This word taken two church is manner [of] ways. The spiri tual church of God are therans and heretics. So now the church of God is double, a fleshly and a spiritual: the one will be and is not, the other is and may not be so be called, but must be called a Lutheran, an heretic, and such like. Understand therefore, that God, when he calleth a congregation unto his name, sendeth forth his messengers to call generally, which mes- called Lusengers bring in a great multitude amazed and astonished with miracles and power of the reasons which the preachers make, and therewith be compelled to confess that there is but one God of power and might above all, and that Christ is God and man, and born of a virgin, and a thousand other things. And then the great multitude that is called and not chosen, when they have gotten this faith, common as well to the devils as them, and more strongly persuaded unto the devils than unto them, then they go unto their own imaginations, saying: We may no longer serve idols, but God that is but one. And the manner of ser The fleshly church serve God with works of their own. Friars. The blasing of hy pocrites. vice they set out of their own brains, and not of the word of God, and serve God with bodily service as they did in times past their idols, their hearts serving their own lusts still. And one will serve him in white, and another in black, another in grey, and another in pied. And another to do God a pleasure withal, will be sure that his shoe shall have two or three good thick soles under, and will cut him above, so that in summer while the weather is hot thou mayest see his bare foot, and in winter his sock. They will be shorn and shaven and sadducees-that is to say, righteous; and pharisees—that is, separated in fashions from all other men. Yea, and they will consecrate themselves altogether unto God, and will anoint their hands, and hallow them as the chalice, from all manner [of] lay uses: so that they may serve neither father nor mother, master, lord or prince, for polluting themselves, but must wait on God only, to gather up his rents, tithes, offerings, and sacrifice all other duties. And all the sacrifice that come, they consume in the altar of their bellies, and make Calil of have any it, that is, a sacrifice that no man may have part of. of. Calil is a that no man may part there The small flock of eth to the word and God. They believe that there is a God: but as they cannot love his laws, so they have no power to believe in him. But they put their trust and confidence in their own works, and by their own works they will be saved, as the rich of this world, when they sue unto great men, hope, with gifts and presents, to obtain their causes. Neither other serving of God know they, save such as their eyes may see, and their bellies feel. And of very zeal they will be God's vicars, and prescribe a manner unto other, and after what fashion they shall serve God, and compel them thereto for the avoiding of idolatry, as thou seest in the pharisees. But little flock, as soon as he is persuaded that there Christ com- is a God, he runneth not unto his own imaginations, but unto the messenger that called him, and of him asketh promises of how he shall serve God? As little Paul (Acts ix.) when Christ had overthrown him and caught him in his net, asked saying: Lord what wilt thou that I do? And as the multitude that were converted (Acts ii.) asked of the apostles what they should do? And the preacher setteth the law of God before them, and they offer their hearts to have it written therein, consenting that it is good and righteous. Acts. ii. And because they have run clean contrary unto that good law, they sorrow and mourn, and because also their Christ only bodies and flesh are otherwise disposed. But the preacher is the per fect comforter of the Christian. comforteth them and sheweth them the testament of Christ's blood, how that for his sake all that is done is forgiven, and all their weakness shall be taken in worth until they be stronger, only if they repent, and will submit themselves to be scholars and learn to keep this law. And a little flock receiveth this testament in his heart, and in it walketh and serveth God in the Spirit. And from henceforth all is Christ with him, and Christ is his, and he is Christ's. All that he receiveth, he receiveth of Christ, and all that he doth, he doth to Christ. Father, mother, master, lord and prince, are Christs unto him, and as And Christ he serveth them with all love. His wife, children, And he will not be saved, for serving his brethren, neither promiseth his brethren heaven for serving him. But heaven, justifying, forgiveness, all gifts of grace, and all that is promised them they receive of Christ and by his merits freely. And of that which they have received of Christ, they serve each other freely as one hand doth the other, seeking for their service no more than one hand doth of another each the other's health, wealth, help, aid, succour, and to assist one another in the way of Christ. And God they serve in the spirit only, in love, hope, faith and dread. The Chrisall things honour of Christ. tian man in seeketh the The Chris tian seeketh his sal vation only in Christ. antithesis between the pope's When the great multitude that be called and not A pretty chosen, Cain, Ishmael, Esau, and carnal Israel that serve God night and day with bodily service and holy works, such as they were wont to serve their idols withal, behold little flock that they come not forth in the service of God, little flock. they roar out, Where art thou? Why comest thou not Wherefore, saith the little forth and takest holy water? church and Christ's The popish swereth. church an The little flock. church. the blessings promised unto Abraham, for all nations, are in Christ, and out of his blood we must fetch them, and his word is the bread, salt, and water of our souls. God hath given you no power to give through your charms such virtue unto unsensible creatures, which he hath hallowed himself and made them all clean (for the bodily use of them that believe) through his word of promise and permission and our thanksgiving. God saith, If thou believe St. John's gospel thou shalt be saved, and not for the bearing of it about thee with so many crosses, or for the observing of any such observances. The pope's God, for thy bitter passion, roar they out by and by, what an heretic is this! I tell thee that holy church need to allege no Scripture for them, for they have the ✓ Holy Ghost which inspireth them ever secretly, so that they cannot err, whatsoever they say, do, or ordain. What, wilt thou despise the blessed sacraments of holy church wherewith God hath been served this fifteen hundred years? (yea, verily this five thousand years, even since Cain, hitherto, and shall endure unto the world's end, among them that have no love unto the truth to be saved thereby) thou art a strong heretic, and worthy to be burnt. And then he is excommunicate out of the church. If the little flock fear not that bug, then they go straight unto the king. And it like your grace, perilous people and seditious, and even enough to destroy your realm, if ye see not to them betimes. They be so obstinate and tough, that they will not be converted, and rebellious against God and the ordinances of his holy church. And how much more shall they so be against your grace, if they encrease and grow to a multitude? They will pervert all, and surely make new laws, and either subdue your grace unto them, or rise against you. And then goeth a part of the little flock to pot, and the rest scatter. Thus hath it ever been, and shall ever be : let no man therefore deceive himself. The manner of the pope's clergy. Little flock goeth ever to wreek. AN ANSWER TO M. MORE'S SECOND BOOK. The pope will not be tried by Scripture, Scripture must be judged by him. but the IN the first chapter ye may not try the doctrine of the spiritualty by the Scripture: but what they say, that believe undoubtedly and by that try the Scripture. And if thou find the plain contrary in the Scripture, thou mayest not believe the Scripture, but seek a gloss and an allegory to make them agree. As when the pope saith, Ye be justified by the works of the ceremonies and sacraments and so forth; and the Scripture saith, that we be justified at the repentance of the heart through Christ's blood. The first is true plain, as the pope saith it, and as it standeth in his text, but the second is false as it appeareth unto thine understanding, and the literal sense that killeth. Thou must therefore believe the pope and for Christ's doctrine seek an allegory and a mystical sense: that is, that thou must leave the clear light and walk in the mist. And yet Christ and his apostles, for all their miracles, required not to be believed without Scripture, as thou mayest see John v. and Acts xvii. and by John v. their diligent alleging of Scripture throughout all the New Testament. And in the end he saith for his pleasure, that we knowledge, that no man may minister sacraments but he that is derived out of the pope. Howbeit, this we knowledge, that no man could minister sacraments without signification which are no sacraments, save such as are of the pope's generation. THE THIRD CHAPTER. IN the third chapter, and in the chapter following, he uttereth how fleshly-minded he is, and how beastly he imagineth of God, as Paul saith, (1 Cor. ii.) The natural None can minister ments su the sacra perstitiously but the pope's ge neration. 1 Cor. ii. |