Rastell hath here overthrown all that he hath before built and set up. John Frith was straitly kept. works, that no man should glorify himself; we are the works created of God in Christ Jesus, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them. Here, because he would have. the latter end of the text to serve for his purpose, which teacheth good works, (which I never denied,) he bringeth in that thing which clean confuteth his opinion; for his opinion (which in all places he hath laboured to prove) is, that we are saved by good works. But now mark what he allegeth out of Paul : By grace you be saved by your faith: and that is not of you, it is the gift of God, and not of works, for that no man should glorify himself. Here Paul saith plainly, that our salvation is not of works; and so hath Rastell cast down that he built before, and may be likened to a shrewd cow, which, when she hath given a large mess of milk, turneth it down with her heel. Thus have I answered to as much of Rastell's treatise as I could get; if there be any more which may come to my hands, I shall do my diligence to disclose his deceit so that God give me leave to keep the court with him, he shall win but little, except he convey his balls more craftly. And yet, the truth to say, we play not on even hand; for I am in a manner as a man bound to a post, and cannot so well bestow me in my play, as if I were at liberty, for I may not have such books as are necessary for me, neither yet pen, ink, nor paper, but only secretly, so that I am in continual fear both of the lieutenant and of my keeper, lest they should espy any such thing by me; and therefore it is little marvel, though the work be imperfect, for whensoever I hear the keys ring at the doors, straight all must be conveyed out of the way (and then if any notable thing had been in my mind, it was clean lost); and therefore I beseech thee, good reader, count it as a thing born out of season, which for many causes cannot have its perfect form and shape, and pardon me my rudeness and imperfection. JOHN FRITH TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. THERE is nothing in this world that is so firm, stable, or godly, but that it may be undermined, and frowardly wrested of men, and specially if they be void of charity; as it is evident by William Tracy's Testament and last Will that he left, against the which many men, and that of long continuance, have blasphemously barked; whether of a godly zeal, or of a dasing brain, let other men judge. But this I dare boldly profess, that his godly sayings are ungodly handled: which thing I cannot so justly ascribe unto ignorance, as unto rancour, unto the Furies I had almost said; for if they had conferred all things unto the rule of charity, which envieth not, which is not puffed up, which is not stirred to vengeance, which thinketh none evil, but suffereth all things, believeth all things, trusteth all things, and beareth all things, they would not so headily have condemned those things, which might have been full devoutly expounded. Howbeit, they have not only attempted that thing, but have proceeded unto such madness, that they have taken upon them to strive with dead folks; for it is a most common jest in every man's mouth, that after the maker of this testament was departed and buried, they took up his body and burnt it, which thing declared their fury, although he felt no fire. Therefore we humbly require our most redoubted Prince, with all his nobles and present assembly, that even as all other things do of right depend of their judgment, that even so they would by their discreet advice, cure this disease, pondering all things with a more equal balance. So shall this enormous fact be looked upon with worthy correction, and the condition of the commonwealth shall be more quiet. Mark you, therefore, what things they are, which they so cruelly condemn. JOHN FRITH'S JUDGMENT UPON MASTER WILLIAM TRACY'S TESTAMETNT. Master Tracy. IN the name of God, Amen. I William Tracy, of Todington, in the county of Gloucester, Esquire, make my Testament and last Will, as hereafter followeth, &c. The rest of which testament you shall find before in the works of William Tyndale, fol. 429. [p. 2 of this vol.] |