Doctrinal treatises : and introductions to different portions of the Holy Scriptures

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DOCTRINAL TREATISES

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INTRODUCTIONS TO DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

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DOCTRINAL TREATISES

AND

INTRODUCTIONS TO DIFFERENT PORTIONS

OF

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

BY

WILLIAM TYNDALE,

MARTYR, 1536.

EDITED FOR

BY THE

REV. HENRY WALTER, B.D. F.R.S.

RECTOR OF HASILBURY BRYAN, DORSET ;

FORMERLY FELLOW OF ST JOHN*S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND PROFESSOR OF NATURAL
PHILOSOPHY IN THE EAST INDIA COMPANY'S COLLEGE AT HAILEYBI7RY.

CAMBRIDGE:

PRINTED AT

THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.

M.DCCC.XLVIII,

CONTENTS.

ADVERTISEMENT 1X

Life of William Tyndale • xiii

/ A Pathway into the Holy Scripture, 1525—32 1

The Parable of the Wicked Mammon, 1527 29

The Obedience of a Christian Man, 1527—8 127

A brief declaration of the Sacraments, 1536 •• 345

Epistle to the Reader; subjoined to his first published version of

the New Testament, 1526 •• 389

Preface that he made before the five books of Moses, 1530 392

Prologue to the book of Genesis, 1530 398

A Table expounding certain words in the first book of Moses, called

Genesis 405

A Prologue into the second book of Moses, called Exodus 411

A Table expounding certain words of the second book of Moses . 419

A Prologue into the third book of Moses, called Leviticus 421

A Prologue into the fourth book of Moses, called Numeri 429

A Prologue into the fifth book of Moses, called Deuteronomy ... 441
A Table expounding certain words of the fifth book of Moses, called

Deuteronomy 445

Prologue to the Prophet Jonas, 1531 447

/ Prologue upon the Gospel of St Matthew, 1525 469

... Gospel of St Mark 480

Gospel of St Luke 481

... Gospel of St John 482

... Epistle of St Paul to the Romans, 1526 483

... first Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians 510

second Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians... 512

Epistle of St Paul to the Galatians 513

Epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians 514

... Epistle of St Paul to the Philippians ib.

Epistle of St Paul to the Colossians 515

first Epistle of St Paul to the Thessalonians. . . 516

... second Epistle of St Paul to the Thessalonians 517
first Epistle of St Paul to Timothy - . . ib.

Vlll CONTENTS.

PAGK

Prologue upon the second Epistle of St Paul to Timothy 519

... Epistle of St Paul to Titus ib.

... Epistle of St Paul to Philemon 520

... Epistle of St Paul to the Hebrews 521

Epistle of St James 525

first Epistle of St Peter 527

second Epistle of St Peter 528

three Epistles of St John 529

Epistle of St Jude 531

An exposition upon certain words and phrases of the New Testa
ment ib.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE affectionate anxiety of Tyndale to benefit his be
nighted countrymen led him to employ the press in a three
fold capacity, as an editor, a translator, and an author ; that
he might make the most of the powerful instrumentality of
the recently discovered art of printing, for the promotion of
his labour of love.

It would not be suitable to the engagements of the Parker
Society to comprehend treatises of which Tyndale was merely
an editor in this reprint of his works. But Foxe's 'Acts
and Monuments ' contain " The Prayer and Complaint of the
Ploughman, concerning the abuses of the world, as the book
was faithfully set forth by William Tyndale1;" and also
" William Thorp's account of his examination, when brought
before Thomas Arundel, archbishop of Canterbury, as cor
rected by master William Tyndale2." What he did as a
translator of the works of uninspired Christian writers, can
not be affirmed with any certainty ; but whilst his translation
of Erasmus' Enchiridion militis Christiani has probably been
entirely lost, his translation of Luther's preface to the epistle
to the Romans will be found incorporated in his own prologue
to that epistle. On the other hand, though it is for being
the father and founder of the authorised version of the Bible,
the first person who translated the Scriptures from their in
spired originals into the English tongue, that all who speak
that tongue have reason to revere Tyndale's memory; it is
not proposed to reprint any more of his translation, in this

[i B. v., under date of 1360.]
[2 Ibid., under date of 1409.]

X ADVERTISEMENT.

edition of his works, than a chapter from each Testament, for
the sake of enabling the readers to form some estimate as
to the extent to which Tyndale's translation, and choice of
words, may be supposed to be under their eyes when they
look at the text of their English Bibles.

As to the works of which Tyndale was properly the
author, after striking off from Bale's and Tanner's lists such
as they seem to have had no sufficient reason for ascribing
to his pen1, it will appear probable that but two of any
general interest have been lost ; namely, his ' Treatise on
Matrimony,' and his ' Exposition of 1 Cor. vii. ;' if indeed
these two titles did not belong to the same work.

Very nearly the whole of what is still extant has been
preserved in Day's black-letter folio of the works of Frith,
Barnes, and Tyndale, to which 1574 has been assigned as
a date, and Foxe the martyrologist as its editor. Where
collation with ancient editions of the different treatises af
forded no preferable reading, the text of Day has been fol
lowed in this reprint. But instead of Day's immethodical
arrangement of Tyndale's works, the present editor has first
placed together the doctrinal and hortatory treatises ; then
Helps to a right understanding of the Scriptures ; and lastly,
those polemical writings in which the author answers or
exposes the adversaries of the Reformation. The second
class, consisting of introductory prefaces, expositions of par-

[l The only reason assigned in their lists for ascribing to Tyndalo
'A Book Concerning the Church/ *A Godly Disputation between a
Christian Shoemaker and a Popish Parson,' and ' The Disclosing of
the Man of Sin,' is that they are ascribed to him by Foxe, in a list of
prohibited books ; but when that list is examined (see either the ed.
of 1563, pp. 573-4, or the Lond. ed. of 1838, Vol. v., p. 567) it appears
that though Foxe has placed these titles immediately after those of
several works known to be Tyndalo's, or edited by him, the catalogue
is immethodical ; and he has not said a word about their being Tyn
dalo's composition.]

ADVERTISEMENT. XI

ticular portions of holy writ, or notes upon them, will be
arranged in the order of the Scriptures themselves ; but in
the other two classes each portion will be placed according
to the date of its original publication, that the reader may see
what were Tyndale's earliest thoughts on the subject discussed,
and trace the connection between his controversial writings
and the events of their author's life. Of those events Foxe
knew so little, in consequence of Tyndale's having been
obliged to live abroad and in secrecy, that it would have been
inexcusable to republish Foxe's account of him, without giving
that farther information respecting him which Mr Offor first
discovered2 in the state papers of Henry the Eighth's reign,
and which the Rev. C. Anderson's farther search into the
same and other contemporary documents has recently enabled
him to lay before the public3.

To both those gentlemen the editor's best thanks are due
for the liberal manner in which they have given him per
mission to use the results of their labours ; whilst he is still
farther indebted to Mr Offor for the kindness with which he
has allowed him to consult and collate his unique or rare
specimens of the earliest editions of Tyndale's works. The
Rev. Thomas Russell has been equally liberal in permitting
the editor to take advantage of the notes which accompanied
the first volume of his edition of Tyndale's works4. The
editor has also been favoured with transcripts of family docu
ments, elucidatory of Tyndale's origin, by John Roberts, Esq.,
of the Inner Temple, who glories in being lineally descended
from the reformer's elder brother. It is also his pleasing
duty to record his obligation to the master and fellows of St
John's College, Cambridge, for the loan of a copy of Bishop

[2 Published in his Memoir of Tyndale, prefixed to his reprint of
Tyndale's New Testament, Lond. 1836.]

[3 Scattered over the first volume of his Annals of the English
Bible.]

[4 Published by Eben. Palmer, London, 1831.]

Xil ADVERTISEMENT.

Fisher's works ; to the Rev. T. S. Crisp, president of the
Baptists' College, Bristol, for facilitating and aiding his exa
mination of the very valuable collection of Tyndale's Transla
tions, in the library of that institution; and to the Rev.
Edward Cureton and sir Henry Ellis of the British Museum ;
the Rev. Alfred Hackman, Precentor of Christ Church ;
Albert Way, Esq., director of the Antiquarian Society ; and
Henry Hallam, Esq., for their obliging readiness in satisfying
his inquiries on different subjects, necessary for the elucidation
of his author.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE

OF

WILLIAM TYNDALE.

WILLIAM TYNDALE, the man chosen of God to be one of
his chief instruments in the blessed work of restoring the
knowledge of the way of salvation amongst the inhabitants 'of
our island, was fitted for this work by being endowed with
such ability and learning as enabled him to lay the foundation
of our authorised version of the scriptures ; and his life was
not taken away till he had more than half completed that
English Bible, which has been one of God's best gifts to the
nations speaking the English tongue.

There are probable, though not indisputable, grounds for
believing, that he was descended from forefathers who were
barons of Tyndale in Northumberland, till their title passed
by an heiress into the family of Bolteby, in the thirteenth
century, and eventually to the Percies1. This descent is un
hesitatingly claimed for himself by a Thomas Tyndale, of
Kington St Michael, near Calne, in a letter written, February
3rd, 1663, to a namesake, whom he addresses as his cousin,
and whose father was a grandson of the reformer's elder
brother. " The first of your family," says the letter- writer,
" came out of the north, in the times of the wars between the
houses of York and Lancaster, at what time many of good
sort (their side going down) did fly for refuge where they
could find it. Coming into Glocestershire, and changing his
name to that of Hutchins, he afterwards married there, and
so having children he did, before his death, declare his right
name, and from whence, and upon what subject he came
thither ; and so taking his own name, did leave it unto his

1 Anderson's Annals of the Eng. Bible, B. i. $ 1. pp. 17 — 20; and
Camden's Britannia, col. 853. Gibson's ed. 1695.

[TYNDALE.]

XIV

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1484 1520.

children, who have since continued it, as it was fit they should.
This 1 have heard from your good father himself1."

It seems to have been in the village of Stinchcombe, near
Dursley, that Hugh Tyndale, the refugee above spoken of,
found the concealment he thus sought. His grandson Thomas
married Alicia, sole heiress of Thomas Hunt of Huntscourt,
in the neighbouring village of North Nibley, and appears to
have had by her five sons. Of these William was the second ;
but in which of the two villages he was born, or in what year,
cannot be stated with certainty. The probability is, however,
that he was born in North Nibley, and in the year 1484 2.
Of his course of life, from infancy till he must have been about
six and thirty years of age, we still know no more than is told
in' the following brief extract from Foxe's Acts and Monuments.

" Touching the birth and parentage of this blessed martyr
of Christ, he was born about the borders of Wales, and brought
up from a child in the university of Oxford, where he by
long continuance grew and increased as well in the knowledge
of tongues and other liberal arts, as specially in the knowledge
of the scriptures, whereunto his mind was singularly addicted :
insomuch that he, lying there in Magdalen hall, read privily
to certain students and fellows of Magdalen college some
parcel of divinity, instructing them in the knowledge and
truth of the scriptures. Whose manners also and conver
sation, being correspondent to the same, were such that all
they that knew him reputed and esteemed him to be a man
of most virtuous disposition, and of life unspotted. Thus he
in the university of Oxford increasing more and more in
learning, and proceeding in degrees of the schools, spying his
time, removed from thence to the university of Cambridge,
where after he had likewise made his abode a certain space,
being now further ripened in the knowledge of God's word,
leaving that university also, he resorted to one master Welsh,
a knight of Glocestershire ; and was there school-master to
his children, and in very good favour with his master3."

1 From a copy of this letter, communicated to the editor by John
Roberts, Esq., a descendant from the sister of that Thomas Tyndalo
to whom it was addressed.

2 Anderson, as above, p. 18 — 22.

8 From the edition of 1597, compared with the extracted life in
Day's edition of Tyndale's works.

1503 14.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. XV

In his endeavour to glean some addition to this scanty
information, Mr Offor has discovered that a William Tyndale
was ordained priest in 1503 ; and that a person of the same
name made his profession in the monastery of the Observants
in Greenwich, in 1508. But if 1503 were not too early a
date for the reformer's admission into the priesthood, the
person ordained is described as properly belonging to the
diocese of Carlisle ; of which every thing else would lead us
to conclude that our William was neither a native, nor brought
up within its jurisdiction4. On the other hand, it is quite in
credible that the William Tyndale who took monastic vows at
Greenwich should have been the same person as the reformer.
For that noted monastery was contiguous to a favorite re
sidence of Henry VIII., so that our Tyndale's keen adversary,
sir Thomas More, could not but have known the fact, if he
had been chargeable with deserting it. But whilst More does
not fail to call Luther and CEcolampadius friars, from time to
time, and scarcely ever speaks of Jerome and Koye, who
had quitted that very monastery, without calling them either
friars or apostates, to induce his readers to look upon Tyndale
as the disciple and associate of perjured deserters from the
monastic profession, he calls Tyndale himself simply Tyndale,
or Hychins, or sir William ; which last was then the usual
way of designating a priest. All that we can add therefore
to Foxe's account of Tyndale's academic life, is but that
his removing to Cambridge was probably for the purpose
of profiting by Erasmus' lectures, who taught Greek there
from 1509 till the beginning of 1514 ; whereas there was
no regular Greek lectureship founded in Oxford till about

4 Ordines gcncraliter cclebrat. in ecclesia conventual! doms. sive
prioratus Sancti Barthi in Smythfelde Londin. per Rev. prem. Dmn.
Thoma Dei gratia Pavaden. epm aucte Rev. Pris Domini Willem per-
missione divina Londin. die sabbati iiiior. temporum, viz. undecimo
die mensis Marti! Ann. Dom. Millmo Quingentesimo secundo. Presbri.
Willms Tindale Carlii Dioc. p. li. di. ad tim domus monialium do
Lambley. Extract from the London episcopal registers, communicated
to the editor by G. Offor, Esq. ; and see Offer's Life of Tyndale, p. 7.
As the nunnery of Lambley was in the diocese of Durham, though on
the borders of Cumberland, the abbreviation for the diocese of Car
lisle must refer to the man, and not to the benefice accepted as his
title for orders.

Xvi BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1517 20.

151 71. Of his removal into Glocestershire we can say with
more precision that its date could not have been earlier than
1520, when he was about thirty -four years of age ; and that
the person who had the sagacity to select him for the in
struction of his children, was sir John Walsh, at one time an
acceptable frequenter of the court, but now living as a country
gentleman in his manor-house at Little Sodbury.

" This gentleman," proceeds Foxe, " as he kept a very
good ordinary commonly at his table, there resorted unto him,
many times, sundry abbots, deans, archdeacons, with other
divers doctors and great beneficed men ; who there together
with M. Tyndale, sitting at the same table, did use many
times to enter communication, and talk of learned men, as of
Luther and of Erasmus : also of divers other controversies
and questions upon the scripture. Then Master Tyndale, as
he was learned and well practised in God's matters, so he
spared not to shew unto them simply and plainly his judg
ment in matters, as he thought. And when as they at any2
time did vary from Tyndale in opinions and judgment, he
would shew them in the book, and lay plainly before them
the open and manifest places of the scriptures, to confute
their errors and confirm his sayings. And thus continued
they for a certain season, reasoning and contending together
divers and sundry times, till at length they waxed weary and
bare a secret grudge in their hearts against him."

"Not long after this it happened that certain of these
great doctors had invited Master Welsh and his wife3 to a
banquet ; where they had talk at will and pleasure, uttering
their blindness and ignorance without any resistance or gain
saying. Then M. Welsh and his wife, coming home and
calling for M. Tyndale, began to reason with him about those
matters, whereof the priests had talked before at their ban-

1 Hallam, Introduction to the Literature of Europe, ch. iv. § 30.
London, 1837.

2 So large black letter folio ; but in the Life prefixed to Tyndale's
works, Day's ed. of 1574, Foxe has used the word that instead of any.

3 Sir John Walsh had married Anne daughter of Sir Robert Poyntz,
of Iron Acton, and of Margaret his wife, whose father was the accom
plished Antony Woodville, earl of Rivers, beheaded at Pontefract by
order of Richard III.

1520 3.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

quet. M. Tyndale, answering by scriptures, maintained the
truth, and reproved their false opinions. Then said the lady
Welsh, a stout and a wise woman (as Tyndale reported),
'Well, there was such a doctor, which may dispend £100,
another £200, and another £300. And what, were it rea
son, think you, that we should believe you before them ? '
Master Tyndale gave her no answer at that time, nor also
after that (because he saw it would not avail) he talked but
little in those matters."

"At that time he was about the translation of a book
called Enchiridion militis Christiani4, which being trans
lated, he delivered to his master and lady ; who after they
had read and well perused the same, the doctorly prelates
were no more so often called to the house, neither had they
the cheer and countenance when they came, as before they
had. Which thing they marking and well perceiving, and
supposing no less but it came by the means of Master Tyndale,
refrained themselves, and at last utterly withdrew themselves,
and came no more there."

" As this grew on, the priests of the country, clustering
together, began to grudge and storm against Tyndale, railing
against him in alehouses and other places. Of whom Tyndale
himself, in his prologue before the first book of Moses, re-
porteth that they affirmed his sayings were heresy ; adding
moreover unto his sayings, of their own heads, more than ever
he spake, and so accused him secretly to the chancellor and
other of the bishop's officers5."

" It followed not long after this that there was a sitting
of the bishop's chancellor appointed, and warning was given
to the priests to appear; amongst whom M. Tyndale was also
warned to be there. And whether he had any misdoubt by
their threatenings, or knowledge given him that they would
lay something to his charge, it is uncertain : but certain this
is, as he himself declared, that he doubted their privy accu
sations : so that he by the way, in going thitherwards, cried
in his mind heartily to God, to give him strength fast to stand
in the truth of his word."

4 The Manual of a Christian Soldier ; a work of Erasmus. There
is an abridged translation of it in the Park. Soc. edition of Coverdale.

5 See p. 394; where the passage quoted by Foxe is at greater
length than it has been thought necessary to introduce here.

xviii BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1520 — 3.

The county of Glocestcr was as yet included in the dio
cese of Worcester ; which was then so rich a see that it had
attracted the notice of the papal court, and four Italian priests
had managed to get possession of it in succession. In 1521,
Pope Leo X. gave it to Giulio de Medici, a base-born son of
one of his own relations, wrho was at the same time Arch
bishop of Florence in Italy, and of Narbonne in France, and
became Pope Clement VII. before the close of 1523. Leo's
claim to the right of disposing of this see to whom he would,
arose out of the fact that the previous Italian Bishop of Wor
cester, Sylvestro de Gigli, had died at Rome ; and his claim
had been made palatable to Henry VIII. by the pope's em
powering Cardinal Wolsey to exercise the patronage and re
ceive the revenues of the bishoprick for its Italian incumbent,
who would not be strict in scrutinising the accounts of such a
steward. As to the care of the flock, these Italian bishops
left that to officers, who could the better act the despot from
the circumstance that their lord was far away. It seems to
have been whilst Giulio de Medici was the absentee bishop,
that Tyndale received a summons to appear before his chan
cellor, who acted as governor of the diocese. That chancellor
was a Dr Parker, who had the boldness, ten years later, to
execute the sentence of the convocation which had voted that
the body of William Tracy, Esq., a Glocestershire gentle
man, should be turned out of its grave and burned for heresy ;
because Mr Tracy had declared in his will that " he would
bestow no part of his goods" to procure any thing "that
any should say or do to help his soul."

The offence which Tyndale had given to the priests by
making them unacceptable guests, where they had been wont
to find honour and a loaded table, was now aggravated by his
having become a zealous preacher in the country, " about the
town of Bristol, and also in the said town, in the common
place called St Austin's Green1." We may well therefore be
lieve Tyndale's account, who says, " When I came before the
chancellor, he threatened me grievously, and reviled me, and
rated me as though I had been a dog ; and laid to my charge
whereof there could be none accuser brought forth ; and yet
all the priests of the country were the same day there2."

1 Foxo.

2 Preface to Fire Books of Moses, p. 395.

1523.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. xix

For what followed we return to Foxe's narrative. " Thus
M. Tyndale, after those examinations, escaping out of their
hands, departed home and returned to his master again.
There dwelt not far off a certain doctor, that had been an old
chancellor before to a bishop, who had been of old familiar
acquaintance with M. Tjndale, and also favoured him well,
unto whom M. Tjndale went and opened his mind upon
divers questions of the scripture ; for to him he durst be
bold to disclose his heart. This doctor said to him, 'Do jou
not know that the pope is verj antichrist, whom the scrip
ture speaketh of? But beware what jou saj ; for if jou
shall be perceived to be of that opinion, it will cost jou jour
life/ He said, moreover, ' I have been an officer of his ; but
I have given it up, and I defy him and all his works.' '

" It was not long after but M. Tjndale happened to be
in the companj of a certain divine recounted for a learned
man ; and in communing and disputing with him he drave
him to that issue, that the said great doctor burst out into
these blasphemous words and said, ' We were better to be
without God's laws than the pope's.' Master Tjndale hear
ing this, full of godlj zeal, and not bearing that blasphemous
sajing, replied again, and said, ' I defj the pope and all his
laws : ' and further added, that if God spared him life, ere
manj years he would cause a boj that driveth the plough to
know more of the scripture than he did.""

The words he had uttered were not likelj to be kept
secret bj the priest to whom thej were spoken ; and Foxe
accordingly proceeds to saj, " After this, the grudge of the
priests increasing still more and more against Tjndale, they
never ceased barking and rating at him, and laid manj sore
things to his charge, sajing, that he was a heretic in sophis-
trj, a heretic in logic, a heretic in divinitj ; and said more
over to him, that he bare himself bold of the gentlemen there
in that countrj, but notwithstanding, shortlj he should be
otherwise talked withal." But Tjndale let them know that
his confidence was not built upon his influence or connection
with the gentlemen of Glocestershire. He answered them,
" That he was contented they should bring him into any
country in all England, giving him ten pounds a year to live
with, and binding him to no more but to teach children and
to preach."

XX BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1523.

From his reflections on their opposition however he pro
videntially learnt another lesson. " I perceived," says he,
"how that it was impossible to establish the lay-people in
any truth, except the scripture were plainly laid before their
eyes in their mother tongue, that they might see the process,
order, and meaning of the text. For else, whatsoever truth
is taught them, these enemies of all truth quench it again,
partly with the smoke of their bottomless pit, that is, with
apparent reasons of sophistry and traditions of their own
making, founded without ground of scripture ; and partly in
juggling with the text, expounding it in such sense as is im
possible to gather of the text, if thou see the process, order
and meaning thereof." Of the conviction at which he had
thus arrived, he says, "This thing only moved me to trans
late the new Testament1."

Wicliffe had done this a hundred and fifty years before ;
but as his version had never been printed, it had never been
procurable at such a price as was not out of the reach of the
poor ; and even such yeomen as were persecuted for reading
or possessing it, appear from the records of their examina
tions to have been rarely possessors of more than a single
gospel, or of one or two epistles. Wicliffe's version had also
this considerable defect, that whereas there was no person in
Oxford, in his days, who knew any thing of Greek, he could
only translate from the Latin Vulgate ; and had consequently
incorporated all its erroneous renderings into his text. But
besides this, the unsettled state of language, in our illiterate
nation, had already made Wicliffe's English to be among the
things which were passing away. ' The ghiftis and the
clepyng of God ben without forthynkyng,' or ' He made us
saaf bi waisshchyng of aghenbigetyng and aghen newing,'
(Wicliffe's version of Rom. xi. 29, and Tit. iii. 5), would
scarcely have been intelligible to Tyndale's contemporaries,
and would have sounded painfully uncouth to the next gene
ration. As a man therefore who knew, and was determined
to increase his knowledge, of tongues which had been out of
WiclinVs reach, Tyndale resolved to make a version of his
own ; and to begin a work whose least merit it is that it has
given the English tongue a fixedness, not unlikely to prove

1 Preface to Pentateuch, p. 304.

1523.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

XXI

such as has been without precedent among the languages of
the earth.

With this resolution Tyndale resigned his post in the
family of Sir John Walsh ; saying to him, " Sir, I perceive I
shall not be suffered to tarry long in this country, neither
shall you be able, though you would, to keep me out of the
hands of the spiritualty ; and also what displeasure might
grow thereby to you, by keeping me, God knoweth, for which
I should be right sorry2." His patron seems to have acqui
esced in this view of the case ; and as Tyndale had given
such credit to Erasmus' nattering description of the learning
and liberality of Tonstal, then bishop of London, as to believe
that he would not be unwilling to patronise a laborious scho
lar, and might even sanction his translating the scriptures, it
was agreed between them that Tyndale should repair to
London ; and that sir John should give him a letter of in
troduction to his friend sir Henry Guildford, controuler of
the royal household, and known to be in great favour with
the king, that so he might be recommended to the bishop's
patronage from an influential quarter. To London accord
ingly he went; and he carried with him an oration of Isocrates,
which, says he, " I had translated out of Greek into English,"
as undeniable evidence of his having made such progress in
scholarship as was still exceedingly rare.

The courtier received the simple-hearted scholar with
kindness; and after speaking for him to the bishop of London
at his request, sir Henry advised him to write a letter in his
own name to the bishop, and to be himself the bearer of it.
He complied with this advice, and found an old acquaintance
in the bishop's household ; so that every thing seemed to
conspire, thus far, to his obtaining the patronage he desired.
" But God," says Tyndale, " which knoweth what is within
hypocrites, saw that I was beguiled, and that that counsel
was not the next3 way to my purpose ; and therefore he gat
me no favour in my lord's sight. Whereupon my lord an
swered me, His house was full ; he had more than he could
well find* ; and advised me to Seek in London, where, he
said, / could not lack a service. And so in London I abode
almost a year ; and marked the course of the world ; and
heard our praters, I would say our preachers, how they
2 Foxe. 3 Nighest. 4 Provide for.

XXli BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1523 8.

boasted themselves and their high authority ; and beheld the
pomp of our prelates ; and understood at the last not only
that there was no room in my lord of London's palace to
translate the new Testament, but also that there was no place
to do it in all England, as experience doth now openly
declare."

In this statement, which Tyndale made public in 1530,
by introducing it into the preface to his translation of the
Pentateuch, he took care to say nothing about the generous
merchant, Ilumfrey Munmouth, in whose sight the Lord had
given him favour in the hour of his need ; for he well knew
that were he then to express his obligation to that liberal
patron of poor scholars, he should be furnishing the popish
party with fresh motives and grounds for doing his benefactor
still farther injury. In 1523 Tyndale could sojourn in London,
seeking for a source of maintenance which would not inter
fere with his proposed task, and at the same time adminis
tering the bread of life from parochial pulpits. But by the
spring of 1528 his name had become so odious to men whoso
eyes could not bear that great light which his labours were
pouring in upon a people who had long walked in darkness,
that the suspicion of befriending him had subjected Mun-
mouth's papers to an inquisitorial search, and Munmouth
himself to imprisonment in the Tower, as well as to an un
righteous attempt to make him criminate himself, by his
answers to interrogatories extending beyond what his accusers
knew of what they would account his guilt.

According to a document first published by Strype from
Foxe's MSS., " twenty-four articles were ministered against
Munmouth," containing the following accusations: "That thou
hast favoured, helped, and given exhibitions } to such persons
as went about to translate into English, or to make erroneous
books out of holy scripture : and chiefly to sir William
Hochin, otherwise called sir William Tyndal, priest, and to
friar Roye, sometime Observant, and now in apostasy, or to
cither of them." " Item, That thou wast privy and of counsel
that the said sir W. Ilochin, otherwise called Tyndal, and friar
Roye, or either of them, went into Almayne to Luther, there
to study and learn his sect ; and didst help them with money
at their departing hence, or since. Item, That thou wast privy

1 A pension contributed towards any person's maintenance.

1524 — 8.] or WILLIAM TYNDALE. xxiii

and of counsel, or hast given help thereto, that the new Tes
tament was translated into English by sir William Hochin or
Tyndal, and friar Roye, and printed and brought into this
realm, as well with glosses as without glosses. Item, That
after they were openly forbidden, as being full of errors, thou
hast had, read, and kept them. Item, That thou hast had,
and yet hast, certain other works full of errors, translated
into English, sent unto thee, by the said sir W. Tyndal, or
Hochin2."

Under these charges, the charitable merchant was fain
to beg forgiveness and mercy in very humble terms; and
to indite a petition from his prison to cardinal Wolsey, and
the king's other counsellors, in which he tells his tale as
follows.

" The fourteenth day of May, [1528] sir Thomas More,
knight, and sir William Kingston, knight3, of the king's
noble council, sent for me unto sir John Dauncy's ; and there
they examined me, * What letters and books I received lately
from beyond the seas ;' and I said, ' None/ nor never had of
truth. And, 'What exhibition I did give to any body beyond
the seas?' I said, 'None, in three years past.' And ex
amined me, 'Whether I was acquainted with many persons ;' of
the which I was acquainted with none of them, to my know
ledge and remembrance. I told them, 'In four years past
I did give unto a priest called sir William Tyndal, otherwise
called Hotchens.' And then sir Thomas More and sir William
Kingston had me home to my house, and searched it ; and
saw all the letters and books in my house : and there they
found no letters that they regarded, nor English books, but
five or six printed, the which they regarded not ; and they
left them with me as they found them. From thence I went
again to sir John Dauncy's, my special good master; he
brought me the same day to the Tower of London, and
delivered me unto sir Edmonde Walsyngham, knight, and
lieutenant of the Tower."

" Upon four years and a half past and more, I heard the

2 Strype's Eccles. Memorials, ch. xli. Vol. i. page 489. Clarendon
Press, 1822.

3 Subsequently Constable of the Tower, and the unshrinking ex
ecutor of every tyrannical command ; whose appearance made Wolsey
shudder ; and who watched as a spy over Anne Boleyn, in her hour of
distress.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1524 8.

foresaid sir William preach two or three sermons at St Dun-
stan's in the west, in London ; and after that I chanced to
meet with him, and with communication I examined what
living he had. He said, ' he had none at all ; but he trusted
to be with my lord of London, in his service.' And therefore
I had the better fantasy to him. Afterward he went to my
lord and spake to him, as he told me, and my lord answered
him/ That he had chaplains enough;' and he said to him, ' That
he would have no more at that time.' And so the priest came
to me again, and besought me to help him, and so I took him
into my house half a year ; and there he lived like a good
priest, as methought. He studied most part of the day and
of the night at his book ; and he would eat but sodden meat,
by his good will, nor drink but small single beer. I never
saw him wear linen about him, in the space he was with me.
I did promise him ten pounds sterling, to pray for my father
and mother, their souls, and all Christian souls. I did pay it
him, when he made his exchange to Hamborough. Afterward
he got, of some other men, ten pound sterling more, the which
he left with me. And within a year after he sent for his ten
pounds to me from Hamborough, and thither I sent it him
by one Hans Collenbeke. And since I have never sent him
the value of one penny, nor never will. I have given more
exhibitions to scholars, in my days, than to that priest.
Mr doctor Royston, chaplain to my lord of London, hath
cost me more than forty or fifty pounds sterling. The fore-
said sir William left me an English book, called Enchiridion.
Also I had a little treatise that the priest sent me, when he
sent for his money. When I heard my lord of London preach
at Paul's Cross, that sir William Tyndale had translated the
new Testament in English, and was naughtily translated, that
was the first time that ever I suspected or knew any evil by
him. And shortly after, all the letters and treatises that he
sent me, with divers copies of books that my servant did
write, and the sermons that the priest did make at St Dun-
stan's, 1 did burn them in my house. He that did write
them did see it. I did burn them for fear of the translator,
more than for any ill that I knew by them." Subscribed,
:< Your poor prisoner and beedman, at your grace's pleasure.
Humfrye Munmouthe, draper of London1."

1 App. to Strype's Ecc. Mem. No. 89. Vol. n. p. 363.

1524.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

XXV

It is from the date of this petition, and the period of time
mentioned in it, corrected by Tyndale's mention of the time
he passed in London, that his biographers have been led to
fix upon the autumn of 1523, as the date of his application
for Tonstal's patronage2; and that of 1524, when he was
about forty years of age, as the time of his quitting England
for Hamburgh, to see his beloved native land no more.

At Hamburgh Tyndale would find that the burghers had
recently resolved to renounce the pope's authority ; and that
one Kempe, previously a Franciscan friar, had been invited
from Rostoc to preach the gospel to them. He would also
find that, whereas the Jews had been expelled from England
so long ago as 1279, they were numerous enough in that free
commercial city, to have some among them well versed in
their ancient tongue. These circumstances had probably in
duced him to direct his course thither. For whilst there is no
trust-worthy evidence that either of the English universities
contained any person capable of giving him any instruction in
Hebrew, when he was studying within their precincts, we
discover from his ' Mammon,' that three years had not elapsed
from his reaching Hamburgh, before he could make such
remarks as prove that he had by that time acquired a con
siderable insight into some remarkable peculiarities in the
Hebrew language.

Foxe says, that at Tyndale's " first departing out of the
realm, he took his journey into the further parts of Germany,
as into Saxony, where he had conference with Luther, and
other learned men in those quarters. Where after that he
had continued a certain season, he came down from thence
into the Netherlands, and had his most abiding in the town
of Antwerp, until the time of his apprehension." But by this
very meagre sketch the worthy martyrologist only shews
what scanty information he had received respecting Tyndale's

2 If the record of the death of Sir John Walsh's son Maurice, in
1556, has enabled Mr Anderson to ascertain (Ann. of Engl. Bible,
Vol. i. p. 37, n. 28.) that Tyndale's eldest pupil was only seven years
of ago when he left Sodbury for London, we cannot suppose that
Tyndale's services would have been wanted at Sodbury to take charge
of the boy before he was five years of age, that is, certainly not earlier
than 1520.

XXVI BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1524 5.

proceedings abroad. His belief that Tyndale sought out Luther,
had probably no better ground than that he was unaware of
any reason for discrediting sir Thomas More. It was boldly
affirmed in his Dialogue, and probably introduced into the
charges against Munmouth, to raise the greater prejudice
against Tyndale. It was to disparage his new Testament that
sir Thomas said, "at the time of this translation Hychens
was with Luther in Wittemberg, and set certain glosses in
the margin, framed for the setting forth of that ungracious
sect." " The confederacy between Luther and him is a thing
well known, and plainly confessed by such as have been
taken, and convicted here of heresy, coming from them."
Dial. B. in. ch. viii. But we shall see, in Tyndale's answer,
that he replies, speaking of the confederacy, " This is not
truth ;" and whilst nothing drops from him indicative of his
having ever seen Luther, the language of Munmouth makes
it more reasonable to conclude, that he "abode in Hamburgh"
till he had exhausted Munmouth's gift of ten pounds, (a sum
equivalent to £150 at present,) and had received his second
supply.

It is also observable that, when Tyndale sent for this last
sum, he transmitted to Munmouth " a little treatise," which
his kind patron was afterwards afraid to keep, and took good
care not to name. This 'little treatise' was very probably
' The examination of William Thorpe before Archbishop
Arundel,' of which Foxe has said : tf This history was first set
forth and corrected by M. William Tyndale, who did some
what alter and amend the English thereof, and frame it after
our manner, yet not fully in all words, but that something did
remain savouring- of the old speech of that time," viz. about
1407. "For the more credit of the matter," adds Foxe,
" I rather wished it in his own natural speech, wherein it was
first written." But though unable to procure the use of a
copy " in its own old English," for insertion in his ' Acts and
Monuments,' he says, " Master Whitehead, yet alive, had seen
the true antient copy in the hands of George Constantine."
The value of this publication, as an exposure of the weakness
of the usual arguments in defence of popery, is attested by
Sir Thomas More's giving it a place in his list of the " abo
minable books of Tyndale and his fellows, brought into this

1524 5,] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. XXvii

realm, and kept in huker muker1, by some shrewd masters
that keep them for no good2.1'

At any rate, nothing is known of any other treatise,
either composed or prepared for the press by Tyndale during
his sojourn in Hamburgh ; but we have good ground for be
lieving that he there completed what was of more value than
any treatise, namely, the first portion of God's own holy word
that had ever passed through the press in the English tongue.
For that Tyndale had printed, and put into circulation, his
version of St Matthew's gospel, and after it his version of
Mark, before printing his entire New Testament, which last
was in the press in 1525, may be gathered from the joint
testimonies of a friend and an enemy. In Foxe's account of
Frith, he has said that " William Tyndale, placing himself in
Germany, did there first translate the gospel of St Matthew
into English, and after that the whole New Testament." And
Robert Ridley, uncle to the martyr, but a bitter enemy to
the reformation, writing in Feb. 1527 to Henry Golde, a
chaplain of Abp. Warham, twice mentions, with strong ex-

1 In secret. From Saxon hoga, fear, carefulness proceeding from
fear; and muckel, great, much.

2 Preface to 'Confutation of Tyndale's answere,' 1532. More
says, 'The examination of Thorpe was put forth, as it is said, by
George Constantino ; ' and we see from Foxe how such a report may
have originated. There is, however, a peculiarity in Thorpe's altered
language, which marks Tyndale as its corrector, and gives probability
to his making the changes which Foxe disliked, when hot upon his
Hebrew studies. For Tyndale was evidently so much struck with the
advantage possessed by the Hebrew tongue, in having a causal voice
to its verbs, as to make a systematic endeavour to introduce the like
into his native language. It was already not without instances of the
kind ; such as to strengthen, for to give strength ; to humble, for to make
humble ; and as if he despaired of inducing his countrymen to accept
a set of new verbs, formed after the model of strengthen, he adopted
the simpler method. Hence the reader of this volume will find Tyn
dale using to able, to fear, to meek, to knowledge, to strength ; for to
enable, to cause fear or terrify, to render meek, to give knowledge or
acknowledge, to give strength. A comparison of Tyndale's edition of
Thorpe, as reprinted by Foxe, with the prose of Chaucer, who must
have been Thorpe's contemporary during part of his life, will shew
that one of the most obvious differences between them consists in
the employment of knowledge and able as verbs in the Tyndalized
Thorpe.

XXviii BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1525.

pressions of abhorrence, " the first print of Matthew and
Mark," as translated by Tyndale1. And lastly a humble
reader of the scriptures, being examined before Bishop Ton-
stal in 1528, was brought to confess that he had been in pos
session, two years before, of " the gospel of Matthew and
Mark in English, and certain of Paul's epistles after the old
translation2;" by which epithet he would be understood to
mean that the epistles were of Wicliffe's version, though the
two gospels were of that more recent version which every
one, by that time, knew that Tyndale had made.

The next place in which we have undeniable evidence of
Tyndale's sojourning is Cologne ; where he would know that
there were enterprising printers accustomed to prepare pub
lications for the English market3. To the same city came
John Cochlaeus, an indefatigable assailant of Luther, who had
recently been compelled for that reason to quit Frankfort,
where he had possessed a benefice. It is from a controversial
pamphlet of this champion of popery, published some years
later, that we gain the following account of his discovering
Tyndale and an associate4 in Cologne, in 1525 ; and how
they were employed. " Two English apostates," says he,
" who had been some while at Wittenberg, were in hopes that
all the people of England would shortly become Lutherans,
with or without the king's consent, through the instrumenta
lity of Luther's New Testament, which they had translated
into English. They had already come to Cologne, that they
might secretly transmit their so translated testament from
thence into England, under cover of other goods, as soon as
the printers should have multiplied it into many thousand
copies. Such was their confidence of success, that they had
begun with asking the printers to strike oif an impression of
6,000 copies ; but the printers, rather fearing that they
might be subjected to a very heavy loss, if anything should

1 The greater part of his letter is printed in Anderson's Annals of
the English Bible, B. i. Vol. i. p. 153.

2 Id. p. 183.

3 Qucntel, who printed for Tyndale, was connected with Francis
Byrckman, whose brothers, Arnold and John, had book- shops both in
Paris and London. Anderson, B. i. pp. 55 — 6.

4 Generally supposed to be William Roye, of whom see more in
pp. 37 — 9.

1525.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. XXIX

turn out unfavourably, had only put 3.000 to the press.
At this time, Cochlaeus having become better known to the
Cologne printers, and more familiar with them, he sometimes
heard them boast over their cups, in a confident manner, that
whether the king and cardinal of England might wish it or
not, all England would shortly be Lutheran. He heard also
that there were two Englishmen lurking there, learned men,
skilful in languages and fluent, whom however he could never
see nor converse with. Having, therefore, invited certain
printers to his inn, one of them revealed to him in more pri
vate discourse, after they were treated with wine, the secret
method by which England was to be drawn over to the side
of Luther ; namely, that three thousand copies of the Luthe
ran New Testament were in the press, and were already
advanced as far as the letter K, in the signature of the
sheets5, and that ample payment was supplied by English
merchants, who were to carry off the work secretly, as soon
as it should be printed, and would clandestinely disperse it
through all England, before the king or the cardinal could
discover or prohibit it. Cochla3us, being inwardly affected by
fear and wonder, disguised his grief under the appearance of
admiration. But afterwards considering with himself the mag
nitude of the grievous danger, he cast in his mind by what
method he might speedily obstruct these very wicked attempts.
He went, therefore, secretly to Herman Rincke, a patrician of
Cologne and knight, familiar both with the emperor and the
king of England, and a councillor, and disclosed to him the whole
affair, as by the good help of the wine it had become known
to him. That all these things might be the better proved,
Rincke sent another person to search the house where the
work was printing, according to Cochla3us' information. When
he had ascertained from that man that the matter was even
so, and that there was a vast quantity of paper there, he
went to the senate of the city and procured a prohibition
against the printer's proceeding any farther in that work.
Upon this, the two English apostates fled, carrying oif in
haste the ' quarto sheets already printed, and sailed up the
Rhine to Worms, where the people were in the full fury of
Lutheranism, that what had been begun might be completed
there by the help of another printer. Rincke and Cochla3us,
5 In ordinc quaternionum.

[TYNDALE.]

XXX BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1525 6.

however, immediately sent advice by letter to the king, the
cardinal, and the bishop of Rochester [Fisher], that they
might make provision with the greater diligence, lest that
most pernicious article of merchandise should be conveyed
into all the ports of England1."

Cochkeus' assertions respecting the previous sojourn of
these two Englishmen at Wittemberg, and their hope to see
their countrymen become Lutherans, as also that the new
Testament which they were printing was a translation from
Luther's, cannot reasonably pass for any thing more than
artful figures of speech, suited to the purpose of a writer
whose express object, in the work from which the above is an
extract, was to make out that every thing of a tendency in
jurious to his church might be traced to Luther as its odious
source. On the other hand, whereas Cochlaius says that the
Englishmen were spoken of as skilful in languages, we are
enabled to add a specification of the languages known by
Tyndale at this time ; for this extent of knowledge is only
affirmed of one of the two by our next witness, who tells of
what he heard from a friendly quarter about a twelvemonth
later.

It is in the diary of Spalatinus, the secretary of Frederic,
elector of Saxony and the friend of Luther, that the follow
ing entry occurs :

" Busche2 told us that six thousand copies of the new
Testament in the English tongue had been printed at Worms;
and that this translation had been made by an Englishman,
sojourning there with two other natives of Britain, who was
so skilled in seven languages, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Italian,
Spanish, English3, and Dutch, that whichever he might be
speaking, you would think it to be his native tongue4."

1 The foregoing is from Cochlsci Com. de actis et scriptis Mart.
Lutheri. Mogunt. 1549. (Anderson's Annals, B. I. Vol. I. p. 58.)

2 Herman von Busche had been a pupil of Reuchlin, the earliest
German Hebraist; and had himself such a love of literature as to
become a teacher in the schools, being the first nobleman who dared
to take a step so degrading in the estimation of his order.

3 In the original Britannicce ; but doubtless English was thereby
meant.

4 Schelhornii Amcenitates Litcrariae, Tom. iv. p. 431. Excerpta
quccdiun c diario Geor. Spalatini. The immediately preceding date in

1526.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

It would appear that Tyndale either expected or heard,
that the steps taken by Cochlsous would make it peculiarly-
difficult to effect the introduction of his new Testament into
the English ports, if it should be seen at once to answer to
the description of the volume he had been detected in pre
paring at Cologne. For when he got to Worms, he suspended
the completion of that edition, which was in 4to, with a doc
trinal preface5 and instructive marginal notes, and betook
himself to printing his version anew in a much smaller form,
containing nothing but the inspired text, except that a short
address to the reader was appended to its close, without giving
the translator's name. The English merchants and other
friends were consequently enabled to fulfil their promises, of
importing it and procuring its circulation ; and its sale seems
to have been such as encouraged the printers to undertake
the completion of the 4to edition without further delay.

Such a flowing in of the word of God, in a tongue
understood by the people, could not however be long con
cealed from its enemies. On Sunday the llth of February,
1526, cardinal Wolsey went to St Paul's, attended by six and
thirty bishops, abbots, and priors, to see great baskets full of
books cast into a fire, before the large crucifix at its northern
gate, whilst bishop Fisher preached his noted sermon on the
occasion ; and Tyndale tells us, that in this fire they burnt
copies of his version of the word of God.

As the year advanced, Luther's letter of apology, for
his previous rough reply to the king's book against him,
provoked Henry to a rejoinder, in which he said to his
subjects, Luther " fell in device with one or two lewd per
sons, born in this our realm, for the translating of the new
Testament into English, as well with many corruptions of that
holy text, as certain prefaces and other pestilent glosses in
the margins, for the advancement and setting forth of his
abominable heresies, intending to abuse the good minds and
devotion that you, our dearly beloved people, bear toward
the holy Scripture, and infect you with the deadly corrup
tion and contagious odour of his pestilent errors. In the

the diary is in August 1526. About September of that year Tyn
dale was joined by John Frith.

5 See Introduction to the Pathway into the Holy Scripture,
p. 4.

C2

XXXH BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1526.

avoiding whereof we, of our special tender zeal towards you,
have, with the deliberate advice of the most reverend father
in God, Thomas, lord cardinal, legate a latere of the see
apostolic, archbishop of York, primate, and our chancellor of
this realm, and other reverend fathers of the spirituality, de
termined the said untrue translations to be burned, with farther
sharp correction and punishment against the keepers and read
ers of the same."

The ready reception and the influence of Tyndale's testa
ments are distinctly declared in a charge addressed by Cuth-
bert Tonstal, then bishop of London, to his archdeacons,
wherein he says: "Maintainers of Luther's sect, blinded through
extreme wickedness, wandering from the way of truth and
the catholic faith, have translated the new Testament into
our English tongue, intermingling therewith many heretical
articles and erroneous opinions, pernicious and offensive,
seducing the simple people : — of the which translation there
are many books imprinted, some with glosses and some with
out, containing in the English tongue that pestiferous and
most pernicious poison, dispersed throughout all our diocese
in great number. Wherefore we, Cuthbert, willing to with
stand the craft and subtilty of the ancient enemy and his
ministers, do straitly command you to warn all dwelling
within your archdeaconries, that under pain of excommunica
tion and incurring the suspicion of heresy they do bring in
and deliver up all and singular such books as contain the
translation of the new Testament in the English tongue1."
On the 3rd of November, Archbishop Warham issued a man
date of similar tenor ; so that by that date all authority in
England, both lay and spiritual, was publicly committed to
oppose the circulation of the new Testament, as translated by
Tyndale.

All that could be done at home seemed, however, insuffi
cient to Wolsey ; and under his guidance Henry sent letters
to the princess-regent of the Netherlands, and to the governor
of the English merchants at Antwerp ; and the cardinal wrote
by the same messenger to Sir John Hackett, the king's agent
at the regent's court, urging all these parties to concur in

1 The document may be read in Foxe, Vol. iv. p. 6G6, or in
Anderson's Annals, p. 118. Mr Anderson has ascertained the date to
be Oct. 24th, 152G, from the episcopal register of London.

1526 7.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. XXxiii

taking measures for the destruction of books intended to poi
son the king's subjects. Hackett presented the king's letter
to the regent on the 17th of November, and assured the car
dinal that his desire should be accomplished : but when he
had discovered that English testaments not only passed through
Antwerp for exportation, but were actually printed there, as a
commercial speculation, by one Christopher Endhoven, the
burgesses of that free city stood upon their privileges, and
refused to consider Endhoven's publication as heretical.
Hackett tells Wolsey all this, in a letter written in January
1527 ; and confesses at its close, that if the cardinal would
have Tyndale's testaments burnt, it might be necessary to
commission some one to buy them. The cardinal was too
shrewd to do this ; but archbishop Warham informed his suf
fragans, by letters dated May 26, 1527, that he " had lately
gotten into his hands all the books of the new Testament,
translated into English and printed beyond the seas," at the
cost of £66. 9s. 4:d.2, a sum equivalent to nearly £1000 at
the present time. The consequence was, that before the end
of the summer another Antwerp printer, Christopher Van
Ruremund3, had struck off a fourth edition of Tyndale's New
Testament ; and a dearth in England compelling the cardinal
to remove all restraints on the importation of corn from
Flanders facilitated the clandestine introduction of the bread
of life.

By this time Tyndale had published that Prologue to the
Epistle to the Romans, which will be found in his works, but
which came forth anonymously ; whilst his next work, the
Treatise on the Parable of the Wicked Mammon, was accom
panied with an avowal, that he was both its author and the
translator of the proscribed testaments. The Treatise on the
Obedience of a Christian Man speedily followed4. Having

2 The reply of Richard Nixe, bishop of Norwich, is now in the
British Museum, MS. Cotton. Vitellius, B. ix. fol. 117, b. and contains
the above statement. He assures the archbishop of his readiness to
pay ten marks, as his contribution to the expense incurred. Anderson,
B. i. § 4. p. 158.

3 The John Raimund of Foxe, Vol. v. p. 27.

4 See the editor's introductions to those two treatises ; whero ho
has to regret having transposed their titles in p. 31. 1. 14.

XXXIV BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1527 8.

done so much to expose himself to the rage of the dominant
church, Tyndale seems to have thought it prudent to dwell
no longer in that great commercial thoroughfare, the valley
of the Rhine. He therefore quitted Worms for the secluded
town of Marburg in Hesse ; where his admirer, Von Buschc,
had just accepted a professorship under the patronage of the
protestant landgrave.

In so doing, we can now see that he was led aright ; for
what was secretly devised in the chambers of princes has now
been, as it were, proclaimed on house-tops by the recent pub
lication of state papers, and the facility of access allowed to
what is yet imprinted. From such documents, Mr Anderson
has produced evidence, under their own signatures, that
Wolsey was directing Hackett to request the regent of the
Netherlands to deliver Tyndale and Roye into his hands ;
and that this obsequious agent was suggesting to the cardinal
to lay the charge of treason against an English merchant,
Richard Harman, who was but guilty of transmitting Tyn-
dale's testaments from Antwerp, because, though the charge
were false, the lords of Antwerp might hold themselves bound
by treaty to surrender any person thus charged to the king
of England. Providentially, Wolsey 's double-dealing had at
this time given such cause of offence to the emperor, that his
requests had no influence with him, nor with his aunt the
princess-regent. But he is found employing other agency ; send
ing John West, an Observant of Greenwich, to hunt out Roye,
once a friar in the same monastery, with whom he supposed
Tyndale to be still associated ; and writing to Herman Rincke
to search for the men who had once fled before him, and for
the books whose issue from the press he had stopped for a
while. West and Hackett travelled hither and thither, only
to be disappointed and to be chargeable to their employer ;
whilst Rincke searched the commercial cities, and though he
found some of the proscribed books, could gain no tidings of
the place of Tyndale's retreat. He says in his reply to Car
dinal Wolsey : " The letters of your grace were sent to me
from Cologne to Frankfort, respecting the buying up, every
where, books printed in the English language, and the appre
hension of Roye and Hutchyns : but neither they nor their
accomplices have been seen at the fairs of Frankfort since

1528.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. XXXV

Easter ; nor has their printer, Schott of Strasburgh, confessed
that he knows whither they have vanished. Since receiving
your commands, I have spared neither my person, money,
nor diligence. By using a licence formerly obtained from the
emperor, and by gifts and presents, I have gained over tho
Frankfort consuls, and some senators and judges, so that in
three or four places I was enabled to collect and pack up all
the books. The printed books are still in my possession, ex
cept two copies, which I gave to your diligent and faithful
agent, John West, for the use of the king's grace and yours.
If I had not found these books and interfered, they would
have been pressed together in paper packages, and inclosed
in ten sacks craftily covered over with flax ; and thus unsus
pected they would have been sent across the seas into Scot
land and England, and would have been sold as if they wero
but clean paper : but I think that very few or none of them
have been carried away or sold. I shall also take most dili
gent care as to the foresaid Roye and Hutchyns, both as to
apprehending them, and detecting the places they frequent.
I lately brought the printer Schott before the consuls, sena
tors, and judges of Frankfort ; and I compelled him on his
oath to confess how many such books he had printed in the
English language, the German, or any other. Being thus put
to his oath, he said that in the English tongue he had printed
only one thousand of six sheets folded in quartos, and besides
one thousand of nine sheets folded likewise1 ; and this by the
order of Roye and Hutchyns, who wanting money were not
able to pay for the books printed, and much less for printing
them in other languages. Wherefore I have purchased almost
all of them, and now have them in my house at Cologne."

This zealous promoter of the cardinal's views takes care
to suggest in the same letter, that such a diploma as would
authorise him to act more efficiently, both in the king's cause
and his own, should be obtained from the emperor Charles
V. ; and that " Roye, Tyndale, and Jerome Barlow and their
adherents, ought to be apprehended, punished, and carried
off, to destroy the Lutheran heresy, and to confirm the
Christian faith2." But whilst these toils and projects of rulers

1 Sex quaternionum et novcm quaterniomim.

2 This letter is given at greater length in Anderson, B. i. § 5. p.
202 — 4 ; but some expressions have been altered in the above extract,
after a comparison with the original in the Cotton MSS. Yitellius,

XXXvl BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [152? 8.

and of the children of this world could effect so little of what
they desired, their own language tells how the benefits of this
faithful servant's labour of love were extending beyond the
bounds of his native land.

We have just seen Rincke declaring that if he had not
bribed the magistrates of Frankfort, and by their means com
pelled a printer to let him purchase what remained in his
hands of Tyndale's works, they would have been sent to pur
chasers in Scotland, as well as in England. And in an earlier
letter from Hackett to cardinal Wolsey, dated from Mechlin,
Feb. 20, 1526-7, he tells him that he had advertised the
king's secretary, Mr Brian Tuke, that " there were divers
merchants of Scotland that bought many of such like books"
(and the books he is speaking of are Tyndale's New Testa
ment), " and took them into Scotland ; a part to Edinburgh,
and most part to the town of St Andrew's. For the which
cause," says Hackett, " when I was at Barrow, being ad
vertised that the Scottish ships were in Zealand, (for there the
said books were laden,) I went suddenly thitherward, think
ing, if I had found such stuff there, that I would cause to
make as good a fire of them as there has been of the rem
nant in Brabant ; but fortune would not that I should be in
time, for the foresaid ships were departed a day before my
coming."

In March, 1528, bishop Tonstal had granted to Sir Thomas
More a licence to have and to use these heretical books, as
he was pleased to style them, which being in the English
tongue had been imported into the realm, that he might
"get himself an immortal name and eternal glory in heaven,"
by exposing " the crafty malice " of their authors ; and
that, as one able to " play the Demosthenes in the English
tongue," he might make the prelates " more prompt against
those wicked supplanters of the church1." Thus eulogised
and summoned into the field by his diocesan, More commenced
a series of controversial attacks against Tyndale, which he was
tempted to continue till they filled several hundred folio pages.
Tyndale himself the mean while was labouring at his transla-

B. xxi. fol. 43. Brit. Mus. It is dated Cologne, Oct. 7, 1528. The name
of Roye is put foremost, because of the personal offence he had given
Wolsey by his satire. See Tyndale's Preface to the Mammon, p. 39.

1 The licence is printed in Foxc, Vol. iv. p. 697: the date of it
appears from the Register to be March 7th, 1528.

1528 9.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. XXXYU

tion of the books of Moses from the Hebrew, though he is
also supposed to have printed a tract "On Matrimony" about
this period : and he is now reputed to be the author of an
"Exposition of 1 Cor. vii." the printer's colophon to which is
said to end as follows, "at Malborowe, in the land of Hesse,
1529, xx day of June, by me Hans Luft." As the same
printer finished an edition of " The Revelation of Antichrist"
for Tyndale's associate Frith on the 12th of the following
month, it is probable that they were both still at Marburg2 in
July. By that time Sir Thomas More, bishop Tonstal, and
Hackett, had taken their place amongst the diplomatists as
sembled at Cambray ; where the princess-regent of the
Netherlands and the mother of Francis I. were met to
arrange the terms of a peace between the French monarch
and the emperor Charles V. Our king's envoys were not
forgetting Tyndale there. The treaty between the two con
tending potentates was signed on the 5th of August, and then
the Englishmen induced the princess-regent to consent to a
treaty with Henry VIIL, by which the two contracting parties
bound themselves, among other things, to prohibit the printing
or selling "any Lutheran books," as they styled every anti-
papal publication, within their respective territories3.

On their way home from Cambray, the English ministers
found in Antwerp a London merchant, named Augustine
Packington, a favourer of Tyndale, but one who took care to
conceal that inclination from the ruling powers. According
to the current tale, adopted by Foxe and the contemporary
chronicler Hall, bishop Tonstal talked with this merchant about
the new testaments, and said how gladly he would buy up all
the copies : to which Packington replied, that if his lordship
would indeed be responsible for the price, he would himself lay
down the necessary sum; and would assure him of getting every
copy into his hands, as far as they were yet unsold. The tale
proceeds to state, that the bishop gladly commissioned him so
to do ; and that Packington went forthwith to Tyndale, then
also in Antwerp, and said to him, " William, I know thou
art a poor man, and hast a heap of new testaments and books
by thee, for which thou hast both endangered thy friends
and beggared thyself ; and I have now gotten thee a merchant,

2 See p. 129, n. 2.

3 Lord Herbert's Hen. VIII., p. 316. Lond. 1672.

xxxviii BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1529 — 30.

which, with ready money, shall dispatch thee of all that thou
hast, if thou think it profitable. The merchant is the bishop
of London.'' Tyndale is then represented as saying, that he
was glad of this, as the burning of his Testaments would but
bring odium on the person who could cast the scriptures into
the fire ; whilst the price would relieve his wants, and enable
him to bring out a more correct edition ; " and so, upon com
pact made between them, the bishop of London had the books,
Packington had the thanks, and Tyndale had the money."
These last are Foxe's words ; and he presently adds, that at
a subsequent examination of George Constantine, who was
charged with promoting the sale of heretical books, More
learnt from him that the bishop of London's money had been a
"succour and comfort" to more than one of Tyndale's
abettors ; and that More then remarked, " By my troth, I
think even the same ; for so much I told the bishop before he
went about it."

Strange as it seems that Tonstal should have spent money
upon a repetition of archbishop Warham's unwise expedient
for the suppression of a publication, which the press could
speedily re-issue, the above account receives confirmation from
Hall's chronicle of the following year ; where he tells how
" the bishop of London caused all his new Testaments which
he had bought, with many other books, to be burnt openly in
St Paul's church-yard, in the month of May V And whereas
the date of the treaty of Cambray proves that the nego
tiators could not have left that city till some days after the
5th of August, (which allows time for Tyndale's removing
from Marburg to Antwerp, before they would reach the latter
city on their way to England,) there were contemporary
transactions which would doubtless dispose Tyndale to quit
Marburg about that time. For in August the Landgrave of
Hesse was urging Luther and Zuingle to meet at Marburg2
for the purpose of discussing their different views respecting
the manner of the presence of Christ in the Lord's supper ;

1 At that date Tonstal had been translated to Durham, but was
still acting as bishop of London for his successor Stokesley, who was
abroad in the king's service.

2 On the 31st of August Zuingle quitted Zurich to proceed toward
Marburg ; but they did not meet there till Sept. 30th. Merle D'Au-
bigne, Hist, of Reform. Vol. iv. pp. 92 — 5. Edinb. 1846.

1529 30.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

and we shall find Tyndale expressing to Frith, at a later
date, his anxiety not to intermeddle with that controversy
unnecessarily.

It is as a digression from his narrative of other matters
that Foxe has given his readers this anecdote : and he makes
no reference to it in his subsequent professed account of the
life of Tyndale ; where indeed not an event is related of
what really befel him, from the mention of his first arrival
in Germany, till we come to the following : " At what time
Tyndale had translated the fifth book of Moses, called Deu-
teronomium, minding to print the same at Hamborough, he
sailed thitherward; where by the way, upon the coast of
Holland, he suffered shipwreck, by which he lost all his books,
writings, and copies, and so was compelled to begin all anew,
to his hindrance and doubling of his labours. Thus having
lost by that ship both money, his copies, and his time, he
came in another ship to Hamborough, where at his appoint
ment master Cover dale tarried for him, and helped him in the
translating of the whole five books of Moses, from Easter till
December, in the house of a worshipful widow, Mrs Margaret
Van Emmerson, anno 1529, a great sweating sickness being
at the time in the town. So having dispatched his business
at Hamborough, he returned afterward to Antwerp again."

As Foxe and Coverdale were contemporary London clergy
for nearly ten years, in the reign of Elizabeth, Foxe had doubt
less heard this account from Coverdale ; but with that great
liability to a mistake about dates, which necessarily attends any
recital, from memory, of things long past. The date assigned
to Tyndale's second sojourn at Hamburgh should have been
1530. After visiting Antwerp at the close of the summer of
1529, he had returned to Marburg ; and on the 17th of
January, 1530, Hans Luft completed for him the printing of
his translation of Genesis. It was from the press of the same
Marburg printer that his polemic treatise, entitled ' The Prac
tice of Prelates,' came forth shortly after. In the mean while
the risk of sending packages of proscribed books down the
Rhine, for exportation to England, had been greatly increased
by the severity of the emperor's edict against the favourers
of heresy in any part of his hereditary dominions3. It might
be expected that this would not prevent Tyndale from en-
3 See Anderson's Annals, Vol. I. pp. 232 — 5.

Xl BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1529 30.

deavouring to send off some copies of his Genesis without
delay ; and we accordingly find his enemies soon declaring
that such had reached England1. But in his new difficulty
he would naturally remember Hamburgh, a sea-port, where
he could have the help of learned Jews in proceeding with
the old Testament, and where Bugenhagius of Pomerania,
whose address to the faithful in England was joined in the
same prohibitory list with his own works, had recently ac
cepted an invitation to instruct its citizens. There was time
enough for his communicating with Cover dale, and for the
events mentioned by Foxe, between his quitting Marburg and
Easter Sunday, which in 1530 was as late as April 17th.
His first work on reaching Hamburgh would have been the
printing of Deuteronomy ; and to retranslate, and then print it,
seems to have bean still his first work there. For whereas after
a convocation which closed December 24th, 1529, the bishops
procured from Henry a proclamation enjoining the chief officers
of state and all magistrates to do their part towards bringing
to punishment the writers, printers, importers, distributors,
and possessors of any book then made, or which should there
after be made, against the catholic faith ; the list of such books,
which was appended to that proclamation a few months later,
enumerates amongst them, The Practice of Prelates, Genesis,
and Deuteronomy ; whilst the other portions of Tyndale's
translation of the Pentateuch do not seem to be noticed in
any hostile document before the summer of 1531 2.

But farther, when all the portions of the Pentateuch were
put into circulation, there was a striking peculiarity in the
typography of the volume. For whilst the Genesis is in the
black letter, Exodus and Leviticus are in the Roman character,
but the book of Numbers is again in the same black letter
type as the Genesis; and lastly, Deuteronomy is once more
in the same Roman character as Exodus. And not one of
these portions contains any notice of when, where, or by
whom, it was printed, except the book of Genesis ; at the end
of which is the colophon already mentioned as its date ; viz.
" Emprented at Marlborow in the land of Hesse by me Hans

1 There is a copy of the Genesis in the Bodleian, as originally
published alone.

2 Foxe, Vol. iv. pp. 676 — 9, and Anderson, B. i. § vi. Vol. I. pp.
233 — 5.

1530.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. xli

Luft, the yere of our Lorde MDXXX., the xvii. daycs of Ja-
nuarii V The simplest way of accounting for this irregularity
leads us to the inference, that when Tyndale quitted Marburg
with some uncertainty as to whether he should find it ex
pedient to sojourn long at Hamburgh, he left behind him
copies of Genesis printed there, and perhaps Numbers still in
the press, taking away with him only such books and manu
scripts as were to aid him in continuing his work. All
he took away with him he lost by the shipwreck. But
when settled at Hamburgh, he would send for Genesis and
Numbers, and bind them up along with those other books
of the Pentateuch, which he got printed at the Hamburgh
press.

Tyndale's ' Practice of Prelates' is a continued setting
forth of reasons and motives which should induce princes to
resume authority over ecclesiastics, and to humble the usurp
ing hierarchy ; and as Cromwell was now gaining influence
with Henry VIII. by suggesting means of replenishing the
royal treasury, which the prelates must be expected to
thwart, unless their power were broken down, he would
doubtless take care that the king should see this treatise ; as
he had seen, and expressed a momentary approbation of
what was said on the same subject in Tyndale's treatise on
The Obedience4. We accordingly find that the king became
bent on ascertaining whether the hope of being permitted
to return to England in safety, and perhaps with honour,
might not induce Tyndale to write as he should wish against
the pope's supremacy, and on the duty of suppressing monas
teries ; and to write no more than he should wish on other
topics. It is probable that Cover dale, who looked up to

3 The only known complete copy of this volume forms part of Mr
Grenville's bequest to the British Museum. Mr Anderson has called
this Marburg Genesis a second edition; supposing that January 1530
ought to be understood to mean what we should now call January
1531. But though a legal or official document signed between the 1st
of January and the 25th of March, 1531, would have been dated 1530,
this was not usual in dating unofficial letters, nor in historical works ;
and is not likely to have been common with publishers. In the Zurich
Letters, edited by the Parker Society, there are abundant instances of
commencing the date of the year from January 1st. Buchanan and
De Thou may be seen to have done so regularly.

4 See p. 130.

xlli BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1530 1.

Cromwell as a patron, had been directed by that rising states
man to put himself in communication with Tyndale for a
similar purpose1. And now Mr Stephen Vaughan, a new
envoy to the princess-regent of the Netherlands, selected by
Cromwell, was instructed by the king not to attempt pro
curing the seizure of Tyndale, like his predecessors, but to
employ promises of some kind or other, to persuade him to
throw himself on the king's mercy. This appears in Yaughan^s
letter to the king, dated Barrugh2, Jan. 26, 15303; wherein
he says, " I have written three sundry letters unto William
Tyndale, and the same sent for the more safety to three sun
dry places, to Frankforde, Hanborughe, and Marleborugh4,
I then not being assured in which of the same he was." He
proceeds to say, " I had very good hope that he would, upon
the promise of your majesty and of your most gracious safe
conduct, be content to repair and come into England." The
sentence goes on with such inextricable confusion as suffi
ciently indicates the embarrassment of the writer, in coming
to an avowal of a fear likely to offend his wilful sovereign,
which he at last states as follows, " that now the bruit
and fame of such things as, since my writing to him hath
chanced within your realm, shall provoke the man not only
to be minded to the contrary of that whereunto I had thought
without difficulty to have easily brought him, but also to
suspect my persuasions to be made to his more peril and
danger than, as I think, if he were placed before you, he
should ever have need to fear." The things which had
chanced within the realm were, doubtless, the arrest of John
Tyndale, and the heavy fine laid upon him for sending five
marks to his brother "William beyond the sea, and for receiving
and keeping with him certain letters from his said brother5.

It appears from the same letter of Yaughan to the king,
that he had previously informed Henry of Tyndale's having
prepared for the press an Answer to Sir Thomas More's

1 See Anderson's Ann. B. i. § v. p. 186, and § vi. p. 239.

2 That is Bergen-op-Zoom.

3 Which date, as the letter was official, means 1531.

4 Marburg.

5 Foxe, Vol. v. p. 29. Vaughan's letter may be seen entire in
Anderson, B. i. $8, from the Cotton MSS. in the Brit. Museum, Galba.
B. x. fol. 42. The original has been examined for the editor.

1531.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

Dialogue. Vaughan at the same time sent Cromwell a copy
of Tyndale's reply to his letter ; and says to his patron con
fidentially, " The man is of a greater knowledge than the
king's highness doth take him for ; which well appeareth by
his works. Would GOD he were in England6!"

Three months more had not passed away, ere this envoy
of the king of England had a conversation with Tyndale, who
appeared before him as unexpectedly as Elijah shewed him
self to Obadiah. The account of their interview is given by
Vaughan, in a letter to the king, in which he says : " The
day before the date hereof I spake with Tyndale without
the town of Antwerp, and by this means : he sent a certain
person to seek me, whom he had advised to say that a certain
friend of mine, unknown to the messenger, was very desirous
to speak with me; praying me to take pains to go unto
him, to such place as he should bring me. Then I to the
messenger, ' What is your friend, and where is he ? ' ' His
name I know not,' said he ; ' but if it be your pleasure to
go where he is, I will be glad thither to bring you.1 Thus,
doubtful what this matter meant, I concluded to go with him,
and followed him till he brought me without the gates of
Antwerp, into a field lying nigh unto the same ; where was
abiding me this said Tyndale. At our meeting, ' Do you
not know me ? ' said this Tyndale. ' I do not well remember
you,' said I to him. ' My name,' said he, ' is Tyndale.' ' But
Tyndale ! ' said I, ' Fortunate be our meeting.' Then Tyndale,
' Sir, I have been exceedingly desirous to speak with you.'
* And I with you ; what is your mind ?' ' Sir,' said he, ' I am
informed that the king's grace taketh great displeasure with
me for putting forth of certain books, which I lately made
in these parts ; but specially for the book named the Practice
of Prelates ; whereof I have no little marvel, considering that
in it I did but warn his grace of the subtle demeanour of the
clergy of his realm towards his person, and of the shameful
abusions by them practised, not a little threatening the dis
pleasure of his grace and weal of his realm : in which doing
I shewed and declared the heart of a true subject, which
sought the safeguard of his royal person and weal of his com
mons, to the intent that his grace, thereof warned, might in
due time prepare his remedy against their subtle dreams.
If [it be] for my pains therein taken, if for my poverty, if
6 Anderson, Ibid. p. 271.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1531.

for mine exile out of my natural country, and bitter absence
from my friends, if for my hunger, my thirst, my cold, the
great danger wherewith I am everywhere compassed, and
finally if for innumerable other hard and sharp fightings which
I endure, not yet feeling of their asperity, by reason I hoped
with my labours to do honour to God, true service to my
prince, and pleasure to his commons; how is it that his grace,
this considering, may either by himself think, or by the per
suasions of other be brought to think, that in this doing I
should not shew a pure mind, or true and incorrupt zeal and
affection to his grace ? Was there in me any such mind,
when I warned his grace to beware of his cardinal, whose
iniquity he shortly after proved according to my writing ?
Doth this deserve hatred ? Again, may his grace, being a
Christian prince, be so unkind to God, which hath commanded
his word to be spread throughout the world, to give more
faith to wicked persuasions of men, which presuming above
God's wisdom, and contrary to that which Christ expressly
commandeth in his testament, dare say that it is not lawful
for the people to have the same in a tongue that they under
stand ; because the purity thereof should open men's eyes to
see their wickedness ? Is there more danger in the king's
subjects than in the subjects of all other princes, which in
every of their tongues have the same, under privilege of their
sufferance ? As I now am, very death were more pleasant
to me than life, considering man's nature to be such as can
bear no truth/

'•' Thus, after a long conversation had between us, for
my part making answer as my wit would serve me, which
were too long to write, I assayed him with gentle per
suasions, to know whether he would come into England ; as
certaining him that means should be made, if he thereto were
minded, without his peril or danger, that he might so do :
and that what surety he would devise for the same purpose,
should, by labour of friends, be obtained of your majesty.
But to this he answered, that he neither would nor durst
come into England, albeit your grace would promise him
never so much surety; fearing lest, as he hath before written,
your promise made should shortly be broken, by the persua
sion of the clergy, which would affirm that promises made
with heretics ought not to be kept."

1531.]

OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

"After this, he told me how he had finished a work
against my lord chancellor's book, and would not put it in
print till such time as your grace had seen it; because he
apperceiveth your displeasure towards him, for hasty putting
forth of his other work, and because it should appear that
he is not of so obstinate mind as he thinks he is reported
to your grace. This is the substance of his communication
had with me, which as he spake I have written to your grace,
word for word, as near as I could by any possible means
bring to remembrance. My trust therefore is, that your
grace will not but take my labours in the best part I thought
necessary to be written unto your grace. After these words,
he then, being something fearful of me, lest I would have
pursued him, and drawing also towards night, he took his
leave of me, and departed from the town, and I toward the
town, saying, ' I should shortly, peradventure, see him again,
or if not, hear from him.' Howbeit I suppose he afterward
returned to the town by another way ; for there is no like
lihood that he should lodge without the town. Hasty to
pursue him I was not, because I was in some likelihood to
speak shortly again with him ; and in pursuing him I might
perchance have failed of my purpose, and put myself in
danger."

" To declare to your majesty what, in my poor judgment,
I think of the man, I ascertain your grace, I have not com
muned with a man" —

What followed has been torn off; but secretary Crom
well's reply will shew that the opinion which Yaughan was
evidently about to commence stating, of Tyndale's character
and attainments, was so favourable as to rouse the king's
anger ; so that it would seem as if, whilst he thought it de
sirable to preserve the rest of the letter for his minister's
inspection and guidance in replying, the impatient monarch
had hastily rent away that honest verdict, in favour of the man
whose works he had publicly styled detestable, which told his
conscience that he had been an iniquitous judge. The reply
alluded to began as follows :

" Stephen Vaughan, I commend me unto you ; and have
received your letters, dated at Andwerpe, the xviii. day of
April, with also that part of Tyndale's book inclosed in lea
ther, which ye with your letters directed to the king's

r d

[TYNDALE.]

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE

highness; after the receipt whereof I did repair unto the court,
and there presented the same unto his royal majesty, who made
me answer for that time, that his highness at opportune leisure
should read the contents as well of your letters as also the said
book. And at my next repair thither it pleased his highness to
call for me, declaring unto me as well the contents of your let
ters, as also much matter contained in the said book of Tyndale."

Here this document becomes peculiarly interesting ; for
the king would seem to have been so dissatisfied with that
portion of it which was to appear to express the writer's
opinion of Tyndale, that Cromwell found it necessary either to
proffer, or to admit, interlineated substitutions for what he
had written, which make the letter a decisive evidence of the
perils Tyndale was exposing himself to by his faithfulness.
The power and the unflinching boldness, with which he had
rebuked More's advocacy of opinions held as obstinately by
the king as by his chancellor, had doubtless added to the
anger which Tyndale's calm objections to the repudiation of
Catharine must have roused in Henry's breast. And that
anger may be distinctly traced in several of those interlinea
tions1, by comparing them with the language for which they
were substituted, in what follows of this dispatch ; which shall
be given in its old heedless spelling.

"Albeit that I might well perceyue that his Maiestee was
right well pleased, and right acceptablie considered your dili
gence and payns taken in the wryting and sending of the
saide boke, as also in the perswading and exhorting of Tyn-
dall to repayre into this realme ; yet his Highness nothing
lyked the sayd boke, being fyllyd w* scedycyous, slanderous
lyes, and fantasiicall oppynyons, shewing therin nother lern-
yng nor trewthe ; and ferther, comunyng ivf his grace, 1
myght well mind and conject that he thought that ye bare2

1 The interlineations were supposed by Mr Offor, who first gave
this document to the public, to be by the king's pen ; but Sir Henry
Ellis confirms Mr Anderson's opinion, that they are not in Henry's
hand- writing, though they may have been inserted at his dictation.

2 The words in italics are those introduced by the interlineator,
instead of the following: 'in the accomplishement of his high pleasure
and commaundment. Yet I might conjecture by the ferther declara-
cyon of his high pleasure, which saycd unto me that by yr wryting it
manifestlie appered how moche affection and zele ye do bere/

1531.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

moche affection towards the saide Tyndall, whom in his man-
ers and knowlage in woordlye thinge3 ye vndoubtedlie in
yor Ires do moch allowe and comende ; whos works being re-
plet ^vt so abhominable sclaunders and lyes, imagened and
onlye fayned to infecte the peopull, doth declare hym bothe to
lake grace, vertue, Lernyng, discrecyo and all other good
qualytes, nothing ells pretending in all his worke but to seduce
. . . dyssay ve (that ye in such wise by yr Lres, prayse, set forth
and avaunse hym which nothing ells pretendetli) and sowe sedy-
cion among the peopull of this realme. The Kinge hignes
therfor* hathe comaunded me to advurtyse you that is plesure
ys, that ye should desiste and leve any ferther to persuade
or attempte the sayd Tyndalle to cum into this realme; al-
ledging, that he pceyuing the malycyous, perverse, vnchary-
table, and Indurate mynde of the sayd Tyndall, ys in man)
w* oivt hope of reconsylyacyon in hym, and is veray joyous
to have his realme destytute of such a pson, then that he
should retourne into the same, there to manyfest his errours
and sedycyous opynyons, which (being out of the realme by
his most vncharytable, venemous, and pestilent boke, craftie
and false persuasions) he hath partelie don all redie ; for his
highnes right prudently e consyderyth if he were present by
all lykelohod he wold shortelie (which God defende) do as
moche as in him were, to infecte and corrupt the hole realme
to the grete inquietacyon and hurte of the comen welth of the
same. Wherefore, Stephen, I hertelie pray you, in all your
doing, procedinge, and wryting to the King's highnes, ye do
iustely, trewlie and vnfaynedlie, w* oiut dyssymulatyon, shew
your self his trew, louyng, and obedyent subjecte, beryng no
maner favor, loue, or affeccyon^ to the sayd Tyndale, ne to
his worke, in any man) of wise; but utterlie to contempne
and abhorre the same, assuring you that in so doing ye shall

3 Substituted for — modestie and symplycitee.

4 As this passage stood at first, the writer of the despatch had
said, l Tyndale assuredly sheweth himself in myn oppynion rather to
be replete with venymous envye, rancour and malice, then w* any
good lerning, vertue, knowledge or discression ;' and for this the inter-
lineator had substituted, ' declareth hymself to be envyous, malycyous,
slanderous and wylfull, and not to be lerned ;' but this interlineation
is erased, to make room for what is printed above.

6 Instead of ' to shew yourself to be no fautor/

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1531.

not onely cause the King's royall maieste, whose goodnes at
this tyme is so benignelie and gracyouslie mynded towards
you, as by your good dyligence and industrie to be used to
serve his Highnes, and extewing and a voy ding... favor, and
allow the saide Tyndale his erronyous worke and opynions
so to sett you forwardes, as all yor louers and frendes shall
have gret consolacyon of the same ; and by the contrarie
doing, ye shall acquire the indignacyon of God, displeasure
of yor sov'eigne lorde, and by the same cause yor good frends
which have ben euer glad, prone, and redie to bryng you into
his gracyous fauours, to lamente and sorow that their sute
in that behalf should be frustrate and not to take effecte,
according to their good intent and purpose,"

After a little more to the like effect, Cromwell proceeds to
the mention of Frith, and says that the king, " hearing tell
of his towardness in good letters and learning, doth much
lament that he should apply his learning to the maintaining,
bolstering, and advancing the venomous and pestiferous works,
erroneous and seditious opinions of Tyndale;" and that
Vaughan was to counsel Frith, by the king's desire, to with
draw from Tyndale's society, and to return to his native
country. And lastly he exhorts Vaughan himself, "for his love
of God, utterly to forsake, leave, and withdraw his affection
from the said Tyndale, and all his sect1."

It appears, however, that after using all this language, to
comply with his sovereign's humour, Mr secretary Cromwell
ventured to add a clause, directly contradicting the king's
declared wish, that Vaughan should desist from urging Tyn
dale to return to England. This clause Vaughan took care
to introduce into his next letter to the king ; that, if his acting
in accordance with it should irritate his majesty, he might see
by whose directions his conduct had been governed.

The despatch of which we are now to speak, is dated
May 20, 1531. And in it Vaughan says, " Please th it your
royal majesty to be advertised how upon the receipt of certain
instructions lately sent to me from my master, Mr Cromwell,
at the commandment of your majesty, I immediately endea
voured to learn such things as were contained in the said in
structions. — I have again been in hand to persuade Tyndale.

1 The quotations from this dispatch have been transcribed from the
original, in the Brit. Museum, MSS. Cotton, Galba. B. x. fol. 338.

1531.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

And to draw him the rather to favour my persuasions, and
not to think the same feigned, I shewed him a clause con
tained in master Cromwell's letter containing these words fol
lowing : And notwithstanding other the premises, in this my
letter contained, if it were possible, by good and wholesome
exhortations, to reconcile and convert the said Tyndale
from the train and affection which he now is in, and to ex-
cerpte and take away the opinions sorely rooted in him, I
doubt not but the king's highness luould be much joyous of
his conversion and amendment ; and so being converted, if
then he would return into his realm^ undoubtedly the king's
royal majesty is so inclined to mercy, pity, and compassion,
that he refuseth none ivhich he seeth to submit themselves to
the obedience and good order of the world. In these words
I thought to be such sweetness and virtue as were able to
pierce the hardest heart of the world ; and, as I thought, so it
came to pass. For after sight thereof I perceived the man to
be exceedingly altered, and to take the same very near unto
his heart, in such wise that water stood in his eyes ; and he
answered, ' What gracious words are these ! I assure you,'
said he, ' if it would stand with the king's most gracious
pleasure to grant only a bare text of the scripture to be put
forth among his people, like as is put forth among the subjects
of the emperor in these parts, and of other Christian princes,
be it of the translation of what person soever shall please his
majesty, I shall immediately make faithful promise never to
write more, nor abide two days in these parts after the same;
but immediately repair into his realm, and there most humbly
submit myself at the feet of his royal majesty, offering my
body to suffer what pain or torture, yea, what death his
grace will, so that this be obtained. And till that time I will
abide the asperity of all chances, whatsoever shall come, and
endure my life in as much pains as it is able to bear and suf
fer. And as concerning my reconciliation, his grace may be
assured, that whatsoever I may have said or written in all my
life against the honour of God's word, and so proved, the
same shall I before his majesty and all the world utterly re
nounce and forsake ; and with most humble and meek mind
embrace the truth, abhorring all error soever, at the most
gracious and benign request of his royal majesty, of whose
wisdom, prudence and learning I hear mo2 great praise and

2 mo, i. e. more.

1 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1531 2.

commendation, than of any creature living. But if those
things which I have written be true and stand with God's
word, why should his majesty, having so excellent a gift of
knowledge in the scriptures, move me to do any thing against
my conscience ?' — with many other words which be too long
to write. I have some good hope in the man ; and would not
doubt to bring him to some good point, were it that some
thing, now and then, might proceed from your majesty to
wards me, whereby the man might take the better comfort of
my persuasions. I advertised the same Tyndale that he
should not put forth the same book, till your most gracious
pleasure were known : whereunto he answered, * mine adver
tisement came too late ; for he feared lest one that had his
copy would put it very shortly in print, which he would let
if he could ; if not, there is no remedy.' I shall stay it as
much as I can, as yet it is not come forth ; nor will not in a
while, by that I perceive1."

It was so customary for the correspondents of sovereigns
to seek to make their reports acceptable, by the introduction
of flattery, that Vaughan may reasonably be supposed to
have added to Tyndale's words, where he makes him give
the king excessive praise. But the book, which Vaughan
wished Tyndale to defer publishing, was obviously Tyndale's
Answer to Sir Thomas Morc's Dialogue ; and that copies of
it had already got abroad in MS., has appeared from
Vaughan's success in procuring one. Their temporary asso
ciate, George Joye, has said that Frith had printed it at
Amsterdam2. On the 20th of November in this year, the
dissemination of copies of Tyndale's Answer to Sir Thomas
More was mentioned in the sentence by which Stokesley,
bishop of London, delivered over a monk of Bury, named
Richard Bayfield3, to the civil power, as one of the crimes
for which he was to be cursed by the church and burnt in
the fire4. And whilst the arduous duties attached to the
post of lord chancellor did not prevent More from composing
a folio of 326 pages, as his ' Confutacyon of Tyndale's
Answer,' he was also using the authority of his office to

1 Offer's Mem. of Tyndale, pp. 67 — 9. Anderson, pp. 277 — 9.
The original is in the British Museum, Cotton. MSS. Galba. B. x.
ol. 5, 6.

J Anderson, Vol. i. p. 279. 3 gce pp< 33 — 4t

4 Foxe, Acts and Mon. Vol. iv. p. 685.

1532.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. H

extort such statements from persons under suspicion of
heresy, as might enable him to convince the king that
Vaughan was secretly a disciple of Tyndale, and that his
favourable mention of Tyndale was part of a conspiracy to
deceive his majesty5.

The endeavours made under Cromwell's influence to per
suade Tyndale to come home upon conditions, were conse
quently brought altogether to a close ; and the king resumed
his previous purpose of procuring the reformer's arrest. As
for Tyndale himself, he had again shrunk into concealment ;
and he was again supplying his countrymen with valuable
instruction, in the shape of a Prologue to the prophet Jonas,
accompanied perhaps by a translation of that prophet ; besides
publishing ' An exposition of the first epistle of St John.'

It was Sir Thomas Elyot, a practised diplomatist and an
accomplished scholar, who had now consented to be employed
in the mean work of trepanning Tyndale, to gratify the
king's evil passions ; whilst in the sight of the world he had
the honourable employment of representing the English
sovereign at the imperial court. On the 14th of March,
1532, he wrote from Ratisbon to the duke of Norfolk, then
lord high treasurer, expressing his wish to be allowed to
return to England ; and he adds, " Albeit the king willeth
me, by his grace's letters, to remain at Brussels for some
space of time, for the apprehension of Tyndale, which some
what minisheth my hope of soon return; considering that
like as he is in wit moveable, semblably so is his person un
certain to come by : and, as far as I can perceive, hearing
of the king's diligence in the apprehension of him, he with-
draweth him into such places where he thinketh to be farthest
out of danger. In me there shall lack none endeavour6."

Such was the labour which the worldling had in view ;
and which was to be in vain. Tyndale also kept his labour in
view ; but his was the service of the King of kings, and his
object was to deliver captives from their bondage. Whilst
Sir Thomas Elyot mocked at his being obliged to move from
place to place, he was continuing the work of translating the
Hebrew scriptures ; and also composing and printing an Ex-

5 Vaughan's Letter to Cromwell, Dec. 9, 1531 ; in Anderson, B. I.
§ 8. Vol. i. pp. 309, 13.

6 Brit. Museum, Cotton MSS. Vitell. B, xxi. fol. 54. Cited in An
derson, Vol. I. p. 323.

Hi BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1532,

position of Matthew, chapters v. vi. and vii. ; or, in other
words, Lectures on our Lord's sermon on the mount. Nor
was Tyndale's labour in vain ; for we find an unwilling wit
ness, Sir Thomas More, giving the following testimony to the
extensive circulation of Tyndale's writings, at this time, in
his native country, and of the zeal with which his labours
were seconded. " There be fled out of this realm for heresy,"
says he, " a few ungracious folk ; what manner folk, their
writing and their living sheweth. For the captains be priests,
monks, and friars, that neither say mass nor matins, nor
never come at church ; talking still of faith, and full of false
heresies ; would seem Christ's apostles, and play the devil's
dicers ; speaking much of the Spirit, with no more devotion
than dogs ; divers of them priests, monks, and friars, not
let to wed harlots, and then call them wives. And when
they have once villained the sacrament of matrimony, then
would they make us violate the sacrament of the altar too,
telling us, as Tyndale doth, that it is sin to do the blessed
body of Christ in that sacrament any honour or reverence,
but only take it for a token. — These fellows, that nought had
here, and therefore nought carried hence, nor nothing finding
there to live upon, be yet sustained and maintained with
money sent them by some evil-disposed persons out of this
realm thither, and that for none other intent but to make
them sit and seek out heresies, and speedily send them
hither. Which books albeit that they neither can be there
printed without great cost, nor here sold without great adven
ture and peril; yet cease they not, with money sent from
hence, to print them there, and send them hither by whole
vats full at once ; and in some places, looking for no lucre,
cast them abroad by night, — so great a pestilent pleasure have
some devilish people caught, with the labour, travail, cost,
charge, peril, harm and hurt of themselves, to seek the de
struction of other. As the devil hath a deadly delight to
beguile good people, and bring their souls into everlasting
torment without any manner winning, and not without final
increase of his own eternal pain ; so do these heretics, the
devil's disciples, by set their whole pleasure and study, to their
own final damnation, in the training of simple souls to hell
by their devilish heresies1."

1 Preface to Sir T. More's Confutacyon of Tyndale's Answer. Lond.
Printed by W. Rastell, 1532. Verso of Sign. Bb. ii.

1532 3.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. Hi!

It was In this same year that Tyndale lost the aid and
society of Frith, who had been to him such as Timothy was
to Paul. " As a son with the father, he had served with
him in the gospel;" and we shall find Tyndale saying of
him that he had no associate " like-minded." And now as
Tychicus by Paul, so Frith seems to have been sent by Tyn
dale, that he might know the estate of certain brethren in
England, and comfort their hearts. His proceedings in
England were however betrayed to More and to Stokesley,
bishop of London ; and when he had withdrawn to the coast
of Essex, to seek the means of returning to the continent
and to Tyndale, he was seized near Milton and committed to
the Tower. Before the sad tidings of his being thus fallen
into the hands of his enemies had reached Tyndale, he had
written the following letter to Frith ; addressing him by the
name of Jacob, which Frith had probably assumed to avoid
being known :

"The grace of our Saviour Jesus, his patience, meekness,
humbleness, circumspection, and wisdom, be with your heart.
Amen.

" Dearly beloved brother Jacob, mine heart's desire in our
Saviour Jesus is, that you arm yourself with patience, and be
cold, sober, wise, and circumspect, and that you keep you
alow by the ground, avoiding high questions that pass the
common capacity. But expound the law truly, and open the
vail of Moses to condemn all flesh, and prove all men sinners,
and all deeds under the law, before mercy have taken away
the condemnation thereof, to be sin and damnable : and then,
as a faithful minister, set abroad the mercy of our Lord
Jesus. And let the wounded consciences drink of the water
of him. And then shall your preaching be with power,
and not as the doctrine of the hypocrites ; and the Spirit of
God shall work with you, and all consciences shall bear
record unto you, and feel that it is so. And all doctrine
that casteth a mist on those two, to shadow and hide them, I
mean the law of God and mercy of Christ, that resist you
with all your power. Sacraments without signification re
fuse. If they put significations to them, receive them, if you
see it may help, though it be not necessary.

" Of the presence of Christ's body in the sacrament, med
dle as little as you can, that there appear no division among
us, Barnes will be hot against you. The Saxons be sore on

Hv BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1533.

the affirmative ; whether constant or obstinate, I remit it to
God. Philip Melancthon is said to be with the French king.
There be in Antwerp that say they saw him come into Paris
with a hundred and fifty horses; and that they spoke with him.
If the Frenchmen receive the word of God, he will plant the
affirmative in them. George Joye would have put forth a
treatise of the matter, but I have stopped him as yet : what
he will do if he get money, I wot not. I believe he would
make many reasons, little serving the purpose. My mind is
that nothing be put forth, till we hear how you shall have
sped. I would have the right use preached, and the presence
to be an indifferent thing, till the matter might be reasoned
in peace at leisure of both parties. If you be required, shew
the phrases of the scripture, and let them talk what they will.
For to believe that God is every where, hurteth no man that
worshippeth him no where but within the heart, in spirit and
verity : even so to believe that the body of Christ is every
where, though it cannot be proved, hurteth no man that
worshippeth him no where save in the faith of his gospel.
You perceive my mind : howbeit, if God shew you otherwise,
it is free for you to do as he moveth you.

• " I guessed long ago, that God would send a dazing into
the head of the spiritualty, to be catched themselves in their
own subtlety ; and I trust it is come to pass. And now methink-
eth I smell a council to be taken, little for their profits in time
to come. But you must understand that it is not of a pure
heart, and for love of the truth ; but to avenge themselves,
and to eat the whore's flesh, and to suck the marrow of her
bones. Wherefore cleave fast to the rock of the help of God,
and commit the end of all things to him : and if God shall
call you, that you may then use the wisdom of the worldly,
as far as you perceive the glory of God may come thereof,
refuse it not : and ever among thrust in, that the scripture
may be in the mother tongue, and learning set up in the
universities. But and if aught be required contrary to the
glory of God and his Christ, then stand fast, and commit
yourself to God ; and be not overcome of men's persuasions,
which haply shall say we see no other way to bring in the
truth.

" Brother Jacob, beloved in my heart, there liveth not in
whom I have so good hope and trust, and in whom mine heart
rejoiceth, and my soul comforteth herself, as in you, not the

1533.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. ly

thousand part so much for your learning and what other gifts
else you have, as that you will creep alow by the ground, and
walk in those things that the conscience may feel, and not in
the imaginations of the brain ; in fear, and not in boldness ; in
open necessary things, and not to pronounce or define of hid
secrets, or things that neither help or hinder, whether they
be so or no ; in unity, and not in seditious opinions ; inso
much that if you be sure you know, yet in things that may
abide leisure, you will defer, or say (till other agree with
you), ' Methink the text requireth this sense or understand
ing:' yea, and that if you be sure that your part be good,
and another hold the contrary, yet if it be a thing that
maketh no matter, you will laugh and let it pass, and refer
the thing to other men ; and stick you stiffly and stubbornly
in earnest and necessary things. And I trust you be per
suaded even so of me. For I call God to record against
the day we shall appear before our Lord Jesus, to give
a reckoning of our doings, that I never altered one syl
lable of God's word against my conscience, nor would this
day, if all that is in the earth, whether it be pleasure, honour,
or riches, might be given me. Moreover, I take God to
record to my conscience, that I desire of God to myself, in
this world, no more than that without which I cannot keep
his laws.

" Finally, if there were in me any gift that could keep at
hand, and aid you if need required, I promise you I would
not be far off, and commit the end to God : my soul is not
faint, though my body be weary. But God hath made me
evil-favoured in this world, and without grace in the sight of
men, speechless and rude, dull and slow-witted. Your part
shall be to supply that lacketh in me, remembering that as
lowliness of heart shall make you high with God, even so
meekness of words shall make you sink into the hearts of
men. Nature giveth age authority ; but meekness is the
glory of youth, and giveth them honour. Abundance of love
maketh me exceed in babbling.

" Sir, as concerning purgatory, and many other things, if
you be demanded, you may say, if you err, the spiritualty
hath so led you ; and that they have taught you to believe
as you do. For they preached you all such things out of
God's word, and alleged a thousand texts ; by reason of which
texts you believed as they taught you. But now you find

Ivi BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1533.

them liars, and that the texts mean no such things, and there
fore you can believe them no longer; but are as ye were
before they taught you, and believe no such thing : howbeit
you are ready to believe, if they have any other way to
prove it ; for without proof you cannot believe them, when
you have found them with so many lies, &c. If you per
ceive wherein we may help, either in being still, or doing
somewhat, let us have word, and I will do mine uttermost.

" My lord of London hath a servant called John Tisen,
with a red beard, and a black reddish head, and was once
my scholar ; he was seen in Antwerp, but came not among
the Englishmen : whither he is gone, an embassador secret, 1
wot not.

" The mighty God of Jacob be with you to supplant his
enemies, and give you the favour of Joseph ; and the wis
dom and the spirit of Stephen be with your heart and with
your mouth, and teach your lips what they shall say, and
how to answer to all things. He is our God, if we despair
in ourselves, and trust in him ; and his is the glory. Amen.

WILLIAM TYNDALE.
I hope our redemption is nigh."

The above letter is undated ; but it reached Frith in his
prison. And in the * Book made by John Frith, prisoner in the
Tower,' in answer to Sir Thomas More's attack upon him as a
teacher of the poison, which Tyndale and Luther, and " other
beasts" had previously taught, he says: "Tyndale, I trust,
liveth well content with such a poor apostle's life as God gave
his Son Christ and his faithful ministers in this world, which
is not sure of so many mites as ye be yearly of pounds;
although I am sure that, for his learning and judgment in
scripture, he were more worthy to be promoted than all the
bishops in England. I received a letter from him, which was
written since Christmas, wherein, among other matters, he
writeth thus, (I call God to record, against the day we shall
appear:'" — and continuing his quotation to the words 'his laws/
Frith then says : " Judge, Christian reader, whether these
words be not spoken of a faithful, clear, and innocent heart.
And as for his behaviour is such, that I am sure no man can
reprove him of any sin ; howbeit no man is innocent before
God, which beholdeth the heart1." In a preceding paragraph
1 Frith's Works in Day's ed. of 1573. p. 118.

1533.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. Ivii

Frith had reminded More of the offer which we have seen
that Tyndale had made to Vaughan ; and he had again
pledged Tyndale and himself to the same. " This," said he,
"hath been offered you, is offered, and shall be offered.
Grant that the word of God (I mean the text of scripture)
may go abroad in our English tongue, as other nations have
it in their tongues ; and my brother William Tyndale and I
have done, and will promise you to write no more. If you
will not grant this condition, then will we be doing while we
have breath, and shew in few words that the scripture doth
in many, and so at the least save some2."

Whilst Frith in his prison was thus boldly bearing testi
mony to the character, learning, and purposes of Tyndale,
the latter in his exile continued to make common cause with
his beloved fellow-labourer. After writing the above letter,
he seems to have quitted Antwerp for Nuremberg in central
Germany, to take advantage of the printing presses in that
free city for the publication of an exposition of " The supper
of the Lord, after the true meaning of John vi. and of
1 Cor. xi. ;" wherein " incidently," to use Foxe's expression,
" is confuted the letter of Master More against John Frith3."
It was issued without the author's name, from the press of
Nicholas Twonson, April 5, 1533 ; but at its close he says,
" As for Master More, whom the verity most offendeth, he
knoweth my name well enough."

Returning once more to Antwerp, which was now be
come a very perilous place of abode for any known abettor
of the reformation, Tyndale heard that Frith was in the
hands of his enemies, and that to deny the truth, or to suffer
in the fire for it, was the alternative likely to be soon pre
sented to him, if not already forced upon his choice ; and
with the spirit of a martyr, he wrote and sent the following
" Letter from William Tyndale unto John Frith, being pri
soner in the Tower of London."

" THE grace and peace of God our Father, and of Jesus
Christ our Lord, be with you. Amen. Dearly beloved bro
ther John, I have heard say how the hypocrites, now that
they have overcome that great business which letted them, or
at the least way have brought it at a stay, they return to

2 Ib. p. 115.

s Title in Day's edition.

Iviii BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1533.

their old nature again. The will of God be fulfilled, and that
which he hath ordained to be ere the world was made, that
come, and his glory reign over all.

" Dearly beloved, however the matter be, commit yourself
wholly and only unto your most loving Father and most
kind Lord, and fear not men that threat, nor trust men
that speak fair : but trust him that is true of promise, and
able to make his word good. Your cause is Christ's gospel,
a light that must be fed with the blood of faith. The lamp
must be dressed and snuffed daily, and that oil poured in every
evening and morning, that the light go not out. Though
we be sinners, yet is the cause right. If when we be
buffeted for well-doing, we suffer patiently and endure, that
is acceptable to God ; for to that end we are called. For
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we
should follow his steps, who did no sin. Hereby have we
perceived love, that he laid down his life for us : therefore we
ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren. Rejoice
and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For we
suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him :
who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like
unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he
is able even to subject all things unto him.

" Dearly beloved, be of good courage, and comfort your
soul with the hope of this high reward, and bear the image
of Christ in your mortal body, that it may at his coming
be made like to his immortal : and follow the example of all
your other dear brethren, which chose to suffer in hope of a
better resurrection. Keep your conscience pure and undefiled,
and say against that nothing. Stick at necessary things ; and
remember the blasphemies of the enemies of Christ, saying,
' They find none but that will abjure rather than suffer the ex
tremity.' Moreover, the death of them that come again after
they have once denied, though it be accepted with God and
all that believe, yet is it not glorious ; for the hypocrites say,
' He must needs die ; denying helpeth not : but might it have
holpen, they would have denied five hundred times : but see
ing it would not help them, therefore of pure pride, and mere
malice together, they spake with their mouths that their con
science knoweth false.' If you give yourself, cast yourself,
yield yourself, commit yourself wholly and only to your loving
Father ; then shall his power be in you and make you strong,

1533.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. llX

and that so strong, that you shall feel no pain, which should
be to another present death : and his Spirit shall speak in
you, and teach you what to answer, according to his promise.
He shall set out his truth by you wonderfully, and work for
you above all that your heart can imagine. Yea, and you are
not yet dead; though the hypocrites all, with all that they
can make, have sworn your death. Una salus victis nullam
sperare salutem1. To look for no man's help bringeth the help
of God to them that seem to be overcome in the eyes of the
hypocrites : yea, it shall make God to carry you through
thick and thin for his truth's sake, in spite of all the enemies
of his truth. There falleth not a hair till his hour be come :
and when his hour is come, necessity carrieth us hence, though
we be not willing. But if we be willing, then have we a
reward and thanks.

" Fear not the threatening, therefore, neither be overcome
of sweet words ; with which twain the hypocrites shall assail
you. Neither let the persuasions of worldly wisdom bear rule
in your heart ; no, though they be your friends that counsel
you. Let Bilney be a warning to you. Let not their vizor be
guile your eyes. Let not your body faint. He that endureth to
the end shall be saved. If the pain be above your strength,
remember, ' Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, I will give it
you.' And pray to your Father in that name, and he shall
cease your pain, or shorten it. The Lord of peace, of hope,
and of faith, be with you. Amen.

" WILLIAM TYNDALE.

" Two have suffered in Antwerp, in die sanctce crucis2,
unto the great glory of the gospel : four at Riselles in Flan
ders ; and at Luke hath there one at the least suffered, and
all the same day. At Roan in France they persecute ; and
at Paris are five doctors taken for the gospel. See, you are
not alone. Be cheerful ; and remember that among the hard
hearted in England there is a number reserved by grace:
for whose sakes, if need be, you must be ready to suffer.
Sir, if you may write, how short soever it be, forget it not ;
that we may know how it goeth with you, for our hearts'

1 The only safe way for the vanquished is to hope for no safety.

2 On holy-rood day, or Sept. 14th.

IX BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1533 4.

ease. The Lord be yet again with you, with all his plen-
teousness, and fill you that you flow over. Amen.

" If, when you have read this, you may send it to
Adrian1, do, I pray you, that he may know how that our
heart is with you.

" George Joye at Candlemas, being at Barrow, printed two
leaves of Genesis in a great form, and sent one copy to the
king, and another to the new queen, with a letter to N. for
to deliver them ; and to purchase licence, that he might so
go through all the bible. Out of this is sprung the noise of
the new bible ; and out of that is the great seeking for Eng
lish books at all printers and bookbinders in Antwerp, and for
an English priest that should print.

" This chanced the 9th day of May.

" Sir, your wife is well content with the will of God, and
would not, for her sake, have the glory of God hindered.

WILLIAM TYNDALE."

This seasonable letter could not have reached Frith more
than a very few weeks, perhaps but a few days, before his
martyrdom ; and as he was advised in this letter to do, so by
the grace of God he did to the last.

Thus was Tyndale bereaved of the friend of whom he
had fondly said, " It shall be your part to supply that lacketh
in me." But in his season of great affliction the Lord seems
to have given him especial favour in the eyes of his country
men, the English merchants dwelling at Antwerp. For it
must have been at this period of Tyndale's sojourn in that city,
that Foxe heard what he has related of his manner of life there :
how being "a great student and earnest labourer, namely in
the setting forth of the scriptures of God, he reserved or
hallowed to himself two days in the week, which he named
his days of pastime ; and those days were Monday the
first day in the week, and Saturday the last day in the
week. On the Monday he visited all such poor men and
women as were fled out of England by reason of persecution
into Antwerp ; and those, well understanding their good exer
cises and qualities, he did very liberally comfort and relieve ;

1 " John Byrte, otherwise calling himself Adrian, otherwise John
Bookbinder ; and yet otherwise I cannot tell what." So speaks Sir
Thos. More, to make this friend of the reformer's contemptible.

1534.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. Ixi

and in like manner provided for the sick and diseased persons.
On the Saturday he walked round about the town in Ant
werp, seeking out every corner and hole, where he suspected
any poor person to dwell ; and where he found any to be
well occupied, and yet overburdened with children, or else
were aged or weak, those also he plentifully relieved. And
thus he spent his two days of pastime, as he called them.
And truly his alms was very large and great : and so it might
well be ; for his exhibition, that he had yearly of the English
merchants, was very much ; and that for the most part he
bestowed upon the poor, as afore said. The rest of the days
in the week he gave him wholly to his book, wherein most
diligently he travailed. When the Sunday came, then went
he to some one merchant's chamber or other, whither came
many other merchants : and unto them would he read some
one parcel of scripture, either out of the old Testament or out
of the new ; the which proceeded so fruitfully, sweetly and
gently from him, (much like to the writings of St John the
evangelist,) that it was a heavenly comfort and joy to the
audience to hear him read the scripture ; and in like wise,
after dinner, he spent an hour in the aforesaid manner 2."

In 1534 the demand for Tyndale's New Testaments had so
much increased as to induce the Antwerp printers to issue no
less than four new editions of them3. But whilst Tyndale
was taking time to give his translation a careful revision, and
before he could complete it, he had the mortification of dis
covering that one of these printers had been employing
George Joye to correct the sheets of a surreptitious edition,
in which he had ventured, without consulting Tyndale, to
make such alterations in the language as nothing but ignorance
of the Greek original could have led him to suppose allow
able4. This could not but tend to make Tyndale's readers
distrust the accuracy of his version, especially as they would
see that Joye's edition corresponded more closely with the
Latin Vulgate ; to which he had in fact looked for guidance in
most of the changes he had introduced. Hence Tyndale re
buked him sharply ; and Joye's reply, published under the

2 Foxe's Life of Tyndale, prefixed to Day's edition of his works.

3 Anderson, B. I. § 11. Vol. i. p. 392, and Vol. n. ap. p. viii.

4 The only known copy of the edition corrected by Joye is in Mr
Grenville's bequest to the British Museum.

[TYNDALE.]

Ixli BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1534.

title of An Apology l, has eventually supplied a direct proof,
for the satisfaction of such as might still think it needed, of
Tyndale's knowledge of both the languages of the inspired
original text of the scriptures. For Joye has there said, " I
am not afraid to answer Master Tyndale in this matter, for all
his high learning in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin2." On the
other hand, Tyndale himself seems to have felt that it was
needed that he should satisfy his contemporaries respecting his
opinions about the condition of those who have departed this
life in the faith of Christ. He therefore introduced the fol
lowing protest, or solemn attestation3 of his belief on this
head, into the preface of his own revised version of the new
Testament, sent forth this year, printed at Antwerp by
Marten Emperowr.

"A protestation made by William Tyndale, touching the resur
rection of the bodies, and the state of the souls after this
life. Abstracted out of a preface of his, that he made
to the new Testament which he set forth in the year
15344.

"Concerning the resurrection, I protest before God and
our Saviour Jesus Christ, and before the universal congre
gation that believeth in him, that I believe, according to the
open and manifest scriptures and catholic faith, that Christ is
risen again in the flesh which he received of his mother the
blessed virgin Mary, and body wherein he died : and that
we shall all, both good and bad, rise both flesh and body, and
appear together before the judgment-seat of Christ, to receive
every man according to his deeds : and that the bodies of all
that believe, and continue in the true faith of Christ, shall be

1 Dated Feb. 28, 1535.

2 Quoted in Anderson, An. of Eng. Bible, Vol. I. p. 397.

3 The word protestation is Foxe's, as editor for Day of Tyndale's
works, where he has placed this document as their introduction.
Tyndale uses the word protest as was then customary, in the Latin
sense, for ' I declare before the world.'

4 Such is Foxe's heading to this document. In the Bristol copy
of the new Testament, with which Day's reprint has been collated,
there are two addresses to the reader ; and this protest occurs in the
second, which is thus headed, " William Tyndale yet once more to the
Christian reader."

1534.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

endued with like immortality and glory as is the body of
Christ.

"And I protest before God, and our Saviour Christ, and
all that believe in him, that I hold of the souls that are
departed as much as may be proved by manifest and open
scripture, and think the souls departed in the faith of Christ,
and love of the law of God, to be in no worse case than the
soul of Christ was from the time that he delivered his spirit
into the hands of his Father until the resurrection of his
body in glory and immortality. Nevertheless, I confess
openly, that I am not persuaded that they be already in
the full glory that Christ is in, or the elect angels of God
are in. Neither is it any article of my faith : for if it so
were, I see not but then the preaching of the resurrection
of the flesh were a thing in vain. Notwithstanding yet I
am ready to believe it, if it may be proved with open
scripture.

" Moreover, I take God (which alone seeth the heart) to
record to my conscience, beseeching him that my part be
not in the blood of Christ, if I wrote, of all that I have
written throughout all my book, aught of an evil purpose,
of envy or malice to any man, or to stir up any false doc
trine or opinion in the church of Christ, or to be author of
any sect, or to draw disciples after me, or that I would be
esteemed or had in price above the least child that is born ;
save only of pity and compassion I had, and yet have, on
the blindness of my brethren, and to bring them unto the
knowledge of Christ, and to make every one of them, if it
were possible, as perfect as an angel of heaven ; and to
weed out all that is not planted of our heavenly Father,
and to bring down all that lifteth up itself against the know
ledge of the salvation that is in the blood of Christ. Also
my part be not in Christ, if mine heart be not to follow
and live according as I teach ; and also if mine heart weep
not night and day for mine own sin and other men's in
differently, beseeching God to convert us all, and to take his
wrath from us, and to be merciful as well to all other men
as to mine own soul; caring for the wealth of the realm I
was born in, for the king and all that are thereof, as a
tender-hearted mother would do for her only son.

" As concerning all I have translated or otherwise written,

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1534.

I beseech all men to read it for that purpose I wrote it,
even to bring them to the knowledge of the scripture ; and
as far as the scripture appro veth it, so far to allow it ; and
if in any place the word of God disallow it, there to refuse
it, as I do before ou^ Saviour Christ and his congregation.
And where they find faults, let them shew it me, if they be
nigh, or write to me if they be far off ; or write openly
against it, and improve it ; and I promise them, if I shall
perceive that their reasons conclude, I will confess mine
ignorance openly."

Neither was Tyndale wanting to himself, when it became
him to shew that he could acknowledge, with grateful respect,
any countenance given by his earthly superiors to the circu
lation of God's holy word. He must have heard, with happy
thankfulness, of the interference of Anne Boleyn in behalf of
an Antwerp merchant, who had suffered losses and imprison
ment for aiding to circulate his testaments. On the 14th
of May she had written, as queen, to secretary Cromwell,
telling him that whereas she was " credibly informed that
llichard Harman, merchant and citizen of Antwerp, was put
and expelled from his freedom and fellowship of and in the
English house there, for nothing else but only for that he,
like ^ a good Christian man, did both with his goods and
policy, to his great hurt and hinderance in this world, help
to the setting forth of the new Testament in English : We
therefore desire and instantly pray you, that with all speed
and favour convenient ye will cause this good and honest
merchant to be restored to his pristine freedom, liberty, and
fellowship aforesaid; and the sooner at this our request1."
The simple and becoming gift by which Tyndale acknow
ledged his respect for a queen of England, who could thus use
her influence, was an unique copy of his new Testament,
printed on vellum, and made handsome at a cost to which the
grateful merchant doubtless contributed ; not dedicated to her
in words of flattery, but marked with her name and title on
its margins, whilst his own was suppressed2.

In 1535, Tyndale was doubtless employing himself on

1 And. Vol. i. p. 411. The original letter is in the Brit. Museum,
Cleop. E. v. fol. 330.

2 This relic is in the British Museum.

1535.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. IxV

the continuance of his version of the old Testament. To
wards the close of that year, he was still at Antwerp, and
hospitably lodged there in the house of Mr Thomas Poyntz,
an English merchant, who had a brother in the king's house
hold, and was himself a lover of the gospel. It was avowedly
from this merchant's testimony that Foxe gathered the account
which we shall now transcribe :

"About this time there came one out of England [to
Antwerp], whose name was Henry Philips, his father being
customer3 of Poole, a comely fellow, like as he had been a gen
tleman, having a servant with him ; but wherefore he came,
or for what purpose he was sent thither, no man could tell.
Master Tyndale divers times was desired forth to dinner and
supper among merchants : by the means whereof this Henry
Philips became acquainted with him; so that within short
space M. Tyndale had a great confidence in him, and
brought him to his lodging to the house of Thomas Poyntz,
and had him also once or twice with him to dinner and
supper, and further entered such friendship with him that,
through his procurement, he lay in the same house of the
said Poyntz : to whom he shewed moreover his books and
other secrets of his study ; so little did Tyndale then mis
trust this traitor.

"But Poyntz, having no great confidence in the fellow,
asked master Tyndale how he came acquainted with this
Philips. Master Tyndale answered, that he was an honest
man, handsomely learned, and very conformable. Then Poyntz,
perceiving that he bare such favour unto him, said no more ;
thinking that he was brought acquainted with him by some
friend of his. The said Philips, being in the town three or
four days, upon a time desired Poyntz to walk with him forth
of the town, to shew him the commodities thereof; and, in
walking together about the town, had communication of divers
things, and some of the king's affairs. By the which talk
Poyntz as yet suspected nothing ; but after, by the sequel of
the matter, he perceived more what he intended. In the
mean time this he well perceived, that he bare no great
favour either to the setting forth of any good thing, either
to the proceedings of the king of England. But after, when
3 Collector of the customs.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1535.

the time was past, Poyntz perceived this to be his mind, — to
feel if he could perceive by him, whether he might break
with him in the matter, for lucre of money to help him to his
purpose ; for he perceived before that he was monied, and
would that Poyntz should think no less ; but by whom, it
was unknown. For he had desired Poyntz before to help
him to divers things ; and such things as he named, he re
quired might be of the best : For, said he, I have money
enough. But of this talk came nothing, but that men should
think he had some things to do ; for nothing else followed of
his talk. — From Antwerp Philips went to the court of Brus
sels, the king having there no ambassador ; for at that time
the king of England and the emperor were at a controversy
for the question betwixt the king and Catharine, who was
aunt to the emperor ; so that Philips, as a traitor both
against God and the king, was there the better retained,
as also other traitors more besides him, who, after he had
betrayed master Tyndale into their hands, shewed himself
against the king's own person, and there set forth things
against the king. To make short, the said Philips did so
much there, that he procured to bring from thence with him,
to Antwerp, that procurer general which is the emperor's
attorney, with other certain officers : the which was not
done with small charges and expense, from whomsoever it
came.

" Within a while after, Poyntz sitting at his door, Philips*
man came unto him, and asked whether master Tyndale
were there ; and said, his master would come to him ; and so
departed. But whether his master, Philips, were in the town
or not, it was not known : but at that time Poyntz heard no
more, neither of the master nor of the man. Within three
or four days after, Poyntz went forth to the town of Barrow,
being eighteen English miles from Antwerp, where he had
business to do for the space of a month or six weeks ; and
in the time of his absence, Henry Philips came again to
Antwerp to the house of Poyntz, and coming in, spake with
his wife, asking her for Master Tyndale, and whether he
could dine there with him ; saying, ' What good meat shall
we have ?' she answered, ' Such as the market will give.'
Then went he forth again (as it is thought) to provide and

1535.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

set the officers, which he brought with him from Brussels, in
the street and about the door. Then about noon he came
again, and went to master Tyndale, and desired him to lend
him forty shillings : ' For/ said he, ' I lost my purse this
morning, coming over at the passage between this and Mech
lin.' So Master Tyndale took him forty shillings ; the which
was easy to be had of him, if he had it ; for in the wily
subtilties of this world he was simple and unexpert.

" Then said Philips, ' Master Tyndale, you shall be my
guest here this day.' ' No/ said master Tyndale, ' I go
forth this day to dinner; and you shall go with me, and
be my guest, where you shall be welcome.' So when it was
dinner-time, master Tyndale went forth with Philips ; and at
the going out of Poyntz' house was a long narrow entry, so
that two could not go in a front. Master Tyndalo would
have put Philips before him, but Philips would in no wise,
but put master Tyndale afore ; for that he pretended to shew
great humanity. So master Tyndale, being a man of no
great stature, went before ; and Philips, a tall comely person,
followed behind him, who had set officers on either side of the
door upon two seats, (which, being there, might see who came
in the entry;) and coming through the same entry Philips
pointed with his finger over master Tyndale's head down to
him, that the officers, which sat at the door, might see that
it was he whom they should take ; as the officers, that took
master Tyndale, afterward told Poyntz ; and said to Poyntz,
when they had laid him in prison, that they pitied to see his
simplicity when they took him. Then they brought him to
the emperor's attorney, where he dined. Then came the said
attorney to the house of Poyntz, and sent away all that was
there of master Tyndale's, as well his books as other things :
and from thence Tyndale was had to the castle of Vilford1,
eighteen English miles from Antwerp ; and there he remained
until he was put to death."

Foxe proceeds to say that, ' by the help of English mer
chants/ letters were immediately sent to the court of Brussels
in favour of Tyndale. But the Cotton MSS. have been found
to contain a letter from Poyntz to his brother John, dated
from Antwerp, Aug. 25, 1535, in the postscript of which he
1 Vilvorden between Brussels and Mechlin.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1535.

says, '-'I think that if Walter Marsch, now being governor
[of the English factory], had done his duty effectually here
at this time, there would have been a remedy found for
this man." In the same letter he says to his brother, the
seizure of Tyndale "was done by procurement out of Eng
land, and, as I suppose, unknown to the king's grace till it
was done." He also tells him, " It was said here, the king
had granted his gracious letters in the favour of William
Tyndale, for to have been sent hither ; the which is in prison,
and like to suffer death, except it be through his gracious
help. But it is thought those letters be stopped. — By the
means that this poor man, William Tyndale, has lain in my
house three quarters of a year, I know that the king has
never a truer-hearted subject to his grace this day living ;
and, for that he does know that he is bound by the law of
God to obey his prince, I wot well he would not do the con
trary, to be made lord of the world, however the king's grace
may be informed. — The death of this man would be a great
hinderance to the gospel ; and to the enemies of it one of the
highest pleasures. But and if it should please the king's
highness to send for this man, so that he might dispute his
articles with him at large, which they lay to him, it might
by the mean thereof be so opened to the court and the
council of this country, that they would be at another point
with the bishop of Rome within a short space. And I
think he shall be shortly at a point to be condemned ; for
there are two Englishmen at Louvaine that do and have ap
plied it sore, taking great pains to translate out of English
into Latin those things that may make against him — so that
the clergy here may understand it and condemn him, as they
have done all others for keeping opinions contrary to their
business, the which they call The order of holy church.
Brother, the knowledge that I have of this man causes me
to write as my conscience binds me ; for the king's grace
should have of him, at this day, as high a treasure as of any
one man living, that has been of no greater reputation1.
Therefore I desire you that this matter may be solicited to
his grace for this man, with as good effect as shall be in you,

1 This last clause, having been misprinted in Anderson, has been
corrected by an examination of the original.

1535.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

or by your means to be done ; for, on my conscience, there
be not many perfecter in this day living, as knows God, who
have you in keeping.

Your brother,

THOMAS PoYNTzV

This letter was probably the means of inducing Cromwell
to send his next dispatch in Tyndale's behalf, if indeed it was
not his first, to a merchant named Flegge, rather than to
Marsch. Flegge's reply announces that he received it on
the 10th of September, along with a letter from the English
secretary of state to the archbishop of Palermo, president
of the princess regent's council, and another for the margrave
of Bergen3; and that, such steps were consequently taken
by the English merchants as Foxe has described in the para
graphs immediately succeeding our last quotation from him ;
beginning as follows, from the account of Tyndale^s removal
to Vilvorden :

" Then incontinent, by the help of English merchants,
were letters sent in the favour of Tyndale to the court of
Brussels. Also not long after, letters were directed out of
England to the council at Brussels4, and sent to the merchants

2 The whole letter is given in Anderson, B. I. §. 12. Vol. I. p. 426,
from the Cotton MSS. in the Brit. Mus. Galba X. fol. 60. It is but
justice to the character of some of Tyndale' s adversaries to observe,
that whilst the calamities which had befallen bishop Fisher and Sir
Thomas More are sufficient to exempt them from any suspicion of
being implicated in the treacherous design on Tyndale, the corre
spondence of Cromwell, and other contemporary documents in the
British Museum, equally exonerate Henry VIII. Cromwell had sent
one Thomas Tebold to the continent to gather information, and this
man had several conversations with Philips ; whose arrest the king
was endeavouring to procure for his abuse of him, and whose coadjutor
Tebold discovered to have been a monk, named Gabriel Donne. Mr
Anderson's researches have discovered a connection between this monk
and bishop Gardiner; and that he was rewarded, at this very time,
from the patronage of Vesey, bishop of Exeter, a bitter persecutor of
the reformers. Anderson, ibid.

3 Mr Flegge's letter is copied by Anderson. B. I. §. 12. Vol. i. p.
429, from Cotton MSS. Galba, B. X. fol. 63.

4 Foxe's margin says, 'By the lord Crumwell and others'; but his
expression not long after comprehends an interval which could scarcely
be less than six or seven months.

IXX BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1535.

adventurers at Antwerp, commanding them to see that with
speed they should be delivered. Then such of the chiefest of
the merchants as were there at that time, being called toge
ther, required the said Poyntz to take in hand the delivery of
those letters, with letters also from them in the favour of
master Tyndale, to the lord of Barrowe and others ; the
which lord of Barrowe (as it was told Poyntz by the way)
at that time was departed from Brussels, as the chiefest con
ductor of the eldest daughter of the king of Denmark to be
married to the palsgrave : who, after he heard of his de
parture, did ride after the next way, and overtook him at
Akon1, where he delivered to him his letters ; the which when
he had received and read, he made no direct answer, but
somewhat objecting said, ' There were of their country
men that were burned in England, not long before;' as in
deed there were anabaptists burnt in Smithfield, and so
Poyntz said to him. ' Howbeit,' said he, ' whatsoever tho
crime was, if his lordship or any other nobleman had written,
requiring to have had them, he thought they should not have
been denied.1 ' Well,' said he, ' I have no leisure to write ;
for the princess is ready to ride.1 Then said Poyntz, ' If it
shall please your lordship, I will attend upon you unto the
next baiting-place ;' which was at Maestricht. * If you so
do/ said the lord, ' I will advise myself by the way, what to
write.' So Poyntz followed him from Akon to Maestricht,
the which are fifteen English miles asunder; and there he
received letters of him, one to the council there, another to
the company of the merchants adventurers, and another also
to the lord Cromwell. So Poyntz rode from thence to Brus
sels, and then and there delivered to the council the letters
out of England, with the lord of Barrowe's letters also ; and
received eftsoons answer into England of the same by letters,
which he brought to Antwerp to the English merchants, who
required him to go with them into England2 ; and he, very
desirous to have master Tyndale out of prison, let not for to
take pains, with loss of time in his own business and occupy
ing, but diligently followed with the said letters, which he
there delivered to the council, and was commanded by them to

1 Alkhen.

2 On the 22nd of September; as appear from Flegge's reply to
Cromwell.

1535.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

tarry until he had other letters, of the which he was not
dispatched thence in a month after. At length, the letters
being delivered him, he returned again, and delivered them
to the emperor's council at Brussels, and there tarried for
answer of the same.

" When the said Poyntz had tarried three or four days,
it was told him, of one that belonged to the chancery, that
master Tyndale should have been delivered to him according
to the tenor of the letters ; but Philips, being there, followed
the suit against master Tyndale, and hearing that he should
be delivered to Poyntz, and doubting lest he should be put
from his purpose, he knew none other remedy but to accuse
Poyntz, saying, that he was a dweller in the town of Ant
werp, and there had been a succourer of Tyndale, and was
one of the same opinion, and that all this was only his own
labour and suit, to have master Tyndale at liberty, and no
man's else.

" Thus, upon his information and accusation, Poyntz was
attached by the procuror general, and delivered to the keep
ing of two Serjeants of arms ; and the same evening was sent
to him one of the chancery with the procuror general, who
ministered unto him an oath, that he should truly make
answer to all such things as should be inquired of him ; think
ing they would have had no other examinations of him, but
of his message. The next day likewise they came again, and
had him in examination, and so five or six days, one after
another, upon not so few as an hundred articles, as well of
the king's affairs as of the message concerning Tyndale, of his
aiders and of his religion. Out of the which examinations the
procuror general drew twenty-three or twenty-four articles,
and declared the same against the said Poyntz : the copy
whereof he delivered to him to make answer thereunto, and
permitted him to have an advocate and proctor. And order
was taken, that eight days after he should deliver unto them
his answer ; and from eight days to eight days to proceed,
till the process were ended ; also that he should send no
messenger to Antwerp, where his house was, nor to any other
place but by the post of the town of Brussels ; nor to send
any letters, nor any to be delivered to him, but written in
Dutch; and the procuror general, who was party against
him, to read them, before they were sent or delivered.

Ixxil BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1535 6.

Neither might any be suffered to speak or talk with Poyntz
in any other tongue or language, except only in the Dutch
tongue, so that his keepers, who were Dutchmen, might
understand what the contents of the letters or talk should be;
saving that at one certain time the provincial of the white
friars came to dinner where Poyntz was prisoner, and brought
with him a young novice, being an Englishman, whom the
provincial, after dinner, of his own accord did bid to talk
•with the said Poyntz, and so with him he was licensed to talk.
The purpose, and great policy therein, was easy to be per
ceived. After this1 Poyntz delivered up his answer to the

procurer general ; and then after, at the days appointed,
went forth with replication duplicke with other answers
each to other, in writing what they could. As the commis
sioners came to Poyntz, Philips the traitor accompanied them
to the door, in following the process against him ; as he also
did against master Tyndale ; for so they, that had Poyntz in
keeping, shewed him. Thus Poyntz for master Tyndale was
sore troubled, and long kept in prison ; but at length, when
he saw no other remedy, by night he made his escape, and
avoided their hands."

In the mean while, Tyndale had been immured twelve
months in Vilvorden castle : but the Lord was with him, and
shewed him his mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of
the keeper of his prison ; so that, according to Foxe, " he
converted the keeper, and his daughter and others of his
household ; and the rest, that were conversant with him in the
castle, reported of him, that if he were not a good Christian
man, they could not tell whom to trust." But if it was given
to him to be the means of turning some sinners within the
walls of his prison from the error of their ways by his faith
ful words and holy example, the favour of the prison-keeper
enabled him to continue his labours, so that from those prison-
walls " sounded out the word of the Lord " into all parts
where the English tongue was spoken. Foxe says that after
Tyndale's seizure " there were certain things of his doing
found, which he had intended to have put forth to the
furtherance of God's word, among which was the testament of
M. Tracy, expounded by himself." But Mr Anderson seems

1 That is, on Christmas eve, 1535, as appears from the fuller nar
rative in the first edition of Foxe.

1535 6.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE.

to have discovered, that Tyndale's exposition of Tracy's testa
ment, in which he sets forth the dishonour done to the only
Mediator between God and man by seeking the aid of de
parted saints for a departed sinner, was actually published
this year along with Wicliffe's Wicket, a tract on the words
" This is my body2," then printed for the first time. There
was also a third edition of Tyndale's Obedience printed this
year at Strasburg ; and three editions of his new Testament
are believed to have been printed at Antwerp in 1535. It is
probable that none of these editions of his works and transla
tions were carried through the press without some communi
cation with their author. One at least of them lays claim to
having been prepared for publication under his especial care ;
being entitled " The newe Testament, dylygently corrected
and compared with the Greeke, by Willyam Tyndale : and
fynesshed in the yere of our Lorde God MD and xxxv." In
this edition his diligent and tender care for his poor country
men does indeed appear, in a very remarkable manner. We
have seen that before he had begun the work of translation,
he had pledged himself that ' if God spared his life, he would
cause a boy that driveth the plough to know more of the
scriptures' than a popish priest. In 1535, he saw plainly
that his life was not to be spared much longer. Laying aside
therefore all that display of good writing in which a scholar
would have prided himself, he prepared this edition for the
instruction of the plough-boys in his native country, by print
ing it in what might properly be called the vulgar tongue,
conforming the spelling to their rude pronunciation3, whilst to
help them to the understanding of the subjects treated of, he
put headings, for the first time, to the chapters.

The imprisoned reformer was at the same time defending
the doctrines he had taught, in a series of replies to attacks
made upon him by the theologians of Louvaine ; but of these,
whether conversations only, or written answers to written
charges, no relic remains. But though suffering trouble as
an evil doer even unto bonds, Tyndale might well say as the

2 Anderson, B. I. $. 12. Vol. I. p. 433.

3 In this edition, of which the Camb. Univ. Library contains a
perfect copy, and Mr Offer's collection another copy, father is spelt
faether ; master, maester ; stone, stoene ; once, oones ; worse, whorsse,
&c.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE [1536.

apostle did, "The word of God is not bound;" for he too had his
Timothy, his own son in the faith, who was carefully preserv
ing, and probably already beginning to print, the fruits of
Tyndale's continued labours as a translator of the Hebrew
scriptures. This person was John Rogers, who had been
educated at Cambridge, and invited to Antwerp, to fill the
place of chaplain to the English factory. There he had
read the scriptures with Tyndale, and in the scriptures he
had found the way of salvation. It could scarcely have been
without some English merchant's pecuniary aid (and some
have supposed that Thomas Matthew was the merchant's name,)
that Rogers commenced in secret the printing of that noble
English folio Bible, called Matthew's Bible ; which begins with
a reprint of Tyndale's pentateuch, as it closes with a reprint
of his new Testament, incorporating his instructive preface;
and further contains, what had never before been printed,
a translation by Tyndale of all the historical Hebrew scrip
tures to the end of the second book of Chronicles.

And now this good and faithful servant William Tyndale
had done his appointed work, except that it was also to be
given to him to glorify God by his death.

Foxe says that it was reported, that whilst he was prisoner,
" there was much writing, and great disputation, to and fro,"
between him and the Romanists in the neighbouring univer
sity of Louvaine ; and that the court, which sat in judgment
upon him, observed its usual custom of offering him permission
to have an advocate and a proctor, " to make answer in the
law. But he refused to have any such, saying, that he would
answer for himself; and so he did." Nor does his defence of
himself seem to have been useless ; for if it is true that the
emperor's attorney was constrained to acknowledge, that he
was " a learned, a good, and a godly man," the answers and
demeanour, which extorted this confession from the official
prosecutor, must have been well fitted to speak to the con
sciences of all present, in testimony that the cause, for which
this holy man was ready to give up his life, was the cause
of God.

"At last," says Foxe, "after much reasoning, when no rea
soning would serve, although he deserved no death, he was con
demned by virtue of the emperor's decree, made in the assem
bly at Augsburgh ; and upon the same brought forth to the

1536 7.] OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. IxXV

place of execution ; was there tied to the stake ; and then
strangled first by the hangman, and afterward with fire con
sumed, in the morning [of October 6th1], at the town of
Vilvorden, in the year 1536 ; crying thus at the stake with
a fervent zeal and a loud voice, ' Lord, open the king of
England's eyes'."

The dying martyr's prayer was thus far answered, that
the king of England's eyes were opened to the folly of con
tinuing to fight against the circulation of Tyndale's versions
of the scriptures. Before the waning year had come to its
close, the first volume of holy scripture, ever printed on
English ground, came forth from the press of the king's own
printer ; and that volume was a folio Testament, Tyndale's
own version, with his prologues too, and with the long-pro
scribed name of William Tyndale openly set forth on its title-
page2. Nor was this all that Henry was to sanction, towards
the fulfilling of Tyndale's fervent desires for his beloved
country. The subsequently eminent English printers, Graf-
ton and Whitchurch, undertook the cost of completing, though
not at an English press, that bible which Rogers had begun.
So much of the scriptures as Tyndale had not lived to trans
late, was filled up from Coverdale's secondary translation of
the whole bible, made in 1535 ; and the whole was completed,
with a dedication to the king, and a copy of it presented to
archbishop Cranmer by Grafton, before the 4th of the follow
ing August ; on which day we find the archbishop sending
Grafton and his bible to Cromwell, and requesting him to
shew it to the king, and to obtain, if possible, his royal
" licence that the same may be sold, and read of every person,
without danger of any act, proclamation, or ordinance hereto
fore granted to the contrary3." That bible said, " The king's
heart is in the hands of the Lord; as the rivers of water
he turneth it whithersoever he will ;" and the heart of this
wayward king was now turned to sanction what he had pro
nounced detestable. On the 13th of August Cranmer wrote

1 Foxe gives this date in his calendar.

2 See its description in And. B. I. § 13. Vol. I. p. 549. A copy of
this edition is in the Bodleian.

3 Park. Soc. edition of Cranmer's Works, Vol. n. p. 344, Lett. 194;
or Jenkyns's Cranmer's Remains, Vol. I. p. 197, Lett. 188.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF WILLIAM TYNDALE. [1537.

ao-ain to Cromwell1, as follows: "Whereas I understand

o

that your lordship, at my request, hath not only exhibited
the bible which I sent unto you to the king^s majesty,
but also hath obtained of his grace that the same shall be
allowed, by his authority, to be bought and read within
this realm ; my lord, for this your pains, taken in this be
half, I give unto you my most hearty thanks; assuring your
lordship, for the contentation of my mind, you have shewed
me more pleasure herein, than if you had given me a thou
sand pound ; and I doubt not but that hereby such fruit of
good knowledge shall ensue, that it shall well appear here
after what high and acceptable service you have done unto
God and the king. — As for me, you may reckon me your bond
man for the same ; and I dare be bold to say, so may ye do
my lord of Worcester2."

Tyndale had said to Vaughan, " If the king would grant
only a bare text of the scripture to be put forth among his
people, be it the translation of what person soever he shall
please, I will promise never to write more, nor abide two
days in these parts.'* He was to write no more ; and he no
longer abode on this earth ; but more than he had asked had
been given him by the King of kings. The scripture was
licensed to be put forth ; and his own translation was accept
ed ; and his instructive prefaces were not to be expunged, but
to be more than tacitly acknowledged to contain a godly and
wholesome doctrine, necessary for those times.

And now, in old John Foxe's words, " Thus much of
William Tyndale, who, for his notable pains and travail, may
Jbe worthily called an apostle of England.1'

1 Ib. Lett. 197; or Jenkyns, Lett. 191.

2 Bishop Latimer.

PATHWAY

INTO

THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

[TYNDALE.]

INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

[THE first original composition from Tyndale's pen, of which any
trace or account has come down to us, is his ' Prologue ' to the quarto
edition of his translation of the New Testament. Indeed, the Rev.
C. Anderson has not hesitated to say1, that we have, in that Pro
logue, 'the very first language addressed by him to the Christians
of England:' and if so, that first language is to be found in the
' Pathway into the Holy Scripture.' For the * Pathway ' is, in fact,
a reprint of that Prologue ; with such alterations as Tyndale either
thought requisite to adapt it for separate publication, or expedient
to prevent its identity with the reprobated Prologue from being de
tected at first sight. The precise date of the first publication of
the Pathway, as a separate treatise, has not been ascertained It is
however mentioned by Dibdin2, as having been printed by Thomas
Godfray, London. Now the Prologue itself was undeniably printed
in 1525, and Th. Godfray printed nothing after 1532; so that we
have thus certain limits, between which the Pathway must have
passed through the press. But farther, in Sir Thos. More's preface
to his ' Confutation of Tyndale's Answer ' to his Dialogue, which
Confutation bears on its title-page that it was printed in 1532, we
find him mentioning the Pathway, and apparently ignorant then that
Tyndale was its author.

More had been recapitulating the titles of such works as had then
come out in Tyndale's name, accompanying the recapitulation with
brief but coarsely abusive comments, to prove him a * setter-forth of
heresies as evil as the Alchorane;' and then he proceeds to assail
* friar Barns, sometime doctor in Cambridge/ charging him with hold
ing the heresy of Zuinglius * concerning the sacrament of the altar/
(though Barnes's creed was in reality Lutheran,) for which, and for
his demeanour, More says ' he might lawfully be burned/ as * having
clearly broken and forfeited the king's safe-conduct.' 'Then/ says
he, ' have we farther yet, beside Barnes' book, the A. B. C. for chil
dren3. And because there is no grace therein, lest we should lack
prayers, we have the Prymer, and the Ploughman's Prayer, and a
book of other small devotions, and then the whole Psalter too 4. After

[} Annals of the English Bible. B. i. sec. 2. p. 65. of first ed.]

[2 Dibdin, Typographical Antiquities, Vol. in. p. 71.]

[3 Styled in the prohibitory lists, 'A. B. C. against the clergy.']

[4 A proclamation forbidding the king's subjects 'to bring into this realm, to sell,
receive, take, or detain,' any of a list of books comprehending all the above, and also
'The Sum of Scripture' mentioned in the next sentence, but not the Pathway, had
been issued by Henry VIII, in 1529, under More's influence. Anderson's Annals,

1—2

4 A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

the Psalter, children were wont to go to their Donat and their Accy-
dence ; but now they go straight to scripture. And thereto have we,
as a Donat, the book of The Pathway to Scripture ; and for an Accy-
dence, because we should be good scholars shortly and be soon sped,
we have the whole Sum of Scripture in a little book : so that after
these books well learned, we be meet for Tyndale's Pentateukes, and
Tyndale's Testament, and all the other high heresies that he and
Jaye, and Fryth, and friar Barns, teach in all their books beside ;
of all which heresies the seed is sown, and prettily sprung up in
these little books before1/

The proclamations and episcopal mandates against the circulation
of Tyndale's Testaments particularly notice the appended glosses;
which belonged, exclusively, to the edition prefaced by that Prologue
which was the prototype of the Pathway. And whilst that edition
was well nigh stifled in its birth by the anti-reforming zeal of Cochlseus,
as noticed in the life of Tyndale, its prologue and pointed notes seem
to have provoked the ruling powers at home to hunt it out for de
struction with such successful zeal, that the fact of its ever having
existed had begun to be overlooked, till a fragment of the portion
printed at Cologne, probably lost by Tyndale in his hasty flight with
the few finished sheets, was recently discovered in London, bound up
with a contemporary production; and being purchased by the late
Rt. Hon. Thomas Grenville, has just been added, by his considerate
bequest, to the literary treasures of the British Museum. The ac
count of this discovery, and the evidence for the genuineness of this
fragment, which commences with the prologue, are stated by Mr An
derson as follows: —

" Mr Thomas Rodd, of Great Newport-street, a respectable book
seller in London, having exchanged with a friend, who did not recollect
how he came by it, a quarto tract by (Ecolampadius, without any
cover, there was attached to it, by binding, a portion in the English
language, black letter; and though it was evidently the gospel of
Matthew, with the prologge of 14 pages preceding, neither Mr Rodd
nor his friend understood, at the time, what it actually was. * The
accidental discovery/ says Mr R., ' of the remarkable initial letter Y,
with which this page, the first of the prologue, is decorated, in another
book printed at Cologne in 1534, first led me to search other books
printed at the same place ; and I succeeded in finding every cut and
letter, with the exception of one, in other books from the same
printing-office, that of Peter Quentel. I have found the type in which

B. i. sect. 6. pp. 234—5. Foxe's Acts and Monuments, Vol. iv. pp. 676—9. Lond. 1837.
There was again a royal proclamation, issued May 24, 1530, with an appended list of
prohibited books, which takes no notice of the Pathway. Anderson's Annals, pp.
257-9.]

C1 The Confutacyon of Tyndale's answere, made by Syr Thomas More, Knyght, lord
chancellor of Englonde. Prentyd at London, By Wyllyam Rastell, 1532, Cum privilegio.
Preface to the Christian Reader, Sign. Bb. ii.]

INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

this portion of the New Testament is printed, and the cuts with which
it is decorated, used in other books printed at Cologne from the year
1521 to 1540.' The fact is," proceeds Mr Anderson, "that though the
tract entitled, A Pathway into the Holy Scripture, contains the most of
it, the prologue was never printed entire in any subsequent edition,
nor, above all, its important and beautiful introduction. Independently
however of these proofs, there is incontrovertible evidence presented
to the eye. The first page of the sacred text is preceded by a large,
spirited cut of the evangelist Matthew at his work, dipping his pen
into the inkstand, held out to him by an angel ; and by this specimen,
though the title-page be wanting, we are able to prove, not only that
the printer was Peter Quentel, but that the year of printing was 1525.
Rupert's commentary on Matthew, sent from Liege to Cologne, a
closely-printed folio volume, was finished at Quentel's press so early as
the 12th of June, 1526. Now as far back as the beginning of this
folio, or page second, we have the identical large wood-cut of Matthew,
which had been used to adorn the preceding New Testament; but,
before being employed in the work of Rupert, better to fit the page,
the block had been pared down, so as to deprive it of the pillar on the
left side, the angel of the points of his pinions, and both pillars of
their bases at the bottom. Thus also it was placed on the title-page,
and again, next year, before Matthew, in a beautiful folio Latin Bible.
In the New Testament of Tyndale, on the contrary, the block will be
seen entire; consequently it must have been the prior publication, and
must have been used accordingly in 1525 2."

By the kind indulgence of the late Mr Grenville, the editor was
permitted to collate his unique copy of the Prologue. Such a colla
tion was particularly desirable, because he has not been able to
ascertain the existence of any copy of the Pathway, as separately
printed : so that the only ancient edition of it, accessible to him, has
been the copy inserted in Day's folio black-letter reprint of the works
of Frith, Barnes, and Tyndale, published in 1573.

Those portions of the Prologue which are omitted in the Pathway
will be given to the reader in the notes appended to their proper
places ; and, on the other hand, such portions of the Pathway as were
not parts of the Prologue will be distinguished, by including them
within brackets. The marginal notes also, which appeared in the
Prologue, and therefore passed under Tyndale's eye, will have the
initials, W. T., affixed to them; whilst those that are only found

[2 Anderson's Annals of E. Bib. B. i. sect. 2. p. 63. In the appendix to his second
volume, Mr Anderson has given the public fac-similes of this wood-cut, as also of the
first pages of the Prologue and translations ; the Prologue being the first specimen
extant of Tyndale's composition, and the Translation the first extant of his efforts as
a translator. For though the 4to Testament, with marginal glosses, was preceded in its
issue from the press by the small 8vo edition, once forming part of the Harleian
Library, and now in the Baptists' Museum at Bristol, Mr A. has decisively proved
that so much of the 4to as was printed at Cologne, was the first part of an entire
English New Testament put into the press.]

6 A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

in Day's edition will be marked Ant. ed., to express that they are not
modern, and that yet it would not be just to hold Tyndale responsible
for them, since they may have been no more than an editor's remarks,
as it is obvious that some of the marginal notes in Day's volume must
have been.]

A PATHWAY

INTO

THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

[I DO marvel greatly, dearly beloved in Christ, that ever
any man should repugn or speak against the scripture to be
had in every language, and that of every man. For I
thought that no man had been] l so blind to ask why light 5Sue£e*
should be shewed to them that walk in darkness, where they
cannot but stumble, and where to stumble is the danger of
eternal damnation; other2 so despiteful that he would envy
any man (I speak not his brother) so necessary a thing ; or
so Bedlam mad to affirm that good is the natural cause of
evil, and darkness to proceed out of light, and that lying
should be grounded in truth and verity; and not rather clean
contrary, that light destroy eth darkness, and verity reproveth
all manner lying.

[Nevertheless, seeing that it hath pleased God to send
unto our Englishmen, even to as many as unfeignedly desire

[* The Prologue began as follows : —

* I have here translated, brethren and sisters, most dear and ten
derly beloved in Christ, the New Testament, for your spiritual edifying,
consolation, and solace ; exhorting instantly and beseeching those that
are better seen in the tongues than I, and that have better gifts of
grace, to interpret the sense of the Scripture, and meaning of the
Spirit, than I, to consider and ponder my labour, and that with the
spirit of meekness ; and if they perceive in any places that I have
not attained the very sense of the tongue, or meaning of the scripture,
or have not given the right English word, that they put to their hands
to amend it, remembering that so is their duty to do. For we have
not received the gifts of God for ourselves only, or for to hide them ;
but for to bestow them unto the honouring of GOD and Christ, and
edifying of the congregation, which is the body of Christ.

' The causes that moved me to translate, I thought better that
other should imagine, than that I should rehearse them. Moreover
I supposed it superfluous ; for who is so blind, &c.'j
[2 Other, i. e. or.]

8 A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

it, the scripture in their mother tongue, considering that

there be in every place false teachers and blind leaders ;

that ye should be deceived of no man, L supposed it very

The cause necessary to prepare this Pathway into the scripture for you l,

oftheedi- , • m . n i i i Ai VL e xi

tion of this that ye might walk surely, and ever know the true from the
Ant. ed. ' false : and, above all,2] to put you in remembrance of certain
points, which are, that ye well understand what these words
mean ; the Old Testament ; the New Testament ; the law ;
the gospel ; Moses ; Christ ; nature ; grace ; working and be
lieving ; deeds and faith ; lest we ascribe to the one that
which belongeth to the other, and make of Christ Moses ;
of the gospel, the law ; despise grace, and rob faith ; and
fall from meek learning into idle disputations3 ; brawling and
scolding about words.

cSned The ^(1 Testament is a book, wherein is written the

Testeem0endt. law of &Q&> and the deeds of them which fulfil them, and
of them also which fulfil them not.

ofhtehe°Neewts ^e ^ew Testament is a book, wherein are contained

Testament, the promises of God ; and the deeds of them which believe
them, or believe them not.

orhLGanSpee-' Evangelion (that we call the gospel) is a Greek word ;

Hon. W.T. an(j signineth good, merry, glad and joyful tidings, that
maketh a man's heart glad, and maketh him sing, dance, and
leap for joy: as when David had killed Goliah the giant,
came glad tidings unto the Jews, that their fearful and cruel
enemy was slain, and they delivered out of all danger : for
gladness whereof, they sung, danced, and were joyful. In
like manner is the Evangelion of God (which we call gospel,
and the New Testament) joyful tidings ; and, as some say,

[l Up to the date of 1532, no translations of either the old or new
Testament, into their mother tongue, had been sent to Englishmen
through the press, except Tyndale's, so that his manner of speaking
here makes it evident, that when he first published the Pathway, it
was anonymously.]

[2 In the Prologue this paragraph began as follows :

* After it had pleased GOD to put in my mind, and also to give me
grace to translate this fore-rehearsed New Testament into our English
tongue, howsoever we have done it, I supposed it very necessary to
put you/ &c.]

[3 In the Prologue the word is dispicions ; which appears, from
several instances in sir Thomas More's controversial works, to have
been equivalent to disputations.]

A. PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 9

a good hearing published by the apostles throughout all the
world, of Christ the right David ; how that he hath fought
with sin, with death, and the devil, and overcome them :
whereby all men that were in bondage to sin, wounded with
death, overcome of the devil, are, without their own merits
or deservings, loosed, justified, restored to life and saved,
brought to liberty and reconciled unto the favour of God,
and set at one4 with him again : which tidings as many
as believe laud, praise, and thank God ; are glad, sing and
dance for joy.

This Evangelion or gospel (that is to say, such joyful why the
tidings) is called the New Testament ; because that as a £c^de'£5
man, when he shall die, appointeth his goods to be dealt and w. T.
distributed after his death among them which he nameth to
be his heirs ; even so Christ before his death commanded
and appointed that such Evangelion, gospel, or tidings should
be declared throughout all the world, and therewith to give
unto all that [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 (that [knoweth himself to be wrapped]
in sin, and in danger6 to death and hell) hear no more joyous JenSt,
a thing, than such glad and comfortable tidings of Christ; mi^ofSe"
so that he cannot but be glad, and laugh from the low bottom
of his heart, if he believe that the tidings are true.

To strength 7 such faith withal, God promised this his The e°sPel .

to was promised

Evangelion in the Old Testament by the prophets, as Paul oid TesS-the
saith, (Rom. i.), how that he was chosen out to preach God's

w. T.

Rom. i.

[4 At one. So Tyndale has translated Els elpywjv in Acts vii. 26 ;
and his rendering has been continued in our authorised version. The
same idiomatic expression occurs in our homilies ; as in that for Good
Friday, 'Without payment God the Father would never be at one
with us/ Hence, as is well known, comes the verb atone.]

[5 Tyndale has elsewhere informed his readers that he uses the
word Testament, to express 'An appointment made between God
and man, and God's promises.' Table expounding certain words in
Genesis.]

[6 Danger. This word was used to signify subjection to an offended
power. Thus bishop Fisher says, ' What suppose ye that Luther would
do, if he had the pope's holiness in his danger?']

[7 Strength: strengthen.]

10 A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

Evangelion, which he before had promised by the prophets

in the Scriptures, that treat of his Son which was born of

the seed of David. In Gen. iii. God saith to the serpent,

" I will put hatred between thee and the woman, between thy

seed and her seed ; that self seed shall tread thy head under

Christ hath foot." Christ is this woman's seed : he it is that hath trodden

Sfhlr owerd un(^er ^°°* t^e devil's head, that is to say, sin, death, hell,

w- T- and all his power. For without this seed can no man avoid

sin, death, hell, and everlasting damnation.

Gen. xxii. Again, (Gen. xxii.), God promised Abraham, saying, " In

thy seed shall all the generations of the earth be blessed."
Gai. in. Christ is that seed of Abraham, saith St Paul (Gal. iii). He
hath blessed all the world through the gospel. For where
Christ is not, there remaineth the curse, that fell on Adam as
soon as he had sinned, so that they are in bondage under
damnation1 of sin, death, and hell. Against this curse, blesseth
now the gospel all the world inasmuch as it crieth openly,
[unto all that knowledge2 their sins and repent, saying,]
Whosoever believeth on the seed of Abraham shall be blessed ;
that is, he shall be delivered from sin, death, and hell, and
shall henceforth continue righteous3, and saved for ever ; as
joimxi. Christ himself saith in the eleventh of John, 'He that be
lieveth on me, shall never more die.'

Theniawwas " ^c law " (saith the gospel of John in the first chapter4)
fiosesbgrace " was given by Moses : but grace and verity by Jesus Christ."
SJifchriaZ The law (whose minister is Moses) was given to bring us unto
the knowledge of ourselves, that we might thereby feel and
perceive what we are, of nature. The law condemneth us and
2 cor. iii. all our deeds; and is called of Paul (in 2 Cor. iii.) the minis
tration of death. For it killeth our consciences, and driveth
The law re- us to desperation ; inasmuch as it requireth of us that which

ouireth of us < * *

impo2bcieis *s unpossible for our nature5 to do. It requireth of us the

tordarlw.UT? deeds of an whole man. It requireth perfect love, from the

low bottom and ground of the heart, as well in all things which

we suffer, as in the things which we do. But, saith John in the

same place, "grace and verity is given us in Christ:" so that,

t1 Prol. has domination.]

[2 Knowledge: acknowledge.]

[3 Prol., ' righteous, living, and saved.']

[4 So in Prol. Day's edition of the Pathway has saith John i.]

[5 Prol. impossible for us.]

A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 11

when the law hath passed upon us, and condemned us to when the
death (which is his nature to do), then we have in Christ condemned
grace, that is to say, favour, promises of life, of mercy, of gjp^jj
pardon, freely, by the merits of Christ ; and in Christ have w- T>
we verity and truth, in that God [for his sake] fulfilleth all
his promises to them that believe. Therefore is the Gospel
the ministration of life. Paul calleth it, in the fore-rehearsed
place of the 2 Cor. iii. the ministration of the Spirit and of 2 cor. m.
righteousness. In the gospel, when we believe the promises,
we receive the spirit of life ; and are justified, in the blood of
Christ, from all things whereof the law condemned us. [And
we receive love unto the law, and power to fulfil it, and grow
therein daily.] Of Christ it is written, in the fore-rehearsed
John i. This is he of whose abundance, or fulness, all we have John i.
received grace for grace, or favour for favour. That is to
say, For the favour that God hath to his Son Christ, he
giveth unto us his favour and good-will, [and all gifts of his
grace,] as a father to his sons. As affirmeth Paul, saying,
"Which loved us in his Beloved before the creation of the
world." [So that Christ bringeth the love of God unto us,
and not our own holy works6.! Christ is made Lord over all, Christ is

_ 11 i • • i^t i i God's mercy-

and is called in scripture God's mercy-stool : whosoever stooi, so that

* no mercy

therefore flieth to Christ, can neither hear nor receive of God G°0metbhu[rom
any other thing save mercy. ftSPw.T.

In the Old Testament are many promises, which are
nothing else but the Evangelion or gospel, to save those
that believed them from the vengeance of the law. And in
the New Testament is oft made mention of the law, to con
demn them which believe not the promises. Moreover, the
law and the gospel may never be separate : for the gospel
and promises serve but for troubled consciences, which are
brought to desperation, and feel the pains of hell and death
under the law, and are in captivity and bondage under the
law. In all my deeds I must have the law before me, to
condemn mine unperfectness. For all that I do (be I never
so perfect) is yet damnable sin, when it is compared to the
law, which requireth the ground and bottom of mine heart.
I must therefore have always the law in my sight, that I The law must

* * ever be in

[6 Instead of the last sentence, the Prologue had : ' For the love
that God hath to Christ, he loveth us, and not for our own sakes'.j

12 A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

sight, to make may be meek in the spirit, and give God all the laud and

suited i^anci praise, ascribing to him all righteousness, and to myself all

ourebei°rto unrighteousness and sin. I must also have the promises

wmi\rt us' before mine eyes, that I despair not ; in which promises I

see the mercy, favour, and good-will of God upon me in

the blood of his Son Christ, which hath made satisfaction

for mine unperfectness, and fulfilled for me that which I

could not do.

S™™""61 Here may ye perceive that two manner of people are

thoi\vhiCh sore deceived. First, they which justify themselves with

ieisve/byem' outward deeds, in that they abstain outwardly from that

andrthoTeks; which the law forbiddeth, and do outwardly that which the

lheiVbUndgh law commandeth. They compare themselves to open sinners ;

fj?th utterly and in respect of them justify themselves, condemning the

m-eiy faith, open sinners. They set a vail on Moses1 face, and see not

how the law requireth love from the bottom of the heart,

[and that love only is the fulfilling of the law.] If they did,

they would not condemn their neighbours. " Love hideth the

multitude of sins," saith St Peter in his first epistle. For

whom I love from the deep bottom and ground of mine

heart, him condemn I not, neither reckon his sins ; but suffer

his weakness and infirmity, as a mother the weakness of her

son until he grow up into a perfect man.

Those also are deceived which, without all fear of God,
give themselves unto all manner1 vices with full consent
and full delectation, having no respect to the law of God
(under whose vengeance they are locked up in captivity) ;
but say, God is merciful, and Christ died for us; supposing
that such dreaming and imagination is that faith which is so
greatly commended in holy scripture. Nay, that is not faith,
but rather a foolish blind opinion, springing of their own
[corrupt] nature, and is not given them of the Spirit of God,
[but rather of the spirit of the devil, whose faith now-a-days
the popish compare and make equal unto the best trust, con
fidence, and belief, that a repenting soul can have in the
blood of our Saviour Jesus, unto their own confusion, shame,
and uttering2 what they are within. But] true faith is (as

t1 The style of a little later date would require that of should
follow manner. Tyndale sometimes subjoins of, as in the last para
graph ; but more frequently omits it.]

[2 To utter, is continually used by Tyndale for, to detect, to make

A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

13

saith the apostle Paul) the gift of God; and is given to
sinners, after the law hath passed upon them, and hath
brought their consciences unto the brim of desperation and
sorrows of hell.

They that have this right faith, consent to the law, that
it is righteous and good ; and justify God which made the
law ; and have delectation in the law (notwithstanding that
they cannot fulfil it [as they would,] for their weakness); and
they abhor whatsoever the law forbiddeth, though they can
not [always] avoid it. And their great sorrow is, because
they cannot fulfil the will of God in the law ; and the Spirit,
that is in them, crieth to God night and day for strength
and help, with tears (as saith Paul) that cannot be expressed
with tongue. Of which things the belief of our popish (or of
their) father, whom they so magnify for his strong faith, hath
none experience at all.

The first, that is to say, he3 which justifieth himself with
his outward deeds, consenteth not to the law inward, neither
hath delectation therein, yea, he would rather that no such
law were. So justifieth he not God, but hateth him as a
tyrant ; neither careth he for the promises, but will with his
own strength be saviour of himself : no wise glorifieth he God,
though he seem outward to do.

The second, that is to say, the sensual person, as a volup
tuous swine, neither feareth God in his law, neither is thank
ful to him for his promises and mercy, which is set forth in
Christ to all them that believe.

The right Christian man consenteth to the law that it is
righteous, and justifieth God in the law ; for he affirmeth
that God is righteous and just, which is author of the law.
He belie veth the promises of God ; and4 justifieth God, judg-

public or manifest, to bring out ; of which last meaning we have still
a relic in use, when a person is charged with uttering forged money.
Thus Tyndale, translating e/eS^Aos- co-rat in 2 Tim. iii. 9, says, ' Their
madness shall be uttered.' And in Foxe's Acts and Mon. Vol. iv. 227,
he says, ' Marian Morden was forced upon her oath to utter James
Morden, her own brother, for teaching her the Pater-noster, Ave, and
Creed in English/ Whilst a little farther, meaning to express the
same thing, he says, * John Clerke was forced by his oath to detect
Richard Vulford for speaking against images.']

[3 Instead of he, Prol. has a justiciary.]

[4 Prol. And so justifieth.]

He that hath
a right faith
delighteth in
the Taw, al
though his
weakness
cannot fulfil
the sanie.
\V. T.

A justiciary.
W. T.

He that justi
fieth himself,
rejecteth the
law and
promises.
Ant. ed.

A sensual
man. W. T.

A Christian
man. W. T.

14 A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

ing him true, and believing that he will fulfil his promises.
With the law he condemneth himself, and all his deeds, and
giveth all the praise to God. He believeth the promises,
and ascribeth all truth to God : thus, everywhere, justifieth
he God, and praiseth God.

Nature. By nature, through the fall of Adam, are we the children

of wrath, heirs of the vengeance of God by birth, yea, and
from our conception. And we have our fellowship with the
damned devils, under the power of darkness and rule of
Satan, while we are yet in our mother's wombs ; and though
we shew not forth the fruits of sin [as soon as we are born.]
yet are we full of the natural poison, whereof all sinful deeds
spring, and cannot but sin outwards, (be we never so young,)
[as soon as we be able to work,] if occasion be given : for our
nature is to do sin, as is the nature of a serpent to sting.

A proper And as a serpent, yet young, or yet unbrought forth, is full

similitude. r> • -i c, i /' i ,1 ,• i

Ant. ed. of poison, and cannot afterward (when the time is come, and
occasion given) but bring forth the fruits thereof; and as an
adder, a toad, or a snake, is hated of man, not for the evil
that it hath done, but for the poison that is in it, and hurt
which it cannot but do : so are we hated of God, for that
natural poison, which is conceived and born with us, before
we do any outward evil. And as the evil, which a venomous
worm doth, maketh it not a serpent ; but because it is a
venomous worm, doth it1 evil and poisoneth : and as the fruit
maketh not the tree evil ; but because it is an evil tree, there
fore bringeth it forth evil fruit, when the season of the fruit
is: even so do not our evil deeds make us [first] evil, [though
ignorance and blindness, through evil working, hardeneth us
in evil, and maketh us worse and worse ;] but because that
of nature we are evil, therefore we both think and do evil,
and are under vengeance under the law, convict to eternal
damnation by the law, and are contrary to the will of God
in all our will, and in all things consent to the will of the
fiend.

ducked from ^ grace (that is to say, by favour) we are plucked out

Amffedaind °^ Adam, *ne ground of all evil, and graffed in Christ, the

gSS!' W.T. root °f aH 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; and, when

t1 Prol. therefore doth it.]

A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE,

15

the gospel is preached to us, openeth our hearts, and giveth
us grace to believe, and putteth the Spirit of Christ in us ;
and we know him as our Father most merciful, and consent to
the law, and love it inwardly in our heart, and desire to fulfil
it, and sorrow because we cannot : which will (sin we of
frailty never so much) is sufficient, till more strength be
given us ; the blood of Christ hath made satisfaction for the
rest ; the blood of Christ hath obtained all things for us
God. Christ is our satisfaction, Redeemer, Deliverer, Saviour,
from vengeance and wrath. Observe and mark in Paul's,
Peter's and John's epistles, and in the gospel, what Christ is
unto us.

By faith are we saved only, in believing the promises.
And though faith be never without love and good works,

. . '

yet is our saving imputed neither to love nor unto good
works, but unto faith only. For love and works are under
the law, which requireth perfection and the ground and
fountain of the heart, and damneth2 all imperfectness. Now
is faith under the promises, which damn not ; but give par
don3, grace, mercy, favour, and whatsoever is contained in
the promises.

Righteousness is divers : [for] blind reason imagineth many
manner of righteousness4. There is the righteousness of
works (as I said before), when the heart is away, and feeleth
not how the law is spiritual, and cannot be fulfilled, but
from the bottom of the heart : as the just ministration of all
manner of laws, and the observing of them, [for a worldly
purpose and for our own profit, and not of love unto our
neighbour, without all other respect,] and moral virtues,

Faith, love,

works. W.T.

Righteous-

Sundry sorts
of righteous
ness.
Ant. ed.

[2 In our old writers this word means simply to condemn; and does
not define whether the condemnation be to hell, or to something
very much less. Thus in an act of parliament, 11 Hen. VII. c. 19,
respecting cushions or pillows stuffed with mixed materials, it is
said, 'unlawful corrupt stuffs' may not be sold, 'but utterly to be
damned/]

[3 Instead of pardon, grace, Prol. has all grace.]

[4 The next sentence is both in the Prologue and the Pathway ;
but in the former in a different place, being inserted between the
words blood of Christ and There is a full, in the middle of the next
page. Besides this difference, Day has is not felt, where Prol. has
feeleth not.]

16 A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

wherein philosophers put their felicity and blessedness,
which all are nothing in the sight of God [in respect of the
life to come.] There is in like manner the justifying of
ceremonies, which some imagine1 their ownselves, some coun
terfeit2 other, saying in their blind reason, Such holy per
sons did thus and thus, and they were holy men ; therefore if
I do so likewise, I shall please God. But they have none
answer of God, that that pleaseth. The Jews seek righteous
ness in their ceremonies, which God gave unto them, not for
to justify, but to describe and paint Christ unto them : of
which Jews testifieth Paul, saying, how that they have affec
tion to God, but not after knowledge ; for they go about to
stablish their own justice, and are not obedient to the justice
or righteousness that cometh of God, [which is the forgive
ness of sin in Christ's blood unto all that repent and believe.]
Man's sensual The cause is verily, that except a man cast away his own

reason cannot .... , , •/~*i-ii

percdve^the imagination and reason, he cannot perceive God, and under-
bihorod.sw T stand tf16 virtue and power of the blood of Christ. There is
a full righteousness ; when the law is fulfilled from the ground
of the heart. This had neither Peter nor Paul in this life
perfectly, [unto the uttermost, that they could not be per-
fecter,] but sighed after it. They were so far forth blessed
in Christ, that they hungred and thirsted after it. Paul had
this thirst ; he consented to the law of God, that it ought
so to be, but he found another lust in his members, con
trary to the lust3 and desire of his mind, [that letted him,]
and therefore cried out, saying, " 0 wretched man that I am !
who shall deliver me from this body of death ? thanks be to
God through Jesus Christ." The righteousness that before
God is of value, is to believe the promises of God, after the
law hath confounded the conscience : as when the temporal
law ofttimes condemneth the thief or murderer, and bringeth
him to execution, so that he seeth nothing before him but
present death ; and then cometh good tidings, a charter from
the king, and delivereth him. Likewise, when God's law hath
brought the sinner into knowledge of himself, and hath con-

[l For which some imagine, Prol. has, some imagine them.]

[2 The verb counterfeit is continually used by Tyndale for, to

imitate, or copy, in a harmless sense.]

[3 Lust is used by Tyndale for the wish or will, whether it bo holy

or unholy. ]

A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 17

founded his conscience and opened unto him the wrath and
vengeance of God ; then cometh good tidings. The Evange-
lion sheweth unto him the promises of God in Christ, and
how that Christ hath purchased pardon for him, hath satisfied
the law for him, and appeased the wrath of God. And the
poor sinner believeth, laudeth and thanketh God through
Christ, and breaketh out into exceeding inward joy and glad
ness, for that he hath escaped so great wrath, so heavy ven
geance, so fearful and so everlasting a death. And he hence
forth is an hungred and athirst after more righteousness, that
he might fulfil the law ; and mourneth continually, commend
ing his weakness unto God in the blood of our Saviour, Christ
Jesus.

Here shall ye see compendiously and plainly set out the
order and practice of every thing afore rehearsed.

The fall of Adam hath made us heirs of the vengeance Adam's fan
and wrath of God, and heirs of eternal damnation ; and hath bw«geS> '

tne devil.

brought us into captivity and bondage under the devil. And Ant ed-

the devil is our lord, and our ruler, our head, our governor,

our prince, yea, and our god. And our will is locked and Adam bring-

knit faster unto the will of the devil, than could an hundred ?,"nd,age-

thousand chains bind a man unto a post. Unto the devil's

will consent we with all our hearts, with all our minds, with

all our might, power, strength, will and lusts ; [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

zeal, and the whole swing of all the power we have ; as a

stone cast up into the air cometh down naturally of his own

self, with all the violence and swing of his own weight.]

With what poison4, deadly, and venomous hate hateth a man The natural

his enemy ! With how great malice of mind, inwardly, do we °f j£™!jds

slay and murder ! With what violence and rage, yea, and

with how fervent lust commit we advoutry 5, fornication, and w* T>

such like uncleanness ! With what pleasure and delectation,

inwardly, serveth a glutton his belly ! With what diligence

deceive we ! How busily seek we the things of this world !

Whatsoever we do, think, or imagine, is abominable in the

sight of God. [For we can refer nothing unto the honour of

[4 Poison, i. c., poisonous; as the word is again used in the next
page.]

[5 Adultery.]

[TYNDALE.]

18 A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

God ; neither is his law, or will, written in our members or
in our hearts: neither is there any more power in us to
follow the will of God, than in a stone to ascend upward of
his own self.] And [beside that,] we are as it were asleep
in so deep blindness, that we can neither see nor feel what
misery, thraldom, and wretchedness we are in, till Moses
come and wake us, and publish the law. When we hear the
law truly preached, how that we ought to love and honour
God with all our strength and might, from the low bottom of
the heart, [because he hath created us, and both heaven and
earth for our sakes, and made us lord thereof;] and our
neighbours (yea, our enemies) as ourselves, inwardly, from the
ground of the heart, [because God hath made them after the
likeness of his own image, and they are his sons as well as
we, and Christ hath bought them with his blood, and made
them heirs of everlasting life as well as us ; and how we
ought to] do1 whatsoever God biddeth, and abstain from
whatsoever God forbiddeth, with all love and meekness, with
a fervent and a burning lust from the center of the heart ;
then beginneth the conscience to rage against the law, and
against God. No sea, be it ever so great a tempest, is so
unquiet. For it is not possible for a natural man to consent
to the law, that it should be good, or that God should
be righteous which maketh the law ; [inasmuch as it is con
trary unto his nature, and damneth him and all that he can
do, and neither sheweth him where to fetch help, nor preacheth
any mercy ; but only setteth man at variance with God, (as
Rom. iv. witnesseth Paul, Rom. iv.) and provoketh him and stirreth
him to rail on God, and to blaspheme him as a cruel tyrant.
Man before For it is not possible for a man, till he be born again, to
tion cannot think that God is righteous to make him of so poison a nature,

think well of & i

God. Anted, either for his own pleasure or for the sin of another man, and
to give him a law that is impossible for him to do, or to
consent to2;] his wit, reason, and will being so fast glued,
yea, nailed and chained unto the will of the devil. Neither
can any creature loose the bonds, save the blood of Christ
[only].

£?rt liberty* ^n^s *s ^ne captivity and bondage, whence Christ delivered
us, redeemed and loosed us. His blood, his death, his

I"1 Prol. has, heart; and do whatsoever.]

[2 Prol. maketh the law ; man's wit, reason, and will, are so, §c.~\

w. T.

A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 19

patience in suffering rebukes and wrongs, his prayers and
fastings, his meekness and fulfilling of the uttermost point
of the law, appeased the wrath of God ; brought the favour
of God to us again ; obtained that God should love us first,
and be our Father, and that a merciful Father, that will con
sider our infirmities and weakness, and will give us his Spirit
again (which was taken away in the fall of Adam) to rule,
govern, and strength us, and to break the bonds of Satan,
wherein we were so strait bound. When Christ is thuswise
preached, and the promises rehearsed, which are contained in
the prophets, in the psalms, and in divers places of the five
books of Moses, [which preaching is called the Gospel or glad The hearts of

.. v -I i i i i • T the elect do

tidings;! then the hearts of them which are elect and chosen, eyenmeitat

, .° J „ _ _ the preaching

begin to wax soft and melt at the bounteous mercy of God,
and kindness shewed of Christ. For when the evangelion is
preached, the Spirit of God entereth into them which God edl
hath ordained and appointed unto eternal life; and openeth
their inward eyes, and worketh such belief in them. When fSSi, "Sfh

. [, -, bringethlove,

the woful consciences feel and taste how sweet a thing the^ew^rk^
bitter death of Christ is, and how merciful and loving God
is, through Christ's purchasing and merits ; they begin to
love again, and to consent to the law of God, how that it is
good and ought so to be, and that God is righteous which
made it; and desire to fulfil the law, even as a sick man
desireth to be whole, and are an hungred and thirst after
more righteousness, and after more strength, to fulfil the law
more perfectly. And in all that they do, or omit and leave
undone, they seek God's honour and his will with meekness,
ever condemning the unperfectness of their deeds by the law.
Now Christ standeth us in double stead ; and us serveth,
two manner wise. First, he is our Redeemer, Deliverer,
Reconciler, Mediator, Intercessor, Advocate, Attorney, Soli- Christ left
citor, our Hope, Comfort, Shield, Protection, Defender, SSne t&tn

r might be to

Strength, Health, Satisfaction and Salvation. His blood, ™rtsae^ation-
his death, all that he ever did, is ours. And Christ himself,
with all that he is or can do, is ours. His blood-shedding,

and all that he did, doth me as good service as though I

<• ... liow

myself had done it. And God (as great as he is) is mine, stowu

with all that he hath, [as an husband is his wife's,] through
Christ and his purchasing.

Secondarily, after that we be overcome with love and

20 A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

kindness, and now seek to do the will of God (which is a

Christian man's nature), then have we Christ an example to

counterfeit ; as saith Christ himself in John, " I have given

you an example." And in another evangelist he saith, " He

that will be great among you, shall be your servant and

minister ; as the Son of man came to minister, and not to be

Faith receiv- ministered unto." And Paul saith, "Counterfeit Christ1."

and love ' And Peter saith, " Christ died for you, and left you an example

bestoweth

the same on to follow his steps." Whatsoever therefore faith hath received

his neigh- A

bour. w. T. Of QO(} through Christ's blood and deserving, that same must
love shed out, every whit, and bestow it on our neighbours
unto their profit, yea, and that though they be our enemies.
[What faith receiveth of God through Christ's blood, that wo
must bestow on our neighbours, though they be our enemies.]
By faith we receive of God, and by love we shed out again.
And that must we do freely, after the example of Christ,
without any other respect, save our neighbour's wealth2 only ;
and neither look for reward in the earth, nor yet in heaven,
for [the deserving and merits of] our deeds, [as friars 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 ourselves, all that we have, and all that we are able
to do, even on our enemies, to bring them to God, consider-
chmtdidnot ing nothing but their wealth, as Christ did ours. Christ did
mer^heaven, not his deeds to obtain heaven thereby, (that had been a mad-
butafreeeaiyy' ness ») heaven was his already, he was heir thereof, it was
ued!£kes' his by inheritance ; but did them freely for our sakes, consi
dering nothing but our wealth, and to bring the favour of
God to us again, and us to God. And no natural3 son, that
is his father's heir, doth his father's will because he would bo
heir ; that he is already by birth ; his father gave him that
ere he was born, and is leather that he should go without it,
than he himself hath wit to be ; but of pure love doth he
that he doth. And ask him, Why he doth any thing that he

[l The text meant is probably Ephes. v. i, Tivc<r0c ovv pi^ral TOV
Be ov ; which Tyndale has rendered, ' Be ye counterfeiters of God/ and
where he might think, that by God is meant Christ, from the intro
duction of the name of Christ in a similar relation in the next
clause.]

[2 Wealth: welfare.]

[3 Natural : ordinary, as being a partaker of the father's nature.]

A°nt?ed

A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

21

doth? he answereth, My father bade; it is my father's
will ; it pleaseth my father. Bond-servants work for hire,
children for love : for their father, with all he hath, is
theirs already. So doth a Christian man freely all that he
doth ; considereth nothing but the will of God, and his neigh
bour's wealth only. If I live chaste, I do it not to obtain
heaven thereby ; for then should I do wrong to the blood
of Christ ; Christ's blood hath obtained me that ; Christ's
merits have made me heir thereof; he is both door and
way thitherwards : neither that I look for an higher room4
in heaven, than they shall have which live in wedlock, other
than a whore of the stews (if she repent) ; for that were the
pride of Lucifer : but freely to wait on the evangelion ;
[and to avoid the trouble of the world, and occasions that
might pluck me therefrom,] and to serve my brother withal ;
even as one hand helpeth another, or one member another,
because one feeleth another's grief, and the pain of the one is
the pain of the other. Whatsoever is done to the least of us
(whether it be good or bad), it is done to Christ ; and whatso
ever is done to my brother (if I be a Christian man), that
same is done to me. Neither doth my brother's pain grieve
me less than mine own : neither rejoice I less at his wealth
than at mine own, [if I love him as well and as much
as myself, as the law commandeth me.] If it were not
so, how saith Paul ? " Let him that rejoiceth, rejoice in the
Lord," that is to say, Christ, which is Lord over all creatures.
If my merits obtained me heaven, or a higher place5 there,
then had I wherein I might rejoice besides the Lord.

Here see ye the nature of the law, and the nature of the
evangelion ; how the law is the key that bindeth and
damneth all men, and the evangelion [is the key that] looseth
them again. The law goeth before, and the evangelion
followeth. When a preacher preacheth the law, he bindeth
all consciences ; and when he preacheth the gospel, he looseth
them again. These two salves (I mean the law and the
gospel) useth God and his preacher, to heal and cure sinners
withal. The law driveth out the disease and maketh it ap
pear, and is a sharp salve, and a fretting corosy6, and killeth

[4 Room: place.]

[5 In the Prol. the word is room.]

[6 Corrosive, or caustic.]

A true Chris
tian man
believeth
that heaven
is his already,
and therefore
loveth, and
worketh, to
honour God
only, and to
draw all
things to
God. W. T.

The law
bindeth, and
the gospel
looseth all
men. W. T.

The force of
the law.
W. T.

22 A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

the dead flesh, and looseth and draweth the sores out by the
roots, and all corruption. It pulleth from a man the trust
and confidence that he hath in himself, and in his own works,
merits, deservings and ceremonies, [and robbeth him of all his
righteousness, and maketh him poor.] It killeth him, send-
eth him down to hell, and bringeth him to utter desperation,
and prepareth the way of the Lord, as it is written of John
the Baptist. For it is not possible that Christ should come
to a man, as long as he trusteth in himself, or in any worldly
thing, [or hath any righteousness of his own, or riches of holy
works.] Then cometh the evangelion, a more gentle pastor,
which suppleth and suageth the wounds of the conscience,
and bringeth health. It bringeth the Spirit of God ; which
looseth the bonds of Satan, and coupleth us to God and his
will, through strong faith and fervent love, with bonds too
strong for the devil, the world, or any creature to loose them.
The uprising And the poor and wretched sinner feeleth so great mercy,

sinner feeleth i i • i ^ • • •, />

such joy in love, and kindness in God, that he is sure m himself how that

the gospel m .

ethHhnhink ^ *s no^ P083^6 that God should forsake him, or withdraw

1 °d

uld fo mercy and love from him ; and boldly crieth out with

Paul, saying, "Who shall separate us from the love that God
loveth us withal ? " That is to say, What shall make me be
lieve that God loveth me not ? Shall tribulation ? anguish ?

O

persecution? Shall hunger? nakedness? Shall sword?
n Nay, "I am sure that neither death, nor life, neither an^el.

man feeleth .*' . °

the working neither rule nor power, neither present things nor things to

of the Holy .

2JSfJSdhS come> neither high nor low, neither any creature, is able to

Sn?andad- sePar^te us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesu our

cthSGoedS?el" Lord." In all such tribulations a Christian man perceiveth

Sfher and a that God is his Father, and loveth him even as he loved

W.'T?' Christ when he shed his blood on the cross. Finally, as be

fore, when I was bond to the devil and his will, I wrought all

manner evil and wickedness, not for hell's sake, which is the

reward of sin, but because I was heir of hell by birth and

bondage to the devil, did I evil, (for I could none otherwise

do ; to do sin was my nature :) even so now, since I am

coupled to God by Christ's blood, do I well, not for heaven's

sake, [which is yet the reward of well doing ;] but because I

am heir of heaven by grace and Christ's purchasing, and have

the Spirit of God, I do good freely, for so is my nature : as

a good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and an evil tree evil

A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 23

fruit. By the fruits shall ye know what the tree is. A
man's deeds declare what he is within, but make him neither
good nor bad ; [though, after we be created anew by the Spirit
and doctrine of Christ, we wax perfecter alway, with work
ing according to the doctrine, and not with blind works of
our own imagining.] We must be first evil ere we do evil,
as a serpent is first poisoned ere he poison. We must be also
good ere we do good, as the fire must be first hot, ere it
[heat another] l thing. Take an example : As those blind
and deaf, which are cured in the gospel, could not see nor
hear, till Christ had given them sight and hearing2; and those
sick could not do the deeds of an whole man, till Christ had
given them health ; so can no man do. good in his soul, till
Christ have loosed him out of the bonds of Satan, and have
given him wherewith to do good, yea, and first have poured
into him that self good thing which he sheddeth forth after
ward on other. Whatsoever is our own, is sin. Whatsoever AH sin in U8
is above that, is Christ's gift, purchase, doing and working, selves, and
He bought it of his Father dearly, with his blood, yea, with °£ c£rist- '
his most bitter death, and gave his life for it. Whatsoever
good thing is in us, that is given us freely, without our de
serving or merits, for Christ's blood's sake. That we desire
to follow the will of God, it is the gift of Christ's blood.
That we now hate the devil's will (whereunto we were so fast
locked, and could not but love it), is also the gift of Christ's
blood ; unto whom belongeth the praise and honour of our
good deeds, and not unto us3.

[Our deeds do us three manner of service. First, they works cer-
certify us that we are heirs of everlasting life, and that the everlasting

Spirit of God, which is the earnest thereof, is in us ; in that

and relieve

our hearts consent unto the law of God, and we have power *e necessity

of our neigh-

in our members to do it, though imperfectly. And seconda- bour-
rily, we tame the flesh therewith, and kill the sin that re-
maineth yet in us ; and wax daily perfecter and perfecter in.

[l Prol. warm anyJ\

[2 Prol. As those blind, which are cured in the evangelion, could
not see till Christ had given them sight ; and deaf could not hear,
till Christ had given them hearing.]

[3 With these words the Prologue ends : the remaining marginal
notes are consequently all of them from Day's edition.]

24 A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

the Spirit therewith ; and keep l that the lusts choke not the
word of God that is sown in us, nor quench the gifts and
working of the Spirit, and that we lose not the Spirit again.
And thirdly, we do our duty unto our neighbour therewith, and
help their necessity unto our own comfort also, and draw all
men unto the honouring and praising of God.
Gifts of grace And whosoever excelleth in the gifts of grace, let the

belong to our . . °

Suc&to same think that they be given him, as much to do his brother
ourselves, service as for his own self, and as much for the love which
God hath to the weak, as unto him unto whom God giveth
such gifts. And he that withdraweth aught that he hath
from his neighbour's need, robbeth his neighbour, and is a
thief. And he that is proud of the gifts of God, and thinketh
himself by the reason of them better than his feeble neigh
bour, and not rather (as the truth is) knowledgeth himself a
servant unto his poor neighbour, by the reason of them ; the
same hath Lucifer's spirit in him, and not Christ's.

These things to know : first, the law ; how that it is na
tural right, and equity ; that we have but one God to put
our hope and trust in, and him to love with all the heart,
all the soul, and all our might and power, and neither to
move heart nor hand but at his commandment, because he
hath first created us of nought, and heaven and earth for our
sakes ; and afterwards when we had marred ourself through
sin, he forgave us, and created us again, in the blood of his
beloved Son :

And that we have the name of our one God in fear and
reverence ; and that we dishonour it not, in swearing thereby
about light trifles or vanity, or call it to record for the con
firming of wickedness or falsehood, or aught that is to the
dishonour of God, which is the breaking of his laws, or unto
the hurt of our neighbour :

And inasmuch as he is our Lord and God, and we his

double possession, by creation and redemption, and therefore

ought (as I said) neither to move heart or hand without his

Ssarya£o ne" commandment ; it is right that we have needful holy days to

thSeii?Snd come together, and learn his will, both the law which he

learn Christ's

t1 Keep : take care. 'Wymmen ne kepte of/ i.e. Women took no
care of, or, Women had no regard for. Hearne's Glossary to Robt.
of Gloucester's Chronicle. And WicklifFc, Luke x. 40. ' Lord, takist
thou no kcpe.']

A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 25

will have us ruled by, and also the promises of mercy which
he will have us trust unto ; and to give God thanks together
for his mercy, and to commit our infirmities to him through
our Saviour Jesus, and to reconcile ourselves unto him, and
each to other, if aught be between brother and brother that
requireth it. And for this purpose and such like, as to visit
the sick and needy, and redress peace and unity, were the
holy days ordained only ; and so far forth are they to be kept
holy from all manner works that may be conveniently
spared for the time, till this be done, and no further, but
then lawfully to work :

And that it is right that we obey father and mother,
master, lord, prince and king, and all the ordinances of the
world, bodily and ghostly, by which God ruleth us, and min-
istereth freely his benefits unto us all : and that we love
them for the benefits that we receive by them, and fear them
for the power they have over us to punish us, if we trespass
the law and good order. So far yet are the worldly powers worldly
or rulers to be obeyed only, as their commandments repugn obeeyld°o far
not against the commandment of God; and then, ho 2. laws impugn

' not God's

Wherefore we must have God's commandment ever m our laws-
hearts, and by the higher law interpret the inferior : that we
obey nothing against the belief of one God, or against the
faith, hope and trust that is in him only, or against the love
of God, whereby we do or leave undone all things for his
sake ; and that we do nothing, for any man's commandment,
against the reverence of the name of God, to make it des
pised, and the less feared and set by ; and that we obey
nothing to the hinderance of the knowledge of the blessed
doctrine of God, whose servant the holy day is. Notwith- Though

standing, though the rulers which God hath set over us com- pointedoir

, . ~ , , , God oppress

mand us against (jod, or do us open wrong, and oppress us, yet we

•^ i u *i. • Vi i> may"ot

us with cruel tyranny ; yet because they are in God s ygpQ**1*

room, we may not avenge ourselves, but by the process andGod>sroom-
order of God's law, and laws of man made by the authority
of God's law, which is also God's law, ever by an higher
power, and remitting the vengeance unto God, and in the
mean season suffer until the hour be come :

And on the other side, to know that a man ought to wemustiove
love his neighbour equally and fully as well as himself, be- bournassour-
[2 Ho : halt ; come to a stop.]

A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

cause his neighbour (be he never so simple) is equally created
of God, and as full redeemed by the blood of our Saviour
Jesus Christ. Out of which commandment of love spring
these : Kill not thy neighbour : defile not his wife : bear no
false witness against him ; and finally, not only do not these
things in deed, but covet not in thine heart his house, his
wife, his man-servant, maid-servant, ox, ass, or whatsoever
is his : so that these laws, pertaining unto our neighbour,
are not fulfilled in the sight of God, save with love. He that
loveth not his neighbour keepeth not this commandment,
' Defile not thy neighbour's wife,' though he never touch her,
or never see her, or think upon her. For the commandment
is, Though thy neighbour's wife be never so fair, and thou
have never so great opportunity given thee, and she consent,
or haply provoke thee (as Potiphar's wife did Joseph), yet see
thou love thy neighbour so well, that for very love thou can
not find in thine heart to do that wickedness. And even so
he that trusteth in any thing, save in God only and in his Son
Jesus Christ, keepeth no commandment at all, in the sight of
God. For he that hath trust in any creature, whether in hea
ven or in earth, save in God and his Son Jesus, can see no
cause to love God with all his heart, &c. neither to abstain
from dishonouring his name, nor to keep the holy day for
the love of his doctrine, nor to obey lovingly the rulers of
this world ; nor any cause to love his neighbour as himself,
and to abstain from hurting him, where he may get profit by
him, and save himself harmless. And in like wise, against
this law, 'Love thy neighbour as thyself,' I may obey no
worldly power, to do aught at any man's commandment unto
the hurt of my neighbour that hath not deserved it, though
he be a Turk :

And to know how contrary this law is unto our nature,
and how it is damnation not to have this law written in our
hearts, though we never commit the deeds ; and how there is
no other means to be saved from this damnation, than through
repentance toward the law, and faith in Christ's blood ; which
are the very inward baptism of our souls, and the washing
and the dipping of our bodies in the water is the outward
sign. The plunging of the body under the water signifieth
that we that we repent and profess to fip'ht against sin and lusts, and

repent and ... L

° them every day more and more, with the help of God,

A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. 27

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 damnation in which we are born, and from all the
wrath of the law, and from all the infirmities and weaknesses
that remain in us after we have given our consent unto the
law, and yielded ourself to be scholars thereof; and from all
the imperfectness of all our deeds done with cold love, and
from all actual sin which shall chance on us, while we enforce
the contrary and ever fight there against, 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 per-

fc . i 1

fecter we be, the greater is our repentance, and the stronger fer

our faith. And thus, as the Spirit and doctrine on God's stronger is
part, and repentance and faith on our part, beget us anew in our failh'
Christ, even so they make us grow, and wax perfect, and
save us unto the end ; and never leave us until all sin be put
off, and we clean purified, and full formed, and fashioned after
the similitude and likeness of the perfectness of our Saviour
Jesus, whose gift all is :

And finally, to know that whatsoever good thing is in us,
that same is the gift of grace, and therefore not of deserving,
though many things be given of God through our diligence
in working his laws, and chastising our bodies, and in pray
ing for them, and believing his promises, which else should
not be given us ; yet our working deserveth not the gifts, no our works

i Ti- /> i • • i • deserve not

more than the diligence of a merchant in seeking a good ship the g>fts °f

JL cnicc.

bringeth the goods safe to land, though such diligence doth
now and then help thereto : but when we believe in God,
and then do all that is in our might, and not tempt him,
then is God true to abide by his promise, and to help us,
and perform alone when our strength is past :

These things, I say, to know, is to have all the scripture
unlocked and opened before thee ; so that if thou wilt go in,
and read, thou canst not but understand. And in these
things to be ignorant, is to have all the scripture locked up ;
so that the more thou readest it, the blinder thou art, and the
more contrariety thou findest in it, and the more tangled art
thou therein, and canst nowhere through : for if thou had a

'

l • i • ii "L 'ii i ,1 pies of scrip-

flOSS in one place, in another ifc will not serve. And there- ture perfectly

learned, all

(ore, because we be never taught the profession of our bap-

28 A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

tism, we remain always unlearned, as well the spiritualty, 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, therefore they
read the scripture, and understand and delight therein. And
our great pillars of holy church, which have nailed a veil of
false glosses on Moses's face, to corrupt the true understand
ing of his law, cannot come in. And therefore they bark,
and say the scripture maketh heretics, and it is not possible
for them to understand it in the English, because they them
selves do not in Latin. And of pure malice, that they can
not have their will, they slay their brethren for their faith
they have in our Saviour, and therewith utter their bloody
wolfish tyranny, and what they be within, and whose disci
ples. Herewith, reader, be committed unto the grace of our
Saviour Jesus ; unto whom, and God our Father through him,
be praise for ever and for ever. Amen.

THE

WICKED MAMMON.

THE

PARABLE

OF

THE WICKED MAMMON.

Published

In the year 1527, the 8th of May,

By

William Tyndale.

Romans III. Chap.

We hold that a man

is justified by faith,

without the works

of the law.

INTHODUCTOKY NOTICE.

[As the { Pathway into the Holy Scripture' was, in its original form,
the first of Tyndale's compositions, which we can ascertain him to
have put into the press, so ' The Parable of the Wicked Mammon' was
the first printed with his name. It was written at Worms ; and there
seems to be no reason for doubting the correctness of the date of its
publication as given in the title page, which is a transcript of its
heading in Day's folio volume of the works of Frith, Barnes, and
Tyndale1. If however it be thought desirable that this date should
receive some confirmation from older authority, such may be col
lected from, the language used by Tyndale in the last sentence of
his 'Practice of Prelates :' for whereas that treatise was undeniably
published in 1530, Tyndale there says, 'Well towards three years
agone, I sent forth The True Obedience of a Christian Man;' and
we know that ' The Obedience' preceded ' The Wicked Mammon' (as
each is briefly styled) by an interval of a few months ; so that the
publication of The Wicked Mammon could not be consistently
assigned to any date which should differ much from that found in
Day's folio.

Mr Anderson says, that a second edition was finished by Hans
Luft, printer at Marburg in Hesse, on the same day in the following
year; and that its title was changed, in an edition by J. Nycholson,
Southwark, 1536, to that of 'A Treatise of Justification by Faith
only; otherwise called, The Parable of the Wicked Mammon2.' This
addition would give additional disgust to many ; but was well fitted
to make known what was its chief topic. Abundant evidence of
its circulation and influence, in the mean while, may be gathered
from various contemporary documents of hostile origin. It is well
known that Foxe has frequently entered events, in his Acts and Mo
numents, rather as they fell under his notice than in the chrono
logical order in which they occurred ; and ' The Wicked Mammon*
thus appears in a list of prohibited books immediately following a
mandate dated Oct. 23, 1526, issued by Cuthbert Tonstal then bishop

[' The title only differs from that heading in not spelling1 the author's name Tyn-
dall, but Tyndale; as Day himself does, a few lines lower, in the same page. The
text from Romans is not appended as a motto in Day, but is so placed in the title-
page of Coplande's ancient black-letter edition ; which must be confessed however, to
contain one palpable misprint, as 1536, the year of Tyndale's death, is there made
the date of his compiling this Treatise ; a date contradictory to so many public docu
ments, then recent and well known, that no editor could have meant to say it was then
compiled by Tyndale.]

[2 Annals of the English Bible. B. i. sec. 4. pp. 139 and 518.]

32 PARABLE OF THE WICKED MAMMON.

of London, and insisting on the surrender of all English New Tes
taments to his officials1. This has misled Strype into saying, after
a brief mention of the same mandate, ( Other books of this nature
were then forbid;' and transcribing Foxe's list, inclusive of The
Wicked Mammon, as an enumeration of their titles2. But whilst
the date of the inhibition of Tyndale's Wicked Mammon, thus
apparently given by Foxe, and mistakenly by Strype, is earlier than
its publication, Foxe has copied the date of April 21, 1529, from
the register of Tonstal, as that in which John Tewkesbury, a Lon
don tradesman, was brought before that prelate, (Henry Standisli,
bishop of St Asaph, and the abbot of Westminster being his asses
sors.) and was examined by them, as to whether he would stand to
the contents of the book named The Wicked Mammon ; to which
he replied that he would. Twice more, within a few days, he was
again obliged to appear before bishop Tonstal, Nicholas West, bishop
of Ely, and John Longland, bishop of Lincoln, and was questioned
upon articles extracted from The Wicked Mammon ; and, being driven
from his firmness, he recanted and abjured his alleged heresies, on
May 8th. He was then sentenced to carry a fagot publicly to
two churches, and to three of the city markets, on different days,
and to wear the sign of a fagot worked on each of his sleeves all
his lifetime, as a confession to the beholders that he deserved the
fire ; to submit to be shut up in a monastery, till the bishop should
give him leave to come out ; and then to confine himself to residing
within his diocese of London. Two years after this he was appre
hended again, and brought before Sir Thomas More and the bishop
of London ; in which office Stokesley had succeeded Tonstal, who
had been promoted to Durham. He was then charged with having
'had The Wicked Mammon in his custody, and read it since his
abjuration, which the said Tewkesbury confessed3/ This account
is confirmed by Sir Thomas More, in the Preface to his 'Confuta-
cion of Tyndale's answer*, (Lond. 1532) folio x, where he says, 'In
Tewkesbury's house was found Tyndale's book of Obedience, which
he well allowed, and his wicked book also of The Wicked Mammon,
saying at his examination, that all the heresies therein were good
and Christian faith, being indeed as full of false heresies, and as
frantic as ever heretic made any, since Christ was born/ More
adds his belief that Tewkesbury owed his heretical opinions to ' Tyn
dale's ungracious books: for which the poor wretch lieth now in
hell, and crieth out on him ; and Tyndale, if he do not amend in
time, he is like to find him, when they come together, an hot fire
brand burning at his back.' So wrote Sir Thomas More, a few months
after poor Tewkesbury had been burnt at Smithfield, in execution
of a sentence of which Foxe tells us that it was passed upon him

P Foxe's Acts and Mon. Vol. iv. p. 6G7. Lond. ed. 1837.]
[2 Eccles. Memorials, cli. xxm. p. 254. Oxf. 1822.]
[3 Foxe, ibid, pp. 689—93.]

INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. 33

in Sir Thomas's house, at Chelsea, and sentence pronounced against
him by bishop Stokesley4.

An entry in bishop Stokesley's register, though necessarily of a
later date than the entry of Tewkesbury's appearance before Tonstal,
affords a still earlier proof of the beneficial influence of ' The Wicked
Mammon.' For first, Foxe relates how Richard Bay field, a Benedictine
monk, being chamberlain in the abbey of Bury St Edmond's, was
thus brought into intercourse with ' Dr Barnes, and two godly men of
London, brickmakers, Master Maxwell and Master Stacy, wardens of
their company, who were grafted in the doctrine of Jesus Christ ;' and
that ' Dr Barnes gave him a New Testament in Latin, and the other
two gave him Tyndale's Testament in English, with a book called
The Wicked Mammon and The Obedience of a Christian Man ;' that
from these books he learned such things as occasioned his being ' cast
into the prison of his house5,' where he suffered for three quarters of
a year, till Dr Barnes' influence with one of the superiors of the abbey
procured his enlargement. After this, Maxwell and Stacy sent
him abroad 'with substance,' and he became a large purchaser of
Tyndale's publications and other works favourable to the reforma
tion6. It was while thus employed that he fell into the hands of
bishop Tonstal; who terrified him also into abjuring: but he too
repented of having thus denied his faith, and returned to his work,
till he was again apprehended, and shut up in the famous Lollards'
tower. From Stokesley's register he is afterwards found to have
been brought before that bishop, sitting with Gardiner and other
prelates for his assessors, Nov. 10, 1531 ; when certain charges were
laid against him, of which the fourth was as follows : ' That in the
year of our Lord 1528, he was detected and accused to Cuthbert,
then bishop of London, for affirming and holding certain articles
contrary to the holy church, and especially that all laud and praise
should bo given to GOD alone, and not to saints or creatures.' It
may be gleaned from others of these charges, that by 1528 was
meant that portion of the year, legally so styled, which fell between
January 1st and March 25, of what would now be called 1529. But
if it be supposed that Bayfield's appearance before Tonstal was as
late as March 1529, the events already mentioned, as having inter
vened between his conversion by the perusal of the books given
him? and that appearance, must lead to the conclusion that he was
reading the Mammon and Obedience very early in 1528. In reply
to the charges brought against him, Bayfield confessed to the bishops
that ' he had read a book called The Parable of the Wicked Mam-

[4 Id. ibid. p. 694.]

[5 Meaning the dungeon of his monastery.]

[6 The list of books brought into England by Bayfield, in the last two years of his life,
is given in the sentence which condemned him to the flames, and seems to comprehend
nearly every book that had then been published either in Latin or English, on the side of
the reformation. See the sentence in Foxe, Vol. iv. p. 685.]

[' More is here again a witness to the influence of Tyndale's pen ; for he says, 'Tyn
dale's books brought Bayfelde to burning.' Preface to Conf. of Tyndale's Ans. sign. Cc.]

[TYNDALE.]

34 PARABLE OF THE WICKED MAMMON.

inon, in the presence and hearing of others whom he knew not ; as
also The Obedience of a Christian Man.' 'And being demanded
whether he believed the aforenamed books' (including others with these)
'to be good and of the true faith? he answered that he judged they
were good, and of the true faith/ A few days after this confession,
Bayfield wras delivered over to the lord mayor and sheriffs of London,
as a relapsed heretic, to be burned in the fire.

The pointed inquiries made, at this time, respecting the having
and reading of Tyndale's books, were for the purpose of bringing the
accused persons under sentences which had received additional au
thority from steps which the king had been induced to take, by his
chancellor More and the prelates, in 1530. Some short time before
the 25th of March in that year, he had, for the first time, placed the
civil power by a royal proclamation at the disposal of the bishops,
to aid them in detecting and punishing, even with death by fire, the
authors, importers, or retainers of any book or work, printed or
written, against the faith catholic and ordinances of holy church ;
and the bishops had published a list of such books, including by
name The Mammon, and Obedience, and whatever else Tyndale was
then known to have written, as well as his versions of different parts
of the scriptures1. The next step was probably thought necessary
to justify, as well as confirm, this rigorous proclamation. Some time
must have been occupied in its preparation, and yet it came forth
before the end of May in the same year. Archbishop Warham, and
the bishops Tonstal and Gardiner, aided by Sir Thomas More, to whom
Tonstal had given permission in 1527 to read heretical works for such
purposes2, had all been at work by the king's command: and the fruit
of their labours was a list of two hundred heretical propositions, the
larger half of which they charged upon Tyndale and Frith, distin
guishing particularly which were extracted for condemnation from
the Mammon and Obedience ; and at the head of those was, ' Faith
only justifieth.' Of this list the king permitted the archbishop to an
nounce his royal will, in the following terms : ' All which great errors
and pestilent heresies being contagious and damnable, with all the
books containing the same, with the translation also of scripture cor
rupted by William Tyndale, as well in the Old Testament as in the
New, and all other books in English containing such errors, the king's
highness present in person, by one whole advice and assent of the pre
lates and clerks, as well of the universities as of all other assembled
together, determined utterly to be repelled and rejected, and put
away out of the hands of his people, and not to be suffered to get
abroad among his subjects/ There was also a ' bill in English, to be
published by the preachers/ who were required by it to say to their
congregations : ' Wherefore you that have the books called the Obe
li1 Foxe's Acts and Mon. Vol. iv. pp. 667—70, and the Proclamation itself, pp. 676—9.
Also Anderson's Annals of Eng. Bib., B. i. sec. 6, Vol. i. pp. 233—5.]
[2 This letter of permission may be seen in Foxe, Vol. *v. p. 6y7.J

INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

35

clience of a Christian Man, Mammon, the Matrimony of Tyndale, the
New Testament in English of the translation that is now printed —
detest them, abhor them, keep them not in your hands, deliver them
to the superiors, such as call for them : and if by reading of them
heretofore any thing remains in your breast of that teaching, either
forget it, or by information of the truth expel it. This you ought
to do. The prelates of the church ought to compel you, and your
prince to punish and correct you, not doing the same. Having of
the whole scripture in English is not necessary to Christian men ;
and like as the having of the scripture in the vulgar tongue, and
in the common people's hands, hath been, by the holy fathers of the
church, heretofore in some times thought meet and convenient, so at
another time it hath been thought not expedient to be communicated
among them. Wherein forasmuch as the king's highness, by the ad
vice and deliberation of bis council, and the agreement of the great
learned men, thinketh in his conscience that the divulging of this
scripture at this time, in the English tongue, to be committed to the
people, should rather be to their farther confusion and destruction,
than the edification of their souls ; it was thought there, in that as
sembly, to all and singular in that congregation, that the king's high
ness, and the prelates, in so doing, and not suffering the scripture to
be divulged and communicate to the people in the English tongue, at
this time, do well. And I also think and judge the same/

At the close of this document, it is said, * His Grace's highness
being in person in the chapel called the Old Chapel, within his Grace's
palace at Westminster, upon the 24th day of May, the year of our
Lord 1530, then and there, in the presence of all the personages there
assembled, required the three notaries to make public and authentic
instruments, and us (i. e. the archbishop) to set thereunto our seal3 .'

It was after this that Mr. James Bainham, son of a Gloucestershire
knight, and himself a member of the Middle Temple, was carried off
from his chambers to Sir Thomas More's house at Chelsea ; and, after
being flogged there, was sent to the Tower, and racked in More's pre
sence, for the purpose of extorting from him the names of other Tem
plars, friendly to the reformation. He had the courage to bear the
torment without betraying them ; but he afterwards confessed before

[3 Foxe's Acts and Mon., B. xi. Vol. vn. pp. 503—5. Also Anderson's Annals of Eng.
Bib., B. i. sec. 7, Vol. r. pp. 257—8 ; and Wilkins' Concilia, Vol. in. 737—42.

Mr. Anderson says that « The original document, closely written on eight skins of
parchment, may still be seen in the library of Lambeth Palace.' In the list of names
appended to it by the notaries, as ' then and there present,' is found that of * Master
Hugh Latimer,' in consequence of which, Henry Wharton, the compiler of the Anglia
sacra, charges Latimer with having ' solemnly subscribed ' Archbishop Warham's
declaration, 'that the publication of the scriptures in the vulgar tongue is not ne
cessary to Christians.' On this Mr. Anderson has observed, that no one subscribed this
declaration but the notaries ; and that Latimer gave undeniable evidence of his not as
senting to the decision of the majority in that assembly, in a letter which he had the
courage to address to the king, when circumstances had given him some reason to hope
-that Henry would bear \yith his faithfully, condemning their resolutions.]

3—2

36 PARABLE OF THE WICKED MAMMON.

Bishop Stokesley, that he had lately ' had in his keeping, The wicked
Mammon, The Obedience of a Christian Man, The Practice of Pre
lates, and the Answer of Tyndale to Thomas More's Dialogue1/ The
rigour of Stokesley, in inquiring after possessors of Tyndale's works,
must have exposed him at this time to frequent mortifications of the
same kind. For in the extracts made by Foxe from his episcopal
register, for the years 1530-2, more than a third of the persons sum
moned before him, from the county of Essex, were such as he had
discovered to have Tyndale's Testaments, and generally some of his
other works ; and when there is a list of them, the Mammon is usually
one2. It is not to be wondered, therefore, that Sir Thomas More,
having such evidence continually breaking out around him, of the
Mammon's being greedily sought after, notwithstanding such royal
and episcopal prohibitions, and notwithstanding also his own pre
vious controversial attacks upon its doctrine, should give a final tes
timony of his consciousness of its great influence, by writing of it
as follows, in 1532, in the preface to his Confutacion of Tyndale's
answer to his Dialogue : t Then have we, by Tyndale, the wicked
Mammona, by which many a man hath been beguiled, and brought
into many wicked heresies : which thing (saving that the devil is ready
to put out men's eyes, that are content willingly to wax blind) were
else, in good faith, to me no little wonder ; for never was there made
a more foolish frantic book/

The copies collated throughout with the Rev. Th. Russell's recent
edition, are that contained in Day's folio of the works of Frith, Barnes,
and Tyndale, London, 1573 ; and a 12mo edition of the Parable of
the Wicked Mammon, ' Imprinted at London in the Vyntre, upon the
thre Krayned Wharfe, by Wyllyam Coplande/ in Edward the Sixth's
reign. Besides these, the editor has been kindly allowed by Geo.
Offor, Esq., of Hackney, to examine his copies of the small 8vo, printed
at Malborow (Marburg in Hesse) by Hans Luft, May 8th, 1528 (sup
posed by Mr. Anderson to be the second edition) ; of a small 4to,
printed at the same time at the same press, as though one edition
was intended for the poorer reader, and the other for such as might
like a more sightly book ; and of another small 4to by William Hill,
Sept. 15th, without date of year, but probably of 1548, or 1549.]

[' Foxe, Vol. iv. pp. 698 — 9, and Anderson, pp. 331 — 3. Bainham,likeTewkesbury and
Bayfield, was wearied and terrified into denying his religion and recanting ; but, like
them, he found mercy from the Lord, being 'never quiet in mind and conscience, until
the time he had uttered his fall to all his acquaintance, and asked God and all the world
forgiveness.' ' He came the next Sunday to St Austin's, with the New Testament in
his hand, in English, and The Obedience of a Christian Man in his bosom ; and stood
up there before the people in his pew, declaring openly, with weeping tears, that he
had denied God; and prayed all the people to forgive him, and to beware of his weak
ness, and not to do as he had done.' After this he was strengthened, and bore the
cruel death by fire with remarkable courage. — Foxe, pp. 702 — 5.]

[2 Foxe, Vol. v. pp. 29—40.]

WILLIAM TYNDALE,

OTHERWISE CALLED HITCHINS,

TO THE READER.

' Ant;

GRACE and peace, with all manner spiritual feeling and
living, worthy of the kindness of Christ, be with the reader,
and with all that thirst1 the will of God. Amen.

The cause why I set my name before this little treatise, The cause

t/ </ ' why W. Tyn-

and have not rather done it in the New Testament, is, that d*ie put his

' name to some

then I followed the counsel of Christ, which exhorteth men
(Matt, vi.) to do their good deeds secretly, and to be content
with the conscience of well-doing, and that God seeth us ;
and patiently to abide the reward of the last day, which
Christ hath purchased for us : and now would I fain have
done likewise, but am3 compelled otherwise to do.

While I abode4 a faithful companion, which now hath
taken another voyage upon him, to preach Christ where,
I suppose, he was never yet preached, (God, which put in his
heart thither to go, send his Spirit with him, comfort him,
and brinsr his purpose to good effect !) one William Roye, a wniiam

* , & , 1, J . . Roye a false

man somewhat cratty, when he cometh unto new acquaint- disciple.

Ant. ed.

0 So Copland's ed. : but in Day's folio the word is trust. We
shall find Tyndale again using the verb thirst, without subjoining either
/or, or after.]

[2 It has been thought desirable again to distinguish the margins
found in the oldest editions from those not known to occur earlier
than in Day's folio, by fixing the initials W. T. to the former, as pro
bably the author's own, and Ant. ed. to the latter, to mark that they
also are not modern.]

[3 Day reads, am I compelled.]

[4 Abode : waited for. — The faithful companion has been supposed
to mean John Frith ; but Mr. Anderson observes, that he was at Cam
bridge, at the date implied, not having taken his degree there till
December, 1525 ; and that he did not escape from Oxford to the
continent till August or September, 1526. The person meant may
more probably have been George Joy, whom More calls ' Jaye the
priest that is wedded now.' — Pref. to Conf ".]

38 PARABLE OF THE WICKED MAMMON.

ance, and before he be thorough known, and namely when
all is spent, came unto me and offered his help. As long as
he had no money, somewhat I could rule him ; but as soon
as he had gotten him money, he became like himself again.
Nevertheless, I suffered all things till that was ended, which
I could not do alone without one, both to write, and to help
me to compare the texts together. When that was ended,
I took my leave, and bade him farewell for our two lives,
and (as men say) a day longer. After we were departed, he
went and gat him new friends; which thing to do he passeth
all that ever I yet knew. And there when he had stored
him of money, he gat him to Argentine1, where he professeth
wonderful faculties, and maketh boast of no small things. A
year after that, and now twelve months before the printing
°^ this WOI>k3 came one Jerome, a brother of Greenwich also 2,
Amened!d1' through Worms to Argentine, saying that he intended to be
Christ's disciple another while, and to keep (as nigh as God
would give him grace) the profession of his baptism, and to
get his living with his hands, and to live no longer idly, and
of the sweat and labour of those captives, which they had
taught not to believe in Christ, but in cut shoes and russet
coats. Which Jerome with all diligence I warned of Roye's
boldness, and exhorted him to beware of him, and to walk

[! Strasburgh.]

[2 Jerome and Roye were Franciscan friars of the reformed order
which took the name of Observants, of whose monastery at Greenwich
they were both of them members. Several of the monks of that mo
nastery took a prominent part in the great questions brought under
debate in Henry's reign. When lie was on the eve of having his mar
riage with Catharine of Arragon dissolved, and was attending divine
service in the chapel attached to the royal residence at Greenwich,
friar Peto, the same who was confessor to Queen Mary, and made a
cardinal, denounced heavy judgments against the king from the pul
pit; and was justified aloud for so doing by Elstow, fa brother of
Greenwich also.' It may be supposed that this did not retard the dis
solution of their monastery ; and though Henry let them escape, at the
time, with no heavier penalty than a reprimand from the privy coun
cil, they and all other Observants were shortly after banished the king
dom. Previous to the dissolution of the monasteries, such monks as
could not conscientiously continue their required round of superstitious
and idolatrous observances had no alternative but that of suffering, or
else renouncing their source of maintenance, and making their escape
to foreign lands, as Roye and Jerome had done.]

PREFACE TO THE READER. 39

quietly, and with all patience and long-suffering, according as
we have Christ and his apostles for an ensample ; which thing
he also promised me.

Nevertheless, when he was come to Argentine, William
Roye (whose tongue is able not only to make fools stark
mad, but also to deceive the wisest, that is, at the first sight
and acquaintance,) gat him to him, and set him a-work to
make rhymes, while he himself translated a dialogue out of
Latin into English, in whose prologue he promiseth more a
great deal than I fear me he will ever pay3. Paul saith,

[3 Mr. Anderson says : ' After leaving Tyndale's service, Roye had
proceeded to Strasburgh, where he published his Dialogue between the
Father and the Son, about the end of 1526. Soon after this came out
his Rede me, and be not wrothe, a satire on Wolsey and the monastic
orders, frequently denounced under the name of The Burying of the
Mass. It was first published in small 8vo, black letter, with a wood
cut of the cardinal's coat of arms. Wolsey was so annoyed by it, that
he spared neither pains nor expense to procure the copies, employing
more than one emissary for the purpose. Hence its extreme rarity ;
a copy of it having been sold for as high a sum as sixteen or twenty
guineas. It is reprinted, however, in the supplement to the Harleian
Miscellany, by Park/ — Annals of Eng. Bib., B. I. sec. 4, Yol. I. p. 136.

The Dialogue between the Father and the Son is mentioned in
two short lists of prohibited books given by Foxe, between the dates
of 1526 and 1529. The first of those lists is also copied by Strype,
Eccles. Mem. ch. xxm. p. 165. In Park's first supplementary volume,
p. 3, the piece is described as * a dialogue, translated out of Latin into
English, by friar Roye, against the mass ; whose original author is un
known, but whose original and proper title was, Inter patrem Christia-
num et filium contumacem Dialogus Christianus.'

The rhymes made by Roye, on the burying of the mass, are like
wise in the form of a dialogue, introduced by the following motto, —
' Rede me, and be not wrothe ;
For I saye no thinge but trothe.'

Then commences a dialogue between the author and his ' Little trea-
tous ' (treatise), of which the first four stanzas may serve to shew how
he connects his two subjects, the cardinal and the mass, though they
do not fully exhibit that railing which Tyndale thought it right to
condemn.

The Author :

Go forth, little treatise, nothing afraid,

To the cardinal of York dedicate ;

And tho' he threaten thee, be not dismayd,

To publish his abominable estate :

For tho' his power he doth elevate,

Yet the season is now verily come,

Ut inveniatur iniquitas ejus ad odium.

40 PARABLE OF THE WICKED MAMMON.

servan* °f the Lord must not strive, but be
*man°tJ>8ht Peaceable unto all men, and ready to teach, and one that can
edSseTndk" suffer the evil with meekness, and that can inform them that

InJ rhymes11" resist ; if God at any time will give them repentance for to
w. T.

The Treatise :

O my author! how shall I be so bold
Afore the Cardinal to show my face?
Seeing all the clergy with him doth hold,
Also in favour of the king's grace :
With furious sentence they will me chase,
Forbidding any person to read me;
Wherefore, my dear author, it cannot be.

The Author :

Thou knowest very well what his life is,
Unto all people greatly detestable ;
He causeth many to do amiss,
Thro' his example abominable :
Wherefore it is no thing reprobable,
To declare his mischief and whoredom,
Ut inveniatur iniquitas ejus ad odium.

The Treatise :

Though his life of all people is hated,
Yet in the Mass they put much confidence,
Which throughout all the world is dilated,
As a work of singular magnificence.
Priests also they have in reverence,
With all other persons of the spiritualte.
Wherefore, my dear author, it cannot be.

The last stanza of this dialogue is —

Blessed be they which are cursed of the Pope,

And cursed are they whom he doth bless ;

Accursed are all they that have any hope,

Either in his person, or else in his :

For of Almighty GOD accursed he is

Per omnia saecula saeculorum,

Ut inveniatur iniquitas ejus ad odium.

Then immediately follows ' The Lamentation,' which is succeeded
by another dialogue, between two priests' servants, Watkin and Jeffrey,
in which Roye took care to introduce the praises of the city which
then afforded him a temporary asylum, and of its ministers, as fol
lows : —

Jeffrey :

I would hear, marvellously fayne,
In what place the Mass deceased?

Watkin:

In Strasburgh, that noble town,
A city of most famous renown,
Where the gospel is freely preached.

&c. &c. — From Park's reprint, in first supplementary volume to Har-
leian Miscell. 4to, London, 1812.]

PREFACE TO THE READER. 41

know the truth." It becometh not then the Lord's servant
to use railing rhymes, but God's word; which is the right
weapon to slay sin, vice, and all iniquity1. The scripture of
God is good to teach and to improve2. Paul speaking
Antichrist saith, " Whom the Lord shall destroy with the
spirit or breath of his mouth ;" that is, with the word of God.
And, "The weapons of our war are not carnal things (saith 2 cor. x.
he), but mighty in God to cast down strong holds," and so
forth ; that is, to destroy high buildings of false doctrine.
The word of God is that day whereof Paul speaketh, which icor.iu.
shall declare all things, and that fire which shall try every
man's work, and consume false doctrine : with that sword
ought men sharply to fight, and not to rail with foolish
rhymes. Let it not offend thee, that some walk inordinately ;
let not the wickedness of Judas cause thee to despise the
doctrine of his fellows. No man ought to think that Stephen

t1 It was not without good reason that Tyndale endeavoured to
mark thus distinctly, that he had no share in the composition of Roye's
satire ; for the perils to which he was exposed had been increased by
the prevalence of an opinion, that he was the real author of this cut
ting attack on Wolsey. Even what he now said was insufficient, for a
while, to induce his enemies to acquit him of this charge. In the
Dialogue of Sir Thomas More, which was written in 1528, and left the
press in June, 1529, having alluded first to the New Testament, and
then to the satire, this question is put : * But who made that second
book ? Forsooth, quoth I, it appeareth not in the look ; for the book is
put forth nameless, and was in the beginning reckoned to be made by Tyn
dale ; and whether it be so or not, we be not yet very sure. Howbeit since
that time Tyndale hath put out, in his own name, another book, entitled
Mammona ; and yet hath he, since then, put forth a worse also, named,
The Obedience of a Christian Man. In the preface of his Jirst book,
called Mammona, he saith that one friar Hierome made the other book
that we talk of, and that afterward he left him, and went unto Roye, who
is, as I think ye know, another apostate.' Such was More's language
then ; but by the time that he came to publish his Supplication for
Souls in Purgatory, his tone is altered respecting the authorship.
Enumerating the books in order, he then says : Sending forth Tyn-
dale's translation of the New Testament — the well-spring of all their
heresies. Then came, soon after, out in print the dialogue of friar Roye
and friar Hierome, between the father and the son, against the sacrament
of the altar, and the blasphemous book entitled The Burying of the Mass.
Then came forth Tyndale' s wicked book of Mammona, and after that his
more wicked book of Obedience.']

[2 To improve : to reprove, to rebuke.]

42

PARABLE OF THE WICKED MAMMON.

Antichrist,
Ant. ed.""

Antichrist is

as much to

say as, against

£hnothing(l

of
triSe.dow. T.

Antichrist
w. T.

scribes and
were very

Antichrists.

was a false preacher, because that Nicholas, which was chosen
fellow with him to minister unto the widows, fell after into
great heresies, as histories make mention. Good and evil go
always together ; one cannot be known without the other 1.

Mark this also above all things, that Antichrist is not
an outward thing, that is to say, a man that should suddenly

& J *

appear with wonders, as our fathers talked of mm. No,

1 *

verily; for Antichrist is a spiritual thing2; and is as much
to say as, against Christ ; that is, one that preacheth false
doctrine, contrary to Christ. Antichrist was in the Old
testament, and fought with the prophets ; he was also in the
time of Christ and 'the apostles, as thou readest in the epistles
of John, and of Paul to the Corinthians and Galatians, and
other epistles. Antichrist is now, and shall (I doubt not)
endure till the world's end. But his nature is (when he is
uttered, and overcome with the word of God) to go out of
the play for a season, and to disguise himself, and then to
come in again with a new name and new raiment. As thou
seest how Christ rebuketh the scribes and Pharisees in the
gospel, (which were very Antichrists,) saying : " Woe be to

O f * \ f J V J &

you> ™iarisees • f°r Je r0^ widows' houses ; ye pray long
prayers under a colour; ye shut up the kingdom of heaven,
and suffer not them that would to enter in; ye have taken
away the key of knowledge ; ye make men break God's
commandments with your traditions :" ye beguile the people

[l If these latter sentences were dictated by Tyndale's disappro
bation of Roye's manner of writing, the poor man met with still harder
judgment from the parties he had unsparingly lashed. ' In this year also
(1531)/ says Foxe, 'as we do understand by divers notes of old regis
ters and otherwise, friar Roy was burned in Portugal; but what his exa
mination, or articles, or cause of his death was, we can have no under
standing ; but what his doctrine was, it may be easily judged, from
the testimonies which he left here in England/ — Vol. iv. p. C96. Sir
Thomas More has confirmed this, in the preface to his Confutation of
Tyndale's answer, published in 1532, where he says: 'As Bayfield,
another heretic, and late burned in Smithficld, told unto me, friar Roy
made a meet end at last, and was burned in Portyngale.'j

[2 When Tewkesbury was examined in 1529, before Tonstal, bishop
of London, Nicholas West bishop of Ely, Longland bishop of Lincoln,
and Clark bishop of Bath and Wells, they asked him what he thought
of what Tyndale has here said. ' Whereunto he answered and said,
That he findeth no fault in it.'— Foxe, Vol. iv. p. 690.]

PREFACE TO THE READER. 43

with hypocrisy and such like ; which things all our prelates
do, but have yet gotten them new names, and other garments
and weeds3, and are otherwise disguised. There is difference
in the names between a pope, a cardinal, a bishop, and so
forth, and to say a scribe, a Pharisee, a senior, and so forth ;
but the thing is all one. Even so now, when we have uttered
him, he will change himself once more, and turn himself into
an angel of light. Read the place, I exhort thee, whatsoever 2 cor. XL
thou art that readest this, and note it well. The Jews look ^g^™*
for Christ, and he is come fifteen hundred years ago, and f™°ntf^
they not aware : we also have looked for Antichrist, and he Ant ed-
hath reigned as long, and we not aware : and that because
either of us looked carnally for him, and not in the places
where we ought to have sought. The Jews had found Christ
verily, if they had sought him in the law and the prophets,
whither Christ sendeth them to seek. We also had spied out John v.
Antichrist long ago, if we had looked in the doctrine of Christ Antichrist is

a spiritual

and his apostles ; where because the beast seeth himself now thi"g> a,nd

i 7 cannot be

to be sought for, he roareth, and seeketh new holes to hide JJ^JUS
himself in, and changeth himself into a thousand fashions, wJ5r.word'
with all manner wiliness, falsehood, subtilty, and craft.
Because that his excommunications are come to light, he
maketh it treason unto the king to be acquainted with Christ. ^counSh it
If Christ and they may not reign together, one hope we have, arceqau°intedbe
that Christ shall live ever. The old Antichrists brought
Christ unto Pilate, saying, " By our law he ought to die ;"
and when Pilate hade them judge him after their law, they
answered, " It is not lawful for us to kill any man :" which
they did to the intent that they which regarded not the
shame of their false excommunications, should yet fear to
confess Christ, because that the temporal sword had con
demned him. They do all things of a good zeal, they say ;
they love you so well, that they had rather burn you, than K^1,?
that you should have fellowship with Christ. They are jealous dren> w> T*
over you amiss, as saith St Paul. They would divide you GaUv-
from Christ and his holy testament ; and join you to the
pope, to believe in his testament and promises.

Some man will ask, peradventure, Why I take the labour
to make this work, inasmuch as they will burn it, seeing
they burnt the gospel ? I answer, In burning the new
[3 Day omits and weeds.]

J S?"'st>

44 PARABLE OF THE WICKED MAMMON.

Testament they did none other thing than that I looked
for: no more shall they do, if they burn me also, if it be
God's will it shall so be.

Nevertheless, in translating the New Testament I did my
duty, and so do I now, and will do as much more as God
hath ordained me to do. And as I offered that to all men,
to correct it, whosoever could, even so I do this. Whosoever,
therefore, readeth this, compare it unto the scripture. If
God's word bear record unto it, and thou also feelest in thine
heart that it is so, be of good comfort, and give God thanks.
If God's word condemn it, then hold it accursed, and so do
all other doctrines : as Paul counselleth his Galatians. Believe
not every spirit suddenly, but judge them by the word of
God, which is the trial of all doctrine, and lasteth- for ever.
Amen.

THE PARABLE

OF

THE WICKED MAMMON.

" There was a certain rich man which had a steward, that was ac- Luke xvu
cused unto him, that he had wasted his goods : and he called him, and
said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee ? Give account of
thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer my steward. The
steward said within himself, What shall I do, for my master will take
away from me my stewardship ? I cannot dig, and to beg I am
ashamed. I wot what to do, that when I am put out of my steward
ship, they may receive me into their houses. Then called he all his
master's debtors, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto
my master? And he said, An hundred tons of oil. And he said to
him, Take thy bill l, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said
he to another, What owest thou ? And he said, An hundred quarters
of wheat. He said to him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. And
the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely.
For the children of this world are in their kind wiser than the chil
dren of light. And I say also unto you, Make you friends of the wicked
mammon, that when ye shall have need, they may receive you into
everlasting habitations."

FORASMUCH as with this, and divers such other texts,
many have enforced to draw the people from the true faith,
and from putting their trust in the truth of God's promises,
and in the merits and deserving of his Christ, our Lord ; and
have also brought it to pass, (for "many false prophets shall
arise and deceive many, and much wickedness must also be," Matt, xxiv
saith Christ; and Paul saith, "Evil men and deceivers shall 2 Tim. in.
prevail in evil, while they deceive, and are deceived them
selves ;") and have taught them to put their trust in their own

[! Bill. For ypd/j-p-a in v. 6, the Vulgate has cautionem, and in v. 7,
litteras ; and Wicliffe accordingly has caution and lettris. Tyndalo
introduced the word bill, which remains in our authorised version,
though now confined in its ordinary acceptance to a statement of
monies due.]

46 THE PARABLE OF

merits, and brought them in belief that they shall be justi
fied in the sight of God by the goodness of their own works,
and have corrupted the pure word of God, to confirm their
Aristotle withal; (for though that the philosophers and
worldly wise men were enemies above all enemies to the
gospel of God ; and though the worldly wisdom cannot com-

^cor. L & ii. prehend the wisdom of God, as thou mayest see 1 Cor. i.
and ii. ; and though worldly righteousness cannot be obe
dient unto the righteousness of God, yet whatsoever they

They give read in Aristotle, that must be first true ; and to maintain

to Arbtctie that, they rend and tear the scriptures with their distinctions1,
lhanto J -11 i

chmt. W.T. an{j expound them violently, contrary to the meaning ot the

text, and to the circumstances that go before and after, and
to a thousand clear and evident texts :) wherefore I have
taken in hand to expound this gospel, and certain other places
of the new Testament ; and (as far forth as God shall lend me
grace) to bring the scripture unto the right sense, and to dig
again the wells of Abraham, and to purge and cleanse them
of the earth of worldly wisdom, wherewith these Philistines
have stopped them. Which grace grant me God, for the
love that he hath unto his Son, Jesus our Lord, unto the
glory of his name. Amen.
Faith only That faith only before all works and without all merits.

Justifieth. *

Ant.cd. kut Christ's only, Justifieth and setteth us at peace with God2,

[! As the first part of the authoritative epitome of the papal law,
the Corpus Juris Canonici, was arranged by Gratian under 101 heads,
which he entitled distinctions, and each distinction was subdivided into
sections, sometimes styled canons, and sometimes capitula ; the school
men made a similar arrangement in their systems of theology, giving
to their affirmations of various doctrines, more or less disputable, the
title of distinctions.]

[2 The list of 'great errors and pestilent heresies' collected from
this treatise by archbishop Warham, and his brother commissioners,
as mentioned in the introductory notice, begins with this, as its Art. I.
'Faith only Justifieth.' To which Foxe appends the following re
mark : ' This article being a principle of the scripture, and the ground
of our salvation, is plain enough by St Paul, and the whole body of
scripture; neither can any make this a heresy, but they must make St
Paul a heretic, and shew themselves enemies unto the promises of
grace, and to the cross of Christ.'

When Tewkesbury was examined by Tonstal and three other
bishops in April 1529, as mentioned before, they demanded of him,
What he thought of this article ? To which he replied, 'That if he

THE WICKED MAMMON. 47

is proved by Paul in the first chapter to the Romans. "I am Rom. t.
not ashamed (saith he) of the gospel," that is to say, of the
glad tidings and promises which God hath made and sworn
to us in Christ: "for it (that is to say the gospel) is the
power of God unto salvation to all that believe." And it
folio weth in the foresaid chapter, "the just or righteous must
live by faith."

For in the faith which we have in Christ and in God's vuthbimg-
promises find we mercy, life, favour, and peace. In the law Ant- cd-
we find death, damnation, and wrath; moreover, the curse The law
and vengeance of God upon us. And it (that is to say, the deatn. Ant.
law) is called of Paul the ministration of death and damnation. 2 cor. in.
In the law we are proved to be the enemies of God, and that The law,

. , . death; and

we hate him. For how can we be at peace with God and jjg v™™**
love him, seeing we are conceived and born under the power
of the devil, and are his possession and kingdom, his captives
and bondmen, and led at his will, and he holdeth our hearts,
so that it is impossible for us to consent to the will of God,
much more is it impossible for a man to fulfil the law of his
own strength arid power, seeing that we are by birth and of
nature the heirs of eternal damnation, as saith Paul, Eph. ii. ?
We (saith he) "are by nature the children of wrath ;" which Eph. ii.
thing the law doth but utter only, and helpeth us not, yea,
requireth impossible things of us3. The law when it com-Theiaw,

when it is
preached,

should look to deserve heaven by works, he should do wickedly ; for
works follow faith ; and Christ redeemed us all, with the merits of his
passion.' Foxe, Vol. iv. p. 690.]

[3 Art. II. of alleged heresies and errors, was, ' The law maketh
us to hate God, because we be born under the power of the devil/
Art. III. 'It is impossible for us to consent to the will of God/
Art. IV. 'The law requireth impossible things of us.' On these
articles Foxe only remarks : * I beseech thee indifferently to read the
places, and then to judge/ Vol. v. p. 570 — 1. Tewkesbury's exami
ners had questioned him as to what he held respecting this same
paragraph in Tyndale. To the first question, whether the author was
right in saying, 'The devil holdeth our hearts so hard that it is impos
sible for us to consent unto God's law?' he answered, 'That he
found no fault in it/ To the next question, which turned on Art. IV.
he answered, ' That the law of God doth command that thou shalt
love GOD above all things, and thy neighbour as thyself, which never
man could do: and in that he doth find no fault in his conscience/
Id. Vol. iv. p, 690.]

48 THE PARABLE OF

gowcrtno° mandeth that thou shalt not lust, giveth thec not power so to
sameUhw. T. ^°» but damneth thce, because thou canst not so do.

If thou wilt therefore be at peace with God, and love him,

thou must turn to the promises of God, and to the gospel,

The gospel is which is called of Paul, in the place before rehearsed to the

the inmistra-

eo°unsnesrsight~ Corinthians, the ministration of righteousness, and of the
Spirit. For faith bringeth pardon and forgiveness freely
purchased by Christ's blood, and bringeth also the Spirit;
the Spirit looseth the bonds of the devil, and setteth us at

2Cor.iii. liberty. For " where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
liberty," saith Paul in the same place to the Corinthians : that
is to say, there the heart is free, and hath power to love the
will of God ; and there the heart mourneth that he cannot love

The consent- enough. Now is that consent of the heart unto the law of

ing unto the °

jJUrtfa1 the God eternal life ; yea, though there be no power yet in the

eternal life. members to fulfil it. Let every man therefore (according to
Paul's counsel in the sixth chapter to the Ephesians) arm

Eph. vi. himself with the armour of God ; that is to understand, with
God's promises. And "above all things (saith he) take unto
you the shield of faith, wherewith ye may be able to quench
all the fiery darts of the wicked, that ye may be able to

Resist the resist in the evil day of temptation," and namely at the hour

devil with » »

the shield of of death.

faith. Ant.

Sec therefore thou have God's promises in thine heart,
and that thou believe them without wavering : and when
temptation ariseth, and the devil layeth the law and thy
deeds against thee, answer him with* the promises ; and turn
to God, and confess thyself to him, and say it is even so, or
else how could he be merciful ? But remember that he is the
God of mercy and of truth, and cannot but fulfil his promises.
Also remember, that his Son's blood is stronger than all the
sins and wickedness of the whole world ; and therewith quiet
thyself, and thereunto commit thyself, and bless thyself in all
Faith is the temptation (namely at the hour of death) with that holv

holy candle * , . . "

^emeu^tth candle. Or else perishest thou, though thou hast a thousand

JjfcwStow h°ty candles about thee, a hundred ton of holy water, a ship-

Anthed.r' f«H of pardons, a cloth-sack full of friars' coats, and all the

ceremonies in the world, and all the good works, deservings,

and merits of all the men in the world, be they, or were they,

never so holy. God's word only lasteth for ever ; and that

THE WICKED MAMMON. 49

which he hath sworn doth abide, when all other things perish.
So long as thou findest any consent in thine heart unto the
law of God, that it is righteous and good, and also displeasure
that thou canst not fulfil it, despair not ; neither doubt but
that God's Spirit is in thee, and that thou art chosen for
Christ's sake to the inheritance of eternal life.

And again, "We suppose that a man is justified through Rom. m.
faith, without the deeds of the law." And likewise, " We say-
that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness." Also, Rom. iv.
" Seeing that we are justified through faith, we are at peace
with God." Also, "With the heart doth a man believe to be
made righteous." Also, "Keceived ye the Spirit by the deeds
of the law, or by hearing of the faith ? Doth he which
ministereth the Spirit unto you, and worketh miracles among
you, do it of the deeds of the law, or by hearing of faith ?
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to The children
him for righteousness. Understand therefore (saith he) ^^aham
that the children of faith are the children of Abraham. Ant ed-
For the scripture saw before that God would justify the
heathen or gentiles by faith, and shewed before glad tidings
unto Abraham, In thy seed shall all nations be blessed.
Wherefore they which are of faith are blessed, that is to
wit made righteous, with the1 righteous Abraham. For as
many as are of the deeds of the law, are under curse :
for it is written (saith he), Cursed is every man that con-
tinueth not in all things which are written in the book of the
law, to fulfil them."

Item, Gala. ii. where he resisted Peter in the face, he Gai. «.
saith : " We which are Jews by nation, and not sinners of
the Gentiles, know that a man is not justified by the deeds
of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ ; and have there
fore believed on Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by
the faith of Christ, and not by the deeds of the law ; for by w- T-
the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified." Item, in
the same place he saith : " Touching that I now live, I live
in the faith of the Son of God, which loved me, and gave
himself for me : I despise not the grace of God ; for if right
eousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain."

And of such like ensamples are all the epistles of Paul
C1 So C.'s cd. In D. the is omitted.]

[TYNDALE.]

50 THE PARABLE OF

full. Mark how Paul labourcth with himself to express the
exceeding mysteries of faith in the epistle to the Ephesians
and in the epistle to the Colossians. Of these and many
such like texts are we sure, that the forgiveness 'of sins and
justifying is appropriate unto faith only, without the adding
to of works.

Matt vii. Take forth also the similitude that Christ maketh : "A

good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and a bad tree bringeth
forth bad fruit." There seest thou, that the fruit maketh not
the tree good, but the tree the fruit ; and that the tree must
aforehand be good, or be made good, ere it can bring forth

Matt. xii. good fruit. As he also saith, "Either make the tree good and
his fruit good also, either make the tree bad and his fruit bad
also. How can ye speak well while ye yourselves are evil?'5
•So likewise is this true, and nothing more true, that a man
before all good works must first be good ; and that it is
impossible that works should make him good, if he were not

A principle good before, ere he did good works. For this is Christ's

taught by D

Christ. Ant. principle, and (as we say) a general rule. "How can ye speak
well, while ye are evil?" so likewise how can ye do good,
while ye are evil ?

A man must This is therefore plain, and a sure conclusion, not to be
poodness in doubted of, that there must be first in the heart of a man,

his heart,

kef°re ne do any good work, a greater and a preciouser

w?dTW°rks' thing than all the good works in the world, to reconcile him
to God, to bring the love and favour of God to him, to make
him love God again, to make him righteous and good in the
sight of God, to do away his sin, to deliver him and loose
him out of that captivity wherein he was conceived and born,
in which he could neither love God nor the will of God. Or
else, how can he work any good work that should please God,
if there were not some supernatural goodness in him, given of
God freely, whereof the good work must spring ? even as a
sick man must first be healed or made whole, ere he can do
the deeds of an whole man ; and as the blind man must first
have sight given him, ere he can see; and he that hath his
feet in fetters, gives, or stocks, must first be loosed, ere he
can go, walk or run ; and even as they which thou readest of
in the gospel, that they were possessed of the devils, could
not laud God till the devils were cast out.

THE WICKED MAMMON. 51

That precious thing which must be in the heart, ere1 a Faith being

joined with

°[h

man can work any good work, is the word of God, which in
the gospel preacheth, proffereth, and bringeth unto all that fS
repent and believe, the favour of God in Christ. Whosoever ed-
heareth the word and believeth it, the same is thereby righte
ous ; and thereby is given him the Spirit of God, which
leadeth him unto all that is the will of God; and is loosed
from the captivity and bondage of the devil ; and his heart
is free to love God, and hath lust to do the will of God.
Therefore it is called the word of life, the word of grace,
the word of health, the word of redemption, the word of
forgiveness, and the word of peace : he that heareth it not,
or believeth it not, can by no means be made righteous
before God. This confirmeth Peter in the fifteenth of the
Acts, saying that God through faith doth purify the hearts.
For of what nature soever the word of God is, of the same
nature must the hearts be which believe thereon, and cleave
thereunto. Now is the word living, pure, righteous, and
true ; and even so maketh it the hearts of them that believe
thereon.

If it be said that Paul (when he saith in the third to the
Romans, "No flesh shall be, or can be justified by the deeds
of the law") meaneth it of the ceremonies or sacrifices, it is an
untrue saying2. For it followeth immediately, "By the law
cometh the knowledge of sin." Now are they not the cere- and setteth

° • u* at debate.

monies that utter sin, but the law of commandments. In the w- T-
fourth he saith, "The law causeth wrath;" which cannot be
understand of the ceremonies ; for they were given to reconcile
the people to God again after they had sinned. If, as they Theiawcan-

r *• . ' » « not justify us.

say, the ceremonies, which were given to purge sin and to Ant- ed-
reconcile, justify not, neither bless but temporally only, much
more the law of commandments justifieth not. For that which
proveth a man sick, healeth him not ; neither doth the cause
of wrath bring to favour ; neither can that which damncth
save a man. When the mother commandeth her child but
even to rock the cradle, it grudgeth : this3 commandment
doth but utter the poison that lay hid, and setteth him at

[i Or, C. Yer, i.e. ere, D.J

[2 So D. It is a lie, verily. C.]

[3 So C., but D. has tlte.] "

52 THE PARABLE OF

debate l with his mother, and maketh him believe she loveth
him not.

These commandments also, Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbour's house, thou shalt not lust, desire, or wish after
thy neighbour's wife, servant, maid, ox, or ass, or whatsoever
pertaineth unto thy neighbour, give me not power so to do ;
but utter the poison that is in me, and damn me2, because I
cannot so do ; and prove that God is wroth with me, seeing
that his will and mine are so contrary. Therefore saith Paul :
Gai. in. "If there had been given such a law that could have given life,
then, no doubt, righteousness had come by the law : but the
scripture concludeth all under sin (saith he), that the promise
might be given unto them that believe through the faith that
is in Jesus Christ."

Faith in ^ The promises, when they are believed, are they that
jS?fydusth Justify » f°r they bring the Spirit, which looseth the heart,
The'pero'mises giveth lust to the law, and certifieth us of the good-will of
stify. W.T.

justify. W.T. QO(J un£Q uswar(j> if we submit ourselves unto God, and
desire him to heal us, he will do it, and will in the mean
time (because of the consent of the heart unto the law) count
us for full whole, and will no more hate us, but pity us,
cherish us, be tender-hearted to us, and love us as he doth
Christ himself. Christ is our Redeemer, Saviour, peace,
atonement, and satisfaction ; and hath made amends or satis
faction to Godward for all the sin which they that repent
(consenting to the law and believing the promises) do, have

Christ is the done, or shall do. So that if through fragility we fall a

storehouse

of mercy for thousand times in a day, yet if we do repent again, we have
alway mercy laid up for us in store in Jesus Christ our Lord.

What shall we say then to those scriptures which go so
Matt. xxv. sore upon good works ? As we read Matt, xxv., " I was an
hungred, and ye gave me meat," &c. and such like. Which
all sound as though we should be justified, and accepted unto
the favour of God in Christ, through good works. Thiswise
answer I : Many there are, which wrhen they hear or read of
faith, at once they consent thereunto, and have a certain
imagination or opinion of faith : as when a man telleth a story

L1 So C., but D. has at bate.]

[2 In modern language, Detect the poison that is in me, and con
demn me.]

faith. Ant.
ed.

THE WICKED MAMMON. 53

or a thing done in a strange land, that pertaineth not to them
at all ; which yet they believe, and tell as a true thing :
and this imagination, or opinion, they call faith. They think The define
no farther than that faith is a thing which standeth in their
own power to have, as do other natural works which men
work ; but they feel no manner working of the Spirit, neither
the terrible sentence of the law, the fearful judgments of God,
the horrible damnation and captivity under Satan. Therefore,
as soon as they have this opinion or imagination in their
hearts, that saith, Yerily this doctrine seemeth true, I believe
it is even so ; then they think that the right faith is there.
But afterward when they feel in themselves, and also see in
other, that there is none alteration, and that the works follow
not, but that they are altogether even as before, and abide
in their old estate ; then think they that faith is not sufficient,
but that it must be some greater thing than faith that should
justify a man.

So fall they away from faith again, and cry, saying,
Faith only justifieth not a man, and maketh him acceptable
to God. If thou ask them, Wherefore ? they answer, See
how many there are that believe, and yet do no more than
they did before. These are they which Judas in his epistle [Jude, s.]
calleth dreamers, which deceive themselves with their own
fantasies. For what other thing is their imagination, which Faith that
they call faith, than a dreaming of the faith, and an opinion forth fruit, is

. but a dream.

of their own imagination wrought without the grace of God ? Anted.
These must needs be worse at the latter end than at the
beginning. These are the old vessels that rend when new Matt. ix.
wine is poured into them ; that is, they hear God's word, but *£yjput
hold it not, and therefore wax worse than they were before. "». w. T.
But the right faith springeth not of man's fantasy, neither is
it in any man's power to obtain it ; but it is altogether the
pure gift of God poured into us freely, without all manner Faith is the
doing of us, without deserving and merits, yea, and without Anted. '
seeking for of us ; and is (as saith Paul in the second to the EPh. n.
Ephesians) even God's gift and grace, purchased through
Christ. Therefore is it mighty in operation, full of virtue, and
ever working ; which also reneweth a man, and begetteth him
afresh, alter eth him, changeth him, and turneth him altogether
into a new nature and conversation ; so that a man feeleth

54 THE PARABLE OF

his heart altogether altered and changed, and far otherwise
disposed than before ; and hath power to love that which
before he could not but hate ; and delighteth in that which
before he abhorred; and liateth that which before he could
not but love. And it setteth the soul at liberty, and maketh
her free to follow the will of God, and doth to the soul even
as health doth unto the body, after that a man is pined
and wasted away with a long soking1 disease: the legs cannot
bear him, he cannot lift up his hands to help himself, his
taste is corrupt, sugar is bitter in his mouth, his stomach
abhorreth2, longing after slibbersauce and swash3 at which
a whole stomach is ready to cast his gorge. When health
cometh, she changeth and altereth him clean ; giveth him
strength in all his members, and lust to do of his own
accord that which before he could not do, neither could suffer
that any man exhorted him to do ; and hath now lust in
wholesome things, and his members are free and at liberty,
and have power to do, of their own accord, all things which
belong to an whole man to do, which afore they had no power
to do, but were in captivity and bondage. So likewise in all
things doth right faith to the soul.

The spirit of The Spirit of God accompanieth faith, and bringeth with
Aantieed faith' ^er %n^' wherewith a man beholdeth himself in the law of
God, and seeth his miserable bondage and captivity, and
humbleth himself, and abhorreth himself: she4 bringeth God's
promises of all good things in Christ. God worketh with
his word, and in his word : and when5 his word is preached,
faith, rooteth herself in the hearts of the elect ; and as faith
entereth, and the word of God is believed, the power of God
looseth the heart from the captivity and bondage under sin,
and knitteth and coupleth him to God and to the will of
God; altereth him, changeth him clean, fashioneth, and for-
geth him anew; giveth him power to love, and to do that

[! Soking: absorbing and consuming the strength.]
[2 Abhorreth: loatheth; but here used in a neuter sense.]
[3 So D. ; but C. has, slibbersause only. Mr Russell cites an old
satire amongst papers printed abroad, he says, without name, place,
or date, but which he thinks may be ascribed to Bale, and in which
the same words occur, but are spelt swyber, s^vashe.']
[4 That is, faith.]
[5 So C., but Day has as instead of ivhen.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 55

which before was impossible for him either to love or do ;
and turneth him unto a new nature, so that he loveth that
which he before hated, and hateth that which he before loved ;
and is clean altered, and changed, and contrary disposed ;
and is knit and coupled fast to God's will, and naturally
bringeth forth good works, that is to say, that which God
commandeth to do, and not things of his own imagination.
And that doth he of his own accord, as a tree bringeth forth
fruit of her own accord. And as thou needest not to bid a
tree to bring forth fruit, so is there no law put unto him that
believeth, and is justified through faith, as saith Paul in the
first epistle to Timothy, the first chapter. Neither is it need- Faith of her
ful ; for the law of God is written and graved in his heart, forth good

' . . & ' fruits, that

and his pleasure is therein. And as without commandment, ^f^ Ant
but even of his own nature, he eateth, drinketh, seeth, heareth, ed<
talketh, and goeth; even so of his own nature, without co-
action or compulsion of the law, bringeth he forth good
works. And as a whole man, when he is athirst, tarrieth
but for drink, and when he hungreth, abideth but for meat,
and then drinketh and eateth naturally ; even so is the
faithful ever athirst and an hungred after the will of God,
and tarrieth but for occasion. And whensoever an occasion
is given, he worketh naturally the will of God : for this
blessing is given to all them that trust in Christ's blood, that
they thirst and hunger to do God's will6. He that hath not
this faith, is but an unprofitable babbler of faith and works ;
and wotteth neither what he babbleth, nor what he meaneth,
or whereunto his words pertain : for he feeleth not the power True faith is
of faith, nor the working of the Spirit in his heart ; but in- good works.
terpreteth the scriptures, which speak of faith and works,
after his own blind reason and foolish fantasies, and not of
any feeling that he hath in his heart ; as a man rehearseth

[6 Art. V. of alleged errors and heresies, charged Tyndale with
affirming that ' The Spirit of God turneth us and our nature, that we
do good as naturally as a tree doth bring forth fruit : ' on which Foxe
only remarks, 'The place is this.' Tewkesbury's examiners demanded
what he thought of Tyndale's saying, 'That as the good tree bringeth
forth fruit, so there is no law put to him that believeth and is jus
tified through faith?' And the record of his reply is, 'To that ho
answered, and said, He findeth no ill in it.']

56 THE PARABLE OF

a tale of another man's mouth, and wotteth not whether it be
so or no as he saith, nor hath any experience of the thing
itself.

True faith Now doth the scripture ascribe both faith and works,

workTare not to us, but to God only, to whom they belong only, and
f *° wh°m they are appropriate, whose gift they are, and the
proper work of his Spirit. Is it not a fro ward and perverse
blindness, to teach how a man can do nothing of his own
self; and yet presumptuously take upon them the greatest
and highest work of God, even to make faith in themselves
of their own power, and of their own false imagination and
thoughts? Therefore, I say, we must despair of ourselves,
and pray God (as Christ's apostles did) to give us faith, and
to increase our faith. When we have that, we need no
other thing more : for she bringeth the Spirit with her ; and
he not only teacheth us all things, but worketh them also
mightily in us, and carrieth us through adversity, persecution,
death, and hell, unto heaven and everlasting life.

Mark diligently, therefore, seeing we are come to answer.

The scripture (because of such dreams and feigned faith's

sake) useth such manner of speakings of works, not that a

man should thereby be made good to God-ward, or justified ;

The differ- but to declare unto other, and to take of other, the difference

inderiahth' between ^se feigned faith and right faith. For where right

faith. Ant. faith is, there bringeth she forth good works : if there follow

not good works, it is (no doubt) but a dream and an opinion,

or feigned faith.

AS the tree AYherefore look, as the fruit maketh not the tree good,

ws fruit, so but declareth and testifieth outwardly that the tree is good,
known by (as Christ saith, "Every tree is known by his fruit,") even

her fruit. x * * '

Ant. ed. so ghall ye know the right faith by her fruit.

Anatmede' Take for an ensample Mary, that anointed Christ's feet.

Luke vii. When Simon, which bade Christ to his house, had condemned
her, Christ defended her, and justified her, saying, "Simon,
I have a certain thing to say unto thee ; and he said, Master,
say on. There was a certain lender which had two debtors;
the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. When
they had nothing to pay, he forgave them both. Which of
them, tell me, will love him most? Simon answered and

THE WICKED MAMMON. 57

said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he
said to him, Thou hast truly judged. And he turned him to
the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman?
I entered into thine house, and thou gavest me no water to
my feet ; but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped
them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss ;
but she, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my
feet. My head with oil thou hast not anointed ; and she The fruits of

J . . faith. Ant.

hath anointed my feet with costly and precious ointment. ed-
Wherefore I say unto thee, many sins are forgiven her, for
she loveth much. To whom less is forgiven, the same doth
love less," &c. Hereby see we, that deeds and works are but
outward signs of the inward grace of the bounteous and
plenteous mercy of God, freely received without all merits of
deeds, yea, and before all deeds. Christ teacheth to know
the inward faith and love by the outward deeds. Deeds are
the fruits of love ; and love is the fruit of faith. Love, and
also the deeds, are great or small according to the proportion
of faith. Where faith is mighty and strong, there is love
fervent, and deeds plenteous, and done with exceeding meek
ness : where faith is weak, there is love cold, and the deeds
few and seldom, as1 flowers and blossoms in winter.

Simon believed, and had faith, yet but weakly ; and, ac
cording to the proportion of his faith, loved coldly, and had
deeds thereafter : he bade Christ unto a simple and bare feast
only, and received him not with any great humanity. But
Mary had a strong faith, and therefore burning love and
notable deeds, done with exceeding profound and deep meek
ness. On the one side she saw herself clearly in the law, A difference
both in what danger she was in, and her cruel bondage under faeitheln<tlu<

11-111 • 11 c feigned faith.

sin, her horrible damnation, and also the fearful sentence and Ant- ed-
judgment of God upon sinners. On the other side, she heard
the gospel of Christ preached ; and in the promises she saw
with eagles' eyes the exceeding abundant mercy of God, that
passeth all utterance of speech; which is set forth in Christ
for all meek sinners, which knowledge2 their sins; and she

[l C. fadetli as ; Day has seldom bear flowers; but Hans Luft's 4to
ed. of May 8, 1528, and a later edition by Wm. Hill, both in posses
sion of G. Offor, Esq., contain the evidently more correct reading
given in the text.]

[2 Knowledge : acknowledge.]

58 THE PARABLE OF

believed the word of God mightily, and glorified God over
his mercy and truth ; and being overcome and overwhelmed
with the unspeakable, yea, and incomprehensible abundant
riches of the kindness of God, did inflame and burn in love ;
yea, was so swollen in love, that she could not abide, nor
hold, but must break out ; and was so drunk in love, that she
regarded nothing, but even to utter the fervent and burning
love of her heart only : she had no respect to herself, though
she was never so great and notable a sinner ; neither to the
curious1 hypocrisy of the Pharisees, which ever disdain weak
sinners ; neither the costliness of her ointment ; but with all
humbleness did run unto his feet, washed them with the tears
of her eyes, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and
anointed them with her precious ointment ; yea, and would
no doubt have run into the ground under his feet, to have
uttered her love toward him ; yea, would have descended
clown into hell, if it had been possible. Even as Paul, in the
ninth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, was drunk in love,
and overwhelmed with the plenteousness of the infinite mercy
of God, which he had received in Christ unsought for, wished

BO™. ix. himself banished from Christ and damned, to save the Jews,
if it might have been. For as a man feeleth God in himself,
so is he to his neighbour.

Mark another thing also. We, for the most part, because
of our grossness in all our knowledge, proceed from that which
is last and hindmost unto that which is first ; beginning at
the latter end, disputing and making our arguments back
ward. We begin at the effect and work, and proceed unto
the natural cause. As for an ensample : we first see the moon
dark, and then search the cause ; and find that the putting of
the earth between the sun and the moon is the natural cause

Backward Of the darkness, and that the earth stoppeth the light. Then

disputations. " . &

Ant. cd. dispute we backward, saying, The moon is darkened, there
fore is the earth directly between the sun and moon. Now
yet is not the darkness of the moon the natural cause that
the earth is between the sun and the moon, but the effect
thereof, and cause declarative, declaring and leading us unto
the knowledge, how that the earth is between the sun and
the moon directly, and causeth the darkness, stopping the
light of the sun from the moon. And contrariwise, the being
t1 Curious, i.e. fastidious.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 59

of the earth directly between the sun and the moon is the
natural cause of the darkness. Likewise, He hath a son,
therefore is he a father ; and yet the son is not cause of the
father, but contrariwise. Notwithstanding, the son is the
cause declarative, whereby we know that the other is a
father. After the same manner here, "Many sins are forgiven
her, for she loveth much ;" thou mayest not understand by the
word for, that love is the natural cause of the forgiving of
sins, but declareth it only ; and contrariwise, the forgiveness
of sins is the natural cause of love.

The works declare love: and love declareth that there
is some benefit and kindness shewed, or else would there be
no love. Why worketh one and another not ? or one more
than another ? Because that one loveth and the other not ; or
that the one loveth more than the other. Why loveth one,
and another not ; or one more than another ? Because that
one feeleth the exceeding love of God in his heart, and another The kindness
not ; or that one feeleth it more than another. Scripture move* us^
speaketh after the most grossest manner. Be diligent there- Ant- ed-
fore that thou be not deceived with curiousness ; for men of no
small reputation have been deceived with their own sophistry.

Hereby now seest thou, that there is great difference The office of

, . . , 11. i faith. W.T.

between being righteous and good in a man s self, and
declaring and uttering righteousness and goodness. The faith Faith only
only maketh a man safe, good, righteous, and the friend of the sons ami
God, yea, and the son and the heir of God, and of all his An*- ed-
goodness; and possesseth us with the Spirit of God. The The office of
work declareth the same2 faith and goodness. Now useth Faith posses-
the scripture the common manner of speaking, and the very

same that is among the people. As when a father saith to
his child, Go, and be loving, merciful, and good to such or
such a poor man ; he biddeth him not therewith to be made
merciful, kind, and goqd ; but to testify and declare the
goodness that is in him already, with the outward deed, that
it may break out to the profit of other, and that other may Ant- ed-
feel it which have need thereof3.

[2 So C. ; Day has self instead of same.']

[3 Heresies and errors charged against Tyndalc, Art. VI. 'Works
do only declare to thee that thou art justified.' Foxe's remark thereon
is : 'If Tyndale says that works do only declare our justification, he

60

THE PARABLE OF

God's grace
is to be exer
cised in us.
Ant. ed.

The talent,
Matt. xxv.
W. T.

Matt. v.

2 Pet. i.

Where true
faith is, good
works follow.
Ant. ed.

After the same manner shalt thou interpret the scriptures
which make mention of works : that God thereby will that
we shew forth that goodness which we have received by
faith, and let- it break forth and come to the profit of other;
that the false faith may be known and weeded out by the
roots. For God giveth no man his grace, that he should let
it lie still and do no good withal ; but that he should increase
it, and multiply it, with lending it to other, and with open
declaring of it with the outward works provoke and draw
other to God. As Christ saith in Matthew the fifth chap
ter, "Let your light so shine in the sight of men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven." Or else were it as a treasure digged
in the ground, and hid wisdom, in the which there is no
profit1.

Moreover therewith the goodness, favour, and gifts of
God which are in thee, not only shall be known unto other,
but also unto thine own self; and thou shalt be sure that thy
faith is right, and that the true Spirit of God is in thee, and
that thou art called and chosen of God unto eternal life, and
loosed from the bonds of Satan, whose captive thou wast ; as
Peter exhorteth, in the first of his second epistle, through
good works to make our calling and election (wherewith
wo are called and chosen of God) sure. For how dare a
man presume to think that his faith is right, and that God's
favour is on him, and that God's Spirit is in him, when he
feeleth not the working of the Spirit, neither himself disposed
to any godly thing? Thou canst never know or be sure of
thy faith, but by the works : if works follow not, yea, and
that of love, without looking after any reward2, thou mayest
be sure that thy faith is but a dream, and not right, and
even the same that James calleth in his epistle, the second
chapter, dead faith, and not justifying.

Abraham through works was sure of his faith to be

doth not thereby destroy good works; but only sheweth the right use
and office of good works to be nothing to merit our justification, but
rather to testify a lively faith, which only justifieth us. The article
is plain by the scripture and St Paul/ Vol. v. p. 571.]

[* So C.'s edition, but Day in which what profit is there ?]
[2 In C. but by works t which works must also come of pure love,
without looking, $c.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 61

right, and that the true fear of God was in him, when he
had offered his son : as the scripture saith, "Now know I that
thou fearest God ;" that is to say, Now is it open and manifest Gen. xxu.
that thou fearest God, inasmuch as thou hast not spared thy
only son for my sake.

So now by this abide sure and fast, that a man inwardly
in the heart, and before God, is righteous and good through
faith only, before all works : notwithstanding, yet outwardly
and openly before the people, yea, and before himself, is he
righteous through the work ; that is, he knoweth and is sure
through the outward work, that he is a true believer, and in
the favour of God, and righteous and good thorough the
mercy of God: that thou mayest call the one an open and
an outward righteousness, and the other, an inward right
eousness of the heart; so yet, that thou understand by the The outward

i • i -i -I • i _/• • i righteousness

outward righteousness no other thing save the truit that ?nd the
followeth, and a declaring of the inward justifying and right-
eousness of the heart ; and not that it maketh a man righteous
before God, but that he must be first righteous before him,
in the heart ; even as thou mayest call the fruit of the tree
the outward goodness of the tree, which followeth and uttereth
the inward natural goodness of the tree.

This meaneth James in his epistle, where he saith, "Faith
without works is dead :" that is, if works follow not, it is a
sure and an evident sign, that there is no faith in the heart ;
but a dead imagination and dream, which they falsely call
faith.

Of the same wise is this saying of Christ to be under
stand: "Make you friends of the unrighteous mammon;" that outward

., . , c works declare

is, shew your faith openly, and what ye are within m the ^t^strue
heart, with outward giving and bestowing your goods on the Ant ed>
poor, that ye may obtain friends : that is, that the poor, on
whom thou hast shewed mercy, may at the day of judgment
testify and witness of thy good works ; that thy faith and
what thou wast within in thy heart before God, may there
appear by thy fruits openly to all men. For unto the right
believing shall all things be comfortable, and unto consolation,
at that terrible day. And contrariwise, unto the unbelieving
all things shall be unto desperation and confusion ; and every
man shall be judged openly and outwardly, in the presence

62 THE PARABLE OF

wnyihl of all men, according to their deeds and works. So that not

called them o

friends-w-T- without a cause thou mayest call them thy friends, which
testify at that day of thee, that thou livedst as a true and a
right Christian man, and followedst the steps of Christ in
shewing mercy ; as no doubt he doth which feeleth God

Good works merciful in his heart. And by the works is the faith known,

are witnesses
for us before
God. Ant. cd.

for us before that it was right and perfect. For the outward works can

never please God, nor make friend, except they spring of
Matt. vi. & faith : forasmuch as Christ himself disalloweth and casteth
away the works of the Pharisees, yea, prophesying, and
working of miracles, and casting out of devils ; which we
count and esteem for very excellent virtues ; yet make they
no friends with their works, while their hearts are false and
impure, and their eye double. Now without faith is no heart
true, or eye single : so that we are compelled to confess that
the works make not a man righteous or good, but that the
heart must first be righteous and good, ere any good work
proceed thence.

Secondarily, all good works must be done free with a
single eye, without respect of any thing, and that no profit
be sought thereby1.

Matt. x. That commandeth Christ, where he saith, " Freely have ye

Good works received; freely give again/' For look, as Christ with all

freeiy. SV/r! his works did not deserve heaven2, (for that was his already,)

but did us service therewith ; and neither looked nor sought

his own profit, but our profit, and the honour of God the

we must of Father only : even so we, with all our works, may not seek

worL,°w1th- our own profit, neither in this world nor in heaven ; but

out hope of *

reward. Ant mu$t, and ought, freely to work, to honour God withal, and

without all manner respect seek our neighbour's profit, and

rhii. ii. do him service. That meaneth Paul, saying : "Be minded as

[! When Tewkcsbury was asked what ho thought of this, he re
plied, 'It is truth/ Foxe, iv. p. 601.]

[2 Heresies and errors : Art. VII. ' Christ with all his works did
not deserve heaven/ Foxe, ' Read the place/ It is indeed obvious,
when the place is read, that the artifice of the charge consisted in
stopping short with the word 'heaven/

The same clause was cited by Tewkesbury's examiners, and the
minute of his reply is, 'To that he answered, that the text is true as it
lieth, and he findeth no fault in it/ Foxe, ibid.J

THE WICKED MAMMON. 63

Christ was, which being in the shape of God, equal unto God,
and even very God, laid that apart," that is to say, hid it ;
"and took on him the form and fashion of a servant." That
is, as concerning himself he had enough, that he was full
and had all plenteousness of the Godhead, and in all his works
sought our profit, and became our servant.

The cause is : forasmuch as faith justifieth and putteth
away sin in the sight of God ; bringeth life, health, and the
favour of God ; maketh us the heirs of God ; poureth the
Spirit of God into our souls; and filleth us with all godly
fulness in Christ ; it were too great a shame, rebuke and
wrong unto the faith, yea, to Christ's blood, if a man would
work any thing to purchase that, wherewith faith hath endued
him already, and God hath given him freely : even as
Christ had done rebuke and shame unto himself, if he would
have done good works, and wrought, to have been made
thereby God's Son and heir over all, which thing he was
already. Now doth faith make us the sons, or children of Fai

<] us the sons

God. "He gave them might or power to be the sons of God, o£lo5Udren
in that they believed on his name." " If we be sons, so are Homfvin.
we also heirs" (Rom. viii. and Gal. iv.). How can or ought we Gai. iv.
then to work, for to purchase that inheritance withal, whereof
we are heirs already by faith ?

What shall we say then to those scriptures, which sound
as though a man should do good works, and live well, for
heaven's sake or eternal reward ? As these are, "Make you
friends of the unrighteous mammon." And, " Gather you Matt. vi.
treasures together in heaven." Also, " If thou wilt enter into Matt- xix>
life, keep the commandments :" and such like. This say I,
that they which understand not, neither feel in their hearts
what faith meaneth, talk and think of the reward even as
they do of the work ; neither suppose they that a man ought
to work, but in a respect to the reward. For they imagine,
that it is in the kingdom of Christ, as it is in the world
among men, that they must deserve heaven with their good
works. Howbeit their thoughts are but dreams and false SK^n
imaginations. Of these men speaketh Malachi: "Who is itSorksare
among you that shutteth a door for my pleasure, for nought ;" understand
that is, without respect of reward ? These are servants that treasures of

, . Christ Ant.

seek gams and vantage, hirelings and day-labourers, which ed-

64 THE PARABLE OF

Matt. vi. hero on earth receive their rewards, as the Pharisees with
their prayers and fastings.

But on this wise goeth it with heaven, with everlasting

worpk°s°na'u- ^e anc^ eternal reward. Likewise as good works naturally

fS,fso'ow follow faith (as it is above rehearsed), so that thou needest

ftSSuSiSf8 not to command a true believer to work, or to compel him.

gooht King, with any law, (for it is impossible 1 that he should not work ;

he tarrieth but for an occasion ; he is ever disposed of himself;

thou needest but to put him in remembrance, and that to

know the false faith from the true ;) even so naturally doth

eternal life follow faith and good living, without seeking for,

and is impossible that it should not come, though no man

thought thereon. Yet is it rehearsed in the scripture, alleged,

and promised, to know the difference between a false believer

and a true believer ; and that every man may know what

followeth good living naturally, and of itself, without taking

thought for it.

AS good ^ Take a gross ensample : hell, that is, everlasting death, is

faith, sohen threatened unto sinners; and yet followeth it sin naturally,

followeth < • '

Avntweurks' without seeking for. For no man doth evil to be damned
therefore ; but had rather2 avoid it. Yet3 the one followeth
the other naturally ; and though no man told or warned him
of it, yet should the sinner find it and feel it. Nevertheless
it is therefore threatened, that men may know what followeth
evil living. Now then, as after evil living followeth his reward
unsought for ; even so after good living followeth his reward
naturally, unsought for, or unthought upon: even as when
thou drinkest wine, be it good or bad, the taste followeth of
itself, though thou therefore drink it not. Yet testifieth the
scripture, and it is true, that we are by inheritance heirs of
damnation ; and that ere we be born, we are vessels of the

of ourselves wrath of God, and full of that poison whence naturally all

we are the . . ....

sms sPrinS» anc* wherewith we cannot but sin, which thing
tne deeds that follow (when we behold ourselves in the glass
Aiu.ed. Of fae ]aw 0£ Qoci) J0 declare and utter; kill our consciences,
and shew us what we were and wist not of it ; and certify us
that we are heirs of damnation. For if we were of God we
should cleave to God, and lust after the will of God. But

[l So C. ; but in Day impossible.]

[2 So D. ; but C, lever.] [3 Day's edition inserts there]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 65

now our deeds, compared to the law, declare the contrary ;
and by our deeds we see ourselves, both what we be and
what our end shall be.

So now thou seest that life eternal and all good things TO believe in

Christ is

are promised unto faith and belief ; so that he that believeth
on Christ shall be safe. Christ's blood hath purchased life
for us, and hath made us the heirs of God ; so that heaven
cometh by Christ's blood. If thou wouldest obtain heaven TO seek
with the merits and deservings of thine own works, so didst g°od wo^s

were to

thou wrong, yea, and shamedst, the blood of Christ ; and 'If™^ the
unto thee were Christ dead in vain. Now is the true believer chher£°°d of
heir of God by Christ's deservings; yea, and in5 Christ wasAnt-ed>
predestinate, and ordained unto eternal life, before the world
began. And when the gospel is preached unto us, we believe
the mercy of God ; and in believing we receive the Spirit of
God, which is the earnest of eternal life, and we are in
eternal life already, and feel already in our hearts the sweet
ness thereof, and are overcome with the kindness of God and
Christ ; and therefore love the will of God, and of love are
ready to work freely ; and not to obtain that which is given
us freely, and whereof we are heirs already.

Now when Christ saith, "Make you friends of unrighteous
mammon ;" " Gather you treasure together in heaven ;" and
such like : thou seest that the meaning and intent is no other
but that thou shouldst do good ; and so will it follow of itself
naturally, without seeking and taking of thought, that thou
shalt find friends and treasure in heaven, and receive a
reward. So let thine eye be single, and look unto good
living only, and take no thought for the reward, but be
content: forasmuch as thou knowest and art sure, that the
reward, and all things contained in God's promises, follow
good living naturally ; and thy good works do but testify
only, and certify thee that the Spirit of God is in thee,
whom thou hast received for an6 earnest of God's truth ;
and that thou art heir of all the goodness of God, and that

[4 Heresies and errors ; Art. VIII. { Labouring by good works to
come to heaven, thou shamest Christ's blood.' To this Foxe is again
content with replying, * Read the place ; ' viz. from ' If thou wouldest
obtain* to 'heirs already.']

[5 C. omits in.]

[fl So C. ; D. has,,w earnest.]

[TYNDALE.]

G6

THE PARABLE OF

Ant. ed.

Saints cannot
help us into
heaven.
Ant. ed.

1 Pet. iv.

Aood\st!ur a^ g00^ things are thine already, purchased by Christ's blood,
us and laid up in store against that day, when every man shall
receive according to his deeds, that is, according as his deeds
declare and testify what he is or was. For they that look
unto the reward, are slow, false, subtle and crafty workers,
and love the reward more than the work ; yea, hate the
labour ; yea, hate God which commandeth the labour ; and
are weary both of the commandment, and also of the com
mander ; and work with tediousness. But he that worketh
of pure love, without seeking of reward, worketh truly.

Thirdly, that not the saints, but God only receiveth us
into eternal tabernacles, is so plain and evident, that it need-
eth not to declare or prove it. How shall the saints receive
us into heaven, when every man hath need for himself that
God only receive him to heaven, and every man hath scarce1

Matt. xxv. for himself? As it appeareth by the five wise virgins, which
would not give of their oil unto the unwise virgins. And
Peter saith, in the fourth of his first epistle, that the righteous
is with difficulty saved. So seest thou that the saying of
Christ, "Make you friends," and so forth, "that they may
receive you into everlasting tabernacles," pertaineth not unto
the saints which are in heaven, but is spoken of the poor and
needy which are here present with us on earth : as though
he should say, What, buildest thou churches, foundest abbeys,
chauntries and colleges, in the honour of saints, to my mother,
St Peter, Paul, and saints that be dead, to make of them
thy friends ? They need it not ; yea, they are not thy
friends ; but theirs which lived then, when they did of whom
they were holpen2. Thy friends are the poor, which are

[! C. skace ; D. scace.]

[2 Arts. IX. and X. of the heresies and errors, with which Tyndalo
was charged, are founded on this paragraph. The first is thus ex-
pressed : ' Saints in heaven cannot help us there/ And Foxe's remark
upon it is: 'Whether saints can help us into heaven, see the scripture ;
and mark well the office of the Son of God, our only Saviour and
Redeemer, and thou shalt not need to seek any farther/ To Art. X.
he only says, 'Read the place/ Foxe, v. 572.

Tewkcsbury's examiners are stated to have asked him what ho
thought of Tyndale's saying, 'Peter and Paul, and saints that be
dead, are not our friends, but their friends whom they did help when
they were alive/ The minute of Tewkesbury's reply is, ' To that ho
said, he findeth no ill in it/ Id. iv. 691. In Vol. v. 572, the clause
is quoted agreeably with our text.]

commend-

THE WICKED MAMMON. 67

now in thy time, and live with thee; thy poor neighbours

which need thy help and succour. Them make thy friends HOW we may

* * make friends

with thy unrighteous mammon ; that they may testify of thy J*^JJ£ked
faith, and thou mayest know and feel, that thy faith is right, Ant- ed-
and not feigned.

Unto the second : such receiving into everlasting habi
tations is not to be understand that men shall do it. For
many, to whom we shew mercy and do good, shall not come
there ; neither skilleth3 it, so we meekly and lovingly do our
duty ; yea, it is a sign of strong faith and fervent love, if we J)°s^>1f
do well to the evil, and study to draw them to Christ, in all
that lieth in us. But the poor give us an occasion to exercise able- Ant-ed-
our faith ; and the deeds make us feel our faith, and certify
us, and make us sure that we are safe, and are escaped and
translated from death unto life, and that we are delivered
and redeemed from the captivity and bondage of Satan, and
brought into the liberty of the sons of God, in that we feel
lust and strength in our heart to work the will of God.
And at that day shall our deeds appear and comfort our
hearts, witness of4 our faith and trust, which we now have
in Christ ; which faith shall then keep us from shame, as it is
written, "None that believeth in him shall be ashamed." So R°™.ix.
that good works help5 our faith, and make us sure in our
consciences, and make us feel the mercy of God. Not with- ;^°nuerssright~
standing, heaven, everlasting life, joy eternal, faith, the favour S^from
of God, the Spirit of God, lust and strength unto the will of Christ-
God, are given us freely of the bounteous and plenteous
riches of God, purchased by Christ, without our deservings,
that no man should rejoice but in the Lord only.

For a farther understanding of this gospel, here may be
made three questions, What mammon is? Why it is called
unrighteous ? and after what manner Christ biddeth us coun
terfeit and follow the unjust and wicked steward, which with
his lord's damage provided for his own profit and advantage6?
which thing no doubt is unrighteous and sin.

[3 Mattereth.]

[4 So 0.; but D. omits o/.]

[5 C. heape.]

[6 So C.; butD. vantage.]

5—2

68 THE PARABLE OF

Mammon, First, mammon is an Hebrew word, and signified! riches

Ant. ed. or temporal goods ; and namely, all superfluity, and all that
is above necessity, and that which is required unto our ne
cessary uses ; wherewith a man may help another, without
undoing or hurting himself; for hamon, in the Hebrew speech,
signifies a multitude or abundance, or many ; and therehenco
cometh mahamon, or mammon, abundance, or plenteousness
of goods, or riches1.

[* A supposition carelessly formed and penned by Fuller, that
Tyndale could only translate the scriptures from the Latin, eventually
led others to believe that he was unacquainted with Hebrew; whereas
the sentence above contains, in itself, sufficient evidence that Tyndalo
was not barely acquainted with Hebrew, but felt himself sufficiently
master of that language to form an independent opinion, as to the
proper solution of a question which has perplexed very eminent
Hebrew scholars. The word mammon occurs in scripture but four
times, viz. in Matt. vi. 24, and in Luke xvi. 9, 11, and 13. It stands
there as a word foreign to the Greek language, and yet incorporated
into the Greek text. When we add that it does not occur in the old
testament ; the assertion is equivalent to saying, that it is no where
extant in the genuine, pure, Hebrew tongue. And yet we see that
Tyndale has ventured to declare that it is a Hebrew word ; because
he could perceive that from hamon, jl/^n? the analogy of Hebrew
grammar would authorize the formation of mahamon, ji^HD '> and
that by dageshing the second ft, to make up for the omitted pf> wo
should arrive at ]i£Q mammon. Augustine had said that mammon

was reported to be the Hebrew name for riches. * Mammona/ says
he, ' apud Hebrceos divitise appellari dicuntur. Convenit et Punicum
nomen : nam lucrimi Punice Mammon dicitur/ De Serm. Dom. Lib.
ir. On the other hand, Jerome is said by Leigh, Critica Sacra, in
v. Map.a)va, to have declared it to be derived from JJQJQ to hide;

from which indeed comes pEJDQ a treasure. But £ is no servile,

and could not therefore disappear. It is not till we come to modern
lexicographers, who have examined such questions with more sources
of information than earlier writers possessed, that we find Schleusner,
after citing various treatises and authorities, venturing to say what ho
does not seem to have known that Tyndale had said before : * Rectius
fortasse derivator a voce jl'DpT, qure multitudinem, abundantiam et

copiam significat.' Lex. Gr. Lat. in Nov. Test.

But though Tyndale's venturing upon this affirmation respecting
the origin of the word Ma/zcom or Ma^/*a>i/a, shews him to have felt at
home in Hebrew, it may possibly still bo thought to belong to one of
those languages which became vernacular with the Jews after the cap-

THE WICKED MAMMON. 69

Secondarily, it is called " unrighteous mammon," not be
cause it is got unrighteously, or with usury; for of unrighteous
gotten goods can no man do good works, but ought to restore
them home again : as it is said, Esay Ixi. " I am a God that isai. w.
hateth offering that cometh of robbery;" and Pro. iii. saith, prov.iii.
" Honour the Lord of thine own good." But therefore it is
called unrighteous, because it is in unrighteous use. As Paul
speakcth unto the Ephesians, v. how that "The days are evil," EPh. v.
though that God hath made them, and they are a good work
of God's making : howbeit they are yet called evil, because The days are

° • i i • • called evil.

that evil men use them amiss ; and much sin, occasions ol
evil, peril of souls are wrought in them. Even so are riches
called evil, because that evil men bestow them amiss, and
misuse them. For where riches is, there goeth it after the
common proverb, He that hath money, hath what him listeth.
And they cause fighting, stealing, laying await, lying, flatter
ing, and all unhappiness against a man's neighbour. For all
men hold on riches' part.

But singularly, before God, it is called unrighteous mam
mon, because it is not bestowed and ministered unto our
neighbour's need. For if my neighbour need and I give him
not, neither depart2 liberally with him of that which I have,
then withhold I from him unrighteously that which is his
own ; forasmuch as I am bounden to help him by the law

. 1 1 i i by the law ot

of nature, which is, " Whatsoever thou would est that another naturetwheip

did to thee, that do thou also to him ;" and Christ, Matt. v.
"Give to every man that desireth thee;" and John, in his

tivity, rather than to the Hebrew. It is certain that in Chaldee, which
may not improperly be termed the intermediate tongue between the
Hebrew and the Syriac, the intermediate form of mammon, p^-JQ oc

curs as the equivalent to riches in the Targum of Onkelos on Exod.
xviii. 21, and xxi. 30 ; and in that of Jonathan on Judges v. 19, as well
as elsewhere: whilst in the Syriac Bible we not only find the word

j mVnVn> identical in its form with Ma/iwi/5, in those places where, as
in our English Bibles, it might have been inserted as a mere literal
copy of the word in the original, but we find it also used by the
Syriac translator as the fittest word, in his own tongue, to represent
"lISp? the price of satisfaction, in Exod. jtxi. 30, where the English
version has ' a sum of money.']
[2 Depart; divide.]

70 THE PARABLE OF

first epistle, "If a man have this world's good, and see his
brother need, how is the love of God in him?" And this
unrighteousness in our mammon see very few men, because
it is spiritual ; and in those goods which are gotten most
truly and justly are men much beguiled1. For they suppose
they do no man wrong in keeping them ; in that they got
them not with stealing, robbing, oppression, and usury, neither
hurt any man now with them.

who is the Thirdly, many have busied themselves in studying what,

w.w" ' or who, this unrighteous steward is, because that Christ so

praiseth him. But shortly and plainly this is the answer,

t- That Christ praiseth not the unrighteous steward, neither

ecus steward, * • * * /» • i /» i • •

whoius. setteth him forth to us to counterfeit because of his unright
eousness, but because of his wisdom only ; in that he, with
unright, so wisely provided for himself. As if I would provoke
another to pray or study, saying2, The thieves watch all
night to rob and steal ; why canst not thou watch to pray
and to study ? here praise not I the thief and murderer for
their evil doing, but for their wisdom, that they so wisely and
diligently wait on their unrighteousness. Likewise when I say,
Miss women3 tire themselves with gold and silk to please
their lovers : what, wilt not thou garnish thy soul with faith to
please Christ ? here praise I not whoredom, but the diligence
which the whore misuseth.

On this wise Paul also likeneth Adam and Christ together,
saying that Adam was a figure of Christ. And yet of Adam
have we but pure sin, and of Christ grace only ; which are
out of measure contrary. But the similitude, or likeness,
standeth in the original birth, and not in the virtue and vice
of the birth : so that, as Adam is father of all sin, so is

Christ is the Christ father of all righteousness ; and as all sinners spring

father of all /, . -, n-i, i e

righteous- oi Adam, even so all righteous men and women spring ot

ness. Ant. ed. ~, . „ . . ,

Christ. After the same manner is here the unrighteous
steward an ensample unto us in his wisdom and diligence
only, in that he provided so wisely for himself; that we with
righteousness should be as diligent to provide for our souls,
as he with unrighteousness provided for his body.

[l So C., but D. has, which beguile men.]

[2 So C. : D. has, do say.]

[3 A phrase equivalent to mistresses, as that word has been used.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 71

Likewise mayest thou soyl4 all other texts, which sound
as though it were between us and God as* it is in the world,
where the reward is more looked upon than the labour ; yea,
where men hate the labour, and work falsely, with the body
and not with the heart, and no longer than they are looked
upon, that the labour may appear outward only.

When Christ saith, Matt. v. "Blessed are ye when they rail Matt. v.
on you, and persecute you, and say all manner evil sayings
against you, and yet lie, and that for my sake; rejoice and be
glad, for your reward is great in heaven ;" thou mayest not
imagine that our deeds deserve the joy and glory that shall
be given unto us; for then, Paul saith, Rom. xi. "Favour were
not favour." I cannot receive it of favour and of the bounties
of God, freely, and by deserving of deeds also. But believe as
the gospel, glad tidings and promises of God say unto thee ;
that for Christ's blood's sake only, throusrh faith, God is at For Christ's

. . -, blood sake,

one with thee, and thou received to mercy, and art become °^ h
the son of God, and heir annexed with Christ of all the i^au^ith
goodness of God; the earnest whereof is the Spirit of God u$: Ant< ed>
poured into our hearts. Of which things the deeds are
witnesses; and certify our consciences that our faith is un
feigned, and that the right Spirit of God is in us. For if I
patiently suffer adversity and tribulation, for conscience of
God only, that is to say, because I know God and testify
the truth ; then am I sure that God hath chosen me in
Christ, and for Christ's sake, and hath put in me his Spirit,
as an earnest of his promises, whose working I feel in my
heart, the deeds bearing witness unto the same. Now is
it Christ's blood only that deserveth all the promises of
God; and that which I suffer and do is partly the curing,
healing, and mortifying of my members, and killing of that
original poison wherewith I was conceived and born, that I
might be altogether like Christ ; and partly the doing of my
duty to my neighbour, whose debtor I am of all that I have

[4 Soyl: solve. Sir Thomas More, having quoted Tyndale as saying,
' I would solve this argument after an Oxford fashion, with Concedo
consequential!! et consequens', replies, 'I will myself soyle it, with
Nego consequentiani et consequens.' Confutation of Tyndale's An
swer.]

72 THE PARABLE OF

received of God, to draw him to Christ with all suffering,

with all patience, and even with shedding my blood for him,

not as an offering or merit for his sins, but as an ensample

Christ's wood to provoke him. Christ's blood only putteth away all the

only putteth x . i

away aii sm. sm that ever was, is, or shall be, irom them that are elect
and repent, believing the gospel, that is to say, God's pro
mises in Christ.

[Matt. v. 44, Again in the same fifth chapter : " Love your enemies,
bless them that curse you, do well to them that hate you and
persecute you, that ye may be the sons of your Father which
is in heaven : for he maketh his sun shine upon evil and on
good, and sendeth his rain upon just and unjust." Not that
our works make us th^ sons of God, but testify only, and
certify our consciences, that we are the sons of God; and that
God hath chosen us, and washed us in Christ's blood ; and
hath put his Spirit in us. And it followeth: "If ye love them
that love you, what reward have ye? do not the publicans
even the same ? And if ye shall have favour to your friends
only, what singular thing do ye ? do not the publicans even
the same? Ye shall be perfect therefore, as your Father
which is in heaven is perfect." That is to say, if that ye do
nothing but that the world doth, and they which have the
spirit of the world, whereby shall ye know that ye are the
sons of God, and beloved of God, more than the world?

we must But and if ye counterfeit and follow God in well-doing,

follow Christ . . \ . . . , , o . . « ~ , . .

in weii-doing then no doubt it is a sign that the opirit ot CJOQ is in you,
and also the favour of God, which is not in the world ; and
that ye are inheritors of all the promises of God, and elect
unto the fellowship of the blood of Christ.

Matt. vi. Also, Matt. vi. " Take heed to your alms, that ye do it

not in the sight of men, to the intent that ye would be seen
of them ; or else have ye no reward with your Father which
is in heaven. Neither cause a trumpet to be blown afore
thee, when thou doest thine alms, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and in the streets, to be glorified of the world.

we may not But when thou doest thine alms, let not thy left hand know

do good *

pSSdSf* wnat tny right hand doth ; that thy alms may be in secret,
Antwed!d> and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward theo

THE WICKED MAMMON. 73

openly." This putteth us in remembrance of our duty, and
sheweth what followeth good works ; not that works deserve
it, but that the reward is laid up for us in store, and we
thereunto elect through Christ's blood, which the works
testify1. For, if we be worldly-minded, and do our works
as the world doth, how shall we know that God hath chosen
us out of the world ? But and if we work freely, without
all manner worldly respect, to shew mercy, and to do our we must be
duty to our neighbour, and to be unto him as God is to us; bourasGod
then are we sure that the favour and mercy of God is upon Ant. ed.
us, and that we shall enjoy all the good promises of God
through Christ, which hath made us heirs thereof.

Also2, in the same chapter it followeth: "When thou Hypocrites
prayest, be not as the hypocrites, which love to stand and praised of

• 0.1 J ' 0.1, f 0/u f men. Anted.

pray m the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, for

to be seen of men. But when thou prayest, enter into thy

chamber, and shut thy door to, and pray to thy Father which

is in secret ; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward

thee openly." And likewise, when we fast, teacheth Christ

in the same place, that we should behave ourselves " that it

appear not unto men how that we fast, but unto our Father

which is in secret ; and our Father which seeth in secret,

shall reward us openly." These two texts do but declare

what followeth good works ; for eternal life cometh not by

the deserving of works, but is, (saith Paul, in the sixth to the Rom. vi.

Romans) " the gift of God through Jesus Christ." Neither

do our works justify us: for except we were justified by faith, faHhoniy

which is our righteousness, and had the Spirit of God in us, and no good

-1 < ' works can be

to teach us, we could do no good work freely, without respect JJ°J® ™JJ °y
of some profit, either in this world, or in the world to come ; SjSSSeJ6
neither could we have spiritual joy in our hearts in time of workfJSiy.
affliction, and mortifying of the flesh.

Good works are called the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. v. for Good works
the Spirit worketh them in us ; and sometime fruits of rig:ht- ^l- e*™

. . • ° Good works

eousness, as m the second epistle to the Corinthians and ninth
chapter. Before all works, therefore, we must have a righte-

ness. W.T.

L1 Tewkesbury's examiners asked what he thought of this. He
answered, 'That the text of the book is true/]
[2 In C. Item.]

74 THE PARABLE OF

ousncss within the heart, the mother of all works, and from
whence they spring. The righteousness of the scribes and

Sesfand Pharisees, and of them that have the spirit of this world, is

Pharisees, fac giorious shew and outward shining of works. But Christ
saith to us, Matt. v. " Except your righteousness exceed the
righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye cannot enter into
the kingdom of heaven." It is righteousness in the world, if

Io™senrtSM~ a man kill not. But a Christian perceiveth righteousness if he
l°ve hig enemy, even when he suffereth persecution and tor
ment of him, and the pains of death, and mourneth more for
his adversary's blindness than for his own pain, and prayeth
God to open his eyes, and to forgive him his sins ; as did
Stephen in the Acts of the Apostles, the seventh chapter ;
and Christ, Luke xxiii.

A Christian considereth himself in the law of God, and

be fumnedust ^iere putteth off him all manner righteousness. For the
^aw suffereth no merits, no deservings, no righteousness, nei-
ther anJ man to be justified in the sight of God. The law

lone. w. T. -g gp^^^ an(j requireth the heart, and commandments to be
fulfilled with such love and obedience as was in Christ. If
any fulfil all that is the will of God, with such love and
obedience, the same may be bold to sell pardons of his merits1,
and else not.

[! In Tyndale's time, when the council of Trent had not yet been
assembled, the alleged power of the church to grant pardons or in
dulgences, out of a supposed treasure of merits at its disposal, * had
no other foundation/ says Father Sarpi, in his celebrated History of
the Council of Trent, 'than the bull of Clement VI. made for the
jubilee of 1350.' Hist, del Cone. Tridentino, p. 6. Edit, by Ant. de
Dominis, Abp. of Spalatro. Lond. MDCXIX.

This bull is incorporated into the papal law ; and the portion of it
relating to the alleged treasure, out of which pardons were sold, is as
follows: Non enim corruptibilibus auro et argento, sed sui ipsius,
agni incontaminati et immaculati, precioso sanguine nos redemit ;
quern in ara crucis innocens immolatus, non guttam sanguinis modi-
cam, quse tamen propter unionem ad verbum pro redemptione totius
humani generis suifecisset, sed copiose velut quoddam profluvium
noscitur effudisse, ita ut a planta pedis usque ad verticem capitis
nulla sanitas inveniretur in ipso. Quantum ergo exinde, ut nee
supervacua, inanis, aut superflua tantse effusionis miseratio redderetur,
thesaurum militanti ecclesise acquisivit, volens suis thesaurizare filiis
Pater, ut sic sit infinitus thesaurus hominibus, quo qui usi sint, Dei

THE WICKED MAMMON, 75

A Christian therefore, when he beholdeth himself in the
law, putteth off all manner righteousness, deservings and merits,
and meekly and unfeignedly knowledgeth his sin and misery,
his captivity and bondage in the flesh, his trespass and guilt ;
and is thereby blessed, with the poor in spirit. Matt. v. chap.
Then he mourneth in his heart, because he is in such bond
age that he cannot do the will of God ; and is an hungred
and athirst after righteousness ; for righteousness (I mean) True right-
which springeth out of Christ's blood, for strength to do the
will of God ; and turneth himself to the promises of God,
and desireth him for his great mercy and truth, and for the
blood of his Son Christ, to fulfil his promises, and to give him
strength. And thus his spirit ever prayeth within him. He Hee[J'and
fasteth also not one day for a week, or a Lent for an whole toi<Go?sfast
year ; but professeth in his heart a perpetual soberness, to $-onx.ses'
tame the flesh, and to subdue the body to the spirit, until he Jrhuaejffsing'
wax strong in the Spirit, and grow ripe into a full righteous- Ant< ed*
ness after the fulness of Christ. And because this fulness
happeneth not till the body be slain by death, a Christian is

amicitise participes sunt effect!. Quern quidem thesaurum non in
sudario repositum, non in agro absconditum, sed per beatum Petrum
cceli clavigerum ejusque successores, suos in terris vicarios, commisit
fidelibus salubriter dispensandum ; et propriis et rationalibus causis,
nunc pro totali, mine pro partiali remissione poense temporalis pro
peccatis debitse, tarn generaliter quam specialiter (prout cum Deo ex-
pedire cognoscerent) vere pcenitentibus et confessis misericorditer
applicandum. Ad cujus quidem thesauri cumulum beatse Dei genitri-
cis, omniumque electorum a primo justo usque ad ultimum merita ad-
miniculum prsestare noscuntur: de cujus consumptione seu minutione
non est aliquatenus somniandum, tarn propter infinita Christi (ut
prsedictum est) merita, quam pro eo, quod quanto plures ex ejus ap-
plicatione trahuntur ad justitiam, tanto magis accessit ipsorum cu
mulus meritorum. Quod felicis recordationis Bonifacius papa VIII.,
prsedecessor noster, pie (sicut indubie credimus) considerans — incon-
sumptibilem thesaurum hujusmodi pro excitanda et remuneranda
devotione fidelium voluit aperire; decernens de fratrum suorum
concilio, ut omnes qui in anno a nat. Dom. MCCC., et quolibet cente-
simo anno ex tune secuturo ad dictorum apostolorum basilicas de urbe
accederent reverenter, ipsasque siRomani ad minus xxx., si vero pere-
grini aut forenses fuerint xv. diebus, continuis vel interpolatis, saltern
semel in die, dum tamen vere pcenitentes, et confessi existerent, perso-
naliter visitarent, suorum omnium obtinerent plenissimam veniam
peccatorum. Corpus Juris Canonici. Extrav. Commun. Lib. v. Titul.
ix. cap. ii. Unigenitus. Ed. Lugduni MDCXXII. cum licontia.]

76 THE PARABLE OF

ever a sinner in the law ; and therefore fasteth, and prayeth
to God in the spirit, the world seeing it not. Yet in the
promises he is ever righteous through faith in Christ ; and
is sure that he is heir of all God's promises; the Spirit,
which he hath received in earnest l, bearing him witness ; his
heart also, and his deeds testifying the same.
NO flesh can Mark this then : To see inwardly that the law of God is

fulfil the law. . *

Aut. ed. so spiritual, that no flesh can fulfil it2 ; and then for to mourn
and sorrow, and to desire, yea, to hunger and thirst after
strength to do the will of God from the ground of the heart,
and (notwithstanding all the subtilty of the devil, weakness
and feebleness of the flesh, and wondering of the world,) to
cleave yet to the promises of God, and to believe that for
Christ's blood sake thou art received to the inheritance of
eternal life, is a wonderful thing, and a thing that the world
knoweth not of; but whosoever feeleth that, though he fall a
thousand times in a day, doth yet rise again a thousand
times, and is sure that the mercy of God is upon him.

"If ye forgive other men their trespasses, your heavenly
wejannot Father shall forgive you yours." Matt, in the vi. chap. If I
SodnbTit°he f°rgive> God shall forgive me ; not for my deeds' sake, but
JaJdoShS. f°r his Promises' sake, for his mercy and truth, and for the
Ant. ed. blood of his Son, Christ our Lord. And my forgiving certi-
fieth my spirit that God shall forgive me, yea, that he
By consent- hath forgiven me already. For if I consent to the will of
wni^" God,e God in my heart, though through infirmity and weakness I
lodging our cannot do the will of God at all times ; moreover, though I

fault meekly, , °

o?the spu-u^ cann°t do the wn^ °f God so purely as the law requireth it of
me, yet if I see my fault and meekly knowledge my sin,
weeping in mine heart, because I cannot do the will of God,
and thirst after strength ; I am sure that the Spirit of God is
in me, and his favour upon me. For the world lusteth not to
do the will of God, neither sorroweth because he cannot,
though he sorrow some time for fear of the pain that he
belie veth shall follow. He that hath the spirit of this world,

[* In earnest, i.e. as an earnest or pledge.]

[2 From this clause is formed Art. XI. of alleged heresies. 'All
flesh is in bondage of sin, and cannot but sin.' Foxe's reply is, 'This
article is evident enough of itself, confirmed by the scripture, and
needeth no allegations.' v. p. 572.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 77

cannot forgive without amends making, or a greater vantage.
If I forgive now, how cometh it ? Verily, because I feel the
mercy of God in me. For as a man feeleth God to himself, wherefore

., i • • i i T i i • • the believing

so is he to his neighbour. I know by mine own experience, wr^veth-
that all flesh is in bondage under sin, and cannot but sin;
therefore am I merciful, and desire God to loose the bonds of
sin even in mine enemy.

" Gather not treasure together in earth, &c. but gather Matt. vi.
you treasure in heaven," &c. Let not your hearts be glued A true be-
to worldly things ; study not to heap treasure upon treasure, aKng<
and riches upon riches ; but study to bestow well that which is
gotten already, and let your abundance succour the lack and with that
need of the poor which have not. Have an eye to good Soundeth
works, to which if ye have lust and also power to do them, saryufoodce:>"
then are ye sure that the Spirit of God is in you, and ye ins^inweT
Christ elect to the reward of eternal life, which followeth
good works. But look that thine eye be single, and rob not
Christ of his honour ; ascribe not that to the deserving of thy
works, which is given thee freely by the merits of his blood.
In Christ we are sons. In Christ we are heirs. In Christ in Christ we
God chose us, and elected us before the beginning of theAnted'na
world, created us8 anew by the word of the gospel, and put
his Spirit in us, for because that4 we should do good works,
A Christian man worketh, because it is the will of his Father
only. If we do no good work, nor be merciful, how is our
lust therein ? If we have no lust to do good works, how is
God's Spirit in us? If the Spirit of God be not in us, how
are we his sons ? How are we his heirs, and heirs annexed
with Christ of the eternal life, which is promised to all them
that believe in him ? Now do our works testify and witness we must
what we are, and what treasure is laid up for us in heaven, wor^be-
so that our eye be single, and look upon the commandment God% win

* ° A that we

without respect of any thing, save because it is God's will, |j|™Id do
and that God desireth it of us, and Christ hath deserved that
we do it.

Matt. vii. " Not all they that say unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the
will of my Father which is in heaven." Though thou canst

[3 So Day: in C. us is omitted.]
,[4 So O. : in D. that it omitted.]

78 THE PARABLE OF

laud God with thy lips, and call Christ
gospel is ac- an(j talk of the scripture, and knowest all the stories of the

cepted before

Not oniyo laud God with thy lips, and call Christ Lord, and canst babble

hvafter the bible, yet shalt thou thereby never know thine election, or
gospel. W.T. whetner thy faith be right. But and if thou feel lust in thine
heart to the will of God, and bringest forth the fruits thereof,
then hast thou confidence and hope ; and thy deeds, and also
the Spirit whence thy deeds spring, certify thine heart that
thou shalt enter, yea, art already entered, into the kingdom
we^ust^ of heaven. For it followeth, "He that heareth the word, and
do u°d and ^°*k ^' buildeth his house upon a rock," and no tempest of
Ant. ed. temptations can overthrow it. For the Spirit of God is in
his heart, and comforteth him, and holdeth him fast to the
rock of the merits of Christ's blood, in whom he is elect.
Nothing is able to pluck him out of the hands of God: God is
stronger than all things. And contrariwise, " he that heareth
the word, and doth it not, buildeth on the sand" of his own
imagination, and every tempest overthroweth his building.
The cause is, he hath not God's Spirit in him, and therefore
understandeth it not aright, neither worketh aright. "For
i cor. ii. no man knoweth the things of God (saith Paul in the first
epistle to the Corinthians, in the second chapter) save the
Spirit of God, as no man knoweth what is in a man, but a
where the man's spirit which is in him." So then, if the Spirit be not in
ispr\ot,0there a man, he worketh not the will of God, neither understandeth

cannot a man .,,,,,,,

work accord- it, though he babble never so much of the scriptures. Never-

mg to God's ' ° .

will. w. T. theless such a man may work after his own imagination, but
God's will can he not work ; he may offer sacrifice, but to do
mercy knoweth he not. It is easy to say unto Christ, Lord,
Lord ; but thereby shalt thou never feel or be sure of the
kingdom of heaven. But and if thou do the will of God,
then art thou sure that Christ is thy Lord indeed, and that
thou in him art also a lord ; in that thou feelest thyself
loosed and freed from the bondage of sin, and lusty and of
power to do the will of God.

Where the Spirit is, there is feeling ; for the Spirit

maketh us feel all things. Where the Spirit is not, there is

Christ is our no feeling ; but a vain opinion or imagination. A physician

cian, to5>seai serveth but for sick men ; and that for such sick men as feel

and deliver

s!ns°f Int. ed. their sicknesses, and mourn therefore, and long for health.
Christ likewise serveth but for such1 sinners only as feel their
[l So C. : in D. such is omitted here.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 79

sin, and that for such sinners that sorrow and mourn in their
hearts for health. Health is power or strength to fulfil the what health
law, or to keep the commandments. Now he that longeth for w- T-
that health, that is to say, for to do the law of God, is blessed
in Christ, and hath a promise that his lust shall be fulfilled,
and that he shall be made whole. Matt. v. " Blessed are they
which hunger and thirst for righteousness' sake, (that is, to
fulfil the law,) for their lust shall be fulfilled." This longing
and consent of the heart unto the law of God is the working
of the Spirit, which God hath poured into thine heart, in
earnest that thou mightest be sure that God will fulfil all his
promises that he hath made thee. It is also the seal and
mark, which God putteth on all men that he chooseth unto
everlasting life. So long as thou seest thy sin and mournest,
and consentest to the law, and longest (though thou be never
so weak), yet the Spirit shall keep thee in all temptations from
desperation, and certify thine heart that God for his truth
shall deliver thee and save thee ; yea, and by thy good deeds
shalt thou be saved, not which thou hast done, but which
Christ has done for thee ; for Christ is thine, and all his JjjjJ'8
deeds are thy deeds. Christ is in thee, and thou in him, ours- w- T-
knit together inseparably. Neither canst thou be damned, Christ is
except Christ be damned with thee : neither can Christ be Swato saiva-
saved, except thou be saved with him2. Moreover thy heart
is good, right, holy, and just ; for thy heart is no enemy to
the law, but a friend and a lover. The law and thy heart
are agreed and at one ; and therefore is God at one with
thee. The consent of the heart unto the law is unity and
peace between God and man. For he is not mine enemy,
which would fain do me pleasure, and mourneth because he
hath not wherewith. Now he that opened thy disease unto
thee, and made thee long for health shall (as he hath pro-

[2 Art. XII. of the heresies and errors charged against Tyndale
is composed of this sentence. Foxe says in reply, 'Read the place/
He then quotes Tyndale from the words 'A physician/ to the close of
the condemned sentence, attaching to it this note: 'The believing
man, standing upon the certainty of God's promise, may assure him
self of his salvation, as truly as Christ himself is saved ; and he can no
\aore than Christ himself be damned: and although the scripture doth
not use this phrase of speaking, yet it importeth no less in effect, by
reason of the verity of God's promise, which impossible it is to fail.']

80 THE PARABLE OF

mised) heal thee ; and he that hath loosed thy heart shall at
his godly leisure loose thy members. He that hath not the
Spirit hath no feeling, neither lusteth or longeth after power
to fulfil the law, neither abhorreth the pleasures of sin, nei
ther hath any more certainty of the promises of God, than I
have of a tale of Robin Hood, or of some jest1 that a man
telleth me was done at Rome. Another man may lightly
make me doubt, or believe the contrary, seeing I have no
experience thereof myself: so is it of them that feel not the
working of the Spirit, and therefore in time of temptation the
buildings of their imaginations fall.

Matt. x. "He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a

prophet," that is, because he is a prophet, " shall receive the

reward of a prophet;" and "He that giveth one of these little

ones a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple,

A prophet, snall not lose his reward." Note this, that a prophet signifieth

what he is. JT.ro

Ant. ed. as wen him tljgjj interpreteth the hard places of scripture, as
him that prophesieth things to come. Now he that receiveth
a prophet, a just man, or a disciple, shall have the same or liko
reward; that is to say, shall have the same eternal life which
is appointed for them in Christ's blood and merits. For

NO man can except thou were elect to the same eternal life, and hadst the

consent to the •*•

idawdrx0cTPhte same faith and trust in God, and the same Spirit, thou couldst
he bechosen. never consent to their deeds and help them. But thy deeds
testify what thou art; and certify thy conscience that thou
art received to mercy, and sanctified in Christ's passions and
sufferings, and shalt hereafter, with all them that follow God,
receive the reward of eternal life.

Matt. xn. Matt. xii. " Of thy words thou shalt be justified, and of

thy words thou shalt be condemned : " That is, thy words as
well as other deeds shall testify with thee, or against thee, at
the day of judgment. Many there are which abstain from the
bufTia-rtioy is outwar>d deeds of fornication and adultery, nevertheless rejoice
crisy. Ant.ed. £0 talk thereof and laugh : their words and laughter testify
against them, that their heart is impure, and they adulterers
and fornicators in the sight of God. The tongue, and other
signs, ofttimes utter the malice of the heart, though a man

t1 Jest, or gest : not meaning a tale to be laughed at, but some
fact or exploit. A volume of superstitious narratives entitled, *Ei
Gestis Romanorum/ was a very popular book in Tyndale's day.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 81

for many causes abstain his hand from the outward deed or
act.

"If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matt. x«.
Matt. xix. First, remember that when God commandeth us to
do any thing, he doth it not therefore, because that we of our
selves are able to do that he commandeth ; but that by the law
we might see and know our horrible damnation and captivity
under sin, and therefore2 should repent and come to Christ,
and receive mercy, and the Spirit of God to loose us, strength
us, and to make us able to do God's will, which is the law3.
Now when he saith, " If thou wilt enter into life, keep the

feignedly in

commandments," is as much to say as, he that keepeth the cimst, is to

* keep the com-

commandments is entered into life. For except a man have
first the Spirit of life in him by Christ's purchasing, it is im
possible for him to keep the commandments, or that his heart fS
should be loose or at liberty to lust after them ; for of nature tokeep the

. , , „ .— , cornmand-

we are enemies to the law ot God. ments. W.T.

As touching that Christ saith afterward, " If thou wilt be
perfect, go and sell thy substance and give it to the poor ; "
he saith it not as who should say that there were any greater The greatest

perfection

perfection than to keep the law of God, (for that is all peri'ec- w. T.

tion,) but to shew the other his blindness ; which saw not that

the law is spiritual, and requireth the heart ; but, because he The law is

i. l • 11-111 -11 i Mritual and

was not knowing that he had hurt any man with the outward JJgJ^^J8
deed, he supposed that he loved his neighbour as himself. ed-
But when he was bid to shew the deeds of love, and give of
his abundance to them that needed, he departed mourning :
which is an evident token that he loved not his neighbour as
well as himself; for if he had need himself, it would not
have grieved him to have received succour of another man.
Moreover, he saw not that it was murder and theft, that a man if the rich

help not the

should have abundance of riches lying by him, and not to
shew mercy therewith, and kindly to succour his neighbour's

need,

but thieves
before God.
Ant. ed.

[2 So D. : in C. therefore is wanting.]

[3 To form their thirteenth charge of heresy or error, the exa
mining commissioners represented Tyndale as here saying, * The com
mandments be given us, not to do them, but to know our damnation,
and to call for mercy of God.' Foxe only replies, * Read the place ; '
and having quoted it, he attaches to it this note : * This article is
falsely wrested out of these words ; which do not say that we should
not do the commandments, but that we cannot do them.']

r -i 6

[TYNDALE.]

82

THE PARABLE OF

need. God hath given one man riches, to help another at
need. If thy neighbour need, and thou help him not, being
able, thou withholdest his duty * from him, and art a thief be
fore God.

He ithatwith- That also that Christ saith, how that "it is harder for a

SKfffi's* ™k man" (who loveth his riches so that he cannot find in his

cometoTea- heart liberally and freely to help the poor and needy) " to

ven. vv. T. en^-er m^0 £ne kingdom of heaven, than a camel to go through

the eye of a needle," declareth that he was not entered into

the kingdom of heaven, that is to say, eternal life. But he

that keepeth the commandments, is entered into life ; he2

hath life and the Spirit of life in him.

Matt. xvii. « This kind of devils goeth not out but by prayer and

fasting." Not that the devil is cast out by merits of fasting
or praying3 : for he saith before, that for their unbelief's

outl!Lvi]seth sa^e *ne could not cast him out. It is faith, no doubt, that

casteth out the devils; and faith it is that fasteth and prayeth.
miracles. Ysiith hath the promises of God, whereunto she cleaveth, and
Faithfosteth. in all things thirsteth4 the honour of God. She fasteth to
subdue the body unto the spirit, that the prayer be not let,
ShlhAnfyed. an(^ *na^ *n8 sp"^ may quietly talk with God : she also,
whensoever opportunity is given, prayeth God to fulfil his
promises unto his praise and glory. And God, which is
merciful in promising, and true to fulfil them, casteth out
the devils, and doth all that faith desireth, and satisfieth her
thirst.

o? Lkavegn?sm " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the beginning of the world ; for I was
athirst, and ye gave me drink," &c. Matt. xxv. Not that a man

ws. T. with works deserveth eternal life, as a workman or labourer
his hire or wages. Thou readest in the text, that the kingdom

[l Duty, i. e. due. Oive to every man his duty. Rom. xiii. 7.
Tyndale's version.]

[2 So D.: in C. it is yea.]

[3 Tewkesbury was examined as to what he thought of this clause ;
and the record of his examination says : * To that he answered,
thinking it good enough.']

[4 Compare this word as it stands here, and in the first sentence
of Tyndale's Address to the Reader.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 83

was "prepared for us from the beginning of the world."
And we are blessed and sanctified. In Christ's blood are we
blessed from that bitter curse and damnable captivity under sin,
wherein we were born and conceived. And Christ's Spirit is Ant!aJd
poured into us, to bring forth good works, and our works
are the fruits of the Spirit ; and the kingdom is the deserving
of Christ's blood ; and so is faith, and the Spirit, and good
works also. Notwithstanding the kingdom followeth good
works ; and good works testify that we are heirs thereof ; and
at the day of judgment shall they testify for the elect unto
their comfort and glory, and to the confusion of the ungodly,
unbelieving, and faithless sinners, which had not trust in the
word of God's promises, nor lust to the will of God ; but were
carried of the spirit of their father, tho devil, unto all abomi
nation, to work wickedness with all lust, delectation, and greed
iness.

" Many sins are forgiven her, for she loveth much." Luke

•• TVT i • • • AS long as we

vn. Not that love was cause of forgiveness of sins, but contran-

wise the forgiveness of sins caused love ; as it followeth, " To JSf

whom less was forgiven, that same loveth less." And afore he jS

commended the judgment of Simon, which answered that he ^fr!*6"

loveth most to whom most was forgiven : and also said, at the

last, " Thy faith hath saved thee" (or made thee safe), " go in

peace." We cannot love, except we see some benefit and kind

ness. As long as we look on the law of God only, where we Theiawcon-

, _ . ., * r> s~i -i demneth.

see but sin and damnation and the wrath of God upon us, yea, Ant. ed.
where we were damned afore we were born, we cannot love God :
no, we cannot but hate him as a tyrant, unrighteous, unjust,
and flee from him as did Cain5. But when the gospel. that glad The gospel

o comiortetn,

tidings, and joyful promises are preached, how that in Christ SJJSJ
God loveth us first, forgiveth us, and hath mercy on us ; then etL
love we again, and the deeds of our love declare our faith.
This is the manner of speaking : as we say, Summer is nigh,
for the trees blossom. Now is the blossoming of the trees not w^d
the cause that summer draweth nigh ; but the drawing nigh
of summer is the cause of the blossoms, and the blossoms put
us in remembrance that summer is at hand. So Christ here

[5 The passage beginning, ' We cannot love,' and ending with
* Cain,' was urged upon Tewkesbury ; and the record says, ' To that
he answered, and thinketh it good and plain enough.']

6—2

84 THE PARABLE OF

teacheth Simon by the ferventness of love in the outward

deeds to see a strong faith within, whence so great love

certain phra- springcth. As the manner is to say, Do your charity ; shew

ses of speech r & t a •

<An)t°Uedded' your cnarity ; do a deed of charity ; shew your mercy ; do a
deed of mercy ; meaning thereby that our deeds declare how
we love our neighbours, and how much we have compassion
on them at their need. Moreover it is not possible to love,
except we see a cause. Except we see in our hearts the love
and kindness of God to us-ward in Christ our Lord, it is not
possible to love God aright.

An example We say also, He that loveth not my dog, loveth not me.

of love to « * O*

neighbours -^0^ ^at a man should love my dog first ; but if a man loved
W-T- me, the love wherewith he loved me would compel him to
love my dog, though the dog deserved it not ; yea, though
the dog had done him a displeasure, yet if he loved me, the same
love would refrain him from revenging himself, and cause him
to refer the vengeance unto me. Such speakings find we in
i joim iv. scripture. John in the ivth of his first epistle saith : " He that
saith, I love God, and yet hateth his brother, is a liar ; for how
can he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, love God
whom he seeth not?" This is not spoken that a man should first
love his brother and then God, but as it followeth : " For this
commandment have we of him, that he which loveth God should
love his brother also." To love my neighbour is the com
mandment; which commandment he that loveth not, loveth
not God. The keeping of the commandment declareth what
where per- love I have to God. If I loved God purely, nothing that my
oSdffthCTe neighbour could do were able to make me either to hate -him,
Antked either to take vengeance on him myself; seeing that God hath
commanded me to love him, and to remit all vengeance unto
The keeping him. Mark now, how much I love the commandment, so
mandme^t" much I love God : how much I love God, so much believe I
love toward that he is merciful, kind and good, yea, and a father unto me
for Christ's sake. How much I believe that God is merciful
unto me, and that he will for Christ's sake fulfil all his pro
mises unto me ; so much I see my sins, so much do my sins
grieve me, so much do I repent and sorrow that I sin, so
much displeaseth me that poison that moveth me to sin, and
Agodiyorder so greatly desire I to be healed. So now, by the natural

of perfection. -\ r* , -r • i -r •> ' i

w. T. order, first I see my sm : then I repent, and sorrow : then
believe I God's promises ; that he is merciful unto me, and

THE WICKED MAMMON. 85

forgiveth me, and will heal me at the last : then love I ; and
then I prepare myself to the commandment.

" This do, and thou shalt live." Luke x. That is to say, Luke x.
"Love thy Lord God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, what it is to
and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind ; and thy
neighbour as thyself." As who should say, If thou do this,
or though thou canst not do it, yet if thou feelest lust there- if we do but
unto, and thy spirit sigheth, mourneth, and longeth after s& that the

J.1 &. -1-1 it Spiritisinus.

strength to do it, take a sign and evident token thereby, that W.T.
the Spirit of life is in thee, and that thou art elect to life ever
lasting by Christ's blood, whose gift and purchase is thy faith,
and that Spirit that worketh the will of God in thee ; whose
gift also are thy deeds, or rather the deeds of the Spirit of
Christ, and not thine ; and whose gift is the reward of eternal
life, which followeth good works.

It followeth also in the same place of Luke, " When he
should depart he plucked out two pence, and gave them to the
host, and said unto him, Take the charge or cure of him, and
whatsoever thou spendest more, I will recompense it thee at
my coming again." Remember, this is a parable, and a para- The true un-
ble may not be expounded word by word ; but the intent of oS paWSe.
the similitude must be sought out only, in the whole parable. A parable

mi .. ft ii • >i«. i • i t • cannot be ex-

1 he intent ot the similitude is to shew to whom a man is a pounded in
neighbour, or who is a man's neighbour, which is both one,
and what it is to love a man's neighbour as himself.

The Samaritan holp him, and shewed mercy as long as
he was present ; and when he could be no longer present, he
left his money behind him, and if that were not sufficient, he
left his credence 1 to make good the rest ; and forsook him
not, as long as the other had need. Then said Christ, " Go wiwtneigh-
thou and do likewise ;" that is, without difference or respection fieth. w. T.
of persons : whosoever needeth thy help, him count thy neigh
bour, and his neighbour be thou, and shew mercy on him as
long as he needeth thy succour ; and that is to love a man's
neighbour as himself. Neighbour is a word of love ; and we must ever
signifieth that a man should be ever nigh, and at hand, and hlijfour to

i , , a , neighbour.

ready to help in time of need. Ant. ed.

They that will interpret parables word by word, fall

[! Promise, or pledge to be credited. The phrase, letters of cre
dence, is an instance of a similar use of the word.]

86

THE PARABLE OF

1 John iii.

John xv.

No man ful
filleth the
law. W. T.
1 John i.

token. W.T.

into straits ofttimcs, whence they cannot rid themselves ; and
preach lies instead of the truth. As do they which interpret
by the two pence the old Testament and the new, and by
that which is bestowed opera super erogationis (howbeit
super arrogantia1 were a meeter term), that is to say, deeds
which are more than the law requireth ; deeds of perfection
and of liberality, which a man is not bound to do, but of his
free will, and for them he shall have an higher place in hea
ven, and may give to other of his merits ; or of which the
pope, after his death, may give pardons from the pains of
purgatory.

Against which exposition I answer : first, a greater per
fection than the law is there not. A greater perfection than
to love God and his will, which is the commandments, with all
thine heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all
thy mind, is there none : and to love a man's neighbour as
himself, is like the same. It is a wonderful love wherewith a
man loveth himself. As glad as 1 would be to receive pardon
of mine own life, (if I had deserved death,) so glad ought I to
be to defend my neighbour's life, without respect of my life
or of my good. A man ought neither to spare his goods, nor
yet himself, for his brother's sake, after the ensample of
Christ. " Herein," saith he, " perceive we love, in that he,'*
that is to say Christ, " gave his life for us ; we ought, there
fore, to bestow our lives for the brethren." Now saith Christ,
John xv. " There is no greater love than that a man bestow
his life for his friend."

Moreover no man can fulfil the law : for John saith (first
chapter of the said epistle,) " If we say we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and truth is not in us ; if we knowledge
our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins,
and to purge us from all iniquity." And in the Paternoster
also we say, " Father, forgive us our sins." Now if we be all
sinners, none fulfilleth the law : for he that fulfilleth the law
is no sinner. In the law may neither Peter nor Paul nor
any other creature, save Christ only, rejoice. In the blood
of Christ, which fulfilled the law for us, may every person
that repenteth, believeth, loveth the law, and mourneth for
strength to fulfil it, rejoice, be he never so weak a sinner.
pencc therefore, and the credence that he left behind

[l Superarrogancy, exceeding arrogancy.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 87

him to bestow more, if need were, signifieth that he was
everywhere merciful, both present and absent, without feign
ing, cloaking, complaining, or excusing, and forsook not his
neighbour as long as he had need. Which example I pray SJj*p5J5*
God men may follow, and let opera super erogationis alone. mor?a?anks

the law re-
quireth.

" Mary hath chosen a good part which shall not be taken Luke x.
from her." Luke x. She was first chosen of God, and called
by grace, both to know her sin, and also to hear the word of
faith, health, and glad tidings of mercy in Christ ; and faith
was given her to believe, and the Spirit of God loosed her
heart from the bondage of sin : then consented she to the will JIJtawSethat
of God again, and above all things had delectation to hear Jhosen.aw.T.
that2 word wherein she had obtained everlasting health, and
namely, of his own mouth, which had purchased so great
mercy for her. God chooseth us first and loveth us first,
and openeth our eyes to see his exceeding abundant love to
us in Christ ; and then love we again, and accept his will
above all things, and serve him in that office whereunto he
hath chosen us.

" Sell that ye have, and give alms, and make you bags Luke *"•
which wax not old, and treasure which faileth not in heaven."
Luke xii. This and such like are not spoken that we should
work as hirelings, in respect of reward, and as though we
should obtain heaven with merit. For he saith a little afore,
" Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's pleasure to give
you a kingdom." The kingdom cometh then of the good will
of Almighty God, through Christ ; and such things are spoken
partly to put us in remembrance of our duty, to be kind *? Gld?dness
again : as is that saying, " Let your light so shine before Al
men that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your
Father which is in heaven :" as who should say, if God hath
given you so great gifts, see ye be not unthankful, but
bestow them unto his praise. Some things are spoken to The great di-

*• versity and

move us to put our trust in God, as are these : " Behold the
lilies of the field :" " Behold the birds of the air :" " If your
children ask you bread, will ye proffer them a stone?" and ed'
many such like. Some are spoken to put us in remembrance scripture

* -1 L speaketh to

to be sober, to watch and pray, and to prepare ourselves ^sa^ve{y T
against temptations ; and that we should understand and
[2 So C. : in D. it is the.]

88 THE PARABLE OF

know how that temptations, and occasion of evil, come then
most, when they are least looked for ; lest we should be
careless, and sure of ourselves, negligent and unprepared.
Some things are spoken that we should fear the wonderful
and incomprehensible judgments of God, lest we should
presume : gome to comfort us, that we despair not. And for
like causes are all the ensamples of the old Testament. In
conclusion, the scripture speaketh many things as the world
speaketh ; but they may not be worldly understood, but
where the ^ ghostly and spiritually : yea, the Spirit of God only un-
derstandeth them ; and where he is not, there is not the un
derstanding of the scripture, but unfruitful disputing and

there is no
understand
ing of scrip
ture. W. T.

brawling about words.

The sayings The scripture saith, God seeth, God heareth, God smell-

of the scrip

tures may eth, God walketh, God is with them, God is not with them,

not be «ross- 777

ltooS.deAnt God is angry, God is pleased, God sendeth his Spirit, God
taketh his Spirit away, and a thousand such like : and yet is
none of them true after the worldly manner, and as the words
sound. Read the second chapter of Paul to the Corinthians :
rjhCe°naturai " The natural man understandeth not the things of God, but
sTaandetnhdnot the Spirit of God only. And we," saith he, "have received
God! Ant. ed. the Spirit which is of God, to understand the things which
- are given us of God." For without the Spirit it is impossible

scripture to understand them. Read also the viiith to the Romans :

without the

spirit of God. « They that are led with the Spirit of God, are the sons of

Kom. viii. QO(J .» now |jie gon ]inoweth his father's will, and the servant
not. " He1 that hath not the Spirit of Christ, (saith Paul) is
none of his :" likewise, he that hath not the Spirit of God, is
none of God's ; for it is both one Spirit, as thou mayest see
in the same place.

John viii. Now " he that is of God heareth the word of God." John

viii. And who is of God, but he that hath the Spirit of God ?
Furthermore, saith he, " Ye hear it not, because ye are not of
God;" that is, ye have no lust in the word of God, for ye
understand it not ; and that because his Spirit is not in you.

The scripture Forasmuch then as the scripture is nothing else but that

is notninff JL O

* wllicn tne SPirifc of God hatn spoken by the prophets and
1. apostles, and cannot be understand but of the same Spirit ;
Pray the ^ eyer7 man Pra7 ^° God to send him his Spirit, to loose
^rom his natural blindness and ignorance, and to give
t1 So C. ; D. omits, not. He.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 89

him understanding and feeling of the things of God, and of ^rd"^ral
the speaking of the Spirit of God. And mark this process : JJJ J^j™
first, we are damned of nature ; so conceived, and born ; as g$j£f of
a serpent is a serpent, and a toad a toad, and a snake a SSk'thT' T*
snake by nature2. And as thou seest a young child, which oSS works.
hath pleasure in many things wherein is present death, as in w' T'
fire, water, and so forth, would slay himself with a thousand
deaths, if he were not waited upon and kept therefrom ; even
so we, if we should live these thousand years, could in all
that time delight in no other thing, nor yet seek any other
thing, but that wherein is death of the soul.

Secondarily, of the whole multitude of the nature of man,
whom God hath elect and chosen, and to whom he hath
appointed mercy and grace in Christ, to them sendeth he his
Spirit ; which openeth their eyes, sheweth them their misery,
and bringeth them unto the knowledge of themselves ; so that
they hate and abhor themselves, are astonied and amazed,
and at their wit's ends, neither wot what to do, or where to
seek health. Then, lest they should flee from God by despe- BY faith m

.. , /» j ,1 ,1 • •,! i • . . Christ we are

ration, he comiorteth them again with his sweet promises in brought to
Christ ; and certifieth their hearts that, for Christ's sake,

they are received to mercy, and their sins forgiven, and they
elect and made the sons of God, and heirs with Christ of
eternal life : and thus through faith are they set at peace
with God.

Now may not we ask why God chooseth one and not God work

, . , * his own will

another ; either think that God is unjust to damn us afore Jjjljj^18
we do any actual deed ; seeing that God hath power over all Antt cd-
his creatures of right, to do with them what he list, or to
make of every one of them as he listeth. Our darkness
cannot perceive his light. God will be feared, and not have
his secret judgments known. Moreover we by the light of
faith see a thousand things which are impossible to an in
fidel to see : so likewise, no doubt, in the light of the clear
vision of God we shall see things which now God will not
have known. For pride ever accompanieth high knowledge,
but grace accompanieth meekness. Let us therefore give
diligence rather to do the will of God, than to search his
secrets, which are not profitable for us to know.

[2 Tewkesbury's examiners asked him if this were right. * To that
he answered, It is true, as it is in the book/ Foxe, iv. 691.]

90 THE PARABLE OF

if we believe When we are thus reconciled to God, made the friends

in God, we

of> Gocl and heirs of eternal life, the Spirit, that God hath
Ant. poured into us, testifieth that we may not live after our old

deeds of ignorance. For how is it possible that we should
He that is repent and abhor them, and yet have lust to live in them?
XnGod We are sure therefore that God hath created and made us
after the out new in Christ, and put his Spirit in us, that we should live a

lustofigno- , . , . -,. (, i

ranee, w. T. new ]tfGf which is the life of good works.

That thou mayest know what are good works, and the
intent of good works, or wherefore good works serve, mark
this that followeth.

Shatth°yks ^ie ^e °^ a Christian man is inward between him and

God, and properly is the consent of the Spirit to the will of
God and to the honour of God. And God's honour is the
final end of all good works.

Good works are all things that are done within the laws
of God, in which God is honoured, and for which thanks are
given to God.

Fasting is to abstain from surfeiting, or overmuch eating,

Antfefi'. from drunkenness, and care of the world (as thou mayest read
Luke xxi.) ; and the end of fasting is to tame the body,
that the spirit may have a free course to God, and may
quietly talk with God. For overmuch eating and drinking,
and care of worldly business, press down the spirit, choke her

fahsfinguseof an(i tangle her that she cannot lift up herself to God. Now
he that fasteth for any other intent than to subdue the body,
that the spirit may wait on God, and freely exercise herself
in the things of God, the same is blind, and wotteth not
what he doth, erreth and shooteth at a wrong mark, and his
intent and imagination is abominable in the sight of God1.
When thou fastest from meat and drinkest all day, is that a
Christian fast ? either to eat at one meal that were sufficient

fwS'Antl f°r f°ur ^ A man a* f°ur times may bear that he cannot at
once. Some fast from meat and drink, and yet so tangle
themselves in worldly business that they cannot once think
on God. Some abstain from butter, some from eggs, some

[! The above clause supplied Art. XIV. of the list of alleged
heresies and errors, and was one of the subjects on which Tewkesbury
was examined, to afford matter of condemnation against him. The
allegation of error has only induced Foxe to give his reader the pas
sage: and Tewkesbury owned it for a truth.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 91

from all manner white meat, some this day, some that day,
some in the honour of this saint, some of that, and every man
for a sundry purpose : some for the tooth ache, some for the
head ache, for fevers, pestilence, for sudden death, for hang
ing, drowning, and to be delivered from the pains of hell.
Some are so mad, that they fast one of the Thursdays be
tween the two St Mary days2, in the worship of that saint
whose day is hallowed between Christmas and Candlemas3 ;

[2 By " the two St Mary days" are meant the festival of the Virgin
Mary's conception, observed by the church of Rome on the 5th Dec.,
and that of her purification, observed Feb. 2. The observance of the
first arose out of a legend which assumed to tell when she was born,
and consequently to fix the time when she was conceived. From ac
cepting this legend, an advance was made in the 12th century to setting
apart a day of rejoicing for her conception. And when the reputa
tion of the famous schoolmen, Duns Scotus and Thomas Aquinas, had
divided nearly the whole ecclesiastical body of western Christendom
into disputants about their respective merits ; the Scotists counted it
their master's chief honour, that he had taught that the virgin, like her
divine Son, was conceived without spot of sin, whilst the Thomists,
or disciples of Aquinas, were fain to oppose this notion, as evidently
irreconcileable with his language. The former accordingly called it
the Feast of the Immaculate Conception ; and its observance was
henceforward kept with the more zeal, as serving to call out mani
festations of attachment to one or other of the two great parties into
which the church of Rome is still divided on this subject.

The other St Mary's day, as Tyndale here calls it, has its appro
priate collect, substitute for an epistle, and gospel, in the liturgy of
the church of England; where it is headed, 'The Presentation of
Christ in the Temple, commonly called, the Purification of Saint Mary
the Virgin/ Its day of observance is obviously determined by the
interval fixed upon in the divine law between the birth of a man-
child and the purification of its mother, (Levit. xii. 2 — 4) ; and its
title refers to the oldest origin of its observance. * That which is com
monly called the Purification of the Virgin Mary, or Candlemas Day/
went at first among the Greeks by the name of 'YTrcnravrr], which de
notes the meeting of the Lord by Simeon in the temple, in com
memoration of which occurrence it was first made a festival in the
church ; some say in the time of Justin the emperor ; others in the
time of his successor Justinian, A. D. 542. Bingham's Orig. Eccles.
B. xx. ch. 8, §. 5. Vol. vii. p. 169. London, 1840.]

[3 By halving the interval between Christmas and Candlemas, we
are brought to a festival long allowed by the church of Rome, as a
part of the licensed saturnalia with which it accommodated its adhe
rents in the winter season. 'On the 14th of January/ says Mr Fos-

92 THE PARABLE OF

and that to be delivered from the pestilence. All those men
fast without conscience of God, and without knowledge of the
true intent of fasting, and do no other than honour saints, as
the Gentiles and heathen worshipped their idols, and are
drowned in blindness, and know not of the testament that
God hath made to man-ward in Christ's blood. In God have
they neither hope nor confidence, neither believe his promises,
neither know his will, but are yet in captivity under the
prince of darkness.

what watch Watch, is not only to abstain from sleep, but also to be

si«ni(ieth. . ^

w. T. circumspect and to cast1 all perils; as a man should watch a
tower or a castle. We must remember that the snares of the
devil are infinite and innumerable, and that every moment
arise new temptations, and that in all places meet us fresh
occasions ; against which we must prepare ourselves and turn

True watch- to God and complain to him, and make our moan, and desire

ing. Ant. ed.

him of his mercy to be our shield, our tower, our castle, and
defence from all evil, to put his strength in us, for without
him we can do nought ; and above all things we must call to
mind what promises God hath made, and what he hath sworn
that he will do to us for Christ's sake, and with strong faith
cleave unto him and desire him of his mercy and for the love
that he hath to Christ, and for his truth's sake, to fulfil his
promises. If we thus cleave to God with strong faith and
i cor. x. believe his words, then, as saith Paul, " God is faithful that

broke, ' was the Feast of Asses, intended to represent the flight of the
Virgin Mary into Egypt. A girl, seated upon an ass, elegantly trap
ped, and holding a child, was led in procession to the church, and
placed upon the ass at the gospel side of the altar. Kyrie, the Gloria,
Creed, &c., were then chaunted, and concluded with Hinham,' (in imi
tation of the creature's bray). 'At the end of the service, the priest,
turning to the people, instead of dismissing them, (with the usual
words) said three times, Hinham ; to which they replied, Hinham,
Hinham, Hinham/ British Monachism, ch. v. p. 48. ed. 3, 1843.

Fosbroke further refers to Ducange, v. Festum Asinorum. The
people at this festival apostrophised the ass as Sire Ane. This there
fore was the saint of Tyndale's sarcastic allusion ; and it would seem
as if they who were 'so mad' must needs have a Thursday for their
fast, that every thing connected with this strange superstition might
be at variance with the more solemn usages of their church, whose
chosen days for fasting are Wednesday and Friday.]

t1 Cast: calculate.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 93

he will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able," or
above our might ; that is to say, if we cleave to his promises
and not to our own fantasies and imaginations, he will put
might and power into us, that shall be stronger than all the
temptation which he shall suffer to be against us.

Prayer is a mourning, a longing, and a desire of the spirit Prayer, what
to God- ward, for that which she lacketh ; as a sick man
mourneth and sorroweth in his heart, longing for health.
Faith ever prayeth. For after that by faith we are reconciled
to God, and have received mercy and forgiveness of God, the
spirit longeth and thirsteth for strength to do the will of
God, and that God may be honoured, his name hallowed, and
his pleasure and will fulfilled. The spirit waiteth and watch-
eth on the will of God, and ever hath her own fragility and
weakness before her eyes ; and when she seeth temptation
and peril draw nigh, she turneth to God, and to the testa
ment2 that God hath made to all that believe and trust in
Christ's blood ; and desireth God for his mercy and truth, Theconduion
and for the love he hath to Christ, that he will fulfil his ties of prayer,
promise, and that he will succour, and help, and give us
strength, and that he will sanctify his name in us, and fulfil
his godly will in us, and that he will not look on our sin and
iniquity, but on his mercy, on his truth, and on the love that
he oweth to his Son Christ ; and for his sake to keep us from
temptation, that we be not overcome ; and that he deliver us
from evil, and whatsoever moveth us contrary to his godly
will.

Moreover, of his own experience he feeleth other men's True prayer.
need, and no less commendeth to God the infirmities of other
than his own, knowing that there is no strength, no help, no
succour, but of God only. And as merciful as he feeleth God Let the same
in his heart to himself-ward, so merciful is he to other ; and you, which

. was 'm Jesus

as greatly as he feeleth his own misery, so great compassion Christ- w- T-
hath he on other. His neighbour is no less care to him than
himself : he feeleth his neighbour's grief no less than his own.
And whensoever he seeth occasion, he cannot but pray for
his neighbour as well as for himself : his nature is to seek the

[2 Tyndale has defined testament to mean, 'an appointment made
between God and man, and God's promises/ Table expounding cer
tain words in Genesis.]

94 THE PARABLE OF

honour of God in all men, and to draw (as much as in him
is) all men unto God. This is the law of love, which spring-
eth out of Christ's blood into the hearts of all them that have
their trust in him. No man needeth to bid a Christian man to
pray, if he see his neighbour's need : if he see it not, put him
in remembrance only, and then he cannot but do his duty.
t Now, as touching we desire one another to pray for us,
char\taynd that do we to put our neighbour in remembrance of his duty,
Ant. eu. an(j no£ ^.j^ we trust in his holiness l. Our trust is in God,
in Christ, and in the truth of God's promises : we have also
a promise, that when two or three, or more, agree together
in any thing, according to the will of God, God heareth us.
fo^anoSIS Notwithstanding, as God heareth many, so heareth he few,
and so heareth he one, if he pray after the will of God,
and desire the honour of God. He that desireth mercy,
the same feeleth his own misery and sin, and mourneth in
his heart for to be delivered, that he might honour God ;
and God for his truth must hear him, which saith by the
Matt. v. mouth of Christ, " Blessed are they that hunger and thirst
after righteousness, for they shall be filled." God, for his
truth's sake, must put the righteousness of Christ in him,
and wash his unrighteousness away in the blood of Christ.
!heWsSe?ur And be the sinner never so weak, never so feeble and
hfarewm.sha11 frail, sin he never so oft and so grievous ; yet so long as
this lust, desire, and mourning to be delivered, remaineth in
him, God seeth not his sins, reckoneth them not, for his
He that re- truth's sake, and love to Christ. He is not a sinner in the
sin is no sight of God, that would be no sinner. He that would be de-

smner before o

God. Ant. ed. Jiyered, hath his heart loose already. His heart sinneth not,
but mourneth, repenteth, and consenteth unto the law and
will of God, and justifieth God ; that is, beareth record that
God which made the law is righteous and just. And such an
heart, trusting in Christ's blood, is accepted for full righteous.
And his weakness, infirmity, and frailty is pardoned, and his
sins not looked upon, until God put more strength in him,
and fulfil his lust.

[l The former part of this paragraph was counted amongst Tyn-
clale's heresies or errors, (Art. XV.) by the royal commissioners. On
this Foxe observes, 'The place biddeth us put our trust in Christ
only, and not in poor men's prayers ; and so doth the scripture like
wise, and yet no heresy therein.']

THE WICKED MAMMON, 95

When the weak in the faith, and unexpert in the mys- Howwe

1 » should pray

teries of Christ, desire us to pray for them, then ought we to JJ^JJ^M
lead them to the truth and promises of God, and teach them Ant ed-
to put their trust in the promises of God, in love that God
hath to Christ and to us for his sake ; and to strength their
weak consciences, shewing and proving by the scripture, that
as long as they follow the Spirit and resist sin, it is impossible
they should fall so deep that God shall not pull them up
again, if they hold fast by the anchor of faith, having trust
and confidence in Christ. The love that God hath to Christ ™e love of

(rod to Christ

is infinite ; and Christ did and suffered all things not for ^"l™16-

himself, to obtain favour or aught else ; for he had ever the

full favour of God, and was ever Lord over all things ; but

to reconcile us to God, and to make us heirs with him of his

Father's kingdom. And God hath promised, that whosoever Rom- x-

calleth on his name shall never be confounded or ashamed. If

the righteous fall (saith the scripture), he shall not be bruised ;

the Lord shall put his hand under him. Who is righteous who isrfght-

but he that trusteth in Christ's blood, be he never so weak ?

Christ is our righteousness : and in him ought we to teach cimst is our

righteousness.

all men to trust ; and to expound unto all men the testament Ant- ed-
that God hath made to us sinners in Christ's blood. This
ought we to do, and not make a prey of them to lead them
captive, to sit in their consciences, and to teach them to trust
in our holiness, good deeds and prayers, to the intent that
we should feed our idle and slow bellies of their great labour
and sweat, and so to make ourselves Christs and saviours.
For if I take on me to save other by my merits, make I
not myself a Christ and a saviour ; and am indeed a false
prophet, and a true antichrist ; and exalt myself, and sit
in the temple of God, that is to wit, the consciences of
men?

Among Christian men love maketh all things common : c£EtSS°ng
every man is other's debtor, and every man is bound to 3fSitn«£eth
minister to his neighbour, and to supply his neighbour's lack,
of that wherewith God hath endowed him. As thou seest in
the world, how the lords and officers minister peace in the
commonwealth, punish murderers, thieves, and evil-doers ; and
how the commons minister to them again rent, tribute,
toll, and custom to maintain their order and estate : so in the

96 THE PARABLE OF

Hethatserv- gospel, the curates which in every parish preach the gospel
ought to live ought of duty to receive an honest living for them and their

of the altar o J &

also. w. T. households ; and even so ought the other officers, which are
necessarily required in the commonwealth of Christ. We
need not to use filthy lucre in the gospel; to chop and change;
and to play the taverners, altering the word of God, as they
do their wines to their most advantage ; and to fashion God's
word after every man's mouth ; or to abuse the name of
Christ, to obtain thereby authority and power to feed our
slow bellies. Now seest thou what prayer is, the end thereof,
and wherefore it serveth.

Man's imagi- If thou give me a thousand pounds to pray for thee, I

nation can- i. «/

not alter the am no more bound than I was before1. Man's imagination

law of God, t &

ulnore™1*6 can make the commandment of God neither greater nor

less. Ant. ed. smauer . neither can to the law of God either add or minish2.

God's commandment is as great as himself. I am bound to

love the Turk with all my might and power ; yea, and above

my power, even from the ground of my heart3, after the

ensample that Christ loved me ; neither to spare goods, body,

Temporal or life, to win him to Christ. And what can I do more for

theTaug- thee, if thou gavest me all the world ? Where I see need,

menteth nor 3

£ristyeth there can I not but pray, if God's Spirit be in me.
Aiml what Alms is a Greek word4, and signifieth mercy. One

it is. ' Christian is debtor to another, at his need, of all that he is
able to do for him, until his need be sufficed. Every Christian
man ought to have Christ always before his eyes, as an en-
sample to counterfeit and follow, and to do to his neighbour
as Christ hath done to him ; as Paul teacheth in all his
epistles, and Peter in his first, and John in his first also.
This order useth Paul in all his epistles : first, he preacheth
the law, and proveth that the whole nature of man is damned,
in that the heart lusteth contrary to the will of God. For

[! This sentence forms Art. XVI. of the heresies and errors charged
against Tyndale. Foxe in reply does but repeat the words, and annex
to the condemned sentence that which follows it.]

[2 So Day : C.'s edition reads, Neither can it either add to the law
of God or minish.]

[3 This forms Art. XIX. of heresies and errors. Foxe, in reply,
does but give the whole sentence.]

[4 Into such a narrow compass has the Greek word '
shrunk, through the gradations of almosine, almosie, almesse.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 97

if we were of God, no doubt we should have lust in his will.

Then preacheth he Christ, the gospel, the promises, and the The order of

mercy that God hath set forth to all men in Christ's blood: thwforth

• • • Christ. W. T.

which they that believe, and take it for an earnest thing,
turn themselves to God, begin to love God again, and to
prepare themselves to his will, by the working of the Spirit of
God in them. Last of all, exhorteth he to unity, peace, and
soberness ; to avoid brawlings, sects, opinions, disputing and
arguing about words; and to walk in the plain and single
faith and feeling of the Spirit ; and to love one another after
the ensample of Christ, even as Christ loved us ; and to be
thankful, and to walk worthy of the gospel, and as it be-
cometh Christ ; and with the ensample of pure living to draw
all to Christ.

Christ is Lord over all ; and every Christian is heir an- By what rea-
nexed with Christ, and therefore lord over all ; and every are common.
one lord of whatsoever another hath5. If thy brother or
neighbour therefore need, and thou have to help him, and
yet shewest not mercy, but withdrawest thy hands from him,
then robbest thou him of his own, and art a thief. A Christian
man hath Christ's Spirit. Now is Christ a merciful thing : if He that is
therefore thou be not merciful after the ensample of Christ, g^p^t of
then hast thou not his Spirit. If thou have not Christ's Spirit, Rom. VUL
then art thou none of his, nor hast any part with him. More
over, though thou shew mercy unto thy neighbour, yet if
thou do it not with such burning love as Christ did unto thee,
so must thou knowledge thy sin, and desire mercy in
Christ6. A Christian man hath nought to rejoice in, as con
cerning his deeds. His rejoicing is that Christ died for him,
and that he is washed in Christ's blood. Of his deeds re-
joiceth he not, neither counteth he his merits, neither giveth

[5 Art. XVIII. of heresies and errors : 'Every man is lord of
another man's goods/ Foxe, in reply, subjoins Tyndale's next sen
tence ; and further observes, in a note: 'This place giveth to none any
propriety [property] of another man's goods, but only by way of Chris
tian communion.' The same clause was urged against Tewkesbury,
who answered: 'What law can be better than that? for it is plainly
meant there/ Foxe, v. 574, and iv. 691.]

[6 Art. XVII. of heresies and errors : ' A good deed done, and
not of fervent charity, as Christ's was, is sin/ Foxe says, ' This place
tendeth to no such meaning as is in the article j but only sheweth
our good deeds to be imperfect/ Id. v. 574.]

Y
[TYNDALE.]

98

THE PARABLE OF

not her owa

Autfited

2 cor. xu.

Christ is aii
Anted!"8**

muesrtycd?e for

pardons of them1, neither secketh an higher place in heaven
of them, neither maketh himself a saviour of other men
through his good works : but giveth all honour to God ; and
in his greatest deeds of mercy knowledgeth himself a sinner
unfeignedly, and is abundantly content with that place that
is prepared for him of Christ ; and his good deeds are to him
a sign only that Christ's Spirit is in him, and he in Christ,
and, through Christ, elect to eternal life.

The order of love or charity, which some dream, the

«

gospel of Christ knoweth not of, that a man should begin at
himself, and serve himself first2, and then descend, I wot not by
what steps. Love seeketh not her own profit, 2 Cor. xii. ; but
maketh a man to forget himself, and to turn his profit to another
man, as Christ sought not himself, nor his own profit, but ours.
This term, myself, is not in the gospel ; neither yet father,
mother, sister, brother, kinsman, that one should be preferred
in love above another. But Christ is all in all things. Every
Christian man to another is Christ himself; and thy neigh
bour's need hath as good right in thy goods, as hath Christ
himself, which is heir and lord over all. And look, what
thou owest to Christ, that thou owest to thy neighbour's
need. To thy neighbour owest thou thine heart, thyself, and
all that thou hast and canst do. The love that springeth out
of Christ excludeth no man, neither putteth difference between
one and another3. In Christ we are all of one degree, with
out respect of persons. Notwithstanding, though a Christian
man's heart be open to all men, and receiveth all men, yet,
because that his ability of goods extendeth not so far, this
Provision 'IS> made, that every man shall care for his own
household, as father and mother, and thine elders that have
holpen thee, wife, children, and servants. If thou shouldest
not care and provide for thine household, then were thou an
infidel ; seeing thou hast taken on thee so to do, and foras
much as that is thy part committed to thee of the congrcga-
ti°n- When thou hast done thy duty to thine household, and
Jc^ nas^ further abundance of the blessing of God, that owest
thou to the poor that cannot labour, or would labour and can

L1 See p. 86.]

[2 So Day. In C. and serve himself is wanting.]
[3 The last clause was urged against Tewkesbury. The minute of
proceedings says, 'To that he answered and said, It is plain enough.']

THE WICKED MAMMON. 99

get no work, and are destitute of friends ; to the poor, I
mean, which thou knowest, to them of thine own parish.
For that provision ought to be had in the congregation, that JJ
every parish care for their poor. If thy neighbours which °v
thou knowest be served, and thou yet have superfluity, and
hearest necessity to be among the brethren a thousand miles
off, to them art thou debtor. Yea, to the very infidels we be
debtors, if they need, as far forth as we maintain them not
against Christ, or to blaspheme Christ. Thus is every man,
that needeth thy help, thy father, mother, sister, and brother
in Christ ; even as every man, that doth the will of the
Father, is father, mother, sister, and brother unto Christ.

Moreover, if any be an infidel and a false Christian, and
forsake his household, his wife, children, and such as cannot
help themselves, then art thou bound, and thou have where
with4, even as much as to thine own household. And they
have as good right in thy goods as thou thyself5 : and if thou
withdraw mercy from them, and hast wherewith to help who is a

«/ * * thief. \v . T.

them, then art thou a thief. If thou shew mercy, so doest
thou thy duty, and art a faithful minister in the household
of Christ; and of Christ shalt thou have thy reward and
thanks. If the whole world were thine, yet hath every
brother his right in thy goods ; and is heir with thee, as we
are all heirs with Christ. Moreover the rich, and they that
have wisdom with them, must see the poor set a-work, that Siutywn
as many as are able may feed themselves with the labour of Anted,
their own hands, according to the scripture and command
ment of God,

[4 So C., but D. has, bound to them and have wherewith. And, like
the an of some old writers, is here equivalent to {/!]

[5 The commissioners for the examination of Tyndale's works
gathered from the above passage Art. XX. of the heresies or errors
with which they charged him, and expressed it thus: 'The worst Turk
living hath as much right to my goods, at his needs, as my household
or mine own self/ Foxe says in reply, 'Read and mark well the
place;' which he then copies, and adds in a note, 'Lo! reader, how
peevishly this place is wrested ! First, here is no mention made of
any Turk. Secondly, this place, speaking of an infidel, meaneth of
such Christians as forsake their own households. Thirdly, by his right
in thy goods, he meaneth no propriety that he hath to claim ; but only
to put thee in remembrance of thy Christian duty, what to give/
Foxe, v. p. 574.]

7—2

100 THE PARABLE OF

Now seest tbou what alms-deeds meaneth, and wherefore
it serveth. He that seeketh with his alms more than to be
merciful to a neighbour, to succour his brother's need, to do
his duty to his brother, to give his brother that he oweth him,
the same is blind, and seeth not what it is to be a Christian
man, and to have fellowship in Christ's blood1.
Good works, As pertaining to good works, understand that all works

what they

AH" works ed' are °°d which are done within the law of God, in faith, and

inafakhda°ree w^a thanksgiving to God ; and understand that thou in doing
good. W.T. ^hgjjj pleasest God, whatsoever thou doest within the law of
God, as when thou makest water. And trust me, if either
wind or water were stopped, thou shouldest feel what a
precious thing it were to do either of both, and what thanks
ought to be given God therefore. Moreover, put no difference
between works ; but whatsoever cometh into thy hands that
do, as time, place, and occasion giveth, and as God hath put
thee in degree, high or low. For as touching to please God,
there is no work better than another. God looketh not first on
thy work as the world doth, as though the beautifulness of
the work pleased him as it doth the world, or as though he
had need of them. But God looketh first on thy heart, what
faith thou hast to his words, how thou believest him, trustest
him, and how thou lovest him for his mercy that he hath
shewed thee : he looketh with what heart thou workest, and
not what thou workest ; how thou acceptest the degree that
he hath put thee in, and not of what degree thou art, whether
An ensampie thou be an apostle or a shoemaker. Set this ensample before

of diversity . * L

of estates, thine eyes. Thou art a kitchen-page, and washest thy
master's dishes; another is an apostle, and preacheth the
word of God. Of this apostle hark what Paul saith, in the

i cor. ix. i^ Qor< jXe <t if i preach," saith he, " I have nought to re
joice in, for necessity is put unto me ;" as who should say,
God hath made me so. " Woe is unto me if I preach not.
If I do it willingly," saith he, " then have I my reward ;"
that is, then am I sure that God's Spirit is in me, and that I
am elect to eternal life. " If I do it against my will, an office

[l Tewkesbury was examined as to what he thought of this para
graph ; and the minute of proceeding says : ' Here he answereth that
he findeth no fault throughout all the book ; but that all the book is
good, and it hath given him great comfort and light to his conscience/
Id. iv. p. 692.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 101

is committed unto me ;" that is, if I do it not of love to God,
but to get a living thereby, and for a worldly purpose, and
had rather otherwise live, then do I that office which God
hath put me in, and yet please not God myself. Note now,
if this apostle preach not, as many do not, which not only
make themselves apostles, but also compel men to take them
for greater than apostles, yea, for greater than Christ him
self ; then woe is unto him, that is, his damnation is just.
If he preach and his heart not right, yet minister eth he
the office that God hath put him in, and they that have the
Spirit of God hear the voice of God, yea, though he speak in
an ass. Moreover, howsoever he preacheth, he hath not to we must do
rejoice in that he preacheth. But and if he preach willingly, and yet put
with a true heart, and of conscience to God, then hath he his ^["-ed
reward ; that is, then feeleth he the earnest of eternal life,
and the working of the Spirit of God in him. And as he
feeleth God's goodness and mercy, so be thou sure he feeleth
his own infirmity, weakness, and unworthiness, and mourneth
and knowledgeth his sin, in that the heart will not arise to
work with that full lust and love that is in Christ our Lord :
and nevertheless is yet at peace with God, through faith and
trust in Christ Jesu. For the earnest of the Spirit, that The earnest
worketh in him, testifieth and beareth witness unto his heart w. T.
that God hath chosen him, and that his grace shall suffice
him, which grace is now not idle in him. In his works put-
teth he no trust.

Now thou that ministerest in the kitchen, and art but a God is no ac-
kitchen-page, receivest all things of the hand of God ; know- Sffip-*"
est that God hath put thee in that office; submittest thyself t£at submit

r J themselves

to his will; and servest thy master not as a man, but as
Christ himself, with a pure heart, according as Paul teacheth
us; puttest thy trust in God, and with him seekest thy
reward. Moreover, there is not a good deed done, but thy
heart rejoiceth therein ; yea, when thou hear est that the
word of God is preached by this apostle, and seest the
people turn to God, thou consentest unto the deed ; thine
heart breaketh out in joy, springeth and leapeth in thy
breast, that God is honoured : and in thine heart doest the
same that that apostle doth, and haply with greater delecta
tion and a more fervent spirit. Now " he that receiveth a Matt.
prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward

102 THE PARABLE OF

of a prophet;" that is, he that consenteth to the deed of a
prophet, and maintaineth it, the same hath the same Spirit
and earnest of everlasting life, which the prophet hath, and
is elect as the prophet is.

AS an deeds Now if thou compare deed to deed, there is difference

able to God, betwixt washing of dishes, and preaching of the word of

that are done & ' I b

no dSd'is0 ^od ; but as touching to please God, none at all : for neither
fn God's s°cd that nor this pleaseth, but as far forth as God hath chosen a
glorious to man, hath put his Spirit in him, and purified his heart by '
soever°it an- faith and trust in Christ1.

wShoitfeith. Let every man therefore wait on the office wherein Christ

Let every hath put him, and therein serve his brethren. If he be of

up.™ the low degree, let him patiently therein abide, till God promote

puthimainh him> an(l exalt him higher. Let kings and head officers seek

w. T. Christ in their offices, and minister peace and quietness unto

the brethren ; punish sin, and that with mercy, even with the

same sorrow and grief of mind as they would cut off a

finger or joint, a leg or arm, of their own body, if there

were such disease in them, that either they must be cut off,

or else all the body must perish.

Everyman Let every man, of whatsoever craft or occupation he bo

mhisvoca- of, whether brewer, baker, tailor, victualler, merchant, or

tion, is the

of8Gocierviee husbandman, refer his craft and occupation unto the common
Ant. ed. wealth, and serve his brethren as he would do Christ himself.

How the *

oughttoito -^e^ k*m kuj an(i sell truly, and not set dice2 on his bre-

[* Art. XXII. 'There is no work better than another to please
God : to pour water, to wash dishes, to be a souter [cobbler], or an
apostle, all is one ; to wash dishes and to preach is all one, as touching
the deed, to please God/ In reply to the charge thus stated, Foxe
says, ' The words of Tyndale be these : ' and then follows a quotation,
extending from 'as pertaining,' to 'trust in Christ;' to which he sub
joins the following remark in a note : ' The words of Tyndale suffici
ently discharge the article of all heresy, if they be well weighed. The
meaning whereof is this, that all our acceptation with God standeth
only upon our faith in Christ, and upon no work nor office. Cornelius,
the soldier, believing in Christ, is as well justified before God as the
apostle or preacher ; so that there is no rejoicing now either in work
or office, but only in our faith in Christ, which only justifieth us before
God/ Tewkesbury was examined on the same point ; and 'To that he
answered, saying, It is a plain text, and as for pleasing God it is all
one/ Foxe, v. 575, and iv. 691.]

[2 The phrase evidently means deceive.}

THE WICKED MAMMON. 103

thren ; and so sheweth he mercy, and his occupation pleaseth
God. And when thou receivest money for thy labour or
ware, thou receivest thy duty3. For wherein soever thou
minister to thy brethren, thy brethren are debtors, to give
thee wherewith to maintain thyself and household. And let
your superfluities succour the poor, of which sort shall ever
be some in all towns, and cities, and villages, and that I sup
pose the greatest number. Remember that we are members we must be

o ^ ^ merciful rme

of one body, and ought to minister one to another mercifully : ^natn°dther-
and remember that whatsoever we have, it is given us of
God, to bestow it on our brethren. Let him that eateth, eat
and give God thanks, only let not thy meat pull thine heart
from God ; and let him that drinketh do likewise. Let him
that hath a wife, give God thanks for his liberty ; only let not
thy wife withdraw thine heart from God, and then pleasest
thou God, and hast the word of God for thee. And in all
things look on the word of God, and therein put thy trust,
and not in a visor, in a disguised garment, and a cut shoe4.

Seek the word of God in all things ; and without the
word of God do nothing, though it appear never so glorious.
Whatsoever is done without the word of God, that count
idolatry. The kingdom of heaven is within us. Wonder Luke xva.
therefore at no monstrous shape, nor at any outward thing
without the word : for the world was never drawn from God The world

was never de-

but with an outward shew, and glorious appearance and ™
shining of hypocrisy, and of feigned and visored fasting, ^
praying, watching, singing, offering, sacrificing, hallowing of
superstitious ceremonies, and monstrous disguising5.

Take this for an ensample : John Baptist, which had tes- Ant' ed
timony of Christ and of the gospel, that there never rose a
greater among women's children, with his fasting, watching,
praying, raiment, and strait living, deceived the Jews, and
brought them in doubt whether John were very Christ or J<*P df ch;-

o J ed the Jews

not, and yet no scripture or miracle testifying it : so greatly ^nj?n>
the blind nature of man looketh on the outward shining of

[3 Thy due.]

[4 A high shoe, cut open for some way down the front, was one of
the marks of having vowed a pilgrimage. Fosbroke, Brit. Mon.]

[5 Art. XXIII. of alleged errors and heresies is, ' Ceremonies of
the church have brought the world from God.' Foxe's reply is,
' Read the place of Tyndale/j

104 THE PARABLE OF

works, and regardeth not the inward word which speaketh to
the heart. When they sent to John, asking him whether he
were Christ, he denied it. When they asked him what ho
was, and what he said of himself ? he answered not, I am he
that watcheth, prayeth, drinketh no wine nor strong drink,
eateth neither fish nor flesh, but live with wild honey and
grasshoppers, and wear a coat of camel's hair and a girdle
of a skin; but said, " I am a voice of a crier1." My voice
onty pertaineth to you. Those outward things which ye
wonder at, pertain to myself only, unto the taming of my

t" theejlws.e body. To you am I a voice only, and that which I preach.
My preaching (if it be received into a penitent or repenting
heart) shall teach you how to live and please God, according

True preach- as God shall shed out his grace on every man. John

ers must •

preach re- preached repentance, saying, " Prepare the Lord's way, and

Ant. ed. make his paths straight." The Lord's way is repentance, and

not hypocrisy of man's imagination and invention. It is not

itisimpossi- possible that the Lord Christ should come to a man, except

ble for Christ r ,,.. , •» •• i i •

to come, he know himselt and his sin, and truly repent. " Make his

without the » r

teteStrSy" Patns straight." The paths are the law, if thou understand
fnce.rcw.nT. ^ aright, as God hath given it. Christ saith, in the xviith of
Matt. xvii. Matthew : " Elias shall first come," that is, shall come before
Christ, " and restore all things ; " meaning of John Baptist.
John Baptist did restore the law, and the scripture, unto the
right sense and understanding ; which the Pharisees partly
had darkened, and made of none effect through their own
Matt xv. traditions, Matt. xv. ; where Christ rebuketh them, saying,
" Why transgress ye the commandments of God through your
traditions?" and partly had corrupted it with glosses and
false interpretations, that no man could understand it : where-
Matt, xxiii. fore Christ rebuketh them, Matt, xxiii., saying, "Woe be to
you Pharisees, hypocrites, which shut up the kingdom of
heaven before men : ye enter not yourselves, neither suffer
them that come to enter in:" and partly did beguile the
people and blind their eyes in disguising themselves, as thou
Matt, xxiii. readest in the same xxiiird chapter, how they made broad and

The manner . .

ofhypocntls large phylacteries, and did all their works to be seen of men,
that the people should wonder at their disguisings and visoring
themselves otherwise than God had made them : and partly

[l " I am, the voyce of a cryar in the wildernes," John i. 23. Tyn-
dale's version.]

THE WICKED MAMMON, 105

mocked them with hypocrisy of false holiness, in fasting, pray
ing, and alms- giving, Matt. vi. And this did they for lucre, Mattvi.
to be in authority, to sit in the consciences of people, and to
be counted as God himself, that people should trust in their
holiness, and not in God, as thou readest in the place above
rehearsed, Matt, xxiii. : " Woe be to you, Pharisees, hypo- Matt xxm.
crites, which devour widows' houses under a colour of a long
prayer." Counterfeit therefore nothing without the word of
God. When thou understandest that, it shall teach thee all
things, how to apply outward things, and whereunto to refer
them.

Beware of thy good intent, good mind, good affection,
or zeal, as they cah1 it. Peter of a good mind, and of a good
affection or zeal, chid Christ, Matt, xvi., because that he said Matt xvf.
he must go to Jerusalem, and there be slain ; but Christ counterfdt-

° ing out

called him Satan for his labour, a name that belongeth to the tenatgwdiT~
devil, and said, " That he perceived not godly things, but
worldly2." Of a good intent, and of a fervent affection to
Christ, the sons of Zebedee would have had fire to come down
from heaven to consume the Samaritans, Luke ix. ; but Christ Luke ix.
rebuked them, saying that they wist not of what spirit they
were : that is, that they understood not how that they were
altogether worldly and fleshly-minded. Peter smote Malchus
of a good zeal ; but Christ condemned his deed. The very
Jews of a good intent, and of a good zeal, slew Christ3 and
persecuted the apostles, as Paul beareth them record, Rom. Rom. x.
x. ; "I bear them record (saith he) that they have a fer
vent mind to God-ward, but not according to knowledge."
It is another thing then, to do of a good mind, and to do of NO zcai with-
knowledge. Labour for knowledge ; that thou mayest know SL isgood.
God's will, and what he would have thee to do. Our mind,
intent, and affection or zeal, are blind ; and all that we do of
them, is damned of God : and for that cause hath God made God hath
a testament between him and us, wherein is contained both Sing"™^
what he would have us to do, and what he would have us to ^at ™.e

should no

ask of him. See therefore that thou do nothing to please ^°™/°fter
God withal, but that he commandeth ; neither ask any thing tem?°w!T.

[2 Matt. xvi. 23. ' Thou perceivest not godly things, but worldly
things.' Tyndale's version.]

[3 Tewkesbury, being questioned as to this clause, replied, ' It is
true, and the text is plain enough/]

106 THE PARABLE OF

Actsvii. of him, but that he hath promised thee1. The Jews also, as
it appeareth, slew Stephen of a good zeal ; because he proved
The use of by the scripture, that God dwelleth not in churches or
churches. temples made with hands. The churches at the beginning
churches, were ordained that the people should thither resort, to hear

why they * i

*ne word °f G""°d there preached only, and not for the use

Ante -wherein they now are2. The temple wherein God will be

Godpisethe worshipped, is the heart of man. For " God is a Spirit"

An\rte°df man' (saith Christ, John iv.), " and will be worshipped in the spirit

and in truth :" that is, when a penitent heart consenteth unto

the law of God, and with a strong faith longeth for the pro-

The honour raises of God. So is God honoured on all sides, in that we

ofGod. W.T. . IT 11

count him righteous in all his laws and ordinances, and also
trust in all his promises. Other worshipping of God is there
none, except we make an idol of him3.

Luke xiv. " It shall be recompensed thee at the rising again of the

righteous." Luke xiv. Head the text before, and thou shalt

Matt. v. perceive that Christ doth here that same that he doth, Matt.
v., that is, he putteth us in remembrance of our duty, that we
be to the poor as Christ is to us ; and also teacheth us, how
that we can never know whether our love be right, and whether
it spring of Christ or no, as long as we are but kind to them

[! Art. XXIV. ' Beware of good intents : they are damned of God/
Art. XXV. ' See thou do nothing but that God biddeth thee/ List
of errors and heresies charged upon Tyndale. Against these charges
Foxe makes no other defence for Tyndale, than giving his words, from
'Beware of thy good intent/ to 'promise thee/ And when Tewkes-
bury was questioned on this last sentence, the minute of his reply
says, ' He answered, that he thinketh it good, by his troth/]

[2 Art. XXVI. ' Churches are for preaching only, and not as they
be used now/ Foxe's reply, ' This article containeth neither error nor
heresy; but is plain enough of itself to all them that have their
minds exercised in the scriptures of God/ By the words ' not as they
be used now/ Foxe and his contemporaries would, doubtless, understand
Tyndale to mean, not for processions of priests and monks, carrying
tapers, and chaunting Latin litanies.]

[3 Art. XXVII. ' To worship God, otherwise than to believe that
he is just and true in his promise, is to make God an idol/ Foxe,
' Read the words of Tyndale/ The record of Tewkesbury's examina
tions says he was asked what he held of this : ' So God is honoured
on all sides, in that we count him righteous in all his laws and ordi
nances : and to worship him otherwise than so, it is idolatry/ ' To
that he answered, ' That it pleaseth him well/]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 107

only which do as much for us again. But and we be mer
ciful to the poor, for conscience to God, and of compassion
and hearty love, which compassion and love spring of the love
we have to God in Christ, for the pure mercy and love that
he hath shewed on us : then have we a sure token that we
are beloved of God, and washed in Christ's blood, and elect,
by Christ's deserving, unto eternal life.

The scripture speaketh as a father doth to his young son,
Do this or that, and then will I love thee : yet the father
loveth his son first, and studieth with all his power and wit Ant ed-
to overcome his child with love and with kindness, to make
him do that which is comely, honest, and good for itself. A
kind father and mother love their children even when they
are evil, that they would shed their blood to make them
better, and to bring them into the right way. And a natural
child studieth not to obtain his father's love with works ; but
considereth with what love his father loveth him withal, and
therefore loveth again, is glad to do his father's will, and
studieth to be thankful.

The spirit of the world understandeth not the speaking The wise of

. & thisw

orld do

not under
stand the

of God ; neither the spirit of the wise of this world, neither
the spirit of philosophers, neither the spirit of Socrates, of {
Plato, or of Aristotle's ethics, as thou mayest see in the first
and second chapter of the first to the Corinthians. Though l (
that many are not ashamed to rail and blaspheme, saying,
How should he understand the scripture, seeing he is no
philosopher, neither hath seen his metaphysic ? moreover ihwm_destroy
they blaspheme, saying, How can he be a divine, and wotteth
not what is subjectum in theologia* ? nevertheless as a
man, without the spirit of Aristotle or philosophy, may by
the Spirit of God understand scripture ; even so, by the Ibl
Spirit of God, understandeth he that God is to be sought in
all the scripture, and in all things ; and yet wotteth not what
meaneth subjectum in theoloqia, because it is a term of their The Papists-

** arguments.

own making. If thou shouldest say to him that hath the Ant- ed-
Spirit of God, the love of God is the keeping of the com
mandments, and to love a man's neighbour is to shew mercy ;
he would, without arguing or disputing, understand how that

[4 After discussing the question in some sentences, Aquinas comes
to the conclusion, that as theology is the science which treats of God,
he can allow that its subject is God. Summ. Theolog. Qusest. i.
Art. vii.]

Love of God.
W. T.

108 THE PARABLE OF

of the love of God springcth the keeping of his command-
ments, and of the love to thy neighbour springeth mercy.
w- T- Now would Aristotle deny such speaking ; and a Duns' man
would make twenty distinctions1. If thou shouldest say (as
saith John, the ivth of his epistle), " How can he that loveth
not his neighbour whom he seeth, love God whom he seeth
not?" Aristotle would say, Lo, a man must first love his
neighbour and then God ; and out of the love to thy neigh
bour springeth the love to God. But he that feeleth the
working of the Spirit of God, and also from what vengeance
the blood of Christ hath delivered him, understandeth how
that it is impossible to love either father or mother, sister,
brother, neighbour, or his own self aright, except it spring
•roe ipve of a out of the love to God ; and perceiveth that the love to
of the'sioveign ^ man?s neighbour is a sign of the love to God, as good fruit
of God. W.T. declareth a good tree ; and that the love to a man's neigh
bour accompanieth and followeth the love of God, as heat
accompanieth and followeth fire.

Likewise when the scripture saith, Christ shall reward

every man at the resurrection, or uprising again, according

Aristotle's to his deeds, the scripture2 of Aristotle's Ethics would say,

and Papists' A • '

J5J*jf Lo, with the multitude of good works mayest thou, and must
thou, obtain everlasting life ; and also a place in heaven high
or low, according as thou hast many or few good works.
And yet he wotteth not what a good work meaneth, as Christ
speaketh of good works ; as he that seeth not the heart, but
outward things only. But he that hath God's Spirit under-
Good works standeth it. He feeleth that good works are nothing but

arc the fruits m °

Afnt°ed fruits of love, compassion, mercifulness, and of a tenderness of

heart, which a Christian hath to his neighbour ; and that love

springeth of that love which he hath to God, to his will and

commandments : and he understandeth also, that the love

whence^ which man hath to God springeth of that3 infinite love and

\vveT°God' bottomless mercy, which God in Christ shewed first to us, as

i John iv. saith John in the epistle and chapter above rehearsed. " In

this (saith he,) appeareth the love of God to us-ward, because

that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we

might live through him. Herein is love ; not that we loved

[* Duns' man: a follower of Duns Scotus.]

[2 So C., in D. it is, the spirit of Aristotle's Ethics.]

[3 So C., in D. it is the.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 109

God but that he loved us, and sent his Son to make agree- God first

° loved us, and

ment for our sins." In conclusion, a Christian man feeleth ^°ttweedhim-
that that unspeakable love and mercy which God hath to us,
and that Spirit which worketh all things that are wrought ac
cording to the will of God, and that love wherewith we love
God, and that love which we have to our neighbour, and that
mercy and compassion which we shew on him, and also that
eternal life which is laid up in store for us in Christ, are
altogether the gift of God through Christ's purchasing.

If the scripture 'said always, Christ shall reward thee ac
cording to thy faith, or according to thy hope and trust thou
hast in God, or according to the love thou hast to God and
thy neighbour ; so were it true also, as thou seest, 1 Pet. i.
" Receiving the end," or reward, " of your faith, the health," i Pet. i.
or salvation, " of your souls." But the spiritual things could Faith and
not be known, save by their works: as a tree cannot be known known by

• ' works. W. T.

but by her fruit. How could I know that I loved my neigh
bour, if never occasion were given me to shew mercy unto
him ? How should I know that I loved God, if I never suffered HOW we
for his sake? How should I know that God loved me, iftheioveof

. . . God to be in

there were no infirmity, temptation, peril and jeopardy us- Ant. ed.
whence God should deliver me ?

" There is no man that forsaketh house, either father or
mother, either brethren or sisters, wife or children, for the king
dom of heaven's sake, which shall not receive much more in this
world, and in the world to come everlasting life." Luke xviii.

Here seest thou, that a Christian man in all his works A Christian
hath respect to nothing but unto the glory of God only, and £j^*]^e
to the maintaining of the truth of God ; and doth and ^°r^of God-
leaveth undone all things of love, to the glory and honour of
God only, as Christ teacheth in the Paternoster.

Moreover when he saith, he shall receive much more in
this world, of a truth, yea, he hath received much more
already. For except he had felt the infinite mercy, good
ness, love, and kindness of God, and the fellowship of the
blood of Christ, and the comfort of the Spirit of Christ in his
heart, he could never have forsaken any thing for God's sake.
Notwithstanding (as saith Mark x.), whosoever for Christ's Mark x.
sake and the gospel's "forsaketh house, brethren or sisters, for Christ's
&c., he shall receive an hundred-fold, houses, brethren," &c.,

110 THE PARABLE OF

an hundred- that is, spiritually. For Christ shall be all things unto thee.
HOW u is to The angels, all Christians, and whosoever doth the will of the
ood, He Father, shall be father, mother, sister and brother unto thee ;
anc* a^ tne^rs sna^ be tnme- And God shall take the care of
thee, and minister all things unto thee, as long as thou seekest
but his honour only. Moreover, if thou wert lord over all the
world, yea, of ten worlds, before thou knewest God, yet was
n°t thine appetite quenched ; thou thirstedst for more. But
hen ^ thou see^ ^s honour only, then shall he slake thy thirst ;
id1 an(* tnou shaft have a^ that thou desirest, and shall be con-
thaT we tent : yea, if thou dwell among infidels, and amongst the most
spirit'' cruel nations of the world, yet shall he be a Father unto thee,
worctiy ac!e- and shall defend thee, as he did Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
and all saints whose lives thou readest in the scripture. For
AH that is all that are past and gone before are but ensamples, to

written is

wntten'to strength our faith and trust in the word of God. It is the

our instvuc- °

tion. w. T. game God, and hath sworn to us all that he sware unto them ;
and is as true as ever he was ; and therefore cannot but fulfil
his promises to us, as well as he did to them, if we believe as
they did.

?e°midetto " ^he ^our s^a^ come when all they that are in the

SSd'inthe graves shall hear his voice," that is to say, Christ's voice,
!earethea11 " and shall come forth ; they that have done good into the
'' W' T' resurrection of life, and they that have done evil into the re
surrection of damnation." John v. This, and all like texts,
Here note declare what followeth good works, and that our deeds shall

what follow- . e

works g°Ant t68"*/ Wltn us or against us a* that day ; and putteth us in
fcd« remembrance to be diligent and fervent in doing good. Here

by rnayest thou not understand that we obtain the favour of
God, and the inheritance of life, through the merits of good
works, as hirelings do their wages : for then shouldest thou
John i. rob Christ, of whose " fulness we have received favour for
favour1," John i. ; that is, God's favour was so full in Christ,
that for his sake he giveth us his favour, as affirm eth also
Paul, Eph. i., " He loved us in his beloved, by whom we
have," saith Paul, "redemption through his blood, and for
giveness of sins." The forgiveness of sins, then, is our re
demption in Christ, and not the reward of works. " In whom,"
saith he in the same place, " he chose us before the making of

[l ' Of his fulness have all we received, even favour for favour.'
Tyiid. vers.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. Ill

the world," that is, long before we did good works. Through John i.

By faitli in

faith in Christ are we also the sons of God, as thou readest Ch™t we are

made the

John i. " In that they believed on his name, he gave them s™* °e^God-
power to be the sons of God." God, with all his fulness and
riches, dwelleth in Christ ; and out of Christ must we fetch
all things. Thou readest also, John iii. " He that believeth John HI.
on the Son hath eternal life : and he that believeth not shall
see no life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him." Here
seest thou that the wrath and vengeance of God possesseth
every man, till faith come. Faith and trust in Christ ex- Faith doth
pelleth the wrath of God ; and bringeth favour, the Spirit, ^™the°fGod-
power to do good, and everlasting life. Moreover, until Christ Faith and
hath given thee light, thou knowest not wherein standeth f^'^jf1-
the goodness of thy works ; and until his Spirit hath loosed JJ^IJ"^}
thine heart, thou canst not consent unto good works. All
that is good in us, both will and works, cometh of the favour
of God, through Christ, to whom be all the laud. Amen.

" If any man will do his will," he meaneth the will of the John \\i.
Father, " he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God,
or whether I speak of myself." John vii. This text meaneth
not that any man of his own strength, power, and free will,
(as they call it,) can do the will of God, before he hath re
ceived the Spirit and strength of Christ through faith. But
here is meant that which is spoken in the third of John, when
Nicodemus marvelled how it were possible that a man should
be born again : Christ answered, " That which is born of the
flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit ;" as
who should say, He that hath the Spirit through faith, and is
born again, and made anew in Christ, understandeth the
things of the Spirit, and what he that is spiritual meaneth.
But he that is flesh, and as Paul saith, 1 Cor. ii., a natural i cor. a.
man, and led of his blind reason only, can never ascend to The natural

» ' man, whicli

the capacity of the Spirit. And he giveth an ensample, saying,
" The wind bloweth where he listeth, and thou hearest his
voice, and wottest not whence he cometh, nor whither he srpeirft.the
will : so is every man that is born of the Spirit2." He that Al
speaketh of the Spirit can never be understand of the natural

[2 ' The wind bloweth where it listeth, arid thou hearest his sound ;
but thou canst not tell whence ho cometh, and whither he goeth.'
Tvnd, vers.]

112 THE PARABLE OF

man, which is but flesh, and savour eth no more than, things
of the flesh. So here meaneth Christ, If any man have the
spirit, and consenteth unto the will of God, the same at once
wotteth what I mean.

"If ye understand these things, happy are ye if ye do
them." John xiii. A Christian man's heart is with the will
of God, with the law and commandments of God ; and hun
ger eth and thirsteth after strength to fulfil them ; and mourn-
eth day and night, desiring God, according to his promises, for
to give him power to fulfil the will of God with love and lust:
then testifieth his deed that he is blessed, and that the Spirit,
which blesseth us in Christ, is in him, and ministereth such
strength. The outward deed testifieth what is within us, as
johnv. thou readest, John v., " The deeds which I do testify of me,"
John xiii. saith Christ. And, John xiii., " Hereby shall all men know
that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another." And,
John xiv. John xiv., " He that hath my commandments, and keepeth
them, the same it is that loveth me.1' And again : " He that
loveth me, keepeth my commandments; and he that loveth
Stlf wwkT me no^' keepeth. not my commandments1 :" the outward deed
John xv. testifieth of the inward heart. And, John xv., " If ye shall
keep my commandments, ye shall continue in my love ; as I
keep my Father's commandment, and continue in his love."
That is, As ye see the love that I have to my Father, in that
I keep his commandments ; so shall ye see the love that ye
have to me, in that ye keep my commandments.
we are wess- Thou mayest not think that our deeds bless us first, and
oniyyin Christ that we prevent God and his grace in Christ; as though we,

our Saviour, . . ' . &

our1 works7 m our natural gifts, and being as we were born in Adam,
Ant. ed. looked on the law of God, and of our own strength fulfilled

Our deeds . . to

preventnot i{,} and so became righteous, and then with that righteousness
obtained the favour of God : as philosophers write of righte
ousness ; and as the righteousness of temporal law is, where
the law is satisfied with the hypocrisy of the outward deed.

John xv. j^orj contrary to that, readest thou John xv. " Ye have not
chosen me," saith Christ, " but I have chosen you, that ye go
and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit remain." And in
the same chapter : " I am a vine, and ye the branches ; and
without me can ye do nothing." With us, therefore, so goeth it.
[l So Tynd. vcrs. ; but Auth. vcrs. sayings.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 113

In Adam are we all. as it were, wild crab-trees, of which wearsaii

. crab-trees in

God chooseth whom he will, and phicketh them out of Adam, Adam- W-T

and planteth them in the garden of his mercy ; and stocketh

them, and graft eth the Spirit of Christ in them, which bring-

cth forth the fruit of the will of God ; which fruit testifieth

that God hath blessed us in Christ. Note this also ; that, as During our

long as we live, we are yet partly carnal and fleshly, not-

withstanding that we are in Christ, and though it be not

imputed unto us for Christ's sake ; for there abideth and

remaineth in us yet of the old Adam, as it were of the stock

of the crab-tree; and ever among, when occasion is given

him, shooteth forth his branches and leaves, bud, blossom,

and fruit : against whom we must fight and subdue him, and we must

wrestle with

change all his nature by little and little, with prayer, fasting, our Ow man,

. 6 , . . J . iiii M that we may

and watching, with virtuous meditation and holy works, until i™*t™g hrist-
we be altogether spirit. " The kingdom of heaven," saith Matt. xm.
Christ, " is like leaven, which a woman taketh and hideth in
three pecks of meal, till all be leavened." The leaven is the what leaven
Spirit, and we the meal, which must be seasoned with the m'eai. w. T.
Spirit by a little and a little, till we be throughout spiritual.

" Which shall reward every man according to his deeds," iiom. u.
Rom. ii. ; that is, according as the deeds are, so shall every
man's reward be : the deeds declare what we are, as the fruit
the tree ; according to the fruit shall the tree be praised. The
reward is given of the mercy and truth of God, and by the
deserving and merits of Christ. Whosoever repenteth, be-
lieveth the gospel, and putteth his trust in Christ's merits,
the same is heir with Christ of eternal life ; for assurance
whereof, the Spirit of God is poured into his heart as an
earnest, which looseth him from the bonds of Satan, and
giveth him lust and strength, every day more and more, ac
cording as he is diligent to ask of God for Christ's sake : and
eternal life followeth good living. " I suppose," saith St Paul Rom. vin.
in the same epistle, the eighth chapter, " that the afflictions
of this world are not worthy of the glory which shall be
shewed on us;" that is to say, that which we here suffer can
never deserve that reward, which there shall be given us.

Moreover, if the reward should depend and hang of the Our best
works, no man should be saved: forasmuch as our best deeds,
compared to the law, are damnable sin. " By the deeds of
the law is no flesh justified," as it is written in the third int!s£d.

[TYNDALE.]

114 THE PARABLE OF

chapter to the Romans. The law justifieth not, but utter eth

the sin only ; and compelleth and driveth the penitent, or

repenting sinner, to flee unto the sanctuary of mercy in the

blood of Christ. Also, repent we never so much, be we never

so well willing unto the law of God, yet are we so weak, and

the snares and occasions so innumerable, that we fall daily

and hourly : so that we could not but despair, if the reward

He that hanged of the work. Whosoever ascribeth eternal life unto

eternal life the deserving and merit of works, must fall in one of two

unto merits . .

Pharisee* or mconvemences : either must he be a blind Pharisee, not seeing
desePaier.must that the law is spiritual and he carnal, and look and rejoice
W-T* in the outward shining of his deeds, despising the weak, and,
in respect of them, justify himself; or else (if he see how
that the law is spiritual, and he never able to ascend unto
that which the law requireth,) he must needs despair. Let
hnrestandour everv Christian man, therefore, rejoice in Christ our hope,

trust, an(^ righteousness ; in whom we are loved, chosen, and
accepted unto the inheritance of eternal life ; neither presum
ing in our perfectness, neither despairing in our weakness.
The perfecter a man is, the clearer is his sight ; and seeth a
thousand things which displease him, and also perfectness
that cannot be obtained in this life ; and therefore desireth to
Let no man be with Christ, where is no more sin. Let him that is weak,
pustphis'hboupe and cannot do that he would fain do, not despair : but turn

in Christ, and . . . *

SfehAnteed 1S s^ronS' an(* ^a^" promised to give strength to

' all that ask of him in Christ's name ; and complain to God,
and desire him to fulfil his promises, and to God commit
himself; and he shall of his mercy and truth strengthen him,
and make him feel with what love he is beloved for Christ's
sake, though he be never so weak.

Rom. n. " They are not righteous before God which hear the law;

but they which do the law shall be justified." Rom. ii. This text
1161" ^an ^^ ^ needcth to be expounded. In this chapter
Provetl1 that the law natural holp not the Gentiles. For
w- T- the law of God was written in the hearts of the Gentiles, as
it1 appeareth by the laws, statutes, and ordinances which they
made in their cities, yet kept they them not. The great
keep the small under, for their own profit, with the violence
of the law. Every man praiseth the law, as far forth as it
[i So 0.; Day omits it.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 115

is profitable and pleasant unto himself : but when his own
appetites should be refrained, then grudgeth he against the
law. Moreover, he proveth that no knowledge holp the
Gentiles. For though the learned men (as the philosophers)
came to the knowledge of God by the creatures of the world,
yet had they no power to worship God. In this second
chapter proveth he that the Jews, though they had the law
written, yet it holp them not : they could not keep it, but
were idolaters, and were also murderers, adulterers, and
whatsoever the law forbad. He concludeth therefore, that
the Jew is as well damned as the Gentile. If hearing at
the law only might have justified, then had the Jews been w> Tf
righteous. But it requireth that a man do the law, if he will
be righteous ; which because the Jew did not, he is no less
damned than the Gentile. The publishing and declaring of the
law doth but utter a man's sin ; and giveth neither strength,
nor help, to fulfil the law. The law killeth thy conscience, and
giveth thee no lust to fulfil the law. Faith in Christ giveth
lust and power to do the law. Now is it true, that he which
doth the law is righteous ; but that doth no man, save he that Jf
believeth and putteth his trust in Christ.

"If any man's work, that he hath built upon, abide, he icor.m.
shall receive a reward." 1 Cor. iii. The circumstance of the same
chapter, that is to wit, that which goeth before and that which
followeth, declareth plainly what is meant. Paul talketh of Christ is the

* f v ^ sure founda-

learning, doctrine, or preaching : he saith that he himself hath tion- Ant.ed.
laid the foundation, which is Jesus Christ, and that no man
can lay any other. He exhorteth, therefore, every man to
take heed what he buildeth upon ; and borroweth a similitude
of the goldsmith, which trieth his metals with fire ; saying The fire is
that the fire, that is, the judgment of the scripture, shall try ™«""jje
every man's work, that is, every man's preaching and doctrine. w- T-
If any build upon the foundation laid of Paul, I mean Jesus
Christ, " gold, silver, or precious stone," (which are all one Gold, silver,

-,. <•••/> i . • i • i T •• «i and precious

thing, and signify true doctrine, which, when it is examined, ston^istru
the scripture alloweth,) then shall he have his reward ; that w. T.
is, he shall be sure that his learning is of God, and that God's
Spirit is in him, and that he shall have the reward that Christ
hath purchased for him. On the other side, if any man build JSSarY
thereon " timber, hay, or stubble," (which are all one, and ™fnne? dwi T

8—2

116 THE PARABLE OF

signify doctrine of man's imagination, traditions, and fantasies,
Man's foun- which stand not with Christ when they are judged and ex-
feefie. Ant amined by the scripture,) he shall suffer damage, but shall be
He shaii be saved himself, yet as it were through fire : that is, it shall be

saved, never- * °

Xrwgh fire Pam^lll im^° ^m thai ne hath lost his labour, and to see his
w- T> building perish ; notwithstanding, if he repent, and embrace
the truth in Christ, he shall obtain mercy and be saved. But
if Paul were now alive, and would defend his own learning,
he should be tried through fire ; not through fire of the
judgment of scripture, (for that light men now utterly refuse,)
but by the pope's law, and with fire of fagots.

2 cor. v. " We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ,

for to receive every man according to the deeds of his body,"
2 Cor. v. : as thy deeds testify of thee, so shall thy reward be.
Thy deeds be evil, then is the wrath of God upon thee, and
thine heart is evil ; and so shall thy reward be, if thou repent
not. Fear therefore ; and cry to God for grace, that thou
mayest love his laws. And when thou lovest them, cease not,
till thou have obtained power of God to fulfil them ; so shalt

Christ re- thou be sure that a good reward shall follow. Which reward

own workT not thy deeds, but Christ's, have purchased for thee ; whose

purchasing also is that lust which thou hast to God's law, and

what reward that might wherewith thou fulfillest them. Remember also,

hire"" w. T. that a reward is rather called that which is given freely, than

that which is deserved. That which is deserved is called (if

thou wilt give him his right name) hire or wages. A reward

is given freely, to provoke unto love, and to make friends.

The Lord "Remember, that whatsoever good thing any man doth,

ever/rjTan, that shall he receive of the Lord." Eph. vi. " Remembering

according to

deeds, that ye shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance."
^°^ I"- These two texts are exceeding plain. Paul meaneth,
as Peter doth, that servants should obey their masters with all
their hearts, and with good will, though they were never so
i Pet. ii. evil. Yea, he will that all who are under power obey, even of
heart, and of conscience to God ; because God will have it so,
be the rulers never so wicked. The children must obey father

will have it . ... J.

so. Ant. ed. an(J mother, be they never so cruel or unkind ; likewise the
obey™ur wife her husband, the servant his master, the subjects and
the^neveyo commons their lord or king. Why ? " For ye serve the Lord,"
Rom.xiv. saith he, in the Coloss. iii. We are Christ's, and Christ hath

THE WICKED MAMMON. 117

bought us, as thou readest, Rom. xiv. 1 Cor. vi. 1 Pet. i. icor.yi.
Christ is our Lord, and we his possession ; and his also is
the commandment. Now ought not the cruelness and
churlishness of father and mother, of husband, master, lord,
or king, cause us to hate the commandment of our so kind a
Lord, Christ ; which spared not his blood for our sakes ;
which also hath purchased for us with his blood the1 reward
of eternal life ; which life shall follow the patience of good
living, and whereunto our good deeds testify that we are
chosen. Furthermore, we are so carnal, that if the rulers be
good, we cannot know whether we keep the commandment
for the love that we have to Christ, and to God through him,
or no. But and if thou canst find in thine heart to do good A good

lesson, to

unto him that rewardeth thee evil again, then art thou sure JSJ^jlJ,
that the same Spirit is in thee that is in Christ. And it ^Mtof God.
followeth, in the same chapter to the Colossians, "He thatAnt'edt
doth wrong shall receive for the wrong that he hath done."
That is, God shall avenge thee abundantly ; which seeth what
wrong is done unto thee, and yet suifereth it for a time, that
thou mightest feel thy patience, and the working of his Spirit
in thee, and be made perfect. Therefore, see that thou notRemita11

' > -I t vengeance to

once desire vengeance; but remit all vengeance unto God, as GO* Anted.

Christ did, which, saith Peter, 1 Pet. ii., " when he was re- l ret- "•

viled, reviled not again, neither threatened when he suffered."

Unto such obedience, unto such patience, unto such a poor

heart, and unto such feeling, is Paul's meaning to bring all

men, and not unto the vain disputing of them that ascribe

so high a place in heaven unto their piled 2 merits ; which, as

they feel not the working of God's Spirit, so obey they no

man. If the king: do unto them but right, they will interdict The fury of

. , *_ the popish

the whole realm, curse, excommunicate, and send them down clfrsy- Ant-

GQ.

far beneath the bottom of hell ; as they have brought the °ursriritual

» O will not obey

people out of their wits, and made them mad, to believe. cuS'tSi

for doing

[i So C.; inD. that.] risht W'T-

[2 C. haspi^e; T).peelde; which are respectively piled and peeled.
The former word would signify piled up or heaped up : the latter,
under a slightly different form of spelling, pilled, has been shewn by Mr
Russell to mean bald; so that Tyndale would use here nearly the same
metaphor as when he speaks, a little farther on, of * a bald ceremony/
In Levit. xiii. 40, where king James's translators have put into the
text, ' whose hair is fallen off his head,' they have said in the margin,
that the Hebrew has 'head is pilled;' arid the same Hebrew verb
DID is rendered by them in Isaiah xviii. 2, 7. peeled.]

118 THE PARABLE OF

Acts x. « Thy prayers and alms are come up into remembrance

in the presence of God," (in the tenth chapter of the Acts) :
that is, God forgetteth thee not ; though he come not at the
first calling, he looketh on, and beholdeth thy prayers and
alms. Prayer cometh from the heart. God looketh first on

"

first on the

heart ^w. T. the heart, and then on the deed ; as thou readest Genesis iv.
God beheld or looked first on Abel, and then on his offer
ing. If the heart be unpure, the deed verily pleaseth not,
as thou seest in Cain. Mark the order : in the beginning of
the chapter thou readest, " There was a certain man named
Cornelius which feared God, gave much alms, and prayed
God alway." He feared God ; that is, he trembled and quaked
to break the commandments of God. Then prayed he alway.
Praver ig the fruit, effect, deed or act of faith, and is nothing
j^ ^he longing of the heart for those things which a man
lacketh, and which God hath promised to give him. He doth
Aims. w. T. also alms : alms is the fruit, effect, or deed, of compassion and
i^noWth? pity* which we have to our neighbour. O what a glorious
Ant.we0dr.ks' faith, and a right, is that1 which so trusteth God, and be-
lieveth his promises, that she feareth to break his command
ments, and is also merciful unto her neighbour ! This is that
faith whereof thou readest, (namely in Peter, Paul, and John,)
that we are thereby both justified and saved ; and whosoever
imagineth any other faith, deceiveth himself, and is a vain
disputer, and a brawler about words, and hath no feeling in
his heart.

Though thou consent to the law, that it is " good, right
eous, and holy," sorrowest and repentest, because thou hast
broken it, mournest because thou hast no strength to fulfil it,
yet art not thou thereby at one with God. Yea, thou should-
est shortly despair, and blaspheme God, if the promises of
forgiveness and of help were not thereby, and faith in thine
Faith maketh heart to believe them. Faith therefore setteth thee at one

us at one

Ant. ed.

Faith pray- Faith praveth alway. For she hath always her infirm-

eth always . . , , i <• i i i sJ i,

and in aii^ ities and weaknesses before her eyes, and also God s promises,

The manner ^or which she always longeth, and in all places. But blind

unbelief prayeth not alway, nor in all places, but in the
church only ; and that in such a church, where it is not
lawful to preach God's promises, neither to teach men to

[* So C. ; in D. what and & that are wanting.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 119

trust therein. Faith, when she prayeth, setteth not her good
deeds before her, saying, ' Lord, for my good deeds do this
or that ; ' nor bargaineth with God, saying, ' Lord, grant me
this, or do this or that, and I will do this or that for thee ; '
as, mumble so much daily, go so far, or fast this or that fast,
enter this religion2 or that, with such other points of infidelity,
yea, rather idolatry. But she setteth her infirmities and her
lack before her face, and God's promises, saying, * Lord, for w- T-
thy mercy and truth, which thou hast sworn, be merciful
unto me, and pluck me out of this prison and out of this
hell, and loose the bonds of Satan, and give me power to
glorify thy name.' Faith therefore justifieth in the heart, and
before God ; and the deeds justify outwardly before the
world, that is, testify only before men, what we are inwardly
before God.

" Whosoever looketh in the perfect law of liberty, and James i.
continueth therein, (if he be not a forgetful hearer, but a doer
of the work,) he shall be happy in his deed." James i. The ^r[yWwfT
law of liberty, that is, which requireth a free heart, or (if
thou fulfil it) declareth a free heart, loosed from the bonds of
Satan. The preaching of the law maketh no man free, but S|f0pfrteheh"
bindeth ; for it is the key that bindeth all consciences unto J?uvt thedeth'
eternal damnation, when it is preached; as the promises or theag?spSof
gospel is the key that looseth all consciences that repent, ???T. "
when they are bound through preaching of the law. "He
shall be happy in his deed :*" that is, by his deed shall he know
that he is happy and blessed of God, which hath given him a
good heart, and power to fulfil the law. By hearing the law Not the hear-
thou shalt not know that thou art blessed ; but if thou do it, Jjjjjjj
it declareth that thou art happy and blessed. badne

" Was not Abraham justified of his deeds, when he offered James u.
his son Isaac upon the altar ?" James ii. His deed justified
him before the world ; that is, it declared and uttered the
faith which both justified him before God, and wrought that
wonderful work, as James also aifirmeth.

"Was not Rahab the harlot justified when she received James u,
the messengers, and sent them out another way ?" James ii.
That is likewise, outwardly; but before God she was justified
by faith, which wrought that outward deed, as thou mayest see,

[2 Religion, i, c. monastic order.]

120 THE PARABLE OF

Josh. ii. She had heard what God had done in Egypt, in the
lied Sea, in the desert, and unto the two kings of the Araor-
reans, Seon and Og : and she confessed, saying, " Your Lord
God, he is God in heaven above and in earth beneath.1' She
also believed that God, as he had promised the children of
Israel, would give them the land wherein she dwelt ; and she
consented thereunto, submitted herself unto the will of God,
and holp God, (as much as in her was,) and saved his spies
and messengers. The other feared that which she believed ;
but resisted God with all their might, and had no power to
submit themselves unto the will of God. And therefore
perished they, and she was saved, and that through faith, as
we read Heb. xi. ; where thou mayest see how the holy
fathers were saved through faith, and how faith wrought in
Faith is the them. Faith is the goodness of all the deeds that are done
within the law of God, and maketh them good and glorious,

within the seem they never so vile ; and unbelief maketh them damnable,

law of God. » '

Ant. ed. seem they never so glorious.

James ii. As pertaining to that which James in this iind chapter

saith, " What availeth though a man say that he hath faith,

if he have no deeds? can faith save him?" and again,

jamcs ii. "Faith without deeds is dead in itself;" and, "The devils

believe and tremble ;" and, "As the body without the spirit is

dead, even so faith without deeds is dead ;" it is manifest and

clear, that he meaneth not of that1 faith whereof Peter and

Paul speak in their epistles, John in his gospel and first

epistle, and Christ in the gospel, when he saith, " Thy faith

hath made thee safe," " Be it to thee according to thy faith,""

or " Great is thy faith," and so forth ; and of which James

James i. himself speaketh in the first chapter, saying, " Of his own

lheemade the w^ begat ne us w^n tne word °f life," that is, in believing

Bmu^ofood. tne promises, wherein is life, are we made the sons of God.

Which thing I also thiswise prove. Paul saith " How shall,

or can they believe without a preacher ? How should they

preach except they were sent?" "Now I pray you, when was

it heard that God sent any man to preach unto the devils, or

that he made them any good promise ? He threateneth

them oft ; but never sent any ambassadors to preach any

Antexedmple' atonement between him and them. Take an ensample that

L1 So C. ; D. has the instead of that.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 121

thou mayest understand : let there be two poor men both
destitute of raiment in a cold winter ; the one strong that he
feeleth no grief, the other grievously mourning for pain of
the cold. I then come by, and, moved with pity and com
passion, say unto him that feeleth his disease, " Come to such
a place, and I will give thee raiment sufficient." He believeth,
cometh, and obtaineth that which I have promised. That
other seeth all this, and knoweth it, but is partaker of nought,
for he hath no faith, and that is because there is no promise
made him. So is it of the devils : the devils have nos faith;
for faith is but earnest believing of God's promises. Now are
there no promises made unto the devils, but sore threatenings.
The old philosophers knew that there was one God, but yet
had no faith ; for they had no power to seek his will, neither
to worship him. The Turks and the Saracens know that Turks have

there is one God, but yet have no faith ; for they have no yet knowan

• ^ - • • i v • there is a

power to worship God in spirit, to seek his pleasure, and to God- Ant- ed-

submit them unto his will. They made an idol of God, (as
we do for the most part,) and worshipped him every man
after his own imagination, and for a sundry purpose. What
we will have done, that must God do ; and to do our will,
worship we him and pray unto him : but what God will have
done, that will neither Turk nor Saracen, nor the most part
of us do. Whatsoever we imagine righteous, that must God
admit ; but God's righteousness will not our hearts admit.
Take another ensample : let there be two such as I spake of Another
before, and I promise both ; and the one, because he feeleth w?™!'16"
not his disease, cometh not. So is it of God's promises : no
man is holpen by them, but sinners that feel their sins,
mourn and sorrow for them, and repent with all their hearts.
For John Baptist went before Christ, and preached repent- John Baptist
ance ; that is, he preached the law of God right, and brought peopfe' their
the people into knowledge of themselves, and unto the fear theeiaw, and

then sent

of God, and then sent them unto Christ to be healed. For {^^ be
in Christ, and for his sake only, hath God promised to receive healed> W>T*
us unto mercy, to forgive us, and to give us power to resist
sin. How shall God save thee, when thou knowest not thy
damnation ? How shall Christ deliver thee from sin, when
thou wilt not knowledge thy sin ? Now I pray thee how
many thousands are there of them that say, ' I believe that
Christ was born of a virgin, that he died, that he rose again/

122 THE PARABLE OF

and so forth, and thou canst not bring them in belief that
they have any sin at all ! How many are there of the same
sort, which thou canst not make believe that a thousand
things are sin, which God damneth for sin all the scripture
sins that are throughout ! as to buy as good cheap1 as he can, and to sell

accounted no J • i

sins. as dear as he can ; to raise the market of corn and victuals,

for his own vantage, without respect of his neighbour, or of
the poor, or of the common wealth, and such like. Moreover,
how many hundred thousand are there, which when they
have sinned, and knowledge their sins, yet trust in a bald

fruitelesAut Ceremony5 or 'in a lousy friar's coat and merits ; or in the
prayers of them that devour widows' houses, and eat the
poor out of house and harbour ; in a thing of his own ima
gination ; in a foolish dream, and a false vision ; and not in

HO w.these Christ's blood, and in the truth that God hath sworn2 ! All

Si h"eous- ^ese are faithless ; for they follow their own righteousness,
faev^anduento an^ are disobedient unto all manner righteousness of God ;
God'ar?01 both unto the righteousness of God's law, wherewith he
faithless. danmeth all our deeds, (for though some of them see their

[*• Cheap was anciently used for to bargain, and good-cheap signi
fied well bargained. It occurs in our authorised version of the Apo
crypha, 2 Esdras xvi. 21, * Victuals shall be so good cheap upon earth/
&c.]

[2 In confirmation of what is here stated, the reader is referred to
devotional treatises still printed and circulated amongst them. The
Funiculus Triplex: or 'The Indulgences of the Cord of St Francis.'
By the R. F. Francis Walsh, L. J. &c. Dublin, printed by R. Grace, 3,
Mary Street, (without date, but evidently very recent,) is a little
book of 106 pages, describing various easy ways of obtaining re
mission of sins, if the person desirous of obtaining it will but wear
about his person ' a cord, whether of hemp, flax, or wool/ ' white, light,
gray, or dark/ ' on their undermost garment/ procured from a friar,
duly authorized to keep such cords, and to enrol the wearer's name in
the confraternity of the Cord of St Francis, pp. 19 — 21. Whilst to
those who thus become * brethren or sisters of the cord/ assurance is
given in the name of pope John XXII. that they may have, 'for kissing
devoutly the habit of the Friars Minors, five years and so many qua-
rantins of indulgence/ And, (on the authority of popes Clement IV,,
Nicholas IV., Urban V., and Leo X.) 'For being buried in the habit
of St Francis, plenary indulgence/ p. 77 ; or by grant from pope Paul
V., 'For hearing the first mass of a new-made priest, if they confess
and receive, plenary indulgence/ p. 75. A similar little book of 108
pages, entitled, 'A Short Treatise of the Antiquity, Institution, Ex
cellency, Indulgences, Privileges, &c. of the most famous and ancient

w T

THE WICKED MAMMON. 123

sins for fear of pain, yet had they rather3 that such deeds
were no sin,) and also unto the righteousness of the truth of
God in his promises, whereby he saveth all that repent and
believe them. For though they believe that Christ died, yet
believe they not that he died for their sins, and that his
death is a sufficient satisfaction for their sins; and that God,
for his sake, will be a father unto them, and give them
power to resist sin.

Paul saith to the Romans, in the xth chapter, " If thou Rom. *.
confess with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and believe
with thine heart that God raised him up from death, thou
shalt be safe :" that is, if thou believe he raised him up
again for thy salvation. Many believe that God is rich and
almighty ; but not unto themselves, and that he will be good
unto them, and defend them, and be their God.

Pharaoh, for pain of the plague, was compelled to confess Pharaoh
his sins, but had yet no power to submit himself unto the
will of God, and to let the children of Israel go, and to lose
so great profit for God's pleasure; as our prelates confess
their sins, saying, Though we be never so evil, yet have we
the power4. And again, The scribes and the Pharisees (say
they) sat in Moses' seat ; do as they teach, but not as they
do : thus confess they that they are abominable. But to the
second I answer, If they sat on Christ's seat, they would
preach Christ's doctrine : now preach they their own tradi
tions, and therefore not to be heard. If they preached The preach-
Christ, we ought to hear them, though they were never so true°gospei
abominable, as they of themselves confess, and have yet no heard.thoug
power to amend, neither to let loose Christ's flock to serve
God in the spirit ; which they hold captive compelling them

Confraternity of our Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel, commonly called
the Scapular, &c. Dublin, printed for the Confraternity, 1831 ;' pro
mises to those who will wear a scapular (or small shawl), 'which must
be made of cloth, serge, or other stuff, and not of silk, though it may
be lined with silk, or embroidered with gold or silver/ (p. 56) that
' he that dieth invested with this habit shall not suffer eternal fire/
p. 44.]

[3 So D. ; C. has lever, the comparative of the old word lief.~\
[4 Art. XXVIII. ' Pharaoh had 110 power to let the people de
part at God's pleasure/ Art. XXIX. * Our prelates, in sin, say they
have power/ List of heresies and errors. Foxe's reply, 'Read the
place out of the which these two articles are gathered/]

124 THE PARABLE OF

The devils to serve their false lies. The devils felt the power of Christ,

and were compelled against their wills to confess that he was
God. Tnt. ed. the Son of God ; but had no power to be content therewith,
neither to consent unto the ordinance and eternal counsel of
the everlasting God : as our prelates feel the power of God
against them, but yet have no grace to give room unto Christ,
because that they (as the devil's nature is) will themselves
sit in his holy temple, that is to wit, the consciences of
men.

Acts viii. Simon Magus believed, Acts viii., with such a faith as the

M^S'S faith. devils confessed Christ ; but had no right faith, as thou seest

in the said chapter. For he repented not, consenting unto the

law of God. Neither believed he the promises, or longed

for them ; but wondered only at the miracles which Philip

wrought. And because that he himself in Philip's presence

had no power to use his witchcraft, sorcery, and art magic,

wherewith he mocked and deluded the wits of the people,

ourspiritu- he would have bought the gift of God, to have sold it much

ally are the .

successors of dearer ; as his successors now do, and not the successors of

Simon, not t

reter. w. T. Simon Peter. For were they Simon Peter's successors, they
would preach Christ, as he did ; but they are Simon Magus's

2 Pet. ii. successors, of which Simon Peter well prophesied l in the
second chapter of his second epistle, saying, " There were
false prophets among the people (meaning of the Jews), even
as there shall be false teachers or doctors among you, which
privily shall bring in sects damnable," (sects is part-taking, as
one holdeth of Francis, another of Dominic, which thing also

icor. i. Hi. Paul rebuketh2, 1 Cor. i. iii.) " even denying the Lord that
bought them ; " (for they will not be saved by Christ, neither
suffer any man to preach him to other.) " And many shall
follow their damnable ways." (Thou wilt say, Shall God
suffer so many to go out of the right way so long ? I an
swer, Many must follow their damnable ways, or else must
Peter be a false prophet.) " By which the way of truth shall
be evil spoken of;" (as it is now at this present time, for it is
heresy to preach the truth ;) " and through covetousness shall
they with feigned words make merchandise of you." Of

[l So C. : in D. proved.]

[2 Tewkesbury's examiners said to him : ' Tyndale saith, The sects
of St Francis and St Dominic, and others, be damnable. To that ho
answered and said, St Paul repugncth against them.' Foxe, iv. p. 691.]

THE WICKED MAMMON. 125

their merchandise and covetousness it needeth not to make
rehearsal ; for they that be blind see it evidently.

Thus seest thou that James, when he saith, " Faith with-
out deeds is dead," and "as the body without the spirit is Sh

dead, so is faith without deeds," and "the devils believe ;'' Sreedof
that he meaneth not of the faith and trust, that we have in
the truth of God's promises, and his holy testament made
unto us in Christ's blood; which faith followeth repentance,
and the consent of the heart unto the law of God, and
maketh a man safe, and setteth him at peace with God. But
he speaketh of that false opinion and imagination, wherewith
some say, I believe that Christ was born of a virgin, and
that he died, and so forth. That believe they verily, and so
strongly, that they are ready to slay whosoever would say
the contrary. But they believe not that Christ died for
their sins ; and that his death hath appeased the wrath of
God, and hath obtained for them all that God hath promised
in the scripture. For how can they believe that Christ died
for their sins, and that he is their only and sufficient Saviour,
seeing that they seek other saviours of their own imagina
tion ; and seeing that they feel not their sins, neither repent,
except that some repent (as I above said) for fear of pain,
but for no love, nor consent unto the law of God, nor longing
that they have for those good promises which he hath made
them in Christ's blood? If they repented and loved the law
of God, and longed for that help which God hath promised
to give to all that call on him for Christ's sake ; then verily
must God's truth give them power and strength to do good
works, whensoever occasion were given, either must God be
a false God. But " let God be true, and every man a liar,"
as scripture saith. For the truth of God lasteth ever: to
whom only be all honour and glory for ever. Amen.

A short rehearsal or sum of this present treatise of
Justification by Faith*.

FAITH, the mother of all good works, justifieth us, before
we can bring forth any good work : as the husband marrieth

[3 This summary, but without the heading, is prefixed to the trea
tise in Day's folio, but stands as here in C.'s edition.]

126 THE PARABLE OF THE WICKED MAMMON.

his wife, before he can have any lawful children by her. Fur
thermore, as the husband marrieth not his wife that she
should continue unfruitful as before, and as she was in the
state of virginity, (wherein it was impossible for her to bear
fruit,) but contrariwise to make her fruitful; even so faith
justifieth us not, that is to say, marrieth us not to God, that
we should continue unfruitful as before, but that he should
put the seed of his holy Spirit in us, (as St John in his first
epistle calleth it,) and to make us fruitful. For, saith Paul,
(Eph. ii.) : " By grace are ye made safe through faith, and
that not of yourselves : for it is the gift of God, and
cometh not of the works, lest any man should
boast himself. For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good
works, which God hath ordained
that we should walk in
them." Amen.

Be not offended, most dear reader, that divers things are
overseen through negligence in this little treatise. For
verily the chance was such, that I marvel that it is so well
as it is. Moreover it becometh the book even so to come as
a mourner, and in vile apparel to wait on his master,
which sheweth himself now again, not in honour
and glory, as between Moses and Elias;
but in rebuke and shame, as between
two murderers, to try his true
friends, and to prove whe
ther there be any
faith on the
earth l.

[l This seeming apology for the printer's negligence is left out by
Day, but was reasonably attached to Coplande's edition, in which the
errors of the press are countless. The words as between Moses and
Elias, but in rebuke and shame, are not however in C/s edition, but are
found in the corresponding apology attached to the 8vo. ed. by
Hans Luft, Malborowe, of May 8, 1528.]

THE

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

IT The Obedience of a Christen man, and how
Clm'ston ruler* misfct to {jofaente, tofterem

also (tf tfiou mark bflfgcntlg) ifiou sfialt fintr tges to
gcmau* t^e rraftte conuegattitcc at all tagglotf.

Set forth by William Tyndall. 1528. Octob. 2.

[INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

Lv the last paragraph of his Practice of Prelates, dated 1530, and
published some time before the end of that year, Tyndale says: 'Let
them remember, that I well toward three years agone sent forth the
True Obedience of a Christian Man1.' This gives probability to what
Ames mentions in an irregular way, namely, that there is an edition
of the Obedience of the date of Dec. 11, 1527. It was about that time
that Tyndale removed from Worms to Marburg2 in Hesse, a city on
the Lahn, where the landgrave Philip, the bold and uncompromising
friend of the Reformation, had just founded an university, and Hans
Luft had just established a printing press. On the 8th of May, 1528,
this Hans Luft sent forth an edition of the Obedience in 4to, of
which Mr Offor has a copy ; and on the 2nd of October in the same
year, there came out another edition from his press in small 12mo,
of which the Parker Society possesses a copy, which the editor has
used for collation with the reprint in Day's folio of 1573, prepared by
Foxe the martyrologist.

In the introductory notice to the treatise on the parable of the
Wicked Mammon, the reader has had evidence that the Obedience
shared in its circulation and influence, and in the consequent hostility
of the ruling church. There are, however, two instances of its sepa
rate distribution and influence, which should not pass unnoticed.
One of the meekest and holiest of the martyrs of Henry VIII.'s reign
was Thomas Bilney, a fellow of Trinity hall, Cambridge. In 1529,
he had been terrified and tempted by bishop Tonstal into abjuring
the faith he really held : but his friend, bishop Latimer, tells us that
this brought him ' into such anguish and agony, that nothing did him
good, not even the communication of God's word, because he thought
that all the whole scriptures sounded his condemnation, till God en
dued him with such strength,' that he took leave of his Cambridge
friends, and said that he would go to Jerusalem ; and departing into
Norfolk, he there preached publicly the doctrine which he had abjured.
Having done this, he entered Norwich, and 'gave to an anchoress,
whom he had converted to Christ, a New Testament of Tyndale's trans
lation, and the Obedience of a Christian Man ; whereupon he was
apprehended and carried to prison, there to remain till the blind
bishop Nix sent up for a writ to burn him3.'

P By an error in writing1, which the editor did not perceive till the sheet was struck
off, he has said in p. 31, 1. 14 : 'The Obedience preceded the Wicked Mammon,' where
he intended to affirm tlie reverse.]

[2 Marburg is spelt Marborch, but more frequently Marlborow in books printed by
Hans Luft for the English market, and sometimes Marlborough, as if the person who
dictated this spelling meant to translate burg or berg for English readers.]

[3 Latimer's Sermons, Vol. 11. p. 52, Park. Soc. ed., and Foxe's Acts and Mon. under
date of 1531, Vol. iv. p. 642.]

[TYNDALE.]

130 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

It seems to have been about the time of Bilney's abjuration, that
Anne Boleyn had well nigh been brought into difficulty, by lending
the Obedience to one of her attendants. As Strype tells the story
from a MS. left by Foxe, and now in the British Museum, she had
* lent it for perusal to a fair young gentlewoman in her service,
named Mrs Gainsford ; from whose hands it was playfully carried off
by the young lady's suitor, a Mr George Zouch/ Cardinal Wolscy had
about the same time * given commandment to the prelates, and
especially to Dr Sampson, dean of the king's chapel, that they should
have a vigilant eye over all people for such books ; that so, as much
as might be, they might not come to the king's reading.' But Mr
Zouch was so delighted with what he read, that he could not refrain
from reading it, not even in the king's chapel. His close attention to
his book caught Dr Sampson's eye ; and at length the dean called
him up, took the book from him, and required to know what was his
name, and ' whose man he was.' The book was presently delivered
over by the dean to the cardinal : but, in the mean while, ' the lady
Anne asketh her woman for the book. She on her knees told all
the circumstances. The lady Anne shewed herself not sorry, nor
angry with either of the two: but, Well, said she, it shall be the
dearest book that ever the dean or cardinal took away. So she goes
to the king, and upon her knees she desireth the king's help for
her book. Upon the king's token, the book was restored. And now,
bringing the book to him, she besought his grace, most tenderly, to
read it. The king did so, and delighted in the book: for, saith he,
this book is for me, and all kings to read/ Strype's Eccles. Mem.
ch. xv. Vol. i. p. 173. Oxf. Ed. 1822.

This story has received confirmation from Wyatt's Memoir, printed
from a MS. in Cavendish's Life of Wolsey, by Singer, Vol. n. pp. 202 — 5.
Wyatt indeed represents the cardinal as bringing the book to the
king, to point out what he thought Henry would dislike, and to com
plain of those who countenanced such books. But this is obviously
not irreconcilable with the account given in Foxe's MS. Nor is the
king's continued hostility to Tyndale incompatible with his being
pleased for a time with a powerfully written book, pressed upon his
notice by the lady Anne ; nor yet with his clearly perceiving that the
author had justly rebuked the inroads made upon the authority of
princes by an usurping priesthood.]

WILLIAM TYNDALE,

OTHERWISE CALLED HITCHINS,

TO THE READER.

GRACE, peace, and increase of knowledge in our Lord
Jesus Christ, be with thee l, reader, and with all that call on
the name of the Lord unfeignedly and with a pure conscience.
Amen.

Let it not make thee despair, neither yet discourage thee,
0 reader, that it is forbidden thee in pain of life and goods,
or that it is made breaking of the king's peace, or treason
unto his highness, to read the word of thy soul's health2. But The nature of
much rather be bold in the Lord, and comfort thy soul : for- is°tobevjer-

. , , secuted.W.T.

asmuch as thou art sure, and hast an evident token through
such persecution, that it is the true word of God ; which word
is ever hated of the world, neither was ever without persecu
tion, (as thou seest in all the stories of the Bible, both of the
new Testament and also of the old,) neither can be, no more
than the sun can be without his light ; and forasmuch as con- The pope is
trariwise thou art sure that the pope's doctrine is not of God, receivet&,and

* * , , , . persecuteth.

which (as thou seest) is so agreeable unto the world, and is so w. T.

[! Hans Luft prints it the; but Day thee.]

[2 As this treatise was written before the close of 1527, this sen
tence cannot refer to the royal proclamation of the 21st Hen. VIII.
given in Foxe, under the date of 1531, but really published before the
end of March, 1530. (See Anderson's Annals, B. i. § 6, p. 234—5.)
But though the issuing of that proclamation was the first measure
which subjected the possessors of the word of God to punishment by
the civil magistrate, under such charges as Tyndale has here described,
he had sufficient reason for charging the Christian reader not to be
discouraged by the peril of being thus punished. For in 1527 Tyndalo
could not but have read the king's reply to Luther ; in the preface to
which Henry told 'his dearly beloved people/ that 'with the deliberate
advice of his chancellor, Cardinal Wolscy, he had determined that
[Tyndale's] untrue translations [of the scriptures] should be burned,
with farther sharp correction and punishment against the keepers and
readers of the same/]

9—2

132

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Love of the
world is
hatred of
God and his
holy gospel.
Ant. ed.

received of the world ; or which rather so receiveth the world
and the pleasures of the world, and seekcth. nothing but the
possessions of the world, and authority in the world, and to
bear a rule in the world ; and persecuteth the word of God,
and with all wiliness driveth people from it, and with false and
sophistical reasons maketh them afraid of it ; yea, curscth
them, and excommunicateth them, and bringeth them in be
lief that they be damned if they look on it, and that it
is but doctrine to deceive men ; and moveth the blind powers
of the world to slay with fire, water, and sword, all that
cleave unto it1 : for the world loveth that which is his, and

[! In saying this, Tyndale was quite borne out by various public
documents, which had issued at different times from those different
authorities to which persons living under the jurisdiction of the church
of Rome were amenable. The earliest canon prohibiting the laity
from possessing the word of God in their native tongue is believed to
be that enacted by a council held at Toulouse, in 1229, a little more
than 150 years before Wicliffe translated the scriptures for our fathers.
Its words are these : — Prohibenras etiam, ne libros Veteris Testament!
aut Novi laici permittantur habere ; nisi forte psalterium vel brevia-
rium pro divinis ofTiciis, aut horas Beatse Marice, aliquis ex devotione
habere velit. Sed no prscmissos libros habeant in vulgar! translates
arctissime inhibemus. Cone. Tolos. An0. MCCXXIX. de inquirendis
hcereticis, deque aliis Ecclesiastics discipline capitibus celebratum.
Cap. xiv. Tom. xxm. p. 197. Labb. Cone. Venetiis, 1779; and also
Harduini Acta Cone. Parisiis, 1714. Tom. vn. p. 178.

In our own country, the like prohibition was enforced with
especial threats in a constitution issued by archbishop Arundel, which
said: ' We decree and ordain that no man hereaftertby his own autho-
ritj^translate any text of the scripture into English, oy way of a book,
libel, or treatise ; and that no man read any Riicfc book, libel, or treatise,
now lately set forth in the time of John Wicliffe, or since, or hereafter
to bo set forth, in part or in whole, privily or apertly, upon pain of
greater excommunication, until the said translation be allowed by the
ordinary of the place, or, if the case so require, by the council provin
cial. He that shall do contrary to this shall likewise be punished as a
favourer of error and heresy/ Foxe's Acts and Mon. under date
of 1409. It need scarcely be added, that no English translation had
been so allowed. Lastly, Cuthbert Tonstal had issued an injunction
in October 1526, as bishop of London, in which, without naming
Tyndale, he had described his translation of the New Testament
' imprinted some with glosses, and some without, [as] containing in the
English tongue pestiferous and most pernicious poison, which truly,
without it be speedily foreseen, will contaminate and infect the flock
committed unto us with most deadly poison and heresy, to the

PREFACE TO THE READER. 133

hatcth that which is chosen out of the world to serve God in
the Spirit, as Christ saith to his disciples, John xv. " If ye
were of the world, the world would love his own ; but I have
chosen you out of the world, and therefore the world hatcth
you."

Another comfort hast thou, that, as the weak powers of
the world defend the doctrine of the world, so the mighty God defend-

° * eth his doc-

power of God defendeth the doctrine of God : which thing tnnehimseif.
thou shalt evidently perceive, if thou call to mind the wonderful
deeds which God hath ever wrought for his word in extreme
necessity, since the world began, beyond all man's reason,
which are written, (as Paul saith, Rom. xv.) " for our learning, Rom. xv
(and not for our deceiving,) that we through patience and
comfort of the scripture might have hope." The nature of God-sword
God's word is to fight against hypocrites. It began at Abel,

and hath ever since continued, and shall, I doubt not, until the °r'

last day. And the hypocrites have alway the world on their

sides ; as thou seest in the time of Christ. They had the Ho

elders, that is to wit, the rulers of the Jews on their side ;

they had Pilate and the emperor's power on their side ; they °°

had Herod also on their side : moreover they brought all

their worldly wisdom to pass, and all that they could think,

or imagine, to serve for their purpose. First, to fear2 the The craft of

people withal, they excommunicated all that believed in him, criuJw'. T.

and put them out of the temple ; as thou seest, John ix. Se- j0hn ix.

condly, they found the means to have him condemned by the

emperor's power, and made it treason to Caesar to believe in

him. Thirdly, they obtained to have him hanged as a thief

or a murderer, which, after their belly-wisdom, was a cause

above all causes that no man should believe in him : for the

Jews take it for a sure token of everlasting damnation, if a

man be hanged ; for it is written in their law, Deut. xxi. Dem. xxi.

" Cursed is whosoever hangeth on tree." Moses also in the

grievous peril and danger of the souls committed to our charge and
the offence of God's divine majesty.' Having given this description of
the versions without glosses, or the plain word of God, as well as of
that with glosses, he proceeds to enjoin his officers to require all
persons to surrender their copies of any translation of the New Testa
ment into the English tongue under pain of excommunication __
Tonstal's injunction is given in Foxc, among details belonging to
1531 ; and in Anderson, B. I. § 3. Vol. i. p. 118, first edition.]
[2 Fear: terrify.]

134 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

same place commandeth, if any man be hanged, to take him
down the same day and bury him, for fear of polluting or de
filing the country ; that is, lest they should bring the wrath
and curse of God upon them. And therefore the wicked Jews
themselves, which with so venomous hate persecuted the
doctrine of Christ, and did all the shame that they could do
unto him, though they would fain have had Christ to hang
still on the cross, and there to rot, (as he should have done
by the emperor's law,) yet for fear of defiling their sabbath,
and of bringing the wrath and curse of God upon them,
johnxix. begged of Pilate to take him down, John xix. which was
against themselves.

o

Finally, when they had done all they could, and that they
thought sufficient, and when Christ was in the heart of the
earth, and so many bills and pole-axes about him to keep
him down, and when it was past man's help, then holp God.
When man could not bring .him again, God's truth fetched

O O '

ootrs truth him again. The oath that God had sworn to Abraham, to
makdthsthaend David, and to other holy fathers and prophets, raised him up
thldh°y^o°-f agam> to bless and save all that believe in him. Thus became
ness!8 fw.iST\ the wisdom of the hypocrites foolishness. Lo, this was written

for thy learning and comfort.
The captivity How wonderfully were the children of Israel locked in

of the Israel- J

phShf -koTPt • *n wna* tribulation, cumbrance, and adversity were

w- T- they in ! The land also that was promised them was far off,

and full of great cities, walled with high walls up to the sky,

and inhabited with great giants ; yet God's truth brought

them out of Egypt, and planted them in the land of the

ifith°tdsbwho g'ian^s- This was l also written for our learning : for there is

SaiXtus? no Power against God's, neither any wisdom against God's

Ant. ed. wisdom : he is stronger and wiser than all his enemies.

SayShthe What no^P ^ Pharaoh, to drown the men children? So

menchildren. \{^\Q (J fear no^ ^^ -j. ^ ^ jag|. j^jp ^e pQ^Q anc[ Jjjg

bishops, to burn our men children ; which manfully confess
that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and that there is no other name
Acts iv. given unto men to be saved by, as Peter testifieth. Acts, in
the fourth chapter.

Who dried up the Red sea ? Who slew Goliath ? Who
did all those wonderful deeds which thou readest in the bible?
Who delivered the Israelites evermore from thraldom and
[! So H. Luft; D. has is.]

PREFACE TO THE READER. 135

bondage, as soon as they repented and turned to God ? Faith
verily, and God's truth, and the trust in the promises which
he had made. Read the xith to the Hebrews for thy con
solation.

When the children of Israel were ready to despair, for
the greatness and the multitude of the giants, Moses comforted
them ever, saying, Remember what your Lord God hath done How

* v " comforteth

for you in Egypt, his wonderful plagues, his miracles, his we ^raelites

wonders, his mighty hand, his stretched out arm, and what

he hath done for you hitherto. lie shall destroy them ; he God's truth

shall take their hearts from them, and make them fear and us. w. T.

flee before you. He shall storm them, and stir up a tempest

among them, and scatter them, and bring them to nought.

He hath sworn ; he is true ; he will fulfil the promises that

he hath made unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is

written for our learning : for verily he is a true God ; and is

our God as well as theirs ; and his promises are with us, as

well as with them ; and he present with us, as well as he

was with them. If we ask, we shall obtain ; if we knock,

he will open ; if we seek, we shall find ; if we thirst, his truth

shall fulfil our lust. Christ is with us until the world's Matt, xxviu.

cncl. Let his little flock be bold therefore. For if God be

on our side, what matter maketh it who be against us,

be they bishops, cardinals, popes, or whatsoever names they

will?

Mark this also, if God send thee to the sea, and God trieth
promise to go with thee, and to bring thee safe to land, he h;| children.
will raise up a tempest against thee, to prove whether thou
wilt abide by his word, and that thou mayest feel thy faith,
and perceive his goodness. For if it were alway^TTan^'wea-
ther, and thou never brought into such jeopardy, whence his
mercy only delivered thee, thy faith should be but a pre
sumption, and thou shouldest be ever unthankful to God and
merciless unto thy neighbour.

If God promise riches, the way thereto is poverty. Whom God work-
he loveth, him he chasteneth : whom he exalteth, he casteth ward. w. T.
down : whom he saveth, he damneth first. He bringeth no
man to heaven, except he send him to hell first. If he pro
mise life, he slayeth first : when he buildeth, he casteth all
down first. He is no patcher ; lie cannot build on another
man's foundation. He will not work until all be past remedy,

136 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

•

and brought unto such a case, that men may see, how that
his hand, his power, his mercy, his goodness and truth, hath
wrought altogether. He will let no man be partaker with
him of his praise and glory. His works are wonderful, and
contrary unto man's works. Who ever, saving1 he, delivered
his own Son, his only Son, his dear Son, unto the death, and
that for his enemies' sake, to win his enemy, to overcome him
with love, that he might see love, and love again, and of love
to do likewise to other men, and to overcome them with well
doing ?

Joseph. Joseph saw the sun and the moon and the eleven stars

worshipping him. Nevertheless, ere that came to pass, God
laid him where he could neither see sun nor moon, neither
any star of the sky, and that many years; and also unde
served ; to nurture him, to humble, to meek2, and to teach
him God's ways, and to make him apt and meet for the room
and honour against he came to it ; that he might perceive and
feel that it came of God, and that he might be strong in the
spirit to minister it godly.

Israelites. He promised the children of Israel a land with rivers of

milk and honey ; but brought them for the space of forty
years into a land, where not only rivers of milk and honey
were not, but where so much as a drop of water was not ; to
nurture them, and to teach them, as a father doth his son,
and to do them good at the latter end ; and that they might
be strong in their spirit and souls, to use his gifts and benefits
godly and after his will.

He promised David a kingdom, and immediately stirred
up king Saul against him to persecute him ; to hunt him, as
men do hares with greyhounds, and to ferret him out of every
hole, and that for the space of many years ; to tame him, to
meek him, to kill his lusts ; to make him feel other men's
diseases; to make him merciful; to make him understand
that he was made king to minister and to serve his brethren,
and that he should not think that his subjects were made to
minister unto his lusts, and that it were lawful for him to
^4ake away from them life and goods at his pleasure.

"stn,ctsh°rs Oh that our kings were so nurtured now-a-days ! which
r> our holy bishops teach of a far other manner, saying, Your

P SoD. Luft has save.]
[2 Meek ; make meek.]

is called.
W. T.

PREFACE TO THE READER. 137

grace shall take your pleasure ; yea, take what pleasure you
list, spare nothing ; we shall dispense with you ; we have
power, we are God's vicars : and let us alone with the realm,
we shall take pain for you, and see that nothing be well :
your grace shall but defend the faith only.

Let us, therefore, look diligently whereunto we are called,
that we deceive not ourselves. We are called, not to dispute,
as the pope's disciples do ; but to die with Christ, that we
may live with him ; and to suffer with him, that we may
reign with him. We be called unto a kingdom that must be
won with suffering only, as a sick man winneth health. God outfighting
is he that doth all things for us, and fighteth for us ; and we while God '

fi^hteth for

do but suffer only. Christ saith, John. xx. "As mv Father"8-., w T-

v v John xx.

sent me, so send I you;" and, John xv. "If they persecute John xv.

me, then shall they persecute you." And Christ saith, Matt. Matt. x.

x. "I send you forth as sheep among wolves." The sheep

fight not ; but the shepherd fighteth for them, and careth

for them. " Be harmless as doves, therefore," saith Christ,

" and wise as serpents." The doves imagine no defence,

nor seek to avenge themselves. The serpent's wisdom is, The wisdom

to keep his head, and those parts wherein his life rcsteth. pent. W.T.

Christ is our head ; and God's word is that wherein our life

resteth. To cleave, therefore, fast unto Christ, and unto

those promises which God hath made us for his sake, is our

wisdom. "Beware of men," saith he; "for they shall deliver

you up unto their councils, and shall scourge you; and ye

shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake. The

brother shall betray, or deliver, the brother to death, and

the father the son ; and the children shall rise against father

and mother, and put them to death." Hear what Christ

saith more : " The disciple is not greater than his master ;

neither the servant greater, or better, than his lord. If

they have called the good man of the house Beelzebub,

how much rather shall they call his household servants so!"

And, Luke xiv. saith Christ: "Which of you, disposed to

build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost,

whether he have sufficient to perform it ? Lest when he hath

laid the foundation, and then not able to perform it, all that

behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build,

and was not able to make an end : so likewise none of you,

that forsaketh not all that he hath, can be my disciple."

138 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

HC maketh Whosoever, therefore, castcth not this aforehand, ' I must
cSethf'notat Je°Pard life* goods, honour, worship, and all that there is, for
h"ere Christ's sake/ deceiveth himself, and maketh a mock of him-

unto the godless hypocrites and infidels. " No man can
serve *wo Casters, God and mammon ;" that is to say, wicked
rnfohrteketh riches also. Matt. vi. Thou must love Christ above all things:
bJtfomkefk but that doest thou not, if thou be not ready to forsake all
w!'Th.t? for his sake: if thou have forsaken all for his sake, then
Tribulation art thou sure that thou lovest him. Tribulation is our right
tism. w. T. baptism; and is signified by plunging into the water. "We
Rom. vi. that are baptized in the name of Christ," saith Paul, "are
baptized to die with him."

The Spirit through tribulation purgcth us, and killeth

our fleshly wit, our worldly understanding, and belly-wisdom,

Tribulation and filleth us full of the wisdom of God. Tribulation is a

w. T. " blessing; that cometh of God, as witnesseth Christ: "Blessed

Matt. v. c

are they that suffer persecution for righteousness' sake ; for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Is not this a comfortable
word ? Who ought not rather to choose, and desire to be
blessed with Christ, in a little tribulation, than to be cursed
perpetually with the world for a little pleasure ?

Prosperity is a right curse, and a thing that God giveth
to his enemies. " Woe be to you rich," saith Christ, Luke
vi. " lo, ye have your consolation : woe be to you that are
full, for ye shall hunger : woe be to you that laugh, for ye
shall weep : woe be to you when men praise you, for so did
their fathers unto the false prophets :" yea, and so have our
fathers done unto the false hypocrites. The hypocrites, with
worldly preaching, have not gotten the praise only, but even
the possessions also, and the dominion and rule of the whole
world.
egtftof Tribulation for righteousness is not a blessing only, but

God. w. T. a]so a gift that God giveth unto none save his special friends.

Actsv. The apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer
rebuke for Christ's sake. And Paul, in the second epistle

2 Tim. iii. an(j third chapter to Timothy, saith, " All that will live godly
in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution :" and, Phil. i. he saith,
"Unto you it is given, not only to believe in Christ, but also
to suffer for his sake." Here seest thou that it is God's gift,
to suffer for Christ's sake. And Peter in the fourth chapter

i Pet. iv. of his first epistle saith : " Happy are ye if ye suffer for the

PREFACE TO THE READER. 139

name of Christ ; for the glorious Spirit of God rcsteth in
you." Is it not an happy thing, to be sure that thou art
sealed with God's Spirit to everlasting life ? And, verily, thou
art sure thereof, if thou suffer patiently for his sake. By
suffering art thou sure ; but by persecuting canst thou never
be sure: for Paul, Rom. v. saith, "Tribulation maketh feeling;"
that is, it maketh us feel the goodness of God, and his help,
and the working of his Spirit. And, the twelfth chapter of
the second epistle to the Corinthians, the Lord said unto Paul, the pope and

-I- ' 7 bishops sure ?

" My grace is sufficient for thee ; for my strength is made gj&fii
perfect through weakness." Lo, Christ is never strong in us
till we be weak. As our strength abateth, so groweth the The weaker
strength of Christ in us : when we are clean emptied of our the stronger'
own strength, then are we full of Christ's strength : and look, Ant- £d-
how much of our own strength remaineth in us, so much
lacketh there of the strength of Christ. " Therefore," saith
Paul, in the said place in the second epistle to the Corin
thians, " very gladly will I rejoice in my weakness, that the
strength of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore have I
delectation," saith Paul, "in infirmities, in rebukes, in need,
in persecutions, and in anguish for Christ's sake; for when weakness of
I am weak, then am I strong." Meaning, that the weakness the strength

° ° of the Spirit.

of the flesh is the strength of the Spirit. And by flesh JV^T- w T
understand wit, wisdom, and all that is in a man before the
Spirit of God come ; and whatsoever springeth not of the
Spirit of God, and of God's word. And of like testimonies is
all the scripture full.

Behold, God setteth before us a blessing and also a curse: in two things
a blessing, verily, and that a glorious and an everlasting, if our
we suffer tribulation and adversity with our Lord and Saviour
Christ ; and an everlasting curse, if, for a little pleasure sake,
we withdraw ourselves from the chastising and nurture of
God, wherewith he teacheth all his sons, and fashioneth them
after his godly will, and maketh them perfect (as he did
Christ), and maketh them apt and meet vessels to receive his
grace and his Spirit, that they might perceive and feel the
exceeding mercy which we have in Christ, and the innumer
able blessings and the unspeakable inheritance, whereto we
are called and chosen, and sealed in our Saviour Jesus Christ,
unto whom be praise for ever. Amen.

Finally : whom God chooseth to reign everlastingly with

140 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

-^ Christ, him sealcth he with his mighty Spirit, and poureth
effoadndnof strength into his heart, to suffer afflictions also with Christ

the devii. £or bearmg witness unto the truth. And this is the difference
between the children of God and of salvation, and between
the children of the devil and of damnation : that the children
of God have power in their hearts to suffer for God's word ;
which is their life and salvation, their hope and trust, and
whereby they live in the soul and spirit before God. And
the children of the devil in time of adversity fly from Christ,
whom they followed feignedly, their hearts not sealed with
his holy and mighty Spirit ; and get them to the standard

The dcvirs of their right father the devil, and take his wages, the

' pleasures of this world, which are the earnest of everlasting

damnation : which conclusion the twelfth chapter to the He-

Heb. xii. brews well confirmeth, saying, " My son, despise not thou the
chastising of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked

AH God's of him : for whom the Lord loveth, him he chastiseth; yea,

children are

under chas- and he scourgeth every son whom he receivetn. Lo, perse
cution and adversity for the truth's sake is God's scourge,
and God's rod, and pertaineth unto all his children indiffer
ently : for when he said, he scourgeth every son, he maketh
none exception. Moreover saith the text : " If ye shall en
dure chastising, God offereth himself unto you as unto sons.
What son is it that the Father chastiseth not ? If ye be not
under correction, whereof all are partakers, then are ye
bastards, and not sons."

Forasmuch, then, as we must needs be baptized in tribu
lations, and through the Red sea, and a great and a fearful
wilderness, and a land of cruel giants, into our natural coun-

children are
under chas
tising. W.T.

which way try; yea, and inasmuch as it is a plain earnest that there is

art the

heaven8then? no °^ner wa7 m^° the kingdom of life than through persecu-

Be

heavi

tion, and suffering of pain, and of very death, after the en-
sample of Christ ; therefore let us arm our souls with the
comfort of the scriptures : how that God is ever ready at
hand, in time of need, to help us ; and how that such tyrants
and persecutors are but God's scourge, and his rod to chastise
us. And as the father hath alway, in time of 'correction, the
rod fast in his hand, so that the rod doth nothing but as the
The tyrants father moveth it; even so hath God all tyrants in his hand,

have not , »

whatetheyd° wtteth them not do whatsoever they would, but as much
Wouid. W.T. only as he appointeth them to do, and as far forth as it is

PREFACE TO THE READER. 141

necessary for us. And as, when the child submitteth himself
unto his father's correction and nurture, and humbleth him
self altogether unto the will of his father, then the rod is
taken away ; even so, when we are come unto the knowledge
of the right way, and have forsaken our own will, and offer
ourselves clean unto the will of God, to walk which way
soever he will have us, then turneth he the tyrants ; or else,
if they enforce to persecute us any further, he putteth them
out of the way, according unto the comfortable ensamples of
the scripture.

Moreover, let us arm our souls with the promises both The promises

i ot God are

of help and assistance, and also of the glorious reward that y°
followeth. " Great is your reward in heaven," saith Christ, '
Matt. v. ; and, " He that knowledgeth me before men, him Matt, v. & x.
will I knowledge before my Father that is in heaven ;" and,
" Call on me in time of tribulation, and I will deliver thee," PS. i.
Psal. 1. ; and, " Behold the eyes of the Lord arc over them PS. xxxin.
that fear him, and over them that trust in his mercy, to
deliver their souls from death, and to feed them in time of
hunger." Psal. xxxiii. And in Psalm xxxiv. saith David :
"The Lord is nigh them that are troubled in their hearts, PS. xxxiv.
and the meek in spirit will he save. The tribulations of
the righteous are many, and out of them all will the Lord
deliver them. The Lord keepeth all the bones of them, so
that not one of them shall be bruised. The Lord shall re
deem the souls of his servants." And of such like consolation
are all the psalms full. AVould to God when ye read them
ye understood them ! And, Matt. x. " When they deliver Matt. x.
you, take no thought what ye shall say ; it shall be given you
the same hour what ye shall say : for it is not ye that speak,
but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." " The
very hairs of your head are numbered," saith Christ also,
Matt. x. If God care for our hairs, he much more careth Matt. x.
for our souls, which he hath sealed with his holy Spirit.
Therefore saith Peter, 1 Pet. v. " Cast all your care upon
him ; for he careth for you." And Paul, 1 Cor. x. saith : i ret. v.
"God is true, he will not suffer you to be tempted above icor. x
your might." And Psalm Iv. " Cast thy care upon the PS. iv.
Lord."

Let thy care be to prepare thyself with all thy strength,
for to walk which way he will have thec ; and to believe that ™> T-

142 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

he will go with thee, and assist thee, and strengthen thee
against all tyrants, and deliver thee out of all tribulation.
But what way, or by what means he will do it, that commit
unto him and his godly pleasure and wisdom, and cast that
care upon him. And though it seem never so unlikely, or
never so impossible unto natural reason, yet believe stedfastly
that he will do it : and then shall he (according to his old
use) change the course of the world, even in the twinkling of
an eye, and come suddenly upon our giants, as a thief in
the night, and compass them in their wiles and worldly
wisdom. " When they cry, Peace and all is safe, then shall
their sorrows begin, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth
with child :" and then shall he destroy them, and deliver thee,
unto the glorious praise of his mercy and truth. Amen.

And as pertaining unto them that despise God's word,
counting it as a fantasy or a dream ; and to them also that
for fear of a little persecution fall from it, set this before

wreT.ened' thine eyes; how God, since the beginning of the world, be
fore a general plague, ever sent his true prophets and
preachers of his word, to warn the people, and gave them
time1 to repent. But they, for the greatest part of them,
hardened their hearts, and persecuted the word that was sent
to save them. And then God destroyed them utterly, and
took them clean from the earth. As thou seest what followed

Noah, Lot, the preaching of Noc in the old world ; what followed

Aaron! w.T. the preaching of Lot among the Sodomites ; and the preach
ing of Moses and Aaron among the Egyptians ; and that
suddenly, against all possibility of man's wit. Moreover, as
oft as the children of Israel fell from God to the worshipping

iKspr w T. °f images> ne sent his prophets unto them ; and they perse
cuted and waxed hard-hearted : and then he sent them into
all places of the world captive. Last of all, he sent his own

Christ. W.T. Son to them, and they waxed more hard-hearted than ever
before : and see what a fearful example of his wrath and
cruel vengeance he hath made of them to all the world, now
almost fifteen hundred years.

Unto the old Britons also (which dwelled where our na-
W.T. tion doth now) preached Gildas ; and rebuked them of their

[l So Day. II. L. has space.]

PREFACE TO THE HEADER.

143

wickedness, and prophesied both to the spiritual (as they ™eybc
will be called) and unto the lay-men also, what vengeance ™** foJVhe"
would follow, except they repented 2. But they waxed hard- JpSlt.i!w. T.
hearted ; and God sent his plagues and pestilences among
them, and sent their enemies in upon them on every side,
and destroyed them utterly.

Mark also, how Christ threateneth them that forsake
him, for whatsoever cause it be ; whether for fear, either
for shame, either for loss of honour, friends, life, or goods.
" He that denieth me before men, him will I deny before my
Father that is in heaven. He that loveth father or mother
more than me, is not worthy of me." All this he saith Matt. x.
Matt. x. And in Mark viii. he saith: "Whosoever is ashamed we must in

no case deny

of me, or my words, among this adulterous and sinful gene- £frist- Ant-
ration, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he Mark VIU'
cometh in the glory of his Father with his holy angels."
And Luke ix. also : " None that layeth his hand to the Luke ix.
plough, and looketh back, is meet for the kingdom of
heaven."

Nevertheless yet, if any man have resisted ignorantly, as

Paul did, let him look on the truth which Paul wrote after he come again.
came to knowledge. Also, if any man clean against his heart
(but overcome with the weakness of the flesh), for fear of
persecution, have denied, as Peter did, or have delivered his

[2 One of the oldest monuments of our national history which has
come down to us, exclusive of what is contained in the literature of
our Roman conquerors, is the epistle of Gildas the Briton, who lived
in the latter part of the fifth century. In this epistle, after a brief
description of Britain and summary of its history from the Roman
invasion to the forty-fourth year after the admission of the Saxons, he
proceeds to address the ruling chiefs, charging them with bringing
the wrath of God upon the Britons by their crimes. He then turns
to the inferior rulers, and lastly to the clergy, of whom he says :
Sacerdotes habet Britannia, sed insipicntcs ; quam plurimos ministros,
sed impudentes ; clericos, sed raptores sub dolos ; pastores, ut dicun-
tur, sed occisioni animarum lupos paratos, quippe non commoda plebi
provideiites, sed proprii plenitudinem ventris quserentes ; ecclesicc do-
mus habentes, sed turpis lucri gratia eas adeuntes ; populos docentes,
sed preebendo pessima exempla, vitia, malosque mores. — Gildee, cui
cognornentum est Sapientis, de excidio et conquestti Britannia?, ac
flebili castigatione, in rcgcs, principes, et sacerdotes epistola. Ed.
Joh. Josselinus, Londini. J. Daius cxcudit. 1568.]

144

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Why God
letteth his
elect fall.
W. T.

book1, or put it away secretly; let him (if he repent,) come
again, and take better hold, and not despair, or take it for
a sign that God hath forsaken him. For God ofttimes taketh
his strength even from his very elect, when they either trust
in their own strength, or are negligent to call to him for his
strength. And that doth he to teach them, and to make
them feel, that in that fire of tribulation, for his word's sake,
nothing can endure and abide save his work2, and that
strength only which he hath promised. For the which
strength he will have us to pray unto him night and day,
with all instance.

That the
scripture
ought to be
in the Eng
lish tongue.
W. T.

That thou mayest perceive how that the scripture ought
to be in the mother tongue, and that the reasons which our
spirits make for the contrary, are but sophistry and false
wiles to fear thee from the light, that thou mightest follow
them blindfold, and be their captive to honour their cere
monies, and to offer to their belly :

First, God gave the children of Israel a law by the hand
of Moses in their mother tongue ; and all the prophets wrote
in their mother tongue, and all the psalms were in the
mother tongue. And there was Christ but figured, and de
scribed in ceremonies, in riddles, and parables, and in dark
prophecies. What is the cause that we may not have the
old Testament, with the new also, which is the light of the
old, and wherein is openly declared, before the eyes, that
which there was darkly prophesied ? I can imagine no cause

[* * Another sort of men, who were anciently accused and con
demned as sacrilegious persons, were those whom they commonly
called Traditors, for delivering up their bibles and other sacred
utensils of the church to the heathen to be burnt, in the time of
the Diocletian persecution. The Donatists frequently, but falsely,
objected this name to Csecilian, bishop of Carthage, and those that
ordained him, that they were Traditors : upon which St Austin tells
them, that if they could evidently make good the charge, the catho
lics would not scruple to anathematize them after death.' Bingham
Origines Eccles. B. xvi. ch. vi. § 25. As the persecutors in Tyn-
dale's days copied the example of the heathen in requiring the
surrender of English scriptures, and of any book inculcating the
doctrines of the reformation; so the weakness of the ancient Traditors
was again found in some of the persecuted.]

[2 Soil. L.: Day has word.]

PREFACE TO THE READER.

145

verily, except it be that we should not see the work of anti
christ and juggling of hypocrites. What should be the cause
that we, which walk in the broad day, should not see as well
as they that walked in the night ; or that we should not see as
well at noon, as they did in the twilight ? Came Christ to make
the world more blind ? By this means Christ is the darkness
of the world, and not the light, as he saith himself.

Moreover Moses saith, Deut vi. " Hear, Israel ; let these
words which I command thee this day stick fast in thine heart,
and whet3 them on thy children, and talk of them as thou
sittest in thine house, and as thou walkest by the way, and
when thou liest down, and when thou risest up ; and bind them
for a token to thine hand, and let them be a remembrance be
tween thine eyes, and write them on the posts and gates of
thine house." This was commanded generally unto all men.
How cometh it that God's word pertaineth less unto us, than
unto them ? Yea, how cometh it, that our Moseses forbid
us, and command us the contrary ; and threaten us if we do,
and will not that we once speak of God's word ? How can
we whet God's word (that is, to put it in practice, use and
exercise) upon our children and household, when we are
violently kept from it and know it not? How can we (as
Peter commandeth) give a reason of our hope; when we
wot not what it is that God hath promised, or what to hope ?
Moses also commandeth in the said chapter, if the son ask
what the testimonies, laws, and observances of the Lord mean,
that the father teach him. If our children ask what our

[3 Whet: such is the primary meaning of the corresponding
Hebrew word pj#. So Simon's Hebr. Lex. ^r acuit, exacuit, meta-

John viii.

Whet them
on thy chil
dren ; that is,
exercise thy
children in
them, and
put them in
use. Ant. eel.
Deut. vi.

phorice instigavit, inculcavit. Deut. vi. 7. So also says Professor
Robertson in his Clavis Pentateuchi, on this text : and the margin
of our authorised version has, ' Heb. whet or sharpen/ This closo
translation of the Hebrew verb had neither appeared in the Latin
Vulgate, nor in the Greek translation called the Septuagint, nor in
Sebastian Minister's recent Latin version ; but had been employed
by Luther. Hence Tyndale's adoption of it becomes one of the
proofs of his intimacy with the Hebrew tongue ; for if we were to
allow that he knew German, and saw the equivalent to ivliet in
Luther's version, it would be still unlikely that he should have
adopted so harsh a metaphor in preference to the word used by
older translators, if he had not known that it was the most proper
representative of the Hebrew word.]

[TYNDALE.]

146 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

NO, nor sir ceremonies (which are more than the Jews' were) mean ; no
giio-tiy chii- father can tell his son. And in the eleventh chapter he re-

dren. VV. 1.

Deut. xi. peateth all again, for fear of forgetting.

They will say haply, the scripture requireth a pure mind
and a quiet mind : and therefore the lay-man, because he
is altogether cumbered with worldly business, cannot under
stand them. If that be the cause, then it is a plain case
that our prelates understand not the scriptures themselves :
for no lay-man is so tangled with worldly business as they
are. The great things of the world are ministered by them ;
neither do the lay-people any great thing, but at their
assignment.

4 If the scripture were in the mother tongue/ they will
say, ' then would the lay-people understand it, every man
after his own ways/ Wherefore serveth the curate, but to
Hobdays, teach him the right way ? Wherefore were the holy days
made, but that the people should come and learn ? Are ye
our school- not abominable schoolmasters, in that ye take so great
E^cKt wages> ^ Je w^ n°t teach? If ye would teach, how could
w. T. " ye do it so well, and with so great profit, as when the lay-
people have the scripture before them in their mother tongue ?
For then should they see, by the order of the text, whether
thou jugglest or not: and then would they believe it, be
cause it is the scripture of God, though thy living be never
why the so abominable. Where now, because your living and your
nStbeifeved* preaching are so contrary, and because they grope out in
KwXuthJ every sermon your open and manifest lies, and smell your
unsatiable covetousness, they believe you not when you preach
The curates truth. But, alas ! the curates themselves (for the most part)
JbibtenLn- wot no more what the new or old Testament meaneth, than
do the Turks : neither know they of any more than that they
read at mass, matins, and evensong, which yet they under
stand not : neither care they, but even to mumble up so
much every day, as the pie and popinjay speak, they wot
not what, to fill their bellies withal. If they will not let the
lay-man have the word of God in his mother tongue, yet let
The priests tho priests have it ; which for a great part of them do under-

umlerstand ,

no i^tin. stand no Latin at all, but sing, and say, and patter all day,
with the lips only, that which the heart understandeth not.

Christ commandeth to search the scriptures. John v.
Though that miracles bare record unto his doctrine, yet de-

w. T.

John v.

PREFACE TO THE READER.

147

sired he no faith to be given either to his doctrine, or to his
miracles, without record of the scripture. When Paul preached, Acts xvii.
Acts xvii. the other searched the scriptures daily, whether they
were as he alleged them. Why shall not I likewise see, whe
ther it be the scripture that thou allegest? Yea, why shall
I not see the scripture, and the circumstances, and what goeth
before and after ; that I may know whether thine interpretation
be the right sense, or whether thou jugglest, and drawest the
scripture violently unto thy carnal and fleshly purpose ; or
whether thou be about to teach me, or to deceive me ?

Christ saith, that there shall come false prophets in his
name, and say that they themselves are Christ ; that is, they
shall so preach Christ that men must believe in them, in their
holiness, and things of their imagination, without God's word :
yea, and that Against-Christ, or Antichrist, that shall come, is
nothing but such false prophets, that shall juggle with the
scripture, and beguile the people with false interpretations, as
all the false prophets, scribes, and Pharisees did in the old
testament. How shall I know whether ye are that Against-
Christ, or false prophets, or no, seeing ye will not let me see
how ye allege the scriptures ? Christ saith, " By their deeds Agaimt-
ye shall know them." Now when we look on your deeds, we known by

i 1-11 his deeds.

see that ye are all sworn together, and have separated your- w. T.
selves from the lay-people, and have a several kingdom A several

t J , , i « i • kingdom.

among yourselves, and several laws of your own making ; w. T.

Several laws.

wherewith ye violently bind the lay-people, that never con- w. T.
scnted unto the making; of them. A thousand things forbid what Christ

& looseth free-

ye, which Christ made free ; and dispense with them again
for money : neither is there any exception at all, but lack of }£
money. Ye have a secret council by yourselves. All other
men's secrets and counsels know ye ; and no man yours, w" T'!U
Ye seek but honour, riches, promotion, authority, and to
reign over all, and will obey no man. If the father give you
ought of courtesy, ye will compel the son to give it violently,
whether he will or not, by craft of your own laws. These
deeds are against Christ.

When a whole parish of us hire a schoolmaster to teach
our children, what reason is it that we should be compelled
to pay this schoolmaster his wages, and he should have
licence to go where he will, and to dwell in another country,
and to leave our children untaught ? Doth not the pope so ?

10—2

148 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Have we not given our tithes of courtesy unto one, for to
teach us God's word; and cometh not the pope, and com-
pelleth us to pay it violently, to them that never teach?
Parson. Maketh he not one parson, which never cometh at us?
Yea, one shall have five or six, or as many as he can get,
and wotteth oftentimes where never one of them standeth.
vicar. Another is made vicar, to whom he giveth a dispensation to
Parish Priest go where he will, and to set in a parish priest, which can
but minister a sort of dumb ceremonies. And he, because
he hath most labour and least profit, polleth on his part ;
and setteth here a mass-penny, there a trental, yonder
dirige-money, and for his bead-roll, with a confession-penny
and such like1. And thus are we never taught, and are
yet nevertheless compelled; yea, compelled2 to hire many
costly schoolmasters. These deeds are verily against Christ.
Shall we therefore judge you by your deeds, as Christ com-
mandeth ? So are ye false prophets, and the disciples of
Antichrist, or Against-Christ.

The sermons which thou readest in the Acts of the
apostles, and all that the apostles preached, were no doubt
preached in the mother tongue. Why then might they not
be written in the mother tongue ? As, if one of us preach a
good sermon, why may it not be written ? Saint Jerom also
translated the bible into his mother tongue : why may not
we also ? They will say it cannot be translated into our
tongue, it is so rude. It is not so rude as they are false
liars. For the Greek tongue agreeth more with the Eng-
The proper- lish than with the Latin. And the properties of the Hebrew
Hebrew10 tongue agreeth a thousand times more with the English

[] A trental was a servico of thirty masses, rehearsed for thirty
days successively after the death of the party. The will of Elizabeth,
lady Scrope, widow, dated Mar. 7, 9th Hen. VIIL, i.e. 1518, says,
' I will that five trentals of masses be sung and said for my soul at tho
place of my burial, and for the soul of my said lord and husband, and
of Alice his daughter and mine/ &c. Nicolas, Test. Vet. pp. 587, 8.

Dirige, was another part of the Romish service for the dead,
and so called from a hymn beginning, Dirige, gressus meos. Bead-
roll was so called from the Saxon lede a prayer, and roll. Thomas
Trethwiffe Esq. in his will, dated Sept. 20, 1528, bequeaths 10s. to
the intent that his name may be put in the bead-roll, and prayed for
every Sunday in the pulpit by name. Nic. T. V. p. 644.]

[2 II. L. has compolde. D. compelde.]

PREFACE TO THE READER. 149

than with the Latin. The manner of speaking is botli one ;
so that in a thousand places thou needest not but to trans- glish- w- T-
late it into the English, word for word ; when thou must
seek a compass in the Latin, and yet shall have much
work to translate it well-favouredly, so that it have the
same grace and sweetness, sense and pure understanding
with it in the Latin, and as it hath in the Hebrew. A thou
sand parts better may it be translated into the English, than
into the Latin. Yea, and except my memory fail me, and
that I have forgotten what I read when I was a child,
thou shalt find in the English chronicle, how that king King Aciei-
Adelstone caused the holy scripture to be translated into the
tongue that then was in England, and how the prelates
exhorted him thereto3.

Moreover, seeing that one of you ever preacheth con- contrary
trary to another ; and when two of you meet, the one w. T.
disputeth and brawleth with the other, as it were two
scolds; and forasmuch as one holdeth this doctor, and an
other that ; one followeth Duns4, another St Thomas5, Jjjgj^ T

[3 So Foxe says, ' King Athelstan caused the book of God's word
to be translated from Hebrew into English, A. D. 930.' Acts and
Mon. B. in. vol. II. p. 94. Farther researches do not however seem
to confirm this assertion ; but, on the other hand, the laborious Spel-
man gives his assent to an ancient MS. quoted by Abp. Parker, so far
as it entitles us to affirm that king Alfred translated the New testa
ment and some portion of the Old from Latin into Saxon. Spelmanni
Vita Alfredi, M. B. m. p. 167. fol. Oxf. 1678.]

[4 See p. 108.]

[5 Thomas Aquinas, so called from Aquino, the place of his birth,
but styled ' The angelic Doctor7 by his admirers. He was born in 1224 ;
and became a Dominican friar, whilst yet but a boy, against the will
of his widowed mother. A native of Italy, he was allured, like Duns
Scotus, to Paris, where he wrote and lectured ; as also at Cologne,
and at Naples. He died, and was buried, near Terracina, in 1274,
when on his way from Naples to the general council assembling at
Lyons ; but, in 1368, his bones were brought to Toulouse, and were
there adored as the relics of a saint, in consequence of his having
been canonized in 1318, by pope John XXII., as a person who had
wrought miracles. The collection of his works, as printed at Paris in
1660, fills nineteen volumes in folio. He was the first writer who laid
down the doctrine of transubstantiation in that form in which it was
afterwards fastened upon the creed of the Romish church by the
council of Trent.]

150 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

another Bonaventure1, Alexander de Hales2, Raymond3,

[i There were at least four popish authors of the name of Bona-
venture. The most noted of them, and doubtless the one intended
by Tyndale, was a contemporary of Thomas Aquinas, and distin
guished by the title of 'The seraphic doctor.' He composed what has
been styled ' Our Lady's psalter ;' a kind of paraphrase of the psalms,
in which the word 'Lady' is generally substituted for Jehovah; as thus,
'Domina mea, in te speravi : de inimicis libera me, Domina : O my
Lady, in thee have I put my trust ; deliver me from mine enemies,
O Lady.' To such a person the college of cardinals is said to have
delegated the nomination of a pope, in 1272, when they were wearied
with disputing among themselves, for three years, as to whom they
should elect. He named the archdeacon of Liege, who took the title
of Gregory X. and made Bonaventure bishop of Albano, and a car
dinal, in return. About 200 years later, he was canonized by pope
Sixtus IV. in 1482 ; and thenceforward styled St Bonaventura. The
Roman edition of his works, published in 1588, is in 8 vols. fol. Cave,
Script. Eccles. Hist. Lit. Ssec. x, date 1255. For an account of Bona-
ventura's Psalter, and extracts from it, see Foxe's Acts and Monu
ments, under date of 1555.]

[2 Alexander de Hales, so called from his English birth-place,
entered a Franciscan monastery before he was eight years old, but
finished his studies in Paris ; where he gained the title of ' The irre
fragable doctor/ amongst the schoolmen. He is said to have been
such an admirer of Bonaventura, who was his pupil, as to have been
wont to affirm, that in him Adam did not seem to have sinned. ' In
fratre Bonaventura Adam peccasse non videtur.' It is stated, however,
that ho died at Paris, in 1245, when Bonaventura was but a young man.
His ' Summa universce theologise' was published at Nuremberg in 1482 ;
at Basle in 1502; at Venice in 1576; and at Cologne in 1622. See
Cave, Scriptor. Eccles. Hist. Lit. Scec. xm. date 1230; and L'Advocat,
Diet. Histor. art. Bonaventura. See also Roman breviary for July
14, Lectio iv.]

[3 There were two school divines of the name of Raymond, in the
thirteenth century. The one probably meant here was a Spaniard,
born near Barcelona in 1175, and called from his birth-place, Raymond
de Pennaforti. In 1238, he became general of the order of Domini
cans, and died in his hundredth year. He had studied the canon law
at Bologna ; and compiled five books of those decretals of the popes
which are styled Extra vagantes. The popish clergy were also wont to
consult his ' Summa de poenitentia et matrimonio ;' which was after
wards printed with notes at Rome, in 1603. He was canonized by
Clement VIII. in 1601. Cave, Script. Eccles. Hist. Lit. Srec. xm.
date 1228. L'Advocat, Diet. Histor. art. St Raimond de Pegnafort,
or De Rochefort. And Roman Breviary, Pars hiemalis.]

PREFACE TO THE READER. 151

Lyre4, Brygot5, Dorbel6, Holcot7, Gorram8, Trumbett9,

[4 Lyre, or Nicolas do Lyra, or Lyranus, so called from his native
place, in the diocese of Evreux, was a Jew by birth and religion ; and
is said to have made considerable progress in rabbinical learning
before he became a convert to Christianity, and took the habit of a
Franciscan in a convent at Verneuil, in 1291. He composed what
were then styled postills, or a running commentary on the whole
bible. This work he begun in 1293, and completed in 1330. It was
printed at Basle, 1508; also at Lyons in 6 vols. fol. in 1529; and again
in 1590 ; and was reprinted three times in the following century.
He also composed controversial treatises, intended to convince the
Jews of their error. Cave, Ssec. xiv. date 1320 ; and L'Advocat, Diet.
Hist.]

[5 There is a shorter but similar list of writers popular with
the Romish clergy in Latimer's letter to Hubbardine (Park. Soc.
Remains of Latimer, p 319), which enumerates 'Duns, and St Tho
mas, Halcot, Briget, &c/ The name thus differently spelt, and in
each case inaccurately, probably expresses the ordinary manner of
citing Brigitta ; a nun whose eight books of pretended revelations
were held in much respect by the Romanists, not only in Tyndale's
day, but long after. She is said to have been a Swedish princess, who
instituted a new monastic order, and went on pilgrimages to Naples,
Jerusalem, and Rome; in which last city she died, in 1373. Pope
Boniface IX. declared her a saint in 1391 ; and the 8th of October
has consequently been dedicated to her worship by the church of
Rome. Her works were printed at Lubeck in 1492 ; at Nuremberg
in 1521 ; at Rome in 1557 ; at Antwerp in 1611, with the cardinal
de Turrecremata for their editor ; again at Rome, and at Cologne in
1628, in 2 vols. folio ; and at Munich in 1680. The titles of some of
these works sufficiently indicate their character. One is, * Regula S.
Salvatoris, data divinitus ab ore Jesu Christi devotee sponsse suse
B. Brigittse;' another, 'Sermo angelicus de excellentia B. Marise Vir-
ginis, quern angelus Brigitta coram adstans dictavit.' L'Advocat,
Diet. Hist. Cave, Script. Eccles. Tom. n. A. date 1363. Breviarium
Romanum.]

[6 Dorbel, Dorbellus, or more properly Nicholas de Orbellis, a
native of Angers, was a Franciscan friar, and professor of theology
at Poitiers, about the middle of the fifteenth century. He wrote an
' Abridgement of Theology according to the doctrine of Scotus/ and
other works. See Cave, Script. Eccles. Hist. App. under date 1456.
Also L'Advocat, art. Orbellis.]

[? Robert Holcot, born at Northampton, was a Dominican friar,
and a teacher of theology in Oxford. Like all, or nearly all the
doctors in this list, he wrote commentaries on the great text-book of
the schoolmen, the ' Libri sententiarum/ composed or compiled by
Peter the Lombard, bishop of Paris and head of its university in the
middle of the 12th century. There is a long list of Holcot's writings

152 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Hugo do Sancto Victore1, De Monte Regio2, De Nova

in Cave ; from which it appears that whilst some of them have never
been printed, single volumes, of different productions of his pen, have
been printed at Lyons, at Paris, at Reutlinger, at Spires, and at
Venice; and continued to come forth from the press so late as 1586.
For a specimen of his theology the reader may refer to bishop Jewel's
works, (Park. Soc.) vol. i. p. 13, with the editor's note.]

[s Gorram, or Nicholas de Gorham, so called from his native
village, near St Alban's in Hertfordshire, was educated at Merton
college, Oxford ; and subsequently studied at Paris. The Domini
cans and Franciscans have alike claimed him as a member of their
order, and the time at which he lived cannot be fixed upon with
certainty. The titles of his works encourage a hope that his studies
were of a more profitable character than those of any other theolo
gian in this list; for they are all of them commentaries on the
scriptures, with the exception of a series of discourses * On the saints
for the whole circle of the year.' The different portions of his works
previously printed at Hagenau, Cologne, and Paris, were eventually
collected and edited in two volumes folio, by John Keerberg, and
printed at Antwerp in 1617 — 20. Wharton, in Appendix to Cave, under
date 1400.]

[9 Antonius Trombeta, or, as his name is sometimes Latinized, An-
tonius Tubeta, was born in the Paduan territory in 1436. He became
a Franciscan friar, acquired the reputation of being a great Scotist,
and was eventually bishop of Urbino, and titular archbishop of Athens.
The only results of his studies which have ever been committed to the
press, are his "Expositiones in isagogicas formalitates ad Scoti theolo-
giam ;' and, ' Tractatus contra Averroistas de animarum humanarum
purificatione ;' both printed at Venice. He died at Padua in 1518.]

[l Hugo de Sancto Victore, so called from his having been abbot
of the monastery of St Victor in Paris, was a native of Ypres, though
some affirm him to have been a Saxon. Though but forty-four years
old when he died, in 1140, the list of treatises ascribed to his pen fills
two columns and a half of Cave's folios. The printed editions of his
works came out however in but three volumes ; as published at Paris
in 1526; at Venice in 1588; and at Cologne in 1617. The latest, or
Rouen, edition is in two volumes folio.]

[2 John Muller, a celebrated mathematician and astronomer, who
formed for himself the appellation of De Monte Regio, or Regiomon-
tanus, from the name of his native town Koningshoven, or Konigs-
berg, in Franconia, was born in 1436, and died at Rome in 1476 ;
whither he had been summoned by Pope Sixtus IV, who had given
him the archbishopric of Ratisbon, to labour at the reformation of
the calendar. The astronomical almanacs of Regiomontanus were
much sought after by the superstitious, and by the fraudulent, for
astrological uses. See L'Advocat, art. Muller.]

PREFACE TO THE READER.

153

Villa3, De Media Villa4, and such like out of number; so
that if thou hadst but of every author one book, thou
couldst not pile them up in any warehouse in London, and
every author is one contrary unto another. In so great
diversity of spirits, how shall I know who lieth, and who
sayeth truth ? Whereby shall I try and judge them ?
Verily by God's word, which only is true. But how shall I
that do, when thou wilt not let me see scripture ?

Nay, say they, the scripture is so hard, that thou couldst
never understand it but by the doctors. That is, I must
measure the meteyard by the cloth. Here be twenty cloths

[3 De Nova Villa. The only discoverable writer of any note,
bearing this name, is Arnoldus de Nova Villa, whom Giannone de
scribes as a native of Catalonia : Foxe, in like manner, calls him a
Spaniard ; but Mosheim says that some have fixed upon France for
his native country. L'Advocat informs us that he was by profession
a physician, and studied the Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic languages.
He was a reformer to such an extent as to obtain a place in the
' Catalogus testium veritatis,' p. 1732, but he was also a writer on
astrology, and was still more celebrated for what he wrote on che
mistry ; which last science was popular, under the name of alchymy,
with all who desired to be rich without industry. Giannone, Istoria
civile del regno di Napoli. Lib. xxir. Cap. viii. Cave, Hist. Lit.
Appendix, accessiones anonymi, p. 10, Vol. n. Oxford, 1743. Foxe's
Acts and Monuments, Vol. i. p. 517, and Vol. n. p. 510. Cattley's
edition. L'Advocat's Diet. Hist. art. Arnaud de Villeneuve. Mosheim,
Centur. xin. part 2. ch. 1. who refers in his notes to several autho
rities. According to L'Advocat, an edition of the works of Arnoldus
de Nova Villa had been printed at Lyons in 1520, or about eight years
before Tyndale's penning this notice of him; and they were again
printed at Basle in 1585, in folio.]

[4 De Media Villa is the Latinized form of the name of Richard
Middleton, a Franciscan, and a lecturer at Oxford in the latter part
of the thirteenth century; who died in, or near, the year 1300. He
had left Oxford for a while, to complete his studies at Paris, where he
got into difficulties, being charged with heresy, ' nulla alia de causa/
says Cave, 'quam quod molles et collapses suorum (to wit, the friars)
mores publice corripuisset.' After his death the charge of heresy
was renewed against him, and Bale adds that his body was dug up
and burnt by order of pope Clement. His works, printed at Venice
in 1509, and at Brixen in 1591, are but discussions on the 'Magister
Sententiarum/ as Peter Lombard was commonly styled. Cave refers,
however, to Bale, Cent. iv. p. 359 ; and to Pits de Script. Angl. p.
386, as also to Du Pin, Hist. Eccles Vol. n. p. 78, for notices of other
writings of this Middleton.]

154 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

of divers lengths and of divers breadths : how shall I be
sure of the length of the meteyard by them? I suppose,
rather, I must be first sure of the length of the mete-
yard, and thereby measure and judge of the cloths. If
I must first believe the doctor, then is the doctor first true,
and the truth of the scripture dependeth of his truth ; and so
Antichrist the truth of God springeth of the truth of man. Thus
SSuofthe antichrist turneth the roots of the trees upward. ^What
w. T. is the cause that we damn some of Origen's works, and
allow some ? How know we that some is heresy and some
not? By the scripture, I trowTl How know we that St
Augustine (which is the best, or one of the best, that ever
wrote upon the scripture) wrote many things amiss at the
The scrip- beginning, as many other doctors do ? Verily, by the scrip-
trial of an tures ; as he himself well perceived afterward, when he

doctrine, and t x

XSchftone l°°ked more diligently upon them, and revoked many things
W<T- again. He wrote of many things which he understood not
when he was newly converted, ere he had thoroughly seen
the scriptures ; and followed the opinions of Plato, and
the common persuasions of man's wisdom that were then
fampjus.

«~ They will say yet more shamefully, that no man can

philosophy, understand the scriptures without philautia, that is to say,

Aristotle. philosophy x. 7 A man must be first well seen in Aristotle,

ere he can "understand the scripture, say they. Aristotle's

doctrine is, that the world was without beginning, and

shall be without end; and that the first man never was,

and the last shall never be2; and that God doth all of

necessity, neither careth what we do, neither will ask any

t1 Philautia, self-love. He means that what they call philosophy,
or the love of wisdom, would be more properly described if it were
called self-love.]

[2 In Enfield's Hist, of Philosophy, Vol. i. p. 280, there is a refer
ence to Aristotle's Treatise de Ccelo, 1. iii. c. 7, 8, 12, as teaching that
* The world is eternal, without beginning or end/ And perhaps what
Tyndale here affirms that he taught respecting man, might be a gene
rally received gloss on his teaching that ' In consequence of the
perpetual agency of the First Mover and the celestial sphere upon
matter, bodies suffer a perpetual succession of dissolution and repro
duction.' Enf. p. 281, citing Arist. De Generatione et Corruptione,
I. C. 5.]

PREFACE TO THE READER. 155

accounts of that we do3. Without this doctrine, how could
we understand the scripture, that saith, God created the scripture,
world of nought; and God worketh all things of his free
will, and for a secret purpose; and that we shall all rise
again, and that God will have accounts of all that we have
done in this life ! Aristotle saith, Give a man a law, and ^is^>tle-
he hath power of himself to do or fulfil the law, and bc-
cometh righteous with working righteously4. But Paul, and Paul. W.T.
all the scripture saith, That the law doth but utter sin only,
and helpeth not: neither hath any man power to do the
law, till the Spirit of God be given him through faith in
I Christ. \£s it not a madness then to say, that we could not
^understand the scripture without Aristojlefj Aristotle's right- $js£tle-
/ eousness, and all his virtues, spring of man's free will. And
a Turk, and every infidel and idolater, may be righteous and
virtuous with that righteousness and those virtues. More
over, Aristotle's felicity and blessedness standeth in avoiding
of all tribulations; and in riches, health, honour, worship,
friends, and authority5; which felicity pleaseth our spiritualty
well. Now, without these, and a thousand such like points,
couldst thou not understand scripture, which saith, That scripture.
righteousness cometh by Christ, and not of man's will ; and
how that virtues are the fruits and the gift 'of God's Spirit ;
and that Christ blesseth us in tribulations, persecution, and
adversity! How, I say, couldst thou understand the scrip
ture without philosophy, inasmuch as Paul, in the second Philosophy^
to the Colossians, warned them to ' beware lest any man COL »•
should spoil them' (that is to say, rob them of their faith
in Christ) ' through philosophy and deceitful vanities, and

[3 Aristotle's doctrine is, that ' In producing motion, the Deity acts
not voluntarily, but necessarily ;' and that being ' eternally employed
in the contemplation of his own nature, he observes nothing, he cares
for nothing beyond himself.' Enfield, p. 285.]

[4 Tas §' operas Xa/z/3az>o/zei> evepyrjcravTts Trporepov — OVT<O de KCU TO,
jj.ev diKaia TTpaTTovres diKaioi yivo^Oa. Aristot. Ethic. Nicom. lib. II.
c. 1. where the subject is discussed.]

[5 In the opening of his subject Aristotle says : Ile/ji rfjs euSat/zo-
vlasy TL e<7Ttz>, a/^KTjSrjrovcrt Kal ov% o/xoicus 01 TroXXoi rois crofpols drro-
di86a(Tiv. ol fiev yap TO>V tvapywv ri KOL (pavepav, oiov rjdovrfv fj TrXoCroi/
7} Tip-rjv, aXXot S' a'AXo, K.r.e. Afterwards, at the conclusion of the
discussion, he writes : 'En-ei d' fcrrlv 77 evdaipovia ^v^ijs evepyeid ns KOT*
df>€Trjv, K.T.C — Ethic. Nicom. I. 2. 13.]

15G OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

through the traditions of men, and ordinances after the world,
and not after Christ?'

By this means, then, thou wilt that no man teach an
other ; but that every man take the scripture, and learn by
when no himself. Nay, verily, so say I not. Nevertheless, seeing

man will " \ V; "

Sre GoTie *hat ye will not teach,uf any man thirst for the truth, and
wiineach. rea(j ^he scripture by himself, desiring God to open the door
of knowledge unto him, God for his truth's sake will and
must teach hmiTj Howbeit, my meaning is, that as a master
teacheth his apprentice to know all the points of the mete-
yard ; first, how many inches, how many feet, and the half-
yard, the quarter, and the jiail ; and then teacheth him to
The order mete other things thereby : [even so will I that ye teach the
w.T m people God's law, and what obedience God requireth of us to
father and mother, master, lord, king, and all superiors, and
with what friendly love he commandeth one to love another ;
and teach them to know that natural venom and birth-
poison, which moveth the very hearts of us to rebel against
the ordinances and will of God ; and prove that no man is
righteous in the sight of God, but that we are all damned
by the law : and then, when thou hast meeked them and
feared them with the law, teach them the testament and
promises which God hath made unto us in Christ, and how
much he loveth us in Christ ; and teach them the principles
and the ground of the faith, and what the sacraments
signify : and then shall the Spirit work with thy preaching,
and make them feel. So would it come to pass, that as we
know by natural wit what followeth of a true principle of
natural reason ; even so, by the principles of the faith, and
by the plain scriptures, and by the circumstances of the text,
should we judge all men's exposition, and all men's doctrine,
and should receive the best, and refuse the worst. I would
have you to teach them also the properties and manner of
speakings of the scripture, and how to expound proverbs and
similitudes. And then, if they go abroad and walk by the
fields and meadows of all manner doctors and philosophers,
they could catch no harm : they should discern the poison
from the honey, and bring home nothing but that which is

The disorder, wholesome!}

orSS11 But now do ye clean contrary : ye drive them from
A\\°T.men> God's word, and will let no man come thereto, until he have

1'ltElACE TO THE HEADER. 157

been two years master of art. First, they nosel1 them in
sophistry, and in benefundatum2. And there corrupt they The school
their judgments with apparent arguments, and with alleging ^g^^
unto them texts of logic, of natural philautia, of mctaphysic, ^fntSf
and moral philosophy, and of all manner books of Aristotle, youth> W-T-
and of all manner doctors which they yet never saw.
Moreover, one holdeth this, another that ; one is a Heal,
another a Nominal3. What wonderful dreams have they of Breams. '*
their predicaments4, universals5, second intentions6, quid-

[l To bring up as children.]

[2 * Benefundatum', that which is grounded on sure premises.]

[3 Tyndale's antagonist, Sir Thomas More, equally complains of the
confusion produced by this metaphysical controversy. ' Utinam,'
says he, in his apologetic letter for Erasmus' Moria, addressed to
Martin Dorpius, * Utinam et Lovanicnses et Parisienses quoque
scholastic! omnes Fabri commentaries in Aristotelicam disciplinam
reciperent. Esset ea disciplina (ni fallar) et minus utrisque rixosa, ct
paulo repurgatior. Miror tamen cur Lovanienses ac Parisienses in
Dialectices commemoratione conjunxeris, qui usque adeo inter se
discordant, ut ne nomine quidem conveniant, cum alteri Realium,
alteri Nominalium nomen affcctcnt. Quanquam si Aristotelem utri-
quc recipiunt, utrique tradunt, si non alia de re quam de ejus mente
tot inter se rixas excitant, jam cum Parisienses aliter, aliter cum Lo
vanienses interpretantur, nee aliter modo, sed contra quoque; qui
scire possis utris potius accedendum censeas?]

[4 Predicaments are classes of beings or substances, so arranged
with reference to some one or more qualities common to each. The
same are sometimes called by a name taken from the Greek tongue,
'categories/]

[5 Universals ; names for predicaments, as ' man,' * bird ;' general
expressions, ' The Nominalists contended that general expressions,
as bird, fish, man, were merely words or names created by the mind,
for its convenience. The Realists insisted that they had a positive
existence, exterior to the mind.' Sharon Turner's History of Middle
Ages, ch. xi. Vol. vi. p. 548.]

[6 ' The first intention of a term (according to the usual accepta
tion of this phrase) is a certain vague and general signification of it,
as opposed to one more precise and limited, which it bears in some
particular art, science, or system, and which is called its second in
tention. It is evident that a term may have several second intentions,
according to the several systems into which it is introduced, and of
which it is one of the technical terms. Thus line signifies in the art
military a certain form of drawing up ships or troops ; in geography,
a certain division of the earth ; to the fisherman, a string to catch fish,
&c. : all which are so many distinct second intentions, in each of
which there is a certain signification of extension in length, which

158

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

school divi-

Yet in this

K _g?ven
head' to the

take them

heTii7h011

dities, hcecceiiies1, and relatives; and whether species fun-
data in chimera be vera species; and whether this pro
position be true, Non ens est aliquid; whether ens be
cequivocum, or univocum. Ens is a voice only, say some.
Ens is univocum, saith another, and descendeth into ens
creatum, and into ens increatum, per modes intrinsecos2.
When they have thiswise brawled eight, ten, or twelve or
more years, and after that their judgments are utterly
corrupt, then they begin their divinity ; not at the scrip
ture, but every man taketh a sundry doctor; which doctors
are as sundry and as divers, the one contrary unto the
°tner> as there are divers fashions and monstrous shapes,
none like another, among our sects of religion. Every
religion, e very university, and almost every man, hath a
sundry divinity. Now whatsoever opinions every man findeth
with his doctor, that is his gospel, and that only is true with

^™ ' ^^ ^^ ^°^e^ ^e a^ n^s ^e ^OI1S : an(^ every man,
^0 maintain his doctor withal, corrupteth the scripture, and
fashioneth it after his own imagination, as a potter doth his
clay. Of what text thou provest hell, will another prove
purgatory; another limbo patrum3 ; and another the as-

constitutes the first intention, and which corresponds pretty nearly
with the employment of the term in mathematics/ Abp. Whateley's
Elements of Logic, ch. in. Of Fallacies, §. 10.]

[L * Quiddities, hsecceities/ By these terms Tyndale obviously
meant to ridicule the barbarous Latin words, ' quidditas' and ' hseccei-
tas/ in use among the schoolmen ; the first to express the subject of
the question, 'What is the essence of the thing under discussion?'
the second to express the subject of the reply, ' This is its essence.'
The schoolmen had coined a variety of terms analogous to these ;
such as ' aureitas/ to express the essence of gold ; and ' paneitas/ to
express the essence of bread.]

[2 In the 'Lucidissima commentaria Petri Tartareti, in quatuor
lib. sententiarum et quodlibeta Joh. Duns Scoti, subtilium principis/
published at Venice in 1607, the following headings are such as Tyn
dale describes :

1 Secundo arguitur et probatur quod ens non sit univocum sed
cequivocum.' Lib. I. Distinc. in. qu. 3. p. 154.

'Ens etsi sit univocum prsedicatum omnibus entibus, non tamen
prsedicatur univoce de omnibus/ Ibid. p. 152.

' Quidditas qusecunque continet virtualitor veritates quse possunt
Bciri de ea, respoctu intellectus qui potest ab eo pati/ Index to
same.]

[3 'Ante ascensionem Christ! Domini erant tria animarum recepta-

PREFACE TO THE READER. 159

sumption of our lady4: and another shall prove of the same
text that an ape hath a tail. And of what text the gray
friar proveth that our lady was without original sin, of the
same shall the black friar prove that she was conceived in
original sin5. And all this do they with apparent reasons,

cula, scilicet limbus, infcrnus, et purgatorium ; et tune animse justorum,
licet plene purgatse, non recipiebantur in coelum, sed deducebantur
in limbum: hinc coelum adhuc clausum dicebatur, sive, ut loquitur
Apost. ad Hebr. cap. ix. ver. 8, Nondum propalata erat sanctorum
via/ Erat autem limbus locus quietis, refrigerii et consolationis, in
quo exspectabant adventum Christi ; et dicitur communiter limbus
patrum, a patribus et patriarchis qui in eo erant. Lucse cap. xvi. vers.
22 et 23, vocatur sinus Abrahce : Lucse cap. xxiii. ver. 43. dicitur
paradisus a Christo. Vocatur etiam aliquando in scriptura sacra
infernus, ut Psalm, xv. ver. 10. Non derelinques animam meam in
inferno. Fuit sub terra, ut constat ex art. 5. Symb. Apost. ubi
Christus dicitur dtscendisse ad inferos; et ad Ephes. cap. iv. ver. 9.
Descendit ... in inferiores partes terrse. Juxta St Thorn, hie art. 5,
limbus patrum et infernus quantum ad locorum qualitatem sunt
diversi; sed quantum ad situm, probabile est quod sint quasi idem
locus continuus, sic tamen, ut magnum intervallum mediet.

Docent multi, quod inter limbum et infernum mediarit purga
torium ; hocque conforme est menti S. Thorn, hie art. 5. et quscst.
100. art. 2. Post judicium universale duo tantum erunt receptacula
animarum, ccelum nempe pro beatis, et infernus pro damnatis. Verum
S. Thorn, conformiter ad suam sententiam, quod parvuli in solo
peccato originali morientes non patiantur poenam sensus, ponit pro eis
particularem et distinctum limbum, inferiorem limbo patrum, partem
tamen inferni : vide hie art. 6 et 7. Such is the reasoning in Dens,
Tract, do Quatuor novissimis. N. 24. De locis, seu receptaculis
animarum. Colonise, cum approbatione. Tom. vi. p. 45 — 7.]

[4 The third of seven reasons given by Petrus de Natalibus for
believing that the Virgin's body was taken up into heaven, is as
follows : ' Tertia sumitur ex obligationo prsecepti. Cum enim lector
legit quod non debet facere contra legis prseceptum, conveniens est
quod Filius Dei, qui legem dedit, non faciat contra suse legis manda-
tum. Sed credendum est quod implore voluit prseceptum quod dedit
de honore materno ; sed hoc non implesset, nisi corpus integrum ser-
vasset. Nam secundum Augustinum putredo et vermis opprobrium
est humanse conditionis. Qui autem in aliquo sustinet opprobrium,
non honoratur/ Catalogus Sanctorum, editus a Reverendissimo Domino
Petro de Natalibus, episcopo Equilino. Argentinse impress, per Mar-
tinumFlach. A.D. 1513.]

[5 The gray friars were Franciscans, the black Dominicans. The
former regularly sided with the Scotists, because Duns Scotus had
been of their order ; the latter as regularly with the Thomists, because
Thomas Aquinas had been of theirs.]

160 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

False simiiu with false similitudes and likenesses, and with arguments

tudes. W. T. . . f^ ,

and persuasions of mans wisdom, i^ow^here is no other

Man's wis- division or heresy in the world save man's wisdom, and

W.T. " ' when man's foolish wisdom interpreteth the scripture? Man's

wisdom scattereth, divideth, and maketh sects ; while the

coats, w. T. wisdom of one is that a white coat is best to serve God in,

and another saith a black, and another a gray, another a

blue ; and while one saith that God will hear your prayer

in this place, another saith in that place ; and while one

riace. w. T. saith this place is holier, and another that place is holier ;

one religion and this religion is holier than that ; and this saint is greater

another'. **" with God than that ; and an hundred thousand like things.

W T

Man's wis- jMan's wisdom is plain idolatry : neither is there any other
try? W.T. idolatry than to imagine of God after man's wisdom. God

What God is. . . e . . . . . „

w. T. is not man s imagination ; but that only which he saith ot
himself. God is nothing but his law and his promises ; that
is to say, that which he biddeth thee to do, and that which
he biddeth thee believe and hope. God is but his worcl^ as

job. viii. Christ saith, John viii. "I am that I say unto you;" that is to
say, That which I preach am I ; my words are spirit and life.
God is that only which he testifieth of himself; and to imagine
any other thing of God than that, is damnable idolatry.

rs. cxix. Therefore saith the hundred and eighteenth psalm, " Happy
are they which search the testimonies of the Lord1;" that is to

Then think say, that which God testifieth and witnesseth unto us. But

theirwicked how shall I that do, when ye will not let me have his testi-

shew itself to
their shame

sion.CAnt! "ed. [l This quotation from psalm cxix. 2, is referred by Tyndale to
psalm cxviii. according to the usage of Christian writers till the whole
scriptures had been again translated from the Hebrew at the reforma
tion. For both Greeks and Latins had departed from the Hebrew
numbering of the psalniSj by adopting the numbers used in the Septua
gint and Latin Vulgate ; in which the ninth and tenth psalms are joined
together, thereby making the Greek and Latin tenth correspond with
the Hebrew eleventh, and so on, to the hundred and fourteenth of the
Hebrew psalter. There the Septuagint and Vulgate again compre
hend two Hebrew psalms in one, viz. cxiv. and cxv. Hence, in both
those versions, the hundred and sixteenth psalm of the Hebrew text
is headed cxiv. ; but, as they close this psalm with its ninth verse, and
entitle the rest of it psalm cxv. their numbering is again only one
behind that of the Hebrews. Thus it continues to the proper hundred
and forty-seventh psalm, which is divided into two, after the eleventh
verse by the Septuagint and Vulgate ; thereby making the same psalm
to be counted as cxlviii., in the Greek, the Latin, and the Hebrew.]

PREFACE TO THE READER. 161

monies, or witnesses, in a tongue which I understand ? Will
ye resist God ? Will ye forbid him to give his Spirit unto
the lay as well as unto you? Hath he not made the English
tongue? Why forbid ye him to speak in the English
tongue then, as well as in the Latin ?

Finally, that this threatening and forbidding the lay people the pope
to read the scripture is not for the love of your souls (which p3?to'e
they care for as the fox doth for the geese), is evident, and whatatheyay

111 • /v would, save

clearer than the sun ; inasmuch as they permit and suffer you ^ttr£[h-
to read Robin Hood, and Bevis of Hampton, Hercules, Hector Read what
and Troilus, with a thousand histories and fables of love and ye^amuay
wantonness, and of ribaldry, as filthy as heart can think, Jut. «v"the
to corrupt the minds of youth withal, clean contrary to the
doctrine of Christ and of his apostles : for Paul saith, " See Eph. v.
that fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, be
not once named among you, as it becometh saints ; neither
filthiness, neither foolish talking nor jesting, which are not
comely : for this ye know, that no whoremonger, either
unclean person, or covetous person, which is the worshipper
of images, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ
and of God." And after saith he, " Through such things
cometh the wrath of God upon the children of unbelief."
Now seeing they permit you freely to read those things
which corrupt your minds and rob you of the kingdom of
God and Christ, and bring the wrath of God upon you, how
is this forbidding for love of your souls ? >-*doth- Ant'ed>

A thousand reasons more might be made, as thou mayest
see in Paraclesis Erasmi2, and in his preface to the Para-

[2 Erasmi Paraclesis, id est Adhortatio ad Christiana? Philosophise
studium, was ono of those works by which that learned man promoted
the reformation, which he afterwards shrunk from being thought to
favour. Ho had said in his Paraclesis, Vehomenter ab istis dis-
sentio, qui nolint ab idiotis legi divinas literas in vulgi linguam trans-
fusas, sive quasi Christus tarn involuta docuerit ut yix a pauculis
theologis possint intolligi, sive quasi religionis Christiana) presidium
in hoc situm sit, si nosciatur. Regum mysteria celare fortasso satius
est ; at Christus sua mysteria quam maxime cupit evulgari. Optarem
ut omnes mulierculse logant evangelium, legant Paulinas epistolas.
Atquo utinam hcec in omnes omnium linguas essent transfusa, ut
non solum a Scotis et Hybernis, sed a Turcis quoquo et Saracenis,
legi cognosciquo possent. Primus certe gradus est, utcumque cog-
noscere. Esto, riderent multi ; at caperentur aliquot. Utinam hinc

[TYNDALE.]

102 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

phrase of Matthew1, unto which they should be compelled to
hold their peace, or to give shameful answers. But I hope
that these are sufficient unto them that thirst the truth.
God for his mercy and truth shall well open them more, yea,
and other secrets of his godly wisdom, if they be diligent to
cry unto him ; which grace grant God. Amen.

ad stivam aliquid decantet agricola, hinc nonnihil ad radios suos
module tur textor, hujusmodi fabulis itineris taedium levet viator. Ex
his sint omnia Christianorum omnium colloquia. Tales enim ferine
sumus, quales sunt quotidianse nostrse confabulationes. . . .Neque enim
ob id, opinor, quisquam sibi Christianus esse videatur, si spinosa
molestaque verborum perplexitate de instantibus, de relationibus,
de quidditatibus ac formalitatibus disputet ; sed si quod Christus docuit
et exhibuit, id teneat exprimatque. Desid. Erasmi, Op. Tom. v. fol.
140—1.]

[! In Erasmus' preface to the third edition of his version of Mat
thew, published three years before Tyndale wrote this, there is a re
markable passage to our reformer's purpose, which begins as follows :
Si nemo non gaudet vocari Christianus, nemo debet ignorare principis
sui dogmata. Nullus audet se profiteri Augustinensem qui regulam
Augustini non legerit. . . . Et tu tibi Christianus videris, qui nusquam
scire curaris Christ! regulam ?

This remark of Erasmus will be understood to have the more force,
when it is added, that if any monk was ignorant of Latin, the monastic
regulations insisted that he should have the rules of his order in the
vulgar tongue. So observed Jacobus Faber Stapulensis, a contempo
rary whom Erasmus has highly lauded.]

THE PROLOGUE. 1G3

The Prologue unto the Book.

FORASMUCH as our holy prelates and our ghostly religious2,
which ought to defend God's word, speak evil of it, and do but
all the shame they can to it, and rail on it ; and bear their word. Anted.
captives in hand, that it causeth insurrection and teacheth
the people to disobey their heads and governors, and moveth
them to rise against their princes, and to make all common,
and to make havock of other men's goods : therefore have I
made this little treatise that followeth, containing all obe- The obedi-
dience that is of God ; in which, whosoever readeth it, shall monks and

' f friars is not

easily perceive, not the contrary only, and that they he, but £«& ^FOT^
also the very cause of such blasphemy, and what stirreth °[ S own
them so furiously to rage arid to belie the truth. wvTng'

Howbeit it is no new thing unto the word of God to be The hypo-
railed upon, neither is this the first time that hypocrites have Sktto<Lft

r ' , word which

ascribed to God's word the vengeance whereof they themselves thfy them-

o «/ ^ selves are

were ever cause. For the hypocrites with their false doctrine w"ST°f'

and idolatry have evermore led the wrath and vengeance of

God upon the people, so sore that God could no longer for

bear, nor defer his punishment. Yet God, which is always God warned

merciful, before he would take vengeance, hath ever sent his w. T.

true prophets and true preachers, to warn the people that

they might repent. But the people for the most part, and

namely the heads and rulers, through comfort and persuading

of the hypocrites, have ever waxed more hard-hearted than

before, and have persecuted the word of God and his pro

phets. Then God, which is also righteous, hath always

poured his plagues upon them without delay ; which plagues

the hypocrites ascribe unto God's word, saying, < See what when God

»* . » 6* pumshetnthe

mischief is come upon us since this new learning came up, $£f**£f
and this new sect, and this new doctrine.' This seest thou, Jere- J^gS*
miah xliv. where the people cried to go to their old idolatry CO^JS

r°f'

again, saying, " Since we left it, we have been in all neces- w!rT°

Jer. xliv

[2 Here and elsewhere religious is used as a substantive, just as in
French 'un religieux' is a friar or a monk.]

accused of

insurrection

W.T

164 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

sity and have been consumed with war and hunger." But the
prophet answered them that their idolatry went unto the
heart of God, so that he could no longer suffer the malicious
ness of their own imaginations or inventions; and that the
cause of all such mischiefs was, because they would not hear
the voice of the Lord and walk in his law, ordinances, and
Christ was testimonies. The scribes and the Pharisees laid also to Christ's
gon. charge, Luke xxiii. that he moved the people to sedition ; and
Luke xxiii. said to Pilate, " We have found this fellow perverting the people,
and forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar, and saith that he is
Christ a king." And again in the same chapter, " He moveth
the people," said they, "teaching throughout Jewry, and
began at Galilee even to this place." So likewise laid they
to the apostles1 charge, as thou mayest see in the Acts. St
Cyprian also, and St Augustine, and many other more, made
works in defence of the word of God against such blas
phemies1. So that thou mayest see how that it is no new
thing, but an old and accustomed thing with the hypocrites,
to wite2 God^s word and the true preachers of all the mischief
which their lying doctrine is the very cause of.

why trouble Nevertlielater in very deed, after the preaching of God's

i -reaching of word, because it is not truly received, God sendeth great

w! T?pe trouble into the world ; partly to avenge himself of the

tyrants and persecutors of his word, and partly to destroy

those worldly people which make of God's word nothing but

a cloak of their fleshly liberty. They are not all good that

Matt. xiii. follow the gospel. Christ (Matt, xiii.) likeneth the kingdom of

[l Such is the chief topic of Cyprian's Address to Demetrianus.
'Dixisti/ says he, 'per nos fieri, et quod nobis debeant imputari,
omnia ista quibus nunc mundus quatitur et urgetur, quod dii vestri a
nobis non colantur. . . Non enim, sicut tua falsa querimonia, et im-
pcritia veritatis ignara, jactat et clamitat, ista accidunt quod dii
vestri a nobis non colantur; sed quod a vobis non colatur Deus/

Such also was the declared object of Augustine in composing his
treatise Do civitato Dei ; as he himself tell us in his second book of
his Retractationes, ch. xliii. 'Interea Roma Gothorum irruptione
impetu magnse cladis eversa est : cujus eversionem deorum falsorum
multorumquo cultores in Christiauani religionem referrc conantes,
solito acerbius et amarius Deum vcrum blasphcmare cceperunt. Undo
ego, exardescens zelo domus Dei, adversus eorum blasphemias, vel
errores, libros De civitate Dei scribere institui.' Tom. i. col. 56.]

[2 From Saxon Vitan, to blame.]

THE PROLOGUE. 165

heaven unto a net cast into the sea, that catcheth fishes both
good and bad. The kingdom of heaven is the preaching of
the gospel, unto which come both good and bad. But the good
are few. Christ calleth them therefore a " little flock," Lukexii.
For they are ever few that come to the gospel of a true intent, ^Jit^e
seeking therein nothing but the glory and praise of God, and AS our pre-
offering themselves freely and willingly to take adversity with take their
Christ for the gospel's sake, and for bearing record unto the seek God's

c . glory and

truth, that all men may hear it. The greatest number come, JJ^r^",*
and ever came, and followed even Christ himself, for a worldly
purpose : as thou mayest well see (John vi.), how that almost
five thousand followed Christ, and would also have made him
a king, because he had well fed them : whom he rebuked,
saying, " Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles, but Joh. vi.
because ye ate of the bread and were filled" ; and drove them
away from him with hard preaching.

Even so now, as ever, the most part seek liberty. They Liberty,
be glad when they hear the unsatiable covetousness of the
spirituality rebuked ; when they hear their falsehood and
wiles uttered ; when tyranny and oppression is preached
against ; when they hear how kings and all officers should
rule christianly and brotherly, and seek no other thing save
the wealth of their subjects ; and when they hear that they
have no such authority of God so to pill and poll as they do,
and to raise up taxes and gatherings to maintain their phan
tasies, and to make war they wot not for what cause. And
therefore,]because the heads will not so rule, will they also no
longer obey ; but resist and rise against their evil heads ; and God destroy-
one wicked destroy eth anotherTJ Yet is God's word not the wfcSdwith
cause of this, neither yet the preachers?^ For though that w. T.
Christ himself taught all obedience, how that it is not lawful God's word
to resist wrong, but for the officer that is appointed there- «"** of evii.
unto ; and how a man must love his very enemy, and pray
for them that persecute him, and bless them that curse him ;
and how that all vengeance must be remitted to God ; and
that a man must forgive if he will be forgiven of God ; yet
the people for the most part received it not : they were
ever ready to rise, and to fight. For ever when the scribes
and Pharisees went about to take Christ, they were afraid of the
people. " Not on the holy day/1 said they, Matt. xxvi. "lest Matt. xxvi.
any rumour arise among the people": and, Matt. xxi. "They Matt.xxi.

mind*Lldly

The pr:
/ doctrm

166 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

would have taken him but they feared the people" : and Luke
Luke xx. xx. Christ asked the Pharisees a question unto which they

durst not answer, lest the people should have stoned them.
Christ's dis- Last of all : forasmuch as the very disciples and apostles of
Christ, after so long hearing of Christ's doctrine, were yet ready
to fight for Christ, clean against Christ's teaching, (as Peter,
Matt. xxvi. Matt. xxvi. drew his sword, but was rebuked ; and, Luke ix.
James and John would have had fire to come from heaven to
consume the Samaritans, and to avenge the injury of Christ, but
were likewise rebuked ;) if Christ's disciples were so long carnal,
The pope's what wonder is it if we be not all perfect the first day ? Yea,
causeth, yea inasmuch as we be taught, even of very babes, to kill a Turk,

commandeth » '

Ant.ded. to S^ay a J0W> to burn an heretic, to fight for the liberties
and right of the church, as they call it ; yea, and inasmuch
as we are brought in belief, if we shed the blood of our even l
Christian, or if the son shed the blood of his father that begat
him, for the defence, not of the pope's godhead only, but also
for whatsoever cause it be, yea, though it be for no cause, but
that his holiness commandeth it only, that we deserve as much
as Christ deserved for us, when he died on the cross ; or, if
we be slain in the quarrel, that our souls go, nay, fly to
heaven, and be there ere our blood be cold : inasmuch, I say,
as we have sucked in such bloody imaginations into the
bottom of our hearts, even with our mother's milk, and have
been so long hardened therein ; what wonder were it, if, while
we be yet young in Christ, we thought that it were lawful to
fight for the true word of God? Yea, and though a man
were thoroughly persuaded that it were not lawful to resist
his king, though he would wrongfully take away life and
goods ; yet might he think that it were lawful to resist the
hypocrites, and to rise, not against his king but with his king,
to deliver his king out of bondage and captivity, wherein the
hypocrites hold him with wiles and falsehood, so that no man
may be suffered to come at him, to tell him the truth.
The pope's This seest thou, that it is the bloody doctrine of the pope

bloody. W.T. which causeth disobedience, rebellion and insurrection: for he
teacheth to fight and to defend his traditions, and whatsoever
he dreameth, with fire, water, and sword ; and to disobey
father, mother, master, lord, king, and emperor ; yea, and to
invade whatsoever land or nation, that will not receive and
[l Even, i.e. equal.]

THE PROLOGUE. 167

admit his godhead : where the peaceable doctrine of Christ Christ's
teacheth to obey, and to suffer for the word of God, and to

W. T

remit the vengeance and the defence of the word to God,
which is mighty and able to defend it : which also as soon as the
word is once openly preached, and testified, or witnessed unto
the world, and when he hath given them a season to repent,
is ready at once to take vengeance of his enemies, and shooteth
arrows with heads dipt in deadly poison at them ; and poureth himself,
his plagues from heaven down upon them ; and sendeth the
murrain and pestilence among them ; and sinketh the cities of
them ; and maketh the earth swallow them ; and compasseth
them in their wiles ; and taketh them in their own traps and
snares, and casteth them into the pits which they digged for
other men ; and sendeth them a dazing2 in the head ; and
utterly destroyeth them with their own subtle counsel.

^Prepare thy mind therefore unto this little treatise v, and HOW a man
read it discreetly ; and judge it indifferently. And when I Jf^ff in
allege any scripture, look thou on the text whether I interpret SSSSf and
it right : j which thou shalt easily perceive by the circumstance
and process of them, if thou make Christ the foundation and
the ground, and build all on him, and referrest all to him ;
'and findest also that the exposition agreeth unto the common
articles of the faith and open scriptures.^ And God the
Father of mercy, which for his truth's sake raised our Saviour
Christ up again to justify us, give thee his Spirit, to judge
what is righteous in his eyes ; and give thee strength to
abide by it, and to maintain it with all patience and long-
suffering, unto the example and edifying of his congregation,
and glory of his name. Amen.

[2 Confusion; stupefaction.]

also in the

scripture.

W.T.

108 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

The Obedience of all Degrees proved by God's Word:
and first of Children unto their Elders.

GOD, which worketh all in all things, for a secret judg
ment and purpose, and for his godly pleasure, provided an
hour that thy father and mother should come together, to
make thee through them. He was present with thee in thy
mother's womb, and fashioned thee and breathed life into
thee; and, for the great love he had unto thee, provided
milk in thy mother's breasts for thee against thou were born ;
moved also thy father and mother, and all other, to love
thee, to pity thee, and to care for thee.

And as he made thee through them, so hath he cast thee
our fathers under the power and authority of them, to obey and serve them
SB jo S»in in his, stead ; saying, "Honour thy father and mother." Exod.
w. T. xx. Which is not to be understood in bowing the knee, and

Exod. xx.

putting off the cap only, but that thou love them with all thine
heart ; and fear and dread them, and wait on their com
mandments ; and seek their worship, pleasure, will and profit
in all things ; and give thy life for them, counting them
worthy of all honour ; remembering that thou art their good
and possession, and that thou owest unto them thine own self,
and all thou art able, yea, and more than thou art able
to do.

whatjve Understand also, that whatsoever thou doest unto them,

!nohthersanth-it ^6 ^ g°0& °r bad, thou doest unto God. When thou pleasest

ood0 w. T. them, thou pleasest God; when thou displeasest them, thou

displeasest God ; when they are angry with thee, God is

angry with thee : neither is it possible for thee to come to

the favour of God again, no, though all the angels of heaven

pray for thee, until thou have submitted thyself unto thy

father and mother again.

Tho^eward If thou obey, though it be but carnally, either for fear,

w. T. for vain glory, or profit, thy blessing shall be long life upon
the earth. For he saith, " Honour thy father and mother,
that thou mayest live long upon the earth." Exod. xx. Con-
w. T. trariwisc, if thou disobey them, thy life shall be shortened
xxi. upon the earth. For it followeth' Exod. xxi. " He that
smiteth his father or mother shall be put to death for it. And

OF CHILDREN TO THEIR ELDERS.

169

lie that curseth," that is to say, raileth or dishonoured his
father or mother with opprobrious words, " shall be slain for
it." And, Deut. xxi. "If any man have a son stubborn and Deut.XXi.
disobedient, which heareth not the voice of his father and the
voice of his mother, so that they have taught him nurture,
and he regardeth them not ; then let his father and mother
take him, and bring him forth unto the seniors or elders of
the city, and unto the gate of the same place : and let them
say unto the seniors of that city, This our son is stubborn
and disobedient : he will not hearken unto our voice : he is
a rioter and a drunkard. Then let all the men of the
city stone him with stones unto death : so shall ye put away
wickedness from among you, and all Israel shall hear and
shall fear."

And though that the temporal officers (to their own dam
nation) be negligent in punishing such disobedience, (as the
spiritual officers are to teach it,) and wink at it, or look on it
through the fingers, yet shall they not escape unpunished.
For the vengeance of God shall accompany them (as thou
mayest see Deut. xxviii.) with all misfortune and evil luck ; himself,
and shall not depart from them until they be murdered, JJJcei\vinT
drowned, or hanged ; either until, by one mischance or
another, they be utterly brought to nought. Yea, and the
world oftentimes hangeth many a man for that they never
deserved : but God hangeth them because they would not
obey, and hearken unto their elders; as the .consciences of
many well find, when they come unto the gallows. There can
they preach, and teach other, that which they themselves
would not learn in season.

The marriage also of the children pertaineth unto their Marriage.
elders; as thou mayest see 1 Cor. vii. and throughout all the ic^'vu.
scripture, by the authority of the said commandment, Child,
obey father and mother. Which thing the heathen and gen-
tiles have ever kept, and to this day keep, to the great
shame and rebuke of us Christians : inasmuch as the weddings

'

e, ..,, ... i • s 1.1 that which

of our virgins (shame it is to speak it) are more like to the « Turk is
saute1 of a bitch than the marrying of a reasonable creature. W-T-
See not we daily three or four challenging one woman before
the commissary or official, of which not one hath the consent
of her father and mother ? And yet he that hath most
[l Saute or salt: leap.]

170

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

God's com
mandments
break they
through
their own
traditions.
W. T.

money hath best right, and shall have her in the despite of
all her friends and in defiance of God's ordinances1.

Moreover, when she is given by the judge unto the one
party, and also married, even then ofttimes shall the con
trary party sue before a higher judge, or another that
succeedeth the same, and for money divorce her again. So
shamefully doth the covetousness and ambition of our prelates
mock with the laws of God. I pass over with silence, how
many years they will prolong the sentence with cavillations
and subtlety, if they be well monied on both parties; and if
a damsel promise two, how shameful counsel they will give
the second, and also how the religious of Satan do separate
tmseparable matrimony. For after thou art lawfully married
at the commandment of father and mother, and with the
consent of all thy friends ; yet if thou wilt be disguised like
unto one of them, and swear obedience unto their traditions,
thou mayest disobey father and mother, break the oath which
thou hast sworn to God before his holy congregation, and
withdraw love and charity, the highest of God's command
ments, and that duty and service which thou owest unto thy
wife ; whereof Christ cannot dispense with thee : for Christ
is not against God, but with God ; and came not to break
God's ordinances, but to fulfil them. That is, he came to
overcome thee with kindness ; and to make thee to do, of very

[l Art. II. of f Other heresies and errors collected by the Bishops
out of Tyndale's book, named The Obedience of a Christian man,' is, as
given in Foxe, ' He saith, that children ought not to marry without
the consent of their parents/ The document, in which these articles
were enrolled, is still preserved among the archives in the Lambeth
collection. Its language is sometimes English, and sometimes Latin.
The words in this second article are : Dicifc quod filii nee debent nee
possunt contrahere matrimonium absque consensu parentum. Foxe
has neglected the word possunt, and has said that the charge is founded
on what Tyndale has said in fol. 120 of Day's edition. It is, however,
more probable that it was suggested by the paragraph to which this
note is attached ; and that the paragraph was deemed heretical, be
cause it gave so much weight to the authority of parents, and declared
that the decisions of the ecclesiastical courts were not unfrequently
'in defiance of God's ordinances.' Foxe offers no other defence for
Tyndale than supplying his readers with Tyndale's own words, from
the latter part of the section on ' The office of a father, and how he
should rule ;' being the passage which he considered as having given
occasion for the charge.]

OF WIVES TO HUSBANDS. 171

love, the thing which the law compelleth thee to do. For
love only, and to do service unto thy neighbour, is the fulfil
ling of the law in the sight of God. To be a monk or a
friar, thou mayest thus forsake thy wife before thou hast
lain with her, but not to be a secular priest2. And yet, after JJjjg^
thou art professed, the pope for money will dispense with «^dise-
thee, both for thy coat and all thy obedience, and make a
secular priest of thee : likewise as it is simony to sell a
benefice, as they call it, but to resign upon a pension, and
then to redeem the same, is no simony at all. O crafty
jugglers and mockers with the word of God ! Jugglers.

The Obedience of Wives unto their Husbands.

AFTER that Eve was deceived of the serpent, God said
unto her, Gen. iii. " Thy lust or appetite shall pertain unto thy Gen. m.
husband; and he shall rule thee, or reign over thee." God, which
created the woman, knoweth what is in that weak vessel, (as
Peter calleth her,) and hath therefore put her under the
obedience of her husband, to rule her lusts and wanton appe
tites. 1 Peter iii. exhorteth wives to " be in subjection to their i Pet. iii.
husbands, after the ensample of the holy women which in
old time trusted in God, and as Sara obeyed Abraham and
called him lord." Which Sara, before she was married, was Marriage

' altereth the

t

Abraham's sister, and equal with him; but, as soon as she jjjgjj °^ T
was married, was in subjection, and became without comparison
inferior : for so is the nature of wedlock, by the ordinance
of God. It were much better that our wives followed the
ensample of the holy women of old time in obeying their
husbands, than to worship them3 with & Paternoster, an Ave
and a Credo, or to stick up candles before their images. Paul,
Eph.v. saith," Women, submit yourselves to your own husbands, EPh. v.
as to the Lord. For the husband is the wife's head, even as
Christ is the head of the congregation. Therefore, as the
congregation is in subjection to Christ, likewise let wives be

[2 Decret. Greg. Lib. iv. Tit. i. cap. 16. ' Commission/ gives this
permission to a person who shall enter a monastery ; and by not ex
tending this licence to the other case, must be understood to forbid it.]

[3 That is, Mary and other canonized females.]

172 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

in subjection unto their husbands in all things." " Let the

woman, therefore, fear her husband," as Paul saith in the said

place. For her husband is unto her in the stead of God,

that she obey him, and wait on his commandments ; and his

The husband commandments are God's commandments. If she therefore

iteaS^'w T gru(%e against him, or resist him, she grudgeth against God,

and resisteth God.

The Obedience of Servants unto their Masters.

•Eph. vi. " SERVANTS, obey your carnal masters with fear and

trembling, in singleness of your hearts, as unto Christ ; not with
service in the eye-sight as men-pleasers, but as the servants of
Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will,
even as though ye served the Lord, and not men." Eph. vi.

i Pet u. And, 1 Pet. ii. " Servants, obey your masters with all fear, not
only if they be good and courteous, but also though they be
froward. For it cometh of grace, if a man for conscience

in suffering toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what

wrongs »

fofio wut&swe Praise ig ifc> if w^en ye be buffetted for your faults, ye take
ShnL°f *fc patiently ? But and if when ye do well, ye suffer wrong
Ant.ed. and take it patiently, then is there thanks with God. Here
unto, verily, were ye called. For Christ also suffered for
our sakes, leaving us an ensample to follow his steps." In
whatsoever kind, therefore, thou art a servant, during the time
The master of thy covenants thy master is unto thee in the stead and room
seruvan°tine of God ; and God through him feedeth thee, clotheth thee,

God's stead. 111 11 11

vv. T. ruleth thee, and learneth thee. His commandments are God's
commandments ; and thou oughtest to obey him as God, and
in all things to seek his pleasure and profit. For thou art
his good and possession, as his ox or his horse ; insomuch
that whosoever doth but desire thee in his heart from him,
without his love and licence, is condemned of God, which
Exod. *x. saith, Exod. xx., " See thou once covet not thy neighbour's

servants."

our spiri- Paul the apostle sent home Onesimus unto his master,

men'IS£n as thou readest in the epistle of Paul to Philemon : insomuch
buTthd?od> ^iat' Chough the said Philemon, with his servant also, was
and cSemo- converted by Paul, and owed to Paul, and to the word that
niesmiiy. pau] preac}ie(^ not nis servant only but also himself; yea,

OF SERVANTS TO MASTERS. 173

and though that Paul was in necessity, and lacked ministers
to minister unto him in the bonds which he suffered for the
gospel's sake ; yet would he not retain the servant necessary
unto the furtherance .of the gospel without the consent of
the master.

0 how sore differeth the doctrine of Christ and his Christ's doc-

1 f> 11- • i -in* it tr'ne an(1 the

apostles irom the doctrine or the pope and of his apostles ! p°Pe>s difftr-

For if any man will obey neither father nor mother, neither if thy master

lord nor master, neither king nor prince, the same needeth

but only to take the mark of the beast, that is, to shave

himself a monk, a friar, or a priest, and is then immediately Prieii>t- W-T-

free and exempted from all service and obedience due unto

man. He that will obey no man (as they will not) is most TO obey no

man is u

acceptable unto them. The more disobedient that thou art spiritual

r ~ thing. W. T.

unto God's ordinances, the more apt and meet art thou for
theirs. Neither is the professing, vowing, and swearing
obedience unto their ordinances, any other thing than the
defying, denying, and foreswearing obedience unto the ordi
nances of God1.

The Obedience of Subjects unto Kings, Princes,
and Rulers.

" LET every soul submit himself unto the authority of Rom.
the higher powers. There is no power but of God : the
powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore
resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. They
that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers Kings are
are not to be feared for good works, but for evil. Wilt thou

[l In the list of heresies and errors, Art. III. is, ' He saith that
vows are against the obedience of God.' To this charge Foxe replies :
* They that say that this article is a heresy, let them shew when
these vows, in all the new Testament, be ordained of God; especially
such vows of single life and wilful poverty, as by the canon law
be obtruded on young priests and novices. St Paul evidently fore-
fendeth any widows to be admitted under the age of threescore
years. Is not here, trow you, a perilous heresy?' Foxe, Acts and
Mon. B. VIIL]

174

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

wicked and
support the
good.
Ant. ed.

An apt
similitude.
Ant. ed.

Rom. xii.

be without fear of the power? Do well then, and so shalt
thou be praised of the same ; for he is the minister of God
for thy wealth. But and if thou do evil, then fear : for
he beareth not a sword for nought ; for he is the minister
of God, to take vengeance on them that do* evil. Where
fore ye must needs obey ; not for fear of vengeance only,
but also because of conscience. Even for this cause pay
ye tribute : for they are God's ministers serving for the same
purpose. Give to every man therefore his duty : tribute to
whom tribute belongeth ; custom to whom custom is due ; fear
to whom fear belongeth ; honour to whom honour pertaineth.
Owe nothing to any man; but to love one another: for
he that loveth another fulfilleth the law. For these com
mandments, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not
kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Thou shalt not desire, and so forth, if there be any other
commandment, are all comprehended in this saying, Love
thine neighbour as thyself. Love hurteth not his neighbour :
therefore is love the fulfilling of the law."

As a father over his children is both lord and judge,
forbidding one brother to avenge himself on another, but, if
any cause of strife be between them, will have it brought
unto himself or his assigns, to be judged and correct ; so
God forbiddeth all men to avenge themselves, and taketh the
XXXH. authority and office of avenging unto himself; saying, " Ven
geance is mine, and I will reward." Deut. xxxii. Which text
Paul allegeth, Rom. xii.; for it is impossible that a man
should be a righteous, an egal1 or an indifferent judge in his
own cause, lusts and appetites so blind us. Moreover, when
thou avengest thyself, thou makest not peace, but stirrest up
more debate.

God therefore hath given laws unto all nations, and in
all lands hath put kings, governors, and rulers in his own
stead, to rule the world through them; and hath com
manded all causes to be brought before them, as thou readest
Exod. xxii. "In all causes (saith he) of injury or wrong,
whether it be ox, ass, sheep, or vesture, or any lost thing
which another challengeth, let the cause of both parties be
brought unto the gods ; whom the gods condemn, the same
[l Egal : equal.]

OF SUBJECTS TO RULERS. 175

shall pay double unto his neighbour2." Mark, the judges are Judges are

. . -/-IT) called gods.

called gods m the scriptures, because they are in (jrod s room, w. x.
and execute the commandments of God. And in another
place of the said chapter Moses chargeth, saying : " See
that thou rail not on the gods, neither speak evil of the ruler
of thy people." Whosoever therefore resisteth them, re-
sisteth God, for they are in the room of God ; and they that
resist shall receive the damnation.

Such obedience unto father and mother, master, husband,
emperor, king, lords and rulers, requireth God of all nations,
yea, of the very Turks and infidels. The blessing and reward Biasing.
of them that keep them is the life of this world, as thou
readest, Lev. xviii. " Keep my ordinances and laws ; which if Lev. xvm.
a man keep, he shall live therein." Which text Paul re- Rom. x.
hearseth Rom. x., proving thereby that the righteousness of
the law is but worldly, and the reward thereof is the life
of this world : and the curse of them that breaketh them Curse- w. T.
is the loss of this life ; as thou seest by the punishment ap
pointed for them.

And whosoever keepeth the law (whether it be for fear, Godreward-
for vain glory, or profit), though no man reward him, yet tJJSfh1^
shall God bless him abundantly, and send him worldly pros- w*nT?lse do<
perity; as thou readest, Deut. xxviii., what good blessings
accompany the keeping of the law ; and as we see the Turks
far exceed us Christian men in worldly prosperity, for their
just keeping of their temporal laws. Likewise, though no man ^fsXdl111
punish the breakers of the law, yet shall God send his curses noCmanheTsfh
upon them till they be utterly brought to nought, as thou do> w' T<
readest most terribly even in the same place.

Neither may the inferior person avenge himself upon the
superior, or violently resist him, for whatsoever wrong it be.
If he do, he is condemned in the deed-doing ; inasmuch as

[2 Our Lord's application of Ps. Ixxxii. 6, as recorded in John x.
34, in which he seems to have sanctioned such an interpretation of
DTlbtf' when that name is given to judges, as the evangelist has
rendered it fool, was probably deemed by Tyndale, as it had been by
the Vulgate translator, sufficient to justify rendering the same word gods
in this text and the following. In our authorised version of Exod. xxii.
D%1^N nas been rendered judges, in v. 8 and 9 ; and though the word
gods is retained in v. 28, the margin shews that some of the translators
would have prefered rendering judges there also.]

176 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

he taketli upon him that which belongeth to God only, which

vengeance saith, " Vengeance is mine, and I will reward." Deut. xxxii.

leuKxxii ^n(* Christ saith, Matt. xxvi. " All they that take the sword

Matt. xxvi. shall perish with the sword." Takest thou a sword to avenge

thyself? So givest thou not room unto God to avenge thee,

but robbest him of his most high honour, in that thou wilt

not let him be judge over thee.

If any man might have avenged himself upon his superior,
David. W.T. that might David most righteously have done upon king Saul,
which so wrongfully persecuted David, even for no other
cause, than that God had anointed him king, and promised
him the kingdom. Yet when God had delivered Saul into
the hands of David, that he might have done what he would
i sam. xxiv. with him ; as thou seest in the first book of Kings, the xxivth
chapter, how Saul came into the camp where David was ; and
David came to him secretly, and cut off a piece of his gar
ment ; and as soon as he had done it, his heart smote him,
because he had done so much unto his lord : and when his
men encouraged him to slay him, he answered, " The Lord
forbid it me that I should lay mine hand on him ;" neither
suffered he his men to hurt him. When Saul was gone out,
David followed him, and shewed him the piece of his garment,
and said, " Why believest thou the words of men that say,
David goeth about to do thee harm? Perceive and see that
there is neither evil nor wickedness in my hand, and that I
have not trespassed against thee, and yet thou layest await
for my life : God judge between thee and me, and avenge me
of thee; but mine hand be not upon thee. As the old
proverb saith (saith David), Out of the wicked shall wicked
ness proceed, but mine hand be not upon thee/' meaning that
God destroy- God ever punisheth one wicked by another. And again
wicfiXby said David, "God be judge, and judge between thee and
w?T?r' me, and behold and plead my cause, and give me judgment

or right of thee."

i sam. xxvi. And in the xxvith chapter of the same book, when Saul
persecuted David again, David came to Saul by night, as he
\SltGa" s^eP* anc^ a^ kis n1611? and took away his spear and a cup of
uke7he°ev,i water fr°m his head. Then said Abishai, David's servant,
" God hath delivered thee thine enemy into thine hand this
day : let me now therefore nail him to the ground with my
vntmne ,. Spearj an(j ^Q j^m j^ eyeu OUQ stripe and no more." David

OF SUBJECTS TO RULERS. 177

forbad him, saying, " Kill him not ; for who (said he) shall lay
hands on the Lord's anointed, and be not guilty? The Lord
liveth," or by the Lord's life (said he), "he dieth not, except
the Lord smite him, or that his day be come to die, or else
go to battle, and there perish."

Why did not David slay Saul, seeing he was so wicked, why David
not in persecuting David only, but in disobeying God^s com- saui. °w. T.
mandments, and in that he had slain eighty-five of God's priests [i sam. xxn.
wrongfully ? Verily, for it was not lawful. For if he had The king is
done it, he must have sinned against God ; for'^God hath made o" G0e<i7nm
the king in every realm judge over all, and over him is there w. x.
no judge. He that judgeth the king judgeth God ; and he
that layeth. hands on the king layeth hand on God ; and he
that resisteth the king resisteth God, and damneth God's law
and ordinance. If the subjects sin, they must be brought to
the king's judgment. If the king sin, he must be reserved The king
unto the judgment, wrath, and vengeance of God. And as it served onto
is to resist the king, so is it to resist his officer, which is set, anecevof ox>d.
or sent, to execute the king's commandment!]

And in the first chapter of the second book of Kings, 2 sam. i. iv.
David commanded the young man to be slain, which brought
unto him the crown and bracelet of Saul, and said, to please
David withal, that he himself had slain Saul. And in the
fourth chapter of the same book, David commanded those
two to be slain which brought unto him the head of Ishbosheth,
SauFs son ; by whose means yet the whole kingdom returned
unto David, according unto the promise of God.

And, Luke xiiith, when they shewed Christ of the Gali-
leans, whose blood Pilate mingled with their own sacrifice, he
answered, " Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners
above all other Galileans, because they suffered such punish
ment ? I tell you, nay; but except ye repent, ye shall likewise
perish." This was told Christ, no doubt, of such an intent as
they asked him, Matt. xxii. "Whether it were lawful to give M
tribute unto Caesar ?" For they thought that it was no sin la

J a Christian

to resist a heathen prince : as few of us would think, if we ™sbJfJ£°
were under the Turk, that it were sin to rise against him, and Ccgeh' he
to rid ourselves from under his dominion, so sore have our a
bishops robbed us of the true doctrine of Christ1. But Christ

[l Art. IV. of alleged heresies and errors : ' He saith that a
Christian man may not resist a prince, being an infidel and an ethnic.

r n 12

[TYNDALE.]

178 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

condemned their deeds, and also the secret thoughts of all
other, that consented thereunto, saying : " Except ye repent,
ye shall likewise perish." As who should say, I know that
ye are within, in your hearts, such as they were outward in
their deeds, and are under the same damnation : except,
therefore, ye repent betimes, ye shall break out at the last
into like deeds, and likewise perish ; as it came afterward to
pass.
Kings must Hereby seest thou that the king is, in this world, without

makeac- \ J O ' '

thSrdcLga I ^aw ' an(l may a^ n*s ^US^ ^0 right or wrong, and shall give
Tnty.te0dGod' j accounts but to God only.

Another conclusion is this, that no person, neither any

degree, may be exempt from this ordinance of God : neither

\ can the profession of monks and friars, or any thing that the

jpope or bishops can lay for themselves, except them from the

: sword of the emperor or kings, if they break the laws. For

it is written, "Let every soul submit himself unto the authority

of the higher powers." Here is no man except ; but all souls

must obey. The higher powers are the temporal kings and

princes ; unto whom God hath given the sword, to punish

The king whosoever sinneth. God hath not given them swords to

power, but to punish one, and to let another o;o free, and sin unpunished.

his dainna- i , .

Se'tK'i-1" Moreover, with what face durst the spiritualty, which ought
sh- *° ^e the light and an ensample of good living unto all other,
. Desire t0 sm unpunished1, or to be excepted from tribute, toll,
or custom, that they would not bear pain with their brethren

This taketli away freewill/ Foxe's reply is : ' St Peter willetli us to
be subject to our princes. St Paul also doth the like ; who was also
himself subject to the power of Nero ; and although every command
ment of Nero against God he did not follow, yet he never made re
sistance against the authority and state of Nero ; as the pope useth to
do against the state not only of infidels, but also of Christian princes.']
[! The canon law incorporates a rescript of pope Nicholas, who
filled the papal chair between 858 and 867, in which he says : De
presbyteris, vobis, qui laici estis, nee judicandum est, nee do eorum
vita quiclpiam investigandum. Decreti pars lma. Dist. xxvm. ca.
xvii., or Consulendum. Another part of the law says : Nullus judicum
neque presbyterum, neque diaconum, aut clericum ullum, aut juniores
ecclesise, sine licentia pontificis per se distringat, aut condemnare
prsesumat : quod si fecerit, ab ecclesia, cui injuriam irrogare dignos-
citur, tamdiu sit sequestratus quousque reatum suum agnoscat et
emendet. Decret. pars 2da. Caus. xi. Qu. I. ca. 2. Palea. Corp. Jur.
Canon. Lugduni, MDCXXII.]

OF SUBJECTS TO RULERS. 179

to the maintenance of kings and officers, ordained of God to
punish sin?2 " There is no power but of God." By power
understand the authority of kings and princes. " The powers
that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resist-
eth power, resisteth God :" yea, though he be pope, bishop,
monk, or friar. " They that resist shall receive unto them
selves damnation." Why ? For God's word is against them,
which will have all men under the power of the temporal
sword : for " rulers are not to be feared for good works, but
for evil." Hereby seest thou that they that resist the powers,
or seek to be exempt from their authority, have evil con
sciences ; and seek liberty to sin unpunished, and to be free
from bearing pain with their brethren. " Wilt thou be with
out fear of the power ? So do well, and thou shalt have laud
of the same," that is to say, of the ruler. With good living
ought the spiritualty to rid themselves from fear of the tem
poral sword ; and not with craft, anfl with blinding the kings,
and bringing the vengeance of God upon them, and in pur
chasing licence to sin unpunished.

"For he is the minister of God for thy wealth3:" to
defend thee from a thousand inconveniences, from thieves,
murderers, and them that would defile thy wife, thy daughter,
and take from thee all that thou hast, yea, life and all, if
thou didst resist. Furthermore, though he be the greatest A king is a
tyrant in the world, yet is he unto thee a great benefit of though he be

never so evil.

God, and a thing wherefore thou oughtest to thank God w. T.
highly. For it is better to have somewhat, than to be clean

[2 The canon law requires all Christian rulers, and all who are in
authority under them, to abstain from imposing any manner of tax
on ecclesiastics, or their property, without the pope's permission ; and
declares that whosoever shall dare to tax them, or to demand from
them any payment, 'sub adjutorii, mutui, subventions, subsidii vel
doni nomine,' without such permission, shall thereby incur the sentence
of excommunication, along with every collector and abettor. It also
forbids the prelates and clergy to pay any manner of tax, without the
pope's express permission, under the like penalty; and further declares
that no priest, or prelate, can absolve any person thus excommuni
cated, unless he shall receive a special licence and authority from the
pope so to do. Bull of Boniface VIII. of date 1296, inserted in the
Corp. Jur. Canon. Sexti Decretal. Lib. in. Titul. xxm. ca. 3. Clericis
laicos.]

[3 Wealth, i.e. welfare.]

12—2

180 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

stript out of all together. It is better to pay the tenth than
to lose all. It is better to suffer one tyrant than many, and
to suffer wrong of one than of every man. Yea, and it is
better to have a tyrant unto thy king than a shadow ; a pas
sive king that doth nought himself, but suffereth others to do
with him what they will, and to lead him whither they list.
For a tyrant, though he do wrong unto the good, yet he
punisheth the evil, and maketh all men obey, neither suffereth
any man to poll but himself only. A king that is soft as silk,
and effeminate, that is to say, turned into the nature of a
woman, — what with his own lusts, which are as the longing of
a woman with child, so that he cannot resist them, and what
I with the wily tyranny of them that ever rule him. — shall be
' much more grievous unto the realm than a right tyrant.
\ Head the chronicles, and thou shalt find it ever so.

" But and if thou do evil, then fear ; for he beareth not

a sword for nought : for he is the minister of God, to take

princes arc vengeance on them that do evil." If the office of princes,

ordained to . &

doer^w'x glven them of God, be to take vengeance of evil doers; then,
Thedamna- by this text and God's word, are all princes damned, even as

tion of ,., ,. , . . ,

rrinces. many as give liberty or licence unto the spiritualty to sm
unpunished ; and not only to sin unpunished themselves, but
also to open sanctuaries, privileged places, churchyards, St.
John's hold ; yea, and if they come too short unto all these,

Neck-verse, yet to set forth a neck-verse to save all manner trespassers
from the fear of the sword of the vengeance of God, put in
the hands of princes to take vengeance on all such l.

f1 The church of Rome succeeded more or less, according to the
notion which the laity might entertain of the power of the patron-
saint, in converting the precincts of churches or monasteries into secure
asylums for criminals; and judge Blackstone has described the extent
of the exemptions from punishment, which the lay courts conceded to
a criminal who had got into sanctuary. Comm. B. iv. ch. 26. Vol. iv.
p. 332 — 3. But if an offender did not reach any such place, before ho
was laid hold of by the king's officer, he might still elude the judg
ment of the law of the land, by declaring that he meant to take holy
orders, and was consequently only amenable to the ecclesiastical
courts, whose sentence against clerks for real crimes was generally
but some penance.

To prevent therefore the transfer of all offenders to a rival juris
diction, the lay courts ruled that no person should be allowed the
privileges of a candidate for holy orders, unless he could either read or

Sanctuaries.
W. T.

OF SUBJECTS TO RULERS. 181

GOD require th the law to be kept of all men, let them
keep it for whatsoever purpose they will. Will they not
keep the law ? So vouchsafe th he not that they enjoy this
temporal life. Now are there three natures of men:
altogether beastly ; which in no wise receive the law in their
hearts, but rise against princes and rulers, whensoever they
are able to make their party good. These are signified by
them that worshipped the golden calf: for Moses brake the
tables of the law, ere he came at them.

The second are not so beastly, but receive the law; and what u is to

11111 T»r • '°°k Moses

unto them the law comcth ; but they look not Moses m the in the face.

' J m Ant. ed.

face : for his countenance is too bright for them ; that is,
they understand not that the law is spiritual, and requireth
the heart. They look on the pleasure, profit, and promotion
that followeth the keeping of the law, and in respect of the
reward keep they the law outwardly with works, but not in
the heart. For if they might obtain like honour, glory, pro
motion and dignity, and also avoid all inconveniences, if they
broke the law, so would they also break the law, and follow
their lusts.

The third are spiritual, and look Moses in the open face ;
and are, as Paul saith, the second to the Romans, " a law unto Rom. «.
themselves ;" and have the law written in their hearts by the
Spirit of God. These need neither of king nor officers to drive
them, neither that any man proifer them any reward for to
keep the law ; for they do it naturally.

The first work for fear of the sword only : the second

repeat the first verse of the penitential psalm li. in the Latin of the
Vulgate, beginning Miserere mei, Deus : whilst, farther to diminish the
inclination of culprits to get their case transferred to the ecclesiastical
courts, the lay judges thought fit to allow any accused person, first to
take his chance of an acquittal before them, and then, if convicted,
still to claim what became styled bene/it of clergy, in mitigation of
punishment ; so as to suffer nothing more than having a mark burnt
into his thumb, when, by the letter of the law, his sentence would
have been death. Hence it was that the above mentioned verse
came to be known, in coarse jocularity, by the name of the neck-
verse ; the repetition of it being, not very unfrequently, the means of
saving a criminal's neck from the hangman's halter.

On the perjury connected with the transfer of criminals to the
ecclesiastical courts, and on the distinction of clergyable felonies
which sprung from the same source, the reader may consult Black-
stone, B. iv. ch. 28. Vol. iv. p. 3G3.]

182 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

[_for reward : the third work for love freely. They look on
the exceeding mercy, love, and kindness, which God hath
shewed them in Christ ; and therefore love again, and work
freety- Heaven they take of the free gift of God, through
\V.T. Christ's deservings ; and hope, without all manner doubting,
that God, according to his promise, will in this world also
defend them, and do all things for them, of his goodness, and
for Christ's sake, and not for any goodness that is in them.
They consent unto the law, that it is holy and just ; and that
all men ought to do whatsoever God commandeth, for no
A Christian other cause but because God commandeth it. And their
no more, but great sorrow is, because that there is no strength in their
W.T. members to do that which their heart lusteth to do, and is
athirst to do.

These of the last sort keep the law of their own accord,
and that in the heart; and have professed perpetual war
against the lusts and appetites of the flesh, till they be utterly
subdued : yet not through their own strength, but, knowing
and knowledging their weakness, cry ever for strength to
God, which hath promised assistance unto all that call upon
him. These follow God, and are led of his Spirit. The
other two are led of lusts and appetites.

Lusts, w. T.T* Lusts and appetites are divers and many, and that in one
/man ; yea, and one lust contrary to another, and the greatest
lust carrieth a man altogether away with him. We are also
changed from one lust to another : otherwise are we dis
posed, when we are children; otherwise when we are young
men ; and otherwise when we are old ; otherwise over even,
and otherwise in the morning : yea, sometimes altered six
Freewill, times in an hour. How fortuneth all this ? Because that I
the will of man followeth the wit, and is subject unto the wit ;
and as the wit erreth, so does the will ; and as the wit is in
captivity, so is the will ; neither is it possible that the will
should be free, where the wit is in bondage.

That thou mayest perceive and feel the thing in thine
heart, and not be a vain sophister, disputing about words
without perceiving; mark this. The root of all evil, the j
greatest damnation and most terrible wrath and vengeance \
of God that we are in, is natural blindness. We are all out
of the right way, every man his ways: one judgeth this
wovidiy wit. best, and another that to be best. Now is worldly wit no-

OF SUBJECTS TO RULERS.

183

Freedom.
W. T.

I

thing else but craft and subtlety, to obtain that which we
judge falsely to be best. As I err in my wit, so err I in The win is
my will. When I judge that to be evil which indeed is good, w!*T?n
then hate I that which is good. And when I suppose that
good which is evil indeed, then love I evil. As, if I be per
suaded, and borne in hand, that my most friend is mine
enemy, then hate I my best friend : and if I be brought in
belief that my most enemy is my friend, then love I my most
enemy. Now when we say, every man hath his free will, toj
do what him lusteth, I say, verily, that men do what they
lust. Notwithstanding, to follow lusts is not freedom, but
captivity and bondage. If God open any man's wits, to
make him feel in his heart that lusts and appetites arc damn
able, and give him power to hate and resist them ; then is he
free, even with the freedom wherewith Christ maketh free,
and hath power to do the will of God.

Thou mayest hereby perceive, that all that is done in thefAinssinthat
world before the Spirit of God come, and giveth us li^ht, is jpf the spirit

-1 . S ' (of God, and

damnable sin1 ; and the more glorious, the more damnable ;
so that that which the world counteth most glorious is more ^
damnable, in the sight of God, than that which the whore,
the thief, and the murderer do. With blind reasons of
worldly wisdom mayest thou change the minds of youth, and
make them give themselves to what thou wilt, either for fear,
for praise, or for profit ; and yet dost but change them from
one vice to another: as the persuasions of her friends made so do our
Lucrece chaste. Lucrece believed if she were a good house- "
wife and chaste, that she should be most glorious ; and that w- T-
all the world would give her honour, and praise her. She
sought her own glory in her chastity, and not God's. When
she had lost her chastity, then counted she herself most
abominable in the sight of all men ; and for very pain and
thought which she had, not that she had displeased God, but
that she had lost her honour, slew herself. Look how great
her pain and sorrow was for the loss of her chastity, so

[} Art. V. of alleged heresies and errors : * Whatsoever is done
before the Spirit of God cometh, and giveth us light, is damnable sin.
This is against moral virtues.' Foxe replies : ' What heresy Aristotle,
in his Ethics, can find by this article, I cannot tell. Sure I am, that
the word and Spirit of God, well considered, can find none; but rather
will pronounce the contrary to be a damnable heresy/]

in all their
works.

184

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

pfeahcher.
'

i cor. xiv.

our hypo-

crites are

blind, w.

gious look

SSSid

W>T<

great was her glory and rejoicing therein, and so much de
spised she them that were otherwise, and pitied them not :
which pride God more abhorreth than the whoredom of any
whore. Of like pride are all the moral virtues of Aristotle,
Plato, and Socrates, and all the doctrine of the philosophers,
the very gods of our school-men.

In like manner is it for the most part of our most holy
religions. For they of like imagination do things which
they of Bedlam may see that they are but madness. They
look on the miracles which God did by the saints, to move
the unbelieving unto the faith, and to confirm the truth of
^s promises in Christ, whereby all that believe are made
saints ; as thou seest in the last chapter of Mark. " They
preached," saith he, " every where, the Lord working with
them, and confirming their preaching with miracles that fol-
lowed." And in the fourth of the Acts the disciples prayed
that God would stretch forth his hands, to do miracles and
wonders in the name of Jesus. And Paul 1 Cor. xiv. saith,
that the miracle of speaking with divers tongues is but a sign
for unbelievers, and not for them that believe. These miracles
T. turn they to another purpose, saying in their blind hearts,
See what miracles God hath shewed for this saint ; he must
be verily great with God ! — and at once turn themselves from
God's word, and put their trust and confidence in the saint
and his merits ; and make an advocate, or rather a god of
the saint ; and of their blind imagination make a testament,
or bond, between the saint and them, the testament of
Christ's blood clean forgotten. They look on the saints'
garments and lives, or rather lies which men lie on the

& ....

sam^s> an(^ this-wiso imagine in their hearts, saying : The
saint for wearing such a garment, and for such deeds, is
become so glorious in heaven1. If I do likewise, so shall I
be also. They see not the faith and trust which the saints
had in Christ, neither the word of God which the saints
preached ; neither the intent of the saints, how that the
saints did such things to tame their bodies, and to be an en-

[l Art. VI. of heresies and errors charged against Tyndale : 'He
reproveth men that make holy saints their advocates to God; and
there he saith, that saints were not rewarded in heaven for their holy
works.' To this Foxe only replies, ' The words of Tyndale be these ;'
and transcribes as much of this paragraph as he thought necessary.]

OF SUBJECTS TO RULERS. 185

sample to the world, and to teach that such things are to be
despised which the world most wondereth at and magnifieth.
They see not also that some lands are so hot that a man can
neither drink wine nor eat flesh therein ; neither consider
they the complexion of the saints ; and a thousand like things
see they not. So when they have killed their bodies, and
brought them in that case that scarce with any restorative \S

they can recover their health again, yet had they lever2 die
than to eat flesh. Why ? for they think, I have now this
twenty, thirty, or forty years eaten no flesh ; and have ob
tained, I doubt not, by this time as high a room as the best
of them: should I now lose that? nay, I had lever2 die.
And as Lucretia had lever have been slain, if he had not
been too strong for her, than to have lost her glory, even so
had these. They ascribe heaven unto their imaginations and
mad inventions ; and receive it not of the liberality of God,
by the merits and deservings of Christ.

He now that is renewed in Christ, keepeth the law with
out any law written, or compulsion of any ruler or officer, rhe spiritual
save by the leading of the Spirit only. But the natural
man is enticed and moved to keep the law carnally, with
carnal reasons and worldly persuasions, as for glory, honour,
riches, and dignity. But the last remedy of all, when all
other fail, is fear. Beat one, and the rest will abstain forbear is the
fear: as Moses ever putteth in remembrance, saying, Kill, w1.™.™
stone, burn ; so shall thou put evil from thee, and all Israel
shall hear and fear, and shall no more do so. If fear help
not, then will God that they be taken out of this life.

Kings were ordained then, as I before said, and the
sword put in their hands, to take vengeance of evil-doers, Kings defend
that other might fear: and were not ordained to fight one thontyofthe

c pope; their

against another, or to rise against the emperor to defend theggjjgfjk
/false authority of the pope, that very antichrist. Bishops, w^art-
they only can minister the temporal sword ; their office, the Bishops mi-

" * . . , nister the

preaching of God's word, laid apart, which they will neither tkh'"fr's0Junty>
do, nor suffer any man to do, but slay with the temporal JJJSK'iw.i
sword, which they have gotten out of the hand of all princes, SSS^S&f
them that would. The preaching of God's word is hateful w> T'
and contrary unto them. Why ? For it is impossible to
preach Christ, except thou preach against antichrist ; that is
[2 Lever, rather.]

The natural
tan. W.T.

186 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

to say, them which with their false doctrine and violence of
sword enforce to quench the true doctrine of Christ. And
as thou canst heal no disease, except thou begin at the root ;
even so canst thou preach against no mischief, except thou

Kings do but hegin at the bishops. Kings, they are but shadows ; vain

poape'snpieae names and things idle, having nothing to do in the world,
but when our holy father needeth their help.

The juggling The pope, contrary unto all conscience and against all the;

w. xe.p01 doctrine of Christ, which saith, "My kingdom is not of this

John xviii. *

Bishops of world," (John xviii.) hath usurped the right of the emperor;

w™!17 and by policy of the bishops of Almany, and with corrupting
the electors, or choosers of the emperor with money, bringeth
to pass that such a one is ever chosen emperor that is not able
to make his party good with the pope. To stop the emperor
that he come not at Rome, he bringeth the French king up

Milan. W.T. to Milan ; and on the other side bringeth he the Venetians.

Bishops of If the Venetians come too nigh, the bishops of France must

w. T. bring in the French king. And the Socheners are called and
sent for to comq. and succour1. And for their labour he

A cap of giveth to some a rose; to another a cap of maintenance2.

Sic1". aw. T. One is called Most Christian King ; another, Defender of the

faith ', another, The eldest son of the most holy seat3. He

[! In the above brief sketch Tyndale has given an outline of the
history of recent wars in Italy, and of their connection with papal
intrigues, which the reader may see confirmed at length in Sismondi
Hist, des Republiques Italiennes, from the accession of Julius II. to
the pontificate, in 1503, to the date of Tyndale's compiling this treatise.
The word Socheners occurs again in the 'Practice of Prelates;' but
Scoloker's and Seres ed. of 1548 has Zwitzers in one place, where
Day's fol. has Sochenars; and Souchenars in another. In Sir Thos.
Eliot's Librarie, or Latin-Engl. Diet. (Ed. 1542) he observes, under
the word Caria : ' The people thereof were called Cares, which were
good men of war ; and therefore they were everywhere retained for
soudiours, as Suyzars, or Suychynars be now.']

[2 A golden rose which the pope blesses at mass on the first Sunday
in Lent, whilst 'Lsetare, Jerusalem' is chaunted. Henry VIII. had re
ceived such a rose from Julius II. in 1510, to induce him to attack
France. Rymer's Foadera, Vol. xm. p. 275. The pope's letter to
abp. Warham, directing him to present it at high mass, may also be
seen in Wilkins' Concil. Vol. in. p. 652. A cap of maintenance is
made of crimson velvet, faced with ermine, with two points at the
back, and is amongst the regalia carried at a coronation.]

[3 In 1521, pope Leo X. conferred the title of 'Defender of the

OF SUBJECTS TO RULERS. 187

sT

blaseth also the arms of other ; and putteth in the holy cross, Defender of
the crown of thorn, or the nails, and so forth. If the Frencfi^fJft£.OIws. T
king go too high, and creep up either to Bononia4 or JSTa- SfofuX
pies ; then must our English bishops bring in our king. The w! xf^'
craft of the bishops is to entitle one king with another's arms.ngw. T.
realm. He is called king of Denmark and of England ; he, Sh0FJf1L>ih
king of England and of France. Then, to blind the lords and ^heTfalse.
the commons, the king must challenge his right. Then must S,psf.the
the land be taxed and every man pay, and the treasure borne w< T*
out of the realm, and the land beggared. How many a thou
sand men's lives hath it cost ! And how many a hundred
thousand pounds hathj it carried out of the realm in our re
membrance ! Besides, how abominable an example of gather- o a cruel and
ing was there! such verily as never tyrant since the world abitexTmpie
began did, yea, such as was never before heard or thought
on, neither among Jews, Saracens, Turks, or heathen, since
God created the sun to shine ; that a beast should break up
into the temple of God, that is to say, into the heart and
consciences of men, and compel them to swear every man
what he was worth, to lend that should never be paid again.
How many thousands forsware themselves ! How many thou
sands set themselves above their ability, partly for fear lest
they should be forsworn, and partly to save their credence5 !

Faith' on Henry VIII. in a bull, in which ho says : Nos qui Petri,
quern Christus in coelum ascensurus vicarium suum in terris reliquit,
et cui curam gregis sui commisit, veri successores sumus, et in hac
sancta sede, qua omnes dignitates ac tituli emanant, sedemus — ma-
jestati tuse titulum hunc, viz. Fidei Defensorem, donare decrevimus,
prout to tali titulo per pnesentes insignimus ; mandantes omnibus
Christi fidelibus, ut majestatem tuam hoc titulo nominent, et, cum ad
earn scribent, post dictionem Regi adjungant, Fidei Defensori. Lord
Herbert's Henry VIII. p. 97, Lond. 1672. The title of ' Most Christian
king' had been given to the kings of France in 1469 ; but pope Julius
had offered, in 1511, to transfer it to Henry, as he had also given that
of 'Defender of the Faith' to James IV. of Scotland. The title of
'Eldest son of the holy see' was also given to the kings of France,
because Clovis, the first founder of the French monarchy, was also
the first independent monarch in western Europe who publicly adopted
the Christian faith with an orthodox creed.]

[4 Bologna.]

[5 In 1524 Henry VIII. was tempted to claim his alleged right to ]
be king of France, and cardinal Wolsey undertook to raise the
necessary funds. To effect this he went into the house of commons,

188

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

When the pope hath his purpose, then is peace made, no man
hwotteth how; and our most enemy is our most friend.

Now because the emperor is able to obtain his right,
French, English, Venetians and all must upon him. 0 great
The whore of whore of Babylon, how abuseth she the princes of the world!
how drunk hath she made them with her wine ! How shame
ful licences doth she give them, to use necromancy, to hold
whores, to divorce themselves, to break the faith and pro-
mises that one maketh with another ; that the confessors
shall deliver unto the king the confession of whom he will,
and dispenseth with them even of the very law of God ; which
Christ himself cannot do !

w. i.

Matt. xxvi.

Not Peter
cLIst auiso

Matt. in.

The kings sin

in giving ex-

th? wSatesd
them!eiwngT.

Against the Pope's False Power.

Matt. xxvi. CHRIST saith unto Peter, " Put up thy sword
into his sheath; for all that lay hand upon the sword shall
perish with the sword :" that is, whosoever without the com
mandment of the temporal officer, to whom God hath given the
sword, layeth hand on the sword to take vengeance, the same
deserveth death in the deed-doing. God did not put Peter
only under the temporal sword, but also Christ himself; as it
appearetli in the fourth chapter to the Galatians. And Christ
saith, Matt. iii. " Thus becometh it us to fulfil all righteousness,"
that is to say, all ordinances of God. If the head be then under
the temporal sword, how can the members be excepted ? If
Peter sinned in defending Christ against the temporal sword,
(whose authority and ministers the bishops then abused
against Christ, as ours do now,) who can excuse our prelates
of sin, which will obey no man, neither king nor emperor ?
Yea, who can excuse from sin either the kin^s that give,
ei^ner ^ne bishops that receive such exemptions, contrary to
God's ordinances and Christ's doctrine?

and urged upon it the duty of granting the king the sum of £800,000 ;
a sum about equivalent to twelve millions now, but far more difficult
to raise. The commons refused to grant so much, but Wolsey used
his legatine authority and his influence to oblige the clergy to give
a fourth of their goods ; and abp. Warham speaks in a private letter
of the trouble occasioned, by compelling persons to swear to the value
of their goods. Lord Herbert, pp. 134—6, 162—3. Hallam's Constit.
Hist, of Eng. ch. i. pp. 20—2. 4to. ed. of 1827.]

AGAINST THE POPE'S FALSE POWER. 189

And, Matt, xviith, both Christ and also Peter pay tribute; Matt. xviu
where the meaning of Christ's question unto Peter is, if princes
take tribute of strangers only and not of their children,
then verily ought I to be free, which am the Son of God,
whose servants and ministers they are, and of whom they
have their authority. Yet because they neither knew that,
neither Christ came to use that authority, but to be our
servant, and to bear our burden, and to obey all ordinances,
both in right and wrong, for our sakes, and to teach us ; there
fore said he to St Peter, " Pay for thee and me, lest we offend
them." Moreover, though that Christ and Peter, because they
were poor, might have escaped, yet would he not, for fear of
offending other and hurting their consciences. For he might
well have given occasion unto the tribute-gatherers to have
judged amiss both of him and his doctrine ; yea, and the Jews
might happily have been offended thereby, and have thought
that it had not been lawful for them to have paid tribute
unto heathen princes and idolaters, seeing that he, so great a
prophet, paid not. Yea, and what other thing causeth the
lay so little to regard their princes, as that they see them
both despised and disobeyed of the spiritualty ? But our
prelates, which care for none offending of consciences, and
less for God's ordinances, will pay nought. But when princes when the
must fight in our most holy father's quarrel, and against payethtn-r
Christ, then are they the first. There also is none so poor,
that then hath not somewhat to give.

Mark here, how past all shame our school-doctors arc,
(as Rochester is in his sermon against Martin Luther *,) which

[l This sermon was preached by Fisher, bishop of Rochester, upon
the occasion of publicly burning some of Luther's works. Two editions
of it were soon printed by W. de Worde ; and a Latin translation of it
by Pace, the king's secretary, has a letter prefixed to it by Nicholas
Wilson, bearing date Cantabrigise, Kal. Januar. 1521. There is a copy
of this translation in the Nuremberg edition of the bishop's works ;
where it is entitled ' Joh. Roffensis concio, habit a in celeberrimo nobi-
lium conventu Londini, eo die quo Martini Lutheri scripta publico
apparatu in igncm conjecta sunt.' The earliest edition of this sermon
in the Bodleian is entitled 'A sermon very notable, fruitful, and godly,
made at Paul's cross in London, A.D. 1521, within the octaves of the
ascension, by that famous and great clerk, John Fisher, Bishop of
Rochester, concerning the heresies of Martyn Luther, which he had
raised up against the church. Wherein it may appear how men sithens

190 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

f Matthew dispute that Peter, because he paid
T. tribute, is greater than the other apostles, and hath more
authority and power than they, and was head unto them all1 :
contrary unto so many clear texts, where Christ rebuketh
them, saying, That is a heathenish thing that one should
climb above another, or desire to be greater. To be great in
the kingdom of heaven is to be a servant ; and he that most
humbleth himself, and becometh a servant to other, (after the
ensample of Christ, I mean, and his apostles, and not of the
pope and his apostles, our cardinals and bishops,) the same is
greatest in that kingdom. If Peter in paying tribute became
greatest, how cometh it that they will pay none at all ? But
to pay tribute is a sign of subjection verily ; and the cause,
why Christ paid, was because he had a household, and for
the ' same cause paid Peter also : for he had a house, a ship
and nets, as thou readest in the gospel.

But let us go to Paul again. " Wherefore ye must needs

obey, not for fear of vengeance only, but also because of

They make conscience." That is, though thou be so naughty, as now

noconscience ° O J '

dofngy *W~T many Jears our P°Pe and prelates every where are, that thou

needest not to obey the temporal sword for fear of vengeance ;

yet must thou obey because of conscience. First, because of

thine own conscience. For though thou be able to resist, yet

shalt thou never have a good conscience, as long as God's

They care for word, law, and ordinance are against thce. Secondarily, for

wolf Soth for ^7 neighbour's conscience. For though through craft and

the jeep, violence thou mightest escape, and obtain liberty or privilege

The evii en- to be free from all manner duties: yet ouehtest thou neither

sample of the „ . .

spiritualty to sue or to seek for any such thing, neither yet admit or

causeth the . * ° ' •

[hluneya6™ acceP*) " ^ were proffered, lest thy freedom make thy weak

not bound to
obev "W T

that time have gone astray. Which sermon was written and put in
print by the author aforesaid ; and now newly imprinted again accord
ing to the original copy. Excusum Londini, in cedibus Roberti Caly,
Typographi, mense Novembris, anno 1554, Cum privilegio.']

[! 'Mark here that this tribute was head-money, paid for them that
were heads and governors of households. And Christ commanded this
to be paid for no more, but only for him and St Peter, and thereby
quitted all the residue. Join this fact of the gospel unto that figure
before, and what can be more evident to shew that Peter, under Christ,
was the head of all the household of Christ?' Bp Fisher's Sermon,
Verso of sign. B. n. ' Thereby quitted all the residue/ is rendered by
Richard Pace : Hoc modo liberabantur et reliqui.J

AGAINST THE POPE'S FALSE POWER. 191

brother to grudge and rebel, in that he seeth tlice go empty,
and he himself more laden, thy part also laid on his shoulders.
Seest thou not, if a man favour one son more than another, or
one servant more than another, how all the rest grudge ; and
how love, peace, and unity is broken? What christianly
love is in thee to thy neighbour-ward, when thou canst find
in thy heart to go up and down empty by him all day long,
and see him over-charged, yea, to fall under his burden, and
yet will not once set to thine hand to help him ? What good There is no

. .7 ,, ,, C Christian

conscience can there be among our spiritualty, to gather so lovemthem.
great treasure together, and with hypocrisy of their false
learning to rob almost every man of house and lands ; and yet
not therewith content, but with all craft and wiliness to pur
chase so great liberties, and exemptions from all manner
bearing with their brethren, seeking in Christ nothing but
lucre? I pass over with silence how they teach princes in wimtpur-
every land to lade new exactions and tyranny on their sub- Katter t"e
jects, more and more daily; neither for what purpose they do
it, say I. God, I trust, shall shortly disclose their juggling,
and bring their falsehood to light ; and lay a medicine to
them, to make their scabs break out. Nevertheless this I
say, that they have robbed all realms, not of God's word w> T'
only, but also of all wealth and prosperity ; and have driven
peace out of all lands, and withdrawn themselves from all
obedience to princes, and have separated themselves from the
lay-men, counting them viler than dogs ; and have set up
that great idol, the whore of Babylon, antichrist of Rome,
whom they call pope ; and have conspired against all common
wealths, and have made them a several kingdom, wherein it
is lawful, unpunished, to work all abomination. In every
parish have they spies, and in every great man's house, and
in every tavern and alehouse. And through confessions know confession,
they all secrets, so that no man may open his mouth to rebuke Prelates
whatsoever they do, but that he shall be shortly made a nK secrets,

T ,, . ,, and no man

heretic. In all councils is one of them ; yea, the most part theirs- w- T-
and chief rulers of the councils are of them : but of their
council is no man.

" Even for this cause pay ye tribute," that is to wit, for
conscience' sake to thy neighbour, and for the cause that fol
io weth : " For they are God's ministers, serving for the same
purpose." Because God will so have it, we must obey. Wo

192 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

do not look (if we have Christ's Spirit in us) what is good,
profitable, glorious and honourable for us ; neither on our own
will, but on God's will only. " Give to every man therefore
his duty ; tribute to whom tribute belongeth ; custom to whom
custom is due ; fear to whom fear belongeth ; honour to whom
honour pertaineth."

That thou mightest feel the working of the Spirit of God

in thee, and lest the beauty of the deed should deceive thee,

and make thee think that the law of God, which is spiritual,

were content and fulfilled with the outward and bodily deed,

Love fuim- it followeth : "Owe nothing to any man, but to love one

before God, another : for he that loveth another fulfilleth the law. For

and not the

decdarw T these commandments, Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou
shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false
witness, thou shalt not desire, and so forth, if there be any
other commandment, are all comprehended or contained in
this saying, Love thy neighbour : therefore is love the fulfil-
ling of the law." Here hast thou sufficient against ail the

w. T. sophisters, work-holy, and justifiers, in the world ; which so
magnify their deeds. ^The law is spiritual, and requireth the
heart ; and is never iulfilled with the deed, in the sight of

The deed fui- God. With the deed thou fulfillest the law before the world,

filleththelaw . . . '

weofridetwT anc* llvest thereby; that is, thou enjoy est this present life,
and avoidest the wrath and vengeance, the death and punish
ment, which the law threateneth to them that break it. But
before God thou keepest the law if thou love only. Now

Faith maketh what shall make us love ? Verily, that shall faith doj If

?0™e!nw.T. thou behold how much God loveth thee in Christ, ancTirom
what vengeance he hath delivered thee for his sake, and of
what kingdom he hath made thee heir ; then shalt thou see
cause enough to love thy very enemy without -respect of
reward, either in this life or in the life to come, but because
that God will so have it, and Christ hath deserved it : yet
thou shouldest feel in thine heart that all thy deeds to come
are abundantly recompensed already in Christ.

(Thou wilt say haply, If love fulfil the law, then it justi-
ficth. jf I say that that wherewith a man fulfilleth the law
declareth him justified ; but that which giveth him wherewith

justifying, to fulfil the law, justifieth him. By justifying, understand the
forgiveness of sins and the favour of God/ Now saith the text,

Eom.x. Rom. x. " The end of the law," or the cause wherefore the law

AGAINST THE POPE^S FALSE POWER. 193

•was made, "is Christ, to justify all that believe:" that is, The office or

I — . . i MI • 1 duty of the

[the law is given to utter sin, to kill the consciences, to damn law- w. T.
our deeds, to bring to repentance, and to drive unto Christ ;
in whom God hath promised his favour, and forgiveness of sin,
unto all that repent and consent to the law that it is good. If The believing
thou believe the promises, then doth God's truth justify thee, jjjjf^y
that is, forgiveth thee, and receiveth thee to favour, for Christ's
sakej In a surety whereof, and to certify thine heart, he Eph. i. iv.
sealeth thee with the Spirit. Eph. i. and iv. And (2 Cor. v.) 2 cor. v.
saith Paul, " Which gave us his Spirit in earnest." Now the
Spirit is given us through Christ. Read the viiith chapter of Rom. viii.
the epistle to the Romans, and Galat. iii. and 2 Cor. iii. &ever- J*1^.
theless the Spirit, and his fruits, wherewith the heart is The spirit
purified, as faith, hope, love, patience, long-suffering, and wardvirtSTw

, , . . , are known

obedience, could never be seen without outward experience, ^y the out-

. . ward deed.

-'For if thou were not brought sometime into cumbrance, w- T-
whence God only could deliver thee, thou shouldest never see
thy faith ; yea, except thou foughtest sometime against des
peration, hell, death, sin, and powers of this world, for thy
faith's sake, thou shouldest never know true faith from a
dreanj Except thy brother now and then offended thee, thou
couldest not know whether thy love were godly. For a Turk
is not angry, till he be hurt and offended. But if thou love
him that doth thee evil, then is thy love of1 God. {^Likewise
if thy rulers were alway kind, thou shouldest not know
whether thine obedience were pure or no ; but and if thou
canst patiently obey evil rulers in all thing that is not to tho
dishonour of God, and when thou hurtest not thy neighbours,
then art thou sure that God's Spirit worketh in thee, and
that thy faith is no dream, nor any false imaginationj

Therefore counselleth Paul, Rom. xii. "Recompense to no Rom.xii.
man evil. And on your part have peace with all men. Dearly
beloved, avenge not yourselves, but give room unto the wrath
of God : for it is written, Vengeance is mine, and I will re
ward, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thy enemy hunger, feed overcome
him ; if he thirst, give him drink : for in so doing, thou shalt withewei£
heap coals of fire on his head," that is, thou shalt kindle love
in him. " Be not overcome of evil ;" that is, let not another
man's wickedness make thee wicked also. "But overcome evil

[l Of, i. e. proceeding from.]
[TYNDALE.]

194 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

with good ;" that is, with softness, kindness, and all patience
^win him ; even as God with kindness won thee.

The jaw. The law was given in thunder, lightning, fire, smoke, and

the noise of a trumpet and terrible sight ; so that the people

Exod. xx. quaked for fear, and stood afar off, saying to Moses, " Speak
thou to us, and we will hear : let not the Lord speak unto
us, lest we die." No ear, if it be awaked and understandeth
the meaning, is able to abide the voice of the law, except the
promises of mercy be by. That thunder, except the rain of
mercy be joined with it, destroy eth all, and buildeth not.
The law is a witness against us, and testifieth that God
abhorreth the sins that are in us, and us for our sins'
sake.

The king. In like manner, when God gave the people of Israel a

king, it thundered and rained, that the people feared so sore,
i. that they cried to Samuel for to pray for them that they
should not die. As the law is a terrible thing, even so is
the king : for he is ordained to take vengeance, and hath
a sword in his hand, and not peacocks' feathers. Fear him,
therefore, and look on him as thou wouldest look on a sharp
sword that hanged over thy head by a hair.

Rulers are Heads and governors are ordained of God, and are eveiFI

God's gift.

w. T. the gift of God, whether they be good or bad. And whatso
ever is done to us by them, that doth God, be it good or bad.

why the If they be evil, why are they evil ? Verily, for our wicked-

evii. w. T. ness' sake are they evil ; because that when they were good,]
we would not receive that goodness of the hand of God, and
be thankful, submitting ourselves unto his laws and ordinances ;
but abused the goodness of God unto our sensual and beastly
lusts. Therefore doth God make his scourge of them, and
turn them to wild beasts, contrary to the nature of their
names and offices, even into lions, bears, foxes, and unclean
swine, to avenge himself of our unnatural and blind unkind-
ness, and of our rebellious disobedience.

PS. cvii. In the cviith psalm thou readest, " He destroyed the

rivers, and dried up the springs of water, and turned the
fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of the inha-
biters therein." When the children of Israel had forgotten!
God in Egypt, God moved the hearts of the Egyptians to
hate them, and to subdue them with craft and wiliness. Psal. i

195

civ. And Dcuteronomium iii. Moses rehearseth, saying, " God Psai. cy.
was angry with me for your sakes." So that the wrath of
God fell on Moses for the wickedness of the people. And 2 sam. xx
in the second chapter of the second book of Kings, God was
angry with the people, and moved David to number them ;
when Joab and the other lords wondered why he would have
them numbered; and, because they feared lest some evil
should follow, dissuaded the king ; yet it holp not. God so
hardened his heart in his purpose, to have an occasion to slay
the wicked people1.

Evil rulers then are a sign that God is angry and wroth Evii

o J a si<?n that

with us. Is it not a great wrath and vengeance, that the £?tch';;sangry
father and mother should hate their children, even their flesh w- T-
and their blood ? or that an husband should be unkind unto
his wife, or a master unto the servant that waiteth on his
profit ? or that lords and kings should be tyrants unto their
subjects and tenants, which pay them tribute, toll, custom,
and rent, labouring and toiling to find them in honour, and
to maintain them in their estate ? Is not this a fearful judg
ment of God, and a cruel wrath, that the very prelates and
shepherds of our souls, which were wont to feed Christ's flock
with Christ's doctrine, and to walk before them in living
thereafter, and to give their lives for them, to their ensample
and edifying, and to strengthen their weak faiths, are now
so sore changed, that if they smell that one of their flock
(as they now call them, and no longer Christ's) do but once
long or desire for the true knowledge of Christ, they will
slay him, burning him with fire most cruelly ? What is the why thc^
cause of this ; and that they also teach false doctrine, con- ^o w,j,cked-
firming it with lies ? Verily, it is the hand of God, to avenge ,
the wickedness of them that have no love nor lust unto the
truth of God, when it is preached, but rejoice in unrighteous
ness. As thou mayest see in the second epistle of Paul to
the Thessalonians, where he speaketh of the coming of anti
christ : " Whose coming shall be," saith he, " by the working 2 xhess. a.
of Satan, with all miracles, signs and wonders, which are but
lies, and in all deceivable unrighteousness among them that

t1 Art. VII. Of heresies and errors charged against Tyndale : ' God
moved the hearts of the Egyptians to hate the people ; likewise ho
moved kings/ Foxe makes no reply to this charge ; but gives his
reader Tyndale's words.]

13—2

196 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

perish, because they received not any love to the truth to
The cause of have been saved. Therefore shall God send them strong de-
ciesis, that lusion, to believe lies." Mark how God, to avenge his truth,
tiie sendeth to the unthankful false doctrine and false miracles,

to confirm them, and to harden their hearts in the false way,
that afterward it shall not be possible for them to admit the
vii. truth: as thou seest in Exod. vii. and viii., how God suffered

viii.

false miracles to be shewed in the sight of Pharaoh, to harden
his heart, that he should not believe the truth ; inasmuch as
his sorcerers turned their rods into serpents, and turned water
into blood, and made frogs by their enchantment : so thought
he that Moses did all his miracles by the same craft, and not
by the power of God, and abode therefore in unbelief, and
perished in resisting God.
The right way Let us receive all things of God. whether it be good or

to come oft' . °

bondage. bad : let us humble ourselves under his mighty hand, and
submit ourselves unto his nurture and chastising, and not
withdraw ourselves from his correction. Read Hebr. xii. for
thy comfort ; and let us not take the staff by the end, or seek
to avenge ourselves on his rod, which is the evil rulers. The
child, as long as he seeketh to avenge himself upon the rod,
hath an evil heart; for he thinketh not that the correction
is right, or that he hath deserved it, neither repenteth, but
rejoiceth in his wickedness : and so long shall he never be
without a rod : yea, so long shall the rod be made sharper
and sharper. If he knowledge his fault and take the cor
rection meekly, and even kiss the rod, and amend himself
with the learning and nurture of his father and mother, then
is the rod taken away and burnt.

Evil rulers So, if we resist evil rulers, seeking to set ourselves at

ought not to o

huerty, we shall, no doubt, bring ourselves into more evil
bondage, and wrap ourselves in much more misery and
wretchedness. For if the heads overcome, then lay they
more weight on their backs, and make their yoke sorer, and
tie them shorter. If they overcome their evil rulers, then
make they way for a more cruel nation, or for some tyrant
of their own nation, which hath no right unto the crown. If
we submit ourselves unto the chastising of God, and meekly
knowledge our sins for which we are scourged, and kiss the
rod, and amend our living ; then will God take the rod away,
that is, he will give the rulers a better heart. Or if they

merciful, and

AGAINST THE POPE'S FALSE POWER. 197

continue their malice and persecute you for well-doing, and
because ye put your trust in God, then will God deliver you
out of their tyranny for his truth's sake. It is the same God is always
God now that was in the old time, and delivered the fathers

.

and the prophets, the apostles, and other holy saints. And JJJJJJJ
whatsoever he sware to them he hath sworn to us. And as
he delivered them out of all temptation, cumbrance, and
adversity, because they consented and submitted themselves
unto his will, and trusted in his goodness and truth ; even so
will he do to us, if we do likewise.

Whensoever the children of Israel fell from the way
which God commanded them to walk in, he gave them up
under one tyrant or another. As soon as they came to the
knowledge of themselves, and repented, crying for mercy,
and leaning unto the truth of his promises, he sent one to
deliver them, as the histories of the bible make mention.

A Christian man, in respect of God, is but a passive thing ; A Christian
a thing that suifereth only, and doth nought; as the sick, in but suffer
respect of the surgeon or physician, doth but suffer only.
The surgeon lanceth and cutteth out the dead flesh, searcheth
the wounds, thrtisteth in tents, seareth, burneth, seweth or
stitcheth, and layeth to caustics, to draw out the corruption ;
and, last of all, layeth to healing plaisters, and maketh it
whole. The physician likewise giveth purgations and drinks
to drive out the disease, and then with restoratives bringeth
health. Now if the sick resist the razor, the searching iron,
and so forth, doth he not resist his own health, and is cause
of his own death? So likewise is it of us, if we resist evil Eviirui?«
rulers, which are the rod and scourge wherewith God chas- somemedi-
tiseth us ; the instruments wherewith God searcheth our c"
wounds ; and bitter drinks to drive out the sin and to make
it appear, and caustics to draw out by the roots the core of
the pocks of the soul that fretteth inward. A Christian man, Acimstian
therefore, receiveth all things of the hand of God, both good eth. w. T.
and bad, both sweet and sour, both wealth and woe. If any
person do me good, whether it be father, mother, and so forth,
that receive I of God, and to God give thanks : for he gave
wherewith, and gave a commandment, and moved his heart
so to do. Adversity also receive I of the hand of God, as a
wholesome medicine, though it be somewhat bitter. Tempta- HOW pr
tion and adversity do both kill sin, and also utter it. For

198 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

though a Christian man knoweth every thing how to live, yet j
is the flesh so weak, that he can never take up his cross him
self, to kill and mortify the flesh : he must have another to lay
it on his back. In many also sin lieth hid within, and festereth
and rotteth inward, and is not seen ; so that they think how
they are good and perfect, and keep the law : as the young
Matt. xix. marij j\jatt. xix. said, he had observed all of a child ; and yet
lied falsely in his heart, as the text following well declareth.
When all is at peace, and no man troubleth us, we think
that we are patient and love our neighbours as ourselves ;
but let our neighbour hurt us in word or deed, and then find
we it otherwise. Then fume we, and rage, and set up the
bristles, and bend ourselves to take vengeance. If we loved
with godly love, for Christ's kindness' sake, we should desire
no vengeance ; but pity him, and desire God to forgive and
amend him, knowing well that\no flesh can do otherwise than
sin, except that God preserve him?7 Thou wilt say, What)
good doth such persecution and tyranny unto the righteous ?
First, it maketh them feel the working of God's Spirit in
The greatest them, and that their faith is unfeigned. Secondarily, I say that]
righteous in no man is so great a sinner, if he repent and believe, but that

Christ and . . ' .

J5JSJJJJJ he is righteous in Christ and in the promises : yet if thou

hoeikJt!sna l°°k on the flesh, and unto the law, there is no man so per-

iawn|ndnthee feet that is not found a sinner ; nor any man so pure that

T> hath not somewhat to be yet purged. This shall suffice at

this time as concerning obedience.

Because that God excludeth no degree from his mercy ;
but whosoever repenteth, and believeth his promises, (of what
soever degree he be of,) the same shall be partaker of his
grace ; therefore, as I have described the obedience of them
that are under power and rule, even so will I, with God's
help, (as my duty is,) declare how the rulers, which God shall
vouchsafe to call unto the knowledge of the truth, ought to
rule.

bringing up
of children.
W. T.

OFFICE OF A FATHER. 199

The Office of a Father, and how he should
rule.

" FATHERS, move not your children unto wrath, but bring Rigour in
them up in the nurture and information of the Lord." Eph.vi. SSStheir
and Coloss. iii. " Fathers, rate not your children, lest they be of bees chewed.
desperate mind;" that is, lest you discourage them. For where cof'm1"
the fathers and mothers are wayward, hasty and churlish, ever
brawling and chiding, there are the children anon discouraged
and heartless, and apt for nothing ; neither can they do any
thing aright. " Bring them up in the nurture and informa
tion of the Lord." Teach them to know Christ, and set The right
God's ordinance before them, saying, 'Son, or daughter, God °,
hath created thee and made thee, through us thy father and
mother; and at his commandment have we so long thus kindly
brought thee up, and kept thee from all perils : he hath com
manded thee also to obey us, saying, Child, obey thy father
and mother. If thou meekly obey, so shalt thou grow both
in the favour of God and man, and knowledge of our Lord
Christ. If thou wilt not obey us at his commandment, then
are we charged to correct thee ; yea, and if thou repent not,
and amend thyself, God shall slay thee by his officers, OP
punish thee everlastingly.' Nurture them not worldly, and
with worldly wisdom, saying, 'Thou shalt come to honour, marring Of

T • -i • i i children.

dignity, promotion, and riches ; thou shalt be better than w- T-
such and such ; thou shalt have three or four benefices, and
be a great doctor or a bishop, and have so many men waiting
on thee, and do nothing but hawk and hunt, and live at
pleasure ; thou shalt not need to sweat, to labour, or to take
any pain for thy living,' and so forth ; filling them full of
pride, disdain, and ambition, and corrupting their minds with
worldly persuasions. Let the fathers and mothers mark how
they themselves were disposed at all ages ; and by experience
of their own infirmities help their children, and keep them
from occasions. Let them teach their children to ask mar- The marriage
riages of their fathers and mothers. And let their ciders ^ttoluSn.
provide marriages for them in season ; teaching them also to parents iseun-
know, that she is not his wife whom the son taketh, nor he Ant.Ued.
her husband which the daughter taketh, without the consent
and good-will of their elders, or them that have authority

200 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

over them1. If their friends will not marry them, then are
they not to blame if they marry themselves. Let not the
fathers and mothers always take the utmost of their authority
of their children ; but at a time suffer with them, and bear
their weaknesses, as Christ doth ours. Seek Christ in your
in chnst we children, in your wives, servants, and subjects. Father,

are all serv- • ^

thS'hSh he m°ther, son' daughter, master, servant, king, and subject, be
Sound86 names in the worldly regiment. In Christ we are all one
thing ; none better than another, all brethren ; and all must
seek Christ, and our brother's profit in Christ. And he that
hath the knowledge, whether he be the lord or king, is
bound to submit himself, and serve his brethren, and to give
himself for them, to win them to Christ.

The Office of a Husband, and how he ought
to rule.

Eph. v. "HUSBANDS, love your wives as Christ loved the congre

gation, and gave himself for it, to sanctify it and cleanse it.
Men ought to love their wives as their own bodies. For this
cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall continue
with his wife, and shall be made both one flesh. See that
every one of you love his wife even as his own body." All
coi. in. this saith Paul, Eph. v. And Col. iii. he saith, " Husbands,
love your wives, and be not bitter unto them." And Peter,
MenVu'ht *n ^ie *"rc^ cnapter of his first epistle, saith, "Men, dwell
wivelebyeir w^k your wives according to knowledge," (that is, according
Orod^ vvord- to the doctrine of Christ,) " giving reverence unto the wife, as
unto the weaker vessel," (that is, help her to bear her
infirmities ;) " and as unto them that are heirs also of the
grace of life, that your prayers be not let." In many things

° *

is stronger

hwWT ^OC^ kath made the men stronger than the women ; not to
rage upon them, and to be tyrants unto them, but to help
them, but2 to bear their weakness. Be courteous therefore

[l It is to the above passage that Foxc attributes Art. II. of the
list of heresies and errors charged against Tyndale. But see n. p.
170.]

[2 So Day's ed. In H. L.'s ed. it is, to help them to bear.]

OFFICE OF HUSBANDS AND MASTERS. 201

unto them, and win them unto Christ, and overcome them
with kindness, that of love they may obey the ordinance that
God hath made between man and wife.

The Office of a Master, and how he ought
to rule.

PAUL (Eph. vith) saith : "Ye masters, do even the same Eph.vi.
things to them," (that is, be masters after the ensample and
doctrine of Christ, as he before taught the servants to obey
to their masters as to Christ,) " putting away threatenings,"
that is, give them fair words, and exhort them kindly to do
their duty ; yea, nurture them as thy own sons with the
Lord's nurture, that they may see in Christ a cause why
they ought lovingly to obey : and " remember (saith he) that
your master also is in heaven ; neither is there any respect
of persons with him ;" that is, he is indifferent and not
partial : as great in his sight is a servant as a master. And
in the ivth chapter to the Colossians saith he : " Ye masters, coi. iv.
do unto your servants that which is just and equal, remem
bering that ye also have a master in heaven." Give your
servants kind words, food, raiment, and learning. Be not Ter.ch thy
bitter unto them, rail not on them, give them no cruel coun- know Christ
tenance : but according to the ensample and doctrine of Christ's doc-

o trine deal

Christ, deal with them. And when they labour sore, cherish ^thxhim'
them again. When ye correct them, let God's word be by ; DO an things
and do it with such good manner, that they may sec how word. wfi.
that ye do it to amend them only, and to bring them to the
way which God biddeth us walk in, and not to avenge your
selves, or to wreak your malice on them. If at a time
through hastiness ye exceed measure in punishing, recompense
it another way, and pardon them another time.

The Duty of Landlords.

LET Christian" landlords be content with their rent andtandiords
old customs; not raising the rent or fines, and bringing: up no0rent?nor

, . . O i bring up new

new customs to oppress their tenants ; neither letting two or customs.

o Ant. ed.

202 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

three tenantries unto one man. Let them not take in their

commons, neither make parks nor pastures of whole parishes :

God gave the for God gave the earth to man to inhabit ; and not unto

earth to men. -i M i i T» o i

W.T. /sheep and wild deer. Be as fathers unto your tenants : yea,
be unto them as Christ was unto us, and shew unto them all
love and kindness. Whatsoever business is among them, be
not partial, favouring one more than another. The complaints,
quarrels, and strife that are among them, count diseases of
sick people ; and, as a merciful physician, heal them with
wisdom and good counsel. Be pitiful and tender-hearted unto
them, and let not one of thy tenants tear out another's
throat; but judge their causes indifferently, and compel them
to make their ditches, hedges, gates, and ways. For even
for such causes were ye made landlords ; and for such
causes paid men rent at the beginning. For if such an
order were not, one should slay another, and all should go to
Landlords waste. If thy tenant shall labour and toil all the year, to
st1a°nuddthelth" pay thee thy rent, and when he hath bestowed all his labour,
tenams0 ie his neighbours' cattle shall devour his fruits ; how tedious and
bitter should his life be ! See therefore that ye do your
duties again ; and suffer no man to do them wrong, save the
king only. If he do wrong, then must they abide God's
judgment.

The Duty of Kings, and of the Judges and
Officers.

LET kings, if they had lever be Christian in deed than
so to be called, give themselves altogether to the wealth of
their realms after the ensample of Christ ; remembering that
the people are God's, and not theirs ; yea, are Christ's in-
lientance and possession, bought with his blood. The most
person afore despised person in his realm is the king's brother, and fellow-
Am, ed. member with him, and equal with him in the kingdom of God
and of Christ. Let him therefore not think himself too good
to do them service ; neither seek any other thing in them,
than a father seeketh in his children, yea, than Christ sought
in us. Though that the king, in the temporal regiment, be
in the room of God, and representeth God himself, and is

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES. 203

without all comparison better1 than his subjects; yet let him

put off that, and become a brother, doing and leaving undone

all things in respect of the commonwealth, that all men may

see that he seeketh nothing but the profit of his subjects.

When a cause that requireth execution is brought before him,

then only let him take the person of God on him. Then let

him know no creature, but hear all indifferently ; whether it

be a stranger or one of his own realm, and the small as well

as the great ; and judge righteously, " for the judgment is Deut. i.

the Lord's." In time of judgment he is no minister in the

kingdom of Christ; he preacheth no gospel, but the sharp

law of vengeance. Let him take the holy judges of the old

Testament for an ensample, and namely Moses, which inj Moses- w- T-

executing the law was merciless ; otherwise more than a)

mother unto them, never avenging his own wrongs, but

suffering all things ; bearing every man's weakness, teaching,

warning, exhorting, and ever caring for them, and so ten

derly loved them, that he desired God either to forgive them,

or to damn him with them.

Let the judges also privately, when they have put off the Judges. W.T.
person of a judge, exhort with good counsel, and warn the
people, and help that they come not at God's judgment : but
the causes that are brought to them, when they sit in God's
stead, let them judge, and condemn the trespasser under
lawful witnesses ; and not break up into the consciences of
men, after the example of antichrist's disciples, and compel
them either to forswear themselves by the almighty God and
by the holy gospel of his merciful promises, or to testify
against themselves : which abomination our prelates learned
of Caiphas, Matt, xxvi, saying to Christ, " I adjure or charge Matt. xxvi.
thee in the name of the living God, that thou tell us whether Jgf1^0*
thou be Christ, the Son of God." Let that which is secret to w!1!?8'
God only, whereof no proof can be made, nor lawful witness penramS1unto
brought, abide unto the coming of the Lord, which shall open island open
all secrets. If any malice break forth, that let them judge kine- w- T*
only. For further authority hath God not given them.

Moses (Deut. xvii.) warneth iudees to keep them upright, Deut. xvii.

Till i j. • xi i i ' , Partiality in

and. to look on no mans person; that is, that they prcter not judges is

A tyranny to
?ompelaman
o accuse
limself.
W. T.

"

the high before the low, the great before the small, the rich Anted".
[! Better is used here for superior, as in the Catechism.]

204 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

before poor ; his acquaintance, friend, kinsman, countryman, or
one of his own nation, before a stranger, a friend or an alien,
yea, or one of their own faith before an infidel ; but that they
look on the cause only, to judge indifferently. For the room
that they are in, and the law that they execute, are God's ;
which, as he hath made all, and is God of all, and all are his
sons, even so is he judge over all, and will have all judged
by his law indifferently, and to have the right of his law, and
will avenge the wrong done unto the Turk or Saracen. For
though they be not under the everlasting testament of God
in Christ, as few of us which are called Christian be, and even
no more than to whom God hath sent his promises, and
poured his Spirit into their hearts to believe them, and
through faith graven lust in their hearts to fulfil the law of
love ; yet are they under the testament of the law natural,
which is the law of every land made for the common wealth
there, and for peace and unity, that one may live by another :
in which laws the infidels, if they keep them, have promises
of worldly things. Whosoever, therefore, hindereth a very
infidel from the right of that law, sinneth against God, and of
(him will God be avenged. Moreover, Moses warneth them
Partiality that they receive no gifts, rewards or bribes. For those two

andbiibe- . %

testntnceoef P0111*8' favouring of one person more than another, and
Anfed receiving rewards, pervert all right and equity ; and is the
only pestilence of all judges.

And the kings warneth he, that they have not too many

wives, lest their hearts turn away ; and that they read alway

in the law of God, to learn to fear him, lest their hearts be

women, lift up above their brethren. Which two points, women and

pride, and .-,,.,.. ,, , . i • i

contempt of pride, the despising of their subjects, which are in very deed

subjects, are f ' L J <• « •

^e pestilence their own brethren, are the common pestilence of all princes.

Anted. Read the stories, and see.

The sheriffs, baily-errants, constables, and such like
officers, may let no man that hurteth his neighbour scape,
but that they bring them before the judges ; except they in
the mean time agree with their neighbours, and make them
amends.

Let kings defend their subjects from the wrongs of other
nations, but pick no quarrels for every trifle : no, let not our

vain names, most holy father make them no more so drunk with vain
names, with caps of maintenance, and like baubles, as it were

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES. 205

puppetry for children, to beggar their realms, and to murder
their people, for defending of our holy father's tyranny. If
a lawful peace, that standeth with God's word, be made
between prince and prince, and the name of God taken to
record, and the body of our Saviour broken between them, The holy ra-
upon the bond which they have made; that peace, or bond, p^ea£[Jce
can our holy father not dispense with, neither loose it with
all the keys he hath : no, verily, Christ cannot break it : for
he came not to break the law, but to fulfil it.

If any man have broken the law, or a good ordinance,
and repent and come to the right way again, then hath Christ
power to forgive him : but licence to break the law can he
not give; much more his disciples and vicars, as they call
themselves, cannot do it. The keys, whereof they so greatly what the

, . . . 7 , keys are, and

boast themselves, are no carnal things, but spiritual ; and *h^JJ are

nothing else save knowledge of the law, and of the promises w- T-
or gospel. If any man, for lack of spiritual feeling, desire
authority of men, let him read the old doctors. If any man
desire authority of scripture, Christ saith, Luke xi. "Woe be to Lukexi.
you lawyers, for ye have taken away the key of knowledge :
ye enter not in yourselves, and them that come in ye forbid :"
that is, they had blinded the scripture (whose knowledge,
as it were a key, letteth into God) with glosses and traditions.
Likewise findest thou Matt, xxiii. As Peter answered in the Matt. xxin.
name of all, so Christ promised him the keys in the person of Thekeysare
all. (Matt, xvi.) And in the xxth of John he paid them, say- j£tJ-XTl
ing, "Receive the Holy Ghost : whosoever's sins ye remit, they The keys are
are remitted " or forgiven ; " and whosoever's sins ye retain, John Xx. '
they are retained " or holden. "With preaching the promises loose- w- T-
loose they as many as repent and believe. And for that
John saith, "Receive the Holy Ghost." Luke, in his last Luke xxiv.
chapter, saith, " Then opened he their wits, that they might
understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is
written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise
again the third day; and that repentance and remission of Repentance
sins should be preached in his name among all nations." At ness come by

!_• J? i • preaching.

preaching ot the law repent men ; and at the preaching of w- T-
the promises do they believe, and are saved. Peter in the Peterprae-
second of the Acts practised his keys ; and by preaching the key? w. T.
law brought the people into the knowledge of themselves,
and bound their consciences, so that " they were pricked in

206 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

their hearts, and said unto Peter and to the other apostles,
What shall we do ?" Then brought they forth the key of the
sweet promises, saying, " Repent, and be baptized every one
of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins,
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the
promise was made to you, and to your children, and to all
that are afar, even as many as the Lord shall call." Of like
ensamples is the Acts full, and Peter's epistles, and Paul's
The pope's Tepistles, and all the scripture ; neither hath our holy father

authority is 1 r f . /

codeword any °^ner authority of Christ, or by the reason of his prede-

oniy. w. T. cessor, Peter, than to preach God's word. As Christ com-

pareth the understanding of scripture to a key, so compareth

he it to a net, and unto leaven, and unto many other things

for certain properties. I marvel, therefore, that they boast

not themselves of their net and leaven, as well as of their

keys ; for they are all one thing. But as Christ biddeth us

Beware of the beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, so beware of their

ami of the' counterfeited keys, and of their false net ; which are their

keusoef our traditions and ceremonies, their hypocrisy and false doctrine,

hJy/ather. wlierewith they catch, not souls unto Christ, but authority and

^riches unto themselves.

Let Christian kings therefore keep their faith and truth,

Not wjt^an and all lawful promises and bonds, not one with another only,

w.S?* i^ut even w^k ^e Turk or whatsoever infidel it be. For so

it is right before God ; as the scriptures and ensamples of

unlawful the bible testify. Whosoever voweth an unlawful vow, pro-
vows, or . »

611 misetn an unlawful promise, sweareth an unlawful oath, sinneth
against God, and ought therefore to break.it. He needeth
not sue to Rome for a licence ; for he hath God's word, and
not a licence only, but also a commandment to break it.
They therefore that are sworn to be true to cardinals and
bishops, that is to say, false unto God, the king, and the
realm, may break their oaths lawfully, without grudge of
conscience, by the authority of God's word. In making them
they sinned ; but in repenting and breaking them they please
God highly, and receive forgiveness in Christ.

Let kings take their duty of their subjects, and that that
is necessary to the defence of the realm. Let them rule their
realms themselves, with the help of lay-men that are sage,
wise, learned, and expert. Is it not a shame above all shames,
and a monstrous thing, that no man should be found able to

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES. 207

govern a worldly kingdom, save bishops and prelates ; thatt Bishops.
have forsaken the world, and are taken out of the world, andj
appointed to preach the kingdom of God ? Christ saith that! John xvui.
his " kingdom is not of this world." John xviii. And, Luke Luke xii.
xii. unto the youn^ man, that desired him to bid his brother Behold the

face of the

to give him part of the inheritance, he answered, " Who made gjf^jjj °sf
me a judge or a divider among you ?" " No man that layeth w tj;sslass-
his hand to the plough, and looketh back, is apt for the king- Luke ix>
dom of heaven." Luke ix. " No man can serve two masters, Matt. vi.
but he must despise the one." Matt. vi.

To preach God's word is too much for half a man : and *
to minister a temporal kingdom is too much for half a man I
also. Either other requireth an whole man. One therefore!
cannot well do both. He that avengeth himself on every
trifle is not meet to preach the patience of Christ, how that
a man ought to forgive and to suffer all things. He that is
overwhelmed with all manner riches, and doth but seek more
daily, is not meet to preach poverty. He that will obey no
man is not meet to preach how we ought to obey all men.
Peter saith, Acts vi. " It is not meet that we should leave Acts vi.
the word of God, and serve at the tables." Paul saith in
the ixth chapter of the first Corinth. " Woe is me if I preach l Cor- «•
not." A terrible saying, verily, for popes, cardinals, and
bishops ! If he had said, ' Woe be unto me if I fight not
and move princes unto war, or if I increase not St Peter's Peter's patri-

, ., 11 •, •, i i i • mony. W.T.

patrimony/ as they call it, it had been a more easy saying
for them.

Christ forbiddeth his disciples and that oft, (as thou The pope's

,, • ... _ * Ti/r i • authority is

mayest see Matt. xvm. and. also xx. Mark ix. and also x. improved.
Luke ix. and also xxii. even at his last supper) not only to ^xatt- xviii-
climb above lords, kings, and emperors in worldly rule, but Luke i
also to exalt themselves one above another in the kingdom
of God : but in vain ; for the pope would not hear it, though
he had commanded it ten thousand times. God's word should
rule only ; and not bishops' decrees, or the pope's pleasure.
That ought they to preach purely and spiritually, and to °™nxdecrccs-
fashion their lives after, and with all ensample of godly
living and long suffering to draw all to Christ ; and not to
expound the scriptures carnally and worldly, saying, ' God
spake this to Peter, and I am his successor, therefore this
authority is mine only ;' and then bring in the tyranny of

Bishops have
captived
God's word
with their

208 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

their fleshly wisdom, In prcesentia majoris cessat potestas
minor is ; that is, in the presence of the greater the less hath
no power. There is no brotherhood where such philosophy
is taught.

Such philosophy, and so to abuse the scriptures, and to
mock with God's word, is after the manner of the bishop of

Rochester. Rochester's divinity. For he, in his ' Sermon of the condem
nation of Martin Luther,' proveth by a shadow of the old
Testament, that is, by Moses and Aaron, that Satan and anti
christ, our most holy father the pope, is Christ's vicar and
head of Christ's congregation1.

Moses, saith he, signifieth Christ ; and Aaron the pope.
And yet the epistle unto the Hebrews proveth, that the high
priest of the old law signifieth Christ ; and his offering and
his going in once in the year into the inner temple signify
the offering wherewith Christ offered himself, and Christ's
going in unto the Father, to be an everlasting mediator or
intercessor for us. Nevertheless, Rochester proveth the con
trary by a shadow ; by a shadow, verily : for in shadows

They walk in they walk without all shame, and the light will they not come

shadows. » *

w- T- at, but enforce to stop and quench it with all craft and false
hood, lest their abominable juggling should be seen. If any
man look in the light of the new Testament, he shall clearly
see that that shadow may not be so understood.

Understand therefore, that one thing in the scripture
representeth divers things. A serpent figureth Christ in one
place, and the devil in another; and a lion doth likewise.
Christ by leaven signifieth God's word in one place ; and in
another signifieth thereby the traditions of the Pharisees,
which soured and altered God's word for their advantage.

[! ' In their governance was two heads appointed, one under an
other, Moyses and Aaron, to conduct the people through the desert
unto the country that was promised unto them. We wot that the
people of the Jews was a shadow of the Christian people, and that
their journey by the desert toward the country promised unto them
was a shadow of our journey through this wretched wyorld unto the
country of heaven. But Moyses and Aaron which were the heads of
that people, whereof then be they shadow ? Without doubt they
must be the shadow of Christ and of his vicar, St Peter, which under
Christ was also the head of Christian people/ Fisher's Sermon, verso
of sign. A. 7.]

,

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES. 209

Now Moses verily in the said place representeth Christ ; Av*rrontJ*e

and Aaron, which was not yet high priest, represented not ^acher.

Peter only or his successor, as my lord of Rochester would

have it, (for Peter was too little to bear Christ's message unto

all the world,) but signifieth every disciple of Christ, and every

true preacher of God's word. For Moses put in Aaron's Exod- iv- vii-

mouth what he should say ; and Aaron was Moses's prophet,

and spake not his own message, as the pope and bishops do,

but that which Moses had received of God and delivered

unto him. Exod. iv. and also vii. So ought every preacher

to preach God's word purely, and neither to add nor minish.

A true messenger must do his message truly ; and say neither

more nor less than he is commanded. Aaron, when he is Aaron repre-

high priest, and offereth and purgeth the people of their christ- w- T-

worldly sin which they had fallen in, in touching uncleanly

things, and in eating meats forbidden, (as we sin in handling

the chalice and the altar stone, and are purged with the

bishop's blessing,) representeth Christ, which purgeth us from

all sin in the sight of God : as the epistle unto the Hebrews

maketh mention. When Moses was gone up into the mount,

and Aaron left behind, and made the golden calf, there Aaron

representeth all false preachers, and namely our most holy

father the pope ; which in like manner maketh us believe in

a bull, as the bishop of Rochester full well allegeth the place

in his sermon2.

If the pope be signified by Aaron, and Christ by Moses,
why is not the pope as well content with Christ's law and
doctrine, as Aaron was with Moses' ? What is the cause Aaron add-

eth nothing

that our bishops preach the pope, and not Christ ; seeing the
apostles preached not Peter, but Christ ? Paul saith of himself

[2 ' The third likeness is this : Moyses ascended unto the mount to
speak with Almighty God, and Aaron remained behind to instruct the
people. Did not Christ likewise ascend unto his Father, unto the
great mount of heaven ? and to what intent, I pray you ? St Paul
telleth : Ut appareat vultui Dei pro nobis : To appear before the face
of Almighty God for us, and there to be our advocate, as saith St John
And did not Peter remain behind to teach the people, the which our
Saviour committed unto his charge, like as Aaron was left for to do
the people of. the Jews, when Moses was alone in the mount with God ?
Thus every man may see how that shadow, and this thing, agreeth
and answereth one to another, fully and clearly/ Fisher's Sermon,
Verso of sign. B. i.]

14

[TYNDALE.J

210 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

. and his fellow apostles, 2 Cor. iv. ""We preach not ourselves,
preached not but Christ Jesus the Lord, and preach ourselves your servants

Peter, but i *

Christ. W.T. for jesus' sake :" and, " Let no man rejoice in men, for all

1 cor. in. things are yours, whether it be Paul, or A polios, or Peter ;

whether it be the world, or life, or death ; whether they be
present things, or things to come ; all are yours, and ye are
Christ's, and Christ is God's." He leaveth out, Ye are Peter's,
or ye are the pope's. And in the chapter following he saith,
icor.iv. "Let men thuswise esteem us, even the ministers of Christ,"
&c. And (2 Cor. xi.) Paul was jealous over his Corinthians, be
cause they fell from Christ, to whom he had married them, and
did cleave unto the authority of men ; for even then false
prophets sought authority in the name of the high apostles :

2 cor. XL "I am (saith he) jealous over you with godly jealousy:

for I coupled you to one man, to make you a chaste virgin to
Christ ; but I fear lest, as the serpent deceived Eve through
his subtlety, even so your wits should be corrupt from the
singleness that is in Christ." And it folio weth : " If he that
cometh to you preached another Jesus, or if ye receive
another Spirit or another gospel, then might ye well have
been content :" that is, ye might have well suffered him to
have authority above me : " but I suppose," saith he, " that
I was not behind the high apostles ;" meaning in preaching
Jesus and his gospel, and in ministering the Spirit. And in
the said xith chapter he proveth, by the doctrine of Christ,
Paul is great- that he is greater than the high apostles : for Christ saith,
high apostles, to be great in the kingdom of God is to do service and to
take pain for other : upon which rule Paul disputeth, say
ing, " If they be the ministers of Christ, I am more ; in
labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prison

eat- niore plenteously, in death oft," and so forth. If Paul
w. T" r' preached Christ more than Peter, and suffered more for his
congregation, then is he greater than Peter, by the testimony
Paul proveth of Christ1. And in the xiith he saith, "In nothing was I
"nMhin inferior unto the high apostles : though I be nothing, yet the
thebuhorisg: tokens °f an apostle were wrought among you with all
patience, with signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds." So
Proved he his authority, and not with a bull from Peter,

C1 Art. VIII. of heresies and errors charged against Tyndale:
' Paul was of higher authority th.in Peter/ On which Foxe makes
no remark ; but merely gives hi? readers Tyndale's words.]

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES. 211

sealed with cold lead, either with shadows of the old Testa
ment falsely expounded.

Moreover the apostles were sent immediately of Christ ; The apostles
and of Christ received they their authority, as Paul boastcth Christ with

«/ m " like autho-

himself every where. " Christ," saith he, "sent me to preach rity- w- T-
the gospel." 1 Cor. i. And, "I received of the Lord that which i cor. t.
I delivered unto you." 1 Cor. xi. And Gal. i., " I certify you, icor.xi.
brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me was not
after the manner of men, (that is to wit, carnal or fleshly,) nei
ther received I it of man, neither was it taught me, but I
received it by the revelation of Jesus Christ." And Gal. ii. Gai. n.
" He that was mighty in Peter in the apostleship over the
circumcision, was mighty in me among the gentiles." And 1 i Tim. i.
Tim. i. readest thou likewise. And (John xx.) Christ sent them
forth indifferently, and gave them like power : "As my Father
sent me," saith he, " so send I you ;" that is, to preach and
to suffer, as I have done ; and not to conquer empires and king
doms, and to subdue all temporal power under you with dis
guised hypocrisy. He gave them the Holy Ghost, to bind and
loose indifferently, as thou seest ; and afterward he sent forth
Paul with like authority, as thou seest in the Acts. And in the
last of Matthew saith he : " All power is given me in heaven Matt. xxvm.
and in earth ; go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost ; teaching them to observe whatsoever I commanded

you." Jhe authority that Christ gave them was to preach jjyet

not what they would imagine, but what he had commanded, Christ gave

• ° was to preach

" Lo," saith he, " I am with you always, even unto the end of chmt-sword.
the world." He said not, I go my way, and lo, here is Peter
in my stead ; but sent them every man to a sundry country,
whithersoever the Spirit carried them, and went with them
himself. And as he wrought with Peter where he went, so
wrought he with the other where they went ; as Paul boasteth
of himself unto the Galatians. Seeing now that we have
Christ's doctrine, and Christ's holy promises, and seeing that
Christ is ever present with us his own self; how cometh it
that Christ may not reign immediately over us, as well as the
pope which cometh never at us ? Seeing also that the office
of an apostle is to preach only, how can the pope challenge
with right any authority, where he preacheth not ? How
cometh it also that Rochester will not let us be called one

14 — 2

212 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

congregation by the reason of one God, one Christ, one
Spirit, one gospel, one faith, one hope, and one baptism, as
well as because of one pope?1

If any natural beast with his worldly wisdom strive, that
one is greater than another, because that in congregations one
is sent of another, as we see in the Acts ; I answer that Peter
sent no man, but was sent himself; and John was sent, and
Paul, Silas, and Barnabas were sent. Howbeit such manner
sendings are not worldly, as princes send ambassadors ; no,
nor as friars send their limiters to gather their brotherhoods2 ;
which must obey, whether they will or will not. Here all thing
is free and willingly. And the Holy Ghost bringeth them
together ; which inaketh their wills free, and ready to bestow
themselves upon their neighbour's profit. And they that
come offer themselves, and all that they have, or can do, to
serve the Lord and their brethren. And every man, as he
is found apt and meet to serve his neighbour, so is he sent or
put in office. And of the Holy Ghost are they sent, with the
consent of their brethren, and with their own consent also :
and God's word ruleth in that congregation ; unto which
word every man conformeth his will : and Christ, which is
why bishops always present, is the head. But as our bishops hear not

make them a / , L . r,

God on earth. Christ s voice, so see they him not present, and therefore

make them a God on the earth, of the kind, I suppose,

Aaron made of Aaron's calf i for he bringeth forth no other fruit but

a calf; and
thepope bullS.
inaketh bulls.

Forasmuch also as Christ is as great as Peter, why is not his
seat as great as Peter's ? Had the head of the empire been
at Jerusalem, there had been no mention made of Peter. It

[l 'Nevertheless the Church of Christ is but one, Una, sancta,
catholica et apostolica. This church is one, having one head, the
pope, which is the vicar of Christ, of whom it is called una' Bishop
Fisher's Sermon, Verso of sign. F. in.]

[2 Limiters were friars sent out of their convent to collect alms,
each within his assigned bound ; and to induce persons to purchase a
partnership, or brotherhood, in the merits of the conventual services.
A grant of such a brotherhood, under the seal of the prior of a Do
minican monastery, was expressed as follows : Fratres prsedicatores
Warwice admittunt Thomam Cannings, et uxorem ejus Agnetem,
ad participationem omnium bonorum operum conventus ejusdem.
4 Non. Oct. A.D. 1347. Stevens, Suppl. to Dugdale, Vol. n. App.
p. 370. Russell.]

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES, 213

is verily, as Paul saith in the xith chapter of the second epistle 2 cor. xi.
to the Corinthians, "The false apostles are deceitful workers, nation hath
and fashion themselves like unto the apostles of Christ :" that out ot his

room, and all

is, the shaven nation preach Christ falsely ; yea, under the SJempSw.
name of Christ preach themselves, and reign in Christ's w r>
stead : have also taken away the key of knowledge, and
wrapped the people in ignorance, and have taught them to
believe in themselves, in their traditions and false ceremonies;
so that Christ is but a vain name. And after they had put Christ is but
Christ out of his room, they gat themselves to the emperor wYr! "'
and kings, and so long ministered their business till they proper mi-
have also put them out of their rooms, and have got their w. T?'
authorities from them, and reign also in their stead ; so that
the emperor and kings are but vain names and shadows, as
Christ is, having nothing to do in the world. Thus reign
they, in the stead of God and man, and have all power under
them, and do what they list.

Let us see another point of our great clerk : a little after Rochester is
the beginning of his sermon, intending to prove that which is Ignorantand

3 ~ m malicious.

clearer than the sun, and serveth no more for his purpose w- T-
than Ite missa est serveth to prove that our lady was born
without original sin ; he allegeth a saying that Martin Luther
saith, which is this : " If we affirm that any one epistle of
Paul or any one place of his epistles pertaineth not unto
the universal church, (that is, to all the congregation of them
that believe in Christ,) we take away all St Paul's authority."
Whereupon saith Rochester : "If it be thus of the words of
Sfc Paul, much rather it is true of the gospels of Christ and
of every place of them3." O malicious blindness ! First, note
his blindness. He understandcth by this word gospel no
more but the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John ; and thinketh not that the Acts of apostles, and the The epistics
epistles of Peter, of Paul, and of John, and of other like, are tiu? gospel.
also the gospel. Paul calleth his preaching the gospel : Rom. iiom. u.
ii. and 1 Cor. iv. and Gal. i. and 1 Tim. i. The gospel is iror.iv.
every where one, though it be preached of divers, and signi- i Tim. i.
fieth glad tidings : that is to wit, an open preaching of Christ, what gospel
and the holy testament and gracious promises that God hath w. T.
made in Christ's blood to all that repent and believe. Now

[3 Pace's translation of Fisher's Sermon, col. 2. In the Vol. col.
1576.]

214 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

i is there more gospel in one epistle of Paul, that is to say,
I Christ is more clearly preached and more promises rehearsed
in one epistle of Paul, than in the three first evangelists,
] Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

Consider also his maliciousness ; how wickedly and how

craftily he taketh away the authority of Paul ! ' It is much

rather true of the gospels, and of every place in them, than

one gospel, Of Paul.' If that which the four evangelists wrote be truer

one Spirit,

one truth, than that which Paul wrote, then is it not one gospel that they

preached, neither one Spirit that taught them. If it be one

Theautho- gospel and one Spirit, how is one truer than the other? Paul

rity of Paul *

and of his proveth his authority to the Galatians and to the Corinthians,
because that he received his gospel by revelation of Christ,
and not of man ; and because that when he communed with
Peter and the high apostles of his gospel and preaching, they
could improve nothing, neither teach him any thing ; and
because also that as many were converted, and as great
miracles shewed by his preaching as at the preaching of the
high apostles; and therefore will be of no less authority than
Peter and other high apostles, nor have his gospel of less
reputation than theirs.

Rochester Finally : that thou mayest know Rochester for ever, and

playethbo- ... . * .,.,,.

PeeP. w. T. all the remnant by him, what they are within the skin, mark
how he playeth bo-peep with the scripture. He allegeth the
Hcb. x. beginning of the tenth chapter to the Hebrews, Umbram
habens lex futurorum bonorum, "the law hath but a shadow
of things to come ;" and immediately expoundeth the figure
clean contrary unto the chapter following, and to all the
whole epistle ; making Aaron a figure of the pope, whom the
epistle maketh a figure of Christ.

iTim.iv. He allegeth half a text of Paul, 1 Tim. iv. "In the latter

days some shall depart from the faith, giving heed unto spirits
of error and devilish doctrine." But it followeth in the text :
"Giving attendance, or heed, unto the devilish doctrine of them
which speak false through hypocrisy, and have their con
sciences marked with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and
commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created
f£bfcuon ^° be received with giving thanks." Which two things who
therpoPeave evcr did, save the pope, Rochester's god ? making sin in the
creatures, which God hath created for man's use, to be re-
Rom, xiv. ceived with thanks. " The kingdom of heaven is not meat

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES, 215

and drink," saith Paul, " but righteousness, peace, and joy in
the Holy Ghost. For whosoever in these things serveth
Christ, pleaseth God, and is allowed of men." Had Roches
ter, therefore, not a conscience marked with the hot iron of
malice, so that he cannot consent unto the will of God and
glory of Christ, he would not so have alleged the text; which
is contrary to none save themselves.

He allegeth another text of Paul, in the second chapter
of his second epistle to the Thessalonians, Erit discessio pri- 2 ihess. «.
mum : that is, saith Rochester, before the coming of antichrist
there shall be a notable departing from the faith1. And Paul
saith, " The Lord cometh not, except there come a departing
first.'1 Paul's meaning is, that the last day cometh not so
shortly, but that antichrist shall come first and destroy the
faith, and sit in the temple of God, and make all men worship
him, and believe in him (as the pope doth) ; and then shall
God's word come to light again, (as it doth at this time,) and
destroy him, and utter his juggling, and then cometh Christ
unto judgment. What say ye of this crafty conveyer ?
Would he spare, suppose ye, to allege and to wrest other
doctors pestilently, which feareth not for to juggle with the
holy scripture of God, expounding that unto antichrist which
Paul speaketh of Christ ? No, be ye sure. But even after
this manner-wise pervert they the whole scripture and all
doctors ; wresting them unto their abominable purpose, clean
contrary to the meaning of the text, and to the circumstances
that go before and after. Which devilish falsehood, lest the The cause

\vhv thev

laymen should perceive, is the very cause why that they will %™*°£e
not suffer the scripture to be had in the English tongue ;
neither any work to be made that should bring the people to w% T>
knowledge of the truth.

He allegeth, for the pope's authority, St Cyprian2, St

[! Pace's Fisher, col. 12.]

[2 'In the remarks prefixed to the opinions delivered by the bishops
at the council of Carthage, on the subject of heretical baptism, Cyprian
asserts the perfect equality of all bishops, and uses the following
remarkable expressions : Neque enim quisquam nostrum episcopum
se episcoporum constituit, aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi ne-
cessitatem collegas suos adigit. That this remark is aimed at some
bishop, who had called himself Episcopus episcoporum, cannot, wo
think, be doubted.' Eccles. Hist, of the 2nd and 3rd centuries illus
trated from Tertullian, by Bishop Kayo, 2nd ed. ch. iv. p. 239. The

216 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Augustine1, Ambrose2, Jerome3, and Origen4; of which never
one knew of any authority that one bishop should have above
another. And St Gregory allegeth he, which would receive
no such authority above his brethren, when it was proffered

o"oryatcorsef 'hi11*5- As the manner is to call Tully chief of orators for
w. T.

words which immediately follow this quotation are, * Quando habeat
omnis episcopus pro licentia libertatis et potestatis suse arbitrium
proprium ; tamque judicari ab alio non possit, quam nee ipse potest
judicare.' Cyprian, Op. ed. Fell. Tr. p. 229. He also writes concern
ing Stephen the contemporary pope of Rome: ' Quia desiderasti in
notitiam tuam perferri quse mihi ad literas nostras Stephanus frater
noster rescripserit, misi tibi rescript! ejus exemplum ; quo lecto magis
ac magis ejus errorem denotabis, qui hsereticorum causam contra
Christianos et contra ecclesiam Dei asserere conatur. Nam inter
cetera vel superba, vel ad rem non pertinentia, vel sibi ipsi contraria,
qua? imperite atque improvide scripsit, etiam illud adjunxit quod
diceret, &c." Ep. 74.]

[J In his treatise against Julian, Augustine tells that Pelagian that
he ought to have paid more respect to the opinion of Innocent I. : but
even when wishing to press this upon him, he does not claim for that
pope supreme authority, nor any infallibility of judgment ; but asks,
' Quid enim potuit ille vir sanctus Africanis respondere conciliis, nisi
quod antiquitus apostolica sedes et Romana cum ceteris tenet per-
severanter ecclesia? — Sancto Innocentio vide quid respondeas, qui
nihil aliud de hac re sapit, quam quod isti in quorum te conventum,
si tamen prodest aliquid, introduxi : cum his etiam ipse considet, etsi
posterior tempore, prior loco/ August. Op. Benedict, ed. Paris. 1679,
&c. Tom. x. col. 503-4, G. A.]

[2 * Inter Petrum et Paulum quis cui prseponatur incertum est.'
Ambros. Op. Paris. Tom. v. col. 142. De Fest. Petri et Paul. But
this sermon is now reckoned amongst the works falsely ascribed to
that Latin father. It is however indisputable that, like Cyprian,
Ambrose addresses pope Syricius, his contemporary, as a brother. Ad
Syric. Ep. xlii. 2. Op. Ambr. Par. 1684—90. Tom. n. col. 966.]

[3 Jerome says, in his epistle to Evagrius : * Si auctoritas queeritur,
orbis major est urbe. Ubicunque fuerit episcopus, sive Romse, sive
Eugubii, sive Constantinopoli, sive Rhegii, etc. ejusdem meriti est,
ejusdem est et sacerdotii. Ceterum omncs apostolorum successores
sunt.'J

[4 It will be seen in the note on the next reference to Origen, that
his interpretation of the text, 'Thou art Peter, &c/ would entirely cut
away the foundation of the papal claim to supremacy.]

[5 In an epistle to Eulogius, patriarch of Alexandria, this pope
Gregory has said, Vestra beatitudo mihi sic loquitur. . . Sicut jussistis:
quod verbum jussionis, peto, a meo auditu removete ; quia scio qui
Bum et qui estis : loco — mihi fratrcs estis, moribus patrcs. — Ecce in

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES. 217

his singular eloquence, and Aristotle chief of philosophers, and
Virgil chief of poets, for their singular learning, and not for
any authority that they had over other ; so was it the man
ner to call Peter chief of the apostles for his singular activity
and boldness, and not that he should be lord over his bre
thren, contrary to his own doctrine. Yet compare that chief;'
apostle unto Paul, and he is found a great way inferior. This
I say not that I would that any man should make a god of
Paul, contrary unto his own learning. Notwithstanding yet
this manner of speaking is left unto us of our elders ; that
when we say the apostle saith so, we understand Paul, for
his excellency above other apostles. I would he would tellj
you how Jerome6, Augustine7, Bede8, Origen9, and other

prsefationc epistolse, quam ad me ipsum, qui prohibui, direxistis, su-
perbse appellationis verbum, universalem me papam dicentes, impri-
mere curastis. Quod peto dulcissima mihi sanctitas vestra ultra non
faciat ; quia vobis subtrahitur, quod altcri plusquam ratio exigit prce-
betur. Gregorii Papce I. Op. Paris. 1705. Lib. vm. Indict. 1. ad
Eulog. Episc. Ep. xxx. col. 919.]

[6 Quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram sedificabo ecclesiam
meam. Sicut ipse lumen apostolis donavit, ut lumen mundi appel-
larentur, cetera ex Domino sortiti sunt vocabula ; ita ct Simoni, qui
credebat in petram Christum, Petri largitus est nomen. Ac secundum
metaphoram petrce recto dicitur ei, ^dificabo ecclesiam meam super
te ; et dabo tibi claves regni coalorum, etc. Istum locum episcopi et
presbyteri non intelligentes aliquid sibi de Pharisecorum assumunt
supercilio, ut vel damnent innocentes, vel solvere se noxios arbitren-
tur ; quum apud Deum non sententia sacerdotum, sed rcorum vita
quseratur. Legimus in Levitico de leprosis, ubi jubentur ut ostendant
so sacerdotibus, et si lepram habuerint, tune a sacerdote immundi
fiant; non quo sacerdotes leprosos faciant et immundos, sed quo
habeant notitiam leprosi et non leprosi, et possint discernere qui
mundus quive immundus sit. Quomodo ergo ibi leprosum sacerdos
mundum vel immundum facit ; sic ct hie alligat vel solvit episcopus et
presbyter, non eos qui insontes sunt vel noxii ; sed pro officio suo,
quum peccatorum audierit varietates, scit qui ligandus sit, quive
solvendus. S. Hieron. Comment. Lib. in. in Matt. cap. xvi. Bene
dict. Edit. 1706. Tom. iv. Par. I. p. 74.]

[? Augustine in serm. cclxx. in die Pentecostes, expounds the
text as follows : Ego dico tibi, Tu es Petrus : Quia ego petra, tu
Petrus ; neque enim a Petro petra, sed a petra Petrus ; quia non a
Christiano Christus, sed a Christo Christianus. Et super hanc petram
rcdificabo ecclesiam meam ; non super petram quod tu es, sed supra
petram quam confessus es. Tom. v. col. 1097, C. And of the keys,

218 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

doctors, expound this text, " Upon this rock I will build my
congregation :" and how they interpret the keys also. There
to, Pasce, pasce, pasce, which Rochester leaveth without any
English, signifieth not poll, sheer, and shave. Upon which
text behold the faithful exposition of Bede.

2i>ecgefhtepaui Note also how craftily he would enfeoff the apostles of
SremoSSf Christ with10 their wicked traditions and false ceremonies,
Sv&c0' which they themselves have feigned ; alleging Paul, 2 Thess.

trine. W. T.
2 Thess. ii.

in his treatise on St John's gospel, ch. xix. he says : Solus Petrus
respondit, Tu es Christus Films Dei vivi : et ei dicitur, Tibi dabo claves
regni coelorum, tanquam ligandi et solvendi solus acceperit potestatem ;
cum et illud unus pro omnibus dixerit, et hoc cum omnibus tanquam
personam gerens ipsius unitatis acceperit ; ideo unus pro omnibus,
quia unitas est in omnibus. Tom. in. pars 2. col. 800, G. And upon
Pasce, when he comes to ch. xxi. v. 15 — 17, he says : Redditur
negation! trinse trina confessio, ne minus amori lingua serviat quam
timori. Quid est aliud, * Diligis me?' 'Pasce oves meas,' quam si
diceretur, 'Si me diligis, non te pascere cogita ; sed oves meas sicut
meas pasce, non sicut tuas ; gloriam meam in eis qusere, non tuam.'
col. 817, § 5.]

[8 The following is Bede's exposition of the text : Metaphorice ei
dicitur, super hanc petram, id est, Salvatorem quern confessus es,
sedificatur ecclesia, qui fideli confessori sui nominis participium do-
navit. And of the keys he says: Id est, discernendi scientiam poten-
tiamque, qua dignos clebeas in regnum recipcre, et indignos secludere.
And on, Et quodcunque ligaveris, etc. he says : Hsec potestas sine du-
bio cunctis datur Apostolis, quibus ab eo post resurrectioncm dicitur
generaliter, Accipite Spiritum sanctum. Nee non episcopis et pres-
byteris, et omni ecclesise idem officium committitur. Beda, in Matt.
Evang. c. xvi. On Pasce oves ineas, Bede has transcribed Augustine's
words, as given in the previous note.]

[9 Ei 5e (pijcravTes Kal Turns' as 6 Ilerpos, 2u ef 6 XpiOTos1 6 vlos
TOV Qeov £WVTOS (ou^ cos crapKos Kal mparos TJ/JUV airoKaXv^favTOtv, aXXa
(pa>Tos ijjJi&v rrj KapSt'a eXXap,\|/>ai>ros' aV6 TOV cv ovpavois Harpcs), yivo-
fj.eda Ilerpos1, Kal T^/JUV av Xe'yoiro dno TOV \6yov TO 2v et XleVpoy, K. T.
f£fjs. Herpa yap Tra? 6 XpiO"Tov padr/Tys, d(p' ov CTTIVOV ol €K TTVCV-
rjs dK.o\ov6ovo~r)s Uerpas1, KOL eVi Traaav TTJV TOiavTrjv HcTpav OLKO-
6 €KK\r]o'iao'TLKbs Tras Xoyos, Kal i] KCIT avTov TroXtreta. Orig. Op.
ed. Wirceburgh, Tom. xvi. p. 516. S. Patr. Grsec. Op. Omnia, 1785.
TlapcovviJiOi yap Trerpas TravTes ol pip^rat XplOToC, TTJS 7rvevp.aTiKJJs ciKoXov-
6oi><H)S Ilerpas rots1 cra>£ofjifvois, Iva e£ avTijs irivoxri TO Trveu/iarticof Trco/za.
He afterwards explains the keys, &c., after his own peculiar way, to
be the virtues opening heaven to themselves, when not overcome by
the gates of hell. ibid. p. 518.]

[10 Enfeoff with, is equivalent to ' make them owners of.']

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES. 219

ii. I answer, that Paul taught by mouth such things as ho
wrote in his epistles. And his traditions were the gospel of
Christ, and honest manners and living, and such a good order
as becometh the doctrine of Christ : as that a woman obey
her husband, have her head covered, keep silence, and go
womanly and christianly apparelled; that children and serv
ants be in subjection : and that the young obey their elders ;
that no man eat but he that laboureth and worketh ; and
that men make an earnest thing of God's word and of his
holy sacraments ; and to watch, fast, and pray, and such like
as the scripture commandeth : which things he that would
break were no Christian man. But we may well complain it is not iav/-

J A ' ful for us to

and cry to God for help, that it is not lawful, for the pope's
tyranny, to teach the people what prayer is, what fasting is,
and wherefore it serveth. There were also certain customs Sh? "W'T.
alway, which were not commanded in pain of hell, or ever
lasting damnation ; as to watch all night, and to kiss one
another : which as soon as the people abused, then they
brake them. For which cause the bishops might break
many things now in like manner. Paul also, in many things
which God had made free, gave pure and faithful counsel;
without tangling of any man^s conscience, and without all
manner commanding under pain of cursing, pain of excom-
munication, pain of heresy, pain of burning, pain of deadly
sin, pain of hell, and pain of damnation. As thou mayest see, w- T-
1 Cor. vii., where he counselleth the unmarried, the widows, l Cor- vii-
and virgins, that it is good so to abide, if they have the gift
of chastity : not to win heaven thereby ; (for neither circum
cision neither uncircumcision is any thing at all, but the
keeping of the commandments is altogether ;) but that they
might be without trouble, and might also the better wait on
God's word, and freelier serve their brethren : and saith,
as a faithful servant, that he had none authority of the if Paul had

" none autho-

Lord to give them any commandment. But, that the apostles ^uSSf
gave us any blind ceremonies, whereof we should not know thenrthhead
the reason, that I deny, and also defy, as a thing clean KthoStJ ?
contrary unto the learning of Paul everywhere.

For Paul commandeth that no man once speak in the
church, that is, in the congregation, but in a tongue that all
men understand, except that there be an interpreter by11. He Rochester is

improved.

[n This sentence and the preceding are quoted by Sir T. More to w- T-

220 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

commandeth to labour for knowledge, understanding, and
feeling ; and to beware of superstition, and persuasions of
worldly wisdom, philosophy, and of hypocrisy and ceremo
nies, and of all manner disguising, and to walk in the plain
EPh-v- and open truth. "Ye were once darkness," saith he, "but
now are ye light in the Lord ; walk therefore as the children of
light." Eph. v. How doth Paul also wish them increase of grace
in every epistle! How crieth he to God to augment their
knowledge ; that they should be no more children, wavering
with every wind of doctrine ; but would vouchsafe to make
them full men in Christ, and in the understanding of the
mysteries or secrets of Christ, so that it should not be
possible for any man to deceive them with any enticing
reasons of worldly wisdom, or to beguile them with blind
ceremonies, or to lead them out of the way with superstitious-
Wherefore ness of disguised hypocrisy ! Unto which full knowledge are
ordCJnedre ^e spiritual officers ordained to bring them. Eph. iv. So
EphTiv. far ^s it away that Christ's apostles should give them tra
ditions of blind ceremonies, without signification, or of which
no man should know the reason ; as Rochester, which loveth
shadows and darkeness, lieth on them : God stop his blas
phemous mouth !

Consider also, how studiously Rochester allegeth Origen,

tics for his both for his pope, and also to stablish his blind ceremonies

cs for his

rpose, for . .

Icripufre withal l i which Origen of all heretics is condemned to be
w< T> the greatest. 'He is an ancient doctor,' saith he ; yea, 'and to
whom in this point great faith is to be given.' Yea, verily,
Ari^otle and Plato, and even very Robin Hood, is to be be-
^eved in such a point, that so greatly maintaineth our holy
father's authority, and all his disguisings.

Last of all : as once a crafty thief, when he was espied
and followed, cried unto the people, Stop the thief! Stop

refute them, in p. 272 of his Confutation of Tyndale's Answer ; but
he only answers the remark, upon Paul's requiring the use of a lan
guage understood by the people, with, 'And what then?']

[l 'Here ye may see by express scripture of S. Paul, that we be
bound to believe many more things than be written and put in the
bible. We shall confirm this by Origen, which is an ancient doctor,
and to whom in this point great faith is to be given. He in the book
of Numbers, Homilia V. saith, Sed in ecclesiasticis observationibus,
&c. Bishop Fisher's Sermon, Sign. D. 6.]

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES, 221

the thief! and as many, to begin withal, cast first in another
man's teeth that which he feareth should be laid to his own
charge ; even so Rochester layeth to Martin Luther's charge
the slaying and murdering of Christian men, because they
will not believe in his doctrine : which thing Rochester and
his brethren have not ceased to do now these certain hundred
years, with such malice, that, when they be dead, they rage,
burning their bodies ; of which some they themselves, of like
lihood, killed before secretly. And because that all the world
knoweth that Martin Luther slayeth no man, but killeth only
with the spiritual sword, the word of God, such cankered
consciences as Rochester hath ; neither persecutcth, but suffer-
eth persecution ; yet Rochester, with a goodly argument,
provcth that he would do it if he could ! And mark, I pray Rochester is
you, what an orator he is, and how vehemently he persuadeth W.°T. °
it ! Martin Luther hath burned the pope's decretals ; a ma
nifest sign, saith he, that he would have burned the pope's
holiness also, if he had had him2! A like argument, which I
suppose to be rather true, I make : Rochester and his holy
brethren have burnt Christ's testament ; an evident sign,
verily, that they would have burnt Christ himself also, if
they had had him !

I had almost, verily, left out the chiefest point of all. Rochester is
Rochester, both abominable and shameless, yea, and stark himself.
mad with pure malice, and so adased3 in the brains with spite,
that he cannot overcome the truth that he seeth not, or
rather careth not what he saith ; in the end of his first de
struction, I would say instruction, as he calleth it, intending
to prove that we are justified through holy works, allegeth
half a text of Paul, of the fifth to the Galatians, (as his oai. v.
manner is to juggle and convey craftily,) Fides per dilectio-
nem operans. Which text he thiswise Englisheth : " Faith,
which is wrought by love;" and maketh a verb passive of

[2 ' And what, suppose ye, Martin Luther and his adherents would
do, if they had the pope's holiness and his favourers, whom he calleth
so often in derision papistas, papastros, and papenses, in his danger ?
I fear me, that he would use no more courtesy with them than he hath
done with their books, that is to say with the Decretals, which he hath
burnt. And so likewise, I fear me, that he would burn them, or any
other Christian man, that he thought might let his opinions to go
forward.' Bp. Fisher's Sermon, Sign. F. 6.]

[3 Adase, dase, or daze: to dazzle, confound.]

222

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

the rest? Let
Rochester be
an example,
therefore, to
judge them
all. W. T.

Faith is the
root ; and
love spring-
eth of faith.
W. T.
1 Joh. iii.

John i.

Gal.

] John iii.

1 John iv.

Rom. viii.

Though
Rochester
have not the
Spirit to judge
spiritual
things, yet
ought reason
to have kept
him from so
shameful

verb deponent1. Rochester will have love to go before, and
faith to spring out of love. Thus antichrist turneth the roots
of the tree upward. I must first love a bitter medicine,
(after Rochester's doctrine,) and then believe that it is whole
some : when, by natural reason, I first hate a bitter
medicine, until I be brought in belief of the physician that
it is wholesome, and that the bitterness shall heal me; and
then afterward love it, of that belief. Doth the child lovo '
the father first, and then believe that he is his son or heir ?
or rather, because he knoweth that he is his son or heir and
beloved, therefore loveth again ? John saith, in the third of
his first epistle, " See what love the Father hath shewed
upon us, that we should be called his sons." Because we are
sons, therefore love we. Now, by faith we are sons, as John
saith in the first chapter of his gospel : "He gave them
power to be the sons of God, in that they believed on his
name." And Paul saith, in the third chapter of his epistle
to the Galatians, " We are all the sons of God by the faith
which is in Jesus Christ." And John, in the said chapter of
his epistle, saith, " Hereby perceive we love, that he gave
his life for us." We could see no love, nor cause to love I
again, except that we believed that he died for us, and that I
we were saved through his death. And in the chapter fol
lowing saith John, " Herein is love ; not that we loved God,
but that he loved us, and sent his Son to make agreement for
our sins." So2 God sent not his Son for any love that we
had to him ; but of the love that he had to us sent he his
Son, that we might so2 love, and love again. Paul likewise,
in the viiith chapter to the Romans, after that he hath
declared the infinite love of God to us-ward, in that he spared
not his own Son, but gave him for us, crieth out, saying,
" Who shall separate us from the love of God ? Shall per
secution, shall a sword ? &c." No, saith he ; "I am sure
that no creature shall separate us from the love of God that
is in Christ Jesus our Lord :" as who should say, We see so
great love in God to us-ward, in Christ's death, that though
all misfortune should fall on us, we cannot but love again.

t1 ' St Paul sayeth, resolving his own sentence, Fides per dilectio-
nem operatur : that is to say, Faith which is wrought by love.' Ib.
Verso of sign. D. 3.]

[2 The first ed. has See in both these places.]

ying. But
>od hath
)linded him,
o bring
heir false-
lood to light.
\V. T.

al. v.

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES. 223

Now how know we that God loveth us ? Verily, by faith.
So therefore, though Rochester be a beast faithless, yet ought
natural reason to have taught him, that love springeth out of
faith and knowledge; and not faith and knowledge out of
love. But let us see the text. Paul saith thus : "In Christ
Jesus neither circumcision is any thing worth, nor uncircum-
cision, but faith which worketh through love;" or which
through love is strong or mighty in working ; and not which
is wrought by love, as the juggler saith. Faith, that loveth f
God's commandments, justifieth a man. If thou believe God's
promises in Christ, and love his commandments, then art
thou safe. If thou love the commandment, then art thou sure
that thy faith is unfeigned, and that God's Spirit is in thee.

How faith justifieth before God in the heart; and how
love springeth of faith, and compelleth us to work ; and how
the works justify before the world, and testify what we are,
and certify us that our faith is unfeigned, and that the right
Spirit of God is in us ; see in my book of the Justifying of
Faith3; and there shalt thou see all thing abundantly. Also thecontro-
of the controversy between Paul and James, see there. jamSeanWdeen

Paul \V T

Never thelater, when Rochester saith, if faith only justified,
then both the devils and also sinners that lie still in sin

that

should be saved4, his argument is not worth a straw.
neither the devils, nor yet sinners, that continue in sin
purpose and delectation, have any such faith as Paul speaketh that re
of. For Paul's faith is to believe God's promises. "Faith,"
saith he, Rom. x., " cometh by hearing, and hearing cometh
by the word of God." "And how shall they hear without a
preacher, and how shall they preach except they be sent ? As
it is written," saith he, " How beautiful are the feet that bring
glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things !"
Now when sent God any messengers unto the devils, to preach

[3 He means his treatise on the Parable of Mammon.]
[4 'Which thing S. James doth not only say, but also proveth it by
divers ways. One is this : Dsemones credunt et contremiscunt. The
devils, he saith, hath faith ; and yet no man may say that the devils be
justified by their faith. How many that live in horrible sin, that yet
have the faith of Christ Jesu, and would rather die or they should
renie their faith, but for all that they be not justified ! But if only
faith did justify, both they and the devils also should be justified.'
Bp Fisher's Sermon, Verso of sign. C. 7.]

224 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

them peace, or any good thing ? The devil hath no promise ;
A man may he is therefore excluded from Paul's faith. The devil be-
chratdied, Hevcth that Christ died, but not that he died for his sins.

and many _^

•lndenot'ngs' Neither doth any, that consenteth in the heart to continue in
.T. sin, believe that Christ died for him. For to believe that

Christ died for us is to see our horrible damnation, and how
we were appointed unto eternal pains, and to feel, and to be
what u is to sure, that we are delivered therefrom through Christ: in that
Christ W.T. we have power to hate our sins, and to love God's command
ments. All such repent and have their hearts loosed out of
captivity and bondage of sin, and are therefore justified
through faith in Christ. Wicked sinners have no faith, but
imaginations and opinions about Christ ; as our schoolmen/
have in their principles, about which they brawl so fast one
with another. It is another thing to believe that the king is
rich, and that he is rich unto me, and that my part is
therein ; and that he will not spare a penny of his riches at
my need. When I believe that the king is rich, I am not
moved : but when I believe that he is rich for me, and that
he will never fail me at my need, then love I ; and of love
am ready to work unto the uttermost of my power.

But let us return at the last unto our purpose again.
why laymen What is the cause that laymen cannot now rule, as well as I

cnnnot rule. . *

w. T. m times past, and as the Turks yet do ? Verily, because
that antichrist with the mist of his juggling hath beguiled our
eyes, and hath cast a superstitious fear upon the world of
Christian men, and hath taught them to dread not God and
his word, but himself and his word ; not God's law and ordi
nances, princes and officers which God hath set to rule the
world, but his own law and ordinances, traditions and cere
monies, and disguised disciples, which he hath set every
where to deceive the world, and to expel the light of God's
Men fear the word, that his darkness may have room. For we see by
Goers coam C^a^y experience, of certain hundred years long, that he which
AnTdeTnt> feareth neither God nor his word, neither regardeth father,
mother, master, or Christ himself; which rebelleth against
God's ordinances, riseth against the king's, and resisteth his
officers, dare not once lay hands on one of the pope's anointed :
no, though he slay his father before his face, or do violence
unto his brother, or defile his sister, wife, or mother. Like
honour give we unto his traditions and ceremonies. What

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES. 225

devotion have we when we are blessed (as they call it) with
the chalice, or when the bishop lifteth up his holy hand over
us ? Who dare handle the chalice, touch the altar-stone, or
put his hand in the font, or his finger into the holy oil?
What reverence give we unto holy water, holy fire, holy
bread, holy salt, hallowed bells1, holy wax, holy boughs,
holy candles, and holy ashes ! And last of all, unto the holy
candle commit we our souls at our last departing2. Yea, and
of the very clout which the bishop, or his chaplain that
standeth by, knitteth about children's necks at confirmation,
what lay-person dare be so bold as to unloose the knot3?
Thou wilt say, Do not such things bring the Holy Ghost and
put away sin and drive away spirits ? I say that a stedfast
faith, or belief in Christ and in the promises that God hath
sworn to give us for his sake, bringeth the Holy Ghost, as
all the scriptures make mention, and as Paul saith, " Have ye Acts xix.
received the Holy Ghost through faith, or believing?" Faith Faith drive*
is the rock whereon Christ buildeth his congregation ; againsjt awav- w- T-
which, saith Christ, Matt. xvi. hell-gates shall not prevail. {As
soon as thou believest in Christ, the Holy Ghost cometh, sin

[* The chasing away of evil spirits was believed to be effected by
the ringing of hallowed bells. Brand, Obs. on popular antiquities, 11.
130 ; and Durand. Rationale Div. Offic. i. 4. § 15.]

[2 Bishop Latimer has given a curious account of what he was
bidden to do with a holy candle, when yet a Romanist. Latimer's
Sermons, Serm. xxvu. on Ep. for 21st S. aft. Trin. p. 499. Park. Soc.
ed. In the preceding pages he has mentioned also some of the super
stitions connected with holy water, holy bread, holy bells, &c.]

[3 'The papists say to such as are witnesses of the child's baptism,
Ye are bound by the order of our mother, the holy church, to see that
this child be confirmed so soon as is possible, or as soon as ye hear
that the bishop cometh within 7 mile of this town, without any farther
delay. And what is the confirmation of the children that is used at
this present, but plain sorcery, legerdemain, and all that naught is ?
The bishop mumbleth a few Latin words over the child, charmcth
him, crosscth him, smeareth him with stinking popish oil, and tieth a
linen band about the child's neck, and sendeth him home/ Becon's
Prayers, &c. Park. Soc. ed. p. 234. This linen cloth was called the
Chrisom ; and its use, though apparently changed into a white vesture,
was retained in the baptismal service of K. Edward's first book (1549),
but not in his second book of 1552. See Liturgies of Edw. VI. Park.
Soc. ed. p. 112 — 3, where the minister is bidden to 'command that the
chrisoms be brought to the church and delivered to the priests after the
accustomed manner, at the purification of the mother of every child.']

[TYNDALE.]

226 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

why do not falletli away, and devils fly7[ When we cast holy water at

makJhim3 the devil, or ring the bells, he fleeth as men do from young

shootm^of^ children, and mocketh with us, to bring us from the true

faith, that is in God's word, unto a superstitious and a false

belief of our own imagination. If thou hadst faith and

threwest an unhallowed stone at his head, he would earnestly

flee, and without mocking ; yea, though thou threwest nothing

at all, he would not yet abide.

ceremonies Though that at the beginning miracles were shewed

did not the . _ - . i • n i i IT ii

miracle, but^ through such ceremonies, to move the infidels to believe the

word of God, as thou readest how the apostles anointed the

sick with oil, and healed them ; and Paul sent his pertelet

or jerkin1 to the sick, and healed them also ; yet was it not

the ceremony that did the miracle, but faith of the preacher

and the truth of God, which had promised to confirm and

stablish his gospel with such miracles. Therefore, as soon as

the gift of miracles ceased, ought the ceremony to have

ceased also ; or else if they needs will have a ceremony to

signify some promise or benefit of God (which I praise not,

but would have God's word preached every Sunday, for

Leathern teli which intent Sundays and holy days were ordained), then let

meane°thy them tell the people what it meaneth ; and not set up a bald

W-T- and a naked ceremony without signification, to make the

people believe therein, and to quench the faith that ought to

be given unto the word of God.

The priest What helpeth it also that the priest, when he goeth to

disffuiseth

himself with mass, disguiseth himself with a great part of the passion of

the passion .

o£ Christ. Christ, and playeth out the rest under silence, with signs and

proffers, with nodding, becking and mowing2, as it were

.jackanapes, when neither he himself, neither any man else

wotteth what he meaneth3? Not at all, verily; but hurteth,

Dumb cere- and that exceedingly ; forasmuch as it not only destroyeth

quench faith the faith, and quencheth the love that should be given unto

and love, and * <->

the commandments, and maketh the people unthankful, in
that it bringeth them into such superstition, that they think

[! In his translation of the new Testament, Tyndale renders the
corresponding words in Acts xix. 12, napkyns or partlettes.]

[2 Making gestures with the mouth.]

[3 In p. 64 of his Confutation of Tyndale's answer to him, where
his professed subject is the preface of that answer, Sir Thomas More
has quoted this paragraph thus far.]

mock us.
W. T.

Mark xiii.
Luke xxi.

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES. 227

that they have done abundantly enough for God, yea, and
deserved above measure, if they be present once in a day
at such mumming4; but also maketh the infidels to mock us
and abhor us, in that they see nothing but such apes' play
among us, whereof no man can give a reason.

All this cometh to pass to fulfil the prophecy which

/-n • L i • J ±1 ^ i n • i • 1-1

Christ prophesied ; that there shall come in his name, which
shall say that they themselves are Christ. That do verily
the pope and our holy orders of religion. For they, under
the name of Christ, preach themselves, their own word and
their own traditions, and teach the people to believe in them.
The pope giveth pardons of his full power, of the treasure of
the church, and of the merits of saints. The friars likewise
make their benefactors (which only they call their brethren
and sisters) partakers of their masses, fasting, watchings,
prayings, and wool ward goings5. Yea, and when a novice Thetesta-
of the Observants is professed, the father asketh him, Will ^servants.
ye keep the rules of holy St Francis ? and he saith, Yea.
Will ye so in deed ? saith he. The other answereth, Yea,
forsooth, father. Then saith the father, And I promise you
again everlasting life. 0 blasphemy ! If eternal life be due
unto the pilled6 traditions of lousy friars, where is the
testament become that God made unto us in Christ's blood ?
Christ saith, 'That there shall come pseudo-Christi ;' which Matt. xxiv.
though I, for a consideration, have translated false Christs, Fa'ke anoint-
keeping the Greek word, yet signifieth it in the English ec
' false anointed/ and ought so to be translated. " There shall
come," saith Christ, " false anointed, and false prophets, and
shall do miracles and wonders so greatly, that, if it were
possible, the very elect, or chosen, should be brought out of
the way." Compare, the pope's doctrine unto the word ofj
God, and thou shalt find that there hath been, and yet is, al
great going out of the way ; and that evil men and deceivers 1

[4 This is also quoted by More in the same place, but for 'they*
he writes 'Christian men think;' and it provoked him to say, 'Surely
there needcth no man to doubt, but he that can find in his heart to
make such mocks upon the devout observances, used so many hundred
years about the mass, hath a lewd beastly mind against the very sacra
ment itself.']

[5 Woolward going : wearing woollen, instead of linen, next the
skin, as a meritorious penance. See also p. 212, note 2.]

[G Bald, bare. Sec n. p. 117.]

15—2

228 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

2 Tim. iii. (as Paul prophesied 2 Tim. iii.) have prevailed, and waxed

worse and worse, beguiling other as they are beguiled them

selves. Thou tremblest and quakest, saying, Shall God let

Christ's pro- us go so sore out of the right way ? I answer, It is Christ

Sever so ter- that warneth us ; which, as he knew all that should follow,

rible, must .

1 fw T so ProPnesie(l he before, and is a true prophet, and his pro
phecies must needs be fulfilled.

neuherwas ^OD anomted his son Jesus with the Holy Ghost, and

therefore called him Christ ; which is as much to say as
anointed. Outwardly he disguised him not ; but made him

like other men, and sent him into the world to bless us, and
to offer himself for us a sacrifice of a sweet savour, to kill
the stench of our sins, that God henceforth should smell
them no more, nor think on them any more ; and to make
full and sufficient satisfaction, or amends, for all them that
repent, believing the truth of God, and submitting themselves
unto his ordinances, both for their sins that they do, have
done, and shall do. For sin we through fragility never so
oft, yet as soon as we repent and come into the right way
again, and unto the testament which God hath made in
Christ's blood, our sins vanish away as smoke in the wind,
and as darkness at the coming of light ; or as thou castest a
He that doth little blood, or milk, into the main sea: insomuch that who-

aught to

Senior" to soeyer goeth about to make satisfaction for his sins to God-

hath Shis war(3, saying in his heart, This much have I sinned, this

SK-s much will I do again ; or this-wise will I live to make

T' amends withal ; or this will I do, to get heaven withal ; the

same is an infidel, faithless, and damned in his deed-doing,

and hath lost his part in Christ's blood ; because he is diso

bedient unto God's testament, and setteth up another of his

own imagination, unto which he will compel God to obey.

If we love God, we have a commandment to love our neigh-

i Joh. iv. bour also, as saith John in his epistle ; and if we have

TO our offended him, to make him amends ; or if we have not wherc-

TmendT ^'l^> to ask him forgiveness, and to do and suffer all things

W.T. for hjg Sake3 to win him to God, and to nourish peace and

unity. But to God-ward Christ is an everlasting satisfaction,

and ever sufficient1.

I [l It was to the above passage that Foxe considered the papal
/commissioners for the examination of Tyndale's works as alluding,

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES. 229

Christ, when lie had fulfilled his course, anointed his The apostles

,,.., . , n • • i i were neither

apostles and disciples with the same spirit, and sent them shaven nor

* shorn, nor

forth, without all manner disguising, like other men also, to ^^
preach the atonement and peace which Christ had made be- w- T-
tween God and man. The apostles likewise disguised no man,
but chose men anointed with the same Spirit : one to preach
the word of God, whom we call, after the Greek tongue, a
bishop or a priest : that is, in English, an overseer and an Bishop, an
elder. How he was anointed, thou readest, 1 Tim. iii. "A bishop w. T.

f The true

or an overseer must be faultless, the husband of one wife." a
Many Jews, and also Gentiles, that were converted unto the w- T-
faith, had at that time divers wives, yet were not compelled
to put any of them away ; which Paul, because of ensample,
would not have preachers, forasmuch as in Christ we return
again unto the first ordinance of God, that one man and one
woman should go together. " He must be sober, of honest
behaviour, honestly apparelled, harborous," that is, ready to
lodge strangers; "apt to teach, no drunkard, no fighter, not This on is

given to filthy lucre ; but gentle, abhorring fighting, abhor- oS
ring covetousness, and one that ruleth his own household
honestly, having children under obedience with all honesty.
For if a man cannot rule his own house, how can he care for
the congregation of God ? He may not be young in the
faith," or, as a man would say, a novice, " lest he swell and

when they made it the first article in their list of heresies and errors,
that he said, ' We are bound to make satisfaction to our neighbour,
but not to God/ And it is certain that Sir T. More, who was one of
those commissioners, and probably a leading one, has strongly con
demned this paragraph, which ho has quoted from the words, Tor
sin we,' to the end, in p. 46 of his answer to the preface of Tyndale's
confutation. More speaks of the passage as an encouragement to sin,
inasmuch as in his opinion it makes the obtaining of forgiveness an.
easy matter. 'But because/ says he, 'Tyndale will that men repent
the doing of their sin, and then no more but faith ; I would wit of
Tyndale what calleth he repenting, a little short sorrow, or a great
sorrow and a long ? If a little pretty sorrow, and very shortly done ;
I would as fain ho said true, as I fear he lioth. If a great fervent
sorrow, with grief and trouble of mind, not shortly shot over, but
kept and continued long, then force I little of his heresy. For no
doubt is it, but that Tyndale's tale to such a man shall seem, God
wotc, full fond. For he that hath such repentance will to shrift, I
wan-ant you, and take penance of the priest, and do much moro
thereto, whatsoever Tyndale tell him.']

230 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

fall into the judgment of the evil speaker ;" that is, he may
not be unlearned in the secrets of the faith : for such are
at once stubborn and headstrong, and set not a little by
themselves. But, alas ! we have above twenty thousand that
know no more scripture than is written in their portesses ;
and among them is he exceedingly well learned that can turn
to his service l. " He must be well reported of them that
are without, lest he fall into rebuke, and into the snare of
the evil speaker ;" that is, lest the infidels, which yet believe
not, should be hurt by him, and driven from the faith, if a
man that were defamed were made head or overseer of the
congregation.

priests ought He must have a wife for two causes2: one, that it may
wjves s^nd^ thereby be known who is meet for the room. He is unapt
for so chargeable an office, which had never household to
rule. Another cause is, that chastity is an exceeding seldom
gift, and unchastity exceeding perilous for that degree ; inas
much as the people look as well unto the living as unto the
preaching, and are hurt at once if the living disagree, and
fall from the faith, and believe not the word.

what the This overseer, because he was taken from his own business

iTtoSdo:and and labour, to preach God's word unto the parish, hath right,

what to have. . L L &

w- T- by the authority of his office, to challenge an honest living of
the parish, as thou mayest see in the evangelists, and also in
Paul. For who will have a servant, and will not give him

Men are not meat, drink, and raiment, and all things necessary? How

bound to pay i i • . , .

the priest in they would pay him, whether in money, or assign him so
GodViaw. much rent, or in tithes, as the guise is now in many countries,

was at their liberty.

£egacon,what Likewise in every congregation chose they another after

h?sdoffihre is' ^e same ensample, and even so anointed, as it is to see in the

ActsTvi. said chapter of Paul, and Acts vi. ; whom, after the Greek

word, we call deacon ; that is to say in English, a servant or

a minister ; whose office was to help and assist the priest, and

[! Portess, spelt also porteux and portass, is a name for the
Breviary, or Roman service-book. Hence, ' to turn to his service/ is
equivalent to ' finding the place' in our books of Common prayer.]

[2 Art. IX. of the heresies and errors charged against Tyndale is,
' A priest ought to have a wife for two causes/ ' The words of Tyndale
be these/ is Foxe's only remark upon the charge ; and he then gives
the passage.]

DUTY OF KINGS AND JUDGES. 231

to gather up his duty, and to gather for the poor of the parish,

which were destitute of friends, and could not work. Common NO beggars.

W T.

beggars to run from door to door were not then suffered.

On the saints' days, namely such as had suffered death for HOW hoiy

the word sake, came men together into the church ; and the oaSings

priest preached unto them, and exhorted them to cleave fast wmx.up'

unto the word, and to be strong in the faith, and to fight

against the powers of the world, with suffering for their faith's

sake, after the ensample of the saints : and taught them not

to believe in the saints, and to trust in their merits, and to saints were

make gods of them ; but took the saints for an ensample only, w. x.

and prayed God to give them like faith and trust in his word,

and like strength and power to suffer therefore, and to give

them so sure hope of the life to come ; as thou mayest see in

the collects of St Lawrence and of St Stephen in our lady

matins3. And in such days, as we now offer, so gave they

every man his portion according to his ability, and as God

put in his heart, to the maintenance of the priest, deacon, and

other common ministers, and of the poor, and to find learned

men to teach, and so forth. And all was put in the hands of

the deacon ; as thou mayest see in the life of St Lawrence,

and in the histories. And for such purposes gave men lands why lands

afterwards, to ease the parishes ; and made hospitals, and also untofhlen

places to teach their children, and to bring them up, and to office«before

we fell from

nurture them in God's word ; which lands our monks now ^ £ith-
devour.

[3 Collect of St Laurence, in the Roman breviary, for Aug. 10.

O Almighty God, who didst give the blessed Laurence victory over
the fires of his torments, grant to us, we beseech thee, that we may
extinguish the flames of our vices. Through our Lord.
Collect of St Stephen's day, Dec. 26, in the same.

Grant us, 0 Lord, we beseech thce, that we may imitate what we
reverence, and may learn to love even our enemies; since we are
celebrating the birth of him, who learnt to implore mercy for his
persecutors from our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who liveth and
reigneth with thee.]

232 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Antichrist.

raise anoint- ANTICHRIST of another manner hath sent forth his disci-

ed W T

pies, those "false anointed," of which Christ warneth us

before, that they should come and shew miracles and wonders,

even to bring the very elect out of the way, if it were pos-

shaving is siblc. He anomteth them after the manner of the Jews ; and

the heathen shaveth them and sheareth them after the manner of the

and oiling of . .

the jews. heathen priests, which serve the idols. He sendeth them

forth not with false oil only, but with false names also : for

raise names, compare their names unto their deeds, and thou shalt find

2'ihess.ii. them false. He sendeth them forth, as Paul prophesied of

W'T: " them, with lying signs and wonders. What sign is the

anointing ? That they be full of the Holy Ghost. Compare

them to the signs of the Holy Ghost, which Paul reckoneth,

and thou shalt find it a false sign. " A bishop must be

faultless, the husband of -me wife." Nay, saith the pope, the

NO wife but husband of no wife, but the holder of as many whores as he

wwli\rc' listeth. God commandeth all degrees, if they burn, and cannot

Takeadis- live chaste, to marry. The pope saith, If thou burn, take

vensation. • /• i • i

w. T. a dispensation for a concubine, and put her away when thou

Knaveate. art old ; or else, as our lawyers say, Si non caste, tamen
caule ; that is, If ye live not chaste, see ye carry clean, and
play the knave secretly. " Harborous :" yea, to whores and
bawds ; for a poor man shall as soon break his neck as his
fast with them, but of the scraps and with the dogs, when

i Pet. iii. dinner is done. " Apt to teach," and, as Peter saith, " ready
always to give an answer to every man that asketh you
a reason of the hope that ye have, and that with meekness."

Boots, w. T. Which thing is signified by the boots1 which doctors of

[! Boots. In a Tract entitled, *A light shining out of darkness,
or Occasional Queries/ &c. 4to. 1659, p. 30, it is asked, 'Whether it
be not a pretty foundation for the Oxford doctors, to stand booted
and spurred in the act, because there is mention in the scripture of
being shod with the preparation of the gospel?' Boots were intro
duced by the Benedictines, and were worn by masters of arts at their
inception, till the doctors appropriated them, and the masters wore
pantables, or sandals. Russell. — The boot was buttoned up the side
of the leg, like gaiters now. Fosbroke's Brit. Monachism, p. 283,
ed. 3.]

ANTICHRIST. 233

divinity are created in, because they should be ready always

to go through thick and thin, to preach God's word ; and by

the bishop's two-horned mitre, which betokeneth the absolute Mitres. W.T.

and perfect knowledge that they ought to have in the new

Testament and the old. Be not these false signs? For they

beat only, and teach not. 'Yea,' saith the pope, 'If they will cite them.

not be ruled, cite them to appear; and pose them sharply, p0'Se them.

what they hold of the pope's power, of his pardons, of his W

bulls, of purgatory, of ceremonies, of confession, and such like

creatures of our most holy father's. If they miss in any Make them

point, make heretics of them, and burn them. If they be of w"r.cs'

mine anointed, and bear my mark, disgrace them, (I would w.™.

say, disgraduate them,) and after the ensample of noble Antio-

chus (2 Mace, vii.) pare the crowns and the fingers of them2,

and torment them craftily, and for very pain make them deny

the truth.1 ('But now,' say our bishops, 'because the truth is

come too far abroad, and the lay-people begin to smell our

wiles, it is best to oppress them with craft secretly, and to

tame them in prison. Yea, let us find the means to have

them in the king's prison, and to make treason of such

doctrine : yea, we must stir up some war, one where or

another, to bring the people into another imagination.') ' If

they be gentlemen, abjure them secretly. Curse them four curse them.

times in the year3. Make them afraid of every thing ; and

namely, to touch mine anointed ; and make them to fear the Fear them.

W.T.

[2 ' Moreover the bishop scraped the nails of both his [John Cas-
tellane's] hands with a piece of glass, saying, By this scraping we take
away from thee all power to sacrifice, to consecrate, and to bless,
which thou hadst received by the anointing of thy hands.5 Foxe's
Acts and Mon. under date of 1525 ; where may be seen the other
forms used in degrading a clerk of the church of Rome, Vol. iv. pp.
363—5, 1837.]

[3 ' In the year 1534, when orders came forth for the regulating of
preaching and bidding of the beads, the general curse, as it was called,
was also forbidden to be used any more.' Strype's Eccles. Mem. ch.
xxii. In his Appendix, No. XLVI, Strype gives this curse at length, as
taken from the Festival, printed by Wynkyn do Worde, in 1532. It
begins as follows : ' Good men and women, I do you to understand,
that we that have the cure of your souls be commanded of our
ordinaries, and by the constitutions and the law of holy church, to
shew to you four times in the year, in each quarter of the year once,
when the people is most plenary in holy church, the articles of the
sentence of cursing/]

234 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

sentence of the church, suspensions, excommunications and
curses. Be they right or wrong, bear them in hand that
they are to be feared yet. Preach me and mine authority,
and how terrible a thing my curse is, and how black it
Finaketh their souls. On the holidays, which were ordained
'to preach God's word, set up long ceremonies, long matins,
AII in Latin, long masses, and long evensongs, and all in Latin, that they
Ron them, understand not ; and roll them in darkness, that ye may lead
sing. w. T. them whither ye will. And lest such things should be too
' T' tedious, sm& some, say some, pipe some, ring the bells, and
m fiu11 tnem and rock t<hem asleep.' And yet Paul (1 Cor.
fcon'xiT.' T' xiv.) forbiddeth to speak in the church or congregation, save
in the tongue that all understand. For the layman thereby
is not edified or taught. How shall the layman say Amen
(saith Paul) to thy blessing or thanksgiving, when he wotteth
not what thou sayest ? He wotteth not whether thou bless
or curse.

What then saith the pope ? ' What care I for Paul ? I
command by the virtue of obedience, to read the gospel in
Latminw T Latin. Let them not pray but in Latin, no, not their Pater
say them a noster. If any be sick, go also and say them a gospel, and
all in Latin : yea, to the very corn and fruits of the field, in
the procession week, preach the gospel in Latin : make the
people believe, that it shall grow the better.' It is verily as
good to preach it to swine as to men, if thou preach it in a
tongue they understand not. How shall I prepare myself to
God's commandments ? How shall I be thankful to Christ
for his kindness ? How shall I believe the truth and promises
which God hath sworn, while thou tellest them unto me in a
tongue which I understand not?

Sv^ordUofh What then saith my lord of Canterbury to a priest that
|^terbu°ry? Would have had the new testament gone forth in English?
" What," saith he, " wouldest thou that the lay-people should
wete1 what we do ?"

cross. W.T. "No fighter:" which I suppose is signified by the cross

that is borne before the high prelates, and borne before them

in procession. Is that also not a false sign? What realm

Turmoiiers. can JJQ 'm peace for such turmoilers ? What so little a parish

is it, but they will pick one quarrel or another with them,

t1 Wete: know.]

ANTICHRIST. 235

cither for some surplice, clirisom2, or mortuary3, cither for
one trifle or other, and cite them to the Arches ? Traitors
they are to all creatures, and have a secret conspiration be
tween themselves. One craft they have, to make many king-
doms, and small ; and to nourish old titles or quarrels ; that w- T-
they may ever move them to war at their pleasure ; and if
much lands by any chance fall to one man, ever to cast a
bone in the way, that he shall never be able to obtain it, as
we now see in the emperor. Why ? For as long as the
kings be small, if God would open the eyes of any to set a
reformation in his realm, then should the pope interdict his interdict.

. W. T.

land, and send in other princes to conquer it.

" Not given to filthy lucre, but abhorring covetousness4;"
and, as Peter saith, " Taking the oversight of them, not as i ret. v.
though ye were compelled thereunto, but willingly; not for
desire of filthy lucre, but of a good mind : not as though ye
were lords over the parishes5." Over the parishes, quoth he!

0 Peter, Peter, thou wast too long a fisher ; thou wast never Peter went
brought up at the Arches, neither wast master of the Rolls, ^c?holsat the
nor yet chancellor of England. They are not content to reign w- T-
over king and emperor, and the whole earth ; but challenge
authority also in heaven and in hell. It is not enough for\

them to reign over all that are quick, but have created them!

a purgatory, to reign also over the dead, and to have oncphepope

kingdom more than God himself hath. "But that ye be an 'kingdom

more than

ensample to the flock," saith Peter; "and when the chief Gjxuiimseif.
Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive an incorruptible crown
of glory." This " abhorring of covetousness" is signified, as

1 suppose, by shaving and shearing of the hair, that they shearing,
have no superfluity. But is not this also a false sign ? Yea, mfieth. W.T.

[2 H. L. Day, Cresome. See note 3 to p. 225.]

[3 Mortuary, says Linwood, is so called, Quia rclinquitur ecclesico
pro anima defuncti. But whether left by will, or not, it was de
manded ; and the amount of the claim became a source of contention
between the clergy and the heirs of the defunct. See Spelman's
Concilia, p. 517, Lond. 1639. The first effectual restraint upon the
exaction of mortuaries was by an act passed within two years after
Tyndale's writing this, and when Henry VIII. had read what he hero
wrote. Foxe's Acts and Mon. iv. 611. Strypo's Eccles. Mem. ch.
xv.]

[4 1 Tim. iv. 3. Tyndale's translation.]

[5 Such is the rendering in Tyndale's new Testament.]

236 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

verily, it is to them a remembrance to shear and shave, to
heap benefice upon benefice, promotion upon promotion, dig
nity upon dignity, bishoprick upon bishoprick, with pluralities,

Tntquot unions and TOT QUOTS1.

First, by the authority of the gospel, they that preach
the word of God in every parish, and other necessary minis
ters, have right to challenge an honest living like unto one of

Bishops that the brethren, and therewith ought to be content. Bishops

w. T. and priests that preach not, or that preach aught save God's
word, are none of Christ's, nor of his anointing ; but servants
of the beast, whose mark they bear, whose word they preach,
whose law they maintain clean against God's law, and with
their false sophistry give him greater power than God ever
gave to his Son Christ.

But they, as unsatiable beasts, not unmindful why they
were shaven and shorn, because they will stand at no man's
grace, or be in any man's danger, have gotten into their

Tithes. W.T. own hands, first the tithe or tenth of all the realm ; and then,
I suppose within a little, or altogether, the third foot of all

Temporal the temporal lands.

lands. W.T. -1

Mark well how many parsonages or vicarages are there
in the realm, which at the least have a plow-land2 a-picce.
Then note the lands of bishops, abbots, priors, nuns, knights
of St John's, cathedral churches, colleges, chauntries, and
?i. free-chapels. For though the house fall in decay, and the
ordinance of the founder be lost, yet will not they lose the
lands. What cometh once in, may never more out. They
make a free-chapel of it ; so that he which enjoyeth it shall
do nought therefore. Besides all this, how many chaplains

[l In a scheme propounded to the council by a lawyer, for the
amendment of certain grievances without casting off the pope's au
thority, A. D. 1532, one clause is, ' Whereas all such acts made for
reformation and abusion, to have plurality, triality, unions, pensions,
totquot portions, &c. be smally regarded — let an act bo made, &c/
Strype's Eccles. Mem. ch. xvii.]

[2 A plow-land, called in Norman surveys a carucate, from caruca,
a plough, was as much arable land as could be managed by a person
having but one plough and team of horses, or oxen, with pasture and
houses for the cattle and labourers. This quantity would therefore
properly vary, according to the supposed productiveness of the
ground ; and does in fact appear to have varied from GO to 240 acres.
Hutchins' Dissert, on Doomsday-book.]

ANTICHRIST. 237

do gentlemen find at their own cost, in their houses ? How
many sing for souls, by testaments? Then the proving of Testaments,
testaments, the prizing of goods, the bishop of Canterbury's offering days
prerogative; is that not much through the realm in a year? Privy tithes.
Four oifering days, and privy tithes. There is no servant,
but that he shall pay somewhat of his wages3. None shall
receive the body of Christ at Easter, be he never so poor a
beggar, or never so young a lad or maid, but they must pay
somewhat for it. Then mortuaries for forgotten tithes, as Mortuaries,
they say. And yet what parson or vicar is there that will
forget to have a pigeon-house, to peck up somewhat both at
sowing-time and harvest, when corn is ripe? They will for
get nothing. No man shall die in their debt ; or if any man
do, he shall pay it when he is dead. They will lose nothing.
Why ? It is God's ; it is not theirs. It is St Hubert's rents,
St Alban's lands, St Edmond's right, St Peter's patrimony,
say they, and none of ours. Item, if a man die in another if yc die
man's parish, besides that he must pay at home a mortuary w^r!10"
for forgotten tithes, he must there pay also the best that he
there hath ; whether it be an horse of twenty pound, or how
good soever he be ; either a chain of gold of an hundred Thou must
marks, or five hundred pounds, if it so chance4. It is much, pS.erew!°T.
verily, for so little pains-taking in confession, and in minis
tering the sacraments. Then bead-rolls. Item chrysome, Potty piiiage.
churchings, banns, weddings, oifering at weddings, offering at
buryings, offering to images, offering of wax and lights, which
come to their vantage ; besides the superstitious waste of
wax in torches and tapers throughout the land. Then
brotherhoods and pardoners. What get they also by con- confession,
fessions? Yea, and many enjoin penance, to give a certain
[sum] for to have so many masses said, and desire to pro
vide a chaplain themselves ; soul-masses, dirges, month-minds,

[3 In Simon Fish's ' Supplication of Beggars,' against their rivals
the popish ecclesiastics, which Henry VIII. had read, it is said : ' This
idle ravenous sort, setting all labour aside, have begged so importu
nately that they have gotten into their hands more than the third part
of all your realm — over and beside the tenth part of every servant's
wages, &c.' Foxe's Acts and Mon. Vol. iv. p. 659.]

[4 The same ancient Saxon council, which ordered the payment of
mortuaries, had declared that if a man died out of his parish, the
mortuary should be paid to that church which he frequented whilst
living. Spelman's Concilia, p. 517, under date 1009.]

238 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

year-minds1, All-souls-day, and trentals. The mother church,
and the high altar, must have somewhat in every testament,
r'ro? m\nS' Offerings at priests' first masses. Item, no man is professed,
W.T. Of whatsoever religion it be, but he must bring somewhat,
conjurations. The hallowing, or rather conjuring of churches, chapels,
altars, super-altars, chalice, vestments, and bells. Then book,
bell, candlestick, organs, chalice, vestments, copes, altar-cloths,
surplices, towels, basins, ewers, ship2, censer, and all manner
ornament, must be found them freely ; they will not give a
mite thereunto. Last of all, what swarms of begging friars
Parson. are there ! The parson sheareth, the vicar shaveth, the parish
paSSi priest, priest polleth, the friar scrapeth, and the pardoner pareth ;
w- T- we lack but a butcher to pull off the skin,
spiritual law. ~~ What get they in their spiritual law, as they call it, in a
year, at the Arches and in every diocese? What get the
commissaries, and officials with their somners and apparitors,
A proper by bawdery in a year ? Shall ye not find curates enough
of confession, which, to flatter the commissaries and officials withal, that
they may go quit themselves, shall open unto them the con
fessions of the richest of their parishes ; whom they cite
privily, and lay to their charges secretly ? If they desire to
know their accusers, ' Nay,' say they, ' the matter is known
Lay your well enough, and to more than ye are ware of. Come, lay
book. w. T. your hand on the book ; if ye forswear yourself, we shall
bring proofs, we will handle you, we will make an ensample of

[! ' The days which our ancestors called their month's mind, their
year's mind, and the like, were days whereon their souls were to be
had in special remembrance, and obits, diriges, &c. said for them/
T. Blount, Fragm. Antiq.]

[2 In modern editions this word has been printed sheep. In Day's
folio, it is sliepe; but in the original 4to. dated May 8, 1528, by Hans
Luft, at Malborowe in the land of Hesse, it stands ship. The utensil
meant was that employed for holding incense'; which was usually
formed of metal, more or less enriched with ornaments, and fashioned
like a boat ; from which last circumstance it was called the ship for
incense, and in low Latin navicula, or naveta. In the Continuatio
Historise Dunelmensis ab ann. 1333 ad ann. 1559, it is stated in the
account of Richard de Burg, bishop of Durham, that the sacristan of
the cathedral obtained from the bishop's executors, Vestimentum de
alba camica, cum tribus capis ejusdem sectse, nobiliter broudatum —
duas cistulas, unum baculum pastoralem, unam mitram, annulum, et
sandalia, duo candelabra argentea, unum turibulum argenteum et
deauratum, cum una navicula, item, &c.J

ANTICHRIST. 239

you.' Oh, how terrible are they ! ' Come, and swear,' say
they, ' that you will be obedient unto our injunctions.' And by
that craft wring they their purses, and make them drop, as
long as there is a penny in them. In three or four years shall
they in those offices get enough to pay for a bishop's bull.
What other thing are these in a realm save horse-leeches, and
even very maggots, cankers, and caterpillars, which devour
no more but all that is green; and those wolves which Paul Actsxx.
prophesied should come, and should not spare the flock ; and
which Christ said should come in lamb's skins ; and bade us
beware of them, and judge them by their works?

Though, as I have before sufficiently proved, a Christian] NO man may

. . J i . avenge save

man must suffer all things, be it never so great unright, as hheeiskbn0gunajd

long as it is not against God's commandment ; neither is it l$^{? office>

lawful for him to cast any burden off his back by his own

authority, till God pull it off, which laid it on for our deserv-

ings ; yet ought the kings everywhere to defend their realms

from such oppression, if they were Christians ; which is seldom

seen, and is a hard thing verily, though not impossible. For,

alas ! they be captives or ever they be kings, yea, almost Kinfsjf e in

ere they be born. No man may be suffered about them but^w- T-

flatterers, and such as are first sworn true unto our most holy

fathers the bishops ; that is to say, false to God and man.

If any of the nobles of the realm be true to the king, and]
so bold that he dare counsel him that which should be to his
honour and for the wealth of the realm ; they will wait a
season for him, as men say ; they will provide a ghostly
father for him. God bring their wickedness to light ! There
is no mischief whereof they are not the root; nor bloodshed
but through their cause, either by their counsel, or in that
they preach not true obedience, and teach not the people to
fear God. If any faithful servant be in all the court, he shall "
have twenty spies waiting upon him ; he shall be cast out of
the court, or, as the saying is, conveyed to Calais, and made
a captain or an ambassador ; he shall be kept far enough
from the king's presence.

The kings ought, I say, to remember that they are inihedutyof
God's stead, and ordained of God, not for themselves, but for
the wealth of their subjects. Let them remember that their
subjects are their brethren, their flesh and blood, members of

240 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

their own body, and even their ownselves in Christ. Therc-7

fore ought they to pity them, and to rid them from such wily

tyranny, which increaseth more and more daily. And though

that the kings, by the falsehood of the bishops and abbots,

unlawful be sworn to defend such liberties ; yet ought they not to keep

u> be broken; their oaths, but to break them ; forasmuch as they are unright

and may, •

anc^ c^ean against God's ordinance, and even but cruel oppres-
in si°nJ contrary unto brotherly love and charity. Moreover
the spiritual officer ought to punish no sin ; but and if any
>in break out, the king is ordained to punish it, and they
not ; but to preach and exhort them to fear God, and that

only oujjlit
to punish
sin : I mean
that is broken
forth. The
heart must
remain to
God. W. T.

they sin not.

And let the kings put down some of their tyranny, and
turn some unto a common wealth. If the tenth part of such
tyranny were given the king yearly, and laid up in the shire-
I towns, against the realm had need, what would it grow to in .
) certain years? Moreover one king, one law, is God's ordi-l
nance in every realm. Therefore ought not the king to sufferf
them to have a several law by themselves, and to draw his \
The spirit subjects thither. It is not meet, will they say, that a spiritual J
Snto the * man should be judged of a worldly or temporal man. 0

shaven only. • • t i i i« • i

w. T. abomination ! see how they divide and separate themselves : if
the lay-man be of the world, so is he not of God ! If he
believe in Christ, then is he a member of Christ, Christ's
brother, Christ's flesh, Christ's blood, Christ's spouse, coheir
with Christ, and hath his Spirit in earnest, and is also spiritual.
If they would rob us of the Spirit of God, why should they
fear to rob us of worldly goods ? Because thou art put in
office to preach God's word, art thou therefore no more one
of the brethren ? Is the mayor of London no more one of
the city, because he is the chief officer ? Is the king no more
of the realm, because he is head thereof? The king is in the"?
The kings room of God ; and his law is God's law, and nothing but the P
i'aw. w. T. law of nature and natural equity, which God graved in the
hearts of men. Yet antichrist is too good to be judged by
the law of God ; he must have a new, of his own making. It
were meet verily that they went to no law at all. No more
needed they, if they would study to preach God's word
truly, and be contented with sufficient, and to be like one of
their brethren.

i If any question arose about the faith of the scripture,

ANTICHRIST. 241

that let them judge by the manifest and open scriptures,

excluding the lay-men: for there are many found

the lay-men, which are as wise as the officers. Or else, when

the officer dieth, how could we put another in his room ? Wilt

thou so teach twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years, that no

man shall have knowledge or judgment in God's word save

thou only ? Is it not a shame that we Christians come so we come oft

» to school,

oft to church in vain, when he of fourscore years old knoweth Jjjf fj® wvjr
no more than he that was born yesterday?

Moreover, when the spiritual officers have excommunicate!
any man, or have condemned any opinion for heresy ; let not Kings ought
the king nor temporal officers punish and slay by and by l JIouo befieve
at their commandment : but let them look on God's word, nambe'isy,op:>'
and compare their judgment unto the scripture, and see nvinfisso
whether it be right or no, and not believe them at the first W?T.USP<
chop2 whatsoever they say, namely in things that pertain
unto their own authorities and power : for no man is a right
judge in his own cause. Why doth Christ command the
ture to be preached unto all creatures, but that it pertaineth Scp
unto all men to know them ? Christ referreth himself unto the tures' w' T>
scriptures, John v. And in the xith chapter of Matthew, John v.

1 L Matt. xi.

unto the question of John Baptist's disciples, he answered,
" The blind see, the lepers are cleansed, the dead arise again,"
&c. meaning that if I do the works which are prophesied that
Christ should do when he cometh, why doubt ye whether
I be he or no? As who should say, Ask the scripture,
whether I be Christ or no, and not myself. How happeneth
it then that our prelates will not come to the light also, that
we may see whether their works be wrought in God, or no?
Why fear they to let the lay-men see what they do ? Why
make they all their examinations in darkness ? Why examine
they not their causes of heresy openly, as the lay-men do
their felonsj and murderers ? Wherefore did Christ, and his
apostles also, warn us so diligently of Antichrist, and of false
prophets that should come? Because that we should slumber
or sleep careless ? or rather that wo should look in the light
of the scripture with all diligence, to spy them when they
came, and not to suffer ourselves to be deceived and led out

[l By and by, like immediately, presently, &c., meant, when first
used, without delay. Compare Matt, xiii, 21.]
[2 In haste.]

r -. 16

[TYNDALE.]

242 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

of the way ? John biddeth judge the spirits. Whereby

x shall we judge them, but by the scriptures ? How shalt thou

Vknow whether the prophet be true or false, or whether he

speak God's word, or of his own head, if thou wilt not see

Bee S judge Pie scriptures? Why said David, in the second psalm, "Be

the earth. learned ye that judge the earth, lest the Lord be angry with

you, and ye perish from the right way ?" A terrible warning,

verily : yea, and look on the stories well, and thou shalt find

very few kings, since the beginning of the world, that have

not perished from the right way, and that because they would

not be learned.

The kings The emperor and kings are nothing now-a-days, but even

ifa"gSents ^angmen unto the pope and bishops, to kill whosoever they
Wt T< condemn without any more ado ; as Pilate was unto the
scribes and Pharisees and the high bishops, to hang Christ.
For as those prelates answered Pilate, when he asked what
he had done, " If he were not an evil doer, we would not
have brought him unto thee;" as who should say, We are
too holy to do any thing amiss, thou mayest believe us well
enough : yea, and " his blood on our heads," said they ; kill
him hardly, we will bear the charge, our souls for thine :
" We have also a law by which he ought to die, for he calleth
himself God's son :" — even so say our prelates, ' He ought to
die by our laws, he speaketh against the church.' And, ' Your
grace is sworn to defend the liberties and ordinances of the
church, and to maintain our most holy father's authority ; our
souls for yours, ye shall do a meritorious deed therein.' Never
theless, as Pilate escaped not the judgment of God, even so is
BC learned ye it to be feared lest our temporal powers shall not. "Where-
earth" w. x. fore be learned, ye that judge the earth, lest the Lord be

angry with you, and ye perish from the right way."

who slew j Who slew the prophets ? Who slew Christ? Who slew

w!E°p s jhis apostles? Who the martyrs, and all the righteous that

(ever were slain? The kings and the temporal sword at the

\request of the false prophets. They deserved such murder to

jdo, and to have their part with the hypocrites, because they

why were 'would not be learned, and see the truth themselves. Where-

Ihe prophets

siain? w. T. fore suffered the prophets ? Because they rebuked the hypo-
what deeds CI>ites which beguiled the world, and namely princes and
*a™thye rulers, and taught them to put their trust in things of vanity,

hypocrites? and ^ ^ Q^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ fo ^^ fcQfa Q£

ANTICHRIST. 243

mercy as were profitable unto no man, but unto the false
prophets themselves only ; making merchandise of God's
word. Wherefore slew they Christ? Even for rebuking the whysiew
hypocrites ; because he said, " Woe be to you scribes and W^T. "
Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven
before men," Matt, xxiii. : that is, as it is written, Luke xi. "Ye Lukexi.
have taken away the key of knowledge." The law of God,
which is the key wherewith men bind, and the promises, which The keys.
are the keys wherewith men loose, have our hypocrites also
taken away. They will suffer no man to know God's word,
but burn it, and make heresy of it : yea, and because the
people begin to smell their falsehood, they make it treason to Christ is a
the king, and breaking of the king's peace, to have so much a breaker of
as their Pater noster in English. And instead of God's law, peace, w.x.
they bind with their own law : and instead of God's promises, HOW the
they loose and justify with pardons and ceremonies, which bind and

loose. W. T.

they themselves have imagined for their own profit. They

preach, ' It were better for thee to eat flesh on Good Friday,
than to hate thy neighbour :' but let any man eat flesh but on
a Saturday, or break any other tradition of theirs, and he
shall be bound, and not loosed, till he have paid the uttermost
farthing, either with shame most vile, or death most cruel.
But hate thy neighbour as much as thou wilt, and thou shalt
have no rebuke of them ; yea, rob him, murder him, and then
come to them and welcome, They have a sanctuary for thee,
to save thee; yea, and a neck- verse, if thou canst but read
a little Latinly, though it be never so sorrily, so that thou be
ready to receive the beast's mark. They care for no under
standing : it is enough if thou canst roll up1 a pair of matins,
or an even-song, and mumble a few ceremonies. And because
they be rebuked thus, they rage. " Be learned, therefore, ye
that judge the world, lest God be angry with you, and yetjMwu
perish from the right way."

" Woe be to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites !" saith For rebuking
Christ, Matt, xxiii. "for ye devour widows' houses under a colour
of long prayer." Our hypocrites rob not the widows only, but
knight, squire, lord, duke, king, and emperor, and even the whole
world, under the same colour ; teaching the people to trust in
their prayers, and not in Christ, for whose sake God hath

[! To roll up: to chaunt; so called by a metaphor which somewhat
resembles that used when we say, To run up the notes of the gamut.]

16—2

244 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

forgiven all the sin of the whole world unto as many as repent
They be not and believe. They fear them with purgator 7, and promise to

a little afraid _ J \ & J ' r

t°hfaptumgaakery Pra7 PerPetually, lest the lands should ever return home again

perpetuities. unt0 the right heirs. What hast thou bought with robbing

thy heirs, or with giving the hypocrites that which thou

robbest of other men? Perpetual prayer? Yea, perpetual

pain : for they appoint thee no time of deliverance, their

prayers are so mighty. The pope for money can empty

whyitis^ purgatory when he will. It is, verily, purgatory; for it

tory. w. T. purgeth and maketh clean riddance : yea, it is hell ; for it

devoureth all things. His fatherhood sendeth them to heaven

sraiaccEii. with Scala coeli1 ; that is, with a ladder to scale the walls:

W T

The door is for by the door, Christ, will they not let them come in.
yemu^tciniib That door have they stopped up ; and that because ye should
waiis. w. T. buy ladders of them. For some they pray daily, which gave
vrayedfor, them perpetuities, and yet make saints of them, receiving

ondpravedto -. . L * .

also. w. T. offerings in their names, and teaching other to pray to them.
The craft, None of them, also, which taketh upon them to save other with

thathelpeth . r

Sthnofhfi" tneir players, trusteth to be saved thereby themselves ; but

^rrmaster. hire other to pray for them.

Numb. xvi. Moses taketh record of God, that he took not of any of

the people so much as an ass, neither vexed any of them,
i sam. xii. Samuel, in the first book of Kings, the xiith chapter, asked all
prayer was Israel, Whether he had taken any man's ox or ass ; or had
the ow time, vexed any man, or had taken any gift or reward of any man?
and all the people testified, ' Nay :' yet these two both taught
the people, and also prayed for them, as much as our prelates
i Pet. v. do. Peter, 1 Peter v. exhorteth the elders to take the over
sight of Christ's flock, not for filthy lucre, but of a good will,
Acts xx. even for love. Paul, Acts xx. taketh the priests, or elders,

[l In 1526, the year before Tyndale's writing this, Henry VIII. had
requested and obtained from pope Clement VII. a confirmation of
the pardons, as they were styled, which his predecessors had granted
to ' the brethren and sisters of the guild of our lady in St Botolph's
church at Boston/ One article of this indulgence was, " that if they,
for any impediment, could not be present at the chapel of our lady
in the said church, yet if they came unto their own parish church and
there said one Paternoster and Ave-Maria, they should enjoy full remis
sion of all their sins ; or whosoever came every Friday to the same
chapel should have as much remission as if he went to the chapel
of our Lady called Scala Coeli." Foxe's Acts and Mon. Vol. V. pp.
364— 5.— The chapel of Scala Coeli was at Rome.]

ANTICHRIST. 245

to record, that he had taught repentance and faith, and all the
counsel of God ; and yet had desired no man's gold, silver,
or vesture, but fed himself with the labour of his hands. And
yet these two taught and prayed for the people as much as
our prelates do, with whom it goeth after the common saying,
'No penny, no Paternoster :' which prelates yet, as they teach
not but beat only, so wot they not what prayer meaneth.

Moreover, the law of love, which Christ left among us, is
to give, and not to receive. What prayer is it then, that Their prayer
thus robbeth all the world, contrary to that great command- great com-16

' «/ i • i • mandmentof

ment, which is the end of all commandments, and in which all g£Ce that the
others are contained ? If men should continue to buy prayer K-eeJ0re.up
four or five hundred years more, as they have done, there W'T'
would not be a foot of ground in Christendom, neither any
worldly thing, which they, that will be called spiritual only,
should not possess. And thus all should be called spiritual.

" Woe be to you lawyers ! for ye lade men with burdens Luke xi.
which they are not able to bear, and ye yourselves touch not
the packs with one of your fingers," saith Christ, Luke xi. Our
lawyers, verily, have laden us a thousand times more. What The burdens
spiritual kindred have they made in baptism to let matrimony!2 tuaiuwyers.
besides that they have added certain degrees unto the law
natural for the same purpose. What an unbearable burden
of chastity do they violently thrust on other men's backs, and
how easily bear they it themselves ! How sore a burden, confession

^ •/ tormenteth

how cruel a hangman, how grievous a torment, yea, and *££££ ~rob
how painful an hell, is this ear-confession unto men's con- Jj^jf
sciences ! For the people are brought in belief, that without 5?Suiafd
that they cannot be saved; insomuch that some fast certain falth' W'T*
days in the year, and pray certain superstitious prayers all
their lives long, that they may not die without confession.
In peril of death, if the priest be not by, the shipmen shrive
themselves unto the mast. If any be present, they run then
every man into his ear : but to God's promises fly they not,

[2 By the papal law, the father* of a child might not marry the
wife of his son's godfather if he became a widower and she a widow.
Decret. Greg. Lib. iv. Tit. xi. cap. iv. A fortiori he might not marry
his son's godmother. Id. cap. vi. And if children of those who had
stood for the same child should be found to have intermarried, the
law said, Hujusmodi personse non possunt matrimonium contrahere ;
et si contraxerint, possunt ab invicem separari; et qui contractum
sciverint, debent ecclesiso illud mmciare.' Id. cap. vii.]

246 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

for they know them not. If any man have a death's wound,
he crieth immediately for a priest. If a man die without
shrift, many take it for a sign of damnation. Many, by
reason of that false belief, die in desperation. Many, for
shame, keep back of their confession twenty, thirty years, and
think all the while that they be damned. I knew a poor
woman with child, which longed, and, being overcome of her
passion, ate flesh on a Friday ; which thing she durst not
confess in the space of eighteen years, and thought all that
while that she had been damned, and yet sinned she not at
all. Is not this a sore burden, that so weigheth down the
soul unto the bottom of hell ? What should I say ? A great
book were not sufficient to rehearse the snares which they
have laid to rob men both of their goods, and also of the
trust which they should have in God's word1.

" The scribes and Pharisees do all their works to be
seen of men. They set abroad their phylacteries, and make
long borders on their garments, and love to sit uppermost at
feasts, and to have the chief seats in the synagogues ;" that

Matt.xxiii. is, in the congregations or councils, "and to be called Rabbi;"
that is to say, masters, saith Christ, Matt, xxiii. Behold the
deeds of our spiritualty, and how many thousand fashions are
among them to be known by : which, as none is like another,
so loveth none another : for every one of them supposeth
that all other poll too fast, and make too many captives. Yet
to resist Christ are they all agreed, lest they should be all

Badges or compelled to deliver up their prisoners to him. Behold the

baublestobe , T • i -,1 .. • i

known by. monsters, now they are disguised with mitres, crosiers, and
hats, with crosses, pillars, and poleaxes, and with three

namS"w T crowns • What names have they ? My lord prior, my lord
abbot, my lord bishop, my lord archbishop, cardinal, and
legate ; if it please your fatherhood ; if it please your lord
ship ; if it please your grace ; if it please your holiness ; and

Ste^meV?67 innumerable such like. Behold how they are esteemed, and

w- T- how high they be crept up above all ; not into worldly seats
only, but into the seat of God, the hearts of men, where they
sit above God himself. For both they, and whatsoever they
make of their own heads, is more feared and dread than God
and his commandments. In them and their deservings put

[l Art. X. of heresies and errors fixes on the above paragraph, and
says, ' He condemneth auricular confession. ']

ANTICHRIST. 247

we more trust than in Christ and his merits. To their pro
mises give we more faith than to the promises which God
hath sworn in Christ's blood.

The hypocrites say unto the kings and lords, * These
heretics would have us down first, and then you, to make
of all common.' Nay, ye hypocrites and right heretics,^
approved by open scripture, the kings and lords are down 'Kings are

11 11 i down, they

already ; and that so low, that they cannot go lower.

tread them under your feet, and lead them captive, and havef
made them your bond-servants to wait on your filthy lusts, j
and to avenge your malice on every man, contrary unto the :
right of God's word. Ye have not only robbed them of their ,
land, authority, honour, and due obedience which ye owe unto
them ; but also of their wits, so that they are not without
understanding in God's word only, but even in worldly mat
ters, that pertain unto their offices, they are more than chil
dren. Ye bear them in hand what ye will, and have brought
them even in case like unto them which, when they dance
naked in nets, believe they are invisible. We would have;
them up again, and restored unto the room and authority
which God hath given them, and whereof ye have robbed them.'
And your inward falsehood we do but utter only with the
light of God's word, that your hypocrisy might be seen.
" Be learned, therefore, ye that judge the world, lest God be
angry with you, and ye perish from the right way."

" Woe be to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! For Matt xxiii.
ye make clean the utterside of the cup and of the platter, but
within they are full of bribery and excess," saith Christ, Matt. JS^s jft°~by
xxiii. Is that which our hypocrites eat and drink, and all theft w- T
their riotous excess, any other thing save robbery, and that
which they have falsely gotten with their lying doctrine?
" Be learned, therefore, ye that judge the world," and compel
them to make restitution again.

" Ye blind guides," saith Christ, " ye strain out a gnat Matt xxiii-
and swallow a camel." Matt, xxiii. Do not our blind guides
also stumble at a straw, and leap over a block ; making narrow
consciences at trifles, and at matters of weight none at all ? If consciences

o that are so

any of them happen to swallow his spittle, or any of the JJ
water wherewith he washeth his mouth, ere he go to mass ; Jf^,
or touch the sacrament with his nose; or if the ass2 forget

W. T.

[2 An old black-letter edition reads here, oste.]

248 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN,

to breathe on him1, or happen to handle it with any of his
fingers which are not anointed ; or say ' Alleluia' instead of
* Laus tibi, Domine ;' or ' Ite, missa est' instead of ' Benedica-
mus Domino ; ' or pour too much wine in the chalice ; or read
the gospel without light ; or make not his crosses aright, how
trembleth he ! How feareth he ! What an horrible sin is
committed ! I cry God mercy, saith he, and you, my ghostly
father. But to hold an whore, or another man's wife, to buy
a benefice, to set one realm at variance with another, and to
cause twenty thousand men to die on a day, is but a trifle
and a pastime with them !

The Jews boasted themselves of Abraham ; and Christ said
A°shthejews uu^° them, John viii. " If ye were Abraham's children, ye would
3renhoef Abra- ^° ^iG deeds of Abraham." Our hypocrites boast themselves
of the authority of Peter, and of Paul, and the other apostles
clean contrary unto the deeds and doctrine of Peter, Paul,

w?T.es' and of all the other apostles ; which both obeyed all worldly

authority and power, usurping none to themselves, and taught

all other to fear the kings and rulers, and to obey them in

all things not contrary to the commandment of God; and

not to resist them, though they took away life arid goods

tS?typhave wrongfully ; but patiently to abide God's vengeance. This

feartheS && our spiritualty never yet, nor taught it. They taught

traditions. no£ j.Q £ear QQ(J ^ j^g commandments ; \)U^ to fear them in

their traditions : insomuch that the evil people, which fear
not to resist a good king and to rise against him, dare not

%

[l In a list of * Articles to be followed and observed, according to
the king's majesty's injunctions and proceedings/ set forth under the
authority of Edward VI, in 1549, the second article enjoins, * That no
minister do counterfeit the popish mass, as to kiss the Lord's table ;
washing his fingers at every time in the communion ; blessing his eyes
with the paten or sudary, or crossing his head with the paten ; shifting
of the book from one place to another; laying down and licking the
chalice of the communion ; holding up his fingers, hands, or thumbs,
joined towards his temples; breathing upon the- bread, &c. Burnet's
Hist, of Reform. Vol. n. Coll. of Records, p. 165. Part u. B. i.
No. 33. Tyndale calls ' breathing upon the bread/ breathing on him ;
because the bread after consecration was called GOD by the church
of Rome. Thus in the canon of the mass, * Here let the priest bow
himself to the host, saying, I beseech Thee, that thou fail not us thy
servants, but forgive our sins/ See translation of canon of the mass,
in Foxe's Acts and Mon. B. x. Vol. VI. p. 366.]

ANTICHRIST. 240

lay hands on one of them, neither for defiling of wife, daugh

ter, or very mother. When all men lose life and lands, they They win

* . . . , somewhat

remain always sure and in satety, and ever win somewhat, always.
For whosoever conquereth other men's lands unrightfully,
ever giveth them part with them. JTo them is all thing
lawful. In all councils and parliaments arc they the chief.
Without them may no king be crowned, neither until he be 42$
sworn to their liberties. All secrets know they, even the very
thoughts of men's hearts. By them all things are ministered.
No king nor realm may, through their falsehood, live in
peace/? To believe they teach not in Christ, but in them
and their disguised hypocrisy. And of them compel they all
men to buy redemption and forgiveness of sins. The people's |
sin they cat, and thereof wax fat. The more wicked the I
people are, the more prosperous is their commonwealth. If
kings and great men do amiss, they must build abbeys and
colleges ; mean men build chantreys ; poor find trentals, and
brotherhoods, and begging friars. Their own heirs do men
disherit, to endote2 them. All kings are compelled to sub
mit themselves to them. Read the story of king John, and
of other kings. They will have their causes avenged, though
whole realms should therefore perish. Take from them their
disguising ; so are they not spiritual. Compare that they
have taught us unto the scripture ; so are we without faith.

Christ saith, John v. " How can ye believe, which receive John v.
glory one of another ?" If they that seek to be glorious can ffae^°nf°utn
have no faith, then are our prelates faithless, verily. And, "heyhdo clod's
John vii. he saith : " He that speaketh of himself, seeketh his w^f •
own glory." If to seek glory and honour be a sure token John vu*
that a man speaketh of his ownself, and doth his own mes
sage, and not his master's ; then is the doctrine of our pre
lates of themselves, and not of God. " Be learned, therefore,
ye that judge the earth, lest God be angry with you, and
ye perish from the right way."

Be learned, lest the hypocrites bring the wrath of GodjBeieamed.
upon your heads, and compel you to shed innocent blood ; as
they have compelled your predecessors to slay the prophets,
to kill Christ and his apostles, and all the righteous that
since were slain. God's word pertaineth unto all men ; as it God>s WOTd

, .

pertaineth unto all servants to know their master's will and

[2 Endow.]

ought allmen

w r^ow'

250 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

pleasure, and to all subjects to know the laws of their prince.
S?3tiy? a11 ket n°t the hypocrites do all things secretly. What reason is
w> T* it that mine enemy should put me in prison at his pleasure,
and there diet me, and handle me as he lusteth ; and judge me
himself, and that secretly ; and condemn me by a law of his
own making, and then deliver me to Pilate to murder me ?
oughtTord ket God's word try every man's doctrine, and whomsoever^
judge, w. T. GOC[>S word proveth unclean, let him be taken for a leper.
waVounder ^nc SCI>ipture will help to declare another. And the cir-
scrnnure. cumstances, that is to say, the places that go before and
W-T- after, will give light unto the middle text. And the open
and manifest scriptures will ever improve the false and wrong
exposition of the darker sentences. Let the temporal powerj
to whom God hath given the sword to take vengeance, look
or ever that they leap, and see what they do. Let the causes
be disputed before them, and let him that is accused have
room to answer for himself. The powers, to whom God hath
committed the sword, shall give accounts for every drop of
blood that is shed on the earth. Then shall their ignorance
not excuse them, nor the saying of the hypocrites help them,
It°hunot!lelp" ' My soul for yours, your grace shall do a meritorious
deed;' 'your grace ought not to hear them;' 'it is an old
heresy condemned by the church.' The king ought to look
in the scripture, and see whether it were truly condemned or
Jno, if he will punish it. If the king, or his officer for him,
iwill slay me ; so ought the king, or his officer, to judge me.
taie king cannot, but unto his damnation, lend his sword to
^kill whom he judgeth not by his own laws. Let him that is
accused stand on the one side, and the accuser on the other
side ; and let the king's judge sit and judge the cause, if the
king will kill, and not be a murderer before God.
^ Hereof may ye see, not only that our persecution is for
the same cause that Christ's was, and that we say nothing
that Christ said not ; but also that all persecution is only for
rebuking of hypocrisy ; that is to say, of man's righteousness,
and of holy deeds, which man hath imagined to please God
and to be saved by without God's word, and beside the testa
ment that God hath made in Christ. If Christ had not
rebuked the Pharisees because they taught the people to
believe in their traditions and holiness, and in offerings that
came to their advantage, and that they taught the widows,

ANTICHRIST. 251

and them that had their friends dead, to believe in their
prajcrs, and that through their prayers the dead should be
saved ; and through that means robbed them both of their
goods, and also of the testament and promises that God had
made to all that repented in Christ to come ; he might have
been uncrucified unto this day.

If St Paul also had not preached against circumcision,
that it justified not ; and that vows, offerings, and ceremonies
justified not ; and that righteousness, and forgiveness of sins,
came not by any deserving of our deeds, but by faith, or
believing the promises of God, and by the deserving and
merits of Christ only ; he might have lived unto this hour.
Likewise, if we preached not against pride, covetousness,
lechery, extortion, usury, simony, and against the evil living
both of the spiritualty as well as of the temporalty, and
against inclosings of parks, raising of rents and fines, and of
the carrying out of wool out of the realm ; we might endure
long enough. But touch the scab of hypocrisy, or pope-
holiness, and go about to utter their false doctrine, wherewith
they reign as gods in the heart and consciences of men, and
rob them not of lands, goods, and authority only, but also of
the testament of God, and salvation that is in Christ; then
helpeth thee neither God's word, nor yet if thou didst miracles ;
but that thou art not an heretic only, and hast the devil
within thee, but also a breaker of the king's peace, and a
traitor. But let us return unto our lying signs again.

What signifieth that the prelates are so bloody, and pe prelates
clothed in red? That they be ready every hour to suffer p^'w.V
martyrdom for the testimony of God's word. Is that also)
not a false sign ? When no man dare, for them, once open
his mouth to ask a question of God's word, because they ard
ready to burn him.

What signifieth the poleaxes that are borne before high ™e^es-
legates a latere ? Whatsoever false sign they make of them,
I care not ; but of this I am sure, that as the old hypocrites,
when they had slain Christ, set poleaxes to keep him in his
sepulchre, that he should not rise again, even so have our
hypocrites buried the testament that God made unto us in
Christ's blood ; and to keep it down, that it rise not again, is
all their study ; whereof these poleaxes are the very sign.

252

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

hisdieavesy
W-T-

Is not that shepherd's hook, the bishop's crose1, a false
sign ? Is not that white rochet, that the bishops and canons
wear, so like a nun, and so effeminately, a false sign ? What
other things are their sandals, gloves, mitres, and all the
whole pomp of their disguising, than false signs, in which Paul
ProPnesied that they should come ? And as Christ warned
us ^° ^eware °f wolves in lamb's skins, and bade us look
rather unto their fruits and deeds than to wonder at their
disguisings, run throughout all our holy religions, and thou
shalt find them likewise all clothed in falsehood.

John xi.

Of the Sacraments;

FORASMUCH as we be come to signs, we will speak a wora
or two of the signs which God hath ordained ; that is to say,
of the sacraments which Christ left among us for our comfort,
that we may walk in light and in truth, and in feeling of the
power of God. For " he that walketh in the day stumbletb^
not;" when contrariwise he that walketh in the night stumbleth,
John xi. And " they that walk in darkness wot not whither
they go."

This word, sacrament, is as much to say as an holy sign, f
T and represented alway some promise of God : as in the old |
Testament God ordained that the rainbow should represent
and signify unto all men an oath, that God sware to Noe and
to all men after him, that he would no more drown the world
through water.

The Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ.

So the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ hath
a promise annexed, which the priest should declare in the
English tongue. " This is my body, that is broken for you."
" This is my blood, that is shed for many, unto the forgive-
ness of sins." " This do in remembrance of me," saith Christ,
Th? promise, Luke xxu. and 1 Cor. xi. If when thou seest the sacramenO

which the sa-

j.reSth, or eatest his body, or drinkest his blood, thou have this pro-
onSiyfiew.T. mise fast m thine heart, that his body was slain and his blood

I1 Grose: i. e. crosier.]

SACRAMENT OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 253

shed for thy sins, and belicvest it, so art thou saved and
justified thereby. If not, so helpeth it theo not, though thou
hearest a thousand masses in a day, or though thou doest
nothing else all thy life long than eat his body or drink his
blood : no more than it should help thee, in a dead thirst, to |
behold a bush at a tavern^door, if thou knewest not thereby
that there were wine within to be sold,

Baptism.

BAPTISM hath also his word and promise, which the priest]
ought to teach the people, and christen them in the English
tongue; and not to play the popinjay with ' Credo say ye,'
' Volo say ye,' and ' Baptismum say ye ; ' for there ought
to be no mumming in such j, matter. The priest, before hej
baptizeth, asketh, saying : ' Believest thou in God the Father
Almighty, and in his Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost,
and that the congregation of Christ is holy ? ' And they say,
* Yea.' Then the priest upon this faith baptizeth the child in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost, for the forgiveness of sins, as Peter saith, Acts ii. Acts u.

The washing without the word helpeth not : but through f
the word it purifieth and cleanseth us : as thou readest,
Eph. v. how Christ cleanseth the congregation in the foun- EPh. v.
tain of water through the word. The word is the promise/
that God hath made. Now as a preacher, in preaching the|Howthe
word of God, saveth the hearers that believe ; so doth the W^y-
washing, in that it preacheth and representeth unto us the
promise that God hath made unto us in Christ. The washing
preacheth unto us, that we are cleansed with Christ's blood-
shedding ; which was an offering, and a satisfaction, for the
sin of all that repent and believe, consenting and submitting
themselves unto the will of God. The plunging into the
water significth that we die, and are buried with Christ, as
concerning the old life of sin, which is Adam. And the pulling
out again signifieth that we rise again with Christ in a new
life, full of the Holy Ghost, which shall teach us and guide
us, and work the will of God in us, as thou seest, Rom. vi.

254 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Of Wedlock.

MATRIMONY, or wedlock, is a state or a degree ordained
of God, and an office wherein the husband serveth the wife,
and the wife the husband. It was ordained for a remedy,
and to increase the world; and for the man to help the
woman, and the woman the man, with all love and kindness ;
Matrimony an(j not to signify any promise, that ever I heard or read of I

was not or- O * • J f.

SfSfyany ^n ^6 scrip^ure- Therefore ought it not to be called a!

promise. sacrament. It hath a promise, that we sin not in that state,
if a man receive his wife as a gift given to him of God, and
the wife her husband likewise : as all manner meats and
drinks have a promise that we sin not, if we use them
measurably with thanksgiving. If they call matrimony a
sacrament, because the scripture useth the similitude of matri
mony to express the marriage, or wedlock, that is between us
and Christ ; (for as a woman, though she be never so poor,
yet when she is married, is as rich as her husband ; even so
we, when we repent and believe the promises of God in Christ,
though we be never so poor sinners, yet are as rich as Christ ;
all his merits are ours, with all that he hath;) if for that
cause they call it a sacrament, so will I mustard-seed, leaven,
a net, keys, bread, water, and a thousand other things1,
which Christ and the prophets and all the scripture use, to

!£ hof°Cwh exPress tne kingdom of heaven and God's word withal. They

ievderh7ve Praise wedlock with their mouth, and say, ' It is an holy thing,'
as ^ ig verily ; but had lever be sanctified with a whore, than
to come within the sanctuary.

Of Order.

SUBDEACON, deacon, priest, bishop, cardinal, patriarch, and
pope, be names of offices and service, or should be, and not

[! Sir T. More, quoting the above to confute it, and to disparage
Tyndale, in p. 43 of his Answer to Tyndale's ' Preface to the Confuta
tion' introduces the word make before mustard-seed,' and then, pre
sently, speaks as follows : ' Where St Paul for those holy significations
sayth that matrimony is a great sacrament' (he means, in Eph. v. 32),
* Tyndale dare say nay to his teeth ; and saith he can make as good a
sacrament of leaven, of keys, of mustard-seed, or else of a net. He
should rather yet, lest the grace get out, perde, make it of a sack/]

OF ORDER. 255

sacraments. There is no promise coupled therewith. If they f
minister their offices truly, it is a sign that Christ's Spirit is
in them ; if not, that the devil is in them. Are these all
sacraments, or which one of them ? Or what thing in them
is that holy sign or sacrament ? The shaving, or the anoint
ing ? What also is the promise that is signified thereby ?
But what word printeth in them that character, that spiritual °Jia™cter-
seal ? 0 dreamers and natural beasts, without the seal of the
Spirit of God ; but sealed with the mark of the beast and
with cankered consciences !

There is a word called in Latin sacerdos, in Greek
hiereu-s, in Hebrew cohan, that is, a minister, an officer2, a
sacrificer or a priest ; as Aaron was a priest, and sacrificed
for the people, and was a mediator between God and them.
And in the English should it have had .some other name than
priest3. But Antichrist hath deceived us with unknown and
strange terms, to bring us into confusion and superstitious
blindness. Of that manner is Christ a priest for ever ; and
all we priests through him, and need no more of any suchj
priest on earth, to be a mean for us unto God4. For Christ!

[2 Tyndale has here given evidence of his being aware that the
primary meaning of ]nb is minister, or officer ; so that, like our

minister, it is sometimes used to signify an officer or attendant of the
sovereign, though more frequently for one who attends on God's
service. In 2 Sam. viii. 18, David's sons are styled Q*onb > anc^ ^n
the parallel passage, 1 Chron. xviii. 17, ' the chief men at the king's
hand/]

[3 In Day's folio there is here a mark of interrogation ; but not so
in II. Luft's edition, nor in More's Confutation of Tyndale's Answer,
where this passage is quoted. Tyndale doubtless meant that the English
word priest is but an abbreviation of presbyter.]

[4 Art. IX. of heresies and errors charged against Tyndale, is,
* Every man is a priest, and we need no other priest to be a mean for
us unto God/ Foxe replies to this by giving Tyndale's own words,
with a note quoting Rev. i. 6, ' Hath made us kings and priests unto
GOD and his Father/ But the feeling of the commissioners, who
condemned this sentence, may be gathered from the remarks of Sir
Thos. More, who in p. 66 of his Confutation of Tyndale's Answer to
him says : ' Tyndale teacheth plainly that the blessed sacrament is, in
the mass, no sacrifice, none hoste, nor none oblation ; by which abomi
nable heresy he taketh quite away the very special profit and fruit of
all the mass. These be his very words/ And then More copies the
above paragraph, from ' There is a word/ to this place, and proceeds as

256 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

hath brought us all into the inner temple, within the veil or
forehanging, and unto the mercy-stool of God, and hath coupled
us unto God ; where we offer, every man for himself, the
desires and petitions of his heart, and sacrifice and kill the
lusts and appetites of his flesh, with prayer, fasting, and all
manner godly living1,
presbyter. Another word is there in Greek, called presbyter, in Latin\

W T I

senior, in English an elder, and is nothing but an officer to
teach, and not to be a mediator between God and us. This/
needeth no anointing of man. They of the old Testament
were anointed with oil, to signify the anointing of Christ,
priests now and of us through Christ, with the Holy Ghost. Thiswise

ought not to . , . . . . „

be anointed is no man priest, but he that is chosen ; save as in time 01
W-T- necessity every person christeneth, so may every man teach
his wife and household* and the wife her children. So in time
of need, if I see my brother sin, I may between him and me
rebuke him, and damn his deed by the law of God ; and
may also comfort them that are in despair, with the promises
of God ; and save them if they believe.
The office of T^y & priest then, in the new Testament, understand

w.rT.s ' nothing but an elder to teach the younger, and to bring them
unto the full knowledge and understanding of Christ, and to
minister the sacraments which Christ ordained2, which is also=j

follows : — 'By these words ye see, that whereas the priests in the old
law offered sacrifices^for the people, and that of diverse kinds, as ap-
peareth in Levitici and JSumeri and other places of holy scripture,
instead of all which sacrifices Christ hath in his new law instituted one
only sacrifice, his own blessed body and blood to be offered up to his
Father for his people by the hands of the priest, in form of bread and
wine, of which holy offering in the mass now the offering of Melchise-
dech, that offered bread and wine, was a solemn figure; Tyndale
telleth us here that because Christ is a priest for ever, and that all we
be priests through him, man and woman ye must understand, we need
therefore, ho saith, no more of any such priest on earth, that should
be a mean between God and the people, to offer up any sacrifice to
God for the people/]

[! The last two sentences of this paragraph are next quoted by
More, in the same place, and commented upon by him in like manner.]

[2 Sir T. More has quoted this sentence thus far, in p. 48 of his
Confutation, where he is professing to combat the preface of Tyndale's
answer to him ; and in his remarks, on the words he has quoted,
More says : ' What would it avail to dispute with him (Tyndale), since
ho mockcth and scoffeth out the words of St Paul, written unto

OF ORDER. 257

nothing but to preach Christ's promises./ And by them that
give all their study to quench the lighFof truth, and to hold
the people in darkness, understand the disciples of Satan and
messengers of antichrist, whatsoever names they have, or
whatsoever they call themselves. And as concerning that our
spiritualty (as they will be called) make themselves holier
than the lay-people, and take so great lands and goods to at a11- w- T-
pray for them, and promise them pardons and forgiveness of
sins, or absolution, without preaching of Christ's promises, [it]
is falsehood, and the working of antichrist ; and (as I have
said) the ravening of those wolves which Paul (Acts xx.) pro-
phesied should come after his departing, not sparing the flock.
Their doctrine is that merchandise whereof Peter speaketh,
saying : " Through covetousness shall they with feigned words 2 Pet H.
make merchandise of you." 2 Pet. ii. And their reasons, where-
with they prove their doctrine, are (as saith Paul 1 Tim. vi.)
" Superfluous disputings, arguings or brawlings of men with JJyj
corrupt minds, and destitute of truth, which think that lucre w!ir?uit8'
is godliness." But Christ saith, Matt. vii. " By their fruits Matt Vu.
shalt thou know them ;" that is, by their filthy covetousness,
and shameless ambition, and drunken desire of honour, con
trary unto the ensample and doctrine of Christ and of his
apostles. Christ said to Peter, the last chapter of John :
"Feed my sheep :" and not, ' Shear thy flock.' And Peter joim xxi.
saith, (1 Pet. v.) " Not being lords over the parishens3." But i Pet. v.
these shear, and are become lords. Paul saith, 2 Cor. ii.
" Not that we be lords over your faith:" but these will be2Cor. i.
lords ; and compel us to believe whatsoever they lust, without
any witness of scripture, yea, clean contrary to the scripture ;
when the open text rebuketh it. Paul saith, " It is better to
give, than to receive," Acts xx. ; but these do nothing in the
world but lay snares to catch and receive whatsoever cometh,
as it were the gaping mouth of hell. And 2 Cor. xii., " I seek
not yours, but you :" but these seek not you to Christ, but
yours to themselves ; and therefore, lest their deeds should
be rebuked, will not come at the light.

Timothy, in which the sacrament of orders is so plainly proved that
all the world cannot deny it, but if they make a mock at St Paul as
Tyndale doth.']

[3 Parishens, i. e. parishioners. So in Chaucer: 'Why covet ye shrifte
and burying of other mcns parishens?' But Day's folio has parishes.]

17

[TYNDALE.]

258 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Nevertheless the truth is, that we are all equally beloved
in Christ, and God hath sworn to all indifferently. According,
therefore, as every man believeth God's promises, longeth for
them, and is diligent to pray unto God to fulfil them, so is
his prayer heard ; and as good is the prayer of a cobbler
as of a cardinal, and of a butcher as of a bishop ; and the
blessing of a baker that knoweth the truth is as good as the

what biess- blessing of our most holy father the pope. And by blessing
un(jerstand no£ faQ waggjng of the pope's or bishop's hand
over thine head, but prayer ; as when we say, ' God make
thee a good man,' ' Christ put his Spirit in thee,' or ' Give
thee grace and power to walk in the truth, and to follow his
commandments,' &c. : as Rebecca's friends blessed her when

Gen. xxiv. she departed, (Gen. xxiv.) saying, " Thou art our sister :
grow unto thousand thousands, and thy seed possess the gates
of their enemies :" and as Isaac blessed Jacob, (Gen. xxvii.)

Gen. xxvii. saying, " God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fat
ness of the earth, abundance of corn, wine and oil," &c. : and,
(Gen. xxviii.) " Almighty God bless thee, and make thee
grow, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a great
multitude of people, and give to thee and to thy seed after
thee the blessings of Abraham ; that thou mayest possess the
land wherein thou art a stranger, which he promised to thy
grandfather :" and such like.

Last of all, one singular doubt they have : what maketh
the priest ; the anointing, or putting on of the hands, or what
other ceremony, or what words? About which they brawl
and scold, one ready to tear out another's throat. One saith
this, and another that ; but they cannot agree. Neither can
any of them make so strong a reason which another cannot
improve1: for they are all out of the way, and without the
Spirit of God, to judge spiritual things. Howbeit to this I
answer, that when Christ called twelve up into the mountain,
and chose them, then immediately, without any anointing or
ceremony, were they his apostles ; that is to wit, ministers
chosen to be sent to preach his testament unto all the whole
world. And after the resurrection, when he had opened their
wits, and given them knowledge, to understand the secrets of
his testament, and how to bind and loose, and what he would
have them to do in all things ; then he sent them forth with
t1 Disprove, or find fault with.]

OF ORDER. 259

a commandment to preach, and bind the unbelieving that
continue in sin, and to loose the believing that repent. And The com-

, , iii'T • mandment

that commandment, or charge, made them bishops, priests, maketh ,
popes, and all thing. If they say that Christ made them w. T.
priests at his maundy, or last supper, when he said, "Do
this in the remembrance of me;" I answer, Though the apostles
wist not then what he meant, yet I will not strive nor say
thereagainst. Neverthelater the commandment and the charge,
which he gave them, made them priests.

And, Acts the first, when Matthias was chosen by lot, it Acts L
is not to be doubted but that the apostles, after their common
manner, prayed for him, that God would give him grace to
minister his office truly ; and put their hands on him, and
exhorted him, and gave him charge to be diligent and faith
ful ; and then was he as great as the best. And, Acts vi.
when the disciples that believed had chosen six deacons to Acts vi.
minister to the widows, the apostles prayed and put their
hands on them, and admitted them without more ado. Their Putting on
putting on of hands was not after the manner of the dumb w. T" s'
blessing of our holy bishops, with two fingers ; but they spake
unto them, and told them their duty, and gave them a charge,
and warned them to be faithful in the Lord's business : as we
choose temporal officers, and read their duty to them, and
they promise to be faithful ministers, and then are admitted.
Neither is there any other manner or ceremony at all re
quired in making of our spiritual officers, than to choose an
able person, and then to rehearse him his duty, and give him
his charge, and so to put him in his room2. And as for that
other solemn doubt, as they call it, Whether Judas was a
priest or no? I care not what he then was ; but of this I whatiudas

is now \V T

am sure, that he is now not only priest, but also bishop, car
dinal, and pope.

[2 Art. XII. of heresies says, ' He destroyeth the sacraments of
matrimony and orders/ and is founded on this paragraph. Foxe only
replies : ' As truly as matrimony and orders be sacraments, so truly is
this article a heresy.']

17—2

260 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Of Penance.

PENANCE is a word of their own forging, to deceive us
withal1, as many others are. In the scripture we find
pcenitentia, "repentance:" ayite poenitentiam, "do repent;'7
poeniteat vos, " let it repent you:" tnetanoyte, in Greek, "for-
A point of , think ye," or "let it forthink you2." Of repentance they
have made penance, to blind the people, and to make them
think that they must take pains, and do some holy deeds, to
make satisfaction for their sins ; namely such as they enjoin
them. As thou mayest see in the chronicles, when greaF
kings and tyrants (which with violence of sword conquered
other kings'" lands, and slew all that came to hand) came to
themselves, and had conscience of their wicked deeds ; then
the bishops coupled them, not to Christ, but unto the pope,
and preached the pope unto them ; and made them to submit
themselves, and also their realms, unto the holy father the
pope, and to take penance, as they call it ; that is to say,
such injunctions as the pope and bishops would command
them to do, to build abbeys, to endote them with livelihood,
to be prayed for for ever ; and to give them exemptions and
privilege and licence to do what they lust unpunished. x

t1 Sir T. More quotes the preceding words in p. 45 of his Confuta
tion, where ho professes to be answering Tyndale's answer to him,
and says: 'Here ye see that the sacrament of penance he setteth at
less than nought ; for he says, It is but a thing forged and contrived
to deceive us with. But every good Christian knoweth that such folk
as ho is, that against the sacrament of penance contrive and forge
such false heresies, sore deceive themself, and all them whom the
devil blindeth to believe them/]

[2 The word forthink as equivalent for MeravoaTe, or Repent ye,
occurs repeatedly in Wicliffe's translation of the New Testament,
though he always keeps close to the Vulgate in speaking of doing
penance, where it has posnltentia united with the verb ago ; and some
times renders posnitentia by penance, where ago is not found in the
Latin, as Acts v. 31. Thus in Luke xvii. 3, he read, Si poenitentiam
cgerit, and rendered it accordingly, 'if he do penance ;' but in the next
verse he found poenitet me, and his translation is, ' It forthinketh me/
It is only in rendering 2 Cor. vii. 8, that Wieliffe used rew for
poenitet; and he has used the verb repented but once, viz. in Matt.
xxvii. 3. Sir Thomas More says, 'God's high providence so forseeth
what he promised, that he can never forthink it/ Confut. p. 61.]

OF PENANCE. 2G1

Repentance goeth before faith, and preparcth the way to Repentance.
Christ, and to the promises. For Christ cometh not butf '
unto them that see their sins in the law, and repent. Re
pentance, that is to say, this mourning and sorrow of the
heart, lastcth all our lives long : for we find ourselves, all
our lives long, too weak for God's law, and therefore sorrow
and mourn, longing for strength. Repentance is no sacra
ment : as faith, hope, love, and knowledge of a man's sins,
are not to be called sacraments. For they are spiritual and
invisible. Now must a sacrament bo an outward sign that
may be seen, to signify, to represent, and to put a man in
remembrance of some spiritual promise, which cannot be seen
but by faith only. Repentance, and all the good deeds which j
accompany repentance, to slay the lusts of the flesh, are sig
nified by baptism. For Paul saith, Rom. vi. as it is above re
hearsed : " Remember ye not (saith he), that all we which are Rom \\.
baptized in the name of Christ Jesus are baptized to die with
him ? We are buried with him in baptism for to die ;" that Repentance

is signified, bv

is, to kill the lusts and the rebellion which remaineth in the i*\*j*m-
flesh. And after that he saith, " Ye are dead, as concerning sin,
but live unto God through Christ Jesus our Lord." If thou
look on the profession of our hearts, and on the Spirit and
forgiveness which we have received through Christ's merits,
we are full dead : but 4f thou look on the rebellion of the
flesh, we do but begin to die, and to be baptized, that is, to
drown and quench the lusts, and are full baptized at the last
minute of death. And as concerning the working of tliol
Spirit, we begin to live, and grow every day more and more,
both in knowledge and also in godly living, according as the
lusts abate : as a child rcccivcth the full soul at the first day,
yet groweth daily in the operations and works thereof.

Of Confession.

One confes-
n is to

CONFESSION is diverse : one followcth true faith inscpa- on
rably, and is the confessing, and knowlcdging with the ^
mouth, wherein we put our trust and confidence. As when |™"tcst\!jyT
we say our Credo, confessing that we trust in God the Father
Almighty, and in his truth and promises ; and in his Son
Jesus, our Lord, and in his merits and dcscrvings ; and in

262 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

the Holy Ghost, and in his power, assistance and guiding.
This confession is necessary unto all men that will be saved.

Matt.x. For Christ saith, Matt. x. "He that denieth me before men,
him will I deny before my Father that is in heaven." And of
this confession, saith the holy apostle Paul, in the xth chapter :

Rom. x, "The belief of the heart justifieth; and to knowledge with
the mouth maketh a man safe." This is a wonderful text
for our philosophers, or rather sophisters, our worldly-wise
enemies to the wisdom of God, our deep and profound wells
without water, our clouds without moisture of rain; that is
to say, natural souls without the Spirit of God and feeling of
godly things. To justify, and to make safe, are both one
thing. And to confess with the mouth is a good work, and
the fruit of a true faith, as all other works are.

If thou repent and believe the promises, then God's truth
justifieth thee ; that is, forgiveth thee thy sins, and sealeth
thee with his holy Spirit, and maketh thee heir of everlasting
life, through Christ's deservings. Now if thou have true
faith, so seest thou the exceeding and infinite love and mercy
which God hath shewed thee freely in Christ: then must
thou needs love again : and love cannot but compel thee to
work, and boldly to confess and knowledge thy Lord Christ,

if when and the trust which thou hast in his word. And this know-
tyrants op-

thouhhaevee ^dge maketh thee safe; that is, declareth that thou art safe
already, certifieth thine heart, and maketh thee feel that thy
faith is right, and that God's Spirit is in thee, as all other
good works daj For if, when it cometh unto the point, thou
hadst no lust to work, nor power to confess, how couldest
/thou presume to think that God's Spirit were in thee ?

Another confession is there, which goeth before faith, and
accompanieth repentance. For whosoever repenteth, doth
knowledge his sins in his heart. And whosoever doth know
ledge his sins, receiveth forgiveness, as saith John, in the first
of his first epistle : " If we knowledge our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness ;" that is, because he hath promised, he must
for his truth's sake do it. This confession is necessary all our
lives long, as is repentance. And as thou understandest of
repentance, so understand of this confession ; for it is likewise
included in the sacrament of baptism. For we always re
pent, and always knowledge or confess our sins unto God,

Another con
fession is to
knowledge
thy sins in
thine heart
unto God.

1 John i.

OF CONFESSION. 263

and yet despair not ; but remember that we are washed in
Christ's blood : which thing our baptism doth represent and
signify unto us.

Shrift in the ear is verily a work of Satan ; and that the simfi. w. x.
falsest that ever was wrought, and that most hath devoured
the faith1. It began among the Greeks, and was not as it is
now, to reckon all a man's sins in the priest's ear; but to
ask counsel of such doubts as men had, as thou mayest see
in St Hierome, and in other authors. Neither went they to
priests only, which were very few at that time, no more than
preached the word of God ; for this so great vantage in so
many masses saying was not yet found ; but went indiffer
ently, where they saw a good and a learned man. And for
because of a little knavery, which a deacon at Constantinople
played through confession with one of the chief wives of the [
city, it was laid down again2. But we, antichrist's possession,
the more knavery we see grow thereby daily, the more we w> T-
stablish it. A Christian man is a spiritual thing ; and hatfTJ
God's word in his heart, and God's Spirit to certify him of j
all thing. He is not bound to come to any ear. And as forj
the reasons which they make, [they] are all but persuasions
of man's wisdom. First, as pertaining unto the keys and
manner of binding and loosing, is enough above rehearsed,
and in other places. Thou mayest also see how the apostles
used them in the Acts ; and, in Paul's epistles, how at thel
preaching of faith the Spirit came, and certified their hearts ]
that they were justified through believing the promises. — "^

When a man feeleth that his heart consenteth unto tKelno
law of God, and feeleth himself meek, patient, courteous, andVhat his.sins
merciful to his neighbour, altered and fashioned like untop-T-.

[! This sentence is quoted by Sir T. More in p. 45 of his Confuta
tion, where he professes to bo answering the preface of Tyndale's
answer to him; and he says, * Luther, that was Tyndale's master, as
lewd as he is, played never the blasphemous fool against confession so
far yet as Tynclale doth. For Luther, albeit he would make every
man, and every woman too, sufficient and meetly to serve for a con
fessor, yet confesseth he that shrift is very necessary, and doth much
good, and would in no wise have it left/]

[2 The office of penitentiary was abolished by Nectarius, bishop of
Constantinople, near the close of the fourth century, on the occasion
alluded to by Tyndale. See Sozom. B. vn. c. 1C, and Socrat. B. v.
c. 19.]

264 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Christ ; why should he doubt but that God hath forgiven him,
and chosen him, and put his Spirit in him, though he never
Jerome l his sin into the priest's ear ?

^ne ^n^ reason have they, saying, How shall the priest
unbhid, loose, and forgive the sin which he .knoweth not ?
How did the apostles ? The scripture forsake they, and run
unto their blind reasons ; and draw the scripture unto a car
nal purpose. When I have told thee in thine ear all that I
have done my life long, in order and with all circumstances
after the shamefullest manner, what canst thou do more than
preach me the promises, saying, 'If thou repent and believe,
God's truth shall save thee for Chrisfs sake?' Thou seest
not mine heart ; thou knowest not whether I repent or no ;
neither whether I consent to the law, that it is holy, righteous,
and good. Moreover, whether I believe the promises or no,
is also unknown to thee. If thou preach the law and the
promises (as the apostles did), so should they that God hath
chosen repent, and believe, and be saved, even now as well
as then. Howbeit antichrist must know all secrets, to stablish
his kingdom, and to work his mysteries withal.

They bring also for them the story of the ten lepers,

know them •..*." " *

verny^eplrs wmcn *s written in the xviith chapter of Luke. Here mark
hcarts.irw. T. their falsehood, and learn to know them for ever. The four-
ml' teenth Sunday after the feast of the Trinity, the beginning of
the seventh lesson is the said gospel ; and the eighth and the
ninth lessons, with the rest of the seventh, is the exposition
of Bede upon the said gospel : where saith Bede, " Of all that
Christ healed, of whatsoever disease it were, he sent none
unto the priest but the lepers ;" and by the lepers interpreteth
followers of false doctrine only, which the spiritual officers and
the learned men of the congregation ought to examine, and
rebuke their learning with God's word, and to warn the con
gregation to beware of them. Which, if they were after
ward healed by the grace of Christ, ought to come before
the congregation, and there openly confess their true faith.
But all other vices (saith he) doth God heal within, in the
conscience2.

[l Crome : crammed.]

[2 Et factum est etc. occurrerunt ei decem viri leprosi. Leprosi
non absurde intelligi possunt, qui scientiam verse fidei non habentes,
varias doctrinas profitentur erroris. Non enim vel abscondunt impe-

OF CONFESSION. 265

Though they thiswise read at matins, yet at high mass,
if they have any sermon at all, they lie, clean contrary unto
this open truth. Neither are they ashamed at all. For why ?
they walk altogether in darkness.

Of Contrition. '

CONTRITION and repentance are both one, and nothing
else but a sorrowful and a mourning heart. And because
that God hath promised mercy unto a contrite heart, that is,
to a sorrowful and repenting heart, they, to beguile God's
word and to stablish their wicked tradition, have feigned that
new word attrition3) saying, 'Thou canst not know whether
thy sorrow or repentance be contrition or attrition, except
thou be shriven. When thou art shriven, then it is true con- Attrition i»
trition.' O foxy Pharisee ! that is thy leaven, of which Christ of theiM'
so diligently bade us beware, Matt. xvi. ; and the very prophecy Matt. xvi.
of Peter, " Through covetousness with feigned words shall they 2 ret. n.
make merchandise of you." 2 Pet. ii. With such glosses cor
rupt they God's word, to sit in the consciences of the people,
to lead them captive, and to make a prey of them ; buying
and selling their sins, to satisfy their unsatiable covetousness.

ritiam suam, scd pro summa pcritia proferunt in luccm. Nullum
Dominus eorum, quibus hccc corporalia beneficia prsestitit, invcnitur
misisse ad sacerdotes nisi leprosos ; quia videlicet sacerdotium Judaeorum
figura erat futuri sacerdotii regalis, quod est in ecclesia, quo consec-
tantur omnes pertinentes ad corpus Christi, summi et veri principis
sacerdotum. Et quisquis vel heretica pravitate, vel superstitione gen-
tili, vel Judaica perfidia, vel etiam schismato fraterno, quasi vario
colore, Domini gratia caruerit, necesso est ad ecclesiam veniat, colo-
remque fidei verum quern acceperit ostendat. Cetera vero vitia, tarn-
quam valetudinis et quasi membrorum animoc atque sensuum, per
se ipsum interius in conscientia et intellectu Dominus sanat et cor-
rigit. Bed. in Luc. Evang. cap. xvii. c. 69.]

[3 The council of Trent has described Attrition as follows : —
Illam vero contritionem imperfectam, quse attritio dicitur, quoniam
vel ex turpitudinis peccati consideratione vel ex gehennsc et pcenarum
metu communiter concipitur, si voluntatem peccandi excludat cum
spe venise, declarat [synodus] donum Dei esse, et Spiritus sancti iinpul-
sum ; non adhuc quidem inhabitants, sed tantum moventis, quo
poenitens adjutus viam sibi ad justitiam parat. Sessio xiv. De contri-
tione, cap. iv. Cone. Trident. Venet. 1582.]

266 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Nevertheless the truth is, when any man hath trespassed
against God, if he repent and knowledge his trespass, God
promiseth him forgiveness without ear-shrift.

If he that hath offended his neighbour repent and know
ledge his fault, asking forgiveness if his neighbour forgive

Matt. xviiL him, God forgive th him also by his holy promise. Matt, xviii.
Likewise, if he that sinneth openly, when he is openly re
buked, repent and turn, then if the congregation forgive him,
God forgiveth him : and so forth whosoever repenteth, and,
when he is rebuked, knowledgeth his fault, is forgiven.

He also that doubteth, or hath his conscience tangled,
ought to open his mind unto some faithful brother that is
learned, and he shall give him faithful counsel to help him
withal.

whom a man To whom a man trespasseth, unto him he ought to confess.

him must he But to confess myself unto thee, 0 antichrist, whom I have

confess. «

w- T- not offended, am I not bound.

They of the old law had no confession in the ear. Nei
ther the apostles, nor they that followed many hundred years
after, knew of any such whispering. Whereby then was
their attrition turned into contrition ? Yea, why are we, which
Christ came to loose, more bound than the Jews ? Yea, and
why are we more bound without scripture ? For Christ
came not to make us more bound ; but to loose us, and to
make a thousand things no sin which before were sin, and are
now become sin again. He left none other law with us, but
the law of love. He loosed us not from Moses to bind us unto
antichrist's ear. God hath not tied Christ unto antichrist's

it hath no ear, neither hath poured all his mercy in thither; for it hath
no record in the old Testament, that antichrist's ear should
^e Propitiator ium, that is to wit, God's mercy-stool, and that
s^ould creep into so narrow a hole, so that he could no
where else be found. Neither did God write his laws, neither
yet his holy promises, in antichrist's ear ; but hath graved
them with his holy Spirit in the hearts of them that believe,
that they might have them always ready at hand to be saved
thereby.

ear.ntiwriT s

OF SATISFACTION. 267

Satisfaction.

As pertaining unto satisfaction, thiswise understand, that
he that loveth God hath a commandment (as St John saith
in the fourth chapter of his first epistle) to " love his neighbour
also :" whom if thou have offended, thou must make him amends
or satisfaction, or at the leastway, if thou be not able, ask
him forgiveness ; and if he will have mercy of God, he is
bound to forgive thee. If he will not, yet God forgiveth
thee, if thou thus submit thyself. But unto God- ward Christ Christ is an
is a perpetual and an everlasting satisfaction for evermore. SSfection.

As oft as thou fallest through frailty, repent and come
again, and thou art safe and welcome ; as thou mayest see by
the similitude of the riotous son, Luke xv. If thou be lopen1 Lukexv.
out of sanctuary, come in again. If thou be fallen from the way
of truth, come thereto again, and thou art safe : if thou be gone
astray, come to the fold again, and the shepherd, Christ, shall
save thee ; yea, and the angels of heaven shall rejoice at thy
coming, so far it is off that any man shall beat thee or chide
thee. If any Pharisee envy thee, grudge at thee, or rail
upon thee, thy Father shall make answer for thee, as thou
seest in the fore-rehearsed likeness or parable. Whosoever
therefore is gone out of the way, by whatsoever chance it
be, let him come to his baptism again, and unto the pro
fession thereof, and he shall be safe.

For though that the washing of baptism be past, yet Baptism iast-
the power thereof, that is to say, the word of God which w.T.er<
baptism preacheth, lasteth ever and saveth for ever : as Paul
is past and gone, nevertheless the word that Paul preached
lasteth ever, and saveth ever as many as come thereto with a
repenting heart and a stedfast faith.

Hereby seest thou that, when they make penance of re
pentance, and call it a sacrament, and divide it into contrition,
confession, and satisfaction, they speak of their own heads,
and lie falsely.

Absolution.

THEIR absolution also justifieth no man from sin. " For Bom
with the heart do men believe to be justified withal/' saith

[l Lopcn: leaped.]

. X.

2G8

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Cor xiv.

John i.

Of binding
and loosing,
and of the
pope's autho
rity or power.
W. T.
Matt. xvi.

Matt, xxviii.

The pope
ehallengeth
power, not
over man
only, butover
God al

W. T.

I .so.

Paul, Horn. x. ; that is, through faith and believing the pro
mises arc we justified, as I have sufficiently proved in other
places with the scripture. " Faith" (saith Paul in the same"!
place) " cometh by hearing," that is to say, by hearing the \
preacher that is sent from God, and preachcth God's promises.]
Now, when thou absolvest in Latin, the unlearned heareth not :
for, "How," saith Paul, 1 Cor. xiv. " when thou blessest in an
unknown tongue, shall the unlearned say Amen unto thy
thanksgiving ? for he wotteth not what thou sayest." So like
wise the lay wotteth not whether thou loose or bind, or whether
thou bless or curse. In like manner is it if the lay understand
Latin, or though the priest absolve in English : for in his
absolution he rehearseth no promise of God ; but speaketh his
own words, saying, ' I, by the authority of Peter and Paul,
absolve or loose thee from all thy sins.' Thou sayest so, which
art but a lying man ; and never more than now, verily.

Thou sayest, ' I forgive thee thy sins ;' and the scripture,
John the first, That Christ only forgiveth, and " taketh away
the sins of the world." And Paul and Peter, and all the
apostles, preach that all is forgiven in Christ, and for Christ's
sake. God's word only looseth ; and thou in preaching that
mightest loose also, and else not.

Whosoever hath ears let him hear, and let him that hath
eyes see. If any man love to be blind, his blindness on his
own head, and not on mine.

They allege for themselves the saying of Christ to Peter,
Matt. xvi. " Whatsoever thou bindest on earth, it shall be
bound; and whatsoever thou loosest," and so forth. 'Lo, say
they, whatsoever we bind, and whatsoever we loose, here is
nothing excepted.' And another text say they of Christ, in
the last of Matthew : " All power is given to me," saith Christ,
" in heaven and in earth : go therefore and preach," &c.
Preaching leaveth the pope out ; and saith, ' Lo, all power is
given me in heaven and in earth ;' and thereupon taketh upon
him temporal power above king and emperor, and maketh
laws and bindeth them. And like power taketh he over God's
laws/ and dispenseth with them at his lust, making no sin of
that which God maketh sin, and maketh sin where God
maketh none : yea, and wipcth out God's laws clean, and
maketh at his pleasure ; and with him is lawful what he
lusteth. He bindeth where God looseth, and looseth where

OF ABSOLUTION. 260

God bindeth. He blcsscth where God curscth, and curscth

where God blesseth. He takcth authority also to bind and Purgatory is

loose in purgatory. That permit I unto him ; for it is a ra4E3e:*he
,, . . , may there-

creature of his own making ] . He also bindeth the angels : [^ebc^° ^

for we read of popes that have commanded the angels to fet 2 The pope

,. . /» TT i •, T ,'c i bindeth the

divers out of purgatory. Howbeit I am not yet certified angeis. W.T.
whether they obeyed or no.

Understand therefore that to bind and to loose is to .Th(;.true ,

binding and

preach the law of God and the gospel or promises ; as thou w°ST.g'
mayest see in the iiid chapter of the second epistle to the 2 Cor- m>
Corinthians, where Paul calleth the preaching of the law the
ministration of death and damnation, and the preaching of
the promises the ministering of the Spirit and of righteous
ness. For when the law is preached, all men are found siri^l
ners, and therefore damned : and when the gospel and glad I
tidings are preached, then are all, that repent and believe, /
found righteous in Christ, And so expound it all the oldj
doctors. Saint Hierome saith upon this text, "Whatsoever thou st Jerome
bindest," * The bishops and priests, (saith he,) for lack of ^°j£aiM*
understanding, take a little presumption of the Pharisees upon w. T."
them ; and think that they have authority to bind innocents,
and to loose the wicked :' which thing our pope and bishops
do. For they say the curse is to be feared, be it right or The curse is

mi i i i -i i to bc feared.

wrong. Though thou have not deserved, yet if the pope curse w. T.
thee, thou art in peril of thy soul, as they lie : yea, and though
he be never so wrongfully cursed, he must be fain to buy abso
lution. But Saint Hierome saith, ' As the priest of the old The right
law made the lepers clean or unclean, so bindeth and unbindeth }°°-
the priest of the new law3/

[l Art. XIII. of heresies and errors charged against Tyndalo is,
* He saith that purgatory is the pope's invention, and therefore he may
do there whatsoever he will/ Foxe's reply is : ' One of the pope's own
writers saith thus : Souls being in purgatory are under the pope's juris
diction, and the pope may, if he will, evacuate all purgatory. Further
more, the old fathers make little mention of purgatory; the Greek
church never believed the purgatory ; St Augustine doubtcth of purga
tory; and the scriptures plainly disprove purgatory. St John saith,
The blood of Jesus Christ, tlie Son of God, purgeth us from all sin ; arid
the pope saith, Sin cannot be purged but by the fire of purgatory. Now,
whose invention can purgatory be, but only the pope's ?]

[2 Fct, i. e. fetch.]

[3 Et dabo tibi claves regni coelorum, &c. Is turn locum episcopi et

270 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

The priest there made no man a leper, neither cleansed
any man, but God; and the priest judged only, by Moses'
law, who was clean and who was unclean, when they were
brought unto him.

So here we have the law of God to judge what is sin and
what is not, and who is bound and who is not. Moreover,
if any man have sinned, yet if he repent and believe the
promise, we are sure by God's word, that he is loosed and
forgiven in Christ. Other authority than thiswise to preach,
have the priests not. Christ's apostles had no other them
selves, as it appeareth throughout all the new Testament :
therefore it is manifest that they have not.

under- $t Paul saith, 1 Cor. xv. "When we say all things are
under Christ, he is to be excepted that put all under him."
God the Father is not under Christ, but above Christ, and
Christ's head.

also used it, -., . 7 T 1 .... .. /» •

far otherwise Christ saith, J olm xii. " 1 nave not spoken oi mine own

than the

johnxiT'1'' nead> but my Father, which sent me, gave a commandment
what I should say and what I should speak. Whatsoever I
speak therefore, even as my Father bade me so I speak." If
Christ had a law what he should do, how happeneth it that the
pope so runneth at large, lawless? Though that all power
were given unto Christ in heaven and in earth, yet had he no
power over his Father, nor yet to reign temporally over tem
poral princes, but a commandment to obey them. How hath
the pope then such temporal authority over king and emperor ?
How hath he authority above God's laws, and to command
the angels, the saints, and God himself?

Christ's authority, which he gave to his disciples, was to

fpostfes8 preach the law, and to brinsr sinners to repentance, and
w. T.

presbyter! non intelligentes, aliquid sibi de Pharisseorum assumunt
supercilio, ut vel damnent innocentes, vel solvere se noxios arbitrentur,
cum apud Deum non sententia sacerdotum sed reorum vita quseratur.
Legimus in Levitico de leprosis, ubi jubentur ut ostendant se sacerdo-
tibus, et si lepram habuerint, tune a sacerdote immundi fiant ; non quo
sacerdotes leprosos faciant et immundos, sed quo habeant notitiam
leprosi et non leprosi, et possint discernere qui mundus quive immun-
dus sit. Quomodo ergo ibi leprosum sacerdos mundum vel immundum
facit, sic et hie alligat vel solvit episcopus et presbyter, non eos qui
insontes sunt vel noxii, sed pro officio suo, cum peccatorum audierit
varietates, scit qui ligandus sit quive solvendus. — Hieron. Comm. in
Matt. cap. xvi. Lib. in. Tom. IX. p. 41, col. 1. Francofurt. 1684.]

OF ABSOLUTION. 271

then to preach unto them the promises, which the Father
had made unto all men for his sake. And the same to preach
only, sent he his apostles. As a king sendeth forth his The right
judges, and giveth them his authority, saying, 'What ye do, l^iyg-
that do I ; I give you my full power :' yet meaneth he not,
by that full power, that they should destroy any town or city,
or oppress any man, or do what they list, or should reign
over the lords and dukes of his realm, and over his own self;
but giveth them a law with them, and authority to bind and
loose, as far forth as the law stretcheth and maketh mention :
that is, to punish the evil that do wrong, and to avenge the
poor that suffer wrong. And so far as the law stretcheth,
will the king defend his judge against all men. And as the
temporal judges bind and loose temporally, so do the priests
spiritually, and no other ways. Howbeit, by falsehood and HOW the
subtlety the pope reigneth under Christ, as cardinals and g^uS"
bishops do under kings, lawless.

The pope (say they) absolveth or looseth a pcena et A pa?na et
culpa ; that is, from the fault or trespass, and from the pain |^>ersa
due unto the trespass. God, if a man repent, forgiveth the
offence only, and not the pain also, say they, save turneth
the everlasting pain unto a temporal pain ; and appointeth
seven years in purgatory for every deadly sin. But the pope The PoPe is
for money forgiveth both, and hath more power than God, ™j]?gpf<^
and is more merciful than God. ' This do I,' saith the pope,
'of my full power, and of the treasure of the church ; of
deservings of martyrs, confessors, and merits of Christ1.'

First, the merits of the saints did not save themselves, but
were saved by Christ's merits only 2. w- T-

Secondarily, God hath promised Christ's merits unto all ™c
that repent ; so that whosoever repenteth, is immediately heir w' T>
of all Christ's merits, and beloved of God as Christ is. How SiX
then came this foul monster to be lord over Christ's merits, SyS
so that he hath power to sell that which God giveth freely ?

C1 Seep. 74, n. 1.]

[2 Art. XIV. of heresies and errors charged against Tyndale is,
' Saints be saved, not by their merits, but only by the merits of Christ/
Foxe's reply is, ' What can be more manifest and plain, by the scrip
tures, than this ? Isaiah saith, All we have erred, every man in his own
ways, and God hath laid upon him all our iniquities/]

272 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

O dreamers! yea, 0 devils, and 0 venomous scorpions, what
poison have ye in your tails! O pestilent leaven, that so
turneth the sweet bread of Christ's doctrine into the bitter
ness of gall !

Friars. W.T. r£foQ friars run in the same spirit, and teach, saying, 'Do
good deeds, and redeem the pains that abide you in purga-

Serchandi? toiT 5 J™' S^ve us somewhat to do good works for you.' And

thatis.w.T. £ilus js gm become the profitablest merchandise in the world.
0 the cruel wrath of God upon us, because we love not the
truth !

For this is the damnation and judgment of God, to send
a false prophet unto him that will not hear the truth. " I
know you," saith Christ, John v. " that ye have not the love
°f God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye re-

Sdtoid why ceivc me not ; if another shall come in his own name, him shall

come?uw.T. ye receive." Thus doth God avenge himself on the malicious
hearts which have no love to his truth.

All *ne promises of God have they either wiped clean out,
or thus leavened them with open lies, to stablish their confes-
W.T. g^on -withal. And, to keep us from knowledge of the truth,

Latin 'w T *key ^° a^ thing 'm Latin. They pray in Latin, they christen
in Latin, they bless in Latin, they give absolution in Latin ;
only curse they in the English tongue1. Wherein they take
upon them greater authority than ever God gave them. For
in their curses (as they call them) with book, bell, and candle,
they command God and Christ, and the angels, and all saints,

The pope to curse them : ' Curse them God (say they), Father, Son, and

commandeth \ J J J> ' »

G«UO curse. Holy Ghost ; curse them Virgin Mary,' &c. O ye abominable !
who gave you authority to command God to curse? God
commandeth you to bless, and ye command him to curse !

Rom.xii. " Bless them that persecute you: bless, but curse not," saith
St Paul, Rom. xii. What tyranny will these not use over men,
which presume and take upon them to be lords over God, and
to command him ? If God shall curse any man, who shall
bless and make him better ? No man can amend himself,
except God pour his Spirit unto him. Have we not a com
mandment to love our neighbour as ourselves ? How can I
love him, and curse him also ? James saith, " It is not pos
sible that blessing and cursing should come both out of one

I1 See 11. 3 to p. 233 for an extract from the curse, which was both
written and printed in English.]

OF ABSOLUTION. 273

mouth." Christ commandeth, Matt. v. saying, " Love your Matt. v.
enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that
hate you. Pray for them that do you wrong and persecute
you ; that ye may be the children of your heavenly Father."

In the marches of Wales it is the manner, if any man have A custom

• that is used in

an ox or a cow stolen, he cometh to the curate, and desireth JJ
him to curse the stealer ; and he commandeth the parish to w< T-
give him, every man, God's curse and his : ' God's curse and
mine have he,' saith every man in the parish. 0 merciful
God ! what is blasphemy, if this be not blasphemy, and
shaming of the doctrine of Christ?

Understand therefore, the power of excommunication is
this : if any man sin openly, and amendeth not when he is
warned, then ought he to be rebuked openly before all the
parish. And the priest ought to prove by the scripture, that
all such have no part with Christ. For Christ serveth not,
but for them that love the law of God, and consent that it is
good, holy, and righteous; and repent, sorrowing and mourn
ing for power and strength to fulfil it. And all the parish
ought to be warned to avoid the company of all such, and to
take them as heathen people. This is not done that he should
perish ; but to save him, to make him ashamed, and to kill the
lusts of the flesh, that the spirit might come unto the know
ledge of truth. And we ought to pity him, and to have com
passion on him, and with all diligence to pray unto God for
him, to give him grace to repent and to come to the right
way again ; and not to use such tyranny over God and man,
commanding God to curse. And if he repent, we ought with
all mercy to receive him in again. This mayest thou see
Matt, xviii. and 1 Cor. v. and 2 Cor. ii.

2 Cor.' ii'.

Confirmation.

IF Confirmation have a promise, then it justifieth as far as
the promise extendeth. If it have no promise, then is it not
of God, as the bishops be not. The apostles and ministers of God's sacra-

Gl -U r\ J> i 1/^1 ments preach

od preacn (jods word; and (rods signs or sacraments sisr- God's pro-

•f r\ J> raises. W. T.

nity (rods word also, and put us in remembrance of the
promises which God hath made unto us in Christ. Contrari- The pppe>
wise, antichrist's bishops preach not ; and their sacraments

•I Q

[TYNDALE.]

sacraments

274 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

speak not ; but as the disguised bishop's mum, so are their
superstitious sacraments dumb. After that the bishops had
left preaching, then feigned they this dumb ceremony of con
firmation, to have somewhat at the leastway, whereby they
mig'ht reign over their dioceses. They reserved unto them
selves also the christening of bells, and conjuring or hallowing
of churches and church-yards, and of altars and super-altars,
and hallowing of chalices, and so forth ; whatsoever is of
honour or profit. Which confirmation, and the other conjura-
^ons ^&0> ^eJ h&ve now committed to their suffragans ; be

w!nf.d* cause they themselves have no leisure to minister such things,
for their lusts and pleasures, and abundance of all things, and
for the cumbrance that they have in the king's matters and

J.^bishops business of the realm. One keepeth the privy seal ; another

arnong them. faQ great geal ; the third is confessor, (that is to say, a privy
traitor and a secret Judas;) he is president of the prince's
council ; he is an ambassador ; another sort, of the king's secret
council. Woe is unto the realms where they are of the council.
As profitable are they, verily, unto the realms with their
counsel, as the wolves unto the sheep, or the foxes unto the
geese.

ceremonies They will say that the Holy Ghost is mven through such

bring not the ? J J , i i i • i i

KoiyGhost. ceremonies. If God had so promised, so should it be ; but

Gai. m. pau| gajth? (Gal. iii.) that the Spirit is received through
preaching of the faith. And (Acts x.) while Peter preached
the faith, the Holy Ghost fell on Cornelius and on his house
hold. How shall we say then to that which they will lay
against us, in the eighth chapter of the Acts of the apostles,
where Peter and John put their hands on the Samaritans, and
the Holy Ghost came ? I say, that by putting, or with put
ting, or as they put their hands on them, the Holy Ghost
came. Nevertheless, the putting on of the hands did neither
help nor hinder : for the text saith, " They prayed for them
that they might receive the Holy Ghost."

God had made the apostles a promise, that he would with
such miracles confirm their preaching, and move other to the

Mark xvi. faith. (Mark, the last.) The apostles, therefore, believed and
prayed God to fulfil his promise; and God, for his truth's
sake, even so did. So was it the prayer of faith that brought
the Holy Ghost ; as thou mayest see also in the last of James.

James v. " If any man be sick," saith James, " call the elders of the

OF CONFIRMATION. 275

congregation, and let them pray over him, anointing him with
oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith shall heal
the sick." Where a promise is, there is faith bold to pray,
and God true to give her her petition. Putting on of the
hands is an indifferent thing. For the Holy Ghost came by Them.tting

° . * J on of hands

preaching of the faith, and miracles were done at the prayer jJSJjSffiL
of faith, as well without putting on of the hands as with, as der- Ant* ed*
thou seest in many places. Putting on of the hands was the
manner of that nation, as it was to rend their clothes, and to
put on sackcloth, and to sprinkle themselves with ashes and
earth, when they heard of or saw any sorrowful thing, as it
was Paul's manner to stretch out his hand when he preached ;
and as it is our manner to hold up our hands when we pray,
and as some kiss their thumb-nail, and put it to their eyes,
and as we put our hands on children's heads when we bless
them, saying, 'Christ bless thee, my son, and God make thce
a good man :' which gestures neither help nor hinder. This
mayest thou well see by the xiiith of the Acts, where the Holy Actsxm.
Ghost commanded to separate Paul and Barnabas to go and
preach. Then the other fasted and prayed, and put their
hands on their heads, and sent them forth. They received
not the Holy Ghost then by putting on of hands; but the
other, as they put their hands on their heads, prayed for
them, that God would go with them, and strength them ;
and couraged them also, bidding them to be strong in God,
and warned them to be faithful and diligent in the work of
God, and so forth.

Anoiling.

LAST of all cometh the anoiling1, without promise, and
therefore without the Spirit, and without profit ; but alto
gether unfruitful and superstitious2. The sacraments, which

[l Anoiling, i. e. anointing with oil. He means to speak of extreme
unction.]

[2 Sir Thomas More in his 'Confutacyon of Tyndale's Answer,*
1532, in p. 44 quotes this first sentence, and comments upon it as
follows : ' Here is a short sentence and a false erroneous judgment
given by Tyndale upon all Christian people that have been anoyled
since Christendom first began. And he is led thereto by two special
motives, the tone folly, the totlicr falshood. For of his folly he

18—2 "

276 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

they have imagined, are all without promise, and therefore
kelp no^ For/" whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Rom. xiv.
'aitMssin. Now without a promise can there be no faith. The sacra-
Ant, ed. mcnts which Christ himself ordained, which have also promises,
and would save us if we knew them and believed thempthem
The Latin minister they in the Latin tongue. So are they also Uecome

tongue de- « •

SetwthT as unfruitful as the other. Yea, they make us believe that

That the the work itself, without the promise, saveth us ; which doc-
work without

savepth°Ts im- ^Y'mQ they learned, of Aristotle. And thus are we become an

wTr?' hundred times worse than the wicked Jews ; which believed

that the very work of their sacrifice justified them : against

which Paul fighteth in every epistle, proving that nothing

helpeth save the promises which God hath sworn in Christ.

The people Ask the people what they understand by their baptism or

work without washing ? And thou shalt see, that they believe how that

the promise. f »

w- T- the very plunging into the water saveth them : of the pro
mises they know not, nor what is signified thereby. Baptism

voiowing. is called voloiving in many places of England ; because the
priest saith, 'Vblo1, say ye.' ' The child was well volowed"1
(say they) ; 'yea, and our vicar is as fair a voloiver as ever a
priest within this twenty miles2.'

reckoneth himself sure every thing to be false that is not evidently
written in -holy scripture; which one thing is the tone half of all
the false foundation whereupon Luther and Tyndale have builded all
their heresies. For upon this Tyndale saith there is not any pro
mise of this sacrament written in scripture ; ergo, there was no pro
mise made by God : which argument is so good, that every boy in
schools laugheth it to scorn ; and well they may, for all the world can
never make it good. His other motive is falsehood, which is the ante
cedent of the same argument ; that is to wit, that this sacrament hath
no promise in scripture. For it hath an express promise in the epistle
of St James, where he biddeth that if any be sick, he shall induce the
priests to come and pray for him and anoint him with oil, and the
prayer of faith shall heal the sick man, and if he be in sins they shall
be forgiven him. Nay, saith Tyndale, here we may see that the anoyl-
ing doth nothing, for St James saith that the prayer of faith shall heal
the man. This is a sure argument. Lo, because St James giveth tho
great effect to the faithful prayer, therefore the oil doth nothing at all.
If it do nothing at all toward the remission of sins, why would St James
have it there, that might, saving for the sacrament, as well be thence
as there? — except that Tyndale WCHC that St James were so wise in
natural things, that he thought oil a meet medicine for every sore.']

L1 I wish it.]

[2 In pp. 48 — 50 of his Confutation, More has quoted nearly all

OF ANOILING. 277

Behold how narrowly the people look on the ceremony.
If aught be left out, or if the child be not altogether dipt in
the water, or if, because the child is sick, the priest dare not
plunge him into the water, but pour water on his head, how
tremble they! how quake they! 'How say ye, sir John3,
(say they,) is this child christened enough ? Hath it his full
Christendom?' They believe verily that the child is not
christened ; yea, I have known priests, that have gone unto
the orders again, supposing that they were not priests, be
cause that the bishop left one of his ceremonies undone. That
they call confirmation, the people call bishoping. They think
that if the bishop butter the child in the forehead, that it is
safe4. They think that the work maketh safe, and likewise The work
suppose they of anoiling. Now is this false doctrine, verily, gj^gewjiid!
For James saith, in the first chapter of his epistle : " Of his the promise.'
good will begat he us with the word of life ;"' that is, with James '•
the word of promise : in which wo are made God's sons,
and heirs of the goodness of God, before any good works.
For we cannot work God's will, till we be his sons, and know
his will, and have his Spirit to teach us. And St Paul saith,
in the fifth chapter of his epistle to the Ephesians : " Christ EPh. v.
cleansed the congregation in the fountain of water through
the word." And Peter saith, in the first of his first epistle :
" Ye are born anew, not of mortal seed, but of immortal seed, i Pet. i.
by the word of God, which liveth and lasteth ever." Paul
in every epistle warneth us, that we put no trust in works,
and to beware of persuasions or arguments of man's wisdom,

this paragraph, and combats its doctrine and assertions through sixteen
folio pages.]

[3 Having assumed the Latin style of Dominus, the priests were
usually styled Sir ; and John being one of the commonest of names,
Sir John was equivalent to saying 'a priest like his fellows/ When
Walter Miller was brought before the archbishop of St Andrews, in
1558, to be condemned to the fire as an heretic, and a priest said to
him, ' Sir Walter Miller, arise, and answer to the articles ; he replied,
Call me Walter, and not Sir Walter : I have been ovcrlong one of the
pope's knights/ Foxe, A. & M. Scottish History, Vol. v. p. G45.]

[4 More has also seized on the last two sentences to take occasion
to give Tyndale a severe rebuke, in p. 41 of the Confutation. He
says, that 'at the first hearing of such shameful words spoken by
the mouth of such a shameless heretic, the whole Christian company
present should not be able to contain themselves from calling him
knave, all with one voice at once/]

278 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

of superstitiousness, of ceremonies, of pope-holiness, and of
all manner disguising ; and exhorteth us to cleave fast unto
the naked and pure word of God. The promise of God is
the anchor that saveth us in all temptations. If all the world
be against us, God's word is stronger than the world. If the
world kill us, that shall make us alive again. If it be possible
for the world to cast us into hell, from thence yet shall God's
works, be word bring us again. Hereby seest thou that it is not the
•o^OTioS, work, but the promise that justineth us through faith. Now

justify not. , .., P . . , , I,-IP

Ant.ed. where no promise is, there can no faith be, and therefore no
justifying, though there be never so glorious works. The

in an thing sacrament of Christ's body after thiswise preach they. Thou

ouuh|apro- must believe that it is no more bread, but the very body of
' Christ, flesh, blood and bone, even as he went here on earth,
save his coat : for that is here yet ; I wot not in how many
places. I pray thee, what helpeth all this? Here is no
promise. The devils know that Christ died on a Friday, and
the Jews also. What are they holp thereby ? We have a
promise that Christ, and his body, and his blood, and all that
he did, and suffered, is a sacrifice, a ransom, and a full satis
faction for our sins ; that God for his sake will think no more
on them, if we have power to repent and believe.

Holy-work men think that God rejoiceth in the deed self,
without any farther respect. They think also that God, as a
cruel tyrant, rejoiceth and hath delectation in our pain-taking,
without any farther respect. And therefore many of them
martyr themselves without cause, after the ensample of Baal's

i Kings xviii. priests, which (3 Reg.xviii.) cut themselves to please their god
withal, and as the old heathen pagans sacrificed their children
in the fire unto their gods. The monks of the Charterhouse
think that the very eating of fish in itself pleaseth God, and
refer not the eating to the chastening of the body : for
when they have slain their bodies with cold phlegm, of fish-
eating, yet then will they eat no flesh, and slay themselves
before their days. We also, when we offer our sons or
daughters, and compel or persuade them to vow and profess
chastity, think that the very pain, and that rage and burning
which they suffer in abstaining from a make1, pleaseth God ;
and so refer not our chastity to our neighbour's profit. For
when we see thousands fall to innumerable diseases thereby,
t1 Make : a match, partner.]

OF ANOILING. 279

and to die before their days ; yea, though we see them break
the commandments of God daily, and also of very impatiency
work abominations against nature, too shameful to be spoken
of; yet will we not let them marry, but compel them to con
tinue still with violence. And thus teach our divines, as it
appeareth by their arguments. He that taketh most pain,
say they, is greatest ; and so forth.

The people are throughly brought in belief, that the
deed in itself, without any farther respect, saveth them ; if
they be so long at church ; or say so many paternosters ;
and read so much in a tongue which they understand not;
or go so much a pilgrimage ; and take so much pain ; or
fast such a superstitious fast ; or observe such a superstitious
observance, neither profitable to himself nor to his neighbour,
but done of a good intent only, say they, to please God with
al. Yea, to kiss the pax2, they think it a meritorious deed ;
when to love their neighbour, and to forgive him, (which
thing is signified thereby,) they study not to do, nor have
power to do, nor think that they are bound to do it, if they
be offended by him. So sore have our false prophets
brought the people out of their wits, and have wrapped them
in darkness, and have rocked them asleep in blindness and
ignorance. Now is all such doctrine false doctrine, and all HOW far forth
such faith false faith. For the deed pleaseth not, but as far

forth as it is applied to our neighbour's profit, or the taming Ant- ed-
of our bodies to keep the commandment.

Now must the body be tamed only, and that with the
remedies that God hath ordained, and not killed. Thou must
not forswear the natural remedy which God hath ordained,
and bring thyself into such case that thou shouldest either
break God's commandment, or kill thyself, or burn night and
day without rest, so that thou canst not once think a godly
thought. Neither is it lawful to forsake thy neighbour, and
to withdraw thyself from serving him, and to get thee into a
den, and live idly, profitable to no man, but robbing all men,
first of faith, and then of goods and land, and of all he hath,
with making him believe in the hypocrisy of thy superstitious
prayers and pope-holy deeds. The prayer of faith, and the our prayers
deeds thereof that spring of love, are accepted before God. acco?dingeto

our faith, our

[2 A small crucifix, handed round to be kissed, at appointed times,
in the mass.]

280 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

deeds accord- The prayer is good, according to the proportion of faith ; and
measure of the deed, according to the measure of love. Now he
Ant. ed. bideth in the world, as monks call it, hath more faith than
the cloisterer ; for he hangeth on God in all things. He
must trust God to send him good speed, good luck, favour,
help, a good master, a good neighbour, a good servant, a
good wife, a good chapman-merchant, to send his merchan
dise safe to land, and a thousand like. He loveth also more ;
which appeareth in that he doth service always unto his
neighbour. To pray one for another are we equally bound,
and to pray is a thing that we may always do, whatsoever
we have in hand ; and that to do may no man hire another.
Christ's blood hath hired us already1. Thus in the deed de-
lighteth God, as far forth as we do it, either to serve our
neighbour withal (as I have said), or to tame the flesh, that we
may fulfil the commandment from the bottom of the heart.

And as for our pain-taking, God rejoiceth not therein as
a tyrant ; but pitieth us, and as it were mourneth with us,
and is alway ready and at hand to help us, if we call, as a
merciful father and a kind mother. Neverthelater he suifereth
us to fall into many temptations and much adversity : yea,
himself layeth the cross of tribulation on our backs, not that
he rejoiceth in our sorrow, but to drive sin out of the flesh,
which can none otherwise be cured : as the physician and
surgeon do many things, which are painful to the sick, not
that they rejoice in the pains of the poor wretches, but to
persecute and to drive out the diseases which can no other
wise be healed2.

When the people believe therefore, if they do so much
work, or suffer so much pain, or go so much a pilgrimage,
that they are safe, [it] is a false faith. For a Christian man

C1 Art. XV. of charges against Tyndale : ' He saith, No man may
be hired to pray/ To this Foxe replies, ' The words in the Obedience
be true, which are these ;' and then he gives the above passages.]

[2 This paragraph is quoted by Sir Thomas More, but not without
omissions. Ho concludes his objections to it as follows : ' It is ques
tionless that God can otherwise drive the sin out of the flesh, and by
other means cure it, if it so pleased him ; and so would he, saving for
his godly delight in justice, which he loveth to see man follow by
fasting and other penance, and which delight of following God's
pleasure therein Tyndale in man, by withdrawing of penance, clean
goeth about to destroy/ Confutation, p. xxx.j

>

OF ANOIUNG.

is not saved by works, but by faith in the promises bef<
all good works ; though that the works (when we work G
commandment with a good will, and not works of our
imagination) declare that we are safe, and that the Spirit o
him that hath made us safe is in us : yea, and as God,
through preaching of faith, doth purge and justify the heart,
even so through working of deeds doth he purge and justify
the members, making us perfect both in body and soul, after
the likeness of Christ.

Neither needeth a Christian man to run hither or thither, A Christian
to Home, to Jerusalem, or St James3, or any other pilgrimage So go a

i « . ° pilgrimage to

far or near, to be saved thereby, or to purchase forgiveness 01 ^e^bed

his sins. For a Christian man's health and salvation is within w- T-

him, even in his mouth. Rom. x. "The word is nigh thee, salvation is

even in thy mouth and in thine heart ; that is, the word of w. T! us<

faith which we preach," saith Paul. If we believe the pro^l

mises with our hearts, and confess them with our mouths, we I

are safk This is our health within us. " But how shall thejjiom. x.

believe that they hear not ? And how shall they hear without

a preacher ?" saith Paul, Rom. x. For look on the promises

of God, and so are all our preachers dumb : or if they preach

them, they so sauce them and leaven them, that no stomach

can brook them, nor find any savour in them. For they confession.

paint us such an ear-confession, as is impossible to be kept,

and more impossible that it should stand with the promises

and testament of God. And they join4 them penance, as they

call it, to fast, to go pilgrimages, and give so much to make

satisfaction withal. They preach their masses, their merits,

their pardons, their ceremonies, and put the promise clean out

of possession. The word of health and salvation "is nigh thee,

in thy mouth and thine heart," saith Paul. Nay, say they,

thy salvation is in our faithful ear. This is their hold ;

thereby know they all secrets ; thereby mock they all men,

and all men's wives ; and beguile knight and squire, lord and

king, and betray all realms. The bishops, with the pope, Bishops work

J • , their treason

have a certain conspiration and secret treason against the g™»sh cun-
whole world: and by confession know they what kings and^.x.
emperors think. If aught be against them, do they never so

[3 A pilgrimage to Compostclla, in Spain, to a noted imago of
St James there, was held to be especially profitable.]
[4 Join : enjoin.]

282 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

evil, then move they their captives to war and to fight, and
give them pardons to slay whom they will have taken out of
the way. They have with falsehood taken from all kings
and emperors their right and duties, which now they call their
freedoms, liberties, and privileges ; and have perverted the
ordinances that God left in the world ; and have made every
Kings be king swear to defend their falsehood against their ownselves :

sworn to the > c

notht°hpe'btnd so ^ia^ now> i^ any man preach God's word truly, and shew

the ksings.° the- freedom and liberty of the soul which we have in Christ,

w. T. or m^enc[ ^0 restore the kings again unto their duties and

right, and to the room and authority which they have of

God, and of shadows to make them kings in deed, and to put

the world in his order again; then the kings deliver their

swords and authority unto the hypocrites, to slay him. So

drunken are they with the wine of the whore.

HOW shaii The text that followeth in Paul will they happily lay to

they preach • i i «/ t/

beS^s67 m7 charge and others. " How shall they preach, except

expanded. t|iey ke sent 9" saith Paul in the said xth to the Romans.

tiom.x. <^Ve/ will they say, 'are the pope, cardinals and bishops : all
authority is ours. The scripture pertaineth unto us, and is
our possession. And we have a law, that whosoever presume
to preach without the authority of the bishops, is excommu
nicate in the deed-doing. Whence, therefore, hast thou thine
authority?' will they say. The old Pharisees had the scrip
ture in captivity likewise, and asked Christ, "By what autho
rity doest thou these things ? " As who should say, We are
Pharisees, and thou art none of our order, nor hast authority
of us. Christ asked them another question, and so will 1 do

HOW toknow our hypocrites. ' Who sent you ? God ? Nay, he that is

who is sent ot ^ r «/ «/ '

who'isnot sen* °f ^°d speaketh God's word. Now speak ye not God's
johifiii. word, nor any thing save your own laws, made clean contrary
unto God's word. Chrisfs apostles preached Christ, and not
themselves. He that is of the truth preacheth the truth. Now
ye preach nothing but lies, and therefore are of the devil, the
father of all lies, and of him are ye sent. And as for mine au-
. & x. thority, or who sent me, I report me unto my works, as Christ,
John v. and x. If God's word bear record that I say truth,
why should any man doubt, but that God, the Father of truth
and of light, hath sent me ; as the father of lies and of dark
ness hath sent you ; and that the Spirit of truth and of light
is with me, as the spirit of lies and of darkness is with you ?'

OF ANOILING. 283

'By this means thou wilt that every man be a preacher/
they say. Nay, verily. For God will that not, and there- J
fore will I it not; no more than I would that every man of
London were mayor of London, or every man of the realm
king thereof. God is not the author of dissension and strife,
but of unity and peace, and of good order. I will therefore,
that where a congregation is gathered together in Christ, one
be chosen after the rule of Paul, and that he only preach,
and else no man openly ; but that every man teach his house
hold after the same doctrine. But if the preacher preach
false ; then whosoever's heart God moveth, to the same it
shall be lawful to rebuke and improve the false teacher with
the clear and manifest scripture; and that same is no doubt
a true prophet, sent of God. For the scripture is God's, and
theirs that believe, and not the false prophet's. _ /

Sacrament is then as much to say as an holy sign. And
the sacraments which Christ ordained preach God's word
unto us, and therefore justify, and minister the Spirit to them
that believe ; as Paul through preaching the gospel was a min
ister of righteousness, and of the Spirit, unto all that believed
his preaching. Dumb ceremonies are no sacraments, but
superstitiousness. Christ's sacraments preach the faith of
Christ, as his apostles did, and thereby justify. Antichrist's
dumb ceremonies preach not the faith that is in Christ ; as his
apostles, our bishops and cardinals, do not. But as anti
christ's bishops are ordained to kill whosoever preach the
true faith of Christ ; so are his ceremonies ordained to quench
the faith, which Christ's sacraments preach. And hereby The differ-
mayest thou know the difference between Christ's signs or trueesacra-eel1

,.,.,. . , J?, ments and

sacraments, aud antichrist s signs or ceremonies ; that Christ s f»Le. w. T.
signs speak, and antichrist's be dumb.

Hereby seest thou what is to bo thought of all other
ceremonies ; as hallowed water, bread, salt, boughs, bells,
wax, ashes, and so forth ; and all other disguisings and apes'-
play ; and of all manner conjurations, as the conjuring of
church and church-yards, and of altar-stones, and such like.
Where no promise of God is, there can be no faith, nor jus
tifying, nor forgiveness of sins : for it is more than madness
to look for any thing of God, save that he hath promised.
How far he hath promised, so far is he bound to them that

284 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

ou?G?d?th" believe > and farther not. To have a faith, therefore, or a
FdoiTtr^." trust in any thing, where God hath not promised, is plain
idolatry, and a worshipping of thine own imagination instead
of God. Let us see the pith of a ceremony or two, to judge
the rest by. In conjuring of holy water, they pray that
whosoever be sprinkled therewith may receive health as well
of body as of soul : and likewise in making holy bread, and
so forth in the conjurations of other ceremonies. Now we
see by daily experience, that half their prayer is unheard.
For no man receiveth health of body thereby. No more, of
likelihood, do they of soul. Yea, we see also by experience,
that no man receiveth health of soul thereby. For no man
by sprinkling himself with holy water, and with eating holy
bread, is more merciful than before, or forgiveth wrong, or
becometh at one with his enemy, or is more patient, and less
covetous, and so forth; which are the sure tokens of the
soul-health.

The bishop's They preach also, that the wagging of the bishop's hand
w. T. ' over us blesseth us, and putteth away our sins. Are these
works not against Christ? How can they do more shame
unto Christ's blood ? For if the wagging of the bishop's
hand over me be so precious a thing in the sight of God that
I am thereby blessed, how then am I full " blessed with all
EPh. L spiritual blessing in Christ?" as Paul saith, Eph. i. Or if
my sins be full done away in Christ, how remaineth there
?°oltfese any *° ^e done away by such fantasies ? The apostles knew
messed u& no ways to put away sin, or to bless us, but by preaching
Gai. ii. Christ. Paul saith, Gal. ii. " If righteousness come by the
law, then Christ died in vain." So dispute I here : If bless
ing come by the wagging of the bishop's hand, then died
Christ in vain, and his death blesseth us not. And a little
Gai. ii. afore saith Paul, " If while we seek to be justified by Christ,
we be yet found sinners," (so that we must be justified by
the law or ceremonies,) " is not Christ then a minister of sin ?"
So dispute I here : If while we seek to be blessed in Christ
we are yet unblessed, and must be blessed by the wagging of
the bishop's hand, what have we then of Christ but curse?
Thou wilt say : When we come first to the faith, then Christ
forgiveth us and blesseth us ; but the sins, which we after-
Repentance, ward commit, are forgiven us through such things. I answer,
?n churistfalth if any man repent truly, and come to the faith, and put his"]

OF ANOILING. 285

trust in Christ, then as oft as he sinneth of frailty, at the sigh i™r8eth our
/of the heart is his sin put away in Christ's blood. For Christ's Ant- cd-
iblood purgeth ever and blesseth ever. For John saith in the
second of his first epistle, " This I write unto you that ye sin i John a.
not. And though any man sin" (meaning of frailty, and so
repent) " yet have we an Advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ which is righteous, and he it is that obtaineth grace
for our sins." And, Heb. vii. it is written, "But this man"
(meaning Christ), " because he lasteth or abideth ever, hath an
everlasting priesthood. Therefore is he able also ever to save
them that come to God through him, seeing he ever liveth to
make intercession for us." The bishops therefore ought to
bless us in preaching Christ, and not to deceive us and to
bring the curse of God upon us with wagging their hands
over us. To preach is their duty only, and not to offer their
feet to be kissed1. We feel also by experience that after the
pope's, bishop's, or cardinal's blessing, we are no otherwise
disposed in our souls than before.

Let this be sufficient as concerning the sacraments and
ccremonies, with this protestation : that if any can say better, author,
or improve this with God's word, no man shall be better con
tent therewith than I. For I seek nothing but the truth,
and to walk in the light. I submit therefore this work and
all other that I have made or shall make (if God will that I
shall more make) unto the judgments, not of them that furi
ously burn all truth, but of them which are ready with God's
word to correct, if any thing be said amiss, and to further
God's word.

I will talk a word or two after the worldly wisdom with confession
them, and make an end of this matter. If the sacraments ro

icraments,

justify, as they say, (^understand by justifying, forgiveness themfruit-
of sins^J then do they wrong unto the sacraments, inasmuch
as they rob the most part of them, through confession, of
their effect, and of the cause wherefore they were ordained.
For no man may receive the body of Christ, no man may
marry, no man may be oiled or anoiled as they call it, no
man may receive orders, except he be first shriven. Now
when the sins be forgiven by shrift aforehand, there is nought
left for the sacraments to do. They will answer that at the

[l A. coarse expression, originating with the once popularly credited
story of pope Joan, is here omitted.]

286

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

HOW to know US;

what justifi-

with their

chaplains

whli! th<

leastway they increase grace; and not the sacraments only,
but also hearing of mass, matins, and even-song, and receiv
ing of holy water, holy bread, and of the bishop's blessing,
what_grace and so forth by all ceremonies. By grace I understand the"1
favour of God, and also the gifts and working of his Spirit in
ag ]0ve, kindness, patience, obedience, mercifulness,

.

despising of worldly things, peace, concord, and such like./
If after thou hast heard so many masses, matins, and even-
songgj and after thou hast received holy bread, holy water,
and the bishop's blessing, or a cardinal's or the pope's, if
thou wilt be more kind to thy neighbour, and love him better
than before ; if thou be more obedient unto thy superiors ;
more merciful, more ready to forgive wrong done unto thee,
more despisest the world, and more athirst after spiritual
things ; if after that a priest hath taken orders he be less co
vetous than before ; if a wife, after so many and oft pilgrim
ages, be more chaste, more obedient unto her husband, more
kind to her maids and other servants ; if gentlemen, knights,
lords, and kings and emperors, after they have said so often
daily service with their chaplains, know more of Christ than

**

before, and can better skill to rule their tenants, subjects, and
realms christianly than before, and be content with their
duties ; then do such things increase grace. If not, it is a
lie. Whether it be so or no, I report me to experience. If
they have any other interpretations of justifying or grace, I
pray them to teach it me ; for I would gladly learn it. Now
let us go to our purpose again.

Of Miracles and "Worshipping of Saints.

True miracles ANTICHRIST shall not only come with lying signs, and
cSStw.T. disguised with falsehood, but also with lying miracles and

[l The words quoth he seem to indicate either that this marginal
note is a quotation from Sir T. More's dialogue, or an allusion to it ;
for in that dialogue quoth he recurs with an absurd frequency, else
where noticed by Tyndale. The final words while they are found in all
the editions collated, and seem to imply some continued typographical
error. If it may be supposed that whyle is a misprint for whyst or
knoiv, we might read the margin as follows : Their chaplains at the
last make them not so mad. To say service alone whist they.]

OF MIRACLES AND WORSHIPPING OF SAINTS. 287

wonders, saith Paul in the said place, 2 Thes. ii. All 2 Thess. n.
the true miracles which are of God, are shewed (as I above
rehearsed) to move us to hear God's word, and to stablish our
faith therein, and to confirm the truth of God's promises,
that we might without all doubting believe them. For [Hod's
word through faith bringeth the Spirit into our heartsland
also life, as Christ saith, John vi. " The words which I John vi-
speak are spirit and life." The word also purgeth us and
cleanseth us, as Christ saith, John xv. "Ye are clean by John xv.
the means of the word." Paul saith, 1 Tim. ii. "One God, iTim.ii.
one Mediator" (that is to say, advocate, intercessor, or an at-
one-maker) " between God and man, the man Christ Jesus,
which gave himself a ransom for all men." Peter saith of
Christ, Acts iv. "Neither is there health in any other: neither Actsiv.
yet also any other name given unto men wherein we must be
saved." So now Christ is our peace, our redemption or ransom
for our sins, our righteousness, satisfaction, and "all the pro-2Cor. i.
mises of God are yea and Amen in him," 2 Cor i. And we, for
the great and infinite love which God hath to us in Christ, love
him again, love also his laws, and love one another. And the The effect
deeds which we henceforth do, do we not to make satisfaction, our good

deeds.

or to obtain heaven ; but to succour our neighbour, to tame
the flesh, that we may wax perfect and strong men in Christ,
and to be thankful to God again for his mercy, and to glorify
his name.

Contrariwise the miracles of antichrist are done to pull False mira-
thee from the word of God, and from believing his promises, from Christ.
and from Christ, and to put thy trust in a man, or a cere
mony wherein God's word is not. As soon as God's word
is believed, the faith spread abroad, then cease the miracles
of God. But the miracles of antichrist, because they are
wrought by the devil, to quench the faith, grow daily more
and more ; neither shall cease, until the world's end, among
them that believe not God's word and promises. Seest
thou not how God loosed and sent forth all the devils in
the old world among the heathen or gentiles ? and how
the devils wrought miracles, and spake to them in every
image? Even so shall the devil work falsehood by one craft
or another, until the world's end, among them that believe
not God's word. For the judgment and damnation of him

288 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

that hath no lust to hear the truth, is to hear lies, and to
be stablished and grounded therein through false miracles ;
and he that will not see is worthy to be blind ; and he that
biddeth the Spirit of God go from him, is worthy to be with
out him.

Paul, Peter, and all true apostles preached Christ only.
And the miracles did but confirm and stablish their preaching,
and those everlasting promises and eternal testament that God
had made between man and him in Christ's blood : and the
miracles did testify also that they were true servants of
Christ. Paul preached not himself ; he taught not any man
to trust in him or his holiness, or in Peter or in any ceremony,
but in the promises which God hath sworn only : yea, he
mightily resisteth all such false doctrine, both to the Co-
teacheui to rm^m'ans> Galatians, Ephesians, and every where. If this be
Ss"a *rue (as ^ is true and nothing more true), that if Paul had
fidseprophet. preacneci himself, or taught any man to believe in his holi
ness or prayer, or in any thing save in the promises that
God hath made and sworn to give us for Christ's sake,
he had been a false prophet ; why am not I also a false pro
phet, if I teach thee to trust in Paul, or in his holiness or
prayer, or in any thing save in God's word, as Paul did ?
what he If Paul were here and loved me, (as he loved them of his

thatuprayeth time to whom he was sent, and to whom he was a servant

for his neigh-

bour. W.T. to preach Christ,) what good could he do for me or wish me,
but preach Christ and pray to God for me, to open mine
heart, to give me his Spirit, and to bring me unto the full
knowledge of Christ ? unto which port or haven when I am
once come, I am as safe as Paul, fellow with Paul, joint heir
with Paul of all the promises of God, and God's truth heareth
my prayer as well as Paul's1. I also now could not but love
Paul, and wish him good, and pray for him, 'that God would
strengthen him in all his temptations and give him victory, as

The weak }ie W0uld do for me. Nevertheless there are many weak and

should he v

naoutgdecelved. voung consciences always in the congregation, which they

W.T.

[* Art. XVI. Of heresies and errors charged against Tyndale :
' He saith, Why should I trust in Paul's prayer or holiness ? If St Paul
were alive, he would compare himself to St Paul, and be as good as
he.' In reply to this charge Foxe quotes Tyndale' s words, from 'Why
am not I ' to ' the promises of God ;' and observes in his margin, that
' The words of Tyndale import no such meaning as in the article/]

OF MIRACLES AND WORSHIPPING OF SAINTS. 289

that have the office to preach ought to teach, and not to de
ceive them.

What prayers pray our clergy for us, which stop us and The sp
exclude us from Christ, and seek all the means possible to
keep us from knowledge of Christ ? They compel us to „" chJfsdLge
hire friars, monks, nuns, canons, and priests, and to buy their w' Tl
abominable merits, and to hire the saints that are dead to
pray for us ; for the very saints have they made hirelings
also, because that their offerings come to their profit. What
pray all those? That we might come to the knowledge
of Christ, as the apostles did ? Nay, verily. For it is a
plain case, that all they which enforce to keep us from Christ,
pray not that we might come to the knowledge of Christ.
And as for the saints, (whose prayer was, when they were
alive, that we might be grounded, established and strength
ened in Christ only,) if it were of God that we should this wise
worship them, contrary unto their own doctrine, I dare be
bold to affirm, that by the means of their prayers we should
have been brought long ago unto the knowledge of God and
Christ again, though that these beasts had done their worst
to let it. Let us therefore set our hearts at rest in Christ
and in God's promises, for so I think it best ; and let us take The saints are
the saints for an ensample only, and let us do as they both pie.*^??"
taught and did.

Let us set God's promises before our eyes, and desire
him for his mercy and for Chrises sake to fulfil them.
And he is as true as ever he was, and will do it as well
as ever he did ; for to us are the promises made as well as
to them.

Moreover, the end of God's miracles is good ; the end offerings

' . ° . c;vuse the

to these miracles are evil. For the offerings, which are the ™r*cles-
cause of the miracles, do but minister and maintain vice,
sin, and all abomination, and are given to them that have
too much ; so that for very abundance they foam out their
own shame, and corrupt the whole world with the stench of
their filthiness.

Thereto Q whatsoever is not of faith is sin." " Faith
cometh by hearing God's word." When now thou fastest
or docst any thing in the worship of any saint, believing
to come to the favour of God or to be saved thereby ; if
thou have God's word, then is it true faith and shall save

19
[TYNDALE.J

290 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

thee. If thou have not God's word, then it is a false faith,
superstitiousness, and idolatry, and damnable sin.

Also in the collects of the saints, with which we pray
God to save us through the merits or deservings of the saints,
(which saints yet were not saved by their own deservings
themselves) we say, per Christum Dominum nostrum ; that
is, for Christ our Lord's sake. We say, * Save us, good
Lord, through the saints' merits for Christ's sake/ How
can he save us through the saints'* merits for Christ's sake,
and for his deserving merits and love? Take an example.
A gentleman saith unto me, ' I will do the uttermost of my
power for thee, for the love which I owe unto thy father.
Though thou hast never done me pleasure, yet I love thy
father well : thy father is my friend, and hath deserved that
I do all that I can for thee, &c.' Here is a testament and a
promise made unto me in the love of my father only. If I
come to the said gentleman in the name of one of his serv
ants which I never saw, never spake with, neither have any
acquaintance at all with, and say, ' Sir, I pray you be good
master unto me in such a cause : I have not deserved that
thou shouldest so do ; nevertheless I pray you do it for such
a servant's sake : yea, I pray you for the love that you owe
to my father, do that for me for such a servant's sake : ' if
I this wise made my petition, would not men think that I
came late out of St Patrick's purgatory1, and had left my
wits behind me? This do we. For the testament and
promises are all made unto us in Christ : and we desire

[l Cum Patricius per Hiberniam prsedicaret, et fructum ibi modi
cum faceret, rogavit Deum ut ibi aliquod signum ostenderet, per quod
territi poeniterent. Jussu igitur Domini in quodam loco circulum
magnum cum baculo designavit, intra quod se terra statim aperuit,
et puteus profundissimus ibidem apparuit. Revelatum quoque fuit
saiicto, quod ibi quidem purgatorii locus esset, in quern quisquis vellet
descendere, alia sibi poenitentia non restaret, nee aliud pro peccatis
purgatorium sustineret : plerique autem non redirent ; et qui rediret,
die natural! integro ibidem moram faceret. Multi igitur ingredie-
bantur, qui de cetero nonrevertebantur. — Petrus de Natalibus; Catalog.
Sanctorum, Lib. in. cap. cciv. Argentina, 1513. — This legendary tale
goes on to relate how such horrible things as might well make a man
leave his wits behind him, were seen by a nobleman named Nicholas,
who descended and came up again the next morning. This Patrick's
purgatory is still a popular resort with the superstitious. See Inglis'
Tour in Ireland, 4th edition, p. 300.]

OF MIRACLES AND WORSHIPPING OF SAINTS. 291

God to fulfil his promises for the saints' sake ; yea. that he God the Fa-

•11 f r\\, ' A> 1 A •*. £ j.1- -xl I therfulfllleth

will for Christ s sake do it for the saints sake.

They have also martyrs, which never preached God's S
word, neither died therefore ; but for privileges and liberties, S
which they falsely purchased, contrary unto God's ordinances. Tau
Yea, and such saints, though they be dead, yet rob now as
fast as ever they did, neither are less covetous now than J
when they were alive. I doubt not but that they will make
a saint of my lord cardinal after the death of us that be

,•,,..,, , ,

alive, and know his juggling and crafty conveyance ; and
will shrine him gloriously for his mightily defending of the

witness-

: "ow

right of the holy church, except we be diligent to leave a^x!sword'
commemoration of that Nimrod behind us.

The reasons wherewith they prove their doctrine are but The reasons
fleshly, and, as Paul calleth them, "enticing words of man's make for the

. _ " . . TIT worshipping

wisdom ;" that is to wit, sophistry, and brawling arguments
of men with corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, whose
God is their belly, unto which idol whosoever offer eth not,
the same is an heretic, and worthy to be burnt.

1 The saint was great with God when he was alive, as it
appeareth by the miracles which God shewed for him ; he
must therefore be great now,' say they. This reason appear
eth wisdom ; but it is very foolishness with God. For the
miracle was not shewed that thou should put thy trust in the
saint, but in the word which the saint preached ; which word,
if thou believest, would save thee, as God hath promised and
sworn, and would make thee also great with God, as it did
the saint.

' If a man have a matter with a great man, or a king, he
must go first unto one of his mean servants, and then higher
and higher till he come at the king.' This enticing argument
is but a blind reason of man's wit. It is not like in the king- it is not nke
dom of the world, and in the kingdom of God and Christ, and God.
With kings, for the most part, we have none acquaintance,
neither promise. They be also most commonly merciless.
Moreover, if they promise, they are yet men, as unconstant
as are other people, and as untrue. But with God, if we
have belief, we are accounted, and have an open way in unto
him by the door Christ, which is never shut, but through
unbelief; neither is there any porter to keep any man out.
" By him," saith Paul, Eph. ii. that is to say, by Christ, " we Eph.ii.

19—2

292 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

have an open way in unto the Father. So are ye now no
more strangers and foreigners (saith he), but citizens with the
saints, and of the household of God." God hath also made
us promises, and hath sworn ; yea, hath made a testament
or a covenant, and hath bound himself, and hath sealed his
obligation with Christ's blood, and confirmed it with miracles.
He is also merciful and kind ; and complaineth that we will
not come unto him. He is mighty and able to perform that he
promiseth. He is true, and cannot be but true, as he cannot
be but God. Therefore is it not like with the king and God.
' We be sinners/ say they, ' God will not hear us.' Behold
how they flee from God, as from a tyrant merciless. Whom
a man counteth most merciful, unto him he soonest fleeth.
' But these teachers dare not come at God. Why ? For they
are the children of Cain. If the saints love whom God
hateth, then God and his saints are divided. When thou
prayest to the saints, how do they know, except that God,
whom thou countest merciless, tell them? If God be so
cruel, and so hateth thee, it is not likely that he will tell the
saints that thou prayest unto them.
Christ is no When they say, ' We be sinners :' I answer, that Christ is

sinner. W. T. . . „ . .

no sinner, save a satisfaction and an offering for sin. Take
Christ from the saints, and what are they ? What is Paul
without Christ ? Is he any thing save a blasphemer, a per
secutor, a murderer, and a shedder of Christian blood ? But
as soon as he came to Christ, he was no more a sinner, but
a minister of righteousness : he went not to Home to take
penance upon him, but went and preached unto his brethren
the same mercy, which he had received free, without doing
penance, or hiring of saints, or of monks or friars. Moreover,
if it be God's word that thou should put thy trust in the
saints' merits or prayers, then be bold ; for God's word shall
defend thee, and save thee. If it be but thine own reason,
then fear : for God commandeth by Moses, Deut. xii. saying,

Deut xii. « What .1 command you, that observe and do, and put no
thing to, nor take ought therefrom ;" yea, and Moses warneth
straitly in an hundred places, that we do that only which

bringentna God commandeth, and which seemeth good and righteous in

man sooner ... . . ° °

S1ght> and not in our own sight. For nothing bringeth
*^e wr^th of God so soon and so sore on a man, as the
Aant?ed. idolatry of his own imagination.

OF MIRACLES AND WORSHIPPING OF SAINTS. 293

Last of all, these arguments are contrary to the argu
ments of Christ and of his apostles. Christ disputeth, Luke xi. Luke XL
saying : " If the son ask the father bread, will he give him
a stone ? or if he ask him fish, will he give him a serpent ?"
and so forth. " If ye then," saith he, " which are evil can
give good gifts to your children, how much rather shall your
heavenly Father give a good Spirit unto them that ask him I"
And a little before, in the same chapter, he saith : " If a man
came never so out of season to his neighbour to borrow
bread, even when he is in his chamber, and the door shut,
and all his servants with him ; nevertheless yet, if he con
tinue knocking and praying, he will rise and give him as
much as he needeth, though not for love, yet to be rid of
him, that he may have rest." As who should say, What will
God do, if a man pray him ; seeing that prayer overcometh an
evil man ? " Ask," therefore, saith he, " and it shall be given Lukexi.
you ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened
unto you." And Luke xviii. he putteth forth the parable,
or similitude, of the wicked judge, which was overcome with
the importunate prayer of the widow ; and concludeth, say
ing : " Hear what the wicked judge did. And shall not Luke xviii.
God avenge his elect, which cry unto him night and day?"
Whether, therefore, we complain of the intolerable oppression
and persecution that we suffer, or of the flesh that cumbereth
and resisteth the Spirit, God is merciful to hear us and to
help us. Seest thou not also, how Christ cureth many, and
casteth out devils out of many, unspoken to? how shall he
not help, if he be desired and spoken to ?

When the old Pharisees (whose nature is to drive sinners
from Christ) asked Christ why he did eat with publicans
and sinners ? Christ answered, " That the whole needed not
the physician, but the sick ;" that is, he came to have con
versation with sinners to heal them. Ho was a gift given Christ is a
unto sinners, and a treasure to pay their debts. And Christ airmen,
sent the complaining and disdaining Pharisees to the prophet
Oseas, saying: "Go and learn what this meaneth, I desire o0d loveth
(or require) mercy, and not sacrifice." As who should say, m
Ye Pharisees love sacrifice and offering for to feed that god Hypocrites
your bellies withal; but God commandeth to be merciful. ings.°w.~T.
Sinners are ever captives, and a prey to the Pharisees and
hypocrites, for to offer unto their bellies, and to buy merits,

294 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

pardons, and forgiveness of sins of them. And therefore
fear they them away from Christ with arguments of their
belly-wisdom. For he that receiveth forgiveness free of
Christ, will buy no forgiveness of them. " I came," saith
Christ, "to call, not the righteous, but the sinners unto re
pentance." The Pharisees are righteous, and therefore have
no part with Christ, neither need they; for they are gods
themselves, and saviours. But sinners, that repent, pertain
to Christ. If we repent, Christ hath made satisfaction for us
already.

" God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that
none that believe on him should perish, but should have
everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world
to condemn the world, but that the world through him might
be saved. He that believeth on him shall not be damned ;
but he that believeth not is damned already." John iii.

Rom. v. Paul, Rom. v. saith, " Because we are justified through faith,

we are at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ : "
that is, because that God, which cannot lie, hath promised and
sworn to be merciful unto us, and to forgive us for Christ's

we are at sake, we believe, and are at peace in our consciences ; we run

peace in our 1*1 11*1 c t •!•/»•

consciences, not hither and thither for pardon ; we trust not in this mar

when we A

sbtlntivy 0Curn~ nor that monk, neither in any thing, save in the word of God
Sued6 re~ onl y : as a child, when his father threateneth him for his
cJShJesus fault, hath never rest till he hear the word of mercy and
ed' forgiveness of his father's mouth again ; but as soon as he
heareth his father say, Go thy way, do me no more so, I
forgive thee this fault, then is his heart at rest ; then is he
at peace ; then runneth he to no man to make intercession for
him ; neither, though there come any false merchant *, say
ing, ( What wilt thou give me, and I will obtain pardon of thy
father for thee ? } will he suffer himself to be beguiled. JNo,
he will not buy of a wily fox that which his father hath
given him freely.

Bom. v. It folio weth, " God setteth out his love, that he hath to us;"

'(that is, he maketh it appear, that men may perceive love if
they be not more than stock blind :) " inasmuch (saith Paul)
as, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more
now, (saith he,) seeing we are justified by his blood, shall we
be preserved from wrath through him : for if when we were
[l Dealer in lies.]

OF MIRACLES AND WORSHIPPING OF SAINTS. 295

enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son ;
much more, seeing we are reconciled, we shall be preserved
by his life." As who should say, If God loved us, when we
knew him not, much more loveth he us now we know him.
If he were merciful to us while we hated his law, how much
more merciful will he be now, seeing we love it, and desire
strength to fulfil it! And in the viiith he argueth : " If Rom. vm
God spared not his own Son, but gave him for us all, how
shall he not with him give us all things also ?"

Christ prayed, John xvii. not for the apostles only, but John xvii
also for as many as should believe through their preaching,
and was heard. Whatsoever we ask in his name, the Father John *vi.
giveth us. Christ is also as merciful as the saints. Why go we why we
not straightway unto him ? Verily, because we feel not the ch™1-
mercy of God, neither believe his truth. 6 God will, at the
leastway (say they), hear us the sooner for the saints' sake.'
Then loveth he the saints better than Christ and his own
truth. Heareth he us for the saints' sake? So heareth
he us not for his mercy : for merits and mercy cannot stand
together.

Finally : If thou put any trust in thine own deeds, or in
the deeds of any other man, of any saint, then minishest thou
the truth, mercy, and goodness of God. For if God look
unto thy works, or unto the works of any other man, or
goodness of the saint ; then doth he not all things of pure
mercy and of his goodness, and for the truth's sake, which he
hath sworn in Christ. Now saith Paul,%3iit. iii. " Not of the
righteous deeds which we did, but of his mercy saved he us/

Our blind disputers will say, 'If our good deeds justify u
not ; if God look not on our good deeds, neither regard them,
nor love us the better for them, what need we to do good
deeds?' I answer, God looketh on our good deeds, and loveth
them; yet loveth us not for their sakes. God loveth us first
in Christ, of his goodness and mercy, and poureth his Spirit
into us, and giveth us power to do good deeds. And because
he loveth us, he forgiveth us our evil deeds, which we do of
frailty, and not of purpose, or for the nonce. Our good deeds
do but testify only that we are justified and beloved. For
except we were beloved, and had God's Spirit, we could neither .

-1 *• Antichrist

do, nor yet consent unto any good deed. Antichrist turncth
the roots of the trees upward. /He maketh the goodness of

296 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

God the branches, and our goodness the roots. "We must be
first good, after antichrist's doctrine, and move God, and com
pel him to be good again for our goodness' sake : so must
God's goodness spring out of our goodness. Nay, verily ;
God's goodness is the root of all goodness ; and our good
ness, if we have any, springeth out of his goodnessTJ

Of Prayer.

Or prayer and good deeds, and of the order of love, or
charity, I have abundantly written in my book of the Justi
fying of Faith1. Neverthelater, that thou mayest see what
the prayers and good works of our monks and friars, and of
other ghostly people, are worth, I will speak a word or two,
Gai. iii. and make an end. Paul saith, Gal. iii. " All ye are the sons
are one aswe of God through faith in Jesus Christ ; for all ye that are bap-
fh£r, SuaiK tized have put Christ on you ; " that is, ye are become Christ

beloved, and • J •

himse^ " There is no Jew," (saith he,) " neither Greek, neither
bond nor free, neither man nor woman, but ye are all one
thing in Christ Jesus." In Christ there is neither French nor"~)
English ; but the Frenchman is the Englishman's own self, and
the English the Frenchman's own self. In Christ there is
neither father nor son, neither master nor servant, neither
husband nor wife, neither king nor subject: but the father
is the son's self, and the son the father's own self; and the
king is the subject's own self, and the subject is the king's
own self ; and so forth. I am thou thyself, and thou art I
myself, and can be no nearer of kin. We are all the sons of
God, all Christ's servants bought with his blood ; and every
man to other Christ his own self. And Col. iii. " Ye have puij
on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge of God,
after the image of him that made him (that is to say, Christ;)
"where is" (saith he) "neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision
nor uncircumcision, barbarous or Scythian, bond or free ; but
Christ is all in all things." I love thee not now because thou

a Christian 111

man. w. T. art my father, and hast done so much for me ; or my mother,
and hast borne me, and given me suck of thy breasts, (for so
do Jews and Saracens,) but because of the great love that
Christ hath shewed me. I serve thee, not because thou art

[l So he calls his treatise on the parable of the Wicked Mammon.]

OF PRAYER. 297

my master, or my king, for hope of reward, or fear of pain,

but for the love of Christ ; for (the children of faith are under

no law (as thou seest in the epistles to the Romans, to the

Galatians, in the first to Timothy), but are free. The Spirit

of Christ hath written the lively law of love in their hearts ;

which driveth them to work of their own accord freely and [hemmlw. T.

willingly, for the great love's sake only which they see in

Christ, and therefore need they no law to compel them£j

Christ is all in all things to them that believe, and the cause

of all love. Paul saith, Eph. yi. " Servants, obey unto ^p^jj^

your carnal or fleshly masters with fear and trembling, in antsisanderv"

singleness of your hearts, as unto Christ : not with eye-service, w.VT.Christ"

as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will

of God from the heart, even as though ye served the Lord,

and not men. And remember, that whatsoever good thing

any man doth, that shall he receive again of the Lord, whether

he be bond or free." Christ thus is all in all things, and

cause of all, to a Christian man. And Christ saith, Matt.

xxv. " Inasmuch as ye have done it to any the least of these Matt. xxv.

my brethren, ye have done it to me. And inasmuch as TJJ <j°j- love

ye have not done it unto one of the least of these, ye have

not done it to me." Here seest thou that we are Christ's

brethren, and even Christ himself; and whatsoever we do

one to another, that do we to Christ3. If we be in Christ,

we work for no worldly purpose, but of love : as Paul saith,

2 Cor. v. "The love of Christ compelleth us:" (as who scor. v.

should say, We work not of a fleshly purpose :) "for" (saith

he) " we know henceforth no man fleshly ; no, though we

once knew Christ fleshly, we do so now no more." We are

otherwise minded than when Peter drew his sword to fight

for Christ. We are now ready to suffer with Christ, and to

lose life and all for our very enemies, to bring them unto

Christ. If we be in Christ, we are minded like unto Christ ; Christ know-

which knew nothing fleshly, or after the will of the flesh, as

thou seest Matt. xii. when one said to him, " Lo, thy mother

Matt.xii.

[2 Art. XVII. of heresies and errors charged against Tyndale:
' He saith that the children of faith be under no law/ Foxe replies,
* The article is true, being truly taken/]

[3 Art. XVIII. 'He saith, that all that be baptized become Christ/
Foxe's reply is, 'With this article confer the words of the Obedi
ence/]

298 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
He answered, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?
And stretched his hand over his disciples, saying, See, my
mother and my brethren : for whosoever doth the will of my
Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, my sister,
and my mother." He knew not his mother in that she bare
him, but in that she did the will of his Father in heaven. So
now, as God the Father's will and commandment is all to
Christ, even so Christ is all to a Christian man.

Christ is the cause why I love thee, why I am ready to do

the uttermost of my power for thee, and why I pray for thee.

AS long as And as long as the cause abideth, so Ions; lasteth the effect : even

Christ abid- & .

Ilohristiang as ^ *s alwajs ^aj so long as the sun shineth. Do therefore
njanjoveth. £jie worst thou canst unto me, take away my goods, take away
my good name ; yet as long as Christ remaineth in my heart,
so long I love thee not a whit the less, and so long art thou
as dear unto me as mine own soul, and so long am I ready to
do thee good for thine evil, and so long I pray for thee with
all my heart : for Christ desireth it of me, and hath deserved
it of me. Thine unkindness compared unto his kindness is
nothing at all ; yea, it is swallowed up as a little smoke of a
mighty wind, and is no more seen or thought upon. More
over that evil which thou didst to me, I receive not of thy
hand, but of the hand of God, and as God's scourge to teach
me patience, and to nurture me : and therefore have no
cause to be angry with thee, more than the child hath to be
angry with his father's rod ; or a sick man with a sour or
bitter medicine that healeth him, or a prisoner with his
fetters, or he that is punished lawfully with the officer that
punisheth him. Thus is Christ all, and the whole cause why
Money bind- I love thee. And to all can nought be added. Therefore

eth not Chris- _.

tjansto pray, cannot a little money make me love thee better, or more
bound to pray for thee, nor make God's commandment
greater. Last of all, if I be in Christ, then " the love of
Christ compelleth me." And therefore I am ready to give
thee mine, and not to take thine from thee. If I be able, I
will do thee service freely : if not, then if thou minister to
me again, that receive I of the hand of God, which minis-
God careth tereth it to me by thee. For God careth for his, and minis-
T> tereth all things unto them, and moveth Turks, and Saracens,
and all manner infidels to do them good : as thou seest in

OF PRAYER. 299

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and how God went with Joseph
into Egypt, and gat him favour in the prison, and in every
place ; which favour Joseph received of the hand of God, and
to God gave the thanks. Thus is God and Christ all in all ;
good and bad receive I of God. Them that are good I love,
because they are in Christ ; and the evil, to bring them to
Christ. When any man doth well, I rejoice that God is
honoured ; and when any man doth evil, I sorrow because
that God is dishonoured. Finally, inasmuch as God hath
created all, and Christ bought all with his blood, therefore
ought all to seek God and Christ in all, and else nothing.

But contrariwise unto monks, friars, and to the other of our
holy spiritualty, the belly is all in all, and cause of all love.
Offer thereto ; so art thou father, mother, sister, and brother spiritualty.
unto them. Offer est thou not ? so know they thee not ; thou
art neither father, mother, sister, brother, nor any kin at all
to them. ' She is a sister of ours, he is a brother of ours,'
say they ; 'he is verily a good man, for he doth much for
our religion : she is a mother to our convent ; we be greatly
bound to pray for them. And as for such and such, (say
they,) we know not whether they be good or bad, or whether
they be fish or flesh, for they do nought for us : we be more
bound to pray for our benefactors (say they) and for them
that give us, than for them that give us not.' For them that
give little are they little bound, and them they love little :
and for them that give much they are much bound, and
them they love much : and for them that give nought are
they nought bound, and them they love not at all. And as
they love thee when thou givest, so hate they thee when
thou takest away from them, and run all under a stool, and AH is of the
curse thee as black as pitch. So is cloister-love belly-love ; S&ngnof
cloister-prayer, belly-prayer ; and cloister-brotherhood, belly- w. T.
brotherhood. Moreover, love that springeth of Christ seeketh i Cor. xiu.
not her own self, 1 Cor. xiii., but forgetteth herself, and be-

stoweth her upon her neighbour's profit, as Christ sought our monks'iove

profit, and not his own. lie sought not the favour of God for wejj,clly-

himself, but for us ; yea, he took the wrath and vengeance of

God from us unto himself, and bare it on his own back, to

bring us unto favour. Likewise doth a Christian man give

to his brethren, and robbeth them not, as friars and monks

do ; but, as Paul commandeth, Eph. iv. laboureth with his hands EPh. iv.

300 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

some good work to have wherewith to help the needy. They

give not, but receive only. They labour not, but live idly

of the sweat of the poor. There is none so poor a widow,

though she have not to find herself and her children, nor

any money to give, yet shall the friar snatch a cheese, or

somewhat. They preach, sayest thou, and labour in the

Friars and word. First, I say, they are not called, and therefore ought

not to preach, not : for it is the curate's1 office. The curate cannot, sayest

thou. What doth the thief there then ? Secondarily, a true

preacher preacheth Christ's testament only ; and maketh Christ

the cause and reward of all our deeds ; and teacheth every

Phii. iii. man to bear his cross willingly for Christ's sake. But these are

enemies unto the cross of Christ, and preach their belly, which

i Tim. vi. is their god, Eph. [Phil.] iii. and they think that lucre is the

serving of God, 1 Tim. vi. : that is, they think them Christian

only, which offer unto their bellies, which when thou hast

filled, then spue they out prayers for thee, to be thy reward,

and yet wot not what prayer meaneth. Prayer is the long

ing for God's promises; which promises, as they preach

them not, so long they not for them, nor wish them unto

Rom. xvi. any man. Their longing is to fill their paunch, whom they

serve, and not Christ; and through sweet preaching, and

flattering words, deceive the hearts of the simple and un

learned.

Christ is the Finally, as Christ is the whole cause why we do all
wh?GodUse thing for our neighbour, even so is he the cause why God
w. T. doth all thing for us, why he receiveth us into his holy
testament, and maketh us heirs of all his promises, and
poureth his Spirit into us, and maketh us his sons, and
fashioneth us like unto Christ, and maketh us such as he
would have us to be. The assurance that we are sons, be~
HOW to know loved, and heirs with Christ, and have God's Spirit in us, j
God's sons, is the consent of our hearts unto the law of God. Which 1

W. T.

The law is law is all perfection, and the mark whereat all we ought to '
toeuchionee sno0*' And he ^at hitteth that mark, so that he fulfilleth

weorughthto *he ^aw w^n a^ k*s heart> sou^ and might;, and with full love

LKe'hJw' and lust> without all let or resistance, is pure gold, and

Sep°ufged.e needeth not to be put any more in the fire : he is straight

and right, and needeth to be no more shaven : he is full

fashioned like Christ, and can have no more added unto him.

[l That is, the parochial minister.]

OF PRAYER. 301

Lgevertheless there is none so perfect in this life, that findeth
not let and resistance by the reason of original siff*or birth-
poison, that remaineth in himTfas thou mayest^ee in the our birth-

t« /• 11 -i • i +*A 111 • • poison that

lives of all the samts througnmit all the scripture, and in ranwnethu
Paul, Rom. vii. " The will is present (saith he), but I find no J^8]^"1-
means to perform that which is good. I do not that good Rom> viu
thing which I would : but that evil do I, which I would not.
I find by the law, that, when I would do good, evil is present
with me. I delight in the law, as concerning the inner man ;
but I find another law in my members, rebelling against the
law of my mind, and subduing me unto the law of sin."
Which law of sin is nothing but a corrupt and a poisoned
nature, which breaketh into evil lusts, and from evil lusts
into wicked deeds, and must be purged with the true purga
tory of the cross of Christ : that is, thou must hate it with ^5'sfht
all thine heart, and desire God to take it from thee. And christ- w. x.
then, whatsoever cross God putteth on thy back, bear it
patiently, whether it be poverty, sickness, or persecution, or
whatsoever it be, and take it for the right purgatory, and
think that God hath nailed thee fast to it, to purge thee
thereby. For he that loveth not the law and hateth his He that

* . loveth not

sin, and hath not professed in his heart to fight against it,

and mourneth not to God to take it away and to purge him of

it, the same hath no part with Christ.! If thou love the law, ^ Jj0 1

and findest that thou hast yet sin "Hanging on thee, whereof JJ^^JJJ?

thou sorrowest to be delivered and purged ; as for an en- tualty- w- T-

sample, thou hast a covetous mind, and rnistrustest God, and

therefore art moved to beguile thy neighbour, and art unto

him merciless, not caring whether he sink or swim, so thou

mayest win by him, or get from him that he hath ; then get

thee to the Observant2, which is so purged from that sin,

[2 About the beginning of the fifteenth century it was confessed
that the Franciscans or Grey friars had widely departed from the
rules laid down by their founder. Hence the more zealous of them
separated from the rest, and assumed the name of Observants, as
resolved to adhere rigidly to his rules. The others, who could say that
the pope had sanctioned their laxer system, were called Conventuals,
when it was wished to distinguish them from their Observant brethren.
As followers of the stricter rules, the Observants were to be without
property, and beg their bread, and when begging they were to accept
necessaries only, and not money. Fosbroke's Brit. Mon. p. 79, ed. of
1843. See also note 1 to p. 287 of Latimcr's Sermons, P. S. ed.]

302 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

that he will not once handle a penny, and with that wile
doth the subtle fox make the goose come flying into his hole,
ready prepared for his mouth, without his labour or sweat :
and buy of his merits, which he hath in store ; and give thy
money, not into his holy hands, but to offer him that he hath
hired, either with part of his prayers or part of his prey, to
take the sin upon him and to handle his money for him. In
like manner, if any person that is under obedience unto
God's ordinance (whether it be son, or daughter, servant,
wife or subject) consent unto the ordinance, and yet find
contrary motions, let him go also to them that have pro
fessed an obedience of their own making, and buy part of
andhmSeof their merits. If thy wife give thee nine words for three,
go to the Charterhouse, and buy of their silence 1 : and so, if
the abstaining of the Observant from handling money heal

eisenot?><in thine heart from desiring money, and the obedience of them
that will obey nothing but their own ordinance heal thy
disobedience to God's ordinance, and the silence of the
Charterhouse monk tame thy wife's tongue ; then believe that
their prayers shall deliver thy soul from the pains of that
terrible and fearful purgatory, which they have feigned to
purge thy purse withal.

&^* The spiritualty increaseth daily. More prelates, more
priests, more monks, friars, canons, nuns, and more heretics,
(I would say heremites,) with like draff. Set before thee the
increase of St Francis's disciples in so few years. Reckon
how many thousands, yea, how many twenty thousands, not
disciples only, but whole cloisters, are sprung out of hell of
them in so little space. Pattering of prayers increaseth daily.
Their service, as they call it, waxeth longer and longer, and
the labour of their lips greater ; new saints, new service, new
feasts, and new holidays. What take all these away ? Sin ?
Nay ; for we see the contrary by experience, and that sin
what the groweth as they grow. But they take away first God's
taketlfaJay word, with faith, hope, peace, unity, love and concord ; then
house and land, rent and fee, tower and town, goods and cat-

[! The Carthusians were a branch of the Benedictines. In France
they were called Chartreux, and their most famous monastery Chart
reuse, a word which in England was changed into Charterhouse. They
were forbidden all speech in the fratry, cloister, and church ; and were
to ask for what they wanted after nones, on a talking day. Id. p. 71.]

OF PRAYER. 303

tie, and the very meat out of men's mouths. All these live

by purgatory. When other weep for their friends, they sing when other

merrily ; when other lose their friends, they get friends. S? W

•'..„.. 11 when other

The pope, with all his pardons, is grounded on purgatory. ^g> th^ T
Priests, monks, canons, friars, with all other swarms of hypo
crites, do but empty purgatory, and fill hell. Every mass, AH is of pur-
say they, delivereth one soul out of purgatory. If that were physicians6"6

J J if give none

true, yea, if ten masses were enough for one soul, yet were °.ther medu

the parish priests and curates of every parish sufficient to En[fa
scour purgatory : all the other costly workmen might bo
well spared.

The Four Senses of the Scripture.

THEY divide the scripture into four senses, the literal,
tropological, allegorical, and anagogical. The literal sense is
become nothing at all : for the pope hath taken it clean
away, and hath made it his possession2. He hath partly
locked it up with the false and counterfeited keys of his
traditions, ceremonies, and feigned lies ; and partly driveth
men from it with violence of sword : for no man dare abide
by the literal sense of the text, but under a protestation, ' If
it shall please the pope/ The tropological sense pertaineth to
good manners (say they), and teacheth what we ought to do.
The allegory is appropriate to faith ; and the anagogical to
hope, and things above. Tropological and anagogical are
terms of their own feigning, and altogether unnecessary. For
they are but allegories, both two of them ; and this word
allegory comprehendeth them both, and is enough. For tro-

[2 In one of the glosses on the papal law the margin says, Scrip-
tura divina quadrupliciter exponi potest. Joh. xvi. (25) ; and the gloss
proceeds to say, Est enim quidam intellectus historicus ; allegoricus ;
moralis sive tropologicus ; anagogicus. Sic hoec vox Hierusalem his-
torice signat civitatem illam terrestrem ; allegorice, ecclesiam ; mo-
raliter, animam fidelem ; anagogice, celestem Hierusalem. Moralis
intellectus attendit qusc juxta nos sunt; allegoricus, qua? intra nos;
anagogicus, qua) supra nos. — Gloss on the word 'anagogen/Dist. LXXVI.
cap. 7, (or Jejunium) in the Decret. Gratian. It will be seen that,
as Tyndalo had observed, the gloss entirely passes over the literal, or,
as it speaks, historical sense, when describing how this fourfold method
of expounding the scriptures should be made profitable to us.]

304 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

pological l is but an allegory of manners ; and anagogical, an

Allegory, allegory of hope. And allegory is as much to say as strange

mfieth. ' speaking, or borrowed speech : as when we say of a wanton

child, ' This sheep hath magots in his tail, he must be anointed

with birchen salve ;' which speech I borrow of the shepherds.

The scripture Thou shalt understand, therefore, that the scripture hath

hath but one . . '

sense, w. T. kut one sense, which is the literal sense. And that literal
sense is the root and ground of all, and the anchor that
never faileth, whereunto if thou cleave, thou canst never err
or go out of the way. And if thou leave the literal sense,
thou canst not but go out of the way. Neverthelater, the
scripture useth proverbs, similitudes, riddles, or allegories, as
all other speeches do ; but that which the proverb, similitude,
riddle, or allegory signifieth, is ever the literal sense, which
thou must seek out diligently : as in the English we borrow
words and sentences of one thing, and apply them unto ano
ther, and give them new significations. We say, ' Let the
sea swell and rise as high as he will, yet hath God appointed
how far he shall go :' meaning that the tyrants shall not do
what they would, but that only which God hath appointed
them to do. ' Look ere thou leap :' whose literal sense is,
' Do nothing suddenly, or without advisement.' ' Cut not
the bough that thou standest upon :' whose literal sense is,
* Oppress not the commons ;' and is borrowed of hewers.

Bon-owed When a thing speedeth not well, we borrow speech, and say,
' ' The bishop hath blessed it ;' because that nothing speedeth
well that they meddle withal. If the porridge be burned too,
or the meat over roasted, we say, ' The bishop hath put his
foot in the pot,' or, ' The bishop hath played the cook ; '
because the bishops burn whom they lust, and whosoever
displeaseth them. * He is a pontifical fellow ;' that is, proud
and stately. ' He is popish ;' that is, superstitious and faith
less. ' It is a pastime for a prelate.' ' It is a pleasure for
a pope.' ' He would be free, and yet will not have his
head shaven.' ' He would that no man should smite him,
and yet hath not the pope's mark.' And of him that is be
trayed, and wotteth not how, we say, ' He hath been at

C1 For tropological the folio edition lias here chopological ; and
Coplande's edition has chopological for tropological, a few lines above,
as though Tyiidale had meant to jest at the pedantic terms used by
the schoolmen.]

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 305

shrift.1 ' She is master parson's sister's daughter ;' ' He is
the bishop's sister's son ;' ' He hath a cardinal to his uncle ;'
'She is a spiritual whore;' 'It is the gentlewoman of the par
sonage ;' 'He gave me a Kyrie eleysori*.' And of her that
answereth her husband six words for one, we say, ' She is a
sister of the Charterhouse :' as who should say, ' She thinketh
that she is not bound to keep silence ; their silence shall be a
satisfaction for her.' And of him that will not be saved by
Christ's merits, but by the works of his own imagination, we
say, ' It is a holy-work-man.' Thus borrow we, and feign new
speech in every tongue. All fables, prophecies, and riddles,
are allegories ; as ^Esop's fables, and Merlin's prophecies ; and
the interpretation of them are the literal sense.

So in like manner the scripture borroweth words and
sentences of all manner things, and maketh proverbs and
similitudes, or allegories. As Christ saith, Luke iv. "Physician,
heal thyself:" whose interpretation is, 'Do that at home, which
thou dost in strange places ;' and that is the literal sense.
So when I say, ' Christ is a lamb ;' I mean not a lamb that
beareth wool, but a meek and a patient lamb, which is beaten
for other men's faults. ' Christ is a vine ;' not that beareth
grapes ; but out of whose root the branches that believe suck
the Spirit of life, and mercy, and grace, and power to be the

sons of God, and to do his will. The similitudes of the gos- The right use

£ories>
pel are allegories, borrowed of worldly matters, to express w- T-

spiritual things. The apocalypse, or revelations of John,
are allegories whose literal sense is hard to find in many
places.

Beyond all this, when we have found out the literal sense
of the scripture by the process of the text, or by a like text
of another place, then go we, and as the scripture borroweth
similitudes of worldly things, even so we again borrow simi
litudes or allegories of the scripture, and apply them to our
purposes ; which allegories are no sense of the scripture, but
free things besides the scripture, and altogether in the liberty wri^ture-
of the Spirit. Which allegories I may not make at all the
wild adventures ; but must keep me within the compass of the
faith, and ever apply mine allegory to Christ, and unto the
faith. Take an ensample : thou hast the story of Peter, how

[2 ' Lord, have mercy/ The proverb seems to mean he gave nothing
but good words. James ii. 1C.]

[TYNDALE.]

306 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

he smote off Malchus's ear, and how Christ healed it again.
There hast thou in the plain text great learning, great fruit,
and great edifying, which I pass over because of tediousness.
Then come I, when I preach of the law and the gospel, and
borrow this ensample, to express the nature of the law and
of the gospel, and to paint it unto thee before thine eyes.
And of Peter and his sword make I the law, and of Christ
the gospel ; saying, ' As Peter's sword cutteth off the ear, so
doth the law : the law damneth, the law killeth, and man-
gleth the conscience : there is no ear so righteous that can
abide the hearing of the law : there is no deed so good but
that the law damneth it1. But Christ, that is to say, the
gospel, the promises and testament that God hath made in
Christ, healeth the ear and conscience, which the law hath
hurt. The gospel is life, mercy, and forgiveness freely, and
altogether an healing plaister. And as Peter doth but hurt
and make a wound, where was none before, even so doth the
law : for when we think that we are holy and righteous,
and full of good deeds ; if the law be preached aright, our
righteousness and good deeds vanish away, as smoke in the
wind, and we are left damnable sinners only. And as thou
seest how that Christ healeth not, till Peter had wounded ;
and as an healing plaister helpeth not, till the corrosive hath
troubled the wound ; even so the gospel helpeth not, but
when the law hath wounded the conscience, and brought the
Allegories sinner into the knowledge of his sin.' This allegory proveth
thing, w. T. nothing, neither can do. For it is not the scripture, but an
ensample or a similitude borrowed of the scripture, to declare
a text or a conclusion of the scripture more expressly, and
to root it and grave it in the heart. For a similitude, or an
ensample, doth print a thing much deeper in the wits of a
man than doth a plain speaking, and leaveth behind him as
it were a sting to prick him forward, and to awake him
if thou can- withal. Moreover, if I could not prove with an open text

not prove the . A

a!!elpen text* ^na* which the allegory doth express, then were the allegory

dh'ct\in£falsl a tning to be jested at, and of no greater value than a tale of

Robin Hood. This allegory, as touching his first part, is

Rom. iv. vii. proved by Paul in the ivth chapter of his epistle to the Eo-

C1 This sentence forms Art. XIX. of the heresies and errors charged
against Tyndale. Foxe in reply quotes more of the context, and then
asks, 'What heresy is this?']

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 307

mans, where he saith, " The law causeth wrath ;" and in the
viith chapter to the Romans, "When the law or commandment
came, sin revived, and I became dead :" and in the iind 2 cor. in.
epistle to the Corinthians, in the third chapter, the law is
called " the minister of death and damnation," &c. And as
concerning the second part, Paul saith to the Romans in the Rom. v.
vth chapter, " In that we are justified by faith we are at
peace with God." And in the iind epistle to the Corinthians, 2Cor,m.
in the third [chapter], the gospel is called "the ministration
of justifying and of the Spirit." And, Gal. iii. "The Spirit Gai. m.
cometh by preaching of the faith," &c. Thus doth the literal The literal

. .. . ,1 . <• i ,• sense proveth

sense prove the allegory, and bear it, as the foundation the aiiegory.
beareth the house. And because that allegories prove nothing,
therefore are they to be used soberly and seldom, and only
where the text oifereth thee an allegory.

And of this manner (as I above have done) doth Paul They that

i . .,. i /•> n e* r* • justify them-

borrow a similitude, a ngure or allegory, oi Genesis, to express selves by
the nature of the law and of the gospel ; and by Agar and ^J^™1'
her son declareth the property of the law, and of her bond- 2S.1 *!'
children which will be justified by deeds ; and by Sarah and
her son declareth the property of the gospel, and of her free
children which are justified by faith ; and how the children
of the law, which believe in their works, persecute the chil
dren of the gospel, which believe in the mercy and truth of
God and in the testament of his Son Jesus our Lord.

And likewise do we borrow likenesses or allegories of the
scripture, as of Pharaoh and Herod, and of the scribes and
Pharisees, to express our miserable captivity and persecution
under antichrist the pope. The greatest cause of which cap- The faith was
tivity and the decay of the faith, and this blindness wherein au
we now are, sprang first of allegories. For Origen and the
doctors of his time drew all the scripture unto allegories :
whose ensample they that came after followed so long, till
they at last forgot the order and process of the text, suppos
ing that the scripture served but to feign allegories upon ;
insomuch that twenty doctors expound one text twenty ways,
as children make descant upon plain song. Then came our
sophisters with their anagogical and chopoiogicai sense, and
with an antitheme of half an inch, out of which some of them w! T! er
draw a thread of nine days long. Yea, thou shalt find
enough that will preach Christ, and prove whatsoever point

20—2

308

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Poetry is as
good divinity
as the scrip
ture to our
schoolmen.
W. T.

2 Cor. iii.

The literal
sense killeth,
say sophis-
ters. W. T.

• The letter
killeth,' is
expounded.
W. T.

To love the
law is right
eousness.
W. T.

Exod. xx.

2 Cor. iii.

of the faith that thou wilt, as well out of a fable of Ovid or
any other poet, as out of St John's gospel or Paul's epistles.
Yea, they are come unto such blindness, that they not only
say the literal sense profiteth not, but also that it is hurtful,
and noisome, and killeth the soul. Which damnable doctrine
they prove by a text of Paul, 2 Cor. iii. where he saith,
" The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." Lo, say they,
the literal sense killeth, and the spiritual sense giveth life.
We must therefore, say they, seek out some chopological
sense.

Here learn what sophistry is, and how blind they are,
that thou mayest abhor them and spue them out of thy sto
mach for ever. Paul by the letter meaneth Moses's law ;
which the process of the text following declareth more bright
than the sun. But it is not their guise to look on the order
of any text ; but as they find it in their doctors, so allege
they it, and so understand it. Paul maketh a comparison
between the law and the gospel ; and calleth the law the let
ter, because it was but letters graven in two tables of cold
stone : for the law doth but kill, and damn the consciences,
as long as there is no lust in the heart to do that which the
law commandeth. Contrariwise, he calleth the gospel the ad
ministration of the Spirit and of righteousness or justifying.
For when Christ is preached, and the promises which God
hath made in Christ are believed, the Spirit entereth the
heart, and looseth the heart, and giveth lust to do the law,
and maketh the law a lively thing in the heart. Now as
soon as the heart lusteth to do the law, then are we righteous
before God, and our sins forgiven. Nevertheless the law of
the letter graved in stone, and not in their hearts, was so
glorious, and Moses's face shone so bright, that the children
of Israel could not behold his face for brightness. It was
also given in thunder and lightning and terrible signs ; so
that they for fear came to Moses, and desired him that
he would speak to them, and let God speak no more ; " Lest
we die (said they) if we hear him any more :" as thou mayest
see Exod. xx. Whereupon Paul maketh his comparison, say
ing : " If the ministration of death through the letters figured
in stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not
behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance ;
why shall not the administration of the Spirit be glorious ?"

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 309

And again : " If the administration of damnation be glorious,
much more shall the administration of righteousness exceed
in glory :" that is, if the law that killeth sinners, and helpeth
them not, be glorious ; then the gospel, which pardoneth sin
ners, and giveth them power to be the sons of God and to
overcome sin, is much more glorious.

And the text that goeth before is as clear. For the
holy apostle Paul saith : " Ye Corinthians are our epistle,
which is understand and read of all men, in that ye are
known how that ye are the epistle of Christ ministered by
us, and written, not with ink," (as Moses's law,) " but with
the Spirit of the living God ; not in tables of stone," (as the
ten commandments,) " but in the fleshy tables of the heart :"
as who should say, ' We write not a dead law with ink and
in parchment, nor grave that which damned you in tables of
stone ; but preach you that which bringeth the Spirit of life
unto your breasts, which Spirit writeth and graveth the law
of love in your hearts, and giveth you lust to do the will of
God.' And furthermore, saith he, " Our ableness cometh of
God, which hath made us able to minister the new Testa
ment, not of the letter," (that is to say, not of the law,) " but
of the Spirit : for the letter" (that is to say, the law) " killeth ;
but the Spirit giveth life ;" that is to say, the Spirit of God,
which entereth your hearts when ye believe the glad tidings
that are preached you in Christ, quickeneth your hearts, and
giveth you life and lust, and maketh you to do of love and
of your own accord, without compulsion, that which the law
compelled you to do, and damned you because ye could not
do with love and lust, and naturally. Thus seest thou that
the letter signifieth not the literal sense, and the spirit the
spiritual sense. And, Kom. ii. Paul useth this term Litera Rom. n. vii.
for the law ; and Rom. vii. where he setteth it so plain, that
if the great wrath of God had not blinded them, they could
never have stumbled at it.

God is a Spirit, and all his words are spiritual. His The literal

,. . . A . sense is sniri-

literal sense is spiritual, and all his words are spiritual, tuai. w. x.
When thou readest (Matt, i.), " She shall bear a son, and Matt. i.
thou shalt call his name Jesus ; for he shall save his peo
ple from their sins :" this literal sense is spiritual, and ever
lasting life unto as many as believe it. And the literal sense
of these words, (Matt, v.) " Blessed are the merciful, for they Matt. v.

310 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

shall have mercy," are spiritual and life ; whereby they
that are merciful may of right, by the truth and promise of
God, challenge mercy. And like is it of these words, Matt.

Matt. vi. vi. " If you forgive other men their sins, your heavenly
Father shall forgive you yours." And so is it of all the
promises of God. Finally, all God's words are spiritual, if
thou have eyes of God to see the right meaning of the text,
and whereunto the scripture pertaineth, and the final end and
cause thereof.

what is to All the scripture is either the promises and testament of

be sought in f -1

anedTnrithere ^0(^ m Christ, and stories pertaining thereunto, to strength
w!™! sense' thy foith ; either the law, and stories pertaining thereto, to
fear thee from evil doing. There is no story nor gest, seem
it never so simple or so vile unto the world, but that thou
shalt find therein spirit and life and edifying in the literal
sense : for it is God's scripture, written for thy learning and
comfort. There is no clout or rag there, that hath not pre
cious relics wrapt therein of faith, hope, patience and long
suffering, and of the truth of God, and also of his righteous-
The story of ness. Set before thee the story of Reuben, which defiled his

Reuben. tl '

w- T- father's bed. Mark what a cross God suffered to fall on the
neck of his elect Jacob. Consider first the shame among the
heathen, when as yet there was no more of the whole world
witnm the testament of God, but he and his household. I re-
n5teireardythtoy Por<: me *° our prelates, which swear by their honour, whe-
fofchriS?6 ther it were a cross or no. Seest thou not how our wicked
ake. w. T. j^^ers rage, because they see their buildings burn, now
they are tried by the fire of God's word ; and how they stir
up the whole world, to quench the word of God, for fear of
losing their honour ? Then what business l had he to pacify
his children ! Look what ado he had at the defiling of his
daughter Dinah. And be thou sure that the brethren there
were no more furious for the defiling of their sister, than the
sons here for defiling of their mother. Mark what followed
Reuben, to fear other, that they shame not their fathers and
mothers. He was cursed, and lost the kingdom, and also the
priestdom, and his tribe or generation was ever few in num
ber, as it appeareth in the stories of the bible.

S1 n^iitery The adultery of David with Bathsheba is an ensample,
not to move us to evil ; but, if (while we follow the way of
[! That is, toil, trouble.]

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 311

righteousness) any chance drive us aside, that we despair

not. For if we saw not such infirmities in God's elect, we,

which are so weak and fall so oft, should utterly despair,

and think that God had clean forsaken us. It is therefore*!

a sure and an undoubted conclusion, whether we be holy or

unholy, we are all sinners. But the difference is, that God's

sinners consent not to their sin. They consent unto the law an<uhenners

that is both holy and righteous, and mourn to have their devils> WtT

sin taken away. But the devil's sinners consent unto their

sin, and would have the law and hell taken away, and arc

enemies unto the righteousness of God. *J

Likewise in the homely gest2 of Noe, when he was N°a»- W.T.
drunk, and lay in his tent with his privy members open,
hast thou great edifying in the literal sense. Thou seest
what became of the cursed children of wicked Ham, which
saw his father's privy members, and jested thereof unto his
brethren. Thou seest also what blessing fell on Shem and
Japhet, which went backward and covered their father's
members, and saw them not. And thirdly, thou seest what
infirmity accompanieth God's elect, be they never so holy,
which yet is not imputed unto them : for the faith and trust
they have in God swalloweth up all their sins.

Notwithstanding, this text offers us an apt and an hand- jTJ® p°fte IS
some allegory or similitude to describe our wicked Ham, H:*m- W.T.
antichrist the pope, which many hundred years hath done all
the shame that heart can think unto the word of promise, or
the word of faith, as Paul calleth it, Rom. x. ; and the gospel Rom- *•
and testament of Christ, wherewith we are begotten ; as thou
seest, 1 Pet. i. and James i. And as the cursed children of l pet. i.

James i.

Ham grew into giants, so mighty and great that the chil
dren of Israel seemed but grasshoppers in respect of them ;
so the cursed sons of our Ham, the pope, his cardinals,
bishops, abbots, monks, and friars, are become mighty giants
above all power and authority ; so that the children of faith,
in respect of them, are much less than grasshoppers. They They win to

•u . • . • j Ml j. 1 11- heaven by a

heap mountain upon mountain, and will to heaven by their way of their

* * own making.

own strength, by a way of their own making, and not by w- T-
the way Christ. Neverthelater, those giants, for the wick
edness and abominations which they had wrought, did God
utterly destroy, part of them by the children of Lot, and

[2 Deed.]

312

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

2 Thess. ii.

part by the children of Esau, and seven nations of them by
the children of Israel. So no doubt shall he destroy these
for like abominations, and that shortly. For their kingdom
is but the kingdom of lies and falsehood ; which must needs
perish at the coming of the truth of God's word, as the
night vanisheth away at the presence of day. The children
of Israel slew not those giants, but the power of God ; God's
truth and promises, as thou mayest see in Deuteronomy.
So it is not we that shall destroy those giants, as thou
mayest see by Paul, (2 Thess. ii.) speaking of our Ham,
antichrist : "Whom the Lord shall destroy" (saith he) "with
the spirit of his mouth," that is, by the words of truth, "and
by the brightness of his coming," that is, by the preaching
of his gospel.

The use of
similitudes.
W. T.

A similitude
without
scripture is
a sure token
of a false

1 Cor. ii.
Paul preach
ed not world
ly wisdom.
W. T.

Similitudes
and reasons,
of man's
wisdom,
make no

And as I have said of allegories, even so it is of
worldly similitudes, which we make either when we preach,
either when we expound the scripture. The similitudes prove
nothing, but are made to express more plainly that which is
contained in the scripture, and to lead thee into the spiritual
understanding of the text : as the similitude of matrimony
is taken to express the marriage that is between Christ and
our souls, and what exceeding mercy we have there, whereof
all the scriptures make mention ; and the similitude of the
members, how every one of them careth for other, is taken
to make thee feel what it is to love thy neighbour as thyself.
That preacher therefore, that bringeth a naked similitude to
prove that which is contained in no text of scripture, nor
folio weth of a text, count a deceiver, a leader out of the
way, and a false prophet, and beware of his philosophy and
persuasions of man's wisdom, as Paul saith : " My words and
my preaching were not with enticing words and persuasions
of man's wisdom, but in shewing of the Spirit and power :"
(that is, he preached not dreams, confirming them with simi
litudes ; but God's word, confirming it with miracles and
with working of the Spirit, the which made them feel every
thing in their hearts :) " that your faith," said he, " should
not stand in the wisdom of man ; but in the power of God."
For the reasons and similitudes of man's wisdom make no
faith, but wavering and uncertain opinions only: one draweth
me this way with his argument, another that way, and of

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 313

what principle thou pro vest black, another proveth white : faith, but
and so am I ever uncertain ; as, if thou tell me of a thing opiH?

only. W. T.

done in a far land, and another tell me the contrary, I wot

not what to believe. But faith is wrought by the power of God's word

God ; that is, when God's word is preached, the Spirit fefeh; fosrure

' ' God cannot

entereth thine heart, and maketh thy soul feel it, and lie- w. x.
maketh thee so sure of it, that neither adversity, nor perse
cution, nor death, neither hell, nor the powers of hell, neither
yet all the pains of hell could once prevail against thee, or
move thee from the sure rock of God's word, that thou
shouldst not believe that which God hath sworn.

And Peter saith, "We followed not deceivable fables, Peter preach-

. ed not fables

when we opened unto you the power and coming of our andfalse,

v similitudes,

Lord Jesus Christ ; but with our eyes we saw his majesty."
And again, " We have" (saith he) " a more sure word of
prophecy, whereunto if ye take heed, as unto a light shining
in a dark place, ye do well." The word of prophecy was
the old Testament, which beareth record unto Christ in
every place ; without which record the apostles made neither
similitudes nor arguments of worldly wit. Hereof seest thou,
that all the allegories, similitudes, persuasions and arguments,
which they bring without scripture, to prove praying to
saints, purgatory, ear- confession ; and that God will hear thy
prayer more in one place than in another ; and that it
is more meritorious to eat fish than flesh ; and that to dis
guise thyself, and put on this or that manner coat, is more
acceptable than to go as God hath made thee ; and that
widowhood is better than matrimony, and virginity than
widowhood ; and to prove the assumption of our lady, and
that she was born without original sin, yea, and with a kiss
(say some), are but false doctrine.

Take an ensample, how they prove that widowhood and school doc-
virginity exceed matrimony. They bring this worldly simi
litude : he that taketh most pain for a man deserveth most,
and to him a man is most bound ; so likewise must it be with
God, and so forth. Now the widow and virgin take more
pain in resisting their lusts than the married wife ; therefore
is their state holier. First, I say, that in their own sophistry similitudes
a similitude is the worst and feeblest argument that can be, arguments
and proveth least, and soonest deceiveth. Though that one ^Jj^fj^
son do more service for his father than another, yet is the w- T-

314 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

father free, and may with right reward them all alike. For
though I had a thousand brethren, and did more than
they all, yet do I not my duty. The fathers and mothers
also care most for the least and weakest, and them that can
do least : yea, for the worst care they most, and would'
spend, not their goods only, but also their blood, to bring
them to the right way. And even so is it of the kingdom.
Luke xv. of Christ, as thou mayest well see in the similitude of the
i cor. vii. riotous son. Moreover Paul saith, (1 Cor. vii.) " It is
better to marry than to burn." For the person that burneth
cannot quietly serve God, inasmuch as his mind is drawn
away, and the thoughts of his heart occupied with wonder
ful and monstrous imaginations. He can neither see, nor
hear, nor read, but that his wits are rapt, and he clean
from himself. And again, saith he, " circumcision is nothing,
uncircumcision is nothing ; but the keeping of the command
ments" is all together. Look wherein thou canst best keep
the commandments ; thither get thyself and therein abide ;
whether thou be widow, wife, or maid ; and then hast thou
We must all with God. If we have infirmities that draw us from the

cure our

^aws °f God, let us cure them with the remedies that God

na^h made. If thou burn, marry : for God hath promised
nouTmn'tand thee no chastity, as long as thou mayest use the remedy
r' that he hath ordained ; no more than he hath promised to
slake thine hunger without meat. Now, to ask of God more
than he hath promised, cometh of a false faith, and is plain
idolatry l : and to desire a miracle, where there is natural
remedy, is tempting of God. And of pains-taking, this-wise
understand. He that taketh pains to keep the command
ments of God, is sure thereby that he loveth God, and that
what tempt- he hath God's Spirit in him. And the more pain a man

ing of God is. r

taketh (I mean patiently and without grudging), the more
he loveth God, and the perfecter he is, and nearer unto that
health which the souls of all Christian men long for, and the
more purged from the infirmity and sin that remaineth in
the flesh. But to look for any other reward or promotion
in heaven, or in the life to come, than that which God hath
promised for Christ's sake, and which Christ hath deserved

f1 This clause is quoted to form Art. XX. against Tyndale. To
this charge Foxe only replies by giving his readers the three preceding
sentences along with it ; and then asking, ' What heresy is this ? ']

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 315

for us with his pain-taking, is abominable in the sight of
God2. For Christ only hath purchased the reward ; and our
pain-taking to keep the commandments doth but purge the
sin that remaineth in the flesh, and certify us that we are
chosen and sealed with God's Spirit unto the reward that
Christ hath purchased for us.

I was once at the creating of doctors of divinity, where
the opponent brought the same reason to prove that the
widow had more merit than the virgin ; because she had
greater pain, forasmuch as she had once proved the plea
sures of matrimony. Ego nego, domine doctor, said the re
spondent : ' for though the virgin have not proved, yet she
imagineth that the pleasure is greater than it is indeed, and
therefore is more moved, and hath greater temptation and
greater pain.' Are not these disputcrs they that Paul speaketh
of in the sixth chapter of the first epistle to Timothy ? that
" they are not content with the wholesome words of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and doctrine of godliness ; and therefore know
nothing, but waste their brains about questions and strife of
words, whereof spring envy, strife and railing of men with
corrupt minds, destitute of the truth."

As pertaining to our lady's body, where it is, or where
the body of Elias, of John the evangelist, and of many other
be, pertaineth not to us to know. One thing are we sure of,
that they are where God hath laid them. If they be in hea-
ven, we have never the more in Christ : if they be not there,
we have never the less. Our duty is to prepare ourselves
unto the commandments, and to be thankful for that which is
opened unto us ; and not to search the unsearchable secrets
of God. Of God's secrets can we know no more than he
openeth unto us. If God shut, who shall open ? How then
can natural reason come by the knowledge of that which God
hath hid unto himself?

Yet let us see one of their reasons wherewith they prove
it. The chief reason is this : Every man doth more for his
mother, say they, than for other ; in like manner must Christ

[2 Art. XXI. is, * He saith, Our pains-taking in keeping the com
mandments doth nothing but purge the sin that remaineth in the flesh;
but to look for any other reward or promotion in heaven, than God
hath promised for Christ's sake, is abominable in the sight of God/
Foxe replies, ' Consider the place/]

316 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

do for his mother ; therefore hath she this pre-eminence, that
her body is in heaven1. And yet Christ, in the xiith chap, of
Matthew knoweth her not for his mother, but as far forth as

2 cor. v. ghe kept his Father's commandments. And Paul, in the iind
epistle to the Corinthians, chap. v. knoweth not Christ him
self fleshly, or after a worldly purpose. Last of all, God is
free, and no further bound than he bindeth himself: if he
have made her any promise, he is bound ; if not, then is he
not. Finally, if thou set this above rehearsed chapter of
Matthew before thee, where Christ would not know his mo-

johnii. ther, and the iind of John where he rebuked her, and the
iind of Luke where she lost him, and how negligent she was
to leave him behind her at Jerusalem unawares, and to go a
day's journey ere she sought for him ; thou mightest resolve
many of their reasons which they make of this matter, and
that she was without original sin. Read also Erasmus's Anno
tations in the said places2. And as for me, I commit all such
matters unto those idle bellies, which have nought else to do
than to move such questions ; and give them free liberty to
hold what they list, as long as it hurteth not the faith, whe
ther it be so or no : exhorting yet, with Paul, all that will
please God, and obtain that salvation that is in Christ, that

[! See n. 4 to p. 159.]

[2 Erasmus' note on Luke ii. 50, 'And they understood not the
saying which he spake unto them,' contains the following observations :
Quid facient huic loco quidam, qui sedulo magis quam circumspecte
beatse virgini fere tantum tribuunt felicitatis jam hide ab initio quan
tum nunc possidet ? Certe non obscure locutus est Christus ; et tamen
subjicit Evangelista, ab illis non fuisse intellectum, quod dixerat Jesus.
Turn inter docendum a matre et fratribus interpellatus parum blande
respondet, Quse est mater mea ? Similiter et in nuptiis, compellatus
de vino deficiente. Hoc quod arguit interpellantis est ; quod non in-
tellectus obtemperat, obsequii est, quse res et illi conveniebat setati et
parentum infirmitati obsecundabat. — And on the words, eHe was subject
unto them,' Erasmus says : Durum est quod asseverant quidam, Chris
tum etiam in evangelico negotio debuisse matri obedientiam, cum qui
rempublicam administrat non teneatur auctoritate patris. Sed multo
durius est quod iidem docent, beatam virginem etiam nunc ut homini
posse imperare Christo, et hoc esse quod canit ecclesia, Monstra te
esse matrem, Sumat per te preces, etc. id est, Prsecipe filio tuo ut nos
exaudiat. Hoc si verum est, mater imploranda est potius quam films,
nee omnis potestas tradita est Christo, etiam juxta naturam humanam,
si teneatur matris imperio.]

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 317

they give no heed unto unnecessary and brawling disputa
tions, and that they labour for the knowledge of those things
without which they cannot be saved. And remember that
the sun was given us to guide us in our way and works
bodily. Now if thou leave the natural use of the sun, and
will look directly on him to see how bright he is, and such
like curiosity, then will the sun blind thee. So was the
scripture given us to guide us in our way and works ghostly.
The way is Christ ; and the promises in him are our salva
tion, if we long for them. Now if we shall leave that right
use and turn ourselves unto vain questions, and to search the
unsearchable secrets of God ; then no doubt shall the scrip
ture blind us, as it hath done our schoolmen and our subtle
disputers.

And as they are false prophets, which prove with alle
gories, similitudes, and worldly reasons, that which is no
where made mention of in the scripture ; even so count them
for false prophets which expound the scriptures, drawing
them unto a worldly purpose, clean contrary unto the ensam-
ple, living, and practising of Christ and of his apostles, and
of all the holy prophets. For, saith Peter, (2 Pet. i.) "
prophecy in the scripture hath any private interpretation. 'm$oKhe "
For the scripture came not by the will of man ; but the holy must have a

1 «/ respect unto

men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." p
No place of the scripture may have a private exposition ; that h
is, it may not be expounded after the will of man, or after ^dP
the will of the flesh, or drawn unto a worldly purpose con
trary unto the open texts, tand the general articles of the faith,
and the whole course of the scripture, and contrary to the
living and practising of Christ and the apostles and holy
prophets. For as they came not by the will of man, so
may they not be drawn or expounded after the will of man :
but as they came by the Holy Ghost, so must they be ex
pounded and understood by the Holy Ghost. The scripture
is that wherewith God draweth us unto him, and not where
with we should be led from him. The scriptures spring out The scripture
of God, and flow unto Christ, and were given to lead us to ieadusumo
Christ. Thou must therefore go along by the scripture as
by a line, until thou come at Christ, which is the way's end
and resting-place. If any man, therefore, use the scripture

318 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

to draw thee from Christ, and to nosel1 thee in any thing
save in Christ, the same is a false prophet. And that thou
mayest perceive what Peter meaneth, it followeth in the text,
2 Pet H. <; There were false prophets among the people " (whose pro-
phecies were belly -wisdom), " as there shall be false teachers

sects, or among you, which shall privily bring in damnable sects," (as
w. T. thou seest how we are divided into monstrous sects or orders
of religion,) " even denying the Lord that hath bought them."
For every one of them taketh on him to sell thee for money
that which God in Christ promiseth thee freely. " And many
shall follow their damnable ways, by whom the way of truth
shall be evil spoken of :" as thou seest how the way of truth
is become heresy, seditious, or cause of insurrection, and
breaking of the king's peace, and treason unto his highness.
" And through covetousness with feigned words shall they
make merchandise of you." Covetousness is the conclusion :
^or covek°usness and ambition, that is to say, lucre and desire
°f h°nour> is the final end of all false prophets and of all false
prophets156 teachers. Look upon the pope's false doctrine : what is the
seek. w. T. en(j thereof, and what seek they thereby ? Wherefore serveth
purgatory, but to purge thy purse, and to poll thee, and rob
both thee and thy heirs of house and lands, and of all thou
Pardons. hast, that they may be in honour ? Serve not pardons for
praying to the same purpose? "Whereto pertaineth praying to saints,
confession, but to offer unto their bellies ? Wherefore serveth confession,
but to sit in thy conscience and to make thee fear and trem
ble at whatsoever they dream, and that thou worship them
as gods ? And so forth, in all their traditions, ceremonies, and
conjurations, they serve not the Lord, but their bellies.

And of their false expounding the scripture, and drawing it

contrary unto the ensample of Christ and the apostles and holy

prophets, unto their damnable covetousness and filthy ambi-

An example tion, take an ensample: When Peter saith to Christ, (Matt.

poundhSW xvi.) " Thou art the Son of the living God ;" and Christ an-

scriptures.

ITau'xvi swcred, " Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my
congregation ;" by the rock interpret they Peter. And then
cometh the pope, and will be Peter's successor, whether Peter
will or will not ; yea, whether God will or will not; and
though all the scripture say, ' Nay,' to any such succession ;
and saith, ' Lo, I am the rock, the foundation, and head of
[l Written also nowsle: to nursle, to nurse up.]

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 319

Christ's church.' Now saith all the scripture, that the rock Christ, the
is Christ, the faith, and God's word. As Christ saith, (Matt, g^'j^1
vii.) " He that hearcth my words, and doth thereafter, is like a^d)enot th«
a man that buildeth on a rock." For the house that is built on ^att^ viL
God's word will stand, though heaven should fall. And, John
xv. "Christ is the vine, and we the branches,:" so is Christ John xv.
the rock, the stock, and foundation whereon we be built. And
Paul (1 Cor. iii.) calleth Christ our foundation ; and all other, icor. m.
whether it be Peter or Paul, he calleth them our2 servants,
to preach Christ, and to build us on him. If therefore the xheauthorit
pope be Peter's successor, his duty is to preach Christ only ; successor^
and other authority hath he none3. And (2 Cor. xi.) Paul2Cor.xi.
marrieth us unto Christ, and driveth us from all trust and
confidence in man. And, (Eph. ii.) saith Paul, " Ye are built EPh. ii.
on the foundation of the apostles and prophets ;" that is, on
the word which they preached ; " Christ being, saith he, the
head corner-stone, in whom every building coupled together
groweth up into an holy temple in the Lord ; in whom also
ye are built together and made an habitation for God in the
Spirit." And Peter, in the iind of his first epistle, buildeth i rct. 11.
us on Christ ; contrary to the pope, which buildeth us on
himself. Hell gates shall not prevail against it ; that is to
say, against the congregation that is built upon Christ's faith,
and upon God's word. Now were the pope the rock, hell
gates could not prevail against him : for the house could
not stand, if the rock and foundation whereon it is built did
perish : but the contrary see we in our popes. For hell
gates have prevailed against them many hundred years, and
have swallowed them up, if God's word be true, and the
stories that are written of them ; yea, or if it be true that
we see with our eyes. " I will give thee the keys of heaven,"
saith Christ, and not, " I give ;" and, John xx. after the resur
rection paid it, and gave the keys to them all indifferently.

[2 Day omits our.]

[3 Art. XXII. of heresies and errors charged against Tyndale is :
' He saith, The pope hath no other authority, but to preach only/ To
this Foxe replies : ' Christ saith to Peter, Feed my sheep ; and, Thou being
converted confirm thy brethren. And to his apostles he said, Go ye into
all the world and preach the Gospel. Again St Paul saith, that Christ
sent him not to baptize, but to preach. To what other office or func
tion he sent the pope, let them judge who consider the scriptures. This
heresy is only to the pope ; but none at all to God/]

320 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

John xx. "Whatsoever thou bindest on earth, it shall be bound in

heaven; and whatsoever thou loosest on earth, it shall be
That exposu loosed in heaven." Of this text maketh the pope what he will ;
jhjch is and expoundeth it contrary to all the scripture, contrary to
ope" scrip- Christ's practising, and the apostles', and all the prophets'.
prackingeof Now the scripture giveth record to himself, and ever ex-
hihsrapoasties?f poundeth itself by another open text. If the pope then can
not bring for his exposition the practising of Christ, or of the
apostles and prophets, or an open text, then is his exposition
false doctrine. Christ expoundeth himself, (Matt, xviii.) say-
Matt, xviii. ing: "If thy brother sin against thee, rebuke him betwixt
him and thee alone. If he hear thee, thou hast won thy bro
ther: but if he hear thee not, then take with thee one or
two," and so forth, as it standeth in the text. He concludeth,
saying to them all : " Whatsoever ye bind in earth, it shall be
bound in heaven ; and whatsoever ye loose on earth, it shall
be loosed in heaven." Where binding is but to rebuke them
that sin ; and loosing to forgive them that repent. And,
John xx. " Whose sins ye forgive, they are forgiven ; and whose sins
icor.v. ye hold, they are holden." And Paul (1 Cor. v.) bindeth ;
2 cor. n. and (2 Cor. ii.) looseth, after the same manner.
Binding and Also this binding and loosing is one power : and as he
iSwS? W?T? bindeth, so looseth he ; yea, and bindeth first ere he can
loose. For who can loose that is not bound? Now what
soever Peter bindeth, or his successor, (as he will be called
and is not, but indeed the very successor of Satan,) is not
so to be understood, that Peter, or the pope, hath power to
command a man to be in deadly sin, or to be damned, or to
go into hell, saying, Be thou in deadly sin ; be thou damned;
go thou to hell ; go thou to purgatory : for that exposition is
contrary to the everlasting testament that God hath made unto
us in Christ. He sent his Son Christ to loose us from sin, and
damnation, and hell ; and that to testify unto the world, sent
Acts 5. he his disciples. (Acts i.) Paul also hath no power to destroy,
2 cor. x. xiii. but to edify. 2 Cor. x. xiii. How can Christ give his disciples
power against himself, and against his everlasting testament?
Can he send them to preach salvation, and give them power
to damn whom they lust ? What mercy and profit have we
in Christ's death, and in his gospel, if the pope, which passeth
all men in wickedness, hath power to send whom he will to
hell, and to damn whom he lusteth ? We had then no cause,

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 321

to call him Jesus, that is to say, Saviour ; but might of right

call him destroyer. Wherefore, then, this binding is to be w< T-

jL . • . what bird-

understood as Christ mterpreteth it in the places above re- ™f meaneth.

hearsed, and as the apostles practised it, and is nothing but
to rebuke men of their sins by preaching the law. A man
must first sin against God's law, ere the pope can bind him :
yea, and a man must first sin against God's law, ere he need
to fear the pope's curse. For cursing; and binding are both whatcursing

i ,1 . . ,1 „ , . meaneth.

one ; and nothing, saving to rebuke a man of his sins by

God's law. It followeth also, then, that the loosing is of what loosing

* meaneth.

like manner ; and is nothing but forgiving of sin to them w- T-
that repent, through preaching of the promises which God
hath made in Christ ; in whom only we have all forgiveness
of sins, as Christ interpreteth it, and as the apostles and
prophets practised it. So is it a false power that the pope
taketh on him, to loose God's laws ; as to give a man licence
to put away his wife to whom God hath bound him, and to
bind them to chastity, which God commandeth to marry ;
that is to wit, them that burn and cannot live chaste. It is
also a false power to bind that which God's word maketh
free, making sin in the creatures which God hath made for
man's use.

The pope, which so fast looseth and purgeth in purga- 4e>§
tory, cannot, with all the loosings and purgations that he
hath, either loose or purge our appetites, and lust, and re
bellion that is in us against the law of God. And yet the
purging of them is the right purgatory. If he cannot purge
them that are alive, wherewith purgeth he them that are
dead? The apostles knew no other ways to purge, but
through preaching God's word, which word only is that that
purgeth the heart, as thou mayest see, John xv. " Ye are John xv.
pure," saith Christ, " through the word." Now the pope
preacheth not to them whom they feign to lie in purgatory,
no more than he doth to us that are alive. How then purg
eth he them ? The pope is kin to Robin Goodfellow ; which J*® P°{* isd
sweepeth the house, washeth the dishes, and purgeth all, by fe°l0^- W.T.
night; but when day cometh, there is nothing found clean1.

[! Robin Goodfellow was the name given by popular superstition
to an imaginary elfin sprite, concerning whom more may be seen, by
those who wish it, in Todd's notes on verses 103 and 105 of Milton's
L' Allegro.]

21
[TYNDALB.]

322

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Of ourselves
we can per
form nothing
further than
God will
give us
power.
Ant. ed.

Another
example.
W. T.
Matt, xxiii.

To sit on
Christ's seat
is to preach
and confess
Christ.
Ant. ed.

Some man will say, the pope bindeth them not, they bind
themselves. I answer, he that bindeth himself to the pope,
and had lever have his life and soul ruled by the pope's will
than by the will of God, and by the pope's word than by the
word of God, is a fool. And he that had lever be bond than
free, is not wise. And he that will not abide in the freedom
wherein Christ hath set us, is also mad. And he that maketh
deadly sin where none is, and seeketh causes of hatred between
him and God, is not in his right wits. Furthermore, no man
can bind himself, further than he hath power over himself.
He that is under the power of another man, cannot bind him
self without licence, as son, daughter, wife, servant, and sub
ject. Neither canst thou give God that which is not in thy
power. Chastity canst thou not give, further than God lend-
eth it thee : if thou cannot live chaste, thou art bound to
marry or to be damned. Last of all, for what purpose thou
bindest thyself must be seen. If thou do it to obtain thereby
that which Christ hath purchased for thee freely, so art thou
an infidel, and hast no part with Christ, and so forth1. If
thou wilt see more of this matter, look in Deuteronomy, and
there shalt thou find it more largely entreated.

Take another ensample of their false expounding the
scripture. Christ saith, " The scribes and the Pharisees sit
on Moses' seat : whatsoever they bid you observe, that ob
serve and do ; but after their works do not." Lo, say our
sophisters or hypocrites, live we never so abominably, yet is
our authority never the less. Do as we teach therefore,
(say they,) and not as we do. And yet Christ saith, they
sit on Moses' seat ; that is, as long they teach Moses, do as
they teach. For the law of Moses is the law of God. But
for their own traditions and false doctrine Christ rebuked
them, and disobeyed them, and taught other to beware of
their leaven. So if our Pharisees sit on Christ's seat and
preach him, we ought to hear them ; but when they sit on
their own seat, then ought we to beware as well of their
pestilent doctrine as of their abominable living.

Likewise where they find mention made of a sword, they

[! Art. XXIII. of heresies and errors, charged against Tyndale :
* He saith, If thou bind thyself to chastity, to obtain that which Christ
purchased for thee, so surely art thou an infidel/ Foxe replies, 'Read
and confer the place of Tyndale/]

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 323

turn it unto the pope's power. The disciples said unto Christ,
Luke xxii. " Lo, here be two swords." And Christ answered,
" Two is enough." Lo, say they, the pope hath two swords,
the spiritual sword and the temporal sword. And therefore
is it lawful for him to tight and make war.

Christ, a little before he went to his passion, asked his
disciples, saying, " When I sent you out without all provision,
lacked ye any thing ? and they said, Nay. And he an
swered, But now let him that hath a wallet take it with him,
and he that hath a scrip likewise ; and let him that hath
never a sword, sell his coat and buy one :" as who should
say, ' It shall go otherwise now than then. Then ye went
forth in faith of my word, and my Father's promises ; and it
fed you and made provision for you, and was your sword,
and shield, and defender ; but now it shall go as thou readest
Zechariah xiii. " I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of
the flock shall be scattered." Now shall my Father leave
me in the hands of the wicked ; and ye also shall be forsaken
and destitute of faith, and shall trust in yourselves, and in
your own provision, and in your own defence.' Christ gave
no commandment ; but prophesied what should happen : and
they, because they understood him not, answered, " Here are
two swords." And Christ (to make an end of such babbling)
answered, " Two is enough." For if he had commanded
every man to buy a sword, how had two been enough?
Also, if two were enough, and pertained to the pope only,
why are they all commanded to buy every man a sword?
By the sword, therefore, Christ prophesied, that they should
be left unto their own defence. And two swords were
enough ; yea, never-a-one had been enough : for if every one
of them had had ten swords, they would have fled ere mid
night.

In the same chapter of Luke, not twelve lines from the
foresaid text, the disciples, even at the last supper, asked Jjuketh desire
who should be the greatest. And Christ rebuked them, and
said it was an heathenish thing, and there should be no such c
thing among them, but that the greatest should be as the men ah
smallest, and that to be great was to do service as Christ ance.m
did. But this text because it is brighter than the sun, that
they can make no sophistry of it, therefore will they not hear
it, nor let other know it.

21—2

324 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Forasmuch now as thou partly seest the falsehood of our
prelates, how all their study is to deceive us and to keep us
in darkness, to sit as gods in our consciences, and handle us
at their pleasure, and to lead us whither they lust ; therefore
I read1 thee, get thee to God's word, and thereby try all
doctrine, and against that receive nothing ; neither any ex
position contrary unto the open texts, neither contrary to the
general articles of the faith, neither contrary to the living
and practising of Christ and his apostles. And when they
Fathers, fa- cry, 'Fathers, fathers,' remember that it were the fathers that
blinded and robbed the whole world, and brought us into this
captivity, wherein these enforce to keep us still. Further
more, as they of the old time are fathers to us, so shall these
foul monsters be fathers to them that come after us ; and the
hypocrites that follow us will cry of these and of their doings,
'Fathers, fathers,' as these cry 'Fathers, fathers,' of them that
are past. And as we feel our fathers, so did they that are
past feel their fathers : neither were there in the world any
other fathers than such as we both see and feel this many
hundred years ; as their decrees bear record, and the stories
and chronicles well testify. If God's word appeared any
where, they agreed all against it. When they had brought
that asleep, then strove they one with another about their
own traditions, and one pope condemned another's decrees2,
and were sometime two, yea, three popes at once3. And

[l Read : advise.]

[2 The popish historian, Platina, after narrating how Stephen VI.,
who became pope in 897, ordered the body of his predecessor, Formo-
sus, to be torn from its grave and otherwise treated with strange inde
cency, says: Magna fuit hsec controversia et pessimi exempli; cum
postea fere semper servata hsec consuetude sit, ut acta priorum pon-
tincum sequentes aut infringerent aut omnino tollerent. — His history
of the next pope commences as follows: Romanus, patria Romanus,
ubi pontificatum iniit, Stephani pontificis decreta et acta statim im-
probat abrogatque. — In the same year, 900, John IX. succeeded to
the popedom ; and of him Platina says : Pontifex creatus, Formosi
causam in integrum restituit, adversante magna populi Romani parte.
Ravennam profectus, iv. et Ixx. episcoporum habito conventu, et Ste
phani res gestas improbavit, et Formosi acta restituit ; dijudicans per-
peram a Stephano factum, qui censuit eos iterum ordinandos esse,
quos Formosus ad sacros ordines asciverat. Plat, liber de Vita Christi
ac Pontificum omnium. 1485.]

[3 Besides other instances of this, both earlier and later, the papacy

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 325

one bishop went to law with another, and one cursed another
for their own fantasies, and such things as they had falsely
gotten. And the greatest saints are they that most defended
the liberties of the church (as they call it), which they falsely
got with blinding kings ; neither had the world any rest this
many hundred years, for reforming of friars and monks, and
ceasing of schisms that were among our clergy. And as for
the holy doctors, as Augustine, Hierome, Cyprian, Chrysosto-
mus, and Bede, will they not hear. If they wrote any thing
negligently, (as they were men,) that draw they clean contrary
to their meaning, and thereof triumph they. Those doctors
knew of none authority that one bishop should have above
another, neither thought or once dreamed that ever any such
should be, or of any such whispering, or of pardons, or
scouring of purgatory, as they have feigned.

And when they cry, ' Miracles, miracles,' remember that Miracles,

* * miracles.

God hath made an everlasting testament with us in Christ's w- T-
blood, against which we may receive no miracles4 ; no, nei
ther the preaching of Paul himself, if he came again, by his The woman
own teaching to the Galatians, neither yet the preaching of ^a^|°5lem
the angels of heaven. Wherefore either they are no miracles w- T-

had been divided, throughout Europe, by a continual succession of
rival popes, from Sept. 21, 1378, to July 26, 1429. The emperor
Sigismund, and other temporal princes, being scandalized by the irre-
concileable claims of three co-existing popes, John XXIII., Gregory
XII., and Benedict XIII., had induced John to sanction the convoking
of a council, which met at Constance in 1414, for the avowed purpose
of putting an end to this schism. By its decrees, supported by the
imperial authority, John himself was deposed for notorious criminality
of a very gross description, and Benedict was declared a schismatic ;
whilst Gregory abdicated, to avoid a similar sentence. The papal
chair being thus pronounced vacant, Martin V. was elected to fill it.
But Benedict was still acknowledged as pope in Aragon, Sicily, and
Scotland ; and, on his death, two cardinals gave him a successor who
styled himself Clement VIII. ; but eventually closed this long schism
by submitting to Martin, eleven years after the dissolution of the
council.]

[4 Art. XXIV. of alleged heresies : ' He denieth, rebuketh, and
damneth miracles/ Foxe replies, ' The words in Tyndale's Obedience
be these ;' and then he gives the above sentence.]

[5 In B. I. ch. xiv. of More's Dialogue ' treating of the veneration
and worship of images and reliques, praying to saints, and going on pil
grimage ; with many other things touching the pestilent sect of Luther

326 OBEDIENCE OK A CHRISTIAN MAN.

but they have feigned them, (as is the miracle that St Peter
hallowed Westminster l ;) or else if there be miracles that
confirm doctrine contrary to God's word, then are they done

and Tyndale,' he has himself told the tale of the woman of Lemster : of
whom he makes one of the speakers say, 'that the prior brought privily a
strange wench into the church, and said that she was sent thither by
God. — And after she was grated within iron grates above in the rood
loft, where it was believed she lived without any meat or drink, only
by angels' food. And divers times she was houseled in sight of the
people with an host unconsecrate, and all the people looking upon, there
was a device with a small hair that conveyed the host from the paten
of the chalice out of the prior's hands into her mouth, as though it
came alone ; so that all the people, not of the town only, but also of the
country about, took her for a very quick saint, and daily sought so
thick to see her, that many, that could not come near to her, cried out
aloud, Holy maiden Elizabeth, help me, and were fain to throw their
offering over their fellows' heads for press.' The narrator proceeds to
say that the steps prudently taken by the mother of Henry VI. led to
the detection of this device, and of other wickedness confessed by her
two miserable partners in guilt. ' An faith, quod I,' (says More, as the
other speaker,) ' it had been great almes the prior and she had been
burned together at one stake. What came of the prior ? Quod he,
that can I not tell, but I wene he was put to such punishment as the
poor nun was, that had given her in penance to say this verse, Miserere
mei Deus, quoniam conculcavit me homo, with a great threat, that an
she did so any more, she should say the whole psalm.' Sir Th.
More's Works, as republished in Q. Mary's reign, fol. 134-5.]

[! In Sir Thomas More's unfinished history of the reign Richard of
III., he gives an account of Richard's proposing to a council of nobles
and prelates, that means should be taken to remove the second son of
Edward IV. from the sanctuary in Westminster. ' Then/ says More,
( thought he,' that is, the archbishop of York, ' and such other as were
of the spiritualty present, that it were not in any wise to be attempted
to take him out against her ' (the queen's) * will. For it would be a
thing that should turn to the great grudge of all men, and high displea
sure of God, if the privilege of that holy place should now be broken ;
which had so many years been kept, which both kings and popes
so good had granted, so many had confirmed, and which holy ground
was, more than five hundred years ago, by St Peter his own person, in
spirit, accompanied with great multitude of angels, by night, so spe
cially hallowed and dedicate to God (for the proof whereof they
have yet in the abbey St Peter's cope to shew), that from that time
hitherward was there never so undevout a king that durst that
sacred place violate, or so holy a bishop that durst it presume to
consecrate/ Ibid. fol. 49.]

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 327

of the devil, (as the maid of Ipswich2 and of Kent3,) to prove
us whether we will cleave fast to God's word, and to de
ceive them that have no love to the truth of God's word,
nor lust to walk in his laws.

And forasmuch as they to deceive withal arm themselves The armour
against them with arguments and persuasions of fleshly wis- rituait/
dom, with worldly similitudes, with shadows, with false alle
gories, with false expositions of the scripture, contrary unto

[2 Ch. 16 of the same first book of the same dialogue is headed,
'The author sheweth that whoso would inquire, should find that at
pilgrimages been daily many great and undoubted miracles wrought
and well known. And specially he speaketh of the great and open
miracle shewed at our lady of Ipswich of late, upon the daughter of
Sir Roger Wentworth, knight/ The dialogue accordingly proceeds to
give an account of this ' fair young gentlewoman of xii. years of age,
in marvellous manner vexed and tormented by our ghostly enemy the
devil, &c. &c. ; who, being brought and laid before the image of
our blessed lady, was there in the sight of many worshipful people so
grievously tormented, and in face, eyes, look and countenance so grisly
changed, with her mouth drawn aside, and her eyes laid out upon her
cheeks, that it was a terrible sight to behold. And after many mar
vellous things, at the same time shewed upon divers persons by the
devil through God's sufferance, as well all the remnant as the maiden
herself in the presence of all the company restored to their good state,
perfectly cured/]

[3 The holy maid of Kent, as she was popularly styled when
Tyndale wrote this treatise, was a nun named Elizabeth Barton,
whom Richard Master, rector of Aldington, and a monk of Christ's-
church Canterbury, had taught to feign epileptic convulsions and
trances ; after which she would relate pretended revelations and
messages from heaven, as just delivered to her. Fisher, bishop of
Rochester, and sir Thomas More for awhile, were amongst the
numbers who gave credit to her inspiration. But when she had con
tinued these impostures for about eight years, and books had been
written of her pretended revelations and miracles, and More himself
had said ' she was a foolish woman/ Cranmcr and Cromwell having
then the management of all ecclesiastical matters, the monks, whose
tool she had been, were brought before them, and subjected to a strict
examination. Her iniquity and that of her suborners were then con
fessed by herself and others, as stated in the preamble to the act for
her attainder (Stat. 25 Hen. VIII. c. 12); and she and her partners
in guilt were hanged at Tyburn, April 20,1534. — See Cranmer's Works,
Park. Soc. ed. Vol. II. Lett. LXXXI.— m. ; Strype's Mem. Eccles. vol.
I. ch. xxv. pp. 176—82. Burnet, Hist. Reform. B. n. date 1534, and
appendix.]

328

OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

Matt. xxvi.
2 Cor. x.

the living and practising of Christ and the apostles, with lies
and false miracles, with false names, dumb ceremonies, with
disguising of hypocrisy, with the authorities of the fathers,
and last of all with the violence of the temporal sword ; there
fore do thou contrariwise arm thyself to defend thee withal,
The armour as Paul teacheth in the last chapter of the Ephesians : " Gird

of a chrisflan A L

worndai?d0d's on ^iee the sword of the Spirit, which is God's word, and
lll'viw> T< take to thee the shield of faith :" which is, not to believe a
tale of Kobin Hood, or Gesta Romanorum1, or of the Chro
nicles, but to believe God's word that lasteth ever.

And when the pope with his falsehead challengeth tem
poral authority above king and emperor, set before thee the
xxvith chapter of St Matthew, where Christ commandeth Peter
to put up his sword. And set before thee Paul, 2 Cor. xth,
where he saith, " The weapons of our war are not carnal
things, but mighty in God to bring all understanding in
captivity under the obedience of Christ :" that is, the weapons
are God's word and doctrine, and not swords of iron and
steel. And set before thee the doctrine of Christ and of his
apostles, and their practice.

And when the pope challengeth authority over his fellow
bishops and over all the congregation of Christ by succession
of Peter, set before thee the first of the Acts ; where Peter,
for all his authority, put no man in the room of Judas ; but
all the apostles chose two indifferently, and cast lots, desiring
God to temper2 them, that the lot might fall on the most
Acts viii. xi. ablest. And (Acts viii.) the apostles sent Peter ; and in the
xith call him to reckoning, and to give accounts of that he
hath done.

And when the pope's law commandeth, saying, though
that the pope live never so wickedly and draw with him
through his evil ensample innumerable thousands into hell,
yet s.ee that no man presume to rebuke him, for he is head
over all, and no man over him3 ; set before thee Galatians iind,

Gal. ii.

[l The tale of Robin Hood and the Gesta Romanorum were well
known books then in popular use.]

[2 He uses the word in its Latin sense, for govern; as Spenser
has done in Mother Hubbard's tale, 1. 1294.]

[3 The canon law incorporated the following apophthegm, extracted,
as the gloss says, ' ex dictis Bonifacii martyris : ' Si papa suce et fra-
ternae salutis negligens, deprehenditur inutilis, et remissus in operi-

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 329

where Paul rebuketh Peter openly : and see how hoth to
the Corinthians, and also to the Galatians, he will have no
superior but God's word, and he that could teach better by God's word
God's word. And because, when he rehearsed his preaching men's judg-

' " & ments.

and his doings unto the high apostles, they could improve4 Anted-
nothing, therefore will he be equal with the best. jg$|

And when the friars say, they do more than their duty Friars be not
when they preach, and more than they are bound to : (' To say preach. W.T.
our service are we bound, say they, and that is our duty ;
and to preach is more than we are bound to :') set thou be
fore thee how that Christ's blood-shedding hath bound us to
love one another with all our might, and to do the uttermost
of our power one to another. And Paul saith, 1 Cor. ix. i cor. ix.
" Woe be unto me, if I preach not :" yea, woe is unto him
that hath wherewith to help his neighbour, and to make him
better, and do it not. If they think it more than their duty
to preach Christ unto you, then they think it more than their
duty to pray that ye should come to the knowledge of Christ.
And therefore it is no marvel though they take so great
labour, yea, and so great wages also, to keep you still in
darkness.

And when they cry furiously, ' Hold the heretics unto
the wall, and if they will not revoke, burn them without any
more ado ; reason not with them, it is an article condemned
by the fathers;' set thou before thee the saying of Peter,
1 Pet. iii. " To all that ask you be ready to give an answer of 1 Pet. m.
the hope that is in you, and that with meekness." The fathers
of the Jews and the bishops, which had as great authority
over them as ours have over us, condemned Christ and his
doctrine. If it be enough to say the fathers have condemned
it, then are the Jews to be holden excused ; yea, they are yet
in the right way, and we in the false. But and if the Jews
be bound to look in the scripture, and to see whether their

bus suis, et insuper a bono taciturnus, quod magis officit sibi et om
nibus, nihilominus innumerabiles populos catervatim secum ducit,
primo manciple gehennse, cum ipso plagis multis in seternum vapu-
laturus ; hujus culpas istic redarguere prsesumit mortalium nullus :
quia cunctos ipse judicaturus a nemine est judicandus, nisi deprehen-
datur a fide devius.— Corpus Juris Canon. Decreti pars lma, Distinct,
xl. ca. vi. or Si Papa. Ed. Lugduni, MDCXXIL]
[4 That \a, find fault with.]

330 'OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

fathers have done right or wrong ; then are we likewise bound
to look in the scripture, whether our fathers have done right
or wrong, and ought to believe nothing without a reason of
the scripture and authority of God's word.

And of this manner defend thyself against all manner
wickedness of our sprites1, armed always with God's word,
and with a strong and a stedfast faith thereunto. Without
God's word do. nothing. And to his word add nothing ; nei
ther pull any thing therefrom, as Moses everywhere teacheth
HOW God thee. Serve God in the spirit, and thy neighbour with all
served. outward service. Serve God as he hath appointed thec ; and
not with thy good intent and good zeal. Remember Saul
was cast away of God for ever for his good intent. God
requireth obedience unto his word ; and abhorreth all good
intents and good zeals which are without God's word : for
they are nothing else than plain idolatry, and worshipping of
false gods2,
in Christ is And remember that Christ is the end of all things. He

rest of con- , , , ., -„ , ,

science only, only is our resting-place, and he is our peace. For as there
Eph. h. is no salvation in any other name, so is there no peace in
any other name. Thou shalt never have rest in thy soul,
neither shall the worm of conscience ever cease to gnaw thine
heart, till thou come at Christ ; till thou hear the glad tidings,
how that God for his sake hath forgiven thee all freely. If
thou trust in thy works, there is no rest. Thou shalt think,
I have not done enough. Have I done it with so great love
as I should do ? Was I so glad in doing, as I would be to
receive help at my need ? I have left this or that undone ;
and such like. If thou trust in confession, then shalt thou
think, Have I told all ? Have I told all the circumstances ?
Did I repent enough? Had I as great sorrow in my re
pentance for my sins, as I had pleasure in doing them ?
Likewise in our holy pardons and pilgrimages gettest thou
Note. no rest. For thou seest that the very gods themselves, which

f1 Sprites C : spirites D. He seems to mean to designate the
spirituality, or popish clergy: a few pages further on he says, 'I have
uttered the wickedness of the spirituality.']

[2 Art. XXV. of heresies and errors charged against Tyndale :
* He saith, that no man should serve God with good intent or zeal ;
for it is plain idolatry.' To this Foxe does but reply, * The place is
this,' and therewith gives Tyndale's words.]

FOUR SENSES OF THE SCRIPTURE. 331

sell their pardon so good cheap, or some whiles give them
freely for glory sake, trust not therein themselves. They
build colleges, and make perpetuities, to be prayed for for
ever ; and lade the lips of their beadmen3, or chaplains, with
so many masses, and diriges, and so long service, that I have
known of4 some that have bid the devil take their founders'
souls, for very impatiency and weariness of so painful labour.

As pertaining to good deeds therefore, do the best thou DO good
canst, and desire God to give strength to do better daily ; trust In

" Christ. W. T.

but in Christ put thy trust, and in the pardon and promises
that God hath made thee for his sake ; and on that rock
build thine house, and there dwell. For there only shalt
thou be sure from all storms and tempests, and from all wily
assaults of our wicked spirits, which study with all falsehead
to undermine us. And the God of all mercy give thee grace
so to do, unto whom be glory for ever ! Amen.

A Compendious Rehearsal of that which goeth before.

I HAVE described unto you the obedience of children, ser
vants, wives, and subjects. These four orders are of God's
making, and the rules thereof are God's word., He that God's word is
keepeth them shall be blessed, yea, is blessed already ; and children,0
he that breaketh them shall be cursed. |If any person of im- ^'.ees^d
patiency, or of a stubborn and rebellious mind, withdraw him- Ant- ed-
self from any of these, and get him to any other order, let
him not think thereby to avoid the vengeance of God in
obeying rules and traditions of man's imagination. ! If thou
pollest thine head in the worship of thy father, and breakest
his commandments, shouldest thou so escape? Or if thou
paintest thy master's image on a wall, and stickest up
a candle before it, shouldest thou therewith make satisfac
tion for the breaking of his commandments ? Or if thou
wearest a blue coat in the worship of the king, and breakest
his laws, shouldest thou so go quit ? Let a man's wife make
herself a sister of the Charterhouse, and answer her husband,

[3 Prayer-men. In Tyndalc's day letters from ecclesiastics usually
had this designation prefixed to their signature ; as, Your most humble
beideman, Thomas Cantuar. ; Your humble bedeman, Cutb. Uuresme.]

[4 Day omits of.]

332 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

when he biddeth her hold her peace, ' My brethren keep
silence for me ;' and see whether she shall so escape. And
be thou sure God is more jealous over his commandments
than man is over his, or than any man is over his wife.
TO please Because we be blind. God hath appointed in the scripture

God is to , TIT i • i i t • , • •

believe his now we should serve mm and please mm. As pertaining
unto his own person, he is abundantly pleased when we be-

Antdedents' ^eve his promises and holy testament, which he hath made
unto us in Christ ; and, for the mercy which he there shewed
us, love his commandments. All bodily service must be done
to man in God's stead. We must give obedience, honour,
toll, tribute, custom, and rent unto whom they belong. Then
if thou have ought more to bestow, give unto the poor, which
are left here in Christ's stead, that we shew mercy on them.
If we keep the commandments of love, then are we sure that
we fulfil the law in the sight of God, and that our blessing
shall be everlasting life. Now when we obey patiently, and
without grudging, evil princes that oppress us and persecute
us, and be kind and merciful to them that are merciless to
us and do the worst they can to us, and so take all for
tune patiently, and kiss whatsoever cross God layeth on our
backs ; then are we sure that we keep the commandments
>of love.

I declared that God hath taken all vengeance into his
own hands, and will avenge all unright himself; either by
the powers or officers which are appointed thereto, or else,
He that win if they be negligent, he will send his curses upon the trans-
|ethGo£of gressors, and destroy them with his secret judgments. I
Ant. ed. shewed also, that whosoever avengeth himself is damned in
the deed-doing, and falleth into the hands of the temporal
sword, because he taketh the office of God upon him, and
robbeth God of his most high honour, in that he will not
patiently abide his judgment. I shewed you of the authority
of princes, how they are in God's stead, and how they may
not be resisted : do they never so evil, they must be reserved
unto the wrath of God. Neverthelater, if they command to
do evil, we must then disobey, and say, '"We are otherwise
commanded of God;' but not to rise against them. 'They
will kill us then,' sayest thou. Therefore, I say, is a Christian
called to suffer even the bitter death for his hope's sake, and
because he will do no evil. I shewed also that the kings and

A REHEARSAL OF THAT WHICH GOETH BEFORE. 333

rulers (be they never so evil) are yet a great gift of thenowevn
goodness of God, and defend us from a thousand things that "ngfa. y* *

he unto thee

we see not. -- S/SS gift

I proved also that all men without exception are under Ant ed-
the temporal sword, whatsoever names they give themselves.
Because the priest is chosen out of the laymen to teach
this obedience, is that a lawful cause for him to disobey ?
Because he preacheth that the layman should not steal, is it
therefore lawful for him to steal unpunished ? Because thou
teachest me that I may not kill, or if I do, the king must kill
me again, is it therefore lawful for thee to kill, and go free ?
Either whether is it rather meet that thou, which art my
guide to teach me the right way, shouldest walk therein be
fore me ? The priests of the old law with their high bishop
Aaron, and all his successors, though they were anointed by
God's commandment, and appointed to serve God in his
temple, and exempt from all offices and ministering of worldly
matters, were yet nevertheless under the temporal sword, if
they brake the laws. Christ saith to Peter, " All that take
the sword shall perish by the sword." Here is none exception.
Paul saith, " All souls must obey." Here is none exception.
Paul himself is here not exempt. God saith, " Whosoever Gen. ix.
sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed again."
Here is none exception.

Moreover, Christ became poor to make other men rich,
and bound to make other free. He left also with his disci
ples the law of love. Now love seeketh not her own profit,
but her neighbour's : love seeketh not her own freedom, but
becometh surety and bond to make her neighbour free.
Damned, therefore, are the spiritualty by all the laws of
God ; which through falsehead and disguised hypocrisy have }I]fSpr°"eesof
sought so great profit, so great riches, so great authority, Jlretyfw. T.
and so great liberties, and have so beggared the lay, and so
brought them in subjection and bondage, and so despised
them, that they have set up franchises in all towns and vil
lages for whosoever robbeth, murdereth or slayeth them, and
even for traitors unto the king's person also.

I proved also that no king hath power to grant them
such liberty ; but are as well damned for their giving, as
they for their false purchasing. For as God giveth the father
power over his children, even so giveth he him a command-

334 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

ment to execute it, and not to suffer them to do wickedly
unpunished, but unto his damnation, as thou mayest see by
Eli, the high priest, &c. And as the master hath authority
over his servants, even so hath he a commandment to govern
them. And as the husband is head over his wife, even so
hath he commandment to rule her appetites ; and is damned,
if he suffer her to be an whore and a mis-liver, or submit
The king is himself to her, and make her his head. And even in like

but a servant '

theSraof manner as God maketh the king head over his realm, even
God.Ant.ed. &Q gjyeftj he \^m commandment to execute the laws upon all
men indifferently. For the law is God's, and not the king's.
The king is but a servant, to execute the law of God, and
not to rule after his own imagination.

I shewed also that the law and the king are to be feared,
as things that were given in fire, and in thunder, and light
ning, and terrible signs. I shewed the cause why rulers are
evil, and by what means we might obtain better. I shewed
also how wholesome those bitter medicines, evil princes, are
to right Christian men.

I declared how they, which God hath made governors in
the world, ought to rule, if they be Christians. They ought
to remember that they are heads and arms, to defend the
body, to minister peace, health, and wealth, and even to save
the body ; and that they have received their offices of God,
to minister and to do service unto their brethren. King,
subject, master, servant, arc names in the world, but not in
Christ. In Christ we are all one, and even brethren. No
man is his own ; but we are all Christ's servants, bought with
Christ's blood. Therefore ought no man to seek himself, or
his own profit, but Christ and his will. In Christ no man
ruleth as a king his subjects, or a master his servants ; but
serveth, as one hand doth to another, and as the hands do
unto the feet, and the feet to the hands, as thou seest 1 Cor.
icor. xii. Xii0 \ye aiso serve, not as servants unto masters; but as
they which are bought with Christ's blood serve Christ him
self. We be here all servants unto Christ. For whatsoever
we do one to another in Christ's name, that do we unto
Christ, and the reward of that shall we receive of Christ.
HOW far a The king countcth his commons Christ himself; and therefore
toslek'athis doth them service willingly, seeking no more of them than

commons' . «, . .. , .

hands. is sufficient to maintain peace and unity, and to defend the

A REHEARSAL OF THAT WHICH GOETII BEFORE. 335

realm. And they obey again willingly and lovingly, as unto
Christ. And of Christ every man seeketh his reward.

I warned the judges that they take not an ensample, how
to minister their offices, of our spiritualty, which are bought
and sold to do the will of Satan ; but of the scripture, whence
they have their authority. Let that which is secret abide
secret till God open it, which is the judge of secrets. For
it is more than a cruel thing to break up into a man's heart,
and to compel him to put either soul or body in jeopardy, or
to shame himself. If Peter, that great pillar, for fear of
death forsook his master, ought we not to spare weak con
sciences ?

I declared how the king ought to rid his realm from the
wily tyranny of the hypocrites, and to bring the hypocrites
under his laws : yea, and how he ought to be learned, and
to hear, and to look upon the causes himself, which he will
punish ; and not to believe the hypocrites, and to give them
his sword to kill whom they will.

The king ought to count what he hath spent in the
pope's quarrel, since he was king. The first voyage cost
upon fourteen hundred thousand pounds. Reckon since what
hath been spent by sea and land between us and Frenchmen
and Scots, and then in triumphs, and in embassies1, and
what hath been sent out of the realm secretly, and all to
maintain our holy father ; and I doubt not but that will sur
mount the sum of forty or fifty hundred thousand pounds :
for we had no cause to spend one penny, but for our holy
father. The king therefore ought to make them pay this
money every farthing, and fet2 it out of their mitres, crosses,
shrines, and all manner treasure of the church, and pay it to
his commons again : not that only which the cardinal and his I
bishops compelled the commons to lend, and made them
swear, with such an ensample of tyranny as was never before
thought on ; but also all that he hath gathered of them : or
else by the consent of the commons to keep it in store for
the defence of the realm. Yea, the king ought to look in
the chronicles, what the popes have done to kings in time
past, and make them restore it also ; and ought to take away
from them their lands which they have gotten with their
false prayers, and restore it unto the right heirs again ; or
[! Both C. and D. print the word ambastasies.] [2 Fet : fetch.]

336 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

with consent and advisement turn them unto the maintaining
of the poor, and bringing up of youth virtuously, and to
maintain necessary officers and ministers for to defend the
commonwealth.

If he will not do it, then ought the commons to take
patience, and to take it for God's scourge ; and to think
that God hath blinded the king for their sins' sake, and
commit their cause to God : and then shall God make a
scourge for them, and drive them out of his temple, after
his wonderful judgment.

On the other side, I have also uttered the wickedness
of the spiritualty, the falsehead of the bishops, and juggling
of the pope, and how they have disguised themselves, bor
rowing some of their pomp of the Jews, and some of the
gentiles, and have with subtle wiles turned the obedience,
that should be given to God's ordinance, unto themselves ;
and how they have put out God's testament and God's
truth, and set up their own traditions and lies, in which
they have taught the people to believe, and thereby sit in
their consciences as God ; and have by that means robbed
the world of lands and goods, of peace and unity, and of all
temporal authority, and have brought the people into the
ignorance of God, and have heaped the wrath of God upoa
all realms, and namely upon the kings : whom they have
robbed (I speak not of worldly things only, but) even of
their very natural wits. They make them believe that they
are most Christian, when they live most abominably, and
will suffer no man in their realms that believeth on Christ ;
and that they are " defenders of the faith," when they burn
the gospel and promises of God, out of which all faith
springeth.

I shewed how they have ministered Christ, king and
emperor out of their rooms ; and how they have made them
a several kingdom, which they got at the first in deceiving
of princes, and now pervert the whole scripture, to prove
that they have such authority of God. And lest the lay
men should see how falsely they allege the places of the'
scripture, is the greatest cause of this persecution.
confession. They have feigned confession for the same purpose, to

stablish their kingdom withal. All secrets know they thereby.

A REHEARSAL OF THAT WHICH GOETH BEFORE. 337

The bishop knoweth the confession of whom he lusteth \ j
throughout all his diocese : yea, and his chancellor com- )
mandeth the ghostly father to deliver it written. The pope, j
his cardinals and bishops, know the confession of the em
peror, kings, and of all lords : and by confession they know
all their captives. If any believe in Christ, by confession The manifold
they know him. Shrive thyself where thou wilt, whether which their

* t • auricular

at Sion, Charterhouse, or at the Observants, thy confession J^bST
is known well enough. And thou, if thou believe in Christ, Ant- ed-
art waited upon. Wonderful are the things that thereby
are wrought. The wife is feared, and compelled to utter
not her own only, but also the secrets of her husband ; and
the servant the secrets of his master. Besides that through
confession they quench the faith of all the promises of God,
and take away the effect and virtue of all the sacraments of
Christ.

They have also corrupted the saints' lives with lies and
feigned miracles, and have put many things out of the sen- JJJj £°pcehap.
tence or great curse, as raising of rent and fines, and hiring [o
men out of their houses, and whatsoever wickedness they
themselves do ; and have put a great part of the stories and
chronicles out of the way, lest their falsehead should be seen.
For there is no mischief or disorder, whether it be in the
temporal regiment, or else in the spiritual, whereof they are
not the chief causes, and even the very fountain and springs,
and, as we say, the well-head : so that it is impossible to
preach against any l mischief, except thou begin at them ; or
to set any reformation in the world, except thou reform
them first. Now are they indurate and tough as Pharao,
and will not bow unto any right way or order. And there
fore persecute they God's word and the preachers thereof;
and on the other side lie await unto all princes, and stir up
all mischief in the world, and send them to war, and occupy
their minds therewith, or with other voluptuousness, lest
they should have leisure to hear the word of God, and to
set an order in their realms.

By them is all thing ministered, and by them are all

kings ruled. Yea, in every king's conscience sit they, ere

he be king, and persuade every king what they lust ; and

make them both to believe what they will, and to do what

[l Day omits any.]

[TYNDALE.]

regiment or
temporal.
Ant. ed.

338 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

they will. Neither can any king or any realm have rest
for their businesses. Behold king Henry the Vth, whom they
sent out for such a purpose as they sent out our king that
now is. See how the realm is inhabited. Ask where the
goodly towns and their walls, and the people that was wont
to be in them, are become; and where the blood royal of
the realm is become also ? Turn thine eyes whither thou
wilt, and thou shalt see nothing prosperous but their subtle
polling. With that it is flowing water : yea, and I trust it
will be shortly a full sea.
under an In all their doings, though they pretend outwardly the

outward pre- i • j

lumouf ^he'8 nonour °* God or a common wealth, their intent and secret
proceurfdergy counsel is only to bring all under their power, and to take
di|nrit°y7n out of the way whosoever letteth them, or is too mighty for
them. As when they send the princes to Jerusalem, to con
quer the holy land, and to fight against the Turks, whatso
ever they pretend outwardly, their secret intent is, while
the princes there conquer them more bishopricks, to conquer
their lands in the mean season with their false hypocrisy,
and to bring all under them ; which thou mayest easily
perceive by that they will not let us know the faith of
Christ. And when they are once on high, then are they
tyrants above all tyrants, whether they be Turks or Saracens.
How minister they proving of testaments ? how causes of
wedlock ? or if any man die intestate ? If a poor man die,
and leave his wife and half a dozen young children, and but
one cow to find them, that will they have for a mortuary
mercilessly ; let come of wife and children what will. Yea,
let any thing be done against their pleasure, and they will
interdict the whole realm, sparing no person.

Read the chronicles of England, (out of which yet they
have put a great part of their wickedness,) and thou shalt
find them always both rebellious and disobedient to the kings,
and also churlish and unthankful ; so that when all the realm
gave the king somewhat to maintain him in his right, they
would not give a mite. Consider the story of king John,
where I doubt not but they have put the best and fairest for
themselves, and the worst of king John : for I suppose they
make the chronicles themselves. Compare the doings of
their holy church (as they ever call it) unto the learning of
Christ and of his apostles. Did not the legate of Rome assoil

A REHEARSAL OF THAT WHICH GOETH BEFORE. 339

all the lords of the realm of their due obedience, which they
ought1 to the king by the ordinance of God?2 Would he
not have cursed the king with his solemn pomp, because he
would have done that office which God commandeth every
king to do, and wherefore God hath put the sword in every
king's hand ? that is to wit, because king John would have
punished a wicked clerk that had coined false money3. The
laymen that had not done half so great faults must die, but
the clerk must go escape free ! Sent not the pope also unto
the king of France remission of his sins, to go and conquer
king John's realm?4 So now remission of sins cometh not by
faith in the testament that God hath made in Christ's blood,
but by fighting and murdering for the pope's pleasure.
Last of all, was not king John fain to deliver his crown unto
the legate, and to yield up his realm unto the pope, where
fore we pay Peter-pence ? They might be called the polling-
pence of false prophets well enough. They care not by
what mischief they come by their purpose. War and con
quering of lands is their harvest. The wickeder the people
are, the more they have the hypocrites in reverence, the
more they fear them, and the more they believe in them.
And they that conquer other men's lands, when they die,
make them their heirs, to be prayed for for ever. Let there
come one conquest more in the realm, and thou shalt see
them get yet as much more as they have, (if they can keep
down God's word, that their juggling come not to light ;) yea,
thou shalt see them take the realm whole into their hands,
and crown one of themselves king thereof. And verily, I
see no other likelihood, but that the land shall be shortly
conquered. The stars of the scripture promise us none other

P Ought : owed.]

[2 Eodem anno (1211) Innocentius Papa reges et alios omnes,
tarn pauperes quam potcntes, ad coronam Anglise spectantes, a regis
fidelitate et subjectione absolvit. Matt. Paris. Hist. Anglise. Lond.
1686, p. 194.]

[3 See Foxe's Acts and Monuments, vol. n. p. 329, under date of
1211.]

[4 Papa scntcntialiter definivit ut rex Anglorum Johannes a solio
regni dcponeretur. — Ad hujus quoque sentcntisc executionem, scripsit
dominus Papa potentissimo regi Francorum Philippe, quatenus remis-
sionem omnium suorum peccaminum, hunc laborem assumeret. Matt.
Paris, under date 1212, p. 195.]

22—2

340 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

fortune, inasmuch as we deny Christ with the wicked Jews,
and will not have him reign over us ; but will be still chil
dren of darkness under antichrist, and antichrist's possession,
burning the gospel of Christ, and defending a faith that may
not stand with his holy testament.

If any man shed blood in the church, it shall be inter
dicted, till he have paid for the hallowing. If he be not able,
the parish must pay, or else shall it stand always interdicted.
They will be avenged on them that never offended. Full

2 Tim. in. well prophesied of them Paul, in the 2nd epistle to Timothy,
chap. iii. Some man will say, * Wouldest thou that men should
fight in the church unpunished ? ' Nay, but let the king or
dain a punishment for them, as he doth for them that fight
in his palace ; and let not all the parish be troubled for one's
fault. And as for their hallowing, it is the juggling of anti
christ. A Christian man is the temple of God and of the
Holy Ghost, and hallowed in Christ's blood. A Christian
man is holy in himself, by reason of the Spirit that dwelleth
in him ; and the place, wherein he is, is holy by reason of
him, whether he be in the field or town. A Christian hus
band sanctifieth an unchristian wife, and a Christian wife an
unchristian husband, (as concerning the use of matrimony,)

i cor. vii. saith Paul to the Corinthians. If now, while we seek to be
hallowed in Christ, we are found unholy, and must be hal
lowed by the ground, or place, or walls, then died Christ in
vain. Howbeit, antichrist must have wherewith to sit in
men's consciences, and to make them fear where is no fear,
and to rob them of their faith, and to make them trust in.
that cannot help them, and to seek holiness of that which is
not holy in itself.

After that the old king of France was brought down out
of Italy, mark what pageants have been played, and what
are yet a playing, to separate us from the emperor, lest by
the help or aid of us he should be able to recover his right
of the pope, and to couple us to the Frenchmen, whose might
the pope ever abuseth to keep the emperor from Italy.
What prevaileth it for any king to marry his daughter or
his son, or to make any peace or good ordinance for the
wealth of his realm ? For it shall no longer last than it is
profitable to them. Their treason is so secret that the world
cannot perceive it. They dissimule those things which they

A REHEARSAL OF THAT WHICH GOETH BEFORE. 341

are only cause of, and simulc discord among themselves when
they are most agreed1. One shall hold this, and another
shall dispute the contrary : but the conclusion shall be that
most maintaineth their falsehead, though God's word be never
so contrary. What have they wrought in our days, yea,
and what work they yet, to the perpetual dishonour of the
king, and rebuke of the realm, and shame of all the nation,
in whatsoever realms they go !

I uttered unto you partly the malicious blindness of the The bishop of
bishop of Rochester, his juggling, his conveying, his foxy ^
wiliness, his bo-peep, his wresting, renting, and shameful
abusing of the scripture ; his oratory and alleging of heretics, Ant- ed-
and how he would make the apostles authors of blind cere
monies without signification, contrary to their own doctrine ;
and have set him for an ensample to judge all other by.
Whatsoever thou art that readest this, I exhort thee in Christ
to compare his sermon and that which I have written, and
the scripture together, and judge. There shalt thou find of
our holy father's authority, and what it is to be great, and
how to know the greatest.

Then followeth the cause why laymen cannot rule tem
poral offices, which is the falsehead of the bishops. There
shalt thou find of miracles and ceremonies without significa
tion ; of false anointing, and lying signs, and false names ;
and how the spiritualty are disguised in falsehead ; and how
they roll the people in darkness, and do all thing in the
Latin tongue ; and of their petty pillage. Their polling is
like a soking consumption, wherein a man complaineth of
feebleness and of faintness, and wotteth not whence his dis
ease cometh : it is like a pock that fretteth inward, and con-
sumeth the very marrow of the bones.

There seest thou the cause why it is impossible for kings The cause
to come to the knowledge of the truth. For the sprites lay ^d nof
await for them, and serve their appetites at all points; and
through confession buy and sell and betray both them and all Ant- «*•
their true friends, and lay baits for them, and never leave
them, till they have blinded them with their sophistry, and

[l These words, dissimule and simttle, are imitated from the corre
sponding Latin verbs. The first means concealing what is ; the second,
feigning what is not]

342 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

have brought them into their nets. And then, when the king
is captive, they compel all the rest with violence of his sword.
For if any man will not obey them, be it right or wrong,
they cite him, suspend him, and curse or excommunicate him.
If he then obey not, they deliver him to Pilate, that is to
say, unto the temporal officers, to destroy them. Last of all,
there findest thou the very cause of all persecution, which is
the preaching against hypocrisy.

Then come we to the sacraments, where thou seest that
the work of the sacrament saveth not ; but the faith in the
promise, which the sacrament signifieth, justifieth us only.
There hast thou that a priest is but a servant, to teach only ;
and whatsoever he taketh upon him more than to preach and
to minister the sacraments of Christ (which is also preaching)
is falsehead.

Then cometh how they juggle through dumb ceremonies,
and how they make merchandise with feigned words ; penance,
a poena et a culpa, satisfaction, attrition, character, purgatory-
pick-purse ; and how through confession they make the sacra
ments and all the promise of none effect or value1. There
seest thou that absolving is but preaching the promises ; and
cursing or excommunicating, preaching the law ; and of their
power, and of their keys, of false miracles, and praying to
Miracles are saints. There seest thou that ceremonies did not the mira-

done by faith,
and not by

ceremonies. p Q What is penance ?

A. A sacrament by which the sins which we fall into after bap
tism are forgiven us. Abstract of the Douay Catechism. With per
mission. London, printed by Keating and Brown, printers to the R.
Rev. the Vicars apostolic, 1824, p. 58.

Q. What is confession ?

A. A full and sincere declaring of all our sins to our ghostly
father.

Q. What is satisfaction ?

A. A faithful performance of the prayers or good works enjoined
us by the priest to whom we confess. Id. p. 60. Penance ex
pounded.

Q. What is a character ?

A. It is a kind of spiritual mark or seal in the soul, which
always remains in it ; of which St Paul seems to speak 2 Cor. i. 22,
where he says that God has sealed us. Id. p. 47. Of Characters in
general.

For poena et culpa, and attrition, see pp. 271 and 265.]

A REHEARSAL OF THAT WHICH GOETH BEFORE. 34.3

cles, but faith : even as it was not Moses' rod that did tho
miracles, but Moses' faith in the promises of God. Thou
seest also that to have a faith, where God hath not a pro
mise, is idolatry. And there also seest thou how the pope
cxalteth himself above God, and commandeth him to obey his
tyranny. Last of all, thou hast there that no man ought to
preach but he that is called.

Then followeth the belly-brotherhead of monks and friars.
For Christ hath deserved nought with them : for his sake
gettest thou no favour. Thou must offer unto their bellies,
and then they pray bitterly for thee. There seest thou that
Christ is the only cause, yea, and all the cause, why God
doth aught for us, and heareth our complaint. And there
hast thou doctrine how to know, and to be sure, that thou
art elect and hast God's Spirit in thee. And hast there learn
ing to try the doctrine of our spirits.

Then follow the four senses of the scripture, of which
three are no senses ; and the fourth, that is to wit the literal
sense, which is the very sense, hath the pope taken to him
self2. It may have no other meaning than as it pleaseth his
fatherhood. We must abide his interpretation. And as his
bellies think, so must we think ; though it be impossible to
gather any such meaning of the scripture. Then hast thou
the very use of allegories, and how they are nothing but en- Ant- ed-
samples borrowed of the scripture, to express a text or an
open conclusion of the scripture, and as it were to paint it
before thine eyes, that thou mayest feel the meaning and the
power of the scripture in thine heart. Then cometh the use
of worldly similitudes, and how they are false prophets, which Ant- ed-
bring a worldly similitude for any other purpose, save to
express more plainly that which is contained in an open
text. And so are they also which draw the scripture con-

[2 Tyndale's learned contemporary Erasmus has noticed these
four senses as follows, in his panegyric on Jerome : Opera) pretium
cst audire censuram istorum qui cuncta ad cerium numerum rede-
gerunt. Doctores ecclesicC quatuor esso libuit, et quatuor item scrip
tures divinse sensus, nimirum ut rcspondcaiit quatuor evangelistis.
Gregorio tribuunt tropologiam, Ambrosio allegoriam, Augustino ana-
gogen, Hieronymo, ne nihil habeat, relinquunt literam et sensum
grammaticum. — Hieron. Stridonensis Vita, ad finem.]

344 OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

trary to the open places, and contrary to the ensample,
living, and practising of Christ, the apostles, and of the holy
prophets. And then, finally, hast thou of our holy father's
power, and of his keys, and of his binding and excommuni
cating, and of his cursing and blessing, with ensamples of
every thing.

THE END OF THE OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN.

A BRIEF DECLARATION

SACRAMENTS ;

EXPRESSING THE FIRST ORIGINAL, HOW THEY CAME UP AND
WERE INSTITUTE, WITH THE TRUE AND MOST
SINCERE MEANING AND UNDER
STANDING OF THE SAME.

VERY NECESSARY FOR ALL MEN, THAT WILL NOT ERR
IN THE TRUE USE AND MEANING THEREOF.

COMPILED BY THE GODLY LEARNED MAN,

WILLIAM TYNDALE.

[INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

THE copies of this treatise collated for the present reprint have
been that in Day's folio edition of Barnes, Tyndale, and Frith, dated
1573 ; and a 12mo edition of this treatise only, entitled as on the
preceding page, and said to be "Imprinted at London by Robert
Stoughton, dwellyng within Ludgate, at the sygne of the bishoppes
miter." This edition has no date, but R. Stoughton began printing
in 1548 ; and as it has no marginal notes, all the responsibility which
may attach to them belongs to Day's editor.

No date appears to have been assigned to the composition of this
treatise ; but it is placed, in Day, as the last of those there said to be
" imprinted according to his [Tyndale's] first copies, which he himself
set forth." On the other hand we find Tyndale, in a letter which he
wrote to Frith soon after Christmas 1532, requesting him to " meddle
as little as he could with the question of the presence of Christ's body
in the sacrament," that the difference between them and the Lutherans
might not give offence ; and adding, that he had stopped Joye from
publishing a treatise on that topic. And though Frith's imprisonment
induced Tyndale to publish ' a short and pithy treatise/ defending his
friend's views on this very subject, in April 1533, he chose to do it
anonymously. The present treatise, therefore, could not have been
published till a later date than the one just mentioned. But, besides
this, if Stoughton has reprinted an earlier edition, and has not done it
with extraordinary carelessness, the incorrectness of some of the imita
tions of Hebrew words in English letters is so glaring, (that of Mahond
Dane for example,) that it can only be accounted for by supposing that
Tyndale had no opportunity of revising the printer's work ; who, where
Tyndale's letters were not distinct, could only conjecture what they
were intended for. When this is considered, and also the great ob
scurity in the composition of some of its paragraphs, the reader will
perhaps think that Stoughton has described it more correctly as com
piled, than Day as set forth, by Tyndale ; whose MS. may have been in
the hands of some friend, at the time of his imprisonment or martyr
dom, and may thus have been printed without his revising care.

A

FRUITFUL AND GODLY TREATISE,

EXPRESSING THE

RIGHT INSTITUTION AND USAGE OF THE
SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM,

AXD THE

SACRAMENT OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF OUR
SAVIOUR JESU CHRIST.

To understand the pith of the sacraments, how they came
up, and the very meaning of them, we must consider dili
gently the manners and fashions of the Hebrews, which were
a people of great gravity and sadness, and earnest in all their
doings, if any notable thing chanced among them; so that writings and

, .,, , i i monuments

they not only wrote, but also set up pillars, and marks, and preserve the

» » , . . memory of

divers signs to testify the same unto their posterity, and Jjg[ble
named the places where the things were done with such
names as could not but keep the deeds in memory. As Jacob
called the place where he saw God face to face Pheniel, that
is, God's face1. And the place where the Egyptians mourned
for Jacob seven days, the people of the country called Abel Gen. i,
Miram2, that is, the lamentation of the Egyptians ; to the
intent that such names should keep the gests and stories in
mind.

And likewise in all their covenants they not only pro
mised one to another and sware thereon, but also set up signs
and tokens thereof, and gave the places names to keep the

thing: in mind. And they used thereto such circumstances, A sure band
. . i . n of an cove-

protestations, solemn fashions, and ceremonies, to confirm the

covenants, and to testify that they were made with great Jc
earnest advice and deliberation, to the intent that it should

[2 Qi-^O ^IN, Abel Mitsraim, misprinted, both by Day and
Stoughton, Abell Miram.]

348

THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

Gen. xxi.

The well of
swearing or
the well of
seven.

Gen. xxxi.

A heap of
stones was a
sufficient
band for all
covenants.

Gen. ix.

The rainbow
a pledge of
Gou's pro
mise.

Gen. xvii.

The blessing
of God to
Abraham.

be too much shame and too much abomination, both before
God and man, to break them ever after. '

As Abraham, when he made a covenant of peace with
Abimelech king of the Philistines, after they had eaten and
drunk together, and sworn, he put seven lambs by themselves,
and Abimelech received them of his hand, to testify that he
there had digged a certain well, and that the right thereof
pertained to him. And he called the well Beersheba, the well
of swearing, or the well of seven, because of the oath, and of
the seven lambs ; and by that title did Abraham his children
challenge it many hundred years after. And when Jacob and
Laban made a covenant together, Genes, xxxi. they cast up an
heap of stones in witness, and called it Galeed, the heap of
witness ; and they bound each other, for them and their pos
terity, that neither part should pass the heap to the other's
country ward, to hurt or conquer their land : and Laban bound
Jacob also, that he should take no other wives besides his
daughters, to vex them. And of all that covenant they made
that heap a witness, calling it the witness-heap ; that their
children should inquire the cause of the name, and their father
should declare unto them the history.

And such fashions as they used among themselves, did God
also use to themward, in all his notable deeds, whether of
mercy in delivering them, or of wrath in punishing their dis
obedience and transgression, in all his promises to them, and
covenants made between them and him.

As when after the general flood God made a covenant
with Noah and all mankind, and also with all living creatures,
that he would no more drown the world, he gave them the
rainbow to be a sign of the promise, for to make it the better
believed, and to keep it in mind for ever ; and he said :
" When I bring clouds upon the earth, I will put my bow in
the clouds, and will look on it, and remember the everlasting
covenant made between God and all living creatures."

And Abram (which signifieth an excellent father) he named
Abraham, the father of a great multitude of people ; because
he had promised to make him even so, and that his seed should
be as the stars and as the sand of the sea innumerable. And
that name gave he him as a seal of the promise to confirm it,
and to strengthen the faith of Abraham and his posterity,
and to keep the promise in mind, that they might have where-

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 349

with to bind God and to conjure him, as Moses and tho
holy prophets ever do, holding him fast to his own promise,
and binding him with his own words, and bringing forth
the obligation and seal thereof, in all times of necessity and
temptation.

After that he made a covenant with Abraham, to be his Gen. xvii.
God, and the God of his posterity, and their shield and de
fender ; and Abraham promised for him and his seed to be
his people, and to believe and trust in him, and to keep his
commandments ; which covenant God caused to be written in
the flesh of Abraham, and in the males of all his posterity,
commanding the males to bo circumcised the eighth day, or
to be slain : which circumcision was the seal and obligation of circumcision,
the said covenant, to keep it in mind, and to testify that it God's cove- ^
was an earnest thing, whereby God challenged them to be
his people, and required the keeping of his laws of them, and
faith to trust in him only, and in no other thing, for help and
succour, and all that can be needful and necessary for man ;
and whereby he condemned the disobedient and rebellious,
and punished them ; and whereby also the godly challenged
him to be their God and Father, and to help and succour
them at need, and to minister all things unto them according
to all his promises.

And though the seal of this covenant were not written in
the flesh of the females, yet it served the womankind, and
bound them to God, to trust in him, and to keep his laws, as well
as it did the men children; and the womankind, not circumcised
in the flesh, yet through the help of the sign written in the
males loving God's law, and trusting wholly in him, were
truly circumcised in the heart and soul before God. And as
the maid-children, believing and loving God, whereunto the
outward circumcision bound them, were truly circumcised be
fore God ; even so the males, having the flesh circumcised, yet
not believing nor loving God, whereunto the outward circum
cision bound them, were uncircumcised before God, and God
not bound to them, but had good right thereby to punish
them : so that neither circumcision, or to be uncircumcised, is
aught worth (as St Paul saith, Rom. ii.) save for the keeping Rom. IL
of the law ; for if circumcision help not to keep the law, so
serveth it for nought, but for to condemn. And as the woman
kind uncircumcised were in as good case as the males that were

350 THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

circumcised ; even so the infants of the maids, which died un-
circumcised, were in as good case as the infants of males which
died circumcised. And in as good case by the same rule were
the men-children that died before the eighth day : or else let
them tell why l. The covenant, made between God and Abra
ham, saved the man-child as soon as it was born, yea, as soon
as it had life in the mother's womb : for the covenant, that God
would be God of Abraham's seed, went over the fruit as soon
as it had life ; and then there is no reason but that the cove
nant must needs pertain to the males as soon as to the females.
Wherefore the covenant must needs save the males unto the
eighth day ; and then the covenant was, that the rulers should

Gen. xvii. slay the males only, if their friends did not circumcise them ;
not that the circumcision saved them, but to testify the cove
nant only. And then it folio weth, that the infants that die
unbaptized, of us Christians, that would baptize them at due
time and teach them to believe in Christ, are in as good case
as these that die baptized : for as the covenant made to the

God-s promise faith of Abraham went over his seed as soon as it had life, and

reacheth to _ .

aii Abraham's before the sign was put on them ; even so must needs the

posterity.

covenant, made to all that believe in Christ's blood, go over
that seed as soon as it hath life in the mother's womb, before
the sign be put on it. For it is the covenant only, and not
the sign, that saveth us; though the sign be commanded to be
put on at due time, to stir up faith of the covenant that saveth
Baptism to us us. And instead of circumcision came our baptism ; whereby
was to we be received into the religion of Christ, and made partakers
of his passion, and members of his church ; and whereby we
are bound to believe in Christ, and in the Father through
him, for the remission of sins ; and to keep the law of Christ,
and to love each other, as he loved us ; and whereby (if we
thus believe and love) we calling God to be our Father, and
to do his will, shall receive remission of our sins through the
merits of Jesus Christ his Son, as he hath promised. So now
by baptism we be bound to God, and God to us, and the
bond and seal of the covenant is written in our flesh ; by
which seal or writing God challengeth faith and love, under
pain of just damnation : and we (if we believe and love)
challenge (as it is above rehearsed) all mercy, and whatsoever
we need ; or else God must be an untrue God. And God hath
[l So R. S. ed. Day has, ' tell why the/ &c.]

cision w

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 351

bound us Christian men to receive this sign for our infirmities'
sake, to be a witness between him and us, and also to put this
sign upon our children ; not binding us to any appointed time,
but as it shall seem to us most convenient, to bring them to
the knowledge of God the Father, and of Christ, and of their
duty to God and his law. And as the circumcised in the flesh,
and not in the heart, have no part in God's good promises ;
even so they that be baptized in the flesh, and not in heart,
have no part in Christ's blood. And as the circumcised in the
heart, and not in the flesh, had part in God's good promises ;
even so a Turk unbaptized (because he either knoweth not, that
he ought to have it, or cannot for tyranny,) if he believe in
Christ, and love as Christ did and taught, then hath he his
part in Christ's blood.

And though the outward circumcision, by the which God
challengeth them to do him service, yea, whether they would
or not, and by the which they were taught to believe in God,
and in the seed of Abraham that should come and bless all the
world, and to love the law ; and certified them also, on the
other side, of the good-will of God, if they so did ; though
(I say) it was the chief and most principal sign, (for so are
such ceremonies called in the Hebrew2, because they yet
signify other things than appeareth to the outward sense,) yet
God gave them divers other signs, both to stir up faith in the
promise made them, and also to keep the benefit of the mercy
of God in mind.

As in Exodus xiii. all the first-born, both of man and Exod.
beast, are sanctified and dedicated unto the Lord, for a remem
brance that the Lord slew all the first-born of Egypt ; this
did God command to be observed, that their children should
ask why : and he commanded their fathers to teach their chil
dren, when they should ask what was meant thereby.

Also Exodus xx. the Sabbath is commanded to be observed, Exod.
to be a sign, and to testify that God had sanctified and dedi
cated or chosen them, that they should be his people, to keep
his laws, and that he would be their God, to keep them ; and

[2 It will appear probable, from what follows, that, by the expres
sion " in the Hebrew," Tyndale only meant in Hebrew usage ; especially
as the Hebrew name for a sign, viz. jlltf, is not equivalent to cere
mony. In the Hebrew scriptures ftSJ^D is the word used in the
only instance (Numb. ix. 3) where the English version has ceremonies.']

352 THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM, AND

to testify also, that God hath created all things of nought in
six days, and rested the seventh.

Num.x. Also Numbers x., where Almighty God commanded the

children of Israel to blow a trumpet, when they entered into
battle against their enemies ; and promised that they should
be thought upon before the Lord their God, and saved from
their enemies.

And likewise in their solemn feasts God commanded them
to blow trumpets over the sacrifice ; to be a sign unto them,
that God would think on them, according to the covenant
made in the blood of the sacrifice. Lo, the trumpets were
commanded to be blown ; not that God delighted in the noise
of the trumpets, but in the faith of his people.

Num. xv. Also Numbers xv. the Israelites are commanded to make

yellow gards1 upon their garments, to put them in remembrance
to keep his commandments, that they should do nothing after
their own imagination, nor observe any fashion that pleased
their own eyes. Whereby ye see that ceremonies are not a
service to God, but a service to man ; to put him in mind of
the covenant, and to stir up faith and love, which are God's
spiritual sacrifices, in man's heart, &c.

josh.iv. And Joshua iv., when the water of Jordan had given

place to go over by dry ground, God commanded Joshua to
take twelve stones out of the bottom of Jordan, and to pitch
them on the land, to keep the deed in memory ; and com
manded, when the children should ask what the stones meant,
that their father should teach them.

i Kings xi. In the 3 Kings xi. Ahijah the prophet tare the cloak of

Jeroboam in twelve pieces, and bade him take ten ; in sign
that he should reign over ten of the tribes.

2Kingsxiii. In 4 Kings xiii. Eliseus made Joash king of Israel open
a window eastward toward the Syrians, and made him to
shoot out an arrow, and said, "It is the arrow of victory
through the Lord against the Syrians." And that did he to
stablish the king's faith in God, that he should with God's
help overcome the Syrians ; and then he bade the king smite
the ground with an arrow, and the king smote it thrice ;
whereby he prophesied, and certified the king, that he should
thrice overcome the Syrians.

isai. xx. And Isaiah, in his xxth chapter, was commanded to go

[l Gards : borders.]

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 353

naked and barefoot ; to be a sign that Egypt, in whom
the children of Israel trusted, should be so carried away of
Nabuchadnezzar.

And Jeremiah, in his xxviith chapter, cometh among the Jer- xxvii
people with bonds and chains put about his neck, and sheweth
them unto all the kings of those countries, in token that they
must.be all under the yoke of Nabuchadnezzar king of Baby
lon. God so used to give them signs, that they would not
believe without signs ; as ye may see not only in the old
Testament, but also in the new, how the Jews asked Christ,
saying, " What sign dost thou shew us ?" £c.

And Paul (1 Cor. i.), " The Jews asked signs." i cor. i.

Also Zacharias, John Baptist's father, asked a sign ; and Luke i.
the angel gave it him.

Christ's mother also asked a sign, and the angel gave her Luke i.
Elizabeth to a sign.

And unto the shepherds gave the angel a sign ; as ye Luke H.
read Luke ii.

And (Exod. xii.) God gave the children of Israel the sign E>od. xii.
of Pesah2, which we call the Easter lamb, for a sign that the
time was come that the children of Israel should be delivered
out of Egypt. And therefore God sent Moses and Aaron to
them, which wrought many miracles among them, to stir up
their faith to the promise of that deliverance, against the
manifold and sore temptations to the contrary, through the
most strait and grievous bondage and merciless oppression,
and in that most specially, that Pharao was waxed ten times
worse to them after the coming of Moses and Aaron than be
fore. Yet in the last night, in which he had promised toExod-xii-
smite the first-born of Egypt both of man and of beast, and
to deliver them, he commanded them to take for every house
a lamb or a kid, and to slay them, and to strike the door
posts with the blood, to be a sign to them, and a seal of the

[2 nDS subst. from flDSj he passed over, or leapt over. So
the old lexicographers, as Buxtorff, and Legh in his Critica Sacra,
explain the Hebrew verb. So also abp. Magee, On the Atonement,
Notes to Vol. i. Later critics, guiding themselves chiefly by the ac
knowledged meaning of kindred Arabic roots, have taken the verb to
mean primarily, relaxing, or loosening ; then giving liberty ; and pro
tecting from one who would destroy that liberty. Thus Simon's
Lexicon ; and Prof. J. Robertson in his Clavis Pentateuchi, 2274-— 5.]

[TYNDALE.]

354 THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

promise that God would deliver them that night both out of the
hands of Pharao, and also from the smiting of the angel that
went about all Egypt, and slew the first-born in every house,
f th" ^n<^ *kis sign Pesah, beside that it was a seal of the pro-
mise to be delivered the same night, to stablish that faith,
and commanded to be observed ever after yearly, to keep the
benefit in memory ; it was also a very prophecy of the pas
sion of Christ, describing the very manner and fashion of his
death, and the effect and virtue thereof also. In whose stead
is the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ come, as
baptism in the room or stead of circumcision.

To see how Christ was prophesied and described therein,
consider and mark, how that the kid or lamb must be with
out spot or blemish ; and so was Christ only of all mankind,
in the sight of God and of his law. It must be taken up the
tenth day of the first month, which is the tenth day of the
first new moon in March ; for so count they their months
from the new moon, and begin there ] in the time of March
with us. And the same day came Christ to Jerusalem, there
to be offered and to suffer his passion.

It must be offered the fourteenth day of the same month
at night : and the same hour began Christ's passion ; he was
the same hour betrayed, and persecuted all night, and taken
in the morning early. The fear of death was the same hour
upon him, neither slept he any more after, but went imme
diately, as soon as he had comforted his disciples, into the
place where he was taken, to abide his persecutors ; where
also he sweat water and blood of very agony conceived of
his passion so nigh at hand.

Christ's death The blood stricken on the posts saved them, that they
iambaschal were no^ plagued with the Egyptians, and delivered them
out of the captivity of Pharao. And the blood of Christ,
stricken on the posts of our consciences with a sure faith2,
delivereth us from the captivity of Pharao the devil, and
smiting of his angels, &c. There might not a bone thereof
be broken : no more were there of Christ's, though the two
that were hanged with him had either of them his legs and
his arms broken.

C1 Day has there begin; but R. S., begin there.']
[2 The words with a sure faith are wanting in D. but found in
R. S.]

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 355

Moreover, that it was a very prophecy of the death of
Christ, and of the virtue of his passion, it is made the more
manifest by the words of Christ himself (Luke xxii.) : for the Luke xxu.
night before his passion, when he had eaten Pesah with his
disciples, ho said, " I will no more eat of it henceforth, till it
be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." As who should say,
1 This memorial which we yearly have hitherto observed, was
once fulfilled in the kingdom of this world, when your fathers
were delivered out of bondage and servitude of the Egyptians.
But it hath yet another signification, hitherto unknown unto
you, which must be fulfilled spiritually in the kingdom of God Christ's expo-

i . 1111111 in sitionofthe

by my passion that is at hand, and blood that now shall pa«*auamb.
shortly be shed ; by the which ye shall be delivered out of
the power of Satan, sin, and hell, and made heirs of the king
dom of heaven. Neither was it the lamb's blood that deli
vered you then : (for what regard hath God in the blood of
sheep and calves ?) but the blood of Christ (whom that lamb
figured, and described his innocence, pureness, and obedience
to his Father, and compassion to mankind-ward, whose feeble
nature he had put on with all the infirmities of the same,
save sin) did then deliver you, to bring you to the faith
of this deliverance, and to make you through faith partakers
thereof/

Many things there be in the scripture, which have a car- The scrip-
nal fulfilling, even there where they be spoken or done ; and
yet have another spiritual signification, to be fulfilled long
after in Christ and his kingdom, and yet never known till
the thing be done. As the serpent of brass which Moses Num. xx
hanged up in the wilderness, though it took effect carnally
in the wilderness, yet it so describeth the lifting up of Christ
upon the cross, and the virtue of his passion, that no tongue John m.
could better declare it, to make the heart feel it.

If ye ask: Why they may not be known till they be
done, and what such3 prophecy may help? I answer, If
men did understand them before they were done, they would
endeavour to let the fulfilling of them ; and when the signifi
cation is fulfilled, then to see how plainly it was described in
the scripture doth exceedingly confirm the faith thereof, and
make it better to be understood.

And when this Pesah was fulfilled spiritually in the king-
[3 So R. S. edition; in D. such is wanting.]

23—2

356 THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

was spiritu- dom of heaven by the death and bloodshedding of Christ, it

ally fulfilled J . .

Jnjje king- ended there : and in the room thereof (concerning that spi-
ven. ritual signification) came the sign of the sacrament of the

Theinstitu- body and blood of our Saviour Christ, as baptism came instead

tionofthe » . . . L .

of Of circumcision ; things more easy, and less painful and tedious

sL0vh!u°rfour *° ke observed, and more gentle, to provoke and entice the
chmt. heathen. For as the lamb described the death of Christ to

come, and the manner of his passion, by which we should be
sSficehofnd delivered ; even so doth the ceremony of the body and blood
andbioobd0dy °f Christ testify unto us, that he hath given himself to death
to|eTher.d f°r us> and redeemed us already, if we believe and cleave fast
to the profession of our baptism, to walk therein, or will (if
any tempest had driven us out of the right course) return to
the right way again.

i cor. XL This to be so, the words of the institution declare, which

are these (1 Cor. xi.) : " The Lord Jesus, the night that he
was betrayed, took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and
said, Take, eat ; this is my body that shall be given for you :
this do in remembrance of me. And likewise he took the
cup, when supper was done, saying, This cup is the new tes
tament in my blood ; this do, as often as ye shall drink it, in
the remembrance of me/' Here ye see by these words, that
it was ordained to keep the death of Christ in mind, and to
testify that his body was given and his blood shed for us.
And, Luke xxii. "This is my body, that is given for you;
this do in remembrance of me. And this cup is the new tes-
The chief and tament in my blood, which shall be shed for you." Lo, here

only cause of * "

ttmaftiM ye see agam *"a* ^ was instituted to keep the death of Christ

sacrament. ^n mind ; and to testify wherefore he died, even to save us
from sin, death and hell, that we should seek none other
means to be delivered with ; for there is none other name for

Acts iv. us to be saved by, but only by the name of Jesus. Acts iv.
For as the children of Israel, stung of the fiery serpents, could
have none other remedy to save them from present death,
than to go and behold the brasen serpent hanged up by Moses
in the wilderness, which looking on only healed them ; even

i cor. xv. so, if the sting of death, which is sin, have wounded the 1 soul

with the working of the law in the consciences, there is none

other remedy than to run to Christ, which shed his blood,

hanging upon the cross, and to his everlasting testament and

[i SoR. S.; D. has their.]

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 357

merciful promise, that it was shed for us for the remission of
our sins. If thou be stung with conscience of sin, and the
cockatrice of thy poisoned nature hath beheld herself in the
glass of the righteous law of God, there is none other salve
for remedy, than to run to Christ immediately, and to the
Father through him ; and to say, ' Father I have sinned ?£
against thee, and thy godly, holy, and righteous law, and cE.to
against my brother, whom I ought of all right to love, for
thy sake, as well as myself: forgive me, 0 Father, for thy
dear son Jesus Christ's sake2, according to thy most merciful
promises and testament3 ; and I will ask my brother forgive
ness (if the peace, I mean, be not made already), and will
make to my power such satisfaction to him as shall seem right
in his eyes, if he be reasonable ; or as the congregation shall
assign, or faithful men thereunto appointed by the congrega- we must be
tion, or such as I and he shall agree upon ; and will endea- the crongre-
vour myself to do so no more, with the help of thy grace. ^
And I will submit myself to the wholesome ordinance of the
congregation, according to the doctrine of thy son Jesus and
of his faithful apostles.' For there is none other name given

under heaven whereby we shall be saved, but only the name christ°com-us

, <* eth our sal-

01 JeSUS4. vation.

Hereof ye see that the sacrament is an absolution of our The nature of

• n ..,..- thesacrament

sins, as olten as we receive it, where it is truly taught and of the supper

,,....., J of our Lord.

understood, and received aright.

Hereof ye see also, that as the Hebrews wrote their stories
in covenants and signs, giving their signs such names as could
not but keep them in mind ; so God the Father did follow the sacraments
ensample of the people (or they following him) and commanded nies were first

. r JT \ •; ordained by

his promises, covenants and prophecies, to be written in ges- SfyjSSt
tures5, signs and ceremonies, giving them names that could not fn?em
bat keep his covenants in mind. Even so Christ wrote the cove- brance-
nant of his body and blood in bread and wine ; giving them that
name, that ought to keep the covenant in remembrance.

And hereof ye see, that our sacraments are bodies of sto- sacraments

are as stories

[2 Dear son Jesus' blood sake. R. S. ed. Thy son Jesus Christ's
sake. Day.]

[3 Used here, according to Tyndale's definition, for covenant.}

[4 So Day; R. S. has, under heaven than Jesus given to men, that we
may be saved byJ]

[5 So Day: R. S. has gestcs.]

358 THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

to keep ries only ; and that there is none other virtue in them, than

Christ s cove- . » ' . .

memory *° testify, and exhibit to the senses and understanding, the
covenants and promises made in Christ's blood. And here ye
see that where the sacraments, or ceremonies, are not rightly
understood, there they be clean unprofitable.

circumcision And as the circumcision1 in the flesh, their hearts still

without faith . • 'i i • t /-^ i i i» • •

availed uncircumcised, hating the law of God and believing in their

nothing. ... . .11.1.

Baptism own imaginations, were circumcised to their damnation; and
SiiShfai1th as the2 baptized in the flesh only, the heart still unclean,
neither believing in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins,
neither loving their neighbour for Christ's sake, are baptized
also unto their greater damnation, (for though God hath right
to all men, because he hath created and made man, yet to all
such persons by reason of the sign and badge, and of their
own consent, grant and promise, he hath more right to the
calling of them to the keeping of his law, if they trust in him
only ; or to damn them, because when they know their duty,
or might if they would, the sign moving them, and giving
them an occasion to ask thereafter3, and yet do it not;) even
so all that come to the sacrament for any other purpose than
it was ordained and instituted for, that is to say, to seek abso
lution of their sins, with a set purpose to sin no more, as nigh
as they can, and to call to memory the benefits of the pas
sion of Christ, with the meditation to weaken4 the flesh, and
to strength the spirit against her, and to give thanks again ;
that is to say, to call to mind how much he is bounden, for
Christ's sake5, to love his neighbour, to help his need, and to
bear his infirmity and to forgive him, if he have offended and
desire forgiveness, promising to amend, whereunto Christ
bindeth all that will be partakers of his blood ; the same, I
say, come thereto to their greater damnation6. I pass over
with silence the wicked and damnable doctrine of these s£r-
vants of mammon, which for lucre pervert the true use of

[l Meaning the persons circumcised ; as the words the uncir-
cumcision are used in Rom. ii. 26.]

[2 So Day; R. S. has they.]

[3 So R. S. ; Day's ed. has the rather.]

[4 So Day; R. S. has to weak, where weak is a verb ; as is strength
in the next clause.]

[5 In Day, for Christ's sake is omitted.]

[6 So R. S. ; Day has, All such as are not thus prepared, come
to, &c.]

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 359

the sacrament, and hide it from the people for their gain7,
teaching it to be a sacrifice instituted of God to help the
souls of the dead in purgatory, and that it will make men
rich, and bring them to such promotion as Christ never pro
mised his disciples, but forbade it them.

Some will say, This sacrament needed not, baptism is Baptism and

. ... . . . the sacra-

enough: baptism is a receiving into religion, and there is the mentof

r DO' Christ's body

covenants made, what we shall do and what we shall have : JJffoJfJ,.
and baptism is a sign whereby God hath right to us, and we cessary-
to God and to Christ ; and whereby every man hath right
to call other to do their duties, and to rebuke them that will
not. Neither our salvation so greatly standeth in that or
any other sacrament, that we could not be saved without
them, by preaching the word only. Nevertheless God hath
written his will, to have his benefits kept in memory, to his
glory and our benefit, and namely this benefit of all benefits,
wherein only the pith of our salvation resteth. Therefore The sacra-
though the effect of it be signified by baptism, and though Sim, what it
we be baptized to believe in the death of Christ, and to die us-
with him by the mortifying of the flesh ; yet doth this sacra- xhesacra-

J.T- i .LI i • n i 11 i • rnenlofthe

ment, through the rehearsing of the covenant, and breaking
of the bread, and pouring out of wine, much more lively g
express the whole story, and keep it better in memory, by inus-
daily repeating thereof, and hath more might and vehemency
to heal the conscience stung with fresh sin. For the nature
of man is so weak, so feeble, and so frail, that he cannot but
sin, as there is no man that liveth and sinneth not.

And when he is so fallen, then the law looketh upon him The la
with so terrible a countenance, and so thundereth in his ears,
that he dare not abide, but turneth his back and to go ; and8 Mark*,
the enemy assaileth him on the other side, to persuade him The devii
that God hath cast him away, saying, 'They that be God's SS?y to
have power to keep his law: thou hast not, but breakest
them ; ergo, thou art a cast-away and a damned creature :'
and hell gapeth, and setteth open her mouth beneath to de
vour him. And the flesh also wrestleth with the spirit, to The flesh
keep him down, and to take him prisoner, and to stop his5Suy

[? So Day's edition. Instead of their gain, R. S. has neante, a
word which, if it bo not an error of the press, can only be conjectured
to have some afiinity to the Italian niente.]

[8 So R. S. ; D. has but, and inserts still after enemy.]

360 THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

mouth, that he cry no more upon her, that she might sin at
pleasure without all fear.
Theimpeni- The careless swine, that consent unto sin, feel not these

tent and wil- . ' .

feeieth11" t things ; neither yet1 the hypocrites, that have put a visard

Goedinahi1s°f on ^ie face °f *he law, and make her look with such a coun

tenance as pleaseth them : but the poor folks, that have the

eyes open, and consent, and fain would do the law, they feel

that cannot be expressed with tongue. Neither is there living

any man, that feeleth the virtue and power of the blood of

Christ, which hath not first felt the strong pains of hell.

The law, the Seeing then that man is so sick, so prone and ready to

devii) are fall, and so cruelly invaded when he hath sinned of the fiend,

three great *

enemies unto the flesh, and the law, that he is oft put to flight, and feared

why the sa- and made to run away from his Father ; therefore hath the

^erecwefly God of all mercy, and of infinite pity and bottomless compas-

God- sion, set up this sacrament as a sign on a high hill, whence it

may be seen on every side, afar and near, to call again them

that be fled and run away. And with this sacrament he (as

it were) clucketh to them, as an hen doth for her chickens,

God hath to gather them under the wings of his mercy ; and hath

commanded ^ ® «/ 3

msentscto~be commanded his sacrament to be had in continual use, to put

me/a^tne them in mind of mercy laid up for them in Christ's blood,

cause why. an(j j.Q w^ness an(j testify it unto them, and to be the seal

thereof. For the sacrament doth much more vehemently

print lively the faith, and make it sink down into the heart,

than do bare words only : as a man is more sure of that he

heareth, seeth, feeleth, smelleth and tasteth, than that he

heareth only.

The sacra- ]N"ow when the words of the testament and promises are

ment of i

sP°ken over tne bread, ''This is my body that shall be bro-
ken for you," "This is my blood that shall be shed for

ourTaiva°tion J™ '" they confirm the faith : but much more when the sa-

ath' crament is seen with the eyes, and the bread broken, the wine

poured out or looked on : and yet more when I taste it and

smell it. As ye see when a man maketh a promise to

another with light words between themselves, and as they

bo departed, he to whom the promise is made beginneth to

doubt whether the other spake earnestly or mocked, and

doubteth whether he will remember his promise, to bide by it

or not : but when any man speaketh with advisement and

C1 So R. S. ; D. omits yet.}

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 361

deliberation, the words are then more credible ; but yet if he
swear, it confirmeth the thing more ; and yet the more if he
strike hands, if he give earnest, if he call record, if he give
his hand-writing, and seal it ; so is the promise more and
more believed. For the heart gathereth, ' Lo, he spake with
advisement and deliberation ; and with good sadness he
sware2; he clapped hands, called records, and put to his hand
and seal : the man cannot be so feigned without the fear of
God, as to deny all this ; shame shall make him bide by his
promise, though he were such a man that I could not compel
him if he would deny it.' If a young man break a ring be
tween him and a maid ; doth not the fact testify and make a
presumption to all men, that his heart meant as his words
spake ?

Manoah, Samson's father, when he had seen an angel,
Judg. xiii. he said to his wife, " We shall surely die, because Juds- xiil-
we have seen the Lord." But his wife gathered other comfort
of the circumstances, and said, " If the Lord would kill us,
he would not have received such offerings of our hands, nor
shewed us such things as he hath, nor told us of things
to come." Even so our hearts gather of the circumstances,
protestations, and other miracles and earnest ceremonies3 of
God, good arguments and reasons, to stablish our weak faith
withal, such as we could not gather at bare words only.

And thus4 we dispute: God sent his Son in our nature, A brief col
lection of the
and made him feel all our infirmities that move us to sin ; and premises.

named him Jesus, that is to say, Saviour, because he should Matt i.
save his people from their sins. Matt. i. And after his death
he sent his apostles to preach the things or tidings, and to
thrust it in at the ears of us, and set up a sacrament of it, to
testify it, to be a seal of it, to thrust it in, not at the ears
only by the rehearsing of the promises and testament over
it, neither at our eyes only in beholding it, but beat it
in through our feeling, tasting and smelling also ; and to be
repeated daily, and to be ministered to us. He would not

[2 So in R. S. edition. In Day only, and good sadness.]
[3 R. S., Even our hearts gather of the circumstances protesta
tions as other miracles and earnest ceremonies, &c. Day, Even so
•our hearts gather of the circumstances, protestations and other mira
cles of God, &c.]

[4 So R. S. ; but Day, this.]

S62

THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

Matt. vii.

To an igno
rant and
unfaithful
person the
sacraments
and ceremo
nies are sin.

Idolatry,
what it is.

The spiritual
and right
serving of
God, what it
is.

(think we) make half so much ado with us if he loved us not,
or if he would not have us fain come, and be as merciful to
us as he was to his friends in the old time, that fell and rose
again. God so then used to1 the Jews (to whom all cere
monies were first given, and from whom they came to us)
even such fashions as they used among themselves, in all his
promises and covenants, not for his necessity, but for ours ;
that such things should be a witness and testimony between
him and us, to confirm the faith of his promise, that we
should not waver nor doubt in them, when we look on the
seals of his obligations, wherewith he hath bound himself;
and to keep the promises and covenants better in mind, and
to make them the more deep sink into our hearts, and to be
more earnestly regarded, and that we should ask what such
things meant, and why God commanded them to be observed ;
that ignorance should not excuse, if we know not what wo
ought to do and believe : for natural reason ought to teach
us that the outward, corporal, and bodily thing cannot help
the spiritual soul, and that God hath not delectation in such
fantasy. Now if we were diligent to search for the good
will of God, and would ask what such ceremonies meant, it
were impossible but then God (which hath promised, Matt. vii.
" If we seek we shall find,") would send us true interpreters
of his signs or sacraments.

And he that, being of a lawful age, observeth a ceremony
and knoweth not the intent, to him is the ceremony not only
unprofitable, but also hurtful, and cause of sin ; in that he is
not careful and diligent to search for it, and he there observ
eth them with a false faith of his own imagination, thinking,
as all idolaters do and ever have done, that the outward
work is a sacrifice and service to God. The same therefore
sinneth yet more deeper and more damnable. Neither is
idolatry any other thing than to believe that a visible ceremony
is a service to the invisible God ; whose service is spiritual,
as he is a spirit, and is none other thing than to know that
all is of him, and to trust in him only for all things, and to
love him for his great goodness and mercy above all, and
our neighbours as ourselves for his sake : unto which spiritual
serving of God, and to lead us to the same, the old cere
monies were ordained.

[l So R. S. ; in Day, to is wanting.]

x*u-

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 303

These be now sufficient concerning the intent and use of
the ceremonies, and how they came up. Now let us consider
the words of this testament and promises, as they be re
hearsed of the three evangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke,
and of the apostle Paul : for John, which wrote last, touched j^e xx
nothing that was sufficiently declared of other. Matthew, in
the twenty-sixth, thus saith : " When they were eating, Jesus JJ®™^
took bread, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave his disciples, J^^-f"^
and said, Take, eat ; this is my body : and he took the Sffiif"11
cup, and thanked, and gave it them, saying, Drink ye all
of this ; for this is my blood, which is of the new testament,
that is shed for many for the remission of sins." First, ye
see by these words, that the body was given to death, and
the blood shed, for the remission of sins, and that for many.
But who are these many ? Verily, they that turn to God, wi™ they
to believe in him only, and to endeavour themselves to keep
his law from henceforth. Which many yet, in respect of death,
them that love not the law, are but very few, and even that
little flock that gave themselves wholly to follow Christ.
Wherefore if any man think he believe in Christ, and have
not the law written in his heart, to consent that his duty is
to love his brother for Christ's sake as Christ loved him,
and to endeavour himself so to do, the faith of that same
man is vain, and built upon sand of his own imagination,
and not upon the rock of God's word ; for his word, unto
which he hath bound himself, is, that they only which turn
to God, to keep his laws, shall have mercy for Christ's sake.
" Drink of it all, for it is my blood of the new testament :"

"for it is," that is to say, the .drink that is in the cup, or, if christTwhat
ye list, the cup is " my blood of the new testament," taking
the cup for the drink, by a manner of speaking used in all
tongues ; as when we say, ' I have drunk a cup of wine/ we
take there the cup for the wine. " My blood of the new
testament," that is to say, My blood, for whose shedding
sake this new testament and covenant is made to you, for
the forgiveness of sin.

The old testament made between God and your fathers
in mount Sinai, in which life was promised to them only that
kept it, and to the breakers death, wrath and vengeance,
and to be accursed, and no mention made of mercy, [which]
was confirmed with blood, Exodus xxiy. Moses offered Exod. xxiv.

364 THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

half the blood to God, and sprinkled the people with the
other half, to confirm the covenant and to bind both parties :
neither was there any covenant made that was not con-
neb, ix. firmed with blood, as it is rehearsed in Hebrews ix. ; and
as we see in the books of Moses, whose custom of blood-
shedding was not only to confirm those old covenants, but
also to be a prophecy of the blood that should be shed to
The great and confirm this testament. That old, cruel, and fearful testa-

merciful dif- '

id mcnt> which drew the people away, so that they durst not
. abide the voice of thunder, nor the terrible sight of the fire,
but went and stood afar off, was confirmed with the blood of
calves : but this new and gentle testament, which calleth
again, and promiseth mercy to all that will amend, as it is a
better testament, so is it confirmed with a better blood, to
make men see love, to love again, and to be a greater con-

The great firmation of the love promised. For if he gave us his Son,

to mankind, what will he deny us ? If God so loved us, when we were
sinners and knew him not, that he gave his Son for us ; how
much more loveth he us now, when we love again, and would
fain keep his commandments !

In the old covenants the people were sprinkled with blood
of calves without, in their bodies, to bind them to keep the
law ; else we were bound to just damnation, for the breaking
of it. Here it is said, "Drink of it every one," that your
souls within may be sprinkled, and washed through faith,
with the blood of the Son of God for the forgiveness of sin,
and to be partakers of a more easy and kind testament,
under which, if you sin through fragility, you shall be warned
lovingly, and received to mercy, if you will turn again and
amend.

Markxiv. Mark, in the fourteenth: "And as they did eat, Jesus

took bread ; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and
gave it to them, and said, Take, eat; this is my body : and he
took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he took it to
them, and they all drank of it : and he said to them, This is
my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many."
This is all one with Matthew, as is aforesaid.

Lukcxxii. Luke, in the twenty-second: "And he took bread, and

when he had given thanks, he brake it and gave to them,
saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in
remembrance of me. Likewise also, when he had supped, he

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 365

took the cup, saying, This cup is the new testament in my
blood which is shed for you."

Here is also to be noted, that the cause of the institution The cause of
was to be a memorial, to testify that Christ's body was given, "onSfthe"

J O > sacrament of

and his blood shed for us. And again, where Matthew and Christ's body-
Mark said, " This is my blood in the new testament ;" Luke
saith, " This cup is the new testament in my blood which
shall be shed for you." This is a strange speakinor, and far The si™ of

f ,, „ J 11 Ai_ • the body of

from the use of our tongue, to call the sign and confirmation Christ is can-

by the name of the thing that is signified and confirmed,

The testament is, that Christ's blood is shed for our sins :

and Christ saith, " This cup is that testament ;" signifying

thereby, that the thing that is meant by this ceremony is,

that we believe that his blood-shedding is the remission of

our sins ; which is the very testament.

Paul, 1 Cor. xi. saith on this manner: "That which I
delivered unto you I received of the Lord. For the Lord
Jesus, the same night in the which he was betrayed, took
bread : and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said,
Take ye, and eat; this is my body, which is broken for you:
this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also
he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This CUD is
the new testament in my blood : this do, as often as ye
drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye shall
eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye shall shew the Lord's
death until he come."

As Matthew and Mark agree in these words, so do Lucas
and Paul. And as it is above declared upon the words of
Luke, and so here by oft repeating one thing : (" This do in
remembrance of me. This cup is the new testament in my
blood. This do as oft as ye drink it in the remembrance of me."
Again, " As oft as ye shall eat of this bread and drink of this
cup, so oft ye must declare the Lord's death :") by this often
repeating, I say, ye may evidently perceive that the cause,
intent, and whole purpose of the institution of this sacrament
was to testify and confirm the faith of the testament made in
the death of Christ ; how that, for his sake, our sins shall be
forgiven.

So, " Do this in the remembrance of me :" that is to say,
' Take bread and wine, and rehearse the covenant and testa
ment over them, how that my body was broken, and my

366

THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

cor. xi.

neb.*.

ruated?sti"

There are

three oy>i-

thenssacrba°ut
boednyandhe
ch£t.of

The first

blood shed for many : and then give them to the people to
eat and drink, to be a sign and earnest, and the seal of the
testament ; and cry upon them, without ceasing, to believe in
me only for the remission of sins, and not to despair, how
weak soever they be, only if they hang on me, and desire
power to keep the law after my doctrine and example of my
life, and do mourn and be sorry because they cannot do that
good thing which they would.'

For, saith Paul, " Whosoever shall eat of this bread or
drink of the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the
body and blood of the Lord:" that is to say, whoso receiveth
the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ with an un
clean heart, not forsaking the old lusts of the flesh, nor pur
posing to follow Christ, and to be to his neighbour as Christ
was to him, only merciful ; the same sinneth against the body
and blood of Christ ; in that he maketh a mock of the earnest
death of Christ, and, as it is written Hebrews the tenth,
" treadeth Christ under foot, and counteth the blood of the
testament wherewith he was sanctified1 as an unholy thing,
and doth dishonour to the Spirit of grace."

^ ^s ve ma7 perceive again what the sacrament mean-
e^> an(^ w^at the intent of the ordinance was, and how such
ceremonies came up, and whence they had their beginning,
and what the fruit thereof is, and what is therein to be sought.
And though this were enough, so that I might here well cease ;
yet, because the unquiet, scrupulous, and superstitious nature
of man, wholly given to idolatry, hath stirred up such tradi
tions about this one sacrament most specially, I cannot but
speak thereof somewhat more, and declare what my conscience
thinketh in this matter.

Ye shall understand therefore that there is great dissen-

.

siollj ^™ ^YeQ opinions, about the words of Christ, where he
saith, *n pronouncing the testament over the bread, " This is
my body ;" and in pronouncing it over the wine, " This is
my blood."

One part2 say that these words, " This is my body,"
"This is my blood," compel us to believe, under pain of
damnation, that the bread and wine are changed into the very
body and blood of Christ really : as the water at Cana Galilee
was turned into very wine.

C1 Washed, in R. S. ed.] [2 The Romanists.]

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 367

The second part3 saith, ' We be not bound to believe that £*£ gj°nd
bread and wine are changed ; but only that his body and
blood are there presently4.'

The third say, ' We be bound by these words only to be-
lieve that Christ's body was broken, and his blood shed for
the remission of our sins ; and that there is no other satisfac
tion for sin than the death and passion of Christ.'

The first say these words, "This is my body," "This is A declaration
my blood," compel us to believe, that things there shewed are
the very body and blood of Christ really. But bread and
wine, say they, cannot be Christ's natural body ; therefore
the bread and wine are changed, turned, altered, and transub
stantiated into the very body and blood of Christ. And they
of this opinion have busied themselves in seeking subtilties and
similitudes to prove, how the very body and blood might be
there under the similitude of bread and wine only, the very
bread and wine being thus transubstantiated. And these men
have been so occupied in slaying all that will not captive
their wits to believe them, that they never taught nor under
stood that the sacrament is an absolution to all that thereby
believe in the body and blood of Christ.

The second part grant with the first, that the words com- A declaration
pel us to believe that the things shewed in the sacrament are theserondf
the very body and blood of Christ. But where the first say afovemen-
' bread and wine cannot be the very body and blood of Christ/
there they vary and dissent from them, affirming that bread
and wine may, and also is, Christ's body really, and very
blood of Christ ; and say, that ' it is as true to say that bread
is Christ's body, and that wine is his blood, as it is true to
say Christ being a very man is also very God.' And they
say, ' As the Godhead and manhood in Christ are in such man
ner coupled together, that man is very God, and God' very
man ; even so the very body and the bread are so coupled,
that it is as true to say that bread is the body of Christ, and
the blood so annexed there with the wine, that it is even as
true to say that the wine is Christ's blood.'

The first, though they have slain so many in and for the
defence of their opinion, yet they are ready to receive the
second sort to fellowship, not greatly striving with them or

[3 The Lutherans.]

[4 Presently: after the manner of a thing present, before us.]

368 THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

abhorring the presence of bread and wine with the very body
and blood, so that they yet by that means may keep him
there still, and hope to sell him as dear as before, and also
some to buy him, and not to minish the price.
A declaration The third sort affirm, that the words mean1 no more but

of them of

Son above1"" onty ^iat we believe, ^J tne things that are there shewed,

mentioned. fazi christ's body was broken and his blood shed for our
sins, if we will forsake our sins and turn to God to keep his
law. And they say that these sayings, " This is my body,"
and, " This is my blood," shewing bread and wine, are true as
Christ meant them, and as the people of that country, to
whom Christ spake, were accustomed to understand such
words, and as the scripture useth in a thousand places to
speak. As when one of us saith, ' I have drunk a cup of
good wine,' that saying is true as the man meant; that he
drank wine only, and not the cup ; which words haply, in
some other nation's ears, would sound that he drank the cup
too. And as when we say of a child, ' This is such a man's
very face ;' the words are true, as the manner of our land is
to understand them, that the face of the one is very like the
other. And as when we say, ' He gave me his faith and his
truth in my hand,1 the words are true as we understand them;
that he struck hands with me, or gave earnest in sign or
token that he would bide by his promise. For the faith of
a man doth alway rest in his soul, and cannot be given out,
though we give signs and tokens of them. Even so, say
they, we have a thousand examples in the scripture, where
signs are named with the names of things signified by them :
as Jacob called the place, where he saw the Lord face to face,

Gen.xxxii. Phenid, that is, God's face, when he saw the Lord face to
face. Now it is true to say of that field, that it is God's face,
though it be not his very face. The same field was so called
to signify that Jacob there saw God face to face.

The chief hold and principal anchor that the two first
have, is these words, " This is my body : This is my blood."
Unto these the third answereth as is above said. Other texts
they allege for themselves, which not only do not strength

John vi. their cause, but rather make it worse : as the sixth of John ;

rapists are which they draw and wrest to the carnal and fleshlv eating of

the wresters " ° .

S6 scrip~ Christ's body in the mouth, when it only meaneth of this
t1 So Day ; K. S. has will in the place of mean.']

OF THE CODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 369

eating by faith. For when Christ said, " Except ye eat the
flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye2 -have no life
in you," this cannot be understood of the sacrament. For
Abraham had life, and all the old holy fathers ; Christ's
mother, Elizabeth, Zacharias, John Baptist, Simeon, Anna,
and all the apostles, had life already by faith in Christ ; of
which not one had eaten his flesh, and drunken his blood, with
their bodily mouths. But truth it is, that the righteous liveth
by his faith ; ergo, to believe and trust in Christ's blood is
the eating that there was meant, as the text well proveth. If
they say, We grant that life cometh by faith ; but we all that
believe must be baptized to keep the law and to keep the
covenant in mind ; even so all that liveth by faith must re
ceive the sacrament: I answer, The sacrament is a confir- The sacra-

.. •, . , . . , , . , ments are

mation to weak consciences, and in no wise to be despised ; connrma-
howbeit many have lived by faith in the wilderness, which in consciences.
twenty, thirty, or forty years have not received the sacra
ment. Notwithstanding, this oration is nothing to the pur
pose. For Christ spake to the blind and unbelieving Jews ;
testifying to them, that they could have no life except they
should first eat his flesh, and drink his blood : ergo, this Fai
eating and drinking is meant only of that thing that first wo
bringeth life into the soul, and that is faith, by your own
confession. And therefore must it be understood of faith
only, and not of the sacrament.

And Matthew, the last [chapter] : ' ' I am with you always, Matt, xxviii.
even unto the end of the world ;" which may well be under
stood, and so was it of old doctors, by his spiritual being with
us by faith, and in his Spirit. And so may that text of
Matthew xviii. be understood : " Where two or three are Matt XVHL
gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of
them." There is many times two or three good men that
meet together in Christ's name, where the sacrament is not.
And Paul (Eph. iii.) boweth his knees for the Ephcsians to Eph. m.
God, " That he would give them his riches, to be strength
ened with his Spirit, that Christ may dwell in their hearts
through faith." Where the heart then believeth in Christ,
there dwelleth Christ in the heart ; though there be no bread
in the heart, neither yet in the maw.

I? Ye shall, in R. S. cd.J

24
[TYNDALE.J

370 THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

The *wo ^rs^ Pai>ties taking the old doctors to be on their
side, I answer, Many of the old doctors spake so mystically
that they seem sometimes to affirm plainly that it is but bread
and wine only concerning the substance, and that it is a
figure of the body and blood of Christ only ; and sometimes,
that it is his very body and blood : therefore it were needless
to wade any further herein.

th"mnoTuie° ^-nc^ un^° them of the second opinion, that the bread is
hi3 veiT body, I answer, Ye must remember that the old
doctors as earnestly call it a sacrifice, as they do Christ's
body. But that ye deny : and say, with the epistle to the
Hebrews, that he was but once sacrificed for altogether, when
he offered and sacrificed himself to the Father for our sins,
and can now no more be sacrificed. Christ dieth no more
novv> an(^ therefore is no more sacrificed. Neither do we

evsearflfice for properly offer him to God. But he in his mortal flesh
offered himself for us to God the Father, and purchased
therewith a general pardon for ever. And now doth God

oftehepea-rine th° Father proffer him, and giveth him to us. And the
priests, in God's stead, proffer him. and give him unto the
people, for a remission and absolution of their sins daily, if
they by the moving and stirring of the sacrament believe in
the body and blood of Christ.

weitah" Wherefore ye2 ought of no right to be angry -with them
of the third opinion, though they deny the doctors, where
they seem to say that the sacrament is the very body of

[l In Day's folio there is a break after the words pardon for ever ;
but there is none in the older edition by Stoughton. Whatever led
the editor of the folio, supposed to be Foxe the martyrologist, to
make a separate paragraph of the words which intervene between
for ever and wherefore, seems also to have led him to suppose that
Tyndale had changed his subject ; and consequently to attach this
marginal note. When read, as in Stoughton's edition, it is easily seen
that Tyndale is continuing his description of what he thought suitable
for ' them of the second opinion/ that is, the Lutherans, to say in ex
planation of their belief.]

[2 The Lutherans, or consubstantialists.]

[3 The error of the previous margin is continued here. Stough
ton's edition is still without a break; and Tyndale is here speaking
to the Lutherans, as he was speaking for them in the previous sentence.
He is now reminding the Lutherans that they, as well as those of the
third opinion, held in what have since been called the reformed
churches, were alike obliged to deny what the old doctors seem some-

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 371

Christ; as they4 be not angry with you, when ye deny
them5, where they as earnestly affirm that it is a sacrifice.
Nevertheless they 4 answer, that doctors call it a sacrifice only
because it is the memorial, the earnest and seal of that ever
lasting sacrifice offered once for all. And even so say they
that the doctors called the sacrament the body and blood of signs com-

• • monly called

Christ after the same manner only ; because it is the memo- ^^"^
rial, the earnest, and seal of his body and blood, as the use Jjjed "lere-
of the scriptures is to call signs by the names of things
signified thereby.

And unto them of the first opinion I answer, with the
same reason, that it is impossible that the sacrament should
be a very sacrifice. For neither the sacrifices of the old law
which prophesied the sacrificing of Christ, neither yet our
redemption, was fulfilled that night. For if the scriptures
and prophecies were then fulfilled, and we then redeemed,
Christ died on the morrow in vain ; and false are the apostles Note this
and evangelists, that preach his body-breaking and blood- Jj^JgJ1/
shedding under Pontius Pilate, by the persecution of Caiaphas lowing-
and Annas, to be our redemption.

Moreover, for all the breaking and dividing of the sacra
ment of his body among his apostles, his body abode still
alive ; and for all the pouring out of the sacrament of his
blood, of the pot into the cup, and out of the cup into the
mouths and bellies of his disciples, he bled as fresh on the
morrow as though he had bled then nothing at all.

He was verily much more easily sacrificed that night, in
the breaking and dividing of the bread and pouring out of
wine, than he was on the morrow. The sacrament was that
night, no doubt, but a description of his passion to come6 ; as
it is now a memorial of his passion past. He instituted the
manner of the sacrament then, and taught his disciples also
that they after understood, when he was risen again, and
not then, as they never had capacity to understand him when
he spake of his death. For they then imagined carnally of

times to affirm. It is not till the opening of the next paragraph that
Tyndale reverts to his argument with ' them of the first opinion/ or
the Romanists.]

[4 The reformed, or holders of the third opinion.]

[5 The old doctors.]

[6 So R. S. : Day has, passion come. And.~\

24—2

372 THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

Christ (as the Jews yet do) that Christ should never die, (as
he did not, concerning his Godhead,) but should live ever
bodily, as he now doth concerning his resurrection.
AH the doe- Wherefore, seeing that all the doctors with one accord

tors with one

tScrait ca^ ^Q sacrament so earnestly a sacrifice, they l cannot other-

a sacrifice. wjge understand than2 that they3 so say after the use of the

scripture only, because it is the memorial of the sacrifice of

his death and blood-shedding. Why should they1 then of

Papists ricrht be offended, if we4 understand the doctors after the

should be in- . 1111 t

different in same manner, when they call it his body and blood ; and

judgments as

Protestants that they so call it after the use of the scripture, because that

it is only a memorial of his body and blood ?

Transubstan- As concerning the transubstantiation : I think that such
word used a speech was among the old doctors, though they that came

among the . ' »

old doctors. after understood them amiss. Their hearts were gross, through
busying themselves too much with worldly business. For the
bread and wine are but only bread and wine, till the words
of the testament be rehearsed over them ; and then they
cease to be any6 more bread and wine in the hearts of the
true believers : for the heart, after these words once spoken,
thinketh only upon the covenant made in the body and blood
of Christ, and through faith eateth his body, and drinketh his
blood ; though the eyes, and other senses, perceive nothing
but bread and wine : as when a man sometime seeketh for
a text in the bible, he seeth paper and ink and the figures of
letters ; yet his heart not once thinketh of any other thing
than on the words and sense of his text. And thereof, no
doubt, came up this transubstantiation through false under
standing.

andeloodUar- Another thing is this, none of those wicked heretics which

gument. denied Christ to be very God, or any of them that denied

Christ to be man or to have a very body, save a fantastical

[! The Lutherans.]

[2 So II. S. : Day has them instead of than, and inserts but, between
only and because.]

[3 The old doctors.]

[4 The holders of the third opinion.]

[5 The editor of Day's edition has again misunderstood his author;
failing to perceive that in this paragraph Tyndale speaks again of
consubstantiation, as he avowedly returns to transubstantiation in
the next.]

[6 So Day: R. S. has begin to be no, instead of cease to be any.]

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 373

body, did cast the true believers in the teeth at any time, of
the faith of Christ's body present in their sacrament every
where ; which thing it is not like but they would have done,
if that opinion had then been a general article of the faith.

Neither was there any heresy, or diversity of opinion, or The pope
disputing about the matter, till the pope had gathered a council JgJ^g1'
to confirm this transubstantiation : wherefore it is most likely ^rngain t?
that this opinion came up by them of latter days. thro°Jorfthe

Furthermore, all the law and prophets seek7, all that cte1£f
Christ did or can yet do, is to bring us to believe in him, cr
and in God the Father through him, for the remission of sins ;
and to bring us unto that which immediately followeth out
of that belief, to love our neighbours for his sake as he loved
us. Wherefore if Christ did put his bodily presence in the
sacrament, and would we should believe it ; it is done only to
bring us to this faith. Now is this faith no where less had,
than where that opinion is most strong ; neither so cruelly
persecuted of Jew or Turk, as of them that most fervently
defend that opinion. True faith maketh a man to love his
brother : but that opinion maketh them to hate and slay
their brethren, that better believe in Christ than they of that
opinion do ; and that murder do they, for fear of losing that
they have gotten through that opinion.

Item, they of this opinion, instead of teaching us to believe
in Christ, teach us to serve Christ with bodily service, which raPist
thing is nought else but idolatry. For they preach, that all
the ceremonies of the mass are a service to God by reason of
the bodily works, to obtain forgiveness of sins thereby, and
to deserve and merit therewith. And yet Christ is now a
spiritual substance with his Father, having also a spiritual
body8; and with the Father to be worshipped, in spirit only.
And his service in the spirit is only to believe in him for
the remission of sin, to call upon him, and give him thanks,
and to love _our neighbours for his sake.

Now all works done to serve man, and to bring him to
this point, to put his trust in Christ, are good and acceptable
to God; but, done for any other purpose, they be idolatry
and image-service, and make God an idol or bodily image.

[7 So R. S. : Day's ed. omits seek.]

[8 So Day : R. S. has, " is now a spirit with his Father, both in
body and soul."]

374

THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

Mark ix.

Papists are
cruel perse
cutors.

The faithful
are in good
state, though
the wicked
judge the
contrary.

Cor. xiii.

Again, seeing the faith of the testament in Christ's blood
is the life of the righteous, from the beginning of the world
to the end ; and forasmuch as the sacrament was instituted
only to bring to this life ; now when they which think not
the body to be present in the sacrament l have by the preach
ing and confirmation of the sacrament obtained this life or
stedfast faith in Christ's blood, and by the daily use of the
sacrament are more and more hardened therein, and in the
love that springeth thereof ; what reasonable cause have the
contrary part (which believe the body present, and bread
turned into the very body as flesh, bones, hair, sinews, nails,
and all other, as he was put on the cross, of length and
quantity, I cannot tell what) to rail on us as heretics, hate,
persecute, and slay us most cruelly as enemies ? Christ saith,
Qui contra me non est, mecum est, " He that is not against
me is with me." Now they that believe in Christ for the
remission of their sins, and for his sake love their foes, are
not Christ's enemies ; ergo, they be on Christ's side. Why
then should they, that boast themselves to be Christ's friends,
slay them ? Faith in Christ's blood, and in the Father
through him, is God's service in the spirit2. And so have
they, which believe not the bodily presence, served God
a long time, and thereto been holpen by the sacrament. The
other part fallen therefrom through preaching3 the body pre
sent, serving4 God with bodily service, (which is idolatry,
and to make God an idol or image,) in that they trust in the
goodness of their works (as they which serve tyrants), and
not in the goodness of God through trust in the blood of
Christ : ergo, they that believe not the bodily presence (not
a little thereto compelled through the wicked idolatry of the
contrary belief) are not to be thought so evil as the other
would have them seem to be.

Paul teacheth, (1 Cor. xiii.) that if a man had all other

[l In R. S/s edition there is a parenthesis between the words
sacrament and have, which Day probably omitted as unintelligible.
As printed by R. S. the parenthesis is as follows : ' (a thousand
ensamples in the scripture concerning their judgment)/ Perhaps
concerning is a misprint for confirming.]

[2 So R. S. : but Day, in spirit.]

[3 So R. S. : but Day's text has believing instead of preaching.]

[4 So both R. S. and D. ; but the sense seems to require serve.]

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 375

gifts that God can give man, and had not charity to love his
neighbour, it helpeth not. For all other gifts, and the remis
sion in Christ's blood also, are given him of God, to bring
him to love his neighbour ; which thing had, a man hath all ;
which not had, a man hath nothing.

And, Phil. ii. how sweetly and how vehemently conjureth rhil- iL
he them to draw all one way, to be of one accord and one
mind or sentence ; and to do nothing of strife or of vain
glory, that is to say, of hate or disdain one of another, or of
affection to himself for to seem glorious ; but each to prefer
other through meekness, and to have his [own] opinion
suspect, and to fear lest he hath not obtained the understand
ing ; rather than of presumption to his own wit to despise
and hate the contrary party, and persecute as a tyrant ! And
in the third of the same, Paul saith : " Let as many as be phl1- iLi-
perfect," (that is to say, be truly taught, and know the law
truly, and her office, and the office and effect of faith, and
know which be good works before God, and what the intent of
them is,) " let us," saith he, " so far5 as we be come, proceed
in one rule, that we may be of one accord6." Now hitherto Faith only

J justifieth,

we be all come, and this general rule have we gotten, that
faith only justifieth, that is to say, that the sin is forgiven
only for Christ's sake ; and again, that our duty is to love
our neighbours no less than Christ loved us : wherefore
let us proceed forth in this rule, and exhort each other to
trust in Christ, and to love each other as Christ did ; and in
this, wherein we all agree, let us be wise only and fervent,
and strive who shall be greatest and go foremost.

And in that7 which is not opened to all parties, let us be
meek, sober, and cold ; and keep our wisdom secret to our
selves, and abide patiently, till God open it to other also.

The cause why the third part say that this word (is)
compelleth us not to believe the bodily presence of Christ to
be there is this. The Jews (say they) are wont ever to
name the memorial and signs of things with the very name

[5 Such is R. S/s reading ; but Day has serve instead of far.']
[G Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thuswise minded :
and if ye be otherwise minded, I pray God open even this unto you.
Nevertheless in that whereunto we are come, let us proceed by one
rule, that we may be of one accord. Phil. iii. Tyndale's translation.]
[? So R. S. : but Day has this.']

what it is to
say.

376

THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

Gen. xxxii.

Gen. xxxiii.

Gen. xxxv.

Gen. I.

of the thing signified ; that the very name might the better
keep the thing in mind : as when Jacob, Gen. xxxii. turned
home again out of Mesopotamia, saw the angels of God come
against1 him, he called the place where he saw them Malia-
naim2, an host; because that his posterity in time to come,
when they heard the field, which was none host, yet so called,
should ask why it was so named, that their elders might
thereby have an occasion to teach that Jacob saw there an
host of angels.

And again in the same chapter, when the angel that
wrestled with him had blessed him, and was departed, Jacob
called the name of the place Pheniel, God's face ; that the
people in time to come should ask why it was called God^s face,
and their elders should answer, because Jacob saw there God
face to face, that the name should keep the thing in mind.

And again, in the thirty-third, where he had made booths3,
or houses of boughs for his beasts, he named the place Suc-
coth, that is, booths.

Item, Gen. xxxiii. he bought a parcel of land and built
there an altar ; and called it, El Eloth Israel 4, The mighty
God of Israel.

Item, Gen. xxxv. he called the place El Bethel*, The
God of Bethel. And Genesis, the last chapter, Joseph
held a lamentation for his father seven days, and the people
of the country called the name of the place Abel Masrain,
Gen. 1. the lamentation of the Egyptians. Now the place
was not the lamentation ; but so called to keep the lamenta
tion in niemorv.

t1 To come against is, in old English, to come with an opposite
motion, whether with, or (as here) without an opposing purpose ; to
come so as to face the party spoken of. The word against is used
with a similar meaning in Joshua v. 13. "Joshua lifted up his eyes,
and behold there stood a man over against him, and Joshua said, Art
thou for us ? "J

[2 D'Onft- Two camps, or two hosts. For the noun is in the dual
number.]

[3 Day, boughtos. R. S. bowthes.]

[4 Hebr. ^NH^ Vf b& ^ 5 or
tho text in R. S. but omitted by Day.]

[5 Hebr. ^NWQ, bti- Day omits the words: 'He called the
place El Bethel.']

Elohe Israel ; printed as in

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 377

Item, Exodus xii. the lamb is called Pesah 6, a passing by; *-'x<>d. xi
because the angel did pass by the houses and hurtcd not
where it was slain, and the blood stricken on the posts : that
the name should keep the thing in memory.

Item, Exod. xxix. and Leviticus7, almost everywhere the Exod. x
beast offered for sin is called sin ; which use of speaking
Paul useth, Rom. viii. and 2 Cor. v. and calleth Christ sin ; |*gn. v
when Christ yet is neither sin nor sinful, but an acceptable
offering for sin. And yet he is called our sin, because he
bare our sins on his back ; and because our sins are consumed,
and made no sin in him, if we will forsake our sins, and believe
in Christ for the remission thereof. Christ is also called our
righteousness, to certify us that when we have no righteous
ness of our own, yet that his righteousness is given us, to
make satisfaction for our unrighteousness, if we will believe it.

Item, Exodus the xxx. the sin or sin-offering is called Exod. x
atonement ; and it was yet but a sign, certifying the con
science that the atonement was made, and that God had for
given the sin.

Item, Judges i. they called the name of a certain city Judg. i.
Horma3, as it were an ntter destruction; because that they
had utterly destroyed man, woman, and child, and all that
bare life.

Item, Judges xv. the place where Sampson killed men Judg. x
with an ass's jaw was called Lehi, that is, jaw-bone, to keep
the act in mind.

Item, Judges xviii. there went a company out of the Judg. xv
tribe of Dan, and pitched besides Kiriath Jearim, in Judah,
and the place was called ever after Mahond JDaneg, the host
of Dan, only to keep the thing in mind.

Item, 1 Kings vi. a great stone, where God slew fifty i sam. v

[c Hebr. nDS-l

[? So R. S.'s edition; but Day has 8, after Leviticus, thus confining
the remark to that chapter, where it only occurs in verses 2 and 14.
In our present authorised version the Hebr. Dublin is translated

T - -

sin-o/ering, without distinguishing the word offering by italics.]

[8 Hebr. HD^n 5 from D*!il> to cut off, to extirpate, to lay under
a curse.]

[9 So printed in R. S.'s edition. Day omits the imitation of the
Hebrew words p HDHD ; which are more closely copied in our au
thorised version, Mahaneh-Dan. ]

378 THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

thousand, was called the great lamentation ; insomuch that
the text saith, they put the ark on the great lamentation1,
vii. Item, 1 Kings vii. Samuel pitched a stone on an end,

and called it the help-stone2 ; because God had there holpen
them, and given them a great victory of the Philistines.

i Kings xxii. Item, the last of the 3rd of Kings, Sedechias came to
Achab with a couple of horns on his head, saying, " With these
horns shalt thou slay the Assyrians." He meant not that
Achab should take these horns, and gore at the Assyrians ; but
would that he should believe only that, as a beast scattereth a
cock of hay with his horns, so should Achab scatter the host
of the Assyrians with his host.

Numb. vi. Item, Numbers the sixth, He that voweth abstinence must

let his hair grow, to keep his abstinence in mind ; and when
his abstinence is out, he is commanded to shave the head of
his abstinence, and to offer such offerings as are there ap
pointed, after that he hath shaven off his abstinence. Lo here,
the hair is called his abstinence, and is yet but a memory of
his abstinence3.

Jer. vii. Item, Jerem. vii. the prophet was commanded to shear

off his abstinence, and to cast it away : which abstinence is
but his hair4.

Also, Ezekiel xii. God commanded the prophet to remove
with all his goods, after such manner as conquerors carry
the people captive from country to country ; and when he
had done, the Lord said unto him, "This prophecy is the cap
tain, or prince, of Jerusalem5;" when yet it was but anensam-
ple to him, how he should be served.

[! In 1 Sam. vi. 18, the English reader may observe that the words
stone of are in Italics, implying that the Hebrew has only * the great
Abel/ n^VTUrr bltf > or, as Tyndale says, the great lamentation.']

[2 Hebr. 'niyn 11N > Eben haazer.]

V T T ' V V

[3 The word HT3 rendered by Tyndale abstinence, and in our autho
rised version of Numb. vi. 18. separation, is acknowledged by lexico
graphers to have each of those meanings.]

[4 In Jerem. vii. 29, the word rendered hair by our translators is
again 1T3 , and therefore, as Tyndale has observed, is strictly no more

than abstinence, or separation.]

[s Ezek. xii. 10. tf^nM il-til NitfEPT N'ttttn • Authorised

• - T • V - T ~ . T -

version, 'This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem;' where the

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 379

Finally, where Matthew and Mark say, "This cup is my A short and
blood of the new testament;" Paul and Luke say. " This lectionVSw

. . former argu-

cup is the new testament in my blood." Now must the sense ments-
of the words of the two first, Matthew and Mark, be all one
with the senses of the words of the two last, Luke and Paul.
The words of Luke and Paul are : " This cup is the new tes
tament made in my blood," or for my blood's sake.

Now the testament is, that his blood was shed for our
sins ; but it is impossible that the cup or his blood should be
that promise. Wherefore the sense must needs be, that it is
the memorial and seal of the testament only. And therefore
where Matthew and Mark say, " This cup is my blood of the
new testament," the sense must needs be also, that it is the
memorial and seal thereof; only calling, after the use of the
Hebrews, the sign with the name of that which is signified ;
that is to say, calling the wine, which only signifieth the
blood, with the name of the blood. And then it folio weth
that the bread is called his body after the same manner, be
cause it is the sign of his body.

These and like examples move the third part to affirm,
that we be not bound to believe that the bread is the very
body of Christ, though it be so called ; nor that the bread is
transubstantiated into the body : no more than the things
here rehearsed are that they be called, or transubstantiated
into the very things which they be called.

The other will answer, Though this memorial were not the An objection
things whose names they bear, yet it will not follow that it papfctJ
should be so here in the sacrament. For they that gave such
other names had no power to make the things so to be : but
Christ is very God, and hath power to make his body to be
every thing and every where.

I answer, That God cannot make every of his crea- An answer to
tures God too6; neither can it be proved less repugnant7
that a creature should be every where, than that he should
be God.

Moreover, though God, where he appeared to Jacob, had

removal of the word in Italics will shew the English reader, that the
form of speech is as Tyndale stated; though he has substituted pro-
pliecy for its metaphor, burden.]

[G So R. S. Too is wanting in Day.]

[f So R. S., but Day has repugnance.]

380 THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

pitched a stone on an end, and called ifc God's face ; yet had
we not been any more bound to believe that it had been the
very face of God, than if Jacob had done it. The almighti-
ness of God standeth not in that he is able to do all that our
foolish, lewd1 thoughts may imagine. But because all power
is his and of him, and that he doth all he will, and hath made
all of nought, and can bring all to nought again, and can do
all that includeth not contrary to the truth and verity that
God hath put in his creatures ; and because he can do things
impossible for man, or any other creature to do, or to think
how they should be done ; therefore he is called the Lord
Almighty. But because to brawl about such possibility or
impossibility is the lust of sophisters, and also the desire of
the devil to quench the profession of our baptism, and to wipe
out the image of Christ out of our hearts, and a thing end
less ; therefore I count it wickedness to wade forth in it,
and to give them that seek it an occasion perpetually to
scold. The negative may a man hold, till they can prove
the affirmative.

Moreover, if bread be the very body of Christ, whether
abiding the very body still or transubstantiated, and enjoy
the glory of the soul of Christ, and also of the Godhead,
it seemeth impossible to be avoided but that Christ was made
man and died : also bread, which seemeth to some a great
inconvenience2. Howbeit that great promotion3 of bread,
and also that high power of priests above all angels4, I

[! Lewd: misled, ignorant. So Frith also uses the word. "Then
ihey are of corrupt minds, and lewd as concerning the faith/ Anti
thesis of Christ and the pope. In its origin it was the Saxon par
ticiple of the verb IcePan, to mislead, or betray.]

[2 Inconvenience : unsuitableness. The text is very obscure. If
there be no misprint, it would seem that there must be an ellipsis
in the last clause ; and that Tyndale meant to say, ' and also made
bread/ R. S/s editition has a full stop before also; whilst Day has
only the colon.]

[3 Proclamation, Day.]

[4 At the close of a council assembled at Rome, in 1099, at which
Abp. Anselm and his friend the monk Eadmer were present, pope
Urban II. anathematized all such clerks as should consent to do
homage to any prince for any ecclesiastical preferment: "Dicens,
Nimis execrabile videri mantis quse in tantam eminentiam excreverint,
ut, quod nemini angelorum concessum est, Deum cuncta creantem suo
ministerio creent, et eundem ipsum pro redemptionc et salute totius

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 381

amit5 also, to avoid all brawling. But one reason I have,
unto which I cleave somewhat, and it is this.

All that is between God and man in the scripture is for An excellent

argument.

man's necessity, and not for any need that God hath thereof.
And other spiritual profit can none have by that faith in the
sacrament, than to be taught thereby to believe in Christ our
Saviour, and to do good to his neighbour. Now is that be
lief and love had as well, and rather better, (as is above
proved,) without such faith than with it : ergo, where the
scripture compelleth to no such belief, it is wickedness to
make it a necessary article of our faith, and to slay them,
that cannot think that it ought to be believed.

Notwithstanding all these reasons, and the damnable
idolatry which the papists have committed with the sacra
ment, yet, whether they affirm the body and blood to be
present with the bread and wine, or the bread and wine to be
turned and transubstantiated into the body and blood, I am
therewith content (for unity's sake) if they will there cease,
and let him be there only to testify and confirm the testa
ment or covenant made in Christ's blood and body ; for which
cause only Christ instituted the sacrament. But and if they
will rage further with their blind reasons of their subtle
sophistry and devilish idolatry, and say, where Christ's blood
is, there is his body, and where his body is, there is his soul,
and where his soul is, there is the6 Godhead and the Trinity,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and there men
ought to pray, and say, ' 0 Father, which art present with thy
Son Christ, under bread and wine, or in form of bread and
wine' — if (I say) they so rave, then as the old prophet for
like idolatry denieth God to dwell in the temple, or to have
pleasure in sacrifice of blood of goats, sheep and calves ; even
so deny I the body of Christ to be any more in the sacra-

mundi summi Dei Patris obtutubus offerant, in lianc ignominiam de-
trudi ut ancillrc fiant carum manuum qua) die ac nocte obscoenis con-
tagiis inquinantur." — Eadmeri Monachi Cantuar. Hist. Novorum.
Edited by J. Selden, London, 1624, Lib. n. p. 53, where however
cuigelorum is misprinted anglorum.]

[5 So R. S.'s edition. Day has admit. As omit from omitto, and
admit from admitto, so Tyndale may have employed amit from amitto
in its sense of putting aside.] •

[G So R. S.'s edition. Day his.]

382

THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

ment, than God was in the golden calves, which Jeroboam
set up to be prayed to, the one in Bethel, and the other in
Dan : for though God be present everywhere, yet if heaven
of heavens cannot compass him to make him a dwelling-place
(as the scripture testifieth), and much less the temple that was
at Jerusalem^ how should he have a dwelling-place in a little
wafer or crumb of bread ? God dwelleth not in the temple ;
neither did our fathers, which were of the true faith in the
old testament, pray to God as present in the temple : but the

i Kings viii. name of God only was in the temple, 1 Kings viii. and his
law and covenants and wonderful deeds were therein written
in signs, and were there preached and testified continually of
the true priests and prophets unto the people. The fathers
of the true faith came thither furthermore, for the fervent
love which they had towards the laws and covenants of God.
For the which prophets Salomon prayed so earnestly unto
the Lord God, saying : " Hear thou, 0 God, in heaven thy
dwelling-place, and do all that the stranger calleth to thee for;
that all nations of the earth may know thee, and fear thy

i Kings viii. name, as do this people Israel, &c." Read the third book of
of Kings, the eighth chapter. When God delighted only in
the faith of the offerer, which believed in God only for all
mercy, taking the sacrifice for a sure token and earnest of
the mercy of God, certified by that sign, that God loved them,
and was at one with them for Christ's sake to come : as we
should be certified by the sacrament of God with us for
Christ's death that is past1. And Christ taught us in our
prayers to look up to heaven and say, Our Father, which art
in heaven; and he himself in all his prayers did lift up his
eyes to heaven to his Father ; and so did he when he insti
tuted the sacrament, and rehearsed the words of the covenant
over bread and wine, as it is written Matthew xxvi. ; Mark
xiv. ; Luke xxii. ; 1 Cor. xi. ; in these words, " Jesus took
bread," &c.

Christ, though he affirmed himself to be the Son of God,
and his Father to be in him, yet he taught not his disciples to

[! The expression here seems to be intended for, certified of God
being ivith us. R. Stoughton's edition reads, certified by the sacrament
of God is with us. The antithesis would be more complete if it were
read, As we should be certified, by the sacrament, that God is at one
with us, for Christ's death that is past.]

Matt. xxvi.
Mark xiv.
Luke xxii.
1 Cor. xi.

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 383

direct the prayer to the Father in him, but up to the Father
in heaven ; neither lift he up his eyes, or prayer, to his
Father in the sacrament, but to his Father in heaven. I
know divers, and divers men know me, which love me as
I do them : yet if I should pray them, when I meet them
in the street openly, they would abhor me ; but if I pray
them where they be appointed to meet me secretly, they will
hear me and accept my request. Even so though God's
presence be everywhere, yet will he be prayed to up to the
place only where we shall see him, and where he would have
us to long for to be.

Moreover if I grant you that the blood of Christ is in
the cup, it will [not] follow that his body is there also ;
neither when I grant that his body is in the bread, or under
the form of bread, will it follow that his soul is there too.
Christ made the bread the sacrament of his body only :
wherefore as the bread is no similitude of2 his blood, so am I
not bound or ought to affirm, that his blood is there present.
And he did institute the wine to be the sacrament of his
blood only. And haply it was red wine, the more lovely3
to represent it. Now as the wine in no similitude doth re
present the body, so am I not bound, nor ought to affirm,
that his body is there present.

Ye say that Christ is so mighty, that though he stood
mortal before his disciples' eyes, yet he was able to make the
same body that same time to be in the sacrament immortal,
and to be under every little piece of bread or of the sacra
ment, though it be no greater than a mote in the sun, and
that as long, as great, and thick as he stood before them. If
he were so mighty, why is he not as mighty to make his
blood to be alone, and his body alone? His blood, body and
soul were each alone at his death, and while the body lay in
the sepulchre.

Finally, Christ said, " This is my4 blood that shall be
shed:" ergo, it is true now, This is my blood that was shed.
Now the blood of Hales5, and the blood that is in many other

[2 R. S/s edition, similitude of the sacrament of his blood.]
[3 Perhaps, lively, i. e. livclily.]
[4 R. S. his.]

[5 ' There was also another famous imposture discovered at Hales,
in Gloucestershire ; where the blood of Christ was pretended to be

384 THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM, AND

places, men say is the blood that was shed ; ergo, that blood
is in the sacrament, if any bo : but I am not bound to believe
or ought to affirm, that the blood that is at Hales is animate
with the soul of Christ, or that his body is there present.

Wherefore, to avoid this endless brawling, which the
devil no doubt hath stirred up, to turn the eyes of our souls
from the everlasting covenant made us in Christ's blood and
body, and to noscl us in idolatry, which is trust and con
fidence in false worshipping of God ; and to quench first the
faith to Christ- ward, and then the love due to our neighbour ;
therefore methinketh that the party that hath professed the
faith of Christ, and the love of his neighbour, ought of duty
to bear each other, as long as the other opinion is not plain
wicked through false idolatry, nor contrary to the salvation
that is in Christ, nor against the open and manifest doctrine
of Christ and his apostles, nor contrary to the general ar
ticles of the faith of the general church of Christ, which are
confirmed with open scripture ; in which articles never a
true church in any land dissenteth.

There be many texts of1 the scripture, and therefore
diversely expounded of holy doctors, and taken in contrary
senses, when no text hath contrary senses indeed, or more
than one single sense : and yet that hurteth not ; neither arc
the holy doctors therefore heretics, as the exposition destroy-
eth not the faith in Christ's blood, nor is contrary to the open
scripture or general articles. No more doth it hurt to say

shewn in a vial of crystal, which the people sometimes saw, but
sometimes they could not see it ; so they were made believe that
they were not capable of so signal a favour, as long as they were in
mortal sin. Arid so they continued to make presents, till they bribed
heaven to give them the sight of so blessed a relic. This was now
discovered to have been the blood of a duck, which they renewed
every week ; and the one side of the vial was so thick, that there was
no seeing through it, but the other was clear and transparent. And
it was so placed near the altar, that one in a secret place behind,
could turn either side of it outward. So when they had drained the
pilgrims that came thither of all they had brought with them, then
they afforded them the favour of turning the clear side outward ; who
upon that, went home very well satisfied with their journey, and tho
expense they had been at.' Bp. Burnet's Hist, of the Reform. B. in.
vol. i. p. 242—3. ]st ed.]
L1 R. S. in.]

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 385

that the body and blood are not in the sacrament. Neither
doth it help to say they be there, but hurt exceedingly, if
ye infer that the soul is there too, and that God must be
there prayed to ; when, as our kingdom is not on the earth,
even so we ought not to direct our prayers to any God in
earth, but up where our kingdom is, and whither our Re
deemer and Saviour is gone, and there sitteth on the right
hand of his Father, to pray for us, and to offer our prayers
unto his Father, and to make them for his sake acceptable.
Neither ought he, that is bound under pain of damnation to
love his brother as Christ loved him, to hate, to persecute,
and to slay his brother for blind zeal to any opinion, that
neither letteth nor hindereth to salvation that is in Christ :
as they which pray to God in the sacrament not only do, but
also through that opinion, as they have lost love to their
neighbours, even so have they lost the true faith in the
covenant made in Christ's blood and body : which covenant
only is that which saveth. And to testify this, was the sa
crament instituted only.

[TYNDALE.]

TYNDALE'S

ADDRESSES TO THE READERS

OF

DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF THE
HOLY SCRIPTURES.

25 — 2

[INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

TYNDALE'S earliest Prologue, having been subsequently altered by
him for publication as a separate treatise, has already been given to
the subscribers to this volume in the text and notes of the Pathway.
The next composition of the same class was an epistle ' To the
Reader/ at the close of his first published version of the New Testa
ment. It is not in Day's folio of his works, but was given to the
public by Mr Offor, in his reprint of the New Testament of 1526,
from the unique copy of that edition preserved in the Museum of the
Baptists' College at Bristol, with which Mr Offor's reprint of the
epistle to the Reader has again been collated for this edition by the
Rev. T. S. Crisp, president of that college.

The other Prologues and Prefaces being in Day's folio of 1573,
his text of them has been collated by the editor, either with Tyndale's
own editions of his New Testament and Pentateuch, or with the
reprints of them in Matthews' Bible of 1536.]

TYNJDALE'S

EPISTLE TO THE READER,

SUBJOINED TO HIS FIRST PUBLISHED VERSION
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT,

1526.

TO THE READER.

GIVE diligence, reader, I exhort thee, that thou como
with a pure mind, and, as the scripture saith, with a single
eye, unto the words of health and of eternal life ; by the
which, if we repent and believe them, we are born anew,
created afresh, and enjoy the fruits of the blood of Christ :
which blood crieth not for vengeance, as the blood of Abel,
but hath purchased life, love, favour, grace, blessing, and
whatsoever is promised in the scriptures to them that believe
and obey God; and standeth between us and wrath, ven
geance, curse, and whatsoever the scripture threateneth
against the unbelievers and disobedient, which resist and con
sent not in their hearts to the law of God, that it is right,
holy, just, and ought so to be. Mark the plain and manifest
places of the scriptures, and in doubtful places see thou add
no interpretations contrary to them; but (as Paul saith) let
all be conformable and agreeing to the faith. Note the
difference of the law and of the gospel. The one asketh
and requireth, the other pardoneth and forgiveth. The one
threateneth, the other promiseth all good things to them that
set their trust in Christ only. The gospel significth glad
tidings, and is nothing but the promises of good things. All
is not gospel that is written in the gospel-book : for if the
law were away, thou couldest not know what the gospel
meant ; even as thou couldest not see pardon and grace,
except the law rebuked thee, and declared unto thee thy sin,
misdeed, and trespass. Repent and believe the gospel, as

390 EPISTLE TO THE READER

saith Christ in the first of Mark. Apply alway the law to
thy deeds, whether thou find lust in thine heart to the law-
ward ; and so shalt thou no doubt repent, and feel in thyself
a certain sorrow, pain, and grief to thine heart, because
thou canst not with full lust do the deeds of the law. Apply
the gospel, that is to say the promises, unto the deserving of
Christ, and to the mercy of God and his truth, and so shalt
thou not despair ; but shalt feel God as a kind and merciful
father. And his Spirit shall dwell in thee, and shall be
strong in thee, and the promises shall be given thee at the
last, (though not by and by1, lest thou shouldest forget thy
self and be negligent,) and all threatenings shall be forgiven
thee for Christ's blood's sake, to whom commit thyself alto
gether, without respect either of thy good deeds, or of thy
bad.

Them that are learned christianly I beseech, forasmuch
as I am sure, and my conscience beareth me record, that of
a pure intent, singly and faithfully, I have interpreted it, as
far forth as God gave me the gift of knowledge and under
standing, that the rudeness of the work now at the first
time offend them not ; but that they consider how that I had
no man to counterfeit, neither was helped with English of
any that had interpreted the same or such like thing in the
scripture beforetime. Moreover, even very necessity, and
cumbrance (God is record) above strength, which I will not
rehearse, lest we should seem to boast ourselves, caused that
many things are lacking which necessarily are required.
Count it as a thing not having his full shape, but as it were
born before his time, even as a thing begun rather than
finished. In time to come (if God have appointed us there
unto) we will give it his full shape, and put out, if ought be
added superfluously, and add to, if ought be overseen through
negligence ; and will enforce to bring to compendiousness that
which is now translated at the length, and to give light
where it is required, and to seek in certain places more
proper English, and with a table to expound the words which
are not commonly used, and shew how the scripture useth
many words which are otherwise understood of the common
people, and to help with a declaration where one tongue
taketh not another ; and will endeavour ourselves, as it
[* That is, immediately.]

SUBJOINED TO THE NEW TESTAMENT. 391

were, to seethe it better, and to make it more apt for the
weak stomachs ; desiring them that are learned, and able, to
remember their duty, and to help them thereunto, and to
bestow unto the edifying of Christ's body, which is the con
gregation of them that believe, those gifts which they have
received of God for the same purpose.

The grace that cometh of Christ be with them that love
him. Amen.

THE PEEFACE

OF

MASTER WILLIAM TYNDALE,

THAT HE MADE BEFORE THE FIVE BOOKS
OF MOSES, CALLED GENESIS.

ANN. 1530. JANUA. 17.1

WHEN I had translated the New Testament, I added an
epistle unto the latter end, in which I desired them that
were learned to amend if ought were found amiss. But our
malicious and wily hypocrites, which are so stubborn and
The reason hard-hearted in their wicked abominations, that it is not
possible for them to amend any thing at all, (as we see by
of daily experience, when both their livings and doings are re-
. buked with the truth,) say, some of them, that it is impossible
to translate the scripture into English ; some, that it is not
lawful for the lay-people to have it in their mother-tongue ;
A subtle shift some, that it would make them all heretics ; as it would, no
cier^,ptope s doubt, from many things which they of long time have falsely
evil. taught ; and that is the whole cause wherefore they forbid

it, though they other cloaks pretend : and some, or rather
every one, say that it would make them rise against the king,

[! Such is the heading to this preface in Day's folio. Its wording
seems to imply, that it was originally composed by Tyndale to go forth
with his edition of Genesis, as separately published ; and this preface
is, in fact, found prefixed to a Genesis, published without the other
parts of the Pentateuch, which is now in the Bodleian, and has this
colophon : ' Emprented at Marlborow in the lande of Hesse, by me,
Hans Luft, the yere of cure Lorde M.CCCCC.XXX. the xvn dayes of
Januarii.'

The margins to this preface are all of more recent date than its
publication, and were probably composed for Day by John Foxe.]

PREFACE TO THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES, 393

whom they themselves (unto their damnation) never yet obeyed.
And lest the temporal rulers should see their falsehood, if the
scripture came to light, causeth them so to lie.

And as for my translation, in which they affirm unto the HOW the
lay-people (as I have heard say) to be I wot not how many vSsJuhe

, r , , . J ' J Tyndale's

thousand heresies2, so that it cannot be mended or correct; gj™1*^011 of

they have yet taken so great pain to examine it, and to com- Testament-

pare it unto that they would fain have it, and to their own

imaginations and juggling terms, and to have somewhat to

rail at, and under that cloak to blaspheme the truth ; that

they might with as little labour (as I suppose) have translated

the most part of the bible. For they which in times past The papists

11 • , 1 1 ,1 /> i • shamed not

were wont to look on no more scripture than they found in to wrest the

,v • T\ n i v-i i *T i i • i scriptures.

tneir Duns**, or such like devilish doctrine, nave yet now so
narrowly looked on my translation, that there is not so much
as one i therein, if it lack a tittle over his head, but they
have noted it, and number it unto the ignorant people for
an heresy. Finally, in this they be all agreed, to drive
you from the knowledge of the scripture, and that ye shall
not have the text thereof in the mother-tongue, and to keep
the world still in darkness, to the intent they might sit in the
consciences of the people, through vain superstition and false
doctrine, to satisfy their filthy lusts, their proud ambition,
and unsatiable covetousness, and to exalt their own honour
above king and emperor, yea, and above God himself.

A thousand books had they lever to be put forth against The papists
their abominable doings and doctrine, than that the scripture wonderfully

1 A to have sup-

should come to light. For as long as they may keep that
down, they will so darken the right way with the mist of
their sophistry, and so tangle them that either rebuke or
despise their abominations, with arguments of philosophy, and
with worldly similitudes and apparent reasons of natural
wisdom, and with wresting the scripture unto their own
purpose, clean contrary unto the process, order, and meaning
of the text; and so delude them in descanting upon it with ASOV
allegories, and amaze them, expounding it in many senses
before the unlearned lay-people, (when it hath but one simple, cannourw

^ L L ' \ r > papists abide

the light of

[2 Bishop Tonstal had said in a sermon that he found 2000 cor- the gospeU
ruptions or errors in Tyndale's New Test. See Fulke's Defence.
Park. Soc. ed. p. 61.]

[3 That is, the works of Duns Scotus.]

394:

PREFACE TO THE

What first
moved W.
Tyndale to
translate the
scripture into
English.

Rev. ix.

This bishop
of London
was then
Tonstall,
which after
ward was
bishop of
Durham.

The pope's
chaplains'
pulnit is the
ale-house.

literal sense, whose light the owls cannot abide,) that, though
thou feel in thine heart, and art sure, how that all is false
that they say, yet couldst thou not solve their subtle riddles.

Which thing only moved me to translate the new Testa
ment. Because I had perceived by experience, how that it
was impossible to establish the lay-people in any truth, except
the scripture were plainly laid before their eyes in their
mother-tongue, that they might see the process, order, and
meaning of the text : for else, whatsoever truth is taught
them, these enemies of all truth quench it again, partly with
the smoke of their bottomless pit, whereof thou readest in
Apocalypse, chap. ix. (that is, with apparent reasons of sophis
try, and traditions of their own making, founded without
ground of scripture,) and partly in juggling with the text,
expounding it in such a sense as is impossible to gather of
the text, if thou see the process, order, and meaning thereof.

And even in the bishop of London's house I intended to
have done it. For when I was so turmoiled in the country
wh ere I was, that I could no longer dwell there, (the process
whereof were too long here to rehearse,) I this-wise thought
in myself : This I suffer because the priests of the country be
unlearned ; as God it knoweth, there are a full ignorant sort,
which have seen no more Latin than that they read in their
portesses and missals, which yet many of them can scarcely
read, (except it be Albertus de secretis muliertim, in which
yet, though they be never so sorrily learned, they pore
day and night, and make notes therein, and all to teach the
midwives, as they say ; and Linwode 1, a book of constitutions,
to gather tythes, mortuaries, offerings, customs, and other
pillage, which they call not theirs, but God's part, and the
duty of holy church, to discharge their consciences withal ;
for they are bound that they shall not diminish, but increase
all things unto the uttermost of their powers ;) and therefore,
(because they are thus unlearned, thought I,) when they come
together to the ale-house, which is their preaching-place, they
affirm that my sayings are heresy. And besides that, they

[! William Lindwood, or Linwood, fellow of Pembroke Hall,
Cambridge, and keeper of the privy seal to Henry V. collected and
digested the Constitutions of the archbishops of Canterbury, from
Stephen Langton to Henry Chicheley. This compilation was printed
at Paris in 1505, and is still held in esteem by canonists.]

FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES. 395

add to, of their own heads, which I never spake, as the
manner is to prolong the tale to short the time withal, and
accused me secretly to the chancellor and other the bishop's
officers. And, indeed, when I came before the chancellor, he Christ's
threatened me grievously, and reviled me, and rated me as SdySa.i-

, „ monish, but

though I had been a dog ; and laid to my charge whereof

there could be none accuser brought forth, (as their manner J>™£ and
is not to bring forth the accuser,) and yet all the priests of
the country were the same day there.

As I this thought, the bishop of London came to my re- partiality
membrance, whom Erasmus (whose tongue maketh of little mSeof£U?
gnats great elephants, and lifteth up above the stars whosoever
giveth him a little exhibition,) praiseth exceedingly, among
other, in his Annotations on the New Testament, for his great
learning2. Then thought I, if I might come to this man's
service, I were happy. And so I gat me to London, and,
through the acquaintance of my master, came to sir Harry
Gilford, the king^s grace's comptroller3, and brought him an
Oration of Isocrates, which I had translated out of Greek
into English, and desired him to speak unto my lord of Lon
don for me ; which he also did, as he shewed me, and willed
me to write an epistle to my lord, and to go to him myself;
which I also did, and delivered my epistle to a servant of his
own, one William Hebilthwayte, a man of mine old acquaint
ance. But God (which knoweth what is within hypocrites) HOW Tyndale
saw that I was beguiled, and that that counsel was not the w<

[2 This passage has given considerable trouble to former editors of
Tyndale, and narrators of his life, because they do not find bishop
Tonstal noticed in Erasmus' Annotations till 1527, when he published
his fourth edition of them. But Tonstal had gained a reputation for
learning and liberality to scholars as early as 1516, as appears from
Erasmus' letters to Sir Thomas More, cited by Mr Anderson, p. 38, n. ;
and Tyndale says 'praiseth,' not had praised, 'in his annotations/ Our
author's language does not necessarily mean, that when he sought
Tonstal's patronage, in 1523, it was in consequence of Erasmus' pub
lished praise of that prelate.]

[3 Sir Henry Guilford had returned to his native country, after
serving with reputation in the wars with the Moors in Spain under
Ferdinand and Isabella. He corresponded with Erasmus ; and in the
seventh year of Henry VIII. 1519 — 20, ho was made master of the
horse for life. Granger's Biog. Hist, of Eng. Vol. I. p. 64. edit. 1769.
Quoted by Mr Russell.]

396 PREFACE TO THE

next way unto my purpose. And therefore he gat me no
favour in my lord's sight.

Whereupon my lord answered me, his house was full ; he
mthe0 had more than he could well find ; and advised me to seek in
London, where he said I could not lack a service. And so in
London I abode almost a year, and marked the course of the
world, and heard our praters, (I would say our preachers,) how
they boasted themselves and their high authority ; and beheld
the pomp of our prelates, and how busy they were, as they
yet are, to set peace and unity in the world, (though it be not
possible for them that walk in darkness to continue long in
peace, for they cannot but either stumble or dash themselves
at one thing or another that shall clean unquiet all together,)
and saw things whereof I defer to speak at this time, and
Room understood at the last not only that there was no room in my
my"o?d? lord of London's palace to translate the new Testament, but

house for

a^so *k&t *nere was no place to do it in all England, as expe-
rience doth now openly declare.

Under what manner, therefore, should I now submit this
book to be corrected and amended of them, which can suffer
nothing to be well ? Or what protestation should I make in
such a matter unto our prelates, those stubborn Nimrods which
so mightily fight against God, and resist his Holy Spirit,
enforcing with all craft and subtlety to quench the light of
the everlasting testament, promises, and appointment made
between God and us, and heaping the fierce wrath of God
upon all princes and rulers ; mocking them with false feigned
names of hypocrisy, and serving their lusts at all points, and
dispensing with them even of the very laws of God, of which
Christ himself testifieth, Matt, v., that " not so much as one
tittle thereof may perish, or be broken ; " and of which the
prophet saith, Psalm cxviii., " Thou hast commanded thy laws
to be kept" meod}, that is, in Hebrew, exceedingly, with all
diligence, might, and power ; and have made them so mad
with their juggling charms and crafty persuasions, that they
think it a full satisfaction for all their wicked lying to tor
ment such as tell them truth, and to burn the word of their
souls' health, and slay whosoever believe thereon?

Notwithstanding yet I submit this book, and all other

[l Ps. cxix. (numbered in Vulgate cxviii.) v. 4.

FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES. 397

that I have either made or translated, or shall in time to
come, (if it be God's will that I shall further labour in his selves to GOU.
harvest,) unto all them that submit themselves unto the word
of God, to be corrected of them ; yea, and moreover to be
disallowed and also burnt, if it seem worthy, when they have
examined it with the Hebrew, so that they first put forth of
their own translating another that is more correct.

PROLOGUES BY WILLIAM TYNDALE

SHEWING

THE USE OF THE SCRIPTURE, WHICH HE WROTE BEFORE
THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES.

Not the
tongue, but
the life,
proveth a
true gospel
ler.

The truest
touchstone
of religion is
Christ's
gospel.

The scripture
of God is the
sword of the
Spirit.

THOUGH a man had a precious jewel and a rich, yet if
he wist not the value thereof, nor wherefore it served, he
were neither the better nor richer of a straw. Even so,
though we read the scripture, and babble of it never so much,
yet if we know not the use of it, and wherefore it was
given, and what is therein to be sought, it profiteth us
nothing at all. It is not enough, therefore, to read and talk
of it only, but we must also desire God, day and night in
stantly, to open our eyes, and to make us understand and feel
wherefore the scripture was given, that we may apply the
medicine of the scripture, every man to his own sores ; unless
that we intend to be idle disputers, and brawlers about vain
words, ever gnawing upon the bitter bark without, and never
attaining unto the sweet pith within, and persecuting one
another in defending of lewd imaginations and fantasies of our
own invention.

Paul, in the third of the second epistle to Timothy, saith,
" that the scripture is good to teach," (for that ought men to
teach, and not dreams of their own making, as the pope
doth,) "and also to improve;" for the1 scripture is the touch
stone that trieth all doctrines, and by that we know the false
from the true. And in the vith to the Ephesians he calleth
it "the sword of the Spirit," because it killeth hypocrites,
and utter eth and improveth their false inventions. And in
the xvth to the Romans he saith, " All that are written are
written for our learning ; that we through patience and com
fort of the scripture might have hope :" that is, the ensam-

C1 In the 'Pentateuch corrected' of 1534, which is preserved in the
Museum of the Baptists' college, it is, that scripture.}

PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 399

pies that are in the scripture comfort us in all our tribula
tions, and make us to put our trust in God, and patiently to
abide his leisure. And in the xth of the first to the Corin
thians he bringeth in examples of the scripture to fear us,
and to bridle the flesh, that we cast not the yoke of the law
of God from off our necks, and fall to lusting and doing
of evil.

So now the scripture is a light, and sheweth us the true
way, both what to do and what to hope for ; and a defence
from all error, and a comfort in adversity that we despair
not, and feareth us in prosperity that we sin not. Seek
therefore in the scripture as thou readest it, *first the law,
what God commandeth us to do ; and secondarily, the pro
mises, which God promiseth us again, namely in Christ Jesus
our Lord. Then seek ensamples, first of comfort, how God Tribulation
purgeth all them, that submit themselves to walk in his ways, God.
in the purgatory of tribulation, delivering them yet at the
latter end, and never suffering any of them to perish that
cleave fast to his promises. And, finally, note the ensamples
which are written to fear the flesh, that we sin not : that is, what we
how God suffereth the ungodly and wicked sinners that resist
God, and refuse to follow him, to continue in their wicked
ness ; ever waxing worse and worse, until their sin be so
sore increased, and so abominable, that if they should longer
endure they would corrupt the very elect. But for the elect's
sake God sendeth them preachers. Nevertheless they harden
their hearts against the truth, and God destroy eth them
utterly, and beginneth the world anew2.*

This comfort shalt thou evermore find in the plain text
and literal sense. Neither is there any story so homely,
so rude, yea, or so vile (as it seemeth outward), wherein is

[2 The passage between asterisks is a substitute, in Day's text, for a
much longer passage in Tyndale's ' Pentateuch corrected : ' but the
use of the verb fear, for to cause fear, in the substituted passage, is so
peculiarly Tyndale's, as to leave little doubt that he himself intro
duced this change into some later edition of this Prologue to Genesis;
and it therefore would not be right to insert here what its author
deliberately erased. As, however, the removed passage contains valu
able instruction, and was probably only struck out of the Prologue,
because it was, in fact, less applicable to Genesis than to most other
parts of the narrative portion of the old Testament, the reader will
find it at the end of this Prologue.]

400 PROLOGUE TO THE

not exceeding great comfort. And when some, which seem
to themselves great clerks, say, 'They wot not what more
profit is in many gests of the scripture, if they be read with
out an allegory, than in a tale of Robin Hood:' say thou,
A goodly 'That they were written for our consolation and comfort ; that

comfort ~

agamst^de- we despair not, it such like happen unto us. We be not
holier than Noe, though he were once drunk ; neither bet
ter beloved than Jacob, though his own son defiled his bed.
We be not holier than Lot, though his daughters through
ignorance deceived him ; nor, peradventure, holier than those
daughters. Neither are we holier than David, though he
brake wedlock, and upon the same committed abominable
murder. All those men have witness of the scripture that
they pleased God, and were good men, both before that
those things chanced them, and also after. Nevertheless such
things happened them for our ensample, not that we should
counterfeit their evil ; but if, while we fight with ourselves,
enforcing to walk in the law of God as they did, we yet fall
likewise, that we despair not, but come again to the laws of
God, and take better hold.'

Examples We read, since the time of Christ's death, of virgins that

of their evils o

u?butbt°oden "ave '•)een krougnt unto the common stews, and there defiled ;
sffnrandfde-m and of martyrs that have been bound, and whores have
Cation, ^used their bodies. Why? The judgments of God are
bottomless. Such things chanced partly for ensamples ; partly,
God through sin healeth sin. Pride can neither be healed,
nor yet appear, but through such horrible deeds. Peradven
ture they were of the pope's sect, and rejoiced fleshly ; think
ing that heaven came by deeds, and not by Christ, and that
the outward deed justified them and made them holy, and
not the inward spirit received by faith, and the consent of the
heart unto the laws of God.

ou°htwto re- ^s *nou rea(^es*» therefore, think that every syllable per-
i™rvees0to"the taineth to thine own self, and suck out the pith of the scrip-
thedscr!p0-f ture, and arm thyself against all assaults. First note with
strong faith the power of God, in creating all of nought ;
then mark the grievous fall of Adam, and of us all in him,
through the light regarding of the commandment of God.
In the ivth chapter, God turneth him .unto Abel, and then
to his offering, but not to Cain and his offering : where thou
seest that though the deeds of the evil appear outwardly as

tures.

BOOK OF GENESIS. 401

glorious as the deeds of the good, yet in the sight of God,
which looketh on the heart, the deed is good because of the
man, and not the man good because of his deed. In the vith,
God sendeth NOG to preach to the wicked, and giveth them
space to repent : they wax hard-hearted, God bringeth them
to nought, and yet saveth Noe, even by the same water by
which he destroyed them. Mark also what followed the
pride of the building of the tower of Babel.

Consider how God sendeth forth Abraham out of his own Faith our
country into a strange land, full of wicked people, and gave maUaaauiu.
him but a bare promise with him, that he would bless him
and defend him. Abraham believed, and that word saved
and delivered him in all perils : so that we see how that
man's life is not maintained by bread only, as Christ saith,
but much rather by believing the promises of God. Behold
how soberly, and how circumspectly, both Abraham and also
Isaac behave themselves among the infidels. Abraham buycth
that which might have been given him for nought, to cut off
occasions. Isaac, when his wells which he had digged were
taken from him, giveth room and resisteth not. Moreover,
they ear1 and sow, and feed their cattle, and make confedera
tions, and take perpetual truce, and do all outward things
even as they do which have no faith ; for God hath not made
us to be idle in this world. Every man must work godly we may not

v o «/ trust in our

and truly, to the uttermost of the power that God hath given ^*ordUrad
him; and yet not trust therein, but in God's word or pro- £r°™ise of
mise, and God will work with us, and bring that we do to
good effect : and then, when our power will extend no fur
ther, God's promises will work all alone.

How many things also resisted the promises of God to GO;I burthen-

Til T S-1 ' 6tl W'th hlS

Jacob I And yet Jacob conjureth God with his own pro- promise,
mises, saying, "0 God of my father Abraham, and God of
my father Isaac, 0 Lord, which saidest unto me, Return
unto thine own country, and unto the place where thou wast
born, and I will do thee good ; I am not worthy of the least
of those mercies, nor of that truth which thou hast done to
thy servant : I went out but with a staff, and come home
with two droves : deliver me out of the hands of my brother
Esau, for I fear him greatly," &c. And God delivered him,
and will likewise all that call unto his promises with a repent-
[i That is, plough.]

r 26

[TYNDALE.J

402 PROLOGUE TO THE

ing heart, were they never so great sinners. Mark also the
weak infirmities of the man. He loveth one wife more than
another, one son more than another. And see how God
purgeth him. Esau threateneth him ; Laban beguileth him ;
the beloved wife is long barren ; his daughter is ravished ;
his wife is defiled, and that of his own son. Rachel dieth,
Joseph is taken away, yea, and, as he supposed, rent of
wild beasts. And yet how glorious was his end ! Note the
weakness of his children, yea, and the sin of them, and how
The Hoiy God through their own wickedness saved them. These en-

Ghost breath- °

ami whfern it samples teach us, that a man is not at once perfect the first
fay fre beginneth to live well. They that be strong, there
fore, must suffer with the weak, and help to keep them in
unity and peace one with another, until they be stronger.

Note what the brethren said when they were attached1
in Egypt : " We have verily sinned (said they) against our
brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he be
sought us, and would not hear him ; and therefore is this

coence of tribulation come upon us." By which ensample thou seest
^ow ^a^ conscience °f evil doings findeth men out at last,
but namely in tribulation and adversity : there temptation,
and also desperation, yea, and the very pains of hell, find us
out : there the soul feeleth the fierce wrath of God, and
wisheth mountains to fall on her, and to hide her (if it were
possible) from the angry face of God.

Mark also, how great evils follow of how little an occa-

megreat g-Qn> j)]nan goeth but forth alone to see the daughters of
the country, and how great mischief and trouble followed !
Jacob loved but one son more than another, and how grievous
murder followed in their hearts ! These are ensamples for
our learning, to teach us to walk warily and circumspectly in
the world of weak people, that we give no man occasions of
evil.

Finally, see what God promised Joseph in his dreams.
Those promises accompanied him always, and went down with
him even into the deep dungeon, and brought him up again,
and never forsook him, till all that was promised was fulfilled.

Ensampies These are ensamples written for our learning (as Paul saith),

for our f t 3 x '

learning. to teach us to trust in God in the strong fire of tribula
tion and purgatory of our flesh ; and that they which sub-
[! Pent, of 1534, tache'1 '. o. arrested.]

BOOK OF GENESIS. 403

mit themselves to follow God, should note and mark such
things : for their learning and comfort is the fruit of the
scripture, and cause why it was written. And with such a
purpose to read it, is the way to everlasting life, and to those
joyful blessings that are promised unto all nations in the Seed
of Abraham ; which Seed is Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom
be honour and praise for ever, and unto God our Father
through him. Amen.

[The passage mentioned in note 2. p. 399, as forming part of this
prologue in its earliest editions, and as having had a few sentences,
more closely connected with the subject of Genesis, inserted in its
place in Day, stands as follows in Tyndale's Pentateuch of 1534.]

Seek therefore in the scripture, as thou rcadcst it,
chiefly and above all, the covenants made between God and
us ; that is to say, the law and commandments which God
commandeth us to do ; and then the mercy promised unto
all them that submit themselves unto the law. For all the
promises throughout the whole scripture do include a cove
nant : that is, God bindeth himself to fulfil that mercy unto
thee only if thou wilt endeavour thyself to keep his laws ;
so that no man hath his part in the mercy of God, save he
only that loveth his law, and consenteth that it is righteous
and good, and fain would do it, and ever mourneth because
he now and then breaketh it through infirmity, or doth it
not so perfectly as his heart would.

And let love interpret the law, that thou understand this
to be the final end of the law, and the whole cause why the
law was given ; even to bring thce to the knowledge of God,
how that he hath done all things for thee, that thou mightcst
love him again with all thine heart, and thy neighbour for
his sake as thyself, and as Christ loved thce : because thy
neighbour is the son of God also, and created unto his like
ness as thou art, and bought with as dear blood as art thou.
Whosoever fecleth in his heart that every man ought to love
his neighbour as Christ loved him, and consenteth thereto,
and enforceth to come thereto, the same only understanclcth
the law aright, and can interpret it. And he that submittcth

26—2

404 PROLOGUE TO THE

not himself, in the degree he is in, to seek his neighbour's
profit as Christ did his, can never understand the law, though
it be interpreted to him ; for that love is the light of the law,
to understand it by.

And behold how righteous, how honest, and how due - a
thing it is by nature, that every man love his neighbour un-
feignedly even as himself, for his Father's sake. For it is
the father's great shame and his high displeasure, if one
brother hurt another. If one brother be hurt of another,
he may not avenge himself, but must complain to his father,
or to them that have authority of his father, to rule in his
absence. Even so if any of God's children be hurt by any
of his brethren, he may not avenge himself with hand or
heart. God must avenge. And the governors and ministers
of the law that God hath ordained to rule us by, concerning
our outward conversation of one with another, they must
avenge. If they will not avenge, but rather maintain wrong
and be oppressors themselves, then must we tarry patiently
till God come, which is ever ready to reap tyrants off the
face of the earth, as soon as their sins are ripe.

Consider also what wrath, vengeance, and plagues God
threateneth to them that are rebellious and disobedient.

Then go to and read the stories of the bible for thy
learning and comfort, and see every thing practised before
thine eyes ; for according to those ensamples shall it go with
thee and all men until the world's end : so that into what
soever case or state a man may be brought, according to
whatsoever ensample of the bible it be, his end shall be ac
cording as he there seeth and readeth. As God there warn-
eth ere he smite, and suffereth long ere he take extreme
vengeance, so shall he do with us. As they that turn are
there received to mercy, and they that maliciously resist
perish utterly, so shall it be with us. As they that resist
the counsel of God perish through their own counsel, so shall
it be with us until the world's end. As it went with their
kings and rulers, so shall it go with ours. As it was with
their common people, so shall it be with ours. As it was
with their spiritual officers, so shall it be with ours. As it
was with their true prophets, so shall it be with ours until
the world's end. As they had ever among them false pro
phets and true, and as their false persecuted the true, and

BOOK OF GENESIS. 405

moved tlio princes to slay them, so shall it bo with us until
the end of the world. As there was among them but a few
true-hearted to God, so shall it bo among us ; and as their
idolatry was, so shall ours be, until the end of the world.
All mercy that is shewed there is a promise unto thee, if
thou turn to God. And all vengeance and wrath shewed
there is threatened to thee, if thou be stubborn and resist.
And this learning and comfort shalt thou evermore find in
the plain text and literal sense, &c.

A TABLE,

EXPOUNDING CERTAIN WORDS IN THE FIRST BOOK OF
MOSES, CALLED GENESIS.

ABRECH. Tender father ; or, as some will, Bow the
knee1.

ARK. A ship made flat, as it were a chest or a coffer.

[! These two explanations of "-[H^ltf ? the word proclaimed before
Joseph, Gen. xli. 43, are retained in the margin and text of our
authorised version. The first is the proper one, if we are to suppose
that the four letters are two words, 7p ^tf ; whilst the second might
be a correct interpretation, if we arc to consider the word as the
hiphil imperative of -J"Q , with the formative servile Jf changed into
tf, as occurs in some other instances.

The interpretation, 'tender father,' Tyndalc could neither have
learnt from the Greek Septuagirrt, nor from Luther's German version,
nor from the Latin Vulgate ; which last two have been rashly said to
have been the only sources from whence he could translate. The
Greek translator has either left the word Tpltf unnoticed, or has
supposed it to be the Egyptian term for a herald. Luther has para*
phrased it, $cr 1st DCS ILanflcs Tatrr, which he may have taken from the
Chaldee paraphrast, whoso words are tf^D*? N1& ]^- Tne Vul
gate has, TJt omnes coram eo genu flectcrcnt.

Modern lexicographers have generally assumed that the word is
Egyptian, and have gathered from the Coptic a meaning not remote
from 'Bow the knee:' whilst Prof. James Robertson, in his Clavis
Pentateuchi, makes "-pH its root, and supposes the servile ^ to make
its effect superlative, rendering it, 'most blessed.']

406 TABLE EXPOUNDING

BissE1. Fino white, whether it be silk or linen.

BLESS. God's blessings are his gifts : as in the first chap
ter he blessed them, saying, " Grow and multiply, and have
dominion,'" &c. And in the ninth chapter he blessed Noah
and his sons, and gave them dominion over all beasts, and
authority to eat them. And God blessed Abraham with cat
tle and other riches. And Jacob desired Esau to receive
the blessing which he brought him, that is, the present and
gift. God blessed the seventh day ; that is, gave it a pre
eminence, that men should rest therein from bodily labour,
and learn to know the will of God and his laws, and how to
work their works godly all the week after. God also blesseth
all nations in Abraham's Seed; that is, he turneth his love
and favour unto them, and giveth them his Spirit and know
ledge of the true way, and lust and power to walk therein,
and all for Christ's sake, Abraham's son.

CAIN. So is it written in Hebrew. Notwithstanding,
whether we call him Cain, or Cairn, it maketh no matter,
so we understand the meaning, Every land hath his man
ner : that we call John, the "Welshmen call Evan, the Dutch
Haunce. Such difference is between the Hebrew, Greek,
and Latin ; and that maketh them that translate out of the
Hebrew vary in names from them that translate out of Latin
or Greek 2.

CURSE. God's curse is the taking away of his benefits ;
as God cursed the earth, and made it barren. So now hun
ger, dearth, war, pestilence, and such like, are yet right
curses, and signs of the wrath of God unto the unbelievers ;
but unto them that know Christ they are very blessings, and
that wholesome cross and true purgatory of our flesh, through
which all must go that will live godly and be saved: as

[! The word used by Tyndale in Genesis xli. 42, where the autho
rised version has fine linen, and in its margin silk. Tyndale has
evidently formed the word from BiWos-, which occurs in Luke xvi. 19.]

[2 It is thus that, having to follow the Greek in the New Testament,
Tyndale wrote, and our authorised version continues, Osee. Gr. ci2o-?/e,
in Rom. ix. 25. instead of Hosea, or more correctly Hoshea, for JJtth'rT.

But in Heb. iv. 8, Tyndale writes Josue, not suffering a defect in the
Greek alphabet to restrain him from copying the Hebrew name with
sufficient closeness to avoid a confusion between the son of Nun and
Jesus Christ.]

CERTAIN WORDS IN GENESIS. 407

thou rcadest, Matt. v. " Blessed are they that suffer perse- Ma«-
cution for righteousness' sake," &c. And Heb. xii. " The HCU.
Lord chastiseth whom he lovcth ; and scourgeth all the chil
dren that he receiveth."

EDEN. Pleasure.

FIRMAMENT. The sky3.

FAITH, is the believing of God's promises, and a sure
trust in the goodness and truth of God : which faith justified
Abraham, and was the mother of all his good works which he ccn.
afterwards did. For faith is the goodness of all works in
the sight of God. Good works are things of God's command
ment, wrought in faith ; and to sew a shoe at the command
ment of God, to do thy neighbour service withal, with faith
to be saved by Christ, as God promiseth us, is much better
than to build an abbey of thine own imagination, trusting to
be saved by the feigned works of hypocrites. Jacob robbed
Laban his uncle ; Moses robbed the Egyptians ; and Abraham
is about to slay and burn his own son : and all are holy
works, because they are wrought in faith at God's command
ment. To steal, rob, and murder, are no holy works before
worldly people ; but unto them that have their trust in God
they are holy, when God commandeth them. What God
commandeth not, getteth no reward with God. Holy works
of men's imaginations receive their reward here, as Christ tes-
tifieth, Matt. vi. Howbeit, of faith and works I have spoken wctt.
abundantly in Mammon. Let him that desireth more seek
there.

GRACE. Favour : as Noah found grace ; that is to say,
found favour and love.

HAM and CAM all one4.

[3 The rendering of JPpn firmamentum is traceable to the LXX.
who have used the equivalent word o-repeto/xa. But the adoption of the
word orepeoo/za seems to have sprung from a system of philosophy to
which the Pharisees were inclined. It receives no countenance from
the Hebrew original, which would be most closely copied by rendering
it expanse. Tyndale, adopting the word firmament, which he found in
general use, has explained it by sky ; that his readers might understand
that strength wras not to be taken as any part of the idea attached to
his use of the word.]

[4 He means that the Cam, or Cham, of the Vulgate, and the Ham
of the English translation, arc alike intended for copies of the Hebrew
OH 5 only differing because the Hebrew letter J"! has no exact equiva-

T

lent in the Roman alphabet.]

408 TABLE EXPOUNDING

JEHOVAH, is God's name ; neither is any creature so
called ; and it is as much to say as, One that is of him
self, and dependeth of nothing. Moreover, as oft as thou
seest LORD in great letters (except there be any error in
the printing), it is in Hebrew Jehovah, Thou that art; or,
He that is1.

MARSHAL. In Hebrew he is called Sartabaim : as thou
wouldest say, Lord of the slaughtermen. And though that
Tabaim be taken for cooks in many places, (for the cooks
did slay the beasts themselves in those days,) yet it may be
taken for them that put men to execution also2. And that
I thought it should here best signify, inasmuch as he had the
oversight of the king's prison, and the king's prisoners, were
they never so great men, were under his custody : and there
fore I call him chief marshal ; an officer, as it were the lieu
tenant of the Tower, or master of the Marshalsea.

SLIME was their mortar, xith chapter ; and slime-pits,
xivth chapter. That slime was a fatness that oosed out of
the earth, like unto tar; and thou mayest call it cement, if
thou wilt.

SILOH, after some, is as much to say as sent ; and after
some, happy ; and after some, it signifieth Messias3, that is to
say, anointed, and that we call Christ after the Greek word.
And it is a prophecy of Christ ; for after all the other tribes
were in captivity, and their kingdom destroyed, yet the tribe

f1 When Tyndale thus explains Jehovah, he must be understood to
mean that if God be addressed by that name, it is like saying, O thou
self-existent one; and when he is spoken of by that name, it is like
saying, The self-existent one.]

[2 DTTjliSPf 15# occurs Gen. xxxvii. 34, and is rendered in our
authorised version, Captain of the guard; whilst the margin gives
both of Tyndale's explanations of the word. What he has said of
O^rQLD is in exact agreement with the best lexicographers.]

[3 rfW- Gen. xlix. 10. Tyndale's first remark, on Shiloh, is
doubtless allusive to the Latin Vulgate ; in which it is rendered Qui
mittendus est. But this rendering is indefensible except on the suppo
sition that Jerome read )-[> where the ordinary reading is Jf .

When he says, * after some it is equivalent to happy' he alludes to
those who consider the word as a derivative from Fbtif • And when

T T

he alters his expression and says, ' after some it signifieth Messias', ho
alludes to the Rabbinical interpreters, who derive it from *y*UJ , secun-
dina, and say it means * his son/ ( the Messiah/]

CERTAIN WORDS IN GENESIS. 409

of Judah had a ruler of the same blood, even unto the
coming of Christ : and about the coming of Christ the Ro
mans conquered them, and the emperor gave the kingdom of
the tribe Judah unto Herod, which was a stranger, even an
Edomite, of the generation of Esau.

TESTAMENT ; that is, an appointment made between God
and man, and God's promises. And sacrament is a sign
representing such appointment and promises ; as the rainbow
representeth the promise made to Noe, that God will no
more drown the world. And circumcision reprcsenteth the
promises of God to Abraham, on the one side ; and that
Abraham and his seed should circumcise, and cut off the lusts
of their flesh, on the other side, to walk in the ways of the
Lord : as baptism, which is come in the room thereof, now
signifieth on the one side, how that all that repent and believe
are washed in Christ's blood ; and on the other side, how
that the same must quench and drown the lusts of the flesh,
to follow the steps of Christ.

TYRANTS. " There were tyrants in the earth in those
days, for the sons of God saw the daughters of men," &c.
The sons of God were the prophets' children, which, though
they succeeded their fathers, fell yet from the right way ;
and through falsehood of hypocrisy subdued the world under
them, and became tyrants ; as the successors of the apostles
have played with us.

VAPOUR. A dewy mist, as the smoke of a seething pot.

WALK. To walk with God is to live godly, and to walk
in his commandments. Enos walked with God, and was no
more seen ; he lived godly, and died. God took him away ;
that is, God hid his body as he did Moses and Aaron's, lest
haply they should have made an idol of him ; for he was a
great preacher and a holy man.

ZAPHNATH PAENEA. Words of Egypt arc they (as I
suppose); and as much to say as, 'a man to whom secret
things be opened ;' or 'an expounder of secret things,1 as some
interpret it4.

[4 TO> S JlDS!i • Grcn. xli. 45. The Greek translator in the Sep-
tuagint has not given an interpretation of these words, but writes
them Voi>6op.(f)avi}x, according to some copies; ¥oro^</>ai>r;x, according
to others; and these, according to Simons, reconcile the text with

410 TABLE EXPOUNDING CERTAIN WORDS IN GENESIS.

That Joseph brought the Egyptians into such a subjec
tion, would seem unto some a very cruel deed : howbeit, it
was a very equal way ; for they paid but the fifth part of
that that grew on the ground, and therewith were they
quit of all duties, both of rent, custom, tribute, and toll ;
and the king therewith found them lords, and all ministers,
and defended them. We now pay half so much unto the
priests only, beside their other crafty exactions. Then pay
we rent yearly, though there grow never so little on the
ground ; and yet, when the king calleth, pay we never the
less. So that if we look indifferently, their condition was
easier than ours ; and but even, a very indifferent way both
for the common people, and the king also.

See, therefore, that thou look not on the ensamples of
the scripture with worldly eyes, lest thou prefer Cain before
Abel, Ismael before Isaac, Esau before Jacob, Reuben before
Judah, Zarah before Phares, Manasses before Ephraim, and
even the worst before the best, as the manner of the world is.

two different Coptic dialects. Joh. Simons. Lex. corrected by J.
Godf. Eichorn. Halsc, 1793. The Latin Vulgate has: Vocavit eum
lingua .zEgyptiaca, salvatorem mundi; which nearly agrees with Si
mon's explanation of the Coptic words. Luther has, flennete fjjn fcctt
ijeimltcfjcn ratfj. So that Tyndale was not guided by any of these
translations, in forming his opinion respecting the meaning of these
words : and his interpretation has not only been continued in the
margin of our authorised version; but has also been adopted and
defended by Professor Robertson, who says, on these words, Dictus
est (Josephus) JEgyptiace, Occultorum revelator, vel Abditorum index
et doctor. Clavis Pentat. No. 1891.]

PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 411

A PROLOGUE

INTO THE SECOND BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED EXODUS.

OF the preface upon Genesis mayest them understand

how to re£ul

how to behave thyself in this book also, and in all other ana umier-

•f stand the

books of the scripture. Cleave unto the text and plain story, scripture.
and endeavour thyself to search out the meaning of all that
is described therein, and the true sense of all manner of
speakings of the scripture ; of proverbs, similitudes, and bor
rowed speech, whereof I entreated in the end of The Obe
dience ; and beware of subtle allegories.

And note every thing earnestly, as things pertaining unto
thine own heart and soul.

For as God used himself unto them of the old Testament,
even so shall he unto the world's end use himself unto us
which have received his holy scripture, and the testimony of
his Son Jesus. As God doth all things here for them that

O

believe his promises, and hearken unto his commandments, if we hearken
and with patience cleave unto him, and walk with him ; even voic°e 0feGod,

i 11 i i <• •(• • • n • • and bend our-

so shall he do for us, if we receive the witness of Christ with selves to do

his will, lie

a strong faith, and endure patiently, following his steps, Sodandhcip
And on the other side, as they that fell from the promise of "tiierwL, he
God through unbelief, and from his law and ordinances ^£$&F*
through impatiency of their own lusts, were forsaken of God, ErSVftl?

, ' . , , ' , ,, , 1M and faithless

and so perished ; even so shall we, as many as do likewise, Jews,
and as many as mock with the doctrine of Christ, and make
a cloak of it to live fleshly, and to follow our lusts.

Note thereto, how God is found true at the last; and how,
when all is past remedy, and brought into desperation, he
then fulfilleth his promises, and that by an abject and a cast
away, a despised and a refused person ; yea, and by a way
impossible to believe.

The cause of all captivity of God's people is this : tlio
world ever hated them for their faith and trust which they
have in God; but in vain, until they fall from the faith of
the promises, and love of the law and ordinances of God, and

412

PROLOGUE TO THE

lieve
and care not
what the
world say.

The world
liketh well
all wicked
livers and
ungodly
people.

Trust and be- put their trust in holy deeds of their own finding, and live

lieve in God, * »

altogether at their own lust and pleasure, without regard of
God, or respect of their neighbour. Then God forsaketh us,
and sendeth us into captivity for our dishonouring of his
name and despising of our neighbour. But the world per-
secuteth us for our faith in Christ only, (as the pope now
doth,) and not for our wicked living. For in his kingdom
thou mayest quietly, and with licence, and under a protection,
do whatsoever abomination thy heart lusteth ; but God per-
secuteth us because we abuse his holy testament, and because
that, when we know the truth, we follow it not.

Note, also, the mighty hand of the Lord, how he playeth
with his adversaries, and provoketh them, and stirreth them
up a little and a little, and delivereth not his people in an
hour ; that both the patience of his elect, and also the worldly
wit and wily policy of the wicked, wherewith they do fight
against God, might appear.

Mark the long-suffering and soft patience of Moses, and
how he loveth the people, and is ever between the wrath of
God and them, and is ready to live and die with them, and
to be put out of the book that God had written for their
sakes, (as Paul for his brethren, Rom. ix.) and how he taketh
his own wrongs patiently, and never avengeth himself. And
make not Moses a figure of Christ, with Rochester1; but an
ensample unto all princes, and to all that are in authority,
how to rule unto God's pleasure and unto their neighbour's
profit. For there is not a perfecter life in this world, both
to the honour of God and profit of his neighbour, nor yet a
greater cross, than to rule christianly. And of Aaron also
see that thou make no figure of Christ, until he come unto
his sacrificing ; but an ensample unto all preachers of God's
word, that they add nothing unto God's word, or take ought
therefrom.

Note also, how God sendeth his promise to the people,
and Moses confirmeth it with miracles, and the people believe :
but when temptation cometh, they fall into unbelief, and few
bide standing. Where thou seest that all be not Christians,
that will be so called, and that the cross trieth the true from
the feigned ; for if the cross were not, Christ should have

Here is set
forth the
office of
every good
person.

Temptation
is the trial of
true Chris
tians.

[l That is, after the example of Fisher, bishop of Rochester,
p. 208—9.]

See

BOOK OF EXODUS. 413

disciples enough. Whereof also thou seest, what an excellent Theexeci-

* .... . lencyof faith

gift of God true faith is, and impossible to be had without *f
the Spirit of God. For it is above all natural power, that a
man, in time of temptation, when God scourgeth him, should J
believe then stedfastly how that God loveth him, and careth i^e
for him, and hath prepared all good things for him, and that
that scourging is an earnest that God hath elect and chosen
him.

Note how oft Moses stirreth them up to believe and to

-I- lesson for a

trust in God, putting them in remembrance alway in time of ^)0d Preach-
tcmptation of the miracles and wonders which God had
wrought before-time in their eye-sight. How diligently also
forbiddeth he all that might withdraw their hearts from God!
To put nought to God's word, to take nought therefrom ; to
do only that which is right in the sight of the Lord ; that
they should make no manner image, to kneel down before it; m
yea, that they should make none altar of hewed stone, for fear m
of images ; to flee the heathen idolatries utterly, and to de- images-
stroy their idols, and cut down their groves where they
worshipped ; and that they should not take the daughters of
them unto their sons, nor give their daughters to the sons of
them : and that whosoever moved any of them to worship The worship-
false gods, howsoever nigh of kin he were, they must accuse mim^MwL

him, and bring him to death ; yea, and wheresoever they Goct°rre'
heard of man, woman, or city that worshipped false gods,
they must2 slay them, and destroy the city for ever, and not
build it again ; and all because they should worship nothing
but God, nor put confidence in any thing, save in his word.

Yea, and how warneth he to beware of witchcraft, sorcery, witchcraft,

' «/ ' sorcery, &c.

enchantment, necromancy, and all crafts of the devil, and of <£Jlorred of

dreamers, soothsayers, and of miracle-doers to destroy his

word, and that they should suifer none such to live. Thou

wilt haply say, 'They tell a man the truth.' What then?

God will that wo care not to know what shall come. He

will have us care only to keep his commandments, and to

commit all chances unto him. He hath promised to care for

us, and to keep us from all evil. All things are in his hand ;

he can remedy all things ; and will, for his truth's sake, if

we pray him. In his promises only will he have us trust,

and there rest, and to seek no farther.

[2 So Pent, of 1534. Day lias should.]

414 PROLOGUE TO THE

Moses often How also doth he provoke them to love; ever rehearsing

£ a£|hty *ke benefits °f God done to them already, and the godly pro-

us°to fea?°ve mises that were to come ! And how goodly laws of love

k!™eourd to giveth he, to help one another ; and that a man should not

neighbour, j^e his neighbour in his heart, but love him as himself,

Lev. xix. And what a charge giveth he in every place over

the poor and needy, over the stranger, friendless and widow!

And when he desireth to shew mercy, he rehearseth withal

the benefits of God done to them at their need, that they

might see a cause, at the least way in God, to shew mercy

of very love unto their neighbours at their need.

Also there is no law so simple in appearance throughout
all the five books of Moses, but that there is a great reason
of the making thereof, if a man search diligently. As that
a man is forbid to seeth a kid in his mother's milk, moveth
us unto compassion, and to be pitiful. As doth also that a
man should not offer the sire, or dam, and the young both in
God win have one day. (Lev. xxii.) For it might seem a cruel thing, in-
cifui to our asmuch as his mother's milk is, as it were, his blood : where
fore God will not have him sod therein ; but will have a man
shew courtesy upon the very beasts : as in another place he
commandeth that we muzzle not the mouth of1 the ox that
treadeth out the corn, (which manner of threshing is used in
hot countries,) and that because we should much rather not
grudge2 to be liberal and kind unto men that do us service.
Or haply, God would have no such wanton meat used among
his people : for the kid of itself is nourishing, and the
goat's milk is restorative ; and both together might be too
rank, and therefore forbidden ; or some other like cause there
was.

AH the cere- ^ *ne ceremonies, sacrifices, and tabernacle, with all his
gl°r7 and pomp, understand that they were not permitted
only, but also commanded of God ; to lead the people in the
was to come shadows of Moses and night of the old testament, until the
light of Christ and day of the new testament were come :
as children are led in the fantasies of youth, until the dis
cretion of man's age be come upon them. And all was done
to keep them from idolatry.

The tabernacle was ordained to the intent they might

[! So Pent, of 1534. D. wants, the mouth of.}

[2 Pent, of 1534, has not grudge, which D. wants.]

BOOK OF EXODUS. 415

have a place appointed them to do their sacrifices openly in

the sight of the people, and namely, of the priests which

waited thereon ; that it might be seen that they did all things

according to God's word, and not after the idolatry of their

own imagination. And the costliness of the tabernacle, and The beauty of

the beauty also pertained thereunto, that they should see ^ecew^eto

nothing so beautiful among- the heathen, but that they should Jews from

«/ hearkening

see more beautiful and wonderful at home ; because they JJJJf hea~
should not be moved to follow them.

And in like manner, the divers fashions of sacrifices and
ceremonies was to occupy their minds, that they should have
no lust to follow the heathen ; and the multitude of them was,
that they should have so much to do in keeping them, that
they should have no leisure to imagine other of their own :
yea, and that God's word might be thereby in all that they
did, that they might have their faith and trust in God,
which he cannot have that folio weth either his own inven
tions, or traditions of men's making, without God's word.

Finally : God hath two testaments, the old and the new. God had two
The old testament is those temporal promises which God JJ
made the children of Israel, of a good land, and that he ne
would defend them, and of wealth- and prosperity, and of
temporal blessings, of which thou readest over all the law of
Moses, but namely Lev. xxvi. and Deut. xxviii., and the
avoiding of all threatenings and curses, of which thou readest
likewise every where, but specially in the two books above
rehearsed, and the avoiding of all punishment ordained for
the transgressors of the law.

And the old testament was built altogether upon the keep-

i i n i

ing of the law and ceremonies ; and was the reward of keep- bKuilt upon

o A the observa-

ing of them in this life only, and reached no farther than J^
this life and this world : as thou readest, Lev. xviii. " A
man that doth them shall live therein ;" which text Paul re-
hearseth, Rom. x. and Gal. iii. : that is, he that keepcth them
shall have this life glorious, according to all the promises and
blessings of the law, and shall avoid both all temporal punish
ment of the law, with all the threatenings and cursings also.
For neither the law, even of the ten commandments, nor yet ihei
the ceremonies, justified in the heart before God, or purified notgm
unto the life to come : insomuch that Moses at his death,
even forty years after the law and ceremonies were given,

416 PROLOGUE TO THE

complaineth, saying, " God hath not given you an heart to
understand, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear unto this day."
As who should say, God hath given you ceremonies, but
ye know not the use of them ; and hath given you a law,
but hath not written it in your hearts.

Wherefore serveth the law then, if it giveth us no power

to do the law ? Paul answereth them, that it was given to

The law is the utter sin only, and to make it appear : as a corrosive is laid

uttererofbin. * i i • i •

unto an old sore, not to heal it, but to stir it up, and make
the disease alive ; that a man might feel in what jeopardy he
is, and how nigh death, and not aware ; and to make a way
unto the healing plaister.

Even so saith Paul, Gal. iii. " The law was given because

of transgression," (that is, to make the sin alive, that it might

be felt and seen,) " until the seed came unto whom it was

promised :" that is to say, until the children of faith came,

or until Christ, that Seed in whom God promised Abraham

that all nations of the world should be blessed, came.

TUG law was That is, the law was given to utter sin, death, damnation,

tovshewywhat an(} curse, and to drive us1 unto Christ, in whom forgiveness,

sin was.

life, justifying, and blessings were promised ; that we might
see so great love of God to us-ward in Christ, that we, hence
forth overcome with kindness, might love again, and of love
keep the commandments.

Now2 he that goeth about to quiet his conscience and to

justify himself with the law, doth but heal his wounds with

ceremonies fretting corrosives. And he that goeth about to purchase

tolSfy'th" crace with ' ceremonies, doth but suck the ale-pole to quench

heart, but to f. _ . A

signify our lus thirst ; inasmuch as the ceremonies were not given to jus-

justification ...

by Christ, ^ify the heart, but to signify the justifying and forgiveness

that is in Christ's blood.
ceremonies Of the ceremonies, that they justify not, thou readest

eannotjus-

.g imp0gg^e fo^ gm should be done away With

the blood of oxen and goats." And of the law thou readest,
Gal. iii. " If there had been a law given that could have
quickened," or given life, "then had righteousness," or justify
ing, " come by the law indeed." Now the law not only quicken-
eth not the heart, but also woundeth it with conscience of sin,
and ministcreth death and damnation unto her, 2 Cor. iii.:

[i So Day. The Pent, of 1534, wants us.]
[» Tent, of 1534? has so now.]

BOOK OF EXODUS. 417

so that she must needs die and be damned, except she find
other remedy. So far it is off that she is justified, or holpen
by the law.

The new testament is those everlasting promises which The new tes-
are made us in Christ the Lord throughout all the scripture. g
And that testament is built on faith, and not in works. For
it is not said of that testament, He that worketh shall live ;
but, " he that believeth shall live :" as thou readest, John iii.
" God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, Faith Oniy
that none which believe in him should perish, but have life
everlasting."

And when this testament is preached and believed, the
Spirit entereth the heart, and quickeneth it, and giveth her
life, and justifieth her. The Spirit also maketh the law a Good works
lively thing in the heart ; so that a man bringeth forth good J^^^£
works of his own accord, without compulsion of the law, with
out fear of threatenings or cursings, yea, and without all
manner respect or love unto any temporal pleasure, but of
the very power of the Spirit, received through faith, as thou
readest, John i. " He gave them power to be the sons of
God, in that they believed on his name."

And of that power they work ; so that he which hath the
Spirit of Christ is now no more a child : he neither learneth
nor worketh now any longer for pain of the rod, or for fear
of bugs3 or pleasure of apples, but doth all things of his
own cora°;e4; as Christ saith, John vii. "He that believeth where true

faith is, there

. . . .

on me shall have rivers of living waters flowing out of his
belly :" that is, all good works and all gifts of grace spring abouBd-
out of him naturally, and by their own accord. Thou needest
not to wrest good works out of him, as a man would wring
verjuice out of crabs : nay, they flow naturally out of him, as
springs out of rocks.

The new testament was ever, even from the beginning The new **

° tament was

of the world. For there were always promises of Christ to
come, by faith in which promises the elect were then justified
inwardly before God, as outwardly before the world by
keeping of the law and ceremonies.

And in conclusion, as thou secst blessings or cursings fol-

[3 Bugs are objects of childish or superstitious terror.]
[4 In Day, courage. Coragc is from the low Latin cora-gium, the
heart and its affections.]

27

[TYNDALE.]

418 PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK OF EXODUS.

low the keeping or breaking of the law of Moses; even

so, naturally, do the blessings or cursings follow the keeping

or breaking of the law of nature, out of which spring all our

our temporal temporal laws. So that, when the people keep the temporal

laws spring ,„,.,, -, ., i 11 p

out of the law laws of their land, temporal prosperity, and all manner ot

of nature. i i • i j •

such temporal blessings as thou readest of m Moses, do
accompany them, and fall upon them. And, contrariwise,
when they sin unpunished, and when the rulers have no re
spect unto natural1 equity or honesty ; then God sendeth his
curses among them, as hunger, dearth, murrain, baning2, pes
tilence, war, oppression, with strange and wonderful diseases,
and new kinds of misfortune and evil luck.

If any man ask me, seeing that faith justifieth me, ' Why
Loveeoun- I work ? ' I answer, 'Love compelleth me.' For as long as
faithful to my soul feeleth what love God hath shewed me in Christ, I
cannot but love God again, and his will and commandments,
we must not and of love work them, nor can they seem hard unto me. I
ouerswdi-m think not myself better for my working, nor seek heaven, nor

doing' nor 1-1 i e • -r^ ™ • L-

SXemhat an higher place m heaven, because of it. For a Christian
S?£jay; worketh to make his weak brother perfecter, and not to seek
an higher place in heaven. I compare not myself unto him
that worketh not. No, he that worketh not to-day, shall
have grace to turn and to work to-morrow ; and in the mean
season I pity him, and pray for him. If I had wrought the
will of God these thousand years, and another had wrought
the will of the devil as long, and this day turn and be as well
willing to suffer with Christ as I, he hath this day overtaken
me, and is as far come as I, and shall have as much reward
as I : and I envy him not, but rejoice most of all, as of lost
treasure found. For if I be of God, I have these thousand
years suffered to win him, for to come and praise the name of
God with me. These thousand years I have prayed, sorrowed,
longed, sighed, and sought for that which I have this day
, found ; and therefore rejoice with all my might, and praise
God for his grace and mercy.

[i So Pent, of 1534. D. wants natural]

[2 Pent, of 1534, banynge. Day, bannyng. The word is closely
connected with bane.]

h to Godis

419

A TABLE,

EXPOUNDING CERTAIN WORDS OF THE SECOND BOOK
OF MOSES.

ALBE. A long garment of white linen.
1 ARK. A coffer, or chest, as our shrines, save it was flat;
and the sample of our shrines was taken thereof.

BOOTH. An house made of boughs.

BRESTLAP, or brestflap, is such a flap as thou seest in tho
breast of a cope.

CONSECRATE. To appoint a thing to holy uses.

DEDICATE. Purify or sanctify.

EPHOD, is a garment somewhat like an amice ; save the
arms came through and it was girded to. (Chap, xxv.)

GEERASS. In weight as it were an English halfpenny, or
somewhat more.

HEAVE- OFFERINGS. Because they were hoven up before
the Lord.

HOUSE. He made them houses; that is, he made a
kindred, or a multitude of people to spring out of them ; as
we say the house of David, for the kindred of David.

PEACE-OFFERING. Offering of thanksgiving of devotion,
and not for conscience of sin and trespass.

POLLUTE. Defile.

RECONCILE. To make at one, and to bring in grace or
favour.

SANCTIFY. To cleanse and purify ; to appoint a thing
unto holy uses, and to separate from unclean and unholy uses.

SANCTUARY. A place hallowed and dedicate unto God.

SHEWBREAD. Because it was always in the sight and
presence of the Lord. (chap, xxv.) Exod. XXv.

TABERNACLE. A house made tentwise, or as a pavilion.

[3 Geeras. 7V*\% • According to bishop Cumberland, it would
weigh very nearly eleven grains, Troy weight. Arlmthnot's Tables of
Ancient Coins, ch. v. p. 37, Lond. ed. 1727. It was a small silver
piece of money, of the value of three-halfpence. Robertson's Clavis
Pentat. No. 2710.]

27—2

420 TABLE EXPOUNDING WORDS IN EXODUS.

TUNICLE. Much like the uppermost garment of the
deacon.

WAIVE-OFFERING. Because they were waiven in the
priest's hands to divers quarters.

WORSHIP. By worshipping, whether it be in the old
Testament or new, understand the bowing of a man's self
upon the ground : as we ofttimes, as we kneel in our prayers,
bow ourselves, and lie on our arms and hands, with our face
to the ground.

*JOf this word, I WILL BE, cometh the name of God,
Jehovah, which we interpret Lord; and is as much to say
as, I am that I am. (chap, hi.)

That I here call a sheep, in Hebrew is a word indifferent
to a sheep and a goat both2, (chap, xii.)

The Lamb was called passover, that the very name itself
should put them in remembrance what it signified ; for the
signs that God ordained either signified the benefits done, or
promises to come, and were not dumb, as the signs of our
dumb god the pope.

JEHOVAH Nissi3. The Lord is he that exalt eth me.
Exo<i. xvii. ; (chap, xvii.) *

f1 The passage between asterisks is not in the Pentateuchs of
either 1530 or in 1534, but is in Day's folio.]

[2 The word rendered sheep by Tyndale, and lamb in our autho
rised version of Exod. xii. is nt# > which first occurs in the question of

v

Isaac to his father, Gen. xxii. 7, and is acknowledged by lexicogra
phers to be a common term for either sheep or goat.]

[3 Jehovah Nissi. 1Q} HIPP • Tyndale's interpretation of ^

T :

differs from the ordinary one, which is my banner, and which supposes
it to be the substantive £0 > with the pronominal affix, > my. Tyndale

has gone back to the root DD2> t° be, or make, conspicuous ; to glitter,
to raise on high.]

PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 421

A PROLOGUE

INTO THE THIRD BOOK OP MOSES CALLED LEVITICUS.

THE ceremonies which are described in the book follow- Man's wis

idKy! "

scattereth,

ing were chiefly ordained of God (as I said in the end of idy! ""

the prologue upon Exodus,) to occupy the minds of that peo
ple the Israelites, and to keep them from serving of God
after the imagination of their own blind zeal and good intent ;
that their consciences might be stablished, and they sure
that they pleased God therein ; which were impossible, if a
man did of his own head that which was not commanded of
God, nor depended of any appointment made between him
and God. Such ceremonies were unto them as an ABC, to ceremonies
learn to spell and read ; and as a nurse, to feed them with ftaand™6
milk and pap, and to speak unto them after their own capa- good Tchooi

* * masters are

city, and to lisp the words unto them, according as the babes JJ^JJ5

and children of that age might sound them again. For all

that were before Christ were in the infancy and childhood

of the world, and saw that sun, which we see openly, but

through a cloud, and had but feeble and weak imaginations

of Christ, as children have of men's deeds, a few prophets AH things

except, which yet described him unto others in sacrifices revealed" in

Cpi**»mrmiA«

and ceremonies, likenesses, riddles, proverbs, and dark and *
strange speaking, until the full age were come, that God
would shew him openly unto the whole world, and deliver
them from their shadows and cloud-light, and the heathen ctl
out of their dead sleep of stark blind ignorance. And as
the shadow vanisheth away at the coming of the light, even
so do the ceremonies and sacrifices at the coming of Christ ;
and are henceforth no more necessary than a token left in
remembrance of a bargain is necessary when the bargain is
fulfilled. And though they seem plain childish, yet they be
not altogether fruitless ; as the puppets and twenty manner of
trifles, which mothers permit unto their young children, be
not all in vain. For albeit that such fantasies be permitted small and
to satisfy the children's lusts, yet in that they are the gfvenSfu

422

PROLOGUE TO THE

obedience.

sacrifices and

ceremonies

chris?.ut

understand0
the text.

some cere-

monies con-

trSe!e doc"

f£"£rmour

but to a few.

m°ther's gift, and be done in place and time at her com-
mandment, they keep the children in awe, and make them
know the mother, and also make them more apt against a
more stronger age to obey in things of greater earnest.

And moreover. though sacrifices and ceremonies can be
no groun(^ or foundation to build upon; that is, though we
can prove nought with them, yet when we have once found
out Christ and his mysteries, then we may borrow figures,
^^ *s *° say allegories, similitudes, or examples, to open
Christ, and the secrets of God hid in Christ, even unto
the quick, and to declare them more lively and sensibly with
them than with all the words in the world. For similitudes
have more virtue and power with them than bare words, and
lead a man's wits farther into the pith and marrow and spi
ritual understanding of the thing, than all the words that
can be imagined. And though also that all the ceremonies
and sacrifices have, as it were, a star-light of Christ, yet some
there be that have, as it were, the light of the broad day, a

, f > .

^l^Q before the sun-rising ; and express him, and the cir-
cumstances and virtue of his death so plainly, as if we should
play his passion on a scaffold, or in a stage-play, openly be
fore the eyes of the people ; as the scape-goat, the brasen
serpent, the ox burnt without the host, the passover lamb, &c. :
insomuch that I am fully persuaded, and cannot but believe,
tnafc God had shewed Moses the secrets of Christ, and the
very manner of his death beforehand, and commanded him
to ordain them for the confirmation of our faith, which are
now in the clear day-light. And I believe also that the pro
phets, which followed Moses to confirm his prophecies, and to
maintain his doctrine unto Christ's coming, were moved by
such things to search farther of Christ's secrets. And though
Q.O(J i^ouid not have the secrets of Christ generally known,
save unto a few familiar friends, which in that infancy he
made of man's wit to help the other babes ; yet as they
had a general promise that one of the seed of Abraham
should come and bless them, even so they had a general
faith that God would by the same man save them, though
they wist not by what means : as the very apostles, when it
was oft told them, yet they could never comprehend it, till
it was fulfilled in deed.

kevond all this, their sacrifices and ceremonies, as

re \»

BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 423

far forth as the promises annexed unto them extend, so far selves saved
forth they saved them and justified them, and stood them in inood'i ai

. promise.

the same stead as our sacraments do us ; not by the power
of the sacrifice or deed itself, but by the virtue of the faith
in the promise, which the sacrifice or ceremony preached, and
whereof it was a token or sign. For the ceremonies and
sacrifices were left with them, and commanded them, to keep
the promise in remembrance, and to wake up their faith : as
it is not enough to send many on errands, and to tell them
what they shall do ; but they must have a remembrance with
them, and it be but a ring of a rush about one of their
fingers ; and as it is not enough to make a bargain with
words only, but we must put thereto an oath, and give
earnest to confirm the faith of the person with whom it is
made ; and in like manner if a man promise, whatsoever trifle our natu
it be, it is not believed except he hold up his finger also ;
such is the weakness of the world : and therefore Christ him- outward

signs and

self used oftentimes divers ceremonies in curing the sick, to t°kens-
stir up their faith withal. As for example : it was not the
blood of the lamb that saved them in Egypt, when the angel
smote the Egyptians, but the mercy of God and his truth,
whereof that blood was a token and remembrance, to stir up
their faiths withal. For though God make a promise, yet it JJ
saveth none finally but them that long for it, and pray God JJ
with a strong faith to fulfil it, for his mercy and truth only,
and knowledge their unworthiness. And even so our sacra- sacraments
ments (if they be truly ministered) preach Christ unto us, Jietre,Jarepro*
and lead our faiths unto Christ ; by which faith our sins are
done away, and not by the deed or work of the sacrament.
For as it was impossible that the blood of calves should put
away sin ; even so is it impossible that the water of the river
should wash our hearts. Nevertheless the sacraments cleanse sacraments

truly minis-

us, and absolve us of our sins, as the priests do in preaching
of repentance and faith, for which cause either other1 of gS
them were ordained; but if they preach not, whether it be
the priest or the sacrament, so profit they not.

And if a man allege Christ, John in the iiird chapter, say

ing, " Except a man be born again of water and of the Holy

Ghost, he cannot see the kingdom of God," and will there

fore that the Holy Ghost be present in the water, and there-

[l Either other; i, e. both the one and the other.]

424 PROLOGUE TO THE

fore the very deed or work doth put away sin ; then I will

send him unto Paul, which asketh his Galatians, whether they

received the Holy Ghost by the deed of the law, or by

Not naked or preaching of faith ; and there concludeth that the Holy Ghost

thTiSi but accomPanietn tne preaching of faith, and with the word of faith

throughfaith, cntereth the heart and purgeth it : which thou mayest also

SSyaiiM. understand by St Paul saying, " Ye are born anew out of the

water through the word." So now if baptism preach me the

washing in Christ's blood, so doth the Holy Ghost accompany

it ; and that deed of preaching through faith doth put away

my sins. For the Holy Ghost is no dumb God, nor no God

that goeth a mumming. If a man say of the sacrament of

Christ's body and blood, that it is a sacrifice as well for the

dead as for the quick, and therefore the very deed itself jus-

The differ- tifieth and putteth away sin ; I answer, that a sacrifice is the

ence between * «/

anTa US*. slaying °f the body of a beast, or a man : wherefore, if it be
ment- a sacrifice, then is Christ's body there slain, and his blood
there shed ; but that is not so. And therefore it is properly
no sacrifice, but a sacrament, and a memorial of that ever
lasting sacrifice once for all, which he offered upon the cross
now upon a fifteen hundred years ago ; and preacheth only
in what state unto them that are alive. And as for them that be dead,

we die, in the

risTaoafn*811 lfc 1S as profitable unto them as is a candle in a lanthern with-

vaSonor"31" out %ht unto them that walk by the way in dark night ; and

damnation. ag tke gOSpei song m Latin is unto them that understand

none at all, and as a sermon preached to him that is dead,

and heareth it not. It preacheth unto them that are alive

only : for they that be dead, if they died in the faith which

that sacrament preacheth, they be safe, and are past all

jeopardy. For when they were alive, their hearts loved the

law of God, and therefore sinned not, and were sorry that

their members sinned, and ever moved to sin ; and therefore

The sacra- through faith it was forgiven them. And now their sinful

ments are ° &

nots°acr1a3-dead members be dead, so that they can now sin no more ; where-
ments at an. fore ft '1S un£0 them that be dead neither sacrament nor
sacraments sacrifice. But under the pretence of their soul-health, it is

abused by the r

clersy- a servant unto our spiritualty's holy covetousness ; and an
extortioner ; and a builder of abbeys, colleges, chauntries and
cathedral churches, with false-gotten goods; a pickpurse, a
poller1, and a bottomless bag.

[l Poller; spelt in Day, polar ; a plunderer.]

are enemies

BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 425

Some man would haply say, that the prayers of the The papists

11 i 11-. ill i-. have had no

mass help much, not the living only, but also the dead. s™n wend

1 _ * ' and good

Of the hot fire of their fervent prayer, which consumeth J^"**1116

faster than all the world is able to bring sacrifice, I have

said sufficiently in other places. Howbeit it is not possible Hypocrites-

to bring me in belief that the prayer, which helpeth her "hee{j}^1P™fit

own master unto no virtue, should purchase me the forgive- ™eany man

ness of sins. If I saw that their prayers had obtained them

grace to live such a life as God's word did not rebuke, then

could I soon be borne in hand that, whatsoever they asked

of God, their prayers should not be in vain. But now Those that

Arp pnomipfl

what good can he wish me in his prayers, that envieth me
Christ, the food and the life of my soul? What good
he wish me, whose heart cleaveth asunder for pain, when People-
I am taught to repent of my evil?

Furthermore, because that few know the use of the old
Testament, and the most part think it nothing necessary but
to make allegories, which they feign every man after his own
brain at all wild adventure, without any certain rule ; there
fore (though I have spoken of them in another place2,) yet, lest
the book come not to all men's hands that shall read this, I
will speak of them here also a word or twain.

Wre had need to take heed every where that we be not Allegories are

• to be well

beguiled with false allegories, whether they be drawn out of ^Oenf/d<erednd
the new Testament or the old, either out of any other story,
or of the creatures of the world, but namely in this book.
Here a man had need to put on all his spectacles, and to arm The greatest

i • if ' x • -Ml • -L cause of the

himself against invisible spirits.

irtness
were

First, allegories prove nothing ; and by allegories under-
stand examples or similitudes borrowed of strange matters,
and of another thing than that thou entreatest of. As though
circumcision be a figure of baptism, yet thou canst not prove
baptism by circumcision. For this argument were very feeble :
the Israelites were circumcised, therefore we must be baptized, understood.
And in like manner, though the offering of Isaac were a
figure or ensample of the resurrection, yet is this argument
naught : Abraham would have offered Isaac, but God de
livered him from death ; therefore we shall rise again ; and
so forth in all other.

But the very use of allegories is to declare and open a The rightuse

J of allegories.

-p In his treatise, On the Obedience of a Christian Man, p. 303—7.]

426 PROLOGUE TO THE

text, that it may be the better perceived and understood.
As when I have a clear text of Christ and the apostles,
that I must be baptized, then I may borrow an example of
circumcision to express the nature, power, and fruit, or effect
of baptism. For as circumcision was unto them a common
badge, signifying that they were all soldiers of God, to war
his war, and separating them from all other nations, disobe-
dient unto God : even so baptism is our common badge, and

the common x °

t>adgeoffau sure earnest and perpetual memorial, that we pertain unto
sors of Christ. Christ, and are separated from all that are not Christ's. And
as circumcision was a token certifying them that they were
received unto the favour of God, and their sins forgiven them;
even so baptism certifieth us that .we are washed in the blood
of Christ, and received to favour for his sake : and as circum
cision signified unto them the cutting away of their own lusts,
and slaying of their free-will, as they call it, to follow the will
Baptism of God ; even so baptism signifieth unto us repentance, and the

teachethus '. 11 c • •

mortifying of our unruly members and body of sin, to walk in
a new life, and so forth.

^^ likewise, though that the saving of Noe, and of
the them that were with him in the ship, through water, is a

it°prurifiethth figure, that is to say an example and likeness, of baptism, as
Peter maketh it, (1 Pet. iii.) yet I cannot prove baptism
therewith, save describe it only. For as the ship saved
them in the water through faith, in that they believed God,
and as the other that would not believe Noe perished ; even
so baptism saveth us through the word of faith which it
preacheth, when all the world of the unbelieving perish. And
Paul (1 Cor. x.) maketh the sea and the cloud a figure of
baptism ; by which, and a thousand more, I might declare it,
but not prove it. Paul also in the said place maketh the
rock, out of which Moses brought water unto the children of
Israel, a figure or ensample of Christ ; not to prove Christ
(for that were impossible,) but to describe Christ only ; even

oHUTeSst°afthe as Christ himself (John iii.) borroweth a similitude or figure
°f *ne brasen serpent, to lead Nicodemus from his earthly
imagination into the spiritual understanding of Christ, say
ing : "As Moses lifted up a serpent in the wilderness, so must
the Son of man be lifted up, that none that believe in him
perish, but have everlasting life." By which similitude the
virtue of Christ's death is better described than thou couldest

BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 427

declare it with a thousand words. For as those murmurers
against God, as soon as they repented, were healed of their
deadly wounds, through looking on the brasen serpent only,
without medicine or any other help, yea, and without any
other reason but that God hath said it should be so ; and not
to murmur again, but to leave their murmuring : even so all
that repent, and believe in Christ, are saved from everlasting
death, of pure grace, without, and before, their good works ;
and not to sin again, but to fight against sin, and henceforth
to sin no more.

Even so with the ceremonies of this book thou canst prove
nothing, save describe and declare only the putting away of
our sins through the death of Christ. For Christ is Aaron
and Aaron's sons, and all that offer the sacrifice to purge sin.
And Christ is all manner offering that is offered : he is the
ox, the sheep, the goat, the kid, and lamb ; he is the ox that
is burnt without the host, and the scape-goat that carried all
the sin of the people away into the wilderness : for as they
purged the people from their worldly uncleannesses through
blood of the sacrifices, even so doth Christ purge us from
the uncleannesses of everlasting death with his own blood ;
and as their worldly sins could no otherwise be purged, than
by blood of sacrifices, even so can our sins be no otherwise
forgiven than through the blood of Christ. All the deeds in our duty w
the world, save the blood of Christ, can purchase no forgive- deeds, but

1 ° salvation

ness of sins ; for our deeds do but help our neighbour, and *&$££*
mortify the flesh, and help that we sin no more : but and if thereby-
we have sinned, it must be freely forgiven through the blood
of Christ, or remain for ever.

And in like manner of the lepers thou canst prove nothing : A good ex-

„ , it, ample taken

thou canst never conjure out confession thence, howbeit thou of the lepers,
hast an handsome example there to open the binding and
loosing of our priests with the key of God's word ; for as
they made no man a leper, even so ours have no power to
command any man to be in sin, or to go to purgatory or hell.
And therefore (inasmuch as binding and loosing is one power)
as those priests healed no man ; even so ours cannot of their
invisible and dumb power drive any man's sins away, or de
liver him from hell or feigned purgatory. Howbeit if they The true
preached God's word purely, which is the authority that Christ §
gave them, then they should bind and loose, kill and make

428 PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS.

alive again, make unclean and clean again, and send to hell
and fetch thence again ; so mighty is God's word. For if they
preached the law of God, they should bind the consciences of
sinners with the bonds of the pains of hell, and bring them
unto repentance : and then if they preached unto them the
mercy that is in Christ, they should loose them and quiet their
raging consciences, and certify them of the favour of God, and
that their sins be forgiven,
in allegories Finally, beware of allegories ; for there is not a more

is both honey . , , . , .. . . . . , ,T

andgaii ; that handsome or apt thing to beguile witnal than an allegory ;

an?ef?fd nor a more subtle and pestilent thing in the world to per
suade a false matter, than an allegory. And contrariwise;
there is not a better, vehementer, or mightier thing to make
a man understand withal, than an allegory. For allegories
make a man quick-witted, and print wisdom in him, and
make it to abide, where bare words go but in at the one
ear, and out at the other. As this, with such like sayings :
' Put salt to all your sacrifices,7 instead of this sentence,
'Do all your deeds with discretion,' greeteth1 and biteth (if
it be understood) more than plain words. And when I say,
instead of these words, ' Boast not yourself of your good
deeds,' ' Eat not the blood nor the fat of your sacrifice ;'
there is as great difference between them as there is distance

deed?00re between heaven and earth. For the life and beauty of all good

God's work- deeds is of God, and we are but the carrion-lean ; we are only

manship, and ' ,

t££SS£ *^e instrument whereby God worketh only, but the power is
them.doth hig : as G°cl created Paul anew, poured his wisdom into him,
gave him might, and promised him that his grace should
never fail him, &c., and all without deservings, except that
murdering the saints, and making them curse and rail on
Christ, be meritorious. Now, as it is death to eat the blood
or fat of any sacrifice, is it not (think ye) damnable to rob
God of his honour, and to glorify myself with his honour ?

[l So Day. The word intended by Tyndale was probably grideih ;
used by Spenser for pierceth.]

PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 42D

THE PROLOGUE

INTO THE FOURTH BOOK OF MOSES CALLED NUMERI.

IN the second and third book they received the law ; and Free-wiii and

unbelief were

in this fourth they begin to work and to practise. Of which [^0°Je0rf-our
practising ye see many good ensamples of unbelief, and what forefathers,
free-will doth, when she taketh in hand to keep the law of
her own power, without help of faith in the promises of God;
how she leaveth her masters' carcases by the way in the
wilderness, and bringeth them not into the land of rest.
" Why could they not enter in ? Because of their unbelief."
(Heb. hi.) For had they believed, so had they been under
grace, and their old sins had been forgiven them ; and power
should have been given them to have fulfilled the law thence
forth, and they should have been kept from all temptations
that had been too strong for them. For it is written, (Johni.)
" He gave them power to be the sons of God, through believ- Then cannot

they be the

ing in his name." Now to be the son of God is to love God children of

God, which

and his commandments, and to walk in his way, after the en- ^^Their
sample of his Son Christ. But these people took upon them gSEuB
to work without faith, as thou seest in the xivth of this book, £S?fJesus
where they would fight, and also did, without the word of
promise ; even when they were warned that they should not.
And in the xvith again, they would please God with their
holy, faithless works, (for where God's word is not, there can
be no faith ;) but the fire of God consumed their holy works,
as it did Nadab and Abihu. (Levit. x.) And from these un
believers turn thine eyes unto the Pharisees, which, before
the coming of Christ in his flesh, had laid the foundation of
free-will after the same ensample : whereon they built holy Faithless
works after their own imagination, without faith of the word,
so fervently that for the great zeal of them they slew the
king of all holy works, and the lord of free-will ; which only
through his grace maketh the will free, and looseth her from
bondage of sin, and giveth her love and lust unto the laws
of God, and power to fulfil them. And so through their holy

430 PROLOGUE TO THE

free-wiii ex- works done by the power of free-will, they excluded them-

cludedthem- n ,1 i i r> i> c • t c -,1 •

seives.from selves out of the holy rest oi forgiveness ot sins by faith in

the salvation * *

in Christ. the blood of Christ.

And then look on our hypocrites, which in like manner,
following the doctrine of Aristotle, and other heathen pagans,
have against all the scripture set up free-will again ; unto
whose power they ascribe the keeping of the commandments
of God. For they have set up wilful poverty of another
manner than any is commanded of God : and, the chastity of
matrimony utterly defied, they have set up another wilful
chastity not required of God, which they swear, vow, and
profess to give God, whether he will give it them or no ; and
compel all their disciples thereunto, saying that it is in the
power of every man's free-will to observe it, contrary to
Christ and his apostle Paul.

Blasphemy And, the obedience of God and man excluded, they have

death. vowed another wilful obedience1, condemned of all the scrip
ture ; which they will yet give God, whether he will or
will not.

o subtle And what is become of their wilful poverty ? hath it

foxes ! * w

JSverty made n0^ r°bbed the whole world, and brought all under them ?

SSofail Can there be either king, or emperor, or of whatsoever de
gree it be, except he will hold of them, and be sworn unto
them to be their servant, to go and come at their lust, and to
defend their quarrels, be they false or true ? Their wilful
poverty hath already eaten up the whole world, and is yet
still greedier than ever it was, insomuch that ten worlds more
were not enough to satisfy the hunger thereof.

wnfui chas- Moreover, besides daily corrupting of other men's wives

tity is wilful « . .

wickedness. an(j Open whoredom, unto what abominations, too filthy to be

spoken of, hath their voluntary chastity brought them !
The papists And as for their wilful obedience, what is it but the dis-

dienceis obedience and the defiance both of all the laws of God and

common dis- . .

man ; insomuch that if any prince begin to execute any law
of man upon them, they curse him unto the bottom of hell,
and proclaim him no right king, and that his lords ought no
longer to obey him ; and interdict his common people, as they
were heathen Turks or Saracens ? And if any man preach

P He means the vow of obedience to their monastic superior,
made by those who joined any monastic order; and the oath of
obedience to the pope, taken by the ecclesiastics.]

BOOK OF NUMBERS. 431

them God's law, him they make an heretic and burn him to
ashes. And instead of God's law and man's, they have set
up one of their own imagination, which they observe with
dispensations.

And yet in these works they have so great confidence,
that they not only trust to be saved thereby, and to be {^"JJJJ1 not
higher in heaven than they that be saved through Christ, Jh
but also promise to all other forgiveness of their sins through

Jhroughbut

the merits of the same ; wherein they rest, and teach other to chrS"/
rest also, excluding the whole world from the rest of forgive
ness of sins through faith in Christ's blood.

And now, seeing that faith only letteth a man in unto rest, Faith oni^
and unbelief excludeth him, what is the cause of this unbelief? *° and
Verily, no sin that the world seeth, but a pope-holiness, and a
righteousness of their own imagination. As Paul saith, Rom.
x. they be ignorant of the righteousness wherewith God jus-
tifieth, and have set up a righteousness of their own making,
through which they be disobedient unto the righteousness of
God. And Christ rebuketh not the Pharisees for gross sins
which the world saw, but for those holy deeds which so
bleared the eyes of the world, that they were taken as gods;
even for long prayers, for fasting, for tithing so diligently
that they left not so much as their herbs untithed, for their
cleanness in washing before meat, and for washing of cups,
dishes, and all manner vessels, for building the prophets'
sepulchres, and for keeping the holy day, and for turning
the heathen unto the faith, and for giving of alms. For unto The Pharisees
such holy deeds they ascribed righteousness, and therefore ^"/^Jj
when the righteousness of God was preached unto them they ^fen-
could not but persecute it, the devil was so strong in them : 11 °f
which thing Christ well describeth, (Luke xi.) saying, " That
after the devil is cast out, he cometh again, and findeth his
house swept, and made gay, and then taketh seven worse than
himself and dwelleth therein ; and so is the end of that man
worse than the beginning." That is, when they be a little
cleansed from gross sins which the world seeth, and then
made gay in their own sight with the righteousness of tra
ditions, then cometh seven, that is to say, the whole power
of the devil : for seven with the Hebrews signifieth a mul-
titude without number, and the extremity of a thing, and is a bu*y *«**

.". ' ' would be.

speech borrowed (I suppose) out of Leviticus, where is so oft

nhessrisble"d~

432 PROLOGUE TO THE

mention made of seven. Where I would say, I will punish
thee, that all the world shall take an ensample of thee ; there
the Jew would say, " I will circumcise thee or baptize thee
m anVfn the seven times." And so here by seven is meant all the devils
ti?iipwuorrdby °f kell, anc^ a^ ^e might and power of the devil. For unto
seven times, what further blindness could all the devils in hell bring them,
than to make them believe that they were justified through
their own good works ? For when they once believed that
they were purged from their sins, and made righteous through
their own holy works, what room was there left for the
righteousness that is in Christ's blood-shedding ? And there-
fore when they be fallen into this blindness, they cannot but
hate and persecute the light. And the more clear and evi-
cehristafndst dently their deeds be rebuked, the furiouser and maliciouser
blind are they, until they break out into open blasphemy and
sinning against the Holy Ghost, which is the malicious perse
cuting of the clear truth, so manifestly proved that they can
not once hish1 against it : as the Pharisees persecuted Christ,
o? fhe°phirf- because he rebuked their holy deeds ; and when he proved
doecstrfnedo?e his doctrine with the scripture and miracles, yet though they
dorwpeifagrsee. could not improve him, nor reason against him, they taught
that the scripture must have some other meaning, because his
interpretation undermined their foundation, and plucked up by
the roots the sects which they had planted ; and they ascribed
also his miracles to the devil. And in like manner, though
our hypocrites cannot deny but this is the scripture, yet be
cause there can be no other sense gathered thereof, but that
overthroweth their buildings, therefore they ever think that
it hath some other meaning than as the words sound; and
that no man understandeth it, or understood it since the time
of the apostles. Or if they think that some that wrote upon
it, since the apostles, understood it, they yet think that we,
in like manner as we understand not the text itself, so we
understand not the meaning of the words of that doctor.
The papists For when thou lavest the justifying of holy works, and

cannot away . . "

cSonubtifi" deniest tne justifying of faith, how canst thou understand
faith- St Paul, Peter, John, and the Acts of the apostles, or any

scripture at all, seeing the justifying of faith is almost all

that they intend to prove ?

of vows. Finally, concerning vows, whereof thou readest in the

[T To hish, is to make an insulting objection.]

BOOK OF NUMBERS. 433

xxxth chapter, there may be many questions, whereunto I
answer shortly, that we ought to put salt to all our offer
ings ; that is, we ought to minister knowledge in all our works,
and to do nothing whereof we could not give a reason out of
God's words. We he now in the day-light, and all the
secrets of God, and all his counsel and will is opened unto
us ; and he that was promised should come and bless us, is
come already, and hath shed his blood for us, and hath blessed
us with all manner blessings, and hath obtained all grace for
us, and in him we have all. Wherefore God henceforth will God accept-

• • n n n -i i e'h f°r us

receive no more sacrifices of beasts of us, as thou readest, Heb. J^Jf^g^
x. If thou burn unto God the blood or fat of beasts, to ob- °"!Y Je,s.us

Christ his

tain forgiveness of sins thereby, or that God should the better Son>
hear thy request, then thou dost wrong unto the blood of
Christ, and Christ unto thee is dead in vain. For in him
God hath promised not forgiveness of sins only, but also what
soever we ask to keep us from sin and temptation withal.
And what if thou burn frankincense unto him, what if thou AH holiness
burn a candle, what if thou burn thy chastity or virginity Imagination

* » ° " is a robbing

unto him for the same purpose, dost thou not like rebuke '

unto Christ's blood? Moreover, if thou offer gold, silver,
or any other good for the same intent, is there any difference?
And even so, if thou go in pilgrimage, or fastest, or goest
woolward, or sprinkles! thyself with holy water, or else whatso
ever deed it is, or observest whatsoever ceremony it be, for like
meaning, then it is like abomination. We must therefore bring
the salt of the knowledge of God's word with all our sacrifices,
or else we shall make no sweet savour unto God thereof.

Thou wilt ask me, Shall I vow nothing at all ? Yes,
God's commandment, which thou hast vowed in thy baptism.
For what intent ? Verily, for the love of Christ which hath
bought thee with his blood, and made thee son and heir of
God with him, that thou shouldest wait on his will and com
mandments, and purify thy members according to the same
doctrine that hath purified thine heart : for if the knowledge of
God's word hath not purified thine heart, so that thou consentest
unto the law of God that it is righteous and good, and sorrowest
that thy members move thee unto the contrary, so hast thou
no part with Christ, For if thou repent not of thy sin, so it Faith follow-
is impossible that thou shouldest believe that Christ had
delivered thee from the danger thereof. If thou believe not

28
[TYNDALE.J

434 PROLOGUE TO THE

that Christ hath delivered thee, so is it impossible that thou
shouldest love God's commandments. If thou love not the
commandments, so is Christ's Spirit not in thee, which is the
earnest of forgiveness of sin and of salvation.

For scripture teacheth, first repentance, then faith in
faith, and Christ, that for his sake sin is forgiven to them that repent ;

prepareth the ° x

m

elms1?*0 then g°°d works, which are nothing save the commandment
of God only. And the commandments are nothing else save
the helping of our neighbours at their need, and the taming
of our members, that they might be pure also, as the heart
is pure through hate of vice and love of virtue, as God's word
teacheth us : which works must proceed out of the faith ; that
HOW our is, I must do them for the love which I have to God for that
gLodhfthe great mercy which he hath shewed me in Christ, or else I do
them not in the sight of God. And that I faint not in the
pain of the slaying of the sin that is in my flesh, mine help is
the promise of the assistance of the power of God, and the
The work comfort of the reward to come; which reward I ascribe unto
but the word, the goodness, mercy, and truth, of the promiser that hath

that is to say, -it

the promise, chosen me, called me, taught me, and given me the earnest

thereof; and not unto the merits of my doings or sufferings :

for all that I do and suffer is but the way to the reward, and

not the deserving thereof. As if the king's grace should pro

mise me to defend me at home in mine own realm1, yet the

way thither is through the sea, wherein I might haply suffer

no little trouble. And yet for all that, if I might live in rest

when I come thither, I would think, and so would others say,

Anaptsimi- that my pains were well rewarded; which reward and be-

rewardof nefit I would not proudly ascribe unto the merits of my

good works. . 11 i • r» i

pains taken by the way, but unto the goodness, merciful

ness, and constant truth of the king's grace whose gift it is,

and to whom the praise and thanks thereof belongeth of duty

and right. So now a reward is a gift, given freely of the

mustbemade g00dness °f the giver, and not of the deservings of the receiver.

tifySgS01" Thus it appeareth, that if I vow, whatsoever it be, for any

members! °oi other purpose than to tame my members, and to be an ensam-

ofe0urneigh- pie of virtue and edifying unto my neighbour, my sacrifice is

they are unsavoury, and clean without salt, and my lamp without oil, and

WICKGu.

[*• He means the kingdom of England, in which he was born, and
to which he could not return because of the men who sought his
life.]

BOOK OF NUMBERS, 435

I one of the foolish virgins, and shall be shut out from the feast
of the bridegroom, when I think myself most sure to enter in.

If I vow voluntary poverty, this must be my purpose, that HOW we

T .7 ,. . J . ought to v

1 will be content with a competent living, which comcth *"ful P°-
tinto me either by succession of mine elders, or which I
get truly with my labour in ministering, and doing service
unto the commonwealth, in one office or in another, or in one
occupation or other, because that riches and honour shall not
corrupt my mind, and draw mine heart from God; and to
give an example of virtue and edifying unto other ; and that
my neighbour may have a living by me as well as I. If I
make a cloak of dissimulation of my vow, laying a net of
feigned beggary to catch superfluous abundance of riches, and nh0is?netor
high degree and authority, and through the estimation of false
holiness to feed and maintain my slothful idleness with the
sweat, labour, lands, and rents of other men, after the example
of our spiritualty, robbing them of their faiths, and God of
his honour ; turning unto mine hypocrisy that confidence which
should be given unto the promises of God only ; am I not a wily
fox, and a ravening wolf in a lamb's skin, and a painted sepul
chre fair without and filthy within ? In like manner, though I
seek no worldly promotion thereby, yet if I do it to be justi
fied therewith, and to get an higher place in heaven ; thinking
that I do it of my own natural strength, and of the natural
power of my free-will, and that every man hath might even so
to do, and that they do it not is their fault and negligence,
and so, with the proud Pharisee, in comparison of myself
despise the sinful publicans ; what other thing do I than eat
the blood and fat of my sacrifice, devouring that myself which
should be oifered unto God alone and his Christ ? And °£tr ™5sin
shortly, whatsoever a man doth of his natural gifts, of his th.e wisdom

J ' • of man, but

natural wit, wisdom, understanding, reason, will, and good in- SoSF0*6*
tent, before he be otherwise and clean contrary taught of
God's Spirit, and have received other wit, understanding,
reason and will, is flesh, worldly, and wrought in abominable
blindness ; with which a man can but seek himself, his own
profit, glory and honour, even in very spiritual matters. As
if I were alone in a wilderness, where no man were to seek
profit or praise of, yet, if I would seek heaven of God there,
I could, of mine own natural gifts, seek it no other ways than
for the merits and deservings of my good works, and to enter

28—3

436

PROLOGUE TO THE

therein by another way than by the door Christ, which were

very theft ; for Christ is Lord over all, and whatsoever any

man will have of God, he must have it given him freely for-

Christ's sake. Now to have heaven for mine own deserving,

is mine own praise, and not Christ's. For I cannot have it by

Desert and favour and grace in -Christ, and by mine own merits also ; for

contraries, free giving and deserving cannot stand together.

If thou wilt vow of thy goods unto God, thou must put
salt unto this sacrifice ; that is, thou must minister knowledge
2 Pet. i. in this deed, as Peter teacheth, 2 Pet. i. Thou must put oil
of God's word in thy lamp, and do it according to knowledge,
if thou wait for the coming of the bridegroom to enter in with
him into his rest. But thou perad venture1 wilt hang it about
the image, to move men to devotion. Devotion is a fervent
love unto God's commandments, and a desire to be with God
anc^ w^k his everlasting promises. Now shall the sight of
sucn riches as are shewed at St Thomas's shrine, or at Wal-

mesanhtonho- smgham2, move a man to love the commandments of God
*od' better, and to desire to be loosed from his flesh and to be
with God ; or shall it not rather make his poor heart sigh,
because he hath no such at home, and to wish part of it in
another place? The priest shall have it in God's stead.
Shall the priest have it ? If the priest be bought with Christ's
blood, then he is Christ's servant, and not his own ; and ought
therefore to feed Christ's flock with Christ's doctrine, and to
minister Christ's sacraments unto them purely, for very love,
and not for filthy lucre's sake, or to be lord over them, as
Petcr teacheth, 1 Pet. v., and Paul, Acts xx. Beside this,
Christ is ours, and is a gift given us ; and we be heirs of

[l But and peradventure, are wanting in Pent, of 1534; but arc
found in Day.]

[2 By St Thomas he means Thomas a Becket, and by his shrine,
that in Christ's Church, Canterbury ; in which cathedral the three
chief altars were those of Christ, of the Virgin, and of Becket. At
the last of these, according to bishop Burnet, there was offered in
one year £954. 6s. 3d. when but £4. Is. 8d. was offered at the
Virgin's altar, and nothing at Christ's. Hist, of Reform. B. in. Vol.
I, p. 244, 1st edit. The shrine at Walsingham was that of the Virgin
Mary, called Our Lady of Walsingham. Tyndale's contemporary,
Erasmus, has given an imaginary narrative of a pilgrim's visit to both
these shrines. See Desid. Erasmi Colloquia. Peregrinatio religionis
ergo. Lugduni Batav. 1655. pp. 368, and 387.]

BOOK OF NUMBERS. 437

Christ, and of all that is Christ's. Wherefore the priest's
doctrine is ours, and we heirs of it ; it is the food of our
souls. Therefore if he minister it not truly and freelv unto whether did

«/ «/ the papists

us, without selling, he is a thief and a soul-murderer: and80'0™05"
even so is he, if he take upon him to feed us, and have not
wherewith. And for a like conclusion, because we also with
all that we have be Christ's, therefore is the priest heir with
us also of all that we have received of God ; whereof inas
much as the priest waitcth on the word of God, and is our
servant therein, therefore of right we are his debtors, and owe
him a sufficient living of our goods, and even thereto a wife
of our daughters owe we unto him, if he require her. And Yetthespi-

o t ritualty a

now when we have appointed him a sufficient living, whether jjjjjjw ^ was
in tithes, rents, or in yearly wages, he ought to be content stlpend!nding
and to require no more, nor yet to receive any more ; but to
be an ensample of soberness and of despising worldly "things,
unto the ensample of his parishioners.

Wilt thou vow to offer unto the poor people? That is £g*
pleasant in the sight of God, for they be left here to do our
alms upon, in Christ's stead ; and they be the right heirs of
all our abundance and overplus. Moreover we must have a
school to teach God's word in (though it needeth not to be so
costly); and therefore it is lawful to vow unto the building
or maintenance thereof, and unto the helping of all good
works. And we ought to vow to pay custom, toll, rent, and
all manner duties, and whatsoever we owe; for that is God's
commandment.

If thou wilt vow pilgrimage, thou must put salt thereto HOW thou

Jt o o -i- mayest law-

in like manner, if it shall be accepted: if thou vow to goj""ys°on
and visit the poor, or to hear God's word, or whatsoever cdi-
ficth thy soul unto love, and good works after knowledge, or
whatsoever God commandeth, it is well done, and a sacrifice
that savoureth well. Ye will haply say, that ye will go to
this or that place, because God hath chosen one place more
than another, and will hear your petition more in one place
than another. As for your prayer, it must be according to
God's word : ye may not desire God to take vengeance on
him whom God's word tcacheth you to pity and to pray for.
And as for the other Moss, that God will hear you more in

* all that call

one place than in another, I suppose it sal infatuatum, salt Jf^^wS
unsavoury ; for if it were wisdom, how could we excuse tho Jf^" pl

438 PROLOGUE TO THE

death of Stephen, Acts vii. which died for that article, that
God dweiieth God dwelleth not in temples made with hands ? "We that be-
piesmade lieve in God are the temple of God, saith Paul. If a man

with man s r

hands. ]ovc QQ^ anc[ keep fog word, he is the temple of God, and
hath God presently dwelling in him : as witnesseth Christ

John xiv. xv. John xivth, saying, "If a man love me, he will keep my
word, and then my Father will love him, and we will come
unto him, and dwell with him." And in the xvth he saith,

God regard- "If ye abide in me, and my words also abide in you, then ask

Ld not th" ' what ye will, and ye shall have it." If thou believe in Christ,

i)liCG where

we pray. and hast the promises which God hath made thee in thine
heart, then go on pilgrimage unto thine own heart, and there
pray, and God will hear thee for his mercy and truth's sake,
and for his Son Christ's sake, and not for a few stones' sake.
What careth God for the temple? The very beasts, in that
they have life in them, be much better than an heap of stones
couched together.

wnfui chas- To speak of chastity : it is a gift not given unto all

titv is nnt. A t/ O O

tity is not
meet for a
persons to

meet for aii persons, as testifieth both Christ and also his apostle Paul;

vow.

wherefore all persons may not vow it. Moreover there be
causes wherefore many persons may better live chaste at one
time than at another. Many may live chaste at twenty and
thirty, for certain cold diseases following them, which at
forty, when their health is come, cannot do so. Many be
occupied with wild fantasies in their youth, that they care
not for marriage, which same, when they be waxen sad, shall
be greatly desirous. It is a dangerous thing to make sin
where none is ; and to forswear the benefit of God and to
bind thyself under pain of damnation of thy soul, that thou
wouldest not use the remedy that God hath created, if need
required.

cS?ifyigned Another thing is this : beware that thou get thee not a
false feigned chastity, made with the ungodly persuasions of
St Jerome1, or of Ovid in his filthy book of the remedy against

[l Even Erasmus himself, too palpably addicted to the use of
indecent jests, has said of Jerome's disquisitions on this topic, ' In his
depingendis paulo liberius lusit, quam delicatse quorundam aures
ferre possent : ' and this remark of Erasmus is prefixed to his edition
of an epistle of Jerome, which fully justifies Tyndale's graver rebuke.
Sec also Cave, Script. Eccles. Hist, liter, art. Hieronymus Strido-
nensis.]

BOOK OF NUMBERS. 439

love ; lest, when through such imaginations thou hast utterly
despised, defied and abhorred all womankind, thou come into
such case through the fierce wrath of God, that thou canst
neither live chaste, nor find in thy heart to marry, and so be
compelled to fall into the abomination of the pope, against
nature and kind.

Moreover, God is a wise father, and knoweth all the
infirmities of his children, and also merciful; and therefore j
hath created a remedy without sin, and given thereto his Su
favour and blessing. Let us not be wiser than God with our
imaginations, nor tempt him ; for as godly chastity is not
every man's gift, even so he that hath it to-day hath not
power to continue it at his own pleasure, neither hath God
promised to give it him still, and to cure his infirmities with
out his natural remedy ; no more than he hath promised to
slake his hunger without meat, or thirst without drink.
Wherefore either let all things bide free as wise2 God hath

monition to
such as will

created them, and neither vow that which God [requireth not, make YOWS
nor forswear that which God3] permitteth theo with his favour
and blessing also : or else, if thou wilt needs vow, then vow
godly and under a condition, that thou wilt continue chaste
so long as God givcth thcc that gift, and as long as neither
thine own necessity, neither charity toward thy neighbour,
nor the authority of them under whose power thou art, drive
thee unto the contrary.

The purpose of thy vow must be salted also with the S7™vnjv°0
wisdom of God. Thou mayest not vow to be justified thereby, onr'vows!1 ly
or to make satisfaction for thy sins, or to win heaven or an
higher place ; for then didst thou wrong unto the blood of
Christ, and thy vow were plain idolatry and abominable in
the sight of God. Thy vow must be only unto the further- HOW avow is
ancc of the commandments of God ; which arc (as I have
said) nothing but the taming of thy members, and the service
of thy neighbour : that is, if thou think thy back too weak
for the burden of wedlock, and that thou canst not rule thy
wife, children, servants, and make provision for them godly, and
without overmuch busying and unquieting thyself, and drown
ing fhyself in worldly business unchristianly, or that thou
canst serve thy neighbour in some office better being chaste

[2 So Pent, of 1534. Day omits ivise.]

[3 So Pent, of 1534. D. wants these words.]

440 PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK OF NUMBERS,

He that fast- than married ; and then thy vow is good and lawful. And

eth to any ' «/ o

even so must tnou vow abstinence of meats and drinks, so far

forth as it is profitable unto thy neighbours, and unto the
taming of thy flesh ; but thou mayest vow neither of them
unto the slaying of thy body : as Paul commandeth Timothy
to drink wine, and no more water, because of his diseases.
Thou wilt say that Timothy had not haply forsworn wine.
I think the same ; and that the apostles forsware not wedlock,
though many of them lived chaste ; neither yet any meat or
drink, though they abstained from them ; and that it were
Aiiourdoings p-Qod for us to follow their example. Howbeit though I vow,

must tend to O ^ »

Godh^nT an(* swear> and think on none exception, yet is the breaking
i°eT|h°bour.r °f God's commandments except, and all chances that hang of
God : as if I swear to be in a certain place at a certain
hour, to make a love- day1, without exception, yet if the king
in the meantime command me another way, I must go by
God's commandment, and yet break not mine oath. And in
like case, if my father and mother be sick and require my
presence, or if my wife, children, or household be visited, that
my assistance be required, or if my neighbour's house be a
fire at the same hour, and a thousand such chances ; in which
all I break mine oath, and am not forsworn, and so forth.
Head God's word diligently and with a good heart, and it
shall teach thee all things.

[l * Love-days: days anciently so called, on which arbitrations were
made, and controversies ended between neighbours and acquaintance/
N. Bailey's Universal Etymological Engl. Diet. London, 1755.]

PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 441

A PROLOGUE

INTO THE FIFTH BOOK OF MOSES CALLED
DEUTERONOMY.

THIS is a book worthy to be read in, day and night, and
never to be out of hands : for it is the most excellent of all
the books of Moses. It is easy also and light, and a very This hook

J o ' J a preaching

pure gospel, that is to wit, a preaching of faith and love : gj/*ithaud
deducing the love to God out of faith, and the love of a
man's neighbour out of the love of God. Herein also thou Heretium

., i- • i • mayest learn

mayest learn right meditation or contemplation, which is a right medi-

«/ . ' tation or con-

notlling else save the calling to mind, and a repeating in the template.

heart, of the glorious and wonderful deeds of God, and of his
terrible handling of his enemies and merciful entreating of
them that come when he calleth them ; which thing this book
doth, and almost nothing else.

In the four first chapters he rehearseth the benefits of
God done unto them, to provoke them to love, and his mighty
deeds done above all natural power, and beyond all natural The works of
capacity of faith, that they might believe God, and trust in
him and in his strength. And thirdly he rehearseth the
fierce plagues of God upon his enemies, and on them which
through impatience and unbelief fell from him ; partly to
tame and abate the appetites of the flesh which alway fight
against the Spirit, and partly to bridle the wide raging lusts
of them in whom was no Spirit ; that though they had no
power to do good of love, yet at the least way they should
abstain from outward evil for fear of wrath, and cruel vcn-
gcance which should fall upon them and shortly find them
out, if they cast up God's nurture, and run at riot beyond his Ofeo-od.seance
laws and ordinances.

Moreover he chargeth them to put nought to. nor take unto the law

° of God we

ou^ht away from God's words, but to be diligent only to may not add

""e> t/ ' «/ nor dimmish.

keep them in remembrance, and in the heart, and to teach
their children for fear of forgetting ; and to beware either
of making imagery, or of bowing themselves unto images,

442 PROLOGUE TO THE

saying> " Ye saw no image when God spake unto you, but
fma-es.from heard a voice only, and that voice keep, and thereunto cleave;
for it is your life, and it shall save you." And finally, if (as
the frailty of all flesh is) they shall have fallen from God,
and he have brought them into trouble, adversity, and cum-
cod is mer- brance and all necessity ; yet if they repent and turn, he

cifultothem . « i i « i i •

that repent, promiseth them, that God shall remember his mercy, and
receive them to grace again.

In the fifth he repeateth the ten commandments; and, that
they might see a cause to do them of love, he biddeth them
remember that they were bound in Egypt, and how God
delivered them with a mighty hand and a stretched out arm,
*° serve k*m> an(^ to k-eeP his commandments : as Paul saith
that we are bought with Christ's blood, and therefore are his

amleourm' servants, and not our own, and ought to seek his will and
honour only, and to love and serve one another for his sake.
In the sixth he setteth out the fountain of all command
ments : that is, that they believe how that there is but one
God that doth all, and therefore ought only to be loved with
a^ the heart, all the soul, and all the might. For love only

ofG0edlaws *s the fulfilling of the commandments, as Paul also saith unto
the Romans, and Galatians likewise. He warneth them also
that they forget not the commandments, but teach them their
children ; and to shew their children also how God delivered
them out of the bondage of the Egyptians, to serve him and
his commandments, that the children might see a cause to
work of love likewise.

^e sevcnth is altogether of faith : he removeth all oc-
casions that might withdraw them from the faith, and pulleth
them also from all confidence in themselves, and stirreth them
up to trust in God boldly and only.

Of the eighth chapter thou seest how that the cause of
all temptation1 is, that a man might sec his own heart. For
when I am brought into that extremity, that I must either

HOW a man suffer or forsake God, then I shall feel how much I believe
anc^ trust in him, and how much I love him. In like manner,
^ my brother do me evil for my good, then if I love him

neighbour, when there is no cause in him, I see that my love was of
God ; and even so if I then hate him, I feel and perceive that
my love was but worldly. And finally, he stirreth them to the
[l That is, of trial]

BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 443

faith and love of God, and drivcth them from all confidence
of their own selves.

In the ninth also he moveth them unto faith, and to put c°<' st.n-eth

I tip his people

their trust in God ; and draweth them from confidence of unto faith-
themselves, by rehearsing all the wickedness which they had
wrought from the first day he knew them unto that same
day. And in the end he repeatcth how he conjured God in £fri£htjay
Horeb, and overcame him with prayer ; where thou mayest
learn the right manner to pray.

In the tenth he reckoneth up the pith of all laws, and Tlie pith and

effect of nil

the keeping of the law in the heart ; which is to fear God, £0edlaws of
love him, and serve him with all their heart, soul and might,
and keep his commandments of love. And he sheweth a
reason why they should that do : even because God is Lord
of heaven and earth, and hath also done all for them of his
own goodness, without their deserving. And then out of the And if we

i /M i i i • i i ! • , •, firstloveOod,

love unto God he brmgeth the love unto a man's neighbour, then om of

that love we

saying, God is Lord above all lords, and loveth all his servants |™f0"crcds
indifferently, as well the poor and feeble, and the stranger, ne^hbour-
as the rich and mighty, and therefore will that we love the
poor and the stranger. And he addeth a cause, For ye were
strangers, and God delivered you, and hath brought you unto
a land where ye be at home. "Love the stranger therefore"
for his sake.

In the eleventh he exhorteth them to love and fear God ; J^J^jf,,
and rehearscth the terrible deeds of God upon his enemies, {Jg^fjjJ!*
and on them that rebelled against him. And he testifieth dcsi)isc him-
unto them both what will follow, if they love and fear God,
and what also if they despise him and break his command
ment.

In the twelfth he commandeth to put out of the way all The word of
that might be an occasion to hurt the faith, and forbiddeth to beaiteSi?
do ought after their own minds, or to alter the word of God.

In the thirteenth he forbiddeth to hearken unto ouffht Letnoman

O draw us from

save unto God's word : no, though he which counselleth con- God's word-
trary should come with miracles ; as Paul doth unto the Ga-
latians.

In the fourteenth the beasts are forbidden, partly for
uncleanness of them, and partly to cause hate between the
heathen and them ; that they have no conversation together,
in that one abhorreth what the other eateth. Unto this
fifteenth chapter all pertain unto faith and love chiefly : and

444 PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY.

or matters of in this fifteenth he beginneth to entreat more specially of

the common- . . i i -i • i

weai. things pertaining unto the commonwealth, and equity ; and

exhorteth unto the love of a man's neighbour. And in the

sixteenth, among other, he forgetteth not the same. Arid

in the seventeenth he entreateth of right and equity chiefly ;

insomuch that, when he looketh unto faith and unto the

punishment of idolaters, he yet endeth in a law of love and

None may be equity : forbidding to condemn any man under less than two

underTwo witnesses at the least, and commandeth to brinp- the trcs-

witncsses. , ,, ._ °

passer unto the open gate oi the city, where all men go m
and out, that all men might hear the cause and see that he
had but right. But the pope hath found a better way ;
even to appose1 him without any accuser, and that secretly,
that no man know whether he have right or no, either hear
his articles or answer ; for fear lest the people should search
whether it were so or no.

In the eighteenth he forbiddeth all false and devilish
Christ our crafts that hurt true faith. Moreover because the people

Saviour cie-

ciared in the could not hear the voice of the law spoken to them in fire.

old testa- t *•

ment. ^Q promiseth them another prophet to bring them better
tidings ; which was spoken of Christ our Saviour.

The nineteenth, and so forth unto the end of the twenty-
seventh, is almost altogether of love unto our neighbours,
and of laws, of equity and honesty, with now and then a
respect unto faith.

The curse The twenty-eighth is a terrible chapter, and to be trem-

God overall bled at. A christian man's heart might well bleed for sorrow at

those that °

!awsk his tne reading of it, for fear of the wrath that is like to come upon
us, according unto all the curses which thou there readest. For
according unto these curses hath God dealt with all nations,
after they were fallen into the abominations of blindness.

The twenty-ninth is like terrible, with a godly lesson in

we may not the end, that we should leave searching of God's secrets, and

be too curious . ,. n. -iiii i

in the search- m\Q diligence to walk according to that ne hath opened

ing of God's & ° *•

un<X) lls* -^or ^ie keeping of the commandments or God
teachetli wisdom, as thou mayest see in the same chapter,
where Moses saith, Keep the commandments, tfcat ye may
Dur' understand what ye ought to do. But to search God's
secrets blindcth a man ; as it is well proved by the swarms
of our sophisters, whose wise books are now, when we look
in the scripture, found but full of foolishness.
[l To examine; to question.]

445

A TABLE

EXPOUNDING CERTAIN WORDS OF THE FIFTH BOOK OF MOSES
CALLED DEUTERONOMY2.

AVIMS. A kind of giants ; and the word signifieth
crooked, unright, or wicked3.

BELIAL. Wicked, or wickedness ; he that hath cast the
yoke of God off his neck, and will not obey God4.

BRUTERER. Prophesier, or soothsayer5.

EMIMS. A kind of giants so called, because they were
terrible and cruel ; for Emim signifieth terribleness6.

[2 In Day's folio this table is prefixed to the book of Numbers,
and called, ' An exposition of certain words of the ivth book of Moses
called Numeri/ whereas they are all words found in Deuteronomy. In
the Pentateuch of 1534 the table is in its proper place.]

[3 Avims. Q>^ . Deut. ii. 23. Gr. Eumoi. Vulg. Hevsei. Lu
ther, Caphthorim. Authorised version, Avims. Tyndalo refers tho
name to the root rPV» an(* *"s explanation of that root is in con
formity with that of lexicographers.]

[4 Belial. Tj/vll . Deut. xiii. 13. Most lexicographers have con
sidered this word as a compound of ^3. and ^>, and have therefore
interpreted it either unprofitable, or ignoble, (Simon's Lex.) Tyndalo
has construed it as ^y ^3, , without a yoke : and Sebastian Munstcr,

who published the first volume of his translation of the scriptures
from the Hebrew in 1534, observes in a note, 'Per Belijaal Hebr.
intelligunt hominem pervicacem, quasi ^jy 1^3, absque jugo legis

divinse/ Buxtorf gives both interpretations ; but places Tyndale's first.
Lex. Hebr. et Chald. Basil. 1689, under root ^y.]

[5 In Deut. xviii. 10, where our authorised version has, 'that
useth divination, or an observer of times,' Tyndalo writes, 'a bruterar,
or a maker of dismal days.']

[G Emims. DNDN • Deut. ii. 10. Tyndalc refers this name to
the root Q\vj, as does Prof. Robertson, and Joh. Simon. Tho latter

- T

gives D^N as the correct reading, hero and in Gen. xiv. 5; and
says of Q>tf , rad. inusit. Terribilis fuit.]

446 TABLE EXPOUNDING WORDS IN DEUTERONOMY.

ENACKE. A kind of giants, so called haply because they
wore chains about their necks ; for enach is such a chain as
men wear about their necks1.

HOB IMS. A kind of giants, and signifieth noble ; because
that of pride they called themselves nobles, or gentles2.

ROCK. God is called a rock, because both he and his
word lasteth for ever3.

WHET THEM ON THY CHILDREN. That is, exercise thy
children in them, and put them in ure4.

ZAMZUMIMS. A kind of giants ; and signifieth mischievous,
or that be always imagining5.

[i Enacke. D^JN Deut. ii. 10. The verb pty is, to bind
round the neck; and the substantive signifies a neck-chain.]

[2 Horims. DHH • Deut. ii. 12. Joh. Simon's Lexicon, under
root *nn» n°bili stirpe natus est, has ^jf m. in plur. D*nn > nobles.
Leo acknowledges the same signification, but refers the word to Tin*
white, and then says, * Nobles, as arrayed in white robes.7]

[3 Tyndale obviously alludes to Deut. xxxii. 4, and 31.]

[4 Deut. vi. 7. Tyndale used the words, 'Whet them/ where our
authorised version has, ' teach them diligently/ but acknowledges
whet or sharpen, in its margin, to be more close to the Hebrew idiom.
The verb is pttf, the pihel form of p{tf, and is acknowledged by

lexicographers to mean sharpen.]

[5 Zamzumims. D^ElDf • Deut. ii. 20. From DDT » he turned

• \ : ~ ~ T

in his mind, he resolved in his mind, comes HD?> headlong audacity,

a heinous crime, lewdness. Roberts. Clav. Pent. No. 2997. Joh.
Simon's Lex. agrees with Tyndale in referring the name of this giant
race to the same root.]

PROLOGUE OF THE PROPHET JONAS.

[INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

IN the preface to Sir Thomas More's ' Confutation of Tyndale's
Answer to his Dialogue/ he concludes his list of books ' made in the
English tongue' by Tyndale, as follows: 'Then have we Jonas made
out by Tyndale, a book that whoso delight therein shall stand in peril
that Jonas was never so swallowed up with the whale, as by the
delight of that book a man's soul may be so swallowed up by the
devil, that he shall never have the grace to get out again. Then have
we by Tyndale also the answer to my dialogue.' The title-page of
this Confutation bears the date of 1532 ; but Mr Anderson has also
found * Jonas in English/ at the end of a list of books denounced by
Stokesley, bishop of London, on the third of December, 1531, in a
Lambeth MS. No. 306, fol. 65. These notices of it are sufficient to
justify our fixing upon the early part of 1531 as the probable date of
the publication of the Prologue to Jonah. But whether it was pub
lished along with an English translation of Jonah by its author, or
without that accompaniment, must still be reckoned doubtful. Mr
Anderson says, that ' it contains abundant internal evidence, that tho
prophetical book was appended.' (Annals of Engl. Bib. B. i. section
8. Vol. I. p. 289, note 47.) But ho allows that 'no copy of this
edition/ that is, of an edition containing both tho Prologue and text,
'is known to exist.' And on the other hand, in the biblo called
Matthew's bible, published in 1537, whose editors were obviously
desirous to use Tyndale's translations for every portion of scripture
which he had rendered into English, whether previously published or
not, we find that the text of Jonah is from Coverdale's translation,
which they were fain to employ in so much of the scripture as
Tyndalo had not translated. The preference thus manifested for
Tyndale's versions, in a bible dedicated to Henry VIII. by editors who
must have been aware of tho king's dislike to him, would not have
been shewn by them, if they had not felt that his translations had an un
deniable claim to be preferred before Coverdale's, on the plain ground
that he had made his translations directly from tho inspired original
text, whilst Coverdale, according to his own title-page, had but ' trans
lated from the Douche and Latyn/ or, in other words, from Luther's
German Bible and the Vulgate. It is therefore contrary to all proba
bility that editors, whom the fear of provoking their wilful sovereign
could not withhold from manifesting their esteem for Tyndale's trans
lations, and who must have taken steps unknown to us to procure, as
they did, his unpublished versions of the books from Joshua to the

448 INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

second of Chronicles, both inclusive, would have preferred reprinting
Coverdale's translation of Jonah, if there had been a translation of
that prophet published by Tyndale, and well known to all persons
interested in such subjects, as the Prologue to Jonah certainly was.

It is surely much more reasonable to believe, that when More and
Stokesley spoke of what Tyndale had published in 1531, as 'Jonah in
English/ there was no more intended than when the former said,
' Then have we by Tyndale the Wicked Mammona,' videlicet, his
treatise on that parable. The same may be said of the mention of
both in a catalogue of prohibited books, printed in the first edition of
Foxe's Acts and Mons. pp. 573 — 4, but omitted in subsequent editions,
as if Foxe thought it too inaccurate for readmission. They there
stand together as follows: 'Item, a book called the prophet Jonas,
teaching to understand the right use of Scripture. Item, a treatise of
the justification by faith only, otherwise called The Parable of the
Wicked Mammon.* The enemies of the truth were only thinking of
Tyndale's doctrines, when they denounced his publications. On the
other hand, there seems to have been such a general consciousness of
a similarity between the work to which Jonah had been called, and
that which the reformers undertook, as occasioned the issue of a
remarkable number of separate editions of this prophet. If Tyn
dale was thereby led to select the history of Jonah for his theme, it
appears from Masch's Le Long, that bibliographers have been able to
collect a list of two and twenty editions of Jonah, with Latin versions
or paraphrases, besides the vernacular versions, printed during the age
of the Reformation and before its progress was brought to a pause.

The copies of the Prologue compared with Day's folio for the
present reprint are those contained in a Bible of the date of 1549, in
the Baptists' College, at Bristol, and the Bible printed by Nicolas
Hyll, vi. May, MDLI. in the same collection; marked 24, B, in Mi-
Anderson's Catalogue.]

PROLOGUE TO THE PROPHET JONAS. 449

THE PROLOGUE

TO THE PROPHET JONAS.

As the envious Philistines stopped the wells of Abraham, The papists
and filled them up with earth, to put the memorial out of scriptures

. . r . * from the lay-

mmd, to the intent that they might challenge the ground ; Selethe?
even so the fleshly-minded hypocrites stop up the veins of tTepub-1 be
life, which are in the scripture, with the earth of their SJSuS?
traditions, false similitudes, and lying allegories ; and that of *
like zeal, to make the scripture their own possession and
merchandise, and so shut up the kingdom of heaven, which
is God's word ; neither entering in themselves, nor suffering
them that would.

The scripture hath a body without, and within a soul, The scripture
spirit, and life. It hath without a bark, a shell, and as it and a »oul-
were an hard bone, for the fleshly-minded to gnaw upon :
and within it hath pith, kernel, marrow, and all sweetness
for God's elect, which he hath chosen to give them his
Spirit, and to write his law, and the faith of his Son, in
their hearts.

The scripture containeth three things in it : first, the The scripture

11 1-1 i • containeth

law, to condemn all flesh ; secondarily, the gospel, that is to three things,
say, promises of mercy for all that repent and acknowledge
their sins at the preaching of the law, and consent in their
hearts that the law is good, and submit themselves to be
scholars to learn to keep the law, and to learn to believe the
mercy that is promised them ; and thirdly, the stories and
lives of those scholars, both what chances fortuned them,
and also by what means their schoolmaster taught them and
made them perfect, and how he tried the true from the
false.

When the hypocrites come to the law, they put glosses The manner

Jr . ui i i- of hypocrites

to, and make no more of it than of a worldly law, which in reading the

' . law of God.

is satisfied with the outward work, and which a Turk may
also fulfil : when yet God's law never ccaseth to condemn a

[! The margins throughout this Prologue arc not Tyndale's own.]

29
[TYNDALB.]

450 PROLOGUE TO THE

man, until it be written in his heart, and until he keep it
naturally without compulsion, and all other respect, save only
of pure love to God and his neighbour; as he naturally
cateth when he is an hungred, without compulsion and all
other respect, save to slake his hunger only. And when

calandcor- , ° . J

they come to the gospel, there they mingle their leaven,
and say, ' God now receiveth us no more to mercy, but of
mercy receiveth us to penance ;' that is to wit, holy deeds
that make them fat bellies, and us their captives both in soul
and body. And yet they feign their idol the pope so
merciful, that if thou make a little money glister in his
Balaam's eyes, there is neither penance, nor purgatory, nor
any fasting at all, but to fly to heaven as swift as a thought,
and at the twinkling of an eye.
HOW the pa- And the lives, stories, and gests1 of men, which are

pists wring f > ' =>

scripTurcsthe contained in the bible, they read as things no more pertaining
unto them than a tale of Robin Hood, and as things they
wot not whereto they serve, save to feign false descant and
juggling allegories, to stablish their kingdom withal. And
one of the chicfest and fleshliest studies they have is to
magnify the saints above measure and above the truth ; and
with their poetry to make them greater then ever God made
them. And if they find any infirmity or sin ascribed unto
the saints, that they excuse with all diligence, diminishing
the glory of the mercy of God, and robbing wretched sinners
of all their comfort ; and think thereby to flatter the saints,
and to obtain their favour, and to make special advocates of
them, even as a man would obtain the favour of worldly
tyrants : as they also feign the saints more cruel than ever
was any heathen man, and more wreakful and vengcable
than the poets feign their gods, or their furies that tor
ment the souls in hell, if their evens2 be not fasted, and their
images visited and saluted with a pater-noster (which prayer
only our lips be acquainted with, our hearts understanding
none at all) and worshipped with a candle, and the offering
of our devotion in the place which they have chosen to hear
supplications and meek petitions of their clients therein.

But thou, reader, think of the law of God, how that it is

[l That is, doings. So edition of 1549; but Hylls' bible and Day
have gifts. ~\

[2 Evens, eves ; the saints' eves.]

PROPHET JONAS. 451

altogether spiritual, and so spiritual that it is never fulfilled
with deeds or works, until they flow out of thino heart, with
as great love toward thine neighbour, for no deserving of
his, yea, though he be thine enemy, as Christ loved thee,
and died for thee, for no deserving of thine, but even when
thou wast his enemy ; and in the mean time, throughout all
our infancy and childhood in Christ, till we be grown up
into perfect men, in the full knowledge of Christ, and full
love of Christ again, and of our neighbours for his sake,
after the example of his love to us, remembering that the
fulfilling of the law is a fast faith in Christ's blood, coupled
with our profession, and submitting ourselves to do better.

And of the gospel, or promises, which thou meetest in
the scripture, believe fast3 that God will fulfil them unto
thee, and that unto the uttermost jot, at the repentance of
thine heart, when thou turnest to him and forsakest evil,
even of his goodness and fatherly mercy unto thee, and not
for thy flattering him with hypocritish works of thine own
feigning : so that a fast faith only, without respect of all
works, is the forgiveness both of the sin which we did in
time of ignorance with lust and consent to sin, and also of
that4 sin which we do by chance, and of frailty, after that
we are come to knowledge, and have professed the law out
of our hearts. And all deeds serve only for to help our
neighbours, and to tame our flesh, that we fall not to sin
again, and to exercise our souls in virtue ; and not to make
satisfaction to God- ward for the sin that is once past.

And all other stories of the bible, without exception, are
the practising of the law and of the gospel ; and arc true and
faithful ensamples, and sure earnest that God will even so
deal with us, as he did with them, in all infirmities, in all
temptations, and in all like cases and chances. Wherein ye
see on the one side how fatherly and tenderly, and with all
compassion, God cntreateth his elect, which submit them
selves as scholars, to learn to walk in the ways of his laws,
and to keep them of love. If they forgat themselves at a
time, he would stir them up again with all mercy : if they
fell and hurt themselves, he healed them again with all com
passion and tenderness of heart. Ho hath oft brought great

[3 Fast : stcdfastly.]

[4 So D. Hyll's B. has all the.]

29—2

452 PROLOGUE TO THE

God correct- tribulation and adversity upon his elect : but all of fatherly

eth where he «/ J. •

loveth. iove only, to teach them, and to make them see their own
hearts, and the sin that there lay hid, that they might after-
God casteth ward feel his mercy. For his mercy waited upon them, to

none away . ' -111

but such as ri(j them out again, as soon as they were learned, and come

refuse to keep «/

Snot8' and t° the knowledge of their own hearts ; so that he never cast
£io£.unto man away, how deep soever he had sinned, save them only
which had first cast the yoke of his laws from their necks,
with utter defiance and malice of heart.

Which ensamples how comfortable are they for us, when

•we be fallen into sin, and God is come upon us with a

scourge, that we despair not, but repent with full hope of

mercy, after the ensamples of mercy that are gone before !

And therefore they were written for our learning, as testi-

Rom. xv. fieth Paul, Rom. xv. to comfort us, that we might the better

put our hope and trust in God, when we see how merciful

he hath been in times past unto our weak brethren that are

gone before, in all their adversities, need, temptations, yea,

and horrible sins into which they now and then fell.

such as hard- And on the other side, ye see how they that hardened

heartland their hearts, and sinned of malice, and refused mercy that

hearken not • il

Godhto'do1itf was °ffere(i them, and had no power to repent, perished at

God casteth' the latter end, with all confusion and shame, mercilessly.

Which ensamples are very good, and necessary to keep us in

awe and dread in time of prosperity, as thou mayest see by

i cor. x. Paul, 1 Cor. x. that we abide in the fear of God, and wax not

wild, and fall to vanities, and so sin and provoke God, and

bring his wrath upon us.

Theproptets And thirdly, ye see in the practice, how as God is merci-
5X1? b^-85 ^ anc^ long-suffering, even so were all his true prophets and
thefA'njuries preachers ; bearing the infirmities of their weak brethren, and
patience!1 their own wrongs and injuries, with all patience and long-
suffering, never casting any of them off their backs, until
they sinned against the Holy Ghost, maliciously persecuting
the open and manifest truth : contrary unto the ensample of
The^ope^and the pope, which in sinning against God, and to quench the
forspovbeerCU" truth °f his Holy Spirit, is ever chief captain and trumpet-
blower to set other at work, and seeketh only his own free
dom, liberty, privilege, wealth, prosperity, profit, pleasure,
pastime, honour and glory, with the bondage, thraldom,
captivity, misery, wretchedness, and vile subjection of his

PROPHET JONAS. 453

brethren ; and in his own cause is so fervent, so stiff and
cruel, that he will not suffer one word spoken against his
false majesty, wily inventions, and juggling hypocrisy, to be
unavenged, though all Christendom should be set together by
the ears, and should cost he cared not how many hundred
thousand their lives.

Now, that thou mayest read Jonas fruitfully, and not as
a poet's fable, but as an obligation between God and thy
soul, as an earnest-penny given thee of God, that he will
help thee in time of need, if thou turn to him, and as the
word of God, the only food and life of thy soul, this mark
and note. First count Jonas the friend of God, and a man
chosen of God, to testify his name unto the world ; but yet a
young scholar, weak and rude, after the fashion of the apos
tles while Christ was with them yet bodily, which, though
Christ taught them ever to be meek and to humble them
selves, yet oft strove among themselves who should be
greatest. The sons of Zebedee would sit the one on the
right hand of Christ, the other on the left. They would
pray that fire might descend from heaven, and consume the
Samaritans. When Christ asked, " Who say men that I
am?" Peter answered, "Thou art the Son of the living
God ;" as though Peter had been as perfect as an angel.
But immediately after, when Christ preached unto them of
his death and passion, Peter was angry and rebuked Christ,
and thought earnestly that he had raved, and not wist what hhaeddjfschSt,
he said ; as at another time, when Christ was so fervently
busied in healing the people that he had no leisure to eat,
they went out to hold him, supposing that he had been be
side himself. And one that cast out devils in Christ's name
they forbade, because he waited not on them; so glorious1
were they yet.

And though Christ taught alway to forgive, yet Peter,
after long going to school, asked whether men should forgive
seven times ; thinking that eight times had been too much.
And at the last supper Peter would have died with Christ ;
but yet within few hours after he denied him, both cowardly
and shamefully. And after the same manner, though he had
so long heard that no man might avenge himself, but rather
turn the other cheek to, than to smite again ; yet when Christ
f1 Glorious, for vain-glorious.]

454 PROLOGUE TO THE

was in taking, Peter asked whether it were lawful to smite
with the sword, and tarried none answer, but laid on rashly.
So that though, when we come first unto knowledge of the
truth, and that peace is made between God and us, we love
his laws, and believe and trust in him as in our father, and
have good hearts unto him, and be born anew in the Spirit,
yet we are but children and young scholars, weak and feeble;
and must have leisure to grow in the Spirit, in knowledge,
love, and in the deeds thereof, as young children must have
time to grow in their bodies.

And God, our father and schoolmaster, feedeth us and

teacheth us according unto the capacity of our stomachs, and

maketh us to grow and wax perfect, and fineth and trieth us

as gold in the fire of temptations and tribulations ; as Moses

Deut. viii. witnessetli, Deut. viii. saying : " Remember all the way by

God doth which the Lord thy God carried thee this forty years in the

mercifully "

try and tempt wilderness, to humble thee, and to tempt, or provoke thee,

us, to move m ' ,

our hea"Lr that ^ might be known what were in thine heart. He brought

thee into adversity, and made thee an hungred, and then fed
thee with manna, which neither thou nor yet thy fathers ever
knew of, to teach that man liveth not by bread only, but by
all that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." For the pro
mises of God are life unto all that cleave unto them, much
more than is bread and bodily sustenance ; as the journey of
the children of Israel out of Egypt into the land promised
them minister eth thee notable ensamples, and that abundantly,
as doth all the rest of the bible also. Howbeit, it is impos
sible for flesh to believe and to trust in the truth of God's
promises, until he have learned it in much tribulation, after
that God hath delivered him out thereof again.

God, therefore, to teach Jonas, and to shew him his own
heart, and to make him perfect, and to instruct us also by his
ensample, sent him out of the land of Israel, where he was a
prophet, to go among the heathen people, and to the greatest
and mightiest city of th<? world then, called Niniveh, to preach

message, but »

that within forty days they should all perish for their sins, and
un, ft^ ^ ^y g^Q^^ ^e overthrown. Which message the free
will of Jonas had as much power to do as the weakest-hearted
woman in the world hath power, if she were, commanded, to
leap into a tub of living snakes and adders : as haply, if God
had commanded Sarah to have sacrificed her son Isaac, as he

PROPHET JONAS. 455

did Abraham, she would have disputed with him ere1 she had
done it ; or though she were strong enough, yet many an holy
saint could not have found in their hearts, but would have run
away from the presence of the commandment of God with
Jonas, if they had been so strongly tempted.

For Jonas thought of this manner : Lo, I am here a pro
phet unto God's people the Israelites, which, though they
have God's word testified unto them daily, yet despise it, and
worship God under the likeness of calves, and after all manner
fashions, save after his own word ; and therefore are of all
nations the worst, and most worthy of punishment : and yet
God, for love of few that arc among them, and for his name's
sake, spareth and dcfcndcth them. How then should God
take so cruel vengeance on so great a multitude of them to
whom his name was never preached, and therefore are not the
tenth part so evil as these ? If I shall therefore go preach,
so shall I lie2 and shame myself, and God thereto, and make
them the more to despise God, and set the less by him, and to
be the more cruel unto his people.

And upon that imagination he fled from the face or pre- Jonas,
sence of God ; that is, out of the country where God was j^j
worshipped in, and from the prosecuting of God's command- ^e
ment ; and thought, I will get me another way, among the l\
heathen people, and be no more a prophet, but live at rest «
and out of all cumbrance. Nevertheless, the God of all mercy,
which careth for his elect children, and turneth all unto good
to them, and smiteth them to heal them again, and killeth
them to make them live again, and playeth with them (as a
father doth sometime with his young ignorant children), and
tempteth them, and proveth them to make them see their own
hearts, provided for Jonas how all things should be.

When Jonas entered into the ship, he laid him down to Jonas^flcsh
sleep, and to take his rest : that is, his conscience was tossed
between the commandment of God, which sent him to Ninivch,
and his fleshly wisdom, that dissuaded and counselled him the
contrary, and at the last prevailed against the commandment,
and carried him another way, as a ship caught between two
streams ; and as poets feign the mother of Mclcager to be
between divers affections, while to avenge her brother's death

[i Old spelling, ycr.]

p So bible of 1549. Day has layc.j

456 PROLOGUE TO THE

she sought to slay her own son1. Whereupon for very pain
and tediousness he lay down to sleep, for to put the command
ment, which so gnew2 and fretted his conscience, out of
The wicked mind ; as the nature of all wicked is, when they have sinned

seek to cover . «/

mwwitj?*1 a g°°d3> to seek all means with riot, revel, and pastime, to

wo?ksholy drive the remembrance of sin out of their thoughts ; or, as

Adam did, to cover their nakedness with aprons of pope-holy

works. But God awoke him out of his dream, and set his

sins before his face.

For when the lot had caught Jonas, then be sure that his
sms came to remembrance again, and that his conscience
raged no less than the waves of the sea. And then he thought
that he only was a sinner, and the heathen that were in the
ship none in respect of him ; and thought also, as verily as he
was fled from God, that as verily God had cast him away.
For the sight of the rod maketh the natural child not only to
see and to knowledge his fault, but also to forget all his
jpnas being father's old mercy and kindness. And then he confessed his

afraid con- v

S?hhis sm °Penty> and had yet lever perish alone, than that the
other should have perished with him for his sake ; and so, of
very desperation to have lived any longer, he bade cast him
into the sea betimes, except they would be lost also.
thets'mawbe ^° sPea^- °^ ^ots» ^ow ^ar ^OY^ they are lawful, is a light4
fuieicllaw~ question. First, to use them for the breaking of strife, (as
when partners, their goods as equally divided as they can,
take every man his part by lot, to avoid all suspicion of deceit-
Acts L fulness ; and as the apostles, in the first of the Acts, when
they sought another to succeed Judas the traitor, and two
persons were presented, then, to break strife, and to satisfy
all parties, did cast lots whether should be admitted, desiring
God to temper them, and to take whom he knew most meet,
seeing they wist not whether to prefer, or haply could not all
agree on either,) is lawful, and in all like cases. But to abuse
them unto the tempting of God, and to compel him therewith
to utter things whereof we stand in doubt, when we have no
commandment of him so to do, as these heathen here did,
though God turned it unto his glory, cannot be but evil.

[l See the story in Ovid, Metam. vm. iv.]
[2 Gnew, i.e. gnawed.]
[3 A good, for of good, i. e. in reality.]
L4 Not difficult.]

PROPHET JONAS. 457

The heathen shipmen, astonied at the sight of the miracle, Miracle
feared God, prayed to him, offered sacrifice, and vowed vows.
And I doubt not but that some of them, or haply all, came
thereby unto the true knowledge and true worshipping of
God, and were won to God in their souls. And thus God,
which is infinite merciful in all his ways, wrought their soul's
health out of the infirmity of Jonas ; even of his good will and
purpose, and love, wherewith he loved them before the world
was made, and not of chance, as it appeareth unto the eyes of
the ignorant.

And that Jonas was three days and three nights in the 4sr^e°Jjf Jay
belly of his fish, we cannot thereby prove unto the Jews and ^gVtshfthe
infidels, or unto any man, that Christ must therefore die, and s^hrisSy'
be buried, and rise again : but we use the ensample and SfthSe
likeness to strength the faith of the weak. For he that be- Sftii? m
lieveth the one, cannot doubt in the other : inasmuch as the
hand of God was no less mighty in preserving Jonas alive
against all natural possibility, and in delivering him safe out
of his5 fish, than in raising up Christ again out of his sepul
chre. And we may describe the power and virtue of the J°
resurrection thereby, as Christ himself borroweth the simili-
tude thereto, Matt. xii. saying unto the Jews that came
about him, and desired a sign or a wonder from heaven, to
certify them that he was Christ : " This evil and wedlock-
breaking nation " (which break the wedlock of faith, where
with they be married unto God, and believe in their false
works,) " seek a sign ; but there shall no sign be given them,
save the sign of the prophet Jonas. For as Jonas was three
days and three nights in the belly of the whale, even so shall
the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of
the earth." Which was a watch-word (as we say), and a
sharp threatening unto the Jews, and as much to say as thus :
* Ye hard-hearted Jews seek a sign ; lo, this shall be your
sign. As Jonas was raised out of the sepulchre of his fish,
and then sent unto the Ninivites to preach that they should
perish ; even so shall I rise again out of my sepulchre, and
come and preach repentance unto you. See, therefore, when
ye see the sign, that ye repent, or else ye shall surely perish,
and not escape. For though the infirmities which ye now see
in my flesh be a let unto your fathers, ye shall then be with-
[5 D. has this. Bible of 1551 has his.]

458 PROLOGUE TO THE

out excuse when ye see so great a miracle, and so great

mh>uthbo*hfc Power °f God S^IQ^ ou* uPon y°u-' And so Christ came again
a^er the resurrection in his Spirit, and preached repentance
unt° them by the mouth of his apostles and disciples, and with
miracles of the Holy Ghost. And all that repented not
perished shortly after, and the rest [were] carried away cap
tive into all quarters of the world for an example, as ye see
unto this day.

where there And in like manner, since the world began, wheresoever

is no repent-

rePen^ance was offered and not received, there God took cruel

vengeance immediately : as ye see in the flood of Noe, in
the overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all the coun
try about ; and as ye see of Egypt, of the Amorites, Cana-
anites, and afterward of the very Israelites ; and then, at the
last, of the Jews too, and of the Assyrians and Babylonians ;
and so throughout all the empires of the world.

Gildas preached repentance unto the old Britains that in-

British chro- habited England. They repented not, and therefore God
sent in their enemies upon them on every side, and destroyed
them up, and gave the land unto other nations1. And great
vengeance hath been taken in that land for sin since that
time.

wickHffea Wickliffc preached repentance unto our fathers not long

preacher of x A

repentance, since. They repented not ; for their hearts were indurate,
and their eyes blinded with their own pope-holy righteous
ness, wherewith they had made their souls gay against the
receiving again of the wicked spirit, that bringeth seven worse
than himself with him, and maketh the latter end worse than
the beginning : for in open sins there is hope of repentance,
KichUdthe kut *n k°ty hypocrisy none at all. But what followed ? They
They fet up s^ew their true and right king, and set up three wrong kings
Fourth"10 a row, under which all the noble blood was slain up, and half
Sf"hyth the commons thereto, what in France, and what with their
own sword, in fighting among themselves for the crown ; and
the cities and towns decayed, and the land brought half into
a wilderness, in respect of that it was before.

And now Christ, to preach repentance, is risen yet once
again out of his sepulchre, in which the pope had buried him,
and kept him down with his pillars and poleaxes, and all dis-
guisings of hypocrisy, with guile, wiles and falsehood, and with
C1 See p. 143.]

repentance

unto us.

PROPHET JONAS. 459

the sword of all princes, which he had blinded with his false
merchandise. And as I doubt not of the cnsamples that are
past, so am I sure that great wrath will follow, except repent
ance turn it back again, and cease it.

When Jonas had been in the fish's belly a space, and the Jonas caiicd

r, i . . , . •, , , upon God

rage of his conscience was somewhat quieted and suaged, and
he come to himself again, and had received a little hope, the
qualms and pangs of desperation which went over his heart
half overcome, he prayed ; as he maketh mention in the text,
saying, "Jonas prayed unto the Lord his God out of the belly
of the fish." But the words of that prayer are not here set.
The prayer that here2 standeth, in the text, is the prayer of
praise and thanksgiving, which he prayed and wrote when
he was escaped, and past all jeopardy: in the end of which
prayer he saith, " I will sacrifice with the voice of thanks- ^cdreth unto
giving, and pay that I have vowed ; that saving cometh of the
Lord." For verily, to confess out of the heart that all benefits
come of God, even out of the goodness of his mercy, and not
deserving of our deeds, is the only sacrifice that pleaseth God ;
and to believe that all the Jews vowed in their circumcision,
as we in our baptism ; which vow Jonas, now being taught
with experience, promiscth to pay. For those outward sacri
fices of beasts, unto which Jonas had haply ascribed too much
before, were but feeble and childish things, and not ordained
that the works of themselves should be a service unto the
people ; but to put them in remembrance of this inward sacri-
fice of thanks and of faith, to trust and believe in God the
only Saviour : which signification, when it was away, they £^4°
were abominable, and devilish idolatry and image-service ; as tTianksJung.
our ceremonies and sacraments are become now, to all that
trust and believe in the work of them, and are not taught the
significations, to edify their souls with knowledge and the
doctrine of God.

When Jonas was cast upon land again, then his will was Jonas did that

•"• ° God coin-

free, and had power to go whither God sent him, and to do mandedhiin-
what God bade, his own imaginations laid apart. For he had
been at a new school, yea, and in a furnace, where he was
purged of much refuse and dross of fleshly wisdom, which

[2 The employment of the word licre, in this and the preceding
clause, is doubtless a part of what would be esteemed internal evidence
that a translation of Jonah accompanied the prologue.]

460

PROLOGUE TO THE

Niniveh was
the greatest
city in the
world.

Christ is
merciful to
them that
repent and
call for
mercy.

The doctrine
of the Phari
sees and the
papists make
sin of that is
no sin.

This is the
doctrine of
the papists
and hypocri
tical monks
at this day.

resisted the wisdom of God, and led Jonas's will contrary unto
the will of God. For as far as we be blind in Adam, we
cannot but seek and will our own profit, pleasure, and glory ;
and as far as we be taught in the Spirit, we cannot but seek
and will the pleasure and glory of God only.

And as [to] the three days' journey of Niniveh, whether
it were in length, or to go round about it, or through all the
streets, I commit unto the discretion of other men. But I
think that it was then the greatest city of the world.

And that Jonas went a day's journey in the city : I sup
pose he did it not in one day, but went fair and easily ;
preaching here a sermon, and there another, and rebuked
the sin of the people, for which they must perish.

And when thou art come unto the repentance of the
Ninivites, there hast thou sure earnest, that howsoever angry
God be, yet he remembereth mercy unto all that truly re
pent and believe in mercy : which ensample our Saviour
Christ also casteth in the teeth of the indurate Jews, saying,
" The JSTinivites shall rise in judgment with this nation, and
condemn them ; for they repented at the preaching of Jonas,
and behold a greater than Jonas is here :" meaning of him
self, at whose preaching yet, though it were never so mighty
to pierce the heart, and for all his miracles thereto, the hard
hearted Jews could not repent ; when the heathen Ninivites
repented at the bare preaching of Jonas, rebuking their sins
without any miracle at all. Why ? For the Jews had
leavened the spiritual law of God, and with their glosses had
made it altogether earthly and fleshly, and so had set a veil
or covering on Moses's face, to shadow and darken the glori
ous brightness of his countenance. It was sin to steal ; but
to rob widows' houses under a colour of long praying, and to
poll in the name of offerings, and to snare the people with
intolerable constitutions1 against all love, to catch their
money out of their purses, was no sin at all.

To smite father and mother was sin ; but to withdraw
help from them at their need, for blind zeal of offering, unto
the profit of the holy Pharisees, was then as meritorious, as it
is now to let all thy kin choose whether they will sink or
swim, while thou .buildest and makest goodly foundations for
holy people, which thou hast chosen to be thy Christ, for to

[i Laws imposed by despotic authority. Justin. Instit. Lib.i. Tit. ii. § 6.]

PROPHET JONAS. 461

supple thy soul with the oil of their sweet blessings; and to be xhebiindand
thy Jesus, for to save thy soul from the purgatory of the blood works of the
that only purgeth sin, with their watching, fasting, woolward-
going2, and rising at midnight, &c., wherewith yet they purge
not themselves from their covetousness, pride, lechery, or any
vice that thou seest among the lay-people.

It was great sin for Christ to heal the people on the Papistical
sabbath-day, unto the glory of God his Father ; but none at
all for them to help their cattle, unto their own profit.

It was sin to eat with unwashed hands, or on an unwashed
table, or out of an unwashed dish ; but to eat out of that
purified dish that which came of bribery, theft, and extortion,
was no sin at all.

It was exceeding meritorious to make many disciples ;
but to teach them to fear God in his ordinances, had they
no care at all.

The high prelates so defended the right of holy church, ^^^en
and so feared the people with the curse of God and terrible ^eirs works
pains of hell, that no man durst leave the vilest herb in his
garden untithed. And the offerings and things dedicate unto
God, for the profit of his holy vicars, were in such estimation
and reverence, that it was a much greater sin to swear truly

by them, than to forswear thyself by God. What vengeance t]jnfst°f the
then of God, and how terrible and cruel damnation, think ye,
preached they to fall on them that had stolen so the holy
things ? And yet saith Christ, that righteousness and faith,
in keeping promise, mercy, and indifferent judgment, were
utterly trodden under foot, and clean despised of those blessed
fathers, which so mightily maintained Aaron's patrimony, and
had made it so prosperous, and environed it, and walled it
about on every side with the fear of God, that no man durst
touch it.

It was great holiness to garnish the sepulchres of the Blind and

. P • (, hypocritical

prophets, and to condemn their own fathers for slaying of doctrine.
them ; and yet were they themselves, for blind zeal of their
own constitutions, as ready as their fathers to slay whosoever
testified unto them the same truth which the prophets tes
tified unto their fathers. So that Christ compareth all the
righteousness of those holy patriarchs unto the outward beauty

[2 The imaginary merit of forswearing clean linen, and wearing
woollen in its stead.]

462 PROLOGUE TO THE

of a painted sepulchre, full of stench and all uncleanness
within.

And finally, to beguile a man's neighbour in subtle bar
gaining, and to wrap and compass him in with cautels of
the law, was then as it is now in the kingdom of the pope :
by the reason whereof they excluded the law of love out of
their hearts, and consequently all true repentance ; for how
could they repent of that they could not see to be sin ?

And on the other side they had set up a righteousness

of wor°kusstoss °f koly works to cleanse their souls withal ; as the pope
sanctificth. us with holy oil, holy bread, holy salt, holy can
dles, holy dumb ceremonies, and holy dumb blessings, and
with whatsoever holiness thou wilt, save with the holiness of
God's word; which only speaketh unto the heart, and sheweth
the soul his nlthiness and uncleanness of sin, and leadcth her
by the way of repentance unto the fountain of Christ's blood,

By the wovid- to wash it away through faith. By the reason of which false

]y and fleshly ^ i» i ••• •

interpreta- righteousness they were disobedient unto the righteousness of

lions of the

... .

which is the forgiveness of sin in Christ's blood, and
could not believe it. And so, through fleshly interpreting the
law, and false imagined righteousness, their hearts were
hardened, and made as stony as clay in a hot furnace of fire,
that they could receive neither repentance, nor faith, or any
manner l of grace at all.
The heathen But the heathen Ninivites, though they were blinded

repented at *

ohfejornasching W1"1 *us*s a g°°d2> Je* were in those two3 points uncorrupt
and unhardened ; and therefore, with the only preaching of
Jonas, came unto the knowledge of their sins, and confessed
them, and repented truly, and turned every man from his
evil deeds, and declared their sorrow of heart and true re
pentance with their deeds, which they did out of faith and
hope of forgiveness ; chastising their bodies with prayer and
fasting, and with taking all pleasures from the flesh ; trusting,
as God was angry for their wickedness, even so should he
forgive them of his mercy, if they repented, and forsook their
misliving.

[! So B. of 1551. Day has moisture."]

[2 So B. of 1551. Day omits a good.]

[3 So Day. HylFs Bible of 1551 has three. The two points in which
theNinivites were unhardened and the Jews hardened are placed in con
trast, viz. misinterpretation of God's law and imaginary righteousness.]

PROPHET JONAS. 4G3

And in the last end of all thou hast yet a goodly ensamplc
of learning, to see how earthy Jonas is still, for all his trying
in the whale's belly. He was so sore displeased because the
Ninivites perished not, that he was weary of his life, and
wished after death, for very sorrow that he had lost the
glory of his prophesying, in that his prophecy came not to
pass. But God rebuked him with a likeness, saying, ' It
grieveth thine heart for the loss of a vile shrub, or spray,
whereon thou bestowedst no labour or cost, neither was it
thine handy work. How much more then should it grieve
mine heart the loss of so great a multitude of innocents as
are in Niniveh, which are all mine hands' work ? JSTay, Jonas,
I am God over all, and father as well unto the heathen as ™ci;c'y of

7 God.

unto the Jews, and merciful to all, and warn ere I smite;
neither threat I so cruelly by any prophet, but that I will
forgive, if they repent and ask mercy ; neither, on the other
side, whatsoever I promise will I fulfil it, save for their sakcs
only which trust in me, and submit themselves to keep my
laws of very love, as natural children.'

On this manner to read the scripture is the right u

O manner ho\v

thereof, and why the Holy Ghost caused it to be written :
that is, that thou first seek out the law that God will have
thee to do, interpreting it spiritually, without gloss or covering
the brightness of Moses's face ; so that thou feel in thine
heart how that it is damnable sin before God not to love
thy neighbour that is thine enemy as purely as Christ loved
thee ; and that not to love thy neighbour in thine heart is
to have committed already all sin against him.

And therefore, until that love be come, thou must know
ledge unfeignedly that there is sin in the best deed thou doest;
and it must earnestly grieve thine heart, and thou must wash
all thy good deeds in Christ's blood, ere they can bo pure,
and an acceptable sacrifice unto God, and must desire God
the Father for his sake to take thy deeds a worth4, and blood-
to pardon the imperfectness of them, and to give thee power
to do them better, and with more fervent love.

[4 A worth, i.e. at worth; meaning, to esteem them ns having
worth (value) for Christ's sake. In his answer to Sir Thos. More,
Tyndale says, ' Wo have promises that that little we have is taken a
worth and accepted.']

464

PROLOGUE TO THE

AH the pro-

mises made

The two

And on the other side, thou must search diligently for the
promises of mercy which God hath promised thee again.

Which two points, that is to wit, the law spiritually inter
preted, how that all is damnable sin that is not unfeigned love
out of the ground and bottom of the heart, after the ensample
of Christ's love to us, because we be all equally created and
formed of one God our Father, and indifferently bought and
redeemed with one blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ; and

. . .

*hat *he- promises be given unto a repenting soul, that thirsteth
an(^ longeth after them, of the pure and fatherly mercy of
God, through our faith only, without all deserving of our
deeds or merits of our works, but for Christ's sake alone,
and for the merits and deservings of his works, death, and
passions that he suffered altogether for us, and not for him-
self : which two points, I say, if they be written in thine heart,
are the keys which so open all the scripture unto thee, that
no creature can lock thee out, and with which thou shalt go
in and out, and find pasture and food everywhere. And if
these lessons be not written in thine heart, then is all the
scripture shut up as a kernel in the shell, so that thou mayest
read it, and commune1 of it, and rehearse all the stories of
it, and dispute wittily, and be a profound sophister, and yet
understand not one jot thereof.

And thirdly, that thou take the stories and lives which
are contained in the bible for sure and undoubted ensamples
that God so will deal with us unto the world's end.

Herewith, reader, farewell ; and be commended unto God,
and unto the grace of his Spirit. And first see that thou stop
not thine ears unto the calling of God, and harden not thine
heart, beguiled with fleshly interpreting of the law, and false
imagined and hypocritish righteousness, and so2 the Ninivites
rise with thee at the day of judgment, and condemn thee.

And secondarily, if thou find ought amiss, when thou
seest thyself in the glass of God's word, think it necessary
wisdom to amend the same betimes, monished and warned by
the ensamples of other men, rather than to tarry until thou
be beaten also.

[1 B. of 1551 and Day have commen, which some editors have
supposed to be the same as comment.]

[2 Thus B. of 1551, but Day has least then.]

PROPHET JONAS. 465

And thirdly, if it shall so chance that the mid lusts of
thy flesh shall blind thee, and carry thee clean away with
them for a time ; yet at the latter end, when the God of lesson-
all mercy shall have compassed thee in on every side with
temptations, tribulation, adversities and cumbrance, to bring
thee home again unto thine own heart, and to set thy sins
which thou wouldest so fain cover, and put out of mind with
delectation of voluptuous pastimes, before the eyes of thy
conscience ; then call the faithful ensample of Jonas and all HOW thou

V1 . , . mayestatall

like stories unto thy remembrance, and with Jonas turn unto
thy Father that smote thee, not to cast thee away, but to
lay a corrosive and a fretting plaster unto the boil that lay
hid and fret inward, to draw the disease out, and to make it
appear, that thou mightest feel thy sickness and the danger
thereof, and come and receive the healing plaster of mercy.
And forget not that whatsoever ensample of mercy God

i T i 1 1 •

hath shewed since the beginning of the world, the same iswithth«

mercy that

promised thee, if thou wilt in like manner turn again, and is in christ<
receive it as they did ; and with Jonas be aknowen of3 thy
sin, and confess it, and knowledge it unto thy Father.

And as the law which fretteth thy conscience is in thine
heart, and is none outward thing, even so seek within thy
heart the plaster of mercy, the promises of forgiveness in our
Saviour Jesus Christ, according unto all the ensamples of
mercy that are gone before.

And with Jonas let them that wait on vanities, and seek In thv hear*

'are the words

God here and there, and in every temple save in their hearts, JJ^tK^
go, and seek thou the testament of God in thine heart. For *%*££ and
in thine heart is the word of the law ; and in thine heart is ciS0*
the word of faith in the promises of mercy in Jesus Christ :
so that if thou confess with a repenting heart and knowledge,
and surely believe that Jesus is Lord over all sin, thou art safe.

And finally, when the ra^e of thy conscience is ceased, oursmisof

ourselves *

and quieted with fast faith in the promises of mercy, then but remission
offer with Jonas the offering of praise and thanksgiving, and
pay the vow of thy baptism, that God only saveth, of his only S
mercy and goodness ; that is, believe stedfastly, and preach SK£ 8
constantly, that it is God only that smiteth, and God only that

[3 Be aknowen of is equivalent to acknowledge. So Sir Thomas
More : ' We say of a stubborn body, that standeth still in the denying
of his fault, This man will not knowledge his fault, or ho will not be
aknowen of his fault/ Confutacion, p. 157.]

[TYNDALE.]

466

PROLOGUE TO THE PROPHET JONAS.

John i.

Rom. vi.
JohnL
Rom. viii.

God hath no
need of our
works, but
we must do
them for our
selves, and
for the profit
of our neigh
bours.

Christ hath
satisfied for
our sins, as
well after
baptism, as
be f( ire bap
tism.

Our actual
sins are
washed away
in Christ's
blood.

healeth : ascribing the cause of thy tribulation unto thine own
sin, and the cause of thy deliverance unto the mercy of God.
And beware of the leaven that saith, we have power in
our free-will, before the preaching of the gospel, to deserve
grace, to keep the law of congruity, or God to be unrighteous.
And say with John in the first [chapter], that as the law was
given by Moses, even so grace to fulfil it is given by Christ.
And when they say our deeds with grace deserve heaven,
say thou with Paul, (Rom. vi.) that " everlasting life is the
gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord ;" and that (John i.)
we be made sons by faith ; and therefore (Rom. viii.) " heirs
of God with Christ." And say, that we receive all of God
through faith, that followeth repentance ; and that wre do not
our works unto God, but either unto ourselves, to slay the
sin that remaineth in the flesh, and to wax perfect ; either
unto our neighbours, which do as much for us again in other
things. And when a man exceedeth in gifts of grace, let him
understand that they be given him, as well for his weak
brethren, as for himself : as though all the bread be committed
unto the panter1, yet for his fellows with him, which give the
thanks unto their lord, and recompense the panter again
with other kind of service in their offices. And when they
say that Christ hath made no satisfaction for the sin we do
after our baptism ; say thou with the doctrine of Paul, that
in our baptism we receive the merits of Christ's death through
repentance and faith, of which two baptism is the sign : and
though when we sin of frailty after our baptism, we receive
the sign no more, yet we be renewed again through repent
ance, and faith in Christ's blood ; of which twain that sign
of baptism, ever continued among us in baptizing our young
children, doth ever keep us in mind, and call us back again
unto our profession, if we be gone astray, and promiseth us
forgiveness. Neither can actual sin be washed away with
our works, but with Christ's blood ; neither can there be any
other sacrifice, or satisfaction to Godward for them, save
Christ's blood : forasmuch as we can do no works unto
God, but receive only of his mercy with our repenting faith,
through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour : unto
whom, and unto God our Father through him, and unto his
holy Spirit, that only purgeth, sanctifieth, and washeth us in
the innocent blood of our redemption, be praise for ever. Amen.
[l Panter, or pantner : the keeper of the pantry.]

THE PROLOGUES

UPON

THE GOSPELS AND EPISTLES.

[INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

FOR this reprint the text of Day's folio of 1573 has been collated
with the prologues in three New Testaments in the Baptist College
library, viz. Tyndale's New Test, printed at Antwerp in 1534, by
Martin Emperour; a 4to. New Test, of 1536, unnoticed by Mr Ander
son, but described in the printed catalogue of the Test, and Bibles in
the collection of Lea Wilson, Esq. ; and a New Test, of Coverdale, of
the date of 1538, in which all Tyndale's prologues are inserted, but
not with perfect faithfulness ; for its editor has suppressed here and
there a sentence or a clause that bore too hard on popery to be pala
table to the ruling powers of that date.

The full title of the 4to. is, "The Newe Testament yet once
agayne corrected by Willyam Tindalo, whereunto is added a necessaryo
table wherein easily and lightely may be founde any storye contayned
in the gospells of S. Matthew, S. Marke, S. Luke, S. John and in tho
Actes of the Apostles. Jesus sayde, Marko xvi., Go ye into all tho
worlde and preache the glad tydinges to all creatures : and ho that
beleveth and is baptised, shal be saved. Prynted in the yere of our
Lord God MD and XXXVI."]

30—2

468 PROLOGUE UPON THE

PROLOGUE

UPON THE GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW.

HERE hast thou, most dear reader, the new Testament, or
covenant made with us of God in Christfs blood, which I have
looked over again, now at the last, with all diligence, and
compared it unto the Greek, and have weeded out of it many
faults, which lack of help at the beginning, and oversight,
did sow therein. If aught seem changed, or not altogether
agreeing with the Greek, let the finder of the fault consider
the Hebrew phrase or manner of speech, left in the Greek
words ; whose preterperfect tense and present tense are oft
both one, and the future tense is the optative mood also, and
the future tense oft the imperative mood in the active voice,
and in the passive ever. Likewise person for person, number
for number, and interrogation for a conditional, and such like,
is with the Hebrews a common usage. I have also in many
places set light in the margin to understand the text by. If
any man find faults either with the translation, or aught
beside, (which is easier for many to do than so well to have
translated it themselves of their own pregnant wits at the
beginning, without an ensample,) to the same it shall be
lawful to translate it themselves, and to put what they lust
thereto. If I shall perceive, either by myself or by infor
mation of other, that aught be escaped me, or might more
plainly be translated, I will shortly after cause it to be
amended. Howbeit, in many places methinketh it better to
put a declaration in the margin, than to run too far from the
text. And in many places, where the text seemeth at the
first chop1 hard to be understood, yet the circumstances be
fore and after, and often reading together, make it plain
enough.

Moreover, because the kingdom of heaven, which is the

t1 Lit. at the first proposal of a bargain; on the first consideration.]

GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW. 4G9

scripture and word of God, may be so locked up that he
which readeth or heareth it cannot understand it, as Christ
testifieth how that the scribes and Pharisees had so shut it up
(Matt, xxiii.), and had taken away the key of knowledge Matt. xxm.
(Luke xi.), that the Jews, which thought2 themselves within, Lukexi.
were yet so locked out, and are to this day, that they can The Jews to
understand no sentence of the scripture unto their salvation, locked^ut0
though they can rehearse the texts every where, and dispute demanding
thereof as subtilly as the popish3 doctors of Duns's dark learn- JJ1™8^
ing, which with their sophistry served us as the Pharisees did
the Jews : therefore, that I might be found faithful to my
Father and Lord, in distributing unto my brethren and fellows
of one faith their due and necessary food, so dressing it and
seasoning it, that the weak stomachs may receive it also, and
be the better for it ; I thought it my duty, most dear reader,
to warn thee before, and to shew thee the right way in, and
to give thee the true key to open it withal, and to arm thee
against false prophets and malicious hypocrites; whose per
petual study is to blind4 the scripture with glosses, and there
to lock it up where it should save the soul, and to make us
shoot at a wrong mark, to put our trust in those things that
profit their bellies only, and slay our souls.

The right way, yea, and the only way, to understand the The ng
scripture unto salvation, is that we earnestly and above all ^
things search for the profession of our baptism, or covenants
made between God and us. As, for an example, Christ saith,
(Matt, v.), " Happy are the merciful, for they shall obtain Matt v.
mercy." Lo, here God hath made a covenant with us, to be
merciful unto us, if we will be merciful one to another; so
that the man which sheweth mercy unto his neighbour may
be bold to trust in God for mercy at all needs : and con
trariwise, judgment without mercy shall be to him that
sheweth not mercy. So now, if he that sheweth no mercy
trust in God for mercy, his faith is carnal and worldly, and
but vain presumption : for God hath promised mercy only to
the merciful. And therefore the merciless have not God's
word that they shall have God's mercy, but, contrariwise,

[2 Day, thought. Test, of 1536 has though.]

[3 So Tyndale in the New Tests, of 1534 and 1536; that of 1538
Omits popish.]

[4 So D. The Tests, have leaven.]

470 PROLOGUE UPON THE

Matt. vi. that they shall have judgment without mercy. And, (Matt.
vi.) " If ye shall forgive men their faults, your heavenly
Father shall forgive you ; but and if ye shall not forgive men
their faults, no more shall your Father forgive you your
faults." Here also, by the virtue and strength of this covenant,
wherewith God of his mercy hath bound himself to us un
worthy, he that forgiveth his neighbour, when he returneth
and amendeth, may be bold to believe and trust in God for
remission of whatsoever he hath done amiss. And contra
riwise, he that will not forgive, cannot but despair of forgive
ness in the end, and fear judgment without mercy.
The general The general covenant, wherein all other are comprehended

C Shthat and included, is this : If we meek ourselves to God, to keep

all his laws, after the example of Christ, then God hath bound
himself unto us, to keep and make good all the mercies pro
mised in Christ throughout all the scripture.

in these com- All the whole law, which was given to utter our corrupt
i^conufned nature, is comprehended in the ten commandments. And the
]aw.w^ ten commandments are comprehended in these two, Love God
and thy neighbour. And he that loveth his neighbour, in
God and Christ, fulfilleth these two ; and consequently the
ten ; and finally all the other. Now if we love our neigh
bours in God and Christ, that is to wit, if we be loving, kind,
and merciful to them, because God hath created them unto
his likeness, and Christ hath redeemed them and bought
them with his blood, then may we be bold to trust in God,
through Christ and his deserving, for all mercy. For God
hath promised and bound himself to us, to shew us all mercy,
and to be a Father almighty to us, so that we shall not need
to fear the power of all our adversaries.

where no Now if any man, that submitteth not himself to keep the

are! there the commandments, do think that he hath any faith in God, the

Ant. eScLai ' game man's faith is vain, worldly, damnable, devilish, and

plain presumption, as is above said, and is no faith that can

justify, or be accepted before God. And that is it that

James meaneth in his epistle. For " how can a man believe,"

Rom. x. saith Paul, " without a preacher?" (Rom. x.) Now read all

the scripture, and see where God sent any to preach mercy to

any, save unto them only that repent, and turn to God with

all their hearts, to keep his commandments. Unto the dis

obedient, that will not turn, is threatened wrath, vengeance,

GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW. 471

and damnation, according to all the terrible acts1 and fearful
examples of the bible.

Faith now in God the Father, through our Lord Jesus what faith

~. . , ,. . . a , Jt is that

Christ, according to the covenants and appointment made *»**£•
between God and us, is our salvation. Wherefore I have
ever noted the covenants in the margins, and also the pro
mises. Moreover, where thou findest a promise, and no
covenant expressed therewith, there must thou understand a
covenant ; that we, when we be received to grace, know it to
be our duty to keep the law. As for an example, when the
scripture saith, (Matt, vii.) " Ask, and it shall be given you ; Matt. vit.
seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto
you;" it is to be understood, if that when thy neighbour
asketh, seeketh, or knocketh unto thee, thou then shew him
the same mercy which thou desirest of God, then hath God
bound himself to help thee again, and else not.

Also you see that two things are required to be in a TWO things

-1 m . are required

Christian man. The first is a stedfast faith and trust m JJ^jJf
almighty God, to obtain all the mercy that he hath promised ™n^
us through the deserving and merits of Christ's blood only,
without all respect to our own works. And the other is,
that we forsake evil and turn to God, to keep his laws, and
to fight against ourselves and our corrupt nature perpetually,
that we may do the will of God every day better and better.
This have I said, most dear reader, to warn thee, lest
thou shouldest be deceived, and shouldest not only read the
scriptures in vain and to no profit, but also unto thy greater
damnation. For the nature of God's word is, that whosoever what the

. nature of

read it, or hear it reasoned and disputed before him, it will god'ww'£d
begin immediately to make him every day better and better,
till he be grown into a perfect man in the knowledge of
Christ and love of the law of God ; or else make him worse
and worse, till he be hardened that he openly resist the Spirit
of God, and then blaspheme after the example of Pharao,
Korah, Abiram, Balaam, Judas, Simon Magus, and such other.
This to be even so, the words of Christ (John iii.) do well joim HI.
confirm : " This is condemnation," saith he ; " the light is come
into the world, but the men loved darkness more than light,
for their deeds were evil." Behold, when the light of God's
word cometh to a man, whether he read it or hear it preached
[i So Day. N. T. has curses.]

472

PROLOGUE UPON THE

When we
hear God's
•will and do
it not, then
God with-
draweth his
mercy and
favour from
us.
Ant. ed.

Rom. L

He that
hearkeneth
to the word
of God and
doth it, the
same shall be
blessed in
his deed.
Ant. ed.
Matt. xxv.

Luke xii.

Matt. vii.

and testified, and he yet have no love thereto, to fashion his
life thereafter, but consenteth still unto his old deeds of
ignorance ; then beginneth his just damnation immediately, and
he is henceforth without excuse, in that he refused mercy
offered him. For God offer eth1 mercy upon the condition
that he will mend his living ; but he will not come under the
covenant ; and from that hour forward he waxeth worse and
worse, God taking his Spirit of mercy and grace from him,
for his unthankfulness' sake. And Paul writeth, (Romans i.)
that the heathen, because when they knew God, they had no
lust to honour him with godly living, therefore God poured
his wrath upon them, and took his Spirit from them, and
gave them up to their hearts' lusts, to serve sin, from iniquity
to iniquity, till they were thoroughly hardened and past re
pentance. And Pharao, because when the word of God was
in his country, and God's people scattered throughout all his
land, and yet he neither loved them nor it ; therefore God
gave him up, and in taking his Spirit of grace from him so
hardened his heart with covetousness, that afterward no
miracle could convert him. Hereunto pertaineth the parable
of the talents. (Matt, xxv.) The Lord commandeth the talent
to be taken away from the evil and slothful servant, and to
bind him hand and foot, and to cast him into utter darkness,
and to give the talent unto him that had ten, saying, "To all
that have more shall be given ; but from him that hath not,
that he hath shall be taken from him." That is to say, he
that hath a good heart towards the word of God, and a set
purpose to fashion his deeds thereafter2, and to garnish it
with godly living, and to testify it to other, the same shall
increase daily more and more in the grace of Christ. But he
that loveth it not, to live thereafter and to edify other, the
same shall lose the grace of true knowledge, and be blinded
again, and every day wax worse and worse, and blinder and
blinder, till he be an utter enemy of the word of God, and
his heart so hardened, that it shall be impossible to convert
him. And (Luke xii.) the servant that knoweth his master's
will, and prepareth not himself, shall be beaten with many
stripes, that is, shall have greater damnation. And (Matt, vii.)
all that hear the word of God, and do not thereafter, build on

[! So Day. N. Test, has him.]

[2 So N. Test. Day wants this clause.]

GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW. 473

sand ; that is, as the foundation laid on sand cannot resist what it is to
violence of water, but is undermined and overthrown, even so the sand.
the faith of them that have no lust nor love to the law of
God, builded upon the sand of their own imaginations, and
not on the rock of God's word, according to his covenants,
turneth to desperation in time of tribulation, and when God
cometh to judge.

And the vineyard (Matt, xxi.) planted and hired out to Matt XXL
the husbandmen, that would not render to the lord of the
fruit in due time, and therefore was taken from them, and
hired out to other, doth confirm the same. For Christ saith
to the Jews, " The kingdom of heaven shall be taken from
you, and given to a nation that will bring forth the fruits
thereof:" as it is come to pass. For the Jews have lost the
spiritual knowledge of God, and of his commandments, and
also of all the scripture, so that they can understand nothing
godly. And the door is so locked up, that all their knocking
is in vain, though many of them take great pain for God's
sake. And (Luke xiii.) the fig-tree that beareth no fruit is Luke xiii.
commanded to be plucked up. And, finally, hereto pertaineth,
with infinite other, the terrible parable of the unclean spirit,
(Luke xi.) which, after he is cast out, when he cometh and Luke XL

• i -i i i i • The unclean

findeth his house swept and garnished, taketn to mm seven spirit that re-
worse than himself, and cometh and entereth in and dwelleth
there, and so is the end of the man worse than the beginning.
The Jews, they had cleansed themselves with God's word from Ant- ed-
all outward idolatry, and worshipping of idols ; but their hearts
remained still faithless to God- ward, and toward his mercy and
truth, and therefore without love also and lust to his law, and
to their neighbours for his sake ; and through false trust in
their own works (to which heresy the child of perdition, the
wicked bishop of Rome, with his lawyers, hath brought us
Christians3) were more abominable idolaters than before, and
became ten times worse in the end than at the beginning.
For the first idolatry was soon spied, and easy to be rebuked
of the prophets by the scripture; but the latter is more
subtle to beguile withal, and a hundred times of more difficulty
to be weeded out of men's hearts.

This also is a conclusion, nothing more certain, or more
proved by the testimony and examples of the scripture, that
[3 This parenthesis is in D. but not in N. Test, of 1536.]

474

PROLOGUE UPON THE

such as are
the wor°d 0?

God, and will

wu?oJdem

°owcommues
w!rT.n'

if any that favoureth the word of God be so weak that
he cannot chaste his flesh, him will the Lord chastise and

.

scourge every day sharper and sharper with tribulation and
misfortune, that nothing shall prosper with him, but all shall
go against him, whatsoever he take in hand ; and the Lord
will visit him with poverty, with sicknesses, and diseases, and
shall plague him with plague upon plague, each more loath
some, terrible, and fearful than other, till he be at utter de
fiance with his flesh. Let us, therefore, that have now at
this time our eyes opened again, through the tender mercy
of God, keep a mean. Let us so put our trust in the mercy
of God through Christ, that we know it our duty to keep
the law of God, and to love our neighbours for their Father's
sake which created them, and for their Lord's sake which
redeemed them, and bought them so dearly with his blood.
Let us walk in the fear of God, and have our eyes open
unto both parts of God's covenants, being certified that none
shall be partaker of the mercy save he that will fight against
^e &e$h, to keep the law. And let us arm ourselves with
this remembrance, that as Christ's works justify from sin,
and set us in the favour of God, so our own deeds, through
working of the Spirit of God, help us to continue in the
favour and the grace into which Christ hath brought us ; and
that we can no longer continue in favour and grace, than our
hearts are set to keep the law.

Furthermore, concerning the law of God, this is a general
conclusion, that the whole law, whether they be ceremonies,
sacrifices, yea, or sacraments either, or precepts of equity
between man and man, throughout all degrees of the world,
all were given for our profit and necessity only, and not for
any need that God hath of our keeping them, or that his joy
is increased thereby, or that the deed, for the deed itself,
doth please him : that is, all that God requireth of us, when
we be at one with him, and do put our trust in him, and love
him, is, that we love every man his neighbour, to pity him,
and to have compassion on him in all his needs, and to be
merciful unto him. This to be even so, Christ testifieth in
the seventh of Matthew, "This is the law and the prophets:"
that is, to do as thou wouldest be done to, (according, I mean,
to the doctrine of the scripture,) and not to do that thou
wouldest not have done to thee, is all that the law requireth

GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW. 475

and the prophets. And Paul to the Romans (xiii.) affirm eth Rom. xiii.
also, that "love is the fulfilling of the law," and that he which Love is the
loveth, doth of his own accord all that the law requireth. tfhe'iaw.gof
And (1 Tim. i.) Paul saith, that "the love of a pure heart, and i Tim<L
good conscience, and faith unfeigned, is the end" and fulfilling
of the law. For faith unfeigned in Christ's blood causeth Faith u the
thee to love for Christ's sake ; which love is the pure love w. T.
only and the only cause of a good conscience. For then is
the conscience pure, when the eye looketh to Christ in all
her deeds, to do them for his sake, and not for her own
singular advantage, or any other wicked purpose. And John,
both in his gospel and also epistles, never speaketh of any
other law, than to love one another purely, affirming that we
have God himself dwelling in us, and all that God desireth,
if we love one the other.

Seeing then that faith to God, and love and mercifulness
to our neighbours, is all that the law requireth, therefore of
necessity the law must be understood and interpreted by
them : so that all inferior laws are to be kept and observed,
as long as they be servants to faith and love ; and then to
be broken immediately, if through any occasion they hurt
either the faith which we should have to God-ward in the
confidence of Christ's blood, or the love which we owe to our
neighbours for Christ's sake. And therefore, when the blind
Pharisees murmured and grudged at him and his disciples,
that they brake the sabbath-day and traditions of the elders,
and that he himself did eat with publicans and sinners, he
answered, (Matt, ix.) alleging Esaias the prophet, "Go rather Matt.ix
and learn what this meaneth, I require mercy, and not sa-
crifice." And, (Matt, xii.) "O that ye wist what this meaneth, S
I require mercy, and not sacrifice." For only love and mer- Mattxii.
cifulness understandeth the law, and else nothing. And he Onlylovenn_
that hath not that written in his heart, shall never under- the1awdeth
stand the law ; no, though all the angels of heaven went w' T'
about to teach him. And he that hath that graven in his
heart, shall not only understand the law, but also shall do,
of his own inclination, all that is required of the law, though
never law had been given ; as all mothers do of themselves,
without law, unto their children all that can be required by
any law ; love overcoming all pain, grief, tediousness, or
loathsomeness. And even so, no doubt, if we had continued

476

PROLOGUE UPON THE

in our first state of innocency, we should ever have fulfilled
the law without compulsion of the law. And because the law
(which is a doctrine that, through teaching every man his
duty, doth utter our corrupt nature) is sufficiently described
by Moses, therefore is little mention made thereof in the new
testament, save of love only, wherein all the law is included;
as seldom mention is made of the new testament in the old
law, save here and there are promises made unto them, that
Christ should come and bless them and deliver them, and that
the gospel and new testament should be preached and pub
lished unto all nations.

THE GOSPEL AND THE TWO TESTAMENTS.

Gospel. The GOSPEL is glad tidings of mercy and grace, and that

our corrupt nature shall be healed again for Christ's sake,
and for the merits of his deservings only ; yet on that con
dition, that we will turn to God, to learn to keep his laws
spiritually, that is to say, of love for his sake, and will also

New testa- suffer the curing of our infirmities. The new testament is

mem.

W-T- as much to say as a new covenant. The old testament is
an old temporal covenant, made between God and the carnal
children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, otherwise called Israel,
upon the deeds and the observing of a temporal law ; where
the reward of the keeping is temporal life, and prosperity in
the land of Canaan; and the breaking is rewarded with
temporal death and punishment. But the new testament is
an everlasting covenant made unto the children of God,
through faith in Christ, upon the deservings of Christ ; where
eternal life is promised to all that believe, and death to all
that are unbelieving. My deeds, if I keep the law, are re
warded with temporal promises of this life ; but if I believe
in Christ, Christ's deeds have purchased for me the eternal
promise of the everlasting life. If I commit nothing worthy
of death, I deserve to my reward that no man kill me ; if I
SuenTno3 ^^ no m8ill> ^ am worthy that no man hurt me. If I help
forourrnd|h- mv neighbour, I am worthy that he help me again, &c. So
A°ntned. that with outward deeds, with which I serve other men, I
deserve that other men do like to me in this world ; and they
extend no further. But Christ's deeds extend to life ever
lasting unto all that believe, &c.

GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW. 477

These be sufficient in this place concerning the law and
the gospel, new testament and old ; so that, as there is but
one God, one Christ, one faith, and one baptism, even so
understand thou that there is but one gospel, though many
write it, and many preach it. For all preach the same Christ,
and bring the same glad tidings. And thereto Paul's epistles,
with the gospel of John, and his first epistle, and the first
epistle of St Peter, are most pure gospel, and most plainly
and richly describe the glory of the grace of Christ. If ye
require more of the law, seek in the prologue to the Romans,
and in other places where it is sufficiently entreated of.

REPENTANCE.

CONCERNING this word REPENTANCE, or (as they used)
" penance," the Hebrew hath in the old testament generally r

f (sob), turn, or be converted : for which the translation penaence.ar
that we take for St Jerome's1 hath most part converti 'to
turn, to be converted,' and sometime agere pcenitentiam. And
the Greek in the new Testament hath perpetually ^erai/oe'to,
to turn in the heart and mind, and to come to the right
knowledge, and to a man's right wit again. For which
lJi€Tavoea} St Jerome's translation hath sometime ago pceni
tentiam, ' I do repent ;' sometime pceniteo, ' I repent ; ' sometime
poeniteor, ' I am repentant ;' sometime habeo pcenitentiam, ' I
have repentance ;' sometime pcenitet me, ' it repenteth me.'
And Erasmus useth much this word resipisco, ' I come to
myself, or to my right mind again.' And the very sense and
signification both of the Hebrew and also of the Greek word
is, to be converted and to turn to God with all the heart, to
know his will, and to live according to his laws ; and to be
cured of our corrupt nature with the oil of his Spirit, and
wine of obedience to his doctrine. Which conversion or turn
ing, if it be unfeigned, these four do accompany it and are
included therein.

Confession, not in the priest's ear, (for that is but man's
invention,) but to God in the heart, and before all the con-
gregation of God; how that we be sinners and sinful, and
that our whole nature is corrupt, and inclined to sin and all
unrighteousness, and therefore evil, wicked, and damnable ;
and his law holy and just, by which our sinful nature is re-
t1 The Latin Vulgate.]

478 PROLOGUE UPON THE

buked : and also to our neighbours, if we have offended any
person particularly. Then contrition, sorrowfulness that we
be such damnable sinners, and not only have sinned, but are
wholly inclined to sin still. Thirdly, faith (of which our old
doctors have made no mention at all in the description of
their penance), that God for Christ's sake doth forgive us,
Whatman- and receive us to mercy, and is at one with us, and will heal

ner of satis- i i * ,1 i i

faction we our corrupt nature. And fourthly, satisfaction, or amends-
making, not to God with holy works, but to my neighbour
whom I have hurt, and to the congregation of God, whom I
have offended, if any open crime be found in me ; and sub
mitting of a man's self unto the congregation or church of
Christ, and to the officers of the same, to have his life cor
rected and governed henceforth of them, according to the
true doctrine of the church of Christ. And note this, that
as satisfaction or amends-making is counted righteousness
before the world, and a purging of sin, so that the world,
when I have made a full mends, hath no further to complain ;
even so faith in Christ's blood is counted righteousness and a
purging of all sin before God.

Moreover, he that sinneth against his brother, sinneth
also against his Father, almighty God : and as the sin com
mitted against his brother is purged before the world with
making amends or asking forgiveness, even so is the sin
committed against God purged through faith in Christ's blood
only. For Christ saith, (John viii.) " Except ye believe that
I am he, ye shall die in your sins :" that is to say, ' If ye
think that there is any other sacrifice or satisfaction to God-
ward, than me, ye remain ever in sin before God, howsoever
righteous ye appear before the world/ Wherefore now,
whether ye call this (/aera^cm) repentance, conversion, or
turning again to God, either amending, &c. ; or whether ye
say, ' Repent, be converted, turn to God, amend your living,'
or what ye lust ; I am content, so ye understand what is
meant thereby, as I have now declared.

ELDERS.

IN the old Testament the temporal heads and rulers of
the Jews, which had the governance over the lay or common
people, are called elders, as ye may see in the four evan
gelists. Out of which custom Paul in his epistle, and also

GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW. 479

Peter, called the prelates and spiritual governors, which are
bishops and priests, elders. Now, whether ye call them
elders or priests, it is to me all one, so that ye understand
that they be officers and servants of the word of God : unto
the which all men, both high and low, that will not rebel
against Christ, must obey, as long they preach and rule truly,
and no longer1.

THE OFFICE OF ALL ESTATES.

A BISHOP must be faultless, the husband of one wife,
honestly apparelled, harberous 2, apt to teach, not drunken, no
fighter, not given to filthy lucre, but gentle, abhorring fight
ing, abhorring covetousness, and one that ruleth his own
house honestly, having children under obedience with all
honesty.

RULERS.

YE that are rulers in the earth, see that you love right
eousness, and that you commit none unrighteousness in judg
ment.

THOU shalt not favour the poor, nor honour the mighty,
but shall judge thy neighbour righteously.

THE COMMONS.

YE shall not deceive your brethren, neither with weight
nor measure, but shall have true balances and true weights ;
for I am the Lord your God.

[i In Day's folio this kind of appendix to the prologue ceases here.
The articles which follow are from the New Test, of 1536.]
[2 Hospitable.]

480 PROLOGUE UPON THE GOSPEL OF ST MARK.

A PROLOGUE

UPON THE GOSPEL OF ST MARK.

OF Mark, read (Acts xii.) how Peter, after he was loosed
out of prison by the angel, came to Mark's mother's house,
where many of the disciples were praying for his deliverance.
And Paul and Barnabas took him with them from Jerusalem,
and brought him to Antioch, Acts xii, and Acts xiii. Paul
and Barnabas took Mark with them when they were sent to
preach ; from whom he also departed, as it appeareth in the
said chapter, and returned to Jerusalem again. And, Acts xv.
Paul and Barnabas were at variance about him ; Paul not
willing to take him with them, because he forsook them in
their first journey. Notwithstanding yet, when Paul wrote
the epistle to the Colossians, Mark was with him, as he saith
in the fourth chapter ; of whom Paul also testifieth, both that
he was Barnabas' sister's son, and also his fellow- worker in
the kingdom of God.

And, 2 Timothy iv., Paul commandeth Timothy to bring
Mark with him, affirming that he was needful to him to
minister to him. Finally, he was also with Peter when he
wrote his first epistle, and so familiar, that Peter calleth him
his son : whereof ye see of whom he learned his gospel, even
of the very apostles, with whom he had his continual con
versation ; and also of what authority his writing is, and how
worthy of credence.

PROLOGUE UPON THE GOSPEL OF ST LUKE. 481

A PROLOGUE

UPON THE GOSPEL OF ST LUKE.

LUCAS was Paul's companion, at the leastway from the
xvith of the Acts forth l, and with him in all his tribulation ;
and he went with Paul at his last going up to Jerusalem.
And from thence he followed Paul to Csesarea, where he lay
two years in prison; and from Ca)sarea he went with Paul
to Rome, where he lay two other years in prison. And he
was with Paul when he wrote to the Colossians, as he testi-
fieth in the fourth chapter, saying, " The beloved Lucas the
physician saluteth you ;" and he was with Paul when he
wrote the second epistle to Timothy, as he saith in the fourth
chapter, saying, " Only Lucas is with me:" whereby ye see
the authority of the man, and of what credence and reverence
his writing is worthy of, and thereto of whom he learned the
story of his gospel ; as he himself saith, how that he learned
it and searched it out with all diligence of them that saw it,
and were also partakers at the doing. And as for the Acts
of the Apostles, he himself was at the doing of them, at the
least of the most part, and had his part therein, and there
fore wrote of his own experience.

[l That is, forward.]

31

LTYNDALE.J

482 PROLOGUE UPON THE GOSPEL OF ST JOHN.

A PROLOGUE

UPON THE GOSPEL OF ST JOHN.

JOHN, what he was, is manifest by the three first evan
gelists : first, Christ's apostle, and that one of the chief :
then, Christ's nigh kinsman, and for his singular innocency
and softness singularly beloved, and of singular familiarity
with Christ, and ever one of the three witnesses of most
secret things. The cause of his writing was certain heresies
that arose in his time, namely two ; of which one denied
Christ to be very God, and the other to be very man and
to be come in the very flesh and nature of man. Against
the which two heresies he wrote both his gospel and also his
first epistle ; and in the beginning of his gospel saith, that
" the Word" or thing " was at the beginning, and was with God,
and was also very God ;" and that " all things were created by
it ;" and that " it was also made flesh," that is to say, became
very man ; and " he dwelt among us," saith he, " and we saw
his glory." And in the beginning of his epistle he saith, " We
shew you of the thing that was from the beginning, which
also we heard, saw with our eyes, and our hands handled."
And again, " We shew you everlasting life, that was with the
Father, and appeared to us, and we heard and saw it," &c.
In that he saith that it was from the beginning, and that it
was eternal life, and that it was with God, he affirmeth him
to be very God. And that he saith, " We heard, saw, and
felt," he witnesseth that he was very man also. John also
wrote last, and therefore touched not the story that the other
had compiled, but writeth most of faith, and promises, and of
the sermons of Christ.

This be sufficient concerning the four evangelists and their
authority and worthiness to be believed.

A PROLOGUE

UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

[INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

This prologue is called 'an introduction to Paul's epistle to the
Romans,' in a list of forbidden books given by Foxe, Vol. iv. p. 667,
London, 1837; and Sir Thomas More says of it: "Then have ye his
[Tyndale's] introduction into St Paul's epistle, with which he intro-
duceth and bringcth his readers into a false understanding of St Paul,
making them, among many other heresies, believe that St Paul were
in the mind that only faith were alway sufficient for salvation, and
that men's good works were nothing worth, nor could no thanks de
serve, nor no reward in heaven, though they were wrought in grace.
And these things teacheth Tyridalo as the mind of St Paul ; when St
Paul saith himself that they which so misconstrue him, to the depraving
of men's good works, be well worthy damnation." Prof, to Confu-
tacion, 1532. Dr Robert Ridley, prebendary of St Paul's, had taken
angry notice of it at an earlier date. In writing to archbishop War-
ham's chaplain, Henry Golde, afterwards implicated in the affair of
the Kentish nun, who pretended to have revelations from heaven, he
enumerates the " Introduction into the epistle of Paul to the Romans,"
with the Prologue afterwards called the Pathway, as proving Tyndale
and Roye to be manifest Lutherans, and as teaching " altogether most
poisoned and abhorrable heresies that can be thought." The date of
this letter is Feb. 1527; and the Prologue to the Romans appears to
have been published by Tyndale, as a separate pamphlet, in 1526.
It might have given this opponent of the reformation more ground for
calling Tyndale a Lutheran than either More or ho seems to have
been aware ; for the greater part of it is in fact a paraphrase, and
sometimes a literal translation, of Luther's preface to the Romans, a
Latin version of which had been published in 1523, with this title:
"Prsefatio methodica totius Scripturee in epistola ad Romanes, e verna-
cula Martini Lutheri in Latinum versa; per Justum Jonam." Tho
passages more or less closely copied from Luther will be distinguished
with quotation marks in this reprint : and the marginal notes are to
be understood as taken from Day's folio : for there are no margins to
this prologue in the Testaments collated by the editor ; and though
there are several in the copy of this prologue introduced into Mat-
thewe's Bible, first ed. of 1537, which has also been collated, they are
generally different from Day's.]

31—2

484

PROLOGUE UPON THE

A PROLOGUE

UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

The epistle
to the Bo-
mans is the
excellentest
part of the
new Testa
ment.

Here you
must note
these words.

Law, how it
is to be un
derstood.

' FORASMUCH as this epistle is the principal and most
excellent part1 of the new Testament and most pure evange-
lion', that is to say, glad tidings, and that we call gospel,
and also is a light and a way unto the whole scripture ; I
think it meet 'that every Christian man not only know it, by
rote and without the book, but also exercise himself therein
evermore continually, as with the daily bread of the soul.
No man verily can read it too oft, or study it too well ; for
the more it is studied, the easier it is ; the more it is chewed,
the pleasanter it is ; and the more groundly it is searched,
the preciouser things are found in it,' so great treasure of
spiritual things lieth hid therein. ' I will therefore bestow
my labour and diligence, through this little preface or pro
logue, to prepare a way in thereunto, so far forth as God
shall give me grace, that it may be the better understood
of every man : for it hath been hitherto evil darkened with
glosses and wonderful dreams of. sophisters, that no man
could spy out the intent and meaning of it ; which never
theless of itself is a bright light, and sufficient to give light
unto all the scripture.'

' First, We must mark diligently the manner of speaking
of the apostle, and above all things know what Paul meaneth
by these words, the law, sin, grace, faith, righteousness,
flesh, spirit, and such like ; or else, read thou it ever so oft,
thou shalt but lose thy labour. This word LAW may not be
understood here after the common manner, and (to use
Paul's term) after the manner of men,' or after man's
ways ; as that thou wouldest say the law here, in this place,
were nothing but learning, which teacheth what ought to be
done, and what ought not to be done, as it goeth with
man's law, ' where the law is fulfilled with outward works
only, though the heart be never so far off. But God

Luther, right corner-stone.]

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 485

judgeth after2 the ground of the heart, yea, and the thoughts

and the secret movings of the mind : therefore his law The law of

requireth the ground of the heart,' and love from the bottom

n •» • • -i i i *

thereof, ' and is not content with the outward work only, but

rebuketh those works most of all, which spring not of love,
from the ground' and low bottom of the heart, though
they appear outward never so honest and good; as Christ,
in the gospel rebuketh the Pharisees above all other that
were open sinners, and calleth them hypocrites, that is to say,
simulars3, and painted sepulchres : which Pharisees yet lived
no men so pure, as pertaining to the outward deeds and
works of the law ; yea, and Paul (Phil, iii.) confesseth of st Paul was
himself that, as touching the law, he was such a one as no SSoFthe
man could complain on ; and, notwithstanding, was yet a
murderer of the Christians, persecuted them, and tormented
them so sore that he compelled them to blaspheme Christ,
and was altogether merciless, as many are which now feign
outward good works.

' For this cause the 115th4 psalm calleth all men liars,
because that no man keepeth the law from the ground of
the heart, neither can keep it, though he appear outwardly
full of good works. For all men are naturally inclined unto if we be not
evil, and hate the law. We find in ourselves unlust and good, then

cloth sin reign

tediousness to do good, but lust and delectation to do evil. in us-
Now where no free lust is to do good, there the bottom of the
heart fulfilleth not the law ; and there no doubt is also sin,
and wrath is deserved before God, though there be never so
great outward shew and appearance of honest living.

For this cause concludeth St Paul in the second chapter, NO man can

i ,1 T n • i j «• ,1 I fulfil the law,

that the J ews all are sinners and transgressors ol the law, but cimst
though they make men believe, through hypocrisy of outward
works, how that they fulfil the law ; ' and saith, that he only
which doth the law is righteous before God, meaning thereby,
that no man with outward works fulfilleth the law. " Thou,"
saith he to the Jew, " teachest a man should not break wed-

[2 After is wanting in Matthewe's Bible.]

[3 So D. but in M. B. dissemblers. The word dissimulars will
occur presently, and means persons who conceal what they are ;
whilst simulars means such as pretend to be what they are not.]

[4 The 115th of the Vulgate is the 116th of the Hebrew and of our
authorised version.]

486 PROLOGUE UPON THE

lock, and yet breakest wedlock thyself. Wherein thou
judgest another man, therein condemnest thou thyself; for
thou thyself doest even the very same things which thou
judgest." As though he would say, Thou livest outwardly
in the works of the law, and judgest them that live not
so. Thou teachest other men, and seest a mote in another
man's eye, but art not ware of the beam that is in thine
own eye. For though thou keep the law outwardly with
works, for fear of rebuke, shame, and punishment, either for
The pure and love of re ward, advantage, and vain-glory; yet doest thou

perfect keep- " «7 ' «/

!? to°dohthew a^ W^hout lust and love toward the law, and hadst lever a
same of love. great deal otherwise do, if thou didst not fear the law;' yea,
inwardly, in thine heart, thou wouldest that there were no
law, no, nor yet God, the author and venger of the law, if
it were possible; so painful it is unto thee to have thine
appetites refrained, and to be kept down.

* Wherefore then it is a plain conclusion, that thou, from the
ground and bottom of thine heart, art an enemy to the law.
What prevaileth it now, that thou teachest another man not
to steal, when thou thine own self art a thief in thine heart,
and outwardly wouldest fain steal if thou durst ? Though
that the outward deeds abide not alway behind with such
hypocrites and dissimulars, but break forth, even as an evil
scab cannot always be kept in with violence of medicine.
The law < Thou teachest another man, but teachest not thyself ; yea,

cannot be J > J

b^nwaS11 ^nou wottest not what thou teachest, for thou understandest

love- not the law aright/ how that it cannot be fulfilled and

satisfied, but with an unfeigned l love and affection ; much

less can it be fulfilled with outward deeds and works only.

JreasShsin". ' Moreover, the law increaseth sin, as he saith, (chap, v.)

because man is an enemy to the law, forasmuch as it

requireth so many things clean contrary to his nature/

whereof he is not able to fulfil one point or tittle as the law

requireth it ; and therefore are we more provoked, and have

greater lust to break it.

Sriu£iis ' For wm*ch cause sa^e he sa"ltnJ (chap, vii,) that " the law

is spiritual ;" as though he would say, If the law were fleshly,
and but man's doctrine, it might be fulfilled, satisfied, and
stilled with outward deeds. But now is the law ghostly,
and no man fulfilleth it, except that all that he doth spring
[! So M. B., but Day has inward.}

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 487

of love from the bottom of the heart. Such a new heart
and lusty courage unto the law-ward canst thou never come
b y of thine own strength and enforcement, but by the operation
and working of the Spirit. For the Spirit of God only The spirit of

, , . . , , ,., ,11 ,1 Godmaketh

maketh a man spiritual and like unto the law, so that now a man
henceforth he doth nothing of fear, or for lucre, or van
tage's sake, or of vain-glory, but of a free heart and of
inward lust. The law is spiritual, and will be both loved
and fulfilled of a spiritual heart ; and therefore of necessity
requireth it the Spirit, that maketh a man's heart free, and
giveth him lust and courage unto the law-ward. Where such a
spirit is not, there remaineth sin, grudging, and hatred against
the law ; which law nevertheless is good, righteous, and holy.' ^IarYgJt.

' Acquaint thyself therefore with the manner of speaking ^y. and
of the apostle, and let this now stick fast in thine heart, that
it is not both one, to do the deeds and works of the law, and
to fulfil the law. The work of the law is whatsoever a man works of the

law and the

doth or can do of his own free-will, of his own proper

strength and enforcing. Notwithstanding, though there be two things-
never so great working, yet as long as there remaineth in
the heart unlust, tediousness, grudging, grief, pain, loath
someness, and compulsion toward the law, so long are all
the works unprofitable, lost, yea, and damnable in the sight
of God. This meaneth Paul, (chap, iii.) where he saith, " By
the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in the sight
of God." Hereby perceivest thou, that those sophisters are
but deceivers, who teach that a man may and must prepare
himself to grace, and to the favour of God, with good works,
before he have the Spirit and true faith of Christ. How
can they prepare themselves unto the favour of God, and to
that which is good, when they themselves can do no good,
nor can once think a good thought, or consent to do good,
the devil possessing their hearts, minds, and thoughts, cap
tive at his pleasure ? Can those works please God, thinkest
thou, which are done with grief, pain, and tediousness, with
an evil will, with a contrary and grudging mind ?' O holy
Prosperus, how mightily with the scripture of Paul didst
thou confound this heresy twelve hundred years ago, or
thereupon2 ! ^

[2 Prosperus, or Tiro Prosper of Ries in Aquitahi, lived in the
earlier half of the fifth century, and distinguished himself by his de-

488 PROLOGUE UPON THE

AS the law is < To fulfil the law is to do the works thereof, and what-

spiritual, so

fuifiiiedbe soever the law commands, with love, lust, and inward affec-

tjon an(j delectation, and to live godly and well, freely,
willingly, and without compulsion of the law, even as though
there were no law at all. Such lust, and free liberty to
love1 the law, cometh only by the working of the Spirit in
the heart ; as he saith in the fifth chapter.'

*Now is the Spirit none otherwise given, than by faith
onty> lTi that we believe the promises of God' without waver
ing, how that God is true, and will fulfil all his good promises
towards us for Christ's blood's sake, as it is plain, (chap, i.) :
" I am not ashamed," saith Paul, "of Christ's glad tidings, for
it is the power of God unto salvation to as many as believe ;"
for at once and together, even as we believe the glad tidings
preached to us, the Holy Ghost entereth into our hearts,
and looseth the bonds of the devil, which before possessed our
hearts in captivity, and held them, that we could have no
lust to the will of God in the law ; and ' as the Spirit cometh
by faith only, even so faith cometh by hearing the word, or
glad tidings, of God, when Christ is preached, how that he is
God's Son and man also, dead and risen again for our sakes,
t£njifbyea~ as he saith in chap. iii. iv. x. All our justifying then
Christ? cometh of faith, and faith and the Spirit come of God, and
not of us. 2*When we say, faith bringeth the Spirit, it is
not to be understood, that faith deserveth the Spirit, or that
the Spirit is not present in us before faith : for the Spirit
is ever in us, and faith is the gift and working of the Spirit :
but through preaching the Spirit beginneth to work in us.

fence of the doctrines of Augustine, and by his argumentative replies
to their Pelagian opponents. Cave, Script. Eccles. under date of 444.
The main tenor of his writings was to the effect designated by Tyndale ;
and a single passage translated from them by Milner may serve as a
specimen of his view of the question respecting man's ability to do
good. ' The mind, which originally had light from the supreme light,
involves the will in darkness, and leaving the light chooses to grow
black in earthly darkness, nor can it voluntarily lift up its captive eyes
on high ; because, by the robbery of the tyrant, it hath even lost the
knowledge of the greatness of the wound under which it lies prostrate/
Milner's Hist, of the Church of Christ, Cent. V. ch. 13.]

t1 So D., in M. B. love is wanting.]

[2 The passage included between the asterisks is not in Day's
folio.]

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 489

And as by preaching the law he worketh the fear of God ;
so by preaching the glad tidings he worketh faith. And
now when we believe, and are come under the covenant of
God, then are we sure of the Spirit by the promise of God,
and then the Spirit accompanieth faith inseparably, and we
begin to feel his working. And so faith certifieth us of the
Spirit, and also bringeth the Spirit with her, unto the work
ing of all other gifts of grace, and to the working out of the
rest of our salvation, until we have altogether overcome sin,
death, hell, and Satan, and are come unto the everlasting life
of glory. And for this cause we say, Faith bringeth the Spirit.*

' Hereof cometh it, that faith only justifieth, maketh
righteous, and fulfilleth the law : for it bringeth the Spirit
through Christ's deservings ; the Spirit bringeth lust, looseth
the heart, maketh him free, setteth him at liberty, and
giveth him strength to work the deeds of the law with love,
even as the law requireth; then at the last out of the
same faith, so working in the heart, spring all good works
by their own accord. That meaneth he in the third chapter :
for after he hath cast away the works of the law, so that
he soundeth as though he would break and disannul the law
through faith, he answereth to that might be laid against
him, saying, " We destroy not the law through faith, but
maintain, further, or establish the law through faith ;" that is
to say, we fulfil the law through faith/

' SIN in the scripture is not called that outward work ofsin.
only committed by the body, but all the whole business, and
whatsoever accompanieth, moveth, or stirreth unto the out- sin, what
ward deed ; and that whence the works spring, as unbelief,
proneness, and readiness unto the deed in the ground of the
heart, with all the powers, affections, and appetites, wherewith
we can but sin ; so that we say, that a man then sinneth,
when he is carried away headlong into sin, altogether, as
much as he is, of that poisonous inclination and corrupt
nature, wherein he was conceived and born. For there is
none outward sin committed, except a man be carried away
altogether, with life, soul, heart, body, lust and mind there
unto. The scripture lookcth singularly unto the heart, and
unto the root and original fountain of all sin ; which is unbe
lief in the bottom of the heart. For as faith only justifieth
and bringeth the Spirit and lust unto the outward good

490 PROLOGUE UPON THE

works ; even so unbelief only damneth and keepeth out
the Spirit, provoketh the flesh, and stirreth up lust unto the
evil outward works, as it happened1 to Adam and Eve in
Gen. us. Paradise.' Gen. iii.

sin in the ' For this cause Christ calleth sin unbelief ; and that not-

cSyrceaiied ably in John xvi. " The spirit," saith he, " shall rebuke the

unbelief. "

world of sin, because they believe not in me." 2*And, (John
viii.) " I am the light of the world." And therefore (John xii.)

johnxii. he biddeth them, "While ye have light, believe in the light,
that ye may be the children of light ; for he that walketh in
darkness knoweth not where he goeth." Now as Christ is the
light, so is the ignorance of Christ that darkness whereof he
speaketh, in which he that walketh knoweth not whither he
goeth ; that is, he knoweth not how to work a good work in
the sight of God, or what a good work is. And therefore
Christ saith, " As long as I am in the world, I am the light
of the world ; but there cometh night when no man can work:"
which night is but ignorance of Christ, in which no man can

EPh. iv. gee to do any work to please God. And Paul exhorteth, (Eph.
iv.) That they " walk not as other heathens, who are strangers
from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them."
And again, in the same chapter : " Put off the old man, which
is corrupt through the lusts of error," that is to say, ignorance.

Rom. xiii. And, (Rom. xiii.) " Let us cast away the deeds of darkness,"

i Pet. 1. that is to say, of ignorance and unbelief. And, (1 Pet. i.)
" Fashion not yourselves unto your old lusts of ignorance."
And (1 John ii.) " He that loveth his brother dwelleth in
light, and he that hateth his brother walketh in darkness, and
wotteth not whither he goeth, for darkness hath blinded his
eyes." By light he meaneth the knowledge of Christ, and
by darkness the ignorance of Christ. For it is impossible
that he who knoweth Christ truly should hate his brother.

Furthermore, to perceive this more clearly, thou shalt
understand, that it is not possible to sin any sin at all, except
a man break the first commandment before. Now the first com
mandment is divided into two verses : " Thy Lord God is one
God ; and thou shalt love thy Lord God with all thine heart,

C1 So Matt. Bible. D. has fortuned.}

[2 The passage between the asterisks is not in Day nor in Luther ;
but in 1536 edition of Tyndale's New Testament, and in Matthewe's
Bible.]

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 491

with all thy soul, with all thy power, and with all thy might."
And the whole cause why I sin against any inferior precept is,
that this love is not in mine heart ; for were this love written
in mine heart, and were it full and perfect in my soul, it would
keep mine heart from consenting unto any sin. And the
whole and only cause why this love is not written in our
hearts is, that we believe not the first part, that " our Lord
God is one God." For wist I what these words, " one
Lord and one God," mean ; that is to say, if I understood that
he made all and ruleth all, and that whatsoever is done to
me, whether it be good or bad, is yet his will, and that he
only is the Lord that ruleth and doeth it ; and wist thereto
what this word, " mine," meaneth ; that is to say, if mine
heart believed and felt the infinite benefits and kindness of
God toward me, and understood and earnestly believed the
manifold covenants of mercy wherewith God hath bound him
self to be mine wholly and altogether, with all his power, love,
mercy, and might; then should I love him with all mine
heart, soul, power, and might, and of that love ever keep his
commandments. So see ye now, that as faith is the mother
of all goodness and of all good works ; so is unbelief the
ground and root of all evil and all evil works.

Finally, if any man that hath forsaken sin, and is con
verted to put his trust in Christ, and to keep the law of God,
do fall at any time, the cause is, that the flesh through negli
gence hath choked the spirit and oppressed her, and taken
from her the food of her strength ; which food is her medi
tation in God, and in his wonderful deeds, and in the manifold
covenants of his mercy. *

' Wherefore then, before all good works, as good fruits,
there must needs be faith in the heart whence they spring.
And before all bad deeds, as bad fruits, there must needs be
unbelief in the heart, as in the root, fountain, pith, and
strength of all sin : which unbelief and ignorance3 is called
the head of the serpent, of the old dragon, which the wo
man's seed, Christ, must tread under foot as promised unto
Adam/

'GRACE and gift have this difference. Grace properly G<ace, how it
is God's favour, benevolence, or kind mind, which of his »" the scrip0.

tures.

[3 And ignorance, is not in Day, nor in Luther ; but in Matthewe's
Bible and the Tyndale of 1536.]

492 PROLOGUE UPON THE

own self, without deserving of us, he beareth to us, whereby

he was moved and inclined to give Christ unto us, with all

Gift, what it his other gifts of grace. Gift is the Holy Ghost, and his

working, which he poureth into the hearts of them on

whom he hath mercy, and whom he favoureth. Though

the gifts of the Spirit increase in us daily, and have not

yet their full perfection, yea, and though there remain in

us yet evil lusts and sin, which fight against the Spirit, as he

Gal-v- saith here in chap. vii. and Gal. v., and as it was spoken

Gen. in. before, in Gen. iii., of the debate between the woman's seed

and the seed of the serpent ; yet nevertheless God's favour is

God for so great and so strong over us for Christ's sake, that we

receiveth us.' are counted for full whole, and perfect before God. For

God's favour toward us divideth not herself, increasing a

little and a little, as do the gifts ; but receiveth us whole,

and altogether, in full love for Christ's sake, our Intercessor

and Mediator, and because the gifts of the Spirit, and the

battle between the Spirit and evil lusts, are begun in us

already/

' Of this now understandest thou the seventh chapter,

where Paul accuseth himself as a sinner, and yet in the

There is no eight chapter saith, " there is no damnation to them that are

damnation to ° -1

them that are m Christ ;" and that because of the Spirit, and because the

in cnnst. -••

gifts of the Spirit are begun in us. Sinners we are, because
the flesh is not full killed and mortified : nevertheless, inas
much as we believe in Christ, and have the earnest and be
ginning of the Spirit, and would fain be perfect, God is so
loving and favourable unto us, that he will not look on such
sin, neither will count it as sin ; but will deal with us ac
cording to our belief in Christ, and according to his pro
mises which he hath sworn to us, until the sin be full slain
and mortified by death.'

Path, what < FAITH is not man's opinion and dream, as some imagine

and feign, when they hear the story of the gospel ; but
when they see that there follow no good works, nor amend
ment of living, though they hear, yea, and can babble many
things of faith, then they fall from the right way, and say,
. Faith only justifieth not ; a man must have good works also,

£fgneednfoith. if *ie w^ be righteous and safe. The cause is, when they
hear the gospel or glad tidings, they feign of their own
strength certain imaginations and thoughts in their hearts,

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 493

saying, I have heard the gospel, I remember the story, lo!
I believe : and that they count right faith ; which never
theless, as it is but man's imagination and feigning, even
so it profiteth not, neither follow there any good works, or
amendment of living.'

' But right faith is a thing wrought by the Holy Ghost in
us, which changeth us, turneth us into a new nature, and be-
getteth us anew in God, and maketh us the sons of God, as
thou readest in the first of John ; and killeth the old Adam,
and maketh us altogether new in the heart, mind, will, lust,
and in all our affections and powers of the soul ; the H oly
Ghost ever accompanying her, and ruling the heart1. Faith True faith is
is a lively thing, mighty in working, valiant, and strong,
ever doing, ever fruitful ; so that it is impossible that he who Faith is not
is endued therewith should not work always good works with
out ceasing. He asketh not whether good works are to be
done or not, but hath done them already, ere mention be
made of them ; and is always doing, for such is his nature ;
for quick faith in his heart, and lively moving of the Spirit,
drive him and stir him thereunto. Whosoever doth not good
works, is an unbelieving person, and faithless, and looketh
round about him, groping after faith and good works, and
wotteth not what faith or good works mean, though he babble
never so many things of faith and good works.'

'Faith is, then, a lively and a stedfast trust in the The true de-
favour of God, wherewith we commit ourselves altogether faith,0
unto God ; and that trust is so surely grounded, and sticketh
so fast in our hearts, that a man would not once doubt of it,
though he should die a thousand times therefor. And such
trust, wrought by the Holy Ghost through faith, maketh a
man glad, lusty, cheerful, and true-hearted unto God and
unto all creatures : whereof, willingly and without compul
sion, he is glad and ready to do good to every man, to
do service to every man, to suffer all things, that God may
be loved and praised, which hath given him such grace;
so that it is impossible to separate good works from faith, Good works
even as it is • impossible to separate heat and burning from
fire. Therefore take heed to thyself, and beware of thine
own fantasies and imaginations ; which to judge of faith and

[i So Tynd. of 1536 and M. B. ; Day has only 'and bringeth the
Holy Ghost with her.']

494

PROLOGUE UPON THE

Righteous
ness, and
how it is to
be under
stood.

Flesh and
spirit, what
they are, and
how to un
derstand
them.

John iii.

How this
word flesh is
to be under
stood in the
scripture.

Incredulity
is the chief
of all sins.

good works will seem wise, when indeed they are stark blind
and of all things most foolish. Pray God, that he will vouch
safe to work faith in thine heart, or else shalt thou remain
evermore faithless ; feign thou, imagine thou, enforce thou,
wrestle with thyself, and do what thou wilt or canst.'

* RIGHTEOUSNESS is even such faith ; and is called God's
righteousness, or righteousness that is of value before God.
For it is God's gift, and it altereth a man, and changeth
him into a new spiritual nature, and maketh him free and
liberal to pay every man his duty. For through faith a
man is purged of his sins, and obtaineth lust unto the law
of God ; whereby he giveth God his honour, and payeth him
that he oweth him ; and unto men he doth service willingly,
wherewithsoever he can, and payeth every man his duty.
Such righteousness can nature, free-will, and our own strength,
never bring to pass. For as no man can give himself faith,
so can he not take away unbelief; how then can he take
away any sin at all ? Wherefore all is false hypocrisy and
sin, whatsoever is done without faith or in unbelief, as it is
evident in the fourteenth chapter unto the Romans, though it
appear never so glorious or beautiful outwards.'

' FLESH and SPIRIT mayest thou not here understand as
though flesh were only that which pertaineth unto unchastity,
and the Spirit that which inwardly pertaineth unto the heart:
but Paul calleth flesh here, as Christ doth, John iii., all that
is born of flesh ; that is to wit, the whole man, with life, soul,
body, wit, will, reason, and whatsoever he is or doth within
and without ; because that these all, and all that is in man,
study after the world and the flesh. Call flesh therefore
whatsoever we think or speak of God, of faith, of good works,
and of spiritual matters, as long as we are without the Spirit
of God. Call flesh also all works which are done without
grace, and without the working of the Spirit, howsoever good,
holy, and spiritual, they seem to be : as thou mayest prove
by the fifth chapter unto the Galatians, where Paul numbereth
worshipping of idols, witchcraft, envy, and hate, among the
deeds of the flesh ; and by the eighth unto the Romans,
where he saith that the law by the reason of the flesh is
weak ; which is not understood of unchastity only, but of all
sins, and most especially of unbelief, which is a vice most
spiritual, and ground of all sins.'

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 495

' And as thou callest him flesh which is not renewed with
the Spirit, and born again in Christ, and all his deeds, even described,
the very motions of his heart and mind, his learning, doctrine,
and contemplation of high things, his preaching, teaching, and
study in the scriptures, building of churches, founding of
abbeys, giving of alms, mass, matins, and whatsoever he doth,
though it seem spiritual and after the laws of God ; so, con
trariwise, call him spiritual who is renewed in Christ, and all
his deeds which spring of faith, seem they never so gross, as whatsoever
the washing of the disciples' feet done by Christ, and Peter's ffiTs
fishing after the resurrection ; yea, and whatsoever is done
within the laws of God, though it be wrought by the body,
as the very wiping of shoes and such like, howsoever gross
they appear outwardly. Without such understanding of these
words thou canst never understand this epistle of Paul, nei
ther any other place in the holy scripture. Take heed, there
fore ; for whosoever understandeth these words otherwise, the
same understandeth not Paul, whatsoever he be/
' Now will we prepare ourselves unto the epistle.'
' Forasmuch as it becometh the preacher of Christ's glad
tidings, first, through opening of the law, to rebuke all things,
and to prove all things sin, that proceed not of the Spirit
and of faith in Christ ; and to prove all men sinners, and pre£
children of wrath by inheritance ; and how that to sin is
their nature, and that by nature they can none otherwise do
than to sin ; and therewith to abate the pride of man, and to
bring him unto the knowledge of himself and to misery and
wretchedness, that he might desire help ; even so doth St
Paul. And he beginneth, in the first chapter, to rebuke un- The manner
belief and gross sins, which all men see, as idolatry, and as doctrine,
the gross sins of the heathen were, and as the sins now are
of all them who live in ignorance, without faith, and without
the favour of God ; and saith, " The wrath of the God of hea
ven appeareth through the gospel upon all men, for their un
godliness and unholy living." For though it be known, and
daily understood by the creatures, that there is but one God,
yet is nature of herself, without the Spirit and grace, so cor^- J55idn£f of
rupt and so poisoned, that men neither can thank him, neither SelcyT1 hi
worship him, neither give him his due honour ; but they Sln'chrS
blind themselves, and fall without ceasing into worse case, son? u
even until they come unto worshipping of images, and work-

496 PROLOGUE UPON THE

ing of shameful sins, which are abominable and against nature,
and moreover they suffer the same unrebuked in others,
having delectation and pleasure therein/

st Paul con- * In the second chapter the apostle proceedeth further, and

hypocrites, rebuketh all those holy people also, which, without lust and

love to the law, live well outwardly in the face of the world,

and condemn others gladly ; as the nature of all hypocrites

is, to think themselves pure in respect of open sinners ; and

yet they hate the law inwardly, and are full of covetousness,

and envy, and of all uncleanness (Matt, xxiii.). These are

they which despise the goodness of God, and according to the

hardness of their hearts heap together for themselves the

HOW st Paul wrath of God. Furthermore, St Paul, as a true expounder

hypocrites. Of the law, suffereth no man to be without sin ; but declareth

that all they are under sin, who of free-will and of nature

will live well, and suffereth them not to be better than the

open sinners, yea, he calleth them hard-hearted and such as

cannot repent/

The differ- « jn the third chapter he mingleth both together, both the

ence between »

theGentiaied Jews an(^ tne Gentiles ; and saith, that the one is as the
other, both sinners, and no difference between them, save in
this only, that the Jews had the word of God committed
unto them. And though many of them believed not thereon,
yet is God's truth and promise thereby neither hurt nor
diminished ; and he taketh in his way, and allegeth the say
ing of Psalm li., " that God might abide true in his words, and
overcome when he is judged." After that he returneth to his
purpose again, and proveth by the scripture, that all men,

AH men are without difference or exception, are sinners ; and that by the
works of the law no man is justified ; but that the law was

The way how given to utter and to declare sin only. Then he beginneth

we must be to . • ••

made right- and sheweth the right way unto righteousness, by what means
men must be made righteous and safe ; and saith, they are all
sinners and without praise before God, and must, without
their own deserving, be made righteous through faith in
Christ ; who hath deserved such righteousness for us, and is
become unto us God's mercy-seat, for the remission of sins
that are past : thereby proving that Christ's righteousness,
which cometh upon us through faith, helpeth us only. Which
righteousness, saith he, is now declared through the gospel,
and was " testified of before by the law and the prophets."

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 497

Furthermore, saith he, the law is holpen and furthered through
faith; though that the works thereof, with all their boast,
are brought to nought, and are proved not to justify1.'

' In the fourth chapter, after that now, by the three first
chapters, sins are opened, and the way of faith unto righteous
ness laid, he beginneth to answer unto certain objections and
cavillations. And first, he putteth forth those blind reasons, st Paul an-
which commonly they that will be justified by their own J^g^1"1*
works are wont to make, when they hear that faith only, ^pSuse
without works, justifieth ; saying, ' Shall men do no good JKtumof
works? Yea, and if faith only justifieth, what need a man fai
to study for to do good works ? ' He putteth forth therefore
Abraham for an example, saying, What did Abraham with
his works ? Was all in vain ? Came his works to no profit ?
And so he concludeth that Abraham, without and before all
works, was justified and made righteous ; insomuch that, be
fore the work of circumcision, he was praised of the scripture,
and called righteous by his faith only (Gen. xv.) : so that he
did not the work of circumcision, for to be helped thereby
unto righteousness, which yet God commanded him to do, and
was a good work of obedience. So in like wise, no doubt,
none other works help any thing at all unto a man's justify
ing : but as Abraham's circumcision was an outward sign,
whereby he declared his righteousness which he had by faith,
and his obedience and readiness unto the will of God : even Good work?

are outward

so are all other good works outward signs and outward fruits
of faith and of the Spirit ; which justify not a man, but shew
that a man is justified already before God, inwardly in the
heart, through faith, and through the Spirit purchased by
Christ's blood/

' Herewith St Paul now establisheth his doctrine of faith,
rehearsed afore in chapter iii., and bringeth also the testi
mony of David, Psalm xxxii., which calleth a man blessed,
not of works, but in that his sin is not reckoned, and in that
faith is imputed for righteousness, although he abide not
afterward without good works, when he is once justified.' For ^J
we are justified, and receive the Spirit, for to do good works;
neither were it otherwise possible to do good works, except
we first had the Spirit.

For how is it possible to do any thing well in the sight
[l And are proved not to justify, is not in Day.]

[TYNDALE.]

498 PROLOGUE UPON THE

of God, while wo are yet in captivity and bondage under the
devil, and the devil possesseth us altogether, and holdeth our
hearts, so that we cannot once consent unto the will of God ?
No man therefore can prevent1 the Spirit in doing good.
The Spirit must first come, and wake him out of his sleep
with the thunder of the law, and fear him, and shew him
his miserable estate and wretchedness ; and make him abhor
and hate himself, and to desire help ; and then comfort him
again with the pleasant rain of the gospel, that is to say,
with the sweet promises of God in Christ, and stir up faith
in him to believe the promises. Then, when he believeth the
promises, as God was merciful to promise, so is he true to
fulfil them, and will give him the Spirit and strength, both to
God's mercy love the will of God, and to work thereafter. So we see

moveth us to . _. , - , _. , . -1,11

faith in his that God only, who, according to the scripture, worketh all

promises, so . ,, . i . . „ . .

luatwngsin m a" tnmgs> worketh a man's justifying, salvation, and health ;
jusfmratSn! JQ8i> an(^ P°ureth faith and belief, lust to love God's will, and

strength to fulfil the same, into us, even as water is poured

into a vessel ; and that of his good will and purpose, and not

God's mercy of our deservings and merits. God's mercy in promising, and

savethus,and . . _ ,/t...e . . *

truth in fulfilling his promises, saveth us, and not we our
selves ; and therefore is all laud, praise, and glory to be
given unto God for his mercy and truth, and not unto us
for our merits and deservings. 'After that, he stretcheth
his example out against all other good works of the law, and
concludeth that the Jews cannot be Abraham's heirs, because
of blood and kindred only, and much less by the works of
if we lack the law, but must inherit Abraham's faith, if they will be the
heirs of Abraham ; forasmuch as Abraham before the

d£n s chil" law> both of Moses and also of the circumcision, was through
faith made righteous, and called the father of all them that
believe, and not of them that work. Moreover, the law
causeth wrath, inasmuch as no man can fulfil it with love and
lust ; and as long as such grudging, hate, and indignation
against the law remaineth in the heart, and is not taken
away by the Spirit that cometh by faith, so long, no doubt,
the works of the law declare evidently that the wrath of
God is upon us, and not favour : wherefore faith only receiv-
eth the grace promised unto Abraham. And these examples
were not written for Abraham's sake only, saith he, but for

Abraham: [i Prevent: go before.]

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 499

ours also ; to whom, if we believe, faith shall be reckoned
likewise for righteousness; as he saith in the end of the
chapter/

* In the fifth chapter the apostle commendeth the fruits,

i o f • i . . . . , . wwksof

or works ot iaith ; as are peace, rejoicing in the conscience, faith-
inward love to God and man ; moreover boldness, trust, con
fidence, and a strong and lusty mind, and stedfast hope in
tribulation and suffering. For all such follow, where the
right faith is, for the abundant grace's sake, and gifts of the
Spirit, which God hath given us in Christ ; in that he gave
to2 him to die for us, while yet his enemies.'

' Now have we then that faith only, before all works, Faith before
justifieth, and that it followeth not yet therefore, that a man justifies.
should do no good works, but that the right shapen works
abide not behind,' but accompany faith, even as brightness
doth the sun ; and they are called by Paul the fruits of the
Spirit. Where the Spirit is, there it is always summer, and Good works

/ J are the fruits

there are always good fruits, that is to say, good works, of faith.
This is Paul's order, That good works spring of the Spirit ;
the Spirit cometh by faith ; and faith cometh by hearing the
word of God, when the glad tidings and promises, which
God hath made unto us in Christ, are preached truly, and
received in the ground of the heart, without wavering or
doubting, after that the law hath passed upon us, and hath
condemned our consciences. Where the word of God is where true
preached purely, and received in the heart, there is faith, and ^r|°od
the Spirit of God ; and there are also good works of neces
sity, whensoever occasion is given. Where God's word is not
purely preached, but men's dreams, traditions, imaginations,
inventions, ceremonies, and superstition, there is no faith ;
and consequently no spirit that cometh from God. And where faith
where God's Spirit is not, there can be no good works, even " -"
as where an apple-tree is not, there can grow no apples ; but
there is unbelief, the devil's spirit, and evil works. Of this,
God's Spirit and his fruits, have our holy hypocrites not once
known, neither yet tasted how sweet they are; though 'they
feign many good works, of their own imagination, to be jus
tified withal, in which is not one crumb of true faith, of
spiritual love, or of inward joy, peace, and quietness of con
science ;' forasmuch as they have not the word of God for
[2 So M. B. ; but Day reads suffered, and also omits while.]

32—2

is all evil
works.

500 PROLOGUE UPON THE

them, that such works please God, but they are even the
rotten fruits of a rotten tree.

' After that he breaketh forth and runneth at large, and

sheweth whence both sin and righteousness, death and life,

AS by Adam come. And he compareth Adam and Christ together ; thus-

came sin, so . L . °

caynSSva- W^se reasonmg and disputing, that Christ must needs come as
tion- a second Adam, to make us heirs of his righteousness, through

a new spiritual birth, without our deservings ; even as the
first Adam made us heirs of sin, through the bodily genera
tion, without our deserving. Whereby it is evidently known,
and proved to the uttermost, that no man can bring himself
out of sin unto righteousness, no more than he could have
withstood that he was born bodily. And that is proved
herewith, forasmuch as the very law of God, which of right
should have holpen if any thing could have holpen, not only
came and brought no help with her, but also increased sin ;
because that the evil and poisoned nature is offended and
utterly displeased with the law ; and the more she is forbid
by the law, the more is she provoked, and set a-fire, to fulfil
and satisfy her lusts. By the law then we see clearly, that
we must needs have Christ to justify us with his grace, and
to help nature.'
The principal < jn the sixth he settetli forth the chief and principal

work of faith,

betdwtehenbtahee wor^ of ^h '> tne battle of the Spirit against the flesh, how
fhperflesh.d the Spirit laboureth and enforceth to kill the remnant of sin
and lust, which remain in the flesh after our justifying. And
this chapter teacheth us, that we are not so free from sin
through faith, that we should henceforth go up and down,
idle, careless, and sure of ourselves, as though there were
now no more sin in us. Yet1 there is sin remaining in us,
but it is not reckoned, because of faith and of the Spirit,
which fight against it. Wherefore we have enough to do all
our lives long, to tame our bodies, and to compel the mem
bers to obey the Spirit and not the appetites ; that thereby
we might be like unto Christ's death and resurrection, and
might fulfil our baptism, which signifieth the mortifying of
sins, and the new life of grace. For this battle ceaseth not
in us until the last breath, and until that sin be utterly slain
by the death of the body.'

' This thing (I mean, to tame the body and so forth) we
[J Day reads, Yes; there is, &c.]

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 501

are able to do, saith he, seeing we are under grace, and not
under the law. What it is, not to be under the law, he him-

self expoundeth. For not to be under the law is not so to
be understood, that every man may do what him lusteth :
but not to be under the law is to have a free heart renewed
with the Spirit, so that thou hast lust inwardly, of thine own
accord, to do that which the law commandeth, without com
pulsion, yea, though there were no law. For grace, that is
to say, God's favour, bringeth us the Spirit, and maketh us
love the law : so is there now no more sin, neither is the law
now any more against us, but at one and agreed with us,
and we with it. But to be under the law is to deal with the
works of the law, and to work without the Spirit and grace : law-
for so long, no doubt, sin reigneth in us through the law ;
that is to say, the law declareth that we are under sin, and
that sin hath power and dominion over us, seeing we cannot
fulfil the law, namely, within in the heart, forasmuch as no man
of nature favoureth the law, consenteth thereunto, and de-
lighteth therein ; which thing is exceeding great sin, that we
cannot consent to the law ; which law is nothing else save the
will of God/

' This is the right freedom and liberty from sin and from
the law ; whereof he writeth unto the end of this chapter, J-^
that it is a freedom to do good only with lust, and to live the law'
well without compulsion of the law. Wherefore this freedom
is a spiritual freedom ; which destroyeth not the law, but mi-
nistereth that which the law requireth, and wherewith the
law is fulfilled ; that is to understand, lust, and love, where
with the law is stilled, and accuseth us no more, compelleth us
no more, neither hath ought to crave of us any more. Even Example.
as though thou wert in debt to another man, and wert not
able to pay, two manner of ways mightest thou be loosed :
one way, if he would require nothing of thee, and break
thine obligation ; another way, if some other good man would
pay for thee, and give thee as much as thou mightest satisfy
thine obligation withal. On this wise hath Christ made thee2
free from the law; and therefore is this no wild fleshly liberty,
that should do nought, but that doth all things, and is free
from the craving and debt of the law.'

' In the seventh chapter he confirmeth the same with a
[2 So M. Bib., but Day has us.}

502 PROLOGUE UPON THE

similitude of the state of matrimony. As when the husband
dieth, the wife is at her liberty, and the one loosed and de
parted from the other ; not that the woman should not have
the power to marry unto another man, but rather now first
of all is she free, and hath power to marry unto another
man, which she could not do before, till she was loosed from
our con- her first husband : even so are our consciences bound and

sciences

?ndange"dto m danger to the law1 under old Adam, as long as he liveth
Sd Adam! so 'm us 5 f°r the law declareth that our hearts are bound,
liveKnus. and that we cannot disconsent from him ; but when he is
mortified and killed by the Spirit, then is the conscience
free and at liberty ; not so that the conscience shall now do
nought, but now first of all cleaveth unto another, that is to
wit Christ, and bringeth forth the fruits of life.' So now to
be under the law is not to be able to fulfil the law ; but to
be debtor to it, and not able to pay that which the law re-
quireth. And to be loose from the law is to fulfil it, and to
pay that which the law demandeth, so that it can now hence
forth ask thee nought.

' Consequently Paul declareth more largely the nature of
sin, and of the law ; how that through the law sin reviveth,
TJfreuTorfeus moveth herself, and gathereth strength. For the old man
an(^ corrupt nature, the more he is forbidden and kept under
of the law, is the more offended and displeased therewith ;
forasmuch as he cannot pay that which is required of the law.
For sin is his nature, and of himself he cannot but sin. There
fore is the law death to him, torment, and martyrdom. Not
that the law is evil ; but because that the evil nature cannot
suffer that which is good, and cannot abide that the law
should require of him any good thing ; like as a sick man
cannot suffer that a man should desire of him to run, to leap,
and to do other deeds of a whole man.'

' For which cause St Paul concludeth, that where the law

is understood and perceived in the best wise, there it doth no

The law doth more but utter sin, and bring us unto the knowledge of our-

ciarewhat selves ; and thereby kill us, and make us bound unto eternal

damnation, and debtors to the everlasting wrath of God; even

as he well feeleth and understandeth, whose conscience is truly

touched of the law.' In such danger were we, ere the law

came, that we knew not what sin meant, neither yet knew

[l A legal phrase for ' Responsible to the law.']

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 503

we the wrath of God upon sinners, till the law had uttered
it. 'So seest thou that a man must have some other thing,
yea, and a greater and a more mighty thing than the law, to
make him righteous and safe. They that understand not the
law on this wise are blind, and go to work presumptuously,
supposing to satisfy the law with works. For they know
not that the law requireth a free, a willing, a lusty, and a
loving heart. Therefore they see not Moses right in the
face ; the vail hangeth between, and hideth his face, so that
they cannot behold the glory of his countenance, how that
the law is spiritual, and requireth the heart.' I may of mine
own strength refrain, that I do mine enemy no hurt ; but to
love him with all mine heart, and to put away wrath clean
out of my mind, can I not of my own strength. I may re-
fuse money of mine own strength ; but to put away love
unto riches out of mine heart, can I not do of mine own notdo>
strength. To abstain from adultery, as concerning the out
ward deed, I can do of mine own strength ; but not to desire
in mine heart is as impossible unto me as is to choose whether
I will hunger or thirst: and yet so the law requireth. Where
fore of a man's own strength is the law never fulfilled ; we
must have thereunto God's favour, and his Spirit, purchased
by Christ's blood.

Nevertheless, when I say a man may do many things
outwardly clean against his heart, we must understand that
man is but driven of divers appetites ; and the greatest appe
tite overcometh the less, and carrieth the man away violently
with her. As when I desire vengeance, and fear also the in
convenience that is like to follow, if fear be greater, I abstain ;
if the appetite that desireth vengeance be greater, I cannot
but prosecute the deed : as we see by experience in many
murderers and thieves ; who though they are brought into
never so great peril of death, yet, after they have escaped, do
even the same again : and common women prosecute their
lusts, because fear and shame are away : when others, which
have the same appetites in their hearts, abstain at the least
outwardly, or work secretly, being overcome of fear and of J'
shame ; and so likewise is it of all other appetites.

1 Furthermore the apostle declareth, how the Spirit and
the flesh fight together in one man ; and he maketh an ex-
ample of himself, that we might learn to know how to work

504 PROLOGUE UPON THE

aright, I mean, to kill sin in ourselves. He calleth both the
the spirit. Spirit, and also the flesh, a law ; because that like as the
nature of God's law is to drive, to compel, and to crave, even
so the flesh driveth, compelleth, craveth, and rageth against
The spirit the Spirit, and will have her lusts satisfied. On the other

lusteth con- *

flesh.10 the S^e> ^e Spirit driveth, crieth, and fighteth against the flesh,
and will have his lust satisfied. And this strife dureth in us
as long as we live ; in some more, and in some less, as the
Spirit or the flesh is stronger ; and the very man his own self
is both the Spirit and the flesh, who fighteth with his own
self, until sin be utterly slain, and he altogether spiritual.'

' In the eighth chapter he comforteth such fighters, that
they despair not because of such flesh,' neither think that
they are less in favour with God. And he sheweth how that

There is no the sin remaining in us hurteth not; for there is no danger
them that are in Christ, which walk not after the flesh,

but fight against it. ' And he expoundeth more largely what
is the nature of the flesh, and of the Spirit; and how the
Spirit cometh by Christ, which Spirit maketh us spiritual,
tameth, subdueth, and mortifieth the flesh ; and certifieth us
that we are nevertheless the sons of God and also beloved,
though that sin rage never so much in us, so long as we follow
the Spirit, and fight against sin, to kill and mortify it. And
because nothing is so good to the mortifying of the flesh, as
the cross and tribulation, he comforteth us in our passions and
afflictions1 by the assistance of the Spirit, which maketh in
tercession to God for us mightily with groanings that pass
man's utterance, so that man's speech cannot comprehend
The right them; and the creatures mourn also with us2 of great desire

work of faith

the°flShtify *kat *key ^ave * ia^ we were loosed from sin and corruption
of the flesh. So we see that these three chapters, the vi. vii.
viii., do nothing so much as to drive us unto the right work
of faith ; which is to kill the old man, and mortify the flesh.'

' In the ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters he treateth of
God's predestination ; whence it springeth altogether ; whether
we shall believe or not believe ; be loosed from sin, or not be

[! So Tynd. N. Test, of 1536, and Matt. B. Day has, And because
the chastising of the flesh, the cross and suffering are nothing pleasant,
he comforteth us, &c.]

[2 So Day. But Tynd. Test, and M. B. have, And with the
mourning also of the creatures with us.]

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 505

loosed. By which predestination our justifying and salvation
are clean taken out of our hands, and put in the hands of God hands of God.
only ; which thing is most necessary of all. For we are so
weak and so uncertain, that if it stood in us, there would of a
truth be no man saved ; the devil, no doubt, would deceive us.
But now is God sure, that his predestination cannot deceive
him, neither can any man withstand or let him ; and there
fore have we hope and trust against sin.'

* But here must a mark be set to those unquiet, busy, and
high-climbing spirits, how far they shall go ; which first of all
bring hither their high reasons and pregnant wits, and begin
first from an high to search the bottomless secrets of God's
predestination, whether they be predestinate or not. These
must needs either cast themselves down headlong into despe
ration, or else commit themselves to free chance, careless.
But follow thou the order of this epistle, and noosel thyself 3 HOW far we

^ may proceed

with Christ, and learn to understand what the law and the |J£ed*itin*'
gospel mean, and the office of both the two ; that thou mayest
in the one know thyself, and how that thou hast of thyself
no strength but to sin, and in the other the grace of Christ ;
and then see thou fight against sin and the flesh, as the seven
first chapters teach thee. After that, when thou art come to
the eighth chapter, and art under the cross and suffering of
tribulation, the necessity of predestination will wax sweet,
and thou shalt well feel how precious a thing it is. For
except thou have born the cross of adversity and temptation,
and hast felt thyself brought unto the very brim of despe
ration, yea, and unto hell-gates, thou canst never meddle with
the sentence of predestination without thine own harm, and
without secret wrath and grudging inwardly against God ; for
otherwise it shall not be possible for thee to think that God
is righteous and just. Therefore must Adam be well mortified,
and the fleshly wit brought utterly to nought, ere that thou
mayest away with4 this thing, and drink so strong wine.
Take heed therefore unto thyself, that thou drink not wine,
while thou art yet but a suckling. For every learning hath
its time, measure, and age ;' and in Christ is there a certain
childhood, in which a man must be content with milk for a
season, until he wax strong and grow up unto a perfect man
in Christ, and be able to eat of more strong meat.

[3 Find shelter, as a child with a nurse.]
[4 Away with, i. e. bear with.]

506

PROLOGUE UPON THE

Which are
good works
meet to be
done.

Love is the
ful filling of
the law.

our weak
brethren.

'In the twelfth chapter he giveth exhortations.' For this
manner observeth Paul in all his epistles ; first he teacheth
Christ and the faith, then exhorteth he to good works, and
unto continual mortifying of the flesh. So ' here teacheth he
good works in deed, and the true serving of God, and maketh
all men priests, to offer up, not money and beasts, as the
manner was in the time of the law, but their own bodies,
with killing and mortifying the lusts of the flesh. After that,
he describeth the outward conversation of Christian men, how
they ought to behave themselves in spiritual things, how to
teach, preach, and rule in the congregation of Christ, to serve
one another, to suffer all things patiently, and to commit the
wreak and vengeance to God : in conclusion, how a Christian
man ought to behave himself unto all men, to friend, foe, or
whatsoever he be. 'These are the right works of a Christian
man, which spring out of faith. For faith keepeth not holi
day, neither suffereth any man to be idle, wheresoever she
dwelleth.'

' In the thirteenth chapter he teacheth to honour the
worldly and temporal sword. For though that man's law
and ordinance make not a man good before God, neither
justify him in the heart, yet are they ordained for the fur
therance of the commonwealth, to maintain peace, to punish
the evil, and to defend the good. Therefore ought the good
to honour the temporal sword, and to have it in reverence,
though as concerning themselves they need it not,' but would
abstain from evil of their own accord; yea, and do good
without man's law, but by the law of the Spirit, which go-
verneth the heart, and guideth it unto all that is the will of
God. ' Finally, he comprehendeth and knitteth up all in
love.' Love of her own nature bestoweth all that she hath,
and even her own self, on that which is loved. Thou needest
not to bid a kind mother to be loving unto her only son ;
much less doth spiritual love, which hath eyes given her of
God, need man's law to teach her to do her duty. And as
in the beginning the apostle put forth Christ, as the cause
and author of our righteousness and salvation, even so ' he
setteth him forth here as an example to counterfeit, that as
he hath done to us, even so should we do one to another.'

' In the fourteenth chapter he teacheth to deal soberly
with the consciences of the weak in the faith, which yet un
derstand not the liberty of Christ perfectly enough ; and to

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 507

favour them of Christian love ; and not to use the liberty of
the faith unto hinderance, but unto the furtherance and edify
ing of the weak. For where such consideration is not, there
followeth debate and despising of the gospel. It is better
then to forbear the weak awhile, until they wax strong, than
that the learning of the gospel1 should come altogether under
foot.' And such work is a singular work of love ; yea, and
where love is perfect, there must needs be such a respect unto
the weak ; a thing that Christ commanded and charged to be
had above all things.

1 In the fifteenth chapter he setteth forth Christ again, to
be followed2 ; that we also by his example should bear with
others that are yet weak, as them that are frail, open sinners,
unlearned, unexpert, and of loathsome manners ; and not cast
them away forthwith, but suffer them till they wax better,
and exhort them in the mean time. For so dealt Christ in The weakness

. . ofourbre-

the gospel, and now dealeth with us, daily suffering our im- JJ^J^J be

perfectness, weakness, conversation, and manners not yet
fashioned after the doctrine of the gospel, but which smell of
the flesh, yea, and sometimes break forth into outward deeds.
After that, to conclude withal, he wisheth them increase of
faith, peace, and joy of conscience ; praiseth them, and com-
mitteth them to God, and magnifieth his office and adminis
tration in the gospel ; and soberly, and with great discretion,
desireth succour and aid of them for the poor saints of Je
rusalem : and it is all pure love that he speaketh or dealeth
withal/

1 So find we in this epistle plenteously, unto the uttermost, J£ JJe |£istle
whatsoever a Christian man or woman ought to know ; that £fn£|isa™":
is to wit, what the law, the gospel, sin, grace, faith, right- SoSe for
eousness, Christ, God, good works, love, hope, and the cross man?stli
are ; and even wherein the pith of all, that pertaineth to the
Christian faith, standeth ; and how a Christian man ought to
behave himself unto every man, be he perfect or a sinner 5
good or bad, strong or weak, friend or foe ; and in conclusion,
how to behave ourselves both toward God, and toward our
selves also. And all things are profoundly grounded in the
scriptures, and declared with examples of himself, of the
fathers, and of the prophets, that a man can here desire no

[! So Tynd. Test, and Matt. B. In Day of the gospel is omitted.]
[2 So Tynd. N. T. and Matt. B, Day has counterfeited.]

508 PROLOGUE UPON THE

more. Wherefore it appeareth evidently, that Paul's mind
was to comprehend briefly in this epistle all the whole learn
ing of Christ's gospel, and to prepare an introduction unto all
the old Testament. For without doubt, whosoever hath this
epistle perfectly in his heart, the same hath the light and the
effect of the old Testament with him. Wherefore let every
man, without exception, exercise himself therein diligently,
and record1 it night and day continually, until he be fully
acquainted therewith/

' The last chapter is a chapter of recommendation, wherein
Beware of he yet mingleth a s;ood monition, that we should beware of the

the traditions %. . , -, . i • -i i «i i • -i • i

of men. traditions and doctrine of men, which beguile the simple with
sophistry and learning that is not after the gospel/ and draw
them from Christ, and noosel them in weak and feeble, and
(as Paul calleth them in the epistle to the Galatians,) in beg
garly ceremonies, for the intent that they would live in fat
pastures, and be in authority and be taken as Christ, yea,
and above Christ, and sit in the temple of God, that is to
wit, in the consciences of men, where God only, his word
and his Christ, ought to sit. Compare therefore all manner
doctrine of men unto the scripture, and see whether they
agree or not. And commit thyself whole and altogether unto
Christ; and so shall he with his Holy Spirit, and with all
his fulness, dwell in thy soul. Amen2.

The sum and whole cause of the writing of this epistle is,
to prove that a man is justified by faith only ; which pro
position whoso denieth, to him is not only this epistle and all
that Paul writeth, but also the whole scripture, so locked up,
that he shall never understand it to his soul's health. And,
to bring a man to the understanding and feeling that faith
only justifieth, Paul proves that the whole nature of man is so
poisoned and so corrupt, yea, and so dead, concerning godly
living or godly thinking, that it is impossible for her to keep
the law in the sight of God ; that is to say, to love it, and of love
and willingness to do it as naturally as a man eats or drinks,
until he be quickened again and healed through faith. And
by justifying, understand no other thing than to be reconciled
to God, and to be restored unto his favour, and to have thy
sins forgiven thee. As, when I say, God justifieth us, un-

t1 Record, in the sense, of the Latin recorder, to call to mind.]
[2 In Day the prologue ends here.]

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 509

derstand thereby, that God for Christ's sake, merits, and
deservings only, receiveth us unto his mercy, favour, and
grace, and forgiveth us our sins. And when I say, Christ
justifieth us, understand thereby, that Christ only hath re
deemed us, bought, and delivered us out of the wrath of God
and damnation, and hath with his works only purchased us
the mercy, the favour, and grace of God, and the forgiveness
of our sins. And when I say, that faith justifieth, understand
thereby, that faith and trust in the truth of God and in the
mercy promised us for Christ's sake, and for his deserving
and works only, doth quiet the conscience and certify her that
our sins be forgiven, and we in the favour of God.

Furthermore, set before thine eyes Christ's works and
thine own works. Christ's works only justify thee, and make
satisfaction for thy sin, and not thine own works ; that is to
say, quiet thy conscience, and make thee sure that thy sins
are forgiven thee, and not thine own works. For the promise
of mercy is made thee for Christ's work's sake, and not for
thine own work's sake.

Wherefore, seeing God hath not promised that thine own
works shall save thee, therefore faith in thine own works can
never quiet thy conscience, nor certify thee before God, when
God cometh to judge and to take a reckoning, that thy sins
are forgiven thee. Beyond all this, mine own works can
never satisfy the law, or pay that I owe it : for I owe the law
to love it with all mine heart, soul, power, and might ; which
to pay I am never able, while I am compassed with flesh.
No, I cannot once begin to love the law, except I be first sure
by faith, that God loveth me and forgiveth me.

Finally, that we say, Faith only justifieth, ought to offend
no man. For if this be true, that Christ only redeemed us,
Christ only bare our sins, made satisfaction for them, and
purchased us the favour of God ; then must it needs be true
that the trust only in Christ's deserving and in the promises
of God the Father, made to us for Christ's sake, doth afone
quiet the conscience, and certify it that the sins are forgiven.
And when they say, A man must repent, forsake sin, and
have a purpose to sin no more, as nigh as he can, and love
the law of God ; therefore faith alone justifieth not : I answer,
That and all like arguments are naught, and like to this —
I must repent and be sorry ; the gospel must be preached me,

510 PROLOGUE UPON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

and I must believe it, or else I cannot be partaker of mercy,
which Christ hath deserved for me. Therefore Christ only
justifieth me not ; or Christ only hath not made satisfaction
for my sins. As this is a naughty argument, so is the other.
Now go to, reader, and according to the order of Paul's
writing, even so do thou. First, behold thyself diligently in
the law of God, and see there thy just damnation. Secondly,
turn thine eyes to Christ, and see there the exceeding mercy
of thy most kind and loving Father. Thirdly, remember that
Christ made not this atonement that thou shouldest anger
God again ; neither died he for thy sins, that thou shouldest
live still in them ; neither cleansed he thee, that thou shouldest
return, as a swine, unto thine old puddle again ; but that
thou shouldest be a new creature, and live a new life after
the will of God, and not of the flesh. And be diligent, lest
through thine own negligence and unthankfulness thou lose
this favour and mercy again. Farewell.

PROLOGUE UPON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 511

THE PROLOGUE

UPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE
CORINTHIANS.

THIS epistle declareth itself from chapter to chapter, that
it needeth no prologue, or introduction to declare it. When
Paul had converted a great number at Corinthum, as ye read
in Acts xviii., and was departed, there came immediately false
apostles and sect-makers, and drew every man1 disciples after
him ; so that the people were whole unquieted, divided and at
variance among themselves, every man for the zeal of his
doctor ; those new apostles not regarding what division, what
uncleanness of living, or what false opinions were among the
people, as long as they might be in authority, and well at ease
in their bellies. But Paul in the first four chapters with great
wisdom and soberness rebuketh2 first the division and the
authors thereof ; and calleth the people to Christ again, and
teacheth how and for what the preacher is to be taken.

In the v th, he rebuketh the uncleanness that was amongst
them.

In the vith he rebuketh the debate and going to law
together, and pleading their causes before the heathen.

In the viith he reformeth3 them concerning chastity and
marriage.

In the viiith, ixth, xth and xith, he teacheth the strong to weak and
forbear the weak, that yet understand not the liberty of the SKSe
gospel ; and that with the ensample of himself, which though f^er"^tf^all
he were an apostle, and had authority, yet of love he abstained, j^jj^iJrd
to win other. And he feareth them with the ensamples of Anthtehde.first'
the old Testament; and rebuketh divers disorders that were
among them concerning the sacrament, and the going bare
headed of married women.

In the xiith, xiiith and xivth he teacheth of the manifold
gifts of the Spirit, and proveth by a similitude of the body,
that all gifts are given, that each should help other, and

[! So Tyndale's Testaments. D. has man's.]

[2 Tests, rebuketh. D. rebuked.']

[3 So Day. Test, of 1536 has informeth.]

512 PROLOGUE UPON THE FIRST EPIST. TO THE CORINTHIANS.

Love fulfill- through love do service to other ; and proveth, that where

eth. the law

' love is not, there is nothing that pleaseth God. For that
one should love another, is all that God requireth of us;
and therefore, if we desire spiritual gifts, he teacheth those
gifts to be desired that help our neighbours.

In the xvth he teacheth of the resurrection of the body,
and in the last he exhorteth to help the poor saints.

THE PROLOGUE

UPON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.

iu_s the j?art
shepherd to

venture his

Anted.

Tribulation
pel's sake

Ant.ed.

As in the first Epistle he rebuketh the Corinthians sharp
ly, so. in this he comforteth them, and praiseth them, and
commandeth him that was excommunicated to be received
lovingly into the congregation again.

And in the first and second chapters he sheweth his love
to them- ward, how that all that he spake, did, or suffered was

' *

f°r their sakes, and for their salvation.

Then in the iiird, ivth and vth he praiseth the office of
preaching the gospel above the preaching of the law ; and
sheweth that the gospel groweth through persecution, and
through the cross, which maketh a man sure of eternal life :
and here and there he toucheth the false prophets, which
studied to turn the faith of the people from Christ unto the
works of the law.

In the vith and viith chapters, he exhorteth them to suf
fer with the gospel, and to live as it becometh the gospel, and
praiseth them in the latter end.

In the viiith and ixth chapters he exhorteth them to help
the poor saints that were at Jerusalem.

In the xth, xith and xiith he inveigheth against the false
prophets.

And in the last chapter he threateneth them that had
sinned and not amended themselves.

PROLOGUE UPON THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. 513

A PROLOGUE

UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE GALATIANS.

As ye read (Acts xv.) how certain came from Jerusalem Acts xv.
to Antioch, and vexed the disciples there, affirming that they
could not be saved except they were circumcised ; even so,
after Paul had converted the Galatians, and coupled them to
Christ, to trust in him only for the remission of sin, and hopo
of grace and salvation, and was departed, there came false
apostles unto them, (as unto the Corinthians, and unto all
places where Paul had preached,) and that in the name of
Peter, James, and John, whom they called the high apostles,
and preached circumcision, and the keeping of the law, to be
saved by ; and minished Paul's authority.

To the confounding of those, Paul magnineth his office AH that re-
and apostleship in the two first chapters, and maketh himself ||^dSugh
equal unto the high apostles ; and concludeth that every man JJ£trjf '^rdk3
must be justified without deservings, without works, and with- w- T-
out help of the law ; but alone by Christ.

In the iiird and ivth he proveth the same with scripture, Theiawcon-

A . demneth, but

examples and similitudes, and sheweth that the law is cause the believing

f * or God s pro-

of more sin, and bringeth the curse of God upon us, and
justifieth us not ; but that justifying cometh of grace pro- w- T-
mised us of God, through the deserving of Christ, by whom
(if we believe) we are justified without help of the works
of the law.

And in the vth and vith he exhorteth unto the works of
love, which follow faith and justifying.

So that in all his epistle he observeth this order ; first ho
preacheth the damnation of the law, then the justifying of
faith, and thirdly the works of love. For on that condition,
that we love henceforth and work, is the mercy given us ; or
else, if we will not work the will of God henceforward, we fall
from favour and grace ; and the inheritance that is freely
given us for Christ's sake, through our own fault we lose
again.

, T 33

[TYNDALE.J

514 PROLOGUE UPON THE EPISTLE TO THE EPIIESIANS.

A PROLOGUE

UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE EPHESIANS.

In this epistle, and namely in the first three chapters,
Paul sheweth that the gospel and grace thereof was foreseen
and predestinate of God from before the beginning, and de
served through Christ, and now at the last sent forth, that all
men should believe thereon ; thereby to be justified, made
righteous, living and happy, and to be delivered from under
the damnation of the law and captivity of ceremonies.
in seeking And in the fourth he teacheth to avoid traditions and

imy other

KfchJS, men's doctrine, and to beware of putting trust in any thing
ouriTveT save Christ ; affirming that he only is sufficient, and that in
him we have all things, and besides him need nothing.

In the vth and vith he exhorteth to exercise the faith,
and to declare it abroad through good works, and to avoid
sin, and to arm them with spiritual armour against the devil,
that they might stand fast in time of tribulation and under
the cross.

THE PROLOGUE

UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE PIIILIPPIANS.

Hereby are PAUL praiseth the Philippians, and exhorteth them to

theaTwork8 stand fast in the true faith, and to increase in love. And be-

snve us not, . , .

S£t?B3?d' cause thft* ^se Pr°phets study always to impugn and destroy
tne true faith* he warneth them of such work-learners or
teachers of works, and praiseth Epaphroditus : and all this
doth he in the first and second chapters.

In the third he reproveth the faithless, and man's righte-

PROLOGUE UPON THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 515

ousness which false prophets teach and maintain ; and he
setteth himself1 for an ensample, how that he himself had lived
in such false righteousness and holiness unrebukeable 2, that no
man could complain on him, and yet now setteth nought
thereby for Christ's righteousness' sake. And finally, he Man's right-
affirmeth that such false prophets are the enemies of the
cross, and make their bellies their God ; for further than
they may safely, and without all peril and suffering, will
they not preach Christ.

A PROLOGUE

UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS.

As the epistle to the Galatians holdeth the manner and
fashion of the epistle to the Romans, briefly comprehending
all that is therein at length disputed ; even so this epistle fol-
loweth the ensample of the epistle to the Ephesians, contain
ing the tenor of the same epistle with fewer words.

In the first chapter he praiseth them, and wisheth that
they continue in the faith, and grow perfecter therein; and For faith,
then describeth he the gospel, how that it is a wisdom that preached',*

bringeth

confcsseth Christ to be the Lord and God, crucified for us, ^^'jjjjy1
and a wisdom that hath been hid in Christ, since afore the w.thx!.lavv'
beginning of the world, and now first begun to be opened
through the preaching of the apostles.

In the second he warneth them of men's doctrine, and
describeth the false prophets to the uttermost, and rebuketh
them according.

In the third he exhorteth to be fruitful in the pure faith,
with all manner of good works one to another ; and describeth whoso hath

, . , . a pure faith,

all degrees, and what their duties are. cannot but

o ' abound with

In the fourth he exhorteth to pray, and also to pray for
him, and saluteth them.

[! So Test. D. has him.]
[2 P. adds, that was so.]

33—2

516 PROLOGUE UPON THE FIRST EPIST. TO THE THESSALONIANS.

A PROLOGUE

UPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE
THESSALONIANS.

Not the re- THIS epistle did Paul write of exceeding love and care,

gSipS? buthe and praiseth them in the two first chapters, because they did

thecontinu- . , . , , . , . .. . . *

anceto^the receive the gospel earnestly, and had in tribulation and per-

makethus secution continued therein stedfastly ; and were become an

w- T- ensample unto all congregations ; and had thereto suffered of

their own kinsmen, as Christ and his apostles did of the Jews ;

putting them thereto in mind, how purely and godly he had

lived among them to their ensample ; and thanketh God that

his gospel had brought forth such fruit among them.

Hemeaneth In the third chapter he sheweth his diligence and care,

the^SouJd lest his so great labour, and their so blessed a beginning,

fall from the , u «• , . . a , , ,. Al & .

word they should have been m vain ; batan and his apostles vexing
Antiveedd' them with persecution, and destroying their faith with men's
doctrine. And therefore he sent Timothy to them to comfort
them, and strengthen them in the faith ; and thanketh God
that they had so constantly endured ; and desireth God to
increase them.

In the fourth he exhorteth them to keep themselves
from sin, and to do good one to another ; and thereto he in-
formeth them concerning the resurrection.

In the fifth he writeth of the last day, that it should
come suddenly ; exhorting to prepare themselves thereafter,
and to keep a good order concerning obedience and rule.

PROLOGUE UPON THE SECOND EPIST. TO THE THESSALONIANS. 517

THE PROLOGUE

UPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE
TIIESSALONIANS.

BECAUSE in the fore-epistle he had said the last day
should come suddenly, the Thessalonians thought it should
have come shortly ; wherefore in this epistle he declareth
himself.

And in the first chapter he comforteth them with ever- patience ana

persecution,

lasting reward of their faith and patience in suffering for the sf^^d.
gospel, and with the punishment of their persecutors in ever- ^nthofthe

,. • everlasting

lasting pain. joyandfeli-

In the second he sheweth that the last day should not Am. ed.
come till there were first a departing, as some men think, JJfe^lchnatve
from under the obedience of the emperor of Rome ; and that [&
Antichrist should set up himself in the same place as God, and
deceive the unthankful world with false doctrine, and with
false and lying miracles, wrought by the working of Satan,
until Christ should come, and slay him with his glorious
coming and spiritual preaching of the word of God.

In the third he giveth them exhortation, and warneth
them to rebuke the idle, that would not labour with their
hands, and avoid their company if they would not amend.

A PROLOGUE

UPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO TIMOTHY.

THIS epistle writeth St Paul to be an ensample to all
bishops, what they should teach, and how they should teach1 ;

[i So Day. The words and how they should teach are not in tho
collated Testaments.]

The office of
a bishop.
W. T.

The pope and
his prelates
are here
plainly set
forth ; for
what Christ
loosed freely,
the pope did
bind it, to
loose it again
for money.
Ant. ed.

Virtuous
bishops are
worthy
double
honour.
W, T.

518 PROLOGUE UPON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY.

and how they should govern the congregation of Christ in all
degrees ; that it should be no need to govern Christ's flock
with the doctrine of their own good meanings.

In the first chapter he commandeth that the bishop
should maintain the right faith and love, and resist false
preachers, which make the law and works equal with Christ
and his gospel. And he maketh a short conclusion of all
Christian1 learning ; whereto the law serve th, and what the
end thereof is, also what the gospel is ; and setteth himself
for a comfortable ensample unto all sinners and troubled con
sciences.

In the second he commandeth to pray for all degrees ;
and chargeth that the women shall not preach or wear costly
apparel, but to be obedient unto the men.

In the third he describeth what manner persons the
bishop or priest and their wives should be, and also the dea
cons and their wives ; and commendeth it if any man desire
to be a bishop after that manner.

In the fourth he prophesieth, and sheweth before, of the
false bishops and spiritual officers, that should arise among
the Christian people, and be, do, and preach clean contrary
to the fore-described ensample ; and should depart from the
faith in Christ, and forbid to marry, and to eat certain meats,
teaching to put trust therein, both of justifying and forgive-,
ness of sins, and also of deserving of eternal life.

In the fifth he teacheth how a bishop should use himself
toward young and old, and concerning widows what is to be
done, and which should be found of the common cost ; and
teacheth also how men should honour the virtuous bishops
and priests, and how to rebuke the evil.

In the sixth he exhorteth the bishops2 to cleave to the
gospel of Christ and true doctrine, and to avoid vain ques
tions, and superfluous disputings, which gender strife, and
quench the truth ; and by which also the false prophets get
them authority, and seek to satisfy their insatiable covet-
ousness.

[! So Testaments. D. has Christs.]
[2 So Day. The Tests, haye bishop.]

PROLOGUE UPON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. 519

THE PROLOGUE

UPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO TIMOTHY.

IN this epistle Paul exliorteth Timothy to go forward as Bishops must

J fe be vigilant in

he had begun, and to preach the gospel with all diligence, as their voca-
it need was, seeing many were fallen away, and many false w- T<
spirits3 and teachers were sprung up already. Wherefore a
bishop's part is ever to watch, and to labour in the gospel.

In the third and fourth he sheweth before, and that This hath ai-
notably, of the jeopardous time toward the end of the world, fulfilled in
in which a false spiritual living should deceive the whole aUy-T
world with outward hypocrisy and appearance of holiness ;
under which all abominations should have their free passage
and course, as we (alas !) have seen this prophecy of St Paul
fulfilled in our spiritualty unto the uttermost jot.

THE PROLOGUE

UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO TITUS.

THIS is a short epistle ; wherein yet is contained all that
is needful for a Christian to know.

In the first chapter he sheweth what manner a man a what man-
bishop or curate ought to be, that is to wit, virtuous and bishop <T '
learned, to preach and defend the gospel, and to confound to i*.
the doctrine of trusting in works and men's traditions ; which
ever fight against the faith, and carry away the conscience
captive from the freedom which is in Christ, into the bondage
of their own imaginations and inventions, as though those
things should make a man good in the sight of God, which
are to no profit at all.

[3 Test, of 1534 wants the words, false spirits.}

Good works
please God so
far forth as
they are ap
plied to the

the com
mandments,
but Christ
only justi-
fieth.
W. T.

520 PROLOGUE UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO TITUS.

In the second he teacheth all degrees, old, young, men,
women, masters and servants, how to behave themselves ; as
they which Christ hath bought with his blood, to be his pro
per or peculiar people, to glorify God with good works.

In the third he teacheth to honour temporal rulers, and
to obey them ; and yet bringeth to Christ again, and to the
grace that he hath purchased for us ; that no man should
think that the obedience of princes' laws, or any other works,
should justify us before God. And last of all, he chargeth
to avoid the company of the stubborn and of the heretics.

A PROLOGUE

UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL UNTO PHILEMON.

IN this epistle St Paul sheweth a godly ensample of
Christian love. Herein we see how Paul taketh poor
Onesimos unto him, and maketh intercession for him unto
his master, and helpeth him with all that he may, and
believeth himself none otherwise than as though he himself
were the said Onesimos : which thing yet he doth not with
power and authority, as he well might have done, but putteth
off all authority, and whatsoever he might of right do, that
Philemon might do likewise toward Onesimos; and with
great meekness and wisdom teacheth Philemon to see his
duty in Christ Jesus.

PROLOGUE UPON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 521

A PROLOGUE

UPOX THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE HEBREWS.

ABOUT this epistle hath ever been much doubting, and whether this

that among great learned men, who should be the author ^istlree^tr
thereof ; divers affirming that it was not Paul's, partly Jfaa™ edd0™betn
because the style so disagreeth, and is so unlike his other ldnt. ed.
epistles, and partly because it standeth in the second chapter,
this learning was confirmed to us-ward, that is to say, taught
us by them that heard it themselves of the Lord. Now
Paul testifieth, (Gal. i.) that he received not his gospel of
man, nor by man, but immediately of Christ, and that by
revelation. Wherefore, say they, seeing this man confesseth
that he received his doctrine of the apostles, it cannot be
Paul's, but some disciple of the apostles. Now whether it
were Paul's or no, I say not, but permit it to other men's
judgments ; neither think I it to be an article of any man's
faith, but that a man may doubt of the author.

Moreover, many there hath been, which not only have ft°™ehd*gy
denied this epistle to have been written by any of the apos- £eennwri"en
ties, but have also refused it altogether, as no catholic or Sel't^
godly epistle, because of certain texts written therein. For Ant.c?dhollc'
first he saith in the sixth : "It is impossible that they
which were once lighted, and have tasted of the heavenly gift,
and were become partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted
of the good word of God, and of the power of the world to
come, if they fall, should be renewed again to repentance"
or conversion. And in the tenth it saith : "If we sin wil
lingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a fearful
looking for judgment, and violent fire which shall destroy the
adversaries." And in the twelfth it saith, that Esau found no
way to repentance, or conversion ; no, though he sought it
•with tears. Which texts, say they, sound, that if a man sin
any more after he is once baptized, he can be no moro

522 PROLOGUE UPON THE

forgiven ; and that is contrary to all the scripture, and there
fore to be refused to be catholic and godly.

Unto which I answer, If we should deny this epistle for
those texts1 sakes, so should we deny first Matthew, which in
his xiith chapter affirmeth, that he which blasphemeth the
Holy Ghost shall neither be forgiven here nor in the world to
A solution of come : and then Mark, which in his third chapter saith, that
doubts. he that blasphemeth the Holy Ghost shall never have for
giveness ; but shall be in danger of eternal damnation : and
thirdly, Luke, which saith there shall be no remission to him
that blasphemeth the Spirit of God. Moreover, John in his
first epistle saith, " There is a sin unto death ; for which a man
should not pray." And 2 Pet. ii. saith, " If a man be fled from
the uncleanness of the world through the knowledge of our
Saviour Jesus Christ, and then be wrapped in again, his end
is worse than the beginning ; and that it had been better for
him never to have known the truth." And Paul, 2 Tim. iii.
curseth Alexander the coppersmith, desiring the Lord to re
ward him according to his deeds ; which is a sign that either
the epistle should not be good, or that Alexander had sinned
past forgiveness, no more to be prayed for. Wherefore
seeing no scripture is of private interpretation, but must be
expounded according to the general articles of our faith, and
agreeable to other open and evident texts, and confirmed or
compared to like sentences ; why should we not understand
This not to be these places with like reference as we do the other, namely
Paui'»episue. when all the remnant of the epistle is so godly and of so
great learning ?

The first place in the vith chapter will no more than that
they which know the truth, and yet willingly refuse the light,
and choose rather to dwell in darkness, and refuse Christ, and
make a mock of him (as the Pharisees, which when they were
overcome with scripture and miracles, that Christ was the
very Messias, yet had they such lust in iniquity, that they
forsook him, persecuted him, slew him, and did all the shame
that could be imagined to him) cannot be renewed, (el?
peravoiav saith the Greek,) to be converted : that is to say,
such malicious unkindness, which is none other than the blas
pheming of the Holy Ghost, deserveth that the Spirit shall
never come more at them, to convert them : which I believe
to be as true as any other text in all the scripture.

EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE HEBREWS. 523

And what is meant by that place in the tenth chapter,
where he saith, " If wo sin willingly after we have received
the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacri
fice for sin," is declared immediately after. For he maketh
a comparison between Mos'es and Christ, saying : "If he which
despised Moses' law died without mercy, how much worse
punishment is he worthy of, that treadeth the Son of God
under foot, and counteth the blood of the covenant, by which
blood he was sanctified, as an unholy thing, and blasphemeth
the Spirit of grace ?" By which words it is manifest that he
meaneth none other by the fore words, than the sin of blas
phemy of the Spirit.

For them that sin of ignorance or infirmity, there is
remedy ; but for him that knoweth the truth, and yet wil
lingly yieldeth himself to sin, and consenteth unto the life of
sin, with soul and body, and had rather lie in sin than have
his poisoned nature healed by the help of the Spirit of grace,
and maliciously persecuteth the truth, for him, I say, there is
no remedy ; the way to mercy is locked up ; and the Spirit is Mercy is
taken from him for his unthankfulness' sake, no more to be f?omehi^

which wil-

given to him. Truth it is, if a man can turn to God and J^1^61*
believe in Christ, he must be forgiven, how deep soever hesoultosin-
hath sinned ; but that will not be without the Spirit, and
such blasphemers shall no more have the Spirit offered them.
Let every man therefore fear God, and beware that he yield
not himself to serve sin ; but how oft soever he sin, let him
begin again, and fight afresh, and no doubt he shall at the
last overcome, and in the meantime yet be under mercy for
Christ's sake, because his heart worketh, and would fain be
loosed from under the bondage of sin.

And that it saith in the twelfth, Esau found no way
(els- fjLerdvoLav) to be converted and reconciled unto God, and
restored unto his birth-right again, though he sought it with
tears, that text must have a spiritual eye. For Esau in
selling his birth-right despised not only that temporal promo
tion, that he should have been lord over all his brethren, and
king of that country ; but he also refused the grace and mercy of
God, and the spiritual blessing of Abraham and Isaac, and all
the mercy that is promised us in Christ, which should have
been his seed.

Of this ye see that this epistle ought no more to bo

524 PROLOGUE UPON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

refused for a holy, godly and catholic, than the other' au
thentic scriptures.

And now therefore, to come to our purpose again, though

this epistle (as it saith in the sixth) lay not the ground of

the faith of Christ, yet it buildeth cunningly thereon pure

gold, silver, and precious stones ; and proveth the priesthood

NO place m Of Christ with scriptures inevitable. Moreover, there is no

the scriptures

WOI>k m a^ the scripture that so plainly declareth the mean-
ing and significations of the sacrifices, ceremonies, and figures
of the old Testament, as this epistle : insomuch that, if wil-

T? ° " ful blindness and malicious malice were not the cause, this
epistle only were enough to weed out of the hearts of the
papists that cankered heresy of justifying of works, concern
ing our sacraments, ceremonies, and all manner traditions of
their own inventions.

And finally, in that ye see in the tenth, that he had
been in bonds and in prison for Christ's sake, and in that
he so mightily driveth all to Christ, to be saved through
him, and so cared for the flock of Christ, that he both wrote
and sent where he heard that they began to faint, to com-
fort, courage and strength them with the word of God,
ourgKutoebe of and in that also that he sent Timothy, Paul's disciple,

equal autho- , -, . -i-i * . . .

other*1"1 the virtuous, well-learned, and had in great reverence ; it is

w- T- easy to see that he was a faithful servant of Christ, and of
the same doctrine that Timothy was of, yea, and Paul him
self was of, and that he was an apostle or in the apostles'
time, or near thereunto. And seeing the epistle agreeth to all
the rest of the scripture (if it be indifferently looked on), why
should it not be authority, and taken for holy scripture?

PROLOGUE UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST JAMES. 525

THE PROLOGUE

UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST JAMES.

THOUGH this epistle were refused in the old time, and
denied of many to be the epistle of a very apostle, and though
also it lay not the foundation of the faith of Christ, but
speaketh of a general faith in God, neither preacheth his death
and resurrection, either the mercy that is laid up in store
for us in him, or everlasting covenant made us in his blood,
which is the office and duty of every apostle, as Christ saith, ThisepMleis
John xvth, " Ye shall testify of me ;" yet, because it setteth JjSi?*/"1
up no man's doctrine, but crieth to keep the law of God, Kscrip"
and maketh love, which is without partiality, the fulfilling
of the law, as Christ and all the apostles did, and hath, thereto,
many good and godly sentences in it, and hath also nothing
that is not l agreeable to the rest of the scriptures, if it be looked
indifferently on ; methinketh it ought of right to be taken for
holy scripture. For as for that place for which haply it
was at the beginning refused of holy men, as it ought, if
it had meant as they took it, and for which place only, for The ists
the false understanding, it hath been chiefly received of the SLTfor their
papists ; yet if the circumstances be well pondered, it will

appear that the author's intent was far otherwise than they STg same.

i T . 9 f * Ant. ed.

took him2 for.

For where he saith in the second chapter, " Faith with
out deeds is dead in itself," he meaneth none other thing
than all the scripture doth ; how that faith, which hath no
good deeds following, is a false faith, and not the faith that3
justifieth, or receiveth forgiveness of sins. For God pro-
miseth them only forgiveness of their sins, which turn to God
to keep his laws. Wherefore they that purpose to continue

[* D. has omitted not, by an evident misprint. Not is in all the
collated testaments.]

[2 D. omits him.]

[3 So edition of 1538, and edition of 1536. But Day and Antw.
edition of 1534 have, None of that faith justifieth.]

526 PROLOGUE UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST JAMES.

still in sin, have no part in that promise ; but deceive them
selves if they believe that God hath forgiven them their old
sins for Christ's sake. And after, when he saith that man
is justified by deeds, and not of faith only, he will no more
than that faith doth not so1 justify every where, that no
thing justifieth save faith. For deeds also do justify. And as
faith only justifieth before God, so do deeds only justify before
iy the world : whereof is enough spoken, partly in the prologue
on Paul to the Romans, and also in other places. For as
Paul affirmeth (Rom. iv.) that Abraham was not justified by
works before God, but by faith only, as Genesis beareth
record ; so will James, that deeds only justified him before the
world, and faith wrought with his deeds ; that is to say,
faith, wherewith he was righteous before God in the heart,
did cause him to work the will of God outwardly, whereby
he was righteous before the world ; and whereby the world
perceived that he believed in God, loved and feared God.
And as (Heb. xi.) the scripture affirmeth that Rahab was
justified before God through faith, so doth James affirm that
through works, by which she shewed her faith, she was jus
tified before the world : and it is true.

t1 All the Tests, have so,' which is wanting in Day.]

PROLOGUE UPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST PETER. 527

THE PROLOGUE

UPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST PETER.

THIS epistle did St Peter write to the heathen that were
converted ; and exhorted them to stand fast in the faith, to
grow therein, and wax perfect, through all manner of
suffering, and also of good works.

In the first he declareth the justifying of faith through
Christ's blood, and comforteth them with the hope of the
life to come ; and sheweth that we have not deserved it, but
that the prophets prophesied it should be given us : and as
Christ, which redeemed us out of sin and all uncleanness, is
holy, so he exhorteth to lead an holy conversation ; and, be
cause we be richly bought and made heirs of a rich inherit
ance, to take heed that we lose it not again through our
own negligence.

In the second chapter he sheweth that Christ is the foun- Christ is an
dation and head corner-stone, whereon all are built through man? ir

o \y. x.

faith, whether it be Jew or Gentile ; and how that, in Christ,
they are made priests to offer themselves to God, (as Christ
did himself,) and to flee the lusts of the flesh, that fight
against the soul. And first he teacheth them, in general, to
obey the worldly rulers ; and then in special, he tcachetli
the servants to obey their masters, be they good or bad, and
to suffer wrong of them, as Christ suffered wrong for us.

In the third he teacheth the wives to obey their husbands, Men ought to
yea, though they be unbelievers ; and to apparel themselves g™| JJJJ*
godly, and as it becometh holiness : and thereto, that the Antt ed-
husbands suffer and bear the infirmity of their wives, and
live according to knowledge with them : and then, in general,
he exhorteth them to be soft, courteous, patient and friendly
one to another, and to suffer for righteousness, after the
ensample of Christ.

In the fourth he exhorteth to fly sin, and to tame the TO watch u

not only to

flesh with soberness, watching, and prayer ; and to love each JjJSJ^J*11
other, and to know that all good gifts are of God ; and every

528 PROLOGUE UPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST PETER.

man *° k^P hig neighbour with such as he hath received of
God ; and finally, not to wonder but to rejoice, though they
must suffer for Christ's name sake ; seeing as they be here
partakers of his afflictions, so shall they be partakers of his
glory to come.

In the fifth he teacheth the bishops and priests how they
should love and feed Christ's flock, and warneth us of the
evil, which on every side lieth in wait for us.

THE PROLOGUE

UPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF ST PETER.

AS God re- THIS epistle was written against them which thought

joiceth not , ,..,,., • i i • 11 i • i t i

m the deed that Christian laitn might be idle and without works : when

itself, so doth to

ideienfeitti an ye^ * Promise °* Christ is made us upon that condition,
that we henceforth work the will of God, and not of the flesh.
Therefore he exhorteth them to exercise themselves diligently
our fasuhwjf m virtue and all good works, thereby to be sure that they
fhl tfreeUs °f bave the true faith; as a man knoweth the goodness of a
tree by his fruit. Then he commendeth and magnifieth the
gospel ; and willeth that men hearken to that only, and to
men's doctrine not at all. For, as he saith, there came no
prophetical scripture by the will of man, but by the will of
the Holy Ghost, which only knoweth the will of God :
neither is any scripture of private interpretation, that is
to say, may be otherwise expounded than agreeing to the
open places, and general articles, and to the covenants of
God, and all the rest of the scripture1.

And therefore, in the second, he warneth them2 of false
teachers that should come, and through preaching confidence
in false works, to satisfy their covetousness withal, should
deny Christ : which he threateneth with three terrible

[! This last sentence is not in the Test, of 1538, but is in Day, and
in the two Testaments of 1534 and 1536.]

[2 Test, of 1538 has, In the ii. ch. he warneth us.]

PROLOGUE UPON THE SECOND EPISTLK OF ST PETER. 529

examples ; with the fall of the angels, the flood of Nbe, and
overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorrah ; and so describeth
them, with their insatiable covetousness, pride, stubbornness,
and disobedience to all temporal rule and authority, [with
their abominable whoredom, and hypocrisy, that a blind man
may see that he prophesied it of the pope's holy spiritualty, Jljj^yjj^
which devoured the whole world with their covetousness,
living in all lust and pleasure, and reigning as temporal Ant
tyrants.] 3

In the third he sheweth that in the latter days the
people, through unbelief and lack of fear of the judgment of
the last day, shall be even as epicures, wholly given to the
flesh : which last day shall yet surely and shortly come,
saith he ; for a thousand years and one day is with God all
one. And he sheweth also how terrible that day shall be,
and how suddenly it shall come ; and therefore cxhorteth all
men to look earnestly for it, and to prepare themselves against
it with holy conversation and godly living.

Finally, the first chapter sheweth how it should go in The
the time of the pure and true Gospel : the second, how it ^'tJi1
should go in the time of the pope4 and men's dectrine : the ^JeT*'
third, how at the last men should believe nothing, nor fear
God at all.

THE PROLOGUE

UPON THE THREE EPISTLES OF ST JOHN.

IN this first epistle of St John is contained the doctrine
of a very apostle of Christ, and ought of right to follow his
gospel. For as in his gospel he setteth out the true faith,
and teacheth by it only all men to be saved, and restored

[3 The passage between brackets is in the editions of 1534 and
1536, and in Day ; but was omitted in the edition of 1538.]

[4 So Day and Test, of 1534. But Test, of 1538 has antichrist
instead of the pope. ]
[TYNDALE.]

530 PROLOGUE UPON THE THREE EPISTLES OF ST JOHN.

where a^true

worfi" good
w- T*

Forgiveness of

stns, and not

mans works.

unto the favour of God again ; even so here, in this epistle,
he goeth against them that boast themselves of faith, and
yet continue without good works ; and teacheth many ways,
that where true faith is, there the works tarry not behind ;
and contrary, that where the works follow not, there is no
true faith, but a false imagination and utter darkness.

And he writeth sore against a sect of heretics, which
then began to deny that Christ was come in the flesh, and
calleth them very antichrists ; which sect goeth now in her
full swing. For though they deny not openly, with the mouth,
that Christ is come in the flesh, yet they deny it in the heart,
with their doctrine and living. For he that will be justified
an(J saved through his own works, the same doth as much as

® ...

he that denied Christ to be come in flesh ; seeing that Christ
came only therefore in the flesh, that he should justify us, or
purchase us pardon of our sins, bring us in the favour of
God again, and make us heirs of eternal life with his works
only, and with his blood-shedding, without and before all
our works.

So fighteth this epistle both against them that will be
saved by their own good works, and also against them that
will be saved by a faith that hath no lust to do works at all,
and keepeth us in the middle way, that we believe in Christ
to be saved by his works only ; and then to know that it is
our duty, for that kindness, to prepare ourselves to do the
commandment of God, and to love every man his neighbour,
as Christ loved him ; seeking with our own works God's
honour and our neighbour's wealth only, and trusting for
eternal life, and for all that God hath promised us, through
Christ's deserving1.

The two last epistles, though they be short, yet are
goodly ensamples of love and faith, and do savour of the
spirit of a true apostle.

C1 Day and Anfc. Test, of 1534 have for Christ's sake. The other
testaments as in the text.]

PROLOGUE UPON THE EPISTLE OF ST JUDE. 531

A PROLOGUE

ON THE EPISTLE OF ST JUDE.

As for the epistle of Judas, and though men have, and
yet do doubt of the author, and though it seem also to be
drawn out of the second epistle of St Peter, and thereto
allegeth scripture that is nowhere found ; yet, seeing the
matter is so godly, and agreeing to other places of 2 holy scrip
ture, I see not but that it ought to have the authority of holy
scripture.

AN EXPOSITION

UPON CERTAIN WORDS AND PHRASES OF THE
NEW TESTAMENT.

INFERNUS and Gehenna differ much in signification, though
we have none interpretation for either of them than this
English word Hell : for Gehenna signifieth a place of punish
ment ; but Infernus is taken for any manner of place beneath
in the earth, as a grave, sepulchre, or cave.

Hell: it is called in Hebrew the valley of Hennon; a
place by Jerusalem, where they burnt their children in fire
unto the idol Moloch ; and is usurped and taken now for a
place where the wicked and ungodly shall be tormented, both
soul and body, after the general judgment.
u Give room to the wrath of God. (Rom. xii.) Wrath is
there taken for vengeance : and the meaning is, Let God
avenge, either by himself or by the officers that bear his
room.

[* So the Tests. Day wants vthcr place* of.]

532 EXPOSITION UPON WORDS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

There tarry and abide till ye go out. It is in Mark,
the vi. chap. " Wheresoever ye enter into an house, there
abide till ye go out thence." And, Luke ix. it is, " Into
whatsoever house ye enter, there tarry and go not out
thence :" that is to say, whosoever receiveth you, there abide
as long as ye are in the city, or town, and go not shamefully
a begging from house to house, as friars do.

Dust. "Shake off the dust of your feet." (Matt, x.)
Why are they commanded to shake off the dust? For a
witness, saith Luke, that that deed may testify against them
in the day of judgment, that the doctrine of salvation was
offered for them, but they would not receive it. Ye see also
that such gestures and ceremonies have greater power with
them, than have bare words only, to move the heart and
to stir up faith, as do the laying on of hands, and anoint
ing with oil, &c.

Hypocrites, can ye discern the face of heaven, and not
discern the signs of the times ? That is to say, they could
judge by the signs of the sky what weather should follow,
but they could not know Christ by the signs of the scripture ;
and yet other signs might not be given them.

He that saith he knoweth Christ and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar. To know Christ is to believe in
Christ: ergo, he that keepeth not the commandments, be-
lieveth not in Christ.

The end of such Prologues of the old Testament and new
Testament as were made by William Tyndale.

Tyndafee, W.
Doctrinal treatises

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