A68831:4878
The whole works of W. Tyndall, John Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principal teachers of this Church of England collected and compiled in one tome together, being before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the praise of God, and profit of all good Christian readers.The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principall teachers of this Churche of England collected and compiled in one tome togither, beyng before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the prayse of God, and profite of all good Christian readers.
London: printed by John Daye, 1573London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1573
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Therefore to thee Lord am I manifestly known what soever I am, & what profiteth me then to confess my self unto thee. Neither do I it with words of the flesh or with voice, but with the words of my soul and with clamour of my thought which thy ear understandeth. For whereas I am evil, to confess my self unto thee, is nothing else but to mislike of my self. And when I am godly, to confess me unto thee, is nothing else, then not to attribute the same to my self. Because thou Lord doest bless the just, but first thou doest justify him being wicked. My confession therefore my God, in thy sight, is made unto thee both secretly and not secretly. For it is secret in speech, but crieth out in hart. Neither do I say any good thing unto men which thou hast not first heard of me, neither thou also shalt hear any such thing of me, which thou hast not first showed unto me. What therefore have I to do with men that they should hear my confession, as though they should heal all my sorrows & griefs, who commonly are wont to be curious to know an other mans life, and slow to amend their own. Why demand they of me to hear what I am, which will not hear of thee who they them selves are? And how know they that they hear of me to be true? Forasmuch as no man knoweth what is done in man, but the spirit of man that is in man.
THerfore to thee Lord am I manifestly knowen what soeuer I am, & what profiteth me then to confesse my selfe vnto thee. Neither doe I it with wordes of the flesh or with voyce, but with the wordes of my soule and with clamour of my thought which thy eare vnderstandeth. For whereas I am euill, to confesse my selfe vnto thee, is nothyng els but to mislike of my selfe. And when I am godly, to confesse me vnto thee, is nothyng els, then not to attribute the same to my selfe. Because thou Lord doest blesse the iust, but first thou doest iustifie hym beeyng wicked. My confession therfore my God, in thy sight, is made vnto thee both secretely and not secretly. For it is secret in speach, but crieth out in hart. Neither doe I say any good thyng vnto men which thou hast not first heard of me, neither thou also shalt heare any such thyng of me, which thou hast not first shewed vnto me. What therfore haue I to doe with men that they should heare my confession, as though they should heale all my sorowes & griefes, who commonly are wont to bee curious to know an other mans lyfe, and slow to amende their owne. Why demaūd they of me to heare what I am, which will not heare of thee who they them selues are? And how know they that they heare of me to bee true? Forasmuch as no man knoweth what is done in man, but the spirite of mā that is in man.
Forasmuch therefore (as it is proved) that before our confession we are quickened by grace and made the children of light, it manifestly appeareth that only by the contrition of the hart without confession of the mouth sin is remitted.
FOrasmuch therfore (as it is proued) that before our confession wee are quickened by grace and made the children of light, it manifestly appeareth that onely by the contrition of the hart without confession of the mouth sinne is remitted.
Therefore confession is made for the utterance, and not for obtaining of pardon. And even as Circumcision was given to Abraham as a sign of justice and not as the cause of justification: So the confession to the Priest is offered as a sign of pardon already had, and not as a cause of remission to be received.
THerfore confession is made for the vtteraunce, and not for obtaynyng of pardon. And euen as Circumcision was geuē to Abraham as a signe of iustice and not as the cause of iustificatiō: So the confession to the Priest is offered as a signe of pardon already had, and not as a cause of remission to bee receaued.
TO remit sins, and to give the holy ghost, is only in Gods power. If God therefore gave the effect of our salvation, man hath nothing in this behalf to glory of.
TO remit sinnes, and to geue the holy ghost, is onely in Gods power. If God therfore gaue the effect of our saluation, mā hath nothyng in this behalfe to glory of.
Go your ways and show your selves unto the Priest. And it came to pass that as they went they were made clean. It is not found that the Lord sent any of those, to whom he showed these corporal benefits, unto the Priests, but only lepers: soothly because the Priest hood of the Jews was a figure of the regal Priesthood to come, which is in the Church, by the which all pertaining to the body of Christ, the highest Priest and Prince of all others, are consecrated. And who soever from heretical 1malice, or gentilical superstition, or judaical, treachery, or else with brotherly discord, as from the spotted colour of leprosy, shall be cleansed by the grace of Christ, it is necessary for him to ⟨p. 371⟩come to the Church and there show the 2true colour of his faith which he hath received. But other vices, as it were diseases of the members of the soul, & the senses, the Lord by him self inwardly in the conscience and understanding doth heal and correct them.
GOe your wayes and shew your selues vnto the Priest. And it came to passe that as they wēt they were made cleane. It is not found that the Lord sent any of those, to whom hee shewed these corporall benefites, vnto the Priestes, but onely lepers: soothly because the Priest hode of the Iewes was a figure of the regall Priesthode to come, which is in the Church, by the which all pertainyng to the body of Christ, the hyghest Priest and Prince of all others, are cō secrated. And who soeuer from hereticall 1malice, or gentilical superstition, or iudaicall, trechery, or els with brotherly discord, as from the spotted coullour of leprosie, shal bee clensed by the grace of Christ, it is necessary for hym to ⟨p. 371⟩come to the Church and there shew the 2true coullor of his fayth which he hath receaued. But other vices, as it were diseases of the members of the soule, & the senses, ye Lord by him selfe inwardly in the conscience and vnderstanding doth heale and correct them.
But now is it not necessary that our 1sins should be confessed before witnesses. Let thy offences be searched out in thy inward thought, and let that showing be without a witness, and let God only hear thy confession. God (I say) that upbraideth not thy sins, but looseth them, because of thy confession.
BVt now is it not necessary that our 1sinnes should bee confessed before witnesses. Let thy offences be searched out in thy inward thought, and let that shewyng bee without a witnesse, and let God onely heare thy cōfession. God (I say) that obbraideth not thy sinnes, but looseth them, because of thy confession.
TO thee I will give the keys &c. This place the Bishops 1& Priests not understanding, do arrogate unto them selves some thing of the Pharisees pride: forasmuch as they think they may condemn innocents, or release sinners: Where as before God the sentence of the priests is not regarded, but the life of the offenders is considered. We read in Leviticus of the lepers, where as they are willed to show them selves to the Priests. And if they had the leprosy then by yt priest were they made unclean: not that the Priests did make men lepers & unclean, but because they had the knowledge who were lepers, & who were not, and could discern who were clean, and who were unclean. Like as therefore the Priests did there make the leper clean, or unclean: so doth our Bishop or Priest loose, or bind, not those which be sinful or innocent, but according to his office, when he hath heard the varieties of the sins, he knoweth who is to be bound, and who is to be loosed.
TO thee I will geue the keys &c. This place the Byshops 1& Priestes not vnderstandyng, doe arrogate vnto thē selues some thyng of the Phariseis pride: forasmuch as they thinke they may condemne innocentes, or release sinners: Where as beefore God the sētēce of the priestes is not regarded, but the lyfe of the offenders is considered. We read in Leuiticus of the lepers, where as they are willed to shew them selues to the Priestes. And if they had the lepry then by yt priest were they made vncleane: not that the Priestes did make men lepers & vncleane, but because they had the knowledge who were lepours, & who were not, and could discerne who were cleane, and who were vncleane. Lyke as therfore the Priests dyd there make the lepour cleane, or vncleane: so doth our Byshop or Priest loose, or bynd, not those which bee sinnefull or innocent, but accordyng to his office, when hee hath heard the varieties of the sinnes, hee knoweth who is to bee bound, and who is to bee losed.
