cold no more be hurte of no creature To this he answered accordynge to Tyndales counsayle that yt was a phrase of scrypture to saye he came in the gates beynge shyt in stede of he came in late after that the gates were shyte and so knocked and had the gates opened And to the tother place of rysyng thorough the stone he sayd y e Angell lefte vp the stone so our lorde rose Jhesu how relygyousely these men handle the scrypture whyche pratel nothynge ellys put scrypture when the gospell was layed agaynst hym where the women comynge to the tombe after hys resurreccyo doubted how they myghte attayne vnto hys body for the stone whych couered his graue and deuysed who shuld helpe them to remoue it and streyght lokynge towardes it agayne sawe the stone remoued and thangell at the tombe to y t he answered why myght not the women cast these doubtes by the waye as they came as well as when they were there Se you not y e excedynge obstynacye of hym who so longe as he coulde haue any thynge to deuyse for an answere were it neuer so false and folyshe as this was yet wolde not shewe hymselfe confor mable in any wyse but wolde rather saye any thyng what so euer it were then eyther coÌ„fesse the trouth or hold his peace Agaynste his deuise that thangell lyfted vp the stone y t our lord myght at his ease come forth my lord shewed vnto hym saynt Austayn sayeng expressely He went forth the graue beynge styll close what wolde he requyre more playne who professed to knowledge for trouth what so euer were playnely wryten of any doctour of the chyrche in thys mater yet it toke no place with him as playne as this place of saynt Austayne is Saynt Hierom also amonge his answers to Hedibia declareth thys place sayenge thus Let vs not thynke that thangell came to open the graue for our lorde when he sholde ryse and tourne ouer the stone But after that our lorde had rysen at suche howre as pleased hym and is knowen to no man to declare what was done and to haue shewed by tournynge ouer the stone that the tombe was empty c. What is playne yf thys declareth not playnely that y e angell remoued the stone after that oure lorde was rysen And wher as the pharyse wolde not admytte that y e body of our lorde myghte be receyued of a synner and enter into hym he shewed hym saint Austayne sayenge that our sauyour gaue Judas the pryce of our redempcyon And also an other where he sayth he gaue the same to Judas which he gaue to hys other apostles so that his noughtynes in nothynge altered that whyche was receyued of hym After that Fryth had glosed the fyrste place with a glose of his owne sayenge that saynte Austayne there called the mystery by y e name of that whyche it represented to remoue away all doubt therin shew playnly that how so euer it appered to our carnall eyes and our other bodyly sences yet iÌ„ dede there were nothyng ellys but the very body and bloude of our lorde my lorde shewed hym an homelye wryten by saynte Chrisostome of that mater wherin among many other thynges spoken wyth great reuerence of the moste blessed sacrament he sayth thus Is it brede that thou seeste â–ª or is it wyne or doth it passe thorough the as other meates do God fordyd Loke thou thynke not so For lyke as yf waxe brought vnto the fyre melte in to it none of thoâ—de substauÌ„ce remayneth nor nothynge is therby encreased so thynke the thynges semynge to be there consumed wyth the presence of hys body And a lytellafter he sayeth Suppose the bloude of our saluacyon to flowe out of his godly and vndefyled syde and so approchyng receyue it with pure lyppes When Fryth saye this Homilie as shameles as he was in answerynge he founde nothynge to answere here vnto But yet reteynynge styll his hygh lokes and lyke one who were consulted rather lyke a censour correctour of the catholyque doctours than taughte by them to knowe hys folye in respecte of this dyspysynge thother places whych were alledged vnto hym sayeng as for thother that they were lytle to the purpose but y t hadde pyth repetyng ofte this hath pyth and desyred my lorde that he wolde delyuer hym that parte of the homylie in wrytynge whyche incontynently was delyuered For my loâ—d had commaunded yt to be wryteÌ„ out before for the nones and so departed in very good hope whyche neuerthe lesse came to none effect For the next daye my lorde repayrynge agayn vn to hym in hope to acomplyshe that whych he had begonne founde hym all an other man than he lefte hym clene falleÌ„ to his old arrogauÌ„ce of his new spyryte so that demaundyng of him how he lyked this Homylie and whether there were any thynge elles wherin he were not yet satysfyed he coulde gette none other answere of Frith but that he had slepte lytle after theyr laste communycacyon And when he was asked why so he sayde he had occupyed hym self in prayeng to god for knowledge of y e trouthe in this matter And faynynge hym self assured y t god had herd his prayour sayde yt stode not wyth his conscyeÌ„ce to confesse that fayth and therfore he knew that opinion was not trew As though if it had ben so god wold by specyall inspiracyon haue reueled yt vnto hym The greate clerke hadde not lerned that he who mystrusted the word of god and byleued not the prechers sent by hym shold dye in his incredit lyte wythoute receyuynge eyther sygne or specyall demonstracyon accordynge to thanswere made vnto the ryche man in the gospell who wolde haue hadde the lazare sent to his frendes to teache theym the trouth and dyuerse answeres made by our sauyour to the vnfaythfull Jewes Thus this detestable wreche abode in malyce obstynate but in hys answeres so inconstante and varyable that he wold somtyme shew hym self conteÌ„t to byleue any doctours of the chyrche somtyme he was sure yf yt were otherwyse god wolde shew yt vnto hym selfe that at length yt semed vnto my lorde of London in whose dyocese he was moste mete to procede wyth hym iudycyally and eyther cure the infect shepe or yf it were desperate caste yt out of the folde wherfore on Fryday the. xx daye of June callynge vnto hym my lorde my mayster and my lord of LyncolnÌ„ and callynge Fryth before them examynyng hym openly in powles and fyndynge hym styll obstynate finally lefte hym to the seculer power as he had ryght well deserued But what payne they toke with hym fyrst how fatherly they labored and trauayled for thamendement of that vngracyouse chylde and of an other also whiche onely for company of Fryth helde the same opynyon without groundynge hymselfe vpon and scrypture but Frithes bare word his spyryte wherwith he was hymselfe also possessed and therfore lefte also with Fryth Of an other heretyke also one Thomas
Philippes whiche was examyned the thursdaye next ensuenge I shall not nede to wryte vnto you for there be other inough whiche bothâ— can and I am sure wold aduertyse you of y t whiche was openly done wherfore leuynge to wryte of these maters wherof ye eyther are alredy or shalbe better ad nertysed by other I shall wryte what meanes my lorde my mayster vsed for that onely can I best declare vnto you After the body of Fryth was despayred to haue saued y e soule which the fole hym selfe regarded not as he semed nor thought peraduenture for all his hypocrysye of no lyfe to come after thys but onely as the hethen do to lyue by glory surely the latter daye of my beynge with hym he sayd playnely that he thought no sayntes soule came in heuen before the day of dome but in the meane season reposed hym selfe he wiste not where And some of his secte say that the soule of our sauiour Christ hym self O what blasphemouse wretches be these is not yet in heuen But malyce hath no boundes After that he was coÌ„dempned as you haue herde and delyuered to the temporall officers my lord sent vnto him a chapellayn of his with Rupert who on the syxte chapyter of JohnÌ„ declareth the mater so playne and so reiecteth Frythes obieccyons as though it had be specyally wryten agaynste hym whyche author he refused alledgynge that no lerned man dyd euer referre that place to the sacrament of thaltare that therfore Rupert was not lerned and vnderstode the place amysse whyche hys slender obieccyon my lorde vnderstondyng and hopyng of some good effecte yf that were put awaye sent me y e nexte day wyth the thyrde tome of saynt Chrysostome where he in y e xliiii xlv and. xlvi homilie not onely referreth that place to the moste blessed sacrament but also proueth by y e same the bodyly presence of our lord there I shewed hym onely the. xlv which in dede yf any drop of grace had remayned in hym had ben inough Hereby a man maye se how mych hys brage passed his lernynge who durste so precysely affyrme that no lerned man referred that place to the sacrament whyche not onely saynte Chrysostome but also all other catholyke doctours as ye knowe do bycause Luther who dyffereth from them in the bodyly presence of oure lorde and ellys not in substaunce of the sacramentall sygne is content not to haue that place referred to the sacrament whiche maketh so sore agaynste them bothe After salutacyon I put hym in remembraunce fyrste of his answere made to my lordes chapellayn which he knowledged to be so than tolde hym howe my lorde beynge loth he shulde caste awaye hym selfe for ignoraunce had sent hym there Chrysostome whome he must nedes confesse for lerned referryng the sayd place of JohnÌ„ to the blessed sacrament for whych onely cause he had reiecte Rupert as vnlerned well sayde he lette me see yt After that he had rede a good parte of the homylie so farre as hanged together perteynynge to that questyon I asked what he could alledge why he sholde not knoweledge the authoryte of Rupert seyng that Chrysostome whome he coulde not denye to be excellently lerned vnderstode that same place of the moste blessed sacrament as Rupert dyd To whyche after that he had mused a lytle he answered that he gaue no great credeÌ„ce to Rupert for dyuerse causes wherof neuerthelesse he named no mo but this onely that he was after Gregoryes dayes the pope and yet he tolde not so myche as whyche Gregorye he ment when I sawe hym in whome after the comeÌ„ rumour I thought to haue founde some lernynge knowledge in these matres â–ª specyally knowyng hym euer before in other scyences to haue shewed hym selfe of a good wyt and vnderstondynge vtter no more connynge then he dyd but onely tryfle and playe wyth euery thynge studyeng after that he had obiecte one thynge what he myghte bable whan that were taken awaye and so estymynge of that he spoke what by all lyghtelyhode he coulde speke or answere in this mater whyche semed to be nothynge elles but inuencyons of his owne brayne whych I thoughte my selfe able ynough wyth the grace of god eyther to put of or at the lest to bere for neyther sholde he nor the deuyll hym selfe for any apparance of reason make me byleue one arrogant fole better than all good chrystâ— men consentynge in one and beynge lothe to brynge home the heuy news of desperacyon I beganne to passe somwhat my commyssyon and aduâ—ture farther than peraduenture bycame either my yeres or my lernyng not doubtyng though my yeres were but yong and my lernyng very small consyderynge howe many hundred tymes his yeres were vnder the age of the chyrch which he taketh in hand to reache this new lesson more than my yeres were vnder his and howe â—o comparyson is betwene the spyryt which Crist ê“mised sent his chyrch and this new goste of Luthers full of lyes diuysyon and all falshod for what comparyson caÌ„be bytwene god and the deuyll to dyspute the mater wyth hym who wyth arrogauÌ„ce onely and allegacyon of a straunge spyryte laboured to ouercome the trouth so longe rooted in all chrysten hertes which is of it self without any forayn ayde inuyncyble wherfore seyng Ruâ—et reiected onely bycause he lyked not mayster Fryth spoke to playne agaynste hym so that no glose wold serue to make theym twoo agre I beganne to presse hym wyth that place of Chrysostome whyche I had shewed hym desyrynge hym to consyder and waye yt dylygently sayenge I nothynge douted yf he so dyd but yt sholde clerely appere â–ª vâ—… hym that the trouth was agaynâ—â— hym wheruppon takinge the boke agayn into his handes he redde ouer again the same place stoppynge euer and gloryenge at any mencyon of the mysterye and glosynge wyth his owne deuyse where any thynge prycked hym As fyrste at this we be one bodye and meÌ„bers of his fleshe and bones Very well ê™ he so we be for seynge y t he toke our very nature vpon hym in the virgyne Marye we be one bodye wyth hym one blood the same bones the same synues the same meÌ„bers accordyng as Dauid sayde vnto the iewes Os meum caro mea vos And this is yt sayde he that deceyueth you ye referre that which is spoken of our communyte with hym by his byrth to his presence in the sacrament of thaulter Naye sayde I not so But the scryptures and interpreters of the same shewynge moste euydently bothe the naturall cognacyoÌ„ we haue with him by his incarnacyon and y e spyrytuall vnyon the chyrche beynge his mystycall bodye and lykewyse in the most blessed sacrament shewynge both his corporall presence there and also the mystycall representacyon of his passyon he and suche other where the sacrament were mencyoned drewe all to y e mystery though y e wordes playnly repugned deuydynge the mystery from the thynge yt selfe or elles for a shyfte wheÌ„ the
¶ A letter of a yonge gentylman named mayster Germen Gardynare wryten to a frend of his wherin men may se the demeanour heresy of JohnÌ„ Fryth late burned also the dyspycyoÌ„s reasonynge vppon the same had betwene the same mayster Germen and hym ⸫ ALbe it I doute not ye do from tyme to tyme vnderstaÌ„de suche newes as be here occurraÌ„t partely by the comen rumour and fame partely by the letters of your other frendes and olde acquayntaunce in these parties mych soner than I can by any certayne messenger aduertyse you of the same yet seynge that for correspondence vnto your goodnes here tofore shewed towardes me in most gentle sorte ye haue euer requyred of me kynde remembrauÌ„ce onely therof and declaracyon of my desyre to accomplyshe in some parte my dutye by often wrytyng vnto you shewynge howe thankfully what so euer they were ye wolde accepte my letters I haue thought yt my parte to folowe herein your pleasour and to troble you alwaye wyth redynge my rude letters though none other mater were conteyned in theym than ye hadde bothe harde and rede ere that myne could come vnto your handes wherfore hauynge suche occasyon and argument of wrytyng offred vnto me as wherof neyther the comen fame can reporte all the trouthe and whyche is so tedyouse as fewe men wolde accomber theyr famylyare letters wythall beynge neuerthelesse suche as you for your deuocyon to chrysten religyon be most desyrouse to knowe I haue moste gladly embraced the same trustynge by the contentes of these to requyte in some ê‘te the importunytie of myn ydle letters wryten to you before ye haue herde howe JohnÌ„ Fryth somtyme scoler in that colledge wherof ye were after his departyng mayster was afterwarde amonges other at Oxenforde found besye in settyng abrode these hersyes whyche lately spronge in Almayne by the helpe of suche folke be spred abrode into soundrye partes of christendome tendyng to nothynge elles but to the dyuysyon and rentyng a sundre of Christes mystycall bodye his chyrche the pullynge downe of all power and vtter subuersyon of all comen welthes And he beyng therfore for his amedement punyshed of obstynatie fledde ouer the sees vnto the fathers of that relygyon where in the company of wyllyam Tyndale George Joy at whose name I am sure ye sygh seing your self to haue ben so deluded with the hope whyche ones ye conceyued of hym and other heretykes he profyted so myche within a whyle in vn graciouse vnshamefast boldnes that beynge not myche aboue the age of xxiiii yeres y e arrogant fole nothyng doutynge the iudgement of the hole worlde toke vpon hym to teache the â—ole chyrche of Chryste reuokynge vs from our errour as he calleth yt of purgatorye wherin we haue thys xv hundred yeres coÌ„tynued willyng vs to truste herein the spyryt whych nowe in the ende of the worlde god hath raysed in his yonge breste to rebuke the worlde of theyr longe horryble errour and destable blyndenes wherein so many hundred yeres all men haue abyden saue onely a small chosen nomber of blessed babes whom it hath pleased god to instruct and teache pryuyly in theyr eares the trouthe of hys gospell from tyme to tyme whych y e pore chyldren feryng by all lykelyhode to be beten yf they tolde any tales oute of the scole kept close amonge theym selfe and lyke good dyspensatours layed vp theyre treasoure surely and secretely for losynge or stelynge awaye tyll theyre mayster retourne Thys yonge apostle sent from the deuell to sowe â—ocle among the corne of Chryste seynge no suche successe or effecte of all his payne and trauayle taken in wrytyng and settynge forth that his holsome worke as he loked for wyllyng in no wyse that by any his negligence or slouth y t bretherne myghte impute vnto hym the mysâ—ynge of theyr purpose toke vppon hym to come agayne in to England presently to ayde assyste couÌ„sayle and comforte the bretherne of hys guylde here to stande styffe in theyr abstynacye wherof lyke a perfyt doctour he hath gyuen theÌ„ example hymselfe persystynge so longe obstynate â—…ll he hath brought hys fylthy carkace to the temporal fyre and his selâ— wretched soule to y e fyre euerlastyng as ye shall more playnely perceyue here after For after that he was taken and prysoned in the towre notwythstandynge the daunger of hys lyfe wyth the wrothe of god and all good men whych he had all redy purchased â—y hys shamefull arrogance and abhomynable heresye declared in his fore sayd boke yet so god of his goodnes blyndeth y e enemyes of his doctrine the shamelesse heretyke so declared hym self there as neyther good man nor almost euyll coulde wythout abhorrynge and detestyng his wyckednesse here hym named for so mych as vtterynge hys malyce there agaynst god and the doctryne of his chyrche ferther then he had done before lettynge passe all other heresyes as vnworthy to be treated by suche an apostell and leuynge them for other noâ— so hyghly after his owne opynioÌ„ enspyred with theyr newe holy goste as hym selfe he set vpon the blessed body of our lorde in the sacrament of thaulter denyenge it to be there presentely and affermynge the worshyp therof to be ydolatrye Me thynke I se hereat your ioyntes tremble your â–ª dyes stare â–ª your heares stert vp and all the behauour of your body alter abhorrynge these deuelyshe wordes of thys cursed wretche But who can let the deuyll to be lyke hym selfe After that this goodly apostle had wryten this holsome boke and sente it out alredy amonges his brethern there came vnto hym a leter frome Tyndale warden of theyr guylde exhortynge hym not to medle yet with the blessed sacrament nor no hygh maters passyng as he clalleth them the comen capacyte but wylled hym to crepe lowe by the grounde and folow mekenes for he knewe well the yonge mannys arrogaunce neded y e counsayle how be it gyuynge hym mych deuelysshe counsayle wythall and amonges all other that yf the bysshoppes wolde fall at a composyâ—yon and be content to suffre the new testament of hys poysened translacioÌ„ to be solde then Frith shuld promyse for them bothe to wryte no more and els they wold not spare to wryte styll I trowe the olde apostles had neuer the wytte whych these new haue to put the prechynge of goddes word in compromys tyll a ferther laysour and a more aduauntage How be it he wylleth in the meane season to graunte the bylyefe in the blessed sacrament as indyfferent but in no wyse to confesse it for a necessary artycle of the fayth Hys couÌ„sayle not to medle in hygh maters came to late for thys letter came after that Frythes booke was abrode But thys last counsayle to afferme that a man myght chose whither he wolde byleue the body of our lord to be there or not so that in neyther case he worshypped it y e cayâ—yfe folowed so long tyll he broughte his owne body into asshes his soule to hell notwythstandynge the
great paynes taken with hym gentylnes shewed vnto hym for his amedemeÌ„t The fole was so gloryouse that when he had nothynge to say for his opinion yet wolde he not reuoke it for losynge the glory and renoume which he had ones purchased among his bretherne but then euer fledde to this refuge that his conscyence was not satisfyed And yf you be desyrous to haue his facyon maner playnely declared vnto you no man that hath sene it can declare it better then saint Athanase doth in y e Arrians sayeng In theyr opynyons they be dyuers and variable euyn as the bestes that be called ChameleoÌ„tes chanÌ„ge theyr colour when they be reproued they be ashamed when they be questioned with they stycke and stagarre and after they take to them vnshame fastnesse pretende excuses But than yf any man coÌ„fute and reproue them in those excuses to they studye tyll they haue found out thynges that be not and accordynge as it is wryten they deuyse vayne thynges for this cause onely that they may persysre stande styff in theyr impyete And so doynge they do nothynge ellys but openly declare that they facke reason folow the peruersyte of y e Jewes To shewe you all y e meanes vsed for hys reconcylyacyon by the lordes and other of the kynges most honorable counsayle bothe spyrytuall and temporall it were very longe And of some parte therof ye shalbe I dowte not enformed by other But wherby ye maye suffycyentely perceyue hys obstynacye and arrogauÌ„ce and how lytell he was able for all the boste made of hys lernynge to say agaynst the trouth I shall wryte and declare vnto you His lernynge to saye the trouthe for his age was to be praysed yf hys arrogauÌ„ce had not made hym esteme it more euer theÌ„ it was I meane his lernynge in the tongues and other humanite for in any thyng els what so euer he hath kepte in store suerly he hath vttered none For his workes of heresyes be but Luther zwingliê° Hwyskyn and suche other translate out of latyne into englysshe And in his coÌ„municacioÌ„ how lytle he shewed by his answers made to my lorde my mayster bothe presently and by message ye shal easely perceyue iudge My lorde my mayster besydes y e gryefe that any man sholde wylfully of malicyouse arrogaunce cast away hym selfe bothe body and sowle berynge a specyall loue and affeccyon toward thys yong man bycause that ones he was hys scoler sent for hym vnto hys howse and there beganne to entre coÌ„municacioÌ„ with hym hereuppon thynkynge surely that yf the deuyll had not all togyther possessed hym y e wordes of our sauyour Cryste so manyfest the sentence of all lerned men before Berengariê° wicklife as well catholyke as heretykes the consent of Chrystes vniuersall chyrche from his blessed passyoÌ„ vnto this day shulde haue conuerted hym from his arrogaunt and malycyouse pryde But he hauyng ones alledged vppon a certayne poynte this place of Esaye Et acceperuÌ„t de manu domini duplicia vnderstandynge therun to for his purpose premia and theruppon y e boke shewed wherin folowed pro omnibê° peccatis suis beynge confounded wolde no more dyspute of any thynge but sayde excepte my lorde were touched wyth the same spiryte wherewyth all he was hymself yt shulde not auayle to dyspute wyth hym wherunto my lorde answered yf I shuld saye lykewyse to you and euery man to other then shulde no man labour to brynge in agayn him that ones were out of the ryght way For he shulde thynke with hym selfe â–ª this man is moued wyth an other spiryte than I am therfore I shuld lese my labour wherfore sayde he leue this founde persuasyon whan ye haue sayd what ye can for your part heare what I caÌ„ answere therunto say for y e tother yf your cause be the better why shulde ye not thynke to wynne me All this was not ynough to incorage hym to dyspute of y e mater any more but wythout any profe requyred his spyryte to be admitted and folowed nor my lorde coulde haue any other answere of hym yet after this consyderynge by all lykelyhode that yf he dyd answere nothyng indiffereÌ„t men must thinke he coulde answere nothyng the gloryouse fole affyrmed se the vanytie of arrogaunce that all the olde doctours of the chyrche were of his opynyon and professed that yf the contrarye opynyon were shewed vnto hym playnely declared by any doctours of the chyrche he wolde knowledge for a trouth but yet none artycle of the fayth For that Tyndale whose counsayle as myche as came not to late he folowed dyd in any wyse forbyd hym wyllynge hym not to bynde the conscyences of the people what a knauyshe kynde of flaterynge was this as though yt laye in hym to bynde and losen to byleue yt as necessary but to leue vnto theyre owne iudgemeÌ„tes to take yt as them lyste for a whyle The man entendeth whan he can spye a tyme to wryte agaynst yt and therfore wolde be loth this yonge doctour shulde haue done any thynge in derogacyon of his woâ—ke whome he estymed more than all the old fooles of his secte and had thought yf god had not preuented hym to haue lefte hym as heyre of his heresâ—es to perfyte all whych he had begonne as appereth by Tyndales letter sent vnto Fryth beynge in the towre But to retourne to the mater All good men vnderstandynge this promes of his to folowe thauthoryte of the catholyque doctours reioysed excedyngly For they hoped he hadde ment good fayth where as he dyd yt onely for a brage to get hym an opynyon and estymacyon amonge the rude vnlerned and a glorye amonge his brethern Other meÌ„ thought hym wonne when he wolde in any parte abandon his owne wyt and lene to authoryte Aboue all other my lorde reioysed as to whome yt semed that his scoler whome for his wyt he loued euer very hartely â—adde rysen from deth to lyfe trustynge that he hadde left his arrogaunce and yelded hym selfe to reason and therfore beganne very dylygently and ernestly to labour in takynge â–ª awaye suche causes as moued hym to doubte therin And bycause yt wold not synke into his hed that the naturall bodye of our lorde could be in two places at ones more than any other mannys bodye my lord answered vnto him that in this bodye be goten and brought forth agaynste the lawes of nature nature was notso mych to be regarded shewynge hym also that contrarye to the lawes of nature he rose from deth and thorough the stone wythoute eyther brokynge yt orr cushynge hys â—odye And yt is as moche agaynste nature to haue ii bodyes in one compasse at ones wythout thone geuyng place to thother as that one bodye shulde at one tyme be hole in two places whych our sauyour dyd not onely at that tyme but also afterwarde commyng thorough y e dore fast shyt wythoute brekynge the dore or hurtynge his bodye whych hauynge ones by deth ouercomeÌ„deth
wordes were so playnly spoken of the very substaunce that they coulde not be referred to the mystery turne them to his incarnacyon thoughe the wordes were precysely wryten of the sacrament And that good holy fathers preuentyng by the spirite of god the malice of the deuyll though none heretyke had yet ben so shamelesse as to holde the contrary had neuertheles moste playnely and apertly deuyded the mystery from the thyng selfe and yet shewed both twayne to be in that blessed saccament whyche thynge myghte I sayd vnto hym yf he lyste not to blynde hymself clerely appere vnto hym by many other places and by thys also of Chrysostom whyche I hadde brought vnto hym where folowed But that not onely by loue but also in very dede we myghte be torned in to that flesh that is done by the meat whych he hath geuen vnto vs. Here he sayth sayd I that by the meate whych he gaue vs we be tourned into that fleshe and not by hys byrth not onely mystycally by loue but also in very dede Howe canne you wyth all your gloses inuerte thys from hys corporall presence wyth eyther of your gloses He answered yt was trouth that receyuynge the mystery and sygnyfycacyon in dede we were by fayth tourned into hym and that the mysterye there bare the name of that whych yt â—â—th sygnifye as it doth in many places elles in scrypture And beyng asked than why he put this artycle that vnto the name of flesshe yf it were not to declare not a bare sygnyfycacyon but y e very fleshe whyche he spake of before he made no answere but desyred he myght be suffred to reade forthe shakynge of this mater with a certayne gyrnyng laughter after his fashyoÌ„ as though yt had ben nothynge to the purpose whyche made me euen then almoste despayre of any good effecte and suffred hym to reade forth when he came to this place whych Chryste dyd bycause he wold bynde vs wyth more charyte and because be wolde she we his desyre towarde vs not onely sufferynge hym selfe to be sene vnto those whyche desyred him but also to be touched and eaten the teth to be set in his flesh and all men to be fulfylled with the deâ—yre of hym Here he thought to haue hadde me in a ioly snare asked yf that place as precysely as it wrote were not spirytually to be vnderstanden whyther in dede we dyd tere the fleshe of our sauyour wyth our teth or not I tolde hym that I beleued in very dede as the wordes were y t we set our teth in his blessed bodye yet tere yt not For in what parte of the hoste so euer we set our teth in that same parte is his whole very bodye As I byleue that whan the preste brake the hoste he tare not the body of our lorde for that were to put hym euery daye to a new passyon but that euery parte of the hoste was his hole bodye and that he who made all thyng of nought coulde compasse this to Here he laughed and rede forth wyth many gloses by the wayelytell to the purpose tyll he came to the place were he compareth the lambes blode in tholde lawe to his bloode whyche was therby fygured sayenge thus But yf the fygure therof hadde so great strengthe in the temple of the Hebrewes in the myddes of Egypte sprynkeled vppon the threshold mych more the trouch This trouth he sayde was referred onely to the passyon of our sauyour and the shedynge of his blood and not to the sacrament of thaultare whan I replyed that in this place saynte Chrysostome treateth of the sacrament and not of the passyon he answered magno supercisio wyth a solemne contenaunce that this was nothyng to the purpose and that I wys he hadde loked red ouer that place whan he was at his lybertye And therewithall he shyt the boke and be ganne to comen where fyrste he began to induce me y t all were to be vnderstaÌ„den in mistery by a place of saynte Chrysostome in a homilye whyche my lorde hym selfe hadde giuen hym before And hereby ye shall se the symplycytie and the playnes of this euangelycall man and howe wyth false dissymulacyon he labored to haue gotten me to hys opynyon Saynt Chrysostome sayth he wylleth y e peple to call away theyr wittes from the wordes as they be spoken and vnderstande theym spiritually tellynge them y t elles they lyed whan the preste sayde vp with your mynde and your hartes and they answere we haue to our lord where as in dede saynt Chrysostome in that place onely blamed them whyche not consyderynge howe reuerently they oughte there to behaue theym selfe spent in babelyng of other maters that tyme wherin they sholde haue prepared them for the holy worde Se the myscheuouse mater of this wicked wreche how deceytfully and how lyke hys father the deuell wyth lyenge and false alledgynge he went aboute to trappe me trustynge so to haue deluded me and to haue shaken me of therwithal bycause he thought I had not redde that place before who can doubte knowynge herin hys wylfull and malycyouse peruer syte of what deceytfull mynde he offered to condescende vnto the authoryte of the catholyke doctours For yf he had faythfully intended to folowe theyr doctryne he wolde neuer so malycyousely and wyttyngly for he had dylygently as he sayde hym selfe studyed that place haue falsely alledged that author for suche purpose as he knewe well he ment not nor no man redynge the place coulde so haue taken it These are saynte Chrysostoms wordes O thou man what doâ—… thou hast thou not mâ—de a promyse vnto the preste who sayd vp with your minde and your harte and thou dydest answere hym agayne we haue to our lorde Doste thou not feare and arte thou not ashamed Thou arte taken wyth a lye euyn at that same tyme. Oh the borde is furnyshed wyth the sacramentes the lambe of god is offered for the the preste is in care and anxiete for thy sake spyrytuall fyre flameth from the â—wter the Seraphiâ—s also are there present couâ—â— theyr face with syxe wynges all bodyles powres make intercession with the preste for the spyrytuall fyre is come downe from heuyn the bloude is receyued in the chalyce out of the immaculate syde for thy purifycacioÌ„ And arte thou not thanne ashamede Fearest thou not arte thou not confunded nor doste thou not reconcyle thy self to god O thou man doth not thy coÌ„scyence pryche the The weke hath viii score viii howres of theÌ„ god hath for hym selfe taken out but one howre and that thou spendest vppon seculare businesse and lawghyng maters and in kepynge company wyth what truste shalt thou than go to goddes borde O wyth how polluted and foule a conscyence If thou haddest stynkyng dyrt in thy handes durst thou approche nyghe vnto the hemme of a kynges garment Doest thou se brede or wyne whyther be they voided into y e drawght as
saynt Austayne and yet doubtynge for all that whither synners receyue the body of our lorde vsynge none other answere but this onely y t wheÌ„ we asked hym how his sayeng could agree with these places alleged vnto hym hym self had well aduysed these places and that they satysfyed not his conscyence For euer when I had shewed hym suche places as I promysed hym and then requyred hym to kepe hys promyse and knowlege the trouth he answered nothynge els but that yet his conscyence wold not serue hym so to saye for all that added therunto that those places whych semed vnto vs so playnely to proue that we sayd semed the contrary vnto hym when he was bydden shewe some cause why then was the spyryte vp agayne A wonderouse wyse spyryt which serued onely when he hadde neyther authoryte nor reason to shewe for y t he sayde And myracles he shewed not that euer any had ben done for theyr opinion but contempned all myracles that euer had ben done for ours sayenge y t we be bydden proue the spyrytes when we saue hym abyde by nothyng that he promysed we asked hym what he ment to offre suche promises as he thought not to kepe and saye yf yt coulde be shewed hym in any doctour of the chyrch that he wold knowledge yt for trouthe He sayd yt was not yet playnely shewed hym in expresse wordes that eyther a synner receyued the body of our lorde or yet that there remayned no substauÌ„ce of the brede or that the naturall bodye of our lorde were receyued any other wyse thaÌ„ by fayth wherfore though we spyed well his fayre promyses made byfore were but dyssymulacyons and that it were not possyble for all doctours that be and haue ben to wryte so playn as to make Frith call them playne yet myndynge for theyr cause whyche were present at the lest to confounde hym we shewed hym of euery one of these senteÌ„ces dyuerse places playne vnto euery maÌ„nes iudgement sauynge onely his owne whyche onely he estemed Of whych for example I shall reherse you some besydes those ye haue herde here all redy saynt Chrysostome sayth thus For yf those whyche defoyle the kynges purple robe be punished no lesse thaÌ„ those that tere it what meruayle of those that wyth vnclene conscyeÌ„ce receyue the bodye of Chryste suffre the same punyshement that they who nayled hym to the crosse It is a wonder to any man whych knoweth not the vnshamefastnes of this arrogant fole how he coulde after this denye knowledgynge this maÌ„ to be of authoryte but that a synner receyueth the same bodye whych was nayled on the crosse yet to this could we haue none other answere of hym but y t yt dyd not fully persuade his conscyence nor satysfye hym pretendynge neuerthelesse that he wolde gladly knowe and knowledge the trouth we shewed hym also the wordes of saynt Eusebiê° wherin that holy maÌ„ not onely declareth by playn wordes the conuersyon of the brede and wine into the fleshe and blood of our lorde in the blessed sacrament of the aulter but also maketh yt open by the spyrytual conuersyon of man into the mysstycall bodye of Chryste thorowe the sacrament of baptysme For who can doute but he can do the lesse that can do the more But a lesse thynge is yt to tourne the brede and wyne into his own fleshe and blood in the sacrament of the aulter than an euil dedely synfull man into a good lyuely member of his mystycall bodye by grace in the blessed sacrament of baptysme For yf be yt a lesse thyng as in dede yt is to tourne brede and wyne into his own fleshe and bloude than to make the whole worlde of nought than must it nedes be a greater thing to tourne an euyll man into a good and make a dedely synner a lyuely member of his mystycale bodye For as ye wote well saynt Austayn sayth Maius est iustificare impium quam creare coesum terram A greater thynge yt is to tourne an euyll maÌ„ into a good than to create bothe heuen and erthe of nought The wordes of saynt Eusebius of whyche I speke that were shewed vnto Fryth are these Let no man doute but that y e natures of brede and wyne whych were there before maye at a trecke of goddes power by the pÌ„sence of his maiestye be chauÌ„ged into the nature of our lordes bodye whyle we se that man hym selfe by the connynge of the heuenly mercy is made the bodye of Chryste For as euery persone that cometh to the fayth before the wordes of baptysme is yet in the bandes of the olde det but after the wordes be ones pronouÌ„ced is by and by clensed of all the dregges of synne euyn so the creatures that shall be consecrated wyth the â—â—uenly wordes when they are sayed vppon the holy aulters before they be consecrate by the inuocacyon and callyng on of the hygh god there is the substaunce of brede and wyne but after Chrystes wordâ— ones spoken it is the body and blood of Christe And what meruayle is it of those thynges y t he was able wyth hys worde to create and make of nought he can whan they be created conuerte and tourne theym wyth his worde ye yt semeth to be a lesse meruayle for hym to conuerte tourne that y t he hath made of nought into a better thynge Farthermore where as Fryth affermed and sayde that in the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter Christ was in none other wise receyued than spyritually by fayth onely we shewed hym very playne and opeÌ„ wordes of saynt Cyrylles to the contrarye who to confure this false opynyon that Fryth held and to proue that we be ioyned and knyt vnto Chryste not onely by fayth but also by naturall partycypacyon of his fleshe blood saith thus We denye not but that by ryghte fayth and pure cheryte we be spyrytually ioyned with Chryst But that therâ— is no meane wherby we be ioyned with hym after the flesshe that is the thyng forsothe that we vtterly denye and that is we say farre from the mynde of the holy scriptures For who douteth that Cryst in such wyse is a vyne to and we the braunches whense we gete lyfe from Herken vnto Poule who sayth that we be al one body in Chryste For all though we be many yet in him we be all one for we take all parte of one brede Doth he peraduenture thynke that we knowe not the vertue of the mystycall blessynge whiche whyle it ys done in vs dothe it not make Chryst to dwelâ— in vs corporally to thorow the communicacyon of Chrystes flessh For why be the membres of faythfull folke the membres of Chryste Do ye not know sayth he that your membres be membres of Chryst shall I than make the membres of Chryste the membres of a struÌ„pet God forbede Our sauiour also sayth he that eateth my flesshe and drynketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in hym Wherfore it muste be consydered that Chryst is in