¶ An answere to Rastels fyrst Chapter whych reproueth me for boostynge my selfe .

IN the fyrst chapter of this boke Rastel Rastell laboureth to proue that I am sore ouer sene in laudinge & bosting my selfe and that I like my selfe so wel that he is sure that other men do lyke me the lesse / & that he fereth that god wyll therfore lyke me & fauour me rather the worse then the better .

Here he iogeleth wyth me & wolde make Frith me beleue that he tossed me myne owne ball agayne / but when I beholde hit / I perceaue it to be non of myn : for he hathe cut out all that shulde make for me so that he hath geuen it cleane an other shape then euer I entended that it shulde haue as it appereth by his wryting which reherseth my wordes in this maner .

I am sure there are many that merueyll Rastell . that I being so yonge dare atempte to dyspute this matter against these .iii. persones . But my wordes are this / I am sure that Frith there are manye that wyll moche meruayll that I beynge so ionge and of so small lerning dare dispute this matter &c.

Here Rastell leueth out the wordes ( and of so smake lernynge ) for yf he had put that in he had bewrayed him selfe . For I thynke no man so madde as to saye that he which sayeth him selfe to be both yonge & of small lerninge shulde prayse & boste him selfe .

Also immediatly after the wordes of his fyrste allegacion I say on this maner : And as touchinge my lerninge I muste nedes aknowlege ( as the trueth is ) that it is verye smal which I thynke is but a base bostinge / and anon after I say I wolde not that any man shulde admitte my wordes or lerninge excepte they wyll stonde with the scripture / & be approued therby / lay them to the touchstone and trye them with goddes worde / yf they be founde false and contrary then dampne them / and I shall also reuoke them wyth al myn harte . &c.

Hynallye I exhorted them to reade my boke not aduertysynge whoo speaketh the wordes but rather what is spoken / by why the wordes you myght well se that I entended not to boste my selfe / and all this haue I wryten / and he lefte it out euen in the fyrste page ( as he calleth it ) wherin he reporteth that I boste my selfe . Rastell .

Notwithstondinge one thinge doth sore vexe him that I shulde recyte the pystell of S. Paule wherbye he sayeth I wolde haue men beleue that I had the sprete of god and thynke that though I be yonge that I se visyons and espye the truethe / and that my elders haue dremed dremes and wandered in phantasyes .

This he recounteth to be a great boste & Frith that this one place shulde wynne hym the felde where vnto I answer that in dead my wordes do not proue that thinge / which you seme ●o suerly to gather of them / but my wordes doo argue on this maner / that no man ought to condempne a thinge before he reade it 〈◊〉 then to geue sentence / and because you seme ignorant in the matter I shall declare it vnto you / and howe it stondithe / it is a coloure of rethoryke / and is called auantopodosis that is to saye an answer to an obieccion that a man myghte haue here made on this maner : thou grauntest thy selfe yonge and so smale lernynge doste thou then thinke that we shall once reade or regarde thy boke / speciallye sythe it is wryten agaynste auncyent men bothe of great wytte and dignyte ? to this twoo poyntes I answere preuentinge theyr obieccion that they shuld not dispyse it because of my youthe / for as the sprete of god is bounde to no place / euen so is he not addicte to anye age or person but enspyreth where he wyll and when he wyll & brenge in for an ensample that he espyred yonge Tymothe prouinge ther by that the youth of it selfe is not to be dispised / but accordinge to the lernynge whiche it bryngeth and that therfore they maye not dispise my youth but fyrst read what doctrine I bringe and therafter do iudge it : no more in this I proued not that I am enspyred and haue the sprete of god as Tymothe had / but only proue that God maye enspyre youthe as he dyd Tymothe / and that therfor ye ought fyrste to reade before you condempne / for you know not who is enspired & who not vntyl you haue read their workes or sene their factes . Thus you may se that my wordes define not that al yough is enspyred although som may be / but I exhorte that no man despyse 1. Tess. 1. prophesies / but proue all and approue that is good / and to make the matter more playne I shall brynge you an example out● of Paule to the Hebreus whyche exhorteth Hebre. 13. them to hospytalyte / for by that som men onwares haue receaued angeles to herber / be not therfore vnmyndful of it / here Paule exhorteth yow to hospitalyte & shewyng yow that by those meanes some men haue receaued angels into their house / wolde not haue yow thynke that al the gestes which he shal receaue shal be angels / but some shal be ●ewde loselles . And lykewise I inexor●inge yow to reade my boke / and not dyspysynge my yowgth because that sumtyme godde enspyreth the yonge / worde not haue yow thinke that the bokes made of yonge men ( whyche ye shal receaue ) shal be holsome doctrine / but some men be lewde & vnfrutefull / neuerthelesse euen as yf they receiued not those gestes they shulde also put awaye angels yf anye came So if yow despice to reade such bokes as be wryten by yonge men yow maye also fortune to dispyce them which are wryten by the inspyracyen of Chrystes sprete and therfore ye ought to reade them .

But be it in cause I had in dead praysed my selfe ( as I haue not ) and that I had sayed that I had the sprete of god / what inconuenience shulde folowe therof ? wolde yowe 〈◊〉 argue that my doctrine were false ? yf that were a good argument / then were thrystes doctrine false / then were Paule a false prophete and oure sayth nothynge for christ sayd to the Iewes that he was the lyght o● the worlde . Iohn . 8. And agayne he sayd : it is my father that glorifyed me whom you call youre god . Nowe yf it had bene a sufficient argument to condempne his doctrine / because the worlde callethe it bostynge than shulde we haue beleued no truth at all . Besydes that Paull semeth not a lyttel to boste him selfe 2. Cor. 11 yf men loke on it with a carnall yie / for he sayeth that he thinketh not him selfe inferior vnto the hyest apostels / & sayeth agayne that yf they glorye to be the mynisters of Chryste ( thoughe he speake vnwyslye ) he is more copyous in laboures / in strypes aboue measure / in preson more often / often at the poynte of dethe . &c.

Shulde we for this wordes thynke that his doctrine were not ryght ? Naye verelye that doth not inproue the doctrine / but that it may be good and holsome for a man may boste himselfe and doo well so he referre the prayse to God from whom all goodnes cometh : but be it in case that I shulde say that god of his mere mercy & for the loue that he oweth me in Chryste and his bloude had geuen me his sprete that I might be to his laude & prayse to whom be thankes for euer . Amen . wolde you thyncke that this were so greate abostinge that the doctrine shulde be impayred therbye ? Ah blynde gydes I praye God geue you the lyght of vnderstondinge / I beseche you brother Rastell be not discontent wyth me yf I axe you one questyon / be ye a Chrysten man or no ? I am sure you wyl answere yes / then yf I broughte you the texte of Paule whiche sayeth : Rome . 8. he that hathe not the sprate of god is non of his / I praye you how wil you auoyde it Notwithstonding yf you wolde auoyde that texte / yet wyl I say an other blocke in the waye that you shall not be able to remoue / and that is the sayinge of Paule . ● . Cor. 13. 2. Corinth . 13. Knowe ye not your selues that Chryste is in you ? excepte ye be reprobate persones / now howe soeuer you wolde iudge of youre selfes / I thynke verely that I am no suche & therfore where as before I dyd not so wryte . Now I certifye yow that I am chrystes , conclude what ye wyl / and the day shal come that you shal suerlye knowe that so it is / albeit in meane season I be reputed a laughingstoke in this worlde for I knowe in whome I truste and he came not deceue me .

Then bryngeth he agaynste me that I Bastell saye we haue bene longe secluded frome the scripture & also that oure fore fathers haue not had the lyghte of godes worde opened vnto them .

I meruayll what Rastell meanethe by Frith bryngynge this for his purpose / for I thinke it no bostinge of my selfe / but yf ye thynke that it be vntrue / I thinke he is very blinde . For what scripture hathe the poore commens bene admitted vnto euen tyll this daye ? It hath ben and locked vp in a strange tounge and from them that haue attayned the knowlege of that tounge hath it ben locked with a thousand salse gloses of antichrystes makynge and innumerable lawes . And where I saye oure fore fatheres haue not hadde the lyght of goddes worde opened vnto them / I meane that they haue not the scrypture in theyr own mother tonge / that they might haue conferred these iuggeling mistes wyth the lyght of goddes worde as the processe of my wordes can testifye whiche he hathe holy lefte out / but I beseche the chrysten reader once to read the place for my discharge and his confusyon / ye shall fynde it in the seconde leaf of my boke .

And now he allegeth agaynste me that I shulde saye this : Rastell iudge Chrysten reader what reasons Rastell hathe broughte and how he hath soluted them / for in my mynde bothe his reasons and solucyons are so childyshe and vnsauery / so vnlerned and baren so fulle of fautes and phantasyes that I rather pitye the mannes depe ignoraunce & blyndnes which hath so deceyued him self thorowe phylosophye and naturall reason / then I feare that he by his vayne probacyons shulde allure any man to consent vnto him .

I thynke Rastell layeth not this against me / because I boste my selfe in thes wordes : ●rith And verely as touchinge the truthe of those wordes I wyll adde thus moche more vnto them / that I neuer wys man that was counted wyse whyche hath● broughte so slender reasons excepte he entended to destroye a thynge which ye seme to haue bylde . Rastell .

And fynallye where as I exorte all men to iudge and conferre the scriptures whych syr Thomas More and my lorde of Rochestre allege for theyr opinions and wolde haue them to pondre theyr reasons and my solucions vnto them annexinge these wordes I am sure that my smale lernynge hath● condempned theyr hye eloquence / that my folye hathe brought to nought theyr wisdom and that my youth hath● disclosed their festered ignoraunce .

There Rastell thynketh that I stonde Frith well in my owne conceyte and boste my selfe aboue the mone because I touche Master More his kynsman : but let Rastell take this for an answer / yf Master More wolde kepe him within his owne bondes that is wythe medelynge of worldlye matteres onlye / I wolde neuer compare wyth him / yet he muste remember that a dawler maye correcte him in his owne crafte / but it is euen as Socrates saythe / when a man is wyse in one thing then wyll he take vppon hym to defyne all thynges and be ignoraunt in nothynge and so dysdayneth . The gyfte that he hathe and proueth himselfe onwyse .

Furthermore I se no great prayse that I here attribute vnto my selfe . But confesse my smalle lernynge my folie and my youth / neuerthelesse yf he recounte it a prayse because I saye it hath● condempned theyr hye eloquence and theyr wysdom / and disclosed theyr ignoraunce / then let him also annexe the wordes that I wrote sayinge : and it is euen the olde practyse of God to chose the folyshe thynges of the worlde to confounde the wyse / to chose the weake / to confounde the myghtye / and to chose the vyle thynges whyche are of no reputacion to confounde them of hye degre / that no fleshe myghte boste it selfe in his syghte to whome only be prayse and thankes for euer Amen .

where all men maye se that I referre all prayse to hym whych onlye is worthye : and so I maye conclude that you haue not loked indifferentlye on my boke .

¶ An answere vnto Rastels seconde chaptre whych improueth me for raylynge and dyspraysynge other .

IN the seconde chaptre he rangethe Rastell the felde and sercheth out wythe all diligens what worde I haue spoken that myght be taken in the worste sence / and calleth them raylynge gestynge and scoldinge and because he wolde haue me to be abhorred of the reader / he allegeth not onlye these wordes that are spoken agaynste himselfe / but also that are spoken agaynste my lorde of Rochestre and Sir Thomas More / not that he entendeth to answer for them or to defende theyr partyes ye maye be sure / but only to leue nothinge behynde which shulde seme to make for him / lyke a noble oratour the wordes that he reproueth are these .

There Rastell taketh his fondacion vp Rastell pon a starke lye / and there he maketh .ii. lyes : and there he maketh .iii. lyes .

Here I wolde desyre my brother Rastel Frith to pardon me of a lyt●ell ignoraunce / for surely I thought it had bene no more offence to call a lye / a lye / them to cal a Jew a shepe / notwithstondinge sith he recountethe it to be raylinge ges●ynge and scoldinge / I wyll here after tempre my selfe / and change my wordes / and wyll saye that whan he lyethe ( that by hys leue ) he maketh a fytten .

It angreth him when I saye that Rastell Rastell hathe lost his wytte in purgatory / and therfore I wyll saye so no more . Frith But this I wyl affyrme ( be Rastel neuer so furyous ) that who so euer maketh such reasons and solucions / and counteth● them good in erneste / that he hathe no wytte in his hede / where so euer he loste it / but yf you wolde reade Rastels fyrste argumente whyche I haue sette in my boke in the twelfe leaf / then you shall perceyue whether I saye truethe or not .

Also he allegeth that I shulde say / that Rastell sayinge of Rastell is agaynst scrypture / but yf he counte that raylynge and wolde not haue me saye so much vnto hym / I wyll counte the man somwhat statlye / and this Frith I ensure hym that yf God suffre me to leue I wyll saye so agayne / take it as he wyll .

Also he recyteth as a great reproche Rastell that I shulde saye / I meruayle howe oure scolemen maye abyde this felowe .

And surelye the same I say againe for Frith he prouethe bothe / Saynte Thomas and them also foles and double foles / whyche yf I shulde so doo wolde be counted haynous heresye .

Then he reherseth what I say of Master Rastell more and my lorde of Rochestre / and all to helpe his mater / that when I say the smal probacions and slender reasons that those .ii. wytted men / syr Thomas More and my lorde of Rochestre had brought to confyrme purgatory made my harte to yerne .

what raylynge or yestynge this is let Frith other men iudge / but this I dare auow that I sayd the truthe / for what shulde a man do or say to se them so contrary in their tales Master More saith that their is fyer & no water in purgatory : & my lord of Rochester saith that their is both fier & water .m. more saith that the mynister of punyshment are deuels And my lorde of Rochester sayeth that the minister of punyshment are angels . Master More sayeth that bothe the grace and charyte of them that lye in paynes of purgatory are increased / my lord of Rochestre saith the soules of purgatorye obtayne there nother more / fayth nor grace nor charyte then they brought in with them . Now iudge good reader whether I haue rayled or sayed the truethe / but all this doth● Rastell leue oute full craftely / he recyteth ful diligently bothe the hede & tayle / but the middle which expoundeth the matter wyll he not let you se .

He allegeth also agaynst me that I say Rastell Master More is sore disceyued and set on the sand euen at the fyrste brunte and in the begynnynge of his viage and that I wolde wysh master More a lyttell more wytte .

Euen that I say agayne and affyrme it Frith to be true / and is so euydently proued in the begynnynge of my answere agaynste Master More that I neade to saye nothynge / but only referre the reader vnto the place .

Also he improueth me for sayinge in an Rastell other place that master More sheweth hym in one texte twyse ignoraunte and that he is to busye / for he vnderstondeth not the phrase of scrypture .

This and suche other sayinges he allegeth Frith ( which I passe ouer ) for I counte it folye to spende paper and laboure aboute the rehersynge of them / for yf you reade my boke you shall se all these poyntes so playnly proued that he moughte be ashamed to make mencion of them .

This he counteth gestinge sclanderinge Rastell and raylinge sayinge that no reasonable man wyll thynke these poyntes to be thinges belonginge to vertue / but rather spyces and branches of pryde / and that I shewe not my selfe therin charitable but rather malicious nor no wysdom therin / but rather folye / addynge that yf I had bene halfe yere at two scoles / that is to saye the scole of discrecion and the scole of cheryte I shulde more haue prospered in vertuous lernyng then I haue done in other scoles this .vii. yere . And sayeth that I haue ben at the scoles of slanderynge raylinge and gestinge .

Dere brother yf it had bene so that I Frith had spoken certayne wordes in deade which● might haue semed in your yies to be raylinge / detractinge and slanderynge ( as I haue not / sauynge a lyttell gestyng ) wolde you disproue my doctrine therby ? what wyl you then say to S. John baptist which called the pharyses ( then hedes of the churche / as are now our doctours ) generacion of viperes ? Math. 3. wolde you therfore conclude that his doctrines where noughte / I thynke you be not so chyldishe . And it semeth this one sentence to be more raylinge and slanderlyng then all that I haue wryten .

what wyll you say to Chryste which called the scrybes and pharyses hypocrytes . Math. 15. 16. 22. and in the .13 . he semethe to rayle aboue measure / where he calleth them hypocrites / and blynde gydes / paynted sepulchers / whiche onwardlye appere ryghtwyse but wythin are full of ypocrysye / serpentes and generacion of vipers . Besydes that he calleth herode fox . Luce 1● . Luce .xiii. and the ●ewes he called a frowarde and aduouteres generacion . Math 12. 16. and in the .17 . he sayeth o vnfaythful and ouerwharte nacyon / wolde you thynke it shulde excuse the iewes whyche refused his doctrine to saye that he rayled and that no reasonable man wolde thynke those thynges to be poyntes belonginge to vertu / but rather spices and braunches of pryde and that he shewed not hymselfe charitable / but malicious / nor no wysdome therin but folye / wolde it excuse them to say ( as you do to me ) that yf he had bene one halfe yere at scole of discrecion and chartye / he shulde more haue prospered in vertuous lernynge & that he had ben at the scoles of sclandering / raylinge & iestynge .

Finally . S. Paul in your yies might appere to raile & slander & to be clene destitute of goddes sprete / which as Luc. saieth replenished with the holy gost said to Elemas that 〈…〉 resisteth him Act. 13. o thou full of al suttelty & deceite thou sonne of the deuel & enemy of all rightwisnes ceaseth not to peruerte the rightwayes of the lord . I can bringe many m● such sainges of Peter Joh. James & Judas & yet I thinke you will not inproue their doctrine therby but because I studye to be shorte / I shal counte it sufficient to haue warned the reder of this . Notwithstonding ꝑaduenture Rastel wyl not yet be answered / but wil say that albeit I haue touched ynough as concerning those thinges that appere ra●ling & slāderig in his yies / yet I brought non that iest as I do / wher vnto I maye answere & allege for me her●as the prophet which both mocked the false prestes & gested with them / sayinge calle lowde vnto your godes for ꝑaduenture they are a slepe & can not here / or els they be gone out of towne . I can not ynough meruell that my brother Rastel wolde vse such maner of reasoning with me as to improue my doctrine because of my raylinge and gestynge .

For therwith he hathe made a foule hole in his kinsmans beste cote for euery man perceyueth that M. More his bokes are so full of raylinge / gesting & bandye tales / that yf the furyous momus & venus had take out their pertyes theyre shulde be verye lyttel lefte for vulcanus .

After this Rastell dissenteth to the purpose Rastell of his mater & wolde proue that my exposicions of scripture are not good because they are an occasyon to brynge the people to boldnes of synne & to moue the people to deylte in other mens fautes / and to laughte therat / and to put you an ensample : he sayeth / yf I shulde take vppon me the exposicion of this texte . In principio erat verbum et verbum erat apud deum &c / and expounde it after this maner .

In the begynnynge of this yere John Frith is a noble clarke He kylled a mylstone wyth his spere Kepe wel your geese your dogs do barke .

I trowe sayeth Rastell all wyse men wolde thinke that this were a fonde exposicion and yet this exposicoyn wolde please chylderne foles and mad men / as well as the exposicy on of Saynt Austayne or Saynte Hierom or any other doctour of the churche / because it wolde make them to laugh , so ( sayeth Rastell ) Frith maketh suche exposicions wyth yestynge and raylinge to make the people laugh / not regardinge to edifye the people / nor to prouoke them to vertue mekenes or charyte nor to leue theyr synne / but rather geueth than bouldenes and to beleue that their is no purgatory nor hell / but mocketh and yestethe at those reasons that be made for proue of purgatorye .

Nowe as touchynge the fyrste parte / where Frith he sayeth that my exposicions be an occasion to brynge the people to bouldenes of synne / I axe him why ? his answer is because I geue them boldnes that there is no purgatory / nor yet hell / therto Rastel by his leue ( maketh a fitten ) I dare not say he maketh a lye for that he wolde call● raylynge for I neuer denyed hel / but affirme in many places of my boke and euen in the fyrste syde of myn answer againste hym I affyrme hel / and perpetuall dampnacion / but when ye come to the profe of his wordes / then you shall se howe wyslye the man concludethe / for he thynketh that ab inferiori ad suum superius confuse distribue / men shal thinke it a good consequent as yf I shulde say that we lacke fyer in preson / then wolde he conclude that there lacked fyer in all middelsex Or yf I wolde saye theyr were no wytte in Rastels heed / then wolde he conclude that theyr were no wytte in no mannes hede / he hath so longe studied phylosophye / that he hath cleane forgotten his principals of sophistry / notwythstondinge we wyl forgeue him this faute for the man is somwhat aged and therfore I thynke it is longe synes he readde them / and that they are nowe oute of his memory : neuertheles he wyl say that his argument is not soluted for althougth I denye not hell / yet I denye purgatory / and so I geue the people an occasion to synne / because they fere not purgatorye / where vnto I haue so sufficiently answered in Rastels seuenthe argument that I wonder that he is not a shamed to brengen the same agayne but he trusteth that my bokes shal neuer be reade / and his may goo surely abrode / and therfore he may say what he wyll only he caryed not what he sayeth so he holde not his peace .

And where he reporteth that I make exposicions Rastell to make the people to delyte to here of other mens fautes and to laughe therat / therto wyll I say naye / tyll he be at leysure to proue it / & where he sayethe / yf he shulde Frith . ●ake vppon him to expounde / In principio erat verbum in this maner . Bastell

In the begynnynge of this yere John Frith is a noble clarke He kylled a mylstone wyth his spere Kepe wel your geese your dogs do barke .

Sayinge that all wyse men wolde say that this were a founde exposicion .

Therto I answere that / sayinge : Fryth for the ●ime & meter they might wel say that a gose had made it for any reason / that is therin / and 〈◊〉 as touchynge the meter / the seconde verse lacketh a foote / and is shorter than his felowes / but yf you putte oute this worde Frith / & put in this worde Rastel for it / then shal his meter also be ꝑfeyte / & that haltinge verse shall runue merelye wyth his felowes vppon his ryght feete on this maner .

In the beginninge of this yere Iohn Rastell is a noble clarcke He kylled a mylstone with his spere Kepe wel your geese the dogges do barke

Thus I haue amended his meter / but as for the reason I leue it to him selfe to amende it at his laysure . In the ende of his seconde chaptre he saith that I entende with my exposicions to bringe the people to beleue in .iiii other great erroures / wher of the .i. is that there is no hell / ordeyned for anye that is of Chrystes fayth / although he do neuer so many synnes but let vs se how he proueth it .

An answer to Rastels .iii. chap. whiche wolde proue that I denye hell . Rastell

IT semeth ( sayth Rastell ) by the reasons that Frithe hath alleged that his entente is to brynge the people in beleue that there is no hell / for I allege in my answer to Rastels dialoge the saieng of S. Paul . Ephesi. 1. Ephe. 1. Christ chose vs in him before the begyn̄ing of the worlde that we myghte be holy & without spot in his syght & againe Eph. 5. Christe loued his congregacion & gaue himselfe for it that he mighte sanctifye it in the fontayne of water thorow the worde to make it without spotte or wryncle or anye such thynge / but that it shuld be holy & without blame .

And vppon these textes I conclude / that yf Frith . Christ haue so purged vs that we are withoute spotte / wryncle or bame in his syghte / ( as Paul testifyeth / then wyll he neuer cast vs in to purgatory . For what shulde be purged in them / that are wythout spotte wrincle or blame . And then somewhat to declare the matter howe we be synners as longe as we leue / and yet wythout synne in the syght of god and adde this wordes why ●he I wolde that all men dede well note them and because Rastell leuythe out the beste of the matter / I wyll reherse my owne wordes agayne .

Peraduenture euerye man perceyuethe not what this meaneth that we are ryghtwyse in his syght / seynge that euery man is a synner .1 . Iohn .2 . therfore I wyll breuely declare the meanynge of the apostell . This is fyrste a clere case that there leueth no man vppon the erthe wythout synne / notwythstondynge all they that we●e chosen in christ before the foundacyon of the worlde were layd are wythout spot of synne in the syght of God . Ephesians .1 . so that they are bothe synners and ryghtwyseyf we consyder the imperfeccyon of oure fayth and charyte / yf we consyder the conflicte of the flesshe and the sprete . Galathians .5 . yf we consyder oure rebellyous membres whyche are vnder sinne Romanorum .7 . then are we greuous synners ; and contrary wyse / yf we beleue that of that mercyfull fauoure God gaue his mooste dere sonne to redeme vs frome oure synne / yf we beleue that he imputethe not oure synnes vnto vs / but that his wrathe is pacefyed in Chryste and his bloude , if we beleue that he hath frelye geuen vs his christ and wyth hym all thynges / so that we be destitute of no gyfte . ●oma . 8. Romanorum .8 . then are we ryghtwyse in his syghte and oure concience at peace wyth God / not thorowe oure selfes / but thorow oure lorde Iesu Chryste . Romano . Roma . 5. So mayste thou perceyue that thou arte a synner in thy selfe / and yet arte thou ryghtwyse in Chryste / for thorow him is not thy synne imputed nor rekened vnto the / and so are they to whom god imputeth not theyr synnes / blessed ryghtwyse , wythoute spotte wryncle or blame . Romanorum 4. Psalmus .31 . Roma . Psal. 31 And therfore wyll he neuer thrust them in to purgatorye / and for proue of this I allege ( as Rastell bereth me wytnes ) dyuers textes of Saynt Paull . Ephesians . 2. Roman. 4. 5. 7. 8. Rastell but that notwithstondenge Rastell sayethe that I haue not recyted them sufficiently / for I haue lefte out sumwhat whyche I haue rehersed for the openyng of the truethe / and than brengyth in that Saynte Paull ▪ exhorteth and ●y●deth vs we shall vse no fornicacyon on clennes auarice fylth or folysh speaches for suche shall haue no inherytance in the kingdom of heauen / and euen so saye I to / but iudge good reader what is this to the purpose : Frith for it neyther maketh for purgatorye neither against it . This texte I coulde haue alleged yf I had endeuered my selfe that we shulde do good workes ( which I neuer knew Chrysten man denye / but els as touchynge my mater it is nothynge to the purpose and as wel he might haue improued me because I brenge in no texte to proue that the father of heuen is god / or to proue that which neuer man doubted of .

Then he allegeth Paul . Roma. 5. 6. sayinge ●astell though grace do rayne thorow chryste shall we therfore dwel in synne / nay god forbyde sayth Paule / and euen so say I againe : he allegeth Rom. 8. that there is no dampnacion to them which be in chryst Iesu if they lyue not after the fleshe / and euen so saye I / but Rastell wyll say the contrary anon .

Besydes that he allegethe Roman. 3. we be frelye iustifyed by grace / by Chrystes redempcion to shewe his iustice for the remission of synne done before ( and yet sayth Rastell ) Paull sayeth that the lawe is not destroyed by faythe but made stable / but this hath Frith lefte oute of his booke to cause the people to beleue that they be clene purged / by the bloude of Chryste only / and that there neade no purgatorye .

By these wordes you maye euydentlye Frith perceyue what Rastell meanethe by this allegynge of paul / for the establyshynge of the lawe / verelye that the worke of the lawe shulde iustifye and cleane purge you from synne whyche is contrarye to Paull and al scripture / for euen in this same Chapytre that he allegeth Paull sayeth : that of workes of the lawe noo flesshe shal be iustyfyed in his syghte / and sayeth that the ryghtwysnes of god cometh by fayth of Iesu Chryste vnto all and vppon all that beleue . But as touchynge good workes I wyll touche more hereafter .

Furthermore Rastell sayeth that yf my Rast● argumentes could proue that there is no purgatory / it muste folow as well that there is no hell for vs that be chrysten men though we continue styll in synne / for yf we be blessed without spot wryncle or blame / & that therfore he wyll not caste vs in to purgatorye / then he wyll not caste vs in to hell what soeuer synne we do commytte .

Here Rastell vtterith his blyndnes vnto Frith you / and sheweth you what vnderstondinge he hathe in scripture / fyrste he armeth hymselfe with a false supposicyon and yet there vppon he concludeth his argument falselye his supposicion is this / that all men whiche are baptysed with materiall water are verye Chrysten men / and haue the true faythe & be those which paule affirmeth to be without spotte blame or wryncle . But therto I say nay / for euen as the outwarde circumcisyon made not the Iewes the electe people and chylderne of saluacyon / so doth not the outwarde baptisme make vs the faythfull membres of Chryste / but as they were the chyldren of god which were inwardly circumcysed / euen so they that are wasshed inwardly from the concupiscens of this worlde are the membres of chryste / whom Paul affyrmeth so to be purged thorowe his bloude . Againe : you may knowe that Rastell knoweth no nother fayth / but that whiche maye stonde wyth all maner of synne / but the faith which we speake of is the same which worketh thorow charyte / wherof Paull speaketh . Galath . 5. ●la . 5. ●ohn̄ .3 . They that haue this faythe are borne of God and synne not / these that haue this fayth do hope and loke dayly for deliueraunce out of this thraldome and bodye of synne . ●●hn̄ .3 . ●ohn̄ .2 . And in the meane ceason they purefye them selfe as he is pure . For yf a man wyll saye that he knoweth Chryste or beleueth in hym and kepeth not his commaundementes he is a lyar and we renounce hym to be any of this membre that we speake of And when Rastell sayeth I wolde conclude there is no hell for them that be chrysten men thoughe they contynue styll in synne : I answere he that commytteth synne is of the deuell / and I saye agayne that the Chrysten that we spoke of whiche are the chylderne of god can not continue styll in synne / but seke all meanes to fulfyll godes commaundementes . Notwythstondinge the chrysten whiche Rastell speaketh of which are the chylderne of the deuel may do as they lyste / and in dead they hadd nead to make a frende of Rastell to helpe them in to his purgatorye yf it be any better than hell / for they shal neuer come in heauen / excepte they repent and walke innocentlye in this worlde as chryst ●e . 12. and his lettel flocke haue euer donne ( for they that walke otherwyse are non of his / thoughe they were myteres . This lyttel flocke it is that are so purged ( and not Rastels multitude ) and for this is there nother hell nor purgatorye ordeyned / euen as for this hepe that continue styll in synne is ordeyned noo heauen . And that there is no hell ordeyned for these faythfull followers of Chryste / I wyl proue euen by this worde of Paul why ●he Ra●●ell rehersed before . Roma . 8. Rom. That there is no dampnacion to them that be in chryste Iesu●yf they leue not after the flesh . Here Rastell hath smyte the ball quyte vnder the corde and hathe alleged that / that shall condempne hym . For yf there be no dampnacion / but because you are somwhat slow in perceyuing the matter I shal reduce it in to a sillogismus on this maner : maio● there is no dampnacion vnto them that be in chryst Iesu yf they ●yue not after the fleshe / but after the sprete , mino● euery hell is dampnacion Ergo their is no hell to them that be in Chryste Iesu / if they lyue not after the flesshe but after the sprete . This is in the fyrste fygure made by celarent / not by any profyte that I thynke that the poore commenes can take by such babelinge but only to satisfie your mynde and pleasure . Notwithstondynge one thynge I must put you in remembraunce / that you haue falslye translated the texte for the text hath not that condicionall all thought I was contented to take it at your handes to se what you coulde proue / but the text saith thus thers is no dampnacion to them that are in christe Jesu / which walke after the fleshe but after the sprete : where paul doth certifie you that they which are in christe Jesu / walke not after the flesh but after the sprete / so that you may gather by paull that if they walke not after the sprete they are not in chryst Jesu / that is to say : 〈◊〉 8 ●a . 2. they are non of christes / althoughe Rastell wyll call them christen men / therfore dere brothren loke that no man deceiue him selfe / for chryst is not the minister of synnes . If we be deliuered from synne thorow chryst / them must we walke in a new conuersacion of our life / or els we are styll in darknes . Remember that ma. 6. ●●hn̄ . 2 ●●lip . 2. 〈◊〉 1. we haue this precious treasure in frayle / brytell and erthye vessels / let vs therfore wyth feare and tremblinge worke oure helth / and make stable our vocacion & eleccion / for if we retayne the truthe and knowlege of God in ●●a . 1. sy●●e & vnryghtwysnes we shall shortly perceyue the wrath of god vppon vs with infynite delusions / & the ende of vs shal be worse then the begysiinge : awake therfore & vnder stonde your helthe .

Nowe you maye se how he concludeth that I establyshe this erroure / that there is no hell for seinge myne argumentes / & Paule Roman. 8. do conclude that there is no hell / nor dampnacyon to them that are in chryst Jesu / and are his faythfull followeres / he thynketh it shulde well folowe that yf there be no hell for them / that there is no hell for no man : for in his seconde chaptre and also in the beginninge of the thyrde he sayeth that I denye hell / & when we come to his probacion / there is nothinge sayd but that which Paule confyrmeth / that is there is no dampnacion for them that are in Chryste Jesu / whyche walke not after the fleshe but after the spret whych are thorow chryst withoute spotte wryncle or blame . And so thoughte Rastell appere to him selfe to conclude lyke a sage philosopher / yet I answer you he concludeth lycke an ignoraunte sophyster as almen may se / for it foloweth not : Paule and Frith saye there is no hell / as contrary wyse it foloweth not there is no heauen for Rastels chrysten men whych● contynue styll in synne ergo there is no heauen for the deuell ther father / and then it is there heauen for Chryst and his electe . I haue before declared how Chrystes electe are synners and no synners . And nowe because you shulde not mistake the textes of S. John which I before alleged I wyll shewe you how they docōmitte synnen / which I dyde also sufficientlye touche in my answere agaynste Rastels dialoge / euen .ii. leues from the ende / and yet I wyll touche it agayne / because you shall not thynke that I wolde not lede you in ygnoraunce and darknes .

There are .ii. partes in a faythefull man whiche rebell e●he agaynst other and are at contynuall stryffe and both● of them haue dyuers names in scrypture / the one is called the inwarde man the harte / the mynde / the wyll / and the sprete / the other is called the outwarde man the rebellyous membres the body of synne and the flesshe / and these in a faythfull man kepe contynuall warre / and albeit the one be subdued and taken presonner of the other / yet neuer consenteth to his enemye / he can not leue hym / neyther wyll make peace with him / but wyll labour what he can and wyll call for all that he thynketh wyll helpe him to be delyuered from his enemye / and then wareth● vppon him a freshe . what tyme the faythfull man is brought to the knowlege of god and beleueth in chryste and hathe his wyll & mynde / renewed with the sprete of god that consenteth to the law of god / that is good ryghtuous & holye and begynneth to loue the lawe and hath a wyl and a desyre to fulfyll the law of God & not to dispyse his heuenly father and loke how moche he loueth the law countynge it ryghwys and holy . Euen so moche doth● he hate synne which the law forbiddeth● and abhorreth● it in his harte and inwarde man / and then albe it the outwarde man and rebellyous membres doo at tyme besege him & take hym captyue vnder synne / yet doth● not the inwarde man consent that this synne is good and the law naught / whiche forbyddeth it / neyther do th● the harte delyte in this same synne / neyther 〈◊〉 delite in such synne because the sprete of god testifieth vnto hym that it is abhominable in the sighte of God / & then fighteth the inward man against ●he outward with faith● prayer / a●mose dedes ▪ & fastynge & laboreth to subdue the membres lamentinge / that he hath ben ouercome because ●e ferith to displease god his father / & desyreth hym for the bloude of his sone christe ●that he wil forgeue that which is past / and his diligens that he taketh in taming his membres / is not recompence towardes god for the synne that is past / but to subdue the flesshe that he synne no more this rebellion had Paule . Rom. 7. Rom sayinge / that he dyd not that good thynge which he wolde / but the euell whiche he hated that he dyd / that is he dyd not fulfyl the good law of god / as his harte wyll and inwarde man desyred / but dyd the euell as touchinge his flesh & outwarde man / which he hated ●●tel● & so he synned with his outwarde man / then how is this true that he that committeth sinne is of the deuell / & he that is of god committeth no synne / was not Paule of god : yes verely ● all be it he committeth synne with his membres & outwarde men / yet be synned not / ●● for he sayeth If I do that thinge that I hate / then is it not I that do it but the synne that dwelleth in me / & euen lykewyse the faythful followers of christe committe no synne / for they hate it / and yf they fortune to be entangled with synne / it is not they that do it ( as paule sayth ) but the synne that dwelleth● in them whiche god hath lefte to exercyse them as he lefte the philistins to exercise & nu●tour the children of Israel / & if the rēnaūtes of sinne fortune at any time to loke a lofte & beginne to rayne / then he sende th● son crosse of aduersite or sicknes to helpe to suppresse them And thus shall it be as longe as we lyue / but when we be once dyd / then our membres rebel no more / & then nedeth neyther purpatory nor any other crosse for the outwarde man is tourned in to vanite / and our inward man was euer 〈◊〉 15. pure thorow beleuinge the worde of god / & neuer consented to synne / & neadeth nother purgatorye in this worlde nor in the worlde to come / but only for subduinge the outwarde man / & therfore after this lyfe he shall neuer haue any purgatorye / marke well what I saye & reade it againe / for more shal reade it then shall vnderstonde it / but he that hathe eares let him heare .