MarginaliaAn. 1557. Iune.I brought it in. But yet it serueth not for your purpose, so much as you thinke for. MarginaliaFalse doctrine of Doct. Langdale.
Fyrst, where he sayth the keeping of the lawe is altogether.
Secondly, that the keeping of the lawe standeth in the outward signes.
Thirdly, that children dying before Baptisme are damned.
Fourthly, that children be baptised in the fayth of their Godfathers & Godmothers. &c.For here you haue confessed that neither circumcision auaileth, nor vncircumcision: the which you your self haue coupled with Baptisme, prouyng that none of them both preuayleth, but kepyng of the law is altogether: the which law is kept (you say) by the outward signes: the which is nothyng so, for Abraham beleued God, and that was counted to him for righteousnes: And this was before hee was circumcised. So the children beleue before they be either circumcised, or Baptised, according to my first saying of Iacob and Esau: Iacob I loued, but Esau I hated. These wordes declared that Iacob had faith in his mothers wombe: also Iohn Baptist was sanctified in his mothers wombe, and therfore it was counted to them for righteousnes: and I am sure, if they had dyed before, they had either receiued Circumcision or Baptisme as concernyng the outward deede, they should haue bene saued. For Gods giftes and callynges are such, that he cannot repent him of them. But by your saying he doth both repent and chaunge. For you say, keepyng of the outward law is altogether. But a bad excuse is as good as none at all.

And where you sayd, the childrē be Baptised in their Godfathers and Godmothers faith, they beyng all vnbeleuers, in what fayth is that child Baptised then? in none at all, by your own saying. Which wordes made him stampe and stare.

Lang. What? then you would count that there were very fewe beleuers, if there be not one of three that beleueth. You enter into iudgemēt against þ^e people. Belike you thinke there be none that beleue well vnlesse they be of yonr mynde. In deede then Christes flocke were a very litle flocke.

Wood. In deede these be Christes wordes, in the 12. of Luke,MarginaliaMany called, but few chosen. Luke. 12. the which we may see to be very true. Yea you sayd, if there were not one amongst three, that were very fewe. But there is not one amongest three hundred, for any thing that I can see. For if there were, there would not be so many that would seeke their neighbours goodes and liues, as there be.

Lang. Is the flocke of Christ such a litle flocke as you speake of? you may call it a great flocke. How many be there of them: Can you tell me?

Wood. A prety question, I promise you, it is that you aske me: as though I did make my selfe equall wyth God. No, no, you shall catch no such vauntage of my wordes, nor I know not how many there be. But I will tell you as nigh as I can. For therefore you looke, I am sure, that I should enter into iudgement.

Lang. Yea, I pray you tell me as much as you can, seing you be so cunning.

Wood. You shall see my iudgement in it by & by. First the Prophet: MarginaliaGods election standeth not by þ^e most part, but by the fewest.Follow not a multitude to do euill, for the most go the wrong way. There is one poynte to know them. Then Christ sayth in the vij. of Mathew: MarginaliaMath. vij.Broad is the way and wyde is the gate the leadeth into destruction, and many there be that goe in therat: and straite is the gate, & narrow is the way that leadeth vnto life, and fewe there be that finde it. And in the xij. of Luke, it is writtē (which wordes were spoken of Christ): MarginaliaLuke. xij.Come you little flocke, it is my fathers wyll to geue you a kingdome. The third point is this. In the third of Marke,MarginaliaMark. iij. Math. ij. and second of Mathew: You (sayth Christ) shall know the tree by the fruites. A good tree bringeth forth good fruites, and a badde tree bringeth forth badde fruites: so by fruites I know them. For euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruites, must be hewen downe and cast into the fire (into Hell I thinke Christ ment) and your fruites declare that you be one of them. Marginalia4. Argumētes prouing Christes flocke to be a small number.Thus haue I proued foure wayes that þ^e people that shalbe saued, is but a small company in comparison of þ^e rest. But if that be not inough for the proofe thereof, I haue twēty wayes more to proue it by, and you were neuer the nere of your purpose.

Lang. What a noughty man are you? you woulde

make the patientest man in the world angry with you. MarginaliaDoctor Langdale taketh on agaynst Woodmā without cause.I thinke your talke is nothyng but pryde and vayne glory, wyth frompes and mockes, and despising and iudging of men. It was time such a fellow were taken in deede. Such a one is inough to trouble a whole countrey. I thinke he is blest of God that tooke you: for you are not meete to be in a common wealth.

Wood. With diuers other such like wordes that I cannot recite, they came out so thicke, wyth stamping, and staring, and chafing as though he had bene out of his witte. I held my peace, vntill he had made an ende of his tormentours talke, and then I spake.

Wherein haue I sayd amisse? or haue I not answered you vnto euery question that you haue demaunded of me? What fault can you finde in one worde that I haue said? I dare say you can finde none. I maruaile why you take on thus agaynst me, hauing no cause so to do.

Lang. No, no, you haue not aunswered me to originall sinne, you deny originall sinne.

Wood. With these wordes came in at the doore maister Iames Gage: and I thinke he stoode at the doore a good while before he came in, and that Doctour Langdale saw hym: For hys face was to the doore warde, and my face was from it.

Gage. MarginaliaM. Iames Gage entreth talke with Woodmā.Ah VVoodmā, me thinke maister Doctor and you cannot agree.

Wood. Yes sir, me thinke we agree very well.

Lang. Without doubt sir, he is the noughtiest man that euer I talked wyth in all my life: for he will haue hys owne way in all thynges.

Gage. VVoodmā, leaue that pride. Doe not trust so much to your owne wit. Harken to this man. This is a learned mā, I tell you. He is knowen to be learned. For els he should not be allowed to preach before the Queenes maiesty: & I dare say he will tell thee nothing, nor will thee to do nothing, but that he will do himself: and I dare say he wyll not goe to the Deuill to bryng thee thether: How say you maister Doctour? Thou mightest thinke vs mad, if we would hurt our selues to hurt thee. No I promise thee, my brother, neither I, nor no gentleman in the countrey, I thinke of my conscience, but would thou shouldest do as wel as their own bodyes and soules, as a great many of them haue sayd to thy face whilest thou wast at my brothers, þ^e which thou canst not deny.

Wood. Sir, I can say none otherwise but I was gētly entreated at your brothers, both with meate and drinke and gentle wordes, both of you and hym, and diuers other Gentlemen: and I am sure you nor they can say, that you found me vnreasonable at any tyme. For I said I was contēted to learne of them that were able to teach me, and so I am, as God knoweth: and here maister Doctour (I thinke) can say no otherwise: For I dare say he can finde no fault in al the talke that we haue had.

Lang. No mary, I can finde nothing els in you. I promise you maister Gage, if you had bene here, you would haue sayd so your selfe. MarginaliaDoctor Langdale complaineth to M. Gage of Woodmā, causeles.He tooke me vp in dede, and sayd he maruayled how I durst preach. For he sayd, I vnderstoode not the scripture, but as farre as naturall reason comprehended: as though he vnderstoode all, and I nothing. With diuers other such like wordes he made a great complaint to hym on me, and sayd to maister Iames Gage, he would make you beleue that I could finde no fault in him. Yes iwis: he denieth original sinne, meaning therby that he is without sinne. MarginaliaWoodmā falsely belyed.

Gage. Yea? Doth he so? by S. Mary that is a great matter, VVoodmā: leaue that pride. That pride wyll come to naught. Can you liue without sinne?

VVood. Sir, now I perceiue he will soone lie on me behind my backe, when he will not sticke to lie before my face. He sayth I denied originall sinne: and it was he himselfe, as I wyll let you be iudge in the matter.