Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 12 · Part 5
The second Examination before the Bishop of Winchester and others.
Wine.
LAst time you were with vsus you were in an heresie, in saying Iudas receiued bread, vnlesse you will tell what more then bread.
Wood.
I say he receiued more then bread, for he receiued the Diuell, because hee presumed to eate the Sacrament without Faith: as Christ saith, after he eat the sop the Diuell entred into him: Hereby appeareth that the Sacrament is not the body of Christ, before it be receiued in Faith.
Winc.
What is thy Faith in the Sacrament?
Wood.
I beleeue when I receiue the body and bloud of Christ, if it bee truely ministred according to Christs institution; If I come in Faith, that Christ was borne for me, and that he suffered death for the remission of my sinnes, and that I shall bee saued by his death, and eate the Bread, and drinke the Wine in remembrance of him: Then I receiue whole Christ, God and Man, mystically by Faith.
The fat Priest. What afoole thou art, canst not tell what mystically is.
Wood.
God hath chosen such fooles as I am to confound such a wise thing as you are.
Winch.
Answere the Sacrament of the Altar, whether it bee not the body of Christ before it be receiued, and whether it bee not the body of Christ to whomsoeuer receiueth it; tell me, or else I will excommunicate thée.
Wood.
I will not answere you, you are not mine Ordinarie: Then Chichester said, I am not consecrated: No said I▪ yours bee all Cow Calues: meaning therby that hee had not his Bull from Rome: Th… they called me all to naught, and said I was madde. Then I said, so Festus said to Paul when hee spake sober words and truth of the Spirit of God as I doe: but you be your selues as you iudge mee, you will all goe to hell if you condemne me, if you hauehave not especiall grace to repent with sp…c….
Winch.
We goe about to saue thy soule if thou wilt be ruled.
Wood.
No man can saue my soule, for Christ hath saued it already, euen before the foundation of the world was laid.
The Fat Priest.
Here is another heresie, thou canst not tell what thou saist, was the soule saued before it was.
Wood.
I say the truth, looke in the first to the Ephesians and there you shall find it, where S. Paul saith, God hath chosen vsus in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him through louelove, and thereto we were predestinated.
The Fat Priest.
S Iames saith, Faith without workes is dead, and we hauehave freewill to doe good workes.
Wood.
I doe not disallow good workes, for a good faith cannot be without good workes, yet not of our selues, but it is the gift of God, as S. Paul saith, it is God that worketh in vsus both the will and the deed, euen of his good will.
VVinch.
Make and …nd, answere to me: My Lord Cardinall hath appointed the Archdeacon of Canterbury thine Ordinary, he can appoint whom he will before the Bishop is consecrated, and so they all affirmed.
Wood.
I will beleeue neuer a one of you all, for you be turne coates & changelings, and wauering minded, neither hote nor cold, therefore GOD will spu… you out: For in King Edwards time you taught the Doctrine that was set sorth then, and now you teach the contrarie, which words made the most part of them quake.
VVinch.
He is the naughtiest varlet and heretick that euer I knew, I wil reade sentence against him, but I spared them not but spake freely, they that stood by rebuked me; saying, you cannot tell whom you speake vntounto.
Wood.
They be but men I trow, I hauehave spoken to better men then they for anything I see, except they repent with speed: Then I told the Bishop of Winchester if you condemne me, you will be condemned in hell, if you repent not, for I am not afraid to die for Gods sake.
Winchest.
For Gods sake: nay for the Diuels sake: neither was Iudas afraid to die that hanged himselfe, as thou wilt kill thy selfe, because thou wilt not be ruled: How say you will you confesse that Iudas receiued the body of Christ vnworthily.
VVood.
If you can prooue in all the Bible that any man euer eat the body of Christ vnworthily, then I will be with you in all things.
Then a Priest said S. Paul saith, in the 11. of the first to the Corinthians: He that eateth this bread & drinketh this cup vnworthily, eateth and drinketh his own damnation: because he maketh no difference of the Lords body.
Wood.
He saith not who so eateth this body vnworthily, nor drinketh this blood vnworthily: But he saith who so eateth this bread and drinketh this cup vnworthily, eateth and drinketh his o…ne damnation: because hee maketh no difference of the Sacrament, which representeth the Lords body, and other bread and drink: here good people you sée they are not able to proue their sayings true: Wherefore I cannot beléeue them in any thing they do: Then Winchester read sentence of excommunication against me: when hee had done I would hauehave spoken, but they cried away with him.