believed without Scripture for all their miracles. Where- And that the apostles should teach ought by mouth which they would not write, I pray you for what purpose? because they should not come into the hands of the heathen for mocking, saith M. More. I pray you what thing more to be mocked of the heathen could they teach, than the resurrection, and that Christ was God and man, and died between two thieves, and that for his death's sake all that repent and believe therein should have their sins forgiven them? Yea, and if the apostles understood thereby as we do, what madder thing unto heathen people could they have taught them that bread is Christ's body, and wine his blood? And yet all these things they wrote. And again, purgatory, confession in the ear, penance and satisfaction for sin to Godward, with holy deeds, and praying to saints with such like, as dumb sacraments and ceremonies, are marvellous agreeable unto the superstition of the heathen people, so that they needed not to abstain from writing of them, for fear lest the heathen should have mocked them. The apostles taught nothing that they to write. were afraid Sacraments have signi Moreover, what is it that the apostles taught by mouth, and durst not write? The sacraments? As for baptism and the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ they wrote, and it is expressed what is signified by them. And also all the ceremonies and sacraments that were from Adam to Christ had significations; and all that are made mention of in the New Testament; wherefore, inasmuch fications. as the sacraments of the Old Testament have significations; and inasmuch as the sacraments of the New Testament (of which mention is made that they were delivered unto us by the very apostles, at Christ's commandment) have also significations; and inasmuch as the office of an apostle is to edify in Christ; and inasmuch as a dumb ceremony edifieth not, but hurteth altogether (for if it All the sapreach not unto me, then I cannot but put therein, that the deed itself justifieth me, which is the denying of Christ's blood); and inasmuch as no mention is made of them, as well as of other, nor is known what is meant by them; therefore, it appeareth that the apostles taught them not, but that they be the false merchandise of wily hypocrites. And thereto, priesthood was, in the time of the apostles, an office which if they would do truly it would more profit than all the sacraments in the world. The popish And again, God's holinesses strive not one against another, nor defile one another. Their sacraments defile one another. For wedlock defileth priesthood more than whoredom, theft, murder, or any sin against nature. confidence They will haply demand where it is written, that women should baptize? Verily, in this commandment, Love thy neighbour as thyself, it is written, that they may and ought to minister not only baptism, but all other in time of need, if they be so necessary as they preach them. And finally, though we were sure that God himself had given us a sacrament, whatsoever it were, yet if the signification were once lost, we must of necessity, either seek craments, taught either in Testament or new, have significations. the Old sacraments strive one against another. Sacraments without significations, are received. not to be up the signification or put some signification of God's word thereto, what we ought to do or believe thereby, or else put it down. For it is impossible to observe a Sacrament, without signification, but unto our damnation. If we keep the faith purely and the law of love undefiled, which are the significations of all ceremonies, there is no jeopardy to alter or change the fashion of the ceremony, or to put it down if need require. WHETHER THE CHURCH CAN ERR. THERE is another question, whether the church may err. Which, if ye understand of the pope and his generation, it is verily as hard a question as to ask whether he which hath both his eyes out, be blind or no; or whether it be possible for him that hath one leg shorter than another, to halt. But I said that Christ's elect church is the whole multitude of all repenting sinners that believe in Christ, and put all their trust and confidence in the mercy of God; feeling in their hearts, that God for Christ's sake loveth them, and will be, or rather is, merciful unto them, and forgiveth them their sins of which they repent; and that he forgiveth them also all the motions. unto sin, of which they fear lest they should thereby be drawn into sin again. And this faith they have without all respect of their own deservings, yea, and for none other cause than that the merciful truth of God the Father, which cannot lie, hath so promised, and so sworn. And this faith and knowledge is everlasting life; and by this we be born anew, and made the sons of God, and obtain forgiveness of sins, and are translated from death to life, and from the wrath of God unto his love and favour. And this faith is the mother of all truth, and bringeth with her the Spirit of all truth. Which Spirit purgeth us, as TYNDALE.] THOMAS MORE'S DIALOGUE. 31 from all sin, even so from all lies and error noisome and hurtful. And this faith is the foundation laid of the apostles and prophets whereon Paul saith (Eph. ii.) that Eph. ii. we are built, and thereby of the household of God. And this faith is the rock whereon Christ built his congregation. Christ asked the apostles (Matt. xvi.) whom they Matt. xvi. took him for. And Peter answered for them all, saying, I say that thou art Christ the Son of the living God, that art come into this world. That is, We believe that thou art he that was promised unto Abraham, that should come, bless us, and deliver us. Howbeit, Peter yet wist not by what means. But now it is opened throughout all the world, that through the offering of his body and blood, that offering is a satisfaction for the sin of all that repent, and a purchasing of whatsoever they can ask, to keep them in favour. And that they sin no more. And Christ answered, Upon this rock I will build my congregation : that is, upon this faith. And against the rock of this faith, can no sin, no hell, no devil, no lies, nor error prevail. And The offer ing of Christ's body and only satisfaction for blood is the our sins. For whatsoever any man hath committed, if he repent and come to this rock, he is safe. And that this faith is the only way by which the church of Christ goeth unto God, and unto the inheritance of all his riches, testify all the apostles and prophets, and all the Scripture, with signs, and miracles, and all the blood of martyrs. There is no whosoever goeth unto God, and unto forgiveness of sins, way to salvation, or salvation, by any other way than this, the same is an but by heretic out of the right way, and not of Christ's church. For this knowledge maketh a man of the church. And the church is Christ's body, (Col. i.) and every person of the church it a member of Christ. (Eph. v.) it is no member of Christ that hath not Christ's spirit in Now Christ's death and passion. Col. i. Eph. v. it; (Rom. viii.) as it is no part of me, or member of my Rom. viii. body, wherein my soul is not present, and quickeneth it. And then if a man be none of Christ's, he is not of his church. ANSWER TO SIR [TYNDALE. TEND HOW A TRUE MEMBER OF CHRIST'S CHURCH Our from serve FURTHERMORE, he that hath this faith cannot sin, and therefore cannot be deceived with damnable errors. For by this faith we be (as I said) born of God. Now he that is born of God cannot sin, for his seed dwelleth in him, and he cannot therefore sin, because he is born of God, (1 John iii.) which seed is the Holy Ghost that keepeth a man's heart from consenting unto sin. And therefore, it is a false conclusion that M. More holdeth, how that a man may have a right faith joined with all kinds of abomination and sin. And yet every member of Christ's congregation is a sinner, and sinneth daily, some more, and some less. For it is written, (1 John i.) If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. And again, If we say, we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. And Paul (Rom. vii.) saith, That good which I would, that do I not, but that evil which I would not, that do 1. So it is not I that do it (saith he) but sin that dwelleth in me. Thus are we sinners, and no sinners. No sinners, if thou look unto the profession of our hearts toward the law of God; on our repentance and sorrow that we have, both because we have sinned, and also because we be yet full of sin still; and unto the promises of mercy in our Saviour Christ; and unto our faith. Sinners are we, if thou look unto the frailty of our flesh, which is as the weakness of one that is newly recovered out of a great disease, by the reason whereof our deeds are imperfect. And by the reason whereof also, when occasions be great, we fall into horrible deeds, and the fruit of the sin which remaineth in our members breaketh out. Notwithstanding yet the Spirit leaveth us not, but rebuketh us, and bringeth us home again unto HOW ANI damina error n weakn though them cannot so, the promis errors great, if som brethre after th speaki kinsm Josep any to not hu not th she ha saved such Chris no the in oth TO |