TO

BISHOP TONSTAL.

To the reverend father in Christ, Cuthbert, bishop of London, Thomas Bilney wisheth health in Christ, with all submission due unto such a prelate.

In this respect, most reverend father in Christ, I think myself most happy, that it is my lot to be called to examination before your reverence, for that you are of such wisdom and learning, of such integrity of life, which all men do confess to be in you, that even yourself cannot choose, if you do not too lightly esteem God's gifts in you, as often as you shall remember the great things which God hath done unto you, but straightways secretly in your heart, to his high praise, say, "He that is mighty hath done great things unto me, and holy is his name!" I rejoice that I have now happened upon such a judge, and with all my heart give thanks unto God, which ruleth all things.

And albeit, God is my witness, I know not myself guilty of any error in my sermons, neither of any heresy or sedition, which divers slander me of, seeking rather their own lucre and advantage, than the health of souls. Notwithstanding I do exceedingly rejoice, that it is foreseen by God's divine providence, that I should be brought before the tribunal seat of Tonstal, who knoweth as well as any other, that there will never be wanting Jannes and Jambres, who will resist the truth: that there shall never be lacking some Elymas, who will go about to subvert the straight ways of the Lord: and, finally, that some Demetrius, Pythoness, (Acts ix.) Balaams, Nicolaitanes, Cains, and Ishmaels, will be always at hand, who will greedily hunt and seek after that which pertaineth unto themselves, and not that which pertaineth to Jesus Christ. How can it then be that they can suffer Christ to be truly and sincerely preached? For if the people begin once wholly in every place, to put their confidence in Christ, who was crucified for them, then straightways that which they have hitherto embraced instead of Christ, shall utterly decay in the hearts of the faithful. Then they shall understand that Christ is not in this place, or in that place, but the kingdom of

God is in themselves. Then shall they plainly see that the Father is to be worshipped, neither in the mount of Samaria, neither at Jerusalem, but in all places, in spirit and truth. Which if it come once to pass, the beasts of the field will think all their gain and lucre lost. In whom the saying of Ezekiel is fulfilled, "My sheep are dispersed because they had no shepherd, and are devoured of the beasts of the field, and strayed abroad; my flock hath erred and wandered in every mountain, and upon every high hill, and is dispersed throughout all the earth, and there is no man which hath sought to gather them together no, there was no man which once sought after them." But if any man would seek to reduce those which were gone astray, into the fold of Christ, that is, the unity of faith speedily there rise up certain against him, which are named pastors; but indeed are wolves, who seek nothing of their flock, but the milk, wool, and fell, leaving both their own souls, and the souls of their flock, unto the devil.

These men, I say, rise up like unto Demetrius, crying out, This heretic dissuadeth and seduceth much people every where, saying, That they are not gods, which are made with hands. These are they, these, I say, most reverend father, are they, who, under the pretence of persecuting heretics, follow their own licentious life; enemies unto the cross of Christ, who can suffer and bear anything, rather than the sincere preaching of Christ crucified for our sins. These are they unto whom Christ threateneth eternal damnation, where he saith, Woe be unto you, scribes, pharisees, and hypocrites, which shut up the kingdom of heaven before men, and you yourselves enter not in, neither suffer those which would enter, to come in. These are they which have come in another way, to the charge of souls, as it appeareth, For if any man, saith Christ, come in by me, he shall be saved, and shall come in and go out, and find pasture. These men do not find pasture, for they never teach, and draw others after them, that they should not enter by Christ, who alone is the door whereby we must come unto the Father; but they set before the people another way, persuading them to come unto God through good works, oftentimes speaking nothing at all of Christ, thereby seeking rather their own gain and lucre, than the salvation of souls; in this point being worse than they which upon Christ, being the foundation, do build wood, hay, and straw. These men confess that they know Christ, but by their deeds they deny him.

These are those physicians, upon whom that woman which was twelve years vexed, had consumed all that she had, and felt no help, but was still worse and worse, until such time as at the last, she came unto Christ, and after she had once touched the hem of his vesture through faith, she was so healed, that presently she felt the same in her body. Oh mighty power of the Most Highest! which I also, miserable sinner, have often tasted and felt. Who before that I could come unto Christ, had even likewise spent all that I had upon those ignorant physicians, that is to say, unlearned hearers of confession, so that there was but small force of strength left in me, which of nature was but weak, small store of money, and very little knowledge or understanding; for they appointed me fastings, watching, buying of pardons, and masses: in all which things, as I now understand, they sought rather their own gain, than the salvation of my sick and languishing soul.

But at the last I heard speak of Jesus, even then when the New Testament was first set forth by Erasmus. Which when I understood to be eloquently done by him, being allured rather for the Latin, than for the word of God, for at that time I knew not what it meant; I bought it even by the providence of God, as I do now well understand and perceive. And at the first reading, as I well remember, I chanced upon this sentence of St. Paul, (Oh most sweet and comfortable sentence to my soul! in his first epistle to Timothy, and first chapter,) It is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be embraced, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief and principal. This one sentence, through God's instruction and inward working, which I did not then perceive, did so exhilarate my heart, being before wounded with the guilt of my sins, and being almost in despair, that immediately I felt a marvellous comfort and quietness, insomuch that my bruised bones leapt for joy, Psal. 1.

After this, the scripture began to be more pleasant unto me than the honey or the honeycomb; wherein I learned that all my labours, all my fasting and watching, all the redemption of masses and pardons, being done without truth in Christ, who alone saveth his people from their sins; these, I say, I learned to be nothing else but even, as St. Augustine saith, a hasty and swift running out of the right way, or else much like to the vesture made of fig leaves, wherewithal Adam and Eve went about in vain, to cover

themselves, and could never before obtain quietness and rest, until they believed in the promise of God, that Christ, the Seed of the woman, should tread upon the serpent's head. Neither could I be relieved or eased of the sharp stings and bitings of my sins, before that I was taught of God that lesson which Christ speaketh of in the third chapter of John, Even as Moses exalted the serpent in the desert, so shall the Son of man be exalted, that all which believe on him should not perish, but have life everlasting.

As soon as, according to the measure of grace given unto me of God, I began to taste and savour of this heavenly lesson, which no man can teach but only God, who revealed the same unto Peter, I desired the Lord to increase my faith; and at last, I desired nothing more, than that I, being so comforted by him, might be strengthened by his Holy Spirit and grace from above, that I might teach the wicked his ways, which are mercy and truth, and that the wicked might be converted unto him by me, who sometime was also wicked. Which thing, whilst that with all my power I did endeavour before my lord cardinal and your fatherhood, Christ was blasphemed in me, and this is my only comfort in these my afflictions, whom with my whole power I do teach and set forth, being made for us by God his Father, our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, and finally, our satisfaction. Who was made sin for us, (that is to say, a sacrifice for sin,) that we, through him, should be made the righteousness of God. Who became accursed for us, to redeem us from the curse of the law; who also came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. The righteous, I say, which falsely judge and think themselves so to be, for all men have sinned and lack the glory of God; whereby he freely forgiveth sins unto all believers, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, because that all mankind was grievously wounded in him which fell among thieves between Jerusalem and Jericho. 1 Cor. i. 2 Cor. v. Gal. ii. Matt. ix. Rom. iii.

And therefore with all my whole power I teach, that all men should first acknowledge their sins and condemn them, and afterwards hunger and thirst for that righteousness, whereof St. Paul speaketh: The righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ, is upon all them which believe in him, for there is no difference, all have sinned, and lack the glory of God; and are justified freely through his grace, by the redemption which is in Jesus Christ, Rom. iii. The

which, whosoever doth hunger or thirst for, without doubt, they shall at the length so be satisfied, that they shall not hunger and thirst for ever.

But, forsomuch as this hunger and thirst was wont to be quenched with the fulness of man's righteousness, which is wrought through the faith of our own elect and chosen works, as pilgrimages, buying of pardons, offering of candles, fasts chosen, and oftentimes superstitious, and finally all kind of voluntary devotions, as they call them, against the which God's word speaketh plainly in the fourth of Deuteronomy and in the twelfth, saying, Thou shalt not do that which seemeth good unto thyself, but that which I command thee for to do, that do thou, neither adding to, neither diminishing any thing from it; therefore, I say, oftentimes have I spoken of those works, not condemning them, as I take God to be my witness, but reproving their abuse, making the lawful use of them manifest, even unto children, exhorting all men not so to cleave unto them, that they being satisfied therewith, should loath or wax weary of Christ, as many do. In whom I bid your fatherhood most prosperously well to fare.

And this is the whole sum.-If you will appoint me to dilate more at large on the things here touched, I will not refuse to do it, so that you will grant me time. For to do it out of hand I am not able, for the weakness of my body; being ready always if I have erred in any thing, to be better instructed.

THOMAS BILNEY.

Another letter or epistle of master Bilney to Cuthbert Tonstal, bishop of London.

ALBEIT I do not remember, reverend father in Christ, whether I have either spoken or written that the gospel hath not been sincerely preached now of long time, which your lordship seemeth to have gathered either by some sinister hearers of my sermons, (who like Malchus, having their right ear cut off, Matt. xxvi. only bring their left ear to sermons) or else by some words or writings of mine, which have rashly passed me, rather than upon any evil intent. Yet, forsomuch as in this behalf, your reverence doth command me, and that of a good mind I trust, (for how can I think that in Tonstal any craft or doubleness to