Whole Works, Tracts 2 · Tract 4 · Part 3
¶ Thus beginneth the Preface of M. Mores booke.
More.IN my moſt harty wyſe I recommende me vntounto you, and ſend you by this bringer the wryting againe which I receiued from you. Whereof I hauehave bene offered a cople of copies mo, in the mean while, as late as ye wot well it was.
Deare brethren, conſider theſe Frith.wordes, and prepare you to the croſſe that Chriſt ſhall lay vppon you, as ye hauehave oft bene counſaylled. For euen as when the Wolfe howleth, ye ſhéepe 1. Pet. 2. Luke. 22.had nede to gather thēſelues to their ſhepheard, to be deliuered from the aſſault of the bloudy beaſt, likewyſe had you nede to ſlye vntounto the ſhepheard of your ſoules Chriſt Ieſus, & to ſell your coates, and buye his ſpirituall Epheſ. 6.ſworde (which is the word) of God) to defende and deliuer you in this preſent neceſſitie: for now is the tyme that Chriſt tolde vsus of, Math. x. that he was come (by his worde to ſet Math. 10.variaunce betwene the ſonne and his father, betwene the daughter and her mother, betwene the daughter in lawe and her mother in lawe, & that Mich 5.in a mans owne houſeholde ſhall be his enemies. But be not diſmayde, nor thinke it no wonder, for Chriſte thoſe twelue, and one of them was ye Iohn. 6.Deuill and betrayed his maſter. And we that are his diſciples may loke for Math. 10.no better than he had himſelf: for the ſcholer is not aboue his mayſter.
Saint Paule proteſteth ye he was in perill among falſe brethren, & ſurely 3. Cor. 11.I ſuppoſe that we are in no leſſe ieopardye. For if it be ſo that hys maſterſhip receiued one copye and had a cople of copyes moe offered in the meane while, then may ye be ſure that there are many falſe brethren Ioh. Frith mette with falſe brethren.which pretend to hauehave knowledge, & in déede are but pykethankes, prouiding for their bellye: prepare ye therfore clokes, for the weather waxeth cloudy, and rayne is like to followe. I meane not falſe excuſes and forſwearing of your ſelues: but that ye loke ſubſtantially vponupon Gods worde, that you may be able to anſwere their ſubtle obiections. And rather chuſe manfully to dye for Chriſt and hys worde, than cowardlye to deny hym, for thys vayne and tranſitory lyfe, cō ſidering that they hauehave no further power but ouer this corruptible bodye, which if they put it not to death, muſt yet at ye length periſh of it ſelfe. But I truſt the Lord ſhall not ſuffer you to 2. Cor. 10.be tēpted aboue that you may beare, but according to ye ſprite that he ſhall poure vppon you, ſhall he alſo ſende An exhortation to ſtand manfully by the profeſſion of Gods word.you the ſcourge, and make hym that hath receiued more of the ſprite to ſuffer more, and him that receiueth leſſe thereof, to ſuffer according to his Talent. I thought it neceſſary firſt to admoniſhe you of this matter, and now I will recite more of M. Mores boke.
Whereby men may ſee how gredely More.theſe newe named brethren writeit out, & ſecretly ſpread it abroade.
The name is of great antiquitie, although you liſte to ieſte. For they Frith.were called brethrē ere our Biſhops were called Lordes, and had ye name geuen them by Chriſt, ſaying, Math. Brethrē, is an auncient name in the ſcripture.xxiij. all ye are brethren. And Luke y• xxij. Confirme they brethren. And the name was cōtinued by the Apoſtles, and is a name that nouriſheth louelove & amitie. And very glad I am to heare of their gredy affection in writing out and ſpreading abroade the worde of Amos. 8.God, for by that I do perceiue the propheſie of Amos to hauehave place, which ſayth: In the perſon of God I will ſend hunger and thyrſte into the earth, not hunger for meate, nor thurſt for drinke: But for to here the word of God. Now begynneth the kyngdome of heauen to ſuffer violence: Now runne the poore Publicanes Math. 11. Luke. 18.which knowledge them ſelues ſinners, to the word of God puttyng, both goodes and body in ieoperdy for the ſoule health. And though our Byſhops do call it hereſie, and all them heretickes that hunges after it, yet do we know that it is the Goſpell of the lyuyng God, for the health and ſaluation of all that beleue. And as for the Roma. 1.name doth nothing offēde vsus, though they call it hereſie a thouſand tymes. For S. Paule, teſtifieth that the Phariſeis and Prieſtes which were counted the Actes. 24.very Church in hys tyme dyd ſo call it, and therefore it foreceth not though they, ruling in their rowmes, vſe the ſame names.
Which young mā I here ſay hath More.lately made diuers other thynges, that yet runne in hoker moker ſo cloſe amōg the brethren that there commeth no copies abroad.
I aunſwere, that ſurely I can not Frith.ſpynne, and I thinke no mā more hateth to be idle then I do. Wherfore in ſuch thynges as I am able to doe, I ſhalbe diligēt as long as God lendeth me my lyfe. And if ye thinke I be to buſie you may rid me the ſooner, for euen as the ſhéepe is in the butchers Ioh. Frith feared not death.handes ready bound and looketh but euen for the grace of the butcher whē he ſhall ſhed his bloud: Euen ſo am I bounde at the Byſhops pleaſures, euer lookyng for the day of my death. In ſo much, that playne worde was ſent me, that the Chauncelour of Lō don ſayd, it ſhould coſt me the beſt bloud in my body, whiche I would gladly were ſhed to morow, if ſo be, it might open the kyngs graces eyen.
And verely I maruell that any thing can runne in hoker moker or be hyd from you. For ſith you mought hauehave ſuch ſtore of copyes, concernyng the thyng whiche I moſt deſired to hauehave ben kept ſecret, how ſhould you then lacke a copye of thoſe thynges which I moſt would hauehave publiſhed? And hereof ye may be ſure, I care not Frith wiſheth all his workes to be ſeene.though you and all the Byſhops with in England looke on all that euer I wrote, but rather would be glad that ye ſo dyd. For if there be any ſparkle of grace in your breaſtes, I truſt it ſhould bee an occaſion ſomewhat to kyndle it, that you may conſider and know your ſelues, whiche is the firſt poynt of wiſedome.
And would God for his mercy More.(ſayth M. More) that ſith there can nothing refrayne their ſtudie, from deuiſing and compaſsyng of euill and vngracious writyng, that they would and could keepe it ſo ſecretly, that neuer man ſhould ſee it, but ſuch as are ſo farre corrupted, as neuer would be cured of their cāker.
It is not poſſible for hym that hath his eyen and ſéeth hys brother whiche Frith.lacketh ſight in ieoperdie of periſhing at a perillous pit, but that hee muſt come to hym and guide hym, till he be He that ſeeth his brother in peril of ieoperdy, muſt warn him therof.paſt that ieoperdye, & at the leſt wiſe, if he can not come to him, yet will he call and crye vntounto hym to cauſe hym choſe the better way, except his hart bee cankered with the contagion of ſuch hatered that he can reioyſe in his neighbours deſtruction. And euē ſo is it not poſſible for vsus whiche hauehave receiued the knowledge of gods word, but that we muſt cry and cal to other, that they leaue the perillous pathes of their owne fooliſh phantaſies. And doe that onelyonly to the Lord, that he cō maundeth Deut. 12.them, neither addyng any thyng nor diminiſhyng. And therfore vntill we ſée ſome meanes founde, by the whiche a reaſonable reformation may be had on the one partio, and ſufficient Note here the earneſt zeale of Frith.inſtruction for the poore commōs I inſure you, I neither will nor can ceaſe to ſpeake, for the worde of God boyleth in my body, like a feruēt fire, and will néedes hauehave an iſſue and breaketh out, when occaſion is geuē.
But this hath bene offered you, is offered, and ſhall be offered: Graunt that the word of God, I meane ye text of Scripture, may go abroad in our Engliſh toung, as other nations hauehave it in their tounges, and my brother An offer made to the Clergie by Io. Frith.William Tyndall, and I hauehave done, & will promiſe you to write no more. If you wil not graunt this condition, then will we be doing while we hauehave breath, and ſhew in few wordes that the Scripture doth in many: and ſo at the leſt ſaue ſome.
But a lacke this will not be, for as S. Paule ſayth, the contagion of More.hereſie creepeth on, lyke a canker. For as the canker, corrupteth the body further and further and turneth the whole parties into the ſame deadly ſicknes, ſo doth theſe hereſies creepe forth among good ſimple ſoules, till at the laſt it be almoſt paſt remedy.
This is a very true ſaying and maketh Frith.well agaynſt his owne purpoſe, for in déede this contagion began to ſpring euen in S. Paules tyme. In ſo much that the Galathians were in a maner wholy ſeduced from his doctrine. And he ſayd to the Theſſalonians the miſtery of iniquitie euē now 2. Theſ. 2.beginneth to worke. And S. Iohn teſtifieth that there were all ready many 1. Iohn. 4.Antichriſtes riſen in hys dayes. And alſo Paul propheſied what ſhold folow after his tyme. Actes. 20.Actes. 20. ſaying: take ye héede to your ſelues and to all the flocke, ouer whiche the holy ghoſt hath put you ouerſéers, to féede the congregation of God whiche he purchaſed with his owne bloud. The prop…eſie of S. Paule …the latter times.For I know this wel, that after my departyng ſhall enter in greuous Wolues among you, which ſhall not ſpare the flocke. And euen of your ſelues ſhall ariſe men, ſpeaking peruerſe things, to draw Diſciples after thē and therfore watch. &c. This canker then began to ſpread in the congregatiō, and dyd full ſore noy the body, in ſo much that within. iiij. C. yeare, there were very many ſectes ſcattered in eueryevery coſt. Notwithſtandyng there were faythfull fathers that diligently ſubdued them with the ſworde of Gods word. Silueſter.But ſurely ſince Silueſter receiued ſuch poſſeſſions, hath the canker ſo créept in ye Church, that it hath almoſt left neuer a ſounde member. And as Ciſtercenſis writeth in the 8. booke, that day that hee receiued reuenues was a voyce heard in ye ayre, crying ouer the court whiche ſayd, this day is venime ſhed into ye church of God.when corruption entred into ye Church. Before that tyme there was no Byſhop gredy to take a cure. For it was no honour and profite as it is now, but onelyonly a carefull charge Biſhoprickes wer not gredely ſought in ye primitiue Church, for then it was a charge and not a Lordſhip.which was lyke to coſt him his lyfe at one tyme or other. And therefore no man would take it, but he that bare ſuch a louelove and zeale to God and his flocke, that he could be content to ſhed his bloud for them. But after that it was made ſo honorable and profitable, they that were worſt both in learnyng and lyuyng, moſt laboured for it. For they that were vertuous wold not entangle them ſelues with the vayne pride of this world, and weare thrée crownes of gold,Math. 27. Mark. 15. Iohn. 19. where Chriſt dyd weare one of thorne. And in concluſion it came ſo farre, that who ſoeuer would geue moſt money for it or beſt could flatter the Prince (which he knew wel all good men to abhorre) had the preheminence and gote the beſt Byſhoprike, and then in ſtead of Gods word, they publiſhed their own commaundements, and made lawes to hauehave all vnderunder them, and made mē beleue they could not erre what ſoeuer they dyd or ſayd, & euen as in the rowmes and ſtede of Moſes, Aaron, Eliazer, Ioſue, Calib, and other fayth full folke, came Herode, Annas, Cayphas, Pylate and Iudas, whiche put Chriſt to death. A great alteration in the church, ſithen the time of Chriſt and hys Apoſtles.So now in the ſtede of Chriſt, Peter, Paule, Iames and Iohn and the faythfull folowers of Chriſt, we hauehave ye Pope, Cardinals, Archbyſhops, Byſhops, and proude Prelates with their Proctour, the malitious miniſters of their maſters the deuill, which notwithſtandyng tranſforme them ſelues into a lykenes,1. Cor. 11. as though they were the miniſters of righteouſnes whoſe end ſhalbe accordyng to their workes. A litle flock is left that are not corrupted.So that the body is cankered long agone, and now are left but certaine ſmall members, whiche God of his puiſſaunt power hath reſerued vncorrupted & becauſe they ſée that they can not be cankered as their owne fleſh is, for pure anger they burne them, leſt if they cōtinued there might ſéeme ſome deformitie in their owne cankered carkaſe, by the comparyng of theſe whole members to their ſcabed body.
More.Teacheth in a few leaues ſhortly al the poyſon that Wickleff, Oecolampadius, Huſkyn, Tyndall and Zwynglius hauehave taught in all their bookes before. Cōcerning the bleſſed Sacrament of the aulter: not onelyonly affirmyng it to very breade ſtill (as Luther doth) but alſo (as theſe other beaſtes do) ſayth it is nothing els. And after, the ſame Syr Thomas More ſaith. Theſe dregges hath he dronken of Wickleffe, Oecolampadius, Tyndall, and Zwinglius, and ſo hath he all that he argueth here beſide, which iiij. what maner folke they be, is metely well perceyued and knowen, and God hath in part, with hys open vengeaunce declared.
Frith.Luther is not the pricke that I run at, but the ſcripture of God. I do neither affirme nor deny any thyng, becauſe Luther ſo ſayth: but becauſe the Scripture of God doth ſo conclude & determine. I take not Luther for ſuch an author that I thinke hee can not erre, but I thinke verely that he both may erre and doth erre in certayne poyntes, although not in ſuch as concerne ſaluation and damnation, for in theſe (bleſſed be God) all theſe whom ye call heretickes do agrée right well. And likewiſe I do not alow this thing becauſe Wickleffe, Oecolampadius, Tyndall and Zwinglius ſo ſay, but be cauſe I ſée them in that place more purely expoūde the Scripture, and that the proceſſe of the text doth more fauour their ſentence.
And where you ſay that I affyrme it to be bread ſtill as Luther doth, the ſame I ſay agayne, not becauſe Luther ſo ſayth, but becauſe I cā proue my wordes true by ſcripture, reaſon, nature, and doctors. Paule calleth it bread ſaying: the bread whiche we 1. Cor. 10.breake, is it not the fellowſhip of the body of Chriſt? For we though we Paule calleth the Sacrament bread.be many, are yet one body and one bread, as many as are partakers of one bread. And againe he ſayth: as often as ye eate of thys bread, or 1. Cor. 11.drinke of thys cuppe, you ſhall ſhewe the Lordes death vntill he come. Alſo Luke calleth it bread in the Actes ſaying: they continued in the fellowſhip Actes. 2.of the Apoſtles and in breaking of bread, and in prayer. Alſo Chriſt called the cuppe, the fruite of the vyne ſaying: I ſhall not from hence forth drinke of the fruite of the vyne, vntill Luke. 22.I drink that new in the kingdome of my father. Furthermore, nature doth teach you that both y• bread and Nature ſayth there is bread in the Sacrament.wine continue in their nature. For the bread mouleth if it be kept long, yea and wormes bréede in it. And the poore mouſe will runne away with it, and deſire no other meate to her dinner, which are euident inough that there remayneth bread. Alſo the wine if it were reſerued would waxe ſower, The wyne will waxe ſowre if it be kept lōg.as they confeſſe them ſelues, and therefore they houſell the laye people but with one kinde onelyonly, becauſe the wine can not continue nor be reſerued, to hauehave ready at hand whē nede were. And ſurely as if there remayned no bread, it could not mould nor waxe full of wormes. Euē ſo if there remained no wine, it could not waxe ſower, and therefore it is but falſe doctrine, that our prelates ſo long hauehave publiſhed. Finally that there remayneth bread might be proued by The Doctors proue that bread remayneth in the Sacrament.the authoritie of many doctors, which call it bread and wine, as Chriſt and his Apoſtles did. And though ſome ſophiſters would wraſt their ſayings and expound them after their phantaſie, yet ſhall I alleage them one doctor (which was alſo Pope of Rome) that maketh ſo plaine with vsus, that they ſhall be compelled with ſhame to hold their tongues. For Pope Gelaſius writeth on thys maner. Certe ſacramenta Gelaſius a Pope. Contra Eutych. & Neſtorium.quae ſumimus corporis & ſanguinis Christi diuine res ſunt & propterea per illa, participes facti ſumus diuinae naturae, & tamē nō deſinit eſſe ſubstantia vel panis & vini, ſed permanent in ſuae proprietate naturae. Et certe imago & ſimilitudo corporis & ſanguinis Christi in actione misteriorum celebrantur. That is to ſay: Surely the ſacramentes of the body and bloud of Chriſt, are a godly thing, and therfore through them are we made partakers of the godly nature. And yet doth it not ceaſe to be This is the ſaying of Gelaſius a Pope.the ſubſtance, or nature of bread and wine, but they continue in the propertie of their owne nature, and ſurely the image and ſimilitude of the body and bloud of Chriſt are celebrated in the acte of the myſteries. Thys I am ſure was the olde doctrine which they can not auoyde. And therefore with the Scripture, nature, and fathers, I will conclude that there remaineth the ſubſtaunce and nature of bread and wine.
And where ye ſay that we affyrme it to be nothing els, I dare ſay that ye vntruely report on vsus all. And here after I will ſhewe you what it is more then bread. And where ye ſay that it is méetely well knowen what maner of folke they be, and that God hath in part with his open vengeance declared.
I aunſwere that maſter Wickliffe Wickleffe.was noted while he was liuing, to be a man not onelyonly of moſt famous doctrine, but alſo of a very ſincere life and conuerſation. Wickleffe buried xv. yeare, and then brent.Neuertheleſſe to declare your malicious mindes and vengeable hartes (as men ſay) xv. yeare after he was buryed, you tooke hym vp and burnt hym, which facte declared your furye, although he felt no fire: Math. 10.but bleſſed be God which hath geuen ſuch tyrantes no further power, but ouer thys corruptible body. Malach. 2.For the ſoule ye can not binde nor burne, but God may bleſſe where you curſe, and curſe where you bleſſe.
Oecolampadius.And as for Oecolampadius, whō you alſo call Huſkyn, his moſt aduerſaries hauehave euer commended his conuerſation, and godly life, which when God had appoynted hys tyme, gaue place vntounto nature (as eueryevery mā muſt) and dyed of a canker.
Tyndall.And Tyndall I truſt liueth, well content with ſuch a poore Apoſtles life, as God gaue hys ſonne Chriſt, and hys faythfull miniſters in thys world, which is not ſure of ſo many mites, as ye be yearely of poundes, although I am ſure that for hys learning and iudgement in Scripture, he were more worthy to bee promoted, then all the Biſhops in England. I receaued a letter from hym, which was written ſince Chriſtmas, wherein among other matters he writeth thus. I call God to recorde agaynſt the day we ſhall appeare before our Lorde Ieſus to geue a reckoning of our doings, that I neuer altered one Tyndall declareth his innocency.ſillable of Gods worde, agaynſt my conſcience, nor would doe thys day, if all that is in earth, whether it be honour, pleaſure, or riches, might be geuen me. Moreouer, I take God to recorde to my conſcience, that I deſire of God to my ſelfe in thys world, no more then that without which I can not kéepe hys lawes. &c. Iudge Chriſtē reader whether theſe words be not ſpoken of a faythfull, clere innocent hart. And as for hys behauiour is ſuch, that I am ſure no man cā reproue hym of any ſinne, howbeit no mā is innocent before God which beholdeth the hart.
ZwingliusFinally Zwinglius was a man of ſuch learning and grauitie (beſide eloquence) that I thinke, no man in Chriſtendome might hauehave compared with hym, notwithſtanding he was ſlaine in battell in defending hys Citie Zwinglius ſlayne in a iuſt and righteous cauſe.and common wealth, agaynſt the aſſaulte of wicked enemies, whiche cauſe was moſt righteous. And if hys maſterſhip meane, that that was the vengeaunce of God, and declared hym to be an euill perſon becauſe he was ſlaine: I may ſay nay, and ſhew euident examples of the contrary, for ſometyme God geueth the victorye agaynſt them that hauehave moſt righteous cauſe, as it is euident in the booke of Iudges, Iudic. 20.where all the children of Iſraell were gathered together, to puniſhe ye ſhamefull ſodomitrie of the Tribe of Beniamin, which were in number but 25. thouſand. And the Iſraelites were 400. thouſand fighting men, which came into Silo, and aſked of God who ſhould be theyr Captaine agaynſt Beniamin. Here note that the children of Iſraell fought at Gods commaundement and in a righteous cauſe, & yet were twiſe ouerthrowen.And they being but 25. thouſand ſlue of the other Iſraelites 12. thouſand in one day. Then fledde the children of Iſraell vntounto the Lord in Silo, & made great lamentation before hym euen vntill night: and aſked hym counſell ſaying: ſhall we go any more to fight agaynſt the tribe of Beniamin our brethren or not? God ſayd vntounto them yes, goe vp and ſight agaynſt them. Thē went they the next day & fought agaynſt them, and there were ſlaine agayne of the Iſraelites 18. thouſand men. Then came they backe agayne vntounto the houſe of God, and ſat down and wept before the Lord, and faſted that day vntill euen, and aſked hym agayn, whether they ſhould any more fight agaynſt theyr brethren or not. God ſayd vntounto them yes, to morrow I will deliuer them into your handes. And the next day was ye tribe of Beniamin vtterly deſtroyed, ſauyng 600. men which hid thē ſelues in the wildernes. Here it is euident that the children of Iſraell loſte the victorye twiſe, and yet notwithſtanding had a iuſt cauſe, and fought at Gods commaundement. Beſides that, Iudas Machabeus was ſlaine in a righteous cauſe, as it is manifeſt in the firſt booke of the Machabées.1. Macha. 3 And therfore it can be no euident argument of the vengeance of God, that he was ſlaine in battell in a righteous cauſe, and therefore me thinketh that thys man is too malaparte, ſo bluntly to enter into Gods iudgement, and geue ſentence in that matter before he be called to counſell. Thus hauehave I ſufficiently touched hys Preface, for thoſe pointes ye he afterward touched more largely, hauehave I willingly paſſed, becauſe I ſhall touch thē earneſtly hereafter. Now let vsus ſée what heproueth.
¶ It ys a great wonder to ſee vppon how light and ſleight occaſiōs M. More.he is fallē vntounto theſe abhominable hereſies. For he denieth not nor cā not ſay nay, but that our Sauiour ſayd him ſelfe, my fleſhe is verely meate & my bloud is verely drinke he denieth not alſo that Chriſt him ſelfe at his laſt Supper, takyng the bread into his bleſſed handes, after that he had bleſſed it ſayd vntounto his diſciples? Take you this and eate it, this is my body, that ſhalbe geuen for you. And likewiſe gaue thē the chalice after his bleſſyng and conſecracion, and ſayd vntounto them, this is the chalice of my bloud of the new teſtament, which ſhalbe ſhed out for many, do ye this in remembrance of me.
¶ It is a great wonder to ſee how Frith.ignoraunt their proctour is, in the playne textes of ſcripture. For if he had any Iudgmēt at all he might wel perceiue y• when Chriſt ſpake theſe wordes, my fleſh is verely meate and my bloud is verely drinke, he ſpake nothing of ye ſacramēt. For it was not inſtitute vntill his laſt ſupper. And theſe wordes were ſpokē to ye Iewes long before, & ment them not of ye carnall eatyng or drynking of his bodye or bloud, but of the ſpirituall eating, which is done by fayth and not with tothe, or bellye. Wherof S. Auſtyn Chriſte ſpake of no carnall eating of him, but of a ſpirituall catyng by ſayth.ſayth vppon his goſpell of Iohn why prepareſt thou other tothe or bellye? beleue and thou haſt eaten him. So ye Chriſtes words muſt here be vnderſtāded ſpiritually. And that he calleth hys fleſhe very meat becauſe that as meate by the eating of it & diſgetting it in our bodye doth ſtrengthen theſe corruptible mēbres, ſo likewiſe doth Chriſtes fleſhe by the beleuing that it taketh our ſinne vponupon it ſelfe & ſuffered the death to deliuer vsus & ſtrengthen our immortall ſoule. And likewiſe as drinke when it is dronken, doth comfort and quicken our frayle nature. So likewiſe doth Chriſtes bloud by the drinkyng of it into the bowelles of our ſoule that it is by the beleuing and remembring that it is ſhed for our ſinnes, comfort and quicken our ſoule vntounto euerlaſting lyfe. And this is the eating and drinking ye he ſpeaketh of in that place. And that The Papiſtes doe falſly alledge this text.it is ſo you may perceaue by the text following which ſayth, he that eateth my body & drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him, which is not poſſible to be vnderſtād of the ſacrament. For it is falſe to ſay that he ye eateth the ſacrament of his body and drinketh the ſacrament of his bloud, dwelleth in Chriſt and Chriſt in hym For ſome man receiueth it vntounto his condemnation, And thus doth Saint Auſten expound it ſayinge, Hoc eſt enim Aug. in Iohā. tract. 26Chriſtum manducare, in illo manere & illum manentem in ſe habere. This is the very eating of Chriſt to dwell in him & to hauehave him dwelling in vsus So ye who ſo euer dwelleth in Chriſt To beleue in Chriſt is to dwell in Chriſt.(ye is to ſay beleueth y• he is ſēt of God to ſaue vsus from our ſinnes) doth verely eate and drinke his body and bloud although he neuer receiued the ſacrament. This is ye ſpirituall eating neceſſary for all y• ſhal be ſaued for there is no man that cōmeth to God wtout this eating of Chriſt, that is the beleuing in hym. And ſo I denye not but that Chriſt ſpeaketh theſe wordes but ſurely he ment it ſpiritually, as Saint Auſten declareth, and as the place playnely proueth.
And as touching ye other wordes ye Math. 26.Chriſt ſpake vntounto hys diſciples at the laſt Supper I deny not but y• he ſayd ſo, but y• he ſo fleſhly ment as ye falſly faine, I vtterly deny. For I ſay ye his wordes were then alſo ſprite & life, & were ſpiritually to be vnderſtāded, & ye he called it his body. For a certaine Iohn. 6. Iohn. 15.propertie, euen as he cauled him ſelf a very vyne, & his diſciples dery vine braunches, and as he cauled himſelfe Iohn. 10.a dore: not ye he was ſo in dede, but for certaine properties in the ſimilytudes, as a mā for ſome propertie ſayeth of his neighhours horſſe, this horſſe is mine vp and downe, meaning that it is in eueryevery thing ſo like. And lyke as Iacob builded an aulter Gene. 35. Gene. 32.and cauled it the houſe of God, & as Iacob called ye place where he wraſtled with the aungell, the face of God, and as the paſcall lambe was cauled the paſſing by of the Lord. And as a broken potſherd was cauled Hieruſalem, Ieremy. 19not for that they were ſo in dede but for certaine ſimilitudes in the properties, and that the very name itſelf might put men in remēbraunce what is ment by the thing, as I ſufficiently declared in my firſt treatiſe.
He muſt nedes confeſſe, that they that beleue that it is the very More.body and his very bloud in dede, hauehave the playne wordes of our ſauiour him ſelfe vponupon their ſide, for the ground & foundacion of their fayth.
That is very true and ſo hauehave they ye very wordes of god, which ſay that a Frith.broken potſherd is Hieruſalem, and that Chriſt is a ſtone, and that Chriſt is a vine and a dore. And yet yf they ſhould beleue or thinke that he were in dede any of theſe things, they were ſpirituall and neuertheleſſe deceiued. For though he ſo ſayd, yet I ſay hys woordes were ſpiritually to bee vnderſtanded. And where you ſay that I flye from the fayth of playne and open ſcriptures, & for the allegory deſtroy the true ſence of the letter. I aū ſwere that ſome textes of Scripture are onelyonly to be vnderſtand after the letter: as when Paule ſayeth, Chriſt Roma. 4.died for our ſinnes and aroſe agayne for our iuſtification. And ſome textes are onelyonly to be vnderſtand ſpiritually or in the way of allegory: As when Paule ſayth, Chriſt was the ſtone, & when Chriſt ſayth him ſelfe, I am a 1. Cor. 10. Iohn. 15. Iohn. 10.very vyne I am the doore, and ſome muſt be vnderſtand both litterally, & ſpiritually: As when God ſayd, out of Egipt cauled I my ſonne, which although it were literally fulfilled in the childrē of Iſraell whē he brought Oſea. 17.them out of Egipt with great power and wonders yet was it alſo ment & verified in Chriſt hymſelfe, his very ſpirituall ſonne, which was cauled out of Egipt after ye death of Herod. And agayne it is very ſpiritually fulfilled Math. 2.in vsus whiche through Chriſtes bloud are deliuered frō the Egypt of ſinne, & from the power of Pharao y• The Scripture ſpeaketh diuerſly and hath diuers ſenſes.deuil. And I ſay that this text of ſcripture: This is my body, is onelyonly ſpiritually to be vnderſtand, & not litterally. And ye doth S. Auſten alſo cōfirme which writeth vntounto Adamantus. and ſayth, Theſe ſentenſes of ſcripture, Chriſte was the ſtone, the bloude is the ſoule, and this is my body. are figuratiuelie to bee vnderſtande (that is to ſay ſpiritually or by the waye of an allegorie) and thus hauehave I Saint. Auguſtin wholly on my ſide, whiche thing ſhall yet heare after more plainly appeare.
Now his example of his bridegromes M. More.ring I very well alow, for I take the bleſſed ſacrament to beleft with vsus for a very token and a memoriall of Chriſt in dede. but I ſay that the hole ſubſtaunce of the ſame token and memoriall is his owne bleſſed bodie. And ſo I ſay More is a mocker and trifler.that Chriſt hath left vsus a better token then this man would hauehave vsus take it for, & therin he fareth like a man to whō a bridgrome had deliuered a goodly gold ryng with a riche rubie therein, to deliuer his bride for a tokē. And thē he would like a falſe ſhrewe, keepe away that gold ring, & geue the bride in ſtede therof, a proper ring of a riſhe, and tell her that the bridgrome would ſend her no better. Or els like one that when the bridgrome had geuē ſuch a ryng of golde to hys bride for a token, will tell her plaine, and make her beleue that the ring were but coper or braſſe, to miniſhe the bridgromes thanke.
I am right glad ye ye admit myne example, and graunt that the ſacrament Frith.is left to be a very token and a memoriall of Chriſt in déede. But where you ſay, that the whole ſubſtaunce of the ſame token and memoriall is his owne bleſſed bodye, that is ſoner ſayd then proued. For S. Auſten ſheweth the cōtrary, as it is partly before touched, and here after ſhalbe declared more plainelye. & where you ſay that we fare like a falſe ſhrew that would kepe the gold ring from ye bride, and geue her a ring of a riſhe, or tell her that her golde ring were copper or braſſe, to miniſh the bridegromes thanke. I aunſwere that we In aunſwere to Mores triflyng.denye not but that the ring is moſt fine gold, and is ſet with as rich Rubyes as can be gotten. For that ryng (I meane the Sacrament) is not onelyonly a moſt perfite token and a memoriall of the bridgromes benefites and vnfayned fauour on his partie but it is alſo on the other partie Euchariſtia: Euchariſtiathat is to ſay, a thankes geuyng, for the gracious giftes which ſhe vndoubtedly knowledgeth her ſelfe to hauehave receiued. For as verely as that bread is broken among them, ſo verely was Chriſtes body brokē for their ſinnes. And as verely as they receiue that bread into their bellye thorough eating it, ſo verely do they receiue the frute of his death into their ſoules by beleuyng in hym. And therefore they The right cauſe why we ſhould come to the Table of our Lord.aſſemble to that Supper, not for the valure of the bread, wyne or meate that is there eaten, but for the entent to geue hym thankes commonly among thē all, for his ineſtimable goodnes. But to procéede vntounto our purpoſe, if a man would come vntounto the bryde, and tel her that this goodly gold ryng were her owne bridgrome, both fleſh bloud and bones (as you do) thē I thinke if ſhe hauehave any wytte, ſhe More hath here a cheke mate.might aunſwere him, that he mocked and the more he ſayd it, the leſſe ſhe might beleue him, and ſay that if that were her owne bridgrome, what ſhould ſhe then néede any remēbraūce of hym or why ſhould hee geue it her for a remembraunce? For a remembraunce preſuppoſeth the thyng to be abſent, and therefore if this be a remembraunce of hym, then can he not here be preſent.
I maruell me therfore much, that M. More.hee is not afearde, to affirme that theſe wordes of Chriſt, of his body and of his bloud, muſt needes be vnderſtand by waye of a ſimilitude or an allegorye as the woordes bee of the vyne and the doore. Nowe this he wottes well, that though ſome wordes ſpoken by the mouth of Chriſt be to be vnderſtand onelyonly by way of a ſimilitude or an allegory, yet foloweth it not thereupon, that eueryevery like word of Chriſt in orher places was no other but an allegory, for ſuch was the ſhift and cauillation that the wicked Arrians vſed which tooke frō Chriſtes perſon his omnipotent Godhead.
I graunt that the Arrians erred, for as M. More ſayth, though in ſome Frith.place a word be taken figuratiuely, it foloweth not therfore in eueryevery other place, it ſhould likewiſe be taken. But one queſtion muſt I aſke his maſterſhyp how doth he know that there is any worde or text in Scripture that muſt be taken figuratiuely? that is by the way of a ſimilitude or as hee calleth it a neceſſary allegory? I thinke (though ſome men may aſſigne other good cauſes and euidences) that the firſt knowledge is by other textes of Scripture. For if other textes be conferred Why certeine places of ye Scripture muſt be vnderſtand ſpiritually.vntounto it, and wil not ſtand with the litterall ſence, thē I thinke it muſt néedes be takē ſpiritually or figuratiuely as there are infinite textes in Scripture. Now when I ſée that S. Thomas which felt chriſt his woūds and put his finger in his ſide, called hym his Lord and God, and that no text in ſcripture repugneth vntounto the ſame, but that they may well ſtand together me thinketh it were foly to affirme that this worde, God, in that text ſhould be taken figuratiuely or by way of an allegory: But now in our matter the proceſſe of Scripture will not ſtand with the litterall ſenſe, as ſhall hereafter appeare. And therfore neceſſitie compelleth vsus to expounde it figuratiuely, as doth alſo S. Auſten and other holy Doctours, as hereafter ſhall playnly appeare.
If eueryevery man that can finde out a new fonde phantaſie vppon a text M. Moreof holy Scripture, may hauehave hys owne mynde taken and hys owne expoſition beleued agaynſt the expoſitions of the olde cunnynge Doctours and Saintes, thē may you ſurely ſee that no article of the chriſten faith, cā ſtand and eudure lōg. And then he alledgeth S. Hierome which ſayth, that if the expoſition of other interpretours, and the cō ſent of the common Catholicke Church, were of no more ſtrength, but that eueryevery man might be beleued that could bryng ſome textes of Scripture, for hym expounded as it pleaſed hym ſelfe, then could I (ſayth this holy man) bryng a new ſect alſo, and ſay by Scripture, that no mā were a true Chriſtē mā nor a mēber of the Church, that kepeth ij. coates. And in good faith (ſayth M. More) if that way were alowed, I were able my ſelfe to find out xv. new ſectes in one fore noone.
S. Peter ſayth, that the Scripture is not expounded after the appetite of Frith.any priuate perſon, but euē as it was geuen, by the ſpirite of God and not by mans will. So muſt it be declared by the ſame ſpirite. And therefore I No man is to be beleued that bryngeth hys owne iudgement onelyonly vponupon any ſentēce of Scripture.will not that any man ſhalbe beleued, by bringyng his own mynde & phantaſie. But if he wil be beleued, let him bryng either an other playne texte, which ſhal expounde the firſt, or els at the leſt he muſt bryng ſuch a ſentēce, as will ſtand with the proceſſe of the Scripture. Why was S. Hierome alowed agaynſt the determination of the counſell of Malta, ſith he was alone, and they a great multitude? but onelyonly becauſe he brought euidēt ſcripture, whiche at the tyme of their ſentence, none of them remembred: and yet when it was brought, they could not auoyde it. And likewiſe except I bryng euidēt ſcripture which they all ſhal expoūd as I do, I deſire not to be beleued. And where M. More ſayth, that in good fayth he were able to find out xv. new ſectes in one fore noone, he may thāke God that he hath ſuch a pregnaunt wytte: But yet I truſt he More is here pretely …ypped.ſhould not find one (if there were any peril of damnatiō therin) but that we would wt a plaine text cōfute it, which he ſhould not be able to auoyde.
And ouer this the very circumſtaunces M. More.of the places in the goſpel in whiche our Sauiour ſpeaketh of that Sacrament, may well make open the difference of his ſpeche in this matter and of all thoſe other, and that as hee ſpake all thoſe but in an allegorye, ſo ſpake hee this playnly, meanyng that he ſpake of his very body and hys very bloud, beſide all allegoryes. For when our Lord ſayd, he was a very vyne, and when he ſaid he was the dore, there was none that heard him, that any thyng marueiled therof. And why? For becauſe they perceyued well, that he ment not that he was a materiall vyne in deede, nor a doore neither: But when he ſayd that hys fleſh was very meate, and his bloud very drinke, and that they ſhould not be ſaued, but if they dyd eate his fleſh and drinke his bloud, then were they all in ſuch a wonder ther of, that they could not abyde. And wherefore, but becauſe they perceyued well by hys wordes and his manner of circumſtaunces, that Chriſt ſpake of his very fleſhe and his very bloud in dede.
It is openly knowen & confeſſed Frith. Iohn. 6.among all learned men that in the 6. chapter of Ioh. Chriſt ſpake not one worde concerning the ſacrament of his body and bloud (whiche at that tyme was not yet inſtitute) but all that he there ſpake was of the ſpirituall eating and drinking of his body, and bloud, into our ſoules, which is the fayth in his body and bloud, as I hauehave touched before. And the circumſtances of this place do in dede proue that they were fleſhly minded, & vnderſtode not the ſpirituall wordes of our ſauiour Chriſt, and therfore wō dered & murmured Inſomuch that Chriſt ſayd vntounto thē, doth this offend you? what will you ſay then when ye ſhall ſee the ſonne of man aſcending thether where he was before? Then (addeth S. Auſten) you ſhall Note here the ſaying of S. Auſten.know that he ment not to geue his fleſh to eate wt your teth: for he ſhall aſcende hole. And Chriſt addeth, it is the ſpirite that quickeneth, the fleſhe profiteth nothing, the word that I ſpeake, are ſpirite and lyfe: that is to ſay, ſayth S. Auſten, are ſpiritually to be vnderſtand. And where Chriſt ſayth, that the fleſhe profiteth nothing (meaning of his owne fleſh, as S. Auſten ſayth) he meaneth that it How the fleſhe of Chriſt profiteth nothyng and how it doth profite.profiteth not, as they vnderſtode hym ye is to ſay, it profiteth not, if it were eaten. But it doth much profit to be ſlayne, that thorough it and the ſheding of his bloud, the wrath of God our father is pacified, and our ſinnes forgeuen. And wher his maſterſhip ſayth, that the people perceiued well what he ment, and therfore he wondred ſo ſore and could not abide, becauſe they perceiued well by his wordes and māner of circūſtances what his meaning was. I wil ſay as I did before, that the vnderſtood hym not. Now here he will ſay vntounto me, if it be Frith vſeth not wordes without alledgyng authorities.but your naye & my yea, thē I would thinke to be beleued as ſone as you, and ſurely ye were but reaſon. Not withſtanding (thankes be to God) I am able to bring in auctorite to Iudg betwene vsus both, whoſe iudgment I truſt his maſterſhip will admit. This auctor is S. Auſten whiche ſayth. Diſcipuli enim eius qui eum ſequebantur Augustinus in ſermone ad infantesexpauerunt & exhorruerunt ſermonem non intelligentes. That is to ſay, his his diſciples which followed hym were aſtonied, and abhored his wordes and vnderſtode them not. And becauſe your maſterſhip ſhal not thinke that he ouerſhot him felfe, and ſpake he wiſt not what, we ſhall allege hym ſaying the ſame wordes in an other place. Cum diceret. Niſi quis manducauerit carnem. &c. illi (non intelligentes) Augu. 54.dixerunt ad inuicem, Durus eſt hic ſermo, quis poteſt eum audire? That is, when Chriſt ſayd, except a man eate my fleſh and drinke my bloud, he ſhal The Iewes vnderſtode Chriſt carnally and not ſpiritually as he meant.hauehave no lyfe in him, they (becauſe they vnderſtode him not) ſayd to ech other, this is an hard ſaying, who can heare him? Thus I truſt you will geue place (although not to me) yet at the leaſt vntounto S. Auſten, and receiue the truth which is ſo plainely proued. And where his maſterſhip allegeth this text for the ſacrament, that except they did eate his fleſh and drinke his bloude the could not be ſaued, M. More fallen into the errour of pope In nocent.it ſemeth that he is fallen into the error of Pope innocent, which likewiſe vnderſtanding this text vponupon the ſacrament (as M. More doth) cauſed yong children and infantes to receiue the ſacrament, as though they had all bene damned which died and had not receiued it. And of this carnall minde were many mo Buſhoppes a great while (as are now the bohemes) whom he after diſprayſeth, and yet expoundeth the text as they doo, but afterward they loked more ſpiritually vponupon the matter and confeſſed their ignorance (as I truſt M. More will) but now will I ſhew you S. Auſtens minde vppon this text which ſhall helpe for the expoſition of all this matter. S. Auſten in the third boke De Doctrina Chriſtiana the 16. Aug. Lib. 3. de doctrina Chriſtiana.chapiter teaching how we ſhall know the tropes, figures, allegories & phraſes, of the ſcripture ſayth. Si autem flagitium aut facinus iubere videntur, figuratiua locutio eſt. Niſi māducaueritis (inquit) carnē filij hominis et biberitis eius ſanguinem, not habebitis uitam in vobis. Facinus vel flagitium videtur iubere: Figura eſt ergo precipiēs paſſionis dominicae eſſe commicandum, et ſuauiter atque vtiliter in memoria recondendum quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa & vul nerata ſit. That is to ſay, when ſoeuer the ſcripture or Chriſt, ſemeth to commaund any foule or wicked thing, then muſt that text be taken figuratiuely (that as it is a phraſe, allegorie and manner of ſpeaking, and muſt be vnderſtand ſpiritually and not after the letter) Except (ſayth Chriſt) ye eate the fleſh of the ſonne of man and drinke his bloud ye ſhall hauehave no life in you. He ſemeth (ſayth S. Auſten) to Here S. Auguſtine ſheweth plainly that Chriſtes woordes were a figuratiue ſpechcommaūde a foule & a wicked thing. It is therfore a figure, commaunding vsus to be partakers of his paſſion, and ſweetlye and profitablye to print in our mynde that his fleſhe was crucified and wounded for vsus. This truth (thankes be to God) doth S. Auſten declare vntounto vsus, which thing beſide the opening of this text againſt M. Mores mynde, doth plainely ſhew what he thought in the wordes of chriſtes ſupper. For ſith he called it a foule & a wicked thing, to eate his fleſhe, then may you ſoone perceiue, that he thought it was as foule & as wicked a thing to eate his body, ſeing his body is fleſh and then conſequently it ſhall follow, y• eyther this worde eate (where Chriſt ſayd take this and eate it) muſt be taken ſpiritually, or els that this ſaying of Chriſt, this is my bodie, muſt be figuratiuely ſpokē, but this worde eate is taken after the letter (for they did in déede eate the bred) therfore it muſt néedes folowe, that this ſentence (this is my body) muſt bee figuratiuely ſpoken Or els is S. Auſten not to be approued in this place, which thing our Byſhops I thinke, will not ſay nay.
Beſides that S. Auſten ſayth: Quando loquebatur dominus noster Ieſus Augustinus in ſermone ad infantesChristus de corpore ſuo, niſi (inquit) quis manducauerit carnem meam & …iberit ſanguinem meum, non habebit in ſevitam. Caro enim mea vere est cibus, & ſanguis meus vere est potus, intellectus ſpiritualis credentem ſaluum facit, quia litera occidit ſpiritus est qui viuificat. That is to ſay: When our Lord Ieſus Chriſt ſpake of hys body, except (quod he) a man eate my fleſhe and drinke my bloud, he ſhall hauehave no life in hym ſelf, for my fleſh is very meat, and my bloud is very drinke. The ſpirituall vnderſtandyng ſaueth hym that beleueth, for the letter killeth, but the ſpirite quickneth. Here may you playnly perceaue, that thys texte muſt onelyonly be taken ſpiritually. For he ſayth, that to take it after the letter, it kylleth and profiteth nothyng at all, and therfore I wonder that we hauehave bene led ſo long in thys groſſe errour.
Thys ſaying doth y• famous clarke Origine confirme, ſaying. Agnoſce quod figurae ſunt quae in voluminibus Domini Origi. in leus ho. 7.ſcriptae ſunt: & ideo tanquam ſpirituales & non tanquam carnales, examinate & intelligite quae dicuntur. Si enim ſecūdum literam ſequaris hoc ipſum quod dictum est, Niſi manducaueritis carnem. &c. occidit haec litera. That is to ſay. Marke ye they are figures which are written in the Scripture of God, and therefore examine them as ſpirituall men and not as carnall, and vnderſtand thoſe thinges that are ſpoken. For if thou followe after the letter, Chriſtes wordes are ſpirituall and not carnall.thys thyng that is ſpoken: except ye eate the fleſhe of the ſonne of man and drinke hys bloud, you can hauehave no life in you, thys letter kylleth. Alas deare brethren, why ſhould any man be offended with thys doctrine, ſith it is approued ſo plainly, by ſuch auncient and holy fathers?
Againe S. Auſten ſayth: Qui manducat Auguſti. ſermo. eirca ſacra feria Paſcha.carnem meam & bibit meum ſanguinem in me manet & ego in illo. Hoc est ergo manducare illam eſcam & illum bibere potum, in Christo manere & illum manentem in ſe habere, ac per hoc quinō manet in Christo & in quo non manet Christus proculdubio non manducat eius carnem nec bibit ſanguinem, etiam ſi tantaerei ſacramentum ad iudicium ſibi mā ducet & bibit. That is to ſay. He that eateth my fleſh & drynketh my bloud, abydeth in me, and I in hym. Thys The eating & drinkyng of Chriſt, what it is.is therfore the eatyng of that meate, and drinkyng of that bloud, to abyde in Chriſt, and hauehave hym abyding in vsus. And therefore he that abydeth not in Chriſt, and in whom Chriſt abydeth not, without doubt he eateth not hys fleſh, nor drinketh not hys bloud, although he eate and drinke the ſacrament of ſo great a thyng vntounto hys damnation. And euen y• ſame wordes hath Bede vppon the Corinthians. 1. Cor. 10. Thys one place, is ſufficient Idem Beda ſuper. 1. Cor. 10.for to proue my purpoſe though he ſayd not one word more. For here he doth playnly determine, that he which abydeth not in Chriſt, that is to ſay, he ye is wicked or vnfaythfull, doth not eate hys fleſh nor drinke hys The wicked eate not the fleſhe of Chriſt.bloud, although he eate and drinke the Sacrament of ſo great a thyng. And ſo muſt it néedes follow, that the Sacrament is not the very naturall body of Chriſt. For then the vnfaythfull ſhould eate hys fleſh, ſeing he eateth the ſacrament of hys body. But that doth S. Auſten denye: wherfore it muſt néedes followe, that it is but onelyonly a token of a remembrance, and a ſigne of hys body breakyng, and a repreſentation of hys paſſion, that we might kéepe hys facte in memory, and Roma. 5.geue him thankes for his tender louelove and kindenes, which when we were hys enemyes tooke vponupon hym to ſuffer moſt vyle death, to reconcile vsus vntounto hys father, and make vsus hys frendes. Thys ſaying hath S. Auſten in an other place alſo, where he writeth on thys maner: Qui non in me manet, & in quo ego non maneo, non ſe August. de ciuitat. dei. li. 21. ca. 25.dicat aut existimet manducare corpus meum, aut bibere ſanguinē meum. Non it aque manent in Christo, qui non ſunt eius membra: non ſunt autem membra Christi, qui ſe faciunt mēbra meretricis. That is to ſay: He that abydeth not in me, and in whom I abyde not, let hym not ſay or thynke that he eateth my body or drinketh my bloud: They abyde not in Chriſt which are not his members. And they are not hys mē bers which make them ſelues the mē bers of an harlot. And theſe are alſo the very wordes of Bede. Here it is playne proued agayne by the authoritie of S. Auſten and Bede, that the Beda ſuper 1. Cor. 6.wicked and vnfaythfull (which are not the members of Chriſt) doe not eate hys body nor drinke hys bloud, The ſacrament is a figure, token, and a memoriall of the breaking of Chriſtes body & ſheding of hys bloud.and yet they do eate the ſacrament as well as the other. Wherefore you muſt néedes graunt, that the Sacrament is not ye naturall body of Chriſt but a figure, tokē, or memoriall therof. Now good Chriſten people count not thys new learning which is firmed by ſuch olde Doctors and faythfull fathers.
Now were this inough for a Chriſten man that loued no contention. But becauſe there are ſo many ſophiſters in y• world which care not what they ſay, ſo they holde not theyr peace. I muſt néedes ſet ſome bulwarke by thys holy Doctor to helpe to defend hym, for els they will ſhortly ouerrunne hym (as they do me) and make hym an hereticke too. Therefore I will alleage hys maſter S. Ambroſe. Saint Ambroſe ſayth: Non iste panis Ambroſ. de ſacra. Lib. 5 cap. 4.est qui vadit in corpus, ſed ille panis vitae aeternae qui animae nostrae ſubstantiam fulſcit. That is: It is not thys bread that goeth into the bodye, but that bread of euerlaſting life whiche vpboldeth the ſubſtance of our ſoule. Furthermore the great clerke Proſper confirmeth the ſame ſaying. Qui diſcordat a Christo nec carnem Christi Proſp. in libro ſententiarū. ſent. 339.manducat, nec ſanguinem bibit, etiamſi tamtae rei ſacramentum ad iudicium ſuae praeſumptionis quotidie indifferenter accipiat. That is: He that diſcordeth from Chriſt, doth neyther eate hys fleſhe nor drinke hys bloud, although he receaue indifferētly eueryevery day the ſacrament of ſo great a thing vntounto the condemnation of hys preſumption. And theſe are alſo the very wordes of Bede vponupon the xj. Chapter of the Idem Beda ſuper. 1. Cor. 11.firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians.
Now you may ſée, that it is not S. Auſtens minde onelyonly, but alſo the ſaying of many moe. And therefore I truſt you will be good vntounto hym. And if ye condemne not theſe holy fathers, then am I wrongfully puniſhed. But if you condemne thē, then muſt poore Frith be content to beare the burthen with them.