may they make me the sooner to beleue it. For Christe tolde vs before
[Sidenote: Mat. 24.] that suche delusyons shulde come, that yf it were
possyble, the very electe shulde be deceyued by them. [Sidenote: 2. Tes,
2.] And S. Paule exorteth vs to be ware of such sygnes ād wōders. And
therfore I do as Moses teacheth me [Sidenote: Deu. 13.] when I here of
suche a wonder, then strayght I loke vpon the doctryne that is annexed
wyth it. Yf it teache me to referre all the honoure to God and not to
creatures, and teache me nothynge but that wyll stonde with Goddes
worde, then wyll I saye, that it is of God. But yf it teache me suche
thynges as wyll not stonde with hys worde, then wyll I determyne that it
is done by the deuell, to delude the people with dampnable Idolatrye.
When Paule and Barnabas preached at Lystra [Sidenote: Acte. 24.] and had
done a myracle amonge them, the people ranne and wolde haue done
sacryfyce vnto them. But the Apostles ranne amonge them and tare their
clothes, cryenge vnto them, syrs what do you? We are euen corruptyble
men as ye are, and preache vnto you, that you shulde leaue thys vayne
superstycyon, ād worshyppe the leuynge God, which made heauē, earth, the
see, and all that is in thē et c. Here the Apostles refused suche honour
& worshyppe. And therfore I am sure they wolde not suffer their Images
to haue it. Now when I see a myracle done at any Image, and perceyue
that it bryngeth mē to the worshyppynge of it selfe, cōtrarye to the
facte and doctryne of the Apostles, whiche wolde not receyue it them
selues, I must neades conclude, that it is but a delusyon done by the
deuell to deceyue vs, ād to brynge the wrath of God vpon vs. Euē so I
saye of the sacramēt, syth the myracles that are don by it, do make mē
thynke otherwyse thē scripture wyll, ād cause mē to worshyppe it: I
doubte not but they are done by the deuell, to delude the peple. Thou
wylt perauēture say, that god wyll hym to abuse the sacrament of hys
bodye and bloode. Yes verelye, god wyll suffer yt, and doth suffer yt,
to see whether we wyll be faythfull and abyde by hys worde or not. And
mervell not therof, [Sidenote: Matt. 4.] for God suffered hym to take
vppe the verye naturall bodye of his sonne Christ and set hym vpon a
pynnacle of the temple. And after he toke hym vppe agayne, and ledde hym
to ā exceadynge moūtayne. And therfore thynke not but that he hath more
power over the sacramēt thē he had ouer christes owne bodye. And
therfore when they tell me, lo here is Christ: lo there is Christ (as
Christ prophecyed) lo, he is at thys aultre, lo, he is at that, I wyll
not beleue them.
Neuerthelesse yf I shulde graunte that all the myracles whiche were done
and ascrybed vnto the sacramente, were very true myracles and done of
God hym selfe (as I doubt not but some of thē be true) yet there vpon yt
doth not folowe that the Sacrament shulde be the verye naturall bodye of
Christe. For we haue evydent storyes that certayne persones haue bene
delyvered from bodelye dyseases through the sacrament of Baptyme. And
yet the water is not the holye Gost nor the very thynge yt selfe wherof
it is a sacramente. [Sidenote: Actes. 5.] The shadowe of Peter healed
many. And yet was not that shadowe Peters owne parson. [Sidenote: Actu.
19.] We reade also that napkyns and hande kerchers were caryed from
Paule vnto them that were sycke and possessed with vncleane spiretes and
they receyued their health. And yet it were neuerthelesse madnes, to
thynke that Paules bodye had bene actuallye or naturallye in those
thynges. And therfore thys is but a verye weake reason, to Iudge by the
myracles the presence of Christes bodye. And surelye you myght be
ashamed to make so slender reasons. For God maye worke myracles through
manye thynges which are not hys naturall bodye. And as towchynge the
olde doctoures whome you fayne to make wyth you, & the trouth of your
opynyon which you saye hath bene beleued of all good Christen people
this xv. C. yeares, is suffycyently declared before, and proued to be
but a poynte of your olde poetrye.
¶ Doctoure Barnes ded gracyouslye escape Master Mores handes.
[Sidenote: More.] And also Fryre Barnes, albeit that as ye wote well he
is in many other thynges a brother of thys yonge mās secte: yet in this
heresye he sore abhorreth hys heresye, or els he lyeth hym selfe. For at
hys laste beynge here he wrote a letter to me. Wherin he wryteth that I
laye that heresye wrōgfullye to hys charge. And sheweth hym selfe so
sore greved therwith that he sayeth, he wyll in my reproche make a boke
a gaynst me. Wherin he wyll professe and proteste hys faythe concernynge
this blessed sacramente. But in the meane season it well contenteth me,
that fryre Barnes beynge a man of more age, and more rype dyscrecyon,
and a doctoure of dyuynyte, and in those thynges better learned then
thys yonge man is, abhorreth thys yōge mannes heresye in thys poynte, as
well as he lyketh hym in many other.
[Sidenote: Fryth.] ¶ The more your mastershyppe prayseth Doctoure
Barnes, the worse men maye lyke your matter. For in many poyntes he doth
condempne your dampnable doctryne, as in hys boke appeareth. And
therfore yf suche credence must be geuē to hym, then moche the lesse
wyll be geuen to you. But peraduenture you wyll saye, that he is to be
beleued in this poynte, although he erre in other. Wherevnto I answere,
that yf you wyll consent vnto hym, I wolde be well apayed and wyll
promyse you to wryte no more in that matter. For in this we both agre,
that it ought not to be worshypped, yea and (blessed be God) all the
other whome you call heretyckes. And so both of vs do avoyde the
Idolatrye which you with so greate daunger do daylye cōmytte. And
therfor yf you folowe hys learnynge, then am I content that you dyssent
from me. For lette it not be worshypped, ād thynke as yow wyll, for then
is the parell paste. And syth we agre in thys poynte, doubte not but we
shall soone agre in the resydue, ād admytte eche other for faythfull
brothers. And where your mastershyppe sayeth, that he wrote you a letter
protestynge that you laye that heresye wrongfully to hys charge, I
thynke it was more wysdome for hym twyse to haue wryten to you, then
ones to haue come hym selfe ād tell you of it. For it was playnelye
tolde hym, that you had conspyred hys death, ād that notwithstondynge
hys saue conduyte, you were mynded to haue murthered hym. And for that
cause he was compelled both beynge here, to kepe hym selfe secretelye,
and also preuylye to departe the realme.
¶ And blessed be God you haue suffycyentlye publyshed your purpose in
your answere agaynste Wyllyan Tyndall, where you saye, that you myght
laufullye haue burnte hym. Here men maye see how percyallye you are
addycte to our prelates. And how prone ye were to fulfyll their
pleasures contrarye to our Prynces prerogatyue royall. And thākes be to
God which gaue you suche grace in the syght of our soveraygne, that he
shortelye withdrewe your power. For els it is to be feared that you
wolde further haue proceded agaynste hys graces prerogatyue, which
thynge whether yt be treason or not, let other men defyne. But thys I
dare saye, that it is prynted and publyshed to our Prynces greate
dyshonoure. For what learned man maye in tyme to come truste to hys
graces saue conduyte or come at hys graces instaunce or requeste, syth
not onelye the spirytualte (which of their professyon resyste hys
prerogatiue) but also a laye man promoted to suche preemynence by hys
graces goodnes, dare presume so to depresse hys prerogatyue and not
onelye to saye, but also to publyshe it in prente: that notwithstondynge
hys graces saue conduyte, they myght laufullye haue burnte hym.
But here he wolde saye vnto me as he dothe in hys boke, that he had
forfayted hys salue conduyte, ād therbye was fallē in to hys enemyes
handes. Where vnto I answere, that thys your sayenge is but a vayne
glose. For I my selfe ded reade the salue conduyte that came vnto him,
which had but onelye thys one condycyon annexed vnto it, that if he came
before the feaste of Christmas then nexte ensuynge, he shulde haue free
lyberte to departe at hys pleasure. And thys condycyon I knowe was
fulfylled. How shulde he than forfayte hys salue cōduyte? But master
More hath learned of hys masters our Prelates (whose proctoure he is) to
depresse our Prynces prerogatyue, that mē ought not to keape any promyse
with heretyckes. And so hys salue cōduyte coulde not saue hym. As though
the Kynges grace myght not admytte any man to go and come frelye into
hys graces realme, but that he muste haue leaue of our prelates. For els
they myght laye heresye agaynst the parson, and so sleye hym cōtrarye to
the Kynges salue cōduyte, which thynge all wyse men do knowe to be
preiudycyall to hys graces prerogatyue royall. And yet I am sure that of
all the tyme of hys beynge here, you can not accuse hym of one cryme,
albeit (vnto your shame) you saye that he had forfayted hys salue
conduyte. These wordes had be verye extreame and worthy to haue bene
loked vpon, although they had bene wryten by some presumptuous Prelate.
But that a laye man so hyghlye promoted by hys Prynce, shulde speake
them and also cause them openlye to be publyshed amonge hys graces
comons, to deyecte the estymacyon of hys royall power, doth in my mynde,
deserue correccyon. Notwithstondynge I leaue the iudgement and
determynacyon, vnto the dyscrecyō of hys graces honourable counsell.
[Sidenote: More.] ❧ And as for that holy prayer that this devoute yōge
man (as a newe Christe teacheth all hys congregacyon to make at the
receyuynge of thys blessed sacrament) I wyll not geue the parynge of a
peare, though it were moche better thē it is, pullynge away the true
fayth (as he doth) frō the Sacrament. Howbeit hys prayer there is so
devysed, penned, and paynted with laysure and studye, that I truste
euery good Christen woman maketh a moche better prayer, at the tyme of
her howsell, by faythfull affectyō & by Gods good inspyracyō sodēlye.
Fryth is an vnmete master to teache vs what we shulde praye at the
receyuynge of the blessed sacrament, whē he wyll not knowlege it as it
is, but take Christes blessed body for no thynge but bare breade, & so
lytle esteame the receyuyng of the blessed sacramēt, that he forsyth
lytle whether it be blessed or not.
[Sidenote: Fryth.] ¶ Where he dyscommendeth my prayer & sayeth, that I
am an vnmete master to teache men to praye, seynge I take away the true
fayth from it, and sayeth that euery woman can make a better when she
receyueth the sacramente, I wolde to God that euery woman were so well
learned that they coulde teache vs both. And surely I intended not to
prescrybe to all men that prayer onely, but hoped to healpe the
ygnoraunt, that they myght eyther speake those wordes, or els (takynge
occasyon of them) to saye some other, to the laude and prayse of God.
And as for your fayth (which you call the true fayth) must I neades
improue. For it wyll not stōde with the true texte of scrypture, as it
playnelye appeareth. But to the fayth in Christes bloode I exhorte all
men, and teach them to eate hys bodye with fayth (& not with teeth)
which is by hauynge hys death in cōtynuall remembraunce, and digestynge
it in to the bowels of the soule. And because you so sore improue my
prayer, to cōclude my answere agaynst you, I wyll rehearse yt agayne.
And lette all mē Iudge betwene vs. Blessed be thou most deare and
mercyfull Father, which of thy tender fauoure & benygnyte,
notwithstōdynge our greuous enormytees cōmytted agaynste thee,
vouchsauedst to sēde thyne owne deare sone, to suffre moste vyle death
for our redempcyon.
Blessed be thou Chryst Iesu our Lorde & sauyour, which of thyne
haboundāt pytye consyderynge our myserable estate, wyllyngly tokest vpon
the to haue thy moste innocent bodye broken & bloode shedde to pourge vs
and washe vs which are loadē with inyquyte. And to certyfye vs therof,
hast lefte vs not onely thy worde which maye enstructe our hartes; But
also a vysyble token to certyfye euen our outwarde sences of this greate
benefytte, that we shulde not doubte, but that the bodye and frute of
thy passyon are ours (through fayth) as surelye as the breade, which by
our sentes we knowe that we haue within vs. Blessed be also that spiryte
of veryte which is sente from God our father through our sauyour Christ
Iesu, to lyghten our darcke ignoraunce, and leade vs through fayth in to
the knoweleage of hym which is all veryte. Strength we beseche the our
frayle nature, and encreace our faythe: that we maye prayse God our
moste mercyfull Father, and Christe hys sonne our Sauyoure and redeamer.
AMEN.
A comparyson betwene the Paschall Lambe, & our Sacrament.
Now we shall shortely expresse the pyth of our matter and borowe the
fygure of the paschall Lambe, which is in all poyntes lyke vnto it. That
the offerynge of the Paschall Lambe ded sygnyfye the offerynge of
Christes bodye, is playne by Paule which sayeth, [Sidenote: 1. Cor. 5.]
Christe our Paschall Lambe is offered vp for vs. When the chylderne of
Israell were very sadde and heauy for their sore oppressyon vnder the
power of Pharao (for the more myracles were shewed, the worse were they
handeled) God sente vnto them by Moyses, that euerye housholde shulde
kyll a Lambe to be a sacryfyce vnto GOD, and that they shulde eate hym
with their staues in their handes, theyr loynes gyrded, and showes vpon
their feete: euen as men that were goynge an hastye Iorneye. This Lambe
muste they eate hastelye and make a merye maundye. Now because they
shulde not saye, that they coulde not be merye for their oppressyon, and
what coulde the lābe helpe them: he added gladde tydynges vnto it and
sayde, This is the passynge bye of the Lorde. Whiche thys nyght shall
passe by you and slee all the fyrste begotten within the Londe of
Egypte, and shall delyuer you out of your bondage, & brynge you in to
the Londe that he hath promysed vnto your fathers. Marke the processe
and conveyaunce of thys matter, for euen lykewyse it is in our
sacrament. The apostles were sadde & heauye, partelye consyderynge the
bondage of synne wherwith they were oppressed, & partelye because he
tolde them that he muste departe frō thē, [Sidenote: Ioan. 16.] in whō
they ded put all their hope of their delyueraunce. Whyles they were in
thys heauynes, Christ thought to conforte them ād to geue them the seale
of theyr delyueraunce, and toke in hys hande breade, blessed and brake
it, and gaue it to hys dyscyples sayēge: This is my bodye which shalbe
geuē for you. For this nyght shall the power of Pharao the deuell be
dystroyed, and to morowe shall you be delyuered from the Egypte of
synne, and shall take your Iourneye towardes that heauenlye mansyon
which is prepared of God for all that loue hym. Now compare them
together.
[Sidenote: 1.] The Paschall Lambe was instytute ād eaten the nyght
before the chylderne of Israell were in dede delyuered frō Egypte.
Lykewyse was the sacramēt instytute ād eaten the nyght before we were
delyuered from our synnes.
[Sidenote: 2.] The Paschall Lābe was a verye Lābe in dede. And so is the
sacrament very breade in dede.
[Sidenote: 3.] The Paschall Lābe was called the passynge bye of the
Lorde which dystroyed the power of Pharao ād delyuered them. The
sacrament is called the bodye of the Lorde which dystroyed the power of
the deuell and delyuered vs.
[Sidenote: 4.] As many as ded eate the Paschall Lābe in fayth, were very
merye and gaue God greate thankes. For they were sure the nexte day to
be delyuered out of Egypte. Lykewyse as many as ded eate thys sacramēte
in fayth, were merye and gaue God greate thankes, for they were sure the
nexte daye to be delyuered from their synne.
[Sidenote: 5.] They that ded not eate the Paschall Lambe in fayth,
coulde not be merye. For they were not sure of delyueraunce from the
powre of Pharao. They that ded not eate thys Sacramente in fayth, coulde
not be mery: For they were not sure of delyueraunce from the power of
the deuell.
[Sidenote: 6.] They that beleued the worde of the Lord ded more eate the
passyng bye of the Lorde which shulde delyuer thē, thē they ded the
Lambe. They that dede beleue the worde of the Lorde ded more eate the
bodye of the Lorde which shulde be geuen for their delyueraunce, then
they ded the breade. For that thynge doth a man moste eate that he moste
hath in memorye & moste revolueth in mynde: as appeareth by Christe Ioā.
4. I haue meate to eate that ye knowe not.
[Sidenote: 7.] They that beleued not the nexte daye to be delyuered from
Egypte, ded not eate the passynge bye of the Lord, although they eate
the Lambe. They that beleued not the nexte daye to be delyuered from
synne, ded not eate the bodye of the Lorde, although they eate the
breade.
[Sidenote: 8.] The chylderne of Israell were but ones delyuered from
Egypte, notwithstōdynge they ded euery yeare eate the Lambe, to keape
that facte in perpetuall remēbraunce: Euen so Christ bought ād redeamed
vs but ones for all, and was offered ād sacryfyced but ones for all,
though the sacramēt therof be daylye brokē amonge vs, to keape the
benefytte in contynuall memorye.
[Sidenote: 9.] As manye as ded eate the Paschall Lābe in faythe and
beleued Godes worde as towchynge theyr delyueraunce from Egypte, were as
sure of their delyueraunce through faythe, as they were sure of the Lābe
by eatynge it. As many as do eate this sacrament in fayth and beleue
Goddes worde as towchynge their delyueraunce from synne, are as sure of
their delyueraunce through fayth, as they are sure of the breade by
eatynge it.
[Sidenote: 10.] As many as ded eate of that Paschall Lambe ded magnyfye
their God, testyfyenge that he onely was the God almyghtye, ād they hys
people styckynge to hym, to be delyuered by hys power from all daunger.
As manye as do eate of thys sacrament do magnyfye their God, testyfyinge
that he onelye is the God almyghtye, and they hys people styckynge by
hym to be delyuered by hys power frō all daunger.
[Sidenote: 11.] When the Israelytes were delyuered from Egypte, they
eate neuerthelesse the Paschal Lambe whiche was styll called the
passynge bye (because it was the remēbraunce of the passynge bye of the
Lorde) and hartelye reioysed, offerynge hym sacryfyce and knowelegynge
with infynite thankes, that they were the felowshyppe of them that had
suche a mercyfull God. Now Christes electe are delyuered from synne,
they eate neuerthelesse the sacramēt which is styll called hys bodye
that ones dyed for their delyueraunce, and hartelye reioyse, offerynge
to hym the sacryfyce of prayse and knoweledge with infynite thākes, that
they are of the felowshyppe of them that haue suche a mercyfull God.
[Sidenote: 12.] The Paschall Lambe (after their delyueraunce beynge
yearlye eaten) brought as moche myrthe and Ioye vnto them that ded eate
it in fayth, as it ded to their fathers which felte Pharaoes furye, &
were not yet delyuered. For they knewe ryght well that excepte God of
hys mercye and wōderfull power had so delyuered them, they shulde also
them selfes haue bene bounde in the Londe of Egypte, and vnder that
wycked Prynce Pharao, of whiche bōdage they greatelye reioysed to be
rydde alreadye, and thanked God hyghly because they founde them selfes
in that plentuouse Londe whiche God prouyded for them. The sacramēt
which after our delyueraunce is yearlye and daylye eatē, bryngeth as
moche myrth and Ioye vnto vs that eate it in fayth, as it ded to the
Apostles which were not yet delyuered. For we knowe ryght well that
excepte God of hys mercye and through the bloode of his sonne had so
delyuered vs, we shulde also our selfes haue bene bounde in the Egypte
of synne vnder that wycked Prynce the deuell, of which bondage we
greatelye reioyse to be rydde alredye, and thanke God hyghlye because we
fynde our selues in the state of grace, and haue receyued throughe fayth
the fyrste frutes and taste of the spyryte, which testyfyeth vnto vs
that we are the chylderne of God.
This maundye of remembraunce was it that Paule receyued of the Lorde and
delyuered to the Corynthyans in the .xi. chaptre. For though he borowe
one propertye and symylytude of the sacramente in the .x. chapter, which
in my mynde maketh neyther with vs nor agaynste vs, albeit some thynke
that it maketh whole for the exposycyon of Christes wordes, [Sidenote:
1. Cor. 10.] thys is my bodye. But in my mynde they are deceyued. For
the occasyon whye Paule spake of it in the tenthe chapter, was thys.
The Corynthyans had knoweleage that all meates were indyfferent, and
whether it were offered to an Idoll or not, that the meate was not the
worse, ād that they myght laufullye eate of it, whether it were solde
them in the shambles or sette before them when they dyned or souped in
an vnfaythfull mannes house, askynge no questyons: excepte some man ded
tell thē that it was offerred to an Idoll, and then they shulde not eate
of it for offendynge hys conscyence that so tolde them (albeyt they were
els free and the thynge indyfferente) thys knoweledge because it was not
annexed wyth charyte, was the occasyon of greate offendynge.