A boke made by Iohn Frith prisoner in the tower of London answeringe vnto M mores lettur which he wrote agenst the first litle treatyse that IohnÌ„ Frith made concerninge the sacramente of the body and bloude of christ vnto which boke are added in the ende the articles of his examinacion before the bishoppes of London winchestur and lincolne in Paules church at London for which Iohn Frith was condempned aÌ„d after bureÌ„t in smith felde with out newgate the fourth daye of Iuli Anno. 1533. ¶ Mortui resurgent ¶ The preface of this bokeâ— GRace and encreaâ—e of knowelege from God the fader thorow oure lord Iesus criste be with the christen reader and with all that love the lorde vnfaynedly Amen I chauÌ„ced bâ—ing in these parties to be in coÌ„panie with A christen broder wiche for hys commendable coÌ„uersation And sobre behavour myght better be a bishop theÌ„ many that weare myters yf the reule of s. Paule were regarded in ther election Thys broder after moche communication desyrid to knowe my mynde as touchynge the sacrrament of the body and blode of oure savioure Christ. Whiche thynge I opened vnto hym accordynge to the gist that god had gevyn me Firste I proved vnto hym that yt was non article of oure fayth necessarie to be beleved vnder payne of daÌ„nacioÌ„ TheÌ„ I declared that christ had a naturall bodie evyn as myne ys savyng synne and that yt cowde no more be in two places at once then myne can Thyrdly I shewyd hym that it was not necessarie that the wordes shulde so be vnderstonde as they sounde But that yt myght be a phrase of scripture as ther ar innumerable After that I shewyd hym certen suche phrases and maâ—er of speakyng And that yt was well vsed in oure englishe tong aÌ„d finally I recyted after what mauer they myght receyve yt accordynge to christes institutyon not fearyng the froward alteracyon that the prestes vse contrarie to the firste forme and institution When I had sufficiently published my mynde he desired me to entitie the sâ—me of my wordes aÌ„d write them for hym be cause they semed ouerâ—onge to be well râ—teigned in memorie And aâ—beit I was loth to take the mater in hande yet to fullfyll hys instant intercession I toke vppon me to touche this terrible tragedie and wrote a treatise whyche be side my paynfull impresonmeÌ„t ys lyke to purchase me moste cruell deth which I am redie and glade to receyve w t the sprite and inward man allthough the fleshe be frayle when so ever yt shall please god to lay yt vppon me Notwithsâ—ondinge to say the truthe I wrote yt not to the intent that yt shuld haue byn published For theÌ„ I wolde haue toucheâ— the mater more ernestly and haue writyn as well of the spirituall eatynge and drynkynge whiche ys of necessite as I dâ—de of the carnall whiche ys not so necessarie for the treatise that I made was â—ot expedient for all men albeit yt weare sufficieâ—t for them whom I toke in hande to ensâ—ructe For they knewe the spirituall and necessarie eatynge and drynâ—ynge of his bodie and bloode which ys not receyvyd with the teth and belye but with the â—ares and fayth and only neâ—ed instrucâ—yon in the ouâ—ward eatynge whiche thynge I therfore only declared But now yt ys commen a brode and in many mens mowthes in so moche that master more w c of late hathe busted hym sellfe to medle in all soche materes of what zele I wyll not defyne hath sore labored to coÌ„fute yt but some men thinke that he ys ashamed of his ê‘te and for that cause doth so diligently suppresse the worke w c he prynted For I my sellfe saw the worke in prent in my lorde of wynchesters howse vppon S. Stephyns day last paste But nether I nether all the fryndes I cowâ— make mighte attayne any copie but only one wrytyn copie which as yt semed was drawyn oute in great haste natwithstondinge I can not well Iudge what the cause shulde be that hys boke ys kept so secrette But this I am right sure of that he neuer touched the fouÌ„dacioÌ„ that my treatise was buylded vppon And therfore syth my foundacion stondith so sure and invincible for els I thynke verely he wolde sore have labored to haue vndermined yt I wyl ther vppon buylde a lytle more and allso declare that his ordinance ys to slender to breake yt downe all though yt were sett vppon a wors foundacyon ¶ The fondacion of that lytle treatise was that yt ys non article of our fayth necessarye to be belevyd vnder payne of dampnacion that the sacrament shuld be the naturall bodie of christe which thynge ys proved on this maner FIrste we muste all aknowelege that yt ys non article af our fayth which can save vs nor which we are bounde to beleve vnder the payne of eternall damnacion For yf I shulde beleve that hys verey naturall bodye bothe fleshe and bloode were naturaly in the brede wyne that shulde not save me seinge many beleve that and receyve yt to ther dampnacyon for yt ys not hys prsense in the brede that â—an save me but hys presence in my herte thorough fayth in hys blode w c hathe washed oute my synnes and pacyfied the faders wrathe toward me And agayne yf I do not beleve his bodely presence in the brede wine that shall not dampne me but the absence out of my harte thorough vnbeleffe Now yf they wolde here obiecte that though yt be truth that the absence oute of the brede coulde not dampne vs yet are we bounde to belâ—ve yt be cause of goddes worde whiche who belevyth not as moche as in hym lyeth makythe god al lyer And therfore of anÌ„ obstinat mynde not to beleve hys worde may be an occasioÌ„ of daÌ„pnacioÌ„ To thys we may answer that we beleve goddes worde and knowelege that yt ys trewe but in this we dissent whether yt be trewe in the sense that we take yt in or in the sence that ye take yt in And we say agayne that thought ye haue as yt apereth vnto yow the evideÌ„t wordes of christe aÌ„d therfore coÌ„siste in the barke of the letter yet are we coÌ„pelled by conferringe of the scryptures to gether within the letter to serche oute the minde of our sauiour w c spake the wordes And we saye therdly that we do it not of an obstinate miÌ„de For he that defendeth a cause obstinatly whether yt be true or false ys euer to be repÌ„hended But we do yt to satiâ—fie our coÌ„sciences whiche are coÌ„pelled by other placys of scripture reasons and doctours so to Iudge of yt And evyn so ought yow to Iudge of youre partie and to defende youre sentense not of obstinatie but by the reason of scriptures which cause yow so to take yt aÌ„d so ought nether partie to dispyse other for eche sekyth the glorie of god and the trew vnderstondynge of the scripture This was the
downe and wepte before the lorde and fasted that day vntyll evyn and asked hym agayne whether they shulde any more fight agaynst theyr brethern or not God sayd vnto theÌ„ yes â— to morow I will deliuer theÌ„ in to your haÌ„des And the nâ—xt day was the trybe of beniamin vtterly distroyed sauyng .600 men whych hyd them selves in the wildernes Here yt ys evydent that the chylderne of Israell loste the victorye twise and yet not with sonding had a iuâ—â—e cause and faught at goddes commandement Besides that Iudas machabeus was slayne in a ryghtwyse cause as yt ys manyfest in the fyrst boke of the Machabâ—es And therfore yt can be no euydent argument of the vengâ—aunce of GOD that he was slayne in baâ—ayle in a ryghtwise cause and therfore me thinketh that this man ys to malaparte so bluntly to enter in to Goddes Iudgâ—ment and geue sentence in that mater before he be caulled to counsell Thus â—aue I sufficiently touched hys preface for those pointes that â—e afterward touched more largâ—ly haue I wyllyngly passed be cause I shall touche thâ—m â—rnestly here after Nowe lett vs se what he proueth ¶ It ys a great wonder to see vppon how light sleight occasions he ys fallen vnto thes abhomynable heresyesâ—â—or he deâ—yeth not nor can not say nay â— but that our sauyour sayd him selfe my fleshe ys verely meaâ—e and my blode ys verely â—rynke he denyeth not allso that Christ hym sellfe at hys last souper taâ—ynge the brâ—de in to hys blessed handes after that he had blessâ—d yt sayd vnto hâ—s disciplesâ— Take yow thys and eate yt thys ys my bodye â— that shal be geuyn for yow And lykewise gaue them the chalece after hys blessyng and consecracyon and sayd vnto them thys ys the chalice of my bloude of the new testament whyche shal be shed oute for many do ye thys yn remembrance of me ¶ It ys a great wounder to see howe ygnoraunt theyr proctour ys in the playne textes of scrypture For yf he had any Iudgement at all he might well perceyue that when Chryste spake thes wordes my fleshe ys verely meate and my bloude ys verely drynke he spake nothynge of the sacrament For yt was not institute vntyll hys laste souper And these wordes were spokyn to the Iewys longe before and meÌ„t theÌ„ not of the carnall eatynge or drynkynge of hys bodye or bloude but of the spirituall â—atynge which is done by faythe aÌ„d not with tothe or bellye Wher of Saint Austyn sayeth vppoÌ„ this gospell of IohnÌ„ whi preparest thou other tothe or bellyeâ— beleue and thou haste eatyn hym So that chrystys wordes muâ—t here be vnderstonde spiritualy And that he cauleth hys fleshe very meat because that as meate by the eatyng of yt and disgestyng yt in our bodye dothe strengthen thes corruptyble membres so lykewise doth christes fâ—eshe by the belâ—uynge that yt taketh our synne vppoÌ„ yt selfe aÌ„d suffered the dâ—th to delyuer vs aÌ„d strengtheÌ„ our immortall soule And lykewise as drynke when yt ys dronkyn doth comforte and quickyn our frayâ—e nature So lykewise doth Christes bloude by the drynkinge of yt in to the bouwells of our soâ—le that ys by the beleuyng and remâ—mbryng that yt ys shed â—or oure synnes comforte and quicken our soule vnto euerlastyng lyffe And this ys the eatyng and drynkyng that he speakyth of in that place And that yt ys so yow may perceyue by the text followyng which sayth he that eatyth my bodie aÌ„d drynketh my bloude dwellyth in me aÌ„d I in hym which ys not possible to be vndersâ—onden of the sacrameÌ„t For it is falsâ— to say that he that eateth the sacrameÌ„t of his bodye and drynketh the sacrameÌ„t of hys bloude dwelleth in christe christâ— in hym For some man recâ—yueth yt vnto his condempnacion And thus doth S. Austen expound yt sayingâ— Hoc est enim Christum manducare in illo manere illum manentem inseâ—aâ—ere This ys the very eatinge of Christ to dwell in hym and to haue hym dwelling in vs So that who so euer dwellith in Christ that ys to saye beleueth that he is sent of God to saue vs from our sinnes doth verely eate drinke his bodie and bloude although he neuer receyued the sacrament This is the spuÌ„all â—aâ—ing necessarie for all that shal be saued for there is no man that â—â—mith to God wtoâ—te this eating of Christ that is the bâ—leuing in hym And so I deney â—ot but that Christ speaketh thes wordâ—s but surelye he ment spiritually â— as s. Austen declareth and as the place playnly proueth And as touching the other wordâ—s that Christe spake vnto his disciples at the laste souê‘ I deney not but that he sayd so but that he so flesly ment as ye falsely faine I vtterley deney For I saye that his wordes wâ—re then allso sprite and liff and were spirituallyâ— to be vnderstoÌ„den and that he called yt his bodie For a certaine propartie euyn as he câ—lled him self a vâ—ry vine and his disciples very vine braunches aÌ„d as he called him sellffe a doremot that he was so in dede â— but for certayne propertâ—es â—n the sâ—militudes as a man for some proê‘tie saieth of his neâ—gâ—bours horsse this horsse is myn vp downe meaning that yt is in euery thinge so lyke And lyke as Iaâ—ob buylded anÌ„ aulter and caulled yt the God of Israell and as Iacob called the place where he wrasteled w t the angell the face of god and as the pascal laÌ„be was caulled the passing bye of the lorde And as a brokyn potsherd was caulled Hierusalem not for that they were so in dede but for certayne similitudes in the properties and that the very name yt selâ—fe might put men in remembrance what ys mâ—nt by the thing as I suffeciently declared in my fiâ—ste treatise He muste nedes confesse that they â—haâ— beleue that yt is the very bodie and his very bloude in dede haue the playne wordes of our sauiour hym sellfe vppon ther syde for the grouÌ„de and foundacâ—on of ther fayth That is very true and so haue they the very wordes of god which saye a brokeÌ„ pottsherd ys Hierusalem and that Christe is a stone aÌ„d that Christe is a vine and a dore And yett yff they should beleue or thinkâ— that he were in dede any of thesse thingâ—s they were neuerthelesse deceyued For though he so sayd yet I saye his wordes were spirituall spiritually to be vnderstoÌ„d And were yow saye that I flye from the faythe of playne and open scriptures and for the allygorie destroie the true sence of the letter I answer that some textes of scripture are onlye to be vnderstonden after the letter As wheÌ„ Paulle sayth Christ died for our synnes and arose agayne for our iustification And some textes are only to be vnderstond spuÌ„ally or in the waye of an allegorye As when Paule sayeth Christe was the stone and when Christe sayth
the which dooth represent his bodye as though he shoulde saye yf christ had counted the breed euell then wolde he not haue lefte yt for a sacrament to represent hys bodye meanynge that yt ys a sacrament signe token and memoriall of hys bodye and not the bodye yt sellf And that this is his mynde doth playnlye apere in hys fourth boke wher he sayeth Christus acceptuÌ„ paneÌ„ et distributuÌ„ discipulis corpus suuÌ„ illud fecit hoc eâ—t corpê° meuÌ„ diceÌ„do id est figura corpis mei Figura auÌ„t noÌ„fuisset nisi veritatis esset corpus Ceteru vacua res qdest phaÌ„tasma figuraÌ„ capere noÌ„ posset That is to saye christ takyng brede distrybutynge vnto his disciples made it his bodie sayng this ys my bodye that ys to saye a figure of mi bodye but this breed could not haue â—yn a figure of yt except christ had had a true bodie For a uayne thiÌ„ge or a phaÌ„tasye caÌ„ take no figure For the vnderstoÌ„dynge of this place you muste marke that this heretycke marcion against whoÌ„ this auctour wryteth did holde opinyon that christ had no naturall bodye but onlye a phaÌ„tasticall bodye aÌ„d this opinion doth this doctour improue bi the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter sayinge the sacrameÌ„t ys a figure of his bodye ergo Christ had a true bodye not a phantasticall bodie For a uaine thiÌ„ge or phaâ—â—asie caÌ„ take no figure Loo here doth this olde father w c was loÌ„ge be fore s. auâ—teÌ„ or s. hierome expouÌ„de thes wordes of christe This is mi bodie that is to saie a figure of mi bodie therfore ye are to blaÌ„e to call it newe leriÌ„ge Nowe be cause thei shall not of temâ—rarious pÌ„sumpcyon reiectâ— this olde father I shall establyshe hys wordes by s. Austen w c comendeth Christes meruelous paciâ—nce for suffering so longe that traiâ—our Iudas as though he had byn a good maÌ„ and yet was not ignoraÌ„t of his wicked thoughtes Adhibuit inqt ad coÌ„uiâ—iuÌ„ in quo corporis languâ—s sui figuraÌ„ discipulis coÌ„mendauit ac tradidit That ys to saye he admâ—tted hâ—m sayeâ—he s. Austen vnto the mandye wherin he dede betake and delyâ—er vnto the disciplâ—s the figure of his bodie and bloude Here doth â—his holye father s. Austen call yt the figurâ— of hâ—s bodye And I am sure there is nomaÌ„ so chyldishe but that he knoweth that the figure of a thinge ys not the thinge yt sellff As by exaÌ„ple the figure of Christe ys not Christe hym selâ—fe the figure of s. Pâ—ter ys not saâ—nt Peter hym sellfâ— And yet we do neuerthelesse coÌ„menly call thosse figures by the name of the thinge that they do repÌ„sent As I maye saye when I see the figure of s. Peter thys ys s. Peâ—er to whom Christe deliuered the keyes of the kyndom of heuyn And yet he were a foâ—le that woldâ— thinke that figure to be s. Peter hym selâ—f for yt ys onlye a representacion of hym Besides that s. Austen sayth Non hoc corpus quod uidetis estis manducaturi nec â—ibituri illuÌ„ sanguineÌ„ queÌ„ effusuri sunt qui me crucifigeÌ„â— SacramentuÌ„ aliqd uobis coÌ„mendaui spiritu-liter intellecâ—um uiuificaâ— uos caro auÌ„t non prodest quicquam That ys to say you shall not â—aâ—e thys bodye that you see nor drinke that bloude w c thei that crucyfie me shall shed oute I haue geuen a sertayne sacrament vnto you yf yt be spuÌ„ally vnderstond yt quickeneth you but the fleshe profiteth nothinge What thinges can be more playnly spoken Furdermore S. Austen sayeth Sepe ita loquimur ut pascha appropinquaÌ„ te crastinaÌ„ uel perendi naÌ„ DnÌ„i passionem dicamus cuÌ„ ille ante tam multoâ— annos passus sit nec omnino nisi semel illa passio facta sit Nempe ipso die dnÌ„ico dicimus hodie Dominus resurrexit cuÌ„ ex quo surrexit totanni traÌ„sieruÌ„t Quare nemo tam ineptus est ut nos ita loquentes arguat esse mentitos quia istos dies secundum illoruÌ„ quibus haec gesta sunt similitudineÌ„ nuncupamus ut dicatur ipse dies qui noÌ„ sit ipse sed reuolutione temporum similes eius dicatur illo die fieri propter sacramenti celebrationeÌ„ quod non illo die sediam olim sactuÌ„ est NoÌ„ne semel immolatus est christus in seipso tameÌ„ in sacramento noÌ„ solum per annuas paschae solennitates sed omnidie pro populis immolatur nec utique mentitur qui interrogatus responderit euÌ„ immolari Si enim sacramenta quaÌ„ dam similitudineÌ„ earum reruÌ„ quaruÌ„ sunt sacramenta noÌ„ haberent omnino sacramenta non essent Ex hac auteÌ„ similitudine plerumque etiaÌ„ ipsaruÌ„ reruÌ„ nomina accipiuÌ„t Sicut ergo seâ—unduÌ„ quendaÌ„ modum sacramentum corporis CHRISTI corpus CHRISTI est sacramentuÌ„ sanguinis CHRISTI sanguis CHRISTI est Ita sacramenta fidei fides est Nihil est auteÌ„ aliud credere q fidem habere ac per hoc respondetur fideÌ„ habere propter fidei sacramenta Et coÌ„uertere se ad DeuÌ„ propter coÌ„uersionis sacramentuÌ„ Quia ipsa responsio perâ—inet ad celebrationem sacramenti Sicut de ipso baptismo apostolus dicit consepulti inquit sumus Christo per baptismum in mortem Non ait sepulturaÌ„ significauimus sed prorsus ait consepulti sumus SacramentuÌ„ ergo tantae rei non nisi eiusdem rei uocabulo nuncupauit That ys saâ—e We often vse to saye when ester drawyth ney that to morow or the next day is the Lordes passyon and yett yt ys many yeres sith he suffered and that passyon was neuer done but once And vppon that sondaye we saye thâ—s daye the lorde did ryse agayne and yet yt ys many yeres syns he rose Now ys ther no man so folishe to reproue vs as lyars for sayinge be cause we name thes dayes after the similitude of those in which thes thinges were donÌ„ so that yt ys cauied the same daye which is not the verye same but by the reuolucyon of tyme lyke yt And yt ys named to be don the same daye thorough the celebracyon of the sacrament thorough kepynge the memoryall of the thyng once donÌ„ which ys not don that daye but was don longe agoon Was not CHRIST onece crucyfyed in hys owne person and yet in a mysterye which ys the remembrance of hys verye passyon he ys crucyfyed for the people not onlye euery feast of ester but euery daye nether doth he lye whych when he ys asked answereth that he ys crucyfyed for yf the sacramentes had not certayne symilitudes of those thinges wherof they are sacramentes then shulde they be no sacramentes at all And for thys symilitude for the moste parte they take the names of the very thinges and therfore as after a certayne maner the sacrament of Christys bodye ys Christis bodye and the sacrameÌ„t of christys bloude ys Christys bloude so the sacrameÌ„t of fayth ys
so moche that wheÌ„ christ knewe that yt was his fathers will pleasure that he shuld suffer for ourâ—innes wherin his honour glorie prayse shulde be published then was yt a pleasure vnto hiÌ„ to declare vnto his disciples that great benefite vnto hiâ— fathers prayse and glorie and so did institute that we shuld come to gether aÌ„d breake the brede in the remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of his bodye breakynge bloudeshediÌ„ge that we shuld eate it to gether reioysinge w t eche other declariÌ„ge his bnÌ„fitesâ— Now were the corinthians fallin froÌ„ this houÌ„ger and caÌ„ not to gether to th enteÌ„t that goddes prayse shuld be published by theÌ„ in the myddes of the congrygacion but caÌ„ to fede their fleshe to make carnall chere In so moche that the ryche wolde haue meate and drincke ynough aÌ„d take suche aboundauÌ„ce that they wolde be droÌ„ke and so made yt ther owyn souper not the lordes as paule sayth aÌ„d did eate onlye the brede and meate aÌ„d not the bodye breakynge as I sayd before and the poore which hade not that is to saye that had no meate to eate where shamed hongrye aÌ„d so could not reiose aÌ„d prayse the lorde by the reason that the delicate fare of the riche was an occasion for the pore eo lameÌ„t their pourtye aÌ„d thus the riche did nether prayse god theÌ„selues nor suffered the poore to doo yt but were an occasioÌ„ to hynder them They shulde haue brought their meate drinke aÌ„d haue deuided yt w t their poore brothern that they might haue byn mery to gether aÌ„d so to haue geuyn theÌ„ occasion to be merye aÌ„d reioyse in the lorde w t thaÌ„kes geuinge But they had nether luste to prayse god nor to coÌ„forte their neighboure Ther fayth was feble aÌ„d their charite cold and had no regard but to fyll their bodye fede there fleshe And so dispised the poore congrygacion of god whom they shuld haue honoured for the spyrite that was in theÌ„ fauour that god had shewed indifferentlye vnto them in the bloude of his sonne christe When Paulâ— perceyued that they were thus fleshlie minded had no mynde vnto that spuÌ„all maundye which chefelye shuld ther be aduertised he reproueth theÌ„ sore rehersinge the wordes of christe That w c I gaue vnto you I receyued of the lorde For the lorde Iesus the same night in the w c he was betrayed toke bred thaÌ„ked and brake yt sayd take ye and eate ye this ys my bodie w c ys brokeÌ„ for you this do ye in the remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of me After the same maner he toke the cup wheÌ„ souper was don sayinge this cup is the new testameÌ„t in my bloude this do ye as ofte as ye drinke yt in the remembraunce of me For as ofte as ye shall eate thys bred and drynke this cup ye shall shewe the lordes deth tyll he come As though he shuld saye ye corinthians are moche to blame w c at this souper seke the foede of your fleshe For yt was institute of christe not for the enteÌ„t to noryshe the belye but to streÌ„ghtheÌ„ the harte soule in god And bi this you maye knowe that christe so meÌ„t For he callyth yt his bodye w c is geuin for you so that the name yt sellf might testifie vnto yow that in this souê‘ you shuld more eate hys bodye w c is geuyn for you by digestyng that in to the bowelles of your soule theÌ„ the breed w c by the breakiÌ„ge the distributyng of yt doth repÌ„sent his bodie breakiÌ„ge the distributyng theroff vnto all that are faythfull And that he so meaneth ys euydent by the wordes following w c saye this do in the remembraunce of me and likewise of the cup. And finallie â—oncluding of both Paule sayth as often as ye shall eate this brede aÌ„d drinke this cup in this place and fellowship ye shall shewe the lordes deth vntill he come praisinge the lorde for the dethe of his sonne and exortinge other to do the same reioysinge in him w t infinite thankes And thefore ye are to blame w c seke onlye to fede the bellye w t that thinge w c was onlye institute to fede the soule And ther vppon yt followyth Wherfore who so euer doth eate of this bred or driÌ„ke of this cup vnworthelie is giltye of the bodye bloude of the lorde He eateth this brede vnworthelie w c regardeth not the purpose for the w c Christ did insâ—itute yt w c comith not to it w t spuÌ„all honger to eate thorough faith his verye bodye w c the bred representeth by the breaking aÌ„d distributinge oâ— yt whiche comith not w t a merye harte geuinge God hartye thankes for their deliuerance from synne Whiche do not moche more eate in their harte the deth of his bodye then they do the bred w t their mouth Now sith the Corinthians dyd onlye seke their bely and fleshe forgat goddes honour and prayse for which â—t was institute that thankes shuld be geuyn by the remembraunce oâ— his bodie breakinge for vs they eate yt to goddes dishonour to their neighboures hinderrance and to ther owin condempnacion and so for lacke of fayth were gâ—ltye of Christes bodie w c by faith they shulde there cheffelye haue eatâ—n to ther soules helth And therfore yt followith ¶ Lett a man therfore examyne hym sellfe and so let hym eate of the brede and drinke of the cup. THis prouynge or examinynge of a mans selfe is fyrste to thinke w t him sellfe w t what luste and disyre he comyth vnto the maundye wyll eate that bâ—ed whether he besure that he is the childe of god in the fayth of Christe And whether hâ—s conscâ—ence do beare hym wytnes that Christes bodye was brokyn for hym And whether the luste that he hath to prayse god aÌ„d thanke hym w t a faythfull harte in the myddes of the brethern do dryue hym thither warde Or els whether he do yt for the meates sake or to kepe the custome for then were yt better that he were awye For he that eateth or drinketh vnworthelye eateth aÌ„d drinkethe his owyn daÌ„nacyon because he maketh no difference of the lordes bodye That ys as yt ys sayd before he that regardeth not the purpose for which it was institute aÌ„d puteth no defference betwene this eatâ—ng and othâ—r eating for other eatynge doth onlye serue the bellye but thys eatynge was institute and ordeyned to sarue the soule and inwarde man And therfore he that abuseth yt to the fleshe eateth and drinketh hys owyn dampnacyon And he comyth vnworthelye to the maundye where the sacrament of Christes bodye ys eaten ye where the bodye of the lorde ys eaten not â—arnallye w t the teth and bâ—llye but spiritually w t the harte and faythe Uppon this followeth the text that master More allegeth and wresteth for his purpose For this cause manye are weake and sike amoÌ„ge you manie slepe Yf we had trulie Iudged
oure selues we shuld not haue byn Iudged WheÌ„ we are Iudged of the lorde we are chastened because we shuld not be dampned w t the worlde Wherfore my brethern when ye come to gether to eate tarye one for another Yf any man hunger lett him eate at home that ye come not to gether vnto condempnacyon For this cause that is for lacke of good examininge of oure selues as ys before touched manie are weake and syke in the fayth manye slepe and haue loste their fayth in Christes bloude for lacke of remembraunce of his bodye breaking and bloude shedinge ye and not that onlie but manye were weake and sike euyn striken w t bodelye diseases for abusinge the sacrament of his bodye eatinge the bred w t their teth aÌ„d not his bodye w t their hart and mynde and ê‘aduenture some slayne for yt by the sâ—rocke of god w c yf they had truly Iudged and examined theÌ„ selues for what intent they cam thither and why yt was institute shuld not haue byn so Iudged and chastened of the lorde For the lorde doth chasten to bringe vs vnto repentaunce and to mortifie the rebellious membres that we maye remeÌ„ber hym Here ye maye shortly perceyue y e minde of Pauâ—e Finis ¶ An Epitome and short rehersall of all this boke shewynge in what poyntes Frith dissenteth from our prelates NOw to be short in thes .iij. poyntes frith dissenteth from oure prelates from master More w c taketh vppon him to be their proctoure Oure prelates beleue that in the sacrament remayneth no bred but that yt ys torned in to the naturall bodye of Christ both fleshe bloude bones Frith sayth that yt is none article of oure Crede and therfore let them beleue yt that will And he thinketh that there remayneth bred styll And that he proueth iij. maner of wayes Fyrste by the scripture of Paule w c calleth yt bred sayinge the brede w c we breake ys yt not the fellowship of the bodie of christe For we though we be manye are yet one bodye and one bred as mannye as are partakers of one bred And agayne he saâ—eth as ofteÌ„ as ye eate of this bred or driÌ„ke of this cuppe you shall shewe the lordes deth vnâ—yll he come Also luke callethe yt bred saying in the Actes they continued in the fellowship of the aposteles in the breakinge of the brede and prayer Also Christe called the cuppe the frute of a vyne saying I shall not from hence forward drinke of the frute of the vine vntill I drinke that newe in the kiâ—dom of my father Furthermore nature doth teache you that both the bred and wine continâ—e in their nature For the bred muldeth yf yt be kept longe ye wormis bred in yt And y e poore mouse will runne awaye w t yt and eate yt w c are euidence ynough that there remaynith bred Also the wine yf yt were reserued wold wax sower as they confesse them seluesâ— And therfore they howsell the laye people but w t one kinde onlye because the wine can not coÌ„tinue nor be reâ—â—rued to haue readye at hande when nede were And surelye as yâ— there remayned no bred yt could not mould nor wax full of wormes euyn so yf there remayned no wine yt could nâ—t wax sower And therfore yt is but faulse doctrine thaâ— our pÌ„lates so long haue taught published Finallie that ther remaineth bred might be ê“uyd by the auctorite of manie doctoures w t calle yt bred wine euyn as Christe his appostelis ded And though some sophisters wolde wreste their sayinge and expouÌ„d theÌ„ after their owyn â—hantasâ—e yet shall I allege theÌ„ one doctoure w c was pope that maketh so plaine w t vs that they shall neuer be able to auoyde hym For pope Gelasius writeth on this maner Certe sacrameÌ„ta q sumimus corporis sanguinis Christiâ— diuinae res sunt propter qd per eadeÌ„ diuinae efficimur coÌ„sortes naturae Et tameÌ„ noÌ„ deâ—init esse substaÌ„tia uel natura panis et uini sed ê‘manet in suae ê“prietate naturae Et certe imago et similitudo corporis sanguinis Christi in actioÌ„e misterioruÌ„ celebrantur That is to saie surelye the sacrameÌ„t of the bdye bloude of Christe w t we receyue are a godlye thynge therfore thorough thâ—m are we made ê‘takers of the godly nature And yet doth yt not cease to be the substaÌ„ce or nature of bred and wine but they continue in the propertie of their owyn nature And surely the image and similitude of the bodye and bloude are celebrated in the acte of the misterys This I am sure that no maÌ„ can auoyd yt nor so wrest yt but that all men shall sone espye hys folye and therfore I maye conclude that there remayneth the substance and nature of brede wine The seconde poynte wherin Frith dissenteth from oure prelates and their proctoure THe prelates beleue that his verie fleshe is pÌ„sent to the teth of theÌ„ that eate the sacrament and that the wicked eate his verye bodye Frith sayth that yt is none article of our Crede and therfore he rekenith that he is in no Ieoperdye though he beleue yt not And he thinketh that his fleshe is not pÌ„sent vnto the teth of theÌ„ that receyue the sacrament For hys fleshe ys onlye in one place at once And that he proueâ—h both by the auctorite of Sainct Austen ad Dardanum and also by the auctorite of Fulgentius ad ThrasuuaÌ„dum libro 20. as before apereth in the boke And Fryth sayth that the wicked eate not hys verye fleshe allthough they receue the sacrament And that he proueth by the scripture doctoures and good reason grounded vppon the scryptures The scripture is this he that eateth christes bodie hath euerlastiÌ„ge liffe but the wicked hath not euerlastinge liffe ergo then the wicked eate not his bodye Agayne the scrypture sayeth he that eateth christes fleshe drinketh his bloude abydeth in christe christe in hiÌ„ but the wicked abyde not in christe nor christe iÌ„ hiÌ„ ergo the wicked eate not his fleshe nor drinke his bloude This maye also be confyrmed by good auctorite For sainct Austen sayeth he that abâ—deth not in christe in whoÌ„ christe abydeth not w t ouâ—e doubte he eateth not his fleshe nor driÌ„keth his bloude allthough he eate drinke the sacrameÌ„t of so great a thinge vnto his â—ampnacion And euen the same wordes hathe beda vppon the tenth chapter of the fyrste pistle to the Corinthians Agayne s. Austene sayeth he that abideth not in me in whom I abyde not let him not saye nor thinke that he eateth my bodye or drinketh my bloude And euen the same wordes hath Beda vppon the sixt chapter of the firste epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s And euen the same senteÌ„ce hath Ambrose and Prosper aÌ„d Beda vppon the .xi chapter of the firste pistle to the Corinthians Finallye