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 minister 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 antichrist'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 mayest thou know the difference between Christ's signs or sacraments, and antichrist's signs or ceremonies—that Christ's signs speak, and antichrist's be dumb.

Hereby seest thou what is to be 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 [of] conjurations, as the conjuring of church and churchyards, and of altar-stones, and such like. Where no promise of God is, there can be no faith, nor justifying, 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 believe, and further not. To have a faith, therefore, or a 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 con

:

The bi

shop's blessing.

How the apostles blessed us.

jurations of other ceremonies. Now we see by daily ex-
perience, 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 be-
cometh at one with his enemy, or is more patient and less
covetous, and so forth. Which are the sure tokens of the

soul's health.

They preach also that the wagging of the bishop's hand 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 spiritual blessing in Christ? as Paul saith: (Eph. i.) Or if my sins be full done away in Christ, how remaineth there any to be done away by such phantasies? The apostles knew no ways to put away sin, or to bless us, but by preaching Christ. Paul saith (Gal. ii.) If righteousness come by the law, then Christ died in vain. So dispute I here: If blessing come by the wagging of the bishop's hand, then died Christ in vain, and his death blesseth us not. And a little 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 afterward commit are Repentance forgiven us through such things. I answer, if any man repent truly, and come to the faith, and put his trust in Christ, then as oft as he sinneth of frailty, at the sigh of the purgeth our heart is his sin put away in Christ's blood. For Christ's

and sure

faith in Christ

sins.

blood purgeth ever and blesseth ever. For John saith in the second of his first Epistle, This I write unto you that ye sin 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 kissed, or testicles or stones to be groped. 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 ceremonies, with this protestation: that if any can say better or improve this with God's word, no man shall be better content 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 furiously 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.

The protes

tation of

the author.

robbeth the

sacraments

and maketh them fruit

less.

I will talk a word or two after the worldly wisdom with Confession them, and make an end of this matter. If the sacraments justify, as they say, (I understand by justifying, forgiveness of sins,) 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.

How to

justifieth

and what not; or

what bringeth grace and what not.

is nought left for the sacraments to do. They will answer that at the leastway they increase grace, and not the sacraments only, but also hearing of mass, matins and evensong; and receiving of holy water, holy bread, and of the bishop's blessing, and so forth by all ceremonies. By What grace grace I understand the favour of God, and also the gifts and working of his Spirit in us; as love, kindness, patience, obedience, mercifulness, despising of worldly know what things, peace, concord, and such like. If after thou hast heard so many masses, matins, and evensongs; 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 covetous than before; if a wife after so many and oft pilgrimages 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 mad to say of justifying or grace, I pray them to teach it me.

With their chaplains, quoth he, God give grace;

their chap

lains at the sast make

them not so

service

For 1

alone while would gladly learn it. Now let us go to our purpose

they.

again.

OF MIRACLES AND WORSHIPPING OF SAINTS.

ANTICHRIST shall not only come with lying signs,
and disguised with falsehood, but also with lying mira-
cles and wonders, saith Paul in the said place, (2 Thess.
ii.) All 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 God's word, through faith, bringeth the Spirit
into our hearts and also life, as Christ saith, (John vi.)
The words which I speak are spirit and life. The word
also purgeth us and cleanseth us, as Christ saith, (John
xv.) Ye are clean by the means of the word. Paul saith,
(1 Tim. ii.) One God, one Mediator (that is to say, ad-
vocate, 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 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 promises of God
are yea and Amen in him; (2 Cor. i.) And we, for the
infinite love which God hath to us in Christ, love him
again, love also his laws, and love one another.
deeds which we henceforth do, do we not to make satisfaction
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.

True miracles draw

to Christ.

And the

The effect

CONTRARIWISE the miracles of antichrist are done to pull thee from the word of God, and from believing his promises, and from Christ, and to put thy trust in a man, or a ceremony wherein God's word is not. As soon as God's word

and force of

our good

deeds.

False mira

cles drive

from

Christ.