A boke made by John Fryth, prysoner in the Tower of London
¶ A boke made by John Fryth prysoner in the Tower of London,
answerynge vnto
M. Mores letter, which he wrote agaynst
the fyrste lytle treatyse that John Fryth
made concernynge the Sacramente of the
body and bloode of Christ: vnto whiche
boke are added in the ende the artycles of
hys examynacyon before the Byshoppes
of London, Wynchester and Lyncolne, in
Paules churche at London, for whyche
John Fryth was condempned
and after brente in Smythfelde
wythout Newgate,
the fourth daye of
July. Anno. 1533.
Now newly reuysed corrected & prynted.
In the Yeare of our Lorde, 1546,
the last daye of June.
¶ Deade men shall ryse agayne.
The Preface
Grace and increace of knowelege frō God the Father through oure Lorde
Jesus Christ, be with the Christen reader, and with all thē that loue
the Lorde vnfaynedly Amen.
[Sidenote: 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1.]
I chaunced beynge in these partyes, to be in companye with a Christen
brother which for hys commendable conversaciō, and sobre behaueoure
myght better be a Byshoppe thē many that weare myters, yf the rule of
.S. Paule were regarded in their electyon. Thys brother after moche
cōmunycacyō, desyred to knowe my mynde as touchynge the sacramēt of the
body ād bloode of our sauyoure Christ. Which thynge I opened vnto hym
accordynge to the gyfte that God had geuen me. Firste I proved vnto hym
that yt was no article of oure fayth necessarye to be beleued vnder
payne of dampnacyon. Then I declared that Christe had a naturall bodye,
euen as myne ys (savynge synne) and that yt coulde no more be in two
places at ones then myne can. Thyrdly, I shewed hym that it was not
necessarye, that the wordes shulde so be vnderstonde as they sownde. But
that yt myght be a phrase of scrypture, as there are innumerable. After
that I shewed hym certen suche phrases ād maner of speakynges. And that
yt was well vsed in oure Englyshe tongue. And fynally, I recyted after
what maner they myght receyue yt accordynge to Christes institucyon, not
fearynge the frowarde alteracyon that the Prestes vse, contrarye to the
fyrste forme and institucion.
When I had suffycyently publyshed my mynde, he desyred me to entitle the
some of my wordes, ād write them for hym, because they semed ouerlonge
to be well reteyned in memorye. And albeit I was loth to take the matter
in hāde, yet to fullfyll his instaunte intercession, I toke vpon me to
touche this terryble tragedye, and wrote a treatyse, whiche beside my
paynfull impresonment, is lyke to purchace me moste cruell death, which
I am readye ād gladde to receyue with the spiryte and inwarde man
(although the fleshe be frayle) when so euer yt shall please God to laye
yt vpon me. Notwithstondynge to saye the truthe, I wrote yt not to the
intent that yt shulde haue bene publyshed. For thē I wolde haue towched
the matter more earnestlye, and haue wryten, as well of the spyrytuall
eatynge & drynkynge whiche is of necessyte, as I ded of the Carnall,
whiche is not so necessarye. For the treatyse that I made was not
expedyent for all men, albeit yt were suffycient for thē whō I toke in
hande to instructe. For they knewe the spyrytuall and necessarye eatynge
and drynkynge of his bodye and bloode, whiche is not receyued with the
teth and belye, but with the eares and fayth, and onely neaded
instructyon in the outwarde eatynge, which thynge I therfore onely
declared. But now it is commen a brode and in many mens mowthes, in so
moche that master More which of late hathe busyed hym selfe to medle in
all soche mattres (of what zele I wyll not defyne) hath sore laboured to
confute yt. But some mē thynke that he is ashamed of his parte, ād for
that cause doth so dylygently suppresse the worke whiche he prynted. For
I my selfe sawe the worke in prynte in my Lorde of Wynchesters howse,
upon S. Stephens day last paste. But neyther I, nor all the fryndes I
coulde make, myght attayne any copye, but onely one wryten copye whiche
as yt semed was drawen out in greate haste. Not withstondynge I can not
well Judge, what the cause shulde be, that hys boke is kept so secrete.
But this I am ryght sure of, that he neuer touched the foundacyō that my
treatyse was buylded upon. And therfore syth my foundacyon stondeth so
sure and invyncyble (for els I thynke verely he wolde sore haue laboured
to haue undermyned yt) I wyll therupon buylde a lytle more, and also
declare that hys ordynaunce is to slender to breake it downe although it
were sett vpon a worse foundacyon.
❧ The foundacyon of that lytle treatyse was, that it is no artycle of
our fayth necessarye to be beleued under payne of dampnacyon, that the
Sacramēt shuld be the naturall bodye of Christe: which thynge is proued
after this maner as foloweth.
Firste we muste all aknowlege that it is no artycle of our fayth whiche
can saue vs nor whiche we are bounde to beleue under the payne of
eternall dampnacyon. For yf I shulde beleue that hys verye naturall
bodye bothe fleshe and bloode were naturally in the breade and wyne,
that shulde not save me, seynge many beleue that, and receyue it to
their dampnacyon, for it is not hys presēce in the breade that cā saue
me, but hys presence in my harte through fayth in hys bloode, which
hathe washed out my synnes and pacyfyed the Fathers wrathe towarde me.
[Sidenote: Obiection.]
And a gayne yf I do not beleue hys bodelye presence in the breade and
wyne, that shall not dampne me, but the absence out of my harte through
vnbeleue. Now yf they wolde here obiecte that thoughe yt be true that
the absence out of the breade coulde not dampne vs: yet are we bounde to
beleue it because of Goddes worde, whiche who beleueth not, as moche as
in hym lyeth, maketh God a lyer. And therfore of an obstynate mynde not
to beleue hys worde, maye be an occasyon of dampnacyon.
[Sidenote: Soluciō]
To this we may answere, that we beleue Goddes worde and knowlege that it
is true: but in this we dissent, whether it be true in the sense that we
take it in, or in the sense that ye take it in. And we saye agayne, that
though ye haue (as yt apereth vnto yow) the evidēt wordes of Christe,
and therfor consiste in the barke of the letter: yet are we compelled by
conferrynge of the scryptures together, within the letter to serche out
the mynde of our sauiour whiche spake the worde. And we saye thyrdly,
that we do it not of an obstinate mynde. For he that defendeth a cause
obstinatly (whether yt be true or false) is euer to be reprehended. But
we do yt to satysfye our consciences whiche are compelled by other
places of scripture, reasons, and doctours, so to Iudge of yt.
And euen so ought yow to Iudge of youre partye, and to defend youre
sentence not of obstinacye, but by the reason of scriptures which cause
you so to take yt. And so ought neyther partye to dispyse other, for
eche seaketh the glory of God, and the true vnderstondynge of the
scripture. This was the foundacyon of my fyrste treatyse that he hathe
left vnshaken, which ys agreate argument that yt is very true. For els
hys pregnant witte could not haue passed yt so cleane over. But wolde
haue assayled yt with some sophisticall cavillacyon which by hys paynted
poetrye he myght so haue colloured, that at the least he myght make the
ignoraunt some apparēce of truthe, as he hathe done agaynste the resydue
of my fyrste treatyse, which neuertheles ys true ād shall so be proved.
¶And firste that it is none article of our faythe necessarye to be
beleued vnder payne of dampnacyon, may thus be furder cōfyrmed. The same
faithe shall saue vs whiche saued the old fathers before Christes
incarnacyon: But they were not bounde vnder payne of dāpnacyon to beleue
this poynte, therfore yt foloweth that we are not bounde therto vnder
the payne of dampnacyon. The fyrste parte of myne argument ys proued by
S. Austen ad Dardamum. And I dare boldly say almost in an .C. places
more. For I thynke there be no proposicyon which he doth more often
inculcate then thys, that the same faythe saved vs which saued our
fathers. The secōde parte ys manyfest, that yt nedeth no probacyon. For
how coulde they beleue that thynge which was neuer sayde nor done, and
without the worde they coulde haue no faythe. Upon the truthe of these
two partes muste the conclusyon neades folowe. Not withstōdynge they all
ded eate Christes bodye and dronke hys bloode spirytually, although they
had hym not presēt to their teth. And by that spirytuall eatynge (which
is the fayth in hys body ād blode) were saued as well as we are. For
assoone [Sidenote: Adam.] as our fore father Adam had transgressed Godes
precepte, & was fallē vnder cōdēpnacyō, oure moste mercyfull father of
hys gracyous favoure gaue hym the promyse of helthe and conforte, wherby
as many as beleued yt, were saued frō the thraldome of their
transgressyon. The worde and promyse was this. I shall put enmyte
betwene thy sede and her sede, [Sidenote: Gene. 3.] that sede shalt
treade the on the heade, and thou shall trede yt on the hele. In this
promyse they had knowlege that Christe shulde destroye the devyll with
all his power, ād delyuer hys faythfull from their synnes. And where he
sayd that the devyl shulde treade yt on the hele, they vnderstode ryght
well that the devyll shulde fynde the meanes by his wyles and wycked
mynysters to put Christe to deathe. And they knewe that God was true,
and wolde fulfyll hys promyse vnto them, and hartely longed after this
sede, and so dede bothe eate hys bodye and drynke his bloode,
acknowlegynge with infynyte thankes, that Christ shulde for their synnes
take the perfecte nature of manhode upon hym and also suffer the deathe:
This promyse was geuen to Adam, and saued as many as ded beleue and were
thankefull to God for his kyndnes, ād after yt was [Sidenote: Abrahā.
Gene. 12] establyshed vnto our father Abraham by the worde of God, which
sayde, in thy sede shall all nacyons of the earthe be blessed. And with
hym God made a couenāt, that he wolde be his God and do hym good. And
Abraham a gayne promysed to kepe his preceptes and walke in hys wayes.
Then God gaue hym the sacrament of circumsicion and called that hys
couenaunte, which thynge notwithstōdynge was not the very couenaunt in
dede although yt were so called. But was only a sygne, token, sacrament,
or memoryall of the couenaunte that was betwene God and hym, whiche
myght expounde our matter, yf men had eyes to see. After that God
promysed him a sone whē hys wyfe was past chylde bearynge and he also
very olde. Neuerthelesse he doubted not of Goddes worde. But surely
beleued, that he which promysed it was able to perfourme it. And that
was recounted vnto hym for ryghtuousnes. This Abraham ded bothe eate hys
bodye ād drynke hys blode (through faythe) belevynge verely that Christ
shulde take our nature and sprynge oute of hys seede (as touchynge his
fleshe) and also that he shulde suffer deathe to redeme vs. And as
Christ testifyeth, [Sidenote: Ioan. 8.] he hartely desyred to see the
day of Christ. And he sawe it and reioysed. He sawe yt in faythe ād had
the day of christ, that is to say, all those thynges that shulde chaunce
hym, playnly revelated vnto hym, albeit he were deade many hundred yeres
before yt were actually fulfylled ād reuelated vnto the worlde. And by
that fayth was he saued, and yet neuer ded eate hys fleshe with hys
teth, nor neuer beleued that breade shulde be hys bodye and wyne hys
bloode. And therfore syth he was also saued without that fayth, and the
same faythe shall saue vs which saued hym, I thynke that we shall also
be saued yf we eate hym spiritually (as he ded) although we neuer
beleued that the breade ys hys bodye. Furthermore that mercyfull
[Sidenote: Moses.]Moses (which brought the chyldern of Israell out of
Egypte in to the wyldernes) obtayned of God by prayers, both manna from
heauen to feade hys people, also water out of the stone to refresh and
comforte them. This māna and water were even the same thynge vnto thē
that the breade and wyne ys to vs. For as S. Austyn saythe: [Sidenote:
Aug. de uite agē darum.] _Quicunque in manna Christum intellexerunt
eumdem quem nos cibum spiritualem manducauerunt. Quicunque autem de
manna solam saturitatem quesiuerunt manducabant et mortui sunt. Sic
etiam eundem potum: petra enim erat Christus._
That is to say, as many as in that manna vnderstoode Christ, ded eate
that same spirytuall meate that we do, but as many as sought onely to
fyll their bellyes of that māna (the fathers of the unfaythful) dyd eate
and are dead. And lykewyse the same drynke, for the stone was Christ.
Here maye you gather of S. Austyn, that the manna was vnto them, as the
breade ys to vs, and lykewyse that the water was to them, as the wyne ys
to vs, whiche anone shall apeare more playnly. s. Austyn sayth further.
[Sidenote: Aug. super Ioā. tract. 26.] _Manducauit & Moyses manna
manducauit & Phinees, manducauerunt ibi multi qui deo placuerunt &
mortui non sunt. Quare quia uisibilem cibum spiritualiter intellexerunt,
spiritualiter esurierunt, spiritualiter gustauerunt, ut spiritualiter
satiarentur, omnes eandem escam spiritualem māducauerunt, & omnes eundem
potum spiritualem biberunt, spiritualem utique eandem nā corporalem
alterā (quia illi manna, nos aliud) spiritualem uero eandem quam nos. Vt
omnes eundem potum spiritualem biberunt aliud illi, aliud nos: sed spem
uisibili quod tamen hoc idem significaret uirtute spirituali. Quomodo
eundem potum biberant (inquit Apostolus) de spirituali sequenti petra:
petra autem erat Christus._ That ys to saye, Moses also dede eat manna,
and Aaron, ād Phinees, ded eate of yt, which plesed God and are not
deade. Wherfore? Because they understode the visyble meate spiritually.
They were spiritually an hongred, they tasted yt spiritually, that they
myght spiritually be replenyshed. They ded all eate the same spyrytuall
meate and all drāke the same spyrytuall drynke. Euen the same spyrituall
meate albeit an other bodely meate, for they ded eate manna, and we eat
an other thyng, but they ded eate the same spirituall which we doo. And
they all ded drynke the same spirituall drynke. They dranke one thynge,
and we an other: But that was in the outwarde apparence, which
neuerthelesse ded sygnyfye the same thynge spiritually. Nowe dranke they
the same drynke. They (sayth Thapostle) drāke of the spirytuall stone
folowynge them, and that stone was Christ. And therunto Bede added these
wordes. _Videte autem fide manente signa uariata._ That is to saye.
Beholde that the sygnes are altered, and yet the faythe abydeth one.
[Sidenote: Beda super. 1. Cor. 10.] Of these places you may playnely
perceyue not onely that yt is non artycle necessary to be beleued vnder
payne of dampnacyō, seynge the olde Fathers neuer beleued yt. And yet
ded eate Christ in fayth bothe before they had the manna, and with no
lesse frute whan the manna was ceased. And albeit the māna was to them
as the sacrament ys to vs, and they eate even the same spirytuall meate
that we do, yet were they neuer so madde as to beleue that the manna was
chaunged in to Christes owne naturall body. But vnderstode yt
spirytually, that as the outwarde man ded eate the materyall manna which
comforted the bodye, so ded the inwarde man through fayth, eate the
bodye of Christ, belevynge that as that manna came downe from heavē and
conforted their bodyes, so shulde their savyoure Christe which was
promysed thē of God the Father, come downe from heauē and strēgthē their
soules in euerlastynge lyfe, redeamynge them from their synne by his
death and resurrectyon. And lyke wyse do we eate Christe in fayth both
before we come to the sacrament, ād more expresly through the sacrament,
and with no lesse frute after we haue receyued the sacrament, and neade
no more to make yt hys naturall bodye, thē the manna was, but myght
moche better vnderstonde yt spirytuallye, that as the outwarde mā dothe
eate the materyall breade which cōforteth the bodye, so doth the inwarde
mā through faythe eate the bodye of Christe, belevynge that as the
breade ys broken, so was Christes bodye broken on the crosse for our
synnes which cōforteth our soules vnto lyfe euerlastynge. And as that
faythe ded saue thē without belevynge that the manna was altered into
hys bodye, even so dothe this faythe saue vs, although we beleue not
that the substaunce of breade ys turned in to his naturall bodye. For
the same fayth shall saue vs which, saved them. And we are bounde to
beleue no more vnder payne of dampnacyon, thē they were bounde to
beleue. They beleued in God the Father almyghty maker of heaven and
earth, and all that ys in them. [Sidenote: Gene. 1.] They ded beleve
that Christe was the sōne of God. They ded beleue that he shuld take our
nature of a virgyn. [Sidenote: Psalm. 2.] They beleued that he shulde
suffer the death [Sidenote: Esay. 7.] for our delyuerāce, which thynge
was [Sidenote: Actes. 3.] sygnyfied in all the sacryfyces, and besydes
that testyfyed in euery Prophete. For [Sidenote: Actes. 2.] there was
verely not one Prophete, but he spake of that poynte: [Sidenote: Psal.
15.] They beleued that hys soule shuld not be lefte in hell, but that he
shulde aryse from death and reynge euerlastyngly with his Father.
And to be shorte, there is no poynte in oure Crede, but that they
beleued yt, as well as we do, and those artycles are onely necessarye
vnto saluacyon. For them, am I bounde to beleue, and am dampned without
excuse yf I beleue them not. But the other poyntes contayned in
scripture although they be vndoubted verytees, yet may I be saued
without them. As be it in case that I neuer harde of them, I canot
vnderstande them nor comprehende them, or yf that I heare them, yet by
the reason of another texte mysconstrue thē, as the Bohemes do the
wordes of Christe in the .6. chapiter of Iohan. All these thynges I saye
may be done without any Ieoperdye of dampnacyō. In every texte ys but
onely one veryte, for which it was spoken, ād yet some textes there be
which of catolycke doctours are expounded in vi. or, vij. sondry
fashyons. Therefore if we beleue the artycles of our crede, in the
others ys no parell, so that we haue a probable reason to dyssent from
them. But now to retourne to our purpose. Yf we wyll examyne the
autorytees of S. Austyn and Beda before alleged, we shall espye that
besyde the probacyon of this forsayde proposicyon, they open the
mysterye of all our matter to them that haue eyes to see. For, S. Austyn
sayth, that we and the olde fathers do dyffer as touchynge the bodely
meate, for they ded eate manna, and we breade, but albeit yt varyed in
the outwarde apperaunce, yet neuerthelesse spirytually yt ded sygnyfye
one thynge. For both the māna ād breade sygnyfyed Christe. And so both
they and we do eate one spirytuall meate, that ys to saye, we bothe eate
the thynge which sygnifyeth and representeth vnto vs the very one
spirituall meate of out soules, which is Christe.
And beda doth playnely call both the māna and the breade sygnes, sayēge.
Beholde that the sygnes are altered and yet the fayth abydeth one. Now
yf they be sygnes, than they do sygnyfye and are not the very thyng yt
selfe which they do sygnyfye. For the sygne is a thynge dyuerse from the
thynge yt selfe which it doth sygnyfye and represent. As the ale polees
are not the ale yt selfe which they do sygnyfy or represēt. Here thou
wylt obiecte agaynste me, that yf this fayth be suffycyent, what nedeth
the institucyō of a sacramēt? I answere, that sacramētes are instituted
for. iij, causes: The fyrste ys assygned of S. Austyn, which sayth on
this maner. [Sidenote: Aug. cōtra Faustum. Li. 19. ca. 11.] _In nullum
autem nomen religionis, seu uerū, seu falsum, coagulari homines possunt,
nisi signaculorum seu sacramentorum uisibilium cōsortio colligantur,
quorum sacramentorum uis inenarrabiliter ualet plurimum, & ideo
contempta sacrilegos facit. impie quippe cōtemnitur sine qua persici nō
potest pietas._ That ys to saye: mē cā not be ioyned in to any kynde of
relygyō whether yt be treue or false, excepte they be knytte in
felowshyppe by some vysyble tokēs or sacramētes, the power of which
sacramentes ys of suche efficacyte, that cā not be expressed. And
therfor yt maketh them that dyspyse yt to be abhorred, for it is
wyckednes to despyse that thynge without which godlynes can not be
brought to passe. Thus yt apereth that necessyte ys the fyrst cause. For
there can no congregacyon be severed out of the multytude of men, but
they muste nedes haue a sygne, tokē, sacramēt, or commō badge, by the
which they may knowe eche other. And there is no defferēce betwene a
sygne or a badge ād a sacrament, but that the sacrament sygnyfyeth an
holy thynge, and a sygne or a badge dothe sygnyfye a worldly thyng.
[Sidenote: Augustī ad Marcellinū.] As S. Austē sayeth. Sygnes when they
are referred to holy thynges are called sacramētes. The seconde cause of
their instytucyōys, that they may be a meane to brynge vs vnto hys
fayth, & to enprēte yt the deper in vs, for yt doth customably the more
move a man to beleue, when he perceyueth the thynge expressed to dyuerse
sēses at ones. As yf I promyse a mā to mete hym at aday appoynted, he
wyll sōwhat trust my worde, but yet he trusteth not so moche vnto it, as
yf I ded both promyse hym with my worde and also clappe handes with hym,
or holde vp my fynger, for he counteth that this promyse ys stronge ād
more faythfull then ys the bare worde, because yt moveth mo senses. For
the worde doth but onely certyfye the thynge vnto a mā by the sence of
hearynge; but whē with my promyse immedyatly after I holde vp my fynger,
then do I not onely certyfye hym by the sense of hearynge: But also by
hys syght, he perceyueth that that facte confyrmeth my worde. And in the
clappynge of handes he perceyueth both by hys sight ād fealynge, besyde
the worde, that I wyll fulfyll my promyse. And lykewyse yt ys in this
sacramente, Christ promysed them, that he wolde geue hys bodye to be
slayne for their synnes. And for to establyshe the fayth of this promyse
in them, he ded instytute the sacrament which he called hys bodye, to
thentēt that the very name yt selfe myght put them in remembraunce what
was mēt by yt, he brake the breade before them, sygnyfyenge vnto them
outwardly euen the same thynge, that he by his wordes hadde before
protested And euen as hys wordes hadde enformed thē by their hearynge,
that he entended so to do: so the breakynge of that breade enformed
their eye syght that he wolde fulfyll hys promyse. Then he dede
dystrybute yt amonge them to enprynte the matter more depely in them,
sygnyfyenge therby, that even as that breade was devyded amonge them, so
shuld hys bodye and frute of hys passyon be dystrybuted vnto as many as
beleued hys wordes. Fynally he caused them to eate yt, that nothynge
shuld be lackynge to cōfyrme that necessarye poynte of fayth in them,
sygnyfienge therby, that as verely as they felte that breade within
them, so sure shuld they be of hys bodye through fayth. And that euen as
that breade doth nouryshe the bodye, so doth the fayth in hys bodye
breakynge nouryshe the soule vnto euerlastying lyfe. Thus ded our
mercyfull savyour (which knoweth our fraylte ād weakenes) to establyshe
ād strengthē their fayth in hys bodye breakynge ād bloode shedynge,
which is our shoteāker and laste refuge, without which we shulde all
peryshe. The thyrde cause of this institucyon and profyte that cōmeth of
yt ys this. They that haue receyued these blessed tydynges and worde of
health, do loue to publyshe thys felycyte vnto other men. And to geue
thankes before the face of the congregacyon vnto their bounteous
benefactoure, and as moche as in them is, to drawe all people to the
praysynge of God with them, which thynge though yt be partely done by
the prechynge of Godes worde ād frutefull exhortcyons, yet doth that
vysyble token & sacramente (yf a man vnderstāde what ys mēt therby) more
effectuously worke in them both fayth and thankesgeuynge, thē doth the
bare worde: But yf a man wote not what yt meaneth, ād seketh healthe in
the sacrament and outwarde sygne, thē may he well be lykened vnto a
fonde felowe, which when he ys very drye, & an honest man shewe hym an
ale pole, and tell hym that there is good ale ynough, wold go ād sucke
the ale pole, trustynge to get drynke out of yt, and so to quench hys
thurste. Now a wyse man wyll tell hym that he playeth the foole. For the
ale pole doth but sygnyfye that there ys good ale in the howse, where
the ale pole stādeth, ād wyll tell hym that he must go nere the howse,
ād there he shall fynde the drynke, ād not stāde suckynge the ale pole
in vayne. For yt shall not ease him, but rather make him more drye. For
the ale pole doth sygnyfye good ale: yet the ale pole yt selfe ys no
good ale, neyther ys there any good ale in the ale pole. And lykewyse yt
ys in all sacramentes. For yf we vnderstande not what they meane, ād
seke health in the outwarde sygne: thē we sucke the ale pole ād laboure
in vayne. But yf we do vnderstāde the meanynge of thē, thā shal we seake
what they sygnyfye, and go to the thynge sygnyfyed, and there shall we
fynde vndoubted health. As to our purpose, in this Sacrament wherof we
speake, we muste note what yt sygnyfyeth, ād there shall we fynde our
redēpcyon. It sygnyfyeth that Christes bodye was broken vpon the crosse
to redeame vs from the thraldome of the deuyll, ād that his blode was
shedde for vs to washe away our synnes. Therfore we muste ronne thyther
yf we wyll be eased. For yf we thynke to haue our synnes forgeven, for
eatynge of the sacrament, or for seynge the sacrament ones a day, or for
prayenge vnto yt: then surely we sucke the ale pole. And by thys you may
perceyue what profytte commeth of these sacramentes the which eyther
haue no sygnyfycacyons put vnto them, or els when their sygnyfycacyons
are loste and forgotten. For then no doubt they are not commended of
God, but are rather abhomynable. For whan we knowe not what they meane,
then seake we health in the outwarde dede, and so are iniuryous vnto
Christe and hys bloode. As by example, the sacryfyces of the Iewes were
well allowed and accepted of God as longe as they vsed them a ryght and
vnderstoode by thē the death of Christe, the sheadynge of hys blood, ād
that holy oblacyō offred on the crosse ones for euer. But when they
begane to forget this sygnyfycacyon and sought their healthe and
ryghtuousnes in the bodely worke and in the sacryfyce yt selfe, then
were they abhomynable in the syght of God, and then he cryed out of them
bothe by the Prophete Dauid and Esaye: And lykewyse yt is with our
sacramentes. Let vs therfore seke vp the sygnyficacyōs, & go to the very
thyng which the sacramēt ys set to presēt vnto vs. And there shall we
fynd such frutefull foode as shall neuer fayle vs, but cōforte our
soules into lyfe euerlastynge.
Now wyll I in order answere to master Mores boke, and as I fynde occasyō
geuen me, I shall indeuoure my selfe to supplye that thynge which lacked
in the fyrste treatyse. And I trust I shall shewe suche lyght that all
men whose eyes the Prynce of thys worlde hath not blynded, shall
perceyue the truthe of the scripture and glorye of Christe. And where as
in my fyrste treatyse the truthe was set forthe with all symplycyte, and
nothynge armed agaynste the assaultes of sophysters, that haue I somwhat
redressed in this boke, ād haue brought bones fytte for their teth,
which yf they be to busy, may chaunce to choke them.
Thus endeth my lytle treatyse that I wrote vnto my frynde, beynge
sufficyent for hys instructyon.
Here begynneth the preface of Master Mores boke.
[Sidenote: Master. More.] In my moste hartye wyse I recommende me vn to
you, & sende you by thys brynger the wrytynge agayne whyche I receyued
from you. Wherof I haue bene offered a cople of copyes mo, in the meane
whyle, as late as ye wote well yt was.
[Sidenote: Fryth.] ¶ Deare bretherne consyder these wordes & prepare you
fo the crosse that Christe shall laye vpon you, as ye haue ofte bene
counselled. For even as whan the wolue [Sidenote: 1. Pet. 2.] howleth
the shepe hadde neade to gather [Sidenote: Luc. 22.] them selues to
their shepharde, to be delyuered from the assaulte of the blodye beaste,
lykewyse hadde you neade to flye vnto the shepharde of your soules
Christe Iesus, and to sell your cootes and bye hys spirituall sworde
[Sidenote: Ephe. 6.] (whiche is the worde of God) to defende and delyuer
you in thys present necessyte. For now is the tyme that Christ tolde vs
of, [Sidenote: Mat. 10.] Math. 10. that he was come (by hys worde) to
sette varyaunce betwene the sonne and hys father, betwene the doughter
and her mother, betwene the doughter in lawe & her mother in lawe,
[Sidenote: Mich. 3.] and that a mans owne housholde shalbe hys enemyes.
But be not dysmayed nor thynke it no wonder, for Christ chose .12. and
one of them betrayed hys master. [Sidenote: Ioan. 6.] And we that are
hys dyscyples may loke for no better than he hadde hym selfe: [Sidenote:
Mat. 10.] For the scoler is not a boue hys master.
Saynt Paul protesteth that he was in [Sidenote: 2. Cor. 11.] parell
amonge the false bretherne, and surely I suppose that we are in no lesse
Ieopardye. For yf it be so that hys mastershype receyved one copye and
hadde acople of copyes mo offered in the meanewhyle, then may ye be sure
that there are many false bretherne which pretende to haue knowlege, and
in dede be but pyke thākes, prouydynge for their belye. Prepare ye
therfore clokes, for the wether wexeth clowdye, and rayne is lyke to
folowe. I meane not false excuses and forswerynge of your selfes: but
that ye loke substancyally vpon Goddes worde, that you may be able to
answere their sotle obectyons. And rather chose māfully to dye for
Christe and hys worde, than cowardly to denye hym, for this vayne and
transytory lyfe, consyderyng that they haue no further power but ouer
this corruptible bodye, which yf they put it not to deathe, muste yet at
the length peryshe of yt selfe. [Sidenote: 2. Cor. 10.] But I truste the
Lorde shall not suffer you to be tēpted a boue that you may beare, but
accordynge to the spirite that he shall poure vpon you, shall he also
sende you the scourge, ād make hym that hath receyued more of the
spyryte, to suffer more, ād hym that receyueth lesse therof, to suffer
accordynge to hys talent. I thought it necessarye fyrst to admonyshe you
of thys matter, and now I wyll recyte more of master Mores boke.
[Sidenote: More.] ❧ Whereby men may see how greadely these newe named
bretherne wryte it out, and secretely spreade it a brode.
[Sidenote: Fryth.] ¶ The name is of great antiquite, althoughe you lyste
to iest. For they were called bretherne before our Byshoppes were called
Lordes, ād had the name gyuē thē by Christe sayenge, Mat. xxiij. All ye
are bretherne. And Luc. xxij. Cōfyrme thy bretherne. And the name was
cōtynued by the Apostles, & is a name that norysheth loue ād amyte. And
very gladde I am to heare of their greadye affectyon in wrytynge out the
worde of God, for by that I do perceyue the prophesye of Amos [Sidenote:
Amos. ] to haue place, which sayth in the person of God. I wyll sende
hōger ād thurste in to the earth, not honger for meate nor thurste for
drynke. But for to heare the worde of God. Now begynneth the kyngdome of
heuē to suffer vyolēce: [Sidenote: Mat. 11.] Now rōne the poore
Publicanes whiche knowelege them selfes synners, to the worde of God,
puttynge both goodes and bodye in [Sidenote: Luc. 18.] Ieoperdye for the
soule health. And though our Byshopes do calle it heresye, and all them
heretyques that honger after yt, yet do we knowe that it is the Gospell
of the leuynge God, for the health and saluacyon of all that beleue.
[Sidenote: Rom. 1.] And as for the name doth nothynge offende vs, though
they call it heresy a thousande tymes.[Sidenote: Act. 24.] For saynte
Paule testyfyeth that the Pharysees and Prestes whyche were counted the
very churche in hys tyme, ded so call it, and therfore it forseth not
though they, rulyng in their rowmes, vse the same names.
[Sidenote: More.] ❧ Which yonge man I here say hathe latelye made dyuers
other thynges that yet ronne in hoker moker so close amonge the
bretherne that there cometh no copyes abrode.
[Sidenote: Fryth.] ¶ I answere, that surely I can not spynne, and I
thynke no man more hateth to be ydle than I do. Wherfor in suche thynges
as I am able to do, I shalbe dylygent as longe as God lendeth me my
lyfe. And if ye thynke I be to busye, you may rydde me the sooner, for
euen as the shepe is in the bochers hādes ready bounde & loketh but euen
for the grace of the bocher when he shall shedde hys blode: Euen so am I
bounde at the Byshoppes pleasures, euer lokynge for the day of my
deathe. In so moche that playne worde was sent me, that the chaunceloure
of London sayde, it shulde coste me the best bloode in my body, which I
wolde gladly were shedde tomorowe, yf so be it myght open the Kynges
graces eyes.
And verely I maruell that any thynge can ronne in hoker moker or be
hydde frō you. For seynge you myght haue suche store of copyes,
concernynge the thynge which I moste desyred to haue bene kepte secrete,
how shuld you than lacke a copye of those thynges wich I moste wolde
haue publyshed? And hereof ye maye be sure, I care not though you and
all the Byshoppes within England loke vpon all that euer I wrote, but
rather wolde be gladde that ye so ded. For yf there be any sparcle of
grace in your breastes, I trust it shulde be an occasyon somwhat to
kyndle it, that you may consyder and know your selfes, which is the
first poynte of wysdome.
❧ And wolde God for hys mercye [Sidenote: More.] (sayeth M. More) that
syth there can nothynge refrayne their studye, from devyse and
compassynge of euill ād vngracyous wrytynge, that they wolde ād coulde
keape it so secretely that neuer man shulde see it. But suche as are so
farre corrupted, as neuer wolde be cured of their canker.
[Sidenote: Fryth.] ¶ It is not possyble for hym that hath hys eyes and
seeth hys brother which lacketh syght in Ieoperdye of peryshynge at a
perellous pytte, but that he muste come to hym ād guyde hym, tyll he be
past that Ieoperdye, and at the least wyse, yf he can not come to hym,
yet wyll he call and crye vnto hym to cause hym chose the better waye,
excepte hys harte be cankered with the contagyon of suche hatred that he
can reioyse in hys neyghbours dystructyon. And euē so is it not possyble
for vs which haue receyued the knowelege of Goddes worde, but that we
muste crye and call to other, that they leaue the perellous patthes of
their owne folyshe fantasyes. [Sidenote: Deut. 12.] And do that onely to
the Lorde, that he commaundeth them, neyther addynge any thynge nor
dymynyshynge. And therfor vntyll we see some meanes founde, by the which
a reasonable reformacyon may be had on the one partye, and suffycyent
instructyon for the poore cōmons, I insure you, I neyther wyll nor can
cease to speake. For the worde of God boyleth in my bodye, lyke a
fervente fyre, & wyll neades haue an yssue and breake out, whā occasyon
is geuē.
But this hath bene offered you, is offered, and shall be offered.
Graunte that the worde of God, I meane the texte of scrypture, maye go
abrode in oure Englyshe tonge, as other nacyons haue it in their tōges,
and my brother Wyllyā Tyndall ād I haue done, & wyll promyse you to
wryte no more. Yf you wyll not graunte this condycyō, then wyll we be
doynge whyle we haue breathe, and shewe in fewe wordes that the
scripture doth in many: and so at the least saue some.
[Sidenote: More.] ❧ But a lacke this wyll not be. For as S. Paule
sayeth, the contagyō of heresye creapeth ou lyke a cāker. For as the
cāker corrupteth the bodye forthere and forther, & tourneth the hole
partes in to the same deadly sycknes, so doth these heresyes crepe forth
amonge good symple soules, tyll at the laste it be almost past remedye.
[Sidenote: Fryth.] ¶ Thys is a very true sayēge ād maketh well agaynst
hys owne purpose. For in dede thys contagyō begā to sprynge euē in S.
Paules tyme. In so moche that the Galathyans were in a maner wholy
seduced from hys doctryne. And he sayde to the Thessalonyans, [Sidenote:
1. The. 2.] the mystery of iniquyte euen now begynneth to worke.
[Sidenote: 1. Ioā. 4.] And saynt Iohn testyfyeth that there were all
readye many Antichrystes rysen in hys dayes. And also Paule prophesyed
what shulde folowe after hys tyme. [Sidenote: Act. 20.] Actes. xx.
sayenge: Take ye hede to your selues and to all the flocke, ouer whyche
the holye Gost hath put you overseers, to feade the congregacyon of God
whyche he purchased wyth hys owne bloode. For I knowe thys well, that
after my departynge shall enter in greuouse wolues amonge you, which
shall not spare the flocke. And euen of your selues shall aryse men,
speakynge perverse thynges, to drawe dyscyples after them, and therfore
watche, & ce. Thys canker then began to sprede in the congregacyon, and
ded full sore noye the bodye, in so moche that within .iiij. C. yeare
there were very many sectes scatered in euerye coste. Notwithstandynge
there were faythfull fathers that dylygently subdued thē wyth the swerde
of Goddes worde. [Sidenote: Siluest.] But surely sens Siluester receyued
suche possessyons, hath the canker so crepte in the churche, that it
hath almoste lefte neuer a founde member. And as Cistercensis wryteth in
the .viij. boke, that day that he receyued revennues, was a voyce harde
in the ayre cryeng ouer the courte which sayde, Thys daye is venome shed
in to the churche of God. Before that tyme there was no Byshope greadye
to take a cure. For it was no honoure & profytte as it is now, but onely
a carefull charge which was lyke to cost hym his lyfe at one tyme or
other. And therfore no man wolde take it, but he that bare suche a loue
and zele to God and his flocke, that he coulde be content to shedde hys
bloode for them. But after that it was made so honorable and profytable,
they that were worste bothe in lernynge and leuynge, moste laboured for
it. For they that ware vertuous wolde [Sidenote: Mat. 7.] not entangle
them selues with the vayne pryde of thys worlde, ād weare .iij.
[Sidenote: Mar. 15.] Crownes of golde, where Christe ded weare one of
thorne. [Sidenote: Ioā. 19.] And in conclusyon it came so farre, that
who so euer wolde geue moste money for it or beste coulde flatter the
Prynce (which he knewe well all good mē to abhorre) had the prehemynence
and gotte the best Byshopryke, and then in steade of Goddes worde, they
publyshed their owne commaundemētes, and made lawes to haue all vnder
them, and made men beleue they coulde not erre what so euer they ded or
sayde, ād euē as in the rowines ād stede of Moses, Aarō, Eliazer, Iosue,
Calib, and other faythfull folke, came Herode, Annas, Caiphas, Pylate
and Iudas, which put Christ to death: So now in the steade of Christe,
Peter, Paule, Iames, ād Iohn, and the faythfull folowers of Christe, we
haue the Pope, Cardynalles, Archebyshoppes, Byshoppes, and proude
prelates, with their proctoure the malycyous mynyster of their master
the Deuyll, which not withstondynge transforme thē selues in to a
lykenes, [Sidenote: 1. Cor. 11.] as though they were the mynysters of
ryghtuousnes, whose ende shalbe acordyng to their workes. So that the
bodye is cākered longe agone, ād now are lefte but certayne small
mēbres, which God of hys puyssante power hath reserued vncorrupted. And
because they see that they can not be cankered as their owne fleshe is,
for pure anger they burne them, leaste yf they cōtynued there myght
seame some deformyte in their owne cankered carcase, by the comparynge
of these whole membres to their scabbed body.
[Sidenote: More.] ¶ Techeth in a fewe leaues shortely all the poyson
that Wyclefe, Ecolāpadius, Tyndall, & Zwynglius haue taught in all their
bokes before, cōcernynge the blessed Sacramente of the aulter: not
onelye affyrmynge it to be verye breade styll (as Luther doth) but also
(as these other beastes do) sayeth it is nothynge els. And after the
same syr Thomas More sayeth. These dregges hath he dronken of Wyclefe,
Ecolāpadius, Tyndall, and Zwynglius, and so hath he all that he argueth
here besyde, whych .iiij. what maner folke they be, is metely well
perceyued and knowen, and God hath in parte, wyth hys open vengeaunce
declared.
[Sidenote: Fryth.] ¶ Luther is not the prycke that I ronne at, but the
scrypture of God. I do neyther affyrme nor denye any thynge, because
Luther so sayeth but be cause the scrypture of God doth so conclude and
determe. I take not Luther for soche an autoure that I thynke he cānot
erre, but I thynke verely that he both may erre and doth erre in
certayne poyntes, although not in suche as concerne saluacyon and
dampnacyō. For in thē (blessed be God) all these whome ye call heretykes
do agre ryght well. And lykewyse I do not alowe thys thynge because
Wyclefe, Decolampadius, Tyndall, and Zwinglius so saye, but because I
see them in that place more purely expounde the scrypture, and that the
processe of the texte doth more fauoure their sentence.
And where you saye that I affyrme yt to be breade styll as Luther doth,
the same I saye agayne, not be cause Luther so sayeth, but because I can
proue my wordes true by scrypture, reason of nature, and doctours. Paule
calleth it breade saynge: [Sidenote: 1. Cor. 10.] The breade which we
breake, is it not the felowshyppe of the bodye of Christe: For we though
we be manye, are yet one bodye and one breade: as manye as are pertakers
of one breade. And agayne he sayeth. [Sidenote: 1. Cor. 11.] As often as
ye eate of this breade, or drynke of this cuppe, you shall shewe the
Lordes death vntyll he come. Also Luke calleth it breade in the actes
sayenge: [Sidenote: Act. 2.] they contynued in the felowshyp of the
Apostles and in breakynge of breade, & in prayer. [Sidenote: Luc. 22.]
Also Christe called the cuppe, the frute of vyne, sayenge. I shall not
from hence forthe drynke of the frute of the vyne, vntyll I drynke that
a newe in the kyngdome of my Father.
Furthermore nature doth teche you that both the breade and wyne contynue
in their nature. For the breade mouldeth yf it be kepte longe, yea, and
wormes breede in it. And the poore mouse wyll ronne away with it, and
desyre none other meate to her dyner, whiche are euydēt ynough that
there remayneth breade. Also the wyne yf it were reserued wolde wexe
sower, as they confesse thē selues, and therfore they howsell the laye
people but wyth one kynde onely, because the wyne can not contynue nor
be reserued, to haue readye at hande when neade were. And surely as yf
there remayned no breade it coulde not moulde nor wexe full of wormes:
Euē so yf there remayned no wyne, it coulde not wexe sower, and therfore
it is but false doctryne, that our Prelates so lōge haue publyshed.
Fynallye that there remayneth breade myght be proued by the auctoryte of
many doctours, which call it breade and wyne, as Christ and hys Apostles
ded. And thoughe some sophysters wolde wreste their sayenges and
expounde them after their fantasye, yet shall I alledge thē one doctoure
(which was also Pope of Rome) that maketh so playne wyth vs that they
shalbe compelled with shame to holde their tonges. For Pope Gelasius
wryteth on this maner. _Certe sacramenta quæ sumimus corporis et
sanguinis Christi diuinæ res sunt & propterea per illa, participes facti
sumus diuinæ naturæ, & tamen non desinit esse substantia uel panis &
uini, sed permanēt in suæ proprietati naturæ. Et certe imago &
similitudo corporis & sanguinis Christi in actione misteriorum
celebrantur._ That is to saye, surely the sacramentes of the bodye and
bloode of Christe, are a godly thynge, and therfore through them are we
made partakers of the Godly nature. And yet doth it not cease to be the
substaunce, or nature of breade and wyne, but they contynue in the
propertye of their owne nature. And surely the Image and symylytude of
the bodye and bloode of Christe, are celebrated in the acte of the
mysteryes. Thys I am sure was the olde doctryne which they cā not
avoyde. And therfor wyth the scrypture, nature, ād fathers, I wyll
conclude that there remayneth the substaunce, and nature, of breade and
wyne.
[Sidenote: More.] And where ye saye that we affyrme it to be nothynge
els, I dare saye that ye vntrulye reporte of vs all. And here after I
wyll shewe you what it is more then breade. And where ye saye that it is
meately well knowen what maner of folke they be, and that GOD hath in
parte wyth hys open vengeaunce declared.
[Sidenote: Fryth.] ¶ I answere that Master Wyclefe was noted whyle he
was lyuynge, [Sidenote: Wiclefe.] to be a man not onely of moste famous
doctryne, but also of a very syncere lyfe and conversacyon.
Neuerthelesse to declare your malycyous myndes and vengeable hartes (as
men saye) xv. yeares after he was buryed, you toke hym vp and brente
hym, whiche facte declared your furye, although he felte no fyre.
[Sidenote: Mat. 10.] But blessed be GOD whiche hath geuen suche
tyrauntes no further power, but over thys corruptyble bodye. For the
soule ye can not bynde nor burne, [Sidenote: Mal. 2.] but God maye
blesse where you curse, and curse where you blesse.
[Sidenote: Ecolampadius.] ¶ And as for Oecolampadius, that notable
learned man, hys moste aduersaryes haue euer commended hys conversacyon
and Godlye lyfe, which when God has appoynted hys tyme, gaue place vnto
nature (as euery man muste) and dyed of a canker.
[Sidenote: Tyndal.] And Tyndall I truste lyueth, well contente with
suche a poore Apostles lyfe, as GOD gaue hys sone Christe, and hys
faythfull mynysters in thys worlde, whiche is not sure of so many mytes,
as ye be yearly of poundes, although I am sure that for hys learnynge
and Iudgement in scripture, he were more worthye to be promoted, then
all the Byshoppes in Englande. I receyued a letter from hym, whiche was
wrytten sens Chrystmas, wherin amonge other matters he wryteth thus. I
calle GOD to recorde agaynst the daye we shall appere before our Lorde
Iesus to geue a rekonynge of our doynges, that I neuer altered one
syllable of Godes worde agaynste my conscyēce, nor wolde do this daye,
yf all that is in earth, whether it be honoure, pleasure, or ryches,
myght be geuen me. Morover I take GOD to recorde to my conscience, that
I desyre of GOD to my selfe in this wurlde no more then that without
whiche I can not keape hys lawes, & ce. Iudge Christen reader whether
these wordes be not spokē of a faythfull clere innocent harte. And as
for hys behauyoure is suche, that I am sure no man can reproue hym of
any synne, howbeit no man is innocent before God which beholdeth the
harte.
[Sidenote: Zwynglius.] Fynallye Zwinglius was a man of suche learnynge
and grauyte (besyde eloquence) that I thynke no man in Christendome
myght haue compared with hym, notwithstondynge he was slayne in battayle
in defendynge hys cytye, and cōmōwelth, agaynste the assaulte of wycked
enemyes, whiche cause was moste ryghtuouse.