"These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."

Acts 17:11

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WILLIAM TYNDALE: AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE "God careth for his elect; and therefore hath provided them of scripture, to try all things, and to defend them from all false prophets." CLICK TO READ >>

WILLIAM TYNDALE: ON GODLY LOVE "For we love not God first, to compel him to love again; but he loved us first, and gave his Son for us, that we might see love and love again, saith St John in his first epistle" CLICK TO READ >>

"If you be not acquainted with [Scripture], you must follow the opinions or examples of other men, and what if they lead you unto destruction?"

Hugh Binning

SERMONS APPOINTED TO BE READ IN THE REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH I QUOTE: "How necessary it is, that the Word of God, which is the only food of the soul, and that most excellent light that we must walk by, in this our most dangerous pilgrimage, should at all convenient times be preached unto the people" 1562 Preface

"To pretend to preach the truth without offending carnal men, is to pretend to be able to do what Jesus Christ could not do."

Thomas Wilson

St. John Chrysostom: ON SCRIPTURE "But some one will say, 'it is to the priests that these charges are given' ... But that the apostle gives the same charge to the laity, hear what he says in another epistle to other than the priesthood: 'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.'" CLICK TO READ >>

"Our system was never intended to promote the glory of priests and pastors, but it is calculated to educate manly Christians, who will not take their faith at second-hand."

Charles H. Spurgeon

"One circumstance appears plain from the Registers of their persecutors, and is well worthy of being noted: that these martyrs do not appear to have held a variety of doctrines and opinions, as the Roman Catholics contend is always the consequence of leaving that communion; their doctrines were uniform; and scarcely one that is not now held by every true Protestant." CLICK TO READ >>

JOHN NEWTON QUOTES ON SOFTENING AND WATERING DOWN THE GOSPEL: "The Bible is the grand repository ... It is the complete system of divine truth, to which nothing can be added, and from which nothing can be taken, with impunity. Every attempt to disguise or soften any branch of this truth, in order to accommodate it to the prevailing taste around us, either to avoid the displeasure, or to court the favour, of our fellow mortals, must be an affront to the majesty of God, and an act of treachery to men." READ MORE QUOTES >>

MOVIE RESOURCE:

God's Outlaw - The Story of William Tyndale: Documentary-styled drama about William Tyndale (1494-1536ad), an English Reformer (known as 'the Apostle of England in the time of the Reformation'). Almost singlehandedly, Tyndale translated, printed and secretly distributed the New Testament in English, thereby making it possible for the common people to read the life-giving Word of God. Having done exactly that which the Roman Church, through Bishop Tonstal of London, had specifically denied him to do, which also all men were, under the law or canon of the Church Catholic to do, he immediately became the focus of a campaign to find and stop him. He continued his work until he was deceived by a spy sent by Tonstal to find him and deliver him to the 'authorities,' whereupon he was immediately imprisoned and then martyred by strangulation and burning. One may say: a refreshing film except that a man - a real man who lived and walked upon this earth, died for translating the Scriptures; but through such men as this, God himself chose to make us free of 'authority' that we may have and possess, buy and sell, translate and publish, comment upon and, God help all men, never again be subject to those who would bind and rule the consciences of others or who believe that they may use any means to stop the free preaching of God's word.

ON BURNING BIBLES: "When they burned the New Testament they pretended a zeal very fervent to maintain only God’s honor, which they said with protestation, was obscured by translation in English, causing much error. But the truth plainly to be said, this was the cause why they were afraid, least laymen should know their iniquity." A Lollard (1450ad) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - READ ONLINE: A Proper Dialogue between a Gentleman and Husbandman each complaining to other their miserable calamite, through the ambition of the clergy. A 15th century Apology written by an English Lollard. HAIL & FIRE REPRINTS 2009

"Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me. If any man will do His will, He shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."

John 7:16-17

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William Tyndale Quotes

WILLIAM TYNDALE (1494-1536ad), William Tyndale (or William Tindal) was an English Reformer (known as 'the Apostle of England in the time of the Reformation') and the translator of the first English New Testament from the Greek (1526). Tyndale was martyred for his translation work and his writings in the defence of Biblical Christianity. Tyndale was hunted as a heretic, taken and imprissioned under the laws of the Church; after being condemned for heresy, he was formally stripped of his priesthood, strangled and then burned at the stake. Tyndale's English Translation is read yet today as the greater part of the King James Bible, first published in 1611.

True Gospel Preaching - the Law is a Tutor (Galatians 3:24):

“Expound the Law truly, and open the veil of Moses, to condemn all flesh, and prove all men sinners, and all deeds under the Law, before mercy has taken away the condemnation thereof, to be sin, and damnable; and then as a faithful minister, set abroach the mercy of our Lord Jesus, and let the wounded consciences drink of the water of Him. And then shall your preaching be with power, and not as the hypocrites. And the Spirit of God shall work with you; and all consciences shall bear record unto you, and feel that it is so. And all doctrine that casts a mist on these two to shadow and hide them, I mean the Law of God and mercy of Christ, that resist you with all your power." - William Tyndale

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Faith is the gift of God (Romans 2:8):

“Now faith cometh not of our free-will; but is the gift of God, given us by grace, ere there be any will in our hearts to do the law of God. And why God giveth it not every man, I can give no reckoning of his judgments. But well I know, I never deserved it, nor prepared myself unto it; but ran another way clean contrary in my blindness, and sought not that way; but he sought me, and found me out, and showed it me, and therewith drew me to him. And I bow the knees of my heart unto God night and day, that he will show it all other men; and I suffer all that I can, to be a servant to open their eyes. For well I know they cannot see of themselves, before God hath prevented [that is, to go before - H&F] them with his grace." - William Tyndale

read online: William Tyndale, "Answer to Sir Thomas More's Dialogue"

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"There is no brotherhood where such philosophy is taught."

“Christ forbideth his disciples and that oft (as thou mayest see Matt 18 and also 20, Mark 9 and also 10, Luke 9 and also 22, even at his last supper) not only to climb above lords, kings and emperors in worldly rule, but also to exalt themselves one above another in the kingdom of God. But in vain: for the Pope would not hear it: though he had commanded it ten thousand times, God's Word should rule only and not bishops' decrees or Pope's pleasure. That ought they to preach purely and spiritually and to fashion their lives thereafter and with all example of godly living and long suffering, to draw all to Christ: and not to expound the scriptures carnally and worldly saying: God spake this to Peter and I am his successor, therefore his authority is mine only: and then bring in the tyranny of their fleshly wisdom, in presentia maioris cessat potestas minoris, that is in the presence of the greater the less hath no power. There is no brotherhood where such philosophy is taught.” - William Tyndale

read online: "The Obedience of a Christian Man" by William Tyndale

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"Because, when the truth was told us, we had no love thereto."

“And thus are we come into this damnable ignorance and fierce wrath of God, through our own deserving; because, when the truth was told us, we had no love thereto. And to declare the full and set wrath of God upon us, our prelates whom we have exalted over us, to whom we have given almost all we had, have persuaded the worldly princes (to whom we have submitted ourselves, and given up our power) to devour up body and soul, and to keep us down in darkness, with violence of sword, and with all falsehood and guile; insomuch that, if any do but lift up his nose to smell after the truth, they swap him in the face with a fire-brand, to singe his smelling; or if he open one of his eyes once to look toward the light of God's word, they blear and daze his sight with their false juggling: so that if it were possible, though he were God's elect, he could not but be kept down, and perish for lack of knowledge of the truth.” - William Tyndale

read online: "Answer to Sir Thomas More's Dialogue" by William Tyndale

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On the teaching of Scripture:

“They will suffer no man to know God's word, but burn it, and make heresy of it: yea, and because the people begin to smell their falsehood, they make it treason to the king, and breaking of the king's peace, to have so much as their Pater Noster in English. And instead of God's law, they bind with their own law: and instead of God's promises, they loose and justify with pardons and ceremonies, which they themselves have imagined for their own profit. ... let any man eat flesh but on a Saturday, or break any other tradition of theirs, and he shall be bound, and not loosed, till he have paid the uttermost farthing, either with shame most vile, or death most cruel. But hate thy neighbour as much as thou wilt, and thou shalt have no rebuke of them; yea, rob him, murder him, and then come to them and welcome.” - William Tyndale

read online: "The Obedience of a Christian Man" by William Tyndale

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On Sacrifice:

“Truly to confess out of the heart that all benefits come of God, even out of the goodness of his mercy and not the deservings of our deeds, is the only sacrifice that pleases God.” - William Tyndale

read online: "The Prophet Jonah" by William Tyndale

listen online (mp3): "The Prophet Jonah" by William Tyndale

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On holy places and the temple of God:

“As the miracles done in Egypt, in the Red Sea, in mount Sinai, and so forth, were not done that men should go in pilgrimage unto the places, to pray there; but to provoke them unto the true knowledge of God; that afterward they might ever pray in the Spirit, wheresoever they were. Christ also did not his miracles that men should pray in the places where he did them, but to stir up the people to come and hear the word of their souls' health. And when he bringeth the miracle of Siloe, I answer, that the said miracle, and that Christ sent the blind thither to receive his sight, were not done that men should pray in the pool: but the second miracle was so done, to declare the obedient faith of the blind, and to make the miracle more known: and the first, for the word of God that was preached in the temple, to move the country about to come thither, and learn to know God, and to become a lively temple, out of which they might ever pray, and in all places." - William Tyndale

read online: "Answer to Sir Thomas More's Dialogue" by William Tyndale

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It is the wisdom of man that scatters, divides, and produces sects. "Man's wisdom is plain idolatry: neither is there any other idolatry than to imagine of God after man's wisdom"

“Now there is no other division or heresy in the world save man's wisdom, and when man's foolish wisdom interpreteth the scripture. Man's wisdom scattereth, divideth, and maketh sects; while the wisdom of one is that a white coat is best to serve God in, and another saith a black, and another a gray, another a blue; and while one saith that God will hear your prayer in this place, another saith in that place; and while one saith this place is holier, and another that place is holier; one religion and this religion is holier than that; and this saint is greater with God than that; and an hundred thousand like things. Man's wisdom is plain idolatry: neither is there any other idolatry than to imagine of God after man's wisdom. God is not man's imagination; but that only which he saith of himself. God is nothing but his law and his promises; that is to say, that which he biddeth thee to do, and that which he biddeth thee believe and hope. God is but his word, as Christ saith, John viii. 'I am that I say unto you;' that is to say, That which I preach am I; my words are spirit and life. God is that only which he testifieth of himself; and to imagine any other thing of God than that, is damnable idolatry. Therefore saith the hundred and eighteenth psalm, 'Happy are they which search the testimonies of the Lord;' that is to say, that which God testifieth and witnesseth unto us. But how shall I that do, when ye will not let me have his testimonies, or witnesses, in a tongue which I understand? Will ye resist God? Will ye forbid him to give his Spirit unto the lay as well as unto you? Hath he not made the English tongue? Why forbid ye him to speak in the English tongue then, as well as in the Latin?

Finally, that this threatening and forbidding the lay people to read the scripture is not for the love of your souls (which they care for as the fox doth for the geese), is evident, and clearer than the sun; inasmuch as they permit and suffer you to read Robin Hood, and Bevis of Hampton, Hercules, Hector and Troilus, with a thousand histories and fables of love and wantonness, and of ribaldry, as filthy as heart can think, to corrupt the minds of youth withal, clean contrary to the doctrine of Christ and of his apostles: for Paul saith, "See that fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, be not once named among you, as it becometh saints; neither filthiness, neither foolish talking nor jesting, which are not comely: for this ye know, that no whoremonger, either unclean person, or covetous person, which is the worshipper of images, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.' And after saith he, 'Through such things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of unbelief.' Now seeing they permit you freely to read those things which corrupt your minds and rob you of the kingdom of God and Christ, and bring the wrath of God upon you, how is this forbidding for love of your souls?

A thousand reasons more might be made, as thou mayest see in Paraclesis Erasmi, and in his preface to the Paraphrase of Matthew. unto which they should be compelled to hold their peace, or to give shameful answers. But I hope that these are sufficient unto them that thirst the truth. God for his mercy and truth shall well open them more, yea, and other secrets of his godly wisdom, if they be diligent to cry unto him; which grace grant God. Amen." - William Tyndale

read online: "The Obedience of a Christian Man" by William Tyndale

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On the true nature of the spiritual Church and its service

"But little flock, as soon as he is persuaded that there is a God, he runneth not unto his own imaginations, but unto the messenger that called him, and of him asketh how he shall serve God: as little Paul (Acts ix.), when Christ had over­thrown him, and caught him in his net, asked, saying, "Lord, what wilt thou that I do?" and as the multitude that were converted (Acts ii.) asked of the apostles, what they should do. And the preacher setteth the law of God before them; and they offer their hearts, to have it written therein, consenting that it is good and righteous. And because they have run clean contrary unto that good law, they sorrow and mourn; and because, also, their bodies and flesh are otherwise disposed. But the preacher comforteth them, and sheweth them the testament of Christ's blood; how that for his sake all that is done is forgiven, and all their weakness shall be taken a worth, until they be stronger, only if they repent, and will submit themselves to be scholars, and learn to keep this law. And little flock receiveth this testament in his heart, and in it walketh and serveth God in the spirit. And from henceforth all is Christ with him; and Christ is his, and he is Christ's. All that he receiveth he receiveth of Christ, and all that he doth he doth to Christ. Father, mother, master, lord and prince, are Christ unto him; and as Christ he serveth them, with all love. His wife, children, servants and subjects, are Christ unto him; and he teacheth them to serve Christ, and not himself and his lusts. And if he receive any good thing of man, he thanketh God in Christ, which moved the man's heart. And his neighbour he serveth as Christ in all his need, of such things as God hath lent; because that all degrees are bought, as he is, with Christ's blood. And he will not be saved for serving his brethren; neither promiseth his brethren heaven for serving him. But heaven, justifying, forgiveness, all gifts of grace, and all that is promised them, they receive of Christ, and by his merits freely. And of that which they have received of Christ, they serve each other freely, as one hand doth the other; seeking for their service no more than one hand doth of another, each the other's health, wealth, help, aid, succour, and to assist one another in the way of Christ. And God they serve in the spirit only, in love, hope, faith and dread.

When the great multitude, that be called and not chosen, Cain, Ishmael, Esau, and carnal Israel, that serve God night and day with bodily service and holy works, such as they were wont to serve their idols withal, behold little flock, that they come not forth in the service of God, they roar out, 'Where art thou? Why comest thou not forth and takest holy water?' 'Wherefore?' saith little flock. 'To put away thy sins.' 'Nay, brethren, God forbid that ye should so think; Christ's blood only washeth away the sins of all that repent and believe. Fire, salt, water, bread, and oil be bodily things, given unto man for his necessity, and to help his brother with; and God that is a spirit cannot be served therewith: neither can such things enter into the soul, to purge her; for God's word only is her purgation.' 'No!' say they, 'are not such things hallowed? and say we not in the hallowing of them, that whosoever is sprinkled with the water, or eateth of the bread, shall receive health of soul and body?' ' Sir, the blessings promised unto Abraham, for all nations, are in Christ; and out of his blood we must fetch them, and his word is the bread, salt, and water of our souls. God hath given you no power to give, through your charms, such virtue unto unsensible creatures, which he hath hallowed himself, and made them all clean (for the bodily use of them that believe) through his word of promise and permission, and our thanksgiving. God saith, If thou believe St John's gospel, thou shalt be saved; and not for the bearing of it about thee with so many crosses, or for the observing of any such observances.'" - William Tyndale

read online: "Answer to Sir Thomas More's Dialogue" by William Tyndale

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A True Believer Doesn't Sin, and Yet is a Sinner:

“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 I. 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 our profession: so that we never cast off the yoke of God from our necks, neither yield up ourselves unto sin for to serve it, but fight afresh, and begin a new battle." - William Tyndale

read online: "Answer to Sir Thomas More's Dialogue" by William Tyndale

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Saving Faith Consents to God's Law:

“When [Sir Thomas] More ... says that 'they which were overwhelmed with Noah's flood had a good faith,' and brings for him Nicolas de Lyra; I answer, that Nicolas de Lyra delirat. For it is impossible to have a faith to be saved by, except a man consent unto God's law with all his heart and all his soul, that it is righteous, holy, good, and to be kept of all men, and thereupon repent that he has broken it, and sorrow that his flesh moves unto the contrary; and then come and believe that God for his mercy will forgive him all that he has done against the law, and will help him to tame his flesh, and suffer his weakness in the mean season, till he be waxed stronger: which faith if they that perished in Noah's flood had had, they could not but have mended their livings, and had not hardened their hearts through unbelief, and provoked the wrath of God, and waxed worse and worse a hundred and twenty years, which God gave them to repent; until God could no longer suffer them, but washed their filthiness away with the flood" - William Tyndale

read online: "Answer to Sir Thomas More's Dialogue" by William Tyndale

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On Tradition:

“And moreover, when the scribes and Pharisees taught their own doctrine, they sat not upon Moses's seat, but on their own. And therefore Christ (so far it is off that he would have us hearken unto man's doctrine) said, "Beware of the leaven of the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees," which is their doctrine; and rebuked them for their doctrine, and brake it himself, and taught his disciples so to do, and excused them; and said of all traditions, that whatsoever his heavenly Father had not planted, should be plucked up by the roots. And thereto all the persecution that the apostles had of the Jews, was for breaking of traditions.

Our prelates ought to be our servants, as the apostles were, to teach us Christ's doctrine; and not lords over us, to oppress us with their own. Peter calleth it tempting of the Holy Ghost (Acts xv.), to lade the heathen with aught above that which necessity and brotherly love required. And Paul rebuketh his Corinthians for their overmuch obedience, and the Galatians also; and warneth all men to stand fast, and not to suffer themselves to be brought into bondage.

And when he saith, Peter and Paul commanded us to obey our superiors; that is truth, they commanded us to obey the temporal sword, which the pope will not. And they commanded to obey the bishops in the doctrine of Christ, and not in their own. And we teach not to break all things rashly, (as M. More untruly reporteth on us); which is to be seen in our books, if men will look upon them. Of traditions therefore understand generally: He that may be free, is a fool to be bound; but if through wiliness thou be brought into bondage, then if the tradition hurt thy soul and the faith, they are to be broken immediately, though with the loss of thy life. If they grieve the body only, then are they to be borne till God take them off, for breaking the peace and unity.

Then how sore maketh he Christ's burden! If it be so sore, why is M. More so cruel to help the bishops to lade us with more? But surely he speaketh very undiscreetly. For Christ did not lade us with one syllable more than we were ever bound to; neither did he any thing but [2] interpret the law truly. And besides that, he giveth unto all his love unto the law: which love maketh all things easy to be borne, that were before impossible." - William Tyndale

read online: "Answer to Sir Thomas More's Dialogue" by William Tyndale

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"The Chief and Principal Cause Why a Man Believes, or Believes Not, Is Within: that is, the Spirit of God Teaches His Children to Believe; and the Devil Blindeth His Children, and Keeps Them in Unbelief"

“Then in the end of the chapter M. More cometh unto his wise conclusion, and proveth nothing, save sheweth his ignorance, as in all things. He saith, 'We believe the doctrine of the scripture without scripture, as for an ensample, the pope's pardons, because only that the church so teacheth, though no scripture confirmeth it.' Why so? 'Because,' saith he, 'the Holy Ghost by inspiration, if I do my endeavour, and captivate mine understanding, teacheth me to believe the church concerning God's word, taught by the church and graven in men's hearts without scripture, as well as he teacheth us to believe words written in the scripture.' Mark where he is now. Afore he saith,' the scripture causeth us not to believe the scripture; for a man may read it and believe it not.' And much more the preacher maketh us not to believe the preacher; for a man may hear him and believe him not also: as we see the apostles could not cause all men to believe them. For though the scripture be an outward instrument, and the preacher also, to move men to believe, yet the chief and principal cause why a man believeth, or believeth not, is within: that is, the Spirit of God teacheth his children to believe; and the devil blindeth his children, and keepeth them in unbelief, and maketh them to consent unto lies, and think good evil, and evil good: as the Acts of the apostles say in many places, "There believed as many as were ordained unto everlasting life." And Christ saith (John viii.), "They that be of God hear God's word." And unto the wicked Jews he saith, "Ye cannot believe, because ye be not of God." And in the same place saith he, "Ye be of your father the devil, and his will ye will do; and he bode not in the truth," and therefore will not suffer his children to consent to the truth. And (John in the xth) saith Christ, "All that came before me be thieves and murderers, but my sheep heard not their voices:" that is, all that preach any salvation save in Christ, murder the souls. Howbeit, Christ's sheep could not consent to their lies, as the rest cannot but believe lies; so that there is ever a remnant kept by grace. And of this I have seen divers examples. I have known as holy men as might be, as the world counteth holiness, which at the hour of death had no trust in God at all, but cried, 'Cast holy water, light the holy candle,' and so forth; sore lamenting that they must die. And I have known other which were despised, as men that cared not for their divine service, which at death have fallen so flat upon the blood of Christ as is possible, and have preached unto other mightily, as it had been an apostle of our Saviour, and comforted them with comfort of the life to come, and have died so gladly, that they would have received no world's good to bide still in the flesh. And thus is M. More fallen upon predestination, and is compelled, with violence of scripture, to confess that which he hateth and studieth to make appear false, to establish free will withal, not so much of ignorance, I fear, as for lucre sake, and to get honour, promotion, dignity, and money, by help of our mitred monsters. Take example of Balaam, the false prophet, which gave counsel and sought means, through like blind covetousness, to make the truth, and prophecy which God had shewed him, false. He had the knowledge of the truth, but without love thereto, and therefore for vantage became enemy unto the truth: but what became of him?

But M. More peppereth his conclusion, lest men should feel the taste, saying, 'If we endeavour ourselves, and captive our understanding to believe [7].' 0 how beetle-blind is fleshly reason! The will hath none operation at all in the working of faith in my soul, no more than the child hath in the begetting of his father: for, saith Paul, "It is the gift of God," and not of us. My wit must conclude good or bad, ere my will can love or hate. My wit must shew me a true cause, or an apparent cause why, ere my will have any working at all. And of that peppering it well appeareth what the pope's faith is; even a blind imagination of their natural wit, wrought without the light of the Spirit of God, agreeing unto their voluptuous lusts, in which their beastly will so delighteth, that he will not let their wits attend unto any other learning, for unquieting himself, and stirring from his pleasure and delectation.

And thus we be as far asunder as ever we were, and his mighty arguments prove not the value of a poding-prick [8]. M. More feeleth in his heart by inspiration, and with his endeavouring himself and captivating his understanding to believe it, that there is a purgatory as hot as hell; wherein if a silly soul were appointed by God to lie a thousand years, to purge him withal, the pope, for the value of a groat, shall command him thence full purged in the twinkling of an eye; and by as good reason, if he were going thence, keep him there still. He feeleth by inspiration, and in captivating his wits, that the pope can work wonders with a calf's skin; that he can command one to eat flesh, though he be never so lusty, and that another eat none on pain of damnation, though he should die for lack of it; and that he can forgive sin and not the pain, and as much and as little of the pain, or all if he lust, and yet can neither help him to love the law, or to believe, or to hate the flesh, seeing he preacheth not. And such things innumerable M. More feeleth true; and therefore believeth that the pope is the true church.

And I clean contrary feel, that there is no such worldly and fleshly imagined purgatory. For I feel that the souls be purged only by the word of God, and doctrine of Christ; as it is written (John xv.), "Ye be clean through the word," saith Christ to his apostles. And I feel again, that he which is clean through the doctrine needeth not but to wash his feet only, for his head and hands are clean already (John xiii.); that is, he must tame his flesh, and keep it under, for his soul is clean already through the doctrine. I feel also that bodily pain doth but purge the body only; insomuch that the pain not only purgeth not the soul, but maketh it more foul, except that there be kind learning by, to purge the soul: so that the more a man beateth his son, the worse he is, except he teach him lovingly, and shew him kindness besides; partly to keep him from desperation, and partly that he fall not into hate of his father and of his commandment thereto, and think that his father is a tyrant and his law but tyranny.

M. More feeleth, with his good endeavour and inspiration together, that a man may have the best faith coupled with the worst life and with consenting to sin. And I feel that it is impossible to believe truly, except a man repent; and that it is impossible to trust in the mercy that is in Christ, or to feel it, but that a man must immediately love God and his commandments, and therefore disagree and disconsent unto the flesh, and be at bate therewith, and fight against it. And I feel that every soul that loveth the law, and hateth his flesh, and believeth in Christ's blood, hath his sins which he committed, and pain which he deserved, in hating the law and consenting unto his flesh, forgiven him by that faith. And I feel that the frailty of the flesh, against which a believing soul fighteth to subdue it, is also forgiven, and not reckoned or imputed for sin, all the time of our curing: as a kind father and mother reckon not, or impute the impossibility of their young children to consent unto their law; and as when the children be of age and consent, then they reckon not nor impute the impossibility of the flesh to follow it immediately, but take all aworth, and love them no less, but rather more tenderly than their old and perfect children that do their commandments, so long as they go to school, and learn such things as their fathers and mothers set them to.

And I believe that every soul that repenteth, believeth, and loveth the law, is through that faith a member of Christ's church, and pure, without spot or wrinkle, as Paul affirmeth (Eph. v.): And it is an article of my belief, that Christ's elect church is holy and pure without sin, and every member of the same, through faith in Christ; and that they be in the full favour of God. And I feel that the uncleanness of the soul is but the consent unto sin and unto the flesh. And therefore I feel that every soul that believeth, and consenteth unto the law, and here in this life hateth his flesh and the lusts thereof, and doth his best to drive sin out of his flesh, and for hate of the sin gladly departeth from his flesh; when he is dead, and the lusts of the flesh slain with death, needeth not as it were bodily tormenting, to be purged of that whereof he is quit already. And therefore, if aught remain, it is but to be taught, and not to be beaten. And I feel that every soul, that beareth fruit in Christ, shall be purged of the Father to bear more fruit day by day, as is written (John xv.), not in the pope's purgatory, where no man feeleth it, but here in this life such fruit as is unto his neighbour's profit; so that he which hath his hope in Christ purgeth himself here, as Christ is pure (1 John iii.); and that ever yet the blood of Jesus only doth purge us of all our sins, for the imperfectness of our works. And I feel that the forgiveness of sins is to remit mercifully the pain that I have deserved. And I do believe that the pain that I here suffer in my flesh is to keep the body under, and to serve my neighbour, and not to make satisfaction unto God for the fore sins.

And therefore, when the pope describeth God after his covetous complexion, and when Master More feeleth by inspiration, and captivating his wits unto the pope, that God forgiveth the everlasting pain, and will yet punish me a thousand years in the pope's purgatory, that leaven savoureth not in my mouth. I understand my father's words as they sound, and after the most merciful manner; and not after the pope's leaven and M. More's captivating his wits, to believe that every poet's fable is a true story. There is no father here that punisheth his son to purge him, when he is purged already, and hath utterly forsaken sin and evil, and hath submitted himself unto his father's doctrine. For to punish a man that has forsaken sin of his own accord, is not to purge him, but to satisfy the lust of a tyrant: neither ought it to be called purgatory, but a jail of tormenting, and a satisfactory. And when the pope saith it is done to satisfy the righteousness, as a judge, I say we that believe have no judge of him, but a father; neither shall we come into judgment, as Christ hath promised us, but are received under grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Shew the pope a little money, and God is so merciful that there is no purgatory. And why is not the fire out as well, if I offer for me the blood of Christ? If Christ hath deserved all for me, who gave the pope might to keep part of his deservings from me, and to buy and sell Christ's merits, and to make merchandise over us with feigned words? And thus, as M. More feeleth that the pope is holy church, I feel that he is antichrist; and as my feeling can be no proof to him, no more can his, with all his captivating his wits to believe phantasies, be unto me. Wherefore, if he have no other probation, to prove that the pope is holy church, than that his heart so agreeth unto his learning, he ought of no right to compel with sword unto his sect. Howbeit there are ever two manner people that will cleave unto God, a fleshly and a spiritual. The spiritual, which be of God, shall hear God's word; and the children of the truth shall consent unto the truth. And contrary, the fleshly and children of falsehood and of the devil, whose hearts be full of lies, shall naturally consent unto lies: as young children, though they have eat themselves as good as dead with fruit, yet will not, nor cannot, believe him that telleth them that such fruit is naught; but him that praiseth them will they hear, and eat themselves stark dead, because their hearts be full of lies, and they judge all things as they appear unto the eyes. And the fleshly-minded, as soon as he believeth of God as much as the devil doth, he hath enough; and goeth to, and serveth God with bodily service, as he before served his idols, and after his own imagination; and not in the spirit, in loving his laws and believing his promises, or longing for them: no, if he might ever live in the flesh, he would never desire them. And God must do for him again, not what God hath [9] promised, but what he lusteth. And his brother that serveth God in the spirit, according to God's word, him will the carnal beast persecute: so that he which will godly live, must suffer persecution unto the world's end, according to the doctrine of Christ and of his apostles, and according unto the ensamples that are gone before.

And finally, I have better reasons for my feeling that the pope is antichrist, than M. More hath for his endeavouring himself, and captivating his wits, that he is the true church. For the church that was the true messenger of God, hath ever shewed a sign and a badge thereof, either a present miracle or authentic scripture; insomuch that Moses, when he was sent, asked, "How shall they believe me?" And God gave him a sign, as ever before and since. Neither was there any other cause of the writing of the new and the last and everlasting Testament, than that when miracles ceased, we might have wherewith to defend ourselves against false doctrine and heresies; which we could not do, if we were bound to believe that were nowhere written. And again, if the pope could not err in his doctrine, he could not sin of purpose and profession, abominably and openly, above the Turks and all the heathen that ever were; and defend it so maliciously as he hath, eight hundred years long; and will not be reformed; and maketh them his saints and his defenders, that sin as he doth. He persecuteth as the carnal church ever did, when the scripture is away; he proveth his doctrine with the scripture, and as soon as the scripture cometh to light, he runneth away unto his sophistry and unto his sword. We see also by stories how your confession, penance, and pardons, are come up; and whence your purgatory is sprung. And your falsehood in the sacraments we see by open scripture. And all your works we rebuke with the scripture; and therewith prove that the false belief, that ye couple to them, may not stand with the true faith that is in our Saviour Jesus." - William Tyndale

read online: "Answer to Sir Thomas More's Dialogue" by William Tyndale

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"Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old." Matthew 13:52 KJV
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