A short instruction for to arm all good Christian people against the pestiferous errors…A short instruction for to arme all good Christian people agaynst the pestiferous errours…

Our Lord openeth the treasures of his grace to them that have been overcome by their concupiscences, though they knew that they did evil, yet they fell by infirmity of the flesh. Who shall shut the gate against pore sinners, and withstand that they should receive the grace which God doeth offer unto them? We see now that there is a deadly poison hid in these words of the Anabaptists, where they make none other since remissible but those which are done unadvisedly. To make an end of this Article: it is necessary that all christians be advertised what a tail it draweth after it. For though we may easily judge, that it is an extreme rigour, not to bear one fault in the church: yet at the first sight we do not so easily perceive how pernicious this opinion is besides forth, except we do diligently mark the consequent that followeth thereof.

Oure Lorde openeth the treasures of hys grace to theym that haue bene ouercome by theyr concupiscences, though thei knew that they dyd euyll, yet they fell by infyrmitie of the fleshe. Who shall shutte the gate agaynst pore synners, and wythstād that they should receyue the grace whych God doeth offer vnto them? We se nowe that there is a deadly poyson hyd in these wordes of the Anabaptistes, wher they make none other synnes remissible but those which are done vnaduisedly. To make an ende of thys Article: it is necessarye that all christiās be aduertised what a tayle it draweth after it. For thoughe we maye easelye iudge, that it is an extreme rygoure, not to bear one fault in the church: yet at the fyrste syghte we do not so easelye perceyue howe pernitiouse thys opinion is besydes forth, excepte we do diligentlye marke the consequent that foloweth therof.

There have been in old time two sects of heretics, which did mightily trouble the church, of which the one named them selves in greek Cathares, which is to say, pure: ⟨image 25⟩the other Donatists, after the name of their first author and master. These as well the first as the second, were in the self same fantasy, that now days be these pore dreamers, search out a church in which there should be no fault found. Therefore did they separate them selves from all christen men, that they might not be defiled through the imperfections of other. But what came of this? God hath confounded them all with their enterprise so presumptuous. Let this then be a warning unto us, that when under the colour of a zeal of perfection, we can bear no imperfection, other in the body, or in the men bres of the church, it is the devil which puffeth us up with pride, and seduceth us with hypocrisy, to make us forsake Christs flock: this knowing that he hath gotten what he desireth, when he hath drawn us away. For seeing that out of the church there is no remission of since, nor salvation: though we have an appearance of holiness more then Angelical, yet if we do separate our selves, by such a presumption, from the christian company, we are become devils.