THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER. IN the thirteenth he saith that the clergy burneth no man. As though the pope had not first found the law, and as though all his preachers babbled not that in every sermon, Burn these heretics, burn them, for we have no other argument to convince them; and as though they compelled not both king and emperor to swear that they shall so do, ere they crown them! Henry V. Then he bringeth in provisions of king Henry the vth. Of King whom I ask M. More, whether he were right heir unto England, or held he the land with the sword as a heathen tyrant, against all right? Whom the prelates, lest he should have had leisure to hearken unto the truth, sent into France, to occupy his mind in war, and led him at their will. And I ask whether his father slew not his liege king and true inheritor unto the crown, and was therefore set up of the bishops a false king, to maintain their falshood? And I ask whether after that wicked deed, fol- the crown. lowed not the destruction of the commonalty and quenching of all noble blood? THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER. IN the fourteenth he affirmeth that Martin Luther saith it is not lawful to resist the Turk. I wonder that he shameth not so to lie, seeing that Martin hath written a singular treatise for the contrary. Besides that in many other works he proveth it lawful, if he invade us. THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER. IN the sixteenth he allegeth councils. I ask whether councils have authority to make articles of the faith without God's word, yea and of things improved by God's word? He allegeth Augustine, Jerom, and Cyprian. Let King Henry IV. was an usurper of The Turk is to be resisted. The union of doctors a good book. More. Tyndale sweareth. More. Tyndale. Ear confession. More. him put their works in English, and St. Prosperus with them. Why damned they the union of doctors, but because the doctors are against them? And when he allegeth martyrs, let him shew one and take the calf for his labour. And in the end he biddeth beware of them that live well in any wise. As though they which live evil cannot teach amiss. And if that be true, then they be of the surest side. MORE. When Tyndale was apposed of his doctrine, ere he went over sea, he said and sware he meant no harm. TYNDALE. He sware not, neither was there any man that required an oath of him: but he now sweareth by Him whom he trusteth to be saved by, that he never meant or yet meaneth any other harm, than to suffer all that God hath prepared to be laid on his back, for to bring his brethren unto the light of our Saviour Jesus, which the pope, through falsehood and corrupting such poets as ye are (ready unto all thing for vantage) leadeth in the darkness of death. MORE. Tyndale doth know how that St. Augustine and St. Jerom do prove with holy Scripture, that confession is of necessity unto salvation. TYNDALE. That is false, if ye mean ear confession. Why allege ye not the places where? But ye know by St. Jerom and other stories, and by the conversation with Erasmus, how it came up, and that the use was once far other than now. MORE. I marvel that Tyndale denieth purgatory except Pugatory. he intend to go to hell. Tyndale. TYNDALE. He intendeth to purge here unto the uttermost of his power, and hopeth that death will end and finish his purgation. And if there be any other purging, he will commit it to God, and take it as he findeth it, when he cometh at it, and in the meantime take no thought therefore, but for this that is present wherewith And all saints were purged and were taught so to be. Tyndale marvelleth what secret pills they take to purge themselves, which not only will not purge here with the cross of Christ, but also buy out their purgatory there of the pope, for a groat or sixpence. THE EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER. MORE. The clergy doth nothing unto the heretics, but More. as the holy doctors did. Clergy. TYNDALE. Yes, ye put them in your prisons, and Tyndale. diet them, and handle them after your fashion as temporal tyrants, and dispute with them secretly, and will not come at light. And ye slay them for rebuking you with God's Note. word, and so did not the old holy doctors. If a man slay his father, ye care not. But if any man touch one of you, though he have never so great an occasion given him, ye curse him, and if he will not submit himself unto your punishment, ye leave him unto the temporal power, whom ye have hired with the spoil of his goods to be your hangman, so that he must lose his life, for giving one of you but a blow on the cheek. MORE. Saint Paul gave two heretics unto the devil, More. which tormented their flesh, which was no small punishment, and haply he slew them. Paul did excommu nicate, but our bishops do burn. TYNDALE. O! expounder of the Scripture, like Hugo Tyndale. Charensis which expoundeth, hæreticum hominem devita, take the heretic out of his life. We read of no pain that he had whom the Corinthians excommunicated and gave to Satan, to slay his flesh, save that he was ashamed of himself and repented, when he saw his offence so earnestly taken and so abhorred. But ye, because ye have no power to deliver them to Satan to blind their minds, ye deliver them to the fire to destroy their flesh, that no more is seen of them after than the ashes. |