common proverb. Which is this? He is more covetous (they say of a covetous person) than other priest or monk. Briefly, there is no man, who does not speak against them because of their covetousness, and give them evil words. But I pray you, how fearful a thing is this, that Peter calls them openly the sons of curse? Who else dares call the Pope of Rome and the bishops with their under officers a cursed people? Now Peter, that excellent apostle, yes, and the Holy Ghost through Peter, does call them this.\nand curses those who now refuse to be sorry and tremble in their hearts, that ever they have given and bound themselves to this cursed kind and manner of living? I say, whoever can let him escape, let him escape, now in these days, these manners of living of priests, and freemen, and such other. Afterward, he again joyfully adorns bishops with their metrical titles. For what other thing is meant here by a fontaine without water, a fontaine without water, and a cloud without rain: then by a bishop without ministry of the word of God? For this office lies unto you bishops as a charge, and yet they do not fulfill it accordingly / much like as dry and broken wells have the name of a fontaine or well, and occupy its place, and yet for all that give no water at all. And the clouds, troubled by the wind, are carried and driven from one place to another.\nIn place of very cloudy skies, they do not provide even a single drop of moisture. Likewise, our bishops, tossed by the wind of glory, are indeed in the high rank of the very Apostles. Yet, despite being moved and driven by all the devil's suggestions and greatly advanced in the honors and pleasures of this world, they send down no drops of moisture. They preach nothing at all, therefore they are reserved for eternal darkness forevermore. But if you ask me how they can be called false prophets without water and clouds without rain, since they fill and replenish the world with their teaching and speak great things on every side with a low voice?\n\nPeter answers and grants that without a doubt they preach too much, to the great harm of the whole world. For when they have vehemently spoken proud words of vanity.\nThey beguile and allure men through lusts of the pleasure of the flesh, such as those who have escaped and those who are in error, while they promise liberty to them, and yet they themselves are the bondservants of corruption. Here he shows the cause, why he compares and likens them to Balaam, and Balaam, as he describes in Numbers 24:31, writes in the book of Numbers in the twenty-fourth and thirty-first chapters, how Balaam made motion to the king Balak to set up an idol called Baal Peor and institute and order sacrifices, in which certain women and maids should stand forth ready to satisfy the fleshly lusts of all manner of persons, in the honor of the god Baal, and that he should provoke the children of Israel to idolatry and fornication.\nAnd so by that means Brings the wrath and indignation of God upon them, when He could not overcome them in any other ways. King Balak followed and obeyed their counsel. Therefore, the children of Israel entered into covenant with the Midianite women, sacrificed to the idol Peor with them, and after that had given themselves shamefully to lechery and gluttony. They were deceived by the flattering words and behavior of the women. God being displeased and angry, caused the princes and rulers to be struck down against the sun, and He slew twenty-four thousand persons. Lo, the author and instigator of this great and abominable sin was Balaam, a great prophet. Lo, this great offense was committed by him, who not long before had preached such godly things. But since the apostle Peter refers and applies all these things to our bishops, let us now consider this matter more largely. What kind of idol was Baal Peor,\nThe scripture does not clearly declare.\nIn the twenty-first chapter of Ezekiel, it touches upon the wonderful and insatiable fleshly lust of spiritual adulterers, when it sharply reprimands her for desiring and lusting after the flesh of horses. And she was made with a lust to lie by them,\nEzekiel 21: \"Whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys, and the flow and secretion of them as the flow or secretion of horses.\"\nAuthors say,\nPriapus, that is, this same idol, was Priapus of whom all this was made. I would much rather hold my tongue than speak anything at all, not but what it might be uttered and spoken well enough (if it were done with honest shamefastness and reverence, and not for the capriciousness of certain persons who call themselves faithful, prying and peering). No fault or challenge in the argument or matter, will be right glad otherwise to find something, which (though unworthy), they may with some feigned color of honesty and virtue pretend.\ndepraves and calumniates. Therefore, he who wishes to know more about the filthy rites and ceremonies of this detestable idol Priapus or Baal Peor, used at the marriages of honest matrons among the gentiles before Christ's nativity, let him resort to a book of. De civitate dei. Book 6, chapter 9, by St. Augustine, entitled De civitate dei. Where the holy doctor, not ashamed (for why should he be), any more than men need to be nowadays, if the devil did not rage so sore in his members, shows the detestable sacrifice offered to this abominable god of filthy lechery and uncleanness, Baal peor or Priapus. This abomination, every white person notwithstanding, was done and committed under the cloaked color of a holy sacrifice offered to God. Note to what great extent, the blind nature of man is brought to convenience and carried along, by the hypocrisy of feigned religion and painted holiness, when he has not the word of God to testify with him that his service is good and godly.\nThe blindness of man. Yes, what thing can be imagined or devised so foul, so abominable, and shameful, but me may be persuaded to it: is not this a thing more than miserable, more than horrible, in so foul and so abominable a thing as was this sacrifice of Priapus to misuse the name of God? And by that cloak and pretense, so many thousands of souls were seduced, beguiled, and led out of the right way? And yet God in the meantime held His peace,\nNote here the great suffering of God. And suffered His name to be profaned and blasphemed, in an unseemly and shameful way, to reward and compensate those who were unkind and had forgotten His grace and favor, such great blindnesses, and such exceeding great error.\nLikewise, they had deserved, and look if it has not been the same among us Christians. For whatever thing that wicked tyrant Priapus of Rome, and his sons of malice, the bishops and doctors, hold of his doctrine, learning and law, dare either devise or feign, and offer unto us: it thing forthwith, what we do receive and embrace and think it sufficient. And you for nothing else, but only because they pretend the name of God, and therewith cover and cloak their priapish doctrine and sacrifice. And when they praise their inventions only with great titles, calling them holy virtuous and Christian devises established by the church of God: we run upon them in all haste, and receive them never so much as once blessing or consideration, whether it be also commanded of God or standing with his scriptures so that this proverb came not up for nothing.\nA proverb. Neither is it used without cause / In the name of the Lord is begun all mischief and ungraciousness. But God in particular threatened and forbade this diligent one that we should not rashly and undiscreetly receive every manner of thing, offered unto us under the pretense and color of his name, and as it were showing and painting with his finger the Pope and his bishops of our time. He says in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew:\n\nMany men shall come in my name, and shall say, I am Christ, and shall deceive many, and lead them astray.\n\nAnd for this reason, he also diligently provided and ordered it that we should not take his name in vain into our mouth, or otherwise abuse it.\n\n\"Sanctified be thy name. That is,\nThe name of God grant that the holy and worshipful name of God may continue holy and in honor, and only be applied unto those things / which are truly holy, and truly godly.\nAnd so that we may not be seduced and beguiled by the name of God, but that we may be saved by it. And this is signified by all these things: Priapus was a figure of the popes' traditions, as Moses proves in Deuteronomy 4. With which God now punishes and scourges the world through the Pope and his clients. First, Moses shows and declares it in the fourth chapter of Deuteronomy, where he says:\n\nYou shall not add to the word which I speak to you, nor take away anything from it. Keep the commandments of your Lord God, which I command and teach you. Immediately after it follows: For your eyes have seen what God has done to the idol Peor, and how He has destroyed its worshippers, and has taken them from among you.\n\nNow, why should Moses put Baal Peor as an example most specifically before all other things?\nwhen he commands that they should neither add anything to the word of God nor minimize anything from it, except it be because he wishes to openly show that human traditions are nothing but an idolatrous Peor. Man's traditions take away the law of God and add human things. For instance, even at these days, the Pope has suppressed, or at least neglected and despised almost all the commandments of God, and has added his own abominable practices as patches sewn thereto. The here typical doctrine of the papacy. For, as we have said often times, the Papists teach that it is no need that God be loved with the whole heart: thus, they take away the first commandment / against them they teach,\nThe papists destroy all God's commandments. That faith is not sufficient to justify facade.\nBut good works are required for righteousness; this is evident from the second and third commandments falling to the ground. Besides this, they teach sons to be disobedient to fathers and mothers, as they themselves are to higher governors and rulers (as we have said before). By this, the fourth commandment is taken away. They also teach that it is not necessary to love enemies: by this, they teach wrath and hatred as strengths, contrary to the fifth commandment. Furthermore, they have invented and devised innumerable means and crafts, both for binding or subjugating matrimony, and for divorcing or departing from it: by this, the seventh commandment is annulled and put away. Additionally, they teach getting and holding and keeping other men's goods, things, and money obtained by usury.\ncontrary to the seventh and eighth precepts. The idol Priapus of Rome has no leniency from God, but all are abolished and set aside. On the contrary, he has added and instituted, through the habits of his religious orders, the beginning of songs, organs, frankincense, smokes, bells, loud noises or ringing, parsons, satisfactions, and such other visible things, the favor of God is purchased, and the works of righteousness are fulfilled. Each one of them hates and abhors these things if they are done without faith, as the prophets openly testify. Therefore, even his doctrine is very Baal Peor. Moses also agrees with this and is in harmony.\nThe man of Baal's honor and sacred rite. Numbers 25. When he describes the sacrifice and manner of worshiping Baal Peor. It was done together in gluttony and lechery. For the gentiles or paynimas were so blinded, that in the honor of that idol, they shamefully set forth their own wives and their fairest daughters as common women to serve the beastly lusts of whoever would, and it was the common manner and custom, that every man should take his pleasure and satisfy his abominable lust upon every woman nearest to him, after the manner and fashion of beasts and dogs. Cosbi. And Moses writes of Cosbi, the daughter of a certain prince, how, as she was indulging in the filthy pleasure of the flesh with a certain prince and governor of Israel, both she and he, as they were joined together in that filthy act, were struck through with a dagger by a priest named Phinees.\nPsalm 105: This psalm mentions the people who were so blinded that they delighted in their own conceit and offered their best sons and tender daughters to this idol, just as the Priapus of Rome does with his doctrine, corrupting and defiling the sons of great estates and the daughters of princes. He entices and allures them into monasteries or houses of relaxation, which they believe are doing well by following godliness and the right way of living, despite being far from the gift of continence. The entire scripture calls the madness of those who capture their conscience with human traditions and lie tomblike, rejecting God's commandment and wallowing in fornication and wickedness.\nWhoredom and fornication, and God in all the prophets rebukes the synagogue which, for its sake, commits fornication with the doctrines of men and with the masters or teachers of human traditions. So that bodily filthiness and uncleanness of Baal Peor signify nothing other than spiritual adultery and fornication, by which souls are defiled and led away from the simplicity of faith and from the knowledge of Christ.\n\nThe source is a pure virgin and conceives the word of God by faith. In every soul, the scripture calls a spiritual virgin or spouse, that is to say, one who, through faith, being great and full with the holy ghost, conceives the words of God, and in which same faith the holy ghost makes the seat of the word of God fruitful.\n\nFaith is the mother of truth. It makes her the mother of truth, that is to say, it makes her full of true and substantial good works.\nAnd of the fruits of true pity and godliness. Besides this, the nature and property of the name remarkably suit this matter and purpose. For Baal in Hebrew signifies a man, specifically a man who is wholly attached and given to women. The term Baal signifies such a man in his own signification, not any man but a man given to women and a speaker and governor of a household. For a man who is fit to govern the commonwealth, or to make war, or to do any other earnest and weighty business:\n\nIsch or Enosch. Beelzebub. Accaron. In Hebrew tongue is called Isch or Enosch. So the Jews called the idol Accaron Beelzebub.\nA man or husband of flies: that is, a man of no worth and without power or strength, scarcely deserving even a fly as a husband. In the later tongue, such a man is called maritus or coniunx (not vir or mas). In Hebrew, he is called Baal. Now Peor and Phleg represent an opening or gaping, belonging properly to the mouth. Baal Peor in Hebrew therefore signifies in English men whose mouths are always gaping, and such men for the most part are fools without any wit, reckless, slothful, cowards, desirous of women's company, and unfit for any sad or earnest business. Therefore, this filthy idol was most fittingly named Baal Peor.\n\nBaal Peor, because it was filthy and unclean on every side, and devoted only to filthiness and lewdness. For what other thing should it mean?\nThe image was drawn in such a filthy and shameful manner: but only if it was to signify a wanton and foolish woman, and such one who was greatly desirous of the company of women. Likewise, the image of one in complete hair and with a sallet on his head, does signify a man fit and ready for wars and battles. And although the fierce followers of the bishop of Rome commit all these spiritual adulteries and fornications, as we shall hear hereafter: yet for all that (if I should not lie [they are so strong and mighty and as it were twice married, some of them do in very deed play the adulterers, and notably as men say even with their bodies also]. For I pray you, for the love of God, tell me what profit comes of this holy and godly people? Are they not in very deed Baal Peor, that is to say reckless and foolish idolaters? For what other thing can they gain or do, save only ride upon well-fed horses?\nand they ride on fat horses:\nif not chastely and warily. Keep fair wenches, not chastely and warily (for I will use their own term), with whom they may lie (God knows to avoid all manner of fears that happen in the night). So then they are pure Baal priests and continue always as Baal priests, and yet in the meantime they busily make this color and semblance begin, leading men to think that they govern the church in spiritual things, and convey souls into heaven, and that it is they alone who pluck up and ride away errors and heresies with great diligence and care. Therefore, this idol spiritually is nothing else, but the holy canon law,\nThe Canon law and the doctrine of the Pope & the crafty maintainers of the same. For this is that filthy and unclean image, in which souls lose their virginity, that is to say, in which they learn to trust in works.\nTo leave and forsake the chastity and purity of the righteousness of faith, which the Apostle calls simplicity, which is in Christ Jesus. Therefore, the Pope should rightly be called not the pope, but Priapus:\n\n1. Co. vi. and the papists not papystes,\nPriapystes. And likewise, it was a very filthy and shameful thing, and even plainly against all reason and judgment of men, that the pagans should set up an image of extreme uncleanness or lewdness, by which men were provoked unto lechery, and by twice more filthy and stinking use thereof did worship this Idol as it were with coming and solemn ceremonies. In like manner and a thousand times worse, and a thousand times more filthy and obscene is the doctrine, the manner and custom of the papists.\nThe works and doctrines of men allure and draw the human conscience into confidence and trust. If they primarily have done excellent and high honor and service to God through inventing and devising many works and traditions of works, they daily increase this spiritual fornication. In reality, the true honor and service of God, and spiritual chastity, stand or rest in faith alone, and in the works which God works in us by grace. We see throughout the world that the Papists set souls upon this Idol of Priapus and fill the world with such manner of spiritual uncleanness and monstrous kinds of spiritual lechery. For they set up the mere doctrines and works of men in the holy place.\nWhere only the word of God ought to reign. And likewise, that abominable image of Priapus is made like a lewd old man, shameless and desirous of women's company, even so the papistical idol, the doctrine of men,\n\nis a certain madness and fury, continually raging in the polluting of minds, and in violating and defying the chastity of faith.\n\nFor we do see with how great labor and diligence, nota, with how great stirring, yes, even yet in England, the papists sell the simple poor people in their doctrine, but after such a manner that by their wills they will not be known of it, and so craftily (as they think) that no man can perceive them. We see (I say) how raging and wicked they are.\nThis text appears to be written in Middle English, and it seems to be discussing the behavior of certain individuals in relation to spiritual matters. Here is the cleaned text:\n\nAs often as their doctrine is judged or examined and tried by the rule of holy scriptures, they would not have so much as one soul escape the stews of spiritual lechery and those foul brothels, and that foul lust, in which they continually burn to maintain their idol, and so ensure that no soul keeps the chastity of her faith. This is signified by the name Baal, Baal. That is to say, a man given to the love of women, because such doctrine of men is only ordained to the polluting, corrupting, and defiling of souls.\n\nThis same thing is signified by the word Peor / Peor. For they will not listen nor give ears that they may hear the word of God, but only that stubborn, disobedient, and shameless mouth, with continuous gaping, barks forth human doctrines. For they only teach and require that they themselves should be heard in the church.\nThat they alone should be taken for bishops and overseers, and this is the reason why they pretend such beautiful and gloryous names with so many colors and deceitful hypocrisies, while in truth they are nothing else but Peor \u2013 that is, men full of tongue, babblers, and shameful liars (as St. Paul says in the first epistle to Timothy).\n\nWilling or desiring to be teachers of the law, yet they do not understand what things they speak, nor of what things they affirm.\n\nBy these things we may now understand the words of the apostle Peter, why, and for what cause he compares and likens the pope and his proud bishops and secret friends to the prophet Balaam.\n\nBalaam: For the first, this word Balaam in Hebrew signifies a devourer, just as the papists have also devoured and swallowed up the riches of the whole world. Secondarily, like Balaam, for the sake of money, they give counsel to King Balak.\nHe should set up the idol Baal Peor and deceive the people of Israel, letting them out of papystes, whether they are rich or knowing, and such other men follow the ways of Balaam. And also raise or set up the idol Baal Peor for filthy lucre's sake. For whatever human doctrine there is, it is all ordered to gain riches, to increase worldly substance - briefly, to get plentiful lucre and augment as we see in the king's domain of the Pope and his. On the other hand, the word of God or the gospel,\n\nThe gospel cannot get money. Or the word of the cross is barren and unfruitful to bring forth any lucre or gain. For there is no man but he flees from the cross, and every man greatly hates tribulations and adversities, which always accompany and follow the word of God. For the apostle could not have found a more fitting example to describe and set forth the filthy and double wicked life of Rome and the Romans.\nThen this Balaam. I ask you, what else is the entire kingdom of the Pope and his supporters wherever they may be, and the wicked monarchy of him and his, than covetousness and greedy desire for gold? For all things are arranged and appointed there so that they may bring in lucre. For tyrannically, the pope with his bribes and sellings, with suits about prebends, with the wearing-out processes of the rote at Rome, with so many palls and cotes belonging to the bishops, has plundered, made bare, and beggared the world: the thing itself, it is evident that the extreme poverty of all Christendom witnesses and declares. But these losses of money and goods would not have been endured, if he had not set up this idol of his devilish and wicked doctrine and called away the whole world from the true God to idolatry, only for this execrable and most filthy lucre. For in this, Balaam of Rome and his do so harm.\nand teaches spiritual adulteries and fornications, by which God is provoked to wrath and vengeance. So that not only (as Moses writes) 24,000. are destroyed: Hosea. xxvi. but innumerable souls and consciences are slain and damned if they persist in his doctrine. Furthermore the apostle says, they speak exceeding proud and disdainful words. Without doubt by these words he signifies and rebukes that wicked doctrine, of the Pope and his, as if he should say their doctrine is up and down the very right Baal peor. For the masters and teachers of that doctrine with marvelous pride, & with great gaping and openness of the mouth do preach and teach unfruitful things and whereof shall come no profit at all. I beseech you, is not this open error commonly rooted in men's minds? and has it not been so used in our time, as though the life of Monks, friars, & priests, were the very right way to salvation and heaven? No man dared hope to be saved otherwise.\nexcept he were one of those holy saints or at least acted like them. And they dared very boldly hope to be saved, and dared sell salvation to others, behaving shamelessly, just as they openly exercised merchandise, selling Masses, fasting, prayers, and good works done in their monasteries, as though by these means they could lead others to heaven. Are not these great things, I pray you? But what is hidden under the royal and goodly cloak and pretense? Nothing else but hypocrisy, stark lies, and craftiness and deceit, Roman falsehood, giles, flattery, slight traps, and green snakes of the devil. For in all that wicked and ungodly people, is there not one grain of faith or piety? But all their holiness stands in their shaven crowns, in their long robes, in saying or singing of Psalms in the diversity of garments or habits, in hypocritical fasting, in bells, in the smokes of the censers.\nin such things as these, I say, they claim and take unto themselves those noble titles: of spiritual state, of holy orders, of priests and bishops, as though they should be means between God and other men. It is to wit, making themselves new mediators or means, lest only the mediator, whom God has ordained and appointed, Christ Jesus, were not sufficient, but had lain Him down to sleep.\n\n1. Timotheus. 2. O Balam, son of Beor, give the short time to continue with thy abominable idol, which gathering and scraping together money on every side dost kill and slay souls. Besides this, the apostle says, you allure and draw me unto your lusts and desires of the flesh, in so much that those men are compelled to live in arousal who sometime had truly escaped. I truly do not doubt.\nthat the Spirit of God rebukes not one error or one sin and abomination but touches and rebukes all the whole heap of sins and vices, which lies hidden under the goodly color and hypocrisy. For we see how widely and large the Religion of men in the church extends and contains, how many sects it holds, which sects are equally bound to chastity not without a religious and devout oath. Yet the scripture and daily experience teach that perpetual chastity is a high gift of God far above the power and strength of nature, which gift chances even to very few holy and spiritual men only. But our bishops here being blind and mad, connect on themselves and bind all manner of people indifferently with this bond.\nnone other way than if chastity were a very easy thing and light to be kept by every man, and so with those high praises of virginity and of their spiritual state (for they so call it), they allure and draw silly youth into their nets of their single life,\n\nThe fruits of the pope's chastity. Which youth then afterward defile continually with foul lechery and unclean lusts. And hereof it is that we do see both men and women, who being let and held in within the prisons of monasteries, & with iron locks and grates cannot have the company of man or woman, to sin more filthily and more abominably (saving reverence) in sodomy or buggery, than a man dares be bold to utter or express. For albeit they do never so much contain outwardly\nconcerning the bodily act:\nNote. Yet although they inwardly boil and burn with unclean lust, there is whoredom under the color and cloak of spiritual and ecclesiastical life, or at least there is constraint and tyrannical extortion of chastity. And certainly, there are more grievous dangers of corruptions and greater calamity and misery there than any man may either express with his tongue or think in his heart, and this is what Peter rebukes here, when he says:\nThey allure and draw me with the pleasures of the flesh through concupiscences and lusts.\nAs though he spoke of these our bishops and priests: In truth, they preach many things of the spiritual and ecclesiastical state, and they marvelously praise and magnify chastity: but with their fair and pleasing words, they beguile simple young men and women, and lead them and all others into the middles of the filthy stinking pump of lechery and unclean lusts.\nWhich a little before, through baptism, had truly escaped the power of sin and of the devil, and had begun well in the Christian faith and in the gospel.\n\nWhy do so many come to rely on this? For it is the reason that so many men run headlong and blindly into these kinds of living: because they suppose that baptism and the virtue of it is lost through actual sin, and it works nothing longer in them. And it is also the reason that they do not regard but despise faith, as a vain and trifling thing without any fruit or profit (which for all that is the only thing that justifies), and they take upon themselves a more holy and a more pure manner of living, and (as it appears to them) also a more spiritual and a more high kind of living, that is to say, to live solely and chaste. And then this thing, without faith and without the spirit, is impossible for them to do, and so they are cast down into the midst of this deep dungeon of misery and wretchedness.\nFor it is possible that the devil may allow such men to be quiet for the space of one or two years, or even for the whole ten years, although this happens very rarely. Yet for all these same men, at length they do not continue chaste, unless they learn faith and Christ. For the devil has that man, whosoever he be,\n\nA man without faith. He who is without faith is so surely and so fast bound in the snares of lechery and unclean lusts: that he need not lie in wait, or use his devilish crafts about them, therefore he mocks him and suffers him for a certain season to live quietly, yes, even to begin also to have great delight and pleasure in chastity; but yet he is more sure that the man cannot escape from his snares without faith and the spirit, or else some spiritual gift of God.\nThose men, who are spiritual in truth and trusting, bold in their manly and strong courageous faith, always watchful and standing upright, continually wrestle and fight with him. It is certain and undoubted that all the chastity and continence of ecclesiastical persons, whose hearts are not purified and raised up with faith (as most priests are ignorant of Christ), is nothing but mere hypocrisy and deceitful deception. They allure youth into great dangers, yet hide no good thing at all under these goodly and deceitful semblances or appearances. I would that now an hundred monasteries were brought together into one.\nAnd there were barely one or two churches left out of one hundred, and these were instituted and ordained for a school of Christian youth rather than as a gaol or place to boast and show off in. Believe me, this great and excellent Apostle did not speak in vain or for nothing. Therefore, as I have always said before, and I say again now, whoever may, let him keep himself as far away as possible from all kinds of religious bonds, from all monasteries and temples, where the scripture and faith are not earnestly taught, and where Christ is not taught, and spiritual works are not exercised both day and night. For it is not possible to be otherwise, but that these monasteries and cathedral churches are the gates of hell:\n\nIf the gospel is not continually preached and sincerely taught in cathedral churches, and if the gospel does not reign in such places and is not exercised by the cross, through temptations and tribulations.\nAlways through most sure and upright hope and most living faith: it is not possible, but that all things there done are and must be corrupt, hypocritical, and deceitful, however holy they appear. Neither is there in such a place any hope of counsel or remedy. Therefore, good reader, I often lovingly admonish and heartily exhort you, flee, flee (wilt thou that I shall speak it a thousand times?), flee and eschew the estate of religious men, which is so chosen, sought, and invented by the madness and vanity of man's counsel, without scripture, without the bidding, without the command and word of God.\n\nTrue chastity. To the keeping of true chastity, there is a need of a living, effective, strong, proven, tryed, and very angelic gift, which may of a certain efficacy and strength properly belonging to itself carry up the spirit above the flesh.\nand which also may rule and command desires and affections, and which may, as it were, be a certain very hot fire, dry up the issues and flowings of the flesh, and bring a man into that case, that he begins to set light by this life, and by himself, in a manner turned by the gift of God into an angelic nature.\nAnd except that God, with the most free and passing high gift of continence or chastity in body and mind, do gird in and hold under His reigns: it is all in vain to go about by any might or power of man to bridle or subdue the flaming heat of the flesh. But those mad men and utterly ignorant of faith and spirit, and also unskilled in spiritual things, go about to provide for these things and to remedy them by their cold works, with fastings, with habits or vestures, with prayers set and appointed, with the prisons of monasteries or religious houses.\nA simile. None otherwise than if one would go about to stop the river of Thames from its course.\nA man with a straw bank obstructs the spring or head of it in the mean season, preventing the river from flowing. This fellow, who does so, may sooner damage the lands lying near, with the overflowing of the said river: he stops or lets its course. Such men leave nature to her natural flowings, while they do not teach the knowledge of chastity, yet they go about with eating of fish and various choices of garments, and with the prisoners of monasteries, to stop and keep under the said nature, so that she shall not break forth into issues or flowings: where nature's natural power and natural desire to continue and increase its kind is so deeply rooted and ingrained in the flesh that it cannot be plucked up and put away by any power or strength of man. And so the purity and excellent chastity of theirs is this only one.\nTo keep themselves unmarried:\nThe castity of the papistical spirituality. Yet, however, in the meantime to follow fleshly lusts, commonly being the worst livestors of all other. And so it is true that Peter the Apostle says, that with their goodly hypocrisy, and with their high and gloryous praises of this colored and painted chastity, they allure and beguile the common people, and very many unskilled young men, making them to believe that by this spiritual (for so they call it) estate and by works they shall be chaste and holy, and do most high honor and service unto God, and this is that error of all other, the worst in which they are compelled to live, which a little before were delivered from all error through baptism and the faith of Christ. Is not this then a goodly and an excellent praise of priests and religious men, which so great an Apostle gives unto them: that is to say, that the life of them is nothing else, but great and goodly sounds of words.\nUnder which there is no good thing hidden or meant, under which manner of living also most foul uncleanliness and most gross sins are covered, and with which they themselves do seduce and lead Christian men from the high way of faith, and from the knowledge of Christ, into complicated and inextricable mases of errors? If I should paint and set out bishops, priests, and religious persons with such manner of colors, I should be proclaimed. In the 1400s and these praters of vain things (I should have said preachers of divine things) would cry out a thousand times and more. To the fire, to the fire. Thou canst not deny (they say), but that many saints, such as Augustine, Saint Barnard, and Francis, did profess this manner of living. (I say) you blind guides, do you not see, you those fathers Barnard, Augustine, and such other holy men were saved not by their works, not by these orders.\nSo you do know: How the forefathers determined what works. But by that knowing of Christ, but by faith? And they did not acknowledge or take these outward exercises for that way and cause of salvation: but only for an outward exercise to chastise and subdue the pride and rebellion of the flesh. Let this therefore be sufficient for us now, that we have open and plain testimonies of the most excellent Apostles Peter and Paul, who have described and have set forth to our eyes the popes with all their wicked life and doctrine: it is to wit, they are the sons or monsters and shame of the world, but deniers of the earth, to be shown and eschewed by all those who are lovers of true virtue and good living\n\nBut what Christ Himself, and what the prophets Isaiah / Jeremiah / and Ezekiel, with others, say with most vehement and vehemently tragic affections, and with marvelous playfulness and boldness, concerning this matter: we shall differ and put off in the meantime whyles.\nThe pope and bishops, with all their guard and retinue forming against this truth according to their accustomed manner, shall blow on these my little sparks. Now if the men, who are by nature so desirous of glory and who are wont to flattering, complain that they are not handled by me like bishops according to their dignity: no man should greatly blame me therefore, for as much as they do not behave themselves as it becomes bishops to do. I forbear them and give them more honor, in that I vouchsafe to call them by so holy and so old a word, the name of a bishop. I mean the name of bishop, for they ought to be called by very odious titles if I should call them as St. Paul the Apostle or as Stephen the first martyr does call them. Acts. xii A bishop ought to be very conning in the Bible, and day and night to labor and study in the holy scripture, and to be such one.\nWho should, in his own person, teach his people, both privately and openly, the Acts of seventh chapter and instruct them to know Christ, as Saint Paul instructs, and who also, in his own proper person, should show himself sick and succor and relieve the poor and needy. Now they are not heeding, I mean the papists, but blind guides, defending traditions of men and the papal merchandise, by frauds and guiles they pluck away, and by infinite crafts they extort the goods of other men. Therefore, just as shepherds, when it happens to them to see the wolf, make a great outcry, saying \"wolf, wolf, wolf,\" even so I will cry out here until I am hoarse with crying to such a time as they amend their ways. I will describe some of their virtues, to the end that all Christian men, both now living and hereafter coming, may have knowledge thereof, but I will forbear from showing their names and persons.\nNeither will I rebuke or inveigh against that worldly administration and dignity which they bear, but I shall primarily touch upon that thing which concerns the capture of consciences, so that they may once see and perceive that there is by the gift of God some sheep of such a great flock springing up, which all others hitherto being afraid, dare be bold to say. Under these goodly disguisings, under this fair name, and under this appearance of bishops are hidden ravenous wolves. And of my liberty and boldness, I have an excellent example in the Apostle Paul, Acts xxiii. Who in open audience very sharply and sorely rebuked the high priest Ananias, and said:\n\nGod shall smite thee, thou whited wall, thou sittest here to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law dost commandest me to be smitten.\n\nThere he calls the high priest a whited wall.\nA person who presents himself with painting and vain coloring outwardly, but is not that thing, and the Apostle threatens him with punishment from God and treats him no differently than if he were not only a private person but also the high bishop. And when certain men had blamed and reprimanded him for speaking evil to the ruler of the people, he answered, \"Brothers, I did not know he was a bishop. What those words of the Apostle mean, it is easy to conjecture. For if he had feared that he had wronged himself in speaking vengeance against him from God, without a doubt he would have asked for forgiveness in a humble manner from the high bishop and would have retracted his rebukeful words. But Paul behaved in no way like this. Neither can Paul's words be taken to mean that he was utterly ignorant that he was a bishop. For who would think it likely\nThat Paul was publicly brought before the place of judgment, and no one gave him any monition or knowledge before, with these or similar words. Lo, Paul, you shall be presented before him sitting in judgment, or to the same effect. Lo, Paul, he who sits there is the chief bishop: namely, we are accustomed in open and common matters to inquire and learn the persons, namely of the judges. And though Paul had been so ignorant that he was the high bishop: yet, for all that, he saw him seated in the highest place, and by that he perceived that he was the judge, because he commanded Paul to be struck. He therefore ought hereby to spare and forbear the power and preeminence which he himself confesses and knows he wields. Therefore Paul's saying of necessity must be understood in this way, brethren: I did not know that he was bishop, as if he had said, he ought in deed to be bishop: but I see nothing in him.\nI do not know any reason why a bishop should be a bishop in truth, but he does not act as such, openly injuring me through lack of conduct or cast. Augustine himself explains this, if Paul the Apostle rebukes a priest so sharply and boldly, who was instituted by the law of Moses, even by the law of God: why should I be afraid to touch and rebuke these colored and painted bishops, who, by the tyranny of the pope, by the favor of men, and by holy gold, have seized bishoprics without the commandment either of God or of men.\n\nFirst, these bishops have suffered and nowadays suffer instead of the word of God (which alone, alone, only, only, I say, ought to be preached in the church) their indulgences and pardons to be publicly blessed and preached. This thing is not only wicked, but also blasphemous and deceitful, and full of death and hell, it appears evidently enough from this.\nIt is against the first precept and commandment of God, that none other ought to be preached save only the word of God, and that honor is to be given to Him alone in all things, as He says through Isaiah: \"I Am your God, teaching you profitable things.\" And Christ most grievously and sorely opposes your doctrines, as Matthew says. Therefore, all human doctrine is nothing other than an idol and a certain image, which being set up in the place of the living and true God, leads men into destruction and eternal ruin.\n\nPardon, but now no man can deny that bulls and pardons are not the word of God, and that nothing concerning these things is contained in the scriptures. Besides this, we are also compelled to confess and grant that all these places of scripture and others without number condemn all doctrine.\nWhich is not the word of God. Again, God himself gives sentence that such things are unprofitable, vain, and appealing to Idolatry, and are to be avoided under pain of the indignation and wrath of almighty God. But since these delicate and tender bishops have ears of iron and necks of brass, as it is said in the prophets, and will not hear: they cannot be persuaded, and they run forth according to their own madness,\n\nThe selfishness and reckless senses of bishops. They follow their own course, and their own swing, and where they ought to spend their blood and their life (I mean not in any worldly fight) for the maintenance of the word of God against the doctrines of men: they sleep carelessly, and give their minds altogether to pleasures, and to faring well, and the souls, of which they boast themselves to be the pastors and fathers, they most slothfully neglect.\nAnd they pay no heed. But such is their negligence. They only think and study how they may bring about the dreadful wrath of God upon men, drawing souls unto the deep pit of hell, and in the end carrying the consciences of men clean overthwart from the word of God into lies and deceitful errors, and the doctrines of men. Therefore, we ought here all the more diligently to take heed and look well about, so that we may show and utter to the world these cruel and bloody wolves, which lie hid under forked tails set with pearls and precious stones. I therefore exhort all Christian men in our Lord, that they will here consider and ponder the wrath of God. And likewise, just as you would do with a visible idol: even so do now with the bulls of these Roman Balaam, the tormentor and slayer of souls. Consider how pleasant a thing it will be for you to do to God, if you break and dash in pieces (with the word of God, and not with the sword) these idols.\nWhoever says this, let him boldly and manfully connect and tear down the said idolatry, let him rent them into small pieces, let him burn them, let him utterly destroy them. Trusting in his own good conscience and faith, let him boldly pull up by the roots these abominations brought in contrary to the word of God. For the most precious and most holy and devout worship of God (if it be done by the high powers) is to bring down and destroy idols, and to overthrow them, and to break them into small pieces. Moses taught and commanded this often in Deuteronomy.\n\nMoses. Gideon. Gideon broke the idol Baal in the eighth chapter of Judges.\n\nAsa. So did King Asa break the idol of Asherah in the fifth chapter of Kings.\n\nAnd all these said persons were highly praised by God.\nand rewarded again with wonderful grace. There is no doubt that the time that now is, is the last age or time of the world, in which it is to be feared that the flock will take more harm from the shepherds than from the wolves.\nFree you have received: freely give you.\nContrary to this plain saying of Christ our bishops do run on headlong, and not only do they suffer lies and the doctrines of men, such as are contrary to the gospel, to be preached: but also with a bold shameless face they use and apply all their ceremonies, prayers, masses, baptisms, holy oil, and consecrations of churches. I say, they apply all these things to lucre, and sell them for money. Notwithstanding that they are bound to give freely all these spiritual gifts under pain of eternal damnation. Now, the case put, if indulgences and pardons had some strength, and were good and profitable: yet they ought to be freely and willingly given forth.\nAnd the goodness and benefit thereof to all manner of men, according to Christ's commandment, how much more sinful and shameful and abominable is it, now,\nto sell stark lies, mere deceits, and more than harlots' guiles, to Christ's faithful people for money, after a blasphemous manner and fashion? For even the Holy Ghost has, through St. Paul, described the riches of Christian men.\n\"Having (says he) food, drink, and clothing:\nThe riches of Christian men. Let us be content with these things.\nI beseech thee, now good reader, has this Balaam of Rome, riches enough, possessions enough, lordships, and dominions enough, even in Italy alone, that he may compare with the most mighty kings that are? Though I speak no thing in the meantime of the most shameful vices and sellings.\"\nof the most stinking bodily crafts and of the most ungracious and deceitful subtleties and deceits by which he gathers gold and silver, measuring all things by gold, and referring all things to the end of gaining money, in the meantime neglecting the care and charge of poor people (which care only Paul does exhort in his epistle to the Galatians to be committed to him, and which care he strongly exhorts) is strongly neglected and laid quiet. Acts viii. iv. Cor. Besides this, either of the Apostles, that is, both Peter and Paul, among other virtues of a bishop, ought to abhor and be far from filthy lucre. They will therefore that a bishop should acquire for himself such things as are necessary for his sustenance and living by honest and godly means, to the example of others. And Paul himself, who was so excellent an Apostle,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English, and there are a few minor errors in the input text that need to be corrected. I have made the necessary corrections while staying faithful to the original content.)\nHe lived by the work and labor of his hands, and he did not disdain (although he was greater than all the bishops that ever were or now are) to exercise a craft or occupation in any town he came to. And for this reason, he lodged and was a guest in Corinth with Prisca and Aquila, for they were of the same craft and occupation, and he worked with them. Now let us compare one with the other. Is not the most filthy and more than horrifying manner of obtaining money, which the bishop of Rome and his client bishops use, in comparison to the poverty of the Apostle, more stinking and more filthy than any statues, than any brothel house? When gold is required for those foolish forty days of indulgence and pardon.\nby certain number of days, the Romans (God knows they should be overly lazy in bringing forth such a precious thing for nothing) have openly mocked our murdered bishops? Is it not most shameful and filthy lucre in all ages and times, when money is required for such trifles, briefly for lies and deceit, and when those rogues the Romans, with such as they are, are fed and nourished with the sweet of the poor people? But this is only the least part of their wicked merchandise; for other bishops of their faction have infinite crafts, and most shameful means of getting money: of which we shall speak more largely if they, being offended by this gentle monetary transaction, will also uncurtainsly be angry with me for monetizing it so favorably and openly enough, as I suppose. And here it is not unknown to me what they object to. Is it not enough or sufficient for a prince (they say) to have meat, drink, and clothing?\nExcept he have also sufficiently for keeping and maintaining a guard or band of men according to the condition and estate of a prince, what princes object and allege for themselves of the princely state, and of princely courts, attend them, the Apostle speaks not of princes, but of bishops. As for these princely bishops and bishop-like princes, he knows nothing about, which deceive the world with the name of bishop, and with the most vain colors of ceremonies, and gloves and mitres. But therefore Paul and the spirit of God, which spoke in him: shall not change their words, nor assume themselves towards these princes: but these princely bishops shall be willing to apply and obey them in their living according to the mind of Saint Paul and his words, or else they shall not be bishops, nor shepherds.\nA certain bishop of such a princely manner rode with a royal pomp and a goodly company of horsemen, showing himself gayly and gorgeously even above any worldly or temporal princes, through the fields near a certain village. A shepherd, who had happened to see him as he rode over the fields, left his flock and ran to him, staring and gazing upon him as if amazed. The bishop, seeing him so gazing, asked him, \"What do you see here that you gaze at so marvelously?\" Then, being a homely rustic fellow, he replied,\nI am a stark fool, and take my mark amiss, the byshop said. I marvel, he replied, whether Saint Martin used such pomp or extravagance. The byshop replied, Thou art a stark fool. For Saint Martin was scarcely one of the vulgar and rascally people, but I am also a prince of high and noble birth. Then the shepherd said again, I pray you, my lord, will you give me leave to speak a word? Yes, Marie, said the byshop, I give you good leave, ask what you will. Then the shepherd said, What if the devil should take and bear away the prince: shall there remain anything of the bishop? At these words, the good princely bishop, being confounded and ashamed, departed from the man and rode his way. So was the Apostle Paul in comparison to those dukes and Nemesis, a plain, simple, craftsman-like man, living by the work of his own hands. And therefore he went sometimes on his feet and preached the gospel everywhere he could. He could play the Apostle.\nbut such a poor and lewd person as he was,\ncould never have played the royal and princely bishop in such a fashion, and with the wrath and fury of God. These bishops are content, and allow the preachers to publicly announce the indulgences and bulls of the pope of Rome, by which the said pope mercifully grants license to keep still other men's goods obtained either by robbery and extortion, or else by some other unlawful and mighty means. Some portion thereof is given to him and to the holy church of Rome, and to the proctors and commissioners of the pardons, that is, so that they themselves also may get some part of the said spoils, and wrongfully obtained goods. And truly, I am in doubt with myself, what title I might best adorn these monstrous points of covetousness: and of truth, I am half in doubt, whether I may call the pope and his bishops following and allowing these things, dull asses, or insensible blocks, or fools.\nAnd utterly furious men, who with great shameless boldness and great madness not only exercise openly such foul and shameful deceits but also teach the same in every country and place through their freepers and other religious persons sent forth to preach. For God has commanded, \"Thou shalt not steal\": These monstrous, cruel, wild beasts with marvelous fierceness and marvelous woodenness do not only withstand and approve, but openly teach and say that thou art in no danger, though thou dost possess and keep still evil-gotten goods, if thou wouldst gladly restore them if thou knowest from whom they were taken, and if thou buy and receive the pope's pardons. I beseech thee, what other thing is this in effect, except if a man were to say verily, thou mayest steal and be a thief, and God, who forbade this, is made a scornful stock to these children of malice.\nWho openly and deceitfully reprove and condemn as a liar and a fool. For this precept, those beasts openly blaspheme against his face and contrary to it (though they would cloak or color the matter), they indeed teach theft, robbery, extortion, deceit, and fraud. Go now, thou pope of Rome, tell me, whereby dost thou claim and take up so much authority that thou darest say that goods ill-gotten or part of the goods ill-gotten is thine? God, who has created all things and is lord of the earth and its fullness, says that he will not receive any oblation of ill-gotten goods by rape or robbery. And thou, most cruel tyrant of all that have been born since the first creation of man, being openly blasphemous against so great and so high majesty, against the voice and command of God alive against so great a precept, darest thou presume and lift up thyself above God, taking upon thyself the greater power and authority.\nand thou teachest men to break and transgress God's commandments, and to exercise theft, robberies, extortions, and usuries, contrary to nature and reason, and the common judgment of men. Such must be cast down into a reprobate sense or judgment and be utterly turned out from God, who condemns the Gospel.\nBurning and condemning of Books without reading them. And those who burn the books which they never saw or looked through, who violate and break the public faith or loyalty, contrary to the law of all nations, you raging ones, all mad and wood against God, should strike your foreheads against the stumbling stone.\nChrist,\nRo. iv. And afterward they impugn all the words and works of God, and that they should come to such madness and extreme blindness, that they should openly teach the breaking of God's law. O how excellently, how plentifully and mightily with an outstretched hand.\nand an high army has avenged the contempt of the gospel: with how great an increase, and as it were a treasure or heap of wrath, the wrath of God. He has requited this injury, striking the obstinate mind with such great blindness and with such great pride or coldness of heart? Here now the thing itself, and the very heinousness of this offense would require that not only the bulls of the pope, but also the very posts and doors whereon the said bulls are usually hung, according to the common manner, be hanged up, ratified and strengthened with many cardinal seals, be burned, overthrown, and brought to ashes, so that there might be an end to these abominable practices. Therefore, I beseech and require you, good Christian reader, for Christ's sake, do not allow yourself to be seduced and led astray by these cruel and mad beasts. Remember that your God has not only condemned the deed.\nThou shalt not steal, but he has also forbidden the affection and desire of the heart, saying: Non concupisces, thou shalt not lust or desire. Believe me, he will not revoke his own word. How is it possible then, that any man or creature can give the liberty to have or possess a neighbor's goods? For Isaiah says, I am the God loving justice, and I hate sacrifice or oblation made of stolen goods or of ravages. And though these aforementioned things are openly wicked, yet those wolves teach us not only to make sacrifice of ravages but also to possess and keep stolen or obtained by ravages and extortion. See how, with their blasphemies and extreme madnesses, they bring upon themselves the wrath of God and condemnation unto hell. And yet nevertheless they desire and look for to be called bishops, & reverend fathers in Christ, and pastors or feeders of souls. Flee, flee from them, my brother. They are wolves. I truly, although I be but a wretched, poor catechumen.\n\"as often as I see, hold, and consider the blindness of bishops, I frequently think in my mind that it is best altogether to hold my tongue and leave them to the judgment of God, and not interfere with them in any way. For often such thoughts come into my mind that all things are desperate, and there is no hope left at all: all good things are so corrupted and destroyed by these Roman hypocrites and monsters, not only weakened but also extinguished, that there are evident and plain signs on every side that the day of the Lord is near at hand.\n\nThe last day. But yet again, on the other hand, that pitiful and pitiable destruction of many souls, which these monsters inflict with such great cruelty and tyranny, often moves me to compassion.\"\nseching for nothing else but only money does not allow me to be still and keep quiet, but compels me to speak, with the intent that if it can be brought about, I might at least save some souls from the jaws of wolves. If, therefore, my brother,\n\nyou have obtained evil goods, do not in any way think that you can be excused. Restore it therefore, for you shall not change the word of God. It would be a good and godly thing, if you could obtain the consent of your neighbors to make restitution, for every man is bound to his neighbor to forgive. If perhaps you had taken any of your neighbors goods which could not be restored to him very well and conveniently.\nWithout greater peril and jeopardy. But concerning this, you may read more in other diverse places. Of these things now consider whether both the pope and his bishops have not great need of an instructor, likewise as we do teach ignorant young children, the ten commandments, that they might at last learn, that we ought not to steal, nor desire the thing that belongs to our neighbor, and that much less they ought to teach other men to exercise and use thefts, ravages, extortions, and usuries. For except they despise those mad and furyous bulls of the pope: they are bishops in deed, but not of Christ's men. What are they then? bishops of thieves, of robbers, of extortioners, of usurers, chief captains (I say) and defenders, and the authors and counselors of great sins and abominable acts, as it is easy to know and perceive by these things.\nIt is a miracle or wonder of the divine wrath and indignation that for many days provoked and stirred up against us, that these things could have been persuaded to any man, who are so repugnant and contrary to common sense or judgment, and also to that blind light of reason. It is like a monster and a wonder that so open and many frequent thefts, robberies, and blasphemies of Romans could have been hidden for so long. And there is no man, in truth, who would believe that among the Scythians there were even men so rude and unruly, and so much without wit or perception, that they would have suffered such gross deceptions: unless experience compelled him to confess, that this dullness and insensibility has been even in our own selves, who are yet living. For what man or woman of Scythia will allow or hold with this, that evil-gotten goods may be possessed and kept by the dispensation or bulls of the Pope. Swine and asses.\nstones and stocks are scarcely sensible, and so much without perception, as we have been made under the pope. And here I know full well what they are wont to allege and bring in for their part against me. The pope (they say), is the highest bishop, and head, of all Christian people generally, throughout Christendom. It belongs to him to dispense of goods ill-gotten, whose right ownership is doubted. I answer thus. I beseech you, where is this in all the scriptures? Where is it written? Is it perhaps at Rome with St. Peter in some chimney or furnace, as it is commonly said? Indeed, it is an excellent lie. Why should not every man dispose of his own, according to his own conscience, whichever way they have been got? What need has he to have another dispenser, namely such a tyrannical one as is the pope? It is therefore nothing else\nbut a gross and most shameless lie imagined certainly for this purpose, that the pope might be made the general head of all thieves, extortioners, and usurers. By all the hands of all thieves and extortioners, he might steal and snatch away more than all the thieves under heaven. Thus, he could be captain and chief ruler among the most errant thieves and extortioners of the whole world, and among such other likes, if he were head and highest in the church. According to the example of the Apostles, he ought, accordingly, to commit the administration even of honest riches and goods to other men, to give himself holy to prayer and to the gospel, and to say with the Apostles, \"It is not meet for us to leave the mystery of the word of God, Acts vi. and to remain at the tables.\" Now he cleansely contrarywise challenges and takes upon himself the care and business to administer a slanderful and unholy kind of goods, thefts, ravages, usuries.\nand such other godly and holy riches (if it please God), I beseech you, is not this a worshipful and goodly vicar of Christ and an excellent successor (for so he calls himself) of the Apostles? Why does he not, by the same right, make himself the general steward and dispenser of all things, whatever Christians have in any place, and administer them? Seeing that he has once taken this authority unto himself by this primacy, that we besides might live in rest and idleness, and the most holy father might care for and also order us, and all that belongs to us. Oh, these things, ought to have been done to stones and trees, and not to men: though I speak nothing in the meantime, yet these things are done to Christians.\n\nIn all the bulls of indulgences and pardons.\nThe promise of full remission of sins to all men being truly confessed and contrite. The fourfoundations of errors. This is the most strong venom and deadliest poison of the most pestilent error, that ever came forth of this fountain and spring of errors, which is the pope. Christ in the 9th of Matthew did not say to the man sick of the palsy, \"Go put thy money in a chest, then thy sins be forgiven thee,\" but he said, \"Trust me or believe on me, thy sins are forgiven thee.\" From this simplicity and purity of faith, and from the sure and steadfast trust or belief in the grace and promises of God, trust in the promises of God, which believing alone justifies, which alone obtains remission of sins, as Paul the Apostle declares throughout all his epistle written to the Romans: from this belief (I say) that wolf and abominable monster does pluck away the people, and does lead them into trust and confidence in his bulls, and in dead become.\nIn the payments of certain some's money limited and signed unto them, so much that simple hearts learn to put their confidence not in the grace and mercy of God, but in their own works and satisfactions. This enticement of the devil so magnifying bulls, is more heinous and abominable than can be expressed with words, or else surpassed with human thoughts. For the first and chief commandment of God is here condemned and extinct, by which we are commanded to trust only in mercy and grace, briefly to God alone. Now they teach the people to put their confidence in paper and wax, and in their flattering and bawdy lies, upon these things to build their consciousness. And without doubt, the bishops of Rome's bishops, if they had any point of a Christian mind, would teach and preach this faith themselves, which Paul does well include in every syllable for us.\nFaith and they would also permit and urge others to preach the same in every place. Now, since these papal deceivers are rude, foolish, unlearned, created to the intent that they should pursue and strive against the very type of God (but doubtless though they would burst, they shall never overcome it), it becomes and is seemly for their persons, likewise as they are disguised and hypocrites: even so also to suffer deceits, smokes, vices, puffed proud words, trifles, and briefly mere madnesses to be preached, and that only for profit and lucre. Here again I entreat Christian reader, for Christ's sake, that no man desire her in me in temperance and measure: for as much as I am provoked with just cause. For we Christians do sorrow in heart and mind, which are daily compelled to see and suffer so shameful, so manifold.\nAnd so furious was his blasphemy against God. For this one thing alone, the bishops were worthy of being severely reprimanded by me. For whatever things I am able to say or cry out, be they never so hot, sore, and vehement, they are but little able to express even a thousandth part of such exceeding and immeasurable madness. Paul the Apostle boldly condemns both himself and also the angels of heaven, if they would teach (I do not say anything against the gospel) anything besides the pure gospel. What would he do now to me, who not only teach besides the gospel but also with more than fantastical madness?\nOr what exceeds Duessa's boldness openly teaches things contrary to the gospel. And let no man think it spoken against the ecclesiastical state and against true bishops or good pastors:\nHe rebukes no virtuous estates. Whatever is said against these tyrants, let no man think it said or done against the heads and governors of Christ's church: whatever is said or done against these slothful, idle, and sluggish beasts given all to the lie.\nFor they are not bishops, but plain idols and dumb images, idle puppets, shadows, disguised game players, who do not so much as know what this word \"Episcopus\" - that is, bishop - signifies. So far from knowing what the office or duty of a bishop is, would you that I tell you in one word what they are? Wolves they are, tyrants, traitors, manquellers, monsters of the world, burdens of the earth, the apostles of Antichrist.\nThe bishops of Rome and their client bishops, who now exercise tyranny over many cities in ample and large domains, are not bishops by God's ordinance, but by error, and by the devil's seduction, and by the traditions of men. Therefore, without doubt, they are Satan's messengers and vicars, if I do not show and prove this by evident testimony. My enemies will be compelled to confess this truth, and even they themselves (if they meanfully repent and become wise) cannot deny it. First, Paul writes to Titus:\nA man should establish and ordain presbyters in every town. The word presbyter signifies one thing, and the word episcopus in Paul's writings means the same, as he bids Titus to establish presbyters in every city. And because a bishop ought to be unimpeachable, therefore he calls him presbyterum. It is clear then what Paul signifies and means by the word episcopus:\n\nEpiscopus. Bishop, that is to say, a man excellently good and virtuous, of ripe age, who also has a chaste wife and obedient children in the fear of the Lord. And the Apostle desires that he should have oversight and governance of the congregation, in the mystery of the word and the administration of the sacraments. Therefore it is also necessary that he be learned and well exercised in the scriptures, and in his life, unimpeachable. I beseech you, is there any man here so much a stone as not to understand this?\nThat he cannot either deny these words of the apostle or twist them to any other sense, if he considers and ponders the words that come before and those that follow? Furthermore, I would like to ask one question here: is Paul's word God's word? Is Paul's ordinance the institution and ordinance of the Spirit of God? For I am convinced that neither the pope nor the devil himself (although both of them strive and labor as much as they can to extinguish and destroy God's word) dares deny this:\n\nPaul's word is God's word,\nthe word of Saint Paul. And Paul's ordinance is the institution and ordinance of the Spirit. For although God's word greatly vexes the devil: yet he dares not deny it, but only uses these subtlety and deceitful crafts, hiding under the color and cloak of God's word and hypocrisy, he may do and attempt all things contrary to God's word.\nIf it is the word of God and the ordinance of the Holy Ghost that Paul speaks or ordains, whatever thing is done contrary to his word and ordinance is done against God and contrary to the ordinance of the Holy Ghost. Now if it is against God and His will: undoubtedly it is evil.\n\nCould this be any clearer? Could it be more edifying? Is there yet anything whereof any man may doubt? For how can God be contrary to Himself, seeing that Christ says, \"The devil himself is not contrary to himself.\"\n\nSecondarily, it follows that all Christian men are bound under pain of God's indignation and everlasting death to maintain and defend the word and ordinance of God, which Saint Paul teaches. And conversely, they are just as bound to impugn, destroy, overthrow, and utterly extinct the ordinance of the devil.\nAll whoever they may be, who by all honest and lawful means spend and bestow their goods, honor, blood, and life, let them flee from this which is so repugnant and contrary to God and his ordinance. If need requires, let them also save and protect their friends and their lives, and their blood, or else they cannot extinguish and destroy it. At the very least, let them avoid it and flee from it, as from abomination and from the devil himself. This thing is truly open and manifest. For all things are to be forsaken for the defense and maintenance of God's word, that His will may be fulfilled both in heaven and on earth, and the errors of the devil are to be plucked up by the roots before all things, to the utmost of our power. Take heed of this, you bishops. For in as much as you delight so much in bulls, I shall read to you a new bull. All men who by all honest and lawful means spend and bestow their goods.\nTo ensure that bishops, with their pompous and courtly behavior, so unlike and contrary to the office and duty of an Apostle, particularly in the administration of the word, overthrow and destroy the despotic kingdom of the bishop of Rome, or if they cannot do this in reality, they should denounce it as abomination and condemn it. Those who do this are the sons of God and true Christian men, fighting and helping the faith of the gospel in spiritual battle against the gates of hell. Contrarily, those who favor the wicked and tyrannical kingdom of the popes' bishops and willingly and gladly submit to it are the ministers of the devil, fighting against the words, laws, and ordinances of God. This is my sentence.\nThe apostle Paul commands Titus to ordain and constitute a bishop in every city, one who is the husband of one wife, a man virtuous and unreprehensible. This is God's word, His will and sentence. Against this divine will, these men now strive and fight, who have taken away all true bishops from all cities, and in their place have established shops or workhouses of cold ceremonies, monasteries, and collegiate churches. In their stead, they have brought themselves in, in order to be made bishops or overseers of many cities and provinces. Now Paul's sentence, or rather the words of the Holy Ghost, continues firm, stable, and unmovable, standing as steadfast as a brass wall, which plainly and evidently declares:\nIn every city, there should be established and ordained one bishop, and these shall be equal in power with one another. For Paul speaks plainly of every city, and he gives full power and authority to each bishop in his own city. Therefore, God now addresses you, worldly bishops. Why do you not rise here? Why do you not boldly and manfully resist? Why do you not break forth all of you together? Here you have to do not with me, but with the Apostle Paul. Here you resist (that I may say with the holy martyr Stephen), not me, but the Holy Ghost, which likewise mightily resists you. Go then, what will you say here I beseech you? Will you all hold your peace, and say nothing at all? Lo, your sentence is given, and pronounced against you, you have the matter judged, that is to say, that, to all Christian men it belongs, on their part (with the word of God), to destroy, to pull up by the roots.\nand utterly to extinct both you and your kingdom, which you tyrannically exercise, to extinct and destroy the gospel, you have heard now that they are in the indignation of God, whosoever favors you: and on the other side that they are in the favor of God, whosoever overthrows and destroys you. But I will not in any way these words, which I speak of the destruction and utter subversion of the kingdom of the false bishops, so to be understood or taken,\nYou see here, you the preacher of the gospels, teach no sedition, shedding of blood, or fighting with the hand as though it ought to be done with the hand, or with a sword, or with violence, or bodily invasion of them. For with this destruction of men, we shall be nothing further in this so great a matter, that is to wit:\nThe goddess causes or business. But as Daniel prophesied in the eighth chapter,\nThe kingdom of Antichrist will be broken into pieces without any human hand.\nAnd it shall come to pass that every man will speak and preach against it by the word of God, until that wretched, sinful man is confounded and forsaken by all men and so falls down dead, and is utterly destroyed. This is the very true destruction belonging to Christian men: the bringing of which to pass, we ought to bestow all that we ever have, or else may. But here I will give you meticulous advice (if you will so take it), because you will not think that I utterly hate your whole order.\nThe author's colloquy. It is expedient for you here to retain and hire, whatever it costs you (as you are bishops of gold and of money), some excellent, crafty liar, who may write a pleasant little book, likewise as many fools of your sort have done.\nas though they could have changed the whole world with those wretched papers. For if the words of St. Peter, in which he speaks of all Christ's men saying:\n\nYou are a royal priesthood and a priestly kingdom.\nIF these words (I say) can be twisted to mean this, that they signify, priests showing and anointing, as though Peter would have all Christian men such anointed and showing priests: what thing does it prevent Paul's words from being understood in the same way, by the same craft (see it is a crafty man handling it which is inferior to no one in lies & shamelessness (have ye necks of them witches, & so be applied to this sense, as though we ought to understand it of two spiritual bishops.\nTherefore, spiritual bishops after their exposition are all the preachers of the word of God in cities, towns, & villages, though they do neither buy palaces, nor gowns.\nThe Romanystes bear no other garment than the corporal bishops. The corporal bishops are you, who wear forked miters on your heads beneath the apparel of Aaron. In truth, you play the part of real tyrants, and are companions of Nero and Caligula, riding on fat and well-fed palaces, and similar mules, and afterward, with your rings only, and your gloves, and your silver sheepskins (if it please God), you play the part of bishops. Now, if Paul, beginning to be but a simple and humble creature, would refuse and disallow this gloss, or exposure, of such holy fathers: he would be worthy of being struck with the spiritual sword of excommunication, and feared with the indignation at the least way of St. Peter, for as much as he is guilty here in this thing according to the Roman bulls, or at least, he would be worthy to be honestly rewarded with a good slap on the ear, just as Ananias the bishop did to him. Why should he not, being but one person alone?\nShould I be content to be taught and to learn from so many holy fathers? Why should they, with proud conceit, command silence and say, \"Paul says be content to be admonished and counseled.\" The city signifies, by the determination of the Church of Rome and of us an entire province or kingdom, that if it is lawful and free for the pope to change the true meaning of scripture, as the words and arguments declare and fortify: why should it not also be within his liberty and power, according to his own lust and pleasure, to change and turn words and vocabularies completely around? For words, as they say, signify at pleasure.\n\nTherefore, as soon as it pleases any such powerful and well-tried and hated priest, or as soon as it comes to his mind on his wine bench: both the Greek and Latin letters and words shall be compelled to go into another nature.\nIf it pleases you, from henceforth, this word \"garden\" shall signify a city, and a star, a stable, a man. And if any man, who thinks himself wise, will here object against me and say, \"You have rebuked the pope; now you pray for bishops. What then? Will you alone confuse, mingle, and turn all things upside down?\" I say, whoever you are that thinks these things, be you yourself which is the disputer) both judge and jury, I say I appeal to you as judge, all affections laid aside, give yourself the sentence. May I not, by right, here make an answer to the bishops, Basias. Achab. whom Helias made to King Achab in the 18th chapter of the third book of Kings?\n\nIt is not I that trouble and disquiet Israel, but you. &c.\nI Say, discern and judge yourself,\nWho turns not all things upside down. whether of us is here in the default.\nWhether I turn everything upside down and the wrong way, as those who teach the word of God do, with clear order and decree of the Holy Ghost, or else those who teach their own ordinances, extinguish the ordinances of God. Tell me which of these two things is more tolerable: is it less contrary to equity that they should overturn and destroy the ordinance of God, or that I overthrow and cast down the devilish fury and madnesses of them and their erroneous and human ordinances? Do not consider here what I do, but consider the very things themselves, which of them bring forth this thing, namely the word of God and the scriptures.\n\nThe office and duty of a preacher. A preacher ought not to consider and regard so much what kind of men, how great, how mighty they are, against whom he preaches, or what he may gain by his sermons, but this thing only and nothing else he ought to care for.\nthat he may preach the pure word of God, for this is not to be watered or attempted, and made to agree with the affections of men, whatever things may chance, or else feared to be done unto him by man. This word I say is purely and sincerely to be preached, although not only bishops but also all the angels of heaven would resist and say against it. Now if you will here object, that they are very great, very high, very wise, and very well learned men, against whom I do write these things:\n\nI answer you, Peter, Paul, and all the prophets did prophesy that there should not come a more and vengeful mischief upon the earth, than that of Antichrist and of the last days. Do you suppose these lofty words of the Holy Ghost were spoken of the leaves of trees, or of small trifles? The word of God (as it appears in the prophets) always speaks against kingdoms, against peoples, of great things.\nAgainst those who are the heads among the people, against many and great nations, whichever way you look: they are utterly great and wonderful things, of which God speaks. How much more likely is it, that they should be great, noble, worshipful, and very wise men, concerning the flesh: who shall be the doers and workers of this extreme wickedness of the last days, of which all the prophets have prophesied and spoken before? Namely, saying that the scripture speaks so horrible things of these times. That is to say, no flesh shall be saved, except those days were shortened. And in another place, that the Son of Man at his coming shall scarcely find any faith on earth. And also that even the very elect and chosen persons shall be seduced, and led out of the right way, if it were possible.\n\nI beseech and require the good Christian reader, I beseech for Christ's sake, consider\nwell.\nFor these words are not spoken of any light person on his ale or wine bench, nor yet any incentives of man's mind: but the words of the eternal majesty. If thou dost consider these words steadfastly and wisely, thou shalt find that they shall be great men, and me of might and power, and that it shall be a mighty kingdom, which shall do and work this last great and most sore and vengeful mischief, as the pope, his bishops, and other his prelates are in very deed, briefly what matter I pray you make it, how great, how high, and how concerning they are: seeing it is more evident and clear than day that all they and their doctrine is against God? Is not God greater and higher than all creatures?\n\nThe great Turk is also a great lord of many provinces, the Furqan, and greater than any of them: and yet he is against God.\nAnd you, enemy of God. And again I guess what they will object. For all that (they say) often many saints have been bishops not only of one city: but of many cities. I answer. As many as have been truly holy bishops in fact and called shepherds by the calling of God: most of these were the bishops of one city alone, as Cyprus, Hilary, Ambrose, Augustine, Hippolytus, and such also Titus to Paul. And there have been certain ones (such was holy Boniface, Boniface. Tertullian. And such also Tertullian to Paul) who after their own judgment established other bishops in the cities.\nBut Titus was not the bishops of many cities, yet such examples of saints are not prejudicial to God's holy word. For all men may err. Are the examples of saints prejudicial to you, the word of God? Is not God greater than all saints, and do we not often find that holy men have sinned and erred? God saved Daniel in the lion's den in Daniel 6:16-22. Is it any doubt that he could preserve and keep his elect and chosen persons, if it should happen to them by any means to be seduced and led out of the right way, even in the midst of men's ordinances and traditions, and of the errors of the devil?\n\nNote. We ought not to put confidence in any example, deed.\nOur conscience should lean and be grounded only on the word of God, which alone is he (as Paul says), who cannot lie. Furthermore, let us consider what Paul says about this ordinance of God, as Luke writes of him in the twentieth chapter of Acts.\n\nSending messengers from Miletum to Ephesus, he called for priests of the church. When they had arrived, he said to them, \"Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock in which the Holy Ghost has set or ordained you as bishops, to govern the church of God, which he has purchased and obtained with his own blood.\"\n\nGo now, is there anything new? Is Paul a fool, and does he not know what he does? Ephesus was but one city alone, and Paul calls openly all the priests or elders by one common name, episcopos: bishops. All the priests of one city were called by Paul, Bishop. But perhaps Paul had not read those books and those wretchedly patched-together apologies of papists.\nFor they should not enact such holy decrees. How could he have been bold, then, to make many bishops overseers to one city, and call all the priests of one city bishops, since they were not all princes, nor kept a guard for me, nor had fine palaces and horses, but were certain rascal persons and of the most base and vile sort, according to worldly esteem? For Paul, perhaps, did not foresee what has grown common in our time: that no man can be a true bishop unless he keeps a hundred horses in good stables, has a gorgeous house full of royal pomp, and holds many royal titles of lordships. This alone is sufficient now in our time, such that knights and princes (no matter how unlearned and foolish they may be, and even if their minds are otherwise disposed) can become bishops through the commands of their parents and kin.\nAnd sometimes by gifts and rewards are suddenly made by shopkeepers. But in good sadness, you say clearly that the Apostle Paul calls these only shopkeepers, who preach the gospel to the people and minister to them the sacraments, as now in our time are the parish priests and you preachers. All true preachers are bishops. Therefore, I do not doubt that these, although they preach the gospel to only small villages and towns, and if they are the faithful and true ministers of the word: I do not doubt (I say) that they have by right the title and name of a bishop. Contrariwise, those valiant horsemen and tyrannical bishops have no point of the office of a bishop, saving only those bare good titles, & certain disguised apparel, in like manner as those bishops which are painted on a wall have in deed the shape and likeness of bishops.\nBut they are without life and speech. For even such dead and idle stocks and blocks are the popes' shops in every point: although they are stronger and quicker when they exercise tyrannical cruelty against the very pastors, who govern cities in the ministry of the word of God, and by deceitful tyranny prevent them from holy matrimony, and wink at the keeping of whores, do blaspheme the gospel, extinct the word of God, and under the pretense and color of virtue and godliness exercise continual extreme tyranny upon the simple poor people. Therefore, we see in the courts and palaces of some bishops, as well as in the font of all vice and mischief, the court of Rome, not so much as one crumb, not so much as the least shadow of Christian manners, we see also all the cities of priests, and especially those noble seats of priests.\nTo be nothing but schools of uncleannesses and bodily pleasures, workhouses of vices, in so much that in comparison of their houses, the courts of secular princes may be accounted more monasteries and holy schools of virtue and godliness, yes, and Sodom and Gomorrah in comparison may seem temperate and measurable. For out of their courts or houses comes neither the gospel nor any other holy doctrine: but only citations, excommunications, exactions, interdictions, citations (I say) in very deed peremptory, that is to say, sleights both of goods and of souls. For such as the bishops are themselves, such also is their doctrine. Proverbs. And though thou do never so much clothe an ass with a lion's skin: yet he continues still an ass, and an ape is still an ape, though clad in purple. Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, Philippians to all the saints in Christ Jesus.\n\"Who are in the city of Philippi and to the bishops and deacons. Paul to the Philippians: Though Philippi was only one city, yet Saint Paul greets all those who follow, together with the bishops, undoubtedly the bishops whom he means there, were the priests, likewise as he was accustomed to constitute and ordain in all the other cities. This is now the third place of Paul, in which we do see, what God and the Holy Ghost have constituted and ordained, that is to wit, that they alone are called bishops in deed, and by right, who do take and bear the charge of the people in the administration of God's word / in caring for the poor people / in the administration of the sacraments, as are now in our days the Christian curates or parish priests, if they might be suffered for those martyred horsemen.\" Curates or parish priests. And this belongs to the office of a bishop.\nThe very word itself declares this, for the word \"Episcopus\" is derived from. In Greek, Epi and Scopon, which signify to give attention to, to give diligent care, to play the role of a keeper or watchman over the people, in the same manner as watchmen keep watch over the walls of a city or as shepherds keep watch over their sheep. And the word \"Episcopus\" in English properly signifies an overseer, and in Hebrew it signifies a visitor, that is, one who visits men at their own houses and diligently inquires and searches into their condition and the state of their life, being ready equally and indifferently to help and comfort all. So Christ says in the 19th chapter of Matthew:\n\nBecause you have not known the time of your visitation.\nThat which is called there:\ntime of visitation / we call it the time of your episcopacy. But our papal bishops have found and devised a certain new profession and declaration of that episcopal office, seemingly for such as they are - that is, to sit themselves high in a chair gilted, clad in purple, with cushions of cloth of gold underneath their buttocks and elbows, having abundance and plenty of all manner delights and pleasures, as much as any kings can have: and in the meantime to provide and set forth the men belonging to their government, to be piloted, tortured, and flayed of their offices (to whom they make their flocks subjects - men for the most part wicked, ungodly, & who think that there is no god - who then may also with their commandments at their own pleasure by copulation cause to appear at those their holy consistories, persons who dwell very far off.\nNot without causing damage and hurt to both their goods and souls, and may exercise and use all manner of extreme tyranny upon them. For as much as now it is evident and open of these three places of the apostle, that those bishops, who are so far away from the ministry of God's word, and negligent about their duty, are not only false bishops, but rather the people of curse before God, as those who have set their minds against the statutes and ordinances of God to extinct the gospel, and do exalt themselves to destroy souls. It is every Christian man's duty, by all lawful and honest means, to procure that their tyrannous and sinful traditions may once and for all be utterly continued and come to confusion. It belongs (I say) to every Christian man's duty, fully and with great confidence and boldness, where charity will allow, to endeavor himself to do all things which are contrary to their traditions.\nnone other way than he would do against the devil himself. And also to treat under their feet and utterly despise the obedience of them, by which they desire to have, their own traditions greatly respected and observed, the word of God neglected and nothing set by. We therefore (if it be that we have pity for so many souls which perish for ever, if we are earnestly moved and stirred by the word of God) owe with our utmost diligence to go about, and with very great patience and struggle of ourselves to labor, old evil bishops to be charitably reformed, and if they refuse to be reformed, then new and good bishops to be put in their places. That there may be agreement according to the institution of the apostle, very bishops and shepherds be constituted everywhere in cities, which are men pure, and virtuous, and well learned in holy scripture.\nand in spiritual things, which have chaste wives and children obeying (as the apostle says), in the fear of the Lord. Therefore, seeing that bishops and pastors everywhere in the cities, who have hitherto obeyed the devil rather than God, bind themselves against the scripture to this wicked vow of living singly or alone (if there is any point of Christian breast or mind in us), we ought to give diligence and bestow labor, for a reform of the same to be had, by the king our only supreme head of the church, in whom alone the reform lies. Once such a reform has taken place,\nthe poor captive souls may boldly, in contempt of the devil and his papist traditions, reject those vows as having been made through error with the devil and with the gates of hell, and that they may, according to the word of God, marry wives and rather be willing (in accordance with the institution of St. Paul), to be good married men in the sight of God.\nThen, for the pleasure of those Romans, the heretics are labeled as adulterers and hore keepers. For the very time itself now demands, in great revelation of the gospel, that at last the holy ordinance of the spirit of God, which can only be good, be restored and set up against those profane and abominable traditions of men. Lo, this is my decree against those proud, puffed-up Bulls of the devil,\n\nThe decree of the author and of the deceitful Romans and their supporters. Neither do they heed or obey me, but they heed and obey God and the spirit of God. Whoever heeds and keeps this, and therefore I can also in truth promise both everlasting life and the favor of God to all, whatever they may be who in faith observe and keep it. And because this will not be judged the ordinance of Paul alone / (For it is reported that the dean and canons of a certain cathedral church spoke in a blasphemous manner and facetiously to a preacher)\nwhom they expelled for the gospel's sake, what of Paul?\nChanons and Canonically. What of Paul: The pope has received more power from Christ than Paul ever did. And for the pleasure of those so sweet and gentle men and exceptionally devout priests, let us see what Peter and what Christ himself say concerning this matter. In the fifth chapter of the first epistle of Peter, it is written as follows.\nThe priests among you I beseech (who am also a priest, presbyters, and a record of Christ's afflictions, and also a sharer in the glory that will be revealed) shepherd the flock of Christ, taking care of them willingly, not under compulsion, but voluntarily. Not for the desire of filthy lucre, but with a good, favorable, and loving mind, neither as lords over their inheritance, but that you may be examples to the flock.\nAnd when the overseer appears.\nyou shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory. Here you say that. Peter, equally, as Paul did, uses the two words presbyter and episcopus interchangeably, meaning they are bishops, who teach the people and preach the word of God. He makes them equal in power one with another, and commands them to behave towards each other as if they were lords or had dominions over those whom they have charge of. He calls himself a fellow priest (I may so say) by these words clearly declaring and proving that all parish priests and bishops of cities are equal in power among themselves, and that one is nothing superior to another in the authority of a bishop, and that he himself is a fellow priest with them.\nAnd he has no more power and authority in his city than you or any one of them in their own congregation. Peter makes himself equal and not subordinate to the bishops. I beseech you, these beasts will allege here against these things which do not cease, not only to be lords and have dominion, but also to exercise most cruel tyranny upon our souls and our goods. Which also never cease with excessive mad contending and strife among themselves about the difference and degrees of power and authority. And I may once make an end, Christ himself in the 22nd chapter of Luke says:\n\nThe princes of the pagans are lords over them, and those who have power and authority over them are called beneficial and gracious. But it shall not be so among you, but he who is eldest among you, let him be made as the youngest.\n\nHereunto\nHerken and give good attendance, pompous and lordly bishops. All ye holy Christian people require of you a reason and cause for your dominion and lordship, which you have hitherto assumed with so many titles and also with so many tyrannical deeds, taken violently, usurped, and challenged unto yourselves. I say ye Christian world requires a cause for this your doing. For this you cannot deny, which is so open and evident before your eyes, that your kingdom is an outward and worldly kingdom. Yes, and that more worldly than the kingdom of any worldly prince. For you play the lords openly both upon the bodies and also the minds, and that not by the word of God, but by your pomp and worldly tyranny, as other princes and rulers of the heathen peoples do. I say, therefore, go now and tell me,\n\nDo none such things. How were those words of Christ not such things? That is,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Middle English, and there are some errors in the OCR transcription. The following is a cleaned-up version of the text, maintaining the original meaning as much as possible.)\n\nListen and give good attendance, pompous and lordly bishops. All ye holy Christian folk require of you a reason and cause for your dominion and lordship, which you have hitherto assumed with so many titles and also with so many tyrannical deeds, taken violently, usurped, and challenged unto yourselves. I say ye Christian world requires a cause for this your doing. For this you cannot deny, which is so open and evident before your eyes, that your kingdom is an outward and worldly kingdom. Yes, and that more worldly than the kingdom of any worldly prince. For you play the lords openly both upon the bodies and also the minds, and that not by the word of God, but by your pomp and worldly tyranny, as other princes and rulers of the heathen peoples do. I say, therefore, go now and tell me,\n\nDo none such things. How were those words of Christ not such things? That is,\n\n(End of text)\nBut you shall not act contrary to your kingdom's behavior, as you are not sleeping, for it is not fitting for your kingdom, your condition, and state to be such as it is, if it were a Christian state. Now, whatever manner you may wish it to be, Christ plainly tells you (for you seem to be bishops). But you shall not act so, I say, do not let your ears ring and glow at these words of the sovereign majesty.\nBut you shall not so, why do you keep silence? why are you dumb? Now let us see what you begin to answer with so many great books of decrees to these words of one syllable: vos autem non sic. But you not so? I say to you, what can you say to this little sentence of three syllables, vos non sic, you not so? Perhaps, as you are bold to do and say all things, you will begin to make a causal explanation as though these words, vos non sic,\n\nThe papist will keep the true signification of words no longer than they listed, for so you are wont to change at your pleasures the signification of words.\n\nAnd shall teach, that the Pope\nhas also more power and authority than Christ himself. But why do I thus rebuke these obstinate persons? They are blind and guides of the blind.\n\nI will here earnestly advise the good gentle reader, that thou do leave and forsake these men.\nAnd even likewise, if your deadly foe and enemy came under the semblance and likeness of a much dearer beloved brother, you would at least suspect him, and examine his company with great diligence: even so, now flee from those tormentors of consciences, and keep them in suspicion, who come under the guises and titles of true bishops, but are none. For Paul has shown before that likewise, the devil does transform himself into an angel of light, even so his apostles should take upon themselves the likenesses and the name of the ministers of Justice, and of the apostles of Christ. But by their fruits, that is, by their works and their doctrines, we know them. For they do not preach nor suffer to be preached anything else than lucre / and the chests and coffers of Indulgences and pardons.\nI The pope takes upon himself power and authority to change vows,\nFor money vows are changed into other good works.\nand that not freely and for nothing, but for money: yet always the vows are accepted of going to St. James, to Rome, to Jerusalem, and also the vow of chastity. Many things have been written herebefore concerning vows which are unnecessary to repeat here again in this place. But if I do here demand of the Pope of Rome, that blind head, a question concerning vows. And begin to call upon him earnestly for an answer, what is the cause that he dares dispense with certain vows only, and not with all vows indiscriminately. I know well enough, he knows not what other answer to make, than that of the things which are vowed some are great, for example, to live chaste: and some again are small things and of no great consequence, for example, to fast on bread and water. And therefore he may change the vow of little things, but not likewise of great things. Lo how blind this people of the Church is.\nAnd without either wit or brain: which estimate and judge the weight and value of vows not according to the virtue and strength of God's commandment, but according to works. But I pray you tell me, is it not an oath as well, when thou swearest deeply in a matter of three halves as if thou hadst sworn in a matter of a hundred talents? Is not the Religion and strength of the oath equal in all points in both cases? Why then should it not be equally kept in little things and in great things? Should it therefore be broken in a great sum, because it is a harder thing to pay a hundred talents than to pay three halfpennies? This people therefore of vows is plainly mad, and in all points stark furious, wherefore embrace thou this substantial and firm sentence.\n\nNever make thou in man's law any difference of vows concerning the beginnings or smallness of the work itself, as though one vow were dispensable, and another indispensable. For the bond.\nThe reliability and strength of a vow is equal in great and small matters, so that the vow of living without a wife can be dispensed with just as easily as the vow to Jerusalem. In one, the other, and the promise is sworn and made as deeply and earnestly as in the other, and therefore should be performed equally. This will be more understandable if we compare the nature of man's law with the nature of God's law. The nature of God's law is such that it cannot be dispensed with altogether, whether in great or small matters, as all good Christians grant. Neither does it make any difference between great and small matters, saying, \"You may leave undone the vows of small things, but the vows of great, painful, heavy things you shall be compelled to keep and fulfill, nor the reverse. You must keep and fulfill the vows of small things, but as for the vows of painful, great, and heavy things.\"\nYou may leave undone and be dispensed with all. The law of God says not so. I say, however, that all men are equally bound to its observance under the pain of damnation, without any man's dispensation. Therefore, in human law, whose force and strength may not be alike, the contrary must be true: that all other vows not contained within the precept of God, such as the vow to live solely without a wife, to visit St. James in Compostella, and all other similar, monastic, monetary, and free vows, great or small, are clearly dispensable and may be broken, just as one as the other, the great as the small.\n\nOr else, the bishop of Rome and his supporters, the lords of such vows and laws, must confess and defend their laws to be of the same nature as the law of God, that is to say, that they may not be dispensed with all, and they themselves be moreover in that point checked by God in power, indeed in every point.\nWhere in their law is (as they say) indispensable. And since nothing in any condition can be equal to God but that which necessitates that same thing also be God, it argues then that the sinful man of Rome, or any such as he is, who assume in any degree or point the power to be like and equal to God, must of necessity make themselves gods, though it be but half gods, quarter gods, pesid gods, or patched gods, yes, false gods and idols.\n\nWherefore, good reader, do not in any way give credence to these deceivers. Neither do thou trust and put confidence in these dealings and sellings of dispensations and commutations of vows. For they have no authority whereby they may change any vow contained within the word of God. For where they may change vows as in things of human invention and in things indifferent, there thou thyself and any other man who soever he be may do the same. I mean between God and thee.\nTo avoid offense and slander, and freely dispense for all manner of vows. For changing vows comprehended within God's word is nothing else,\nThe vows: we are not to change the vows. But to abrogate and annul this precept of God: \"vowe you and pay your vows.\" If the commandment of God may be abrogated in one article, by the same right it may be abrogated in all points. For it is a plain and general commandment of all vows contained within the limits of holy scripture. For if this window is opened to the Pope, that he has the power to change such vows, whether they be small or great, then he might likewise do the same in all vows. And it would follow, by and by, that he might also dispense in the first commandment, that is to say, that God ought not to be loved with all our heart, and that our neighbor ought not to be loved as ourselves. It would follow forthwith.\nthat he might give license to worship an idol with excessive worship or commit adultery with poor men's wives, although it were never so unlawful to commit the same with great lords' wives because it is in a great matter. Briefly, in a thousand other like ways, I will not say inconvenient and unreasonable things, but wonders, monstrosities of errors should follow. So you see now and perceive, that this covetous Balaam, and these hypocrites and vile men, give their minds to nothing other than this one thing,\nthey may, for lucre and advantage, make the commandment of God of small strength and effect. Therefore flee, flee from this Balaam; for he can in no way change not even the least vow that is corroborated by the word of God. But if it is so that one vow may be changed, I say to thee,\nIt is free for the without cost or charge, though you pay nothing to the Romaneys, to change all manner other vows. Here we might have large matter to dispute concerning vows: but it pertains not to this place. For in other places it is largely spoken of, and peradventure (if need requires) we shall afterwards enter more largely on the same subject. Let these things suffice now at this perilous time. First, there are certain vows or promises made to me. Of vows made to men. And these vows bind so long, that he to whom they have been made exacts and requires the same to be performed. Of this manner of vows, we do not speak here. Vows made to God. Secondly, there are certain vows made to God, or to His saints. And those also are made in two manners or ways. First, they are made against God and His precepts, and those are utterly not to be observed. But those which are not against God, are to be observed and kept. Here now arises a very hard doubt.\nWhich are those vows that are made against God and His commandments. Here it is profitable and expedient to consider and weigh diligently and sadly the ten commandments. And we will begin with the least of them all.\n\nIf you would vow to lust after the goods or the wife of your neighbor,\nA sinful and accursed vow. If you would vow to bear false witness, steal, commit adultery, kill or slay, briefly, if you would vow not to love your neighbor, nor owe him good will: you perceive well and see that such a vow is wicked and unlawful. And such a one, as you cannot keep without the indignation and displeasure of Almighty God. This thing (I suppose) is more evident, than that any man may deny it more over, if you would vow not to obey your father and mother: certainly it is evident, that all these things are plain repugnant and contrary to the commandments of God. Why are we then so blind, so obstinate, and unreasonable?\nThat we do observe these vows, which are openly and evidently against the precepts of God? Is it not against the precept of God, when the daughter is married to a man of middle age against her parents' will, or else without any knowledge given to them? Is it not contrary to God's precepts when the son or the daughter, against their parents' will, take vows to enter religion, or else reject those unholy orders which the common sort of priests receive calling them holy orders? Has God not Himself, in the 30th chapter of Numbers, abrogated and annulled such vows or promises? Numbers 30. Devoted and moreover, has He not interpreted and declared this precept in this way? Again, is it not against God's commandment when either the husband or the wife takes a vow to go on pilgrimage to St. James, to do this thing or that thing, namely when the wife may not be without her husband?\nIf a husband lacks his wife's presence, come now and tell me, is the vow of matrimony against God's precept? This vow of matrimony, is it a hindrance for the husband to provide and care for his wife and children, and not to leave them destitute of his help and support? Yet, this vow of Pilgrimage to St. James, instituted by the Idol of Rome and the king of trifles, is declared inviolable by the Pope, and he excepts it by name as an indispensable thing. However, notwithstanding, if he wanted to show himself a true bishop, he ought to speak against it, yes, and also to abolish and utterly destroy all such vows. But the Pope does in every respect, as becomes one who is such. For it is fitting and seemly for him, after this manner, to prohibit and forbid that which God promises and commands, and contrarywise.\nTo command that which God forbids and to destroy that which God approves. For how could he be pope? But oh, would that these abominable and deceitful hypocrites and usurpers erred only to their own harm. They might be suffered or, if necessary, honored worldly as men who had deserved well of us, tolerated as heathen priests. But now, since they seduce so many consciences with such incredible fury and madness, murder and slay so many souls, and with their own traditions openly not only obscure and make dark and deface the word of God, but also scrape it out and put it out of mind, and utterly destroy it: no man can doubt that moderation is now advised.\nNo man will require silence in this matter, in which no man may keep silence without committing abominable great sin and open and evident unkindness and blasphemy against God. Pick up the hem with your moderation and silence, whoever you are, who think it but a small thing openly to commit such blasphemies against God. Let no man here speak to me of moderation, of somewhat milder writing, and of such other vain trifles. Let no man babble to me of reverence and begin it with them. Let no man pretend to me of patience and Christian suffering in this matter. It is an accursed silence which leaves these things untouched. It is a cursed reverence, which here forbears and gives place, and does as it were open a certain great door, and gives occasion to so bloody tyrants and to so cruel wolves.\nBut now, let's discuss the vows of religious persons. Although it is treated in detail in a separate book specifically dedicated to the subject, here we will first address it. Our bishops and goodly pastors shall have their ears ringing and glowing, and here they shall first gnash with their teeth. Here they shall make grievous and tragic exclamations. I say to you, goodly pastors, I will ask a question of you: if priests, monks, friars, and nuns did not believe in keeping the rules and ordinances of their orders in truth, or in superstitious or Judicial belief, should they be any better than adulturers or those who made a vow to corrupt and defile their neighbor's wife? Tell me, are they such persons?\nThe following text should not be a plain renegade of Christ's faith, and yet how many are there now in this entire sect of priests, monks, friars, nuns, who have not, for this reason, forsaken the faith of Christ? And perhaps these things seem strange to you. But I beseech you, listen to what is the very Christian faith. The very Christian faith is this:\n\nYou do believe that you are justified and saved not by any works, but only through faith in Christ, as mediator, and by the mercy which is freely given in him (as it is written in the first chapter to the Galatians). So a man does abandon all his own strength and power and all his own enforces, and all his own works, and does all together and place holy trust and have faith in the merits and the righteousness of another man.\nThat is concerning Christ. Is it not a Jewish faith to willingly be justified, to whom is it granting forgiveness of sin and saving by their own proper strength and merits? Romans x. Is not the faith of Christ rejected and refused by those holy men, or at least do they have no great need? Therefore, let every man, even of the common people, be judge whether a great part of priests, monks, friars, and nuns do not begin the ordinances of their sect in that faith. For these boastful words they commonly and openly use (they say), I embrace and profess this manner of living: so that I may gain some merit for myself above the common manner of living of Christian men. Why should I otherwise be a mocker, or a friar, and they ascribe works and ceremonies to it which ought to be ascribed only to Christ and faith alone. I pray you, tell me, what else is this, but to deny Christ.\nThose who are truly escaped, they allure and deceive, and keep them style in error. And those themselves are Jews and pagans, Jews and pagans. They do confess themselves. For what reason, say they, should I be a monk, a friar, or a nun? Why should I trouble and wear myself with so many holy observances and ceremonies, except I could by these means purchase and obtain a prerogative, and shorten the way to salvation above the sort of Christian men, or above worldly persons? For this is their communication. You hear that these are more than hypocritical words of Jews and men putting confidence and trust in their own works; in whom Christ has no manner of place or work at all. Is it any doubt, that all these men look for that thing of the works?\nAnd I don't know what observations of their orders: which they ought to have looked for of Christ, and of the mercy of God promised in Christ. Therefore, it is as certain as anything may be, that all collegiate churches and all monasteries, in which there are priests, monks or friars living in such a hypocritical and perilous trust and belief, are far more filthy and abominable than any stews, then any brothels or any dens of thieves. And therefore, it is also brought about by the wrath and indignation of God that, as it were for a sign and mark, these priests are most polluted and defiled with all kinds and sorts of fleshly lusts and pleasures. For through such a hypocritical manner of works they do violate the chastity and purity of the Christian faith, and then for a punishment,\n\nHypocrisy of works. They are given into that uncleanness, that they also violate the chastity of their bodies, as St. Peter does say.\nAllure not to the desires and lusts of the flesh, so should all orders and all vows, most of which are against the first, second, and third commandments of God, be avoided and fled from as from a pestilence. I would heartily advise and counsel all religious persons and such justiciaries: that they should choose either one or the other of these two\u2014that is, either leave and forsake this Jewish faith and trust in works and lean to the knowledge and use and profit of Christ, and begin their life anew in faith; or else, if they may not freely obtain license to forsake, both their religious habit and their monasteries, and let them return to the simplicity which is in our Savior Christ Jesus, and let them choose rather any other honorable and godly kind of living. Thou oughtest to do none otherwise in this thing.\nIf you keep a harlot openly, then, for living virtuously and godly, you must either forsake her or marry her to your wife. Behold, this is the spiritual Baal, of whom there is written a little book by God's gift, in which it is strongly proven by scriptures and arguments that the profession of monastic vows is wicked and heretical in itself, and that it is a very hard thing to bring about, that a man may use it well. I doubt not that good minds and consciences, and also reason, are well satisfied by these things. From henceforth, I hope that there will not be so many who are deceived and perish through a religious life and that wretched clergy. And if certain men are displeased, as if in the said book we preach liberty to priests, monks, friars, and nuns, and that monasteries and temples are:\nShould be pulled down and destroyed. I do not greatly care about this. For who can satisfy those wicked men, who will hear nothing but what seems good to them/and who (as Solomon says), are settled in their own follies. On the other hand, if they should be demanded a reason and cause for their traditions, they can do nothing but show their carnal hates, & their bishops' miters, and what a lordly countenance break out & say, dost thou not see that I am a cardinal, dost thou not know, that I am a bishop? What need have I of your knowledge of scripture, or a cause of his belief in a bishop? What need has a bishop of such small trifles, the care and charge of which may be put upon his chaplains? And what marvel is it, that those presumptuous men, trusting to themselves, use such earnest, weighty, and proud words, since they alone have the holy ghost, wherever they are assembled and gathered together.\nThere is undoubtedly the Holy Ghost? Since they have not only the Holy Ghost, but indeed the most holy spirit, which is not only (as Christ is called the Pope in the acts) righteous and holy, but also most holy. I am utterly weary to speak any more of these cursed abuses and bulls of the Pope, and I will differ and put off speaking of them until they hopefully begin to grant reprieve to these things, which I have said. At this time, it is sufficient to know that we are all bound before God with His word, yes, and otherwise if they have just authority to destroy and utterly extinct the bulls of the pope's indulgences and pardons. Besides this, not only to condemn and despise those hypocrites and false ones who publicly publish and preach these as unlearned and wicked beasts, but also to shun them and flee from them, according to the doctrine of the apostles.\nBoth Peter and Paul. I beseech you, I desire to bring an end to these complaints that arise from deep sorrow and grief. I ask you, is it not an excellent deed, and one not heard of before in any nation or age or time, that our bishops, by the grace of God, show small favor towards God's word and likewise stand small in favor, and yet secretly and openly forbid priests honest marriages? And (so that a man may know the apostles of Satan driven at one time with great fury), do they not threaten imprisonments and the sword, stoutly pursuing this, that the holy and good chastity (which is nothing at all akin to lewdness or appeared by so many thousands of harlots by so many monstrous kinds of lechery) should not be bound, that is to say, a lay and a profane thing.\n\"peradventure suffer some damage and hindrance. And lord, how my mind covets and desires here to make a rehearsal by the name of these cities belonging to priests, in which almost throughout all Christendom we do see so many and so great flocks of unholy women and that for no other reason but because they are kept not of the common people, but of priests. To maintain none otherwise, if it were a company of honest matrons, to open the scandal of the church / and to be fed in idleness with delicate meals and drinks / to have the honorable names and titles of families / and moreover, after the similitude and manner of temples (as the Psalmist says), to be clad in purple, decked, and garnished with gold, pearls, and precious stones. I say I have much to hold my tongue from naming them: but yet I will refrain until some defender of such manner of chastity rises\"\nWhich will go about to defend and maintain this holy continuance of priests, but alas, I, a foolish and unmannerly fellow that I am, who dare be so bold to call such bishops' minions, and their worshipful cathedrals stues. But proceed on, your Reverences, bishops, proceed happily to that whereto your virtue leads you, and since you think it a small thing, and not enough that all men disparage you and speak evil of you, who are hated by the people, and in a manner your name is despised by every good man: increase and heap hatred upon hatred, for (as he says), those who have overleaped and passed the bounds of shamefastness,\n\nCicero in his epistles must needs be exceedingly bold and shameless. If you had not a short life, as it were, washed away this great favor of the people, what new hatred would you incur if you were not now images and statues: it lacked not much, but you would have excelled in great love, and for so many excellent benefits of yours.\nwe would have set up your image made of gold, in the market place / and why should we not put you to worship, setting up images and such other monuments for a memorial to be had of you: since it is so you\nyou) if I am not beguiled (have very well deserved it with your merits / and even now openly defending the keeping of houses, both with your words and your deeds, heap merit up on merits / first, you are yourself more uncouth than I will recount, and wink at so many whoredoms, and at so many excesses in your communications and interdictions vex and toss all things up and down, afflicting and tormenting poor men, both in soul, in body, and in their goods / you extinguish and destroy the gospels / & not only do you yourself do no manner of work belonging to the office of a bishop, but also you will not suffer any other me to preach the word of god / you pursue the preachers, from city to city.\nAs it was prophesied in the twenty-third chapter of Mathue, and you expel the wicked and vile wretches from all your dominions, and yet in the meantime you yourselves are nothing else but mere appearances, whom the world cannot endure as unprofitable burdens, unless you become wise and amend. Therefore, apply yourselves lustily and stoutly, lest you displease the people too much, increase your benefits and good deeds, give diligent attention so that there may not be great busyness to destroy your tyranny, while you shake out your own selves and willfully bring forth your own confusion and destruction. I truly (to give you good and faithful counsel) would not advise you to purchase and bring unto yourselves the favor and love of the people with mildness, mercy, softness, patience, and sincere apostolic virtues.\nwhich Saint Paul did use / go forth and hold on as you have begun / this is indeed the right and next way to undoubted destruction, to which you make such great haste / for even so did your Jewish fathers, who, when they had slain the Lord and authour of life Jesus Christ, and had promulgated and published the gospels to be forbidden yet could they not rest until they had provoked the Romans and sought their own undoubted misfortune / which Romans, at the last setting upon them, slew them up and utterly destroyed them / for how could you better observe and fulfill the which have become your persons: then if you do go about and endeavor to prove and show yourselves the very right and true sons and heirs of such parents / but here I suppose they will do upon you all the whole episcopal armor, the whole armor or harness of the popes, that is to wit a purple pall, and a forked mitre, upon their heads.\ntheir gloves and their rings with precious stones, to fence both their hands with all that they shall also have their feet shod not in the preparation of the gospel of peace, but of the sadall of vanity & a silver cross hanging down to the middles of their breasts & (if I am not deceived) a Roman pallas covering their shoulders & a shepherd's staff to measure their pace and so then having this armour upon them, with a stately and solemn gate they shall come forth, & say: why should we show more plainly the cause, why we keep priests from marriage: has not the most holy father the pope forbidden this by his laws and holy canons? Adding also a penalty upon the same. For these shall be all the arguments, reasons, and syllogisms, by which those excellent and worshipful pastors may show the cause of their deed (with the license & favor of the most holy pope, and of his worshipful bulls be this spoken) I truly do nothing doubt.\nthat the laws exacting this single life are deceitful doctrine, and most gross phantasms of the devil / And here I cannot refrain, but I must clearly and plainly show what I think of the continence of priests. Grant me this one thing, good Christian reader, that I may here with bold and scoffing words mock and check their earnest counsel and proud words of the decrees. Tell me, I pray you, why do poets, who write comedies, always imagine the men to be bawds and the women bawds, so that they retain young men with pleasures and by certain policy and certain crafts advise them from marriage? Doubtless it is not for any good will.\nthat they bear to young men: but because by the middle ages of young men they lose a great part of their gaines. Even so, the bishop of Rome with his clients, the authors of the aforementioned law of uncategorized continence, have a great part of their annual rents and profits from the bawdry of priests, and priestesses. For whoever will, at his liberty, keep harlots and men's wives with praise and favor: he is compelled to pay annually to the bishop a crown of gold. And this tradition is so commonly known that it is now a common saying, that chaste persons and good livings are nothing profitable to the office of a priest (for so they call the tyranny of the officials), in such a way that (as some say) the officials even hate the priests. Unprofitable to the office of a priest are those who are chaste livings. When were bawds more rich, or more honorable? When was ever bawdry more unpunished than in the popes' bishoprics? What a marvel is it?\nIf those holy fathers, when they have received money, wink at the keeping of harlots, saying that it is an old proverb. That lucre smells well of whatever thing it is gained from? Who will then be so uncivil and so ungentle as to blame the wisdom of bishops, for approving and allowing harlots? Who is he, but he who knows that there are various crafts and various means by which merchants gain wealth, and that there are various kinds of merchants? One sells pepper to another, saffron to another, cloth to another, purple or cloth of gold to another. What wonder is it then if Bishop Kayfare of Rome (least he should set nothing by lucre) sells the flesh and the skin (I had almost spoken a fouler word) of a quick harlot, for what other way should that holy father and his household have a sufficient living?\nIf they did not play the marches in such honest way? Furthermore, if it happens that at any time, some priest gives an unnecessary amount of his chastity to such a harlot, causing her belly to swell and her bringing forth to him the seal of his continency, some pretty child: then forthwith increases that yearly rent for the bishop, above the yearly crown, the bishop gets occasion again to exercise mercy & to this wretched father and to the newborn child, the first he sells the harlot again: and he does not allow such as the simple poor infant to have his own mother, whom God has given to him freely, & without paying money. Thus this profit and gain, which would scarcely come singly to the common bawds: to the bishops is properly & craftily doubled. Is this not then a goodly & a gay market to sell thus the harlots bellies twice every year.\nIf fortune be their friend? Is this not a seemly merchandise for bishops and such holy officials to acquire wealth through the whoredom of others? And it is no wonder if, for the augmentation and conservation of the church's goods (they call gold and silver the goods of the church), these holy fathers give their minds to this lucre, if they will not grant honest marriage to priests, which helps nothing in the acquisition of wealth and gain. For unlawful wives are nothing profitable to the office and to the coffers (as I said before) of the most reverend fathers and lords. I beseech the good reader to take in good worth these my words and gestures, though they be somewhat large and plain: which proceed undoubtedly not from any lust or pleasure that I have in them.\nBut of very great grief and sorrow is in my heart. For who would not mourn greatly? Who would not heartily sorrow, seeing these abominable disputers of the word of God, so destitute of all wisdom, reason, and wit, that brute beasts, oxen, or asses have more wit than these excellent shepherds of the church?\n\nThis is it which the Lord speaks of through Isaiah:\nI will give them children to be their princes, and feeble persons shall rule over them.\nFor they can make no other excuse for themselves that all these things are done, and proceed from a deceitful covetousness and a horrible blindness: it is more open and evident than it may seem; for though they may pass as very ignorant, and very stocks and blocks in dullness and insensibility, yet they cannot deny that God never forbade priests to marry wives. So far from it is this, that he commanded: that Paul also charged the office of God.\nYou shall obey God rather than men. Do you not know that my traditions should cease, even if they are profitable? All of my traditions, good and profitable as they may be, must cease in times of necessity and when they become intolerable. Do you not know this from open experience?\nThis most unfair and very difficult tradition of single life and chastity is impossible to be kept by priests, and through it the whole world is filled with fornication and adulteries. Yet, you most uncharitable persons, who have ever been since the world began, do compel and drive simple wretched consciences to sin, and to assured destruction. You see and perceive clearly, indeed, and in a manner you feel it, that this chastity of single life cannot be observed and kept: and yet you compel me to keep it, without any necessity. O you most cruel tormentors of consciences, how do you immerse, how do you pollute and defile your hands in the blood of innocent persons? O how great an account shall you give of your tyranny. Besides this, it is evident enough.\nAll those human traditions of singular life and forbidden matrimony are the doctrines, as the apostle calls them, of the deceitful. This is proven and declared by those places cited a little before, allegedly from his epistles to Titus and Timothy, as in the third chapter of the first epistle to Timothy.\n\nA bishop ought to be the husband of one wife.\nThis is the institution and ordinance of God. This is the constitution promulgated and published by the apostle Paul. Therefore, it cannot be otherwise than that all that doctrine is of the devil, whatever is taught or commanded by any laws contrary to it. For God is not contrary to Himself, nor does He prove Himself a liar, as the scripture has it in every place, and also commands every man, however blind, to confess it. Likewise, every man is compelled to confess that the pope's law concerning the singular life of priests is openly against the ordinance of Paul.\nAnd of God. Are not these things clear enough for you? Are they not evident enough to you, blind guides of the blind? I say, go and search all your wits, and do the best that you can. What can you allege or bring here for yourself? What dare you even dare to speak here against it? Are not your hard foreheads of iron, and your brass necks now at last ashamed, when it comes to your mind and remembrance, that you compel so many consciences with such great tyranny to observe the commandment and doctrine of the devil, against the ordinance and commandment of God? The third place of the apostle is in the fourth chapter of the first epistle to Timothy. The spirit speaks of a certainty that in the last days some men will shrink away from the faith, giving heed to the doctrines of demons. To these things the apostle calls those doctrines of demons, which forbid marriage. And the apostle does not speak of the Tacitans there.\nThe wretched and foolish writer in the treatise titled \"De loco Petri\" (that is, \"Of the Place of Peter\") imagined that the Tacianes prohibited marriage as a thing evil in itself and a sin. However, Paul speaks of those who merely abstain from marriage but do not condemn it as sin, similar to how they prohibit certain foods but do not consider it sinful to eat them. Likewise, the pope does not declare marriage as sin, nor does he declare it sinful to eat eggs or meat. He only prohibits these things to create a deceptive appearance of great holiness, as Saint Paul states.\n\nIn hypocrisy, they speak lies and teach doctrines of the devil.\n\nFor as much as these three places of Paul, beginning with the word of the sovereign majesty and of God,\n\n(Note: The text appears to be in Early Modern English, and there are some minor errors in the transcription. I have corrected the errors while preserving the original meaning and style as much as possible.)\ndo abide and stand as steadfastly as it were a brazen wall or a great rock, and also effectively and mightily prove, that the tradition of this single life against the ordinance of God, is doctrine of devils, as it is plainly expressed in the words of Paul. It remains and remains, that the priests, who cannot contain and live chastely, with a bold mind and a very free conscience, do here take themselves to these words of God. Yes, and even those also who have no need of a wife, yet ought now to marry a wife only to shame and scorn the devil and this his so renowned and poisoned doctrine. And you also excellent prelates, if you had the leisure be the apostles of Christ, then of Satan: ought stoutly and manfully to labor and do your endeavor, to pull up those weeds about your churches, and that priests might marry. But here you will object and allege for yourselves, that priests, when they were consecrated, were not allowed to marry.\nI did not find any meaningless or unreadable content in the text. Here is the cleaned version:\n\nYou did swear to live without a wife. Fair words I beseech you, have I not said here before? And is it not proven with many arguments, in other places, that all vows which are made contrary to the precept and ordinance of God are of no effect, and that they are to be forsaken and broken under the pain of eternal indignation and dreadful wrath of God?\n\nThe vow of living single. Now that such vows of abstaining from matrimony have been made by all men, it is certain and undoubted.\n\nThe priests do vow to the pope and not to God. Besides this, the priests do not vow their vow to God, but to the traditions of man. Therefore, men ought to dissolve it. For such a vow does never come.\nnor it pertains to God in any way. Wherefore there is no idolatry at all in this matter if priests do wed lawful wives: but those hypocrites, maskers and mummers, feign and imagine I wote not what perils and idolatries of health and salvation, even as spiders do of themselves make their webs against one another, on the other side, whoredom, in which are mere dangers of souls, & supptuously built about their churches, these things they sell for money & permit all men to use them at their liberty unpunished. Are not these then holy pastors, & excellent bishops? They crucify Christ, & let Barabas the errant thief go at liberty. Wo, wo, wo, be to them, unless they amend. What can I do more? I monkish them, and cry unto them, and to all that hold with them, that they should repent and amend.\nand that they should take heed of themselves for God's indignation does not slacken / God will not always suffer the contempt of his word.\nNow finally, I will gently and heartily exhort all those, whosoever they be,\nthat will rebuke those mocking and disgraced bishops with writings: that they do it openly, boldly, and plainly / according to the doctrine of the gospel and of the apostle Paul / And that they provoke them, likewise, to the law of the scriptures, just as I have done here. For though they may be worthy of respect in the world, yet at least in this point we are superior, that this contemptible sort of bishops for their excessive arrogance, sloth, and idleness / has had a scandalous name among all men / and again is sore despised, and has an evil report.\nbecause they will not come forth to light and refuse to be judged according to the scriptures, they flee from the place of open and not suspect audience. Therefore, the hypocrisy of these same people is now revealed and abolished, and they, like the crow in Aesop's fables having their fine feathers plucked away from them, provoke the laughers on. There is therefore no more displeasure, nor a more painful thing in the world, than if we resist them openly to their faces and provoke and call them forth to the scriptures, and boldly requiring them to show the foundation, whereon they have the very ground of their doctrine. There they cannot choose but be shamed (though they disguise and hide it never so much), in their hearts within, and in their consciences so that they shall utterly hold their peace.\nand can allege nothing for themselves. And if they would go about to break out with tyranny and violence, then their shame and rebuke will be so much the greater, and they shall straightway and the sooner come to this misfortune and evil, which they do so greatly shun and eschew. And by so much, the sooner their esteem will decay and perish, both with God and men. For they could not, by any other means, help us more and further the course of the Lord's word: but if they do greatly grudge and are angry, and do most greatly rage and boldly preach the gospel in the bishop's stead. Those said preachers, being in danger of persecutions (for everyone in the world shall hate the word of God), the bishops also, as much as lies in their power, may maintain and defend, and bestow their blood and life, to maintain and fortify the truth of the gospel, against the traditions of men.\nLikewise, Christ and Paul both taught and gave example of the same with their deeds.\nDalerye. We read that St. Valery, bishop of Hippo.\nAugustine substituted Augustine as preacher in his stead (before that the said Augustine was made bishop) and died. He was the common manner and custom in the most part of the regions and churches of the castle and of Greece land, the priests preached for the bishops, in their presence. Besides this, let such bishops in especial study bestow care and benefits upon poor people, to make amends for that which is wanting of their part in the mystery of the word. Whatever bishop he be that does not, let all other things aside, set his mind upon these things only as greatest things and the very things belonging to a bishop, let him not believe himself saved / for as much as he is a mere tyrant, tormentor, and murderer of souls. But they will object and say:\nHow can one care for poor people and manage a house and princely duties (as bishops mostly do nowadays) together? I answer, we do not discuss here how you may become a prince. But how you may be a good bishop and be saved. Who has commanded bishops to behave as princes, to use such pomp and extravagance in the court? Christ openly forbade them to be like the kings and princes of the earth. He said:\n\n\"The kings and rulers of the earth are lords over them, but you shall not do so.\"\n\nThese words, \"prince of princes,\" \"king of kings,\" and \"lord of majesty,\" will not revoke or abolish them, nor allow them to be cast out of their place because of your feeble excuses.\nWith thou dost in thy conscience coldly and faintly comfort thyself; why not rather forsake thy lordly port, be it never so pleasant: if thou canst not execute and fulfill the office of a bishop, why for trifling and most vile honor, forsake thine own health and salvation? Yea moreover wittingly and willingly dost thou cast away thy soul, for the most deceitful pleasure of this life? Why dost thou (I say) wittingly and willingly perish? Even those men are scarcely saved at the last who, with courageous faith, continually wrestle and fight with their flesh and the devil, live in a good and virtuous kind of life. Why dost thou then hope in vain, that thyself shall be saved among so many sinners, among so many voluptuaries and pleasures?\n\nWhat does it profit (says Christ himself), if he possesses all the world and all the kingdoms: and casts away his own soul?\n\nBut whereto or whiche way (will some say) should kings, princes, earls\nbarons, noblemen of the world, provide for your younger children if these bishoprics, if those cathedrals and collegiate churches were not? In the first place, we can openly see the excessive folly and blindness of the entire Christian domain, which hitherto have commonly received the benefices and prebends endowed by themselves, with the blood of their children. Behold, I speak to whoever you are, who cast away your children so wittily: if any plowman or smith wished or killed your son, or defiled your daughter or your sister, you would go about to do the utmost mischief that you could, to overthrow and destroy even whole cities, to destroy whole provinces for revenge, it would seem but a small matter to you in your mind, that was done to them. But I beseech you, open the eyes of your mind, and look.\nWhether there cannot be anything more sorrowful and cruel a murderer of your children than yourself, promoting them into a bishopric or thrusting them down into such a \"church\" (as they call it), you know undoubtedly that the state of a bishop is a deplorable state, in which your son cannot in any way be saved. Since it is so, tell me I beseech you, do you not rage more sorely and use more cruelty against him than if you cut him into pieces and threw his flesh to dogs to be devoured, if your son:\nThrough ignorance or error, he had stumbled and fallen into such a certain kind and manner of living:\nHe means that one endowed with conscience and cannot keep his profession or when the profession is entered into with any wicked opening for justification to be had therein. Thou oughtest with all diligence, and with all thy power, to labor and go about (if there were any wisdom, or any point of a Christian mind in him) to rid him of it, though thou hadst but only one loaf of bread to live on thyself, whereof thou shouldst be willing to give him the other half, but here I beseech thee look upon thyself somewhat more narrowly and more closely, whoever thou art that castest down thy child into these kinds and manners of living, and comfort thyself what manner of father thou art only to keep thy dominion and thy riches upright and from decay, only lest\nthy gold and silver be misused.\nif it were divided among many heirs: you do thrust down and wilfully cast your sons and kinsmen into the deep dungeon of hell, neither does it move or stir you in any way, to see your own blood souped and swallowed up in the throat of the devil, and perpetually to perish: so you be not compelled to minister or debate any thing of your superfluity, or any part of your pope and royalty. Lo, this most ungracious opinion this custom is crept in and used in many places, for oftentimes when any great man's son is rather mete for any other thing, than for a bishopric, is chosen and elected bishop, or brought into the temple. Then with solemn pomp, and a solemn company set in their array are made cries and loud shouts, as it were in a triumph, then all the halls and courts do sound and ring with the noise of trumpets and trumpets.\nThen are in every place lit tapers and torches when that song is sung. Te Deum laudamus is thundered out so that these triumphs clearly represent to us the image of those foolish kings of Israel, who burned up their sons and daughters as a sacrifice in the honor of the idol Moloch, Mosoch. And with the diverse loud sounds of trumpets, the lamentable crying out and wailing of them that were in the midst of the fire could not be heard. In the same manner do these excellent parents handle their daughters and their nieces, some of whom they allure by fair means and some against their wills. They thrust down into the prisons of monasteries, and for no other reason than that their riches, their possessions, and the dignity of their high blood may be preserved and upheld, they are ashamed to bestow them in marriage upon persons of lower parentage. However, this very same study, only to preserve their riches,\nThe tournes cause great damage and loss of goods and substance, as God avenges and punishes this unbelief and mistrust. Yet, the riches of dukedoms and earldoms do not decay, and all things go backward as if by a certain fatal and predestined destruction. This would not be so if the wicked parents had not deserved this wrath and vengeance of God, with their cruel oblations and sacrifices of their sons and daughters to the Idol Moloch. The innocent blood shed cruelly cries out, as did Abel's. Abel's cry, to which the Lord pays heed, He has sufficiently declared in Abel.\n\nTo explain more clearly and in a more familiar way:\n\nNuns. The nuns or sacred virgins in our time are for the most part lusty damsels and of flourishing age, created by God.\nTo ensure they should wed and bring forth children, and it is not possible for them to continually contain and live chaste, at least in their own will. For perpetual continence and chastity is a high and most spiritual gift from God. Chastity, which chooses but few men. Besides this, when God first created man and made male and female, this his general law, and his word spoken by his own mouth, he will not be so easily taken away in so many persons, or always by the gift or rather the miracle of continence be abrogated and annulled, but perpetual continence and chastity is a very rare thing before God. If now you had a daughter or kin, which through error had been ensnared in this manner of living as a fish in a well: you ought rather (if you were a good man) to lose your life and all your goods, than to leave this soul thus in the mouth of the devil. But you leasten your riches, leasten your dominion.\nAt least your glorious titles, lest my dignity be anything in your way, willingly thrust down your children with your own hand into the deep dungeon of hell, yes, being very reluctant and fully willing. And what follows? Listen, and I shall tell you in a few words. I never heard this confession of nuns, but by the scriptures and the words of the Holy Spirit (which touches and most deeply searches the affections of the hearts) I can easily guess and, as it were, touch with a needle what end chastity comes to. First, the young damsel, in whom this high gift of chastity cannot more easily be without a husband and the company of a maid than she can live without meat, drink, and such other works of nature. On the other hand, young men or I of middle age cannot be without a wife.\nFor it is deeply ingrained in them and naturally given to them to continue and increase their kind by propagation: as it is either to eat or to drink. Whoever therefore covets and goes about now to stop and hold back by his own proper might and strength, this natural inclination, virtue, and force given him by God, what other thing does he do, if one would go about to cause and bring to pass, the fire should not burn or the water not make moist, or a maid should live without either meat or drink? Of this I now infer and conclude, that all such nuns, however many there may be of them, whether they be gentlewomen or poor men's daughters, not having the rare gift of chastity, as very few have or can have, do not keep chastity willingly but very much against their wills. Now if they contain it by compulsion and with an evil will, undoubtedly they lessen both lives - that is to say, this life.\nAnd the life eternal is promised to both sides, they shall be in intolerable pain here with unbearable burning of the flesh, and there in eternal fire except for repentance at the last. To this extreme misery, to this most wretched and miserable state, you do bring your own self and your own children and kin: & all this only, that you may reign and keep upright your riches and dominion. This is the excellent and goodly fruit of enforced chastity, and of certain cruel princes and officers, who with such great madness go about to destroy monasteries and these great cruel prisons, as a holy thing. It is an easy thing to persuade other people to compel other people to chastity: if you yourself have a wife, and can provide for yourself against the heats and flames of nature. But the most wretched company, through this enforced single life.\nIn the midst of flesh's fires, it perishes as if in a certain hell. For where there is no willing chastity by God's special gift, its nature cannot be held back and kept under by our power and strength. Yet it continues such one, as God did create her. Consider yourself, for shamefastness will not allow me to declare further of the inconvenience and abomination that follows, although necessity says the contrary, considering the blindness of the world. And although I, out of shamefastness, restrain my pen from what I said before should be declared, yet those young persons, both men and women, aforementioned, I know well feel in themselves what I mean and are both ashamed and sore tormented. Therefore, it comes to pass.\nThey not only curse their parents but also God, and despise and extremely hate their condition and state. They detest and cry out upon all those who gave them counsel to this thing, and curse the time they were born or came to live in this wretchedness. This was the purpose of the devil, this was the thing he entered into, and went about when he taught under the color and semblance of holiness to stop and keep under nature, which without this high and very rare gift of God cannot be stopped and kept under. But to return to our purpose. I say it is a thousand times better to leave and forsake bishoprics and all high offices and dignities, and to be a mean citizen or a husbandman, than under the color and semblance of holiness to neglect and not regard the office of a bishop, or not to give diligence in any way that it may be executed and fulfilled by other men. For there is no mean citizen or husbandman.\nAnd it is in vain to seek for an excuse. The word of God abides and continues perpetually. The word of God not only bishops, but also heaven and earth shall pass away; but the word of God shall not pass away. Take this as an oracle, and believe this as truly as if God had spoken it mouth to mouth. If now the pope, or his papists (as he now does), will not allow you to preach the gospel purely, preachers ought to preach boldly and, as Peter says in the acts, boldly. Then you have a greater and more worthy cause to leave the bishopric.\n\nWe ought to obey God rather than men. Neither do you think that you have fulfilled the office of a bishop graciously and are excused, if before that, through earnestness, you have learned the Bible and the scriptures, you begin to wander abroad throughout your cities, and conduct or hire a less learned preacher than yourself to preach not the gospels.\nmen's inclinations and perseverance in the traditions of men and in the old custom, as a certain bishop did recently. When wretched men have suppressed the gospel and taught human things, and now, with the only color and brightness of the episcopal name (as though so great a prince could not teach any false things), they go about blinding men's eyes and breaking forth with their authority only. And indeed they should be wise in doing so if this were as sure and true a way to heal these great damages and losses of consciences as it is an easy and expedient way. But why do they now abuse the simplicity of the common people with such high and proud promises? Why do they feed us forth with most vain promises? We will not (they say), refuse to lay our souls to pledge before God.\nthat our doctrine is true if they earnestly preach the gospel and the word of God: why do they not diligently prepare themselves for the office of a bishop? Why do they not hire a wise and virtuous master, and take a Bible in their hands, and first teach their own selves, so that they may afterward teach other men? I would answer a bishop who promised with great words to lay his soul as pledge, and I would say to him that he should lay his soul as pledge to other creditors who are light of giving credence. For I would rather leave and trust in the manifest word of God than in the pledge, however precious, of such a lord's soul. What if the devil should bear away this pledge? How should I then be provided for and saved harmless? Therefore away with your uncertain pledge and unsecure caution. For I would for my part have no such bishop who shall make his soul the foundation of my health and salvation.\nTo the soul I cannot tell what shall happen, or what will become of it in another world. But I would have such a bishop, who will preach the gospel to me and set Christ before me as the foundation of my health. For here I am sure to whom I may trust. And I give no counsel of amendment to that papistical sort that will not amend, for they stop their ears and do not allow themselves to be taught. But if there should be any among them, who have repented and desire to be good and Christian bishops and to work for their own health and salvation and that of the people: the only and princely office and duty of them (in cooperation with which all other things do not belong to a bishop) is to take care for the churches and congregation. Their office and duty is to take care and provide for the poor. To walk about everywhere, and to give diligent labor either to preach or else to cause to be preached, not the traditions of men.\nbut you pure gospel and the word of God. Regarding those shadows and dumb images, blocks, mummers and maskers, who spend a great part of their life in pomp and riot, and whose belief is in earthly things, and who set their minds entirely upon earthly things: I have, if I am not deceived, spoken plainly and openly to them. I have now openly preached and shown to them that they should turn from their wicked way. What more can I do? I beseech our Lord that he will graciously help forward.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}, {"content": "God who made this world,\nAnd died for us on a tree,\nSave England for Mary, thy mother,\nAs thou art steadfast in Trinity,\nAnd save Kyg\u00e9 Henry's soul I beseech thee,\nThat was gracious and good with all,\nA courteous knight and king Ryal,\nOf Henry the Fifth, noble man of war,\nThy deeds may never be forgotten,\nOf knighthood thou were the very lodestar,\nIn thy time England flourished in prosperity,\nThou mortal mirror of all chivalry,\nThough thou art not among the worthies nine,\nYet wast thou a conqueror in thy time,\nOur king sent to France with great readiness,\nHis harraud that was good and sure,\nHe desired his heritage to have,\nThat is Gascony and Guyen and Normandy,\nHe bade the Dauphin deliver it, it should be his,\nAll that belonged to the first Edward,\nAnd if he said nay, I wot,\nI will get it with the point of my sword,\nBut then answered the Dauphin bold,\nBy our embassadors sending again,\nI think that your king is not so old.\nWar is great to maintain,\nGreat well he said, your comely king.\nThat is gentle and small,\nI will send him a tun full of tennis balls,\nTo play with them there,\nThen our lords all thought,\nIn France they would no longer stay,\nThey took their leave, both great and small,\nAnd rode home to England,\nTo our king they told their tale to the end,\nWhat the Dolphin did to them, say,\nI will thank him then, said the king,\nBy the grace of God, if I may,\nYet by his own mind, this bold Dolphin,\nTo our king he sent again hastily,\nAnd prayed him to keep truth,\nFor Jesus' love that died on the tree,\nNay, then said our comely king,\nTo France I will go,\nThe Dolphin's anger I trust I shall,\nAnd such a tennis ball I shall send him,\nThat shall bring down the high roof of his hall,\nThe king lay at Westminster at that time,\nAnd all his lords, each one,\nAs they did set them down to dine,\nLordinges he said by St. John,\nTo France I think to take my way,\nOf good counsel I pray you,\nWhat is your will that I shall do,\nShow me shortly without delay.\nThe duke of Clarence replied and said, \"My lord, I counsel you so. And other lords agreed, thinking it best for you to be ready to go. While our lives endure, and lest, gracious sirs, the king said, our right shall be won. I will quit you if I may. Therefore, I warn you, both old and young, to make yourselves ready without delay. Go to Southampton and take your way at St. Peter's tide at Lammas. By the grace of God and if I may, I think to pass over the salt sea. The king ordered great ordnance of guns to be made and shipped at London all at once. Bows and arrows were taken, as were spears and bills with yew gunstones. Armoring days were made for the nones, with swords and bucklers that were quite sure, and harneys that strokes would endure. The king then rode to Southampton, for he no longer wished to dwell. Fifteen fair ships remained there to accompany him. With goodly sails and to pasture, lords of France sold themselves to him.\nFor a miller of gold as I was told by England,\nLittle price they asked. Therefore their song was merry,\nBetween Hampton and the Isle of Wight.\nThese noble ships lay there at anchor,\nWith mast yards crossed, seemly to the eye.\nOver all the haven spread a broad expanse,\nOn every pause across, read.\nThe decks were covered with serpents strong,\nSt. George's streamers spread overhead,\nWith the arms of England hanging all along,\nOur king hastily went to his ship,\nAnd all other lords of every degree,\nEvery ship weighed its anchor in truth,\nWith the tide to hasten them to the sea,\nThey hoisted their sails and sailed aloft,\nA good fight it was to see.\nThe wind was good and blew softly,\nAnd forth they went in the name of the Trinity.\nTheir course they took towards Normandy,\nAnd passed over in a day and a night.\nSo on the second morning yearly,\nOf that country they had a sight,\nAnd ever they drew near the coast,\nGlad were they all,\nAnd when they were almost at the shore,\nEvery ship let fall its anchor.\nWith their tackles they launched many a long boat,\nAnd over hatch threw them in to the stream,\nA thousand shortly they saw a float,\nWith men of arms that lived in Leman,\nOur king landed at Cottesnes without delay,\nOn our lady's eve of the Assumption,\nAnd to Harfleur they took the way,\nAnd mustered fair before the town,\nOur king displayed his banner there,\nWith standards bright and many pennons,\nAnd there he pitched his tent down,\nFully adorned with gay armor,\nFirst our comely king's tent with the crown,\nAnd all other lords in good array,\nMy brother Clarence the king did say,\nThe towers of the town I will keep,\nWith her daughters and her maidens gay,\nTo wake the Frenchmen from their sleep,\nLondon he said shall meet with him,\nAnd my guns that lie fair upon the green,\nFor they shall play with Harfleur,\nA game at tennis as I ween,\nGod go with us for God's grace,\nMy children are ready every one,\nFor every great gun that there was,\nIn his mouth he had a stone,\nThe Captain of Harfleur soon anon.\nThe king sent word to us hastily,\nTo know his will, to come there with such a multitude.\nDeliver me the town, the king said.\nNay, said you, Captain, by God and St. Denis,\nThen I will conquer it, said our king,\nBy the grace of God and his goodness.\nSome hard ten-pin balls I have brought here,\nMade of marble and iron, full round.\nI swear by Jesus that they dearly bought me,\nThey will batter the walls to the ground.\nThen spoke the great gun.\nFellowships, we go to play.\nThanked be Mary and Jesus her son,\nThey did the Frenchmen much shame.\nFifteen before London, she began to throw,\nThirty said the second gun, I will win and I may,\nThere where the wall was strongest,\nThey brought it down without delay.\nThe king's daughter said, listen to this play,\nListen, maidens, now is the time,\nFive and forty we have, it is no denial,\nThey battered down the walls on every side.\nThe Normans said, let us not delay,\nBut go in haste by one consent,\nWherever the gunstones roll,\nOur houses in Herfftete are all to rent.\nThe English soldiers have burned it, and women cried alas, that they were ever born. The Frenchmen said, \"Now let us surrender.\" By us now, the town is lost. It is best therefore, that we beseech this English king for grace, lest he destroy us here. Or else, this town must perish. Messengers went forth by and by, and to our king they came. Lord Corgraunte, certainly, for he was the captain of the place, and Gelam Bowsec with him came. With other lords, more and less. And when they to our king came, they set themselves lowly on their knees. \"Comely king, hail,\" they said. \"Christ save you from adversity. Truly, we will beseech you until it is Sunday noon. And if we may not recover it, we will deliver the town.\" Then said our king, \"I grant you grace in this tide. One of you shall go forth at once. The remainder shall stay with me.\" Their captain took his next way, and to Rome he rode fast.\nThe Dolphin he had thought to find, but he was gone, I durst not stay. The captain besought help. Harlech is lost forever and always. The walls are beaten down on every side, so we no longer keep it. Of counsel, he urged them all to pray, What is your will that I may do? We must arrange a meeting with the haterly king by Sunday, Or else deliver him the town. The lords of Ronne gathered quickly and ordered the town to openly yield. The king of England fares as a lion. We will not meet with him in the field. The captain would then no longer stay and came to ward Harlech. He arrived there the same night. And when he came to our king, he knelt lowly and said, Comely prince, welcome. The grace of God is with thee. Here have I brought the keys, all of Harlech that is yours, both chamber and hall. And at your will for to be. Thanked he Jesus said our king, and Mary his mother truly. My uncle Dorset, without delay.\nThe captain of Hertford shall be [appointed], and all that are within the city shall remain for a while to repair the walls in every part, where they have been brought down on every side. After that, they shall ride out to other towns throughout. Wives and children shall not remain there, but take them both, great and small, away with us. Twenty men might see [us] when we went out, full foreday, weep. The great guns and ordnance truly were brought into Hertford. Great sickness was among our host, which killed many Englishmen. Seven score died each day. Only thousands were left alive. Our king himself went into the castle and stayed there as long as his will allowed. At last, he said, \"Lords, so God speed me, I think to pass to Calais.\" After Hertford had been taken, that royal city, through the grace of God omnipotent, our handsome king made himself ready quickly and went towards Calais, the fourth day. My brother Gloucester, truly, we will no longer stay here.\nAnd Cousin of York is our intent,\nWith us you shall ride this tide,\nCousin Huntingdon with us,\nAnd the Earl of Oxford with the three,\nThe duke of Southfolk by our side,\nHe shall come forth with his men,\nAnd the Earl of Douneshire truly,\nSir Thomas Harpinge who never failed,\nLord Broke who comes heartily,\nAnd Sir John Cornwall,\nSir Gilbert Umfreville who would aid us,\nAnd Lord Clifford, God speed,\nSir William Bourchier who will not fail,\nAll will help if it is needed.\nOur king rode forth, blessed may he be,\nHe spared neither dale nor down,\nBy great waters he rode till he came\nTo the water of Senne,\nThe French threw the bridge down,\nThat over the water they might not pass,\nOur king made himself ready then,\nAnd to the Tower of Turreyn went, more and less,\nThe French about our king contended,\nWith battles strong on every side,\nThe duke of Orl\u00e9ans said in haste,\nThe king of England shall abide,\nWho gave him leave this way to pass.\nI shall have the opportunity to deceive him long before he reaches Calais. The duke of Bourbon replied quickly and swore by God and St. Denis, We will play every one of these English lords at the tournaments. Their gentlemen I swear by St. John and archers we will sell them in great quantities. And so we will ride them soon. Six for a penny of our money. The duke of Bar answered, Words of great pride he said, I will not spare all the English for riding. If they dare to confront us, we will overthrow them in fear and take them as prisoners in this tide. Then return home again to our dinner. Henry our king, who was so good, prepared there grandly. He had stakes set up in a wood and placed them before his archers. The Frenchmen spied our ordnance. They who were ordered to ride dismounted sadly. On their feet they stood fast. Our king went up onto a high hill and looked down to the valleys below. He saw where the Frenchmen came hastily.\nAs thick as ever did hay or snow,\nOur king knelt down in that stance,\nAnd all his men on every side,\nEach man made across and kissed the ground,\nAnd on their feet they stayed behind.\nOur king said, \"sirs, what time of the day?\nMy legions they said, 'tis nearing prime.'\nThen we'll set off on our journey.\nBy the grace of Jesus, it is good time,\nFor saints that lie in their shrines\nTo pray for us they are singing,\nAll the religious of England in this time,\nOrate pro nobis, they sing for us,\nSaint George was seen over our host,\nOf very truth this sight men did see,\nDown he was sent by the Holy Ghost,\nTo give our king the victory,\nThen blew the trumpets merely,\nThese two battles drew near,\nOur archers stood up, full heartily,\nAnd made the Frenchmen bleed,\nTheir arrows went fast without delay,\nAnd many shot them through,\nThrough hauberks breastplate and basinet,\nA 11,000 were slain in that rout,\nOur gracious king, as I well know,\nThat day he fought with his own hand,\nHe spared neither high nor low.\nThere was never a king in any land\nThat did better on a day\nWherefore England may sing a song\nLaudes deo may we say\nAnd other prayers ever among us\nThe duke of Orl\u00e9ans without delay\nThat day was taken prisoner\nThe duke of Bourbon also near\nAnd the true duke of Bar\nSir Bergygate he began to yield\nAnd many lords of France\nLo, thus the comely king conquered the field\nBe the grace of God omnipotent\nHe took his prisoners, both old and young\nAnd to Calais fourth he went\nHe shipped there with good intent\nTo Canterbury fair he passed\nAnd offered to St. Thomas thrice\nAnd through Kent he rode in haste\nTo Eltham he came all in good time\nAnd over Blackheath as he was riding\nFrom the City of London he was aware\nHail royal City said our king\nChrist keep thee ever from sorrow and care\nAnd then he gave that noble city his blessing\nHe prayed Jesus it might fare well\nTo Westminster he rode\nAnd the French prisoners with him also\nHe ransomed them in that time\nAnd again to their country he let them go\nThis matter I have brought to an end\nRegarding the battle, I have spoken\nIn this book, I cannot comprehend\nThe greatest battle of all, called the siege of Rome\nFor this siege lasted three years and more\nAnd there, a rat was worth forty pence\nIn the city, the people were famished\nWomen and children cried for lack of food\nAnd some, for pain, gnawed bones\nAt her breasts, two children sucked\nIt is a thing so lamentable\nYet every high feast, our king, in his charity\nGave them food for their bodies' comfort\nAnd at last, the town won without fable\nThus, of all this, I now make an end\nTo the blessing of heaven, may God send our souls.\nThus ends the battle of Egningcourt.\nPrinted at London in Foster Lane in St. Leonard's parish, by me, John Scot.\nFINIS.", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}, {"content": "A very true prophecy / with a calendar / gathered from the most ancient books of right holy astronomers / for the year of our Lord MCCCCXXXVJ. And for all years thereafter perpetual. Translated from Latin to English by John Rykes, priest. With a royal privilege.\n\nPrinter's device of John Bydell, featuring a compartment exhibiting the seven cardinal virtues, with Bydell's mark and name below (McKerrow 85)\n\nJustice\nCharity\nFaith\nPrudence\nHope\nObedience\nPatience\n\nWhen I had read over this little book / which was found cast among other pamphlets not regarded; this book being named a Prophecy / and that (as is no doubt) most true and very necessary to be known: my conscience moved me (though I can but little skill to undertake such a thing) to translate it from Latin into English / for pity I had to see such a good work / so hidden (as they say, Matthew 5. Luke 8. 11.) under a bushel.\nUnder your judgment and correction, I will be glad to place it on a candlestick, that it may be seen by many, and give light far and wide. Which I cannot do better than to dedicate it to your goodness, whose godly wisdom and learning is known to be so good and circumspect that it would not suffer such a thing to go abroad, but if it were for common wealth. The common prophecies that go about yearly are trifles in regard to this and vain (you after my mind) deceitful and harmful, to not a few persons, who have credence in them. How can they tell of things to come, or what shall chance to men hereafter? Job 38. Act 1. It only depends on the disposition and power of God, who orders all things in time and place as He pleases. God says by His prophet Isaiah 41:9. Show yourselves what things are for to come, and we shall know you to be God. And in another place, speaking to the Babylonians.\n\nEsaias 47.\nLet your augurs of the heavens stand and save you, those who hold the stars and name the months to show by them what is to come. Deuteronomy 28. God promises all things to succeed and to come to pass for all those who believe purely in him and will observe his laws. He threatens the contrary to miscreants and evildoers. Therefore, if they sometimes touch the truth: it is because they see by conjecture the conditions and manners of people, through the sentence of God in holy scripture, deserving and worthy, either peace or war, health or sickness, death or plenty, with such other things as they write of in their predictions. If they did not, in angering themselves, seeking praise and vain glory of the world, but referring all to the word of God and not to their vain augurs and planets, they might well be heard, and credence given to them, if they spoke not so darkly.\nTherefore men should not spend their time in vain. It is better that they should leave such trifles and uncertain sayings and lean sadly to this sure and true prophecy, grounded only upon the word of God, most firm foundation, and of highest authority. In this, a man may somewhat learn to know and fear God, and to have reverence for the holy scripture, wherein alone is contained all things that belong to the health of souls and to the godly administration and government of the common wealth, to which God has called you. And for those concerning such things in scripture, there are set forth here in this calendar following, in place of saints' days, certain holy histories, by which they may perceive the benevolence and severity, the mercy, and rigorousness of God towards mankind. And again, the faith, and incredulity, the kindness, and unkindness of men towards God: what are most specifically to be taken heed of in the scripture of God.\nSo that we may learn to attribute nothing to ourselves, but refer all things to almighty God through Christ. If anything is somewhat obscure, let them seek counsel from those who are good and well-learned. And most especially pray that God will open our senses to us, that we may understand the scriptures. Luke 24. Thus I beseech your benevolence to accept my little labor, not considering the rough doing, but the zeal that I have to further the right ways of Christian living, which shall be with the help of God's grace, if you think it worthy to go abroad to his honor and glory, whose grace and consolation be ever with you. Amen.\n\nThe year has 365 and a quarter days, which always every fourth year makes one day, which is set in the 22nd day of February.\n\nThe golden number contains 19, thus\nto be counted, each year from one to 19 one number must be ascribed, and in the 20th year, begin again at one.\nAnd in every fourth year, which is called Bisextile or leap year, the 24th day of February shall contain an extra day. That is, the day which in the calendar is the 24th, must be the 25th. Therefore, the dominical letter must also be changed. The year of our Lord. M.v.C. & 35 was C. dominical letter. The year M.v.C. and 35 leap year / and B. dominical letter, until St. Mathias' day. And from then on, A shall be continued for dominical letter. The next year G. Then F. After that E. And D.C. Leap year again. And so continuing backwards every fourth year take two letters for leap year / reckoning the first one to St. Mathias' day: and the second one for all the years after. And so continue for 28 years / as in this table following. And then begin / and so forever.\n\nb.g.f.e.d.b.a.g.f.d.c.b.a.f. a. c. e. g. e.d.c.a.g.f.e.c.b.a.g.e.d.c. b. d. f.\n\nFrom the 20th day of March, until the 18th.\nApril 1st, we have subscribed golden numbers to the letters of the days into this use. On what day so ever the golden number of the year falls, the following Sunday next shall be Easter. Which you shall easily find, continuing upward or downward, late or septuagesimal. The Ascension or Pentecost.\n\nIf you desire to find the conjunction, or the new moon, we have ordered the golden number (otherwise than it has been in times past) in the calendars: that where ever you find the golden number for the year, there is the change or conjunction. Which you may easily find by division, the apogee and the increase or decrease of the moon.\n\nXIX\nA\nThe Circumcision of Christ. Luke II.\n8\nB\nAdam and Eve. Genesis III.\n15\nV\nThe kings. Matthew II.\n14\nB\nAbel. Cain. Genesis IV.\n10\nC\nThe sun in Aquarius.\n18\nE\n7\nF\nG\n15\nA\nIII\nB\nNoah's flood. Genesis VII.\n12\nD\nX\nE\nF\nIX\nG\nSem / Iaphet / Ham. Genesis IX.\n18\nB\n6\nC\nD\n14\nE\n3\nF\nG\n11\nA\nBabylon. Hebrew.\nGenesis xix, xx, xxij, xxij, xxviij, xxvij, xxxvij, xlviij, Exodus vij, viij\n\nThe purification of our lady. Luke ii, xv\nAbram, Genesis xxi, xxvij\nIsaac and Ishmael, Genesis xxi\nEsau and Jacob, Genesis xxvij\nJoseph and his brothers, Genesis xxxvij\nThe sun in the fish. Genesis vij\nLoth and Sodom, Genesis xix\nThe beginnings of Ver, Genesis vj\nEsau sells Jacob's birthright, Genesis xxvij\nThe son in Aries. Exodus xviii\nEquinoxium vernum, Exodus vij, xv\nJudah and his sons, Genesis xxxviij\nEphraim and Manasseh, Genesis xlviij\nThe golden number to find Esther's day. Genesis ix, xvj, xvij, xxij, xxvij, xxvii, xxix\nThe salutation of our lady. Luke ii, xxij\nResurrection of Christ. Matthew 28, iij\nPharaoh and Moses. Exodus vij, xj, xviij, xix, xx, xxij, xxvij, xxvj\nAaron and Moses / & the enchanters. Exodus vij, viij\nThe sun in Taurus. Exodus vij\nAaron and Miriam. Numbers xij\nCaleb, I Joshua / & the spies. Numbers xxiii.\nExodus xvij.\nMoses & Aaron at the stone of contention. Numbers xx.\niiiij.\nNumbers xvij.\nThe Ascension of our Lord. Mark xvij.\nxiiij.\nActs ij.\nBalaam and his ass. Numbers xxii.\nKeilah.\nLachish.\nBalaam.\nxvj.\nv.\nNumbers xii.\ne.\nf.\nxix.\nviij.\nA.\nRahab. Joshua. ii.\nvij.\nNumbers xviij.\ne.\niij.\nThe beginning of summer.\nf.\nxj.\nA.\nA leper and his wife. Judges ix.\nxix.\nviij.\nxviij.\nKeilah.\nLachish.\nv.\ne.\nf.\nxvij.\nB.\nRuth / her sister. Ruth. i.\nx.\nc.\nd.\nxviij.\nvij.\nf.\ng.\nxv.\nAnna / Feunna. 1 Samuel i.\niiii.\nc.\nd.\nThe sun in geminis.\nxij.\nj.\ne.\nf.\nix.\ng.\nA.\nHelez / his sons. 1 Samuel ii.\nxvij.\nB.\nvij.\nNumbers xiiij.\niij.\nf.\ng.\nxi.\nSamuel / his sons. 1 Samuel viii.\nxix.\nviii.\ne.\nxvi.\nf.\nKeilah.\nLachish.\nv.\ng.\nA.\nThe salutation of Elizabeth. Luke i.\nxiii.\nii.\nc.\nSaul. David. 1 Samuel xvi.\nx.\ne.\nf.\nxviii.\nvii.\n1 Samuel vi.\nDavid / Michol. 2 Samuel vi.\n[The Sonne in Leone.\nA Dauid and Abishai. II Sam. xi.\nB Dauid and Vrias. II Sam. ii.\nA Dauid and Abner. II Sam. xvii\nDauid and Absalom. II Sam. xvij\nA Dauid and Iij. II Sam.\nThe Sonne in Virgine.\nDauid and Absalom. II Sam. xvij\nDauid and Adonijah. I Regum. xi.\nSolomon and Adonijah. I Regum. xx.\nIoab and Banaas. I Regum. xi.\nThe Sonne in Libra. Equinoxial.\nSolomon and his wives' strangers. I Regum. xi.\nRoboam and Jeroboam. II Regum. xii.\nAchab and Iehu. II Regum. ix.\nEzechias and Senacheryb. II Reg. xix.\nThe Sonne in Scorpion.\nEsayas and Ezechias. II Regum.]\nManasses. II. Paralipomenon. XXXIV.\nviij\nd\nxvj\ne\nv\nf\ng\nxij\nA\nHieremias / Sedechias. Hieremiah. XXXIX.\nij\nb\nc\nK L\nx\nd\ne\nxviij\nf\nvij\ng\nA\nDaniel. Babylonian. Daniel. V.\nxv\nb\niiij\nc\nd\nxij\ne\nj\nf\ng\nix\nA\nThe three kings. Herod. Matt. II.\nb\nxvij\nc\nThe sun in Sagittarius.\nvj\nd\ne\nxiiij\nf\niij\ng\nA\nJohn the Baptist. Priests. John I.\nxj\nb\nxix\nc\nd\nThe beginning of winter.\nviij\ne\nf\nxvj\ng\nv\nA\nJohn the Baptist. Herod. Luke III.\nb\nxiii\nc\nii\nd\nx\ne\nK L\nf\nxviij\ng\nvij\nA\nPeter / Judas. John. XI.\nb\nxv\nc\niiij\nd\ne\nxij\nf\nj\ng\nA\nBarnabas / Ananias. Acts IV.\nix\nb\nc\nThe sun in Capricorn.\nxvij\nd\nWinter solstice.\nvj\ne\nf\nxiiij\ng\niij\nA\nPeter / Simon Magus. Acts VIII.\nb\nxj\nc\nxix\nd\ne\nviij\nf\ng\nxvj\nA\nv\nb\nThe Nativity of Christ. Matt. II.\nc\nPaul / Elymas the magus. Acts XI.\nxiij\nd\nij\ne\nf\nx\ng\nA\n\nNote: The text appears to be a list of references to biblical books and chapters, possibly for an astrological almanac. The text has been cleaned to remove unnecessary characters, line breaks, and formatting, while preserving the original content as much as possible.\nFor while they look for ways to quiet the affections of some unstable persons and so deceive them, by reason of the influence of the bodies above, they profess themselves able to discern or divide one time from another and to observe days, months, & years, of this time it continually decays. Therefore, leaning towards the most sure word of God, I shall begin this my almanac most true and everlasting, according to His will, which is most mighty maker and ruler (not only of stars but of all things in heaven and earth). And for a general introduction in manner, I set forth first these things which are written in Deuteronomy 18:\n\nWhen you shall enter into the land which the Lord your God will give you, beware that you learn not to do after the abominations of those nations.\nAnd if there be none among you who sacrifices his son or daughter, passing them through the fire: neither he who asks anything of those who practice witchcraft or observe dreams or bird-chattering or sorcerers or charmers, nor he who consults those who speak with a spirit or a medium, or those who have familiar spirits, or a fortune-teller, for all who do these things the Lord abhors. And because of such detestable sins, He will drive them out before you. Therefore be perfect and pure with the Lord your God.\n\nAs for the nations that you shall conquer and possess their lands, give ear to the witchcraft and fortune-tellers among them; but you are differently taught by the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 20:13.\n\nWhoever turns to witchcraft and fortune-tellers and plays the harlot with them, I will set My face against him and destroy him from among his people. Sanctify yourselves therefore and be holy. Jeremiah x.\nBe not willing to learn after the ways of the gentiles / & be not afraid of signs or stars of the firmament which gentiles fear: for the laws and sayings of people are vain, and nothing to be regarded.\nOf this it appears more clearly than the light of midday, that the propheticications and forecasts of all astronomers are founded only upon shifting sands, which the words of God easily destroy and bring to nothing. By the words of God, we know also for a certainty (according as it is written. Exod. XX) that his omnipotent majesty will not admit nor suffer any of his creatures to reign or rule with him. For according to the perfection of his divine word, he is the sole noble ruler & governor, not only of this year, but also of all times and of all things that are in heaven, on earth, and in hell.\nWytnes not Ptolemy of Alexandria, Albuscer, Haly, Meszhulle, Hermes, and such other, but the noble king and prophet David in Psalm 24, saying, \"The earth is the Lord's, and all that is in it / the round world, and all that dwells in it. A mighty Lord, strong and great in power: He is the King of glory.\"\n\nAlso, Joshua 2. The Lord is your God, He is the God in heaven above, and the earth beneath. Ecclesiastes 1. There is one most high maker of all, omnipotent and a mighty King and one to be feared, sitting upon His throne, a God having dominion. 1 Corinthians 8. We know that an idol is nothing in this world / and that there is no god but one / to us there is but one God, who is the Father / of whom all things were made / and we in Him / and one Lord Jesus Christ / by whom are all things / and we by Him.\n\nTo the Ephesians 4. There is but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, through all, and in you all. The first of Timothy 2.\nThere is one god and one mediator between God and man, which is the man Christ Jesus. To the Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.\n\nIt is not becoming to conceal or hide the truth, but rather it is very expedient to show it most openly to every man. And because God himself is the very truth, let us give ear with attendance and a diligent mind to his own words. In Deuteronomy 28:5, it is written thus: \"If you will diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God, to observe and do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all nations.\" All these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you.\nIf you obey the voice of the Lord your God, blessed you shall be in the land, in the town, and in the fields. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your cattle, your oxen, and your flocks. Blessed shall be your barns and your store. You shall be blessed when you go out and when you come in. Leviticus 25:1-7. If you walk in my statutes and keep my commandments and do them, I will send you rain in its season, and the land shall bring forth its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Corn shall thresh out full ears, and winepresses shall overflow with wine. And you shall eat your bread in plenty and dwell in your land in peace. Leviticus 25. I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments and do them, that you may dwell in the land in safety.\nAnd the land shall bring forth its fruit, and you shall eat your fill, and dwell there in safety. If you say, \"What shall we eat in the seventh year, since we shall not sow nor gather in our increase?\" I will send my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years, and you shall sow in the eighth year and eat of the old fruit until the ninth. If these things were promised to your fathers: how much more likely to us Christians? For it is the same Lord and promise-giver living forever, whose son Jesus Christ our Lord admonishes us. Matthew 6 says, \"Do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed?' For these things the unfaithful nations seek eagerly. But your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. Therefore seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. It is written in Deuteronomy 8, \"as Christ says.\"\nA man lives not only by bread / but in every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4. Also Deuteronomy 8. Take heed and beware that you never forget the Lord your God, and do not regard his commandments, laws, and ordinances, which I command you today, except after you have eaten and been filled, and have built goodly houses, and dwelt in them, and have herds of oxen, flocks of sheep, and abundance of gold and silver, and of all things: then beware lest your heart rises and is proud, and you forget the Lord your God. &c. Isaiah 1. If you will hear and be ruled, you shall have your pleasure of the best fruit of the land: but if you will not, and provoke me to anger, the sword shall devour you. Isaiah 58. All you that are hungry, come and take of the waters; and you who are thirsty, go quickly and buy wine and milk without money, without price or exchange.\nWhy do you spend your money on food that does not satisfy and devote your labor to that which does not please you? Why do you not listen to me, so that your souls might feed on the best and be filled with the fattest delicacies? Give ear to me, come to me, pay attention to me, and your souls shall be refreshed. And so, in the twenty-fourth chapter of Jeremiah, the prophet speaks to the wicked king Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah. Did your father not eat and drink (that is, live in peace) and maintain equity and justice during the time of his prosperity? He judged the cause of the poor and needy, and it was renowned to his own goodness. And was it not because he knew and heeded me? But your eyes and your heart are given to avarice, and shed blood, and that of the innocent, and to unjust oppression of others, running to every unhappy deed. Therefore the Lord spoke these words to Jehoiakim, king of Judah, the son of Josiah: Neither brother nor sister shall comfort him, nor say, \"Alas.\"\nNone shall cry to him, \"Alas, Lord / Alas, noble man.\" He shall be buried as an ass is buried, putrefied, & cast out of the gates of Jerusalem. Proverbs 14. A just and good man eats and fulfills his appetite as much as he will: but the belly of an ungodly man shall never have enough. Psalm 44. Cast your carefull mind upon the Lord / and he shall nourish you / and shall never suffer a righteous man to waver or fall. Psalm 35. I have been young, and have grown old; yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken / or their seed begging their bread.\n\nContrary to these things, God threatens. Leviticus 26. If you will not listen to me, nor will do all these my commandments / or despise my laws, and contemn my ordinances / so that you will not do all things as I have commanded, but shall break my covenant: then I likewise will do this to you. You shall sow your seed in vain / for your enemies shall devour and destroy it.\nI will make you endure hardships as if you were iron, and your land as hard as brass. Your labor will be in vain, for your land will not give increase, nor will the trees of the earth give their fruits. I will break the staff of your bread, so that ten women will bake your bread in one oven, and men will deliver it to you by weight. Then you will eat, but not be satisfied.\n\nDeuteronomy 28:15-16. And if you will not listen to the voice of the Lord your God, to keep and to do all his commandments and statutes that I command you today: then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed in the field. Cursed shall be your barn and your store. Cursed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your land, the fruit of your oxen, and the flocks of your sheep. And the heavens above your head shall be brass, and the land beneath your feet, iron.\nAnd the Lord shall turn the rain of the land into powder and dust, even from heaven they shall come upon you until you are brought to nothing. You shall sow much seed in the field and reap little, for the locusts shall destroy it. You shall plant a vineyard and dress it, but you shall neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes, for the worms shall eat it. You did sow much and reap little, but were not satisfied. And for what reason? (says the Lord) because my house is forsaken and desolate, and you have fled each one to his own house. Therefore, the heavens are prohibited from giving dew upon you. And the earth is forbidden from giving her increase. And God shall call drought upon the land and mountains, upon wheat and wine, and upon oil, and all things that the earth brings forth.\nGod sends sicknesses to men sometimes for their sins, and at other times to quicken their faith, and to exercise their charity and love towards God and their neighbor. To the Hebrews 12: The Lord chastises those he loves, and corrects every son whom he favors. Leuit 21: If you will not yet be taught for all this, but shall walk contrary to me: then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you seven times for your sins. And when you are fled to your cities, I will send pestilence among you. Deuteronomy 28.\nIf it be so that thou wilt not hear the voice of the lord thy God, he shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee until he has consumed it from the land, whether thou goest to enjoy it: and the Lord shall smite thee with swellings, with fires, cold, hot, burning, and corrupt air, and blasting; and they shall follow thee until thou perish. And the Lord shall smite thee with the boils of Egypt, and with the emorrhoes, scabs, and itching; so that thou shalt never be healed of them. And the Lord shall smite thee with mysterious boils in the knees and legs, uncurable, from the sole of the foot to the top of the head.\nExcept you keep and do all the words of this law, which are written in this book, for fear of this glorious and fearful name of the Lord your God: the Lord will increase your prosperity and smite both you and your land with wonderful great plagues, of long continuance, and with very evil sicknesses, of long duration. Moreover, He will bring upon you all manner of afflictions of Egypt, which you were afraid of, and they shall cleave unto you. Besides this, all manner of sicknesses and all manner of plagues, which are not written in the book of this law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are consumed: and all this because you will not hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God.\n\nThe true peace is only in Christ, but in the world all manner of misfortune. I John 16:33. These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me you may have peace; but in the world you shall have tribulation.\nIn the world is ambition for honor and dominion, and all desire of their own profit and riches, and inordinate affections for worldly and carnal pleasures, from which spring all strife and battling, which God sends for the transgression of his laws and commandments. Isaiah 1:2. If you will be stubborn, and provoke me to displeasure: you shall be consumed with the sword. For so God has promised with his own mouth. Deuteronomy 28. says Moses. If you observe the laws and commandments of the Lord your God: he shall smite your enemies that rise against you before your face. They come out against you one way, and flee from you seven ways. And contrarywise shall he deal with you, if you be disobedient. Also, Proverbs 31, the sword shall destroy them, and within the house fear: and that young men and young women, and the sucklings, with men of gray hairs. Job 19: The avenger of iniquities, and of ungracious living, is the sword. Leuiticus 26.\nIf you will not hear me, I shall compel you with the sword, avenger of my kinsman. Look carefully upon these chapters of Jeremiah 9:15, 25:34, 31:40, 42:41. And Ezekiel 5:6, 14:14, 36:38. O Israel, what does it mean that you are in the land of your enemies? The answer follows. You have left the well of wisdom. For if you had walked in the way of God, truly you should have dwelt in peace on your own land.\n\nAll powers are ordained by God. Romans 13:1. Therefore, princes ought to study and apply themselves diligently, so that they may live and serve according to the will of Him who is King of all kings and Lord of all lords, from whom they take their power. And not only kings and kingdoms, but also princes and those of the council are ordained by God. Proverbs 8:15. If they wish to have their subjects obedient and at rest, it cannot be through their own policy, strong hand, or oppression; but as David says in the Psalm.\nThou art he who subdues my people under me. For all things (heaven, the world, angels, Paul Cephas, Apollos, the prince, thelemites, time, Satan, sin, death, hell) are subject to us: where we are subject to God, having no confidence but in him. They may see evidence of this in the books of Judges and of kings.\nProverbs 21:1. As the divisions of waters (which were set above the firmament and underneath, only by God's disposition), so is the heart of a king in your hand, O God; you can make it bend in any direction. Ecclesiastes 10:1. The power of the world is in God's hand. And all the iniquity and sin of the people is abominable: and when it is time, he will set up a profitable ruler over them.\n\nMany notable examples we have in holy scripture of princes and kings, how they have been brought low and repented through the word of God, namely Jonah the third.\nThe word came to the king of Niniveh and he rose from his seat of estate, casting off his clothes and putting on sackcloth, sitting down in ashes. Also David, moved by Nathan, said, \"Psalm 12:8 and 24:16, Ecclesiastes 10: The seat of proud leaders, God has destroyed and made them sit in their place, the meek. The roots of proud people (that is, riches), God has caused to wither away, and He has planted in their place those who are meek, even from the same people. God has destroyed the good report of the proud and reserved the fame of those who are meek or lowly in their own estimation.\n\nDavid in the second Psalm. Now the king understands and be wise and rulers of the land, be content to be humbled and learned. Let them take heed what is written in Wisdom 6:\n\nAll those who know and have taken upon them the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, shall be tried and exercised with many temptations and tribulations of this world. John 16:\nThese things have I said to you: that you may have peace in me, in the world you have affliction: but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. In the same chapter. Very truly I say to you, you shall be sorrowful and weep; but the world shall rejoice and be merry: you shall be heavy, but your heaviness shall be turned to joy.\nThe second to Timothy 3: All that will live godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecutions.\nEcclesiastes 10: The dignity of a wise prince (that is, of him that feares God) shall be established. Ecclesiastes 10: Happy is that land which hath a noble king. And that also, whose princes eat in convenient time: and that for to be refreshed, and not to exceed voluptuously. Proverbs 29: A righteous king promotes his land: a covetous man shall destroy it. A king that judgeth the poor in truth: his throne shall be established for ever in truth.\nThis is true, Romans 14.\nAll power is from God's ordinance, for the protection of the good and the punishment of the wicked. Therefore, we must obey princes, even if they are evil and tyrannical. The rod of Assur is never out of God's hand. Job xxxiv. How can one be healed who does not love justice? What way can you condemn him who is righteous? What do you say to a king, you are an apostate? You call captains ungracious, and make a false hypocrite to reign, because of the ungracious living of the people. Proverbs xxviix. For the sins of the land: there are many princes of it. And for the wisdom of a man and knowledge of those things taught, the life of a captain will be prolonged. A roaring lion and a ravening bear: an ungodly prince over the poor people. A captain lacking wisdom, will oppress many by fraudulent vexation. Therefore let princes beware, lest it happen to them, as it did to Adonibezec. Judges i. to Abimelech. Judges ix. to Pharaoh. Exodus xliv. to Jeroboam.\niij. of kings. xxvii. to Jezebel. iv. of kings. ix. to Agag. i. of kings. xvj. to Rehoboam. iii. of kings. xij.xliv. to Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel. ix. to Antiochus. i. of the Maccabees. vi. to Herod, from the Acts. xii. & many others.\n\nThose cities are accursed, which when the word of God is shown to them, they will not receive it, nor take repentance. Matt. xi. Woe to Chorazin, woe to Bethsaida: for if the miracles, which were shown to you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Nevertheless I say to you, it will be easier for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven: shalt be brought down to hell. For if the miracles which have been done in Sodom had been shown in you, they would have remained to this day. Matt. xxiv.\n\nJerusalem/Jerusalem, which kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to you. Behold, your habitation shall be left to you desolate. Jonah iii.\nGod saw the works of the Natives, which were covered from their evil way; and he withdrew the punishment that he had threatened to inflict upon them. Therefore, you senators and people of Christian Cities, I entreat you all, fear God and gladly receive his word, and lovingly cleave thereto, and with that, strive for the profit of the commonwealth and brotherly charity: and all things shall succeed unto you prosperously, not only in this world, but for ever in the world to come. Choose such officers as have the fear of God, and so forth, as it is written in Exodus xxiv. For the commonwealth, according to the judgment of the people, such are his ministers. And as the ruler of the City is: such are the inhabitants therein.\n\nWherever the commonwealth and brotherly charity are not regarded (which is most principally, when usury is exercised and suffered), the commonwealth can never be well ordered. The Lord God prohibits usury in many places of scripture.\n And how greatly he abhorreth it, he sheweth Esaye. v. Woo be to you that ioyne togyder house to house, and couple felde to felde. &c. Abacuc. ij. Woo be to hym that gathereth & multyplyeth that whiche is not his owne. Prouerb. xj. He that hydeth vp his corne, shall be cur\u2223sed amongest the people: and the bles\u2223synge of god shall co\u0304me vpon the heades of them that selleth. God commaundeth you to lende, yf ye wyll be his chylderne, lokynge for nothynge agayne. Luke. vj. If ye wyll se more where it is co\u0304maun\u2223ded,\n loke Exodi. xxii. Leuit. xxv. Deu\u2223tronomy. xxiij. Ezechiel. xviij. and .xxij. Math. v. Psal. ix.lx.\n\u00b6 Who so euer seketh for his owne {pro}fyte caryng neyther for ryght nor wronge, ne regarde brotherly charite: he may wel be called vngodly / to whom it is veryly assu\u00a6red by holy scripture, that shortly the ven\u00a6geaunce of god shall co\u0304me vpon hym.\nIob. xxxvij. There shall be take\u0304 from the vngodly, their lyght. Psal. ix\n The vngod\u00a6ly is trapped in the workes of his owne handes / & shall be ouerthrowen in to hell, with all them yt forgete god. Psal. lxxiiij. god sayth. I shal breake ye hornes of these vngracyous: but ye power of ye ryghtwyse shall be styll exalted. Psal. ciij. Let ye syn\u2223ners be co\u0304sumed vpon the erth / & the vn\u2223godly also, vntyll none be lefte alyue. Psal. cxxviij. The ryghtuouse lorde shall kytte of the neckes of the vngodly.\n\u00b6 He is by ryght called vngodly, whiche co\u0304temneth goddes worde, wherby fayth co\u0304meth in to vs, by the whiche onely we be iustifyed & saued. Esaye. lvij. The vn\u2223godly (saythe the lorde) hathe no peace. Eccle. xxviij. An vngodly man troubleth frendes. And amongest them that are in peace / he casteth debate. Chryste saythe Ioh. xv. As they haue persecuted me / so shall they persecute you.\n\u00b6 Luc. ij\nBehold this child (Christ) is placed in the fall and in the rising again for many in Israel: and in a mark which shall be signified: yes, your own soul shall be pierced with a sword. John 15:2. This stone which the builders rejected / is made the head cornerstone / and a stone of stumbling / and a rock / to them who are not content with his word / nor believe it, on whom they were set. Matthew 21:42. And he who falls upon this stone will be broken: and upon whomsoever the stone falls, it will crush him to pieces.\n\nThe state of the church / whether it be called of spiritual men / religious / or monks: it is no prince's state or dignity / but a ministry / or else they shall be among the kings of the infidels. Luke 22:26. He who is greater among you / let him be as the younger: and he who goes before / let him be as a servant.\n\nHebrews 13:21. The Lord says.\nWo to you shepherds who destroy and tear in pieces the flock of my pasture. (Isaiah. xliii.) Surely, both prophet and priest are polluted; in my house (says the Lord) I have found their wickedness. For this reason, their way shall be as it were slippery in darkness: they shall be thrust at, and fall therein. (Ezekiel. xxxiv.)\n\nWoe to the shepherds of Israel who fed themselves. (Ezekiel. xxxiv.) My flocks have wandered out of the way in all mountains: there was none that sought them. (Ezekiel. xxxiv.) Behold therefore, I myself will require my flock from their hands: I will make them cease, that they shall no more feed my flock nor shall any more such shepherds feed themselves: I will deliver my flock out of their mouth: they shall have it no more to eat. (Jeremiah. ii. xxxi. John. x. Matthew xxiii. Zachariah. xi.)\n\nLord, grant that the eyes of their heart may be enlightened, and they may be converted, and return to the Lord.\nTo the coming Christian people, if they are of one accord and agree in unity of faith and hope in Jesus Christ only, and his gospel/ and in fraternal charity: all things shall succeed at their desire. But if they raise themselves up contrary to Christ and his gospel/ it can be none otherwise, but the sword, hunger, pestilence, noisome beasts, tyrants, and all manner of sicknesses shall fall upon them/ & they shall be given up into the hands of their enemies. Deuteronomy xxviii. Leviticus xxv. Hebrews x. How much more do you suppose them to deserve worse torment, who trample down the Son of God and count his blood polluted, by which he was sanctified/ and despise the spirit of grace? Let all therefore be of good cheer, who receive the word of God. For though they be kept under in this world, yet in that eternal and heavenly country, they shall have glory, with perpetual victory and triumph of their enemies: when they shall be tormented in the fire of everlasting malediction.\nPhilip J. In nothing be ye afraid of your adversaries, for what is to them a cause of perdition is to you a cause of salvation, by God. 2 Corinthians 2:15-16. If our gospel is hidden: it is hidden in those who perish, in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the image of God, should shine upon them. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4. We are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are saved and among those who are perishing.\n\nHe is called seditionist, who sets himself against his prince (whom he is bound to obey), though it were so that tyrants bear rule. For all power is ordained by God. Romans 13:1.\n\nProverbs 22:24-25. Fear the Lord and the king, O my son, and do not associate with deceitful men, nor be enamored of their ways, for suddenly their destruction will come upon them, and who knows the ruin of both? Avoid evil men and do not desire to be with them.\nFor their minds are occupied with rapine: and their lips speaking frauds. Jeremiah 24. Thou hast broken the covenant / and for them thou shalt make fetters of iron. Dathan and Abiram, and all the seditionists, were punished by the Lord, as it appears in Numbers 16. And 1 Kings 11. He who resists power resists the ordinance of God. Matthew 26. All who take the sword shall perish by the sword. Genesis 9. Whoever sheds human blood / shall have his own blood shed again.\n\nJeremiah 25. Therefore, because you have not heard my words: behold, I will send and take to me, all the relatives of the north (says the Lord), and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon my servant: and I will bring them upon this land, and upon its inhabitants, and upon all the nations that surround it, and I will slay them, and make them a desolation and a reproach, and a wonder, and a hissing, forever. Jeremiah 26.\nAnd therefore, I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, my servant. You are called to be a servant, care not for it. The anger and punishment of God was fierce, because of the sins of his people. And therefore he raises up tyrants, who serve him against his people. Read Jeremiah xxvii. The last end.\n\u00b6 Jeremiah xxvii. Be not willing to hear your prophets and soothsayers, dream readers, augurs, and enchanters, who say to you. You shall not serve the king of Babylon. For they prophesy lies unto you, that they might make you far from your country, and cast you out, and that you should perish. In the same chapter. Hear not the words of your false prophets. &c.\n\u00b6 Every one that speaks against Christ and cleaves to the pleasures of this world that shall soon perish, is Antichrist. I John ii. It is sure, that there are many Antichrists.\nBut the very high and principal Antichrist is beginning to be revealed and declared in our days, by holy scriptures; which until he is destroyed with the spirit of the mouth of our Lord Jesus Christ, will rule and rage cruelly in the world. Daniel 11. And there shall fall of those who are well learned: so that they shall be tried by fire, and chosen out, and made white, until the appointed time. For there will be another time: and a king shall act according to his own will; and shall be lifted up in pride, and magnified against every god. And he shall speak great things against the god of goods: and he shall prosper till the wrath of God is performed. For the definition is so set. And he shall not regard the god of his fathers: neither shall he care for any goddesses. For he shall rise against all things.\nAnd he shall honor the god Maozim in his place, and worship a god that his fathers never knew, with gold, silver, precious stone, and other precious things.\nMatthew 15: Chryst says, \"All the planning which my heavenly father has not planted shall be uprooted by the roots. The more they try to defend their living before God abominable, the more their schemes and simulations will be made open to all the world. He who has ears to hear, let him hear what is written in John 5.\"\nOnly God knows the Christian church: for it is spiritual, and known only by the spirit; therefore to God alone, who is spirit, it is entirely known. This church, as long as it clings to the word of God, it cannot but stand firm. If not, it will soon perish. However, no matter what is constituted and ordained in the councils of priests, bishops, and princes of this world.\nFor every plantation that my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up. Read in the Acts 5 and to the Romans 14.\nOf the Jews' blindness, the scripture is full: \"Blessed is he that understands it, and to his end does abide the grace and mercy of God.\" Romans 11: My brethren, I will not have you forget this mystery (lest you be haughty, or wise in your own conceit). For blindness happened partly in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, and so all Israel will be saved. For God is strong enough to graft them in again.\nMany signs of the last day, which Christ mentions, are seen and fulfilled all ready. Therefore lift up your heads, ye Christians, for your redemption draws near.\nThis is a prophecy gentle reader, requiring no declaration of philosophy or astrology, which is of human invention; for it is founded upon the only everlasting word of the omnipotent God, whose power no man may resist, and under whom we live and obey. Job ix.\nLet no man therefore contemn these things, nor resist openly the truth openly known, interpreting them any other way than our Lord Jesus Christ has interpreted: unless we are deprived of the grace and mercy which we have obtained from him. 2 John iii.\nBut rather let him enforce himself to apply himself from ignorance and lies to the truth, which is God himself: to whom alone be honor and glory forever. Amen.\nThe will of the Lord be done.\nActs xxij.\n\nGood readers, here you see what the cause is of all the punishments, pains, and miseries that God sends upon us: it is because we do not observe the laws of God, nor live according to his word.\nAnd not as many believe and say that these new laws and new learnings are the causes. Is not this new learning the very true word of God? Else let them come and prove the contrary. But now that light has come into this world, those who have been brought up in darkness prefer darkness to light / yes, rather they hate the light and will not come to it / least their hypocrisy and their ceremonial good works, after the inventions of men, should appear nothing and be worthy of reproach.\n\nThose I would exhort to come while they have light and believe in it, lest (remaining here in their inner darkness) they be cast into the outer darkness, where will be ever sorrow and misery.\nA more pitiful sort exists, who appear to favor the light of God's word and follow its preachers. Yet they seek the liberty of the flesh rather than the spirit, living according to their carnal desires and the world's vain fashion, in covetousness, ambition, pride, and infinitesimal other evils. They only seek their own profits and pleasures, even if it harms their Christian brothers greatly. This arises from an inordinate love of self, which is the cause of much evil and can never bring forth good fruit of faith. Continuing in this manner throughout their lives, they are led continually far from charity, through their own love. Yet they believe themselves to be saved by their feigned faith. I fear, for lack of evidence of good works, that this sort will be denied at the day of judgment, when Christ will say, \"I was hungry and you gave me no food, and so on.\" This sort keeps the other sort from coming to the light.\nAnd it is to be feared that these communications in this prophecy will fall upon us not because we forsake obedience to the bishop of Rome and his laws, which have led us into darkness and out of the way to Godward, nor because of this new preaching according to the very word of God: but because the word is now so often and so plainly preached to us, and we remain still in the old fashion, as the cities did, where Christ preached, Corinth, Bethesda, and Capernaum, whom he reproved and cursed because they received not his words, so often shown to them.\n\nThe ground that is well tilled and sown and has often rained in season and yet brings forth no good fruit (says St. Paul) is cursed by the owner.\nTherefore let us hear the true word of God, that we may change our living and live according to His word, and I doubt not, we shall obtain His merciful promises and blessings, which He promises to the keepers of His laws. By the grace of Christ, through whose merits and help we may bring all things to a good passage, and not only these temporal blessings, but also spiritual ones: true faith, remission of sins, preservation in grace, and assurance of the kingdom of heaven. Which I beseech Him to grant us. Amen.\n\nThis treatise or prophecy is seen, read, and examined by John Hylsey, Bishop of Rochester.\n\nPliny in the 18th book and 34th chapter of his Natural History.\n\nAll things that are cut, plucked, slipped, or lopped are best to be done in the later end of the moon.\n\nDo not meddle with dung but in the wane of the moon. Most specifically dung your land in the last quarter.\nPlant your pigs, calves, woolly lambs, and kidgoats during the wane of the moon. Place your eggs under the hen at the new moon. Dig your ditches or holes for planting around the full of the moon at night. When it is full moon, cover the roots of your trees.\nIn moist places, sow your seed between the new moon and the old, or about four days before or after. They also recommend you sow your corn or seeds and lay them up about the last ending of the moon. And to sow seeds while the moon is over the earth: they must be pressed when the moon is under the earth.\nPrinted at London in Flete Street, at the sign of the Sun, by me, John Byddell.\nWith the Royal Privilege.\nprinter's device of John Byddell, his mark and initials in white on a black background, within a circular border (McKerrow 78)", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}, {"content": "Hereafter follows a little treatise, necessary and beneficial for the preservation of God's reverence and worship, as well as the conservation of the common wealth of all Christian people, both for the healthy as for the remedy for the infected and sick. I, the Bishop of Arusiens in the Realm of Denmark, and doctor of Physic, will hereafter in this book write some things concerning that contagious infirmity and sickness called the Pestilence, which daily infects and soon suffers.\n\nFirst, I will write of the tokens of this infirmity.\nSecond, of its causes.\nThird, of the remedies.\nFourth, how to comfort the heart and principal members of the body.\nFifth, of the type or nature of this infirmity.\n\nFirst, I said I would write the tokens of this infirmity. Seven things ought to be noted in the same.\nThe first token is when on a summer's day the weather often changes, as in the morning water appears to rain, afterwards it becomes cloudy, and at last windy in the south.\nThe second token is when in summer the days appear all dark, and like to rain, yet it does not rain, and if many days continue thus, it is to be feared of great Pestilence.\nThe third token is when a great multitude of flesh is upon the earth.\nThe fourth token is when the stars seem to fall often, then it is a sign that the air is infected with an abundance of venomous vapors.\nThe fifth token is when a blazing star is seen in the element, then it is a sign to be soon after great Pestilence, or great slaughter of men in battle.\nThe sixteenth token is when there is great lighting,\nand thunder especially out of the south.\nThe seventh token is when great winds pass out of the south. They are foul and unclean. Therefore, when these tokens appear, it is a sign of great Pestilence. Thus, God, in his infinite mercy, will remove it.\n\nThe Pestilence arises from three things. Sometimes it arises from the putrefaction below. Other times from the putrefaction above, so that we can feel it sensibly how the change of the air appears to us. And sometimes it arises from both together, as well from the putrefaction above, by the putrefaction below is meant stinking places on the earth, such as sewers and privies, as from the putrefaction below, a siege or a private putrefaction above is meant stinking mists and other infections of the air.\nAccording to Avicenna's fourth book, the bodies are subtly affected above by the corrupting impressions in the air, which in turn corrupt the spirits of a man. This affliction also originates from the rottenness below and within: when the corrupting impressions above corrupt the air, and an infirmity arises from the putrefaction or rottenness of the foul places within a man. This infirmity can manifest as an ache, a putrefaction, or swelling, and it takes many forms. Furthermore, the inspired air is venomous and corrupt, harming the heart in ways that nature may not readily perceive, as the poison appears fair and with good digestion. However, the patient is still likely to die, and therefore many physicians, observing the poison in their patients, speak superficially and are deceived. Consequently, every patient must provide themselves with a good and experienced physician.\nThese things written at the causes of Pestilence: Two questions are raised concerning these things. The first is why one dies, and the second is why one dies in a town where men die in one house, and in another none die. An answer to the first question. The second question is whether Pestilence spreads contagiously. To the first question I say, it may happen due to two causes: either the thing that inflicts the influence of the stars above beholds that place more than this place, or the patient is more disposed to die than another.\nTherefore, it is noted that bodies are more disposed to this sickness when they are open and poor, rather than those having pores stopped with many humors. Bodies of a resolute or opening nature, such as those who excessively use women or bathe often, or hot men with labor or great anger, are more disposed to this sickness.\n\nAn answer to the second question: Pestilence spreads because it infects humorous bodies, and the pus or smoke from such sores is venomous and corrupts the air. Great assemblies of people should be avoided, and one should avoid standing near or assembling with infected individuals during a pestilence.\nWise physicians visiting sick people with the pestilence should stand far from the patient, facing the door or window. It is good for a patient to change rooms every day and often to have windows open towards the north or east. The south wind has two causes of putrefaction. The first is, it makes a man, whether healthy or sick, weak in his body. The second cause is, as written in the third of Amphorasms, the south wind is unholy and hurts the heart because it enters through the pores and penetrates into the heart. Therefore, in times of pestilence, it is good for a healthy man, when the wind is in the south, to be inside the house all day, and if he needs to go out, let him wait in his house until the sun is up in the east passing southward.\nA man may preserve himself from Pestilence by the following remedies, according to Jeremiah the Prophet: first, he should abandon evil deeds and do good ones, and be willing to confess his sins. Penance and confession are the most effective remedies during a pestilence. Avoid the infected place. However, some may not be able to change their places effectively, so as much as possible, they should eschew every cause of putrefaction and stinking, and specifically every fleshy lust with women shall be eschewed. Additionally, the southern wind, which is naturally infectious, should be avoided. Therefore, close the windows against the south before the first hour after midday, and open them against the north afterward.\nOf every foul stench, avoid the stable, fields, ways, or streets. In particular, avoid stinking dead carcasses and most stinking waters where water is kept for two days or two nights. There are gutters of water cast under the earth which cause great stench and corruption, and some die in the house where such things happen, while none die in another house, as it is said before. Likewise, in the place where words and cools putrefy, it makes a noxious savior and a stinking smell. The heart is comforted by sweet savour.\nFor like as sweet balm's aroma revives the heart and spirits, so evil odors weaken them. Therefore keep your house free from bad air, for bad air most causes putrefaction in places and houses where people sleep. Thus let your house be clean and make it clear by burning wood, let your house be fumigated with herbs, such as bay leaves, juniper, rue, mugwort, and the best tree aloes. Inhale this fume, and it is also used to avoid great reflections, as Avicenna says in the fourth canon. Eat sparingly. Those who burden their bodies with reflection shorten their lives. Also, baths are to be avoided for a little rust corrupts the entire body.\nTherefore, the people, as much as is possible, should be avoided to prevent infecting others. But when the multitude of people cannot be avoided, use the following remedies: In the morning, eat something. In the morning, when you rise, wash a little rewe (rew or rhea, a type of plant), and eat one or two clean filberd nuts with salt, and if that cannot be had, eat bread or a tofte (a type of bread) sopped in vinegar, especially in troublous and cloudy weather, and in times of pestilence. It is better to abide within the house, for it is not healthy to go in the city or town. Sprinkle your house, especially in summer, with vinegar and roses, and with the leaves of the vine tree. It is also good to wash your hands often with water and vinegar, and wipe your face with your hands and smell to them.\nIt is good always to savor unpleasant things. In the mountain of Pessulane, I could not avoid the company of people because of my poverty, so I took bread or a sponge soaked in vinegar with me, holding it to my mouth and nose, as all unpleasant things stop the ways of humors and allow no harmful things to enter a man's body, and thus I escaped the Pestilence, my companions supposing that I would not live.\n\nThe comforts of the heart are saffron, Lanifex plate with other herbs for the inward spirit, and Saffiorocot fortifies the heart. These are good among common people, for scarcely does one infect another, so beware of another's breath, as well as infected air. Also, make a man's eyes dim if he does not bear these said things in his hand.\nAlso it is healthy to wash your mouth, face, eyes, and hands ten times a day with rose water. Keep yourself sensitive. And these things used, you may surely go among the people. A natural laxative from the belly is a great remedy, otherwise provoke a laxative by using pipille pestilenciales; they are good, they are in the apothecary's shop. Keep good fire in your house. Also keep fire always in your house, for it sets much the impressions of the bodies above and clarifies the air. It is also profitable for both healthy and sick people to drink tracle, therefore take it two times a day, with clear wine, limewater or rose water, or with clear ale. Take a quantity of tracle of a pea and two spoonfuls of clear wine or rose water or ale, drink tracle.\nDissolve the triticale in the cup and drink it, and do not eat until the middle of the day, so that the triticale may have its effect. Then choose a good dish of food, and drink clear wine, and drink often in the day, but not much at a time, for excessive abundance of drink putrefies the humors. Also beware of hot things in food, such as pepper and garlic. Beware of pepper in food. Though pepper expels the brain from the body and specifically the members from viscous humors, it makes much heat, and heat falls into putrefaction. Bitterness only is more to please than hot odor or savory. Also garlic, though it expels the body and puts out evil humors, and provokes an appetite to eat and sustains no dry air to enter, yet it troubles the eyes and makes the head hot, therefore it is not good to eat garlic. The pestilence grows often in meals of light digestion.\nForbear pottage at evening roasted, forbear broth and pottage unless they are eggy, In the time of pestilence eggy and tart meals are much better than other meals. Also forbear all fruits, Forbear all fruits except for cherries, pomegranates, a little of a pear or apple for medicine. Because all fruit induces putrefaction. Eat convenient spices such as ginger, Eat ginger. cinnamon, cumin, macis, and saffron. These are the best sauces that can be made for rich people. For poor people, take rue, sage, fylborndutt (is), parsley with vinegar mixed together. These are good and help prevent putrefaction. To be merry in the heart is a great remedy for the health of the body. Therefore, in the time of pestilence, beware not of death, but live cheerfully and hope to live long.\n\nLetting of blood once a month may be made, Let blood.\nOnly persons of unsound age or other infirmity are forbidden from having their blood let at the basilica, on the right or left side, before or after the incision. If you feel injured, do not sleep that day. After being infected, avoid sleep. Then, avoid sleep and instead walk and move, for sleep induces the inward heat to produce poison in the heart and other affected members, which herbs cannot remove if a man were moving about. Some may ask why sleep should be avoided.\nIn pestilence times, if a body desires to sleep right after eating, such desire should be postponed for a while by walking in gardens or fields, and then make a natural sleep for an hour. Auicen wrote that if a woman wants to sleep, she must drink a good draught of ale or wine beforehand, because a man, while sleeping, draws many humors, and the evil humors are put down by the humors of a good draught. Some may ask, how can a man tell if he is infected? A man who is infected that day eats little food because he is filled with bad humors. After dinner, if a man has a strong desire to sleep and feels great heat under cold, as well as great pain in the forehead, he can alleviate these symptoms by moving around, riding, or walking.\nA man who seeks the body and its weight may also be one who has an infection. Such a person has a strong desire to leap every hour of the day and night due to the venom within the body troubling the spirit of life, causing restlessness and an inability to sleep. A person can recognize and feel these symptoms within themselves, and if the body refuses to believe this, they will feel a swelling under the arm or around the ears. In such cases, one should refrain from sleeping because the spirit of life is resting, and the body is being venomized. I have personally proven these things. When a man feels himself infected, let him allow blood to flow freely until he faints, then stop the wound. A little delay in stopping the bleeding may help or hinder the venom's spread if the man does not have many wounds cut together. When you let venom in.\nIf a swelling appears under the right arm, let him bleed in the middle of the same arm in the vein called mediana. If it appears under the left arm, let him bleed in the middle of the same or in the vein of the liver, which is about the little finger, and if it is about the shoulder, let him bleed about the whole on the same side. If the swelling is in the neck, let him bleed in the vein called Cephalica about the thumb in the hand of the same side or in the vein called mediana of the same arm: or in the hand of the same side about the little finger.\nAnd if a swelling appears around the ear, let him bleed in the vein called cephalica on the same side, or in the vein between the longest finger and the thumb, let many venomous veins enter the brain, or let him bleed in the vein about the little finger, named Basilica by physicians. If a swelling appears in the shoulders, lessen it with ventosity, and first lessen the vein called mediana. If the swelling is on the back, lessen it upon the vein called pedica magna. And all these things should be done if a man does not sleep before the knowledge of the swelling.\nIf you feel swelling after sleep, if swelling appears in the right arm, let him bleed from the left arm, in Epate, or Basilica, or Mediana. And if swelling appears under the left arm, let him bleed from the right arm, as it is said for the left arm. And so for other parts of the body, let him bleed from the contrary part of such swelling. If the letting of blood is very little and weak, then let the patient sleep in the middle of the day, and he must be in continuous movement, riding or walking moderately, and afterward, if the swelling grows, let him not be afraid of death because such a swelling puts out all coolness and makes a man very hole. And that the swelling may become ripe sooner, take this medicine: brose the leaves of an elder tree and put thereon ground mustard. A plaster for this sort.\nAnd make a plaster of it and put it on the swelling. Some surgeons will put triacle on the swelling, but do not do this for triacle puts out venom. Therefore drink triacle for that puts out the same. There is another medicine: take sage, hysop otherwise called wild tyme, marjoram, and a little rye flower. Break all these together until you see water come out of it. Mix that water with women's milk, and give it to the patient fasting before sleep, and it will work better for removing the swelling. Also for the swelling when it appears. Take filbert nuts, figs, and rue, and bruise them together. Lay it on the swelling. These remedies are sufficient to avoid this great sickness with the help of all-mighty God, to whom be everlasting praise, and amen.\n\nPraise and praise be to almighty God, and gentle reader, pray for the maker of this book.\nImprinted at London by Thomas Gybson, in September of the year 1536,\nKing Henry VIII, by the grace of God, of England and France,\nking, defender of the faith and lord of Ireland,\nand in the twenty-eighth year of his reign (next under Christ),\nsupreme head of the Church of England.\n\nGod save the king.\n\n(coat of arms)", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}, {"content": "An explanation of a passage from St. James' epistle, beginning in the second chapter at the letter \"I\": I will pour out from my heart: Your sons and daughters shall prophesy; your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17.\nIac. ii.\nWhat profit is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?\nHEre it is plaine / that Iames speketh of suche an historical fayth, as is nowe amonge chrysten people for the moost parte / whiche whan they do byleue all thynges that be spoken of in scryptures, as they do a tale of Robyn hode, or of Gesta Romano{rum}, thynke it is suffi\u00a6cient ynough as concernyng fayth to be saued by: moued onely by au\u2223ctorite of theyr elders: as ye Iewes and Turk{is} byleue theyr lawe. And that ye may ye better perceyue that he speaketh of suche a story, or deed faythe: Note yt he sayth not, what auayleth it thoughe a man haue\nfaith / but what justifies it, I James ask, even if a man says that he has faith? And indeed, such a story or deed can only be believed: as to believe that Christ was born of the virgin Mary, that he suffered death, rose again and ascended into heaven - can it justify or save a man any more than that same faith justifies the devils, who (as St. James says) believe all these things as well as they? Moreover, if such historical faith could justify, that is, obtain and purchase remission of sins: then should not all such false preachers whom the scriptures threaten with such damnation, be saved as well as they who preach in Christ's name. Also, if such a deed could justify or save, then should all who bear the name of [sinners] be saved as well.\n\"Christ be saved. This is contrary to the word of God, which says, Matthew 7: \"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter by it. But narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and few find it. If there are any so foolish (as I think there are none) as to believe that Jews and Turks, with such other infidels, shall only enter through that wide gate of destruction, and that Christ calls it the broad way because there are so many who will be damned, I pray you listen to what Christ said afterward in the same chapter. Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.\"\"\n\"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Master, Master, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who work lawlessness.' Saint Paul also says, 'All things are pure to those who are pure, but nothing is pure to you and the unbelievers. Your confession of faith is incomplete and your actions contradict it. You profess to know God, but by your deeds you deny Him, and you are abominable, disobedient, and rejecters of good works.' \"\nMany places of scripture there are which might be brought in for this purpose. Nevertheless, I will show you only one text from St. Paul. Ephesians 5: Saying that no fornicator, unclean person, or covetous person (which is the worshipper of idols) has any inheritance in the kingdom of God. That is, if they continue still in these vices unto their end. And how think ye? Are there no Christians who are fornicators? Or is Christianity without unclean persons? Yes, and how many are covetous even until the breath goes out of their bodies? And now to declare more plainly that such a story or deed cannot justify or save a man, St. James brings forth an example, which is so plain that it needs no declaration: saying these words.\nIf a brother or a sister is naked or destitute of daily food and one of you says to him, \"Depart in God's name,\" but you do not give him the things necessary for the body, what does it help them? Even so faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.\n\nOr, as I proceed further, I will show you what the true faith is, which the chosen children of God must believe. He must believe steadfastly and without wavering, not only in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, but must put all his trust in them.\nhope and have confidence saved only by him, and believe that he is our god, our father, to us, an almighty helper and deliverer. Titus 3. He has chosen us of his mere mercy to be saved before the beginning of the world. Romans 5. And that he loved us so well, that when we were yet his enemies, he reconciled us to him by the death and merits of his son, our savior Jesus Christ. Upon this belief and sure persuasion, we love him so earnestly again, that we cease not (time and occasion offered) to fulfill his commandments in doing the works of charity to our neighbor. Of this living faith Paul speaks always. Galatians 5. Which by charity or love is mighty in operation. Also Paul says, Romans 8, \"If any man has not love.\"\nthe spirit of Christ is not of Christ. For he says if the spirit of Christ dwells in you, he who raised up Christ from death will quicken your mortal bodies because his spirit dwells in you. And to the Galatians he says, \"Galatians 5: The fruit of the spirit is joy, love, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, faithfulness, temperance. By which you may perceive that faith comes by the spirit of God, and that we cannot be idle when we have received it, but love, which is the fruit of the spirit of God, causes us to work.\n\nI trust in God that now even a very blind man may perceive that this living faith, always stirred to good works by the Holy Spirit, is not that faith which James spoke of.\nBut he here shows an empty faith, which is better called a vain opinion than true faith. And look, it arises from the heart of a sinful man. II Corinthians III. He, of himself, cannot even think a good thought, so it has neither the power nor strength to produce good works or anything acceptable in God's sight. Nor does this dead faith save, justify, or bring a man into God's favor, no more than (as Saint James says) the mere spoken words relieve and comfort a poor man in his need: Now he goes forth and says,\n\nBut one may say to me: I have faith, and you have deeds. Show me your faith by your deeds, and I will show you mine.\nHe means that Christians should live so purely in showing charity and doing works of mercy that untrue Christians may see their fruits and recognize their true faith: as Christ says in Matthew 5: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.\n\nJames says: Do you believe there is one God? You are correct: the devils also believe it and tremble. Do you want to understand (you foolish man), that faith without deeds is dead?\nThese words are so plain, that he speaks of such a historical faith as the devils have, making these juggling spirits mad, yelping, roaring, crying out, and speaking evil: as Peter says in 2 Peter 2. Of this mystical sort (I call them so, because they walk in the mists and darkness of men's traditions), Paul gives us warning, saying, \"Colossians 2: Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and empty deceit, through the traditions of men, and the elements of the world, and not according to Christ. And these false apostles, with all those who believe their preaching, have none other but this dead faith that St. James here speaks of, which he also refers to.\nAnd they testify that the devils do not want this, which may agree with all mischief. And this is to believe only that there is a god / that Christ was born of a maiden / that he died, rose again, and ascended into heaven. &c. And therefore, as James says, men are justified no more by this than are the devils, who are damned. And as the devils have no faith given them by the spirit that can repent of evil doing, or believe in Christ to be saved through him / or that can love God, or do his will. So have these false prophets, with all their sect, no such faith to be saved through Christ's merits / though they babble in every sermon that Christ was born for our wealth, and suffered death for our redemption / and rose again for our justification.\nas it appears in this epistle of James is disputed, and they aim to prove that our salvation comes in part or in whole through works, which is, as Paul states, the denial of Christ's death and redemption. Galatians 2: If righteousness came through the law, then Christ died in vain. 1 John 1:2 and Titus 3:3. And where the true church of Christ believes in one Christ and is saved only by his blood and merits. 2 Peter 2:19. These wells without water, to whom is reserved the mystery of darkness forever: promising us liberty, yet themselves the bondservants of corruption teach to believe in all things, except Christ: in soul masses, dirges, pardons, and purgatory.\nThey openly deny that Jesus redeemed us for two pennies as prophesied, and claim that we are purged from sin through such things. I am certain that through such things which purge us from Christ but not from sin, and have left the common wealth thin and bare. Because men put their faith in it that ought to be set and grounded solely in Christ, they will go to the devil for all their labor and cost, except for the infinite mercy of God being more merciful. Christ says, John iii. He who does not believe is condemned already. John iv. Saint John also says that Antichrist will deny Christ.\nBut I pray God of his mercy to give his chosen people better grace in understanding this epistle, than that they should, as far as in them lies, make this worthy apostle James one of those false prophets, who for covetousness would deny the redemption that is in the blood of Christ, appointing it to works. This salvation (as St. Paul says in Ephesians 4:7) is the gift of God and comes not of works, lest any man should boast. He also says (Romans 6:23) that the reward of sin is death, but eternal life is the gift of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.\n\nNow we come to that which our Baal gods lean so much upon.\nAnd because they reckon themselves so sure: I trust therefore God's grace easily to supplant them, and make their building lightly to fall, and to lie in the mire, saying they took no firm hold but built upon a wrong foundation, as they wrongfully interpret all scripture.\n\nWas not Abraham our father justified by his deeds when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar? You see then how faith worked in his deeds / and through his deeds was his faith made perfect.\n\nFor the understanding of this, I exhort you to know that there are two manners of justification.\nThe one is called justification of the law. Romans 3 or our righteousness. Romans 9. It is no longer about doing the works of the law, but for the people to know one is righteous. And this righteousness can be had and yet be condemned: as were the Pharisees, whom Christ says, Matthew 23, \"Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, who appear righteous before men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.\" And Paul likewise spoke of the Jews (Romans 10) that he bore record of, that they had a zealous mind toward God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, they sought to establish their own righteousness, so that yet they were disobedient to God's righteousness.\nAnd of this righteousness speaks he more, putting himself as an example: saying, \"Philippers 2: As concerning the righteousness of the law, I was faulty. In like manner speaks Moses of this justification in these words: The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Deuteronomy 30: Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, 'Why, after the doings of the land of Egypt where you dwelt, observe you not to do after their doings: neither after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I will bring you, nor walk you in their ordinances: but do after my judgments, and keep my ordinances to walk in them. For I am the Lord your God, keep therefore my ordinances, and my statutes.' \"\nI. Judgments; whichever a man does, he shall live by. And Paul recites the effect, saying, \"Roma. x. Moyses discerns the righteousness of the law, that a man who does the things of the law shall live by it. And in this manner James (Gen. xv.) means that Abraham was justified by offering up his son Isaac on the altar. Notwithstanding, yet this righteousness of Abraham proceeded from faith; as James shows. For faith worked in his deeds, and though his deeds declared his justification before men, who could not otherwise see his true faith, by which he was justified long before in the sight of God. But now, because our sophists say that Paul and James do not agree on this point, and think the cause to be, that Paul speaks so little of this outward righteousness, and James so little of the perfect justification coming by faith: I shall prove you that they agree in one.\nI have already shown you how Paul agrees with James concerning outward righteousness, as he clearly argues for himself in Romans 10. This is consistent with what James speaks about Moses. In Philippians 2, Paul also writes, \"What shall we say then that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found or obtained in this respect, that is, in the sight of God, by works?\" (ESV)\n\nPerhaps you will not be satisfied with this, except you knew that Paul writes so well about outward righteousness, by which Abraham is justified before the world, as he does about inward righteousness that made him commendable before God. But you can easily find this out if you carefully examine Paul's words, where he says in Romans 3:\n\n\"What shall we say then that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found or obtained in this respect, that is, in the sight of God, by works? If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.\"\nMarke I pray you yt Paule sayth, Abraham had wherin to reioyce / that is to saye, he had dedes which iustified him outwardly afore men with the ryghtwysnes of the lawe for his obedyence in offerynge vp his sone Isaac: So that you may nowe se, that Paule and Iames\n do accorde in one concernynge the outwarde ryghtwysnes that ma\u2223keth men commendable before the worlde. Nowe wyll I speake of ryghtwysnes approued and com\u2223mended of god / and proue you that therin they do lykewyse agree.\nOf this ryghtwysnes whiche auayleth and is co\u0304mended of god / throughe whiche we be absolued from synne / hauynge the same for\u2223gyuen, and not imputed or layde to our charge: speaketh Christ in dy\u2223uers places of the gospell, sayenge thus. Be it to the accordyng to thy faythe. Math. ix. Thy faythe hath saued the. &c. He saythe also in the thyrde chapitre of Iohn\u0304, that who so euer heareth the worde of god, & byleueth in hym that he was sent of, shall not se dampnacyon, but is escaped from dethe to lyfe. Paule\nPrimarily intending to prove that, written to the Romans in the third chapter, it is stated: \"That justification is allowed before God comes through the faith of Jesus Christ, to all and upon all who believe.\" And we know (says Paul in Galatians 2), that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. We have believed in Jesus Christ therefore, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the deeds of the law. Moreover, he proves by scripture that Abraham was justified by faith before God, saying, \"What does the scripture say? To which he makes the answer, 'Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'\"\n\nNow, in accordance with my promise made before, I will lightly prove you that James agrees with Paul concerning the coming of righteousness through faith.\nIacob (James) in the first chapter of his epistle states, \"God gave us birth by His will through the word of life, making us the first of His creatures.\"\nOh good James, how do false apostles pervert and misconstrue your words? For if you know the law, it is evident that you did not think we could get ourselves by works, which is to despise the blood of Christ. Therefore, James concludes with Paul (Romans 4), saying, \"The scripture was fulfilled which says: 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God.'\"\nNow I desire all Christian people to pray to God to give us perfect faith, trusting in the mysteries and passion of Christ, not relying on knowledge, but remaining ignorant of the righteousness allowed by God, as the Jews did, and thereupon to advance or stabilize our own righteousness, which is disobedience to the justification acceptable and allowed by God, resulting in all those who seek to be justified by their works committing this disobedience. Now Saint James says: \"You see how a man is justified by works: not by faith alone.\"\nAs though he would say, although faith alone justifies in the heart and before God without the help of works, Heb. xi. For without faith it is impossible to please God; yet men do not know your heart, and therefore do good works make it counted righteous before men. But faith alone justifies before God, and in the heart; and the works declare a man justified to the world, and cause faith to be seen. Faith justifies before God; and works before the world justify us.\n\nAnother example, St. James puts it thus: \"Was not Rahab the harlot justified? She received the messengers and sent them on another way.\"\nI answer. Yes, truly, outwardly and before the people she was justified, in receiving the messengers peaceably for lodging and sending them out another way, but inwardly in her heart she was justified through faith: as Paul says, speaking of her in this way. Hebrews 11. By faith (says he) Rahab the harlot did not shrink from deceiving the inhabitants of the land, after she had received the spies in peace.\nJames now concludes: saying, \"For as the body without the spirit is dead: even so faith without deeds is dead. James 2. He means that if the faith that a man has is not given him by the spirit of God, and that same spirit does not quicken the mortal body to do good when the time and occasion come, then it is but a historical and dead faith of human imagination, and that a man is no more justified by it than the dead carcass is quickened by the soul when there is none in it.\"\nFINIS.\nPraise be to God.\n[1536, printed in London, at the sign of the Sun, by John Byddell. With privilege.\nJohn Byddell's printer's device]", "creation_year": 1536, "creation_year_earliest": 1536, "creation_year_latest": 1536, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"} ]