⧠wycklyffes wycket whyche he made in Kyng Rycards daye the second in the yere of our lorde God M.CCC.XCV ¶ Ihon the .vi. chapiter ¶ I am the liuynge bread which came downe from heauen who so eteth of this brede shal lyue for euer And the brede that I wyl gyue is my fleshe whiche I wyll gyue for the lyfe of the worlde ⸫ ¶ A verye brefe diffinition of these wordes Hoc est corpus meum I Beseche ye brethren in the lorde Christ Iesu and for the loue of hys spirite to praye with me that we may be vessels to his laude and praise what tyme so euer it pleaseth hym to call vpon vs. Romanes .xv. Chapter For asmuche as our sauiour Iesus Christe when that he walked here on earthe wyth the prophethes whych were before hym and the apostles whych were preseÌ„tly wyth hym whom also he lefte after hym whose hertes were molyfyed wyth the holy ghoste warned vs and gaue vs knowlege that there was two maner of wayes the one to lyfe the other to death as Christe sayeth Howe straighte and narowe is the waye that leadethe to lyfe and there be but fewe that fyndeth it But how large and brode is the waye that leadethe to dampnation and there be manye that go into it Therfore praye we hertely to God that he of hys mere mercye wyll so strengthen vs wyth the grace and stedfastnes hys holy spirite to make vs stronge in spirituall lyuynge after the euangelicall Gospell so that the worlde no not the very infydeles papistes and apostates can gather none occasion to speake euyll of vs wherby we maye entre into that strayte gate as Christ our sauiour and all that folowes hym haue done that is not in ydle lyuynge but in dilygente labourynge yea in greate sufferaunce of persecutyon euen to the death and that we fynde the waye of euerlastynge lyfe as he hath promysed where he sayeth He that seketh fyndeth and that axeth receyuethe and to hym that knocketh it shal be openyde Also Christe sayethe If thy sonne axe the breade wylte thou gyue hym a stone or yf he axe the fyshe wylte thou gyue hym a serpent yf ye whyche are euyll can gyue good thynges to your chyldren how muche more shall your heuenlye father gyue a good spirite to them that axe it of hym Saynt Iames saythe If any man lacke wysedome let hym axe it of god whyche gyueth to all men yf they axe it in faythe and vpbraydethe none for he that douteth is lyke to the waues of the see that is borne aboute wythe euerye blaste of winde Thinke not that suche shal receiue any thynge of the Lorde For a man double in soule is vnstable in al hys wayes as it is written wherfore let vs praye to God that he kepe vs in the houre of temptation that is comyng in all the worlde For as our sauiour christ sayth WheÌ„ ye see that abhomination of desolation that is spoken of by the prophet Daniel standynge in the holy place as christ sayeth he that redethe let hym vnderstonde But for bycause that euery man can not haue the boke of Daniell to knowe what is prophesye is Danyell sayde towarde the laste dayes the Kyng of the northe shall come and the armes of hym shall stonde and shall defyle the sanctuarye and he shall take awaye the continuall sacrifyce and he shall gyue abhominatyon into desolatyon and wycked men shall fynde a testamente gylfullye but ye that knowe youre god shall holde and doo and vntaughte men in the people shall teache full manye men and they shall fall on the swearde and in flame and into Captyuyte manye dayes And when they shall downe they shal be araysed by a lyttell helpe and full manye shal be applyed to them gylfullye and of learned men shoulde fall to them that they buylde together And the chosen shal be together and shal be made whyte tyll a tyme determyned For yet another tyme shal be and the kynge shall do by hys wyll and then he shal be raysed and magnifyed at eche god And againste the god of goddes shall speake greate thynges and he shal be raysed tyll the wrathfulnes before determyned is perfectylye made and he shall not inheryte the god of his fathers and he shal be in the companyes of wemen and he shall not chaunge anye thynge of godes for he shall rayse agayne all thynges Forsoth he shall honour god of MasonÌ„ in his place and he shall worshipe a god whome hys fathers knowe not not wyth Golde Siluer precyous stones nor wythe precyoue thynges But he shall do make stronge the god of Mason wyth thalyent or straunge god whyche he knewe not and he shall multyplye glorye and he shall gyue to hyme power in manye thynges and he shall departe the lawde at hys wyll hytherto be they the wordes of Danyell who maye see a greater abhomynations then to see the people to be ledde awaye from God and they be taughte to worshyp for God that thing that is not god nor sauiour of the world For thoughe it be theyr God as it is wrytten by a Prophete sayenge The Lordes goynge shall make lowe the God of the earthe for it is they re Goddes that they beleue in them whyche maye not make them saffe as it is wrytten whereas sayncte Paule sayethe ye men of Athens I ê‘ceyue that in all thynges I see you as vayne worshippers of Idols for I passed by and sawe your mawmetes fouÌ„de an aulter in the whyche was written to te vnknowne God Therefore the thynge whyche you know not ye worshyp as god This thing shewe I vnto you God which made the world and all thynges that be in it Thys forsoth he is Lorde of heauen and of earthe and he dwelleth not in the temple made wyth handes neyther hath he nede of any thynge for he geuethe lyfe to all men and breathe euery where and he made of one all kyndes of men to inhabyte on all the face of the earthe Determyninge tymes ordayned and termes of the dwellinge of them to seke oute God Yf peraduenture they myghte fynde hym althoughe he be not farre from eche of you And agayne he sayethe ye shall not thynke that God lyuynge is not lyke to golde syluer ether any grauen thynge or paynted by crafte eyther taughte of man for God despisethe the tyme of the vnknowen thynges And he shewethe euery where that all men shoulde doo penaunce and herof the clerkes of the lawe haue greate nede whyche haue ben euer agaynste God the Lorde bothe in the olde lawe and in the newe to sley the Prophetes that speke to them the worde of God ye see that they spared not the sonne of God when that the temporall iudge woulde haue delyuered hym and so forthe of the Apostels and martirs that hathe spoken truely the worde of God to them and they say it is heresy to speake of the holye scripture in Englyshe
and so they woulde condempne the holye ghoste that gaue it in tonges to the apostles of Christe as it is wrytten to speake the worde of God in al languages that were ordayned of God vnder heauen as it is wrytten And the holye Gooste descended vpon the Hethen as 〈…〉 the Apostles in Ierusalem as it 〈…〉 and Christe were so mercyfull to sende the holy goste to the Hethen mē he made them partakers of hys blessed worde why shoulde it then be taken awaye frome vs in thys lande that be Christen men Consyder you whether it is not all one to denye Christes wordes for Heresye and Christe for an heretyke for yf my worde be a lye then am I a lyer that speketh the worde Therfore yf my wordes be heresye then am I an heretyke that speaketh the worde therfor it is all one to condempne the worde of God in any language for Heresye and God for an Heretyke that spake the worde for he and hys worde is all ane and they maye not be seperated and yf the worde of hym is the lyfe of the worlde as it is wrytten Not onely by brede lyueth man but in euery worde that cometh oute of the mouth of god and euery worde of God is the lyfe of the soule of man as sayth saynte Iohn̄ that thou haue an oyntynge of the holy gooste and thou haue no nede of anye man but teache thou in all thynges whych is his blessed worde in whome is all wysedome and conninge and yet ye be always to lerne as well as we Howe maye any Antechriste for dreade of god take it awaye from vs that be christen mē and thus to suffer the people to dye for hunger in hererye and blaspheme of mānes lawe that corrupteth and sleyth the soule as pestilence sleth the bodye as Dauyd hereth wytnes where he speaketh of the Cheyre of pestilence and moste of al they make vs beleue a false law that they haue made vpon the secret hooste for the most falsest belef is taughte in it For where fynde ye that euer Christ or any of hys disciples or apostels taught any man to worshype it For in the masse crede it is sayde I beleue in one god onlye oure lorde Iesu Christe the sonne of god only begottē borne of the father before al the world he is God of God lyght of lyght very god of very god begottē not made of a substance euē with the father by whom al thinges be made the psalme Quicunque vult there it is sayde God is the father God is the sōne God is the holye Ghoste Unmade is the father vnmade is the sonne and vnmade is the holy gost and thou thē that art an earthely mā by what reasō maist thou saye that thou makest thy maker whether maye the made thinge saye to the maker why hast thou made me thus Or may it turne againe make hym that made it God forbyde Now answerest thou that saiest euery day that thou makest of bread the bodye of the lorde fleshe bloud of Iesu Christ god and mā Forsoth thou answerest greatly agaīst reason by these wordes that Christe spake at hys supper on Serethursday at night that Christ toke bread blessed it brake it gaue it to his disciples apostles said take ye and eate ye this is my bodi which shal be geuē for you And also he takīg the cuppe did thākes gaue to thē saide drinke ye al hereof thys is my blod of the newe testamēt whiche shal be shede oute for many into the remissiō of synnes as saythe Luke whan Iesu had takē bread he gaue thākes and brake it to them sayde take ye eate ye thys is my bodye that shal be geuen for you do ye thys in the remembrance of me Nowe vnderstāde ye the wordes of our sauiour christ as he spake them one after another as Christ spake them For he toke bread and blessed and yet what blessed he The scripture sayeth not that Christ toke bread and blessed it or that he blessed the bread which he hade taken Therfore it semeth more that he blessed his disciples and apostels whome he hade ordayned witnesses of his passiō and in them he left hys blessed worde whiche is the bread of lyfe as it is written not onely in brede lyued man but in eurry worde that procedith out of the mouthe of god Also Christe saythe I am the breade of lyfe that came downe from heuen and Christe saith often in Mathew the wordes that I haue spoken to you be spirite and lyfe Therfore it semeth more that he blessed his disciples and also hys apostels in whome the breade of lyfe was lefte more then in materiall breade for the materiall breade hath an ende as it is wryttē in the gospell of Mathew xv that Christ saide all thynges that a man eatethe goethe downe into the wombe and is sent downe into the draughte awaye and it hathe an ende of roottynge but the blessynge of Christe kept his discyples and apostels bothe bodelye and gostely As it is writtē that none of them perished but the sone of perditiō that the scriptures myght be fulfylled and often the scripture sayth that Iesu toke breade and brake it and gaue it to his disciples and sayd take ye eate ye This is my bodye that shal be geuen for you But he sayd not this bread is my body or that the bred shulde be geuen for the lyfe of the worlde For Christ saith what and if ye shal se the sonne of mā assēd vp where as he was before It is the spirit y t quyckeneth the flesh profiteth nothing Also Christe saythe in the gospell verely verely I saye vnto you Excepte the whet corne fal in to the grounde and dye It bydeth alone but yf it dye it bryngethe forthe muche frute Here menne maye see by the wordes of Chryste that it behoued that he dyed in the fleshe and that in hys deathe was made the frute of euerlastinge lyfe for all them that beleue on hym as it is wrytten For as by Adam all dye euen so by Christ shall al lyue euery man in hys owne order for as one clerenes is in the sonne another in the mone and a sterre in clerenes nothynge in comparyson to the sonne Euen so is the agayne rysynge of the ded men for we be sowē in corrouption and shal ryse againe incorruptible we are sowen in infyrmyte and shall ryse againe in vertue we are sowen in natural bodyes and shall ryse agayne spirituall bodyes Then yf Christe shall chaunge thus our deadly bodyes by death and god the father spared not hys owne sonne as it is wrytten but that death shoulde reyne in hym as in vs and that he shoulde be translated into a spirituall body the fyrste agayne rysynge of deade men Then howe saythe Hypocrites that take on them to make oure Lordes bodye loo whether
make they the gloryfyed bodye ether make they agayne the spirytuall bodye whyche is rysen frome deathe to lyfe eyther make they the fleshely bodye as it was before he suffred deathe and yf they saye also that they make the spirytuall bodye of Chryste it maye not be so for that thynge that Christe sayde and dyd he dyd it as he was at supper before he suffered hys passyon as it is wrytten that the spirytuall bodye of Chryste rose agayne from deathe to lyfe Also he ascended vp into heuē and that he wyl abyde there tyl he come to iudge the quicke and the deade and yf theysaye that they make Christes bodye as it was before he had suffered hys passion then muste they nedes graunte that Christe is to dye yet for by all holy scriptures he was promysed to dye and that he gaue lordshyppe of euerlastynge lyfe Furthermore yf they saye that Christe made hys bodye of breade wyth what wordes made he it not wyth these wordes Hoc est corpus meum that is to saye in Englyshe thys is my bodye for they be the wordes of gyuynge and not of makynge whych he sayd after that he brake the breade then departynge it amonge his disciples and apostles Therfore yf Christe had made of that breade hys bodye had made it in hys blessynge or els in gyuynge of thankes and not in the wordes of gyuynge for yf Christe had spoken of the materiall bread that he had in hys handes as when he sayde Hoc est corpus meum thys is my bodye and it was made before or els the worde had bene a lye for yf ye saye thys in my hande and yf it be not a hande then am I a lyer therfore seke it busely yf ye can fynde .ii. wordes of blessyng or of gyuynge of thankes the whyche Chryste dyd that the clerkes of the earthe knowethe not for yf ye myghte fynde or knowe it those wordes then should you waxe greate maysters aboue Christe and then ye myghte be gyuers of hys substance and as father and maker of hym and that he shoulde worshyppe you as it is wryttē Thou shalte worshippe thy father mother of suche as desyre suche worshyppe agaynst goddes lawe speaketh saynte Paule of the man of synne that enhaunsethe hym selfe as he were God And he is worshypped ouer all thynges as God and sheweth hym selfe as he were god where our charge be gylty in this deme ye or they that knowen mooste for they saye that when ye haue sayde Hoc est corpus meum that is to saye this is my body the whiche ye call the wordes of consecration or elles of makynge and when they be sayde ouer the breade ye saye that there is lefte no breade but it is the bodye of the Lorde but truelye there is nothynge but an hepe of accydentes as whytnes ruggednes roundnes sauery touchynge and tastynge and suche other accidētes Than yf thon sayest that fleshe and bloode of Christe that is to saye hys manhode is made more or encreased be so muche as the mynystration of breade and wyne is the whyche ye mynystren yf ye saye it is so then thou muste nedes consent that that thynge that is not God to daye shal be God to morowe yea and that thynge whyche is wythoute spirite of lyfe but growethe in the felde by kynde shal be God an other tyme. And we all oughte to beleue that he was wythoute begynnynge and withoute endynge and in hys manhode begotten and not made for yf the manhode of Christe were encreased euerye daye by so muche as the bread and wyne draweth that ye mynistren he shoulde waxe more in one daye by carte lodes then he dyd in xxxii yeres when he was here in earthe And yf thou makest the body of our lord in those wordes Hoc est corpus meum that is to say This is my bodye And yf thou mayste make the bodye of the lorde in those wordes Thys is my body thou thy selfe must be the persō of Christ or els there is a false God for yf it is thy body as thou sayeste then it is the bodye of a false knaue or of a dronken man or of a thefe or of a lecheroure or full of other synnes and then there is an vnclene bodye for any man to worshype for god For and Christe had made there hys bodye of materiall bread in the sayde wordes as I knowe they be not the wordes of makynge what earthly man had power to do as he dyd for in all holy scripture from the beginnynge of Genesis to the ende of the Apocalips There be no wordes wrytten of the makynge of Christes bodye but there bene wrytten that Christ was the sonne of the father and that he was conceyued of the holy ghoste and that he toke fleshe and blood of the virgin Mary and that he was deade and that he rose agayne from death on the thyrde daye and that he ascended to heauen very god and man and that we shulde beleue in all scripture that ben written of hym and that he is to come to iudge the quicke and the deade and that the same Christ Iesu kinge and sauiour was at the beginning wyth the father and the holy ghoste makynge all thynges of nought both heauen and earthe and all thynges that bene in it worchynge by worde of hys vertue for he said be it do and it was done as whose workes neuer earthly mā might cōprehende either make And yet y e wordes of the makyng of these thinges by me written in the beginnyng of gene euē as god spake thē yf ye can not make the worke y t he made haue y e wordes by which he made it how shal he make hym that made the workes you haue no wordes of auctorite either power lefte you on earthe by whiche ye shulde do thys but as ye haue fayned thys crafte of youre false errours whiche some of you vnderstand not for it is prophesyed Esaye .vi. and .xiii. chapiter of Math. xiii and Luke viii Marke iiii ye shall haue eyes and se not and eares and heare not and ye shall se prophesyes and ye shall not vnderstande leste they were conuerted for I hyde them from the hertes of those people theyr hertes are greatlye fatted and this thinge is done to you for the wyckednes of youre errours in vnbeleue therfore be you conueteed frome the worste synne as it is wrytten when Moyses was in the hyll wyth God Exod. xx the people made a calfe and worshypped it as God And God spake to Moyses go for the people haue done the worste synne to make and worshippe alyen goddes But nowe I shall aske you a word answere you me whether is the body of the lorde made at once or at twise is bothe the fleshe and the bloode in the hoost of the breade or elles is the fleshe made at one tyme and the bloode made at other tyme that is to saye the wyne in the
sayth Rom. viii Yf god be on our syde what matter maketh it who be agaynst vs he is therto al good al mercifull at true al myghte wherfore sufficieÌ„t to be beleued by his othe more ouer Chryst in whom the promes is made hath receyued all power in heuen and in earth Mat. the laste He hath also a perpetuall presthode therfore able perpetually to saue Heb. vii And that there is but one mediator Chryste is Paule i. ad Timothe ii And by that woorde vnderstande an attonemaker a peace maker bringer in to grace fauour hauyng ful power so to do And that Chryst is so is proued at the full It is wrytteÌ„ Ihon. iii. The father loueth the sonne and hath gyuen all in to his hande And he that beleueth the sonne hathe euerlastynge lyfe he that beleueth not the sonne shall not se lyfe but the wrath of god byndethe vpoÌ„ hym All thinges are gyueÌ„ me of my father Luke x And all whoso euer cal on the name of the Lorde shal be saued Act. ii Of his fulnes haue we all receiued Ihon. i. There is no nother maÌ„ in which we muste be saued Actes iiii And agayne vnto his name beare al the prophetes recorde that by his name shall all that beleue in him receaue remissioÌ„ Actes x In hym dwelleth al the fulnes of god bodely Coll. ii Al what so euer my father hath are myne Io. xvi what so euer ye axe in my name y t wyl I do for you Io xiiii One lord one faith one baptyme one god and father of all which is aboue all thorow al in you al Eph. iiii Ther is but one whose seruant I am to do his wyll But one y t shal paye me my wages there is but one to whom I am bonde ergo but one that hathe power ouer me to damne or saue me I wyll adde to this Paules argument Galat. iii. God sware vnto Abraam cccc yere before the lawe was geuen that we shulde be saued by Chryste Ergo the lawe geuen cccc yeres after canne not dysanull that couenaunte So dispute I Christ when he had suffered his passyon and was rysen agayne entred in to his glorye was sufficient for hys apostles without anye other meane or helpe ergo the holynes of no saynte sence hath dimynisshed ought of that his power But that he is as full sufficyent now for the promes is as deaply made in vs as them Moreouer the tresure of his mercye was layde vp in Chryst for all that shulde beleue yet the worlde was made ergo nothynge that hath happened sence hath chauÌ„ged the purpose of the in vnuariable god Moreouer to exclude the blynde imagination falsely called fayth of them that gyue them selues to vice with out resistence affirminge y t they haue no power to do otherwyse but that God hath so made them and therfore must saue them they not entendynge or purposyng to mende theyr lyuynge but synnynge with hole consent and ful lust he declareth what fayth he meaneth ii maner of wayes Fyrste by that he sayth who so euer beleueth is baptised shal be saued By whiche wordes he declareth euydently that he meaneth that fayth that is in y e promes made vpoÌ„ the apoyntmeÌ„t betwene god and vs that we shulde kepe his lawe to the vttermost of our power y t is he that beleueth in Chryst for y e remissioÌ„ of synne is baptized to do the wyl of Chryst to kepe his law of loue to mortyfie the fleshe that maÌ„ shal be saued so is the imaginacioÌ„ of these swyne y t wyll not leaue wallowynge theym selues in euerye myre podell cleane excluded for God neuer made ê“mes but apoÌ„ an appoyntmeÌ„t or couenant vnder which who soeuer wyl not come can be no partaker of the ê“mes True fayth in chryst gyueth power to loue y e law of god for it is writteÌ„ IhaÌ„ y e fyrst he gaue theÌ„ power to be y e soÌ„nes of god in that they beleue in his name Now to be y e son of god is to loue ryghteousnes hate vnryghtwisnes so to be lyke thy father Hast thou then no power to loue y e lawe so hast y u no fayth in Chrystes bloude And Ro. iii. we set vp or maynteyne the lawe thorowe fayth why so for the preachynge of faythe ministrethe the spirite Galat iii. .ii. Cor. iii. the spirite lowseth the bandes of SathaÌ„ gyuethe power to loue the lawe and also to do it For sayth Paule Rom. viii yf the spirite of him that raysed vp Iesus dwell in you then wyl he that reared vp Iesus quicken your mortall bodyes by the meanes of his spirite dwelynge in you A well wylt thou say yf I must professe the lawe and woorke ergo fayth alone sauethe me not Be not deceyued with sophistrye but withdrawe thyne eares from wordes and coÌ„sider y e thyng in thine hart Faith iustifieth the y t is briÌ„geth remissioÌ„ of all synnes setteth the in the state of grace before al workes getteth y e power to worke yer y u coudest worke but yf thou wylt not go backe agayne but continewe iÌ„ grace come to y e saluacioÌ„ glorious resurrectioÌ„ of christ y u must work ioyne works to thy fayth in wyll dede to yf thou haue tyme leasure as oft as thou fallest set the on thy saythe agayne wythoute healpe of workes And all thoughe when thou arte reconcyled and restored to grace workes be requyred yet is not that reconsylynge and grace the benefyte of the workes that folowe but cleane contrarye that forgeuenes of the synnes and restorynge to fauoure deserue the workes that folow Though wheÌ„ the kyng after that sentence of deethe is geuen vpon a murtherar hath pardoned hym at the request of some of hys frendes woorkes be requyred of hym that he hence forthe kepe the kynges lawes yf he wyll continue in hys graces fauour in whyche he now standeth yet the benefite of hys lyfe procedeth not of the deseruinge of the workes that folow but of the kinges goodnes and fauour of hys frendes ye that benefite gyft of his lyfe deserue the workes that folow Though the father chastice the chylde yet is y e chylde no lesse bownd to obeye to do the wyl of the father yf when the father pardoneth it the workes that folow deserue the fauour thaÌ„ must the worke that folowed the correction haue deserued fauour also And than was the father vnrigtwyse to chastice hit All what soeuer thou art able to do to please God wyth all is thy dutye to doo thoughe thou haddeste neuer synned yf it be the dutye how caÌ„ it than be the deseruyng of the mercy grace that weÌ„t before Nowe that mercy was y e benefite of god thy father thorow y e deseruiÌ„g of the lord christ which hath bowght y e w t y e prise of his bloud And agayne when he sayethe