^•~ ..3 s VOL. III. (CONTINUED :) THE TESTAMENT OF WILLIAM TRACY EXPOUNDED. THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. Ett ^movU of ^vith HIS LIFE AND MARTYRDOM. A DISPUTATION OF PURGATORY. A BULWARK AGAINST RASTELL. HIS JUDGMENT UPON TRACY's TESTAMENT. A LETTER WRITTEN FROM THE TOWER TO CHRISt's CONGREGA- TION. A MIRROR, OR GLASS TO KNOW THYSELF. A TREATISE UPON THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM. AN ANTITHESIS BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE POPE. A BOOK OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. ARTICLES FOR WHICH HE DIED. EPISTLE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER, PREFIXED TO THE REVE- LATION OF ANTICHRIST. % THE WORKS ENGLISH REFORMERS: AND EDITED BY THOMAS iiussp:ll, A.m. xvplov ^lU-opv 'l»)(rou Xpicrrou. — Act. Apost. xv. -26. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. III. PRINTED FOR EBENEZER PALMER, 18, PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. MDtCCXXXI. LONDON : I'RINTED BY SAMTJEI. BENTLEY, Dorset-street, l-"leet street. \ VOL. IV. Cije aSEorfes ot Cpntialc continueD : THE TESTAMENT OF WILLIAM TRACY EXPOUNDED. THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. HIS LIFE AND MARTYRDOM. A DISPUTATION OF PURGATORY. A BULWARK AGAINST RASTELL. HIS JUDGMENT UPON TRACY'S TESTAMENT. A LETTER WRITTEN FROM THE TOWER TO CHRIST'S CONGREGATION. A MIRROR, OR GLASS TO KNOW THYSELF. A TREATISE UPON THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM. AN ANTITHESIS BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE POPE. A BOOK OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. ARTICLES FOR WHICH HE DIED. EPISTLE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER, PREFIXED TO THE REVELATION OF ANTICHRIST. CONTENTS. Page The Testament of William Tracy expounded 1 The Supper of the Lord. After the true meaning of the vi of John and the ix of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. And incidentally in the Supper is coifuted the Letter of Master More against John Frith 19 The Story, Life, and Martyrdom, of John Frith 73 A Disputation of Purgatory, which is divided into three Books: The Preface 83 The Prologue shewing the occasion and cause of this Book. . 93 The First Book, which is an Answer to Rastell's Dialogue . . 95 The Second Book, which is an Answer unto Sir Thomas More 146 The Third Book, which answereth unto my Lord of Rochester, and declareth the mind of the old Doctors 1S4 Another Book against Rastell, named the Subsidy, or Bulwark, to his First Book ^05 The Prologue ^08 The Preface ^1 1 Answer to RastelFs Prologue 213 First Chapter 215 Second Chapter 221 Third Chapter 228 CONTENTS. Page His Judgment upofi Tracy s Testament 243 A Letter unto the faithful Followers of Christ's Gospel u-rit- ten xvhilc he was prisoner in the Tower of London for the Word of God 257 A Mirror, or Glass to know thyself. 261 Preface 263 The First Chapter. That all goodness cometh of God, and all evil of oursehes ^^^ The Second Chapter. For what intent God giicth vs these gifts, and that theij are rather a charge and a careful burthen, than any pleasure to rejoice at 268 The Third Chapter. The conclusion of this Treatise, that no Jlesh should rejoice, but fear and tre7nble in all the Gifts that he receiveth 276 A Mirror, or Loofcing-Glass, wherein you may behold the Sacrament of Baptism described • 281 Antithesis, wherein are coynpared together Christ's Acts and the Popes', annexed unto the Revelation of Antichrist . . 297 An Answer iinfo Sir T. More's Letter, which he wrote against the first little Treatise that Frith made concerning the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ 319 Preface 32 1 Answer to Sir T. Mores Letter 324 The Mind and Exposition of the Old Doctors upon the words of Christ's Maundy 360 The Paschal Lamb and our Sacrament compared together. . . . 424 An Epitome and Short Rehearsal of this Booh; shewing in xvhat points Frith dissenteth from the Prelates 439 2'hc Conclusion • 'i45 The Articles for which he died 450 The Epistle to the Christian Reader, prefixed to the Revela- tion of Antichrist 457 \ OF THE TESTAMENT OP MASTER WILLIAM TRACY, ESQUIRE, EXPOUNDED BY WILLIAM TYNDALE; WHEREIN THOU SHALT PERCEIVE WITH WHAT CHARITV THE CHANCELLOR OF WORCESTER BURNED, WHEN HE TOOK UP THE DEAD CARCASS, AND MADE ASHES OF IT AFTER IT WAS BURIED. 1535. TO THE READER. 'JpHOU shalt understand, most dear reader, that after William Tyndale was so Judasly betray- ed by an Englishman, a scholar of Louvain, whose name is Phillips, there were certain things of his doing found, which he had intended to have put forth to the furtherance of God's word, among which was this Testament of M. Tracy, expound- ed by himself, whereunto was annexed the expo- sition of the same of John Frith 's doing and own hand-writing, which I have caused to be put in print, to the intent that all the world should see how earnestly the Canonists and spiritual law- yers (which be the chief rulers under Bishops in VOL. IV. B TRACY'S TESTAMENT. [Tyndale. every diocese, in so much that in every Cathe- dral Church the Dean, Chancellor, and Arch- deacon, are commonly Doctors or Bachelors of law) do endeavour themselves justly to judge, and spiritually to give sentence according to charity, ui)on all the acts and deeds done of their Dioce- sans, after the example of the Chancellor of Wor- cester, which after M. Tracy was buried (of pure zeal and love hardly), took up the dead carcass and burnt it. Wherefore he did it, it shall evident- ly appear to the reader in this little treatise : read it therefore, I beseech thee, and judge the spirits of our spiritualty, and pray that the Spirit of Him that raised up Christ, may once inhabit them, and mollify their hearts, and so illumine them, that they may both see and show true light, and no longer to resist God nor his truth. Amen. THE TESTAMENT ITSELF. JN the name of God, Amen. I William Tracy, of Todington, in the county of Gloucester, Esquire, make my Testament and last Will, as hereafter fol- loweth. First, and before all other thing, I commit me unto God, and to his mercy, trusting without any doubt or mistrust, that by his grace and the merits of Jesus Christ, and by the virtue of his passion, and of his re- surrection, I have and shall have remission of mv sins, Tyndale.] TRACY'S TESTAMENT. and resurrection of body and soul, according as it is written, (Job xix.) I believe that my Redeemer liveth, and that in the last day I shall rise out of the earth, and in my flesh shall see my Saviour. This my hope is laid by in my bosom. And as touching the wealth of my soul, the faith that I have taken and rehearsed, is sufficient (as I suppose) without any other man's work or works. My ground and my belief is, that there is but one God, and one Mediator between God and Man, which is Jesus Christ. So that I do accept none in heaven nor in earth to be my mediator between me and God, but only Jesus Christ, all other be but petitioners in receiving of grace, but none able to give influence of grace. And therefore will I bestow no part of my goods for that in- tent, that any man should say or do to help my soul ; for therein I trust only to the promise of God, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that be- lieveth not shall be damned. (Mark, the last chapter.) And touching the burying of my body, it availeth me not what be done thereto, wherein St. Augustine, De ciira agenda pro mortuis, saith, that they are ra- ther the solace of them that live, than the wealth or comfort of them that are departed ; and therefore I remit it only to the discretion of mine executors. And touching the distribution of my temporal goods, my purpose is, by the grace of God, to bestow them to be accepted as fruits of faith. So that I do not sup- pose that my merit be by good bestowing of them, but my merit is the faith of Jesus Christ only, by which faith such works are good, according to the words of our Lord, (Matt, xxv.) I was hungry, and thou gavest me to eat, and it followeth, that ye have done to the least of my brethren ye have done to me, &c. And ever we should consider the true sentence, that a good work maketh not a good man, but a good man maketh a good work, for faith maketh the man both good and righte- B 2 TRACY'S TESTAMENT. [Tyndale. ous, for a righteous man liveth by faith. (Rom. i.) And whatsoever springeth not out of faith, is sin. (Rom. xiv.) And all my temporal goods that I have not given, or delivered, or not given by writing of mine own hand, bearing the date of this present writing, I do leave and give to Margaret my wife, and to Richard my son, which I make mine executors. Witness this mine own hand, the 10th day of October, in the twenty-second year of the reign of King Henry the Eighth. TYNDALE. A descrip- tion of God. Jesus Christ the only way to his Fa- ther. J^OW let us examine the parts of this Testament sen- tence by sentence. First, to commit ourselves to God, above all, is the first of all precepts, and the first stone in the foundation of our faith, that we believe and put our trust in one God, one all true, one almighty, all good, and all merciful, cleaving fast to his truth, might, mercy, and goodness, surely certified and fidly persuaded, that he is our God, yea ours, and to us all true, without all falsehood and guile, and cannot fail in his promises. And to us almighty, that his will cannot be let to fulfil all the truth that he hath promised us. And to us all good, and all merciful, whatsoever we have done, and howsoever grievously we have trespassed, so that we come to him the way that he hath appointed, which way is Jesus Christ only, as we shall see follow- ingly. This first clause, then, is the first commandment, or at the least, the first sentence in the first command- ment, and tlie first article of our creed. And that this trust and confidence in the mercy of God is through .Tesus Christ, is the second article of our creed, confirmed and testified throughout all scripture. That Christ bringeth us into this grace, Paul proveth, Tyndale.] TRACY'S TESTAMENT. 5 (Rom. 5.) saying, Justified by faith we are at peace with God, through Jesus Christ our Lord : by whom we have an entering in imto this grace in which we stand. And, (Eph. iii.) By whom, saith Paul, we have a bold entering in, through the faith that is in him : and in the second of the said Epistle, By liim we have an entering in unto the Father ; and a little before in the same chapter. He is our peace. And John in the first chapter. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world, which sin was the bush that stopped the entering in, and kept us out, and the sword wherewith was kept the entering unto the tree of life from Adam and all his offspring. And in the second of the first of Peter, Which bear our sins in his body, and by whose stripes we are made whole. By whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of our sins ; (Collos. i. and Ephes. i.) (And Rom. iv.) He was delivered for our sins and rose again for our justifying. And concerning the resurrection, it is an article of our The belief faith, and proved there sufficiently ; and that it shall be surrection by the power of Christ, is also the open scripture. is an article /T 1 ■ mi • • 1 Ml !• - of our (John VI.) Ihis is the will of my father which sent faith. me, that I lose notliing of all that he hath given me, but that I raise it up again in the last day. And again, I am the resurrection. (John xi.) That this lively faith is sufficient to justification with- Faith is out adding to of any more help, is this wise proved : 8"*"^".* The promiser is God, of whom Paul saith, (Rom. viii.) us. If God be on our side, what matter maketh it who be against us ? he is thereto all good, all merciful, all true, and all mighty, wherefore sufficient to be beheved by his oath ; moreover Christ, in whom the promise is made, hath received all power in heaven and in earth. (Matt, the last.) He hath also a perpetual priesthood, and therefore able perpetually to save. (Heb. vii.) 6 TRACY'S TESTAMENT. [Tyndale. Christ the And tliat there is but one mediator, Christ, as Paul, tor between 1 Tim. ii. And by that word understand an atone- God and maker, a peacemaker, and brinojer into grace and favour, man. ' o o 7 having full power so to do. And that Christ is so, is proved at the full. It is written (John iii.) The father loveth the son, and hath given all into his hand. And he that believeth the son hath everlasting hfe, and he that beheveth not the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him. All things are given me of my father. (Luke x.) And all whosoever call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts ii.) Of his fulness have we all received. (John i.) There is no other name given to man in which we must be saved. (Acts iv.) And again, unto his name bear all the pro- phets record, that by his name shall all that believe in him receive remission. (Acts x.) In him dwelleth all the fulness of God bodily. (Col. ii.) All whatsoever my fa- ther hath are mine. (John xvi.) Whatsoever ye ask in my name, that will I do for you. (John xiv.) One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all, which is above all, through all, and in you all. (Ephes. iv.) There is but one whose servant I am, to do his will ; but one that shall pay me my wages. There is but one to whom I am bound, ergo, but one tliat hath power Arguments "^'^r me to damn or save me. I will add to this Paul's Sur'saiva- ^''^""^^"t. Gal. iii. God sware unto Abraham four tion in hundred years before the law was given, that we should Christ. |3p gj^ygjj 1,^ Christ. Ergo, the law given four hundred years after cannot disannul that covenant. So dispute I. Christ, when he had suffered his passion, and was risen again and entered into his glory, was sufficient for his Apostles, without any other means or help, ergo, the holiness of no saint since hath diminished aught of that his power, but that he is as full sufficient now : for the promise is as deeply made to us as to them. INIorcover, the treasure of his mercy was laid up in Christ for all Tyndale.] TRACY'S TESTAMENT. 7 that should believe, before the world was made, ergo, nothing that hath happened since hath changed the pur- pose of the inunvariable God. Moreover, to exclude the blind imagination falsely J!^^ *»'se , . . , faith of the called faith, of them that give themselves to vice with- down-fall- out resistance, affirming, that they have no power to do '"^ smner. otherwise, but that God hath so made them, and there- fore must save them, they not intending or purposing to mend their living, but sinning with whole consent and full lust, he declareth what faith he meaneth tAvo man- ner of ways. First, by that he saith, whosoever be- lieveth and is baptized, shall be saved. By which Faith in words he declareth evidently, that he meaneth that between faith that is in the promise made upon the appointment f'Ofland us 11 Till 1 • 1 savetli our between God and us, that we should keep his law to the souls. uttei'most of our power, that is, he that believeth in Christ for the remission of sin, and is baptized to do the will of Christ, and to keep his law of love, and to mor- tify tlie flesh, that man shall be saved : and so is the imagination of these swine that will not leave wallowing themselves in every mire and puddle, clean excluded : for God never made promise, but upon an appointment God's pro- or covenant, under which whosoever will not come can covenants^ be no partaker of the promise. True faith in Christ annexed , , ,1 c r^ ^ o ' • • ^^^^^ them, giveth power to love the law or God : tor it is written, the break- ( John the first,) He gave them power to be the sons of ^^'^ whereof ^ ^ ... are ex- God in that they believe in his name. Now, to be the eluded son of God, is to love righteousness, and hate un- righteousness, and po to be like thy father. Hast thou then no power to love the law ? so hast thou no faith in Christ's blood. And (Rom. iii.) We set up or maintain the law through faith, why so ? for the preaching of faith ministereth the spirit. (Gal. iii.) (And 2 Cor. iii.) And the spirit looseth the bands of Satan, and giveth power to love the law, and also to do it. For saith Paul, (Rom. viii.) If the spirit of him that from the promise. 8 TRACY'S TESTAMENT. [Tyndale. raised up Jesus dwell in you, then will he that raised up Jesus quicken your mortal bodies by the means of his spirit dwelling in you. An objec- Ah well (wilt thou say), if I must profess the law and adversaries ^ork, e7'go, faith alone saveth me not. Be not deceiv- a^ainst ed with sophistry ; but withdraw thy cares from words tion by ' and consider the thing in thine heart. Faith justifyeth faith. tJigg . ti^at ig^ bringeth remission of all sins, and setteth thee in the state of grace before all works, and getteth A compen- thee power to work before thou couldst work ; but if thou ration of ' ^i^t not go back again, but continue in grace, and come our justifi. to that salvation and glorious resurrection of Christ, faith. thou must work and join works to thy faith in will and deed too, if thou have time and leisure, and as oft as thou fallest set thee on thy faith again without help of works. And although, when thou art reconciled and restored to grace, works be required ; yet is not that reconciling and grace the benefit of the works that fol- low ; but clean contrary, that forgiveness of thy sins and restoring to favour deserve the works that follow. A simili- Though when the king (after that sentence of death is earthly ^ given upon a murderer) hath pardoned him, at the re- king par- quest of some of his friends, works be required of him condemned that he henceforth keep the king's laws, if he will con- person, tinue in his grace"'s favour, in which he now standeth, yet the benefit of his life proceedeth not of the deserving of the works that follow, but of the king's goodness, and favour of his friends ; yea, and that benefit and gift of his life deserve the works that follow. Thougli the father chastise the child, yet is the child no less boimd to obey, and to do the will of the father. If when the father pardoneth it, the works that follow deserve that favour, then must the works that followed the correction have deserved favour also ; and then was the father un- righteous to chastise it. All whatsoever thou art able to do, to please God withal, is thy duty to do, though thou badst never sinned. If it be thy duty, how can it Tyndale.] TRACY'S TESTAMENT. 9 then be the deserving of the mercy and grace that went before ? Now, that mercy was the benefit of God, thy father, through the deserving of the Lord Christ, which hath bought thee with the price of his blood. And again, when he saith that he purposeth to be- stow his goods, to be accepted as fruits of faith, it is evident that he meaneth that living faith which pro- fesseth the law of God, and is the mother of all good works, yea, and nurse thereto. Another cavillation which they might make in the second part, where he admitteth no other mediator but Christ only, nor will give of his goods, to bind any man to any feigned observance for the help of his soul, when he were whole in the kingdom of Christ, clean delivered, both body and soul, from the dominion of Satan (as the scripture testifieth all that die in Christ to be), is this, they will say, that he held that none should pray for him save Christ, and that we be not bound to pray one for another, nor ought to desire the prayers of another man ; that he excludeth, in that he saith all others be but petitioners. By which words he plainly confesseth The pray- that other may and ought for to pray, and that we may fafthful for and ought to desire other to pray for us ; but meaneth tis brother that we may not put our trust and confidence in their effect prayer, as though they gave of themselves that which thanks they desire for us in their petitions, and so give them must whol- the thanks, and ascribe to their merits that which is }y '^*j ^^^'^' buted to given VIS in the name of our master Christ, as the de- the giver. servings of his blood. Christ is my Lord, and hath deserved and also obtained power, to give me all that can be desired for me ; and all that other desire for me, this is desired in Christ's name, and given at the merits of his blood. All the honour, then, trust, confidence, and thanks, pertain to him also. Some will haply say. How should I desire another to pray for me, and not trust to his prayer ? Verily even as I desire my neighbour to help me at my need, and yet trust not 10 TRACY'S TESTAMENT. [TyN DA LE- AH our help is from above, for man can- not Iielp but when God pre- pareth his heart. Praying to saints is Haninablc. to him. Christ has commanded us to love each other. Now when I go or desire help, I put my trust in God, and complain to God first, and say, Lo, Father ! I go to my brother, to ask help in thy name ; prepare the heart of him against I come, that he may pity me and help me, for thy sake, &c. Now if my brother remember his duty and help me, I received it of God, and give God the thanks, which moved the heart of my brother, and gave my brother a courage to help me, and where- with to do it, and so hath helped me by my brother. And I love my brother again, and say, Lo, Father ! 1 went to my brother in thy name, and he hath helped me, for thy sake : wherefore, O Father ! be thou as merciful to him at his need, as he hath been to me, for thy sake, at my need, Lo ! now as my brother did his duty when he helped me, so do I my duty when I pray for him again : and as I might not have put my trust and confidence in my brother''s help, so may he not in my prayers. I am sure that God will help me by his promise ; but am not sure that my brother will help me, though it be his duty ; so am I sure that God will hear me, whatsoever I ask in Chrisfs name, by his pro- mise ; but am not sure that my brother will pray for me, or that he hath a good heart to God. No. But the saints in heaven cannot but pray and be heard ; no more can the saints in earth but pray and be heard neither. Moses, Samuel, David, Noah, Klias, Eliezer, Esaias, Daniel, and all the prophets, prayed and were heard ; yet were none of those wicked, that would not put their trust in God, according to their doctrine and preaching, partakers of their prayers in the end. And as damnable as it is for the poor to trust in the riches of the richest upon earth, so damnable is it also to leave the covenant made in Christ's blood, and to trust in the saint of heaven. They that be in hea- ven know the elect, that trust in Christ's blood, and profess the law of pod, and for tliem only jiray ; and Tyndale.] TRACY'S TESTAMENT. 11 these wicked idolaters, which have no trust in the cove- nant of God, nor serve God in the spirit, nor in the gospel of Christ^s blood, but after their blind imagina- tion, choosing them every man a sundry saint to be their mediator, to trust to and to be saved by their merits, do the saints abhor and defy. And their pray- Saints ab- ers and offerings are to the saints as acceptable and ^,"'' ^^^^^ '^ . ' . that pray pleasant, as was the prayer and the offering of Simon unto them. Magus to Peter. (Acts viii.) Moreover, the saints in their most cumbrance are most comforted and most able to comfort other, as Paul testifieth 1 Cor. i. ; insomuch that St. Stephen and St. James prayed for them that slew them. St. Martin preached and comforted his desperate brethren even unto the last breath ; and likewise (as stories make mention,) did innumerable more. Yea, and I have known of simple, unlearned persons, and that of some that were great sinners, which, at the hour of death, have fallen flat on the blood of Christ, and given no room to other men"'s either prayers or preachings ; but have as strongly trusted in Christ's blood as ever did Peter or Paul, and have thereto preached it to others, and exhorted others so mightily, that an angel of hea- ven could not mend them. Who then should resist God, that he might not give the same grace to M. ^i Tracy Tracy, which was a learned man, and better seen in stntiiousin the works of St. Austin twenty years before he died, than ever I knew Doctor in England ; but that he must then faint and shrink, when most need is to be strong, and fear the Pope''s purgatory, and trust to the prayer of priests dearly paid for .'' I dare say that he prayed for the priests when he died, that God would convert a great many of them ; and if he had known of any good man among them that had needed, he would have given ; and if he had known of any lack of priests, he would have given to maintain more. But now, since there be more than enough, and have more than every 12 TRACY'S TESTAMENT. [Tyndale. Burials must !)e celebrated honourably for the hope of our resurrec- tion. One must pray for another, and one help an- other. man a sufficient living, how should he have given them but to hire their prayers of pure mistrust in Christ's blood ? If robbing of widows'* houses under pretence of long prayers be damnable, (Matt, xxiii.) then is it damnable also for widows to suffer themselves to be robbed by the long pattering of hypocrites, through mis- trust in Christ's blood. Yea and is it not damnable to maintain such abomination ? Now when this damna- tion is spread over all, how can we give them that have enough already ? or how can they that have enough already take more under the name of praying, and not harden the people more in this damnable damnation. And concerning the burying of his body, he allegeth St. Austin ; neither is there any man (think I) so mad to affirm that the outward pomp of the body shovdd help the soul. Moreover, what greater sign of infi- delity is there, than to care at the time of death with what pomp the carcass shall be carried to the grave ? He denieth not but that a Christian man should be honourably buried, namely, for the honour and hope of the resurrection ; and therefore committed that care to his dear executors, his son and his wife, which he wist would in that part do sufficient, and leave nothing of the use of the country undone, but the abuse. And that bestowing of a great part of his goods (while he yet lived) upon the poor, to be thankful for the mercy received, without buying and selling with God ; that is, without binding those poor unto any other appointed prayers than God hath bound us al- ready, one to pray for another, one to help another, as he hath helped us ; but patiently abiding for the bles- sings that God hath appointed vmto all manner of good w^orks, trusting faithfully to his promise, thanking (as ye may see by his words) the blood of Christ for the reward promised to his works, and not the goodness of the works, as though he had done more than his duty, or all tliat : and assigned, by writing, unto whom an- purgatory. Tyndale.] TRACEY'S TESTAMENT. 13 other part should be distributed, and giving the rest to his executors, that no strife should be ; which executors were by right the heirs of all that was left to them. These things, I say, are signs evident, not only of a A true good Christian man, but also of a perfect Christian man, fgareth not and of such a one as needed not to be aghast and des- the Pope's perate for fear of the painful pains of purgatory, which, whoso feareth as they feign it, cannot but utterly abhor death ; saying that Christ is there no longer thy Lord, after he hath brought thee thither, but art excluded from his satisfaction, and must satisfy for thyself alone, and that with suffering pain only, or else tarrying the satisfying of them that shall never satisfy enough for themselves, or gaping for the Pope''s pardons, which have so great doubts and dangers, what in the mind and intent of the granter, and what in the purchaser, ere they can be truly obtained with all due circumstances, and much less certitude that they have any authority at all. Paul thirsted to be dissolved and to be with Christ ; Stephen desired Christ to take his spirit ; the prophets also de- sired God to take their souls from them ; and all the saints went with a lusty courage to death, neither fear- ing or teaching us to fear any such cruelty. Where hath the Church then gotten authority to bind us from being so perfect, from having any such faith in the good- ness of God our Father, and Lord Christ, and to make such perfectness and faith of all heresies the greatest ? Solomon saith in the xxxth of his Proverbs, Three things are insatiable, and the fourth saith never, It is enough. But there is a fifth, called Dame Avarice, with as greedy a gut, as melting . a maw, as wide a throat, as gaping a mouth, and with as ravening teeth, as the best, which the more she eateth the hungry er she is : an vmquiet evil, never at rest ; a blind monster and a surmising beast, fearing at the fall of every leaf. Quid noil mortalia pectora cogis, auri sacra fames 1 What doth not that holy hunger compelthem that love 14 TRACY'S TESTAMENT. [Tyndale. this world inordinately to commit ? Might that deviFs belly be once full, truth should have audience, and words be construed aright, and taken in the same sense as they be meant. Though it seem not impossible haply that there might be a place where the souls might be kept for a space, to be taught and instructed ; yet that there should be such a jail as they jangle, and such fashions as they feign, is plainly impossible, and repugnant to the scrip- ture ; for when a man is translated utterly out of the kingdom of Satan, and so confirmed in grace that he cannot sin, so burning in love that his lust cannot be plucked from God's will, and being partaker with us of all the promises of God, and under the commandments ; God ffrant- '^^^i^t co\dd be denied him in that deep innocency of his eth all most kind Father, that hath left no mercy unpromised, the faith- ^^^ asking it thereto in the name of his Son Jesus, the ^"J- child of his heart's lust, which is our Lord, and hath left no mercy undeserved for us, namely, when God hath sworn that he will put off righteousness, and be to us a Father, and that of all mercy, and hath slain his most dear son Jesus, to confirm liis oath. Finally, seeing that Christ's love taketh all to the best, and nothing is here that may not be well under- stood (the circumstances declaring in what sense all was meant), they ought to have interpreted it charitably, if aught had been found doubtful or seeming to sovmd amiss. Moreover, if any thing had been therein that could not have been taken well, yet their part had been to have interpreted it as spoken of idleness of the head, by the reason of sickness, forasmuch as the man was virtuous, wise, and well learned, and of good fame and report, and sound in the faith while he was alive. But if they say he was suspect when he was alive, then is their doing so nuich the worse, and to be thought that they feared his doctrine when he was alive, and mis- trusted their own part, their consciences testifying to TyND/iLE.] TRACY'S TESTAMENT. 15 tliem that he held no other doctrine tlian that was true, seeing tliey then neither spake nor wrote against liim, nor brought him to any examination. Besides that, some merry fellows will think, that they ought first to liave sent to him, to wit, whether he would have revok- ed, ere they had so despitefully burned the dead body, that could not answer for itself, nor interpret his words, how he meant them, namely, the man being of so wor- shipful and ancient a blood. But here will I make an end, desiring the reader to look on this thing with in- different eyes, and judge whether I have expounded the words of this Testament as tliey should seem to signify or not ; judge also whether the maker thereof seem not by his work both virtuous and godly, which if it so be, think not that he was the worse, because the dead body was burnt to ashes, but rather learn to know the great desire that hypocrites have to find one craft or other to dash the truth with, and cause it to be counted for he- resy of the simple and unlearned people, which are so ignorant they cannot spy their subtlety. It must needs Papists 11 1 11 1 • 1 . 1-11 l»""i both be heresy that toucheth any thmg their rotten bile, they quick and will have it so whosoever say nay : only the eternal God •^^a*^ i* ^^^y ''-''' _ touch their must be prayed to night and day, to amend them in rotten whose power it only lieth, who also grant them once ^^^^^" earnestly to thirst his true doctrine contained in the sweet and pure fountains of his Scriptures, and in his paths to direct their ways. Amen. The end of all M. William Tyndale's Works, newly imprinted, according to his first copies, which he him- self set forth. God's name be blessed for ever. Amen. 16 TRACY'S TESTAMENT. [Tyndale. Here followeth a short and pithy treatise touching the Lord's Supper, compiled, as some do gather, by M. William Tyndale, because the method and phrase agree with his, and the time of writing are concurrent, which for thy further instruction and learning, gentle reader, I have annexed to his works, lest the Church of God should want any of the painful travels of that godly man, whose only care and endeavour was to advance the glory of God, and to further the salvation of Christ's flock committed to their charge. THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. AFTER THE TRUE MEANING OF THE VI. OF JOHN AND THE XI. OF THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. AND INCIDENTLY IN THE EXPOSITION OF THE SUPPER IS CONFUTED THE LETTER OF MASTER MORE AGAINST JOHN FRITH. Anno 1533, the 5th day of April. VOL. IV. THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. AFTER THE TRUE MEANING OF THE VI. OF JOHN AND THE XI. OF THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. AND INCIDENTLY IN THE EXPOSITION OF THE SUPPER IS CONFUTED THE LETTER OF MASTER MORE AGAINST JOHN FRITH. \yHEN Christ saw those gluttons seeking their bellies flocking so fast unto him, after his wonted manner, (the occasion taken to teach and preach unto them of the things now moved,) he said, "S^erily, verily, I say John vi. vmto you, ye seek me not because ye have seen my miracles, but because ye have eaten of the loaves and were well filled. But as for me, I am not come into this world only to fill men's bellies, but to feed and satisfy their souls. Ye take great pains to follow me for the meat of your bellies ; but oh, sluggards, work, take pains, and labour rather to get that meat that shall never perish. For this meat that ye have sought of me hitherto, perisheth with your bellies ; but the meat that I shall give you, is spiritual, and may not perish, but abid- eth for ever, giving life everlasting. For my Father hath consigned and confirmed me with his assured testimony, to be that assured saving health and earnest-penny of ever- lasting life. When the Jews understood not what Christ The Jews meant, bidding them to work and labour for that meat ^^^^^ ^^'"*^ that should never perish, they asked him. What shall we rant, and do, that we might work the works of God.'' supposing not the °'* that he had spoken of some outward work required of ^ords of them. Wherefore Jesus answered, saying, Even this is the work of God, to believe and trust in him whom c 2 20 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. The true work that is accept- able before God. Habak. ii. The Jews desire a sign or to- ken where- by they might be- lieve that he was Christ, Christ re- quired of the Jews to have faith aud trust him. Christ ex- plaineth and show- eth himself to the Jews. the Father hath sent. Lo, here may ye see that work of God which he requireth of us, even to believe in Christ. Also consider again what this meat is, which he bade them here prepare and seek for, saying, Work, take pains and seek for that meat, &c. and thou shalt see it none other meat than the belief in Christ : where- fore he concludeth, that this meat so often mentioned, is faith : of the which meat (saith the Prophet) the just liveth. Faith in him is therefore the meat which Christ prepareth and dresseth so purely ; pouldering and spi- cing it with spiritual allegories in all this chapter follow- ing, to give us everlasting hfe through it. Then said the Jews unto him. What token doest thou whereby we might know that we should believe in thee ? Do somewhat that we might believe in thee : what thing workest thou that we might know thee to be God ? Thou knowest well enough that our fathers did eat bread or manna in the desert, as it is written. He gave them bread from above. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave ye not that bread from heaven ; for though it fell doAvn from the air, yet was it not heavenly food, for it did but feed the belly ; but this bread of God that is descended from heaven (whom my Father giveth,) refresheth the soul so abundantly, that it giveth life vuito the world. When the Jews understood not this saying, which was nought else than the declaring of the Gospel (for by the eating of this bread, he meant that belief of this his Gospel,) they said, Sir, give us this bread evermore. Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life, and whoso cometh to me shall not hunger ; and whoso believeth in me shall never thirst. When the Jews heard Christ say, the bread that descended from heaven should give life to the world ; they desired to have this bread given them for ever. And Jesus perceiving that they understood not the sense of this Gospel, he expounded unto them who was this so lively bread that giveth life to all the Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. 21 world, saying, I am the bread of life, and whoso cometh to me, that is to say, whoso is grafted and joined to me by faith, shall never hunger, that is, whoso believeth in me is satisfied. It is faith, therefore, that stauncheth this bimger and thirst of the soul. Faith it is, therefore. Faith only in Christ that filleth our hungry hearts, so that we can eth Christ' desire none other, if we once eat and drink him by faith, ^^ ^U his that is to say, if we believe his flesh and body to have been broken and his blood shed for our sins. For then are our souls satisfied and we be justified. Over this, it foUoweth : But I have told you this, because ye look upon me, and believe me not, that is, ye be offended that I said, he that cometh to me shall neither hunger nor thirst, seeing that yourselves being present, be yet both hungry and thirsty. But this Christ re- cometh because ye have seen me with your bodily eyes, fnCTeduhty and yet see me and believe not in me : but I speak not and lack of of such sight nor coming, but of the sight of faith, which jg^s'^ whoso hath, he shall have none other desire ; he shall not seek by night to love another before whom he would lay his grief. He shall not run wandering here and there to seek dead stocks and stones ; for he is certified by his faith to whom he shall cleave ; he is coupled by faith unto me his very spouse and lively food, the only treasure of his soul, never more to thirst for any other. This light of faith ye have not, for ye believe not nor trust in me : wherefore ye understand not how I am the very bread and meat of your souls, that is to say, your faith and hope. And the cause of this your blind- All that ness is, (I will not say over hardly to you,) that the ^^® father father hath not drawn you into the knowledge of me, unto or else ye had received me. For all that the father ^^"'*^- giveth me, must come unto me. And as for me, I cast out no man that cometh to me ; for I am not come down from heaven to do my will, which ye attribute unto me, as unto each any other man, for I am verily a very man; and according to that nature, I have a special Zfi THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. Christ came from heaven into earth to fulfil the will of his father. He that believeth Christ's death to be for the re- mission of his sins, the same eateth the flesh and drinketh the blood of Christ. The cause of the Jews' mur- muring. Christ re- proveth the inurmur- ing of the .Tews. proper will ; but much more obedient to my father, than one of you. For your will oft resisteth and re- pugneth God's will, but so doth mine never. I am therefore come down to do his will that hath sent me. And to do you to wit what his will is. This (I say) is my father's will that hath sent me, that of all that he hath given me I lose none ; but must raise him up again in the last day : and to be plain, this is the will of him that sent me, that whoso seeth (that is to know) the son and believeth in him, he shall have life everlasting, and I shall stir him up in the last day. Here may ye see what meat he speaketh of. God sent his son into this world, that ye might live through him. Who liveth by him ? They that eat his flesh and drink his blood. Who eat his flesh and drink his blood ? They that believe his body crucified and his blood shed for their sins : these cleave unto his gracious favour. But how could they cleave thus unto him except they knew him ? And therefore he added, saying, Every man that seeth the son, that is to say, understandeth wherefore the son was sent into this world, and believeth in him, shall have everlasting life. Here it appeared to the carnal Jews, that Christ had taken too much upon himself to say, I am the bread of life, which am come down from heaven to give life to the world ; wherefore the flesh, that is to say the Jews, now murmured and not marvelled, (as M. More showeth his own dream to another text following, which I shall touch anon,) they murmured at this saying of Christ, I am the bread which am come from heaven, saying. Is not this Joseph's son whose father and mother we know well enough ? How then saith he, I am come from heaven ? Jesus answered, saying, Murmur not among yourselves : heard ye not what I told you even now ? All that my father giveth me come to me: your unbelief (whereof followeth this false understanding of my words spiritually spoken,) compclleth me to tell yon <^ne thing Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. »3 more than once or twice. This therefore it is: No man may come to me, the only earnest-penny and pledge of your salvation, unless my father tliat sent me draw him ; and whom he draweth unto me, that is joineth unto me by faith, him shall I stir up in the last day. I wonder that ye take my words so strangely, believing them to be some hard riddles, or dark parables, when I say nothing else, than that is written in your own prophets, both in Isaiah and Jeremiah, saying, that all Isaiah liv. shall be taught of the Lord. Since even your prophets testify this knowledge to be given you of my father, what can be spoken more plainly than to say, what my father giveth me, that cometh to me : or this, no man may come to me, except my father draw him. And yet have it more manifestly : Whoso hath heard my John vi. father, and is learned of him, he cometh to me as unto the very only anchor of his salvation. Not that any man hath seen the father, lest peradventure ye mistake these words to hear and to learn, as though they per- tained to the outward senses, and not rather to the mind and inward illumining of the soul. For no man ever saw the father, although he work secretly upon his heart, so that whatsoever he willeth, we must hear and learn. No man (I say) seeth him, but he that is sent of God, as I said before of myself, he it is that seeth the father. Now therefore say I unto you, Verily, verily, as plainly. All that that whoso beheveth and trusteth in me, he hath life believe and hope in everlasting. Now have ye the sum of this my doctrine, Christ even my very gospel, the whole tale of all my legacy i!f Ifn^Tif' and message wherefore I am sent into this world. Had M. More understood this short sentence (whoso believ- M. IMore eth in me hath life everlasting,) and known what Paul 1)^^^^^''"^*' with the other Apostles preached, especially Paul, being standing of a year and a half among the Corinthians, determining not, tureT."^' neither presuming to liave knoAvn any other thing to be i Cor. ii. preached them (as himself saith,) than Jesus Clirist, and that he was crucified ; had M. More understood this point. 24 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. he should never have thus blasphemed Christ and his sufficient scriptures, neither have so belied his Evange- lists and holy Apostles, as to say, they wrote not all things necessary for our salvation, but left out things of necessity to be believed, making God's holy testament insufficient and imperfect. First revealed unto our fathers, written often since by Moses, and then by his Prophets, and at last written both by his holy Evan- geMsts and Apostles too. More is a g^j^ t^rn we to John again, and let More mock still, mocker and lie too. I am the bread of life, saith Christ. And no man denieth that our fathers and elders did eat manna in the desert, and yet are they dead. But he that eateth of this bread, that is to say, believeth in me, he hath The eating life everlasting. For it is I that am this lively bread, ofthebiead ^yj^jch am come from heaven, of Avhom whoso eat by of Christ IS 1. TT /• • • 11- only to be- faith, shall never die. Here therefore it is to be noted di- Ch^I '? ligently, that Christ meaneth, as every man may see, by death. the eating of this bread none other thing than the belief in himself offered up for our sins, which faith only justi- fieth us, which sentence to declare more plainly, and tliat he would have it noted more diligently, he repeat- eth it yet again, saying, It is I that am the lively bread which am come down from heaven ; whoso eateth of this bread shall live everlastingly. And to put you clear out of doubt, I shall show you in few words what this matter is, and by what ways I must be the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, to give it this life so often How the rehearsed, and therefore now take good heed. This fi'^fh'^**^'" l^i'ead which I speak of so much, and shall give it you ; showeth it is mine own flesh, which I must lay fortli and pay for Christ's ^^^^ jj£^^ ^£ ^Ij^, world. Here it is now manifest that he nesii. _ , should suffer death in his owai flesh for our redemption, Christ's J -Q ^^jg l^l^jg jjfp everlasting. Thus now may ye see flesh IS the » , . i , ii i i i • i • • i spiritual how Christ's flesh, which he called bread, is the spiritual food of our ^^^^^j ^^^ meat of our souls, when our souls by faith see God the Father not to have spared his only so dear Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. «5 beloved Son, but to have delivered him to suffer that ignominious and so painful deatli, to restore us to life ; then have we eaten his flesh, and drank his blood, as- sured firmly of the favour of God, satisfied and certified of our salvation. After this communication that he said. The bread which I shall give you is my flesh, which I shall pay for the life of the world ; yet were the carnal Jews never the wiser; for their belief and sturdy hatred would not suffer the The obsti- very spiritual sense and mind of Christ's words to enter ^iif^i into their hearts. They could not see that Christ's blindness of flesh broken and crucified, and not bodily eaten, should be our salvation, and this spiritual meat, as our souls to be fed and certified of the mercy of God, and forgive- ness of our sins through his passion, and not for any eating of his flesh with our teeth. The more ignorant, The malice therefore, and fleshly they were, the more fierce were °^ ^^^^ *^^^* „„.!.. . . . , toward our they full of indignation, striving one against another, Saviour saying. How may this fellow give us his flesh to eat it .'' ^^"^*- They stuck fast yet in his flesh before their eyes, those fleshy Jews, wherefore no marvel though they abhorred the bodily eating thereof, although our fleshly Papists (being of the Jews' carnal opinion,) yet abhor it not. The carnal neither cease they daily to crucify and offer him up P^P'^ts •'-'-' t^ cease not again, which was once for ever and all offered, as Paul still to offer testifieth. And even here, since Christ came to teach, ^™' ^ to take away all doubt, and to break strife, he might (his words otherwise declared, than he hath and will hereafter expound them,) have solved their question, saying, if he had so meant (as More meaneth,) that he would have been conveyed and converted (as our jug- glers slightly can convey him with a few words,) into a singing loaf, or else (as the Thomistical Papists say,) Thomists been invisible with all his dimensioned body under the ^^^^j^^,,,} j form of bread transubstantiated into it. And after a tors, like Thomistical mystery, the wine transubstantiated too into his blood, so that they should eat his flesh and 26 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. Christ in saying that his flesh is very meat, doth not say that bread shall be transub- stantiated into his flesh. Christ's words are spiritual and not carnal. drink his blood after their own carnal understanding, but yet in another form, to put away all grudge of sto- mach. Or since St. John (if he had understood his Master's mind, and took upon him to write liis words,) would leave this sermon unto the world to be read, he might now have delivered us and them from this doubt. But Christ would not so satisfy their question, but an- swered. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye shall not have that life in yourselves. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath life everlasting ; and I shall stir him up in the last day, for my flesh is very meat and my blood the very drink. He saith not here that bread shall be transubstantiated or con- verted into his body, nor yet the wine into his blood. But now confer this saying to his purpose at the be- ginning, where he bade them work for that meat that should never perish, telling them that to believe in him whom God had sent, was the work of God. And whoso believeth in him, should never thirst nor hunger, but have life everlasting. Confer also this that followeth, and thou shalt see it plain, that his words be under- stood spiritually of the belief in his flesh crucified, and his blood shed, for which belief we be pi'omised ever- lasting life, himself saying, "Whoso believeth in me hath life everlasting."" Here, therefore, their (juestion (how may this man give us his flesh to eat it,) is solved ; even when he gave his body to be broken, and his blood to be shed. And we eat and drink it indeed, when we believe steadfastly that he died for the remission of our sins. — Austin and TertuUian to witness. But here maketh More his argument against the young man. Because the Jews marvelled at this sav- ing. My flesh is very meat, and my blood drink ; and not at this, I am the door, and the very vine : therefore this text, (saith he) ]My flesh is, he. must be understood after the literal sense, that is, to wit, even as the carnal TvNDALE.] THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. 37 Jews understood it, murmuring at it, being offended, o-oino- their ways from Christ, for their so carnal under- standine: thereof. And the other texts, I am the door, More de- 1 • 11 • 1 1 • • 1 claretli his &c. must be vmderstood in an allegorical and spiritual ignorance sense, because his hearers marvelled nothing at the man- ^"j^^,jjj'^^^g ' ner of the speech. Lo ! Christian reader, here hast thou not a taste, but a great tun full of More's mischief and pernicious perverting of God's holy word ; and as thou seest him here falsely and pestilently destroy the pure sense of God's word, so doth he in all other places of his books. First, where he saith they marvelled at this Christ's saying, " My flesh is very meat,"" &c. that is not so, neither is there any such word in the text, ex- cept More will expound Murmurahant, id est, mirahan- More re- , , . „ J portetn the tin\ They murmured, that is to say, they marvelled, as Scriptures he expoundeth. Opoitet, id est, expedit et convenit, untruly. He must die, or it behoveth him to die ; that is to say, it was expedient and of good congruence that he should die, &c. Thus this poet may make a man to signify an ass, and black white, to blear the simple eyes. But yet More's first » 1 . 1 n 1 1 1-1 1 reason is for his lordly pleasure, let us grant him that, they confuted. murmured, is as much to say as they marvelled, because perchance the one may folloAv at the other. And then do I ask him, whether Christ's disciples and his apos- tles heard him not, and understood him not, when he said, I am the door and the vine, and when he said, John vi. x. My flesh, &c. If he say no, or nay, the Scripture ^^" is plain against him. If he say yea, or yes, then yet do I ask him whether his disciples and apostles, thus hearing and understanding his words in all these three chapters, wondered and marvelled, (as More saith,) or murmured, (as hath the text,) at their Master's speech. What think ye "^ More must answer here. Here may ye see whither this old holy upholder of the Pope's church is brought, even to be taken in his own trap. £1^,.;^,^ For the disciples and liis apostles neither murmured, disciples nor marvelled, nor yet were offended with this their "XaTl'l^s saying. 28 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. Christ's words were in all things to besjnrit- ually un- derstood . Habak. ii. Master Christ's words, and manner of speech, for they were well acquainted with such phrases, and answer- ed their INIaster Christ, when he asked them. Will ye also go hence from me ? Lord, said they, to whom shall we go ? thou liast the words , of everlasting life, and we believe that thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. Lo ! M. More, they neither marvelled nor murmured. And why .'' For because as ye say, they understood it in an allegorical sense, and perceived well that he meant not of his material body to be eaten with their teeth, but he meant it of himself to be be- lieved, to be very God and very man having flesh and blood as they had, and yet was he the Son of the living God. This belief gathered they of all his spiritual say- ings, as himself expounded his own words, saying, My flesh profiteth nothing, meaning to be eaten ; but it is the spirit that giveth this life. And the words that I speak unto you are spirit and life, so that whoso believe my flesh to be crucified and broken, and my blood to be shed for his sins, he eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, and hath life everlasting. And this is the life wherewith the righteous live, even by faith. THE SECOND ARGUMENT OF MORE. ^FTER this text thus wisely proved to be understood in the literal sense, with carnal Jews, and not in the allegoric or spiritual sense with Christ and his Apostles : the whole sum of More's confutation of the young man standeth upon this argument. A posse ad esse. That is, to wit, God may do it, ergo, it is done. Clirist may make his body in many, or in all places at once, ergo, it is in many or in all })laccs at once. "WMiich manner Tyndale.I the supper OF THE LORD. 29 of argumentation, how false and naught it is, every so- phister, and every man that hath wit, perceiveth. A '^^^ confu- A 1 1 T^ 1 1 1 11 tation ol like argument. God may shew More the truth and call his second him to repentance, as he did Paul for persecuting his ^'g""^®"^*. church : ergo. More is converted to God. Or, God may let him run of an obdurate heart with Pharaoh, and at last take an open and sudden vengeance upon him for persecuting his word, and burning his poor members : ergo, it is done already. M. More must first prove it Christ in us by express words of holy scripture, and not by his ^^^* ''® '" own unwritten dreams, that Christ's body is in many do all places, or in all places at once : and then, though our jjg"^^^ 1,^^ reason cannot reach it, yet our faith measured and di- yet he will rected with the word of faith, will both reach it, receive ^js h^iy it, and hold it fast too ; not because it is possible to Scriptures. God, and impossible to reason ; but because the written word of our faith saith it. But when we read God's words in more than twenty places contrary, that his body should be here. More must give us leave to be- lieve his unwritten vanities (verities I should say) at leisure. Here mayest thou see, Christian reader, where- fore More would so feign make thee believe, that the apostles left out certain things unwritten, of necessity to be believed, even to establish the Pope's kingdom, which standeth of More's unwritten vanities. As of the pre- sence of Christ's body, and making thereof in the bread. Of purgatory, of invocation of saints, worshipping of stones and stocks, pilgrimages, hallowing of boughs and bells, and creeping to the crosse, &c. If ye will believe whatsoever More can feign without the Scripture, then can this poet feign you another church than Christ's, and More is a that ye must believe it whatsoever it teacheth you, for ^rforth^of he hath feigned to that, it cannot err, though ye see it unwritten err and fight against itself a thousand times. Yea, if it tell you black is white, good is bad, and the devil is God ; yet must ye believe it, or else be burned as here- tics. But let us return to our purpose. so THE SUPPER OE THE LORD. [Tyndale. Although the Pope dare not take upon him to he God, yet he is content- ed to he named and taken for half a God. Isaiah xli: Christ as touching his man- hood, occu- pieth at one time l>ut one place, hut his (rodhead is in all places at once. John xiv. John X. Heb. xi. To dispute of God's almighty absolute power, what God may do with his body, it is great folly and no less presumption to More, since the Pope, which is no whole God, but half a God, by their o\vn decrees have decreed, no man to dispute of his poAver. But, Christian reader, be thou content to know that God"'s will, his word, and his power, be all one and repugn not. And neither willeth he, nor may not do any thing including repug- nance, imperfection, or that should derogate, minish, or hurt his glory, and his name. The glory of his God- head is to be present, and to fill all places at once essen- tially presently with his almighty power, which glory is denied to any other creature, himself saying by his pro- phet, I will not give my glory to any other creature. Now, therefore, since his manhood is a creature, it can- not have this glory only which is appropriated to the Godhead. To attribute to his manhood that property which only is appropriated to his Godhead, is to con- fovmd both the natures of Christ. What thing soever is everywhere after the said manner, that must needs be infinite, without beginning and end, it must be one alone, and almighty ; which properties only are appropriated unto the glorious majesty of the Godhead. Wherefore Chrisfs body may not be in all or in many places at once. Christ himself saying, as concerning his man- hood, he is less than the Father, but as touching his Godhead, the Father and I be both one thing. And Paul reciting the Psalm, affirmeth Christ, as concern- ing his manhood, to be less than God, or less than an- gels, as some text hath it. Here it is plain that all things that More imagineth and feigneth, are not possi- ble to God, for it is not possible for God to make a creature equal unto himself, for it includeth repugnance and derogateth his glory. God promised and swore that all nations should be blessed in the death of that promised seed, which was Christ. God had determined and decreed it before the world was made : ergo, Christ Ti'NDALE.] THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. SI must needs have died, and not to expound this word oportet, as More minceth it. For it was so necessary that the contrary was impossible, except More would make God a liar, which is impossible. Paul concludeth that Christ must needs have died, using this Latin term, ?iecesse. Saying, wheresoever is a testament, there must be the death of the testament-maker go between ; or else the testament is not ratified and sure : but right- eousness and remission of sins in Christ's blood is his new testament, whereof he is mediator : ergo, the testa- ment-maker must needs have died. Wrest not, there- fore (M. More) this word oportet (though ye find po- test for oportet in some corrupt copy) unto your un- savoury sense. But let oportet signify, he must or it behoveth him to die. For he took our very mortal na- ture for the same decreed council ; himself sajdng, Opor- tet exaltari jilium hominis, &)C. It behoveth, that the son of man must die, that every one that believeth in him perish not, &c. Here may ye see also that it is impossible for God to break his promise. It is impossi- ble to God, which is that verity, to be found contrary in his deeds and words : as to save them whom he hath damned, or to damn them whom lie hath saved : wherefore all things imagined of M. More's brain are not possible to God. And when More saith, that Christ had power to let his life and to take it again, and therefore not to have died of necessity ; I wonder me, that his schoolmaster here failed him, so cvmning as he maketh himself there- in ; which granteth and affirmeth (as true it is) that with the necessary decreed works of God's foresight and pro- vidence standeth right well his free liberty. But ]M. More saith at last, If God Avould tell me that he would make each of both their bodies two, (meaning the young man''s body and his,) to be in fifteen places at once, 1 would believe him, that he were able to make his words true in the bodies of both twain ; and never would 1 so Heb. Christ must needs die, for God had so promised before. John ii. and xii. God may not be found a liar. fllore would have believed Christ if he had talked with him, whatsoever he had said to him. 82 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. much as ask him whetlier lie would glorify them both first or not : but I am sure, glorified or unglorified, if he said it, he is able to do it. Lo ! here may ye see what a fervent faith this old man hath, and what an ear- nest mind to believe Christ's words, if he had told him. But, I pray you, M. More, what and if Christ never told it you, nor said it, nor never would ; would ye not be as hasty not to believe it .'' If he told it you, I pray you tell us where you spake ^vith him, and who was by to bear ye record ; and if you bring as false a shrew as yourself to testify this thing, yet, by your own doctrine, must ye make us a miracle to confirm your tale, ere we be bound to believe you ; or yet, to admit this your argument, God may make his body in many places at God's al- once, ergo, it is so. Sir, ye be too busy with God's ™%^ty almighty power, and have taken too great a burthen not to be upon your weak shoulders ; ye have overladen yourself *^"'*}!^/^^^* with your own harness and weapons; and young David is likely to prevail against you with his sling and stone. God hath infatuated your high subtle wis- dom. Your crafty conveyance is spied. God hath sent your Church a mete cover for such a cup, even such a defender as ye take upon yourself to be, that shall let all their whole cause fall flat in the mire, unto both your shames and utter confusion. God, therefore, be praised ever. Amen. Then, saith M. More, though it seemeth repugnant both to him and to me, one body to be in two places at once ; yet God seeth how to make them stand together More doth well enough. This man, with his old eyes and specta- but scoff j.]gg ggeti^ fai- in God's sight, and is of his privy-council, out the . . matter. that knoweth, belike, by some secret revelation, how God seeth one body to be in many places at once, in- cluding no repugnance. For word hath he none for Matters ^ini in all scripture, no more than one body to be in all of faith are places at once. It implieth, first, repugnance to my repugnant ^ n i • i i i i i i ^ n to reason. Sight and reason, that all this world should be made of Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. 33 nothing, and that a virgin shouhl bring forth a chihl. But yet, when I see it written with the words of my faith, which God spake, and brought it so to pass ; tlien iniplieth it no repugnance to me at all ; for my faith reacheth it and receiveth it stedfastly. For I know the voice of my herdsman ; which, if he said in any place of scripture that his body should have been contained under the form of bread, and so many places at once here in earth, and also abiding yet still in heaven too, verily I would have believed liim, as soon and as firmly God's as M. More. And, therefore, even yet, if he can show ^'^^i^fj^^" us but one sentence truly taken for his part, as we can do inlu's Scrip. many for the contrary, we must give place : for, as for ^^^^' his unwritten verities, and the authority of his anti- christ's synagogue, unto which (the scripture forsaken) he is now at last, with shame enough, compelled to flee ; they be proved stark lies and very devilry. Tlien, saith he, that ye wot well that many good folk have used in this matter many good fruitful examples of God's other works ; not only miracles, written in Scripture. Uiide versus? (where one, I pray ye?) but also done by the common course of nature here in earth. More tra- If thev be done by the common course of nature, so be y^ileth m they no miracles. And some things made also by man's trine. hand ; as one face beheld in divers glasses, and every piece of one glass broken into twenty, &c. Lord, how this pontifical poet playeth his part ! Because (as he saith) we see many faces in many glasses, therefore may one body be in many places ; as though every shadow and similitude, representing the body, were a bodily substance. But I ask More, when he seeth his own Aiore's face in so many glasses, whether all those faces tliat '*"''''"^"'J« •^ ^ . .0' fares iii appear in the glasses be his own very faces, having the glass bodily substance, skin, flesh, and bone, as hath tliat f^e^'^n "" face which liath his very mouth, nose, eyes, &c. whei-e- substance. with he faceth us out the truth thus falsely with lies ? And if they be all his very faces, then in very deed VOL. IV. n 34 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. there is one body in many places, and he himself beareth as many faces in one body. But, according to his jDur- pose, even as they be no very faces, nor those so many voices, sounds, and similitudes, multiplied in the air between the glasses or other object and the body (as the philosopher proveth by natural reason), be no very bodies ; no more is it Christ's very body, as they would make thee believe, in the bread, in so many places at By faith once. But the bread broken and eaten in the Supper we must monisheth and putteth us in remembrance of his death, drink and SO exciteth us to thanksgiving, to laud and praise, bod '^and ^^^ ^^^^ benefit of our redemption ; and thus we there blood spi- have Christ present in the inward eye and sight of our ntuaUy. faith. We eat his body and drink his blood ; that is, we believe surely that his body was crucified for our sins, and his blood shed for our salvation. At last note (Christian reader), that M. More in the third book of his confutation of Tyndale, the two hun- dred and forty-ninth side, to prove St. John's Gospel imperfect and insufficient (for leaving out of so necessa- ry a point of our faith, as he calleth the last Supper of Christ his Maunday), saith, that John spake nothing at More writ, all of this Sacrament. And now, see again, in these his Smself'"^' letters against Frith, how himself bringeth in John the sixth chapter, to impugn Frith's writing, and to make all for the Sacrament, even thus : My flesh is verily meat, and my blood drink. Belike the man had there over shot himself foul : the young man here causing him to put on his spectacles, and pore better and more wisely with his old eyes upon St. John's Gospel, to find that thing there now written, which before he would have made one of his unwritten verities. As yet, if he look narrowly, he shall espy that himself hath proved us by scripture, in the thirty-seventh leaf of his dialogue of quoth he and quoth I, our lady's perpetual virginity, expounding ?io7i cognosco, id est, noti cogitoscam, which now written unwritten verity he niunbereth a little be- Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. S5 fore among his unwritten vanities. Thus may ye see More an how this old holy upholder of the Pope^s church, his unwritten words fight against himself into his own confusion, in verities. finding us forth his unwritten written vanities, verities I should say. But return we unto the exposition of St. John. When the Jews would not understand the spiritual saying of the eating of Chrisfs flesh and drinking of his blood, so oft and so plainly declared ; he gave them a strong stripe and made them more blind, for they so de- served it, (such are the secret judgments of God) adding unto all his sayings thus. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, abideth in me and I in him. These words were spoken unto these unbelievers into their farther obstination, but unto the faithful for their better instruction. Now gather of this the contrary, and say. Whoso eateth not my flesh and drinketh not my blood, abideth not in me, nor I in him, and join this to the foresaid sentence. Except ye eat the flesh of the son of Habak. ii. man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Let it never fall from thy mind (Christian reader) that faith is Faith is the life of the riffhteovis, and that Christ is this living; ^]^^ ^'^^ "^ 111 1 1 • -1 1 thenglit- bread whom thou eatest, that is to say, in whom thou eous. believest. For if our Papists take eating and drinking here bodily, as to eat the natural body of Christ under the form of bread, and to drink his blood under the form of wine ; then must all young children that never came to God's board departed, and all laymen that 1 John.*iv. never drank his blood, be damned. By love we abide in God, and he in us ; love followeth faith in the order of our understanding, and not in order of succession of time, if thou lookest upon the self gifts and not on their fruits. So that principally by faith, whereby we cleave By faith to God''s goodness and mercy, we abide in God, and drjuj^ God in us, as declare his words following, saying. As the tlirist, and living father sent me, so live I by my father. And eth in us even so he that eateth me shall live because of me, or ?"^* ^^^ "' him, D 2 36 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. Christian religion is faith, and a life cor- respond- ent. The Jews and also the disci- ples of ('hristwere offended at his words. for my sake. My father sent me, whose will in all tilings I obey, for I am his son. And even so verily must they that eat me, that is, believe in me, form and fashion them after my example, mortifying their flesh, changing their living ; or else they eat me in vain, and dissemble their belief. For I am not come to redeem the world only, but also to change their life. They, tlierefore, that believe in me shall transform their life after my example and doctrine, and not after any man's traditions. This is the bread that came from heaven, as the effect itself declareth, whom whoso eateth shall live ever. But he that eateth bodily bread liveth not ever, as ye may see of your fathers that eat manna, and yet are they dead. It is not, therefore, any material bread nor bodily food that may give you life eternal. These words did not only offend them that hated Christ, but also some of his disciples. They were of- fended (said the text) and not marvelled, as More trifleth out the truth, which said. This is an hard saying, who may hear this. These disciples yet stuck no less in Chrisfs visible flesh, and in the bark of his words, than did the other Jews, and as doth now More, beheving him to have had spoken of his natural body, to be eaten with their teeth, which offence Christ seeing, said. Doth tliis offend you ? what then will ye say, if ye see the son of man ascend thither where he was before ? If it offend you to eat my flesh while I am here, it shall much more offend you to eat it when my body shall be gone out of your sight, ascended into heaven, there sitting on the right hand of my father until I come again, as I went, that is to judgment. Here might Christ have instructed his disciples in the truth of the eating of his flesh in form of bread, had this been his meaning. For he left them never in any perplexity or doubt ; but sought all the ways by similitudes and familiar examples to teach them plainly. He never spake them so hard a parable, but where he perceived their feeble ignorance, anon he TvNDALE.] THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. 37 helped them and declared it them. Yea, and sometimes he prevented their asking with his own declaration, and think ye tiiat he did not so here ; yes, verily. For he came to teach us, and not to leave us in any doubt and ignorance, especially in the chief point of our salvation, which standeth in the belief in his death for our sins. Wherefore, to put them out of all doubt as concerning this eating of his flesh, and drinking of his blood, that should give everlasting life : where they took it for his very body to be eaten with their teeth, he said. It is the Here spirit that giveth this life, my flesh profiteth nothing at piai„iy all, to be eaten as ye mean so carnally. It is spiritual ^^^o^^ that 1 XI 1 o T • ••11 ^•■i^ the meat that 1 here speak oi. It is my spirit that draw- spiritual eth the hearts of men to me by faith, and so refresheth ^^^mg, and . , '^f>t t'»e them ghostly. Ye be therefore carnal, to think that I fleshly eat- speak of my flesh to be eaten bodily, for so it profiteth |"| "ll t you nothing at all. How long will ye be without un- profiteth. derstanding .'' It is my spirit, I tell you, that giveth life. My flesh profiteth you nothing to eat it ; but to believe that it shall be crucified and suffer for the redemption of the world, it profiteth. And when ye thus believe, then eat ye my flesh and drink my blood, that is, ye believe in me to suffer for your sins. The verity hath spoken these words. My flesh profiteth nothing at all ; it can- not therefore be false. For both the Jews and his dis- ciples murmured and disputed of his flesh how it should be eaten, and not of the offering thereof for our sins, as Christ meant. This, therefore, is the sure anchor to hold us by against all the objections of the Papists for the eatmg of Christ's body (as they say) in form of bread. Christ said. My flesh profiteth nothing ; mean- Tlie eating ing to eat it bodily. This is the key that solveth all flg^Jj'''"','''^ their arguments, and openeth the way to show us all liteth no- their false and abominable blasphemous lies upon '"^'" Christ's words, and uttereth their sly juggling over the bread to maintain Antichrist's kingdcmi therewith. And thus when Christ had declared it, and taught them that 38 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [TVNDALE- The words of (Jlirist were spirit and life. it was not the bodily eating of his material body, but the eating with the spirit of faith, he added, saying, The words which I here speak unto you are spirit and life ; that is to say, this matter that I here have spoken of with so many words, must be spiritually understood to give you this life everlasting ; wherefore the cause why ye understand me not is, that ye believe not. Here is, lo ! the conclusion of all this sermon. Christ, very God and man, had set his flesh before them to be re- ceived with faith, that it should be broken and suffer for their sins, but they could not eat it spiritually, be- cause they believed not in him, wherefore many of his disciples fell from him, and walked no more with him. And then he said to the twelve. Will ye go away too ? And Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we Christ's disciples understood Christ to speak spi- ritually, and be- lieved. go-' Thou hast the words of everlasting life, and we believe and are sure that thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. Here is it manifest what Peter and his fellows understood by this eating and drinking of Christ, for they were perfectly taught that it stood all in the belief in Christ, as their answer here testifieth. If this matter had stood upon so deep a miracle as our Papists feign, without any word of God, not comprehended un- der any of their common senses, that tliey should eat his body, being under the form of bread, as long, deep, thick, and as broad as it hanged upon the cross, they being yet but feeble of faith, not confirmed with the Holy Ghost, must here needs have wondered, stunned, and staggered, and have been more inquisitive in and of so strange a matter than they were. But they neither doubted, nor marvelled, nor murmured, nor were any- thing offended with fliis matter of speech, as were the other that slipped away ; but they answered firmly. Thou hast the words of everlasting life, and we believe, &c. Now to the exposition of the words of our Lord's Supper. Among the holy Evangelists, writing the story of Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. 39 Christ's Supper, John, because the other three had written it at large, did but make a mention thereof in his thir- Matt.xxyi. teenth chapter, Matthew, Mark and Luke declaring it Luke xxiv! clearly, orderly, and with just number of words, with whom Paul agreeth, thus writing unto the Corinthians, Our Lord Jesus the same night he was betrayed, he 1 Cor. xi. took the bread, and after he had given thanks, he brake it, saying, Take ye it, eat it: this is my body which is for you broken. Here is now to be noted the order of this action or act. First, Christ took the bread in his The order hands ; secondarily, he gave thanks ; thirdly, he broke ^*^' it, fourthly, he taught it them, saying, take it ; fifthly, he bade them eat it. And last after all this he said. This is my body, Avhich is for you broken : this thing do ye into the remembrance of me. Here ye see that this bread was first broken, delivered them, and they were commanded to eat it too, ere Christ said, This is my body. And for because it is to suppose verily, that they took it at his hand as he bade them, and did eat it too, when they had it in their hands, their Master (whose words they did ever obey,) commanding them ; it must needs follow (if these be the words of the con- secration,) that they were houseled with unconsecrated bread, or else now eaten, or at leastwise part of it, ere Christ consecrated it ; yea it followeth that it was out of Chrisfs hands and in their mouths when Christ conse- crated it, and so to have consecrated it when it was now in his disciples' hands, or in their mouths, or rather in their bellies. Here it is manifest that Christ consecrated no bread, Christ con- but delivered it to his disciples, and bad them eat it. ^^^rated no ^ ^ ' bread, but Insomuch that St. Thomas, their own doctor, that made delivered it their transubstantiation, confesseth that some there were tj" s"to^iaT" that said that Christ did first consecrate with other words, ere he now reaching the bread to his disciples, said, This is my body, &c. and yet calleth he it no he- resy so to say. Now since in all this act and Supper, 40 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. there be no words of consecration, but of the delivering^ of tlie bread broken after thanksgivin<^ with a com- mandment to eat it ; bring vis your words of consecration, and show vis by what words God promised you, and There is gave you power to make his body. There is neither left unto commandment, nor yet any words left in all the Serio- us no words T J J ^ r of coiise- tvire, to make or to consecrate Christ's body, to bring it wherein "^^" ^^^^ bread. But there be the words of God left in we sliould the first chapter of Genesis, whereby he made all the ch:inge the World, with which words, albeit we yet have them, yet nature of jg [^ denied us to make that thing that he made with bread into , ^^ . i • i • i p i his body. them. Now Since we having his words or the creation, cannot yet make any new creatvire of nothing, how then shall we without any words of consecration and making, make the Maker of all things ? Unto this action, or Supper, or deliverance of the bread, he added a reason and signification of this sign The use of ^r Sacrament, and what also is the vise thereof, as though the Supper, ^ny sliovild ask them thereafter, what Sacrament, reli- gion, or rite is this ? They shovild answer even in a like manner of speech as it was commanded their fathers to make answer to their children, at the eating of the old Passover, whereof this new Passover was the verity, and that the figure, saying, Wlien your children ask you The pas- what religion is this ? ye shall answer them, It is tiie dial lamb, gacrifice of the passing l^y of the Lord, &c. Lo ! here the lamb that signified, and did put them in remem- brance of that passing by in Egypt, (the Israelites spared, and the Egyptians smitten,) was called in like phrase the self thing that it represented, signified, and did pvit them in remembrance of; none otherwise than if Christ's disciples, or any man else, seeing in that Sup- per the bread taken, thanks given, the bread broken, distributed, and eaten, should have asked him. What Sacrament or religion is this ? He had to answer them that Christ said, This is my body, which is for you Tyndale] the supper OF THE LORD. 41 brokcM : this thing do ye in remembrance of me ; that The tme is to say, so oft as ye celebrate this Supper, give thanks aiui signi- to me for vour redemption. In which answer he calleth fi«itiou of "^ , . . tlie sacra- the outward sensible sign or Sacrament, that is the ment of bread with all the other action, even the same thing ^^'^^j ||J'^^^, that it signifieth, representeth, and putteth such eaters of Christ. of the Lord's Supper in remembrance of. For when he said, Which is broken for you, every one of them saw that then it was not his body that was there broken, but the bread, for as yet he had not suffered, but the bread broken was divided in pieces, every one of the twelve taking and eating a piece before he said. This is my body, &c. Now since M. More will stick so fast in his literal More's li- sense upon these words. This is my body, &c. then [^'108^"^*' do I ask him what thing he showeth us by this first word, and pronoun demonstrative, hoc, in P]nglish this. If ye show us the bread, so is the bread Christ's body, and Christ's body the bread, which saying in the literal sense, is an high heresy after them. And for this saying they burned the Lord Cobham. Also I ask whether Christ speaking these words, This is my body, &c. had then the bread in his hands, wherewith he houseled his disciples or no ? That he had it not, but had now delivered it them, and had commanded them to eat it too, the order and words of the text plainly prove it, as is declared before. And St. Mark telleth ]\iark xir, the story also in this order. The cup taken in his hands, after he had given thanks, he gave it them, and they all drank thereof. And he said to them. This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many. Here The wordu it is manifest that they had all drunken thereof, first ere "^ ^^9"se. lie said the words of consecration (if they be the words were spo^ of any consecration). Besides this, if ye be so sworn to ciiri'stiiad the literal sense in this matter, that ye will not in these <\^'i'vcred words 01 Christ, 1 ins is my body, &c. admit in so plain and the CUJ). 42 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. Luke xxii. 1 Cor. xi. How the Papists wrest the words of Scripture. John iv. 1 Cor. X. a speech any trope, (for allepjory there is none, if ye knew the proper difference of them both, which every grammarian can teach you,) then do I lay before your old eyes and spectacles too, Christ''s words spoken of the cup both in Luke and Paul, saying, This cup is the New Testament through my blood which is shed for you. Here Christ calleth the wine in the cup the self cup, which every man knoweth is not the wine. Also he calleth the cup the New Testament, and yet was not the cup nor yet the wine contained therein the New Testament, and yet calleth it the New Testament, esta- blished and confirmed with his blood ; here ye see he called not the cup his blood, but the Testament. Where is now your literal sense that ye would so feign frame for your Papists'" pleasure '^ If ye will so sore stick to the letter, why do your faction leave here the plain letter, saying that the letter slayeth ; going about the bush with this exposition and circumlocution, ex- pounding " This is my body," that is to say, this is con- verted and turned into my body, and this bread is tran- substantiated into my body. How far, lo ! M. More, is this your strange Thomistical sense from the flat let- ter ? If ye be so addicted to the letter, why fray ye the common people from the literal sense with this bug, telling them the letter slayeth ? But there is neither let- ter nor spirit that may bridle nor hold your stiff-necked lieads. Also ye shall understand that Christ rebuked the Jews for their literal sense, and carnal understanding of his spiritual words, saying, My flesh profiteth you notliing at all to eat it, &c. And their literal taking of his spiritual words was the cause of their murmur, &c. For even there (as also like in other places) to cat Christ's flesh, &c. after the common phrase of the Scripture, is not else than to believe that Christ suffered deatl), and shed his blood for us. Read ye Paul. Our fathers did all eat the same spiritual meat and drink the Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. 43 same spiritual drink that we now eat and drink. Here To eat I think M. More must leave his literal sense and mate- flesh is to rial meat, or else deny Paul, and deny too, that our J'tiievein fathers did eat Christ and drink his blood, which all here Paul saith, for to eat and to drink this spiritual meat and drink, was, as himself declareth, to eat and drink Christ. They drank of the stone (saith Paul) The man- that went with them, which stone was Christ. And we st. Paul's eat and drink the very same stone, which is nothing else speaking, than to believe in Christ. They believed in Christ to come, and we believe in him come, and to have suffer- ed. Where is now, think ye, M. More''s literal sense for the eating of Chrisfs material body ? Our fathers were one and the same Church with us, under the same tes- tament and promise, and even of the same faith in Christ. And even as they eat him and drank his blood, even the same spiritual meat and drink that we do eat and drink ; so do we now in the same faith. For what else was signified by this manner of speech. Our fathers Matt. xv. did eat and drink Christ, than that they believed in Christ to be incarnated and to suffer death ? What else meant the poor woman of Canaan by eating, than to believe ? When she answered Christ, saying. Ye say truth my Lord. But yet do the little whelps eat of the crumbs that fall from their master^s table. This did she answer in an allegory according to Christ''s first An allego- answer unto her, she meaning by the eating of the "^^j tjjfo^^. crumbs, the belief of his words and Gospel to be scat- ed and tered among the Gentiles as Christ answering, confirmed chiist, her meaning, saying, O woman, great is thy faith. He said not, thou art a great eater and devourer of bread. Here it is plain, that to eat in the Scripture is taken to believe, as Christ himself expoundeth it, so often and so j„i,n vi, plenteously. And I am here compelled to inculcate and iterate it with so many words, to satisfy (if it were possible) this carnal flesh vowerer and fleshly Jew. Now to examine and to discuss this matter more 44 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. The old Passover compared with the Supjier of our Lord. Baptism compared with Cir- cumcision. 1 Cor. X. xi. and xii, Rom. vi. Eph. iv. Eucharis- tia thanks- giving. 1 Cor. X. and xi. 1 Tim. i. liaptism was figured by Circum- cision, and tiie Lord's Slipper hy tlie i)a5chal lamb. deeply and plainly, I shall com])are the old Passover with the new and Supper of the Lord. And to show you how the figures correspond their verities, I will begin my comparison at bajitism, comparing it with the Lord's Supper, which be the two Sacraments left us now under the grace of the Gospel. And afterwards (to set forth both these Sacraments plainly,) I will com- pare Circumcision with Baptism, and the paschal lamb with Christ's Supper. We (by baptism) as we testified unto the congrega- tion our entering into the body of Christ, (take here Christ's body, as doth Paul for his congregation,) to die, to be buried, and to rise with him, to mortify our flesh, and to be revived in spirit, to cast off the old man, and to do upon us the new : even so by the thanksgiv- ing (for so did the old Greek doctors call this supper,) at God's board, or at the Lord's Supper, (for so doth Paul call it,) we testify the unity and communicm of our hearts, glued unto the whole body of Christ in love : yea and that such love as Christ at this, his last Supper, expressed, what time he said, his body should be broken, and his blood shed for the remission of our sins. And to be short, as baptism is the badge of our faith, so is the Lord's Supj^er the token of our love to God and our neighbours : whereupon standeth the law and the prophets. For the end of the precept is love out of a pure heart, and good conscience and faith luifeigned. So that by baptism we be initiated and consigned unto the worship of one God in one faith. And by the same faith and love at the Lord's Supper, we show ourselves to continue in our possession, to be incorporated and to be the very members of Christ's body. Both these sacraments were figured in Moses' law. Baptism was figured by circumcision ; and the Lord's Suppi 1', by the eating of the ])aschal lamb. AVherc like as l)y circumcision, the ])0(>ple of Israel were reckoned to be God's people, se^•crill from the Gentiles, so be Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. 45 we now by baptism reckoned to be consigned unto Chi'ist''s church, several from Jews, paynims, &c. And as their passover, tliat is to say, their solemn feast yearly,' in eating their paschal lamb, was an outward token of their perseverance in their religion, and in re- membrance of their passage out of Egypt into the land of Canaan ; so is now the eating of the Lord's Supper Luke xii. (which Christ and Paul called our passover,) a token of * ^ '^■"* ^ • our perseverance in our christian profession at baptism, and also thanksgiving with that joyful remembrance of our redemption from sin, death, and hell, by Christ's Exodus xii. death. Of the figure of this Supper, our new passover, thus it is written. After ye be entered into that land, which the Lord God shall give you according to his promise, ye shall keep this ceremony. And wlien your children ask you what religion is this? Ye shall an- swer them. It is the sacrifice of the passover of the Lord, when the Lord passed forth by the houses of the chil- dren of Israel in Egypt, smiting the Egyptians and delivering our houses. This eating therefore of the paschal lamb was the figure of the Lord's Supper, whicli figure, when the hour was come that he would it to cease and give place unto the verity, as the shadow to vanish away at the presence of the body ; he said thus, Luke xxii. With a fervent desire do I long to eat this passover with you ere I suffer. Again, let us compare the figure with the truth, the old passover with the new, and diligently consider the property of speaking, in and of either of them. Let Thepas- us expend the succession, imitation, and time, how the ^^'^^ ^^'"^ ^ T 1 • • eaten and new succeeding the old mediator Christ between both the i^acra- sitting at the Supper celebrating both with his presence, "tftiued" did put out the old and bring in the new. For there is in either of them such like composition of words, such affinity and proportion of speech, such similitude and propriety in them both, the new so corresponding in all things to the old, that the old declaretli the new, what 46 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. Two things to be consi- dered in the Sacra- ments. The mat- ter and substance of the Sa- crament and the signs of the same. The sign is called the thing. lien. xvii. Exodus xii. is it, Avherefore it was instituted, and what is the very use tliereof. And to begin at circumcision, the figure of baptism. Ye shall understand, that in such rites and sacraments there are two things to be considered, that is to wit, the tiling, and the sign of the thing. The thing is it wlierefore the sign is instituted to signify it, as in circumcision, the thing is, the covenant to be of the people of God, and the sign is, the cutting of the foreskin of the privy member. In the passover, the thing was, the remembrance with thanksgiving for the deliverance out of the hard servitude of Egypt ; but the sign was, the lamb roasted with such ceremonies as were there prescribed them. So in baptism ; the thing is, the promise to be of the church of Christ : the sign is, the dipping into the water with the holy words. In our Lord''s Supper, the very thing is Christ promised and crucified, and of faith with thanksgiving unto the father for his son given to sufi'er for us. But the sign is, the dealing and distributing or reaching forth of the bread and wine, with the holy words of our Lord spoken at his supper, after he had thus dealt the bread and wine unto his disciples. And here is it diligently to be noted, that in all such rites, ceremonies, or sacraments of God thus instituted, these two things (that is to wit, the thing signified, and the sign that signifieth,) be concurrent and insepa- rable. It is the common use and property of speech in the scripture, to call the sign the thing. As is circum- cision called the covenant. Every mancliild must be circumcised, that my covenant might be in your flesh for a perpetual band. And yet was it only but the outward sign and seal of the covenant, that the seed of Abraham should be his especial chosen people, and that he would be their God. The lamb that was but the sign, was called the passover ; and yet was not the lamb the jiassing over, but the sign only exciting and admo- nishing them to remember that deliverance by tlie Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. 47 angel passing by the Israelites in Egypt, smiting the Egyptians. And since' this trope or manner of speech the Scripture did use with so great grace in the old rites and ceremonies that figured our sacraments, why may it not with like grace, for that analogy and proper congruence of the figures with their verities, use the same phrase and manner of speech in their verities ? If the Scripture called the sign the thing in circumcision and the passover, why should we be offended with the same speech in our Baptism and in the Lord*'s Supper ? Since such manner of speech have no less grace and full- ness here than there to bring the thing signified into our hearts by such outward sensible signs. For when that sign of circumcision was given the child, then were they certified (as an outward token may certify,) that the child was of the people of Israel. And therefore did the signs then, as they do now, bear the names of things which they signified, as the lamb eaten in the passover was called the sacrifice and the self passover, none other- wise than in our new passover, that is, the Lord's Sup- per, the bread broken, &c. is called the body of Christ ; and the wine poured forth and distributed to each man, the blood of Christ, because the bread so broken and dealt signifieth unto the receivers, and putteth them in remembrance of the sacrifice of his body on the altar of the cross, and of his blood poured forth for our re- demption. So that this manner of speech in the admi- nistration and use of the Supper of our Lord, to say. This is my body, and this my blood, is as much to say as, this signifieth my body, this signifieth my blood, which Supper is here celebrated to put us in remem- brance of Christ''s death, and to excite us to thanksgiving. Neither let it offend thee, (O ! Christian reader,) that est is taken for signijicat^ that is to say, this is that, is as much to say, as this signifieth that. For this is a common manner of speech in many places of Scripture, and also in our mother tongue, as when we see many The Scrip- ture calleth the signs by the name of the thing that it sig- nifieth. The bread in the Sacrament called the body of Christ, and the wine called the blood of Christ. Est is taken for signijicat. 48 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. pictures or iniai^os, which ye know well are but signs to represent the bodies whom tliey be made like ; yet we say of the image of our Lady, Tliis is our Lady, and of St. Katherine, this is St. Katherine, and yet do they but represent and signify as, our Lady or St. Kathe- Gen. xl. rine : And as it is written, The three branches are three The figii- days, the tliree baskets are three days, which was not rative e\se^ but they signified three days. Also in the twenty- speeches _ JO y ^ J used in the eighth chapter, Jacob said, This stone which I have set ^criptuie. ^jj^ ^j^ ^^j^^j^ shall be God's house, which stone yet was never God^s house, nor never shall be, but only did sig- nify God's house to be built in that same place. Again Pharaoh dreamed to have seen seven fair fat oxen, and afterwards seven poor lean oxen, which Joseph expound- ing, said. The seven fat oxen are seven plenteous years, in which phrase or manner of speech, every man seeth that the oxen were no years, but they signified such years. Marvel not, therefore, though est, likewise in this sentence, Hoc est corpus meum, be taken for signi- ficat, as much to say, as this signifieth my body. And yet for because the Scriptures conferred together, ex- 2 Peter ii, pound themselves, as saith St. Austin. And Peter, That we have before a firm and sure prophetical speech, imto which if we attend, as unto a light set up in a dark place, we do well. I shall show you a like plirase in Ezekiel, where the destruction of Jerusalem was thus Ezek. V. figured: God commanding Kzekiel to take a sword as sharp as a razor, and shave off liis head and beard, and then take a certain weight of the hairs divided into three parts ; the one he should burn in the middle of the city, another he should cut round about, and cast the The man- third up into the wind, &c. which done, he said. Thus ner of saith the Lord God ; this is Jerusalem : which act and spe.iking in -r, ••■>■> ■% the Scrip- deed so done, was not Jerusalem. But it signified and tuie. preached unto the beholders of it, Jerusalem to be de- stroyed ; none otherwise than the breaking and tlistri- buting of the bread and wine called Christ's body and Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. 49 blood, signifieth and preacheth us the death of Christ, ■ the figure and sign bearing the name of the thing sig- nified, as in the Prophet's speech, saying, This is Jeru- salem, which did but signify Jerusalem. When Christ did breathe into his disciples, saying, Take ye the Holy John xx. Ghost ; the same breath was not the Holy Ghost, but signified and represented them the Holy Ghost, with a thousand like manner of speech in the Scripture. In the old passover, thanks were given for the slaugh- ter of the first-begotten, wherein the King's posterity of Egypt fell away. (The Hebrews spared, pass over, and delivered.) But in the new passover, thanks were given that the only begotten son of the Most High was crucified, whereby all faithful are spared, passed over, and not smitten witli the sword of damnation, but de- livered and saved in the Lamb's blood that hath taken away the sins of the world. In the old passover, the lamb or feast is called the Lord's Passover, and yet was neither the larftb nor the feast his passing over, but the sign and commemoration of his passing by. And even so is it now in the new Supper of our Lord : it is xiie natu- there called the body of our Lord ; not that there is V^-} '?"'^7 "^ . . . . Onnst IS any thmg wherein his very natural body is contained, not in the so long and so broad as it hanged on the cross ; for so '^^'^'^^'^^"t. is it ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father ; but that thing that is there done in that Supper, as the breaking, and dealing, and eating of the bread, and the whole like action of the wine, signifieth, representeth, and putteth into our hearts, by the spirit of faith, this commemoration, joyful remembrance, and so to give thanks for that inestimable benefit of our re- demption, wherein we see, with the eye of our faith, pre- sently his body broken and his blood shed for our sins. This is no small sacrament, nor yet irreverently to be The Sacra- entreated ; but it is the most fflorious and highest sacra- J"*^"*^ "^.'", & & be received ment, with all reverence and thanksgiving to be minis- with tered, used, received, preached, and solemnly, in the giving.' VOL. IV. E 50 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. The use of the Supper. Luke xxii. Note here the whole circum- stance of the manner and insti- tution of the Sacra- ment of Christ's body. Luke xxii. 1 Cor. xi. John vi. Habak. ii. face of the congregation, to be celebrated ; of whose holy administration and use I shall, peradventure, speak in the end of this Supper. But in the mean season, (Christian reader,) let these sensible signs signify and represent his death, and print it in thy heart, giving thanks incessantly unto God the Father for so incomparable a benefit, that hath given thee his own only so dearly beloved Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to die for thy sins, yea, and that when we were not his children, but his enemies. Christ''s dis- ciples said to the man. Where is this guest-chamber, where I might eat the passing by with my disciples.'' And they prepared the passover ; and yet Christ eat not the passover, but the lamb, with his disciples ; Avhere it is plain that sign to do on the name of the thing. At last, consider unto what end all things tended in that last Supper, how the figure teached the verity, the shadow the body, and how the verity abolished the figure, and the shadow gave place to the body. Look also with what congruence, proportion, and similitude, both in the action and the speech, all things were con- summate and finished ; and all to lead us by such sen- sible signs from the figure unto the verity, from the flesh unto the spirit. And take thou here this infallible and assured saying of Christ, never to fall from thy mind in this last Supper, Do ye this into the remem- brance of me. And also of Paid, saying. So oft as ye shall eat this bread (lo ! this heretic calleth it bread even after the words of the Pope''s consecration) and drink of this cup, praise, declare, and give thanks for the death of the Lord until he shall come again to judg- ment. Remember thou also what Christ said to the carnal Jews taking the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood so carnally, answering them, JNIy flesh profiteth not, (meaning to eat it bodily ;) but the Spirit maketh life. And to this set the ])rophet Ha- bakkuk's sentence, The just livetli of his faith. Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. 51 And now, (Christian reader,) to put thee clean out of doubt that Christ's body is not here present under the form of bread, (as the Papists have mocked us many a day,) but in heaven, even as he rose and ascended; thou shalt know that he told his disciples, almost Christ de- twenty times between the thirteenth and eighteenth ^j^'J['(,j*'j chapters of John, that he should and would go hence, that he and leave this world ; where, to comfort them again, j^,.^,,g ^|,jg for that they were so heavy for his bodily absence, he world and 111 1 • T T 1 /-ii 11- go to his promised to send them his Holy Crliost to be their com- Father in forter, defender, and teacher, in whom and by whom he ^<^'i^eu. would be present with them and all faithful unto the world's end. He said unto his disciples, I go hence ; I Scriptures 111 iiiT ^^^ many go to the Father ; 1 leave the worki, and now shall 1 no tliat show more be in the world, but ye shall abide still in the ^^^i"^*' ^^ •' touching world. Father, I come to thee. Poor men have ye his natural ever with you ; but me shall ye not always have with ^^J"* '^ . . you. And when he ascended unto heaven, they did be- not here. hold him, and saw the cloud take his body out of their Actsii. sight ; and they fastening their eyes after him, the two men clothed in white said unto them. Ye men of Ga- lilee, wherefore stand ye thvis looking up into heaven ? This is Jesus that is taken up from you into heaven, which shall so come again, even as ye have seen him going hence. Here I would not More to flit from his literal plain Christ as- sense. All these so plain Avords be sufficient, I trow, heaven. to a Christian man to certify his conscience that Christ went his way, bodily ascending into heaven. For when he had told his disciples so oft of his bodily departing from them, they were marvellous heavy and sad ; unto whom Christ said. Because I told you that I go hence, John xiv. your hearts are full of heaviness. If they had not be- ^^^ ''^'* lieved him to have spoken of his very bodily absence, they would never have so mourned for his going away. And for becavise they so understood him, and he so meant as his words sound, he added, (as he should have E 2 52 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. Christ in plain words de- clareth liis bodily de- parture out of this world. Christ plainly showed un. to his dis- ciples that he must depart from this world to his Father in heaven. said,) Be ye never so heavy, or how heavily soever ye take my going hence, yet do I tell you truth : for it is expedient for you that 1 go hence. For if I shovdd not go hence, that Comforter should not come unto you. But and if I go hence, I shall send him unto you. And again, in the same chapter, I am come from the Father, and am come into the world, and shall leave the world again, and go to my Father. What mystery, think ye, should be in these so mani- fest words ? Did he speak them in any dark parables ? Did he mean otherwise than he spake ? Did he under- stand by going hence, so often repeated, to tarry here still ? or did he mean by forsaking and leaving the world to be but invisible, being still in the M^orld with his body ? No surely. For he meant as faithfully and as plainly as his words sound, and even so did his disci- ples, without any more marvelling, understand him. For they answered him, saying, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, neither speakest thou any proverb. But what a dark proverb and subtle riddle had it been, if he had meant by his going hence to have tarried here still, and by forsaking the world, to abide still in the world .'* and by his going hence to his Father by his very bodily ascension, to be but invisible ? Who would interpret this plain sentence, thus ; I go hence, that is to say, I tarry here still. I forsake the world and go to the Father, that is to say, I will be but invisible and yet here abide still in the world bodily. For as concerning his Godhead, which was ever with the Father, and in all places at once, he never spake such words of it. Christ said (his death now was at hand) unto his disciples, Now again I forsake the world and go to my Father, but ye shall tarry still in the world. If they will ex- pound by his forsaking the world, to tarry here still bodily, and to be but invisible, why do they not by like ex])osition interpret the tarrying here still of the dis- ciples at that time, to be gone hence bodily and to be Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD, 58 here visible ? For Christ did set these contraries one against another to declare each other. As if to tarry here still, did signify to the disciples that they should abide in the world, as it doth indeed ; then must needs his going hence and forsaking the world, signify his bodily absence, as both the words plainly sound, Christ meant, and they vmderstood them. But in so plain a matter, what need these words : Be thou therefore sure, (Christian reader,) that Christ's glorified body is Christ's not in this world, but in heaven, as he thither ascended, ^q*^" f^ j^^ in which body he shall come even as he went, gloriously liearen. with power and great majesty to judge all the world in the last day. Be thou therefore assured, that he never juggled nor mocked his so dearly beloved disciples, so full of heaviness now for his bodily departing. For if he had so meant as our Papists have perverted his say- ing, his disciples would have wondered at so strange a manner of speech, and he would have expressed his mind plainly, since at this time he was so full set to leave them in no doubt, but to comfort them with his plain and comfortable words. And if he would have been Christ's but invisible and still bodily present, he would never ^^a^wit^ have covered himself with the cloud, showing them and nessed by testifying also by those two men his very bodily ascen- sion out of their sights. We may not make of his very bodily ascension, such an invisible juggling cast as our Papists feign, fashioning and feigning Christ a body now invisible, now in many places at once, and then so great, and yet in so little a place, not discerned of any of our senses, now glorified, now unglorified, now passable, and then impassable, and I wot [not] near what they imagine and make of their maker, and all without any word, yea, clean against all the words of holy Scripture. For surely in this their imagination and so saying, they bring in afresh the heresy of that great heretic Marcion, rpj^^ i,eiesv which said, that Christ took bijt a phantastical body, of Marcion, and so was neither verily born nor suffered, nor rose, ^^gj. 54 THE SU]?PER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. 1 Tim 2 Tim ] Tim. ii. nor ascended verily, neither was he very man ; which heresy Tertullian confuteth. Christ took verily our nature, such a passable and mortal body as we bear about with us, save that he was without all manner of sin. In such a body he suffered verily, and rose again from death in such a glorified body now immortal, &c. as evety one of us shall rise at the general judgment. It is appropriated only to his Godhead to be every where, and not to be circumscribed nor contained in no one jilace. And as for our Papists prophane void voices, his body to be in many places at once,indefinitive, incircumscriptive, non per modum quaufi, iieque loca- liter, &c. which includeth in itself contradiction, of which Paul warned Timothy, calling them the opposi- tions of a false named science, (for that their scholasti- cal divinity must make objections against every truth, be it never so plain with pro and contra,) which science, many that profess it (saith Paul) have erred from the faith : As for this contention and battle about words, pro- fitable for nothing else but to subvert the hearers, I care not for them, for I have the almighty testimony of the everlasting word of God, ready to foil all their mad and unreasonable reasons, to wipe them clean away, and to turn them into their own confession [confusion]. And for because they hold them so fast by Paul, I shall loose their hold, expounding the Lord's Supper after Paul, which addeth inunediately unto the cup, this that Luke there left forth. Do ye this into my remembrance. This doth Paul repeat so often to put Lord is the "^ ^" mind, that this thanksgiving and supper is the connnemoration and the memorial of Christ's death. Wherefore after all he rcpeateth it yet again the third time, saying, So oft as ye shall eat this bread (he call- eth it still biead even after the Pope's consecration,) and drink thi- cup, (he saitli not drink tliis blood,) see that ye give thanks, be joyous, ami preach the death of 1 Cor. xi. Tlie Siip- eommemo- ratioii and memorial of Christ's death. Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. 55 the Lord, for so much signifieth annunciate in this place, until he come, that is to say, from the time of his death and ascension until he come again to judgment. Furthermore, (saith Paul) Whoso eateth this bread, (he St. Paul calleth it still bread) or drink of the cup of the Lord un- saerament worthily, is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, l^read after The body and blood of the Lord, Paul calleth here the secratioii. congregation assembled together to eat the Lord's Supper. For they are his body and blood which are redeemed with his body and blood, as he said in the tenth chapter before : The cup of thanksgiving which we receive with thanks, is it not the fellowship of the blood of Christ ? The bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ ? For we being many together are one bread, and one body. Lo here Paul expounding himself, useth the same form of speech that is used in these words : This is my body ; taking By one is, for signifieth, we are one bread and one body ; that |||.gad^we is to say, we are signified by one loaf of bread to be one are signi- body; he showeth the cause, adding, because we be all one body in partakers of one loaf or piece of bread. And in the Christ. twelfth chapter following, he saith plainly. Ye be the body o^ Christ and his particular members ; and in the first to the Ephesians, God did set Christ to be the head over all unto his congregation, which is his body, &c. And because the comparison in the tenth chapter be- The cup of tween the Lord's board and his cup, and the deviPs g^jj ^l^l board and his cup, do declare this matter, I shall cup of the recite Paul's words, saying. Ye may not drink the cup they differ. of the Lord, and the cup of the devil both together. Ye may not be partakers of the Lord's board and the devil's board both at once. The devil's board and his cup was not his body and blood, but the eating and drinking before their images and idols, as did the hea- then in the worship of their gods. Of the which thing thou mayest gather what Paul meant by the Lord's 56 THE SUPPER OF THE LORD. [Tyndale. board and his cup. Now let us return to Paul in the Who tliey eleventh chapter : They eat this bread, and drink of pat of the this cup unworthily, that come not unto this board with 'i --^ k T'* ^"^^ fsiith. and love as they professed at their baptism. the cup un- They eat unworthily that thrust themselves in among wort 11 y. ^i^-g congregation, having not the love that this sacra- ment and sign of unity teacheth and signifieth. Which manner of people Paul, in that same chapter, rebuketh, and bendeth all his sermon against them : for that they were contentious, and came together not for the better but for the worse. So that their coming together, which should have been a token of faith and love, was turned into the occasion and matter of dissension and strife ; be- Every man cause every man did eat (as Paul saith) his own supper, own^'supper ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ Lord's Supper, wherein the bread and drink and not the is common as well to the poor as to the rich. But here theLord! the rich disdained the poor and would not care for them ; so that some (as the rich) went their way drunken and full, and the poor departed hungry and dry ; which was a token of no equal distribution of the bread and drink, and that the rich contemned the poor, and so became slanderous and guilty of the body and blood of Christ : that is to wit, of the poor congregation re- deemed with Christ''s body and blood. Thus, they that came together appearing to have had that love which the supper signified, and had it not, uttered themselves by this contentious and vmloving dealing not to be mem- bers of Christ's body, but rather guilty and hurtful unto them. As if a soldier of our adversaries part should come in aniong us with our Lord's badge, having not that heart, faith and love to our captain that we have, we would (if we espied it by any token) take him for a spy and betrayci" rather than one of us. We must Let a man therefore (saith Paid) prove himself well first exa- before, whether he hath this faith to Christ and love mine our- selves, and to God a)id liis neighbour, wliich all he professed at then come i ,• j ii • c ■ -n j i to the table baptism, and this >>upper signihed ; and so come in of the Lord. Tyndale.] the supper OF THE LORD. 57 among the congregation to eat of this bread and drink of this cup, (he calleth it still bread and wine, and nei- ther his body nor blood.) For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh his own dam- nation, because he discerneth not the Lord's body. He Look more calleth still the Lord's body the congregation redeemed ^j^^' EVi^tle with Christ's body, as he did before, and also in the to the chapter following, fetching his analogy and similitude at the natural body ; in which although there be divers members, one excelling another, one inferior, viler and more contemptible than another, yet may not the body want them, but must cover them reverently, and hold them in honour. Again, in the body, though there be divers members of divers offices, yet is there no discord among them ; but every member, be it never so low and vile, yet doth it minister and serve another, and altoge- ther hold up and help the whole body. This conside- ration, with these comparisons so eloquently, so plente- ously, so lively, doth Paul set forth in that twelfth chapter, that no man can desire any more ; and all to bring us into the consideration and discretion of the body of Christ, which is his congregation, without which, consideration and discretion, if we thrust our- If we come selves in with his sign and recognizance feignedly, we f^iiy ^n^ " be but hypocrites, and eat and drink our own judgment, charitably TV, , I . . 1 J unto the r or this cause many are sick among you, and many are Lord's asleep, that is, are dead. Here it seemeth some plague ^^'arf^i ^^^ to have been cast upon the Corinthians for this abuse in chink our the eating of the Lord's Supper. For both the law and j i afore God. the wisc, — to choose the weak to coniound the mighty, — and to choose the vile things, which are of no reputation, to confound them of high de- gree ; that no flesh might boast itself in his sight, to whom only be praise and thanks for ever. Amen. ^ A PROLOGUE, WHEREBY A MAN MAY THE BETTER PERCEIVE THE OCCASION AND WHOLE CAUSE OF THIS BOOK. ^HERE was a brother of ours, named Simon Fish, Simon Fish (which now, I trust, resteth in God's hands) whose ^^^^^u^\ „ , , , -' ot the book eyes God had opened, not only to espy the wily walk- of the Sup- ing of hypocrites and ruin of the realm, which through Beggl^s. ''^ their means was nigh at hand, but also to mark and ponder the peril of men's souls, and how that the igno- rant people, by their seduction, was fallen into that frantic imagination, that they more feared the Pope and his decrees, which are but vanity, than God himself and his law, which are most righteous and eternal. This man, therefore, of a fervent and burning zeal that he bare to the wealth of the commonalty, brake out and touched these hypocrites, in a little treatise, which he called The Supplication of Beggars, willing that we Our riches should give the abundance of our riches unto the poor, stowed^on^' to whom it is due by the law of God, and that we t^^ P^o^- should no longer suffer ourselves to be despoiled and robbed of a sight of sturdy lubbers, which under a false cloak of virtue and prayer, deceive the poor of their living, and both the poor and the rich of their souls' health, if credence be given unto them. And where these wily foxes would have pretended Either the cloak of purgatory, affirming that it were due unto pirgatory" them, because they pray for their friends' souls that *'^***' *'?® they might come to rest ; he answered unto that point merciless- preventing their objection, and proved that either there could be no such purgatory, or else that the Pope were a merciless tyrant, which (as he saith himself) may de- liver them from thence, and will not except he have 94 A PROLOGUE. [Frith. Whereat M. More first began to fume against such as deny pur- gatory. Rastell lol- loweth M. 31 ore. The names of the (lis- puters in the matter of purga- tory. The sum and con- tents of RastcU's three dia- logues. money. At this point began M. More to fume, and took upon himself to be proctor for jjurgatory, (I will not say that he was hired thereto of our spiritualty, although many men dare swear it,) and to confirm his purpose, he wrested sore the Scriptures, and triumpheth also that the very miscreants and idolaters believe that there is a purgatory. He addeth thereto (to establish his matter withal) that there is no man which believeth that there is a God, and that the soul of man is immor- tal, but he must needs grant that there is a purgatory. There took Rastell his hold, which is a Printer, dwell- ing at PauFs Gate in London, and of INIaster jNIore's alliance, which also coveteth to counterfeit his kinsman, although the beams of his brains be nothing so radiant nor his conveyance so commendable in the eyes of the wise. Notwithstanding this, Rastell hath enterprised to dilate this matter, and hath divided it into three Dialogues, imagining that two men dispute this matter by natural reason and philosophy, secluding Christ and ail scripture. The one of them (that should dispute this matter) he calleth Gingemin, and feigneth him to be a Turk, and of Mahomet's law. The second he nameth Comingo, an Almany, and of Christ's faith. And he maketh the Turk to teach the Christian man what he should believe. The first Dialogue goeth about to prove by reason that there is a God, which is merciful and righteous. The second intendeth to prove, that the soul of a man is immortal. Against these two dialogues I will not dispute, partly because this treatise should not be over long and tedious, and partly because that those two points, which he there laboureth to prove, are such as no Christian man will deny ; (although many of his pro- bations are so slender, that they may well be improved.) But as concerning his third Dialogue, wherein he would prove purgatory, it is wholly injurious unto the blood of Christ, and the destruction of all Christian faith, if S: Frith.] ANSWER UNTO RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 95 men were so mad as to believe his vain persuasions. And therefore I thought expedient to compare this third dialogue with all the deceitful reasons unto the true light and pure word of God, that at the least Rastell himself might perceive his own blind ignorance, and return again into the right way. And if any man have been deceived through his book, (as I trust there are but few, except they be very ignorant,) that they may repent with him and glorify God for his inestimable mercy, which hath sent his light into this world to dis- close and expel their dark and blind ignorancy, that they may see his ways and walk in them, praising the Lord eternally. Amen. THE FIRST BOOK, WHICH IS AN ANSWER UNTO RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 'PHERE is no man as I think that hath a natural wit. An answer but he will grant me that this book of RastelPs Salogu?."' making is either true or false. If it be false, then, how- Rastell's soever it seem to agree with natural reason, it is not to \^°^ '^ ^'' 1 n 1 .p • 1 1 . thertrueor be allowed ; it it be true, then must we approve it. false. Natural reason must be ruled by Scripture. If natural reason conclude against the Scripture, so is it false; but if it be agreeing to Scripture, then is it to be heard. Of this I may conclude, that if RastelFs book be If natural agreeing to Scripture, then is it true, and to be allowed ; 7^d"" ^"'^ if it determine contrary to the Scripture, then is it false, against the and to be abhorred, howsoever it seem to agree with fhelf is'na- natural reason. tural reason Now is there no Christian man but he believeth false. 96 ANSWER UNTO [Faith. surely that if Christ had not died for our sins we should all have been damned perpetually, and never have en- tered into the joys of heaven, which thing is easy to be Kom. V. proved, for Paul saith, (Rom. v.) As through one man's sin, that is Adam, ensued death in all men unto con- demnation ; even so through one man's righteousness, which is Christ, came righteousness in all men unto the John xi. justification of life. Also, (John xi.) It is necessary that one man die for the people, tliat all the people perish not. So that we had been condenmed and had perished perpetually, if Christ had not died for us. But Rastell, with his Turk Gingemin, exclude Christ, and know not of his death, wherefore all the reasons that they can make unto doomsday, can never prove purgatory, (except they imagine that we must first go 2. Rastell's to purgatory, and then after to hell ;) for this is a plain book clearly conclusion, that without Christ, (whom they exclude) and quickly ' i /> i • confound- we can never come to heaven : what fondness were it then to invent a purgatory. Now may you see that RastelPs book is fully answered, and lieth already in the dirt, and that his third dialogue is all false and inju- rious unto the blood of Christ. As for the first and second dialogue, although there be some errors both against divinity and all good philosophy ; yet will I pass them over, for they are not so blasphemous against God and his Christ as the third is. Notwithstanding, I will not thus leave his book, al- though I might full well, but I will declare unto you what solutions he maketh to these seven weak reasons, (which he hath propounded himself,) for he avoideth them so slenderly, that if a man had any doubt of pur- gatory before, it would make him swear on a book that Rasttll there were none at all. Besides that, it hath not one thfwllh solution, but there are in it certain points repugnant unto Scripture, so that it is great shame that any Chris- tian man should print it, and much more shame that it should be printed with the King's privilege. FRini.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 97, The first and chiefest reason that moveth this man The first (yea and all other,) to affirm purgatory, is this, which reasonmade he iDutteth both in the first chapter of his third dia- ^"*" P"iga- . ^ . . tor)'. logue, and also in the last. " Man (saith he) is made to Rastell. serve and honour (jod ; now if man be negligent about the commandments of God, and commit some venial sin, for which he ought to be punished by the justice of God, and die suddenly without repentance, and have not made sufficient satisfaction unto God here in the world, his soul ought neither immediately to come into the glorious place of heaven, because it is somewhat de- fouled with sin, neither ought it to go to hell unto eter- nal damnation ; but by all good order of justice, that sovil must be purged in another place to make satisfac- tion for those offences, that it may afterward be receiv- ed into the glorious place of heaven. And so, by the justice of God, there must needs be a purgatory." Forsooth, this reason hath some appearance of truth Answer to and the similitude of wisdom, howbeit, in deed it is „,'i^„ent ^^' nothing but man's imagination and phantasy ; for if we compare it unto God''s word, then vanisheth it away. But we regard not the word of the Lord, and therefore chanceth even the same thing unto us, that happened before unto the children of Israel. (Psalm Ixxxi.) My Pj,. i^xxi. people regarded not my voice, and Israel gave no heed unto me : therefore let I them go after the appetites of their own hearts. They shall wander in their own imaginations. Now what go they about in this their invention and imagination of purgatory, but to ponder the justice of God in the balance of man''s justice, say- ing. It is no reason that we should enter into heaven, which have not here satisfied unto God for our iniquity, except that we should be tormented and purified in another place. We were surely in evil taking if God were of man's complexion, which remitteth the fault and reserveth the pain. Nay, nay, Christ is not greedy to be avenged. He thirsteth not after oin* blood, but suf- VOL. IV. H ys ANSWER UNTO {Frith. fered all torments in his own body to deliver us from the pains that we had deserved. But seeing they think their reason so strong and invincible, I will confute it with one question, that they shall not know whither to turn them. But first, I will ground me upon this 1 Thes. iv. scripture. St. Paul writeth (1 Thess. iv.) on this manner : We that live and are remaining in the coming of the Lord (unto judgment,) shall not come near they that sleep; for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the archangel and trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall arise first, then shall we which live and remain be caught up with them also in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Now hearken to my question. Those men that shall be found alive at the last day, (for as it was in the time of Noah, even so shall the last day come upon us unawares, and as a thief in the night, (Matt, xxiv.) — those men I speak of, shall any of them be saved or not .'' There is no man that liveth but he may well say his Pater nosier, of the which one part is, Forgive us. Lord, our tres- passes, as we forgive them that trespass against us ; therefore is no man pure and without all sin. And this confirmetli St. John, saying, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (John i.) What remedy now ? shall they all be damned .'* There is no doubt but some of them shall not be very evil, al- though they have not made sufficient satisfaction unto God in this world, and they ought not to go unto hell to everlasting damnation, (as your own reason proveth,) and then shall there be no purgatory to purge and pu- nish them. Besides that, if there were a purgatory at the time, yet could they not be cast into it, for all shall 1 Cor. XV. ^^ done in the twinkling of an eye, (1 Cor. xv.) and 1 Thes. iv. they shall be caught up to meet the Lord. (1 Thes. iv.) Is God not as just then as he was before .'* W^ill he not Question. Matt, xxiv The confu- tation of Rastell's first and chief argn- meat. 1 Jolin i. Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 99 have punished as well then as before ? Now see you no evasion for all your subtle imaginations, for they are not pure and without spot (as you say,) except they make satisfaction themselves unto God. But they must be without spot or wrinkle that shall enter into heaven, as Rastell himself doth prove in the ninth chapter of his third dialogue. Howbeit, I regard not his testimo- ny, but the Scripture affirmeth tliat to be true, as Paul saith, (Ephes. i. and v.) Now since they must be pure, Eph. i. v. even without spot or wrinkle, that shall enter into hea- ven, and these persons are yet spotted with sin, and have neither place nor space to purge them in ; you must needs conclude, whether you will or not, that they must all be damned, and yet you think that unreason- able too. See whither your arguments of natural reason bring you. But what saith the Script vire ? verily, Paul (1. Thes. iv.) espied another way, for he saith. And so shall we ever be with the Lord ; and not damned. Of this may we evidently conclude, that some shall be saved, although they be sinners, and never come in purgatory, (there taketh Rastell a fall and all his fautors,) and since Rastell God is as just and merciful now as he shall be then, j'li'^his^wn why shall we go more in purgatory than they ? But turn. mark, I pray you, how properly that substantial reason, wherewith they go about to establish purgatory, con- cludeth, which condemneth into hell so many thou- sands, yea and even them whom Paul affirmeth to be saved. And yet at the beginning it seemed very rea- sonable. Now have I proved you sufficiently that this their reason can prove no purgatory, for as I said, there shall sinners enter into heaven and never come in purgatory. Here, peradventure, you be desirous to know how God"'s justice is pacified; for all sin, by the justice of God, must needs be punished. Now can the world espy no punishment here, and therefore thev thouglit it neces- H 2 * 100 ANSWER UMTO [Frith. Heb. i. Christ is the only purgatory and purger of our sins. Eph. A fruitful and excel- lent argu- ment. Eph. i. Christ by his election doth purge aiul cleanse sary to imagine a purgatory to purge and punish sin. Here answer I with St. Paul. Christ, the Son of God, being the brightness of his glory and very image of his substance, bearing up all things with the word of his power, hath in his own per- son purged our sins, and is set on the right hand of God. Behold the true purgatory and consuming fire, which hath fully burnt up and consumed our sins, and hath for ever pacified the Father's wrath towards us. Mark how he saith, that Christ, in his own person, hath purged our sins. If thou yet seek another purgation, then are you injurious unto the blood of Christ ; for if thou thought his blood sufficient, then wouldst thou seek no other purgatory, but give him all the thanks and all the praise of thy ,whole health and salvation, and rejoice whole in the Lord. Paul writeth (Ephes. v.) on this manner: Christ loved the congregation. And what did he for it, sent he it into purgatory there to be cleansed .'' Nay verily, but gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it and cleanse it in the fountain of water, through the word, to make it unto himself a glorious congregation, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blame. Now if Christ, by these means, have sanctified it, and made it without spot, wrinkle, and blame, tlien were it against all right to cast it into purgatory ; wherefore, I must needs conclude, that either Paul suith not true, which affirmeth, that Christ hath so purged his congregation, or else, that Christ is unrighteous if he cast them into purgatory which are without spot, wrinkle, and blame, in his sight. Christ chose us in him before the beginning of the world, that we might be holy and without spot in his sio-ht. (Ephes. i.) If, through his choosing and elec-^ tion, we be witliout spot in his sight, alas ! what blind unthankfulness is that to suppose that he will yet have us tormented in purgatory ! Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 101 Peradventure, every man perceiveth not what this 6. meaneth, that we are righteous in his sight, seeing that every man is a sinner. (1 John i.) Therefore, I will i John i. briefly declare the meaning of the Apostle. This is, first, a clear case, that there liveth no man upon earth without sin. Notwithstanding, all they that were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world was laid, are without spot of sin in the sight of God. (Ephes. i.) Eph. i. So that they are both sinners and righteous. If we con- sider the imperfection of our faith and charity ; if we consider the conflict of the flesh and the spirit; (Gal. v.) Gal. v. if we consider our rebellious members, which are sold under sin, (Rom. vii.) then are we grievous sinners. Rom. vii. And, contrarywise, if we believe that of mercyable fa- vour, God gave his most dear Son to redeem us from our sin ; if we believe that he imputeth not our sins unto us, but that his wrath is pacified in Christ and his blood ; if we believe that he hath freely given us his Christ, and with him all things, so that we be destitute in no gift, (Rom. viii.) then are we righteous in his Rom. viii. sight, and our conscience at peace with God, not through ourselves, but through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. v.) Rom. v. So mayest thou perceive that thou art a sinner in thy- self, and yet art thou righteous in Christ, for through him is not thy sin imputed nor reckoned unto thee. And so are they, to whom God imputeth not their sins, blessed, righteous, withovit spot, wrinkle, or blame. Rom. jy. (Rom. iv. Psalm, xxxi.) and, therefore, will he never Psal. xxxi. thrust them into purgatory. Paul saith there is no difference, for all have sin- Justifica- ned and lack the glory which before God is allowed, but jytj, g^. they are justified freely by his grace, through the re- dude pur- demption that is in Christ Jesus. (Rom. iii.) What Rom. iii. say you now, shall they yet go into purgatory ? Call ye that justification freely by his grace, to lie in the pains of purgatory ? Surely, that were a new kind of speech, which, I think, Paid never understood. 102 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Objection. An answer to the first objection. Objection. 1. An answer to the se- cond ol)jec- tion. The Pope selleth Christ's merits for money. Peradventure, some man will think mine arguments to be of small pith, and to dissolve them by a distinc- tion, saying ; It is truth that God hath so purged and cleansed us from all our iniquities, nevertheless, his mercy, purging and forgiveness, have only purified us from the fault and crime, but not from the pain which is due to the crime. To this objection I answer, that if God of his mercy and through the blood of his son Jesus, have not remit- ted the pain due unto that crime, then shall we all be damned ; for the pain due unto every disobedience that is against God, is eternal damnation. And, therefore, if this pain were not forgiven us, then are we still under condemnation, and so was Christ's blood -shed in vain, and could save no man. If they will say that this everlasting pain is not wholly forgiven us, but that it is altered into the tempo- ral pain of purgatory, out of which the Pope may de- liver them by his pardon, for else have they no evasion at all, then may w^e soon confute them, and that by divers reasons. First, that their words are nothing but even their ow^n imagination, for they cannot confirm their sayings by the Scripture, neither ought we to accept any thing as an article of ovu' faitli which is not approved by God's word ; for we may neither decline unto the right hand nor unto the left, bvit only do that the Lord command- eth us. (Deut. iv. v. xii. xiii.) And again, if a man should ask them by what autho- rity the Pope giveth such pardon ; they answer, that it is out of the merits of Christ's passion. And so at last they are compelled to grant, even against them- selves, that Christ hatli not only deserved for us the for- giveness of the crime, but also of the pain. If Christ have deserved all for us, who giveth the Pope authority to reserve a part of his deservings from me, and to sell me Christ's merits for money ? Frith.] RASTELUS DIALOGUE. 103 Besides that, every Christian man ought to apply 3. unto God all things which should employ his honour as far forth as the Scripture will suffer. Now, seeing it is more unto the honour of God that he should deliver us in his blood, both from the crime and from the pain, and also not repugnant vmto the Scripture, but that he hath released us from the pain as well as from the sin ; for what intent should we be so unkind as to despoil We may him of this great honour, and, without any authority of ^^^ ^Y^^^^ Scripture, imagine that he hath not delivered us from honour. the pain as well as from the sin ? 4. Moreover, if he should reserve the pain, then were it Blasphemy no full remission and forgiveness : but what blasphemy Christ's is that, to think that Christ's blood was not sufficient to ^'^^'^ is not give full remission unto his faithful .^^ sion for our Furthermore, for what intent should the pain be re- ^"^^' served ; to satisfy towards God for their offences ? There'is no Nay verily, for all men living are not able to satisfy satisfaction lor sin but towards God for one sin. Neither are all the pains of Christ's hell able to purge one sin, or satisfy for it : for then at ^^^"^' the length the damned souls should be delivered out of hell. Finally, I think that there was never any temporal 6. punishment instituted of God to be any satisfaction for sin; but the use of all temporal pains, and chiefest cause why they were ordained, is this : — Temporal pains are profitable for the commonwealth, 1- that they may be examples to learn the unfaithful (which porarpa^'s else fear not God,) that they may at the least, for fear of ^^'^ ordain, punishment, abstain from committing like offences ; for if their sin were unpvmished, then should all vice reign to the utter subversion of the commonwealth. They are also profitable for the faithful, for they try 2. and purify the faith of God's elect, and subdue and mortify their carnal members, that they may be the more able to serve their brethren, and to withstand the vehement assaults of temptation which are ever at hand ; 104 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Worldly pains can- not sutli- ciently jm- nish sin. Scripture maketh no mention of purgatory. and lest they should wax proud and boast themselves for those gifts which they have received of God. Furthermore, they set out and advance the glory of God. For after that we be put in remembrance and made to feel our frail nature that so continually dis- pleaseth God our Father ; then have we occasion to pon- der and compare this transitory pain which we here suffer with those enormous trespasses that we have com- mitted, and to espy the infinite mercy and favour of God, and even in our adversities to be compelled to praise God, our merciful and tender Father, which scourgeth us so favourably for those grievous offences that have deserved a thousand times more punishment. Howbeit, (to say truth) there is no man that can take any such profit of them, that men feign to be punished in purgatory. For we neither see it nor hear it, neither have we any mention made of it in Scripture, that we may be sure that it is so. Now since we have no in- fallible evidence, but only phantastical imaginations, it is plain enough that there was no such thing ordained, neither to advance God's honour, nor yet to the profit of the connnonalty, or else of God's elect, for then I am sure that Christ and all his Apostles would not liave forgotten to have remembered us of it. Rastell's first argu- ment. Now let us see some of Rastell's reasons, which he saith that fond fellows lay for themselves to prove that there should be no purgatory. " They say, (saith Rastell) that contrition, which some call repentance, is that which is the very payment and satisfaction for sin ; and they say that when a man com- mitteth a sin, and after is repentant therefore, that God of his goodness doth forgive him, and that that repen- tance is the only satisfaction that God would have made and done for that sin. And then, since a man by such repentance hath made such payment and satisfaction for his sin as God would have to be made therefore, if then Fkitii.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 105 that man should go to purgatory, and have a new pu- nishment after his death, that repentance that he had before should be but void." Forsooth, I think that neither Rastell ever heard any Frith. such reason, neither yet that any man ever would be so fond as to say that this argument confuted purgatory, a fond ar- except it was one that was clean purged of his wit be- ^"'"'^'^ • fore. But whose reason soever it be, whether RastelPs, or any other man's, let us lay it unto that touchstone, that is, the Scripture, to prove whether it be gold or copper, upright or counterfeit, truth or untruth. And to be short, the first proposition and major of his reason, is this, that contrition or repentance is the very payment and satisfaction for sin. That is a stark lie to The major begin withal. For if we, by all our contrition, repen- ar^iment tance, sacrifices, and works, (I add more to help him) '** ^ l^^- can fully pay and satisfy for our sins, then is Christ dead in vain, and might full well have spared his blood. This can no man deny, but he that will set at nought both Christ and all the Scripture. Now mark how he proceedeth. " And they say, (saith Rastell) that when Rastell. a man committeth a sin, and after is repentant there- fore, that God of his goodness doth forgive him, and that that repentance is the only satisfaction tliat God would have to be made and done for that sin." That is the next part of his argument, and contain- Frith. eth two lies at once chained together; for where he saith that " when a man committeth a sin, and after is re- pentant therefore, that God of his goodness doth forgive him ;" you must first consider that neither he nor his Turk Gingemin know any thing of Christ. Now, if it Christ's were not for Christ's sake, all the repentance that man j^ the can imagine covild not move the goodness of God to for- t^auseofthe forfifivGDCss give one sin. But by his justice (where Chrisfs death of our sins, hath no effect,) he must needs condemn. The second lie is this, that " that repentance is the only satisfaction that God would have made and done for that sin :" for if 10(i ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Rastell. Rastell's fond argu- ment beat- en to the ground. Frith. Three lies at once. What folly is in natu- ral reason to reason against the Scripture. A good con- clusion. God's lio- nour con- sisteth not in our ser- vice. this be true, then is our faith false. For our faith holdeth, that if Christ had not died for us, we had all perished. Then proceedeth he, as though all that he had said before were true, on this manner. " And then (saith he) since a man by such repentance hath made such payment and satisfaction for his sin, as God would have to be made therefore ; if then that man should sro to purgatory and have a new punishment after his death, that repentance that he had before should be but void." Even just if heaven fell, Ave should catch larks. Now let us see how properly he answereth imto his own question. And you shall find more blasphemies against Christ in his answer than preceded in the argu- ment. Think you this man hath not taken great pains.'' To prepare himself unto his matter, he bringeth in three lies in the first chapter. The first is, he saith, that " only the soul suffereth, and not the body," and maketh Comingo, whom he feigneth to be a Christian man, to grant it well and wisely. Forsooth, this is new learning indeed. For if this be true, then Christ's body suffered no harm, neither when he was scourged, neither when he was crowned witli thorns, neither when he was nailed on the cross. But I report me unto your own selves, if you cut but your finger, feel ye no pain ? and yet I think ye Avill not say that ye cut your soul. From henceforward, if you see a poor man shivering for cold in the street, you may bid him walk a knave, and bear him in hand that he feeleth no harm, for as this man saith his body feeleth no harm, and I promise you of honesty that his soid catcheth no cold. But what need I to make more words of this matter, since you may make experience yourselves. The second lie is this, that " man was created of God, to do him honour and service." For if a man may say the truth, man was not made for the intent to be a servant and do service. For God hath no need of our service, but was in as full lionour and as well served before the world began as he Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 107 now is ; so that his honour, joy, and service, is whole in himself, and is by us neither employed nor diminished. But the cause why he made man was this, that man Why man should have the fruition of his jo}^ and honour. Such ^^ '^* made, was his goodness ; he made us not that he should have God made any pleasure by us, but that we should have pleasure "? "'"^ ^^r liis plctisure by him. The third lie is this, that " no other creature imt that we here in earth doth service and honour to God but only .^^^^ F^" ■^ ceive plea- man." This is also a stark lie, for all creatures honour God sure by through their creation and being, for the whole glory "'"* of their creation redoundeth into the honour of God, and what service can they do better than so to glorify God ? Neither yet letteth he them be idle, but worketh through them marvellous things, and all to his glory. Fire at his command came down from heaven, and burnt Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis xix.) Was that no honour and Gen. xix. service .'' He made a strong and burning wind to dry up and divide the Red Sea. (Exod. xiv.) At his voice the Exod. xiv. wind and sea were obedient, and waxed calm. (Matt. Matt. viii. viii.) Was this no honour and service ? But a man may see that his wit was so purged in purgatory, that he hath not one drop left to espy any truth at all. But yet let us see how he answereth the argument, Rastell. and severally examine every part. The first part was, that contrition or repentance is the very payment and satisfaction for sin. To this he answereth, " that when Another of thou takest repentance and askest mercy of God for jq^jj^jj ^j.. thine offence ; no man ought to be so foolish to think gtiments. that God should be restrained or compelled, but that it is at his liberty whether he will forgive or no." I would be loth to move the man, and ask him what Frith. repentance is ? for surely, as far as I can gather by his words, he wotteth nothing what it meaneth. But I pray you see how substantially he answereth the argu- ment. It argueth that contrition or repentance is the very payment and satisfaction for sin. And to that an- swereth he neither yea nor nay, for fear of trapping, 108 ANSWER UNTO [Fkith. Repen- tance is no satisfaction for oiifsin, but Christ's death only. Rastell. Fritli God for- giveth for Christ's sake, and not otlier- wise. Rastell groundeth him uj)on lies and imagina- tions. (albeit the words are clean against Scripture.) But he answereth, that when thou takest repentance and askest mercy of God for thy sin, no man ought to be so foolisii to think that God should be constrained or compelled to forgive thee. But for all that, this is sure enovigh, that if repentance be the very payment and satisfaction for sin, (as the argument falsely supposeth.) that God of his justice must needs forgive me when I repent, for then have I wholly paid him his, and may require my right even by his justice. If thou object that God were then restrained and compelled, I answer nay. But it were rather a great pleasure unto him to forgive all men, if so they could make satisfaction unto his justice ,by repentance, for he rejoiceth not in pu- nishing us. Then added Rastell, " that it is at his liberty always to execute justice or mercy at his plea- sure."" To tliat I answer, tliat he hath no pleasure to do against his Scripture, but therein hath he fully opened his pleasure. His pleasure is to forgive freely all them that believe in his son Christ Jesus, and to condemn them that believe not. If Rastell mean on this fashion, then grant we him ; but if he understand that God taketh his pleasure and liberty in ministering his mercy and justice, so that he may condenm him which hath given the verj^ payment and full satisfaction of sin, (as it seemeth he should mean, seeing he denieth not the first part of the argument,) and again save him that believed not, then will I say that Rastell runneth riot and taketh his own pleasure ; for God hath no power against himself and his Scriptin*e ; but look what he hath promised, and that he will perform. And therefore in this can Rastell prove no purgatory, for all that he gi'oundeth him on so many lies. But yet is it necessary that we declare unto you what is the very satisfaction for sin, and then shall we sec whether purgatory may stand with it or not. Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 109 Paul saith, (Heb. x.) tliat Christ with one oblation hath satisfied for our sins, for we are hallowed (saith he) by the offering of the body of Christ Jesus, which was once done upon the cross, and with that one oblation hath he made them which are hallowed perfect for ever. Now, if this be true that we are made perfect by the oblation of his own body upon the cross, then is purga- tory in vain ; for if he have so purged us, what need we another purgation ? If we be made perfect through him, what need we after this life to be purged ? If he have satisfied for us, why seek we another satisfaction ? why leave we tlie fountain of living water, and seek our refreshing out of polluted pools, and especially since the headspring is so ready at hand "^ If we must make satisfaction unto God for our sins, then would I know why Christ died : think ye that his blood was shed in vain ? This is, no doubt, if there were any other way unto the Father than through Christ's l3lood, whether purgatory, or sacrifices, or what thou canst imagine, then was his death not necessary. But, alas ! what unkindness is that, so to deject the pre- cious blood of Christ, and to set his gracious favour at nought ? If there be any means by the which I may satisfy for my sins, I need no redeemer, nor yet any favour, but may call for my right and duty. And so were there no need of Christ's blood, mercy, and favour. But what may be moi-e blasphemous unto Christ's blood and his free redemption ? Christ is able, fully and for ever, to save them that come unto God by him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for us. (Heb. vii.) If he be able, fully and for ever to save us, why run we from him and seek another purgatory ? If he make intercession for us, then is it hke that he is no cruel stepfather towards us, but rather that by all means he seeketh our healtli : why fly we from him that offereth himself so lovingly to us ? Hel.. X. Christ's merits ut- terly set- teth aside jnirgatory. There is no means to purge us but only the death of Christ. 10. Christ is able fully to save all that Cometh to God by him. 110 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Rastell. Frith. Rastell's similitude is not good. why dare we not put our trust in him, which, when we were his enemies, vouchsafed to die for us, and to re- Rom. V. concile us unto his father ? (Rom. v.) Now maketh he Comingo his ahnany, to bring in an example, and in confuting that he thinketh to win the field. But we will shoAv you that his similitude is no- thing like indeed. But if he will imagine that it be like, then doth he not confute it, but maketh it stronger. The exaiuple is this : " If I owe thee an hundred pounds of true debt, and humbly desire thee to forgive, dis- charge, and pardon me, and thou make me a clear re- lease thereof, then am I not bound to make thee any other payment or satisfaction." To prove that the simi- litude is navight, and nothing like to the purpose, is verv easy. For the purpose and first part of the argu- ment Avas this : that " contrition or repentance is the very payment and satisfaction for sin." Therefore, if he will have it like, then must he suppose that this humble re- quest of forgiveness, discharge, and pardon, is the very payment and satisfaction for that hundred pounds, and, therefore, upon that should they first have agreed, or else can the example serve for nothing. Now if he make them like, and imagine that this humble desire or forgiveness is the very payment and satisfaction for that one hundred pounds, then hath he made a rod for his own breech, for he shall never be able to avoid it. But let us see his answer. " In the case that you have put," (saith Rastell,) " if you desire me forgiveness of that one hundred pounds, yet is it at my liberty and gentleness, whether I will forgive thee the whole one hundred pounds or else part thereof." Well hit. Master John. If I should pay you that one hundred poimds in good ciu'rent money, were it yet in your liberty and gentleness whether you would forgive me a part or the whole thereof ? Truly, I would be loth to be one of your debtors, if you be so Major. hard to vour creditors. Belike vou have studied some Rastell. Frith. Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. Ill cautel in the law ; for I never heard but that if I owed you an hundred pounds, and gave you the very pay- ment and satisfaction thereof, then shoukl I be clean discharged, whether ye would yea or nay, and neither need to thank your liberality nor gentleness. But, in Minor, your case, the request and desire of forgiveness is, and must be, the very payment and satisfaction of the hun- dred pounds, or else it is nothing like the argument ; so that you may put your similitude in your purse till another place and time, where it shall better agree ; wherefore I must needs conclude, that if I desire for- Conclusion. giveness (this standing, that the said desire of forgive- Rastell's ness is the very payment and satisfaction of that hun- eleailv dred pounds, for else, as I said, it is nothing like,) I font'ound- am clean discharged, and need neither to thank your liberality nor gentleness. Now, where you object the recompense for the loss of time and damages, hurt and hindrance, that you have had, for the nonpayment of that hundred pounds, and so forth, that cannot be applied unto God and the remission of our sins. For there is no such loss of Our doings time, damage, hurt or hindrance, towards God ; for we Q^^^l ,^'ei. neither hurt nor hinder him, although we never ask for- ^^^'^^ better 111 1 11 o, 1 . . nor worse, giveness, but be damned perpetually. So that it is our profit to ask it, and our hurt and hindrance if we ask it not. If I owe a man twenty pounds, the longer I keep it, the more is my profit and the more his loss. But God receiveth us young ; he receiveth us at man''s estate ; he receiveth us old ; and thinketh it no loss or hurt then to receive us, for he saith by his Prophet, The wickedness of the wicked shall not hurt him in n. what day soever he turn from his ungodliness. (Ezek. E/.e. xxxili. xxxiii.) But it should surely hurt him if he should broil in purgatory for it. Wherefore either there is no such painful purgatory, or else cannot I see how the Prophet, which speaketh these words in the person of God, should be true. 112 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. 12. Ez. xxxvi. If Christ have purg- ed us clean, what need- eth another purgatory. 13. .Ter. xssiii. 14. Jer. xxxi. Heb. viii. I shall pour upon you clean water, (saith God the Father,) and you shall be cleansed from all your iniqui- ties. (Ezek. xxxvi.) If we be purged from all, what need another purgatory .'* Need we more purging when all are cleansed ? I will surely convert Judah and turn Israel vnito me; and I will purify them from all their iniquities where- with they have offended me. (Jer. xxxiii.) If he purify them from all, what should they do in purgatory ? I will be merciful vmto their wickedness, and their sins will I no more remember. (Jer. xxxi. Heb. viii.) If he will not remember our sins any more, then may we be s\jre that he will not fry us in the fire of purga- tory for our sins. The second argument. Rastell. Fritli. Rastell's second ar- gument confuted. A ni])ping conclusion. Now, let us see his second argument, which is in the fourth chapter, and is surely fond ; howbeit his solu- tion is yet more foolish. The siun of his argument is this : — *' Man was made and ordained to have an infinite being, therefore after this mortality and death he must have infinite joy or infinite pain." I will put you a like argument. A man is ordained in this world to be a king or a subject, therefore after he is born he is ever a king, or else ever a subject. Now may this be false, for peradventiu'e he may be born a subject, and after made king, or else he mav be born a king and after deposed and made a subject. Therefore this argument holdeth not formally. But it holdeth on this manner : as I shoidd sav to an ape, thou nuist neetls be an ape or an ass, which now is true ? But if I should say the very same words to M. John Rastell, I think he would be angrv, and say that it were false. And I suppose oiu- schoolmen will say, that he lieth, and put him an example of the in- fants that die without Cliristendom, which (as the schoolmen say,) shall never have jov nor pain. But I Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 113 will grant him his argument, to see how properly he will confute it. Now mark his answer, which standeth in the fifth chapter. " There are degrees in sins ; some sins are great and Rastell. some greater, and therefore must there be degrees in punishment ; some punishment is great and some greater." Well, for your pleasure I am content to Frith. grant you this too. But else were it a matter worthy disputation. What now ? " When that a man"" (saith Rastell,) " here in earth Rastell. hath committed a great sin and offence, and taken repentance, whereby the sin is forgiven," (mark that he being ignorant of Christ, saith, through repentance the Rastell'a sin is forgiven,) " and yet hath not taken such sufficient mentT(f^' repentance therefore, nor had any sufficient punishment P'o'^e a which should make a full payment and satisfaction for that sin, and dieth before any condign or full satisfac- tion made ; God inust then of his righteousness ordain a place of purgatory, where his soul shall have a fur- ther punishment, to make a condign and full satisfac- tion for that sin, and so to be purged and purified be- fore it shall be able and worthy to be admitted to receive the eternal joy in heaven." First, brethren, you must grant, that we have a Frith. Christ or no Christ ; a redeemer or no redeemer ; a justifier or no justifier. If there be none such (as Ras- Rastell's tell with his Turk Gingemin suppose,) then all the ^^'^ent^'^" repentance in the world could not satisfy for one sin ; clearly con- but whosoever committeth a sin should be damned therefore. So that Rastell speaketh and sayeth all in diminutives ; for where he should of truth espy hell, there espieth he but purgatory ; and where he should say, that all sinners (if they stick not to Chrisfs blood,) shall be damned eternally, there saith he that they shall be punished in purgatory. And, to be short, if Rastell VOL. IV. I 114 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. say truth, then is Christ dead in vain. If he say not An answer truth, why stick you to his reason ? But peradventure to an objec- ^]^^^^^ |.}^at knowest Christ wilt say, (as many do,) that Christ's death and redemption serveth thee but for ori- ginal sin, or, at most, for those sins that thou commit- tedst before baptism. To that I answer Avith St. John : 15' Children, this do I write unto you, that ye sin not. 1 John ii. And if any man sin, yet we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, which is righteous : and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sins ; not for our sins only, but also for the sins of all the world. To whom wrote St. John this epistle ? Think you that he wrote not unto the Christian and them that were already bap- tised ? And yet he said, If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, which is righte- ous : and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sins. Lo, he adnumbereth himself also ; for he saith. We have an advocate ; and saith again, for our sins. Ye may see that he meaneth not only original sin, neither yet the sins done before baptism ; for I doubt not but he was baptised when he wrote this epistle ; and yet said he. If we sin, (meaning after baptism, or whensoever it be) we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. This is St. John's learning. He knew no other remedy if we fell into sin, but only Christ. Notwithstanding, our prelates have practised further, for they say, if any man sin he shall lie in the pains of purgatory, until he be delivered thence by mass-pence, the Pope's pardon, or certain other suffrages ; but not without money, you may be sure. IQ Christ saith. No man cometh imto the Fatlier but John xiii. through me ; (John xiii.) for, saith he, I am the way. Yes, Lord, oiu- prelates have es])ied another way, which although it be more painful unto the poor, yet is it more profitable for prelates. 17. Come unto me all ye that labour and are laden, and Matt. ix. I will ease you, saith our Saviour Christ Jesus. (Matt.xi.) Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 115 Wilt tliou send us, Lord, into purgatory ? Forsooth Pm-gatory there is little ease, if the fire be so hot as oiu* prelates have feiffned it. It is even I that put out thine iniquities for mine 1*5. own sake, saith God the Father, and thy sins will I no more remember. (Isaiah, xliii.) Ergo, then he ^**^- '^'"'• putteth them not away for broiling in purgatory. He Broiling in addeth also, that he will no more remember our sins : puuelh not call ye that no remembrance to cast us into purgatory '^^^'^y '^i'^- for them ? Whom God predestinated, them he called, and whom 19. he called, them he justified; and what did he with them then ? Did he cast them in purgatory, there Those to be cleansed ? Forsooth the apostle maketh no men- "^J^^^ ?°^ tion thereof, but addeth inmiediately , Whom he j ustified justifieth them he glorified. (Rom. viii.) Wherefore let not us fieth^*'"" put such obstacles, and be unkind imto the gracious ^om. viii. favour of God. Besides that Paul forbiddeth us to be careful for 20. them that sleep (that is to say, for the dead) as they 1 Thes. iv. that have no hope. But surely if he had known of any purgatory, he would have been careful for them, since they feign them in such miserable torments. Now see- ing he had occasion to make mention of the dead, and spake not one word of pvu'gatory, it is plain enough that he knew nothing of it, or else was he very negligent to overhyppe it. But yet had I lever say that purga- Furgatory tory were but a phantasy of man"'s imagination, than fancy „£ to ascribe such forgetfulness or negligence unto that mans ima- apostle. gi nation. The third reason that Rastell allegeth, is in the 'flie third 11 1 • 1 • i^ mi 1 argTiment. Sixth chapter ; the sum is this ; " 1 here are degrees of joy in heaven, and degrees of pain in hell ; and there- fore may God pass every man and give him according to his deserts, either more or less, and never need pur- gatory." Well, let us grant these degrees for RastelFs I 2 IIG ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Rastell. The solu- tion of Ras- tell's third argument. Frith. Rastell. Frith. Rastell's natural reason doth fully de ceive hoth liim and his Turk (lin- |(finin. pleasure, although the question be so disputable, that I am sure he cannot defend it. What followeth on this .'' forsooth he bringeth in proper examples, if they could serve for the purpose. But let us pass over to his solution, which is in the end of the seventh chapter. " When a man" (saith Kastell) " is infected with a great mortal sin, and so depart, then his soul ought not to do service in heaven unto God, because it is putrified with that foul sin. But if that man had taken the medicine of full repentance in his life, that medicine would have restored him again to his souFs health and virtue." (But here you must remember that Christ is dead in vain ; for if repentance be the medicine that restoreth again the health and virtue of the soul, what needeth Christ ?) Now forth : " But if he have taken" (saith Rastell) " some repentance for that sin, and not sufficient, and had not sufficient time to make sufficient satisfaction therefore, yet by the taking of that medi- cine of repentance, that sin- is expelled and gone, and the soul of that sickness and sin is clearly whole ; but yet the spots and tokens of the sin, which is a deformity to the soul, do still remain, till the soul have a time to be purged from those tokens and spots, to make it pure and clean of that deformity." This man is ever in one supposition, which is both false and injurious unto the precious blood of Christ. I wonder who taught him that conclusion, and why he granteth so soon unto it ; for he would not liave granted that there were a God, neither that the soul was inunortal, (although they were both true) until he had proved it (as he thought himself) by good natural reason. But as for this that is stark false, (that is to say,) that repentance, while he excludeth Christ, doth satisfy for our sin, he never putteth in question, but granteth it by and by : belike the Turks have such an opinion. But let him go with his Turk, and let us Christian men grant nothing contrary to the Scripture, Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 117 but ever captivate our reason unto that, for it is the infallible reason and wisdom of God, and passeth our reason far. The fourth reason is propounded in the eighth chapter. The fourth which is this : " That the soul unpurged may do some mean and low service to God in heaven, though it be Ephes. v. not the highest and the best,"" which thing is false and against Scripture. (Ephes. v. Cant, iv.) But let us see Cant. iv. what answer he maketh unto it. His answer beginneth Rastell. in the ninth chapter, and the sum is this : " Heaven is so pure and clean of nature, that it must Rastell's expel all manner of impurity and uncleanness, neither j^jj, fourth can it suffer any thing therein that is of any manner argument. uncleanly or evil, or other thing unpleasant. So now it followeth, that when a man hath committed a mortal sin, and after taketh repentance, by the which he is healed of the foul infirmity." (See how he harpeth all of one string, which is also so far out of tune, that I wonder how any man can abide him. For if I can Rastell. heal mine infirmity through repentance, wherefore died Christ .'' " But yet (saith he) the spots and tokens remain Frith, for lack of full satisfaction." I answer that it remaineth every whit, sin, spots, tokens, and all together, except Christ have taken it from off us, through his death and bitter passion. Therefore, saith Rastell, " God of his Rastell. justice may not condemn his soul to eternal pain in hell for that offence, which is purged and put away." Wherewith is it purged and put away 't There is no remission of sin without blood. (Heb. ix.) 21. If there be no remission without blood, what shall Heb. ix. repentance do, where the blood of Christ is excluded .'' Sin cannot Yea, or what shall thy purgatory do, for there is no away but bloodshed. So is there nothing that taketh awav sin by the , ^ •' blood of but only the blood of Christ Jesus, shed for our re- jesus demption. ^^"'^*- " And yet" (saith Rastell) " God by his justice, and by Rastell. 118 ANSWER UNTO rFRITH. Frith. A merry copclusiou of John Frith. 22. John i. Heb. i. Ephes. i. 1 John, i. Rom. iv. No need of purgatory. The fifth argument. Rastell. Frith. How Ras- tell proveth that pur- gatory is upon the earth. liis discreet wisdom and goodness, ought not imme- diately to receive that soul into that clean and most pure place in heaven to accompany the pure angels, &c." No marry, I warrant thee, be not afraid of that, for neither Gingemin thy companion, nor thou neither, shall enter in there, either immediately or mediately, if ye exclude Christ as ye have done hitherto ; no, not if ye had taken all the repentance in the world, and would thereto imagine as many purgatories as will pesen into a monk's cowl. But it is Christ, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. (John i.) It is he that hath purged our sin, and now sitteth on the right hand of the Father. (Heb. i.) It is he that hath purged our sin, and hath made us in his own sight, and in the sight of his Father, without spot or wrinkle. (Ephes. i.) Albeit, in our own sight, we find ourselves sinners. (1 John, i.) But he maketh us blessed and righteous, and imputeth not our sins unto us. (Rom. iv.) Then what needeth purgatory ? The fifth argument that he bringeth against pur- gatory is touched in his tenth chapter ; the sum is this : " It should seem convenient that this purgatory (if there were one) should be in earth ; partly because the body which ojfFendeth with the soul might be purged with the soul, and partly to be a good example to all men living, to put them in fear to do any like oiFence, and so should cause many to abstain from committing any such like offence and sin, or else where should purgatorv be .''''' This reason hath no great pith. Notwithstanding, if it were well prosecuted, it would be too hard for Rastell to avoid it. For tliis is no formal argument ; it is meet that the body which offendeth with the soul should be purged with the soul ; ergo, piu'gatory must be upon the earth. For God may join tlio body and soul together again after they be departed, and so punish them toge- Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 119 ther, although purgatory were not in earth, even where- soever it be. And therefore thus niethinketh it should well follow. The body was fellow and partner with the soul in 23. conunitting the crime and sin, and shall also be partaker of the glory which is prepared for them that love God. Wherefore, it is reason if the soul should be purged and punished in purgatory, that the body should also suffer with him in purgatory, feign the place of purga- tory where you will, in heaven, in earth, or in hell. But wot ye what Rastell would here say unto me ? for- Rastell's sooth even as he did in the first chapter of the third elusion of Dialogue ; that is to say, he would stoutly affirm that '"« fifth ^£ 1 1 1 rr> 1 • 1 1 • • argument. " the body suitereth neither weal nor woe, joy nor pam, good nor evil, and therefore it needeth not go to purga- tory." And by that reason it is folly that the body should go either to heaven or hell, for it neither feeleth pleasure nor pain : this is new learning indeed. But I think there is no Christian man so foolish as to believe him. And as for the second point, that it should be a good example to put men in fear of committing such tres- passes, it were soon answered. For we ought not to We may abstain from evil because of the punishment that fol- from sin for loweth the crime, but only for the love that we have to ^^^^ ^^'^ ^"^ loV6. God, without any respect either of salvation or of dam- nation. If thou abstain for fear, so art thou under the law and under damnation. The law of God and the law of man are far unlike ; for the law of man is ful- filled by the exterior act, although the heart be far from it. As if I owe a man twenty pounds, and be The law of compelled by the law to pay him at a certain day ; if [j,*^'\^"^ p I then pay, albeit mine heart be never so grudging and man doth evil willing, yet have I fulfilled the law, so that there v^ry! ^ shall no process or sentence pass against me. But God's law requireth a thing to be done with a well-will- ing heart, and even for pure love. For if thou do it 120 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. The law of God re- quireth tlie heart and mind. The law of man re- quireth the body and outward deeds. Rastell's foolish so- lution of his fifth ar- gument. Rastell's solution. Psa. cl.xiii. Rastell's reason failethhim. Frith. for fear, or unwillingly, it shall be imputed unto thee for sin. If thou do it for fear, then workest thou not of love, but rather hatest both the thing that thou doest and also the law that constraineth thee unto it. And if thou do it unwillingly, then wiliest thou to do the con- trary, and so wouldest thou that there were no such law, neither yet any God that should judge thee in so doing. And since God judgeth thee after thine heart and will, then must he needs condemn thee, for thou wiliest contrary unto his law and will ; yea, and wiliest in thine heart contrary to that thou doest in thine out- ward deed. Now let us see his solution which is in the eleventh chapter, and so foolish, that if it were not for the great length of the chapter, for loss of time, and for the more cost in printing, I would surely have answered unto it at length, even that he should have been ashamed of himself. But to be short, we will touch some of his words. The first part of the argument which he in- tendeth to answer to, is this : that " it should seem con- venient that purgatory should be here on earth, because the body which vpffendeth with the soul should be purg- ed with the soul." This reason is of no value, as I have showed you before. But what saith Rastell ? " That reason" (saith Rastell,) " proveth not only that there is no purgatory, but also that there should be neither heaven nor hell. For if a man have lived so virtuously in earth, that he ought to be saved and go to the joys of heaven ;" (let us pardon him this lie, for the Prophet saith that no man shall be justified in the sight of God, if he enter into judgment with us. Psalm cxliii.) " and yet did never meritorious act, but only when the soul was joined with the body, then should he never be rewarded, but here in earth while his soul is joined with the body." Here may ye pei'- ceive what Rastell thinketh of heaven and hell, even thus, that the body shall never come in heaven nor hell. Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 121 which point I will touch more largely anon. First, where Comingo in his argument saith, that it should seem convenient for purgatory to be upon earth, there, saith Rastell, that he would take away the liberty, pre- rogative, and authority of God. As by example, if I would say, it should seem convenient that the Bishop of London''s palace should be in London, partly because it is the chiefest city of his diocese, and partly because Rastell it is nigh the court, whereto he may the better resort abuse"him- to get further promotion ; there would Rastell say, by self. and by, that I took the Bishop's liberty, prerogative, and authority, that he might not set it where he would : belike this man hath drunk of a merry cup. He affirmeth Rastell. also, that " this argument taketh away both heaven and hell." Why so ? Because he supposeth it convenient that Frith, purgatory should be here upon earth. Albeit he say " it is convenient ;"" yet saith he not that " it must needs be." Nay, but there is another thing that RastelFs sore eyes cannot abide. What is that ? verily, for he added, that it were most convenient that the body, which is partaker in committing the crime, should also be purged and punished with the soul. And that, as ye know, plucketh Rastell by the beard, for he went Rastell is about to prove the contrary in the first chapter, that hims'^iZ the body hath neither pain nor pleasure, &c. But how should this take away heaven and hell ? forsooth on this manner. Rastell thinketh not that God can and will join the body again with the soul after this transitory life, that they may together receive joy or pain, for that passeth his natural philosophy. But thus he imagineth : " When the body and soul are once departed, then say they adieu for ever and a day. Therefore," (thinketh he,) " if God will punish them in hell together, or save them together in heaven, then he must take them while they are here living in earth." And so this supposi- Rastell tion, that the body must suffer with the soul, (after hat|iherea ^ ■' ^ ^ loul over- RastelFs learning,) must prove that heaven and hell be throw. 122 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Rastell's solution confuted. Luke xvi. A true and good con- clusion. Rastell. Frith. Rastell can- not tell where pur- gatory is, whether on the earth or else- wlicre. here in earth, or else there can be none. See this learned man, that would prove purgatory by good phi- losophy. The second cause, that purgatory should be a good example to the living, to put them in fear to do any like offence, is not solved of Rastell ; but I have solved it before, and will yet satisfy you again, be- cause Rastell leaveth it out. We have here in the world Moses and the Prophets, that is, the Old Testa- ment ; yea and also Christ and his Apostles, which we call the New Testament : now if we believe not these, then shall we not surely believe, although we had pur- gatory and hell too among us. And this may well be gathered of Christ"'s own words, (Luke xvi.) where he brought in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus; for the rich man being in pains, desired Abraham to send Lazarus unto his five brethren, to warn them that they miglit not come into that fire. Abraham answered again, that they had INIoses and the Prophets ; and added, let them hear them. Then said the rich man, Nay, Father Abraham, but if any of them that are de- parted api^car unto them, then will tliey believe it. And Abraham concludeth on this manner : If tliey be- lieve not Moses and the Prophets, no more will they believe if any of the dead shoxdd rise again. And therefore may I likewise conclude, that if they believe not neither yet fear the pains which INIoses and the Prophets, yea, and Christ and his Apostles, have pro- phesied to fall on the unfaithful, then will they not be- lieve for fear of the pains of purgatory. Now to the last point, " where purgatory should be," he answereth as you shall hear. First, that " it is a foolish question,'' (for he cannot answer inito it by his pliilosopliy.) And then he saitli, that " no man can tell neither the place, neither yet the manner of the pain." Here maketh he St. Thomas, yea and all our Sdiool- men fools by craft ; partly because they take upon them Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 123 to answer unto this question, which he calleth foolish, and partly because they fully determine that the place of purgatory is the third place in hell, and all to assign fire to be the manner of the pain. And again, in this Rastell last part, he proveth them double fools. Once, because the School- they stoutly affirm that thing which no man can tell, (as "^en to be Rastell saith;) and again, because they restrain God fools. of his liberty, that assign any place, and make him of less authority than an inferior judge, Avhich hath no place assigned him, but may do execution and punish the guilty in what place he will. I wonder that our Schoolmen may abide this fellow. And then he saith that " purgatory is in a place limi- Rastell. tative. And wheresoever God doth limit the soul to be purged, there is the limitative place of that soul, and there is the purgatory of that soul." So that a man Purgatory may gather by Rastell, that the souls be not limited to on" pia"e one place to be purged and punished. And thereto only, but agreeth also his similitude of the judge which assigneth and divers one to be punished in one place, and another in another, P'^ces, even at his pleasure. If such gear had come from be- yond the sea, it should soon have been condemned, al- though it had not been half so grievous against our Schoolmen. But let this pass, as it is well worthy, and let us see and examine more of this new-fangled philo- sophy. Now are we come unto the sixth argument, which Rastell's beginneth in the twelfth chapter ; the effect is this. ment.^'^^' " Repentance is the full payment and satisfaction of sin, and bringeth remission, therefore as soon as repen- tance is taken, God of his justice must give remission, and so there ought to be no purgatory." This argument is nothing worth, for the first part, as Frith. we have often proved, is false. For if repentance were the full payment and very satisfaction for sin, tlien died Christ in vain. Notwithstanding, if he grant this first 124 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Rastell. Frith. Tliere can be no cause in us that may de- serve the forgiveness of sin. Luke xxiii. There is no purgatory. Rom. V. God of his mere mercy reconciled us when we were his enemies. 25. The shed- ding of Christ's Wood is our salvation. Hel). i. Rastell. part to be true, neither he nor all his fellows shall be able to solve this argument while they live. But be- cause we will be short, let us pass over to his answer, which is in the thirteenth chapter. In solving this argument, he groundeth him on two lies at once ; the first is, " that God never giveth remis- sion except he see in us a convenient cause counterpois- ing his justice."" What cause found he in the man that was brought unto him sick of the palsy, to whom he said, Be of good comfort, (son) thy sins are forgiven thee .? (Matt.ix. Mark ii. Luke v.) What cause found he in the thief that was crucified with him, but that he had been an unthrift all his life long ? And yet even the same day that he suf- fered with Christ, was he partaker of joy with him in Paradise. (Luke xxiii.) Where was purgatory then ? where was the punishment that he should have suffered for his enormities ? If any man should suffer in purga- tory, it is like that this thief should have done it. But he went from death to life, and never came in purga- tory; wherefore I may conclude that no man shall come there, if there were any. What cause, I pray you, doth Paul assign as touching our redemption and remission of our sin ? foi'sooth no other but that we were wretched sinners, and the very enemies of God. (Rom. v.) For, saith Paul, if when we were his enemies, we were re- conciled unto God through the death of his Son, much more now we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. So that in us is no manner of cause for remission, but only misery and sin. But the whole cause of the remission of our sins, and of our salvation, is the blood of Christ, which hath fully coimterpoised the justice of God the Father, and hath pacified his wrath towards us that believe. He is the very purgatory, for all faithful which hath already purged oiu' sins, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. (Heb. i.) The second lie is this : he saith, that Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 125 " God of his justice must give to every thing his own, which own is the thing that it deserveth to have." If Frith, this were true, then should not one of us enter the inhe- ritance of heaven, for we have every one of us deserved death and damnation. For, as Paul saith, (Rom. iii.) Rom. iii. We have all sinned, and want the glory which before God is allowed. But we are freely justified through his grace by the faith that is in Christ Jesus. If it be freely through his grace, then is it not by our own de- serving, for then grace were no grace. And, contrary- wise, if it be by our own deserving, then is it not of grace, for then deserving were no deserving. (Rom. xi.) Rom. xi. But the truth is this : that God of his mercy had pro- mised unto our forefathers his dear son Christ, that he should deliver them from all their iniquities, and that all the nations of the world should be blessed in him. (Gen. xii.) This seed he promised of his mercy and Gen. xii. favour, whom also he sent in the time that he had or- dained, (Gal. iv.) not for our own deservings, but for Gal. i%'. his truth^s sake, and to fulfil that he had promised. This Christ is become our righteousness, (1 Cor. i.) so God for his that the justice of God is not to give us that we ourselves tmth'ssake have deserved, (as Rastell lieth) but to clothe us with unto us. another man's justice, (that is Christ's) and to give us ' Cor.i. that which Christ hath deserved for us. And this jus- tice of God, through the faith of Jesus, cometh unto all and upon all them that believe. (Rom. iii.) Now mark ^°1"' "V ^ ' and XXVI. a mystery. Christ humbled himself, and was made obedient unto the death, even to the death of the cross. (Phil, ii.) Phil. ii. This obedience and death was not for himself but for us, for he alone suffered, and died for us all. (2 Cor. v.) 2 Cor. v. Now since he was obedient unto the death for us, that is even as good as though we ourselves had been obe- dient every man for himself unto the death ; and since sui>mitted^ he died for us, that is even as good as though we had himself to T 1 IP • u -111 death for died ourselves tor our own sms; what wilt thou have our sins. \2G ANSWER UNTO [Frith. more of a man than that he be obedient unto God the Father even unto death, } ea, and die for his sins ? wilt thou yet thrust him into purgatory ? On these two lies bringeth he in an answer, which is so confused, intricate, and long, that it were not only foolishness to solve it, but also much lost labour and cost to rehearse it ; wherefore I let it pass, for every Rastell's child shall easily solve it, since his foundation and first ignorancy. . , ". , . -j-, , . . stone IS taken from hnn. But yet one tmng is neces- sary to be touched. He goeth about to prove his pur- pose, with an example on this manner. Rastell. " If I ^lo beat thy servant or apprentice, and do maim A foolish him, whereby thou dost lose his service ; and also that forth b'^^^*^ this servant during his life is not able to get his living;. Rastell. if so be that thou dost forgive me the offence done unto thee in that thou hast lost his service, yet am I bound to make another satisfaction unto thy servant for the hurt I have done him, which is the cause of the hinder- ance of his living. And in like manner, if I have offended God and my neighbour, albeit God forgive me his deal, yet can he not of justice forgive me my neigh- bour\s deal too ; but yet must I make satisfaction unto my neighbour. Now in case I would and be not able There is no to satisfy my neighbour, and yet he forgive me not, cifv thV^" ^^^^^ must I suffer in the pains of jnn-gatory for it : and wrath of tliose pains shall stand my neighbour in in-ofit for part Godagainst o i . .01 1 , , . oursins,l)ut ^^* ^^i^ purgatory, it lie come there, or else to the m- faith lu crease of his joy if he go to heaven :" this is the Christ. sum. but he speaketh it in many more words. Now, because he hath touched the matter of satisfaction, I will sliow you my mind therein. Frith. There are two manners of satisfaction. The one is There are to God, the other to my neiglibour. To God cannot nersofsa- ^11 the world make satisfaction for one crime; inso- tisfaction, much, that if every grass of the ground were a man, one to God, ' -r. , -r. 1 1 ii the other to even as holy as ever was Faul or Feter, and should pray our neigh- ^j^jq Q^^^\ ^]\ i\^q\y ijyes \onv for one crime, yet could hour. f ' -^ Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 127 they not make satisfaction for it. But it is only the blood of Christ that hath made full satisfaction unto God for all such crimes, (Heb. vii.) or else were there no iiub. vii. remedy, but we should all perish, as I have proved be- fore. And he that seeketh any other satisfaction to- wards God than Christ our Saviour, he doth wrong unto his precious blood. There is another satisfaction, which is unto my neighbour whom I have offended- As if I have taken any man's good from him ; for then am I bound to pacify him, either by restoring it again, or else by other means, as we to can agree. If I have defamed him, then am I bound to pacify him, and to restore him unto his good fame again, and so forth. But if I be not able to satisfy him, then must I acknowledge myself guilty, and desire him to forgive me, and then is he bound to forgive me, or else shall he never enter into heaven. For God hath taught us to pray, (Matt, vi.) i\iati. vi. that he should forgive us, as we forgive them that tres- pass against us ; so that if we forgive not one another, then Avill not God forgive us. To this well agreeth the parable, (Matt, xviii.) The kingdom of heaven is liken- iviatt. xviii. ed unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought to him, which owed him ten thousand talents : but when he had nought to pay, the Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his chil- dren, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant fell down and besought him, saying, Sir, give me respite, and I will pay it every whit. Then had the Lord pity on the servant, and loosed him and forgave him the debt. The same servant went out and found one of his fellows, which owed him an hundred pence, and laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying. Pay that thou owest. And his fellow fell down and besought him, saying. Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all : and he would not, but went U8 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt. When his other fellows saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their Lord all that happened. Then the Lord called him, and said unto him, O evil servant, I forgave thee all the debt, because thou prayedst me : was it not meet also that thou shouldest have had compassion on thy fellow, even as I had pity on thee .'* And his Lord was wroth, and de- livered him to the gaolers till he should pay all that was due to him. So likewise shall your heavenly Fa- ther do unto you, if you will not forgive with your hearts, each one to his brother their trespasses. Here mayest thou see, that if you forgive heartily the small Except we debt or offence that thy neighbour hath done against thee, forgive then will thy heavenly Father forgive thee the whole them that ^nd great debt that thou owest him, for the which offend us, *^ Godwin thou art well worthy to be damned. And so is it more not forgive profitable for thee to forgive it, than that thy neigh- bour should broil in purgatory for it, as Rastell feign- eth. And contrarywise, if thou forgive him not, then shall not God forgive thee thy great debt, but thou shalt surely be damned, and so shall not thy neigh- bour's purgatory profit thee, (be it in case there were one, and that he should go thither,) but it is rather the cause of thy danmation : but this cannot Rastell see. Rastell'sse- Now be we come unto the seventh reason, which is venth argil- |j^ ^j^^ fourteenth chapter. The argument is this: " God is the very owner of all, and thy neighbour hath no property, but as a servant to God, as but to make account to God. Therefore Avhen thou doest an offence to God and to thy neighbour, when God forgiveth it thou needest no other satisfaction unto thy neighbour." And to establish his reason he bringeth in a similitude, which is nothing to the purpose. The similitude is this: " I put a case : thou hast a servant whom thou puttest in trust to occupy for thee, to make bargains, change, and ment. Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 129 sell to thy use, to take bonds, and again to make '^^'^ simi- , , • 1 • T/- 1 • litudeisnot acquittances and releases ni his own name. It this ser- proper be- vant sell part of thy ware, and take an obligation for ^ween God ^ -' . ^ and man, the payment of twenty pounds, if thou afterwards, know- as it is be- ing- of this, either for love or some other cause, wilt ^uT" ^^^^ make unto the said debtor a clear release ; I suppose no man will deny but that this debtor is fully discharg- ed of this twenty pounds, and is not bound, by any jus- tice, to make any satisfaction either unto thy servant or to any other man, for thou art the very owner thereof, and thy servant had but the occupation as to give the accounts thereof." This similitude cannot well be applied unto God and Frith, man. For albeit it is true that all our substance per- taineth unto God, as it is written, (Haggai ii.) Gold is Hag. ii. mine, and silver is mine ; yet hath not God given it us to occupy it for his profit and use, (as the servant doth for his master,) but only that we should use his gifts for the profit of our neighbour, and to the use of the congregation. (1 Cor. xii.) And whereas he induceth, ICor. xii. that when God forgiveth us, which is the principal part, that thou needest no other satisfaction to thy neigh- bour ; I answer, that God forgiveth no man which had God forgiv- offended his neighbour, unless that he make satisfaction thatTff™X unto his neighbour, if he be able; but if he be not able, ^^^i his yet is he bound to acknowledge his fault unto his except h^' neighbour, and then is his neighbour bound, under the ^.^**, recon- cile himself pain of damnation, to forgive him, so that God never to his forgiveth vmtil thy neighbour be pacified, in case the Ji^'S^t)0"r. crime extend unto thy neighbour. This solveth both the reason, and also improveth the similitude. Now let us declare his solution. " God of himself hath two powers : one is an absolute Rastell. power, and another is an ordinary power. The abso- Rastell's lute power is the authority that God hath over aU ^seventh things in the world ; by that he may give to every argument. creature what pleaseth him, and also forgive every of- VOL. IV. K 130 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Frith. A perfect definition of God's absolute power. Mark xvi. God cannot be against himself. I\Iatt. xii. Whether God have an absolute justice ? fence done by any creature at liis pleasure, mthout any cause. And by this may he forgive both the crime done towards himself, and also towards my neighbour. But by his ordinary power, he doth every thing by order of justice and equity. And by this can he not forgive the offence done to him and my neighbour, without satisfaction." Now would I fain wete, whether Rastell imagine that God, by his absolute power, may save the unfaithful and damn the faithful? If he say nay, then may I conclude that RastelFs definition is false, where he saith, " that God, by his absolute power, may give to every creature what pleaseth him, and also forgive every offence done by any creature at his pleasure, Avithout any cause." If he say yea, then must I conclude that God hath power to do contrary to his Scripture, for the Scripture saith, That he that believeth and is baptised shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be condemned. (Mark, xvi.) Now if he grant me that he hath power to do against his Scripture, (since his Scripture is the truth, and his own word,) then must it needs follow that he hath power to do against his truth, and, consequently, he hath power to be false, and so to sin. And since he hath power against his own word, and that word is his Son, then must we grant him power against his Son, even to make him a liar, where he saith in the aforesaid text. (Mark xvi.) And since his Son is God, then hath God power to do against God, and so cannot his king- dom endure. (Matt, xii.) Furthermore, if I might be bold with Rastell, I would ask him this question. Whether God have not an absolute justice as well as an absolute power ? If God have also an absolute justice, then cannot his absolute power prevail until his absolute justice be fully counter- poised. And so is it false that Rastell beginneth withal, that " God, by his absolute power, may forgive every of- fence at his pleasure, without any cause." For, as I said, Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. ISi his absolute justice must needs be satisfied and fully counterpoised. If Rastell dare say that God hath an absolute power, and no absolute justice, then taketh he his pleasure indeed. For if he make one Notional in There is no God greater than another, (by this word Notional, which "," goT^*^ the schoolmen use, I would you should understand greater the goodness, wisdom, power, justice, and mercy of God, ther. &c.) then shall he make a dissension in God, and ima- gine that one Notional subdueth another ; yea, and be- sides that, since each one of these Notionals is very God, (for the power of God is nothing but God him- self, and the justice of God is nothing but God himself, and so forth of all the other,) then if his power were greater than his justice, it should follow that God were greater than God, and, consequently, we should have a great God and a little God, and more Gods than one : such revel maketh Rastell with his Turk. But the Christian believes, that one power of God isnogreater than another, and that his power is not above his justice, nei- ther his justice above his mercy, &c. And so may you Rastell'g see that RastelFs imagination of God*'s absolute power ™^Si"3,- is but very childish and unsavoury ; for he hath no God's abso- power against his Scripture and himself. Thus finish j" chfldish! his seven reasons, with their sokitions. But yet that his work should long endure all tem- pest and storms, he addeth a battlement and weather- stone to avoid and shoot off the rain, for fear it should soak in and make his building decay ; and therewith concludeth his book. " To believe" (saith he) " that there were no purga- The con. tory to purge and punish our sins after we be departed, RasteU's should put away that dread of God from the most part book. of the people, and give them boldness to commit offences and sins. And, again, if the people should be- lieve that they never need to make any satisfaction nor restitution to their neighbours for the wrongs done unto them, they shotild never force [fear] nor care what inju- K 2 132 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. lies, extortions, thefts, robberies, and murders they did. Finally, if they believed that such a light repentance should be sufficient, without any other satisfaction to be made, it should be an occasion to destroy all virtue, and increase vice and sin to the utter destruction of the commonwealth and quiet living of the people."" And thus he maketh an end. Frith. As to the first, where he saith, " that it would put away the dread of God, and give boldness to sin, if we thought there were no purgatory," we see and may evi- dently perceive the contrary all day both in young and old of them that believe there is a purgatory. The The fear of young say, I will take my pleasure while I may ! and if purgatory -^ ,. ,,. /-< ■, -r cannot keep ^^ ^^^J have but one hour s respite to cry (jod mercy, 1 us from (jaj-g jjQf f-Qj. iliQTQ^ shall I go but to purgatory, and so sin, but ra- ^ r & j ?^ ther the fear shall I be sure to be saved. The old say, I will keep ev rla t^^ my goods as long as I may, for I wot not what need I damnation, shall have ; but when I die, I will cry God mercy ! and then shall I go but to purgatory, and mine executors that have my goods, shall redeem me thence well enough. And so to believe purgatory, is rather an occasion of reckless boldness than of the fear of God. Besides that, if they knew that there were no purgatory, then should many the more fear God, and do well themselves, and not trust to their executors, for fear of damnation; how- beit, as I have said before, they that fear not God but for pain, whether it be of hell or purgatory, are yet Such as under condemnation and not in God's favour. And this fear not (j^^-g J boldly affirm, that they which fear not God but God but for '' •' purgatory for purgatory's sake, shall never come in it, no nor yet sake'shall "^ heaven. And therefore it is but folly to imagine never come purgatory for that intent. in eaven. ^^ concerning the second point : " If the people be- lieve that they needed not to make satisfaction to their neighbours for their trespasses," &c. I have sufficiently answered before, that we must make satisfaction unto our neighbours, if we be able, or else will Qod never for- Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. ISS give us. And if we be not able, yet must we acknow- ledge our offence, and then is our neighbour bound to forgive us, under the pain of damnation. And so can this prove no purgatory. Now as touching the third, that " if they believed that such a light repentance were sufficient without any other satisfaction, it should be an occasion of vice and subversion of the commonwealth ;" I answer as I have ^n jjjg pg_ done before almost in every argument ; since thou art ^^nce and ignorant of Chrisfs death and his satisfaction unto the in the Father for us, that all the repentance which we can take ^p^id, ' ^ . . , without is not sufficient to counterpoise one crime, but that if faith in Christ were not, we should all be damned. Here will I Jio"|^'can. leave Rastell and his Turk Gingemin, with all their na- not save us. tural philosophy, (which is now proved foolishness,) for hitherto hath he proved no purgatory, neither hath he one good reason, nor yet to those barren reasons one good solution, as we have sufficiently declared. But let us hear somewhat more of God's word, and see how purgatory standeth with that. Paul saith, We must all be brought before the judg- 27. ment seat of Christ, that every man may receive accord- ing to the works of his body, whether it be good or bad. (2 Cor. v.) If this be true, then can there be no 2 Cor. r. purgatory which shall profit him after he is dissolved from his body, for then should he not receive according to the works of his body, but rather according to the pains that he suffered in piu'gatory. Now if this text be true, then must it follow that all thine executor's dealing, and offering of mass-pence, &c., help thee not a mite. And by this text it is not possible that there should be a purgatory. Upon this text would I fain dispvite a point of so- phistry, which I would gladly have dissolved of them that think themselves learned in philosophy. My so- Contradic- phism is, that two contradictories may stand together and be both true, which I am sure no sophister dare 134 ANSWER UNTO [Faixn. grant, for it hath in times past been condemned in Ox- ford for an heresy. The contradictories are these. Every man shall receive according to the works of his body ; and some man shall not receive according to How two the works of his body : that these two contradictories be contradic- jjoth true, I will prove. The first proposition is PauFs, tones may ^ -n i i be both (2 Cor. V.) which no man will deny to be true. And *'^^' the second may easily be proved true, which is, that some man shall not receive according to the works of his body. For be it in case that there depart a man out of this world, which is not clean purged by faith and the word of God, neither are his rebellious mem- bers subdued through death, (as they imagine) but that the spots and remnants of sin remain in him, for the which he is worthy to lie in the pains of purgatory for the space of six years. This granted, which I am sure they will not deny, then also put I the case, that this man lying in purgatory by the space of a month, have a friend which ofFereth for him a penny unto St. Domi- nic's box, (which hath such power, that as soon as the tingling is heard in the box, so soon the soul is free in heaven,) or that a friend of his buy a pardon for him, which may absolve him a poena et a culpa, for all cometh to one effect ; this man delivered on that manner doth not receive according to the works of his body, for by the works of his body he should yet lie in purgatory more than five years, and that doth he not, but is by and by delivered from purgatory. Ergo, I may conclude, that some man receiveth not according to the works of his body, and so are two contradictories true, or else there can be no such deliverance out of purgatory-, which destroy eth all pardons, mass-pence, and suffrages for the dead. This would I have solved. Howbeit I will not adnumber it for an argument, because the unlearned people (to whom I write this book) caimot well perceive it. But this sophism have I written to FniTH.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 135 stop the chattering mouths of the sophisters, and to cast them a bone to gnaw upon. Paul saith, You which were in times past strangers 28. and enemies, because your minds were set in evil works, hath he now reconciled in the body of his flesh, through death, to make you holy, and such as no man can com- plain on, and without fault in his own sight, if ye con- tinue grounded and stablished in the faith, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel. (Coloss. i.) "^.^'"^ re- Here Paul affirmeth that you are reconciled through God by the his death, so that you are made holy and without fault q^j.^^^ and in his sight. (1 have expounded what it is to be without therefore /. 1 . , . ^ \ X 1 J' 1 need not to lault, m his first argument.) Look ye yet lor another jook for puro-atorv ? Are ye so childish and insensible to ima- any other . , . Purgatory. gine that ye must yet go through purgatory, since ye are already without fault in his sig-lit ? This is a plain '^'^^ faith- ^1^1- -1 -n • , fulshaU case : (jrod oi his righteousness will not punish a man never come for nothino; ; but all that are grounded and stablished '"'^^ ^"^' . .... . gatory, al- in the faith, are in his sight without fault, (for their though sins are not imputed unto them, but forgiven through ^^J^^ ^^"^^ Christ's blood,) wherefore, of necessity, I must conclude that no faithful shall ever come there. Every man that departeth this world is either faith- 29. ful or unfaithful ; if he be faithful, then cometh he not there, as the aforesaid argument proveth. And if he be unfaithful, then cometh he never in purgatory, but is already damned. (John iii. Mark the last.) Now if John Hi. neither faithful nor unfaithful enter into it, then shoidd -^^am imagina- it be in vain : but there is nothing made in vain ; where- tion to say fore I must conclude that there is no such purgatory. purratorv Paul saith. He that spared not his own Son, but 30. delivered him for us all, how shall he not with him give us all things also ? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's chosen .'' (Rom. viii.) Forsooth, Lord Rom. viii. God, our prelates lay so sore unto their charge, that they would have them broil in purgatory. But, 136 ANSWER UNTO [Frith, Who can condemn them that God doth justify ? 31. Rom. viii. Christ hath purged our sins. 32. Rom. viii. Matt. xxiv. There is no purgatory. 33. Rom. vii. 34. Purgatory is a vain imagina- tion. Lord, be our protector, for it is thou that justifiest us, and hast freely given us all things with liim. (Rom. viii.) Paul saith. The law of the spirit, wherein is life through Christ Jesus, hath delivered me from the law of sin and death. (Rom. viii.) Seeing we be so delivered, what need us seek another deliverance, especially since they make it so painful ? Seeing we are on that manner de- livered, how chanceth it that we are taken prisoners again under sin, that we must be purged afresh by the fire of purgatory ? I pray God give us grace, that we may be purged from this our blind ignorance, through his spirit of knowledge, that we may perceive how it is Jesus Christ that purgeth our sins, and hath delivered us through his blood-shedding. So should we give him the praise wliich hath deserved it, and not be so unkind unto him as we now be. Paul saith, that There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. (Rom. viii.) But if we continue firm and stable in Christ unto the end, then shall we be saved. (Mat. xxiv.) What needeth then purgatory ; yea, and what should purgatory do .f* Is not Christ sufficient ? then is our faith in vain. And if he be sufficient, then is purgatory in vain. Paul saith. If you be justified by the law, then is Christ dead in vain. Now if the law, being good, just, and holy, (Rom. vii.) and even of God's own making, cannot justify us, thinkest thou to be justified by frying in purgatory ? They that are the chief patrons and proctors of pur- gatory, do feign it for no other intent but to purge evil works, and to be as a penance to supply the good works which we lacked being in this world. But all tliis cannot bring us into heaven, for then were Christ dead in vain : and of this we have evident examples. Abra- ham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and all holy prophets, were excluded from heaven, until Christ had suffered death. s Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 187 this all men testify. But if good works or penance could have brought them to heaven, they should not have tarried out of it so long. Therefore I may con- clude, that it is but vanity to imagine a purgatory for to purge evil works and supply good. For, as I have shown, that helped not the patriarchs. Objections. Peradventure thou wilt say vmto me, Shall I then do Goodworks. no good works ? I answer. Yes. Thou wilt ask me, We must wherefore ? I answer, Thou must do them, because f""'^ ' ' works, be- God hath commanded them. Thou wilt say. For what cause God intent hath he commanded them ? I answer. Because command- thou art living in this world, and must needs have con- ed us. versation with men, therefore hath God appointed thee what thou shalt do to the profit of thy neighbour, and taming of thy flesh. As Paul testifieth, (Ephes. ii.) We Ephes. ii. are his work, made in Christ Jesus to good works, which works God hath prepared, that we shoidd walk in them. These works God would have us do, that the unfaithful might see the godly and virtuous conversation of his faithful, and thereby be compelled to glorify our Father Matt. v. wliich is in heaven. (Matt, v.) And so are they both profitable for thy neighbour, and also a testimony unto thee, by the which men may know that thou art the right son of thy heavenly Father, and a very Christ unto thy neighbour : and even as our heavenly Father gave his Christ unto us, not for any profit that he should have thereby, but only for our profit, likewise thou shouldest do all thy good works, not having respect what commodities thou shalt have of it, but ever at- tending, through charity, the wealth and profit of thy neighbour. Thou wilt yet object. Then see I no great An answer profit that I shall have by them. I answer. What Objection!'' wouldest thou have ? First, Christ is given thee freely, and with him hast thou all things. He is thy wisdom, righteousness, hallowing, and redemption. (1 1 Cor. i. Cor. i.) By him art thou made inheritor of God, and fel- Rom. vUi. low heir with Christ. (Rom. viii.) This is freely given 138 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Ephes. i. We must irork with a single eye. 35. Ephes. ii. Our salva- tion is the gift of God, and conietli not by works. 36. Rom. xi. Horn. iv. Faith in Christ is our righte- ousness. Faith is im- puted for righteous- ness. thee with Christ before thou wast born, through the favour and election of God, which election was done before the foundations of the world were cast. (Ephes. i.) Now wert thou very fond and unkind, if thou thoughtest to purchase by thy Morks the thing which is already given thee. Therefore must thou do thy works with a single eye, having neither respect unto the joys of heaven, neither yet to the pains of hell ; but only do them for the profit of thy neighbour, as God command- eth thee, and let him alone with the residue. To this well agreeth Paul, (Epes. ii.) saying. By grace are ye made safe througli faitli, and that cometh not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God, and cometh not of works, lest any man should boast himself. Lo here saith Paul plainly, thrt our salvation is the gift of God, and cometh not of works ; if it come not of works, then are we worse than mad to feign a piu'gatory. For the chiefest operation of that should be but to supply the Avorks which we have not accomplished being in this body. Paul saith, (Rom. xi.) The remnant which are left at this time, are through the election of grace. If it be through grace, then is it not by works, for tlien grace Avere no grace. Or if it be for the works'' sake, so is it not of favour and grace, according to that which he wrote before. (Rom. iv.) If Abraham (saitli Paul) were justified by his works, then may he rejoice, but not before God. But what saith the Scripture.'* Abra- ham believed God, and that was imputed unto him for righteousness, for he that worketh receiveth his reward, not of favour, but of duty. Now, if it be duty, then needetli he not to thank God, but rather himself, for then God giveth him nothing but that which is his own of duty. Where is then the praise and glory that we owe to God ? Therefore, it followeth in the same text, Unto him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the wicked, his faith is imputed for FiuTii.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 189 righteousness. Now if our salvation come of faith and not througli our works and deserts, then is purgatory shut out of door and quite vanisheth away. Christ saith, So hath God loved the world, that he ^7- would give his only Son, that all which believe in hira should not perish, but that they should have everlasting john iii. life. (John iii.) Then what needeth purgatory ? Thou p^rffatorv wilt peradventure say, It is true, they shall have ever- is needless. lasting life, but they must first go through purgatory. I answer, Nay verily ; but Christ afRrmeth, and that with an oath, that he which heareth his word and be- lieveth his Father which sent him, hath everlasting life. Yea, and that he is gone already from death unto life. John v. (John V.) Wilt thou now say that he shall go into pur- gatory ? forsooth, if that were true, and the fire also so A forged hot as our prelates affirm, then went he not from death purgatory. unto life, but rather from a small death unto a greater death . The prophet saith. Precious is in the sight of the 38, Lord the death of his saints. (Psalm cxvi.) And St. Psal. cxvi. John saith. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. (Apoca. xiv.) But surely if they should go into Apoc. xiv. the painfvd purgatory, there to be tormented of fiends, then were they not blessed, but rather wretched. God saith by Moses, (Exod. xxxiii.) I will show 39. mercy to whom I show mercy, and will have compas- sion on whom I have compassion. Now if our salva- tion be of mercy and compassion, then can there be no Mercy and such purgatory ; for the nature of mercy is to forgive, purgatory but purgatory will have all paid and satisfied, so that agree. they twain be desperate, and can in no wise agree. And look how many texts in Scripture commend God"'s mercy, even so many deny this painful purgatory. The prophet saith. He hath not dealt with us after 4o. our sins, neither hath rewarded us according; to our ini- ^odismer- ' o ciful and quities : but look how high the heavens are above the forgiveth earth, even so high hath he made his mercy to prevail 140 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Psal. ciii. 41. God hath forgiven us our sins, and there- fore will not punish us in pur- gatory. Rom. xi. Ezek. xviii. 42. Luke xviii. The tliief went not to jmrga- tory, but to Paradise. Luke xxiii. Luke vii. over them that worship him. And look how far the east is from the west, even so far hath he set our sins from us. (Psahn ciii.) And before, in the same psalm, the pro- phet exhorteth his soul to praise the Lord, saying, Praise the Lord, O my soul, which forgiveth thee all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases. Now if this be true, that lie ordereth us not according to our sins, but poureth his mercy so plenteously upon us ; if also he forgive us all our iniquities, why should there be any such purgatory to purge and torment the silly souls, and especially since all was forgiven them before ? Wilt thou not call him a shrewd creditor, which after he hath freely forgiven his debtor, will yet cast him in prison for the same debt .'' I think every man would say on this manner. It was in his own pleasure whether he would forgive it or not, and then of favour and com- passion he forgave it ; but now he hath forgiven it; he doth unrighteously to punish his debtor for it. And albeit man repent liis forgiving, and afterwards sue for his debt, yet God can never repent himself of his mercyable gifts. (Rom. xi.) And therefore will he never torment us for our trespasses, no nor yet once remember them. (Ezek. xviii. Heb. x.) Since God forgiveth the greater offences, why shall he not also forgive the lesser ? He forgave freely much greater offences unto the publican which acknowledged himself to be a sinner, (Luke xviii.) than those be for which men feign that we must be tormented in purga- tory. For there is no soul (as they grant themselves,) that suffereth in purgatory for great crimes and mortal sins, but only for little pretty peccadidiaus (if a man may be bold to use M. More'^s word,) and for venial sins. (Dis. xxv. cap. qualis.) He forgave much greater enormities unto the thief, to whom he said, Tliis day shalt thou be with me, not in purgatory, but in Paradise. (Luke xxiii.) He forgave nuich greater to Mary Magdalen. (Luke vii.) Is his hand now short- Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 141 ened ? Is not his power as great as it was ? Is he not as merciful as ever he was ? Why leave we the cis- tern of living water, and dig us pits of our own, which can hold no pure water ? (Jer. ii.) Why forsake we Christ, Avhich hath wholly purged us, and seek another purgatory of our own imagination ? If thou believe that Christ's blood is sufficient to purge thy sin, why seekest thou another purgatory ? St. Paul saith, I desire to be loosed from this body, 43. and to be with Christ. (Phil, i.) Verily, if he had PhiLi. thought to have gone through purgatory, he would not have been so hasty, for there should he have had an hot broth and an heartless, and so might he rather have desired long to have lived. And therefore I suppose St. Paul that he knew nothing of purgatory, but that he rather ^^^ "^ thought, (as the truth is,) that death should finish all tory. his evils and sorrows, and give him rest in loosing him from his rebellious members, which were sold and cap- tive under sin. All Christian men should desire death, as Paul doth, 44^ (Phil, i.) not because of their crosses and troubles which ^"Y^. they suffer in this present world, for then they sought man should themselves, and their own profit, and not the glory of desire death God. But if we will well desire death, we must first consider how sore sin displeaseth God our Father, and then our own nature and frailty, and our members so bound under sin that we cannot do nor yet think a good thought of ourselves. (2 Cor. iii.) Then shall we 2 Cor. iii. find occasion to lament our life, not for the troubles that we suffer in it, but because we be so prone unto sin, and so continually displease God our Father. What de- Because sireth he that would long live, but daily to heap sin ^ ^^^ , upon sin ? And therefore should we have a will to die, tiierefore because that in death our sin is finished, and then shall ,,,.^7 to be we no more displease God our Father. Now if we dissolved as , n p . ^ . ., , . Paul did. should feign a purgatory, it were not possible to ima- gine a greater obstacle to make us fear and fly from 142 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. 1 John i. 45. Sap. iii. Habak. ii. Rom. V. It is mere foolishness to think there is a purgatory. 46. Rom. X. The Pope sendeth no preachers into purga- tory. I\I. More and the Lord of Rochester cannot agree. death. For since every man must acknowledge himself a sinner, (1 John i.) and not believe that Christ's death were sufficient, but that he must also go to purgatory, who should depart this world with a quiet mind ? The wise man saith, The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God. They seemed to die in the eyes of the foolish, and their end was thought to be pain and affliction, but they are in peace. (Sap. iii.) There is no man but he must needs grant me that every faitliful is righteous in the sight of God, as it is written, (Habak. ii.) The rigliteous man liveth by his faith. And, (Rom. v.) Because we are justified by faith, we are at peace with God, tlirough our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. When these faithful or righteous depart, then, saith this text. That they are fools which think them to be in pain or afflic- tion, for it affirmeth that they are in peace. Now since their purgatory, which they imagine, is pain and afflic- tion, and yet feign that the righteous only shall enter into it after their death, then are they fools that suppose there is a purgatory, or else this text cannot be true. For what intent will God have us tormented in pur- gatory, to make satisfaction for our sins? Yerily then is Christ dead in vain, as we have often proved before. But think you not rather that our purgation should be to increase our faith, or grace, or charity ? (for these three cover the nuiltitude of sins.) No, verily, we cannot feign a purgatory for any such cause. For faith spring- eth by hearing of the word. (Rom. x.) But tlie Pope sendeth then no preachers thither ; ergo, their faith can- not there be increased. And again, pain engendereth and kindleth hate against God, and not love or charit}-. Furthermore, my Lord of Rochester is compelled to grant, that " the souls in purgatory obtain there neither more faith, nor grace, nor charity, than they brought in \\ ith them ;" and so can I see no reasonable cause why tliere should be a purgatory. Nevertheless, M. More Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. US saith, " that both their grace and charity is increased." And so may you perceive thai hes can never agree, how witty soever they be that feign and cloak them. For in some points they shall be found contrary, so that at the length they may be disclosed. God is fully pacified with thy will when thou hast no 47. power to accomplish the outward fact. For the wise man saith, (Prov. xxiii.) Son, give me thy heart. Now pj.^^ ^^^^ if thy will be upright, and so that thou have a desire to fulfil the law, then doth God reckon that will unto thee for the full fact. If then, through the frailty of thy members, thou fall into sin, thou may est well say with the apostle, (Rom. vii.) The good that I would do, Rom. vii. that do I not ; that is, I have a will and desire to ful- fil the law of God, and not to displease my heavenly Father, yet that I do not. But the evil which I hate, that do I ; that is, I do commit sin which indeed I hate. Now if I hate the sin which I do, then love I the law of God which forbiddeth sin, and do consent unto this law that it is good, righteous, and holy. And so the sin which I hate and yet commit it through the frailty of my members, is not imputed or reckoned unto me for sin. Neither will St. Paul grant that it is I which do that sin : but he said, I have a will to do good, but I cannot perform that will. For I do not that good which I would, but the evil which I would not, that do I. Now if I do that thing which I would not do, then is it not I that do it, but the sin that dwel- leth within me. I delight in the law of God with mine inward man, (that is, with my will and mind, which is „, , . n e have a renewed with the Spirit of God,) but I see another law in will and my members which rebelleth against the law of my "?'"'^ !° -' c5 J obey the mind, and maketh me bound unto the law of sin which law of God, is in my members. So that I myself in my will and si'nfurflesh mind do obey the law of God, (hating sin as the law "'11 "ot 11 1 . . . . , consent commandeth me, and not consenting unto it m my nnnd thereunto. 144 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Example. God accept- eth our good will if we do that in us is to obey his command- ments. 48. Gal. vi. Purgatory is needless. 49. Eccles. xiv. 5ome ima- gine purga- ;ory to be a )lace of sa- isikction. and will,) but in my flesh and members I serve the law of sin, for the frailty of my members compelleth me to sin. (Rom. vii.) As by example, if I see a poor man which is not of ability to do me any pleasure, and, nevertheless, doth all his diligence to seek my favour, and would with heart and mind give me some acceptable present, if he were of power, being also sorry that he cannot perform his will and mind towards me ; now if there be any point of humanity or gentleness in me, I will count this man for my friend, and accept his good will as well, as though he had indeed performed his will ; for his abi- lity extendeth no further. If his power were better, better should I have. Even so since we are not of power and ability to perform the law of God, and yet bear a good heart towards God and his law, lamenting our imbecility that we can do him no further pleasure ; then will God recount us not as his enemies, but as his dear children and beloved friends. Neither will he af- terwards thrust us into purgatory, but, as a tender father pardon us our trespasses, and accept our good Avill for the full deed. St. Paul exhorteth us (Gal. vi.) that we work well while we have time, for whatsoever a man doth sow that shall he reap : by this may we evidently perceive that he shall not receive according to his doing or suffering in another world, and, therefore, can there be no pur- gatory. The wise man saith, (Eccles. xiv.) Work righteousness before thy death, for after this life there is no meat, that is to say, succour to be found. There are some which will understand this place, and also the text in tlie forty- eighth argument, on this manner; that there should be no place of deserving, but yet there may well be a place of punislnnent. But tliis solution, besides that it is not grounded on Scrij)ture, is very slender. For I pray you, wherefore should their invention of purgatory serve Frith.] RASTELL'S DIALOGUE. 145 but to be a place of purging, punishment, and penance, by the which the soul should make satisfaction, that it miffht so deserve to enter into the rest of heaven ? Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from so. henceforward: Yea truly, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours. But their works folk)w with them. This text they use in their soul-masses, as Apoc. xiv. though it made for purgatory ; but surely, methink- eth that it maketh much against them. For let us The dead inquire of all the proctors and fautors of purgatory, Jjjf L^rd" whether the souls that must be prayed for are departed are blessed, in the Lord or not ? And they must needs answer that f^j.^ a,re not they are departed in the Lord, for the unfaithful which in purga- die not in the Lord must not be prayed for; and, therefore, must they be upright Christian souls which are tormented, for the others are all damned. Now saith the text, that all such dead as die in the Lord are blessed : but what blessedness were that to broil in pur- gatory ? And if they would here feign a gloss (as their manner is, when they are in a strait ever to seek a starting hole,) and say that they are blessed because they are in a good hope, although they have not yet the rest, but must suffer before in purgatory ; that evasion wdll not this text suffer, for the text saith, that they rest and are in peace, as Isaiah also saith in the 57th chapter ; that Isa. ivii. the righteous (and every faithful man is righteous in the sight of God, as we have often proved before,) when he departeth, resteth in peace as in a bed. And (Sapien. gap. iii. iii.) it is said, that the righteous souls are in peace: and so is it not possible that there should be such a painful purgatory. Thus have we confuted Rastell, both his arguments and also solutions ; for all that he writeth is false and against Scripture. Furthermore we have brought in, to prove that there can be no such purgatory, fifty argu- ments all grounded on Scripture ; and if need were, a VOL. IV. L 146 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. man might make a thousand, of which our clergy should not be able to avoid one. The con- jj(.j.g I tj^j^]^ goj^^g ^^en will wonder that I have the elusion of .Till John Frith Scripture so full on my side, because that there are cer- R?stell's ^^"^ "^^"' ^^ ^y ^^^^ °^ Rochester and Sir Thomas book. More, which, by Scripture, go about to prove purga- tory ; and this is sure, that Scripture is not contrary unto itself. Therefore, it is necessary that we examine the texts which they bring in for their purpose, in marking the process, both what goeth before, and what Cometh after. And then shall we easily perceive the truth, and how these two men have been piteously de- ceived. First, I will answer unto M. ISIore, which hath in a manner nothing but that he took out of my Lord of Rochester, although he handles it more subtilly. And whatsoever is not answered in this part, shall be touched and fully convinced in the third, which shall be a seve- ral book against my Lord of Rochester. Thus endeth the First Book. THE SECOND BOOK, WHICH IS AN ANSWER UNTO SIR THOMAS MORE. M. More beginneth pitifully. Frith. TV/TASTER More beginneth with " the silly souls of puroatorv, and maketh them to wail and lament that they hear the world wax so faint in the faith of Christ, that any man should need now to prove purgatory to Christian men, or that any man could be found which would in so great a thing, so fully and fastly believed for an undoubted article this fifteen hundred years, be- gin now to stagger and stand in doubt," &c. Verily, methinketh it a foul fault so sore to stumble even at the first. It were a great blot for him, if he should be compelled by good authority to cut off four hundred of his aforesaid number. Now if we cannot Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 147 only prove that he must cut off that four hundred years. Purgatory , , , . . , . . -, , -^ . in 400 but also brnig witness that it was neither at that time years after believed for an article of the faith, nor yet for an un- ^^^rist ^yas ■' ^ neither be- doubted truth; then, I think, ye would suppose this lievedasau man somewhat out of the way. And that will I prove thg^fai^i, by God's grace. St. Austin was four hundred years nor yet for after Christ ; and yet in his time Avas it not fully and doubted fastly believed for an article of the faith ; no, nor yet "uth. fully and fastly believed to be true. For he himself writeth in his Enchiridion in this manner, speaking of purgatory. After he expounded the place of Paul, (1 Cor. iii.) and had taken this word fire, not for purga- i Cor. tory but for temptation and tribulation, he added these words in the sixty-ninth chapter : It is not incredible that such a thing should also chance after this life, and whether it be so or not it may be questioned, &c. Of these words may we well perceive that he covmted it not ^^- -A^^stin „ , . , doubted of for an article of the faith, neither yet for an undoubted purgatory. truth, for if it had been an article of the faith, or an un- doubted truth, then would he not have said. Potest etiam queri, that is to say, It may be questioned, doubt- ed, or moved : for those holy fathers used not to make questions and doubts in the articles of the faith among themselves, neither yet in such things as were undoubted Rom. ir. true : they used not to dispute Avhether Christ died for our sins, and rose again for our justification, but only believed it. Besides that, the occasion why he wrote the book en- titled Enchiridion, was this. There was one Lauren- tius, a Christian man, which instantly required of St. Austin that he would write him a form of his belief, which he might continually bear in hand, and whereun- to he should stick. Upon this, wrote him St. Austin this little book, wherein he connnandeth him not fully and fastly to believe (these are IM. More''s words,) that there was a purgatory ; but saith, that it may be ques- tioned, doubted, or moved, whether there be sucl) a L 2 148 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. I\I. ]\Iore much de- ceived in the ac- counting of his. M. More. M. 31 ore's second rea- son. Frith. M. I\Iore maketh a false and fond argu- ment. John Frith amidst INI. More's ar- gument. place or not. Of this have we plain evidence, that it was none article of the faith in St. Austin's time, (which was four hundred years after Christ,) neither yet undoubted truth. And so may all men see that jNI. jNIore is sore deceived, and set on the sand even at the first brunt and in the beginning of his voyage. His second reason that he hath to prove purgatory, is this : " The very miscreants and idolaters, Turks, Sa- racens, and Painims, have ever, for the most part, thoug-lit and believed that after the bodies are deceased, the souls of such as were neither deadly damned wretches for ever, nor on the other side, so good but that their offences done in this world have deserved more punish- ment than they have suffered and sustained there, were purged and punished by pain after the death, ere ever they were admitted unto their wealth and rest. And so must there needs be a purgatory." I answer, if it were lawful to require wisdom in a man so wise as M. More is counted, here would I Avish liim a little more wit, for T think there is no wise man that will grant this to be a good argument, the Turks, Sa- racens, Painims, and Jews believe it to be true, ergo, we must believe that it is true ; for I will show you a like aro-ument. The Turks, Saracens, Painims, and Jews believe that we have not the right Christ, but that we are all damned which believe in Christ. Is it there- fore true ? Shall we turn our faith because they believe that we be deceived ? I think there is no man so fool- ish as to grant him this. But if M. More will have his reason hold, he must argue on this manner : The mis- creants and infidels before named believe that there is a purgatory, and their belief is true, therefore, we must believe that there is a purgatory. Now followeth this argument somewhat more formally. Here might I put him to the proof of his minor : which is, that their be- lief (in behoving purgatory,) is true : which thing he ' shall never be able to prove. But I have sucli confi- Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 149- dence of the truth on my side, that I will take upon me to prove the negative, even that their belief is not true as concerning purgatory. For these miscreants which John Frith believe purgatory, believe that there is a purgatory for JJJfJadve^to us that be Christian ; for they believe that we are fal- be true. len from all truth and utterly damned. But they think that there is a purgatory for themselves, wherein they shall be pvu-ged and punished until they have made full satisfaction for their sins committed : but that is false, for neither Turks, Saracens, Painims, nor Jews, which believe not in Christ, have or ever shall enter into any purgatory, but they are all danmed wretches, because they believe not in Jesus Christ. (John iii.) Now since John iii. they be deceived, for they have no purgatory, but are all damned as many as believe not, alas ! what blind- ness is that to argue that we must follow them which are both blind and out of the right way ! After this disputeth he by natural reason that there Rastell had nuist be a purgatory ; his disputation continvieth a leaf i"y,fts^from and a half, out of which Rastell took all his book. And M.Moie. so are all his apparent reasons disclosed before against Rastell. Then beginneth he with the Scripture, on this manner. " It seemeth very probable and likely, that the good M. More, king Hezekiah for no other cause wept at the warning of Hezekiah. his death given him by the prophet, but only for the fear of purgatory." The story is written, (2 Kings xx. and Isaiah xxxviii.) Frith. Hezekiah was sick unto the death. And Isaiah the 2 Kings xx. • 1 xxxvui. prophet, and son of Amos, came unto him, saying. Thus saith the Lord, Dispose thy house, for thou shalt die and not live. He turned his face unto the wall, and prayed the Lord, saying, I beseech thee, Lord, remember, I pray thee, how I have walkpd before thee in truth, and in a perfect heart, and have done that thing which is pleasant and acceptable before thee. Then Hezekiah 150 ANSWER UNTO [Frith, A question to Master More. A very apt similitude. Matt.xxvi, M. More. Frith. wept with great crying. These are the words of the text. We cannot perceive by the text that he was a great sin- ner, but rather the contrary, for he saith, that he had walked before the Lord in truth and in a perfect heart, and had done that thing which is pleasant and accept- able before the Lord. And therefore it is nothing like that he should fear purgatory, neither yet hell. Thou wilt peradventure ask me. If he wept not for fear of pur- gatory, why did he then weep ? I will also ask you a question, and then will I show you my mind. Christ did not only weep, but feared so sore that he sweat like drops of blood running down upon the earth, -which was more than to weep. Now if I should ask you why Christ feared and sweat so sore, Avhat would you an- swer me? that it was for fear of the pains of purgatory ? Forsooth, he that wovdd so answer should be laughed 'to scorn of all the world, as he were well worthy. Wherefore a\ as it then ? ^''erily, even for fear of death, as it plainly appeareth after ; for he prayed unto his Father, saying, ISIy Father, if it be possible, let this death pass from me. (jNIatt. xxvi.) So fearful a thing is death even unto the most purest flesh. And even the same cause will I assign in Hezekiah, that he wept for fear of death, and not for purgatory. Now pro- ceedeth he further, and promiseth to prove it by plain evident texts, as it is very needful, for the text that he allegeth before is somewhat too far wrested, and yet will it not serve him. " Have ye not"" (saith he) " the words of Scripture written in the book of the Kings, Dominus deducit ad inferos et redncit ; Our Lord bringeth folks down into hell, and bringeth them thence again ? But they that be in that [part] where danmed soids be, they be never delivered thence again. AVherefore it appeareth well, that they whom God delivereth and bringeth thence again, be in that part of hell that is ])urgatory." This text is written in the first book of the Kings, Fkith.] sir THOMAS MORE. 151 and in the second chapter, and they are the words of Hannah, which saith, The Lord doth kill and quicken ^ Kine^sii. attain ; he leadeth down into hell, and bringeth again. Here he thinketh to have good hold ; but surely his hold will fail him, for in this one text he showeth him- self twice ignorant. First, because he knoweth not M. More that the Hebrew word, Sheo/, doth not signify hell, ^"jj"'' *f*™- but a grave, or a pit that is digged. As it is writ- ignorant ten, (Gen. xlii.) Si quid adversitatis accident ei in terra jj"^^^ ton ' ad qiiam pergitis, dediicetis cauos meos cum dolore ad in- gue. ferus; that is. If any evil chance unto my son Benjamin in the land whither you go, you shall bring down mine hoary hairs with sorrow unto my grave ; not unto hell, nor yet unto purgatory, for he thought neither to go to hell nor purgatory for his son, but thought that he should die for sorrow, if his son had any mis- chance. Besides that he is clean ignorant of the conunon man- M. 3iore ner of all prophets, which, for the most part, in all '.^""''^"t "^ psalms, hymns, and other songs of praise (as this is,) ner of the make the first end of the verse to expound the last, and ^1^^^ ^.'"^ the last to expound the first. He that observeth this p^ets. rule shall understand very much in the Scripture, al- though he be ignorant in the Hebrew. So doth this place full well expound itself without any imagination of purgatory. Confer the first part of the verse unto the last, and you shall easily perceive it. The first part of the half verse is this : The Lord doth kill ; and that The Lord expoundeth the other half of this verse, where she saith, j^,"^ '^'• He leadeth down to hell; so that in this place to kill and again. to lead down to hell is all one thing. And likewise in the second part of the half verse, to quicken again and bring again is all one thing. Now if any man be su- perstitious, that he dare not understand this thing as figuratively spoken, then may he verify it upon them that God raised from natiu'al death, as he did Lazarus. (John xi.) And albeit no man can deny but that this •^"h" ^i- 152 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Ps. Ixxviii. When God saith he killeth and doth quick- en again, what the meaning thereof is. Dan. iii. A true in- terpreta- tion of Scripture. sense is good, and that the text may so be understood ; yet, in my mind, we shall go more nigh unto the very and pure truth, if we expound it thus : The Lord doth kill and quicken again, he leadeth down to hell and bringeth again ; that is, he In-ingeth men into extreme affliction and misery, (which is signified by death and hell,) and after turneth not his face unto them, and maketh them to follow him. And to this well agreeth Psalm Ixxviii., that speaketh of the children of Israel, (which figure his elect church and congregation.) Their years passed over in perpetual trouble: when he de- stroyed or killed them, then they sought him, they turned and besought him busily. He meaneth not here that he had first killed them by temporal death, and after their death made them to seek him ; but that he had wrapped them in extreme afflictions and perpe- tual troubles, and that he sore scourged them when they broke his commandments, and yet after turned his merciful face unto them. Finally, if you will have the pure understanding of this place, note the words of the three children (Dan. iii.) which were cast into the furnace of fire, and yet preserved from death through the mighty hand of God. Their words and song was this: Benedicite Ana- nia, Azaria, Misael, Domino, laadate et siiperexaltate earn in secnla : quia emit nos de inferno, et salvos fecit de manu mortis, et liberavit nos de medio ardentisjiam- 7710.', et de medio ignis emit nos ; that is. Bless, Anania, Azaria, and Misael, the Lord ; praise and advance him for ever ; for he hath plucked us out of hell, and hath saved us from the power of death. He hath delivered us from the midst of the burning flame, and plucked us out from the midst of the fire. Here may you see the same manner of speaking, and how the last end ex- poundeth the beginning. These children say that God hath plucked them out of hell, and yet were they nei- ther danuicd, nor in purgatory, nor dead. But the Fkith.] sir THOMAS MORE. 153 next part of this verse expoundeth their meaning, which saith, He hath saved us from the hand or power of death. So may ye know that to be plucked out of hell, and to be saved from the power of death, are all one thing. And again, where they say that God hath delivered them from the burning flame, and that he hath plucked them from the midst of the fire, is all one sense, as every child may well perceive ; and therefore is M. More to blame to be so busy, seeing he under- * ^^ , , j standeth not the phrase and manner of speech of the inM. More. Scripture. Then bringeth he in the prophet Zechari ah, which m. More, saith, Tu quoque in sanguine Testamenti tui eduxisti vine- Zechariah. tos tuos de lacu in quo non erat aqua. " Thou hast in the blood of thy Testament brought out thy bounden prisoners out of the pit or lake in which there was no water. Now in hell is there no redemption, and in limbo pat rum the souls were in rest; wherefore it ap- peareth clearly that those prisoners which he brought out of their pain, he brouglit only out of purgatory."" This text is spoken Zech. ix. For a full answer of Frith. this text, I needed no more but to bring the authority ^'^'^^'- '''• of my Lord of Rochester against him. For he ex- poundeth the place of the Psalm Ixvi. for purgatory. Psalm Ixvi. which saith, Transivimus per igneni et aquam ef addux- isti nos in refrigerium ; We have gone through fire and water, and thou hast brought us into coolness. If this text of the psalm serve for purgatory, which saith that there is both fire and water, as my Lord of Rochester doth affirm, and bringeth also Origen to confirm it ; then cannot this place of Zechariah serve, which saith that there is no water. And so must M. More needs be overseen, for Origen and Rochester be able to weigh up him. Here might I say unto them both, that they More and should first agree within themselves, and then would I '^^'^''^'ster shape them an answer. Howbeit, I know my part so ligX* 154 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. How the saying of the prophe Zechariah is to be un. derstood. Rom. An ol)jec- tiun and answer thereunto. sure, that I will confute them both, and prove that neither nother ])lace speaketh any thing of this painful purgatory that they describe. But my Lord of Ro- chester's authority shall be deferred until the third part, which shall be a several book against him. This place verily approveth not purgatory, but showeth the virtue of Christ's redemption, which through his blood redeemed his ca})tives and prisoners ; that is to say, them whom he found boiuul with the strong bonds of sin to everlasting danniation, which were subjects unto the devil, and the extreme enemies of God. But why calleth he them his ? Verily, because they were chosen in Christ Jesus before the beginning of the world, that they with him and through him should enjoy the everlasting inheritance of heaven. Why are they called bound, and prisoners.'' Surely because they were captives, bound and imprisoned under the devil, through the sin that Adam committed. (Rom. v.) \A by saith he that he delivered them out of the pit, wherein is no water ? Forsooth, that is even as much to say as he delivered them out of hell and eternal damnation. Thou wilt haply say. He delivered them not out of hell and from eternal damnation, for his pri- soners, that is to say, they that shall be saved, never came there. I answer, that they should, without doubt, have gone thither, and have been damned perpetually, excc]jt that Christ by his death had delivered and loosed them. And therefore, saith the Scripture, that Christ delivereth us out of hell, becavise he saveth and delivereth us that we come not there, which else should surely enter into it for ever. It is also a common man- ner of speech among us, if a man should go to prison for debt, or any such matter, and (me of his friends come in the mean season, whicli ])acified the adver- saries, and payeth that debt, then may we well say, that he hath delivered this man out of prison, although he Fhith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 153 came not there, but should have gone thither. And likewise, when we say that such a man hath delivered his friend from the gallows, we mean not that he was already hanged, for then were the deliverance too late, but we mean that he delivered him that he sliould not be hanged. Furthermore, if a man might be bold to ask M. More whether Christ have redeemed, loosed, and delivered him in the blood of his Testament ? I think he would answer, Yea. Now if we should ask him further, from whence he hath delivered him ? I am sure he is not so ignorant as to say that Christ hath deliver- ed him from purgatory, but even that he hath delivered him from eternal death and damnation. And so hath Christ delivered us from the pit wherein is no water, that is to say, from hell and everlasting damnation, not that we were in hell already (although we were bound under sin and ready to be cast therein,) but because we should not enter into hell. This is the pure under- standing of the text. Here might I dispute with him both of hell and of Lhubus patruin; but becar.se I will be as short as possible is, I will defer that until another occasion, that I may reason with him somewhat at large. A question to Master More. A true and plain expo- sition of the prophet Zechariah. " Another place is there also in the Old Testa- M. More. ment that putteth purgatory quite out of question. For (saith he) what is plainer than the places which, in the book of the Maccabees, make mention of the Maccabees devout remembrance, prayer, alms, and sacrifice to be done for souls, when the good and holy man Judas Maccabasus gathered money among the people to buy sacrifice withal to be offered up for the souls of them that were dead in the' battle.? What shift find they here .? Surely, a very shameless shift, and are fain to Sore take them to that talking which is their shot anchor ^T^V ''^ . ^ ivi. more. always when they find the storm so great that they see their ship goeth all to wreck. For first, they use to 156 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. set some false gloss unto the text, and if that help not, then fall they to a shameless boldness, and let not to deny the Scripture and all." Frith. The place which he reciteth is written 2 Mace. xii. 2 Macc.xii. And to say the truth, the book is not of sufficient au- thority to make an article of our faith ; neither is it ad- mitted in the canon of the Hebrews. Here he object- eth that the Church hath allowed it, and the holy Doc- tors, as St. Hierome, St. Austin, and such other. I an- swer, St. Hierome's mind is opened unto us by the epistle which he wrote before the Proverbs of Solomon. His words are these : Sicut Judith et Tohie Macha- beoriim libros, legit quidem eos ecclesia, sed inter ca- nonicas Scripturas non recipit, sic et hccc duo volumina legat ad adijicationem plebis, non ad authoritatem eccle- The books siasticorum dogmatum cotijinnatidum. That is, Like as of the iNlac- ^^^ Church doth read the books of Judith, Tobias, and cabees are , ^ not in the ihe Maccabees, but receiveth them not among the canon- ranonofthe -^^j Scriptures, even so let it read these two books (he Hebrews. i ' ^ meaneth the books of Sapience and Ecclesiasticus,) unto the edifying of the people, and not to confirm the doctrine of the Church thereby. And it is nothing like that St. Austin should dissent from St. Hierome, for they were both in one time, yea, and St. Hierome outlived St. Austin. And, therefore, the Church could not admit any such books, either before St. Austin's time, or in his time, but that St. Hierome should have known of it. And so may you gather, that if St. Austin allow these books, or else say that the Church hath allowed them, you may not understand that thev have allowed and received them as canonical Scriptures, for then you make St. Hierome a liar. But thus you must under- stand it, that they have received them to be read for the edifying of the people, and not to confirm the doctrine of the Church, or articles of the faith thereby, according to St. Hierome's exposition. Now may you see that our shot anchor (as he called it,) is so strong that all Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 157 his storms and waves cannot once move it, for we deny not but that the book is received of the Church to be read ; and we show by St. Hierome for what intent it is received and read, not to prove any article of our faith thereby, but only to order our manner of living thereafter in such points as are not repugnant unto the canonical Scripture. But yet for this once, to do the man pleasure, we will i. let slip our shot anchor and take the seas with him. And for all their furious winds and frothy waves, we will never strike sail, so strong is our ship and so well balanced. Be it in case that this book of the Maccabees were of as good authority as Isaiah, yet can he not prove this fury and painful purgatory thereby. For it speak- eth not one word neither of fire nor pain, but it speak- eth of a sacrifice offered for the dead, that they might be loosed from their sins, because there is a resurrection of the dead, which may well be without any pain or fire; so that this conclusion is very bare and naked. It is good to offer sacrifice for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins, ergo, there is a sensible fire which The mean- doth punish the holy and chosen people of God. I am '"?^ ^"•^ 1 • 1-111 1 • 1 1 . ^^'^ expo- sure there is no child, but he may perceive that this sitionofthe argument is nought. Maccabees " _ , "^ touclung Besides that it is to be doubted, whether Judas did Avell purgatory. or not in offering this sacrifice. And therefore ought we not of a foolish presumption to follow his fact until we know how it was accepted. Peradventure thou m ilt say, that the deed is commended in the said text, where it saith. But because he considered that they which with godliness had entered their sleep, (that is their death,) had good favour laid up in store for them, therefore is the remembrance to pray for the dead holy and whole- some, that they may be loosed from their sins. I an- swer, That the persons which were slain in the battle, for whom this prayer and sacrifice was made, were found to have under their cloaks oblations of idols 1.58 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Tlie sliuit^hter of the Jews was for idolatry. Deut. vii. JudasMac- cabaeus was deceiv- ed in his sacrifice. Deut. xii. 4. By Christ's death all sacrifices ceased. whicli were at Jamniam, and for that cause were tliey slain, as it is plain in the text, yea, and all the host praised the right judgment of God. Now these men that were so slain, Avere dannied by the law, (Deut. vii.) which saith, The images of their Gods thou shalt burn with fire, and see that thou covet not the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therewith, for it is an abomination unto the Lord thy God. Bring not therefore the abomination unto thine house, lest thou be a damned thing as it is ; but utterly defy it and abhor it, for it is a thing that must be destroyed. Of this may we evidently perceive, that albeit Judas did this thing of a good mind, yet was he deceived, for his sacrifice could nothing help them since they were damned by the law, and entered not their sleep with godliness as he supposed. Furthermore, it is evident that the Jews had sacri- fices for the sins of them that lived. (Levit. iv. v. vi. &c.) But how knew they that these sacrifices would extend themselves unto the sins of the dead .'* and they were commanded, under the pain of cursing, that they should add nothing unto the word of God. (Deut. xii.) Verily, it is like that the priests, even at that time, sought their own profit, abused the sacrifices, and de- ceived the simple people. M. More also saith, that " The money was sent to buy sacrifices, which should be offered for the sin of the slain." Now knoweth every Christian that all manner of sacrifices and offerings were nothing but figures of Christ, which should be offered for the sin of his peo- ple. So that when Christ came, all sacrifices and obla- tions ceased. If thou shouldst now offer a calf to purge thy sin, thou wert no doubt injiu'it)us luito the blood of Christ, for if thou thought his blood sufficient, then wouldst thou not seek another sacrifice for thy sin. Yea, I will go further with you ; there was not one Frith.] SIR THOMAS MOKE. 159 sacrifice in the Old Testament tliat purged or took away sin. For the bk)od of oxen or goats cannot take away sin. (Heb. x.) But all the sacrifices which were then Ileb. x. offered, did but signify that Christ should come aiid be made a sacrifice for us, which should purge our sin for ever. Now were their sacrifices and oblations institute of God, and yet could they not take away sin, but only No sacrifice signified that Christ, through his blood, should take it away sin away. What madness then is come into our brains that ijut only I'll 11- 1-1 I'll i' ^^'^ sacri- we thmk that our oblations, whicii are ordamed but oi gee made our own imagination, should take away sin ! ''>" ^li"^*. WJiat if Judas gathered such an offering in the Old 6. Testament, shovdd it then follow that we must do so too, which know that Christ is come, and that all oblations are ceased in him ? Shall we become Jews, and go back again to the shadow and ceremony, since we have the body and signification, which is Christ Jesus .? Be it that The holiest Judas were a holy man, might he not do yet amiss ? Be f^iien. it in case that he did well, shall we therefore straight- ways out of his work, ground an article of our faith ? David was a holy man, and yet committed he both murder and adultery; shall we, without further search- ing the Scriptures, straightways follow his example ? Abraham was a holy man, and was commanded of God to offer his own son : shall we offer oiu* children there- fore ? Gideon and Joshua destroyed the unfaithful kings and princes, and did well and were praised of God. Must we do so too ? And Avherefore shall we more fol- The exam- low the example of Judas than of the other .^ Shall I I'leot Judas *■ _ _ _ Maccahseus tell you why ? Verily, for this example of Judas bring- isprofitable eth money unto our spiritualty. These twelve thousand ^^^J^i^ and drachmas shine so bright in their eyes, that without therefore it other candle, lantern, or spectacles, they have espied an followed. article of our faith : you may not consider that they have taken this text of twelve thousand drachmas for an epistle in soul-masses, for then, peradventure, you IGO ANSWER UNTO [Frith. might fall into some shrewd suspicion, that they should do it of covetousness, which fault cannot be espied in our s])iritualty, as you know well enough. 7- He that holdeth any ceremony of the law as neces- sary, is bound to keep and fidfil the whole law. This Gal. vi. is evident of Paul, (Gal. vi.) whei'e he saith, If ye be circumcised, then are ye debtors to fulfil the whole law. That is, if ye put any confidence in circumcision, or recount it as necessary, (for else it is of itself neither good nor evil,) then make you yourselves bound under the law, which burthen neither we nor our fathers could Acts XV. bear, and tempt God. (Act. xv.) And this sacrifice of Rastell. Judas was but a ceremony, and signified that Christ should with his blood quench our sins. Ergo, he that keepeth or counteth this ceremony as necessary, (as are all the articles of the faith,) doth captive himself under the law, and tempteth God, to speak no more sharply. 8. Yet will I go a little near unto you. Judas himself The school- believed not that there was a purgatory. For in the time ^a^ fu^the of t^^^ ^Id Testament there was no purgatory, as the time of the Schoolmen o;rant themselves, but only a place of rest. Old Testa- n . , , ^ ,, , T . , ' P ment there whicli they called L.imuHS patrinn ; whereiore they are was no pur- pjteously deceived, that will prove purgatory by the texts of the Old Testament, since, as they say them- selves, there was no purgatory at that time. 9. Finally, I cannot find a place that of itself more pro- perly confuteth this phantastical purgatory, than doth this same text, which they stick so sore to, imagining that it establisheth purgatory. The text saith on this manner: Except he had hoped that they which were slain should rise again, it should seem void and in vain to pray for the dead. If you feign a purgatory, then must this text needs be false ; for be it in case that the dead should not rise again. Now, saith the text, That it were void and in vain to pray for the dead, if they should not rise again ; but if there were a purgatory wherein they should be purged and punished in the Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 161 mean season, then were it not in vain to pray for them to deliver them out of that pain, but rather very fruit- ful and necessary, although they should never rise again. And, therefore, if this text be of authority, is it impossible that there should be any purgatory, neither is there any text that, in my judgment, can better under- mine purgatory and make it fall. Peradventure you desire to know my mind in this 4 •^♦-'clara- place, and that I should expound unto you what Judas meaning oi" meant in his oblation, since he thought of no purgatory, Judas Mac- ' ,^ . . caliaeus in as the aforesaid text doth well specify. Verily, I think offering his that Judas believed that there should be a resurrection, jh^dlad!*^'^ as this text praised him, saying, thinking well and de- voiitly of the resurrection. For among the Jews there were many that believed not the resurrection of our flesh ; and they that believed it were yet so rude and ignorant, that they thought they should rise but to ob- tain a carnal kingdom, and have their enemies subdued luider them without rebellion ; and thereto stick the Jews unto this day. And it is most like that this should be his meaning: We shall all rise again, and possess this land in peace, and these men which are slain are out of the favour of God, because they have, contrary to the law, (Deut. vii.) taken of the idol's oblations, therefore Deut. vii. is it best that we send a sacrifice unto Jerusalem to pa- cify the wrath of God towards them, lest, when they rise again, the Lord should send some plague amongst us for their transgression which they committed while they were here living. If any man can better guess, I am JudasMac- Avell content to admit it, but this is plain enough : he ^5^0^"]^^ ^^^■ thouglit that this sacrifice could not help them before nopuig.i- they should rise again, which doth fully destroy purga- ^' tory. For where he saith, that it were void and in vain to pray for the dead, except they should rise again, is even as much to say unto him that hath any wit, as that this prayer and sacrifices can do them no good be- fore they be risen again from death, for else were it not VOL. IV. M 162 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. M. More is like to be proved an iiisi- pient. 10. John Frith's judgment of the books of tlie Macca- bees. in vain to pray for tliem, although they slioukl never rise again. As by example, if I say to a man that he shall never obtain his purpose, except he should sue to the king's grace, it is even as much to say to a man that hath any wit, as he shall never obtain his ]nirpose be- fore he hath sued to the king s highness. Master More goeth about to jest them out of counte- nance which say, that the book of Maccabees is not au- thentic, because it is not received in the canon of the Hebrews, and saith, that by this reason Ave may also deny the book of Sapience, and prove ourselves insi- pients ; but verily, if he admit the book of Sapience to be true and authentic, I fear me it will go nigh to prove him an insipient, for granting that there is a purgatory. Read the forty-fifth argument against Rastell, and then judge whether I say true or not. Hitherto have I let slip our shot anchor, and have run the seas with him, granting him for his pleasure that this book should be of as good authority as Isaiah. Not that the Church, or holy doctors, or any wise man supposeth it of so good authority, but only to see what conclusion might be brought upon it, that once granted. And if any man would require my judgment as concern- ino- this book, I would shortly answer, that either this book is false, and of no authority, or else that Christ and his apostles, all holy doctors, and schoolmen thereto are false, and without authority; for he that admit teth pray- ers and sacrifice to be done for the dead, yea, and also affirmeth that they are holy and wholesome for such sins as are damned by the law of God, (which arc indeed very mortal,) doth not he sin against the word of God, yea, and also against the common consent of all men ? But this book doth so, wliich admitteth prayer and sa- crifice to be done for the dead that were slain in the battle for their offence, yea, and also damned by the law. (l)eut. vii.) Now conclude yourselves what ye think of this book. Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 163 Thus much hath M. More brought (to prove his piu-- pose,) out of the Old Testament, and I think ye see it sufficiently answered. And now he intendeth to prove his purgatory by good and substantial authority in the New Testament also. " First let us consider" (saith Master More,) " the M. More, words of the blessed apostle and evangelist St. John, ^ •^"'m ^^ where he saith, Est peccatum ad mortem, ?ion dico ut pro eo roget quis. There is, saith he, some sin that is unto the death ; I bid not that any man should p^'ay for that. This sin, as the interpreters agree, is understood of desperation and impenitence, as though St. John would I^espera- say, that who depart out of this world, impenitent or imi)eni- in despair, any prayer after made can never stand him dlmn^ble in stead. Then it appeareth clearly, that St. John sinners. meaneth that there are others which die not in such case, for whom he would men should pray, because that prayer, to such souls, may be profitable. But that pro- fit can no man take, being in heaven, where it needeth not, nor being in hell, where it booteth not ; Avhere- fore it appeareth that such prayer helpeth only for pur- gatory, which thou must therefore needs grant, except thou deny St. John." The text is written, (1 John v.) which saith, There Frith. is a sin unto the death ; I bid not that any man shall 1 John v. pray for that. In this place doth M. More under- stand by this word death, temporal death, and then he taketh his pleasure. But we will desire him to look two lines above, and not to snatch one piece of the text on this fashion. I will rehearse you the whole text, and then ye shall hear mine answer. The text is this : If any man perceive that his brother doth sin a sin not unto the death, let him ask, and he shall give him life to them that sin not unto death. For there is some sin that is vmto death : I bid not that any man should pray for that. Now mark mine answer. Death and life be ^^ 2 164 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. M. More is confused in the inter- pretation of the Scrip- tures. Mark lii. What blas- phemy and sin against the Holy Ghost is. The pure under- standing. contrary, and both words are in this text ; therefore, if you understand this word death for temporal death, then must you also understand by this word life, tem- poral life. And so should our prayer restore men again unto tem])oral life. But I ensure you, M. More taketh this word death so confusedly, that no man can tell what he meaneth. For in one place he taketh it for temporal death, saying. Whoso depart out of this world impenitent, &c. And in another place he is compelled to take it for everlasting death. Therefore will I show you the very understanding of the text ; and better interpreters desire I none than Christ him- self, which said unto the Pharisees, Every blasphemy shall be forgiven, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost (which St. John calleth a sin unto the death,) shall never be forgiven, but is guilty unto everlasting damnation. (Mark iii.) What sin or blasphemy is this ? Verily, that declarcth St. Mark, saying. They said that he had an unclean spirit : that was the sin unto death everlasting, that was tlie sin that should never be forgiven. He proveth so evidently unto them that his miracles were done with the Spirit of God, that they could not deny it; and yet of an hard and obstinate heart, even knowing the contrary, they said that he had a devil within him. These Pharisees died not forth- with, but lived peradventure many years after. Not- withstanding, if all the apostles had prayed for these Pharisees whilst they were yet living, for all that their sin should never have been forgiven them. And truth is, that after they died in impenitence and desperation, which was the fruit of that sin, but not the sin itself. Now see ye the meaning of this text, and what the sin unto deatli or against the Holy Ghost is. If any mail perceive his brother to sin a sin not unto death, that is, not against the Holy Ghost, let him ask, and he shall give him life ; that is, let him pray unto God for his brother, and his sin shall be forgiven liim. But if N FiiiTH.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 165 he see his brother sin a sin unto death, that is, against the Holy Ghost, let him never pray for him, for it booteth not. And so is not the text understood of prayer after this life, (as M. More imagineth) but even of prayer for our brother which is living with us. Notwithstanding, this sin is not lightly known, ex- cept the person acknowledge it himself, or else the Spirit of God open it unto us. Therefore may we pray for all men, except we have evident knowledge that they have so offended, as is before rehearsed. And thus is his text taken from him, wherewith he laboureth to prove purgatory. " What say they to the words of St. John ? (Apoc. v.) M. More. I have heard (saith he) every creature that is in heaven Apoc. y. and upon the earth, and under the earth, and that be in the sea, and all things that be in them — all these have I heard say, Benediction, and honour, and glory, and power for ever be to Him that is sitting in the throne, and unto the Lamb. By the creatures in heaven, he meaneth angels. By the creatures upon the earth, he Note. meaneth men. By the creatures under the earth, he meaneth the sovds in pui'gatory. And by the creatures in the sea, he meaneth men that sail on the sea." By this text I understand not only angels and men, Frith. but also heaven and earth, and all that is in them, even all beasts, fishes, worms, and other creatures, and think that all these creatures do praise the Lord. And where he taketh the creatures under the earth for the souls in purgatory, I take it for all manner of creatures under Frith and the earth, both worms, vermin, and all other. And ^^'""edo not agree. where he draweth the text, and maketh the creatures in the sea to signify men that are sailing on the sea, I say that the creatures in the sea do signify fishes, and such other things ; and that St. John, by this text, meant even plainly, that all manner of things gave praise unto God and the Lamb ; yea, and I dare be bold to add, that even the verv devils and damned souls arc com- 16C ANSWER UNTO [FniTH. A true ex- position of the Scrip- ture. M. Mere. Frith, More pur- posely cor- ruptetb the seuse of the Scripture. pellet! to praise him, for their just punishment com- mendeth His puissant power and righteousness. Nei- ther needest thou to wonder or think this any new thing ; for David, in the 148th Psalm, biddeth serpents, beasts, and birds to praise the Lord, as it is also written, Dan. iii. And Paul saith, (Rom. viii.) All manner of creatures long for our redemption, and praise God for it ; yea, and mourn that the last day is not yet come, that the elect children of God might enter into rest : for then shall also those creatures be delivered from their corruption and bondage into the liberty and glory of the cliildi'en of God. Now judge, Christian reader, which sentence standeth most with the Scripture and glory of God. " Doth not the blessed Apostle St. Peter, as it ap- peareth, (Acts ii.) say of our Saviour Christ, in tliis wise : Quern Deus suscitavit solntis doloribiis injenii ? In these words he showed that pains of hell were loosed ; but those pains were not the pains of damned souls. And in limbo patrum there was no pain ; e/go, it was the pain of purgatory which he loosed." Alas ! what shall I say ? I am in a manner compelled to say that this man wandereth in wilful blindness. For else were it not possible that he should err so far as to bring in this text for his purpose. The words of Peter are these : Ye men of Israel, hear these words : Jesus of Nazareth, a man set forth of God for you, with powers, wonders, and tokens, which God hath done by him among you, as you yourselves know, after he was delivered by the purposed counsel and foreknow- ledge of God, and you received him of the hands of the wicked; ye crucified and killed him whom God hath raised, dissolving the pains of death ; for it was im- possible that he should be subdued of it. Here, instead of these words. The pains of death, he setteth the pains of hell, (as it is most like) even of a purposed deceit. For albeit the man would not take the pains to read the Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 167 Greek, yet if he had but once looked upon the transla- tion of his old friend and companion, Erasmus, it would have taught him to have said, Solutis doloribus mortis ; that is, dissolving the pains of death, according to the Greek, and very words of Luke, which wrote these Acts in the Greek tongue. And albeit the old translation useth this word InJ'er- nus, which is diversely taken in Scripture both for death, for a grave, and for hell ; yet in this place is Master More without excuse, which calleth it hell in our English tono;ue. For albeit the word of itself were indifferent in the Latin, yet it is not indifferent in the English ; for there is no Englishman that taketh this word hell either for death, or for a grave ; no, not Master More himself : for first he translateth the text falsely, calling ^iore false- it hell, and then he descanteth on a false ground, and eth upon calleth hell not death, but purgatory. When St. Peter ^^^ Scrip- brought in these words for no other purpose but to prove that Christ was risen from death through the power of his Father, meaning that God the Father did raise his son Christ, notwithstanding the sorrowful pains and pangs which he suffered unto the death, for it was impossible that Christ should be utterly subdued of death. So that this text proveth no more purgatory, than it proveth that Master More was hired of the spi- m. [vjore is ritualtv to defend purgatory. Besides that, if it should ^ proctor / 1 . 1 • -ii for purga- serve for purgatory, (which no wise man will grant tory. when he seeth the process of the text,) it should prove nothing but that Christ should lie in the pains of pur- gatory until God his Father had helped him out : for the pains which he speaketh of were Christ's pains, which no man can deny if he read the text. But what a fond opinion were that, to feign that Christ, which was without sin, should be tormented in the pains of pur- gatory. " The blessed Apostle Paul, in his first epistle to the M. More. Corinthians, the third chapter, speaking of our Saviour i (or. iii. 168 ANSWER UNTO [FllITIl. M. IVIore would fain prove a purgatory. Frith He that la- boureth much in (iod's vine, yard shall receive much, i>LC. Christ, the very and only foundation of all our faith and salvation, saith. If any man build upon this foun- dation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, every man's work shall be made open, for the day of the Lord sliall declare it ; for in the fire it shall be sliowed, and the fire shall prove what manner of thing every man's work is. If any man's work that he hath builded thereon do abide, he shall have a reward ; if any man's work burn, he shall suffer harm, but he shall be safe, but yet as by fire." And finally he concludeth that this word fire must needs signify the fire of pur- gatory. He that considereth the order or process of the text, shall easily perceive that this man erreth ; for the text speaketh of the preachers, and blameth the Corinthians that they made such sects and dissensions among them- selves ; for one said that he was Paul's man, and held on his side ; another said that he was Peter's man ; the third did stick to Apollos, and so forth, even as our friars do now-a-days : one sect holdeth on St. Francis, another of St. Dominic, the third of St. Austin, &c. St. Paul rebuketh these sects, and called the persons carnal, commanding them to take Christ for their head, and to cleave only to him : and as for Apollos, Peter, and Paul, he saith, that they are but ministers of the word, every man according to the gift given him of God, the one more, the other less. Paul planted, Apollos watered, tliat is, Paul set the Corinthians in the ground of Christ's faith, and then came Apollos and preached them further of Christ, and comforted them to abide in the way which they walked in : howbeit, it was only God that made them prosper in the M'ord, and gave the increase. Nevertheless, every man shall receive according to his labour : if he preach much, the more shall be his reward ; if he preach little, tliereaftcr shall he be rewarded. For we are God's workmen to preach his word, and you are God's hus- Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 169 bandry, whom we must till and dress, in declaring you the word and perpetual will of God. You are become God's building, through the grace of God, which he hath given me, whom we must frame and so couch by the word of God, that we may make of you a temple of living stones. Like a wise workmaster have I laid the foundation, for I first began to preach you Christ. Now Cometh there another, and buildeth upon this my foundation, intending to instruct you further in the ways of Christ. But let every man take heed how he buildeth or preach unto you, for no man can lay any other foundation than is laid already ; for all our build- ing and preaching leaneth only on this point and prin- cipal stone, to declare unto you what Christ hath done for you. If any build on this foundation gold, silver, or pre- What it is , . . p , , , to build on cions stones; that is, it any man preach purely the gold, silver, word of God, which is likened to gold, silver, and pre- """ Precious stones. cious stones, because that as these are not consumed with material fire, but rather made more pure, even so the pure word of God sufFereth neither hurt nor damage in spiritual fire, that is temptation and persecution. Or else if any man build upon this foundation wood, What it is hay, or stubble ; that is, if a man of good intent (but ^"(„^"j' }^.^y yet through ignorance) preach and teach you to stick or stubble. unto ceremonies and men's traditions, (although they seem never so glorious,) and to such things as are not grounded on Scripture, (as St. Cyprian taught and de- Cyprian. fended, to re-baptise him that was once baptised and after fallen into heresy ; yea, and many bishops consented vmto him, yet was it surely a great error,) this is wood, hay, and stubble, that cannot endure the fire of temp- tation and light of God's word. Every man's work shall be declared, for the day shall open it. Albeit it prospers for a season in the aark, and cannot be perceived ; yet when the day cometh, which is the light of God's word, it shall bo 170 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. espied and judged. The day shall open it that shall be revealed in fire, and the fire shall prove every man's work what it is. Fire signifieth temptation, tribula- tion, persecution, &c. which shall prove every man's How every works. If any man's work that he hath builded do work^is abide this fire, that is, if the words that a man hath tried i)y preached do abide all assaults and temptations, it is a token that they are surely grounded on the Scripture of God, and then shall the preacher receive his reward. If any man's work be burnt, that is, if the ])reacher's words will not abide the trial and light, but vanish away, then is it a token that they are not well grounded on Scripture, and so shall he suffer hurt, for it shall be a great cross and vexation to the preacher's heart that he hath been so deceived himself, and hath also led others into his error. Notwithstanding, he shall be saved, because of his faith in the foundation, which is Christ, and his ignorance shall be pardoned, since he erreth not of a malicious purpose, but of a good zeal. But yet shall it be, as it were, a fire to him ; for it shall grieve his heart to see that he had laboured in vain, antl that he must destroy the same which he before, through ignorance, preached. This is the process and ])ure understanding of the text. M'ords fi- There is no man but he granteth that these words, M)oke'n.^ ^ foundation, laying of fovmdation, building, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble, are figuratively spoken : and why can they not suffer that this word fire be so taken too ? But where they find this word fire, whatsoever the process Ik\ there plant thev pur- gatory by and by, without any further considerati(m. And yet, if they had any judgment at all, tliey might well perceive by Paul's own words, that he took not this word fire for matei-ial fire, as thev grossly imagine, but proceeded in his allegory, and spake it figuratively : for Paul saith. He shall be saved, but so as it were through fire. Mark well his Moids ; lie saith not that Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 171 he shall be saved through fire : but as it were through fire, signifying that it shall be a great grief and vexation unto him. So that by these words of Paul, a very child may perceive what he meant. Furthermore, if they be so stiff-necked that they will not bow to the truth, but still persevere in their own phantasies, feigning purgatory out of this ])lace, then will I boldly say unto them, that there shall no man enter into it but only preachers. For in this place Pavd only speaketh of them, and affirmeth that it is their preaching and learning that shall be so proved through fire, and that such a preacher shall be saved, but yet as it were through fire. And therefore may the temporalty be of good comfort, for I promise them that by this text they shall never have hurt in this their painful purgatory. " Doth not our blessed Saviour himself say that M. More. there is a certain sin which a man may so commit Matt. xii. against tlie Holy Ghost, that it shall never be remitted nor forgiven, neither in this world nor in the world to come ? Now when our Lord saith that the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven, neither in this world nor in the world to come, he giveth us clear knowledge, that of other sins some shall be for- given in this world, and some in the world to come." Although this argument be a very sophism, yet is FHili. there neither one rule in sophistry that can prove this ^ suinle argument, nor yet one sophister so foolish as to grant it. sophism. For if I should say unto mine enemy that I would neither forgive him as long as 1 lived, nor after my death, because he had done me some heinous trespass ; then would men count him worse than mad, that would say. Frith will not forgive his enemy as long as he liveth, nor after his death ; ergo, some men will forgive their enemies after their death. For when I say that 1 will not forgive him, neither in my life nor after my 172 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. There is no remission of sins after tliis life. Mark iii. death, I mean that I will never forgive him, and make that addition, because he should not of foolishness look for any such forgiveness. But thus foUoweth the argument well: It shall not be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come ; ergo, it shall never be forgiven. And even so doth the holy evangelist St. INIark expound these words of Christ in the third chapter. For Matthew saith, chap, xii., He that speaketh against the Holy Ghost, shall never have it forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come. JNIark expoundeth it thus : He that speaketh a blas- phemy against the Holy Ghost, hath no remission for ever, but is guilty unto everlasting damnation. But of this I have spoken sufficiently before, (in solving the text 1 John v.) both what the sin [is], and also how the text is to be understood. Neither affirmeth the Scripture in any place that any sin is forgiven after this life, but saith. Be ready, for ye know not the time when the Lord shall come ; as who should say, in this life is remission and full mercy to be had ; labour there- fore to attain it, for after this life is no such forgive- ness ; but even as the Lord findeth thee, so shall he judge thee. His next and last argument of Scripture is this : M. More. Matt. xii. Frith. M. JMore doth quite overthrow himself. " Christ saith, as it is rehearsed in Matt, xii., that men shall yield a reckoning of every idle word, and that sliall be after this present life. Then wotteth every man, that by that reckoning is understood a punish- ment therefore, which shall not be in hell, and much less in heaven, and therefore can it be no where else but in purgatory."" A^erily, I have not heard of a patron that so impro- fitably dcfendeth his client, nor yet of any man that giveth him such proper trips to cast himself, except he went about to betray and utterly destroy tlie ])art which he woidd seem to favour ; for this text maketh more against Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 175 him than any that he brouglit before seemeth to make with liim. The words of Matthew are these : I tell you, that of every idle word that men speak, shall they yield a reckoning in the day of j udgment ; but that leaveth he out full craftily. Now let us reason of this text. By the reckoning is understood a punishment for the sin, (as Master More saith himself,) and this reckon- ing shall be upon the day of doom ; ergo, then this pu- nishment for sin cannot be before the day of doom, but either upon or else after the day of doom ; for God will not first punish them, and then after reckon with them to punish them anew. And so is purgatory quite ex- Here by eluded, for all they that ever imagined any purgatory, arffiim«ft* do put it before the judgment ; for when Christ cometh purgatory to judgment, then ceaseth purgatory, as they all con- excluded, sent : neither is there any prayer or suffrage which at that time can do any help at all. And so hath Master More by this text given himself a proper fall. Here 'may you see how strong his reasons are, and what will happen to him that taketh in hand to defend the falsehood against the truth of God's word ; for liis reasons make more against him than with him. You may well know, that if his matter had been any thing likely, he would have coloured it of another fashion. But since such a patron, so greatly recommended for his conveyance and wisdom, handleth this matter so slen- derly, you may ■w'ell mistrust his cause. This is the last reason grounded of Scripture, wherewith he hath laboured to prove purgatory. And after this reason, he reckoneth up the doctors, and saith for his pleasure that all make for him : but as touching the doctors, I will make a sufficient answer in the third part, which is against my Lord of Rochester. Thus he leaveth the Scripture, which he hath full vmmannerly handled, and now endeavoureth himself to prove his purpose by some probable reasons. And first he bringeth in his old argument, that the church can- 174 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. not err, to the which reason I need not to answer, for William Tyndale hath declared abundantly in a trea- tise, which by God's grace you shall shortly have, what the church is, and also that it both may err, and doth err, if the Pope and his adherents be the church, as M. More imagineth. M. 3iore. AFTER this he confirmeth his fantasy with fantasti- cal appai-itions, saying, that " there have in every country, and in every age, apparitions been had, and well known and testified, by which rnen have had suffi- cient revelation and proof of purgatory. How many have by God's most gracious favour appeared to their friends after their death, and showed themselves, holpen and delivered thence by pilgrimages, almsdeeds, prayer, &c. If they say that these be lies, then they be nuich worse than their master, Luther himself, for he con- senteth in his sermons that many such apparitions be true : and they be true, then must there needs be a purgatory." M. More Here playeth INIaster INIore the subtle sophister, and sophrster "^ would deceive men with a fallacy, which lieth in this word true, so that when he saith that such apparitions be true, this sentence may be taken two manner of ways: one, that it is true that such fantastical apparitions do appear to divers, and that I think no man be so foolish but he will grant him. And yet indeed are they no souls, but very devils that so appear to delude men, that they should fall from the faith of Christ and make a God of their own works, trusting to be saved thereby. But to suppose this true, that they are the soids of purgatory which so appear, is very fond, false, and against all Scripture ; Isaiah viii. for Isaiah saith. Shall Ave go from the quick unto the dead.'* that is, shall we inquire of the dead, and believe them in such ])oints as concern our wealth ? Nay, saith he, but unto the law and witness, that is, unto God and liis word. Frith.] Sill THOMAS MORE. 175 And so are we monished by Isaiah, in the 8th chap- Truth is ter, tliat we believe no such fantasies. We are com- J,"',^ *j"J|^j. manded by the law of God that we inquire not of die dead. tlie dead, not for the truth, for God abliorreth it. (Deut. xviii.) Besides that, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus doth uttei'ly condenni all such apparitions, that they are no souls which appear, but very devils. For when the rich man desired that Lazarus might go and warn his brethren, that they shovdd not come into that place of pain, Abraham answered, that they had Moses and the I>"ke xvi. Prophets, adding also, that if they believed not them, then would they not believe although one should rise again and tell it them. And so may I conclude, that it were in vain to send them any such apparitions of souls, and tliat in very deed tliere are no sovds sent of God, but that they are verily devils, which come to delude the people, and to with- draw them from Christ. Furthermore, all men grant that the appearing of Samuel was but an illusion of the devil : thou shalt find the story, 1 Kings xxviii. xxviiir It was not long since such a question was moved in Oxford. The thing was this : there was a poor man of the country, which was sore troubled with such appari- tions, for there came a thing to him which desired him to go certain pilgrimages, and to do certain other cere- monies, whereby it said that it should be delivered from 11 1 • 1 • «> 1 mi ^^ appari- innumerable torments which it now suttered. 1 he poor tion of a man believed that this thing said truth, and did as it *'J""'^ '""^" . 1 f. . „ ed to cer- commanded. Notwithstanding, it came so often unto tain of Ox- him, that what with labour, and what witli fear, the man ' was almost beside himself, and then was he sent to Ox- ford to ask counsel what was best to be done. The question was moved to one Dr. Nicolas, and he affirm- ed by and by that it was no soul, but the very devil, and that he should no more follow the fiend's appetite. Then was it moved to Dr. Kyngton, and lie affirmed the same. Finally, they inquired of Dr. Ho])cr, what his 176 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. mind was therein, and he said tliat he would look on his book, and when he had looked his pleasure, he gave this answer: Let him alone awhile, (quoth he) and I warrant you that this fellow shall either hang himself, or drown himself, or come to some other mis- chief. Thus determined these men, which are a great deal too superstitious to dissent from any of the old doctors, yea, or else from their own schoolmen. And yet would M. More make us believe that they were very souls, and that by such ceremonies they might be delivered. Now Cometh M. More to solve those two reasons that were brought against purgatory in the Supplica- tion of Beo-o-ars, which was the whole occasion of his book ; and mark how slender his solutions are. The first reason is this : If there were any purgatory out of which the Pope might deliver one soul by his pardon, then may he by the same authority deliver many ; and if he may deliver many, then may he deliver them all. The second reason is this : If he can deliver them for money, then may he also dehver them without money. And then is he a very cruel tyrant which keepeth them in pains so intolerable (as he imagineth himself,) until they pay money. M. More, The first he solveth on this manner : "Since our his solution Lord sendeth them thither for satisfaction to be made former Tea- in some manner for their sin, the Pope should rather, sons, against God's purpose, dehver them free, than change the manner of their satisfaction from pain into prayer, alms, or other good works to be done by their friends for them, in some point profitable and necessary for the whole corps of Christendom, or some good member of the same." As concerning satisfaction, I have spoken sufficiently before against Rastell. The Scriptvn-eknowcth no other satisfaction to be made for sin towards (n)d, but cmlv Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 177 the blood of his son Jesus Christ ;^ for if there were another satisfaction, then died Christ in vain ; yea, and he that seeketh any other satisfaction for his sin (towards God) than Christ's blood, (which must be received with a repenting heart through faith,) doth despise Christ's blood and tread it under his feet. And so is the first m. More's part of M. More's solution false, that they should be ^^^^^^^J'^ shut in pvirgatory to make satisfaction. Besides that, where he saith " That if the Pope should so deliver them, he should deliver them free ;"" I say Nay ; for the Pope can deliver no man from thence until satisfaction be made ; as both he and all his ad- herents grant. And therefore to find a way how he might seem to deliver them, he feigneth that he hath in liis hands the merits of Christ's passion, and the merits of all saints, to distribute them at his pleasure. And therefore might the Pope apply the merits of Christ's passion and of other saints unto these silly souls, and so deliver them, for those merits are enough to satisfy for the souls in purgatory, if there were ten times so many ; and so should the Pope deliver them, not free, but changing the manner of their satisfaction from pain into the merits of Christ's passion and of all saints. And so is this reason not abated, but rather stronger than it was before. Howbeit to say the truth, the merits of Christ's passion are only distributed unto the faithful, and that by God and his Spirit, and not by the Pope. And as for the merits of saints [they] cannot help other, for they have too little for themselves, if God should enter into judgment with them, (Psalm civ.) And Christ saith, (Luke xvii.) When you have Christ saith done all that is commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants. To this well agreeth the parable of the ten virgins, (Matt, xxv.) which could not depart with any of their oil, for fear that they should not have had enough for themselves. VOL. IV. N 178 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. M. More's answer to tJie second reason. Frith. God cannot be against himself. The second reason biteth him somewhat, and there- fore he calleth it unreasonable, and would avoid it by an example on this wise : — " Presupposed that the Pope may deliver all souls out of purgatory, yet if he were therefore cruel as oft as he leaveth any there, — this unreasonable reason layeth cruelty unto the blame of God, which may undoubt- edly deliver all souls thence, and yet he leaveth them there. This blasphemy should also touch his high majesty for keeping any soul in hell, from whence no man doubteth but that he might, if he list, deliver them all for ever." I answer, that the example is nothing like, for God can deliver no man neither from hell nor from pur- gatory, (if such one were,) until his justice be coun- terpoised ; as I have sufficiently proved against Ras- tell. And if you object his absolute power, then an- swer I, that he hath an absolute justice as well as an absolute power, and so can his absolute power do no- thing, until his absolute justice be satisfied. And ao-ain I say, that God hatli no power nor lust to do ao-ainst his Scripture and himself; but his power and lust is to fulfil that he hath promised, — unto the faith- ful, everlasting glory, and unto the wicked, eternal damnation. So that God by his Scripture can deliver no man out of hell, for then had he power to make him- self a bar, and so were he no God : neither can he de- liver any man out of purgatory (supposed that there were one,) until his justice be pacified. But the Pope (as he saith himself) hath the full satisfaction in his own hand, whereby God's justice must be pacified ; where- fore it is only the Pope's fault, which hadi the satisfac- tion in his power, and will not give it till he have money, and not God's fault, which must needs tarry until satisfaction be made. And so is this reason as strong as it was before, and the Pope proved a cruel tyrant. Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 179 But yet, to excuse the Pope, he saith, " It is not ivi. 3lore. meet that the Pope should be so quick in cleHverance ; for so sliould he give a great occasion to men boldly to fall into sin, and little to care or fear how slowly they rise again, and that were not meet for his office." Forsooth, this is a gentle reason. He may not be Fritli. quick in deliverance, because he should give men occa^ sion of sin. But for one penny he will quite deliver you, and that with speed ; for if ye offer a penny into A penny St. Dominic's box, as soon as ye hear the penny ring st.*^])^^"!*' in the box, even so soon is the soul in heaven. Call nii-'s box you not that quick deliverance ? If you give not that gi-jj^t mat- penny, then may he not deliver the soul, for it should t^""- be an occasion of sin ; but if you give that penny, then is there no such occasion of sin. Such great virtue Note what hath that one penny in M. More's sight, that it clean a penny. wipeth away the occasion of sin. Furthermore, if this redemption may be done for money, it shall be still an occasion unto the rich that they regard not sin, and yet they had more need to be bridled than the poor ; for where riches and abundance are, there reigneth sin most of all. Howbeit, I have showed sufficiently before against Rastell, that they which fear not to sin but for fear of purgatory, shall never come into it, but be damned in hell. For we shovild not abstain from sin for any fear, but for the pure love that we have to God our most merciful Father, &c. Then cometh Master More to this imagination, that M. More. we should say, liow " No man's prayer or good deed can help another. And (saith he,) if that were true, then ^^.j^j^ could not Christ's bitter passion profit us." Jolm Frith Sir, my opinion of Christ's death is this: 1. We have i,is opinion all sinned in Adam, without our own consent and "^ t^hrist's death. work. N 2 180 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. 1. And we are loosed from sin through Christ, with- out our works or deservings. 2. Sin is come into the world through Adam, and is punished with death. 2. The death through Christ is turned into a medi- cine, and clean finisheth sin. 3. One man s sin, which is Adam, hath condemned many men. 3. One man's grace, which is Christ, hath vanquished sin and holpen many. 4. If one man's sin be able to condemn us without our works, 4. Then much more is God's grace of power to save us without our works. 5. Sin, through Adam, was planted in us. 5. Grace, through Christ, is planted in us. 6. Sin hath had dominion over all men through Adam. 6. Grace prevaileth over us, through Christ. 7. Death, through sin, is planted in us. 7. Life, through grace, is planted in us. 8. Death, through sin, hath dominion over us. 8. Life, through grace, prevaileth over us. 9. Sin and death have condemned all men. 9. Grace and life have saved all men. 10. Through Adam, Adam's sin was counted our own. 10. Through Christ, Christ's righteousness is reputed unto us for our own. Of this may you perceive that we think that Christ's death profiteth us, for we take his death and resurrec- How men's tion for our whole redemption and salvation. — Now as anYgood concerning men's good deeds and prayers, I say that deeds do t]-,ey profit our neighbours ; yea, and good works were anlfthe"^ ordained for that intent, that I should profit my neigh- bour through them ; and prayer ought to be made to God for every state. But if I should grant that such works and prayers should help them that are departed. Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 181 then should I speak clean without my book, for the word of God knoweth no such thing. Let them, there- fore, that pray for the dead examine themselves well with what faith they do it, for faitl^ leaneth only on the word of God, so that where his Avord is not, there can be no good faith ; and if their prayer proceed not of faith, surely it cannot please God. (Heb. xi.) " Now suppose"" (saith M. More,) " that purgatory M. More, could in no wise be proved by Scripture, and that some would yet say plainly that there were one, and some would say plainly nay ; let us now see whether sort of these twain might take most harm if their part were the wrong. First, he that believed there were purga- tory, and that his prayer and good works wrought for his friends' souls, might relieve them therein, and be- cause of that used much prayer and alms for them ; he could not lose the reward of his good will, although his opinions were untrue, and that there were no purgatory at all. But, on the other side, he that believeth there is none, and therefore prayeth for none ; if his opinion be false, and that there be purgatory indeed, he loseth much good, and getteth him also much harm. For he both feareth much less to sin, and to lie long in purga- tory, saving that his heresy shall keep him thence, and send him down deep into hell." I answer, that he should take most harm that believed Frith, there were a purgatory, if his opinion were wrong and could not be proved by the Scripture, (as M. INIore sup- posed,) for he should sin and transgress against the law of God, which saith, (Deut. xii.) That I command thee that only do unto the Lord, neither add any thing nor diminish. And before, in the fourth chapter of the same book. Ye shall not add unto the word that I speak unto you, neither shall ye take any thing from it. And again, in the fiftli chapter. Ye shall not decline neitlier to the left hand, (doing that which is good in your own note 185i ANSWER UNTO [Frith. sight,) neither yet unto the riglit hand, (doing that which I manifestly forbid you,) as though he should say, Do that only which I command thee. And where M. More saith, that " he cannot lose the reward of his good will, although his opinion be untrue ;" I answer Yes ; for it is but chosen holiness, Avhich Paul condemn- eth, (Colos. ii.) which surely shall rather be imputed unto him for sin than for any good work. And be- lt is better cause (as I said before,) it cannot be done through not to be- faith, I say that it is utterly reproved of God. And on have that ' .•,,,,•,. i • which the the other side, he that believeth it not, since it cannot ariowei? ^^ proved by Scripture, can catch no harm at all, al- not, than thousfh his oDinion were false, but rather much good faith where ^nd praise, both of God and all good men ; because we should he feareth to swerve from the word of God, and had lever not to believe that thing which is true, (be it in case that purgatory were,) and not set forth in Scrip- ture, for so shall he be sure not to sin, than to be- lieve for an article of the faith that thing wliich is false indeed, for so should he surely sin and transgress against God and his holy word. And so is there great peril to believe a thing for an article of the faith v/hich is not opened nor spoken of in Scripture : but if I believe it not, (although it were true,) yet is there no right nor law that can condemn me. Now may you see, that to believe for an article of the faith that there is a pur- gatory, since it cannot be proved by Scripture, may condemn a man and make him lie for ever in the pains of hell; whereas the other should but a little longer lie in the pains of purgatory, (if there were one,) and so shall he be sure to catch most harm that be- lieveth there is a purgatory. " Saving" (saith Master M. Move. More,) " that his heresy shall keep him from thence, and send him down deep into hell." Frith. Before he supposed that it could not be proved by What is Scripture. And now (standing the same supposition,) he iieiTsy. calleth it an heresy, and an heresy is a stiff-holden opi- Frith.] SIR THOMAS MORE. 183 nion repugnant unto Scripture. If purgatory cannot be proved by Scripture, (as he maketh his supposition,) then cannot the contrary opinion be repugnant to Scrip- ture, and thus of his own supposition he doth evil to call it an heresy. And where he saith, that his opinion M. More is shall send him down deep into hell, verily he steppeth ^sorejudge too far in God's judgment to conclude and determine so cruelly, and especially in the same argument where he supposeth that it cannot be proved, for if it cannot be proved by Scripture, whereby will ye condemn him so deep that holdeth the contrary ? Forsooth, you are a fierce judge. God give you eyes to see ! " Finally, if ye pity any man in pain, never knew M. More, ye pain comparable to ours, whose fire passeth as far in The fire of heat all the fires that ever burned vipon earth, as the P"i"g^tory r ' IS a marvel- hottest of all those passeth a feigned fire painted on a loushotfire. wall." Verily, among all his other poetry it is reason that we Frith. grant him this ; yea, and that our fire is but water in comparison to it, for, I ensure you, it hath alone melt- Behold here ed more gold and silver, for our spiritualty's profit, out '■J'*^ ^^*^® f of poor men's purses, than all the goldsmiths' fires with- purgatory. in England, neither yet therewith can the raging heat be assuaged, but it melteth castles, hard stones, lands and tenements innumerable. For all your sects of reli- gion, Monks, Friars, Canons, and Nuns, with other priests regular and secular, by this fire, multiplication and alchymy, have obtained their whole riches and plea- sures, even the sweat of England. And so must we grant him that this fire is very hot. Now may you well perceive what a slender foundation their hot purgatory hath ; for by this confutation may you easily see that it hath no ground nor autliority of Scripture. Notwithstanding, it is the foundation of all religions and cloisters, yea and of all the goods that now are in these spiritualties. Are not they witty work- 184 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. men which can build so much on so slender a founda- tion ? howbeit they have made it so top-heavy, that it is M. More surely like to have a fall. Thus hath Master More a full fully an- answer, both to his Scriptures, which were too far w-rested all that he ^ut of their places, and also to his own apparent reasons. can say for Howbeit if his mastership be not fullv pacified, let him purgatory. . . , ' . more groundly open his mmd, and bring for his pur- pose all that he thinketh to make for it, and I shall by God's grace shortly make him an answer and quiet his mind. Thus endeth the Second Book. THE THIRD BOOK, WHICH ANSWERETH UNTO MY LORD OF ROCHES- TER, AND DECLARETH THE MIND OF THE OLD DOCTORS. ♦ ^OW will I address me to the third part, which shall be an answer unto my Lord of Rochester. And all his reasons and arguments, both of the Scriptures and Doc- tors, which are not before dissolved in the second part, will I clean confute (by God's grace) in this third book. M. More Howbeit, the chiefest of his Scriptures hath INI. More Bhhop^f perused, and hath in a manner nothing but that was Rochester's before written by my Lord of Rochester, saving that he maketh the silly souls to pule, to help his matter withal. Rochester My Lord of Rochester is the first patron and defender patron of of this fantasy. And even as M. More took his work purgatory, q^,^ ^f p^y Lord of Rochester's, even so plucked Rastell his book out of M. More's. My Lord of Rochester, to confirm his sentence, rcckoneth up the doctors by heap ; M. John, M. Frith.] MY LORD OF ROCHESTER. 185 William, M. Thomas, et omnes. But as concerning the doctors, that they are not so fully on his side as he would make them seem, is soon proved. And wliere should I better begin to confute him, than of his own words .'* for he writeth himself upon the 18th article on this manner : " There is no man now-a-days that doubteth of pur- Rochester. gatory, (saith he,) and yet among the old ancient fa- thers was there either none, or else very seldom mention The Bi- made of it. And also among the Grecians, even unto Chester's this day, is not purgatory believed. Let him read that own words, will the commentaries of the old Grecians, and as I sup- pose, he shall find either no words spoken of it, or else very few." These are my Lord's words. I wonder what oblivi- Frith, ousness is come upon him, that he so cleaveth unto the doctors, whom he affirmed before either to make no mention of it, or else very seldom. Notwithstanding, I will declare you somewhat of the doctors, that you may the better know their meaning. To speak of the doctors, and what their mind was in this matter, it were necessary to declare in what time they were, and what condition the world was in their days. St. Austin, Ambrose, and Hierome were in one time, even about four hundred years after Christ ; and yet before their time were there arisen infinite heretics Sects of he- by whole sects, as the Arians, Domitians, Eunomians, ^'^igilantians. Pelagians, with infinite other, which had so swerved from the truth, and wrested the Scripture out of frame, that it was not possible for one man, no, nor for one man'^s age, to restore it again unto the true sense. Among these there were some which not only feigned a purgatory, but also doted so far, that they affirmed that every man, were he never so vicious, sliould be saved through that fire, and alleged for them the place of Paul, 1 Corinthians iii. These holy doc- i Cor. iii. 186 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. tors perceiving those great errors, thought it not best, by and by, to condemn all things indifferently, but to suffer and dissemble with the less, that they might weed out the opinions which were most noisome, as the Apos- tles granted unto the Jews, that the Gentiles should Acts XV. keep some of Moses"" law, (Acts xv.) that they might the better come to their purpose to save the Jews witli the Gentiles. For if they had at the first utterly set off the law, then would the Jews never have given any St. Austin, audience unto the apostles. And even so St. Austin went wisely to work, first condemning by the Scrip- ture that error which was most noisome ; and wrote on this manner : Albeit some might be purged through fire, yet not such as the Apostle condemneth, when he saith, that the persons which so do, shall not possess the kingdom of heaven. And where they would have stuck unto Paul's text, (1 Cor. iii.) and affirm that they should be saved through fire, St. Austin answered, that Paul's text was understood of the spiritual fire, which is temptation, affliction, tribulation, &c. This wrote he in the 67th and 68th of his Enchiridion, to subvert that gross error, that all should be saved through the fire of purgatory. Yet in the 69th, he goeth a little near them, and saith, that it may be doubted whether there be any such purgatory or not. He durst not yet openly condemn it, because he thought that men could not at that time bear it. But after in his book which he entitled De vcinitate hujus saciiU, there doth he fully St. Austin show his mind in these words : Scitote quod cum anima wlmlie " corpore avellitiir, statim aut pro meritis bonis hi Pora- thought of sido collocatury aut pro meritis malis in inferni tartara purgaoiy. pra^cipitatuT ; i. e. Wot ye well, that when the sovd is departed from the body, either it is by and by put into paradise, according to his good deserts, or else it is thrust headlong into hell for his sins. — Here he clean condemneth purgatory : for if this be done by and by, as soon as the soul is departed from the body, then Frith.] MY LORD OF ROCHESTER. 187 can there be no purgatory ; and so maketh St. Austin wholly with us. Think ye that St. Austin dissenteth from his companion St. Hierome, or from his own master, St. Ambrose .? Nay, verily ; howbeit I will al- Saiut Am- lege their own words, and then judge. brose. St. Ambrose dissenteth not from St. Austin, but doth establish his sentence as fully as is possible ; for he Avriteth in the second chapter of his book which is called De bono mortis, on this manner, bringing in the words of David. (Psalm xxix.) Advena ego sum in terra, st. Alli- ed pere^rinus sicut omnes pat res mei. Et ideo tanquam broseshow- ^ ? ^ . ' ethhisopi- peregrinus ad uiam sanctorum communem omnium pa- nion of triamfestinabat, petens pro hujus commorationis i)iqui~ Purgatory. namento remitti sibi peccata, priusquam discederet de vita. Qui enim liic non acceperit remissionem peccato- rum, illic non erit. Non erit autem, quia ad vitam ceter- nam non potuerit pervenire, quia vita cBterna remissio peccatorum est. Ideoque dicit, remitte m.ihi ut refrigerer priusquam abeam, 6)C. ; that is, I am a stranger and a pilgrim in the earth, as all my fathers have been. And therefore, as a pilgrim, he hasted unto the common coun- try of all saints, requiring for the filthiness that he had received in this bodily mansion, that his sins might bo forgiven him before he departed from this life. For he that here hath not received forgiveness of his sins, shall not be there. He shall not surely be there, for he can- not come unto everlasting life, for everlasting life is the foroiveness of sins. And therefore he saith, Forsive me, that I may be cooled before I depart. — Here may you evidently perceive, that St. Ambrose knew not of purgatory, nor of any forgiveness that should be after this life ; but plainly affirmeth, that he that receiveth not forgiveness of his sins here, (that is, in this life,) shall never come in heaven. And for a more vehement affirmation, he doubleth his own words, saying. He that here hath not received forgiveness of his sins, he shall 188 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. not be there, he shall not surely be tliere. He niean- eth tliat he shall never come to heaven, which here hath not his remission. Saint Hie- St. Hierome^s mind may soon be gathered by his rome. exposition of the ninth chapter of Ecclesiastes, upon Eccles. ix. , . _p,. 111 . , . , , this text : 1 he dead have no part m this world, nor in any Avork that is done under the sun. There addeth All siif- frages, St. Hierome, that the dead can add nothing unto that prayers, which thev have taken with them out of this life, for and good '' . deeds done they can neither do good nor sin, neither can they in- fer the dead urease in virtue or vice. Albeit (saith he,) some will are in vain. ^ ' ' contrary this exposition, affirming also that we may in- crease and decrease after death. 1. Here are three things to be noted : first, that the text saith, that the dead are not partakers of any work that is done under the sun. And there may you see that all suffrages, offerings, and diriges for the dead are in vain, and profit them not, for they are partakers of nothing under the sun. 2. Secondarily, you may see St. Hierome''s own mind, The dead that the dead can neither do good nor evil, neither can neither increase in virtue nor vice. And so is purgatorv put do good nor , i o j r evil, nor in- out ; for if they can do no good, Avhat should they do virtue '" ^^ purgatory ? And again, if they cannot increase in virtue, they be like to lie long in purgatory. Perad- venture some man would think that they do no good, but only that they suffer good. To that I answer, that he that suffereth good, doth good ; for if a man should suffer his body to be burnt for the faith of Christ, would you not say that he did a good deed ? and yet doth he but suffer. 3. Thirdly, ye may note, that St. Hierome was not igno- rant that certain (as they which did feign purgatory,) would deny his exposition, and say that we might increase and decrease in virtue and vice after death ; yet notwithstanding, he held his sentence, condemning Frith.] MY LORD OF ROCHESTER. 189 their opinion, which thing he would not have done (specially since he knew that he should have adver- saries for it,) except he had been sure that his sentence was right. See, I pray you, how tliat not only Scripture, but even their own Doctors condemn this fantastical purgatory : and yet my lords are not ashamed to say that all make for them. Nevertheless, I will go further with him. Be it in T^^ ^?>'" case that all the doctors did affirm purgatory, as they do doctors are not, what were my Lord the nearer his purpose ? Verily "° farther not one iota ; for the authority of doctors, by my Lord's dited than own confession, extendeth no further, but is only to be .^J ^f^^^ admitted Avhilst they confirm their words by Scripture, Scripture. or else by some probable reason. For my Lord writeth Rochester. on this manner : (Article 37) " The Pope hath not so allowed the whole doctrine of St. Thomas, that men should believe every point he wrote were true. Nei- ther hath the church so approved either St. Augustin or St. Hierome, nor any other author's doctrine, but that in some places we may dissent from them, for they The doctors in many places have openly declared themselves to be in many^ men, .and many times to have erred." things. These are my Lord's own words. Now since the doctors sometimes err, and in certain places are not to be admitted, (as he granteth himself,) hov/ should we know when to approve them, and when to deny them ? If we should hang on the doctors' authority, then sliould we as well allow the vmtruth as the truth, since he affirmeth both. Therefore we must have a judge to discern between truth and falsehood. And who should that be ? the Pope? Nay verily, for he being a man, (as well as the doctors were,) may err as they did, and so shall we ever be uncertain. Our judge, therefore, must not be partial, flexible, nor ignorant (and so are all natural men excluded) ; but he must be unalterable, even searching the bottom and gi'ound of all things. 190 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. The word of God is the touch- stone, and trieth all of all doctrine. St. Austin. St. Austin read old au- thors, and would also have all men read his works. Who must that be ? Verily, the Scripture and word of God, wliich was given by liis Son, confirmed and sealed by the Holy Ghost, and testified by miracles and blood of all martyrs. This word is the judge that must exa- mine the matter, the perfect touchstone that trieth all things, and day that discloseth all juggling mists. If the doctors say any thing not dissonant from this word, then it is to be admitted and holden for truth. But if any of their doctrine discord from it, it is to be ab- horred, and holden accursed. To this full well agreeth St. Austin, which writeth unto St. Hierome on this wise : Dear brother, I think that you will not have your books reputed hke unto the works of the prophets and apostles ; for I (the Scrip- ture reserved) do read all other men's works on that manner, that I do not believe them because the author so saith, be he never so well learned and holy, except that he can certify me, by the Scripture or clear reason, that he saith true. And even so would I that other men should read my books as I read theirs. — These are St. Austin's words : and thus have I proved, both by St. Austin and also by my Lord's own words, that no man is bound to believe the doctors, except they can be proved true, either by Scripture or good reason not re- pugnant to Scripture. Therefore let us see what Scrip- ture or good reason my Lord bringeth to approve his doctors withal, for else they cannot help him (as we have declared both by St. Austin and my Lord's o^vn confession,) although they all made with him, as they do not. First, he bringeth in " the sin against the Holy Ghost." (Matt, xii.) And Paul, 1 Cor. iii., and 1 John v., and Apoc. v. ; which texts I pass over, be- cause I have answered unto them before in the second book against M. More. The first reason that my Lord hath, which is not before solved, (for, as 1 said, the reasons that are Frith.] MY LORD OF ROCHESTER. 191 already dissolved, will I now overhip) is this, which he groundeth on divers Scriptures. " Of the souls tliat Rochester, are departed, some are already damned in hell, and some are already in heaven.*" And to prove this true, he allegeth the parable of the rich man. (Luke xvi.) Luke xvi. I am sure my Lord is not so ignorant as to say that a parable proveth any thing. But the right use of a parable is this, to expound a hard text or point that Parables in was before touched, and could not enter into every ^^1^^ p"j^"^ man's capacity. Neither are all things like which are nothing, spoken in a similitude, neither yet all things true that open and are touched in a parable ; but we must consider the expound thing wherefore they be spoken, and apply them only hard to that they are spoken for, and let the residue go, as ^'^'"B'*- William Tyndale hath well declared unto you in the parable of wicked Mammon. This parable is very hard to be expounded. The cause is this : no man can well espy by the text for what purpose it was spoken. But this should seem to be the cause, that there were many of the Pharisees and other multitude which would not believe the preaching of Christ, although he con- firmed his words with the authority of Moses and the prophets ; but they were curious, and some deal fantas- tical, and therefore would they not believe his words, except some apparitions had been made unto them, that they might have been assured by theiii that were before dead, that his words were true. Unto such it is like that he speaketh this parable, plainly concluding that they should have no such appa- ritions of the dead, and also that it was not necessary ; but that they had Moses and the prophets, to whom, if By Moses they would give no credence, then should they not be- \ , . J f^ ' -z _ prophets is lieve although one of the dead should rise again and meant the tell it them. Notwithstanding, let me grant it him, ment. '* that some are already in hell, and some in heaven, (which thing he shall never be able to prove by the Scripture, yea, and which plainly destroyeth the resur- 192 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. rection, and taketh away the arguments wherewith Christ and Paul do prove that we shall rise) yet, I say, let me grant it him, to see how he will conclude. What followeth on that ? Rochester, " Neither it is creditable," (saith he) " that all which are cast into hell should straightway go to heaven, therefore must we put a purgatory, where they may be purged."" Frith. I answer : All that live are faithful or unfaithful. If There are he be unfaithful, then is he damned. (John iii.) If he placerafter believe, then is he not condemned, but is gone from death this life, to life. (John iii. v.) The righteous man, when he veil and " dieth, shall rest in peace. (Sapien. iii.) And every faith- hell, f^ji lYiQ^xi is righteous before God, as the whole Epistle to the Romans proveth. Ergo, then every faithful man shall rest in peace and not be tormented in the pains of purgatory. And as touching this point, where they rest, I dare be bold to say that they are in the hand of God, and that God would that we should be ignorant where they be, and not to take upon us to determine the matter. Peradventure you would inquire of me (since the parable saith that Lazarus rested in Abraham's bosom,) Abraham's ^^'^^^t Abraham's bosom is ? To that would I answer, bosom, that Abraham's bosom were nothing else than Abra- nifieth. ham's faith ; for all we are called the children of Abra- ham, because of his perfect faith, which we ought to follow. In this faith are many and in a manner infinite degrees ; notwithstanding, if it be no greater than a mustard seed, that is to say very small, yet shall it save us. He that departetli in this faith resteth in peace, and waiteth for the last day, when God shall Th 1 t »^^^ unto his faithful, that is, to his elect, (for only are are faithful, the clcct faithful, and the faithful elect) the crown of faithful are ^^^* g^ory, which he hath jncpared for them that love eiw t. him. This crown, doth Paul say, that he shall receive it in that day, (2 Tim. iv.) that is, in the day of judg- Frith.] MY LORD OF ROCHESTER. 19.3 nient. And in the mean season God hath so provided for lis, that they shall wait until the number of their brethren which daily suffer and shall suffer for Christ, be wholly fulfilled, and so shall they not be made per- fect without us. (Heb. xi.) If my Lord will under- stand by Abraham's bosom, heaven, I will hot be con- tentious ; let the Christian judge which sentence seem- eth most true. But this is once a clear case, that of Abralmm's this he can prove no purgatory ; for the unfaithful are p'ro^e\i™'^ already damned, and the faithful rest in peace, let him purgatory, call that what he will, whether to rest in heaven or to rest in their faith until the last day ; for I am sure there is no man so mad as to say, that to rest in peace To rest in should signify to lie in the pains of purgatory. tob"e in""*^ Furthermore, this text shall rather make sore against torments. him than any thing with him. For Lazarus, whilst he was living, was not without sin, nor no man else (1 John, i.) ; so that no man, as long as he hath breath in i John, i. his body, can say that he is without sin, for then should he make St. John a liar. And yet was not Lazarus carried into purgatory to be purged of his sins, which were remaining in his body the hour of his death ; wherefore I may conclude that there is no such pur- a good ffatorv. For God is as iust unto him as unto us, and ^""f'"-;!'"^ c> J J ' against therefore would he purge him as well as us ; and again purgatory. he is as merciful unto us as unto him, and will as well forgive us as him, without broiling on the coals in purgatory; for his justice and mercy are ever one, and not alterable. But our perfect pin*gation is the pure blood of Christ, whicli washeth away the sin of the world. And albeit, we have the remnants and dregs of Christ's sin and rebellion of our members, as lono- as we have ^^^ ^ ' c^ overcome life, yet are they wholly finished in death ; for of sucli «ur death, efficacy is Chrisfs death, that it hath turned the death jj into life! of his faithful (which was laid upon us as the pain of sin) into a medicine against sin, which fully cureth it, VOL. IV. O 91 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. and maketh an end of it, as it was well figured in Goliath tliat was slain with his own sword. Rochester. Matt. xii. Frith. If there be any purga- tory it must be after doomsday, for before there can be none. Faithful. Unfaithful. Men. Rocliester. Psal. Ixvi. Frith. And whereas my Lord bringeth for his purpose (Matt, xii.) that " Men shall give account of every idle word,*" I have solved that before against M. More, that I think he shall say himself that he is answered. For if men shall give a reckoning for them on the day of doom (as the text saith) that should rather argue that there were no purgatory wherein those sins should be purged ; for if they had been purged before of them, then should they not give an account for them. And if it proved any thing at all, it shovdd prove that there were a purgatory after doomsday, which no man was ever so foolish as to grant. But the true understanding of this text is this : there are two kinds of men, one faithful, the other unfaithful. The faithful, through their faith in Christ's blood, are already fully purged in their heart, and their rebellious members, through death, are wholly subdued. These men shall give no reckoning, neither of idle word nor evil deed ; for all their sins are covered of Christ, and his blood shall give the whole accounts for them. The unfaithful, to their utter confusion, shall have the book of their conscience opened, and there shall be presented before them all their evil deeds, words, and thoughts. And these are they that Christ speaketh of whicli shall give this great account. Note also that in the text they are called men, which word in Scripture is ever for the most part taken in the worst sense, and signifieth wicked men, fleshly men, and men that follow their own lusts and appetites. Then confirmeth he purgatory out of tlie G6th Psalm, which saith, " We have gone tlirough fire and water, and thou hast brought us into coldness."" I am sure you have not forgotten that M. More allegcth the Frith.] MY LORD OF ROCHESTER. 195 prophet Zachary in the 9th, and affirmetli tliat there Zach. ix. is no water in purgatory. It were hard to make these two agree, for when men ground them on a lie, then for Rochester the most part their tales and probations are contrary, agree hou and will not well stand together. Nevertheless, in one point they agree full well, that is, both of them say untruly ; for neither nother text serveth any whit for purgatory. And as concerning the place of Zachary, it is sufficiently declared what it meaneth. And now will I also declare you the understanding of this text; and first, that it cannot serve for purgatory. I beseech you that have the psalter, once to read the psalm, and I think you shall wonder at their doting dreams and ignorance, which allege this text for purgatory. The text of the Psalm is this: " Thou hast brought us into a A true in- strait, and laden our backs with trovible or heaviness, tion'of the Thou hast set men upon our heads, we have g-one ^^^''^ Psalm. through fire and water, and thou hast led us out again into a place of refreshing." The texts before and after, in the same Psalm, will not suffer that this place should be understood of purgatory. For the text immediately before saith, " thou hast set men upon our heads."" But the chiefest defenders of purgatory (and even M. More himself) say that " they are not men, but devils which torment the souls in purgatory," notwithstanding my Lord of Rochester (good man !) affirmetli that they More and are " angels which torment the souls there ;" but never cannot man doted so far as to say that men torment the souls ^S^^^- in purgatory ; wherefore I may conclude that this text is not meant of purgatory, but that the prophet meant that men ran over the children of Israel, and subdued them, and wrapped them in extreme troubles, which in the Scripture are signified by fire and water. Besides that the texts following will not admit that this should be understood of purgatory ; for it followeth imme- diately, I will enter into thy house with burnt offerings, I shall offer unto thee fat sacrifices, with the reek of o2 196 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Souls in purgatory cannot offer oxen nor gcats ill sacrifice. Rochester. Frith. The church saith Ro- chester, meaning tlie Pope's churcli, cannot err. wethers, I shall burn to thee oxen and goats. Now is there no man so mad as to think that the souls of pur- gatory should offer unto God any such sacrifices ; so that the text is plainly understood of the children of Israel, which through the Lord were delivered from their afflictions and enemies, and then offered their loyal sacrifices of praise and thanks to the Lord, their shield and protection. Now flieth my Lord unto the church, and saith, tliat, " Because the church hath affirmed it, we must needs believe it, for the church cannot err." As touch- ing this point I will refer you unto a work that Wil- liam Tyndale hath written against M. More, wherein ye shall well perceive what the church of Christ is, and that his church never determined any such thing. But that it is the synagogue of Satan that maketh articles of the faith, and bindeth men's consciences further than the Scripture Avill. Then waxeth his Lordship somewhat hot against Martin Luther, because he would that no man should be compelled to believe purgatory ; for my Lord saith that " It is profitable and well done to compel men to believe such things, whether they will or will not." And to establish his opinion, he plucketh out a word of the parable of Luke xiv. that a certain man made a great supper, and said unto his servants, Go forth quickly into the ways and compel them to enter in. Verily, there Christ meant no other thing, but that his Apostles should go forth into all the world and preach his word unto all nations, opening unto them the fmerpreTed. miserable state and condition that they be in, and again, what mercy God hath showed them in liis son Christ. This would Christ, that his apostles should expoiuid and lay out so evidently, by reasons, scriptures, and mira- cles unto the Gentiles, that they should even, by their Luke xiv. Frith. The para- ble of liuke xiv. truly Frith.] MY LORD OF ROCHESTER. 197 manifest persuasions, be compelled to grant unto them that he was Christ, and to take upon them the faith that is in Christ. On this manner did Christ compel the How men Sadducees to grant the resurrection. (Matt, xxii.) And eoriljIdieS by these means compelled he the Pharisees to grant in to believe. their consciences that he did his miracles with the power of God, and yet afterwards of very hate, knowing in their hearts the contrary, they said that he did them by the power of the devil. (Matt, xii.) But to say that Christ was Christ would have his disciples to compel men with pri- ™^|^ ^"'^ sonment, fetters, scourging, sword and fire, is very false, no tyrau- and far from the mildness of a Christian spirit, although ^"j^I^'er!'''''^" my Lord approve it never so much. For Christ did forbid his disciples such tyranny, yea, and rebuked them because they would have desired that fire should de- scend from heaven to consume the Samaritans which would not receive Christ. (Luke ix.) But he command- Luke ix. ed them that if men would not receive their doctrine, they should depart from thence and sprinkle off the dust of their feet to be a testimony against the unfaith- ful, that they had been there and preached unto them the word of life : but with violence will God have no man compelled unto his law. Paul also testifieth, Paul saith (2 Cor. i.) that he had not rule over the Corinthians as ^^J^^ "^^j. toucliing their faith. By our faith we stand in the tlieir faith. Lord, and by our infidelity we fall from him. As no man can search the heart but only God, so can no man judge or order our faith, but only God through his holy Spirit. Furthermore, faith is a gift of God, which he distri- buteth at his own pleasure. (1 Cor. xii.) If he give it 1 Cor. xii. not this day, he may give it to-morrow. And if thou perceive by any exterior work that thy neighbour have it not, instruct him with God's word, and pray God to give him grace to believe : that is rather a point of a christian man, than to compel a man by death or ex- terior violence. 198 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Faith is not Finally, what doth thy compulsion and violence? procuredby yej-jiy^ nothing, but make a stark hypocrite ; for no man but is the can compel the heart to believe a thing, except it see mfwgTft of evidence and sufficient proof. I have heard tell of a God. boy, Avhich was present at his father's burning for his belief, and as soon as the officers had espied the boy, they said each to other. Let us take him and examine him also, j^eradventure we shall find him as great an heretic as his father. When the boy saw that his father was dead, and that the catchpoles began to snatch at him, he was sore dismayed, and thought that he should die too ; and when one of them apposed him, asking him how he believed, he answered, " Master, I believe even as it pleaseth you." Even so by torments and Fear mak- crafty handling a man may be compelled to say that he Sith^'lf alh ^elieveth the thing which he neither thinketh, nor yet can believe ; for a man's faith is not in his own power. But how doth God accept this thing, to say that I believe that which indeed I believe not ? Verily, he ut- terly condemneth it, whether the opinion be true or false. For if the opinion be true, (as by example, that the faith in Christ's blood justifieth me before God,) and I confess it before all the Bishops in England with my mouth, and believe it not with mine heart, then am I nothing the better, (for I should have no part of Christ's blood,) but I am much the worse. For first, God con- demneth me, which judgeth me after mine heart ; and also mine own heart condemneth me, because I have openly granted that mine heart denieth. Faith is And contrariwise, if I should believe this fully in first the gift niine heart, and yet for fear of persecution should deny proceedeth it when I were examined openly of my faith, then shall from the J |jg condemned of God, (except I repent,) and also which may mine own heart shall be a witness to condemn me. And not lie com- ^^ -^ |g ^^^.^ noisome and ungodly to be compelled unto any thing : for God ever searcheth the heart, which cannot be compelled. Frith.] MY LORD OF ROCHESTER. IW But my Lord objecteth writing upon the eighteenth Rochester, article, saying, " If a man take away purgatory, for what intent shall we need any pardons ? As long (saith he) as no man regarded purgatory, there was no man that sought any pardon : for all the estimation of par- Pardons, dons hano-eth thereof, so that we shall have no need of Rochester " ^^ saith lierein them, if there be no purgatory. very truly. Verily, I care not, though I grant him that too. And ^^^l^^.^^^ I think that money was the mother of them both. For of it. out of the Scripture shall he be able to prove neither nother. Purgatory „ , and par- But Mammon is a great god, even ot power enough dons have to invent such knacks, yea, and to make them articles |j,^gj"f°°f ^ of the faith, and to burn those that cannot believe them ; disc for the and it was a pretty practice to make such points articles ^ ^^^' of the faith. For after that our holy fathers had given up preaching, and would take no more pains, neither serve their brethren any more ; then set they up such articles of the faith, as should bring in money to uphold their estate withal; and he that would not beheve them, rid him out of the way for fear of disclosing their juggling ; for he that doubteth of pardons and purga- tory, he plucketh our holy father by the beard. Rochester. Notwithstanding, my Lord confirmeth both par- dons and purgatory, by the text that Christ spake unto Peter. (Matt, xvi.) " To thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven ; and whatsoever thou bindest upon the earth, it shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou loosest on the earth, it shall be loosed in heaven." But these words (saith my Lord,) " had been spoken in vain if he could not give pardons, and loose men out of purgatory, &c."" As touching the keys, albeit they have oftentimes Frith. been declared, and in a manner, in every, treatise that liath been put forth in the English tongue, yet will I somewhat show my mind in them. There is but one 200 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. The keys, key of heaven, which Christ calleth the key of know- Luke xi. ledge, (Luke xi.) and this key is the word of God. The key of Christ rebuked the lawgivers for taking away this key is the word from the people ; for they, with their traditions and of God. false expositions, had fidly excluded the key of know- ledge, which is the word of God, and had clean shut up the Scripture, as ours have done now-a-days. It is also called the key of David, which shutteth, and no man Apoc. iii. openeth ; openeth, and no man shutteth. (Apoc. iii.) And because of these two effects which it worketh, (for it both shutteth and openeth,) hath it the nomination of keys, and yet, (as I said,) indeed, it is but one, which is the word of God. This key, or keys, (now call it as you will, since you know what it meaneth,) Christ delivered unto Peter, and unto his other Apostles alike, which you shall easily perceive, if you mark where and IMatt. -xvi. when they were given. For Matt. xvi. they were only promised, and not yet given ; for Christ said, " I will give thee the keys," and not, " I give thee." But after he was risen from death, then performed he his promise, and gave the keys to all indifferently, as thou mayest John XX. see John xx., and Luke xxiv. expoundeth it, that he Luke xxiv. opened their wits to understand the Scripture, that How Christ repentance and forgiveness might be preached, &c. keys to Therefore, it is the word that bindeth and looseth Peter and tJn-ouph the preaching of it. For when thou tellest the rest of . . , . . . . the Apos- them their vices and iniquities, condemning them by the ' ^'^' law, then bindest thou them by the word of God ; and To open when thou preachest mercy in Christ unto all that re- andtoshut, p^j^t^ tJ^en dost thou loose them by the word of God. to loose, Therefore, he that preacheth not the word of God, can what It IS i^either bind nor loose, no, though he call himself Pope. And, contrariwise, he that preacheth his word, he bind- eth and looseth as well as Peter and Paul, although he be called but Sir John of the country. And, conse- ((uently, to say that the Pope can deliver any soul out of j)urgaloiy, (if there were one,) is but a vain lie, except Frith.] MY LORD OF ROCHESTER. 201 he can prove that he goeth down unto them, and preach- The Pope eth unto them the word of God, (which is the salt that '^^^^^^IZ must season them, and key that must let them out,) of purga- for other loosing there is none. And, likewise, to say Srst go' that the Pope can erive any pardon to redeem sins, ex- thither and Liicii, Lnv. I a ,.,1,1,1 1 1 preach unto cept he preach me that Christ s blood hath pardoned them. me, is even like vanity. Methinketh also that he wadeth too deep to descend to purgatory by this text. For the text saith, That Matt.xvi. whatsoever he bindeth on earth, shall be bound in Purgatory heaven, and whatsoever he looseth on earth, &c. But '^^"^^^J^^^ now they grant themselves, that purgatory is not on as Roclies- earth, but the third place in hell; and therefore it J^^'^hirV' passeth his bounds to stretch his hand to purgatory : place in ' . , . hell. and so this text cannot serve him. Notwithstanding, my Lord is not content to give him this power only, but he hath so far waded in the Pope's power, that he hath granted him full authority to deliver all men from hell, if they be not damned al- ready ; for (saith he) " whosoever hath committed a Rochester, capital crime, hath thereby deserved damnation: and Rochester 1 ,. 1 . 1 1 r> 1 • 1 IS in this yet may the Pope dehver him both ±rom the crime, and ^^^^.^ f^r also from the pain due unto it.'' And he affirmeth that be^de Lim- three times, in article 21, for fear of forgetting. Upon this point will I a little reason with my Lord, Frith, and so will I make an end. If the Pope may deliver any man from the crime that he hath committed, and also from the pain due unto it, as you affirm, then may he by the same authority deliver twenty, a hundred, a thousand, yea and all the world ; for I am sure you can show me no reason why he may deliver some, and not all. If he can do it, then let him deliver every man a plain that is in the point of death, both from the crime and ^f f^r*'**" from the pain, and so shall never man more neither Pope's ty- enter into hell nor yet into purgatory, which were the '""'^"^' best deed and most charitablest that ever he did ; yea, 202 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Ex. xxxii. Rom. ix. The Pope a proud, shameless, and tyran- nous anti- christ. A blasphe- mous Pope and the devil's The Pope is the son of perdi- tion, wor- thy of more pain than can be imajiined, if Roclies- ter's doc- trine be true. and this ought he to do (if he could), although it should cost him his own life and soul thereto (as Moses and Paul give him example,) but yet there is no jeopardy of neither nother. Now, if he can do it (as you say,) and will not, then is he the most wretched and cruel tyrant that ever lived, even the very son of perdition, and worthy to be damned in an hundred thousand hells. For if he have received such power of God, that he may save all men, and yet will not, but suffer so many to be damned, I report me unto yourselves what he is worthy to have ? Now if any man would solve this reason, and say that he may do it, but that it is not meet for him to do it, because that by their pains God''s justice may be satisfied ; I say that this their evasion is nothing worth, neither yet can I hnagine any way whereby they may have any appearance to escape. For my Lord saith himself, that the Pope must pacify God's justice for every sovd that he delivereth from purgatory, and there- fore hath he imagined that the Pope hath in his hand the merits of Christ's passion, which he may apply at his pleasure where he will. And also, he saith. That the merits of Christ's passion are sufficient to redeem all the sins in the world. Now, since these merits on tlieir part are sufficient to satisfy the justice of God, and redeem the whole world, and also that the Pope hath them in his hand to distribute at his plea- sure, then lacketh there no more but even the Pope's distribution unto the salvation of the world. " For he may ])acify God's wrath, and satisfy his justice (saith my Lord,) by applying these merits to them that lack good works." And so, if the Pope will, God's justice may be fully satisfied, and the whole world saved. Now if he may so justly and easily save the whole world, (charity also moving him unto it,) and yet will not apply these merits so fruitfully, then is the faidt only his, and he the son of perdition, and worthy more pain Frith.] MY LORD OF ROCHESTER. 203 than can be imagined. And so is not the reason im- proved, bvit much more established, and, as I think, inevitable. Behold, I pray you, whither my Lord of Rochester hath brought our Holy Father, in announcing his power so high, even into the deepest pit of hell, which (if my Lord said true) it is impossible for him to avoid. But it chanceth unto him even as it doth customably, where such pride reigneth ; for when they are at the highest, then fall they down headlong unto their utter confusion and ruin. If any man feel himself grieved, and not yet fully satisfied in this matter, let him write his mind, and by God's grace I shall make him an answer, and that with speed. Pray, Christian Reader, that the word of God may increase. Amen. ANOTHER BOOK AGAINST RASTELL, NAMED THE SUBSIDY, OR BULWARK TO HIS FIRST BOOK, MADE BY JOHN FRITH, PRISONER IN THE TOWER. " Awake, thoii that sleepest, and stand up from death, and Christ shall give thee light." — Eph. v. THE PROLOGUE. TT needeth not. Christian Reader, (I think,) now that thou hast overread and diligently pon- dered in thine inward senses, that the treatise of John Frith, wherein he confuteth all the reasons which Rastell, More, and Rochester made for the maintenance and upholding of the bitter pains of purgatory, to commend unto thee this brief work following, named a Subsidy, Defence, or Bulwark a subsidy, to the same. And much less needeth it to dehort bui^^ark,*"^ thee from the vain and childish fear which our forefathers have had of that place of purgatory, as their good works, which at this day remain upon the earth, founded for their thence deliverance, do testify. And forasmuch as thou art a Christian man, Much joy and rejoicest in Christ, I dare boldly affirm for thee, the finding that thou takest neither pleasure nor joy of that tory"a1!* place, like as some persons do, which triumphed though it •*• '■ ^ were to of late, and with much joy and clapping of hands small pur- • T • n 1 pose. sent tidings into all parts, that purgatory was found again ; because they read in a book named the Institution of a Christian man, this word pur- gatory. And yet have I not heard hitherto, that the self-same persons have showed any tokens of gladness for God's word translated into English ; so that to me, they seem to rejoice more to have their silly souls purged with punishments 208 THE PROLOGUE. [Frith. when they be departed, than to have purged them with the word of God while they be here. Who will think, but as they have uttered their hearts concerning purgatory with their tongues, even so say they in their stomachs, that their Christ is holy father the Pope, (whom we may as justly call divided into "^ . i • i i i i Peter the Bishop of Rome, seemg he is there the head ^''"^' of St. Peter's Church, as we may call the head of St. Paul's Church, in London, Bishop of Lon- don,) hath recovered again here, in England, his old authority, yea, that he never yet lost, because they find in their churches, copes, ropes, bells, and beads, with other like holiness, and on themselves long gowns, shaven crowns, and fingers anointed with the holy oil of idleness ? For who will say but that these holy relics declare the Bishop of Rome as clerkly, as this word purgatory proveth a place to be where souls, after the departure from their bodies, suffer pains and pvmishments? Doth not this pretty pageant of purgatory signify and prognosticate what tragedy they will play here- after, when the word of God shall blow and scat- ter from the face of the earth the dark clouds and mists of men's inventions, and shall scour away the rust of fleshly understanding of the Scriptures, in other things likewise as it hath done in this, if ought may be found in that book wherewith they may resist ? That such things may be picked out of it, the fruit which commonly hath come of all councils, convocations, and synods since the apos- tles time, (very few excepted,) causeth me some- what to fear ; for if a man weigh the good with Frith.] THE PROLOGUE. 209 the bad that hath sprung from them, he will, per- chance, think that the lay-people of all estates may well and justly say, Farewell the one with the other ; and no marvel, for they have not been all the children of one father that have been in coun- cils, as they have not been all sheep that have gone in sheep's clothing ; and oftimes the greater part overcometh the better. Which things, ga- thered by experience and by reading, causeth me oftentimes to wish, that they which would be counted sincere and true ministers of the gospel, either might, and would clean abstain from such councils, that they have no part in them, or else that they would give no more place to the fruits of infidelity, (I mean man's inventions and carnal interpretations, which the faith in Christ never be- gat,) than St. Paul gave to Peter his colleague, when he left the table of the Gentiles, and went to the Jews ; which fact of Peter, in my judgment, Paul might more conveniently have approved, see- ing Peter did it to the intent he would not offend his weak brethren the Jews with his eating, than the true and sincere ministers of Christ in the gos- pel may wink at many things used in these days among the disciples of the gospel ; much less may they approve them with the fashion of their own living, and confirm them with the authority of a council, and with preaching : they say it is not time to speak against them ; be it, yet is it time to leave them, and no longer to seem to allow them, unless they intend always to walk in them. Had the author of this book looked after a time, as VOL. IV. p 210 THE PROLOGUE. [Frith. Rochester, JNIore, and Rastell, are all three defeuilers of one he- resy. More and Rochester were men of great authority and learn- ing. Rastell Mas hut an infe- rior to Ro- chester and More. some do, he had not written against purgatory when he did. I fear me, some maintain bhndness more with their simidation, than they open the Hght with their preaclii ng. But this have I spoken, (good Reader,) besides my purpose, which was none other than to admonish thee, that al- though Rochester, JMore, and Rastell, have all three, (as thou perceivest by reading this former treatise,) stiffly defended one heresy, yet shouldest thou not have of all three, one judgment or opinion. More and Rochester were men of high dignity in this world, the one a bishop, the other chan- cellor of this noble realm of England, both an- cient in years, of so great Avit, and so singular erudition in all kind of learning, esteemed as well of themselves, as of many other, that no two like might in all this land be found : it was thought that for their dignity no man durst, for their years, wit and learning, no man was able to gainsay them ; wherefore they were persuaded to be the most meet of all other to take in hand the de- fence of the terrible pains of purgatory, either the very foundation, or else the chief building set upon the foundation of the church of Rome. Rastell had nothing connnon in them, but only many years, and a wit sophistical, which he called natural rea- son. As appertaining to God's word, he acknow- ledged himself ignorant thereof: notwithstanding he had such opinion of his wit, that he thought he could as well prove purgatory by it, as the other two had done l)y the Scriptures, wherein I think he was not deceived. And as these three Frith.] THE PROLOGUE. 211 persons were not alike, so took they the answer made to them not alike: More and Rochester woreand thought foul scorn (see what the glory of this JJ,';;I|5'f '" world, and hiojh estimation of ourselves dotli !) *'i"! ^'^'^"'■ " ■'of John that a young man of small reputation should Filth's , , . , , . . . answer. take upon him, so clean contrary to then* opmion, to write against them, and (to be short) took the matter so grievously, that they could never be at quiet in their stomachs, until they had drunken his blood. Rastell, though he perceived his na- tural reason to be sore said to, yet was he not malicious as the other were, and therefore wrote he again, which work of Rastell came to his Rasteii was hands, when he was prisoner in the Tower of ^ous"Lut London, where he made the answer foUowine; to giaf%>"e- '-' cognised the same ; which answer after Rastell had read, Ws igno- , ■,-, 1 • t ranee. he was well content to count his natural reason foolishness, and with hearty thanks given to God, became a child again, and sucked of the wisdom which Cometh from above, and saveth all that he nourished therewith ; in the which he conti- nued to his life's end, with the honour and glory of God: to whom be praise for ever. Amen. HERE FOLLOWETH THE PREFACE OF THIS BOOK. BROTHER Rastell, I thank you that it liatli pleased you to be so favourable unto me, a poor prisoner, as to show me a copy of your book, which you have written to confute my reasons, p 2 212 PREFACE. [Frith. 2 Cor. iv. John Frith seemeth that he could play well at tenins. and Scripture, that I have alleged against pur- gatory ; for that hath caused me to make a sub- sidy, defence, and bulwark to my book, which by God's grace shall be an occasion to open more light, although not to you, yet at the least wise unto them whose hearts the prince of this world hath not blinded, but that the light of the gospel and glory of Christ may shine in them. And whereas you write and protest that you will bring no Scripture against me, but only rehearse my Scripture again, which I have alleged imper- fectly, and wound me with mine own darts, and will but even do as one that playeth at tennis with another, tossing the ball again, I do very well admit your similitude. Notwithstanding, you know right well that it is not enough for a man playing at tennis to toss the ball again, but he must so toss it that the other take it not ; for if the other smite it over again, then is the game in as great jeopardy as it was before ; besides that he must take heed that he neither smite too short of the line, nor yet under, for then it is a loss, and he had been better to let it go. And finally, sometimes a man smiteth over, and thinketh all won ; and yet an ungracious post standeth in the way and maketh the ball to rebound back again over the cord, and so loseth the game ; and that will anger a man. And I ascertain you, that ye have tossed never a ball, but ye offend in one of these points; and yet besides, that sometimes ye play a touch of legerdemain, and cast me a ball, which, when it Frith.] ANSWER TO RASTELL'S PROLOGUE. 213 Cometh, I perceive to be none of mine, and all the court shall judge the same. These points shall be declared when we come to them, and now I will answer in order. ANSWER TO RASTELKS PROLOGUE. TN your prologue, you assigned two causes of the Rastell. making of your first book of purgatory, without alleging any texts of Scripture for the proof thereof, which are the controversy of two sorts of people. One Eastell sort, you say, be those that beheve not in Christ, but t^^^^pj^Jlj. deny Christ and his Scripture, as be the Turks, Paynims, why he and such other miscreants. Another sort be they tliat firstlbook believe in Christ and his Scripture, nor will deny no in the de- r. 1 1 f~, • 1 1 •!! fence of text of holy Scripture, but yet they will construe, purgatory. expound, and interpret these texts after their own wills and obstinate minds, &c. Now let us consider your foresaid causes, and ponder whether your book have or may do any such good as you say pretended, and whether it have converted those sorts of people, or else be any thing likely to do such a fact. And first, let us see what it profiteth the first sort, which are infidels, not believing in Christ nor his Scripture. Our Saviour Christ saith. He that be- lieveth is not damned ; and John Baptist confirmeth the john iii. same, saying, He that believeth in the Son hath ever- John Frith lasting life, but he that believeth not in the Son shall to TScn'-s not see life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him. two causes. Here it is evident, not by my exposition, but by the consent of all Christian men, that those infidels arc 214 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. llastell's first cause proved to be in vain. An ajHand li'ood oxar.i. vie. damned ; for what intent then should Rastell teach them that there is a purgatory ? Without Christ there is no way but damnation, as Scripture and all faithful men testify. Then would I know by what way he would persuade that there were a purgatory (which should be a way and a means to salvation, and not to damnation) for they which believe not in Christ. This I am sure of, (and I think Rastell believeth it also,) that the infidels shall never come in it, though there were one. This you may see, that his first cause is very vain, and that if they did believe it, they were indeed deceived. Now let us proceed unto the second sort of people, which believe in Christ and his Scripture, and yet mis- construe it, expounding it after their own wills ; and let us see what fruit they take of this book, and what it profiteth them, and we shall find that it less serveth these men than the first ; for if these men believe in Christ and in his Scripture, then is it not possible that they should receive or admit that thing which is against the Scripture, both by the exposition of themselves and of all the world ; for this is both against Scriptvire and all faithful men, that there should be any way to health, if we exclude Christ and his Scripture. And since pur- gatory is counted a way to health, he that would go about to prove it (secluding Christ and Scripture) is against Scripture and all faithful men. Besides that, if they be so obstinate that they will not receive the very Scripture, but expound it after their own wills, and v.rest it after the same, then will they much less receive your book Avhich is so plain against Scripture ; and therefore, if you would tliink that they could be tamed by your book, which, notwithstanding, so wresteth Scripture, then may I very well liken you to him that hath a wild horse to tame, whidi, when he pcrcciveth that he cannot hold him with a Scottish snaffle, will yet labour to break him with a rotten twine thread ; so that I can espv no manner of profit FiiiTii.] RASTELL'S FIRST CHAPTER. 215 that can come of your book, if you can allege no bet- ter causes tlian you yet show, but that it had been a great deal better unwritten. And, brother Rastell, where you say that I advance Fritli an- and boast myself much more than becometh me, and tentlyn-i- that I detract and slander my neighbours, and that I t«ill's L>itter provoke all men that read my book rather to vice than to virtue, with such other things as ye lay to my charge, I trust I shall declare my inconvenience, and give you a sufficient answer. taunts. AN ANSWER UNTO RASTELL'S FIRST CHAPTER, WHICH REPROVETH ME FOR HOASTING MYSELF. JN the first chapter of this book, Rastell laboureth Rastell. to prove that I am sore overseen in lauding and boasting myself, and that I like myself so well that he is sure that other men do like me the less, and that he feareth that God will therefore like me and favour me rather the worse than the better. Here he juggleth with me, and would make me be- Frith. lieve that he tossed me mine own ball again ; but when I behold it, I perceive it to be none of mine; for he Frith meet- hath cut out all that should make for me, so that he ^^]^ ^^e™ hath given it clean another shape than ever I intended ball. that it should have, as it appeareth by his writing which rehearseth my words in this manner : I am sure, there are many that marvel, that I being Rastell. so young, dare attempt to dispute this matter against these three persons. — But my words are these : I am Frith. sure that there are many that will iruich marvel, tliat I, gl(> ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Note here the modesty of John Frith. Rastell. Frith. No man ought to condemn that which he hath not being so young, and of so small learning, dare dispute this matter, &c. Here Rastellleaveth out the words, " and of so small learning," for if he had put that in, he had betrayed himself; for I think no man so mad as to say, that he which sayeth himself to be both young and of small learning, should praise and boast liimself . Also, immediately after the words of his first al- legation, I say on this manner : And as touching my learning, I must needs acknowledge (as the truth is,) that it is very small, — which I think is but a base boasting. And anon after I say : I would not that any man should admit my words or learning, except they will stand with the Scripture, and be approved thereby. Lay them to the touchstone, and try them with God's word ; if they be found false and contrary, then damn them, and I also shall revoke them with all mine heart, &c. Finally, I exhorted them to read my book, not ad- vertising who speaketh the words, but rather what is spoken ; by which words you might well see, that I in- tended not to boast myself : and all this have I written, and he left it out, even in the first page, (as he calleth it,) wherein he reporteth that I boast myself. Notwithstanding, one thing doth sore vex him, that I should recite the Epistle of St. Paul, whereby, he saitli, I would have men believe that I had the Spirit of God, and think, that though I be young, that I see visions and espy the truth, and that mine elders have dreamed dreams and wandered in phantasies. This he recoimteth to be a great boast, and that this one place should win him the field. Whereunto I answer that indeed my words do not prove that thing which you seem so surely to gather of them ; but my words do argue on this manner, That no man ought to condenm a thing before he read it, and then to give sentence. And because you seem ignorant in the matter, I shall Frith.] RASTELL'S FIRST CHAPTER. 217 declare it unto you, and how it standeth : it is a colour of rhetoric, and is called Avantopodosis, that is to say, an answer to an objection that a man might have here made, on this manner : Thou grantest thyself young, and of so small learning ; dost thou then think that we shall once read or regard thy book, especialljr since it is written against ancient men both of great wit and dignity ? To these two points I answer, preventing their objection, that they should not despise it because of my youth ; for as the Spirit of God is bound to no place, even so is he not addict to any age or person, but inspireth where he will, and when he will ; and bring in God inspir- for an example, that he inspired young Timothy ; ^^^^ ; n'^'^ proving thereby, that the youth of itself is not to be age. despised, but according to the learning which it bring- eth, and that, therefore, they may not despise my yovith, but first read what doctrine I bring, and thereafter to judge it. No more. In this I prove not that I am in- spired, and have the Spirit of God as Timothy had, but only prove that God may inspire youth, as he did Timo- thy, and that, therefore, ye ought first to read before you condemn ; for you know not who is inspired, and who not, until you have read their Avorks, or seen their facts. Thus you may see, that my words define not that all Thes. i. youth is inspired, although some may be ; but I exhort that no man despise prophecies, but prove all, and ap- prove that is good. And to make the matter more plain, I shall bring you an example out of Paul to the He- brews, which exhorteth them to hospitality, for by that Heb. xiii, some men unawares have received angels to harbovu' ; be not therefore unmindful of it. Here Paul exhorteth you to hospitality; and showing you that by those means some men have received angels into their house; he would not have you think that all the guests that you shall receive shall be angels, but some shall be lewd losels. And likewise, I, in exhorting you to read my book, and not dcs])ising my youth, because that some- 218 ANSWER UNTO [Frith, times God inspireth the young, v/ould not have you think that the books made of young men (which ye shall receive,) shall be wholesome doctrine, but some men be lewd and unfruitful : nevertheless, even as if they re- ceived not those guests, they should also put away an- gels if any came ; so if you despise to read such books as be written by young men, you may also fortune to despise them which are written by the inspiration of Christ's Spirit, and therefore ye ought to read. Frith But be it in case I had indeed praised myself, (as I speaketh to i^^^^ ^^^^^ ^nd that I had said that I had the Spirit of God, what inconvenience should follow thereof ? Would you thereof argue that my doctrine were false ? If that were a good argument, then were Ghrist's doctrine false, then were Paul a false pro])het, and our faith nothing ; Jolin viii. for Christ said to the Jews that he was the Light of the world. And again he said, It is my Father that glori- A man may ^^^ ^^^^ whom ye call your God. Now if it had been a use godly sufficient argument to condemn his doctrine, because the boasting. world calleth it boasting, then should we have believed no truth at all. Besides that Paul seemeth not a little to boast himself, if men look on it with a canial eye, for he saith, that he thiuketh not himself inferior unto the highest apostles : and saith again, that if they glory to be the ministers of Christ, (though he speak unwisely,) he is more copious in labours, in stripes above mea- sure, in prison more often, often at the point of death, &c. Should we for these words think that his doctrine were not right ? Nay, verily, that doth not improve the doctrine, but that it may be good and wholesome, for a man may boast himself and do well, so he refer the praise to God, from whom all goodness cometh. But be it in case that I should say that God of his mere mercy, and for the love that he oweth me in Christ and his blood, had given me his Spirit, that I might be to his 2 Cor. xi. Frith.] RASTELL'S FIRST CHAPTER. 219 laud and praise, to whom be thanks for ever : Amen. This is a Would you think that this were so great a boasting ^,jj"I^||j'/ that the doctrine should be ini])aired thereby ? Ah, boasting. blind guides ! I pray God give you the light of under- standing. I beseech you, brother Rastell, be not dis- content with me if I ask you one question : Be ye a Christian man, or no ? I am sure you will answer. Yes. Then, if I brought you the text of Paul, Avhich saith, He that hath not the Spirit of God is none of his ; I pray you, Rom. viii. liow will yovi avoid it ? Notwithstanding, if you would avoid the text ; yet will I lay another block in the way, that you shall not be able to remove, and that is the saying of Pavd : (2 Cor. xiii.) Know ye not yourselves 2 Cor. xiii. that Christ is in you, except ye be reprobate persons ? Now, howsoever you would judge of yourselves, I think, verily, that I am no such ; and therefore, whereas before I did not so write, now I certify you that I Frith, the am Christ's ; conclude what ye will ; and the day shall ^,^'„j aiuf" come that you shall surely know that so it is, albeit in truemartyr mean season I be reputed a laughing-stock in this world ; for I know in whom I trust, and he cannot deceive me. Then bringeth he against me, that I say we have been Rastell. long secluded from the Scripture, and also that our forefathers have not had the light of God's word opened unto them. I marvel what Rastell meaneth, by bringing this for Frith. his purpose, for I think it no boasting of myself; but Kastell if ye think that it be untrue, I think he is very blind, iiimseli to For what Scripture hath the poor commons been ad- ^^ ^^^'^ '^" ^ , , '^ . norant. mitted unto even till this day ? It hath been hid and locked up in a strange tongue, and from them tliat have prith show- attained the knowledge of that tongue, hath it been eth his locked with a thousand false glosses of Antichrist's i,j,^y jjj^ makino;, and innumerable laws. And where I say our i5i;"pture \\*as 'cfi>t forefathers have not had the light of God's word opened from our unto them, I mean that they have not the Scripture in *<»''^'^t''-'^i-' 220 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. their o\vn mother tongue, that they might have con- ferred these juggling mists with the light of God's word, as the process of my words can testify, which he hath wholly left out ; but I beseech the Christian reader once to read the place for my discharge and his confusion ; ye shall find it in the second leaf of my book. Rastell. And now he allegeth against me, that I should say this : Judge, Christian reader, what reasons Rastell hath brought, and how he hath solved them ; for in my mind both his reasons and solutions are so childish and unsavory, so unlearned and barren, so full of faults and phantasies, that I rather pity the mans deep ignorance and blindness, which hath so deceived himself through philosophy and natural reason, than I fear that he, by his vain probations, should allure any man to consent unto him. Frith. I think Rastell layeth not this against me, because I boast myself in these words. And verily, as touching the truth of those words, I will add thus much more unto them: that I never wist man that was counted wise which hath brought so slender reasons, except he intended to destroy a thing which ye seem to have built. Rastell. And finally, whereas I exhort all men to judge and confer the Scriptures which Sir Thomas More and my Lord of Rochester allege for their opinions, and would Rastell have them to ponder their reasons and my solutions cavilleth. ^j^^Q them, annexing these words, I am sure that my small learning hath condemned their high eloquence, that my folly hath brought to nought their wisdom, and that my youth hath disclosed their festered ig- norance : Frith. There Rastell thinketh that I stand well in my own conceit, and boast myself above the moon, because I touch M. More his kinsman : But let Rastell take this for an answer : if M. More would keep him within his own bounds, that is, with meddling of worldly matters Frith.] RASTELL'S SECOND CHAPTER. 221 only, I would never compare with him ; yet he must More remember that a dauber may correct him in his own would not -' _ . "^^ Ignorant craft : but it is even as Socrates saith, when a man is inany wise in one thing, then will he take upon him to define t]|"reibre all thinffs, and be ignorant in nothing, and so disdaineth understood -, 111 1 11- ^p • nothing as the gift that he hath, and provetli hnnseli unwise. he should Furthermore, I see no great praise that I here attri- ^^^^ "",- ^ c> I ^ derstood, l)ute unto myself ; but confess my small learning, my neither his folly, and my youth ; nevertheless, if he recount it a j||.'.^^J'J|* *^. praise, because I say it hath condemned their high elo- yet to God. quence and their wisdom, and disclosed their ignorance, then let him also annex the words that I wrote, saying : And it is even the old practice of God, to choose the A good foolish things of the world to confound the wise ; to n"ade"hy'^ choose the weak, to confound the mighty ; and to choose John Frith the vile things, which are of no reputation, to confound Rastell's them of hiffh decree, that no flesh might boast itself in first chap- * " ter. his sight, to whom only be praise and thanks for ever. Amen. Where all men may see that I refer all praise to him which only is worthy ; and so I may conclude, that you have not looked indifferently on my book. AN ANSWER UNTO RASTELL'S SECOND CHAPTER, WHICH IMPROVETH ME FOR RAILING AND DIS- PRAISING OTHERS. JN the second chapter, he rangeth the field, and Rastell. searcheth out, with all diligence, what word I have spoken that might be taken in the worst sense, and call- eth them railing, jesting, and scolding words ; and be- cause he would have me to be abhorred of the reader, he 222 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. allegeth not only these words that are spoken against himself, but also that are spoken against my Lord of Roclicsier, and Sir Thomas More ; not that he intendeth to answer for them, or to defend their parts, ye may be sure, but only to leave nothing behind which should seem to make for him ; like a noble orator. The words that he reproveth are these : Rastell. There Rastell taketh his foundation ujxm a stark lie ; and there he maketh two lies ; and there he maketh three lies. Frith. Here I would desire my brother Rastell to pardon me of a little ignorance, for surely I thought it had been no more offence to call a lie a lie, than to call a sheep a sheep ; notwithstanding, since he recounteth it to be railing, jesting, and scolding, I will hereafter tem- per myself and change my words, and Avill say that when he lieth, that (by his leave) he maketh a fitten. Rastell. It angereth him when I say, that Rastell hath lost his wit in purgatory ; and therefore I will say so no more. Frith. But this I will affirm, (be Rastell ever so furious,) that whosoever maketh such reasons and solutions, and count- eth them good in earnest, that he hath no wit in his head, wheresoever he lost it ; but if you would read Rasteirs first argument, which I have set in my book in the twelfth leaf, then you shall perceive whether I say the truth, or not. Rastell. ^Iso he allegeth that I should say, that saying of Rastell is against Scripture ; but if ye count that rail- ing, and would not have me say so much unto him, I Frith. will count the man somewhat stately ; and this I insure him, that if God suffer me to live, I will say so again, take it as he will. Rastell. Also he reciteth, as a great reproach, that I should say, I marvel how our schoolmen may abide this fellow. Frith. -^^^ surely, the same I say again ; for lie proveth both St. Thomas, and them also, fools and double fools, which, if I should so do, would be counted heinous heresy. FuiTii.] RASTELL'S SECOND CHAPTER. KiS Then be rehcarseth what I say of M. More and my Kastell. I^ord of Rochester, and all to lielp his matter, that when I say, the small probations and slender reasons that those two witted men, Sir Thomas More and my Lord of Rochester, had brought to confirm purgatory, made my heart to yearn. What railingor jesting this is, let other men judge ; but Fritli. tliis I dare avow, that I said the truth ; for what should a man do or say, to see them so contrary in their tales ? M. More saith, that there is fire and no water in pur- Rochester gatory ; and my Lord of Rochester saith, that there is ^jorg^'Jn^" both fire and Avater. ]\L More saith, that the ministers More con- of punishment are devils ; and my Lord of Rochester Rochester, saith, that the ministers of punishment are angels. M. More saith, that both the grace and charity of them that lie in the pains of purgatory are increased ; my Lord of Rochester saith, the souls of purgatory obtain there neither more faith, nor grace, nor charity, than they brought in with them. Now judge, good reader, whether I have railed or said the truth ; but all this doth Rastell leave out full craftily : he reciteth full diligently both the head and tail, but the middle, which expoundeth the matter, will he not let you see. He allegeth also against me, that I say M. More is Kastell. sore deceived, and set on the sand even at the first brunt, and in the beginning of his voyage, and that I would wish M. More a little more wit. Even that I say again, and affirm it to be true, and Frith, is so evidently proved in the beginning of mine answer against M. More, that I need to say nothing, but only refer the reader vmto the place. Also he improveth me for saying in another place, Rastell. that M: More showeth him in one text twice ignorant, and that he is too busy, for he vmderstandeth not the phrase of Scripture. This, and such other sayings he allegeth (which I Frith. pass over) ; for I count it foil}' to spend paper and 224> ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Rastell. Rastell is a bitter taunter. Frith, Matt. iii. The re- proving of the Papis- tical lij'po- crites must not be called railing. Lake xiii. labour about the rehearsing of them ; for if you read my book, you shall see all these points so plainly proved, that he might be ashamed to make mention of them. This he counteth jesting, slandering, and railing, saying that no reasonable man will think these points to be things belonging to virtue, but rather spices and branches of pride, and that I show not myself therein charitable, but rather malicious, nor no wisdom therein, but rather. folly ; adding, that if I had been half a year at two schools, that is to say, the school of discretion and the school of charity, I should more have prospered in virtuous learning than I have done in other schools this seven years ; and saith that I have been at the schools of slandering, railing, and jesting. Dear brother, if it had been so that I had spoken certain words indeed, which might have seemed in your eyes to be railing, detracting, and slandering, (as I have not, saving a little jesting) wovild you disprove my doctrine thereby ? What will you then say to St. John Baptist, which calleth the pharisees (then heads of the church, as are now our doctors) generation of vipers ? Would you therefore conclude that his doc- trines were naught ? I think you be not so childish. And it seemeth this one sentence to be more railing and slandering, than all that I have written. What will you say to Christ, which called the scribes and pharisees, hypocrites. (Matt. xv. xvi. xxii.) And in the xiiith he seemeth to rail above measure, Avhere he calleth them hypocrites and blind guides, painted sepulchres, which outwardly appear righteous, but within are full of hypocrisy, serpents, and generation of vipers. Besides that he calleth Herod Fox, (Luke xiii.) and the Jews he called a froward and advoutrous generation, (Matt. xii. xvi. ;) and in the xviith, he saith, O unfaithful and overthwart nation ! Would you think it should excuse the Jews which refused his doc- FuiTii.] RASTELL'S SECOND CHAPTER. 225 trine, to .say that he railed, and that no reasonable man would think those things to be points belonging to virtue, but rather spices and branches of pride, and that he showed not himself charitable, but malicious, nor no wisdom therein, but folly ? W^ould it excuse them to say (as you do to me) that if he had been one half year at [the] school of discretion and charity, he should more have prospered in virtuous learning, and that he had been at the schools of slandering, railing, and jesting ? Finally, St. Paul, in your eyes, might appear to rail and slander, and to be clean destitute of God's Spirit, which, as Luke saith, replenished with the Holy Ghost, Luke xiii. said to Elymas that resisteth him : (Acts xiii.) O thou, full of all subtlety and deceit, thou son of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, ceaseth not to j^ervert the right ways of the Lord. I can bring many more such sayings of Peter, John, James, and Judas, and yet I think you will not improve their doctrine thereby ; but because I study to be short, I shall covmt it sufficient to have warned the reader of this. Notwithstanding, peradventure, Rastell will not yet be answered, but will say, that albeit I have touched enough as concern- ing those things that appear railing and slandering in his eyes, yet I brought none that jest as I do : where- unto I may answer and allege for me, Elias the pro- The pro- phet, which both mocked the false priests, and jested Lost*les with them, saying. Call loud unto your gods, for perad- were great venture they are asleep and cannot hear, or else they ^f t],e nn. be iTone out of town. I cannot enough marvel that mv 8'"t"yand brother Rastell Avould use such manner of reasoning with me, as to improve my doctrine because of my railing and jesting. For therewith he hath made a foul hole in his kins- man's best coat ; for every man perceiveth that ]NL Mere's books are so full of railing, jesting, and bawdy tales, that if the furious Momus and A^enus had taken VOL. IV. q WIC .^.jG ANSWER UNTO [Frith, out their parts, there should be very little left for Vulcanus. Rastell. After this Rastell dissenteth to the purpose of his matter, and would prove that my expositions of Scrip- ture are not good, because they are an occasion to bring the people to boldness of sin, and to move the people to delight in other men's faults, and to laugh thereat. And to put you an example ; he saith, if I should take upon me the exposition of this text : In principio erat verbinn, et verhnm erat apud Deum, Ssx. and expound it after this manner : As it is a In the beginning of this year, Son,Tit John Frith is a noble Clerk, is false He killed a millstone with his spear; Keep well your geese, your dogs do bark. metre. 1 trow, saith Rastell, all wise men would think that this were a fond exposition ; and yet this exposition would please children, fools, and madmen, as well as the exposition of St. Austin or St. Hierome, or any other doctor of the church, because it would make them to laugh. So (saith Rastell) Frith maketh such exposi- tions with jesting and railing to make the people laugh, not regarding to edify the people, nor to provoke them to virtue, meekness, or charity, nor to leave their sin, A sore and but rather giveth them boldness, and to believe that of'llaste'llL^ there is no purgatory nor hell, but mocketh and jesteth at those reasons that be made for })roof of purgatory. Fritli. Now as toviching the first part, where he saith that Frith is a ^y expositions be an occasion to bring the people to scholar and boldness of sin, I ask him, "\^'hy ? His answer is. Be- soon hath (.^use I give them boldness that there is no purgatory, lesson : he nor yet hell. There, too, Rastell, by his leave, maketh a mole^theT ^tten, (I dare not say he maketh a lie, for that he would lie, for that call railing ;) for I never denied hell, but affirm in mant- is bitter. ° ' Frith.] RASTELL'S SECOND CHAPTER. jig? places of my book, and even in the first side of mine answer against him, I affirm hell and perpetual damna- tion. But Avhen ye come to the proof of his words, then you shall see how wisely the man concludeth ; for he thinketh that Ah infer tori ad suis sitperius confuse dis- tribue, men shall think it a good consequent, as if I should say that we lack fire in prison, then would he conclude that there lacked fire in all Middlesex. Or if I would say there were no wit in RastelFs head, then would he conclude that there were no wit in no man's head. But he hath so long studied philcsophy, that lie hath clean forgotten his principles of sophistry ; not- withstanding, we will forgive him this fault, for the man is somewhat aged, and therefore I think it is long since he read them, and that they are now out of his memory. Nevertheless he will say that his argument is not solved, for although I deny not hell, yet I deny purgatory, and so I give the people an occasion to sin, because they fear not purgatory : whereunto I have so sufficiently answered in RastelFs seA^enth argument, that I wonder that he is not ashamed to bring the same again ; but he trusteth that my books shall never be read, and his may go surely abroad, and therefore he may sav what he Avill, only he careth not what he saith, so he hold not his peace. And where he reporteth that I make expositions to JRastel!. make the people to delight to hear of other men''s faults, and to laugh thereat, thereto will I say Nay, till he be at leisure to prove it. And where he saith, If he should Fiiiii. take upon him to expound. In principio eniL verhum^ in this manner : In the beginning of this year, Riistel). John Frith is a noble clerk. He killed a millstone with his spear ; Keep well vour geese, the dogs do bark. Q 2 uis ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Frith. A goose would have made better rhyme and metre than Rastell did. Saying, that all wise men would say that this were a fond exposition : Thereto I answer, that, saving for the rhyme and metre, they might well say that a goose had made it, for any reason that is therein ; and yet as touching the metre, the second verse lacketh a foot, and is shorter than his fellows, but if yovi put out this word Frith, and put in this word Rastell for it, then shall his metre also be perfect, and that halting verse shall run merrily with his fellows upon his right feet, on this manner : In the beginning of this year, John Rastell is a noble clerk. He killed a millstone with his spear; Keep well your geese, the dogs do bark. Frith ta- keth pains to amend Rastell's metre, but not his reason. Thus I have amended his metre; but as for the reason, I leave it to himself to amend it at his leisure. In the end of his second chapter, he saith, that I intend, with my expositions, to bring the people to believe in four other great errors, whereof the first is, that there is no hell ordained for any that is of Christ's faith, although he do never so many sins ; but let us see how he prov- eth it. AN ANSWER UNTO RASTELL'S THIRD CHAPTER, WHICH WOULD PROVE THAT I DENY HELL. Rastell. Ephes. i. TT seemeth, (saith Rastell,) by the reasons that Frith hath alleged, that his intent is to bring the people in belief that there is no hell ; for I allege, in my answer unto RastelFs dialogue, the saying of St. Paul, (Eph. i.) Frith.] RASTELL'S THIRD CHAPTER. ' 229 Christ chose us in him before the beginning of the world, that we might be holy and without spot in his sight; and again, (Ephes. v.) Christ loved his congre- Fiith'sau- gation, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify R,,^te|i"" it in the fountain of water through the word to make it third chap- without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but tliat it should be holy and without blame. And upon these texts I conclude, that if Christ have Frith, so purged us that we are without spot, wrinkle, or blame in his sight, (as Paul testifieth,) then will he never cast us into purgatory. For what should be purged in them, that are without spot, wrinkle, or blame ? And then somewhat to declare the matter how we be sinners as long as we live, and yet without sin in the sight of God, add these words, which I would that all men did well note ; and because Rastell leaveth out the best of the matter, I will rehearse my own words again. Peradventure every man perceiveth not what this meaneth, that we are righteous in his sight, seeing that every man is a sinner, (1 John ii.) ; therefore I will briefly declare the meaning of the apostle. This is first a clear case, that there liveth no man upon the earth without sin, notwithstanding all they that were chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid, are without spot of sin in the sight of God; (Ephes. i.) Howweare so that they are both sinners and riohteous. If Ave con- f ghteous 1 • p • f p • 1 11- •/» in the sight sider the imperfection of our faith and charity, if we of God, and consider the conflict of the flesh and the spirit, (Gal. v.) ^^^ ^^'^ *"'' if we consider our rebellious members which are under sin, (Rom. vii.) then are we grievous sinners ; and, con- trarywise, if we believe, that of that merciful favour God gave his most dear Son to redeem us from our sin, if we believe that he imputeth not our sins unto us, but that his wrath is pacified in Christ and his blood, if we believe that he hath freely given us his Christ, and with him all things, so that we be destitute of no gift, (Rom. viii.) then are we righteous in his sight, and our Rom, viii. 230 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. Rom. V. We are sinners in ourselves, and yet righteous in Christ. Rom. iv. Ps. xxxi. Rastell. Frith. Ri.sicll. Rastell set- teth a trap wherein he will be ta- ken him- self. conscience at peace with God, not through ourselves, but through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. v.) So mayest thou perceive that thou art a sinner in thyself, and yet art thou righteous in Christ, for through him is not thy sin imputed nor reckoned unto thee ; and so are they to whom God imputeth not their sins, blessed righteous without spot, wrinkle, or blame. (Rom. iv. Psalm xxxi.) And therefore Avill he never thrust them into purgatory. And for proof of this I allege, (as Rastell beareth me witness,) divers texts of St. Paul, (Ephes. ii. Rom. iv. V. vii. viii.) ; but that notwithstanding Rastell saith that I have not recited them sufficiently, for I have left out somewhat which I have rehearsed for the opening of the truth, and then bringeth in, that St. Paul exhorteth and biddeth us we shall use no fornication, uncleanness, avarice, filth, or foolish speeches, for such shall have no inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. And even so say I too. But judge, good reader, what is this to the pur- pose ? for it neither maketh for purgatory, neither against it. This text I could have alleged, if I had endeavoured myself that we should do good Avorks (which I never knew Christian man deny) ; but else, as touching my matter, it is nothing to the purpose, and as well he might have improved me, because I bring in no text to prove that the Father of heaven is God, or to prove that whicli man never doubted of. Then he allegeth Paul, (Rom. v. vi.) saying, though grace do reign through Christ, shall we therefore dwell in sin .^ nay, God forbid, saith Paul; and even so say I. Again, he allegeth, (Rom. viii.) that there is no damnation to them which be in Christ Jesus, if they live not after the flesh ; and even so say I ; but Rastell will say tlie contrary anon. Besides that, he allegeth, (Ron), iii.) we be freel}'^ jus- tified by grace, by Christ"'s redemption, to show his jus- tice for the remission of sin done befoi-e ; (and yet saitli Rastell,) Paul ^^aitli, that tht- law is not destroyed by Fkith.] RASTELL'S third CHAPTER. 231 faith, but made stable, but this hath Frith left out of his book to cause tlie people to believe that they be clean purged by the blood of Christ only, and that there need no purgatory. By these words you may evidently perceive what FntU. Rastell meaneth by this alleging of Paul for the esta- blishing of the law, verily, that the work of the law should iustify and clean purge you from sin: which is The works -rT 1 1 11 rf • ^ • 1- of the law contrary to Faul and all Scripture, lor even m this same cannot jus- chapter that he allegeth, Paul saith, that of Avorks of ^'^y "*• the law no flesh shall be justified in his sight, and saith, that the righteousness of God cometh by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all that believe. But as touch- ing good works, I will touch more hereafter. Furthermore, Rastell saith, that if my arguments Kasteli. could prove that there is no purgatory, it must follow Rastell's as well that there is no hell for us that be Christian men, ment.^^^^' though we continue still in sin ; for we be blessed with- out spot, or wrinkle, or blame, and that therefore he will not cast us into purgatory, then he will not cast us into hell whatsoever sin we do commit. Here Rastell uttereth his blindness unto you, and Frith. showeth you what understanding he hath in Scripture ; first, he armeth himself with a false supposition, and yet thereupon he concludeth his argument falsel3^ His supposition is this, that all men which are baptised with material water are very Christian men, and have the x^te well true faith, and be those which Paul affirmeth to be with- this worthy and learned ovit spot, blame, or wrinkle. But thereto I say Nay, for argument. even as the outward circumcision made not the Jews the elect people and children of salvation, so doth not the outward baptism make us the faithful members of Christ ; but as they were the children of God, which were inwardly circumcised, even so they that are washed inwardly from the concupiscence of this world, are the members of Christ, whom Paul affirmeth so to be purged through his blood. Again, you may know that Rastell 232 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. knoweth none other faith but that which may stand with all manner of sin ; but the faith which we speak of, is the same wliich worketh through charity, whereof Paul Gal. V. speaketh. (Gal. v.) They that have this faith, are born 1 John iii. of God and sin not ; these that have this faith do hope and look daily for deliverance out of this thraldom and body of sin ; and in the mean season they purify them- 1 Jolm iii. selves as he is pure. For if a man Avill say that he 1 John ii. knoAveth Christ, or believeth in him, and keepeth not his commandments, he is a liar, and we renounce him to be any of this number that we speak of. And when Ras- tell saitli I would conclude there is no hell for them that Frith. be Christian men, though they continue still in sin, I an- swer, He that committeth sin is of the devil ; and I say again, that the Christian [men] that we spake of, which are Such Chris- the children of God, cannot continue still in sin, but seek as^'are^"the ^^^ means to fulfil God's commandments. Notwithstand- children of ing, the Christian [men] which Rastell speaketh of, which not dwell ^^^ the children of the devil, may do as they list ; and nor abide indeed they had need to make a friend of Rastell to help m sin, and . , . -r. • i i i i n so for them them into his purgatory, ii it be any better than hell ; there is no £y^. tJ^ey shall never come into heaven, except they repent Lukexii. awd walk innocently in this world, as Christ and his little flock liave ever done ; for they that walk other- wise are none of his, thougli they wear mitres. Thesmaller This little flock it is that are so purged, (and not long- to Rasteirs multitude,) and for this is there neither hell Christ, and nor purgatory ordained, even as for this heap that conti- greater. nueth still ill siii is ordained no heaven. And that there is no hell ordained for these faithful followers of Christ, I will prove even by this word of Paul, wliich Rastell Rom. viii. rehearsed before, (Rom. viii.) that there is no damna- tion to them that be in Christ Jesus, if they live not Here Ras- after the flesli. Here Rastell hath smitten the ball quite tell IS taken ^^-j^jgj. t]^p cortl, and hath alleo-ed that, that shall con- in his own _ . trap. demn him ; for if there be no damnation — But because you are somewhat slow in perceiving the matter, I shall Frith.] RASTELL'S THIRD CHAPTER. QSS reduce it into a si/llogismus on this manner : There is no damnation unto them that be in Christ Jesus, if they live not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Every hell is damnation, ergo, there is no hell to them that be in Christ Jesus if they live not after the flesh, but after the spirit. This is in the first figure made by celarent •• — not by any profit that I think that the poor commons can take by such babbling, but only to satisfy your mind and pleasure. Notwithstanding, one thing I must put you in remembrance, that you have falsely translated the text ; for the text hath not that conditional, although I was contented to take it at your hands to see what you could prove ; but the text saith thus, There is no damnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, which walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit ; where Paul doth certify you, that they which are in Christ Jesus, Avalk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. So that you may gather by Paul, that if they walk not after the spirit, they are not in Christ Jesus ; that is to say, they are none of Christ's, although Rastell will call them Christian men : therefore, dear brethren, look that no man deceive himself, for Christ is not the minister of sins. If we be delivered from sin through Christ, then must we walk in a new conversation of our life, or else we are still in darkness. Remember that Ave have this pre- cious treasure in frail, brittle, and earthly vessels ; let us therefore with fear and trembling, work our health, and make stable our vocation and election : for if we retain the truth and knowledge of God in sin and unrighteous- ness, we shall shortly perceive the wrath of God upon us with infinite delusions, and the end of us shall be worse than the beginning ; awake, therefore, and under- stand your health. Now you may see how he concludeth that I establish this error, that there is no hell; for seeing mine argu- ments, and Paid, (Rom. viii.) do conclude tliat there is no hell nor damnation to them that are in Clu-ist Jesus Major. Minor. Rastell fal- si fietli the Scripture. 1 Cor. viii. Gal. ii. Rom. vi. 1 Juhii ii. Phil. ii. Peter i. Rom. i. There is no hell to those that are in (;hrist Jesus. 2.n ANSWER UNTO [Frith. and are his faithful followers, he thinketh it should well follow, that if there be no hell for them, that there is no hell for no man ; for in his second chapter, and also in There is a the beginning of the third, he saith, that I deny hell ; such as fear ^^^ when we conie to his probation, there is nothing said not God, but that which Paul confirmeth, that is, There is no his coin- damnation for them that are in Christ Jesus, which walk maiidments pQ|. aft^j. {[^q flesh, but after the spirit, which are through Christ without spot, wrinkle, or blame. And so, though Rastell appear to himself to conclude like a sage philo- sopher, yet I answer you, he concludeth like an ignorant sophister, as all men may see ; for it followeth not Paul As there is and Frith say there is no hell, as contrariwise it follow- i'or'ffooa" ^^^^ there is no heaven for RastelPs Christian men and evil, so which continue still in sin : ergo, there is no heaven for hell for the devil their father, and yet is there heaven for Christ good and ^^^ j-jjg elect. J have before declared how Christ's elect evil. are smners and no sinners. And now, because you should not mistake the texts of St. John, which I before alleged, I will show you how they do commit sin : which I did also sufficiently touch in my answer against Ras- telfs dialogue, even two leaves from the end, and yet I Avill touch it again, because you shall not think that I would lead you in ignorance and darkness. There are There are two parts in a faithful man, which rebel ^?l°^!i*V" each against other, and are at continual strife, and both man, that f ' is, the out- of them have divers names in Scripture : the one is called and the ii;- the inward man, the heart, the mind, the will, and the ward man. spirit ; the other is called the outward man, the rebel- liovis members, the body of sin, and the flesh : and these in a faithful man keep continual war ; and albeit the one be subdued and taken prisoner of the other, yet never consenteth to his enemy ; he cannot leave him, neither will make peace with him, but will labour what he can, and will call for all that he thinketh will help him to be delivered from his enemy, and then warreth upon him afresh. What time the faithful man is brought Fkith.] RASTELL'S third CHAPTER. 23.5 to the knowledge of God, and believeth in Christ, and hath his will and mind renewed with the Spirit of God, that consenteth to the law of God, that is good, right- eous, and holy ; and beginneth to love the law, and hath a will and a desire to fulfil the law of God, and not to despise his heavenly Father. And look how nuich he loveth the laAv, counting it righteous and holy ; even u^w tiio so much doth he hate sin which the law forbiddeth, and inwani man resist- abhorreth it in his heart and inward man. And then et!i the as- albeit the outward man and rebellious members do at J^^^'jlJj.rj'''*' times besiege him, and take him captive under sin, yet man. doth not the inward man consent that this sin is good, and the law naught which forbiddeth it, neither doth the heart delight in this same sin, neither can it delight in such sin, because the Spirit of God testifieth unto him that it is abominable in the sight of God : and then fight- eth the inward man against the outward with faith, prayer, almsdeeds, and fasting, and laboureth to sub- due the members, lamenting that he hath been overcome, Tlie faiiL. because he feareth to displease God his Father, and ,"a.!"th" desireth him, for the blood of his son Christ, that he God's dis- T . 1 1 • TT 1 1 pleasure. will forgive tnat which is past ; and his diligence that he taketh in taming his members is not recompense towards God for the sin that is past ; but to subdue the flesh that he sin no more. This rebellion had Paul, (Rom. vii.) iu>m. viii. saying, that he did not that good thing which he would, but tlie evil which he hated, that he did; that is, he did not fulfil the good law of God, as his heart, will, and inward man desired, but did the evil as touching his flesh and outward man, which he hated, and so he sinned with his outw(ird man. Then how is this true, "that he that committeth sin is of the devil, and he that is of God committeth no sin ? was not Paul of God ? Yes, verily ; and albeit he committeth sin with his Ho,v a man members and outward man, yet he sinned not ; for he ]^^^\^7n' " saith, "If I do that thing that I hate, then is it not and yt-t sin I that do it, but the sin that dwellcth in mc ; and even "" " S36 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. likewise the faithful follo\vers of Christ commit no sin, for they hate it, and if they fortune to be entangled with sin, it is not they that do it (as Paul saith) but the sin that dwelleth in them, which God hath left to exercise them, as he left the Philistines to exercise and Sin re- nurture the children of Israel ; and if the remnants of our ou*t- '" ^^^^ fortune at any time to look aloft and begin to reign, ward mem- then he sendeth some cross of adversity or sickness to ' ' ' help to suppress them. And thus shall it be as long as we live ; but when we be once dead, then our members rebel no more, and then needeth neither purgatory nor any other cross, for the outward man is turned into vanity, and our inward man "was ever pure, through be- lieving the word of God, and never consented to sin; and needeth no other purgatory in this world, nor in the world to come, but only for subduing the outward man, and therefore after this life he shall never have any pur- gatory. Mark well what I say, and read it again, for more shall read it than shall understand it ; but he that hath ears let him hear. ercise the inward man in re sisting of sin. John XV. Rnstell. Frith. Kastell would fain cavil, but he cannot tell at what. Th e second error that Rastell lay eth to my charge is, that I would bring the people in belief that repentance of a man helpeth not for the remission of his sin. In proving this second error against me, Rastell taketh so great pains, that he is almost beside himself. For he saith, that I would make men believe that it forceth not, whether they sin or no. Why so, brother Rastell? Verily, because I allege St. John, St. Paul, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah, to quench the hot fire of purgatory, and allege no authorities to prove good works. Whereunto I answer (as I did before) that it is nothing to my purpose; for the proving of good works doth neither make for purgatory nor against it. I could have alleged all those texts, if I had intended myself to prove that I should do good works (which I never knew Christian man deny) ; but as touching my matter, it is nothing to the purpose: and as well ho niiglit have im- Frith.] RASTELL'S THIRD CHAPTER. ?J37 proved me, because I bring in no texts to prove that the Father of Heaven is God, or to prove that which never man doubted of. Notwithstanding, if Rastell had indifferent eyes, I spake sufficiently of good works in the tliirty-fourth argument against his dialogue : let all men read the place and judge. Rastell taketh the matter very grievously that I attempt to allege how St. John and St. Paul send us to Rastell. Christ, and then add that we know no other to take away sin but only Christ ; and because I add this word only, therefore he thinketh that I clean destroy repen- Frith. tance. Whereunto I answer, that I added not this word There is no only for nought, but I did it by the authority of St. °'^^"' ^"^ . . . . . . P'"' away John, Avhich saith. If we walk in the light, as he is in sinjdu' the light, we have fellowship with each other, and Christ^ the blood of Jesus Christ his son purifieth us from all sin : whereupon I say that for us which are in the light, For such as his blood only is sufficient; but for your Christian men dwell in the 1-1 • -11 • • 111-11 « ^'s'^t of which contmue still in sin, and walk m darkness after Christ, his their father the devil, must some other means be found, I'l"'"^only ' _ _ 'is sufh- or else they shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven cient. But because I will be short, let Rastell note that I find two manner of repentance : one is without faith, and is such a repentance as Judas and RastelFs Chris- There are tian men which continue still in sin, have at the latter ^^^'^ '"^°- end, which doth rather purchase them a halter than peatances. the remission of sins. Another repentance followeth justification and re- mission of sins, and is a flourishing fruit of faith ; for True re- when by faith we do perceive the favour and kindness pe'itanceis 1 1 • x-\ 1 1 1 1 1 • 1 • '' flourish- that our lovmg t ather hath showed us m his son Christ ing fruit of Jesus, and that he hath reconciled us unto himself by ^'^'^''' the blood of his Son, then begin we to love him, the more we hate the body of sin, and lament and be sorry that our members are so frail that they cannot fulfil the law of God ; and so in mourning and bewailing our infirmity, it causeth us to abstain from both meat and "VVTiat pure drink, and all worldly pleasures, which is the pure fast- °' '°*^ "" '^:'>8 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. ing that we talk of ; but you understand it not. And this repentance conieth not to purge the sin whicli is committed before, but only taketli an occasion by the sins before committed, to know what poison there remained in our flesh, and seeketh all means to make us hate tliis body of sin, and to subdue it with all manner of works that God hath appointed, to the intent that it should in time to come no more displease God, our most merciful Father, which of gentleness so often pardoneth and forgiveth us, as I have touched before. This is the manner of repentance which I find in Scripture, but this helpeth that we should sin no more ; but what Rastell dreameth, I wot not. But to express to the tance'lh'elv ""^^ermost what I mean by repentance, mark this ex- declared by ample. If a man build a house which doth cost him ample. mucli labour and money, and have laid no sure founda- tion, but that when a tempest cometh, his house doth fall, then will he be very sorry and repent that he hath so foolishly bestowed his money and labour : notwith- standing, all this great sorrow and repentance cannot set up his house again, which is fallen, but only it taketh an occasion by the ruin of the house, to teach the owner wit against another time, that when he buildeth again, he may make a sure foundation. Even so, though thou repent never so much, that cannot get remission for the sin that is past, but that must be pardoned only by the faith of Christ's blood : never- theless, it dotli teach thee wit, and learn thee to tame thy body and subdue it, and cast a low foundation, that in time thou mayest the better resist the assaults of the devil, the world, and the flesh. This doth Frith teach of repentance, let the world take it as they will, but Christ's sheep do hear his voice. The third error which Rastell layeth against me is, That I would make men believe that they need not to do penance for the satisfaction of their sins. Every child may answer him to this, if he over read Fkith.] RASTELL'S third CHAPTER. r.'>d or perceive what I wrote before of repentance. For as they take repentance for the sorrow and mourning that followeth the crime, even so they call penance the good works that ensue of repentance. And these good works How pood which follow do mortify the members, and exercise us in mortifv our God's commandments that we sin no more ; but they members. can get no more remission of the sin Avhich is once past, than that which they call repentance. And yet do we neither destroy sorrowing for sin, nor good works, as he falsely reporteth by us ; but we teach you how they ought to be done, and that they are fruits of faith, and mortify our members, and are profitable to our neigh- bour, and a testimony unto us that we are the children ^^''^'1,^'"^'''' of our heavenly Father. As by example, I say, That nei- fruits of ther the sun nor the moon do justify us, or purchase re- mission of our sins ; and yet I would not that Rastell should sav, that I deny or destroy the sun and the moon, for I say that without them we can have no light, and that we cannot be without them. And as touching the solution of this, that penance taken in its largest signification, both for good works and taking of pains, is not satisfaction for sins ; I must tell you once again, that there are two manner of satisfactions, — the one is to There are God, the other to my neighbour. To God cannot all ^f sa^is^j"!'^ the world make satisfaction for one crime; insomuch tions. that if every grass of the ground were a man as holy as ever was Paul or Peter, and should pray unto God all their hfe long for one crime, yet could they make no satisfaction for it, but it is only the blood of Christ that hath made full satisfaction unto God for aU such crimes (Heb. vii.) ; or else were there none other remedy, but Heh. vii. we should all perish. There is another satisfaction, Satisfaction which is to my neighbour whom I have offended, whom ^"j.^iXnir I am bound to pacify as we two can agree, and as the laws of the realm determine between us : as if I had de- famed him, then am I bound to pacify him, and to restore him to his good name again ; if I have murdered anv man, then bv the laws of the realm I must die for 240 ANSWER UNTO [Frith. it, to pacify my neighbour and the commonwealth. But yet I am sure Rastell is not so childish as to tliink that this civil satisfaction is the very satisfaction which pacifieth God's wrath for breaking his law ; for if thou murder a man, and should die a hundred times for it, yet except thou have satisfaction of Christ''s blood, thou shalt be damned thereto : and so I spake that no tem- poral pain was instituted of God for tlie intent that we should satisfy God's wrath thereby ; as it is plain in my book, if Rastell could see. The fourth error that he layeth against me is, that I would persuade the people, that good works are no- thing available. Now are we come to the fourth error, where Rastell untruly reporteth on me that I would persuade the people, that good works done by any man in this world are nothing available unto him that doth them, and that it is no hurt nor hinderance unto any man, though he never do none. Because I say they justify not be- fore God, therefore he thinketh that other men would understand me as wisely as he doth, and argue that they are nothing available ; but I must desire him to put on his spectacles and look again upon my book, and Goodworks he shall find these words. Peradventure thou Avilt an- doTw d ^^^^ vuito me. Shall I then do no good deeds ? I an- why? swer. Yes. Thou wilt answer me, Wherefore ? I answer, Thou must do them, because God hath commanded them. [Thou wilt answer. Why hath God commanded them ?] I ans^ver, Thou art living in this world with men, and hast conversation with them, therefore hath God appointed thee wliat thou shalt do to the profit of thy neighbour, and taming of thy flesh, as Paul testi- Ephes. ii. fieth, (Ephes. ii.) We are his work in Christ Jesus, unto good works, which works God hatli prepared, that we should walk in them. These works God would have us do, that the unfaithful might see the godly and Frith.] RASTELL'S THIRD CHAPTER. 241 virtuous conversation of his faithful, and thereby be Good works compelled to fflorifv our Father which is in heaven. "[^ profit. i o ./ al)le to our (Matt. V.) And so are they both profitable unto thy neighbour, neighbour, and also a testimony unto thee, by the which t "gtimon ' a man may know that thou art the right son of thy that we are heavenly Father, and a very Christ unto thy neighbour, dren of" And after teacheth that we ought to do these works ^^'^^ without having respect either to heaven or hell, but attending through charity the wealth of our neigh- bour, &c. I wonder that Rastell is not ashamed to say that I would make them believe that they are not available. Therefore, good reader, note my words : First, I say we must do them, because God hath commanded them ; is it not available to keep the commandments of God ? Secondarily, I say that they are to the profit of my neighbour ; is it not available ? Thirdly, I say that they tame our flesh ; is it not available ? Fourthly, I say they are to the glory of God ; is it not available ? Fifthly, I say they are a testimony to him that doth them, by the which men may know that he is the very son of God ; is that not available ? Belike, Rastell counteth nothing available but that which justifieth before God ; he will say the sun is not available, because it justifieth not ; fire is not available in his eyes, because it justifieth not, &c. Then Rastell saith that I make a wonder's work with the Scripture, and alleges certain texts that we ought to do good works (which I never denied), and there- upon would conclude that works save and justify, and playeth me the ball lustily over the cord ; but, as God Ephes. ii. would, there stood a post right in the way, and he hit }^'^ ^^^ • , P n 1 . 1 1 1 11 11 . justified by It SO tull, that it made the ball to rebound over agam grace and backward; for in the alleging of his purpose, Paul saith, ^jj'j^j^ j (Ephes. ii.) he hath clean lost the game. The words not of our- are these : By grace you be saved by your faith, and is the gift that is not of you, it is the gift of God, and not of of Cfod. VOL. IV. R 24.2 ANSWER UNTO RASTELL. [Frith. works, that no man should glorify himself; we are the works created of God in Christ Jesus, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them. Here, because he would have the latter end of the text to serve for his purpose, which teacheth good works, (which I never denied,) he bringeth in that thing Avhich clean confut- eth his opinion ; for his opinion (which in all places he hath laboured to prove) is, that we are saved by, good works. But now mark what he allegeth out of Paul : By grace you be saved by your faith : and that is not of you, it is the gift of God, and not of works, for that no Rastell man should glorify himself. Here Paul saith plainly, hath here ^j^^^ ^^^ salvation is not of works ; and so hath Rastell overthrown ^ ' all that he cast down that he built before, and may be likened built and ^^ ^o a shrewd cow, which, when she hath given a large set lip. mess of milk, turneth it down with her heel. Thus have I answered to as much of Rastell's trea- tise as I could get ; if there be any more which may come to my hands, I shall do my diligence to disclose his deceit : so that God give me leave to keep the court with him, he shall win but little, except he convey his balls more craftly. And yet, the truth to say, we play not on even hand ; for I am in a manner as a man bound to a post, and cannot so well bestow me in my play, as if I were at liberty, for I may not have such books as are necessary for me, neither yet pen, ink, nor paper, but only secretly, so that I am in continual fear both of the lievitenant and of my keeper, lest they should espy any such thing by me ; and therefore it is little John Frith marvel, though the work be imperfect, for whensoever straitly ^ hear the keys ring at the doors, straight all must be kept. conveyed out of the way (and then if any notable thing had been in my mind, it was clean lost) ; and therefore I beseech thee, good reader, count it as a thing born out of season, which for many causes cannot have its perfect form and shape, and pardon me my rudeness and imperfection. JOHN FRITHS JUDGMENT MASTER WILLIAM TRACY'S TESTAMENT M.D.XXXI. R 2 JOHN FRITH TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. T^HERE is nothing in this world that is so firm, stable, or godly, but that it may be under- mined, and frowardly wrested of men, and specially if they be void of charity ; as it is evident by Wil- liam Tracy's Testament and last Will that he left, against the which many men, and that of long continuance, have blasphemously barked ; whe- ther of a godly zeal, or of a dasing brain, let other men judge. But this I dare boldly profess, that his godly sayings are ungodly handled : which thing I cannot so justly ascribe unto ignorance, as unto rancour, unto the Furies I had almost said ; for if they had conferred all things unto the rule of charity, which envieth not, which is not puffed up, which is not stirred to vengeance, which thinketh none evil, but sufFereth all things, believeth all things, trusteth all things, and beareth all things, they would not so headily have condemned those things, which might have been full devoutly expounded. Howbeit, they have not 246 FRITH'S JUDGMENT UPON [Frith. only attempted that thing, but have proceeded unto such madness, that they have taken upon them to strive with dead folks ; for it is a most common jest in every man's mouth, that after the maker of this testament was departed and buried, they took up his body and burnt it, which thing declared their fury, although he felt no fire. Therefore we humbly require our most redoubted Prince, with all his nobles and present assembly, that even as all other things do of right depend of their judgment, that even so they would by their discreet advice, cure this disease, pondering all things with a more equal balance. So shall this enormous fact be looked upon with worthy correction, and the condition of the common- wealth shall be more quiet. Mark you, therefore, what things they are, which they so cruelly con- demn. JOHN FRITffS JUDGMENT UPON MASTER WILLIAM TRACY'S TESTAMETNT. Master Tracy. TN the name of God, Amen. I William Tracy, of Todington, in the county of Gloucester, Esquire, make my Testament and last Will, as hereafter fol- io weth, &c. The rest of which testament you shall find before in the works of Wilham T) ndale, fol. 429. [p- 2 of this vol.] Frith.] TRACY'S TESTAMENT. «47 John Frith. — It is marvel but here be somewhat that they improve, for their mind is so intoxicate, that there is nothing but they will note it with a black coal ; and yet all may be established by the testimony of Scripture, for faith is the sure persuasion of our mind, of God and his goodness towards us. And whereas [there] is a sure persviasion of the mind, there can be no doubting or mistrust ; for he that doubteth is like the flood of the sea, which is tossed with winds, and carried with violence : and let not that man think that he shall obtain any thing of God. (James i.) And therefore St. Aus- tin saith. If I doubt, I shall be no holy seed. Further- more, whereas he looketh through the grace and merits of Christ to obtain remission of his sins, surely it is a faithful saying, and worthy to be commended ; for it is even the same that Peter pi'ofessed, (Acts xv.) where he saith, Unto him do all the prophets bear witness, that through his name, as many as believe in him shall receive remission of their sins. Moreover, in that he trusteth, through Christ, to have resurrection of body and soul, they liave no cause to blame him ; for thus doth Paul argue, if Christ be risen, then shall we also rise, and if Christ be not risen, then shall not we rise ; but Christ is risen, for his sovd was not left in hell, therefore shall we also rise (whom Christ shall bring with him) and be immortal, both body and soul. (1 Cor. XV.) And therefore he doth both righteously and godly deduce his resurrection by Christ's, by whom the Father hath given us all things, or else we should not be. But there are some that gather of his words, that he should recount the soul to be mortal : which thing, after my judgment, is more subtilely gathered than either truly or charitably ; for, seeing there was never Christian man that ever so thought, (no, not the very Pagans,) what godly zeal or brotherly love was there which caused them so to surmise.-^ for a good man would not once dream such a thing. But I pray you, why 248 FRITH'S JUDGMENT UPON [Frith. should we not say that the soul doth verily rise, which, through Christ rising from the filth of sin, doth enter with tlie body into a new conversation of life, which they shall lead together without possibility of sinning ? We say also of God (by a certain phrase of Scripture) that he ariseth, when he openeth unto us his power and presence. And why may we not say the same thing of the soul, which in the mean season seemeth to lie secret, and then shall express unto vis (through Christ) her power and presence, in taking again her natural body ? Why should ye then condemn these things .'' There is no man that can receive venom by those words, except he have such a spiderous nature, that he can turn an honeycomb into perilous poison. Therefore let us look on the residue. Master Tract/. — And as touching the wealth of my soul, &c. Frith. — Here he only cleaveth to God and his mercy, being surely persuaded, that according to the testi- mony of Peter, whosoever belie veth in him, through his name, shall receive remission of sins. (Acts xv.) Paul also affirmeth, that whosoever trusteth in him shall not be confounded. (Rom. x.) And Avho can deny but this is most true, when it is understood of that faith which is formed with hope and charity, which the apostle calleth faith that worketh by charity ? (Gal. V.) Now, since these things may be expounded so purely, forsooth he uttereth his own envy, which would otherwise wrest the mind of the maker of this testament. And as touching the addition of this pai'ticle about any other man''s work or works, it seemeth tliat he had respect unto this saying of Peter, which declareth that There is none other name under heaven given inito men, in which we should be saved. (Acts iv.) Besides that, St. Paul committeth the power of sanctifying to Christ only, (Heb. ii.) where he saith. Both he that sanctifieth Frith.] TRACY'S TESTAMENT. 249 (that is to say Christ) and they that are sanctified (tliat is to say the faithful) ai'e all of one (that is God). And surely, if we laboured to excel each other in love and charity, we should not condemn this innocent, but we should rather measure his words by the rule of charity, insomuch that if a thing at the first sight did appear wicked, yet should we take it in the best sense, not judging wickedly of our brother, but referring that secret judgment unto Christ, which cannot be deceived ; and though they be deceived by the pretence of charity, yet therein they may rejoice, and therefore they would be loth to condemn the innocent. But let us pass these things, and see what followeth. Master Tracy. — My ground and my belief is, that there is but one God, &c. Frith. — Why look you so sourly, good brethren ? why do you not rather give him great thanks ? since he hath opened unto you such a proper distinction, by the which you may escape the scholastical snares and mazes. He only deserveth the name of a mid-dealer, which being God, became man to make men gods. And who can by right be called a mid-dealer between God and man, but he that is both God and man ? Therefore, since we have such a mid-dealer, which in all points hath proved our infir- mity, (saving only in sin,) which is exalted above the heavens, and sitteth on the right hand of God, and hath in all things obtained the next power unto him, of whose empire all things depend, let us come with sure confi- dence unto the throne of grace. (Heb. iv.) All other he calleth petitioners which receive grace, but are not able to impress and pour thereof into any other man, for that doth only God distribute with his finger, (that is to say, the Spirit of God,) through Christ. I marvel that you are angry with him that hath done you such a great pleasure. Howbeit, I do ascribe this condemnation rather unto the canonists than unto divines ; for the godly divines would never dote so far, as to condemn so 250 FRITH'S JUDGMENT UPON [Frith. proper sayings. But peradventure this might move their patience, that he will distribute no portion of his goods for that intent that any man should say or do for the weal of his soul. Are you so sore afraid of your market ? Be not afraid, ye have salves enough to supple that sore. Ye know that he is not bound under pain of damnation to distribute his goods on that fashion ; for then those holy fathers were in shrewd case, which continuing in long penury, scant left at their departing a half- penny. Thou wilt peradventure say, that they shall suffer the grievous pains of purgatory : be it so, yet may they be quenched both with less cost and labour ; the Pope's pardon is ready at hand, where both the crime and the pain are remitted at once. And, verily, there is such plenty of them in all places, that I can scantly be- lieve that there liveth any man that is worth an half- penny, but that he is sure of some pardons in store ; and as for this man, he had innumerable. Notwith- standing, this distribution is not of necessity (for unto him that is damned, it profiteth nothing, and he that is not damned, is sure of salvation,) why are ye so hot against this man ? are not his goods in his own power ? he shall give a reckoning of them unto God, and not unto you. Here you may see of how light judgment you have condemned these things : now let us ponder the residue. Mastej' Tracy. — And as touching the burying of my body, &c. Frith. — What hath he here offended which rehearseth nothing but the words of St. Austin.? If you improve these things, then reprove you St. Austin himself. Now if you can find the means to allow St. Austin and cha- ritably to expound his words, why do you not admit the same favour unto your brother, especially seeing charity requireth it .'' Besides that no man can deny but that these things are true, although St. Austin's au- thority were of no reputation with you ; for if these Frith.] TRACY'S TESTAMENT. 251 things were of so great value before God, then Christ had evil provided for his martyrs, whose bodies are com- monly cast out to be consumed with fire and wild beasts ; notwithstanding, I would be afraid to say that they were any thing the worse for the burning of their bodies, or tearing of it in pieces. Be therefore charita^ ble towards your brother, and ponder his words (which are rather St. Austin''s) somewhat more justly. Master Tracy. — As touching the distribution of my temporal goods, my purpose is, &c. Frith. — There is no man doubteth but that faith is the root of the tree, and the quickening power out of which all good fruits spring ; therefore it is necessary that this faith be present, or else we should look for good works in vain ; for without faith it is impossible to please God. (Heb. xi.) Insomuch that St. Austin call- ed those works that are done before faith, swift running out of the way. Moreover, that our merit cannot pro- perly be ascribed unto our works, doth the Evangelist teach us, saying. When ye have done all things that are commanded you, say. We are unprofitable servants, we have done but our duty. (Luke xvii.) By the which saying, he doth in a manner fear us from putting any confidence in our own works ; and so is our glorious pride and high mind excluded. Then where is our me- rit ? Hark what St. Austin saith. The death of the Lord is my merit; I am not without merit as long as that merciful Lord faileth me not, &c. This death of the Lord cannot profit me, except I receive it through faith ; and therefore he reckoneth right well that the faith in Christ is all his merit, I mean the faith wliich worketh through charity, that is to say, faith formed with hope and charity, and not that dead historical faith which the devils have and tremble. (James ii.) Fur- thermore, what St. Austin judgeth of our merit, he ex- presseth in these words : Mark the Psalm, how the proud head will not receive the crown, when he saith. He 252 FRITH'S JUDGMENT UPON [Frith. that redeemed thy life from corruption, which crowneth thee, (saith the Psalm :) hereupon would a man say? which crowneth thee, my merits grant that, my virtue hath done it, I have deserved it, it is not freely given : but give care rather to the pleasure, for that is but thine own saying, and every man is a liar ; but hear what God saith, which crowneth thee in compassion and mercy, of mercy he crowneth thee, of compassion he crowneth thee, for thou wast not worthy that he should call thee, and whom he should justify when he called thee, and whom he should glorify, when he justifieth thee ; for the remnants are saved by the election which is by grace and favour. (Rom. xi.) Now if it be by grace, then is it not of works, for then were grace no grace. (Rom. iv.) For unto him that worketh is the reward imputed, not of grace but of duty. (Rom. iv.) The apostle saith, not of grace but of duty ; but he crowneth thee in compas- sion and mercy ; and if thy merits have proceeded, God saith unto thee, Bolt out thy good merits, and thou shalt find that they are my gifts ; this is the righteous- ness of God, not meaning the righteousness whereby he himself is righteous, but the righteousness where- with he justifieth them whom he maketh righteous, where before they were wicked. These are Austin's words. Finally, let not that move you, where he addeth, that a good work maketh not a good man, but rather a good man maketh the work good ; for there is no man but he is either good or evil. If he be evil, then can he not do good, but evil ; for according to Christ''s testi- mony, A rotten tree beareth no good fruit. (INIat. vii.) And again he saith. How can you say well, seeing you yourselves are evil. (Mat. xii.) But if he be good, he shall also bring forth good fruit at his season ; howbeit that fruit maketh not the man good, for except the man be first good, he cannot bring forth good fruit ; but the tree is known by the fruit. And therefore faith, as a Frith.] TRACY'S TESTAMENT. 253 quickening root, must ever go before, which of wicked maketh us righteous and good, which thing our works could never bring to pass. Out of this fountain spring those good works which justify us before men, that is to say, declare us to be very righteous, for before God we are verily justified by that root of faith; for he searcheth the heart, and therefore this just judge doth inwardly justify or condemn, giving sentence according to faith ; but men must look for the works, for their sight cannot enter into the heart, and therefore they first give judg- ment of works, and are many times deceived under the cloak of hypocrisy. You may see that here is nothing but that a good man may expound it well ; albeit the children of this world (which with their wiles deceive themselves, enter- ing so presumptuously into God's judgment,) do seek a doubt where none is. Go ye, therefore, and let charity be your guide, for God is charity ; and though our law- yer''s heart would break, yet must you needs judge liim a Christian man which saith nothing but that Scripture confirmeth. And verily the judgment of this cause came out of season, and even ungraciously unto our canonists, for they are clean ignorant of Scripture, and therefore condemn all things that they read not in their law ; wherefore, we renounce their sentence, and appeal unto the divines, which will soon know the voice of their Shepherd, and gladly admit those things which are allowed by the Scripture, whereunto they are accus- tomed. A LETTER JOHN FRITH WROTE UNTO THE B'AITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF CHRISt's GOSPEL, WHILST HE WAS PRISONER IN THE TOWER OF LONDON FOR THE WORD OF GOD. ANNO M.D.XXXII. A LETTER WHICH JOHN FRITH WROTE UNTO THE FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF CIIRISt's GOSPEL, WHILE HE WAS PRISONER IN THE TOWER OF LONDON FOR THE WORD OF GOD. ANNO M.D. XXXII. r^RACE and peace from God the Father, through our Saviour Christ Jesus, be with all them that love the Lord unfeignedly. Amen. It cannot be expressed, dearly beloved in the Lord, what joy and comfort it is to my heart to perceive how the word of God hath wrought, and continually worketh among you, so that I find no small number Johnii. walking in the ways of the Lord, according as he gave John xv. us commandment, willing that we sliould love each other as he loved us. Now have I experience of the Rom. xii. faith which is in you, and can testify that it is without simulation, that ye love not in word and tongue only, John iii. but in work and verity. What can be more ti'ial of a faithful heart, than to adventure, not only to aid and succour by the means of other, (which without danger may not be admitted unto us,) but also personally to visit the poor oppressed, and see that nothing be lacking unto them, but that they have both ghostly comfort and bodily sustenance, not- withstanding the strait inhibition and terrible menacing VOL. IV. S 258 A LETTER OF [Frith. of these worldly rulers, ever ready to abide the extreme jeopardies that tyrants can imagine. This is an evidence, that you have prepared your- selves to the cross of Christ, according unto the council of the wise man, which saith, My son, when thou shalt enter into the way of the Lord, prepare thyself unto tribulation. This is an evidence that ye have cast your accounts, and have wherewith to finish the tower which Lukexiv. ye have begun to build. And I doubt not but that Phil. i. he which hath begun to work in you, shall for his glory accomplish the same, even unto the coming of the Lord, which shall give unto every man according to his deeds. Rom. xxi. And, albeit God of his secret judgments for a time keep the rod from some of them that ensue his steps, yet let them surely reckon upon it, for there is no doubt 2 Tim. iii. but all whicli will devoutly live in Christ, must suffer Heb. xii, persecution ; for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth, and scourgeth every child that he receiveth ; for Avhat child is that whom the father chastiseth not ? If ye be not under correction, of which we all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not children. Nevertheless, we may not suppose that our most lov- ing Father should do that, because he rejoiceth in our blood or punishment, but he doth it for our singular profit, that we may be partakers of holiness, and that the remnants of sin, which, through the frailty of our members, rebel against the spirit and will, causing our works to go imperfectly forwards, may some day be suppressed, lest they should subdue us and reign over us : as I have sufficiently declared in the epistle of my book, which entreateth of purgatory, to the which 1 remit them that desire to be further instructed in this matter. Of these things God liad given me the speculation before ; and now it hath pleased him to put it in use and practice upon me. I ever thought, and yet do think, that to walk after God's word, would cost me my FuiTii.] JOHN FRITH. 259 life at one time or another. And, albeit that the Kind's grace should take me into his favour, and not to suffer the bloody Edomites to have their pleasures upon me ; yet will I not think that I am escaped, but that God hath only deferred it for a season, to the intent that I should work somewhat that he hath appointed me to do, and so to use me unto his glory. And I beseech all the faithful followers of the Lord, to arm themselves with the same supposition, marking themselves with the sign of the cross ; not from the cross, as the superstitious multitude do, but rather to the cross, in token that they be ever ready willingly to re- ceive the cross, when it shall please God to lay it upon them. The day that it cometh not, count it clear won, giving thanks to the Lord which hath kept it from you ; and then when it cometh, it shall nothing dis- may you, for it is no new thing, but even that which ye have continually looked for. And doubt not but that God, which is faithful, shall Cor. x. not suffer you to be tempted above that which ye are able to bear, but shall ever send some occasion by the wliich ye shall stand steadfast ; for either he shall blind the eyes of your enemies and diminish their tyrannous power, or else, when he hath suffered them to do their best, and that the dragon hath cast a whole flood of waters after you, he shall cause even the very earth to open her mouth and swallow them up. So faithful is Apoc. xii. he and careful to ease us what time the vexation should be too heavy for us. He shall send a Joseph before you against ye shall come into Egypt ; yea, he shall so provide for you, that ye shall have an hundred fathers for one, an hundred mothers for one ; an hundred houses for one, and that in this life, as I have proved by experience ; and after Mark ii. this life, everlasting joy with Christ our Saviour. Notwithstanding, since this steadfastness cometh not of ourselves, for (as St. Austin saith) there was never s 2 260 A LETTER OF JOHN FRITH. [Frith. man so weak or frail, no, not the greatest offender tliat ever lived, but that every man of his own nature should be as frail, and commit as great enormities, except he were kept from it by the Spirit and power of God : I Rom. XV. beseech you, brethren, in the Lord Jesus Christ, and for the love of his Spirit, to pray with me, that we may be vessels to his land and praise, what time soever it pleas- eth him to call upon us. Eplies. i. '^^^^ Father of glory give us the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, and lighten the eyes of our mind, that we may know his ways, praising the Lord eternally. If it please any of our brethren to wi-ite unto us of any such doubts as peradventure may be found in our books, it should be very acceptable unto us, and, as I trust, not unfruitful for them. For I will endeavour myself to satisfy them in all points, by God"s grace. To whom I commit to be governed and defended for ever. Amen. John Frith, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, at all times abiding his pleasure A TREATISE MADE BY THE SAID JOHN FRITH WHILE HE WAS PRISONER IN THE TOWER OF LONDON, AN NOM.D. XXXII. CALLED A MIRROR, OR GLASS, TO KNOW THYSELF. PREFACE. J WAS desired of a faithful friend, (to whom I am so much bound that he might lawfully have commanded me,) that I would make him a little treatise, by the which he might be somewhat instructed to know himself, and so give God thanks for the benefits which he hath so abun- dantly poured upon him. This thing I took upon me very gladly, partly to fulfil his righteous re- quest, which I trust shall be to the great profit of Christ's flock, and partly to declare what I think both of myself and of all other. Herein may all men see what they have received of God, and how they ought to bestow the talent that is committed unto them, which if you note well, it will cause you to say with the wise man Solomon : Universa vanitas omiiis homo viveiis, Ecdes. i. that is. Every man living is nothing but vanity ; which also the prophet David confirmeth, saying P"«ai- 1'^"' If all men living were pondered in one balance, and vanity hanged in the balance against them, it Eccies. v. should quite weigh them down, and be heavier than all they. As, by example, if a man praise a Note. very fool, and think his wit good and profound, then is that person, indeed, more fool than the other. And even so, since man doth praise and UGi PREFACE. [Frith. commend riches, honour, beauty, strength, and such other vain and transitory things which are but as a dream, and vanish like a flower in the field, when a man should have most need of them ; it followeth well that he himself is more vain than those things which are but vanity. For if it were possible that thou shouldest have all these things an hundred year continually, without any trouble or adversity as never man had, yet were it but a vain dream, if it be cojnpared unto that everlasting life which is prepared for Christ's elect and faith- isaiah xi. ful foUowcrs. So that all flesh is as hay, and all his glory like a flower of the hay is withered, and the flower fallen, but God and his word endure for ever. Jer. IX. Therefore, let not the wise man rejoice in his wisdom, neither the strong man in his strength, nor the rich in his riches. But he that rejoiceth, 1 Cor. i. let him rejoice in the Lord, to whom be all honour and praise without end. Amen. A TREATISE BY THE SAID JOHN FRITH WHILE HE WAS PRISONER IN THE TOWER OF LONDON, ANNO M.D. XXXII. A MIRROR, OR GLASS, TO KNOW THYSELF. THE FIRST CHAPTER. THAT ALL GOODNESS COMETH OF GOD, AND ALL EVIL OF OURSELVES. T'HE philosophers to whom God had inspired certain ^om. i. sparkles of truth, acknowledged that the chiefest point of wisdom and direction of a man's life, was to know himself ; which sentence the Scripture establisheth so clearly, that no man may dissent from the truth of the same. For Solomon saith, that the fear of the Prov. i. Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Now who can fear the Lord, but only he that knoweth himself, as the Scripture teacheth him.'' For if I perceive not the im- Rom.viii. perfection of my nature, which is subject unto corrup- Rom. vii. tion, and void of all stableness ; if I perceive not the unstableness of my flesh, being prone to all sin, and re- Matt. xxv. bellious to righteousness, and that there dwelleth no goodness in me ; if I perceive not the poison of the old Matt. ~(i6 A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. [Frith. serpent, and hell, and sin which lieth hid within me, unto which are prepared pains intolerable, I shall have no occasion to fear God, but rather to advance myself Isa. xiv, equal with God, as Lucifer, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, and Acts xii. such other have done, which after were sore chastened for their folly. What hast thou, vain man, whereof thou mayest rejoice ? For the Scripture testifieth that every good Rom. iii. and perfect gift cometh from above from the Father of James i. light, with whom is no transmutation. So that whether they be outward gifts or inward, pertaining either to the body or soul, if they be good, they come from above Matt. vi. from the Father of light. For if thou behold the pro- portion of thy body, stature, or beauty, thou shalt easily perceive that it cometh of God, even by the words of Christ which exhorteth us not to be careful. For there is none of us all, though we be ever so careful, that can add one [cubit to our] stature, either make one white hair or black. And, as touching our wisdom, eloquence, long life, victory, glory, and such other, the Scripture testifieth Jaines i, that they come of God, and not of ourselves. For St. James saith. If any lack wisdom, let him ask it of God, which giveth it abundantly. As it is evident by Solo- 2 Kings iii. mon, which of God desired wisdom to judge between good and evil. And the Lord made him answer, that because he asked that thing, and not long life, nor riches, nor the destruction of his enemies, but rather wisdom to discern in judgment : Behold, I have given unto thee an heart full of wisdom and understanding, in so much that none before thee hath been like unto thee, neither yet after thee shall any be like unto thee. And besides that, I have given thee riches and glory. Furthermore, the most glorious gifts concerning our souls, come from God even of his mere mercy and favour, which he showeth us in Christ, and for Christ, as pre- destination, election, vocation, and justification; and Frith.] A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. 267 albeit M. More, with his painted jsoctry, and crafty con- More's veyance, do cast a mist before your eyes, that you might '"'**' wander out of the right way, endeavouring himself to instruct you, that God hath predestinated and chosen us before the beginning of the world, because he knew before that we should do good works, yet will I set you up a candle Avhich shall shine so bright, and so clearly dispel his mist and vain poetry, tliat you shall plainly perceive him dancing naked in a net, which, notwith- standing, thinketh himself to go invisible. And although ^M- More there be Scriptures enough (both Tit. iii. and Rom. ii.) a net, to prove the same true, vet will I let that pass, and al- tln"i^f^^i lege for me, St. Austin, which is the candle that I speak visible. of, which shall disclose his juggling, and utter his igno- ^^' ranee ; for St. Austin saith. Some man will affirm that God did choose us, because he saw before that we should do good works ; but Christ saith not so, which saith. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you ; for, (saith he,) if he had chosen us because he saw be- fore that we should do good works, then should he also have seen before, that we should first have chosen him, which is contrary to the words of Christ, and mind of the Evangelist. Here may you see how evidently St. Austin confuteth M. More's poetry, and openeth his serpentine deceit. Finally, St. Paul saith, (Ephes. ii.) that we are saved Ephr^. ii. through grace, and that it cometh not of ourselves ; it is the gift of God, and cometh not of works, lest any man should boast himself : which words M. More might be ashamed to hear if he were not another Lucian, neither regarding God nor man. But St. Austin addeth thus much more unto it : Non erit gratia iillo modo Jiisi fue- rit gratuita omni modo ; that is to say, that it can in no wise be grace or favour except it be always free. And therefore I may conclude, that it is neither of the works going before, nor of the works coming after, but only of the free favour of God. 268 A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. [Frith. And this are we sure of, that whomsoever he choos- eth, them he saveth of his mercy ; and whom he repel- leth, them of his secret and vuisearchable judgment he condemneth. But why he chooseth the one, and repel- leth the other, enquire not, saitli St. Austin, if thovi wilt not err. Insomuch, that St. Paul could not attain Rom. XV. to the knowledge thereof, but cried out, Oh ! the depth of the riches and wisdom of the knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments, and hoAv incomprehen- sible are his ways ! But M. More had lever aloud to lie, and far to err, than to let God alone with his secrets, or to acknowledge his ignorance in any thing. And, to be short, St. Paul saith. What hast thou that thou hast not received "^ If thou hast received it, why dost thou avaunce thyself as though thou hadst not received it .'' So we may conclude, that all goodness Cometh of God, and all sin or mischief of our own poisoned nature. Insomuch, that we may say with the prophet Daniel : Tihi Domiue gloria^ nobis auteni con- fusio faciei. O Lord, all glory be unto thee, and unto 1 Cor. i. us shame and confusion, so that he that rejoiceth, may rejoice in the Lord. 1 Cor. ii. THE SECOND CHAPTER. FOR WHAT INTENT GOD GIVETH US THESE GIFTS, AND THAT THEY ARE RATHER A CHARGE AND A CAREFUL BURTHEN, THAN ANY PLEASURE TO REJOICE AT. J^IKE as there are many members of our body, and every member hath his office appointed unto him, which he must do, not for his own wealth and safe- guard only, but for the preservation of the whole body, insomuch that the most honest member must serve the vilest at his necessity ; for if the hand would not serve Frith.] A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. 269 the slow belly, they should both perish together : even so hath God appointed his gifts, and distributed them in this world unto us (which should be as one body,) that every nation hath need of another, every occupation need of another, and every man need of his neighbour. This is so plain that it cannot be denied. Neverthe- less I will more specially touch the matter, because I would have it so rooted in you, that you might endea- vour yourselves to fulfil it towards each other. If God have opened the eyes of thy mind, and have given thee spiritual vvisdom through the knowledge of his word, boast not thyself of it, but rather fear and tremble ; for a chargeable office is committed unto thee, which (if thou fulfil it) is like to cost thee thy life at one time or other, Avith much trouble and persecu- tion. But if thou fulfil it not, then shall that office be thy damnation ; for St. Paul saith. Wo is to me if I l Cor. ix. preach not ! And by the prophet Ezekiel, God saith, Ezek. xxiii. If I say unto the wicked that he shall die the death, and thou show him not of it, the wicked shall die in his iniquity, but I shall require his blood of thy hand. But, peradventure, our divines would expound these texts only upon them that are sent, and have cure of souls. Whereunto I answer, that every man which hath the light of God's word revelated unto him, is sent whensoever he seeth necessity, and hath cure of his neighbour's soul. As, by example, if God have given me my sight, and I perceive a blind man going in the way, which is ready, for lack of sight, to fall into a pit, wherein he were like to perish, then am I bound, by God's commandment, to guide him till he were past that jeopardy, or else, if he perish therein, (where I might have delivered him,) his blood shall be required of my hand. And likewise, if I perceive my neighbour like to perish for lack of Christ's doctrine, then am I bound to instruct him with the knowledge that God hath given me, or else his blood shall be required of my hand. 270 A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. [Frith. Objection. Solution. Matt. Rom. ii. Peradventure, they will say that there is already one appointed to watch the pit, and therefore, if any man fall into it, he shall make it good, and that therefore I am discharged and need to take no thought. Where- imto I answer, I would be glad that it so were. Not- withstanding, if I perceive that the watchman be asleep, or run to the alehouse to make good cheer, or gone out of the country a whore-hunting, and through his negli- gence espy my neighbour in danger of the pit, then am I nevertheless bound to lead him from it. I think that God hath sent me at that time to save that soul from perishing. And the law of God and nature bindeth me thereto, which chargeth me to love my neighbour as myself, and to do unto him as I would be done to. And I think there is no man, that is in this case, but he would have his neighbour to help him ; and therefore is he bound to help his neighbour if he be in like jeo- pardy. And even thus art thou bound to give good counsel to him that lacketh it, and to distribute what- soever talent thou hast received of God unto the profit of thy neighbour. Moreover, besides, that ye cannot avoid this my solution, yet I desire you to note how the text itself, which I alleged, doth condemn your vain objection ; the words are these, (Ezekiel iii.) " If I say unto the wicked, that he shall die the deatli, and thou show him not of it, the wicked shall die in his iniquity, but I shall require his blood of thy hand. Mark, I pray you, that the prophet saith, not, as you object, that he which should show the wicked his iniquity, and doth not so, shall perish only, and the wicked himself to be saved, because his fault was not told him by him which took charge to teach him ; but contrary^vise, the wicked shall perish in his iniquity, (saith God by his pro- phet Ezekiel,) and his blood shall be required of the hand of him which should have instructed liim in the truth. If God have given thee faith in Christ''s blood, be not proud of it, but fear; for since God hath not spared Frith.] A iMIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. 271 the natural branches, (I mean the Jews, which were his 2 Pet. ii. elect people;) since he spared not the angels that sinned, but hath cast them into hell, to be reserved unto judg- ment ; since he spared not the old world, but over- whelmed them with waters, delivering Noah the preacher of righteousness, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Truth it is, that where faith is present, no sin can be imputed, but this faith is not in thy power, for it is the gift of God. And therefore, if thou be unkind, and en- 1 Cor. xii. deavour not thyself to walk innocently, and to bring forth the fruits of faith, it is to be feared that for thine unkindness God will take it from thee, and hire out his Matt. iii. vineyard to another, which shall restore the fruit in due season, and then shall thine end be worse than thy beginning. Let us therefore with fear and trembling seek our health and make stable our vocation and elec- tion, mortifying our members and man of sin, by exer- Matt, xxi, cising ourselves in Christ's precepts, that we may be Matt. xii. the children of our Father that is in heaven, and fellow Pliil. ii. heirs with our Saviour and brother Christ Jesus. 2 Pet. i. If God have given thee riches, thou mayest not think Matt. v. that he hath committed them unto thee for thine own use only, but that he hath made thee a steward over them to distribute them to the profit of the community ; for indeed thou art not the very owner of them, but God is the owner, which saith, by the prophet Haggai, Gold is Hag. ii. mine, and silver is mine ; and he hath committed them for a season to thy hand, to see whether thou wilt be faithful in distributing this wicked mammon, according Luke xvi. to his commandments. And that it so is, thou mayest well note by the parable of the rich man, which was clothed in silk, and fared delicately in this world, and after was buried in hell ; whereupon St. Gregory noteth that he was not damned because he despoiled any other man''s, but because he did not distribute his own, as the process of the text doth also well declare. Wherefore, if we must give accounts of all that is given us, then 272 A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. [Fuith. liave we little cause to glory, but rather to fear and tremble, and to count him most happy to whom least is committed ; for God, to whom this account must be made, cannot be deluded, although the world may be blinded. If God have given thee thy perfect limbs and mem- bers, then get to some occupation, and work with thine own hands, that thy members which are whole and per- fect may minister to their necessity that lack their members ; for that is acceptable in the sight of God, and the contrary so detestable, that if thou withdraw thy members from aiding thy neighbours, thou shalt of God be recounted for a thief and a murderer. And therefore, I affirm that all our holy hypocrites and idle- bellied monks, canons, and priests, whether they be regular or secular, if they labour not to preach God's word, are thieves and also murderers; for they main- tain their strong members in idleness, which ought to labour for the profit of their neighbours, that their perfect members might minister unto the necessity of them that lack their members : as the eye must mi- nister her fruit of sight unto the feet, hands, and other members which lack it ; or else are they in jeopardy to perish at every pit, and the eye guilty of their destruc- tion for withdrawing her office from them. And this may we establish by the words of St. Paul, which saith, Ephes. iv. He that did steal, let him steal no more, but rather labour with his own hands, that he may have to disti'i- bute to them that lack. And some doctors do very well expound it of certain persons that walked inordinately, and would not work themselves, though they were sturdy lubbers, but lived on other men's charity, wliich thing the apostle calleth theft, and exhorteth them to work with their own hands, that they may both help themselves and others. And for because some persons which feel themselves aggrieved, because they are guilty, will not be content to FaiTH.] A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. 273 allow this exposition, I will alleoe another text of the wise man, which shall not only allow this sentence, but also bite them better ; for lie saith, Fanis egentium vita Ee xxxiv. pauperis est, qui autem defraudat eum homo sanguinis est, that is to say, The bread of the needy is the life of the poor, and he that defraudeth him of it is a mur- derer. This text holdeth their noses so hard to the grindstone, that it clean disfigureth their faces, for it proveth our bishops, abbots, and spiritual possession- aries double thieves and murderers, as concerning the body (besides their murdering of the soul for lack of God's word, which they will neither preach, nor suffer any to do it purely, but persecute and put them to the most cruel death.) First, they are thieves and murderers, because they distribute not that which was appointed by our faithful forefathers to the intent it should have been ministered unto the poor, (for then they seemed to be very virtuous,) but now they bestow it upon hawks, hounds, horses, &c. upon gorgeous apparel and delicate fare : and glad are the poor when they may get the scraps. They may have not so much as a pig of their own sow, nor scant a feather of their own goose. For he that may dispend four or five thousand marks a year, would think it were too much if he gave twenty nobles of it unto the poor, which, notwithstanding, are the owners, under God, of all together, the minister's living deduct, which (as the apostle saith,) having their food and clothes to cover them, ought therewith to be con- \ xi^j, ^j. tent. And thus they defraud the poor of their bread, and so are they thieves ; and (because this bread is their life,) as the aforesaid text testifieth. He that defraudeth him of it, is not only a thief, but also a murderer. And when they think to bestow it very well, and be- stow it in building palaces of pleasure, yet are they therein much to be reproved ; for as an old doctor saith, they are in that point worse than the devil, for the devil would have had that Christ should have turned stones VOL. IV. T 2 74 A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. [Frith. into bread (which might have succoured the poor,) and these builders turn the bread into stones. For they bestow the good which should be given to the poor for their sustenance, upon an heap of stones. Objection. gut J^ej-g tJ^gy ^jn object (as they are never without evasions,) that if they should distribute it among the poor according as they are bound, within a while all would be spent, and no good should come of it, nor no man know where it is become, or who fareth the better Solution. for it. Whereunto I answer, that indeed ye be too wise for me ; for since ye go about to correct Christ, and to set him to school and learn him what is best, it were but folly for me to meddle with you. For Christ's mind and commandment is, that we should distribute it, and Eccles. iv. not v/ithhold it from them. And saith by his prophet, Isaiah v. Wo be to them that couple and knit houses toge- ther ! which I think may justly be verified upon you. Nevertheless, this I dare say, that if a bisliop, which may dispense four thousand marks, would, unto the poor of his diocese, distribute every year but the one half, giving unto one man forty shillings, and lending unto another twenty nobles to set up his occupation withal, and so give and lend as he seeth need, he should within five or six years more make a flourishing diocese. And I think, verily, that his face should more be allowed be- fore God, than if he had builded a thousand abbeys ; for God's commandment ought first to be done, and is much more acceptable to him than all the works that proceed of our imaginations and foolish phantasies. Besides that they are thieves and murderers for with- drawing their perfect members from labour, whereby they might minister unto their neighbours' necessity, (I speak of as many as are not occupied about preaching God's word ;) for in that they withdraw their members from succouring their poor neighbours, they are thieves; and because this succour is called their life, they are murderers for keeping it from them. Frith.] A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. 275 Here our begging orders of friars would think to be exempt, because they have not received rents to be dis- tributed. Notwithstanding, if we ponder this text well, we shall find them condemned as deep as the other. For they enter into every mass-house, and with un- sliamefaced begging, poll them so nigh, that in a man- ner they leave nothing behind for the very poor which are sick, lame, crippled, blind, and maimed ; for there is not the poorest desolate widow, but with his fair flat- terino- he will so deceive her, that he will be sure either of money or ware. But, dear brethren, maintain ye no such murderers, lest ye be partakers of their sins, but rather follow the counsel of the apostle, which charg- eth us in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we withdraw ourselves from every brother that walketh in- ordinately, and worketh not; and biddeth, if he will not 2 Thes. iii. work, he should not eat. Now if they object that they live in contemplation, and study of Scripture, and say that they ought not to be let from that holy work ; for Christ said that Mary had chosen the best part which shovdd not be taken from her : Thereunto may I make the same answer which that holy father and abbot St. Silvan made. This Silvan was an abbot, a holy man, having many monks under him, whom he caused, after their prayers (which Avere nothing so long as our monks use now-a-days, which think for their many words to be heard, like as did the Pharisees whom Christ rebuked ;) he caused them, I say, to labour for their living, according to the word of Paul. And upon a time there came a religious man to his abbey, and when he saw his monks working, he asked the abbot why he so used them ? and why they gave not themselves to holy contemplation, seeing that Mary had chosen the best part .'* The abbot made few words, but gave this monk a book, and sent him into a cell, to be there occupied in study and contemplation. T 2 27G A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. [Frith. And at dinner time the abbot called all his monks to meat, and let him sit in contemplation. After noon, when he began to wear very hungry, he came out again to the abbot Silvan, and asked whether his monks had not yet dined "^ And he answered, Yes. — And why call- ed ye not me, quoth the monk, to dine with them .'' — Verily, said the abbot, I thought you had been all spiritual, and had needed no meat. — Nay, quoth the monk, I am not so spiritual, nor fervent in con- templation, but that I must needs eat. — Verily, said the abbot, then must you also needs work, for INIary hath need of Martha. When the monk heard that, he repented, and fell to work as the other did. And I would to God that this answer would cause our reli- gious even so to do, and to fall to work, that they might succour their needy neighbours. And as touching their study in Scripture, St. Austin saith. How shalt thou better learn to understand the Scripture, than by going about to fulfil that thou there readest ? And if thou go about to fulfil it, saith he, then must thou work with thy hands, for that doth St. Paul teach thee. Of this I have compiled a whole book, which if God have appointed me to finish it and set it forth, shall be a rule of more perfection unto our reli- gious, than any that they have used this hundred year. THE THIRD CHAPTER. THE CONCLUSION OF THIS TREATISE, THAT NO FLESH SHOULD REJOICE, BUT FEAR AND TREM- BLE IN ALL THE GIFTS THAT HE RECEIVETH. jLJERE may est thou perceive that no man liveth but he may fear and tremble ; and most he may fear, to whom most is committed, for of him shall much be re- Frith.] A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. 277 quired. And much are we bound to thank God in all things ; for ourselves have we nought but sin and va- nity, but through his gracious favour have we all good- ness, and be that we be. And since all our goodness Cometh of him, we must again be thankful unto him, and keep his commandments ; for else we may fear lest he take his gifts from us, and then shall we receive the greater damnation. If thou have received the knowledge of his word, give him thanks, and be a faithful minister thereof ; for else he shall deliver thee unto thine own fantastical imagina- tions, and cast thee headlong into an heap of heresies, which shall bring thee into utter destruction. If he give thee faith in his word, give him thanks, and bring forth the fruits thereof in due season ; for else he will take it away from thee, and send thee into final desperation. If he give thee riches, then give him thanks, and dis- tribute them according to God''s commandment ; or else he shall take them from thee, (if he love thee,) either by thieves, by wrter, by death of thy cattle, by blasting thy fruits, or such other scourges, to cause thee to love him, Isaiah v. because he would alienate thine heart from them : this I Jer. vii. say he will do, if he love thee, to make thee put thine whole trust in him, and not in these transitory things. But if he hate thee, then will he send thee great prospe-- Jer. xii. rity, and increase them plenteously, and give thee thy heaven in this world, unto thine everlasting damnation in the life to come ; and therefore fear, and take good heed whilst thou hast leisure. If thou ask me what his honour, praise, and thanks are ? I answer, that his honour, praise, and thanks, is nothing else but the fulfilling of his commandments. If thou ask me what his commandments are, as touch- ing the bestowing of thy goods .^ I answer. His com- mandments are, that thou bestow them in the works of mercy, and that shall he lay to thy charge at the day of 278 A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. [Friti/. judgement. He shall ask you, whether you have fed the hungry, and given drink to the thirsty, and not whether you have builded abbeys and chantries. He shall ask you whether you have harboured the harbourless, and clothed the naked, and not whether you have gilded images, or given copes to churches. He shall ask you whether you have visited the sick, and gone to the pri- soners, and not whether you have gone a pilgrimage to Walsingham or Canterbury. And this I affirm unto thee, that if thou build a thousand cloisters, and give as many copes and chalices to churches, and visitest all the pilgrimages in the world, and espiest and seest a poor man whom thou mightest help, perishing for lack of one groat, all these things whereon thou hast bestowed so much money, shall not be able to help thee. Therefore, take good heed, and say not but that ye be warned. If God have given thee thy perfect limbs and mem- bers, then give him thanks, and use them to the taming of thy body, and profit of thy neighbour. For else, if God love thee, he will send thee some maim or mischief, and take them from thee, that thy negligence and none using of them be not so extremely imputed unto thee. But if he hate thee, he shall keep them whole and sound for thee, that the none using of them may be thy greater damnation. Therefore, beware, and fear, giving him thanks according to his commandments. For we are his creatures, and are much bound to him that he hath given to us our perfect members ; for it is better for us to have our limbs, and to work with them distributing to others, than that others should distribute unto vis ; for Acts ii. it is a more holy thing to give than to take ; yea, we are much bound unto him, althougli he have made us Jer. xviii. imperfect and mutilate ; for we were in his hands, (as we are yet,) to have done with us wliatsoever had pleased him, even to have made us the vilest creature upon the earth. I have read of a sliepherd, which, keeping his sheep Frith.] A MIRROR TO KNOW THYSELF. Q79 in the field, esjjied a foul toad, and when he had well marked her, and conferred her shape, and nature, unto himself and his nature, he fell a weeping and cried out piteously. At the last, came a bishop by, riding right royally ; and when he saw the shepherd so sore lament- ing, he reined his horse, and asked him the cause of his great wailing. Then answered the shepherd. Verily, Sir, I weep for mine unkindness towards almighty God ; for I have given thanks to God of many things, but yet I was never so kind since I was born, as to thank him of this thing. — What is that ? said the bishop. — Sir, (quoth he,) see you not this foul toad.'' — Yes ! (quoth the bishop,) what is that to the purpose.'' — Verily, (said the shepherd,) it is the creature of God as well as I am, and God might have made me even such a foul and unreasonable beast as this is, if it -had pleased him, and yet he hath not done so, but of his mercy and goodness he hath made me a reasonable creature, after his own shape and likeness; and yet was I never so kind as to thank him that he had not made me so vile a creature, which thing I greatly bewail, and mine unkindness causeth me now thus to weep. — With that the bishop departed, and, I trust, learned to do thereafter. And I beseech God that we may so do, and be the faith- ful followers of our Saviour Christ Jesus, to whom be praise, honovn*, and glory for ever. Amen. A MIRROR, OR LOOKING GLASS, WHEREIN you MAY BEHOLD THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM DESCRIBED. ANNO M.D. XXXIII. BY ME, JOHN FRITH. He that will believe and be baptized, shall be saved : but he that will not believe shall be condemned, fllark xvi. A MIRROR, OR LOOKING GLASS, WHEREIN YOU MAY UEHOLD THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM DESCRIBED ANNO M.D. XXXIII. BY ME, JOHN FRITH. CONSIDERING the manifold and lamentable errors wlierewith not the ignorant yjeople only, but also the learned, (as they seem,) have been seduced long, as touching the blessed sacrament of baptism, I thought it expedient therein to write my mind, trusting, by that means, to bring again the blind hearts of many unto John x, the right way ; and I doubt not but that the elect and i Cor. a. chosen of God, that know their Shepherd's voice, and God's elect have the spirit to judge all things, shall easily perceive P^'^peive^ whether this be conformable to their master's voice, and spiritual shall hereby be monished to leave their wandering in 1^15""^^ the dark and loathsome ways which lead unto death, and ments. to walk without stumbling in the comfortable light thetmh " which brineeth their consciences to rest, and such peace ^""getli , f 11 1 T rest of con- that passeth all understanding. science. One error is this : They put so great confidence in Phil. w. the outward sign, that without discretion they condemn through the infants, which die or they be baptized, unto ever- *J^^ s>"ss lasting pain. Another is this : They cleave so strongly stauding oi" unto the weak ceremonies, that they think if a drunken ''apt'sm, ' •' condemn priest leave out a word, as Volo say ye, or Credo say yc, infants un- or forget to put spittle or salt in the child's mouth, that '""P^'^^d. 284 A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. [Frith. External the child is not christened ; yea, so much give they there- oiftT iri-^' ^"^^ ^^^ beggarly salt, that they will say, Spill not the tual sense, salt, for it is oiir Christendom ; and use also to swear by beii^ve/of ^^ ' s^ji'^g' -^J ^his salt, that it is my Christendom. the blind Alas ! what blindness is this. These two errors are the principal that I do intend at this time to confute ; for when they are fallen, the other that are grounded on Three these must needs decay. First, we must mark three l^^t b thiiigs in every sacrament to be considered, the sign, considered the signification, and the faith which is given unto the sacrament, ^ords of God. The sign in baptism, is the plunging down in the material water, and lifting up again, by the which, as by an outward badge, we are known to be of the number of them which profess Christ to be their Redeemer and Saviour. Outward This outward sign doth neither give us the Spirit of theT minis- ^r^*^ ' neither yet grace, that is the favour of God. For ter unto us jf throuffh the washing in the water, the Spirit or grace God's Spirit .*= , 1 fj •. p n .i . i nor his were given, then should it lollow that whosoever were grace. baptized in water should receive this precious gift ; but that is not so, wherefore I must needs conclude that this outward sign, by any power or influence that it hath, bringeth not the Spirit or favour of God. That every man receiveth not this treasure in baptism, it is evident ; Mark well foi' put the case, that a Jew or an infidel should say this exam- (.j^g^^. j^g ^[^ believe, and believed not indeed, and upon his words were baptized indeed, (for no man can judge what his heart is, but we must receive him unto baptism if he confess our faith with his mouth, albeit his heart He that re- be far from thence,) this miscreant, now thus baptized, sfgirof a ^ hatli received this outward sign and sacrament, as well sacrament t]^^ i^^o^t faithful man believing. Howbeit, he neither amrn'ot the recciveth the Spirit of God, neither yet any grace, but significa- rather condemnation. Wherefore, it is evident that the wardly in exterior sign giveth not this giit : which is also as cer- ceTveth liis ^'"" ^" ^^^ other sacraiiients, yea, in the sacrament of damnation the altar, which may be called a double sacrament. s Frith.] A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. 285 For it is not only a remembrance that the natural body Note. of Christ was broken, and his blood shed for our re- demption, as the evangelists do testify, but also it is his spiritual body, which is the congregation of the faithful, as St. Paul testifieth, saying, The bread which we break, is it not the partaking (that is to say, we that are partakers,) of the body of Christ ? For we, (saith he,) though we be many, yet are we one bread and one body. But for all that, the receiving of this sacrament giveth us not the Spirit of God, neither yet his favour ; for the wicked receiveth it, as well as the good : howbeit, that receiving is to their damnation. Wherefore it followeth that the outward sign giveth no man any grace. INIoreover, if the Spirit of God and his The Spirit grace were bound unto the sacraments, then where the ^^^ i"ound sacraments were ministered, there must the Spii'it of to the out- 11 .1 ^ • • 1 ward sii^ns grace Avait on; and where they were not mmisiered, of Sacra- should be neither Spirit nor grace. But that is false, for ments. Cornelius and all his household received the Holy Ghost before they were baptized. Insomuch that Peter said. Acts x. May any man forbid that these should be baptized with water, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we .'* And so he commanded them to be baptized, in the name of the Lord. Here may we see, that as the Spirit of God lighteth where he will, neither is he bound to God'sSpirit any thing. Yea, and this example doth Avell declare "„ any""' unto us, that the sacraments are given to be an outward place. witness unto all the congregation, of that grace which is given before privately unto every man. So is baptism given before the congregation unto him which, before he receive it, hath either professed the re- infidels ligion of Christ, or else hath the word of promise, by f""*'^ ^""^ => . / . . believe in the which promise he is known to be of the sensible con- ciirist, and gregation of Christ. And for this cause, when we baptize '^•"'j,^^' one that is come unto the age of discretion, we ask of tismasthe him whether he believe ? if he answer yea, and desire titeh-^faitU baptism, then is he baptized : so that we require faith in »" ^'""- 286 A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. [Frith. Note. him before he is baptized, which is the gift of God, and Cometh of grace ; and so is it an outAvard sign of his invisible faith, which before was given him of God. If an infant be brought unto baptism, Avhom his friends oiFer up willing to sanctify and fulfil the command- ment and ordinance of God, we inquire of his friends, before the congregation, whether they will that their child be baptized, and when they have answered yea, then receiveth he baptism. Here also went before the promise of God, that he of his grace reputeth our in- fants no less of the congregation than the infants of the Hebrews ; and through baptism doth the congregation receive him, which was first received through grace of the promise. Thus may we see that baptism bringeth not grace, but doth testify unto the congregation that he which is baptized had such grace given him before : so The defini- is baptism a sacrament, that is, the sign of an holy thing, baptism. even a token of the grace and free mercy which av as be- fore given him, a visible example of invisible grace, which is done and given through the gentleness of God. By this may we perceive hoAV gross their ignorance is, which, without discretion, condemn the infants that de- part out of this world, not baptized in our material water. For if that water give no grace, as I have suffi- ciently proved, why should they condemn more before Faith fol- that washing, than after ? Besides, that the election of loweth our Q^^ jg ^ ^^^ followeth not our faith, but faith follow- election. ' _ ... Acts xiii- ^^^ ^^^^ election, as it is Avritten : And there believed as many as were ordained unto everlasting life ; for they that are chosen from the beginning, are, no doubt, cho- Rash judg- gg^ before they had faith. We ouo-ht not, therefore, to IllCIlt 111 mystical give such unadvised judgment on these children, wliich, matters not ^^y their age, have not yet heard our faith, seeing God's election is hid from ovu' eyes. Israelites, The children of Israel Avere a people Avhich God had God's pecu- chosen from among all nations of the Avorld, and gave liar people. . . . ^ , • i f i them circumcision for a token and memorial of that elec- Frith.] A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. 287 tion, which circumcision was a figure of our baptism, Sacra- and they thought that the Gentiles, which were not car- "^'^"ts, and _-' f _ ngtires nally circumcised, had been all condemned. But their thereof, opinion deceived them, for there were also of the Gen- demood""' tiles, which, although they were not circvimcised out- breed wardly, were elect of God, and were spiritually circum- cised, which only is the thing that God regardeth, as Paul testifieth, saying, He is not a Jew which is a Jew Rom. ii. outward, neither is that circumcision any thing, which is outward in the flesh ; but he is a Jew which is hid within the circumcision of the heart, which is the cutting off of carnal desires, and is the true circumcision. This circumcision was in price with God, with the which the Gentiles (as Job) were circumcised. And in like man- ner may we say of our baptism, he is not a Christian man which is Avashed with water, neither is that baptism which is outward in the flesh ; but that is the very bap- tism which God alloweth, to be baptized spiritually in the heart, that is, to subdue and weed out the branches of sin, that it reign not in your mortal bodies, and bring them into bondage under it ; of the which our baptism is but a sign. And there are many, I doubt not, which are thus spiritually baptized, although their bodies touch no water, as there were Gentiles thus spiritually circumcised, and yet never cut off the foreskin of their privy members. Furthermore, the children of the uncircumcision are of the people and congregation of God, as well as the children of the Hebrews under the law were members of God's their' con o-regation. I take the congregation of God in f^'^^'ch o " o o _ largely ta- this place even somewhat largely, that is, for all them ken, what that are thought or counted to be the members of Christ, ^'^"* as it is taken, (Matt, xiii.) where Christ compareth it Matt, xiii. unto a net which receiveth both good fish and evil : and again, (Matt, xxv.) where he likeneth the kingdom of matt. xxv. heaven, that is to say, the congregation of God, unto ten virgins, of the which five were wise and five foolish. 288 A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. [Frith. God's elect ^^^ ^ speak not in this place of the elect sanctified and church is invisible congregation, which is without spot and spot, and wrinkle, and only known unto God, which hath chosen ^"^y'^'^*'^^ her before the foundations of the world were laid. Nei- to (ioa. , . . , ther IS It to be esteemed, but that God is as merciful unto us, which are of the spiritual Israel, as he was unto the carnal Israel. St. John, St. Paul, and such other, were they not being infants of the congregation of God, elect in Christ Jesus before the creation of the world ? howbeit, in their infancy they neither had faith, nor yet knew any thing of this election. ]\Iatthew, Man is un- Zacclieus, the thief, and Mary Magdalen, were they not hirelect^on likewise so chosen ? yet they themselves knew it not until the until they were lightened of the Holy Ghost, and drawn working in unto Christ by our heavenly Father ; neither knoweth him assure ^^y ^^q^^ of another's election, but every man may thereof. know his own through his faith and will that he hath Good and ^^ fulfil the law of God. Of this sensible congregation bad are of of Christ was Judas, yea, and all the other which after church. forsook Christ ; neither wist the apostles but that Judas had been of the elect, sanctified, and invisible congrega- tion of Christ, as well as Peter or John : so that our judgment recounteth all faithful and chosen, that seem to be ; but Christ knoweth them that are his, and them that shall forsake him. Now is there an opinion risen among certain, which affirm that children may not be baptized until they come unto a perfect age, and that because they have no faith ; but verily, methinketh that they are far from the meekness of Christ and his Spirit, which, when chil- dren were brought unto him, received them lovingly, Matt. ix. and embraced them in his arms, (Matt, ix.) and when his disciples blamed the bringers, he called tlicm unto him, saying. Suffer cliildren to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. (Luke ijMke xviii. xviii.) And albeit, they have no faith, but are only of that invisible congregation, that is without spot or Frith.] A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. 289 wrinkle ; yet, as I have said, they have a promise, as Infants well as the children of the Hebrews, by the which they .'"''^■^f, are of the visible congregation, which thing only is because testified in their baptism. So it appeareth, that these partakers men are ignorant what baptism is ; for our baptism of the pro- doth not testify that we are of that pure congregation, though " which was chosen and sanctified in Christ before the they as yet 111 I'll 1 • • -1 "^^^ ^'^ world began, which have their names written in the faith. book of life, of the which it is not possible that one should perish ; for then were it a false testimony, seeing many which are baptized, fall afterward into perilous heresies, and utter desperation, which bringeth them unto death everlasting. And as for faith, if they have none when they are baptized, let them pray unto God to give it them afterward ; for the lack of faith hurteth not the sacrament, but the sacrament may be as well ministered unto a miscreant as to a faithful, if he say that he hath faith, or have any promise of God. But this matter will I pass over ; for I trust the English (unto whom I write this) have no such opinions. Now will I proceed with the second point of this The second sacrament, which is the signification. The signification ^o,\"f^g*^gj^ of baptism is described of Paul in the sixth of the in baptism, Romans : .that, as we are plunged bodily into the water, Rom. vi. even so we are dead and buried with Christ from sin : and as we are lifted again out of the water, even so are we risen with Christ from our sins, that we might here- after walk in a new conversation of life. So that these Dipping in two things, that is, to be plunged in the water, and lift amiTifthig up again, do signify and represent the whole pith and ]n> affair of effect of baptism, that is, the mortification of our old ^hat iVsig- Adam, and the rising up of our new man. What is "•'i^th. the old Adam ? Verily, even that by natural inheri- tance is planted through Adam's fall in us, as to be unfaithful, angry, envious, covetous, slothful, proud, and ungodly : these, and such other uses, wherewith our nature is venomed, ought we with all diligence to cut VOL. IV. U 290 A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. [Frith The whole course of man's life is a conti- nual bap- tism. Gal. iii. Tit. iii. Baptism is the foun- tain of our new birth. The signi- fication of baptism, that is to say, ba- nishing the old man, and putting on the new, acquired only bv faith. ■ off and mortify, that we may daily be more patient, liberal, and merciful, according to that our baptism doth signify ; insomuch that a Christian man*'s life is nothing else save a continual baptism, which is begun when we are dipped in the water, and is put in continual use and exercise as long as the infection of sin re- maineth in our bodies, which is never utterly van- quished until the hour of death ; and there is the great Goliath slain with his own sword, that is, death, which is the power of sin, and the gate of everlasting life opened unto us. And thus is Paul to be understood (Gal. iii.) where he saith, All ye that are baptized into Christ, have put Christ on you ; that is, you have pro- mised to die with Christ as touching your sins and worldly desires past, and to become new men, or crea- tures, or members of Christ. This have we all pro- mised unto the congregation, and it is represented in our baptism. But alas ! there are but few which in- deed fulfil that they promise, or rather that the sacra- ment promiseth for them. And for this cause it is called of Paul the fountain of the new birth and rege- neration, (Tit. iii.) because it signifieth that we will indeed renounce and utterly forsake our old life, and purge our members from the works of iniquity through the virtue of the Holy Ghost, which, as the water or fire doth cleanse the body, even so doth it purify the heart from all uncleanness : yea, it is a common phrase in Scripture to call the Holy Ghost water and fire, because these two elements express so lively his purging operation. Now have we expounded the signification of baptism, which signification we may obtain only by faith ; for if thou be baptized a thousand times with water, and have no faith, it availeth thee no more towards God, than it doth a goose when slie ducketh herself under the water. Therefore, if thou wilt obtain the profit of bap- tism, thou must have faith, that is, thou must be surely FuiTii.] A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. 291 persuaded that thou art newly born again, not by water only, bvit by water and the Holy Ghost, (John jolm iii. iii.) and thou art become the child of God, and that thy sins are not imputed to thee, but forgiven through the blood and passion of Christ, according unto the promise of God. This faith have neither the devils, neither yet the wicked ; for the wicked cannot believe The wicked the remission of their sins, but fall into utter despera- d'sti"sti"g . ' in God's tion, and make God a liar as much as in them is ; for promises they believe not the testimony which he gave [of] his ^^'^^P^"'- Son, and this is that testimony, that all which believe on him have everlasting life. (John v.) And the devils John v. cannot believe it, for they have no promise made unto them. Thus, through Christ's blood, whereof our bap- CJuisfs tism hath his full strength and vigour, are we regener- ^'oo^^'^ t^'e "_ o ' & strength of ate and made at one with the Father ; for by our first our bap- natural birth we are the children of wrath, (Ephes. ii ) ''*™' and the enemies of God. (Rom. v.) j^^^^^ ^ Finally, baptism is an ordinance institute of God, and no practice of man's imagination, put in use in Christ's time, and after his resurrection commanded to be ministered unto all that believe, whether they were Jews or Gentiles ; for Christ saith to his apostles, Matthew Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the ^^^ ^"**^- name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Matt. Ghost : wherefore, although it seem never so exterior a ^^^'"'• thing, yet ought it to be had in great price and much Causes why reverence, because it was commanded of God to be done, n-'gnt'^of ^" Besides that it is an outward figure or witness unto the 'baptism congregation, of the invisible promise given before by had'in '^ grace unto every private man, and by it doth the con- S'*^^* 't'- gregation receive him openly, to be counted one of them, which was first received by faith, or through the grace of the promise ; it putteth us also in remembrance that we (advertising the kindness of God, and our promise in baptism,) may learn to die and mortify our rebelling members ; otherwise givcth it no grace, neither hath it TJ 2 292 A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. [Frith. any secret virtue, as we have sufficiently proved; and therefore is he sore to blame, that so unadvisedly con- demneth these infants, judging his brother which is in God's hand, yea and peradventure baptized in Christ's blood, for God's election is unknown to man. Now will I endeavour myself to overthrow and utterly put out the second error, which hath long reigned and seduced many ; and that is, of them which so strongly stick unto the weak ceremonies. Concerning the ceremonies of baptism, yea, and all other, we must behave ourselves wisely, as charity teacheth us, seeking the profit of many, that they Sundry may be saved. We must consider, that we have our sorts of conversation with men in this world, of the which the men which we have most part know not God. Some are young, some weak, tion wUhal some perverse, and some stiff-necked, and obdurate unto diversely the using of ceremonies, which, although they be not noisome unto the faith, nor contrary to the word of Ceremonies God, yet will it be hard to find such. They are good sor^*s™re as ^^^ expedient (as milk) to lead the young tenderly into guides un- the more perfect knowledge of God. The second sort knowledge ^re the weak, unto whom, in all things, it behoveth us of God. to have respect, and bear their infirmities by charity ; Acts XV. for their sake (Acts xv.) did Paul circumcise Timothy, yea, and for their sake he had lever to captive his li- berty, and never eat flesh, nor drink wine, than to offend one of them. The third kind of men are perfect, — I mean not so perfect that they are clean without sin, having no remnants of old Adam assailing them, for The perfec- such are there none, but only Christ ; but I call them perfect, which have perfect knowledge in the use of things, whicli know that whatsoever entereth into the Matt. XV. belly defileth not the man, which know tliat all such Tit- i. things be pui'e unto them that are pure, (Tit. i.) which know, that if we eat, Ave are nothing the better, or if we 1 Cor. viii. ^at not, we are nothing the worse ; (1 Cor. viii.) these are free between God and their conscience, and may use tion of man Frith.] A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. 293 all things: howbeit they are yet bound as concerning their neighbour which is weak, and hath not the know- Weak con- ledge, yea, bound, under the pain of sin, to abstain from ^^'^"<^es, wounding of their conscience ; for he sinneth against God breaking of that woundeth another man's conscience. (1 Cor. viii.) custom^^or* The fourth kind are self-willed and obstinate, which put neglecting confidence in such indifferent things. Foi*I think them not to be not needful unto our salvation. Them ought we to resist offended. in the face, and not to yield an inch unto them ; as Paul ^ ' ^"'' giveth us example, which would not for their pleasure nate wiiich circumcise Titus, but utterly resisted their obdurate P"5 """^'^ ^" ignorance. If thou make this division, thou shalt know needful to how to behave thyself towards all me.i, but now it is meet ^^^^'^*J0"' •^ _ _ must be re- that we show thee which are the ceremonies of baptism, sisted. The ceremonies of baptism are easily expressed, if thou know what the substance of it is, and how the apostles, ministered it ; and where may we have that bet- ter expressed than Acts viii., viz. where Philip baptized Acts viii the Eunuch, chamberlain to the Queen of Candace.? This Eunuch did acknowledge that Jesus was the son of God, Philip the which is the sign of our faith, and desired baptism; and used'^not so Philip, at the next water they came to, washed him in ™any out- the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy monies in Ghost. There will no man deny but that that baptism hapusm as 1 papists do. was as full and as good as ours ; and yet was there nei- ther font nor holy water, candle, cream, oil, salt, god- father, or godmothers, or any other popery. Where- fore we may conclude, that all these things are but ce- remonies, that is to say, exterior things, which make baptism neither the better nor worse of a mite. Thus say I, not to have these ceremonies that want judgment disannulled, which are not noisome to our faith, for fear of offending the weak, but only that thou mayest know how to use them as indifferent, and to put no con- fidence in them. For then should they hurt and un- quiet our conscience, if, through negligence, or other- wise, any thing were undone ; and so shoidd they be an 294 A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. [Frith. Ministers must be cir- CTimspect ill the uses and abuses of ceremo- nies. Ez. xxxiii. Excel. XX. Deut. V. Exod. xxxi. Sabbath ab- rogated for fear of su- perstition. Gal. iv. Sabbath kept on the Sunday. occasion to pluck us from Christ, which were institute for a means to bring us unto him. Therefore, the seniors and ministers of the congregations ought to in- struct their flocks to take these things indifferent, which neither save nor damn, whether they be done or undone. And if they perceive the people cleave too sore to them, then ought they to seek out a time convenient, and to abrogate and alter those ceremonies, or else they cannot escape the wrath of God. For they that seek health in such ceremonies, are fallen from grace, and tread under their foot the blood of Christ, unto their condemnation. But their blood shall be required at your hands, which better shovdd have instructed them. And as concerning the abrogation, or alteration of cere- monies, we have a godly example of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was instituted and commanded of God to be kept of the children of Israel. NotAvithstanding, be- cause it was a sign or a ceremony, and did signify unto them that it was God which sanctified them with his Spirit, and not themselves with their holy works ; and because, also, that all ceremonies and shadows ceased when Christ came, so that they might be done or left undone indifferently ; oiu' forefathers, which were in the beginning of the church, did abrogate the Sabbath, to the intent that men might have an example of Christ"'s liberty, and tliat they might know that neither the keep- ing of tlie Sabbath, nor of any other day, is necessary, according to Paul, Ye observe days, times, and months, I am afraid of you that I have laboured in vain towards you. Howbeit, because it was necessary that a day should be reserved, in the which the people might come together to hear the word of God, they ordained in the stead of the Sabbath, Avhich was Saturday, the next day following, which is Sunday. And although they might have kept the Saturday with the Jews, as a thing indif- ferent, yet did they nuich better to overset the day, to be a perpetual memory that we are free and not bound Frith.] A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. 205 to any day, but that we may do all lawful works to the pleasure of God, and profit of our neighbour. We are in manner as superstitious in the Sunday as they were in the Saturday, yea, and we are much madder. For the Jews have the word of God for their Saturday, since it is the seventh day, and they were commanded to keep the seventh day solemn ; and we have not the word of God for us, but rather against us, for we keep not the seventh day as the Jews do, but the first, which is not commanded by God's law. But Paul addeth, That no man judge us as concerning holy days, meats, and such other exterior tilings ; yea, and in no wise will he that ^"'' "• we observe them, counting them more holy than other days. For they were institute that the people should come together to hear God's word, receive the sacra- ments, and give God thanks. That done, they may re- turn unto their houses, and do their business as well as any other day. He that thinketh that a man sinneth which worketh on the holy day, if he be weak or igno- rant, ought better to be instructed, and so to leave his hold. But if he be obstinate, and persevere in his sen- tence, he is not of God, but of the devil, for he maketh sin in such as God leaveth free. According to this ex- ample would I that our ceremonies were altered, be- cause (as I have said) the people seek health in them : and what villany can they do more to Christ's blood ? And as concerning godfathers and godmothers, they promise for their godchildren that they shall mortify the root of sin which springeth in their bodies, and sub- due their lusts under the law of God. They promise also that they will instruct and bring up their god- children in the faith of Christ ; which office pertaineth unto their parents, for they are commanded of God to teach their children ; so that the parent should be Exod. xiii. either alone, or at least the chief est godfathers. But Deut. iv. now-a-days the fathers may not be suffered to know any thing themselves : how should they then instruct their 296 A DECLARATION OF BAPTISM. [Frith. children? They keep the Scriptures and word of God from you, and bear you in hand that it is heresy. Alas ! how long will you lack understanding ? and perceive you not yet, that they would keep you in darkness, because you should not espy their privy practice, and sleighty conveyance ? Are you so mad [to think] that this bless- ed word, which made the evil good, will make the good evil ? think you that this wholesome medicine, which healeth all infirmities, is now changed into such a na- ture that it will poison you ? Are ye so simple and <;hildish to surmise that this godly doctrine, which dis- closeth all hypocrisy, and confoundeth all heresies, should make you to err, and fall into heresies ? I pray God give you eyes to see, ears to hear, and open your hearts that you may perceive what his pleasure is. Ezek. For surely ignorance shall not excuse you ; as Ezekiel, speaking in the person of God, saith unto the curates : Thou son of man, I have made thee an overseer unto the house of Israel, thou shalt hear the word of my mouth, and shalt show it them from me. If I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die, and thou show him not, nor exhort him to turn from his wicked way that he may live ; then he shall die in his wickedness, but I will require his blood at thy hand. Yea, and if the righteous turn from his righteousness, and do iniquity, he shall die ; although thou show it him not, he shall die in his sin, but I will require his blood at thy hand. Take heed, you curates, unto your charge, and let no man excuse himself through ignorance. xxxin. ANTITHESIS, WHEREIN ARE COMPARED TOGETHER CHRIST'S ACTS AND THE POPE'S, GATHERED BY JOHN FRITH, AND ANNEXED UNTO THE REVELATION OF ANTICHRIST, WHICH HE TRANSLATED, 1529. ANTITHESIS, WHEREIN ARE COMPARED TOGETHER CHRIST'S ACTS AND THE POPE'S, GATHERED BY JOHN FRITH, AND ANNEXED UNTO THE REVELATION OF ANTICHRIST, WHICH HE TRANSLATED, 1529. Y^7E have annexed, Christian Reader, unto the end of the Revelation, a little treatise, after the manner of an epitome, and short rehearsal of all things that are ex- amined more diligently in the aforesaid book, wherein their false and cloaked hypocrisy is abundantly opened, by the comparing of Christ''s acts and theirs together ; for Chrises rule cannot be deceivable, which saith, that 3iatt. vii. we should know them by their works ; for Paul saith, that such false apostles are wicked workers, which be 2 Cor. xi. transfigured into Christ's apostles. And no marvel, for Satan himself is sometimes transfigured into an ang-el of light ; therefore it is no great thing if that his ministers do take upon them a similitude, as though they were the ministers of justice, whose end shall be according to their works. Christian men should mark such, and fly away from them, for such serve not Christ, but their own bellies, and by sweet preachings and flattering words deceive the hearts of the innocents. And even 2 Tim. iii. as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, even so these Exod. ii. resist the truth. Men they are of corrupt minds, and lewd as concerning the faith ; but they shall prevail no longer, for their madness shall be uttered unto all men. 300 AN ANTITHESIS [Frith. as theirs was. Thus the people be blinded, falling into unbelief, and are deceived through the sleighty convey- John iv. ance of Antichrist and his adherents. Saint John said, that there were many antichrists in his time ; no wonder if now be more : howbeit by their works they shall be known, and also by their words, for they shall con- trary Christ both in life and learning, whom they pro- fess to follow. Now let us consider popes, cardinals, bishops, suffragans, archdeacons, deacons, officials, par- sons, abbots, with deans, and friars, sumners, pardoners, and these papal notaries, take heed to monks, canons, anchors, hermits, nuns, and sisters, and mark how they follow Christ. We will chiefly touch the head, which is the Pope, although it may be verified through all his members. Matt. viii. 1. Christ was poor, saying, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head. The Pope and his adherents are rich, for the Pope saith, Rome is mine, Sicilia is mine, Corsica is mine, &c. And his adherents have also fruitful possessions, this every man knoweth. John vi. 2. Christ was meek and low, and forsook this worldly John vi. glory, and fled alone unto the mountains, when the peo- John xvii. pie would have made him a king, saying. My kingdom is not of this world. The Pope is full high and proud, saying, I am a Lord of both the realms, earthly and heavenly, and the emperor is my subject : this witnesseth his law. Dist. 96. ca. Si imperator. Johnxiii, 3. Christ full lowly and meekly washed his disci- ples'' feet. The Pope saith, the emperors and kings shall kneel and kiss my feet, and is not ashamed to express it in the law. ca. Cum olim de privil. dec. Frith.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE POPE. 301 4. Christ came not to be served, but to serve, taking upon him the similitude of a servant ; humbling him- Luke xxii, self, and made himself of no reputation to serve us. phil. ii. The Pope will be served, and saith, it were a shame if he shovdd so humble himself. Dist. 86. ca. Qttancio necessitas. 5. Christ went on his feet with his disciples, both in wet and dry, heat and cold, to teach the people, as it is evident through the Gospels. The Pope and bishops will keep their feet full clean with shoes of gold and silver, set with precious stones, and will not preach themselves, but say it is suffi- cient to cause others to preach, ca. Inter ceteram de offic. Iv. or. After this manner might the Turk be Pope also. 6. Christ would not suffer that doves, sheep, and Matt. xxi. oxen, for the offering, should be sold in the temple of God, but drove out the bviyers and sellers with whips. The Pope and bishops suffer chapmen in the church, that minister the sacraments for money daily unto the common people. And they give great pardon unto it, that they may be partakers of the winning, to main- tain their cradles and other necessaries withal : this may you see daily. 7- Christ saith, ye have it for nothing, therefore 3Iatt. x. shall ye give it for nothing. The Pope hath Judas's mind, for you get nothing of him without money, for he selleth both prayer and preaching. 8. Christ sat at meat among his disciples full lowly Luke xxii. and poorly, not requiring the highest seat. The Pope sitteth full high in a curious throne, and will be served gloriously, with long kneeling, and men to carve his morsels, with jagged coats, blaspheming God with oaths, and many other vices, as we may see daily. « /-ii • • 1 -11 • 1 • • 3Iatt. XIV. 9. Christ was m hills with weeping and praying, and and xv. 302 AN ANTITHESIS [Frith. walked in deserts, feeding many thousands both with meat and preaching. The Pope sitteth in his castles and towers with min- strelsy and laughter, and the hungry poor shall sit at the gate ; he will not serve them himself, for shame he thinketh it were. Matt.viii. 10. Christ lay and slept in a boat on the hard boards, and had to his chamberlains but fishers, crying to him upon the sea in the tempest, when they were afraid to perish. The Pope sleepeth full soft and easily, and no man may awake him until he have slept enough ; for his chamberlains shall be ready with marshals and others to keep his hall and chamber from noise ; and the por- ter at the gate to keep out the poor : their Lord they will not awake. Matt. xxi. n. Christ fasted, and sought the fruit on the tree when he was hungry, and found none thereon. The Pope hath great provision at cities and towns to get him of the best that may be found, well dressed, and daintily, to make digestion, with spices, sauces, and syrups, coloured out of kind. Luke ii. 12. Christ lay in a stable with a few clothes, betwixt an ox and an ass, for the place was narrow. The Pope, in rich chambers, with quilts, curtains, car- pets, and cushions, spread all about, with sweet smells, and painted walls. Matt. xi. 13. Christ chose to him poor men, and commanded them to be simple as doves. The Pope chooseth subtle men and crafty, full of pride, or else they are not meet for him. Matt. xxi. 14. Christ rode simply on an ass, and had twelve that followed him on foot all about. The Pope on a mide, or a white palfrey, much higher than his master did ; and hath many more than twelve following him on horseback, with swords and bucklers, as it were to battle. Frith.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE POPE. 303 15. Christ bade his disciples to go into all the world, Mark xvi. and to preach the gospel to every creature. The Pope and his bishops forbid it, on the pain of disobedience and excommunication, save only such as they will assign. 16. Christ was naked, beaten, scourged, and false John xix. witness brought against him. The Pope and his adherents are well clothed with precious garments, and have change for each day ; and false witness they have enough, not against them, but to testify with them whatsoever they will have against the innocents. 17- Christ came to seek the poor and comfort them ; he was not chargeful unto them, but was mild, and had pity on them. The Pope and bishops summon and cite them, be they never so poor, not regarding their adversity, but curse if they come not. So that they go away sorrier and sicker in soul and in purse than they were before. 18. Christ commanded that we should not swear at Matt. v. all, neither by heaven, neither by the temple, &c. but that our words should be, yea, yea, nay, nay. The Pope saith, if any man will receive any office under us, he shall be sworn before, yea, and give a great sum of money, ca. Signifi. de elect. 19- Christ had a crown of thorns thrust upon his John xix. Jiead, so that the blood ran down upon his amiable countenance, and sharp nails through his precious hands. The Pope must wear three crowns of gold, set with rich precious stones; he lacketh no diadems; his hands and fingers with ouches and rings are royally decked : he passeth poor Christ far. ca. Constat. Dist. xcvi. 20. Christ took the cross of painful affliction upon himself, and commanded his disciples to follow him. Matt. x. saying, He that taketh not his cross and follow me, is not meet for me. The Pope and his bishops take the cross of pride, 504 AN ANTITHESIS [Frith. and have it borne before tliem, weU gilt and enamelled, to have a worship of this world ; as for other cross, know they none. Lukexxiii. 21. Christ prayed his Father to forgive them that trespassed against him, yea, and for them that put him to death. Our bishops pray the King to be avenged on them that resist their minds ; with forgiveness they have no acquaintance. 22. Christ bade his disciples to preach the gospel. The Pope and his bishops will have men to preach fables, and then to grant letter and seal, and many days of pardon. John xix. 23. Christ commanded his disciples to know his law, and bade the Jews to search the Scriptures ; and Exod. xvi. Moses exhorted the IsraeHtes to teach the law of God to their young children. And that they should have it bound as a sign in their hands, that it might ever be before their eyes ; and caused them to write it on the posts and doors of their houses. The Pope and his bishops say, that it is not meet for us to know it ; they make it heresy and treason to the King to know Christ or his laws ; they have digged cisterns of their own traditions, and have stopped up the pure fountains of Israel. Oh Lord, in whom is all our trust, come down from the heavens ; why dost thou tarry so long, seeing thine adversary thus prevail^ ing against thee ? Heb. ix. 24. Christ approved his law, and confirmed it with his own death. The Pope and bishops be full busy how they may destroy it, and magnify more their own law than Christ's, to maintain their fat bellies. Matt. XXV. 25. Christ would men visited prisoners, to comfort and deliver them. The Pope, with his adlierents, discomfort the poor and the true, and put them in prison for the truth. Frith.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE POPE. 305 26. Christ, whom they call their example, did never prison nor persecute any. The Pope and his champions persecute, punish, pri- son, and put to death, them that are disobedient to their voluptuous pleasures. Ye see how straight they follow Chrisfs steps. 27- Christ commanded his disciples, that if any man Matt, xviii. trespassed against them, they should go and reprove him privily ; if he would not obey and be reconciled, then should they take with them one witness or twain ; if he would not then hear them, that they should tell it to the whole congregation ; and if he would still continue in his stubbornness, that they should avoid his company. The Pope and bishops will cast straight into prison, there to remain in irons, to make them revoke the truth, and grant to their wills ; and if he be strong and will not forsake the truth, they will condemn him without audience, for fear of losing of their temporal winning, and offering to their wombs, and taking away of their temporalities, wherewith the church is venomed. 28. Christ charged Peter thrice to keep well and John xxi. nourish his sheep. The Pope chargeth much more to keep well his money. As for the sheep, he sheareth and punisheth with infinite exactions. 29- Christ healing the sick, and doing many mira- Matt. viii. cles, did lightly ever command that they should tell Mark i. no man who did heal them. I.uke v. The Pope and bishops give great gifts to minstrels and messengers, to lewd liars and flatterers, to cry their name about, that they may have worship in this world. 30. Christ had no secular courts to plead the matters Matt. v. of his disciples, for they would not resist evil. The Pope and bishops have many, with men of law to oppress the poor against mercy ; forgive they will not, but ever be avenged. VOL. IV. X 306 AN ANTITHESIS [Frith. Matt. viii. and xvii. John xxii. Luke ii. Matt. Acts ii. Matt. iii. 31. Christ, in cities and towns, hunted the fiends out of men that they dwelled in with the words of his mouth. The Pope and bishops hunt the wild deer, the fox, and the hare, in their closed parks, with great cries, and horns blowing, with hounds and ratches running. 32. God was called the Holy Father of Jesus Christ his Son. The Pope is called Most Holy Father of Satan's children, and taketh that name on him with Lucifer's pride : his disciples say that he is God on earth, and we are taught by Christ's law to have but one God. 33. Christ sate in the midst of the Doctors, asking and hearing them. The Pope and bishops sit in thrones with glorious mitres, judging and condemning by their own made laws, a little matter long in pleading, which might be soon determined by the law of God, if they would use it, but then Avere their winning the less, and their law without profit. 34. Christ taught that a man should forsake his wife for no cause but for advoutry. The Pope and bishops will make divorces for money as often as they list ; and so they pillage the poor and make themselves rich, nothing regarding to break the law of God. 35. Christ sent the Holy Ghost in fervent love to teach all the truth unto them which were chosen of God. The Pope and bishops send commandments all about to curse and ask vengeance on them that resist their ty- ranny, and absolve them again clean for money ; all their doctrines have golden tails, for money is ever the end ; give them money, and you have fulfilled all their laws. 36. Christ fulfilled and kept the old law and the new, and all righteousness. Frith.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE POPE. 307 The Pope and bishops keep their own traditions and laws, but the law of God is clean out of their minds. 37- Christ said, that men should know his disciples Johnxii. by their charity, because they should love one another as he hath loved them. The Pope causeth his to be known by their shaven crowns ; by gathering vip of tithes, mass-pence, and offerings; by the golden trentals, and salaries to sing; by Peter-pence gathering, and striving for money; by penny-wedding, and holy water sprinkling, and many more marks hath he given them : as for charity, they know it not at all. 38. Christ bade them that he healed to go and sin John ix. no more. The Pope and bishops have feigned penance, and command men to fast bread and water, to go barefoot, without a shirt, and to offer to certain idols money, or cattle. Some masses must be sung for them because their confessors should have some profit. Some must go about the church and churchyard with a taper burning in his hand ; and ever some be punished by the purse, though they offend not. 39- Christ sent to preach seventy and two disciples, Luke x. which promised freely heaven to them that would be- lieve in the name of Christ. The Pope and bishops send about four sects of beg- gars to give pardon unto their master Antichrist, and to sell heaven to whomsoever they list : the apostles knew no such things. 40. Christ was buried in a garden, in a poor monu- John xix. ment, without any funeral pomp. The Pope and bishops are buried in tombs well gilt, with many a torch, and great solemnity, with angels gloriously pourtrayed, that bear their souls to heaven. Notwithstanding, it is to be feared that they go to sup- per with the devil. X 3 308 AN ANTITHESIS [Frith. Matt. xix. 41. Christ saith, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all thy goods and give it unto the poor, for then shalt thou have treasure in heaven. The Pope saith, If thou wilt be perfect, give me thy money, and I will give thee a pardon that shall absolve thee clean a pana et culpa ; I will for thy money give thee the key of heaven gates. Lukexxii. 42. Christ said unto his apostles, The kings and princes of the Gentiles have rule and power over them, but you shall not so have. The Pope saith, All emperors, kings, and lords be my subjects. This is daily read in his bulls, wherein he commandeth the nobility, like as a master doth his servant. Matt, xxiii. 43. Christ saith, He that among you will be great- Mark ix. est, let him be all your servants. The Pope saith. The emperor must swear an oath unto me as unto his Lord, that he will be my subject, and exalt and worship me with honour. ca. Tibi Domino. Dist. 63. Matt. XV. 44. Christ saith, that we worship him in vain with men's doctrines and traditions. The Pope saith. My traditions in the spiritual law, shall be kept as duly as if God had commanded it him- self, or St. Peter had preached it himself, ca. Si omries. Dist. 19. ^ohn xiv. 45. Christ saith, I am the way, and the truth ; follow me in my learning. And rule you by the Scripture, for that shall be your judge. The Pope saith. Ye shall in all things follow the Church of Rome, (by that meaneth he himself, and his cardinals,) Dist. xi. ca. Quis nesciat. And as for the Scripture, it standeth in my power and authority, for I may make of it whatsoever I will. Dist. xix. ca. Si Romanorum. Mark xi. 46. Christ saith, He that believeth and is baptized, he shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. Frith.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE POPE. 309 The Pope saith, He that giveth much money for my pardon shall be absolved a puina et a culpa, and then must he needs be saved ; and he that teacheth other- wise is an heretic : this testifieth his bulls and pardons. 47. Christ promiseth forgiveness of sin, and the Matt.iv, kingdom of heaven, unto them that repent and will amend their lives. The Pope saith, that no man can be saved, except he be first shriven of his priest and friars; for they bring in money, ca, O nines. 48. Christ saith, You shall love your enemies, and J^Iatt. v. shall do good unto them that hate you. The Pope saith. They that be enemies to me and my cardinals be cursed with the great excommunica- tion, and cannot be absolved without much money ; this is evident enough. 49- Christ commanded his disciples not to resist evil, Matt. xvii. but if a man strike them on the one cheek, that they should offer him the other also. The Pope saith. We may avenge and drive away force with force. De sen. excom. ca. Dilecto. 50. Christ, saith God the Father, is my dear son, Matt. xi. liim shall you hear, for his yoke is sweet, and his bur- den light. The Pope saith. You shall hear me, and my com- mandment shall be kept and received of every man. Disf. 93. ca. Si cujus. And if my commandment and burthen were so heavy that it cannot well be sustained and borne, yet shall ye obey me. Dist. 19- ca. In memoriam. 51. Christ said unto the two brethren. Who hath set Lukexii. me to be your judge in temporal goods ? as though he should say. It pertaineth not to me, but unto worldly judges. The Pope saith, I am judge in all manner of causes, for they bring money unto me. 9- q. 3. Conquestus. 310 AN ANTITHESIS [Frith. Matt. xxii. 52. Christ saith, Give the emperor such as pertaineth I\Iatt. xvii. unto hiiii as tribute and custom, for I have paid toll for me and Peter. The Pope saith, I care not for this, but I excommu- nicate all them that ask any toll or tribute of me and my shavelings, for I have made them all free. ca. Novit. de senten. excom. et ca. Si qiiis de cons. Dist. i. Matt. xxvi. 53. Christ saith, Peter, put up thy sword into the sheath, for he that striketh with sword, shall perish with the SAVord. The Pope saith. You emperors, kings, princes, and lords, take swords, spears, halberds, clubs, and guns, and help me to slay them that will not obe}^ my tyranny. This must an emperor do, or else he must be perjured. After this manner hath Julius the Pope slain sixteen thousand men in one day : was not that well pastored ? Did not he well nourish the sheep which Christ did commit vmto his tuition ? Matt. xxvi. 54. Christ said. Drink you all of this cup, for this is the blood of my promise. The Pope saith, I will not grant this, for my priests alone shall drink of it, because it may cry vengeance on them alone, the other shall not drink of it in the pain of heresy. John XV. 55. Christ saith. Ye are my friends if ye do all things that I myself command you. The Pope saith. You shall do as I bid you, for I have power and authority to make laws, and after them shall you live. 25 q. i. ca. Sunt quidam. Matt. xix. 56. Christ saith, that chastity is not given unto every man ; they that have it given, let them take it, giving thanks to God ; and let the other use the remedy which 1 Cor. vii. God hath prepared ; for it is better to marry than to burn. The Pope saith. All monks, friars, and nuns, shall vow and swear chastity, be it given them or not ; my priests also shall not be wedded ; but as for to keep whores, Frith.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE POPE. 311 and ravish other men's daughters and wives, shall be dispensed withal. I Avill see no such things ; for my bishops have yearly great money by it, like as bawds be w^ont to have. 57- Christ saith. All meats that man taketh with Matt. xv. thanks staineth not the soul ; for all things are pure to ^o™- ^^- them that are pure. ° ' "* ^ Tit. i. The Pope saith, He that eateth eggs, butter, or flesh, in these days that I have commanded to be fasted, doth not only stain his soul with sin, but also is to be denovmced an heretic. Dist. 4. ca. Statuimus. This agreeth with Christ even as the light doth with the darkness. And yet have we been thus blinded long, that we could never perceive this Antichrist till now in the last days. 58. Christ said unto his disciples. That you bind in Matt. xvi. earth, shall be bound to you in heaven, and that you Matt, xviii. loose in earth, shall be loosed in heaven. Jolin v. The Pope challengeth greater authority ; for he will loose souls out of purgatory, and command the angels to fetch them out, and all for money ; without money you get nothing. 59- Christ saith, When you have done all things that I have commanded you, yet say that you are unprofitable Luke xvii. servants. The Pope saith, Do these things that I command thee, and take a sure conscience unto thee that thou art a just and a religious man, and that thou hast deserved heaven. And as for I myself, if I do wrong in every Oh, abomi- thing, and bring many thousands with me into damna- "^"^"^ • tion, yet shall no man rebuke me, but call me the most holiest father. Dist. 40. ca. Si Papa. 60. Christ teacheth us to fulfil the works of mercy Matt. xvi. to the poor, ever commending mercy above offerings Hosea vi. 1 •/_. Matt. ix. and sacrince. The Pope teacheth us to give our money for par- dons, masses, diriges, to images and churches, so that 31S AN ANTITHESIS [Frith. Rom. iv. Jolin xi. 1 John ii. James v. Matt. Rom. xiii. Ephes. i. Coloss. i. 1 Cor. X. we may offer unto their bellies. And he that saith it is better to give our charity to the poor, as Christ saith, is counted half an heretic, because he goeth about to marr the Pope's market. 61 . Christ suffered death for our sins, and arose for our justification, or else we all should have perished. The Pope saith. If thou buy my pardon, or else be buried in a gray friar's coat, thou must needs be saved ; so that Christ hath suffered in vain, since a friar's coat will save a man. 62. Christ only is our mediator, which maketh unity betwixt his Father and us ; howbeit the prayer of a just man is very good and profitable. The Pope saith, The greatest power and salvation next to Christ is mine. Dist. ix. ca. Si Papa. I mar- vel then why he is so curious to cause us to worship the saints that are asleep, and not rather himself, since he challengeth a greater power than ever they did while they lived. 63. Christ saith, Whosoever break one of my least commandments, shall be called the least (that is to say none) in the kingdom of heaven. The Pope saith. What pertaineth his law unto me ? I am subject to no laws. 25 gA. ca. Omnia. Therefore doth the Pope but seldom right ; and is always against right, yea, and against his own laws, as often as men do bring him money, for that loveth he above all things. 64. Christ's law is fulfilled through charity. The Pope's law is fulfilled by money ; if thou have no money to give them, thou shalt carry a faggot, though thou offend not : money them, and they see thee not, do what thou wilt. Q5. Christ is the head of the church, as the apostle doth testify ; and also the stone Avhereon the church is builded. And this church is the congregation of the faithful, and the very body of Christ. The Pope saitli, I am the head of the church. Dist. FiiiTH.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE POPE. 313 19- ca. Eiiim vero. and the seat of Rome is the stone whereon the church is builded. Dist. 19. Ita Dominus. Can any thing be more contrary unto the honour and glory of God, than thus to despoil him of his kingdom, which he so dearly hath bought, shedding his precious blood for it ? (yQ. Christ's law, which is the holy Scripture, came 2 Pet. ii by the inspiring of the Holy Ghost, which did infuse it 2 Tim. iii. abundantly into the hearts of the apostles, and of the same Spirit hath it his endurance and interpretation. The Pope saith, I am Lord of the Scripture to allow and disallow it, for of me doth it take his full authority. ca. Si omnes. And for a token of this, is the Scrip- ture of Christ laid under his feet when he is at mass. 67- Christ''s apostle saith, that a bishop ought to be Tit. i. so well learned, that he, with the Scripture, be able to overcome all them that be against the faith. The Pope and bishops will dispute in Scripture with no man, but cast them first in prison ; and proper engines they have invented to wring their fingers so sore that the blood shall burst out at their fingers ends ; they pin them, and scourge them with infinite other tor- ments, paining them to forsake the truth. And after, make them swear on a book that they shall tell no man of it : thus cruelly do they entreat them against justice. And if they cannot subdue them to their wills, then do they commit them unto the secular power to be burned. 68. Christ's accusation, and cause why he was con- Johuxix. demned unto death, was written over his head in He- brew, Greek, and Latin, that all men might know the cause : this was an argument that they used justice, (although they condemned him unjustly,) since men might see the offence and judgment joined together. The Pope and bishops condemn men, and commit them unto the secular power, that they should execute the sentence. But this is a mischievous abomination, that they will not suffer the secular power to know 314 AN ANTITHESIS [Frith. the cause why they put men to death, M^orshipful, dis divines, Master Doctor. Oh, you gentle nobility, pon- der this matter indifferently. Beware how you do execution, except you know the cause why. Think you the blood shall not be required on you, if for another''s pleasure you destroy the work of God.'^ They will say unto you, as the Jews said unto Pilate con- cerning Christ, If he were not an evil doer, we would not have delivered him unto you. Trust not their words, for (no dovibt) they are liars ; know the cause yourselves, and hear the matter unfeignedly. Think you they would not let you know the cause and j udg- ment, if they did justice and not tyrannize .^ Be, there- fore, no longer boys to them, which ought to be your servants . God hath given you his Spirit, grace, and understanding ; hide not the talent that God hath given yovi, but do your diligence to see justice ex- ecuted, secluding all tyranny, for that is yovir office appointed you of God. Luke vi. 69- Christ saith. Blessed are ye when men hate you, curse you, and excommunicate you for the righteous- ness,— that is to say, you nothing guilty, nor worthy such affliction. The Pope and bishops say, tliat their curse is sore to be feared, yea and that it maketh men as black as a coal in the siglit of God, though they have not offended ; insomuch that they must needs be damned, except they absolve them again : howbeit Christ saith, that they are blessed ; wherefore Christ is false, or else they are most vain liars. Luke xiv. '^0. Christ said. When thou makest a dinner or feast, call not thy friends, kinsmen, and neighbours that are rich, but the poor, lame, and blind, which are not able to recompense thee ; then shalt thou be happy, for it shall be rewarded thee in the resurrection of the just. The Pope and bishops will call none such, for they think it great shame, but they call men of great autho- Frith.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE POPE. 315 rity and riches, whicli will receive them with another feast ; they had lever have their bellies well stuffed in this world, than to tarry for the promise of Christ. They think it long a coming. 71. Christ saith, Either make the tree good, and his Matt. v. fruit good also, or else make the tree navight, and his Luke vi. fruit naught also : meaning, that the tree first should be good, and then bring forth good fruit ; the fruit maketh not the tree good, but the tree maketh the fruit good ; although we cannot know that the tree is good, but by his fruit, (for we can judge nothing but by his outward operation,) yet God seeth the quickness in the root, which, in the time that God hath appointed him, shall bring forth his fruit ; and approveth the tree to be good, although he seem dead unto us. The tree is Faith, which is the mother of all good works, which ever worketh by charity when he seeth occasion. The Pope and bishops say, that the fruit maketh the tree good, clean contrary to all Scripture and reason. And thus turn they the trees and the roots upward, while they affirm that faith springeth and is made good of works, and not the contrary ; even as a man would say, the fruit bringeth forth and maketh good the tree, and not the contrary. Oh ! what madness is this ' They would make men believe, if they should long continue, that the moon is made of green cheese. 72. Christ saith, I am the door of the fold : he that John x. entereth not in by the door, but by some other way, is a thief and a murderer, and regardeth not the sheep. The Pope, yea and all the clergy, (for the most part,) enter not in by Christ, but they run in and are not called nor sent of Christ. One entereth by a bag of money, wherewith he buyeth a fat benefice. Another entereth by serving great men, and currying favour. Another, because he is a great man born, must be made a cardinal, or else a bishop. Some have voisons of ab- beys and other places, to speak a good word for them to 31 G AN ANTITHESIS [Frith. the king or other great men. Some enter through their curious singing and minion dancing ; few, or none, for virtue and learnina-. John X. 73. Christ saith, I am a good shepherd ; a good shep- herd giveth his life for his sheep. The Pope and bishops say also, that they are good shepherds ; howbeit, they pill and shear the sheep so nigh, that they leave not one lock of wool on their backs. And in all points may be likened unto the shepherds that Zacharias prophesied of ; which saith, I shall raise up a shepherd in the earth, which shall not visit the things that are forsaken, and shall not seek that which is gone astray, neither yet heal tlie diseased, nor nourish and maintain that which standeth ; but such a shepherd that shall nourish himself and not the sheep : and cryeth out of him, saying. Oh ! thou shepherd and idol, think you that this shepherd will give his life for the sheep ? Matt, xxiii. 74'- Christ saith. Desire you not to be called Master, for you have but one master, which is Christ, and all you are brothers. The Pope will be called Most Holy, his cardinals Most Reverend, his bishops Reverend, his abbots and priors Most, and other glorious titles have they that pass INIas- ter far ; and except thou call them by those names and titles, thou shalt run far into their indignation, let Christ say what he will. Matt, xxiii. ^5. Christ commanded his disciples that they should call no man Father on the earth, showing them that they had but one Father, which is in heaven. The Pope must be called Most Holy Father : if thou give him not that name, he will excommunicate you out of his synagogue : reason not with him ; you may show him the Scripture, but it availeth not, for he will wrest it, and wring it into a thousand fashions, and will never leave it until he liave brought it unto his own purpose. Acts vii. 76- Christ's faithful servant Stephen said, that God Almighty dwelleth not in temples that are made with Frith,] BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE POPE. 317 man's hands, according unto the prophet's saying, Hea- Isa. Ixxvi. ven is my seat, and the earth is my footstool. What 2Kingsvii. house will you build for me ? saith the Lord ; which is the place of my rest ? did not my hands make all these things ? The Pope and his adherents say, that he dwelleth in this place and that place ; the friars say, We have him, you mvist buy him of us ; the monks say, He is with us, be good to our monastery, and ye shall be sure to have him : and so run the silly fools from Herod to Pilate. But they find not Christ, for he dwelleth in no place, but in the heart of a faithful man, which is the very temple of God. 77- Christ's apostle Paul saith. We ought not to i Cor. iii. think that God is like gold, silver, carved stones, or any Acts xvii. such thing as man imagineth. The Pope and his adherents say, that he is like a Exod.xx. stock and a stone, and causeth men to make images of him, though God commanded contrary, saying, Thou shalt make no graven image, neither any manner of si- militude of those things which are in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, neither of those things which are in the water, or under the earth, neither shalt thou honour or worship them. Good Christian, beware of these idols, as St. John counselleth thee. Truly I think ^^hw v. it be one of the greatest causes of this excoecation which God hath sent into the world for sin. 78. Christ said vmto Peter, Thou art Simon the son John i. of Jonah, thou shalt be called Cephas, which, if it be inter- preted, signifieth a stone : as St. John saith in his gospel. The Pope saith, that Cephas signifieth the head, Dist. xxii. ca. Sacrosaiicta ; and of that gathereth he to be head of all the bishops. Here doth he plainly contrary to gospel, which expoundeth Cephas to be a stone. What impudency is this ! I think he would say also, that an ass were a man, if he thought to get any advantage through it. 815 AN ANTITHESIS. [Frith. There are infinite other things wherein he contrarieth Christ, inasmuch that, if it be dihgently examined, I think there is no word that Christ spake, bvit the other hath taught or made a law against it. Howbeit, for to avoid tediousness, we shall leave them unto your own judgment, for they are soon searched out and es})ied. Judge, Christian Reader, all these things with a simple eye; be not partially addict to the one nor to the other, but judge them by the Scripture, and acknowledge that to be the truth which God"'s word doth allow, avoidino- all other doctrine, for it springeth of Satan. Be not ashamed to confess poor Christ, and to take him for thy Matt. X. head, before these ravenous wolves ; for then shall he confess thee again before his Father, and the angels in heaven. Then shalt thou be inheritor with Jesus Christ, and the faithful son of thy Father which is in heaven, to whom be all glory eternally. Amen. Here endeth the Antithesis between Christ and the Pope. A BOOK MADE BY JOHN FRITH, PRISONER IN THE TOWER OF LONDON, ANSWERING UNTO M. MORES LETTER, WHICH HE WROTE AGAINST THE FIRST LITTLE TREATISE THAT JOHN FRITH MADE CONCERNING THE SACRAMENT OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. UNTO WHICH BOOK ARE ADDED IN THE END THE ARTICLES OF HIS EXAMINATION BEFORE THE BISHOPS OF LONDON, WINCHESTER, AND LINCOLN, IN PAUl's CHURCH, AT LONDON, FOR WHICH JOHN FRITH WAS CONDEMNED, AND AFTER BURNED IN SMITHFIELD, WITHOUT NEW- GATE, THE FOURTH DAY OF JULY, ANNO 1533. " Dead men shall rise again." PREFACE. jT^RACE and increase of knowledge from God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, be with the Christian reader, and with all them that love the Lord unfeignedly. Amen. I chanced, being in these parts, to be in com- pany with a Christian brother, which for his com- mendable conversation, and sober behaviour, might better be a bishop than many that wear mitres, if the rule of St. Paul were regarded in their elec- i Tim. in. tion. This brother, after much communication, Tit. i. desired to know my mind, as touching the sacra- ment of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ. Which thing I opened unto him, according to the gift that God had given me. First, I proved unto The order him that it was no article of our faith necessary Frith keep- to be believed under pain of damnation. Then I showing declared, that Christ had a natural body, even as in\}^"sa- mine is, (saving sin,) and that it could no more Ji^g""""^ be in two places at once than mine can. Third- aiuihhwd •^ . . of Christ. 1}'. I showed him that it was not necessary that the words should so be understood as they sound, but that it might be a phrase of Scripture, as there are innumeraljle. After that, I showed him VOL. IV. Y 322 PREFACE. [Frith. certain phrases and manner of speakings, and that it was well used in our English tongue ; and finally, I recited after what manner they might receive it according to Christ's institution, not fearing the froward alteration that the priests use contrary to the first form and institution. Theocca- When I had suflficiently published my mind, tZT'' he desired me to entitle the sum of my words, John Frith ^^ write them for him, because they seemed to write on the Sacra- ovcrlonff to be wcU retained in memory. And, ment. ° • i i albeit I was loth to take the matter m hand, yet, to fulfil his instant intercession, I took upon me to touch this terrible tragedy, and wrote a trea- tise, which, besides my painful imprisonment, is like to purchase me most cruel death, which I am ready and glad to receive with the spirit and inward man, although the flesh be frail, whenso- ever it shall please God to lay it upon me. Not- withstanding, to say the truth, I wrote it not to the intent that it should have been pubhshed ; for then I would have touched the matter more earnestly, and have written, as well of the spiri- tual eating and drinking, which is of necessity, as I did of the carnal, which is not so necessary. For the treatise that I made was not expedient for all men, albeit it were sufficient for them whom I took in hand to instruct. For they knew the spiritual and necessary eating and drinking tTiai'eathig of his body and blood, which is not received with of tiie sa- ^j^g ^gg^i-j a„(j belly, but with the ears and faith, crament is "^ ^ , by faith. ^^d ouly nccdcd instruction in the outward eat- ing, which thing I therefore only declared. But Frith.] PREFACE. 323 now it is come abroad, and in many men's mouths, insomuch that M. More, which of late hath busied himself to meddle in all such matters, (of what zeal I will not define,) hath sore laboured to confute it ; but some men think that he is ashamed of his part, and for that cause doth so diligently suppress the work which he printed ; for I myself saw the work in print in my Lord of Winchester's house, upon St. Stephen's day last past. But neither I, neither all the friends I could make, might attain any copy, but only one written copy, which, as it seemed, was drawn out in great haste. Notwithstanding, I cannot well judge what the cause should be that his l)ook is kept so secret ; but this I am right sure of, that he never touched the foundation that my treatise was builded upon. And, therefore, since my foundation standeth so sure and invincible, (for else, I think verily he would sore have laboured to have undermined it,) I will thereupon build a little more, and also declare that his ordnance is too slender to break it down, although it were set upon a worse foundation. Y 2 32i OF THE SACRAMENT [Frith. A BOOK MADE BY JOHN FRITH, ANSWERING UNTO M. MORELS LETTER. The Sacra- ment to be tlie natural body of Christ, is no article of our faith necessary to be believed upon pain of damna- tion. Objection. 'T'HE foundation of that little treatise was, that it is no article of our faitli necessary to be believed under pain of damnation, that the sacrament should be the natural body of Christ ; which thing is proved in this manner : First, we must all acknowledge that it is no article of our faith which can save us, nor which Ave are bound to believe under the pain of eternal damnation. For if I shovdd believe that his very natural body, both flesh and blood, were naturally in the bread and wine, that should not save me, seeing many believe that, and re- ceive it to their damnation ; for it is not his presence in the bread that can save me, but his presence in my heart, through faith in his blood, which hath washed out my sins, and pacified the Father's wrath towards me. And again, if I do not believe his bodily presence in the bread and wine, that shall not damn me, but the absence out of my heart through unbelief Now, if they would here object, that though it be truth, that the ab- sence out of the bread could not damn us, yet are we bound to beheve it, because of God's word, which who believeth not, as much as in him lieth, maketh God a liar : and, therefore, of an obstinate mind not to be- lieve his word, may be an occasion of damnation : — FiiiTH.] OF THE BODY OF CHRIST. 325 To this we may answer, that we believe God's word, Solution. and acknowledge that it is true ; but in this we dissent, whether it be true in the sense that we take it in, or in the sense that ye take it. And we say again, that though ye have (as it appeareth unto you,) the evident words of Christ, and, therefore, consist in the bark of tlie letter, yet are we compelled, by conferring of the Scriptures together within the letter, to search out the mind of our Saviour which spake the words. And we say, thirdly, that we do it not of an obstinate mind ; for he that defendeth a cause obstinately, whether it be Obstinate true or false, is ever to be reprehended. But we do it ^f a,ny to satisfy our consciences, which are compelled by other cause is . , , • J V ■^vorthy of places of Scripture, reasons, and doctors, so to judge oi reprehen- it. And even so ought you to judge of your part, and ^^°"* to defend your sentence, not of obstinacy, but by the The foun- reason of Scriptures, which cause you so take it. And J^^^ ° so ouffht neither part to despise other, for each seek- Frith's . first trea- eth the glory of God, and the true understanding of the ^j^g ^^ Scripture. tlie Sacra- This was the foundation of my first treatise, that he hath left unshaken, which is a great argument that it is very true ; for else his pregnant wit could not have passed it so clean over, but would have assoiled it with some sophistical cavillation, which by his painted poe- try he might so have coloured, that at the least he might make the ignorant some appearance of truth, as he hath done against the residue of my first treatise, which, nevertheless, is true, and shall so be proved. And first, that it is none article of our faith neces- sary to be believed under pain of damnation, may thus It is "p ^r- be further confirmed. The same faith shall save us faitii to be- which saved the old fathers before Christ's incarnation ; J'"^*^ "^ ^^ be the na- but they were not bound under pain of damnation to tural body believe this point ; therefore it shall follow that we are "^ ^^"■"*'^' not bound thereto under the pain of danmation. The first part of mine argument is proved by St. Augustine, 326 OF THE SACRAMENT [Frii The same faith saveth us that saved our fathers, Adam. Gen. iii. How our fatliers did eat the body of Christ, and drank his blood. ad Durdatium, and I dare boldly say, almost in an hundred places ; for 1 think there be no proposition which he doth more often inculcate than this, that the same faith saved us which saved our fathers. The second part is manifest, that it needeth no probation ; for how could they believe the thing which was never said nor done, and without the word they could have no faith. Upon the truth of these two parts must the conclusion needs follow. Notwithstanding, they all did eat Christ''s body and drank his blood spiritually, although they had him not present to their teeth : and by the spiritual eating (which is the faith in his body and blood) were saved as well as we are ; for as soon as our forefather Adam had transgressed God's precept, and was fallen under condemnation, our most merciful Father, of his gracious favour, gave him the promise of health and comfort, whereby as many as believed it were saved from the thraldom of their transgression : the word and promise was this, I shall put enmity be- tween thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed ; that seed shall tread thee on the head, and thou shalt tread it on the heel. In this promise they had knowledge that Christ should become the seed or son of a woman, and that he should destroy the devil with all his power, and deliver his faithful from their sins. And where he said that the devil should tread it on the heel, they understood right well that the devil should jfind the means, by his wiles and wicked ministers, to put Christ to death. And they knew that God was true, and would fulfil his promise unto them, and heartily longed after this seed, and so did botli eat his body and drink his blood, acknowledging with infinite thanks that Christ should, for their sins, take the perfect nature of manhood upon him, and also suffer the death. This promise was given to Adam, and saved as many as did believe, and were thankful to God for his kindness ; and FaiTH.] OF THE BODY OF €HRIST. 327 after, it was established unto our father Abraham, by the word of God, which said, In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed. And with him God made a covenant that he would be his God, and do him good ; and Abraham again promised to keep his pre- Abraham, cepts and walk in his ways. Then God gave him the C^en. xii, sacrament of circumcision, and called that his covenant, Circumd- which thing, notwithstanding, was not the very cove- the Sacra- nant indeed, although it were so called, but was only a ™^"f ^'*, ' ^ _ -^ (rod S Co- sian, token, sacrament, or memorial of the covenant venant that was between God and him : which might expound Abraham.' our matter, if men had eyes to see. After that God promised him a son when his wife was past child-bear- ing, and he also very old ; nevertheless, he doubted not God's word, but surely believed that he which promised it was able to perform it, and that was recounted unto him for righteousness. Thus Abraham Abraham, did both eat his body and drink his blood through Sf^^eif^^ji faith, believing, verily, that Christ should take our drink nature, and spring out of his seed (as touching his body^nd flesh), and also that he should suffer death to redeem us. l>lood. And as Christ testifieth, he heartily desired to see the John viii. day of Christ. And he saw it and rejoiced : he saw it in faith, and had the day of Christ, that is to say, all those things that should chance him, plainly revelated unto him, albeit he were dead many hundred years before it were actually fulfilled and revelated unto the world. And by that faith was he saved, and yet never did eat his flesh with his teeth, nor never believed that bread should be his body and wine his blood. And, therefore, since he was also saved without that faith, and the same faith shall save us which saved him, I think that we shall also be saved if we eat him spiri- The spi- tually, as he did, although we never believe that the ll^^l\^i^' bread is his body. Furthermore, that merciful Moses, drinkinp of which brought the children of Israel out of Egypt into save' us! "* OF THE SACRAMENT [Frith. Manna was to the Is- raelites the same that the Sacra- ment is to us now. August, de Utilitate poeniten- tiae. Aug. super loan, tract. A goodly saying of St. Auinis- the wilderness, obtained of God, by prayers, both manna from heaven to feed his people, and also water out of the stone to refresh and comfort them. This manna and water were even the same thing unto them that the bread and wine is to us ; for St. Austin saith, Qtiicuiique in manna Christum iiitellexej'unt, eundem quern nos cibum spiritualem mandncuvejnuit. Quicun- que autem de manna solam satuiilatem quesiverunt, man- dncabant, et mortni sunt. Sic etiam eundem potutji : petra enim erat Christus. That is to say, as many as in that manna understood Christ, did eat that same spiritual meat that we do ; but as many as sought only to fill their bellies of that manna (the fathers of the imfaithful) did eat, and are dead : and likewise the same drink, for the stone was Christ. Here you may gather of St. Austin, that the manna was unto them as the bread is to us ; and likewise, that the water was to them as the wine is to us, which anon shall appear more plainly. St. Austin saith further, Manducavit et Moses manna, manducavit et Aaron, manducavit et Pltinees, manducaverunt ibi multi qui Deo placuerunt, et mortui non sunt. Quare ? Quia visibilem cibum spiritualiter intellexerunt, spiritualiter esurierunt, spiritualiter gustaverunt, ut spiritualiter sa- tiarentur. Omnes eandem escam spiritualem manduca- verunt, et omnes eundem potum spiritualem biberunf, spiritualem iitique eandem : nam corporalem alteram (quia illi manna, nos aliud) spiritualem vero eandem quam nos. Et omnes eundem potum spiritualem bibe- runt, aliud illi, aliud nos : sed specie visibili quod tamen hoc idem signijicaret virfule spirit uali. Quo modo eun- dem potum ? bibebant (inquit Apostolus) de spirit uali sequenti petra ; petra autem erat Christus. That is to sa}', INIoses also did eat manna, and Aaron and Phinees did eat of it, and many other did there eat of it, which pleased God, and are not dead. Wherefore ? Because they imderstood the visible meat spirituallv. Tliev Frith] OF THE BODY OF CHRIST. 329 were spiritually an hungered : they tasted it spiritually, that they might spiritually be replenished. They did all eat the same spiritual meat, and all drank the spi- ritual drink, even the same spiritual meat, albeit ano- ther bodily meat, for they did eat manna, and we eat another thing, but they did eat the same spiritual meat Avhich Ave do, and they all did drink the same spiritual drink. They drank one thing, and we another ; but that was in the outward appearance, which, neverthe- less, did signify the same thing spiritually. How drank they the same drink 't They (saith the apostle) drank of the spiritual stone following them, and that stone was Christ. And thereunto Beda added these words, Videte aiitem jide maiiciite, signa varkita. That is to Beda super. say. Behold that the signs are altered, and yet the i Cor. x. faith abideth one. Of these places you may plainly perceive, not only that it is no article necessary to be believed under pain of damnation, seeing the old fathers never believed it, and yet did eat Christ in faith both before they had the manna, and more expressly through the manna, and with no less fruit when the manna was ceased. And albeit the manna was to them as the sacrament is to To eat the us, and they eat even the same spiritual meat that we |,y f.^it]i do ; yet were they never so mad as to believe that the spirituallj^, 1 , . ^1 • 1 111 is to eat the manna was changed into Christ s own natural body ; body of but understood it spiritually, that as the outward man Christ, &c. did eat the material manna, which comforted the body, so did the inward man, through faitli, eat the body of Christ, believing that, as that manna came down from heaven and comforted their bodies, so should their Saviour Christ, which was promised them of God the Father, come down from heaven and strengthen their souls in everlasting life, redeeming them from their sin by his death and resurrection. And likewise do we eat Christ in faith, both before we come to the sacrament, and more expressly through the saci'ament, and with OF THE SACRAMENT [Frith. There is no cause why we should account the Sacrament to be Christ's na- tural body, for that were too gross an imagina- tion. We are not bound to believe upon pain of damna- tion, more than our fathers be- lieved. Gen. i. Psal. i. Isaiah vii. Acts iii. Acts ij. Psal. xvi. no less fruit after we have received the sacrament ; and need no more to make it his natural body than the manna was, but might much better understand it spi- ritually : that, as the outward man doth eat the material bread, which comforteth the body, so doth the inward man, through faith, eat the body of Christ, believing that as the bread is broken, so was Christ's body broken on the cross for our sins, which comforteth our souls unto life everlasting. And as the faith did save them, without believing that the manna was altered into his body, even so doth this faith save us, although we believe not that the substance of bread is turned into his natural body ; for the same faith shall save us which saved them; and we are bound to believe no more vmder pain of damnation, than they were bound to believe. They believed in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and all that is in them. They did believe that Christ was the son of God. They did believe that he should take our nature of a virgin. They believed that he should suffer the death for our deliverance, whicli thing was signified in all the sacri- fices, and besides that testified in every prophet, for there was verily not one prophet but he spake of that point. They believed that his soul should not be left in hell, but that he should arise from death, and reiffn everlasting; with his Father. And to be short, there is no point in our creed but that they believed it, as well as we do ; and those articles are only necessary unto salvation : for them am I bound to believe, and am damned without excuse if I believe them not. But the other points contained in Scripture, although they be undoubted verities, yet may I be saved without them. As be it in case that I never heard of them ; or when I hear of them, I cannot imderstand them nor comprehend them ; or that I hear them and understand them, and yet, by the reason of another text, miscon- strue them, as the Bohemcs do tlie words of Christ in Frith.] OF THE BODY OF CHRIST. 331 the vith chapter of John : all these, I say, n^ay be ^^^e must done without any jeopardy of damnation. In every anidesof text is but only one verity, for which it was spoken ; and ""i" '"'^^^ 1 1 1 • 1 £> /-i 1 T 1 upon pain yet some texts there be, which or Catholic doctors are of daiuua- expounded in six or seven svindrv fashions. Therefore '^!""' '""^ '" ^ . . -^ . . the orher we believe these articles of our creed : in the other is no there is no peril, so that we have a probable reason to dissent from ^*^" " them. But now to return to our purpose. If we will examine the authorities of St. Austin and Beda, before alleged, we shall espy that, besides the probation of this foresaid proposition, they open the mystery of all our matter to them that have eyes to see. For St. Austin saith, that we and the old fathers do differ as touching the bodily meat, for they did eat manna and we bread, but albeit it varied in the outward appearance, yet, nevertheless, spiritually it did signify one thing ; for both the manna and bread do signify Christ. And so both they and we do eat one spiritual meat, that is to say, we both eat the thing which signifieth and repre- senteth unto us the very one spiritual meat of our souls, which is Christ. And Beda doth plainly call both the manna and the bread signs^ saying. Behold that the signs are altered, and yet the faith abideth one. Now, if they be signs, then they do signify, and are not the very thing itself which they do signify ; for the sign of a thing difFereth from the thing itself which it doth sig- nify and represent, as the alepole is not the ale itself which it doth signify or represent. Here thou wilt ob- ject against me, that if this faith be sufficient, what needeth the institution of a sacrament ? I answer, that sacraments are instituted for three causes: The first is assigned of St. Austin, which saith on this manner : In Aug. contra nullum autem nomen religionis, sen verum, seuj'alsum, jjl'^^^ coagulari homines pussunt, nisi signaculorum sen Sacra- cap. xi. mentorum visibilium consortio colligantu?-, quorum ISa- cramenlorum vis inenarrabiliter valet plurinium. Et idea contempta sacrileges facit. Impie qnippe contem- OF THE SACRAMENT [FuiTII. There be three causes wliy the Sacraments were insti- tuted. The first is necessity. Aiigust. ad Murcelli- num. Tlie second cause of the institution of Sacra- ments. niliir, sine qua perjici non jjotest pietas. That is to say, Men cannot be joined into any kind of religion, whether it be true or false, except they be knit in fellowship by some visible tokens or sacraments, the power of Avhich sacraments is of such efficacy that cannot be expressed. And therefore it maketh them that despise it to be ab- horred ; for it is wickedness to despise that thing without which godliness cannot be brought to pass. Thus it appeareth that necessity is the first cause. For there can no congregation be severed out of the multitude of men, but they must needs have a sign, token, sacrament, or common badge, by the Avhich they may know each other. And there is no difference between a sign or a badge, and a sacrament, but that the sacrament signifl- eth an holy thing, and a sign or a badge doth signify a worldly thing ; as St. Austin saith. Signs, when they are referred to holy things, are called sacraments. The second cause of their institution is, that they may be a means to bring us unto faith, and to imprint it the deeper in vis ; for it doth customably the more move a man to believe, when he perceiveth the thing expressed to diverse senses at once. As by example, if I promise a man to meet him at a day appointed, lie will somewhat trust my word ; notwithstanding, he trusteth not so much unto it, as if I did both promise him Avith my word, and also clap hands with him, or hold up my fin- ger, for he counteth that this promise is strong and more faithful than is the bare word, because it moveth my senses. For the word doth but only certify tlie thing unto a man by the sense of hearing ; but when, with my promise, immediately after I hold up my finger, then do I not only certify him by the sense of hearing, but also by his sight he perceiveth that that fact confirmcth my word ; and in the clapping of hands he perceiveth both by his sight and feeling, besides the word, that I will fulfil my promise. And likewise it is in this sacra- ment : Christ promised them tliat he would give his Frith.] OF THE BODY OF CHRIST. 333 body to be slain for their sin.s ; and for to establish the faitli of his promise in them, he did institute the sacra- ment, which he called his body, to the intent that the very name itself might put them in remembrance what was meant by it. He brake the bread before them, signi- fying unto them outwardly, even the same thing that he, by his word, had before protested ; and even as his words had informed them by their hearing, that he in- tended so to do, so the breaking of that bread informed their eyesight that he would fulfil his promise. Then he did distribute it among them, to imprint the matter more deeply in them : signifying thereby, that even as that bread was divided among them, so should his body and fruit of his passion be distributed unto as many as believed his words. Finally, he caused them to eat it. How dili- that nothing should be lacking to confirm that necessary (jhrist set point of faith in them : sis-nifyina; thereby, that as verily ^o^th the 1-1-1 1111 Sacrament as they felt that bread withm them, so sure should they of his liody be of his body through faith. And that even as that f"'* """•^' bread doth nourish the body, so doth faith in his body- might by breaking nourish the soul unto everlasting life. This ^vrid'sign did our merciful Saviour, which knoweth our frailty assure and weakness, to establish and strengthen their faith in that his ' his body-breaking and blood-shedding, which is our Y^^Y *™^ ■^ " . , . body was shot-anchor and last refuge, without which we should crucified all perish. for our sins. The third cause of the institution and profit that The third cometh of it, is this: They that have received these e^";^^ of the ' J institution blessed tidings and word of health, do love to publish of Sacra- this felicity unto other men, and to give thanks be- fore the face of the congregation unto their bounteous benefactor, and as much as in them is, to draw all people to the praising of God with them : which thing, though it be partly done ,by the preaching of God's word and fruitful exhortations, yet doth that visible token and sacrament, if a man understand \\hat is meant thereby, more effectually work in them both ments. 334 OF THE SACRAMENT [Frith. The Sacra- faith and thanksgiving, than doth the bare word. But "^^"* 'f, if a man wot not what it meaneth, and seeketh health profitable to none but in the sacrament and outward sign; then may he be umlemand ^^^^^ Hkened unto a fond fellow, which, when he is the doc- very dry, and an honest man show him an alepole of. " and tell him that there is good ale enough, would go and suck the alepole, trusting to get drink out of it, and so to quench his thirst. Now a wise man will tell him that he playeth the fool, for the ale- pole doth but signify that there is good ale in the house where the alepole standeth ; and will tell him that he must go near the house, and there he shall find the In example drink, and not stand sucking the alepole in vain, for it pole. shall not ease him, but rather make him more dry ; for the alepole doth signify good ale, yet the alepole itself is no good ale, neither is there any good ale iu the ale- pole. And likewise it is in all sacraments ; for if we understand not what they mean, and seek health in the outward sign, then we suck the alepole, and labour in vain. But if we do understand the meaning of them, then shall we seek what they signify, and go to the sig- nifications, and there shall we find undoubted health. As to our purpose in this sacrament whereof we speak, we must note what it signifieth, and there shall we find The true our redemption. It signifieth that Christ's body was tion of the broken upon the cross to redeem us from the thraldom Sacrament of the devil, and that his blood was shed for us to wash and blood ^ away our sins. Therefore we must run thither, if we of Christ, yy jii \yQ eased. For if we think to have our sins forgiven for eating of the sacrament, or for seeing the sacrament once a day, or for praying unto it, then surely we suck the alepole. And by this you may perceive what profit comcth of those sacraments, which either have no signi- fication put unto them, or else when their significations are lost and forgotten ; for then, no doubt, they are not commended of God, but are rather abominable. For when we know not what they mean, then seek we health Frith,] OF THE BODY OF CHRIST. 335 in the outward deed, and so are injurious unto Christ and his blood. As, by example, the sacrifices of the The sacri- Jews were well allowed and accepted of God, as lone; as ^^'^^ "^ ^'''*^ '- '^ Jews, as they used them aright, and understood by them the death lon^astiiey of Christ, the shedding of his blood, and that holy obla- J'^^ised^''^" tion offered on the cross once for ever. But when they were well began to forget this signification, and sought their ^"'*^^'^'^ health and righteousness in the bodily work, and in the sacrifice itself, then were they abominable in the sight of God, and then he cried out of them both by the pro- phet David and Isaiah. And likewise it is with our sacraments. Let us therefore seek up the significations, and go to the very thing which the sacrament is set to present unto us, and there shall we find such fruitful food as shall never fail us, but comfort our souls into life everlasting. Now will I in order answer to M. More's book, and, as I find occasion given me, I shall endeavour my- self to supply that thing which lacked in the first trea- tise ; and I trust I shall show such light, that all men, whose eyes the Prince of this world hath not blinded, shall perceive the truth of the scriptures and glory of Christ. And whereas, in my first treatise, the truth was set forth with all simplicity, and nothing armed against the assault of sophisters ; that have I somewhat redressed in this book, and have brought bones fit for their teeth, which if they be too busy, may chance to choke them. Thus endeth my little treatise that I wrote unto my friend, being sufficient for his instruction. 33C ANSWER UNTO TFrith. THUS BEGINNETH THE PREFACE OF M. MORE'S BOOK. More. JN my most hearty wise I recommend me unto you, and send you by this bringer the writing again which I received from you. Whereof I liave been offered a couple of copies more, in the mean while, as late as ye wot well it was. Frith. Dear brethren, consider these words, and prepare you to the cross that Christ shall lay upon you, as ye 1 Pet. ii. have oft been counselled. For even as Avhen the wolf Luke xxii. howletli, the sheep had need to gather themselves to their shepherd, to be delivered from the assault of the bloody beast ; likewise had you need to fly unto the shepherd of yovn- souls, Christ Jesus, and to sell your Epbes. vi. coats, and buy his spiritual sword, which is the Avord of God, to defend and deliver you in this present ne- cessity : for now is the time that Christ told us of, Matt. X. (Matt. X.) that he was come, by his word, to set vari- ance between the son and liis father, between the daughter and her mother, between the daughter-in-law Mich. V. and her mother-in-law ; and that in a man's own house- hold shall be his enemies. But be not dismayed, nor think it no wonder, for Christ chose twelve, and one of John vi. them was the devil, and betrayed his master. And we Matt. X. that are his disciples may look for no better than he had himself, for the scholar is not above his master. 2 Cor. xii. Saint Paul protesteth that he was in peril among false brethren, and surely I suppose that we are in no less jeopardy. For if it be so that his mastership re- ceived one copy, and had a couple of copies more offered John Frith in the mean while, then may ye be sure that there are TT T*^h "i^^^y ^^^^^ brethren, which pretend to have knowledge, ren. and indeed are but picktlianks, providing for their Frith.] PREFACE OF M. MORE'S BOOK. 337 belly : prepare ye therefore cloaks, for the weather waxeth cloudy, and rain is like to follow. I mean not false excuses and forswearing of yourselves, but that ye look substantially upon God's word, that you may be able to answer their subtle objections, and rather choose manfully to die for Christ and his word than cowardly to deny him for this vain and transitory life ; considering that they have no farther power but over this corruptible body, which, if they put it not to death, must yet at the length perish of itself. But I trust the Lord shall not suffer you to be tempted 2 Cor. x. above that you may bear ; but according to the spirit that he shall pour upon you, shall he also send you "^". exhor- 1 1 1 • 1 1 1 -1 n tation to the scourge, and make hmi that hath received more of stand man- the Spirit to suffer more, and him that receiveth less ^"%'jytlie r . . proiession thereof, to suffer according to his talent. I thought it of God's necessary first to admonish you of this matter^ and now I will recite more of M. More's book. " Whereby men may see how greedily these new- More, named brethren write it out, and secretly spread it abroad." The name is of great antiquity, although you list to Frith. jest ; for they were called brethren before our bishops were called lords, and had the name given them by Christ, saying, (Matt, xxiv.) All ye are brethren; and Brethren is (Luke XXV.) Confirm thy brethren ; and the name was ^" anc-.ent ^ ^ J ' name in the continued by the Apostles, and is a name that nourish- Scripture. eth love and amity. And very glad 1 am to hear of their greedy affection in writing out and spreading abroad the word of God, for by that I do perceive the prophecy of Amos to have place, which saitli, in the Amosvi. person of God, I will send hunger and thirst into the earth ; not hunger for meat, not thirst for drink, but for to hear the word of God. Now bejjinneth tlie kingdom of Heaven to suffer violence ; now runneth the , , poor publicans, which acknowledge themselves sinners, j^^^j.^ j^^.jjj to the word of God, putting both goods and bod}' in \ OL. IV. z 338 AN ANSWER TO THE [FllITH. Rom. i. Acts xxiv, More. Frith. John Frith feared not death. Frith wisheth all his works to he seen. jeopardy for the soul's health. And though our bishops do call it heresy, and all them heretics that hunger after it, yet do we know that it is the gospel of the living God, for the health and salvation of all that beUeve. And as for the name, doth nothing offend us, though they call it heresy a thousand times; for St. Paul testifieth that tlie Pharisees and priests, which were counted the very chiuxh in his time, did so call it, and therefore it forceth not, though they ruling in their rooms use the same names. " Which young man, I hear say, hath lately made divers other things, that yet run in hoker-moker so close among the brethren, that there cometh no copies abroad." I answer, that surely I cannot spin, and I think no man more hateth to be idle than 1 do : wherefore, in such things as I am able to do, I shall be dihgent as long as God lendeth me my life. And if ye think I be too busy, you may rid me the sooner ; for even as the sheep is in the butcher's hands ready bound, and looketh but even for the grace of the butcher when he shall shed his blood ; even so am I bound at the bishops'" pleasure, ever looking for the day of my death, insomuch that plain word was sent me, that the Chancellor of London said it should cost me the best blood in my body : which I would glad were shed to- morrow, if so be it might open the King's grace eyes. And verily I marvel that any thing can run in hoker- moker, or be hid from you ; for since you might have such store of copies concerning the thing which I most desired to have been kept secret, how should you then lack a copy of those things which I most would have published ? And hereof ye may be siu*e I care not, though you and all the bishops within England look on all that ever I wrote, but rather would be glad that ye so did ; for if there be any sparkle of grace in your breasts, I trust it should be an occasion some- Frith.] PREFACE OF M. MORE'S BOOK. 520 what to kindle it, that you may consider and know yourselves, which is the first point of wisdom. " And would God for his mercy," saith M. More, More. " that since there can nothing refrain their study from devising and compassing of evil and ungracious writing, that they would and could keep it so secretly that never man should see it, but such as are so far corrupted as never would be cured of their canker."" It is not possible for him that hath his eyes and Frith. seeth his brother which lacketh sight in jeopardy of He that perishing at a perilous pit, but that he must come to i^^ther in him and guide him, till he is past that jeopardy ; and peril of at the least wise, if he cannot come to him, yet will he must wlrn call and cry unto him, to cause him [to] choose the better ^jm there- way, except his heart be cankered with the contagion of such hatred that he can rejoice in his neighbour's de- struction. And even so is it not possible for us which have received the knowledge of God's word, but that we must cry and call to others, that they leave the perilous paths of their own foolish fantasies ; and do Deut. xii, that only to the Lord that he commandeth them, neither adding any thing nor diminishing. And therefore, un- Note here til we see some means found by the which a reasonable ^g^l o7"^^* reformation may be had on the one part, and sufficient Frith. instruction for the poor commoners, I assure you I neither will nor can cease to speak ; for the word of God boileth in my body like a fervent fire, and will needs have an issue, and breaketh out when occasion is given. But this hath been offered you, is offered, and shall be offered. Grant that the word of God, I mean the text of Scripture, may go abroad in our English tongue. An offer . , •» * I 1 • 11 ITlclQG to tilG as other nations have it in their tongues, and my bro- clergy by ther William Tyndale and I have done, and will pro- «^ohnFrith. mise you to write no more : if you will not grant this condition, then will we be doing wliile we have breath, z 2 340 AN ANSWER TO THE [Fuith. and show in few words that the Scripture doth in many ; and so at the least save some. More. " But alack ! this will not be ; for, as St. Paul saith, the contagion of heresy creepeth on like a canker ; for, as the canker corrupteth the body farther and farther, and turneth the whole parts into the same deadly sick- ness, so doth these heresies creep forth among good simple souls, till at the last it be almost past remedy." Frith. This is a very true saying, and maketh well against his own purpose, for, indeed, this contagion began to spring even in St. PauFs time ; insomuch that the Galatians were in a manner wholly seduced from his 2 Thes. ii. doctrine ; and he said to the Thessalonians, The mys- tery of iniquity even now beginneth to work. And St. John testifieth that there were already many Anti- 1 John iv. christs risen in his days. And also, Paul prophesied what should follow after his time, (Acts xx.) saying, Acts XX. Take ye heed to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath put you overseers, to feed the congregation of God, which he purchased with his The pro- own blood. For I know this well, that after my de- St^Faul of parture shall enter in grievous wolves among you, the latter which shall not spare the flock ; and even of your- selves shall arise men speaking perverse things, to draw disciples after them ; and therefore watch. Sec. This canker, then, began to spread in the congregation, and did full sore annoy the body, insomuch that within four hundred years there were very many sects scattered in every coast ; notwithstanding there were faithful fa- thers that diligently subdvied them with the sword of Silvester, God's word. But surely, since Silvester received such possessions, hath the canker so crept in the church, that it hath almost left never a sound member. And, When cor- as Cistercensis writes in the eighth book, that day that ruption , . , .,,.,.. entered he received revenues, was a voice heard m the air crying into the Qygj. ^]^g court, which said, This day is venom shed into church. Frith.] PREFACE OF M. MORE'S BOOK. 341 the church of God. Before that time there was no Bishop- bishop greedy to take a cure, for it was no honour not gree- and profit as it is now, but only a careful charg-e which ^^'^y, ^^^i^}^^ \ .... '" tlie pri- was like to cost him his life at one time or other. And mitire therefore no man would take it but he that bare such then^it'was a love and zeal to God and his flock that he could be a charge, content to shed his blood for them. But after that it lordship. was made so honourable and profitable, they that were worst, both in learning and living, most labovu'ed for it ; for they that were virtuous would not entangle themselves with the vain pride of this world, and wear three crowns of gold, where Christ did wear one of jjat. xxvii. thorns. And in conclusion it came so far, that whoso- Mark xv. ever would give most money for it, or best could flatter John xix. the prince, (which he knew well all good men to abhor,) had the preeminence, aftd got the best bishopric ; and then, instead of God'*s word, they published their own commandments, and made laws to have all under them, and made men believe they could not err, whatsoever they did or said. And even as in the room and stead of Moses, Aaron, Eleazer, Joshua, Caleb, and other faithful folk, came Herod, Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, and Judas, which put Christ to death ; so now, in the stead a great al- of Christ, Peter, Paul, James, and John, and the teration in ' ' ' . ' the church faithful followers of Christ, we have the pope, car- since the dinals, archbishops, bishops, and proud prelates, with l^^^^^ ^^^ their proctor, the mahcious ministers of their master his Apos- . . . . ties the Devil, which, notwithstanding, transform themselves into a likeness as though they were the ministers of j c^,,.^ jj^ righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. So that the body is cankered long ago, and now are left but certain small members, which God of a little his puissant power hath reserved uncorrupted ; and be- f^^^^j^'^J'''^* cause they see that they cannot be cankered as their not cor- own flesh is, for pure anger tliey burn them, lest, if they continued, there might seem some deformity in 342 AN ANSWER TO THE [Frith. their own cankered carcase, by the comparing of these whole members to their scabbed body. More. " Teacheth in a few leaves shortly all the poison that Wickliffe, CEcolampadius Huskyn, Tyndale, and Zuin- glius have taught in all their books before concerning the blessed sacrament of the altar ; not only affirming it to [be] very bread still, as Luther doth, but also (as these other beasts do) sayeth it is nothing else." And after the same. Sir Thomas More saith, " These dregs hath he drunken of Wickliffe, CEcolampadius, Tyndale, and Zuinglius, and so hath he all that he argueth here be- side ; which four, what manner folk they be, is meetly well perceived and known, and God hath in part, with his open vengeance, declared."" Frith. Luther is not the prick that I run at, but the Scrip- ture of God. I do neither affi'^m nor deny any thing because Luther so saith, but because the Scripture of God doth so conclude and determine. I take not Lu- ther for such an author that I think he cannot err, but I think verily that he both may err, and doth err, in certain points, although not in such as concern salva- tion and damnation ; for in these, blessed be God ! all these whom ye call heretics do agree right well. And likewise, I do not allow this thing because Wickliffe, CEcolampadius, Tyndale, and Zuinglius so say, but because I see them in that place more purely expound the Scripture, and that the process of the text doth more favour their sentence. And where you say that I affirm it to be bread still, as Luther doth, the same I say again, not because Lu- ther so sayeth, but because I can prove my words true by Scripture, reason, nature, and doctors. Paul calleth 1 Cor. X. it bread, saying, The bread which we break is it not . the fellowship of the body of Christ ? for we, -though we eth the Sa- be many, are yet one body and one bread, as many as crainent ^^^ partakers of one bread. And again he sayeth. As 1 Cor. ii. often as ye eat of this bread, or drink of this cup, you Frith.] PREFACE OF M. MORE'S BOOK. Uli shall show the Lord's death until lie come. Also, Luke calleth it bread in the Acts, saying. They continued in ^'^^'^ "• the fellowship of the Apostles, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer. Also Christ called the cup the fruit of the vine, saying, 1 shall not from henceforth drink of liuke xxii. the fruit of the vine, until I drink that new in the king- dom of my Father. Farthermore, Nature dotli teach you, that both the Natmesay- bread and wine continue in their nature ; for the bread bread huhe mouldeth if it be kept long, yea, and worms breed in Sacrament. it, and the poor mouse will run away with it, and desire no other meat to her dinner, which are evident enough that there remaineth bread. Also the wine, if it were Tiie wine reserved, would wear sour, as they confess themselves, gourTfTtbe and therefore they housel the lay people but with one kept long. kind only, because the wine cannot continue, nor be re- served, to have ready at hand when need were. And surely, as if there remained no bread, it could not mould, nor wear full of worms ; even so if there re- mained no wine, it could not wear sour : and there- fore it is but false doctrine that our prelates so long have published. Finally, that there remaineth bread, The doc- might be proved by the authority of many doctors, tha^t bread which call it bread and wine, as Christ and his Apostles remaineth did ; and though some sophisters would waste their crament. sayings, and expound them after their fantasy, yet shall I allege them one doctor, Avhich was also Pope of Rome, that maketh so plain with us, tiiat they shall be compelled with shame to hold their tongues; for Pope Gelasius writeth on this manner : Certe Sa- Gelasins, a cramenta qua sumiimis corporis et sanguinis Christi ^ "^^' ^.*'u" divina res suiit^ et propterea per ilia participes J'acti et Nesti)- sumns divina natura, et tamen non desinit esse sub- '^'""'' stantia vel panis et vini, sed per?nanent in sua pj'oprie- tate natura. Et certe imago et similitudo corporis et sanguiuis Christi in actione imsteriorum celehranlur. 'I'hat is to sav, Surelv the Sacraments of the body and 344 AN ANSWER TO THE [Frith. This is the saying of Gelasius, a Pope. blood of Christ are a godly thing, and therefore through them are we made partakers of the godly nature ; and yet doth it not cease to be the substance or nature of bread and wine, but they continue in the property of their own nature ; and surely the image and similitude of the body and blood of Christ are celebrated in the act of the mysteries. This, I am sure, was the old doc- trine, which they cannot avoid ; and therefore, with the Scripture, nature, and fathers, I will conclude that there remaineth the substance and nature of bread and Wickliffe. Wickliffe buried fif- teen years, and then burned. Matt. X. Malachi i. CEcolam - padius. Tyndale. And where ye say that we affirm it to be nothing else, I dare say that ye untruly report on us all ; and hereafter I will show you what it is more than bread. And where ye say that it is meetly well known what manner of folk they be, and that God hath in part, with his open vengeance, declared : I answer, that Master Wickliffe was noted, while he was living, to be a man not only of most famous doc- trine, but also of a very sincere life and conversation ; nevertheless, to declare your malicious minds and vengeable hearts, as men say, fifteen years after he was buried, you took him up and burnt him, which fact declared your fury, although he felt no fire ; but blessed be God, which hath given such tyrants no farther power but over this corruptible body ; for the soul ye cannot bind nor burn ; but God may bless where you curse, and curse where you bless. And as for QEcolampadius, whom you also call Huskyn, his most adversaries have ever commended his conversation and godly life, which, when God had appointed his time, gave place unto nature, as every man must, and died of a canker. And Tyndale, I trust, liveth well content with such a poor Apostle's life as God gave his son Christ, and his faithful ministers in this world, which is not sure of so many mites as ye be yearly of pounds, although Frith.] PREFACE OF M. MORE'S BOOK. 3i5 I am sure that, for his learning and judgment in Scrip- ture, he were more worthy to be promoted than all the bishops in England. I received a letter from him, which was written since Christmas, wherein, among other matters, he writeth thus : — I call God to record Tyndale against the day we shall appear before our Lord Jesus his inno- to give a reckoning of our doings, that I never altered cency. one syllable of God's word against my conscience, nor would do this day, if all that is in earth, whether it be honour, pleasure, or riches, might be given me. Moreover I take God to record to my conscience, that I desire of God to myself in this world, no more tlian that without which I cannot keep his laws, &c. — Judge, Christian reader, whether these words be not spoken of a faithful, clear, innocent heart. And as for his beha- viour, is such, that I am sure no man can reprove him of any sin ; howbeit, no man is innocent before God, which beholdeth the heart. Finally, Zuinglius was a man of such learning and Zuinglius. gravity, besides eloquence, that I think no man in Christendom might have compared with him, notwith- Zuinglius standinp- he was slain in battle in defending his city ?^^'" '",^ '^ . . J'"''»/a- ait. 1 hat IS to say. He admitted him, saith bt. Austin, unto the maundy, wherein he did betake and deliver unto the disciples the figure of his bod}' and blood. Here doth this holy father St. Austin call it a figure Christ de- of his body ; and I am sure there is no man so childish, jji^di^'^i^^eg but that he knoweth that the figure of a thing is not the figure the thing itself: as, by example, the figure of Christ is ^ " •' not Christ himself, the figure of St. Peter is not St. Peter himself ; and yet we do, nevertheless, connnonly call those figures by the name of tlio thing that they do represent; as I may say, when I see the figure of 364 ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. St. Peter, this is St. Peter to whom Christ delivered the keys of the kingdom of Heaven ; and yet he were a fool that would think that figure to be St. Peter him- self, for it is only a representation of him. Besides that, August.su. St. Austin saith, Non hoc corpus quod videtis estis man- xcviii.*" ducaluri, nee hibituri ilium saitgubiem quern effusuri sunt qui me crucijigent. Sacrament wn aliquod vobis commendavi, spiritualiter intellectum vivi/icat vos. That is to say, You shall not eat this body that you see, nor drink that blood which they that crucify me shall shed out : I have given a certain Sacrament unto you, if it be spiritually understood it quickeneth you. What things can be more plainly spoken ? August. Furthermore, St. Austin saith, Sccpe ita loquimur ut ad Bonifa. , . , , . , /. ^ cmm,Epist. pf'sc/ia appropuiquante crastinam vel perendinam Do- ^-'^'"- mi)ii passionem dicamus : cum ille ante tarn multos annos passus sit, nee omnino nisi semel ilia passio facta sit. Nempe ipso die dominico dicitnus Hodie Dominus resur- rexit, cum ex quo surrexit tot anni transierunt. Quare nemo tarn ineptus est, ut nos ita loquentes arguat esse mentitos, quia istos dies secundum illorum quibus hac gesta sunt similitudinem nuncupamus : ut dicatur ipse dies qui non sit ipse, sed revolutione temporum similis ejus : et dicatur illo die fieri propter Sacramenti cele- brationem, quod non illo die, sed Jam olim factum est. No7ine semel immolatus est Christus in seipso ? ettamen in Sacramento non solum per annuas pascJuc solennitates, sed omni die pro populis immolatur. Necutique mentitur qui interrogatus, responderit eum immolari. Si enim Sacramenta quandam similitudinem earum rerum qua- rum sunt Sacramenta non haberent, omnino Sacramenta non essent. Ex hac autem similitudine plerumque etiam ipsarum rerum nomina accipiunt. Sicut ergo secundum quendam modum Sacramentum corporis Christi corpus Christi est, et Sacramentum sa?iguinis Christi sans;uis Christi est, ita Sacramentum fdei fdes est. Nihil est autem aliud credere, quam fdem habere ; ac per hoc Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. S65 cum respondetur parvulus credere^ qui Jidei iiondum habet effectum^ respondetur Jidem habere propter Jidei Sacrameiitu?n, et convertere se ad Deum propter conver- sioiiis Sacrameutum : quia et ipsa responsio pertiuet ad celebrationem Sacramenti. Sicut de ipso Baptismo apos- tolus, Consepulti (inquit) sumus Christo per Baptis- mum in mortem. Non ait sepulturam signijicamus, sed prorsus ait, consepulti sumus. Sacrameutum ergo tanta rei non nisi ejusdem rei vocabulo nuncupavit. That is to say, We often use to say, when Easter draweth nigli, that to-morrow or the next day is the Lord's passion, and yet it is many years since he suffered, and that pas- sion was never done but once : and upon that Sunday we say, This day the Lord did rise again, and yet it is many years since he rose. Now is there no man so foolish to reprove us as liars for so saying, because we name these days after the similitude of those in which these things were done, so that it is called the same day, which is not the very same, but, by the revolution of time, like it ; and it is named to be done the same day through the celebration of the Sacrament, (through keeping the memorial of the thing once done,) which is The Sacra- not done that day, but was done long ago. Was not |IIeJJ,VriaV^ Christ once crucified in his own person, and yet in a of Christ's mystery (which is the remembrance of his very passion) he is crucified for the people, not only every feast of Easter, but every day. Neither doth he lie which, when he is asked, answereth that he is crucified ; for if the Sacraments had not certain similitudes of those things whereof they are Sacraments, then should they be no Sacraments at all. And for this similitude, for the most part, they take tlie names of the very things ; and The Sacra- therefore, as after a certain manner the Sacrament of J^j^rj't", Christ's body is Christ's body, and the Sacrament of body and ,"11 • 1 1 1 1 • /-ii • ■> 1 1 ' 1 ii o I. c hh)(«l, after Christ s blood is Christ s blood, so the hacranicnt ot ^ maimer, faith is faith. For it is no other thing to believe, than [^ n.rist's '^ body aiul to have faith; and therefore, A\hen a man ansAvereth that blood. 566 ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. the infant believeth, which hath not the effect of faith, he answereth that it hath faith for the Sacrament of faith ; and that it turneth itself to God for the Sacra- ment of conversion : for the answer itself pertaineth unto the ministering of the Sacrament. As the Apostle writeth of baptism. We are buried, saith he, with Christ, through baptism, unto death. He saith not we signify burying, but utterly saith we are buried. He called, therefore, the Sacrament of so great a thing, even with the name of the very thing itself. If a man would avoid contention, and look soberly Good Fri- on those words of St. Austin, he shall soon perceive caHed^th ^^ *^^^ mystery of this matter. For even as the next Good day that Friday shall be called the day of Christ's passion ; (and fered h^" ' Y^^ ^^ shall not suffer death again upon that day, for passion, he died but once, and is now immortal ;) even so is the not so, for Sacrament called Chrisfs body. And as that day is not ^at Good j^j^g ygj,y jg^y ^}jg^ ]^ g (jjgj Q jj ^ \y^^^ Q^\y g^ remembrauce past long thereof; so the Sacrament is not his very natural body, since. j^^j. only a remembrance of his body breaking and blood shedding. And hkewise, as the next Easter day shall be called the day of his resurrection, not that it is the very same day that Christ did rise in, but a remem- brance of the same ; even so the Sacrament is called his body, not that it is his body indeed, but only a re- membrance of the same. And furthermore, even as the priest doth offer him, that is to say, crucify him, at mass, even so is the Sacrament his body. But the Mass doth Pritli wri- but only represent liis passion ; and so doth the Sacra- Mass^ac- ^ ment represent his body : and yet, though the Mass cording to doth represent his crucifying, we may truly say he is mon crucified ; even so, though the Sacrament do but signify opinion Qj. represent his body, vet may we truly say that it is his that was at ^ •' -^ i i ». i o that time. body. Why so ? verily, saith he, for the Sacraments have a certain similitude of those things whereof they are Sacraments : and for this similitude, for the most part, they take the names of the very things. Blessed Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. 367 be God, which hath so clearly discussed this matter by this faithful father. NotAvithstanding, he doth yet ex- press it more plahily, saying, after a certain manner the Sacrament of Christ's body is Christ's body. Be- Afterarer- hold, dear brethren, he saith, after a certain manner the ^"'" '"=*",- Sacrament is Christ's body ; and by that you may soon cmment'oT know that he never meant that it should be his verv p*',"**^'* natural body mdeed, but only a token and memorial to Cin-ist's keep in memory the death of his body, and so to nou- '*"*'^' rish our faith. Besides that, his similitude, which he afterwards allegeth of baptism, dotli wholly expound this matter ; for, saith he. The Apostle saith not we sig- nify burying, but he saith. We are buried, and yet, in- deed, the baptism doth but signify it. And thereupon St. Austin addeth, that he called the Sacrament of so great a thing, even with the name of the very thing it- self; and likewise it is in our Sacrament. Finally, to be short, I will pass over many places which I have gathered out of this holy father, and will touch but this one more. St. Austin saith, No?i enim Domiiius du- August. bitavit dicere, Hoc est corpus meum^ cum daret signiim 'Adaman- corporis sui. Et in eodem capiic exponit. Sic est euirn ''f.'"' '^"P- sanguis anima, quomodo petra erat Christus : nee tamen petra (ait) signijicabat Christum, sed ait petra erat Christus. That is to say. The Lord doubted not to say. This is my body, when he gave a sign of his body, ciiristpave And after, in the same chapter, he expoundeth it. For ^*' '"'^ ^'''- truly so the blood is soul, as Christ was the stone, li^^aothis And yet the Apostle saith not the stone did signify ''"''>'• Christ, but he saith the stone was Christ. Here St. Austin saith plainly that Christ called the sign of his body, his body ; and in this chapter doth compare these three texts of Scripture, This is my body, the blood is the soul, and Christ was the stone, and dedareth them to be one phrase, and to be expounded after one fashion. Now is there no man so mad as to say that Christ was a natural stone, except he be a natural fool. 36S ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. Ambros. super illud mortem Domini annuncia. Ambros. de sacra lib. 4, cap. 4. whose judgment we need not greatly to regard : there- fore we may well conclude, that the Sacrament is not his natural body, but is called his body for a similitude that it hath, wherein it signifieth and representeth his body ; and that the Sacrament of so great a thing is called even with the name of the very thing itself, as St. Austin said immediately before. This were proof enough to conclude that all the old fathers did hold the same opinion ; for who would once surmise, seeing we have St. Austin so plain for us, which is the chiefest among the mall — who would once surmise, I say, that he dissented in this great matter from the other faithful fathers, or they from him ? Nevertheless, I dare not let him stand post alone, lest ye despise him ; and therefore, I will show you the mind of certain other also : and first, of his master, St. Ambrose. St. Ambrose, writing upon the Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, in the eleventh chapter, saith, Quia enim morte Domini liherati sumus, hujus rei memoies in edendo et potando, carnem et sanguinem qua pro nobis ohlata sunt signi/icamus. That is to say, Because we be delivered by the death of the Lord, being mindful of this thing, meaning of the Sacrament, we signify the flesh and blood which were offered for us. Here doth St. Am- brose say enough, if men were not sophists, but would be content with reason; for he saith, That in eating and drinking the Sacrament of Christ's body, we sig- nify or represent the flesh and blood of our Saviour Jesus. Notwithstanding, because you are so slippery, we shall bind you a little better by this man's words. St. Ambrose saith, Sed forte dices speciem sanguinis non video. Sed hahet similitudinis. Sicut enim mortis similitudinem sumpsisti, ita etiani similitudinem preciosi sanguinis hibis. That is to say. But peradventure thou wilt say, I see no appearance of blood. But it hath a similitude ; for even as thou hast taken the similitude of death, even so thou drinkest the similitude of the Fhitii.] CHRIST'S maundy. ^G9 precious blood. Here may you see, by the conferring of these two Sacraments, what St. Ambrose judged of it; for he saith, Even as thou hast taken a similitude of his death in the Sacrament of baptism, so dost thou drink a similitude of his precious blood in the Sa- crament of the altar ; and yet, as St. Austin said before, the Apostle saith not. We signify burying, but saith, We are buried. And likewise, here Christ said not, This signifieth my body, but, This is my body ; calling the Sacrament, sign, token, and memorial of so great a thing, even with the name of the very thing itself. Thus doth St. Ambrose choke our sophists. Nevertheless, I will allege one place more out of St. Ambrose, where he saith, Dicit sacerdos^ Fac nobis Amlros. hanc oblationem scriptam rutionabilem, quod est Jigura Sacramen. corporis Domini )iostri Jesu Christi. That is, The ^^P- ^^ priest saith. Make us this oblation acceptable, &c. for ipj^^ Sacra- it is a figure of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, ment is Here he calleth it plainly a figure of Christ's body, chw^t's ° which thing you cannot avoid ; therefore give praise ^°^y- unto God, and let his truth spread, which is so plainly testified by these holy fathers. Now let us see what St. Jerome saith. St. Jerome, writing upon Ecclesiastes, saith on this ' P . . . . Ilterom. manner: Caro Domini verus cibus est, et sanguis ejus super Eccle verus potus est : hoc solum habemus in prasenti saculo '^"P' ^^ bonum, si vescamur came ejus cruoreq; potemur, non solum in mi/sterio, sed etiam in scripturarum lectione : verus enini cibus est et potus, qui ex verbo Dei sumitur, scientia scrip- turaruyn est. That is to say, The flesh of the Lord is very meat, and his blood is very drink. This is only the pleasure or profit that we have in this world, that we may eat his flesh and drink his blood, not only in a mystery, but also in the reading of Scriptures. For the very meat and drink, which is taken out of God's word, is the knowledge of Scriptures. Here may you see St. Jerome's mind in few words ; for first, he VOL. IV. 2 B S70 ON THE WORDS OF [FuiTII. We eat the very flesh of Christ, and drink his lilood ill a mystery. The under- standing of the Scrip- ture is very meat and very drink. Christ's body is no material meat or drink. saith, that we eat his flesh and drink his blood in a mystery, which is the Sacrament of his remembrance, and memorial of his passion ; and after, h^ addeth, that we eat his flesh and drink his blood in the reading and knowledge of Scriptures, and calleth that very meat and very drink ; and yet, 1 am sure, ye are not so gross, as to think that the letters which you read are turned into natural flesh and blood. And likewise, it is not necessary that the bread should be turned into his body, no more than the letters in Scripture are turned into his flesh. And nevertheless, through faith, we may as well eat his body in receiving of the Sacra- ment, as eat his flesh in reading of the letters of the Scrip- ture. Besides that, St. Jerome calleth the understanding of the Scripture very meat and very drink ; which you must needs understand in a mystery and spiritual sense ; for it is neither material meat nor drink that is received with the mouth and teeth, but it is spiritual meat and drink, and is so called for a similitude and property ; because that, as meat and drink comfort the body and outward man, so doth the reading and knowledge of Scripture comfort the soul and inward man. And likewise it is of Christ"'s body, which is called very meat and very drink, which you must needs understand in a mystery, or spiritual sense, as St. Jerome called it; for his body is no material meat nor drink, that is received with the mouth or teeth, but it is spiritual meat and drink, and so called for a similitude and property ; because, that as meat and drink comforteth the body, so doth the faith in his body breaking and blood-shed- dino; refresh the soul into life everlastino*. We use it customably in our daily speech to say, when a child sctteth all his mind and delight on sport and play, it is meat and drink to this child to play ; and also, we say by a man that loveth well hawking and hunting, it is meat and drink to this man to hawk and hunt ; where no man doubteth but it is a figu- Fhith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. 371 rative speech ; and therefore I wonder that they are so bhnd in this one point of Christ's body, and cannot also take the words figuratively, as these old doctors did. Again, St. Jerome saith, Poslquam mystkum pascha fiierat impletum et agiii canies cum Apostolis comederat, assumit paiiem qui comfortat cor Hieronimus hominis, et ad verum pascha transgreditur sacramentum^ «"i'"" ut quomodo in pnejiguratioue ejus Melchisedech, summi " ''"^'' Dei sacerdos, vinum et panem offereus fecerat, ipse quo- que veritatem corporis et sanguinis reprasentaret. That is to say, After the mystical Easter lamb fulfilled, and that Christ had eaten the lamb's flesh with the Apostles, he took bread, which comforteth the heart of man, and passe th to the true Sacrament of the Easter lamb ; that, as Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine figuring him, so might he likewise represent the truth of his body and blood. Here doth St. Jerome speak after the manner that Tertullian did before : that Christ, with bread and wine, did represent the truth of his body ; for, except he had had a true body, he could not leave a ^^hpre figure of it, nor represent it unto us ; for a vain thing there is no or fantasy can have no figure, nor cannot be repre- there can be sented : as, by example. How should a man make a "," figiire of . . the same, figure of his dream, or represent it unto our memory ? But Christ hath left us a figure and representation of his body in bread and wine, therefore it followeth that he had true body. And, that this was St. Jerome's mind, it doth manifestly appear by the words of Beda, ^^,/„,^-g,. which doth more copiously set out this saying of Je- Luke xxii. rome ; for he writeth on this manner : Finitis pascha, veteris solenniis qua in commeniorationem antiqua de Mgypto liherationis agehantur, transit ad novum quod in sua redemptionis memoriam Ecclesia frequentare de- siderata ut videlicet pro came agni vel sanguine, sua carnis sanguinisque sacramenturn in panis ac vini Jigura substituens, ipsutn se esse monstraret cui juravit Donii- nus et non panitebit euin, Tu es sacerdos in aternum se- 2 B 2 ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. cnndinn ordinem Melchisedech. Frangit aiitem ipse pa/iem qiiem porrigit, ut ostendat corporis sui fractionem non sine sua sponte fiiturum, ^c. Et paulo post. Similiter et calicem, postquam canavit^ dediteis. Quia ergopanis carjiem conjirmat, viimm vera sanguiiiein operatur in came., hie ad corpus Christi mystice^ illud refertur ad sangui- nem. That is to say, After the solemnity of the old Easter lamb was finished, which was observed in the remem- brance of the old deliverance out of Egypt, he goeth unto the new, which the Church gladly observeth in the remembrance of his redemption, that he, in the stead of the flesh and blood of the lamb, might institute and or- dain the Sacrament of his flesh and blood in the figure of bread and wine, and so declare himself to be the same unto whom the Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a perpetual priest after the order of Melchisedech. And he himself brake the bread which he gave, to show that the breaking of his body should not be done with- out his own will, &c. And a little after. And like^vise, he gave them the cup after he had supped. And be- cause bread doth confirm, or strengthen the flesh, and wine worketh blood in the flesh, therefore is the bread mystically referred unto the body of Christ, and the wine referred unto his blood. Here you may note first, that as the lamb was a re- membrance of their deliverance out of Egypt, and yet the lamb delivered them not ; so is the Sacrament a remembrance of our redemption, and yet the Sacra- ment redeemed us not. Besides that, he saith that Christ, in the stead of the flesh and blood of the lamb, did institute the Sacrament of his flesh and blood in figure of bread and wine. Mark well ; he saith not that in the stead of lamVs flesh and blood he did in- stitute his own flesh and blood, but saith that he did institute the Sacrament of his flesh and blood. What ment, what ^j^jj^g jg ^ Sacrament ? verily, it is the sign of a holy thing, and there is no diflerence between a sign and a Bread and wine is mystically reieired to the l)ody and blood of Christ. A Sacra- and ))Ioure. . ■' , i.iini Till ^^"' ""'" figure and sign representmg his holy flesh and blood us tiie flesh unto us for a perpetual remembrance. And afterward, he declareth the propriety for which the bread is called the body, and the wine the blood ; saying, (he speaketh not so darkly as I now do, but plainly saith,) that the bread is mystically referred unto the body of Christ ; because, that as bread doth strengthen the flesh, so Christ's body, which is figured by the bread, doth ' strengthen the soul, through faith in his death ; and so doth he clearly prove my purpose. Now let us see what Chrysostom saith, which shall chnjsostom describe us the faith of the old Grecians, and, I "'j"^''^ Mali. XXVI. doubt not, he had not lost the true faith, howsoever the world go now-a-days. Chrysostom saith in this manner. Si enim mortuus Jesus non est, cujus signum et sj/mbolum hoc sacrificium est ? vides quantum ei studium fuerit ut semper memoria teneamus pro nobis ipsum mortuum fuisse. That is to say, For if Jesus have not died, whose memorial and sign is the sa- crifice ? Thou seest what diligence he gave, that we should continually keep in memory that he died for us. Here you may see, that Chrysostom calleth the Sacra- ment symbolum et signum, that is to say, a memorial, or sign of Christ, and that it was institute to keep his death in perpetual remembrance. But of one thing thou must beware, or else thou art deceived ; he calleth 374 ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. Sacrifice. it also a sacrifice, and there thou must wisely under- stand him ; for if it were the sacrifice of Christ's body, then must Christ's body be slain there again, which thing God forbid. And therefore thou must under- stand him, when he calleth it a sacrifice, that he meaneth it to be a remembrance of that holy sacrifice where Christ's bo- Christ's body was offered on the cross once for all ; for fice^ offered ^^ ^^^ ^^ sacrificed no more, seeing he is immortal, on the cross Notwithstanding our prelates will here note me of pre- once for all. . i t i i i i i -,■,•• ^ sumption, that 1 dare be so bold to expound his mind on this fashion — for, indeed, they take him otherwise, Chrysostom and think that it is a very sacrifice — and therefore I Jfom^l? ^^^^ bring one other text, where Chrysostom shall ex- pound himself. Chrysostom saith, Nonne per singu- los dies offerimus ? offerimus quidem, sed ad recorda- tionem mortis ejus Jhcientes, Sfc. Et paido post. Non aliud sacri/icium (sicut pontifex) sed id ipsum semper facimiis ; magis autem recordationem sacrificii operamur. That is to say, Do we not daily offer, or do sacrifice .'' Yes, surely ; but we do it for the remembrance of his death. For this sacrifice is an example of that we offer ; not another sacrifice, as the bishops in the old law did, but ever the same, yea, rather a remembrance of the sa- crifice. First he saith, that they daily do sacrifice, but it is in remembrance of Christ's death ; then he saith, that the sacrifice is an example of that. Thirdly, he saith, that they offer not another sacrifice ; that is to say, an ox or a goat, as the bishops of the old law, but ever the same. Mark this point ; for though it seem at the first sight to make with them, yet doth it make so directly against them, that they shall never be able to avoid it. Clirysostom saith, they do not offer another sacrifice, as the bishops did, but ever the same. They offer other bread and wine this day than they did yester- day ; they shall say another mass to-morrow than they did this day- Now, if this bread and wine, or the mass, be a sacrifice, then do they offer another sacrifice, as Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. 375 well as the bishops of the old law : for this sacrifice did Tlie Sacri- signify that Christ should come and shed his blood, as otivr h? '*" well as the bread, wine, and mass do represent tliat he ''read and hath done it indeed : and, therefore, if it be a sacrifice, ",'mem- ' ** then do they offer another sacrifice representing his •>'"'nceof passion, as well as the bishop of the old law ; but that death, doth Chrysostom deny, and saith that they offer every day the same. What same ? Verily, even the same that was done and sacrificed when Christ shed his blood. In this sacrifice is Christ bound and buffeted, and led from Annas to Caiaphas ; he is brought to Pilate and con- demned ; he is scourged and crowned with thorns, and nailed on the cross, and liis heart opened with a spear, and so sheds his blood for our redemption. Why, Chry- sostom, and do you the self-same sacrifice every day ? Yea, verily. Then why dotli St. Paul say, that Christ Rom. vi. is risen from death, and dieth no more f If he die no more, how do you daily crucify him ? Forsooth, Paul saith truth ; for we do not actually, indeed, but only in a mystery ; and yet we say that we do sacrifice him, ^j,g^ j^^^^^ and that this is his sacrifice, for the celebration of the tin deda- Sacrament and memory of the passion which we keep, gj Bonifa'- And for this cause it hath the name of the thing tliat it <^"""- doth represent and signify, and therefore I expound my mind by a rhetorical correction, and say, magh rt- cordationem sacrijicii ; that is to say, yea, rather the re- membrance of the sacrifice. Grant mercies, good Chry- sostom, now do I perceive the pith of this matter ; even as the mass is the very death and passion of Christ, so is it a sacrifice. Now it doth but only represent the very The mass death and passion of Christ, tiierefore it doth follow .Sacrifice, that the mass in very deed doth but only represent a '»tcause it sacrifice. And yet, notwithstandmg, many tunes it is etii tlie caUed a sacrifice of holy doctors, and hath the name of f.!;*'"?' ^"J the very same thing that it doth represent and signify. Christ, that And even so we may say of this Sacrament, tliat as the fic""/,^*,"]',,. mass is the very sacrifice and passion of Christ, so is cross. 376 ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. the Sacrament his very body and sacrifice that is offered. Now the mass doth but only represent and signify the passion, so the Sacrament doth but only represent and signify the body and very sacrifice once offered for ever. Notwithstanding, many times the mass is called a sacri- fice of holy doctors, and so the Sacrament is called the body and a sacrifice, and hath the name of the very same thing that it doth represent and signify. Chrysostom Furthermore Chrysostom saith. Ipse quoque bibit ex ^Matt xxvi ^^' '^^ auditis verbis illis dicerent, Quid igitur sanguinem bibimus et carnem comedimus ? ac ideo perturbarentur. Nam et quando prius de his verba fecit^ multi solum- modo propter verba scandalum passi sunt. Ne igitur tunc id quoque accideret, primus ipse hoc fecit, ut tran- quillo animo ad communicationem mi/steriorum induceret. That is to say. He also drank of it, lest, when they heard his words, they should say. Why do we then drink blood and eat flesh ? and so should be troubled. For when he spake before of those things, many of them were offended with his words. And because that should not now also chance, he himself drank first of it, that he might cause them to come without fear to Christ, by the partaking of those mysteries. Here Chrysostom drinking of noteth that Christ drank of it to draw them from the the cup, did show gross understanding of his words, and by his drinking ter ™and ^° testify unto them that it was not his natural blood, that it was nor his natural flesh indeed, but only memorials and nor carnal representations of his body and blood. And therefore blood. ]^Q called them mysteries ; that is to say. Sacraments : for in this place a Sacrament and a mystery is all one thing, notwithstanding sometimes this word mjstery is more common and large in signifying than this word Sacrament ; and I have showed vovi before, that a Sa- crament is the sign of an holy thing itself, that it repre- senteth ; albeit, sometimes it bears the name of the very thing itself, as the image of St. Peter is not St. Peter himself, and yet it beareth his name. Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. 377 Chrysostom saitli, Caro iion prodest quicqnid: hoc est, '^"/"'•/o/*- secundum spiritum verba mea audieuda sunt. Qui se- wm'.\ij. cundum carnem audit, nihil lucratur, nihil utilitatis ac- cipit. Et paulo post. Quid est auie/n carnuUter intel- ligere ? simpliciter ut res diaintur, fieque aliud quippiani excogitare. Mysteria omnia interioribus oculis consi- deranda sunt, hoc est spirituaUter. That is to say, The flesh profitetli nothing : that is, my words must be un- derstood after the spirit ; he that understandeth them after the flesh winneth nothing, nor taketh any profit. And a little after, What meanetli this, to understand 4^^ myste- after the flesh or carnally.? verily to take the things i,e consi- simplv as they are spoken, and to think no other thiiifr- *^^^^'^ *P'"" ^ -^ . ^ . ^ tuallv. All mysteries or Sacraments must be considered with the inward eyes, that is to say, spiritually. And after, he expoundeth himself in tliis manner. Interiores autem oculi ut paneui viderint, creaturas transvolant, et non de illo pane a pistore cocto cogitant : sed de eo qui dixit se paneni vita, qui per mysticum panem significatur. That is to say. The inward eyes, as soon The plain as they see the bread, they pass over the creatures ; and chn-so- think not of that bread which is baken of the baker, s^to™- but of him that called himself the bread of life, which is signified by the mystical or sacramental bread. Would you have him say any more ? He telleth you plain, that Christ, which is the very bread of life, is sig- nified by this sacramental bread ; and that is the thing which our bishops so fleshly deny now-a-days, which thing yet you may see the old fathers conclude with one assent : notwitlistanding, yet I will allege more old coctors, so that from henceforward they may be ashamea to call it new learning. Fulgentius saith. In illis enim carnalibus (tempore Fnfgentuis, legis) victimis, signijicatio fuit carnis Christ i, quum pro \fj^"' peccatis nostris et ipse sine peccato fuerat oblaturus, et sanguinis quern erat effusurus in rcmissionem peccatorum nostrorum. In tsto autem sacrijicio graliarum actio 378 ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. The Sacra- ment of Christ's body is a thanks- giving. Fulgentius. This cup is the Nevv' Testament, inasmuch as this cup signifieth the New- Testament. Eusehius. atqite commemorutio est carnis Christi quam pro nobis ohtulit, et sanguinis queni pro nobis idem Deus effudit. That is to say, In these carnal sacrifices, in the time of the law, was a signification of the flesh of Christ, which he without sin should offer for our sins, and of the blood which he should shed out in remission of our sins. But in this sacrifice is a thanksgiving and re- membrance of the flesh of Christ, which he offered for us, and of the blood which the same God shed out for us. First note that he calleth it a sacrifice, which, not- withstanding, is but a remembrance of that sacrifice offered on the cross once for all, as it is proved before out of Chrysostom. Then he plainly calleth it a thanks- giving and remembrance of Christ's flesh and blood; and so concludeth with us. Nevertheless, because sophisters would soon think to avoid this place, I will allege one other saying of the same author, wliich they shall never be able to avoid. Fulgentius saith, as Haymo testifieth, Hie calix novum Testamentum est : id est, Hie ealix quern vobis trado, novum Testamentum signijicat. That is to say, This cup or chalice is the New Testament : that is, This cup or chalice, which I deliver you, doth signify the New Testament. In this place he doth plainly show his mind, which cannot be avoided. For even as the cup is the New Testament, so is the bread the body. Now the cup doth but signify the New Testa- ment, and therefore I may conclude that the bread doth but signify the body. Eusebius saith. Quia corpus assumptum ablaturus erat ex oeulis nostris et sideribus allaturus, necessarium erat ut nobis in hac die sacramentum corporis et san- guinis consecraret, ut coleretur jugiter per mj/sterium quod semel offerabatur in precium. That is to say. Be- cause he would take away out of our eyes the body that he took, and carry it into heaven, it was necessary that in this time he should consecrate to us the Sacra- Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. 370 ment of liis body and blood, that that which was once offered for the price of our redemption, might conti- nually be honoured through the mystery. To consecrate a thing, is to apply it unto an holy use. Consecrate. Here you may see that he calleth it the Sacrament of his body and blood, which body is carried up in the heaven : and also he calleth it a mystery, which is enough for them that will see. Also Druthmarius expoundeth these words, This is Druthma- my body, in this manner : Hoc est corpus meuin in mi/s- terio. That is to say : This is my body in a mystery. I think you know what a mystery meaneth ; Christ is crucified every day in a mystery : that is to say, every day his death is represented by the Sacraments of re- membrance. The mass is Christ's passion in a mys- tery : that is to say, the mass doth represent his pas- sion, and keepeth it in our memory. The bread is Christ's body in a mystery : that is to say, it re])resent- eth his body that was broken for us, and keepeth it in our remembrance. You have heard already the mind of the doctors, how the Sacrament is Christ's body, and now I shall show you how the Sacrament is our body, which doth . not a little help to the understanding of these words which are in controversy. The Sacrament of the altar is our Tlie ssa- body as well as it is Christ's body ; and even as it is our how it is body, so is it Christ's. But there is no man tliat can <""" '"'*'>■• say that it is our natural body indeed, but only a figure, sign, memorial, or representation of our body ; wherefore it must also follow, that it is but only a figure, sign, memorial, or representation of Ciirist's body. The first part of this argument may thus be proved. St. Austin, writing in a sermon, saith on this manner, Corpus ergro Christi si vultis intelinrere, apos- ^''".'/"•*'""'* 'TO ^ r> ' J %n scrnwne tolum audite dicentem, Vos estis corpus Christi el mem- ad infantes. bra, 1 Cor. xii. Si ergo estis corpus Christi el mem- bra,mysterium vestrumque in mensa Domini positutn est. 380 ON THE WORDS OF [FuiTII. Aug.inser- mo. de sa- cra feria pascha. Here you may see that tlie Sacrament is our body. August, de sacra feria paschae. mijsterinm Domini accipitis, ad id quod estis, Amen re- spondetis, et respondendo snbscribitis. That is to say, If you will understand the body of Christ, hear the apostle, which saith, Ye are the body of Christ and mem- bers, 1 Cor. xii. Therefore, if ye be the body of Christ''s members, your mystery is put upon the Lord"'s table ; ye receive the mystery of the Lord vuito that you are ; you answer Amen ; and in answering subscribe unto it. Here may you see that the Sacrament is also our body, and yet is not our natural body, but only our body in a mystery : that is to say, a figure, sign, memorial, or representation of our body ; for as the bread is made of many grains or corns, so we (though we be many) are one bread and one body. And for this property and similitude it is called our body, and beareth the name of the very thing which it doth represent and signify. Again, St. Austin saith. Quia Christus passus est pro nobis, commendavit nobis in isto sacramento corpus et sanguinem suum, quod etiam fecit et nos ipsos. Nam et nos ipsius corpus facti sunius, et per misericordiani ipsius quod accipimus nos sumiis. Etpostea dicit. Jam in nomine Christi tanquam ad calicem Domini venistis, ibi vos estis in mensa, et ibi vos estis in calice. That is, Because Christ hath suffered for us, he hath be- taken unto us in this Sacrament his body and blood, which he hath also made even ourselves : for we also are made his body, and by his mercy we are even the same thins- that we receive. And after he saith. Now in the name of Christ ye are come, as a man would say, to the chalice of the Lord, there are ye upon the table, and there are ye in the chalice. Here you may see that the Sacrament is our body ; and yet it is not our natural body, but only in a mystery, as it is before said. Furthermore, St. Austin saith : liunc itaque cibum et potum societatem vult intelligi corporis et membrorum suorum, quod est sancia ecclesia inprccdestinatis^et vocatis, et justijicatis, et ghri/icatis Sanctis etjidelibus ejus. liujus Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. 381 rei sacramentum alicuhi qnotidie, alicubi ceriis intervallis dierum in dominico preparatur, et de mensa Durnini sumitiir, quibusdam ad vilam, qiiibusdam ad exitiuin. Res vero ipsa cujus est, omni homini ad vitam, nulli ad exitium, quicunque ejus particeps fiierit.'''' That is to say, He wills that this meat and drink should be under- stood to be the fellowship of his body and members, which is the holy Church in the predestinate, and called, and justified, and glorified, his saints and faithful. The Sacrament of this thing- is prepared in some place St. Austin daily, and in some place at certain appointed days, as tlie uaun'of on the Sunday ; and it is received from the table of Sat ramcnt, ... - , nieaiiiiif^ the Lord, to some unto hie, and to some unto destruc- the lifcin-, tion ; but the thing itself, whose Sacrament this is, is ?'^'"' '"' '"' received of all men unto life, and of no man to destruc- Christ's tion, whosoever is partaker of it. Here doth St. Austin ^' first say, that this Sacrament is the fellowship of his body and members, which are we ; and yet it is not our natural body, as is before said. And then he saith, that the Sacrament of this thing is received of some unto life and salvation, and of some unto death and damnation, for both faithful and unfaitliful may receive the Sacrament. And after he saith, that the thing it- self, whose Sacrament it is, is received of all men imto life, and of no man unto destruction, wliosoever is par- taker of it. And of this saying it must needs follow, that only the faithful eat Christ's body, and the un- faithful eat not : for he is received of no man unto de- struction. And of this it must also follow, that the Sacrament is not Christ's body indeed, but only in a Thcwiikoil mystery ; for if the Sacrament were liis natural body, ".' j(i,""i" ,]„ then should it follow, that the unfaithful should receive not rweive his body, which is contrary to the mind of St. Austin, c'hrist, ami and ajrainst all truth. Thus have \\e sufficiently proved >*'' tht-y re- « . 11-,- tt"'*'' I'"' the first part or our argument, that the oacrament is satranunt our body, as well as it is Christ's. And now will I V' '''*'"'. .^ ' . II damnation, prove the second part more })lainlv, altiiough it be 382 ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. The Sacra- ment, as it is our body, so it is Christ's. Note well this argu- ment. Bartram. The Sacra- ment is Christ's body in a mystery. Cypriaims adCecilium. As water is the people, 50 wine is Christ's blood. EuseUus. enough declared already, to them that have ears, that even as it is our body, so is it Christ's. First, you shall understand, that in the wine, which is called Christ's blood, is admixed water, which doth signify the people that are redeemed with his blood ; so that the head, which is Christ, is not w^ithovit his body, which is the faithful people, nor the body without his head. Now, if the wine, when it is consecrated, be turned bodily into Christ's blood, then is it also necessary that the water, which is admixed, be bodily turned into the blood of the faithful people ; for whereas is one consecration, must follow one operation ; and whereas is like reason, there must follow like mystery. But whatsoever is signified by the water, as concerning the faithful people, is taken spiritually ; therefore, what- soever is spoken of the blood in the wine, must also needs be taken spiritually. This reason is not mine, but it is made by one Bartram upon a 7OO years since, when this matter was first in disputation. Whereupon, at the instance of great Charles the Emperor, he made a book, professing even the same thing that I do, and proveth by the old doctors and faithful fathers, that the Sacrament is Christ's body in a mystery, that is to say, a sign, figure, or memorial, of his body, which was broken for us, and not his natural body. And there- fore that doctrine is new, Avhich otherwise teacheth, and not mine, which is not mine, but the doctrine of Christ, and of the old fathers of Christ's church, till Anti- christ began to sit and reign in the temple of God. Besides that, Cyprian saith, that the people is an- nexed in the Sacrament through the mixture of water. Therefore I marvel me much that they are so conten- tious, and will not see, that as the water is the people, so the wine is Christ's blood ; that is to say, in a mys- tery ; because it representeth Christ's blood, as the water doth the people. Furthermore, Eusebius saith, Dnm in sacramentis Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. 38J vino aqua miscetur, Christo Jidelis populus incorporatur et juNgitur, et quadam ei copula perfecta c/iarilalis unitur. That is to say, While in tlie Sacrament ^y ^i.^ water is admixed with the wine, the faithful people is mixture of incorporate and joined with Christ, and is made one fluhfui '^ with him, with a certain knot of perfect charity. Now, !"'"'*''' '"''^ , . . , ,^ , •' inc<)r])orate where he saith, that we are jomed and incorporate withChrist. with Christ, what fondness were it to contend, since we are there only in a mystery, and not naturally, — to contend, I say, with such pertinacity, that his natural body must be there ; and not rather tliat lie is joined with us, as we are joined with him, and both in a mys- tery, by the knot of perfect charity. " The young man perceiveth well enough, that an ]M. More, allegory used in some places is not a cause sufficient to leave the proper significations of God's word in every other place, and seek an allegory, and forsake the plain common sense. For he confesseth, that he Avould not so do, save for necessity : because, as he saith, that the common literal sense is impossible. For the thing, he saith, that is meant thereby cannot be true ; that is, to wit, that the very body of Christ can be in the Sa- crament, because the Sacrament is in many divers places at once, and was at the Maundy : that is, to wit, in the hands of Christ, and every of his Apostles mouths. And at that time it was not glorified. And then he saith, that Christ's body not being glorified, could no more be in two places at once, than liis own can. And yet he goeth after farther, and saith, No more it can when it is glorified too. And that he proveth by the saying of St. Austin, whose words be, that the body with which Christ arose, must be in one place, &C.'''' Hitherto hath M. More reasoned reasonably : but now Frith. he beginneth to decline from the dignity of divinity into the dirty dregs of vain sophistry ; for where 1 say, that I must of necessity seek an allegory, because the literal ON THE WORDS OF QFrith. More is a captious so- phister, a subtle poet, and a mali- cious Pa- pist. More is better ac- quainted with the Pope's laws than with St. Austin's works. sense is impossible, and cannot be true ; meaning that it cannot stand with the process of scripture, but that other texts do of necessity constrain me to construe it spiritually ; there catcheth he this word can, and this word impossible, and would make men believe that I meant it could not be true, because reason cannot reach it, but thinketh it impossible. And there he triumpheth before the victory, and would know what article of our faith I could assign, in which reason shall not drive away the strength of my proof, and make me leave the literal sense, wherein my proof should stand, and send me to seek an allegory that might stand with reason, and drive away the faith. But now, dear brethren, since I speak not of the impossibility of reason, but of the impossibility to stand with other texts of Scripture, ye may see that this royal reason is not worth a rush. Then would he fain know the place where St. Austin so saith, which thing, although it were hard for me to tell, since I have not his books to look for it ; yet, I thank God, my memory is not so bad, but I can show him where he shall find it. And because I think that he is more accus- tomed to the Pope's laws than to St. Austin's works, since he is become the prelate's proctor and patron, I say he shall not fail but find it in his laws de cotisccra- tione. And whereas he would wrest the words of St. Austin, which saith, that the body in which Christ arose must needs be in one place : saying, that he might mean, not that his body might not be in divers places at once, but that it must be in one place ; that is to say, in some one place or other. " He speaketh," says M. More, " nothing of the Sacrament, nor saith not his body, with which he rose, must needs be in one place, that it can by no possibility be in any more." This scemeth to some a goodly gloss, and yet it shall prove but a vain evasion ; for if a man wovdd say that the King's grace's body must be in one place, and then FaiTH.j CHRIST'S MAUNDY. 38.0 another would expound that, notwithstanding his words, his gracc''s body might be in two places at once ; I think men might soon judge that he delighted to delay, and might say, What need he to determine that he must be in one place, except he thought, indeed, that lie might be in no more but only one ? And though men might so argue on other men''s words, yet of St. Austin\s words this must needs follow, for he bringeth them in (as God would) by a contrary antithesis, saying : Corpus in quo -'^^ iiiero- j . . nimum, resurrexit in uno loco esse oportet, Veritas autem ejus uhique diffusa est. That is to say. His body, wherein he rose, must be in one place, but his truth is dispersed in all places. Where he plainly concludeth by the contrary antithesis, that as his truth is dispersed in all places, so Christ's bo- must his body needs be in one place only. As by ex- ^y occnpi- •^ ,. ' " , ctb one ample, if a man should say, the King*'s grace's body place only, must needs be in one place, but his power is throughout his realm. Where no man doubteth, but that in saying one place, he meaneth one place only ; and, therefore, though in some place the word ' must"" doth not signify such a necessity as excludeth all possibility, yet in this place it doth so signify, as the contrary antithesis doth evidently express. And where ye say, that lie speaketh nothing of the Sacrament, I would ye should stick still to that saying. For this is plain, that he speaketh of his natural body ; and therefore, if he speak not of the Sacrament, tlien have you concluded that the Sacrament is not his na- tural body ; the contrary whereof you would have me believe. Thus have I showed evidence, both wlierc he shall find the words of St. Austin, and also that I have rightly alleged them. Notwithstanding, since he niaketh so much of his painted sheath, 1 shall allege him more authority that Christ's natural body is in one place only ; which thing proved, doth utterly conclude that the Sacrament is not \()\.. IV. 2 c 386 ON THE WORDS OF [FlllTH. August, ad Darda- num. What Christ meant by this word Paradise. How St. Austin la- boureth to prove that Christ's bo- dy might not be in more places at once than in one. his natural body, but only a memoriaJ, and a represen- tation of the same. And first let us see St. Austin's mind. St. Austin, Avriting unto Dardanus, doth plainly prove that the natural body of Christ must needs be in one place only, and also that his soul can be but in one place at once. The occasion of his epistle is this : Dardanus did write unto St. Austin for the exposition of those words that Christ spake unto the thief, saying, This day shalt thou be with me in paradise; and wist not how he should understand it : whether Christ meant that the thief should be in paradise with Christ's soul, or with his body, or with his Godhead ? Thereupon St. Austin writeth, that as touching Christ's body, that day it was in the sepidchre ; and saith, that it was not para- dise, although it were in a garden that he was buried ; for Christ, he saith, meant of a place of joy ; and that was not, saith St. Austin, in his sepulchre. And as for Christ's soul, it was that day in hell, and no man will say that paradise was there. Wherefore, saith St. Austin, the text must needs be understood that Christ spake it of his Godhead. Noav mark this argument of St. Austin, and ye shall see my purpose plainly proved ; for, seeing he expoundeth this text upon Christ's God- head, because his manhood, as touching the body, was in the grave, and as touching his soul, was in hell ; you may soon perceive that St. Austin thought, that whilst his body was in the grave, it was not in paradise too ; and because his soul was in hell, it could not be in paradise also ; and, therefore, he verifieth the text upon his divinity. For if he had thought that Christ's body, or soul, might have been in divers places at once, he would not have said, that tlie text must needs be under- stood of> his divinity ; but it might full well, yea and much better, have been understood of his manhood. Mark well this place, which doth determine the doubt of this matter. Notwithstanding, the faithful father Fhith] CHRISrS MAUNDY. 387 leaveth not the matter on this fashion, but also taketh away sucli fond imagination as would cause men to sur- mise that Christ's body should be in more places at once than one. For he saith : Cavendum est nc itu divi- nitatem astruamus hominis, tit veritafem aiiferamiis cor- poris. Non est aittem couseqtiens iit quod in Deo est, ita sit iibique. Nam et de nobis veracissime Scripturn dicit, qtiod in iUo viviinns, inoi:eniiir, et sittnns. Nee tanien siciit ilh, ubiqiie snnuis, sed aliter homo ilk in Deo, qnoniam et aliter Deiis in illo liomine, proprio quodam et singulari modo. Una enim persona Dens et homo est, et ntrumque est uniis Christus Jesus, ubique per id quod Deus est, in calo anlem per id quod homo. That is to say, We must beware that we do not so affirm the divinity of the man, that we take away the truth of his body. For it foUoweth not, that the thing which is in God, should be in every place as God is. For the Scripture doth truly testify on us, that we live, move, and be in him. And yet are we not in every place as he is: howbeit, that man is otherwise in God, and God otherwise in that man, by a certain peculiar and singular way ; for God and man is one person, and both of them one Christ Jesus, which is in every place, in that he is God, and in heaven, in that he is man. Here St. Aus- If we affirm tin doth say, that if we should grant Christ to be in all dy'|,f Christ places, as touching; his manhood, we should take away is in many " * . . places at the truth of his body ; for though his manhood be in one in- God, and God in his n)anhood, vet it followeth not that '*'''"V ^'l*"." . i- 1 • 1 /• 1 ^^'*^ should it should be in every place, as God is ; Tind after, he take away concludeth that, as touching his Godhead, he is in every [,i^[™^ '^ place, and as touching his manhood, he is in heaven. What need he to make these words and antithesis, but because he thought, verily, that though his Godhead were in every place,yet his manhood was in heaven only 'f But yet this holy doctor goeth farther, so that they /lufiust. may be ashamed of their part, and saith. Secundum hominem namque in ferra erat, non in ca^lo (ubi nunc 2 c 2 3H8 ON THE WORDS OF [FllITH. Christ, as touching his God- head, i»iii all places. est), quando dicebati Nemo ascendit in calum nisi qui de- scendit de ccclo, Fi/iits hominis qui est in ccclo. That is to say, As touching his manhood, he was in the earth, and not in heaven (where he now is), when he said, No man ascendeth into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man, which is in heaven. Now I trust you will be content, and let the truth spread, for I am sure it is not possible for you to avoid it ; for he saith that, as touching his manhood, he was in the earth, and not in heaven, when he spake those words ; and so proved that he was not in more places at once than only one place : for else, if St. Austin had thought that he could have been in more places at once than one with his body, then might he not have said, that he was in earth and not in heaven. For then a man might soon have deluded him, and have said, Austin, you can- not tell, for he may be in every place. But they that so think, after St. Austin's mind, do take away the truth of his natural body, and make it a very fantastical body : from the which heresy God deliver his faithful ! Besides this, St. Austin doth say, Christum Dominum nostrum, unigenitum Dei jilium, equalem patri, eundem- que hominis Jilium, quo major est pater, et uhique totum presetitem esse non dubites tanquam Deum, et in eodem templo Dei esse verum Deum, et in aliena parte cali propter corporis modam. That is to say. Doubt not but that Christ our Lord, the only begotten Son of God, equal to the Father, and the same being the son of man, wherein the Father is greater, is whole present in all places as touching his Godhead, and dwelleth in the same temple of God as God, and in some place of heaven for the condition of his very body. Here is it evident by St. Austin s words, that as touching his Godhead he is in all places, and as touching his manhood he is only in heaven ; yea, and not that only, but that he being in heaven, as touching the measure, nature, condition, and quality of his natural body, is only in one certain place Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. 389 in heaven, and not in many places at once. Thus nuich is proved out of St. Austin. This truth is not only proved by St. Austin's autho- rity, but also by the noble clerk Fulgentius, which Fulgentius. writeth in this manner. U/ius idemque homo loculis ex homiiie, qui est Dens iinmeusus ex palre, anus idemque secundum humanam substantiatn absens coclo cum esset in terra, et derelinquens terram cum oscendisset in ca'lum ; secundum divinam vero immensamque substan- iiam, nee calum dimittens cum de calo descendit, nee terram deserens, cum ad cwlum ascendit : Quod ipsius Domini certissimo sermone potest cognosci, qui ut loca- lem ostenderet suam humanitatem, dicit discipulis suis : Ascendo ad patrem meum et patrem vestrum, Deum meum et Deum vestrum : De Lazaro quoque cum dix- isset, Lazarus mortuus est ; adjunxit dicens, Et gaudeo propter vos (ut credatis) quoniam non eram ibi. Immen- sitatem vero succ divinitatis ostendens discipulis dicit : Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem sce- culi. Quomodo autem ascendit in calum nisi quia localis et verus est homo ? aut quomodo adest Jideli- bus suis, nisi quia idem immensus et verus Deus est ? That is to say. The same one man is local (that is to say, contained in one place), as touching his manhood, which is also God unmeasurable from the father : tlie same one man, as touching the substance of his man- hood, was absent from heaven, when he was in earth, and forsaking the earth, when he ascended into heaven ; but as touching his godly and unmeasurable substance, neither forsook heaven when he descended from heaven, nor forsook the earth when he ascended unto lieaven : Which may be known by the most sure word of the Lord, which, to show his humanity to be local (that is to say, contained in one place only), did say unto liis disciples, I ascend unto my father and your father, my God and your God : of La/arus also, when he said, Lazarus is dead, he said farther, I ;nii glad for your 390 ON THE WORDS OF [Fkith. sakes (that you may believe) for that I was not there. Christ as- And again, showing the unmeasurableness of his God- heaven i)e- head, he said unto his disciples, Behold I am with you cause he is unto the world's end. How did he ascend into heaven, very man. but because he is local and a very man ? or how is he present unto his faithful, but because he is unmeasur- able and very God ? Here may you conclude, by the authority of this doctor also, that Chrisfs body is only in one place at once ; for he saith, that Christ, as touch- ing his manhood, is local : that is to say, contained in one place only ; and that he proveth by the Scripture, even of Christ''s OAvn words. Now if this be true (as my conscience doth testify, howsoever other men shall judge,) then must it needs follow that his natural body cannot be in the Sacrament ; and the authority, I am sure, no man can avoid, it is so plain. More. " Now as for his natural reasons be not worthy the reasoning. For, first, that the body of Christ, unglo- rified, could no more be in two places at once than his own can, because he is a natural body, as he is : I will not examine no comparison between their two bodies; but if Christ would tell me that he would each of both their bodies to be in fifteen places at once, I would be- lieve him, and would never ask him whether he would first glorify them or not. But I am sure, glorified or unglorified, if he said it, he is able to do it ; for the matter is not impossible to God."" Frith. Truth it is, that if Christ so said, and in so saying so meant, there is no doubt but he were able so to do ; but that lie indeed so grossly meant, ye shall never prove. And, indeed, if he had so meant that his own body natural should have continued in the Sacrament, which is the meat of the soul through faith, and not of the body by eating it, and may as well be eaten through faith, although it remain in heaven, as if it were here present to our mouths : if, I say, he had so meant, then would he never have given us such Scriptures as he Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. S91 did : for I say tliat this gross imagination may not stand with the process of the Scripture whicli is re- ceived, as it shall appear by certain texts. 1. First, where our Saviour saith, The flesh profiteth Tlie flesh nothing. The weight of those words doth compel us to Nothing.' understand our matter spiritually ; for by tliis short sentence we are no less plucked back from the carnal eating, than was Nicodemus, that he should not once dream of the carnal regeneration, when Christ said imto him, that whatsoever was of the flesh was flesh. For this is a plain conclusion, that when Christ said. The The flesh flesh profiteth nothing;, he meant it even of his own flesh, "^^.'""'^t / " ' prohteth that it could not profit (as they understood him) to be much, if it eaten with the teeth ; albeit it doth much profit to be wit^fSth. slain for our redemption, and eaten through faith : which thing we may do, although his natural flesh be not in the Sacrament ; for I may as well believe in him, though he be in heaven, as if he were in earth, and in the Sacrament, and before mine eyes. And that Christ spake these words of his own body, it is plain by St. Austin's words, writing upon the same place : and ^uffvsi. therefore he saith, that they must be understood spi- u'joan ritually ; and addeth, If thou understand them spi- ritually, they are spirit and life; and though thou un- derstand them carnally, yet, nevertheless, they are s})irit and life ; but unto thee they are not spirit and life, which understandest not spiritually those things that I have spoken. Also Athanasius saith : Spiritiis est qui vivificat, Athanasius caro non prodest rjuicquam : verba qua ego lucutus sum, ^Jf '•^^'" spiritus sunt et vita. Nam et hoc loco ul! unique de seipso dicit carnem et spiritum; et spirt turn ab eo quod est se- cundum carnem distinxit, ut non solum visibile, sed etiam invisibile quod in ipso ernt credenles discant, quod et ea qua dicit nom sunt carnalia, sed spirit ualia. Quod enim comedentibits sujfecisset corpus, ut tolius muudi alnnonia. fiat ? Sed ea propter meminil osccusus Filii hominis in 392 ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. calum, lit illos a corporali cogitatione ave/leret, et post- hac discant carnem dictani cibum calestem superne ve- nientem ei spiritnalem alimoniam quam ipse det. Nam Qua locutus sum (inqnit) vobis spiritus sunt et vita. That is to say, It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing ; the words which I speak unto you are spirit and hfe. For in this place also he meanelh both of his own flesh and his own spirit ; and he divideth the spirit from the flesh, that they might know, through faith, not only the visible part, but also the invisible part that was in him, and also that the words which he spake were not carnal, but spiritual. For what body should have sufficed to have been the meat of all the world .'' And even, therefore, did he make mention of the ascen- sion of the Son of man into heaven, that he might with- draw them from the bodily imagination, that they might hereafter learn, that the flesh was called heavenly meat, which cometh from above, and spiritual meat, which he would give. For, saith Christ, the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit and life. Here you may see that Christ spake it of his own flesh, and meant plainly that it did nothing profit, as infidels did under- stand him ; for else it giveth life, as it is received of the Bartram. faithful in a mystery. For, as Bartram saith, in this The bread mystery of the body and blood, is a spiritual operation, theJaoi." which giveth hfe; without the which operation, those ment, why mysteries do nothing profit; for surely, saith he, they called mys- ^^^Y ^'i^^ the body, but the soul they cannot feed. terious? 2. Besides that the Scripture saith. That, that en- tereth in by the mouth, doth not defile a man ; for, as Christ saith, it is cast forth into the draught. And by the same reason it followetli that it doth not sanctify or make a man holy. But the Sacrament entereth in by the mouth, therefore it doth follow that of itself it doth not sanctify or make holy; and of this text should follow two inconveniences, if the Sacrament were the natural body of Christ. First, it should follow that the Fkith.] CHRISrS MAUNDY. 393 body of Christ should not sanctify the faithful, because 'f t»'e ^a- it entereth in by the mouth ; and a«>ain it should fol- the'i!.HiV'of low, that the body of Christ should be cast out into the <^'.'"'si were draught, whicli thing is abominable ; wlierefore it nnist body, iIrm! needs follow, that the Sacrament cannot be his natural "'"'' "'"'.' inciiiivfiii- body. ences must 3. Furthermore, Christ would not suffer that devout '^"""'''" woman, which of love sought him at his sepulchre, to touch his natural body, because she lacked a ])oint of faith, and did not count him to be equal with his Father. And much more it shall follow, that the wicked which -jin. wicked have no faith nor love towards him, shall not be suffered '"")' ""^ to eat his flesh with their teeth, and swallow it into their catthei.odv unclean bodies, for that were much more than to touch «*" ^I'rist. him ; and yet, notwithstanding, they receive and eat the Sacrament. Whereupon it should follow, if the Sacra^ ment were his natural body, that they should, indeed, eat his body, which thing may be counted a blasphemy against God. Moreover, Christ saith, He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. Now we know right well, that the wicked do Thewicked eat the Sacrament, and yet neither dwell in Christ, nor ''"' '^'"-' '^'»- Christ in them ; wherefore, it must follow, that the Sa- but yet ' crament is not the very flesh of Christ. And surely I J.];ri"r^'" cannot excuse them of blasphemy, which so directly do contrary Christ's words. How can you avoid these texts which Christ speaketh unto his disciples, saying. Yet a little while am I with j„hii vi. you, and then I depart to him that sent me. And again, It is expedient for you that I depart ; for except that I J«l>» vi. depart, that Comforter shall not come unto you. And again he saith, I forsake the world and go to my j„i,u vi. Father. And, to be short, he saith, Poor men yc ^^""- "*'*'• shall ever have with you, but me shall you not ever ^'^rk have. Now we know right well that liis Godhead is in all places, and that, as touching his Godhead, he forsook not tlie world when lie ascended unto his F;ither ; wjiere- XIV. .lobii xii. 394 ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. fore it must needs follow, that lie forsook it, as touching his flesh and manhood : and thereto agreeth the expo- sitions of St. Austin and Fulgentius, before alleged, yea, and all other old faithful fathers. Now, if he have for- saken the world, as touching the presence of his natural flesh and manhood, as all doctors define, then meant he not that his natural flesh should be present in the Sacra- ment, to be eaten with our teeth ; and therefore, though Christ so tell you, yet must you take him as he meaneth, or else you be beguiled ; for if ye think that God both may and will fulfil and verify all things, according to the letter as he speaketh them, I may call you an obe- dient man, as St. Bernard doth his monk Adam ; and may say, as he doth, that if that be the right way, so simply to receive all things, we may put out the text of Scripture, which warneth us to be wise as serpents, for the text following is sufficient, which biddeth us to be simple as doves. Why doth your mastership grant a necessary allegory, when Paul saith, Christ is a stone, or when Christ saith that he is a door ? The Scripture saith he is both twain ; and since God so saith, he is able so to make it. And therefore, by your reason, we shall need none allegory in all Scripture ; and then he that is most simple and foolish, may be counted most faithful, and so shall we need no faithful fathers to expound the text, but it shall be most merit to believe the letter. This I deny not, but that God could have done it if he had so intended, when he spake the words ; but now, the Scrip- ture standing as it doth, I think he cannot do it. As, by example, I think that God, by the blood of his Son Christ, might have saved all men, both faithful and un- faithful, if he had so intended, and that it had so pleased Godmaydo ^im ; but now, the Scriptures standing as they do, I all things, gay he Cannot do it, and that it is impossible for him ; as he can- f<>i' then he might make his Son a liar, which saith, not deny He that bclieveth not is damned; and again, He that nis truth, ^ ' Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. S95 believeth not shall not see life, but the wrath of God "either re- 1 . T 1 1 • 4 1 ... ., , , store viri'i- abideth upon him. And even as it is impossible to stand ,iity, &,-. with the process of Scripture (wherein God hath dc- J<»1'» >'"• clared his will,) that the unfaithful should be saved, al- though God might have done it at the first, if he had so wovild ; likewise it is impossible, the Scriptures stand- ing as they do, that the natural body of Christ should be present to our teeth in the Sacrament. And as for The natu- our faith, it needeth not to have him present in the ""f' '.'"'•>' ^^ bread; for I may as well eat him and drink him through not present faith ; that is to say, believe in him as tliouo-h he were f° "I'*^ 'j'^''' as present in the Sacrament, as he was hanging on the crainent. cross. 1. And because you say that my natural reasons be not worth the reasoning, I will allege you some more, Arguments to see what you can say to them. First, every Sacra- to prove ment is the sign of an holy thing ; but the Sacrament of Christ's na- the altar is a Sacrament, as all faithful men do confess; j^"™, ^ i',',\he ergo, it must follow that the Sacrament of the altar is Sacrament the figure of an holy thing. Now, if it be the sign of an and UoodJ holy thing, then it is not the holy thing itself Avhich it doth signify and represent. Why should Ave then fear to call that bread a figure, that is to say, a Sacrament of that holy body of our Lord and Saviour ? 2. Besides that, I would know of what necessity or profit his flesh must be present in the Sacrament ? for the presence of his flesh can no more profit us, than doth the remembrance of his body ; but this remembrance may as well be done by the Sacrament, as though his body were present: and therefore, since God and nature make nought in vain, it follovveth, consequently, that his natural flesh is not there, but only a memorial thereof. 3. Furthermore, the end and final cause of a tiling is ever better than those things which are provided for the end, as the house is better than the lime, stone, and timber, which are provided for the liousc : but the end 396 ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. The joyful eating of Christ is by faith. The Apos- tles did or- dain that we should Jiljstain and final cause of the Sacrament is the remembrance of Christ's body ; and thereupon it must follow, that if the Sacrament be his natural body, the remembrance of Christ's body should be better than his body itself. Which thing is to be abhorred of all faithful men. 4. It were fondness to feign that the soul did other- wise eat than do the angels in heaven, and their meat is only the joy and delectation that they have of God and of his glory ; and even so doth the soul, which is here upon the earth, eat, through faith, the body of Christ, which is in heaven ; for it delighteth and rejoiceth while it understandeth through faith, that Christ hath taken our sins upon him, and pacified the Father's wrath. Neither is it necessary, that for that or for this cause his flesh should be present ; for a man may as well love and rejoice in the thing which is from him and not present, as though it were present by him of that manner. 5. Moreover, the bread is Christ's body, even as the breaking of the bread is the death of his body. Now the breaking of bread at the maundy is not the very death of Christ's body, but only a representation of the same, albeit the mind, through faith, doth spiritually behold his very death ; and even, likewise, that natural bread is not the very body of our Lord, but only a sacrament, sign, memorial, or representation of this same, albeit, through the monition thereof, the mind, through faith, doth spiritually behold the very body : and surely, thereof if a man be faithful, the Spirit of God worketh in his heart very sweetly at his commu- nion. 6. Finally, it was not lawful to eat or drink the blood, not only of man, but also of a brute beast ; and the Apostles themselves, moved by the rule of charity, did institute that men should abstain from blood, some- what favouring of tlie infirmity of the Jews. Now, if tlie Apostles had taught, as yc do, that in the Sacra- Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. iJ97 ment his ver}' flesh and blood is eaten and drunk from iilood> with the teeth and mouth of faithful and unfaithful, ^^"1?""'' what could have been a greater occasion to have ex- ^^ood. eluded the Jews from Christ's faith even at once ? Think you, that Apostles would not have been too scrupulous to have drunk his very blood, seeing it was The wine so plain against Moses"" law, if they had understood cramentis him so grossly as ye do ? Peter had a cloth sent down "° natural from heaven, in which were all manner of beasts for- bidden by the law, and was conmianded to slay and eat them ; and he answered, God forbid ! for I never eat Acts x. any unclean thing ; meaning thereby, that he never eat any thing forbidden by the law. Whereof it must needs follow, that either he never received the Sacra- ment, which is plain false ; or else, that he more spiritually understood the woi'ds of Christ's maundy, than ye falsely feign. For it was plainly forbidden by the law to eat or drink any manner of blood. And I know but one reason that they have which they count Objection, insoluble ; howbeit, by God's grace we shall soon avoid it. Their reason is this ; Paul saith, He that eateth and drinketh this Sacrament unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Now, say they, how should they be guilty of the Lord's body and blood, which receive it unworthily, except it were the very body and blood of the Lord ? This argument, I say, is very weak and slender ; for Solution. I can show many examples, by the which it may be dis- solved : for he that despiseth the king's seal or letters, . , . , . , , , To ]>ull onendetli agamst his own person, and yet the letter or d„\vu vio- seal is not his own person. He that violently iihuketh ?^'."''y '''® . 1 • 1 '^"'g s amis down his grace's arms, or breaketh his broad seal with is treason a furious mind or violence, connnitteth treason against "^y,'p(.r."* his own person: and yet his arms and broad scaj^are son, un.i not his own person. He that clippeth t!ie king's coin, ^^^j, ^^e committeth treason against the kino's person and the "^' «'"-• , , . .' , . , knife's ]ur commonwealtii, and yet the money is neitlier his grace s son. 398 ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. person nor the comnionwealth''s ; and therefore your argument is but weak and slender : for, even as a man doth offend against the prince's person by despising his arms, seal, or letters, so doth a man offend against Christ's body and blood, by abusing the Sacrament of his body and blood, although he be not there present, as the king's person is not present in his arms, seal, or letters. Besides that, St. Paul saith, that every man which prayeth or prophesieth with covered head, shameth his head, and his head is Christ. Shall we therefore imagine that Christ is naturally in every man's head, as your argument concludeth ? forsooth, that were a To be ne- pretty fantasy ! Finally, St. Austin saith, that he doth fl/e^hearinff ^° ^^^^ ^"^ which negligently heareth the word of God, of the word than doth the other which unworthily receiveth the great of- Sacrament of Christ's body and blood. Now, if this fence. jjg true, then is your reason not worth a rush : for Christ's natural body is not in the word which is preached, as all men know ; and yet he sinneth no less that negligently heareth it, than doth he that un- worthily receiveth the Sacrament; and thus you see their insoluble argument easily dissolved. M. More. " But now must this young man consider again that himself confesseth, that the cause for which himself saith, that Christ, in so saying, did so mean, is because that, if he should have meant so, it was impossible to God to bring his meaning about ; that is to say, that Christ's body might be in two places at once : and therefore, but if he prove that thing impossible for God to do, else he confesseth that God not only said it, but meant it indeed ; and yet, over this, if Christ had never said it, yet doubt I nothing but he is able to do it, or else were there somewhat that he could not do ; and then were God not Almighty." Frith. Here M. More would mire me with his sophistry, and with wiles would win his spurs. For, as he did Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. 399 before descant on these words, ' can' and ' inipossiblcj'and would have made men beheve that I meant it coukl not be, because it could not be by reason, and that 1 meant it was impossible, because reason could not reach it ; so now he disputeth with like manner of sophistication, concluding that I confess that it is impossible and cannot be, because that, if God should so have meant, it was impossible for God to bring his meaning about. Dear M. .More is brethren, this babbling is sufficiently discussed already; ling'i,ab-' for I meant not that it was impossible for God to bring '^^^'■• it about, if he had so meant, but I meant that it is im- possible to stand with the process of the Scripture which we have received ; and I say, moreover, that thougli it was possible for God to have done it, if it had pleased him, yet now, the Scripture tlius standing, it is impossible for him to db it, for then he must make his Son a liar. And I sav, that if lie liad so meant as the letter standeth, that he would then have given us other Scripture, and would not have said, that he must depart to him that sent him, with other texts as are before re- hearsed. And where M. More saith, that if tliere were some- what that he could not do, then were God not Al- mighty : I say it is a shame for our prelates that they i\i.},]oie.in have gotten such an ignorant proctor to defend them. i<,'"onint A 1 ? 11 11 111 • 1 proctor, for And 1 am sure that they themselves could have said the Clergy, much better ; for else how should they instruct others and lead them in the right way, if they themselves were so rude and unlearned .'' Should they not know what this meaneth, that God is Almighty, which is a piece of the first article of our Creed, then how should their sheep have any sure sight .'* ^lore thinkctli that God is called Almighty because he can do all things. And then, indeed, it should follow that he were not Al- God is Al- mighty, for all tilings he cannot do : he cannot save the ^'f'^Jj unfaithful ; he cannot restore virginity once violate, cannot do saith St. Thomas ; and also, as 1 remend)er, St. Jc- " ""^' 400 ON THE WORDS OF [Frith. rome, writing of virginity unto Paul and Eustochium : he cannot sin, saith Dun ; he cannot deny himself, Tim. 2. ii. saith St. Paul. Now, if this man's learning were al- lowed, then might not God be Almighty, because there is somewhat that he cannot do ; but they that are ac- Godissaid Customed with Scripture, do know that he is called Al- to be Al- mighty, not because he can do all things, but because mighty be- * •{ ' _ . cause there there is no superior power above him, but that he may rLr'pon^T ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ' ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ pleasure is to do, above l.im, that may be brought to pass, and no power is able to do all that I'esist him ; but he hath no pleasure nor will to make his he will. Son a liar, nor to make his Scripture false, and, indeed, he must not do it ; and yet, notwithstanding, he abi- deth Almighty, for he may do all that he will. M. More. Then M. More, touching the reason of repugnance, saith, that many things may seem repugnant both to him and me, which things God seeth how to make them stand together well enough ; and addeth such blind rea- sons of repugnance as induce many men into a great error ; some ascribing all things unto destiny, without any power of mane's free will at all, and some giving all to man's own will, and no foresight at all to the provi- dence of God ; and all because the poor blind reason of man cannot see so far, as to perceive how God's pre- sence and man's free will can stand together, but seem clearly to be repugnant. Frith. As for his digression of man's free will, I will not greatly wrestle with him ; but this one tiling I may say, John viii. that if the Son of God deliver us, then are we very free. And where the Spirit of God is, there is freedom. I mean not freedom to do what you will, but freedom from sin, that we may be the servants of riglitcousncss. Rom. vi. Bi^it if we have not the Spirit of Christ, tlien will I say Aug. de with St. Austin, that our free will is wretched, and can Spintu ct ^^ nouo-ht but sin. And as touching such texts of re- htera. ^ . ' pugnance, if they be so diffuse tliat man's reason (which is the light of his imderstanding) cannot attain to set 2 Cor. viii. Frith.] CHRIST'S MAUNDY. 401 them together, then were you best to make them none articles of our faith. For I think, as many as are neces- sary unto our salvation, are contained in the Creed, ^he ani- which 1 thmk every man believeth. I beseech you, hiy t rwd are no bigger burthen upon us than those faithful fatliers ILTJIL'^'' did which thought that sufficient ; and then, I am sure, sanforour we should have fewer heretics. For I never heard of ^ heretic that ever held against any article of our Creed ; but all that ye defame by this name, are only put to death, because they say that we are not bound to be- lieve every point that the laws and tyranny of the clergy allow and maintain. \Vhicli tiling, how true it is, (blessed be God) is meetly well known already. For else had I and many more been dead ere this day. "I wot well, that many good folk have u.se i i i nomers. be in many places, is assigned ot learned men to be, because his body is so annexed with the Godhead (which is in every place,) that it is also in all places with it, and no man can assign any other. And that this cause Mark xiv. is proved false by Scripture, for when the woman sought Christ at his grave, an angel gave the answer Frith.] M. MORE PLAYETH THE SOl'HISTER. 405 that he was not there. But if his body had been in every place, then the angel lied. Also Christ said unto Lukexvi. his disciples of Lazarus, which died at Bethany, Laza- Jolm xi. rus is dead : And I am glad, for your sakes, that you may believe, because I was not there. Now, if his body were in every place, as is the Godhead, then Christ said not truly, when he said he was not there. Christ's Tlierefore since, as I said, this is the cause assigned, '^"''y j'* '" "^ one place and yet proved false by Scripture, they must needs only, grant that the thing which followeth of this cause, must also needs be false. And so we may conclude against them all, that Christ's body is in one place only. And now you may see how my consequent followeth the premises. "For he can no further conclude, but that we can M. More, show no reason why he should be in many places at once. What had he won by that? Might he then conclude thereupon that he could not be in many places at once ? As though it were not possible for God to make his body in two places at once, but if we were able to tell how, and why, and whereby, and show tlie reason." How far I can conclude is showed immediately before. Frith. For though of the bare words as ye took them, it was hard to conclude any thing, yet have I now declared them, and so far concluded, that you cannot avoid them. And where he saith, that though they can show no rea- son, yet I had won nought by it ; I think he would be angry if I should so answer. But surely they are in good case, for it is enough for them to say, thus it is, and need never to show any cause or reason why they ^n «;av For they are the Church, and cannot err : so M'hat.so- oyj ^*^j 'J 11*1 ever the that if they teach contrary things, yet aU is good Pa,,;,,,,^^^ enough. And when they see that no man can make that n.u.st the Scriptures to agree with then- doctrme, then they say reason, that their doctrine is true enough, but no man can un- derstand the Scripture. And though the Scripture seem 406 M. MORE PLAYETH THE SOPHISTER. [Frith. M. More. Frith. More harpeth upon a false string. never so repugnant both to them and to us, yet God seeth well enough (say they,) how to set them together, and it is possible for God to make it agree though they cannot tell how. But this doctrine hath long enough deceived us ; for men have seen too long with your spec- tacles ; yet now, (thanks be to God,) they begin to see with their own eyes. And as touching how this matter was possible to God, and how it is not possible, is suffi- ciently declared before to all that list to look. " Howbeit as for me (though I be not bounden to it) I am content yet to prove, that God may make the body of Christ to be in all places at once. And because this young man coupleth that proposition with the other, so will I do too. And I prove, therefore, that God can make his body be both in many places at once, and in all places at once, by that he is almighty, and therefore can do all things."' Now is the good man in his old dream again, and thinketh that God is called almighty, because he can do all things. And then indeed it should follow, that he were not almighty, for all things he cannot do : he cannot save the unfaithful, he cannot restore virginity once violated, he cannot sin, he cannot deny himself. Now if this man's learning were allowed, then might not God be called almighty, because there is somewhat that he cannot do. But they that are accustomed with Scripture, do know that he is called almighty, not be- cause he cannot do all things, but because there is no superior power above him, but that he may do all that he will, and all that his pleasure is may he bring to pass. But he hath no will, pleasure, nor power, to make his Son a liar, and to make his Scripture false; and yet not- withstanding he abideth almighty, and may do wliat he will. And even as it is impossible to stand with the process of the Scriptures (wherein God hath declared his will,) that the unfaithful shoidd be saved, (although Frith.] M. MORE PLAYETH THE SOPHISTER. 407 at the first God might have done it, if he had so wiUcd,) likewise it is impossible, (the Scriptures standing as they do,) that the natural body of Christ should be present to our teeth in the Sacrament. And as for our faith, it needeth not to have him present in the bread ; for I may as well eat him and drink him, through faith, (that is to say, believe in him,) though he continue still in heaven, as though he were as present in the Sacrament, as he was hanging on the cross. But yet his mastership hath left one thing unproved, and that is even the pith of his purpose. For tliough he had proved (as he hath not,) that God by his Almiffhtiness miffht make Christ's -'^^«resaith body m many places, and in all places, and m the Sacra- may do all ment, yet he forgot to prove that God hath so done. *^'"p» And therefore, albeit I did grant him, (as I will not) fiotli not that he might so do, yet thereof it dotli not follow, that [^JJa/iJ'^' he hath so done indeed, for God may do many things so done. which he doth not. And therefore, his argimicnt doth not prove his purpose. Now, if he do but tliink that God hath so done, I am well pleased, and will not put him to the pain to prove it. For anon ye shall see him so entangled in briars, that he shall not wit where to become. " But yet this young man goeth about to prove tlie M. More, point by Scripture. For except we grant him that j)oint to be true, he saith that else we make the angel a liar that said he is not here, and also that else we make as though Christ's body, in liis ascension, did not go up in the cloud into heaven from earth, but only hid himself in the cloud, and played bo-peep, and tarried beneath still. Here in the end he forgetteth himself so foul, that when he was a young sophister, he would, I dare say, have been full sore ashamed so to have overseen himself at Oxford at a peruse. For ye wot well tliat thing which he saith, and which he must therefore prove, is, that the body of Christ cannot be in every 408 M. MORE PLAYETH THE SOPHISTER. [Frith. place at once by no means that God could make. And the texts that he bringeth in for the proof, say no fur- ther but that he was not in all places at once."" Frith. There are two things disputed between M. More and Two things me: the one is, whether God can make the body of bet'ween Christ in many places, and in the Sacrament. And More and thereto his mastership saith yea, for God is almighty, and may do all things. And I say nay, and affirm that God is not called almighty because he may do all things, but because he may do all that he will ; and I say that he will not make his Son a liar, nor his Scripture false, and that he cannot do it, and yet abideth almighty. The other thing is this, whether he have done it or not. For albeit I did grant him that it were possible, yet is he never the nearer, except the other can prove that he hath done it indeed, or else think that God hath so done. For, as I said, God can do many things which he doth not. And the controversy of this doubt is resolved by the Angel and Scripture, which (as M. ^lore granteth himself) proveth that he was not in all places at once. And thereof it followeth, that God hath not done it, al- though it be possible. And so is his mastership at a point. For if I should grant it never so possible, yet if Scripture prove that at be not so indeed, then is he never the nearer his purpose, but much the further from it. And this is even it that I said before, that it was not possible to stand with the process of the Scripture which we have received. And now his mastership hath granted it himself, which you may be sure he would not have done if he could otherwise avoid it. And here you may see how sore I have overseen myself. More. " God forbid that any man should be the more prone and ready to believe this young man in this great matter, because he saith in the beginning, that he will bring all men to a concord and quietness of conscience ; for he bringeth men to the worst kind of quietness that may be devised, when he tellcth us, as he doth, that every Frith.] M. MORE PLAYETH THE SOPHISTEK, 409 man in this matter may, without peril, believe which way he list. P]very man may in every matter, without any counsel, soon set himself at rest, if he list to take that way and to believe as he list himself, and care not how. But and if that way had been sure, St. Paul would never have showed that many were in peril of sickness and death too, for lack of discerning reverently the body of our Lord in that Sacrament when they came to re- ceive him."'"' When Christ should depart this world, and go to his Fritli. Father, he gave his disciples a commandment that they j^^^ ^^ should love each other, saying, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you love each other Chrhty as I have loved you. This rule of charity would I not love^ '* have broken, which notwithstanding is often in jeopardy among faithful folk, for this sacrament of unity. This thing considered, I thought necessary to advertise both parties to save this rule of charity ; and proved in the first chapter of my treatise, that it was no article of the That the faith necessary to be believed under pain of damnation, f^The naui- and therefore that they were to blame that would be r^l ^^^Y: '* contentious for the matter. For since it is no article of "f "nr fakh the faith, they may lawfully dissent without all jeopardy ; necessary and need not to break the rule of charity, but rather to ed ujum receive the other like poor brethren. As bv example, i'="""'''. ^ . •- I ' daiunatioii. some thmk that the marriage between our most redoubted prince and Queen Catherine is lawful, and may stand with the laws of God ; and some think that it is unlaw- ful, and ought to be disannulled. Now if we should for this matter break the rule of charity, and every man hate his neighbour that would not think as he doth, then were we greatly to blame, and in jeopardy of con- demnation. This, I say, I proved in the first chapter, against which More maketh no business, and improvcth it not, whereby you may scxm gather that it is very true. For else, since his mastership so labouretliin these other points, he would not have left that untouched, vou m;iv 410 M. MORE PLAYETH THE SOPHISTER. [Frith. be sure. This is the concord that I would bring them unto. And as touching quietness of conscience, I have known many that have sore been^cumbered with it; and among all, a certain Master of Arts, which died in Ox- ford, confessed upon his death-bed, that he had wept, lying in his bed, an hundred nights within one year^'s space, because he could not believe it. Now if he had known it had been no necessary article, what comfort and quietness should it have been unto him ! Further- more, every man cannot so quiet himself, as M. More imagineth. For there ai-e many that think themselves no small fools, which when they have received some foolish superstition, either by their own imagination, or by believing their gossips'* gospel and old wives' tales, by and by think the contrary to be deadly sin, and ut- terly forbidden by Christ's Gospel. As by example, I know a house of religion, wherein is a person that tliink- Supersti- eth it deadly sin to go over a straw if it lie across. tion. ^jj(j jf there be on the pavement any painted picture, or any image gi-aven on a dead man's grave, he will not tread upon it, although he should go a furlong about. What is this but vain superstition, wherewith the con- science is cumbered and corrupted ? May not this be weeded out with the word of God, showing him that it is none article of the faith so to think, and then to tell him that it is not forbidden by the Scripture, and that it is no sin ? Now albeit his conscience be so cankered that the rust will not be rubbed out, yet, with God's grace, some other whom he hath infected with the same, may come again to God's word, and be cured full well, which should never have been able to quiet themselves. And, likewise, there are some which believe as your supersti- tious hearts have informed them, and these cannot quiet themselves, because they believe that you have fetched your doctrine out of Scripture : but when it is proved to them, and they themselves perceive, that Scripture saith not so, then can they not be content to think the con- FiiiTH.] M. MORE PLAYETH THE SOPHISTER. 411 trary, and judge it no sin at all. And as touthing St. Paul, surely ye take him wrong, for I will show you what process he taketh, and how ho is to be understood ; but because it is not possible to finish it in few words, I shall defer it unto the book's end, and then I shall de- clare him at large. " And what a fashion is this, to say that wc may be- More. lieve if we list, that there is the very body of our Lord indeed, and then to tell us for a truth, that such a faith is impossible to be true, for God himself can never bring it about, to make his body be there." If a man take the bare words of Christ, and of sim- ivith. plicity be deceived, and think that his very body be in a man may the Sacrament present to their teeth that eat it, I dare •''"'f^'*","'^ «•■- ' . ' ror : Imt not say that he smneth thcrem, but will refer the matter God only unto God's judgment, and yet without doubt I dare say ^H^lol" he is deceived. As by example : if a man (deceived by condemna- the literal sense,) would think that men shoidd preach to '" ' fishes, (as St. Francis did,) because Christ bade his dis- i,asty ciples go preach to all creatures, yet would not I think .'"'^g^- that he sinned therein, but will refer him unto God's judgment. But yet I ween every woman that hath any wit, will say that he was deceived. " I am very sure that the old holy doctors which be- More, lieved Christ's body and blood to be there, and so taught others to believe, as by their books plainly doth appear; if they had thought either that it could n so faimht Krith. 412 M. MORE PLAYETH THE SOPHISTER. [Frith. or thought as ye feign of them, is very false. For St. Austin, as I have showed, maketh wholly for us. Be- sides that, there is none of the old fathers but they call it a Sacrament, a mystery, and mystical meat, which is not eaten with tooth or belly, but with ears and faith. And touching the honour and worship done unto it, I To honour g^y jt is plain idolatry. And I say, that he falsely re- ship the Sa- porteth on the old holy doctors, for they never taught crament ifs ^^^j^ j.^ worship it ; neither can he allege one place in latry, any of them all, which would have men to worship the Sacrament. Peradventure he may allege me certain new fellows for his purpose, as Duns, Dorbell, Durand, and such draflfe, which by their doctrine have drenched the world with damnable idolatry. But I speak of the old holy fathers and doctors, as St. Austin, Ambrose, Jerome, Cyprian, Cyril, Chrysostom, Fulgentius, and such other : these, I say, do not teach men to worship it, and by that I dare abide. Of this point I am so sure, that I will use it for a contrary argument, that his na- tural body is not there present. For if the holy fathers before-named had taken this text after the letter, and The old not only spiritually, then in their works they would holyfathers j^^ve taufflit men to worship it ; but they never tauffht have not ^ . ^ i p • p n i taught to men to worship this Sacrament ; therefore it follow eth Sa'lJrament! ^^^^J ^^"^ ""^ *^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ *^^^ ^^"^''' ^"* ""^^^ ^P^' ritually. Now do I provoke you to seek a proof of your purpose. Nevertheless, I will not deny but that these holy doctors, in divers places, do call it his body, as Christ and Paul do, and so do we likewise, and say also that his very body is there eaten. But yet we mean that it is eaten with faith, (that is to say, by be- Notc. lieving that his body was broken for us,) and have his body more in memory at this maundy than the meat that we there eat. And therefore it hath tlie name of his body, because the name itself should put us in re- membrance of his body, and that his body is there chief- Frith.] M. MORE PLAYETH THE SOPHISTER. 413 ly eaten, even more (through faith) than the meat with the mouth. And so are they also to be understood. " Yet one great pleasure he doth us, in that he put- More, teth us all at liberty, that we may, without peril of damnation, believe as we did before: that is to wit, that in the blessed Sacrament the whole substance of the bread and the wine is transmuted and changed into the very body and blood of Christ. For if we may, without peril of damnation, believe thus, as himself granteth that we may ; then granteth lie that we may also, without peril of damnation, believe that himself lieth, where he saith the truth of that belief is impossible." The believing of this point is of itself not damnable, Frith, as it is not damnable to think that Christ is a very stone or a vine, because the literal sense so saith : or if you believe that you ought to preach to fishes, and go christen them another while, as ye do bells. And I assure you, if there were no worse mischief that ensued of this belief than it is in itself, I would never have spoken against it. But now there foUoweth upon it damnable idolatry. For through the belief that his body is there, men fall down and worship it, and, thinking to please God, do damnably sin against him. This, I say, is the cause that jjartin I so earnestly write against it, to avoid the idolatry that ^I'ther is committed through it. Part of the Germans do think ti,^. natural that his natural body is present in the Sacrament, and ';'><*y »( take the words fleshly, as Martin taught them. But present in none of them worship it, for that Martin forbiddcth both J,',','^,,^''",",™" in his words and works, and so, blessed be God, they lie would avoid that jeopardy ; which thing if you will also grant, "(' wo'?.^ and publish but this one proposition, that it ought not s'liipped. to be worshipped, I promise you I will never write against it. For then is the jco})ardy taken away, and then I am content that your mastership think I lie. But in the mean season I must think that ye fill tlie world with damnable idolatry. And thus have you also an- swered unto the conclusion which you allege out of the 414 THE CONSECRATION OF THE SACRAMENT. [Frith. King"*s grace's book. For I say, in your way is'no hurt, as long as you do but only believe the bare words of the text, as St. Francis did, when he preached to fishes. But if through the occasion of those words, ye fall into the worshipping of it, then I say that in your way is undoubted damnation. And so is there great jeopardy in your way, and none at all in ours. For though he were there indeed, yet do not we sin if we worship it not, for we are not commanded to worship the Sacra- ment : but if he be not there, then do you commit damnable idolatry. THE CONSECRATION OF THE SACRAMENT. More. " jV^OW as for another quietness of every man''s con- science, this young man biddeth every man be bold, whether the blessed Sacrament be consecrate or uncon- secrate, (for though he most especially speaketh of the wine, yet he speaketh it of both,) and biddeth us not care, but take it for all that, unblessed as it is, because the priest (he saith) cannot deceive us, nor take from us the profit of Christ's institution, whether he alter the words or leave them all unsaid. Is not this a wonderful doctrine of this young man ? We wot well all, that the priest cannot hurt us by his oversight or malice, if there be no fault upon our own part ; for that perfection, that lacketh on the priest's part, the great mercy of God, as we trust, of his own goodness, supplieth. And there- fore, as holy Chrysostom saith, no man can take harm but of himself. But now if we see the thing disordered our own self by the priest, and Christ's institution broken ; if we then wittingly receive it unblessed and vmconsecrated, and care not whether Christ's institution be kept and observed or no, but reckon that it is as good Frith.] THE CONSECRATION OF THE SACRAMENT. 415 without it as with it, then make we ourselves partakers of the fault, and lose the profit of the Sacrament, and receive it with danmation: not for tlic priest's fault, but for our own." I had thought that no Turk would have wrested a Frith. man"'s words so unfaithfully, for he leaveth out all the pith of my matter ; for my words are these : I will show you a means how ye shall ever receive it according to Christ's institution, although the priest would withdraw it from vou. First, \c need to have no respect unto tlie f^ '"™» priest's words which ministereth it. For if ye remem- may receive ber for what intent Christ did institute this Sacrament, the Sacra- meat ac- and know that it was to put us in remembrance of his cording to body-breaking and blood-shedding, that we might give St'JIJj,;'',,'"' him thanks for it, and be as sure of it through faith ac- tiionfri> the cording to his promises, as we are sure of the bread by m-giigent. eating of it ; if, as I say, ye remember this thing, (for which intent only the priest speaketh those words,) then if the priest leave out those words or part thereof, he cannot hurt you, for you have already the effect and final jHU-pose for the Avhich he should speak them. And again, if he should wholly alter them, yet he caimot deceive you, for then ye be sure that he is a bar ; and thou'di you see the priest bring you the wine unconsecra- ted, yet never stick at that. For as surely shall it ccr- The wor- tify your conscience and outward senses, though lie con- ^-giVerof secrate it not, (so thou consecrate it thyself: that is to tlie Sarra- , 1 • 1 • ""'III may say, so thou know what is meant thereby and gne Inm onsecrate thanks,) as though he made a thousand blessings over [I'^j^J^j^* ^*' it. And so I say, tliat it is ever consecrated in his heart that believeth, though the priest consecrate it not. And contrarywise, if they consecrate it never so much, ;ind thy consecration be not by, it helpeth thee not a rush. For except thou know what is meant thereby, and l)e- lieve, giving thanks for his body-breaking and blood- shedding, it cannot profit thee. " Now where you say, that if we see the thing diM»r- .M. M.t.. 416 THE CONSECRATION OF THE SACRAMENT. [Frith. dered by the priest, and Christ's institution broken, and wittingly receive it, we make ourselves partakers of the crime." Frith. I answer, that if the reformation thereof lay in our hands, then said you truth ; but since it is written to private persons who may not reform this matter, and that the reformation thereof resteth only in the hand of your Prince and Parliament, (for the error consisteth not in the misordering of the matter by one priest only, but rather of the doctrine of them all, saving such as God hath lightened,) to these private persons I say that your doctrine should sooner be the occasion of an insur- rection, which we labour to eschew, than any quieting of them by Christ's doctrine. And therefore since there is another way to the wood, (saving all upright,) we will avoid that perilous path. But when ye see Christ's in- stitution broken, and the one kind left out unto the lay people, why are ye partaker thereof ? M. More. " Howbeit, as for his belief that taketh it no better but for bare bread and wine, it maketh him little matter consecrated or not, saving that the better it is conse- crated the more it is ever noyous to him that receiveth it, having his conscience cumbered with such an execra- ble heresy, by which well appeareth that he putteth no difference between the body of our Lord in the blessed Sacrament, and the common bread that he eateth at his dinner, but rather he esteemeth it less ; for the one, yet I think or he begin, if he lack a priest, he will bless it himself; the other he careth not, as he saith, whether it be blessed or no." Frith. What I reckon it more than bread and wine, I will show you hereafter in declaring the mind of St. Paul upon this Sacrament, and that in the conclusion of this book. And in the mean season, I will say no more but The right tl^^t he belietli me. And as for their blessings and con- consecia- secration, profit not me, exceiit I consecrate it myself tion to him . , ^ . , . , . ^ . . . , . . that receiv- With faith in Christ's blood, and with giving him praise FuiTH.] THE CONSECRATION OF THE SACRAMENT. 117 and thanks for his inestimable goodness, wliich, wiicn 1 'i'' '•'«' •^'- was his enemy, reconciled me unto his Father by his S7in'' '' own death. Thi.s eonsecration must I set by, if I will 'hnst'M have any profit of his death, which the Sacrament repre- senteth unto me. And if I myself do thus consecrate it, then shall I be sure of the fruit of his death. And I say again, tliat as the priests do now use to consecrate it, it helpeth not tiie poor commons of a rush. For their consecration should stand in preaching unto them the death of Christ, which hath delivered them out of the Egypt of sin, and from the fiery furnace of Pliaraoh the devil. And as for their wagging of their fingers Tlie Popish over it, and saying six or seven words in Latin, helpeth ^^^'sw'a- them nothing at all ; for how can they believe by the tin is nut' means of his words, when thev know not what he saith ? ""',''' "' rusli. And as touching the common bread that I eat -at my dinner, whether I have a priest or not, I bless it witli my heart, (and not with my fingers,) and heartily give God thanks for it. For if I have a hundred priests to bless it, yet am not 1 excused thereby : for except I bless it myself, it profiteth me no more than if it were unblessed. And if I bless it myself, then I care not Tlu- r.i- what the priest prate, for as long as I understand ii|X mw- him not, it profiteth me nothing; but in ffood faith, I toi't-mnot ' , . ' , , . "^ ^ , , , ' tell .vl.at u ween the bisJiops and then- proctor wot not what a l)less- blessing ing meaneth. Therefore, dear brethren, hearken to ""^-""'t''- me : to bless God, is to give him praise and thanks for his benefits ; to bless a king or a prince, is to thank Blessing, him for his kindness, and to pray to (iod for him, that ^* '"' " "' he may long reign to the laud of God and wealth of his commons. To bless a man''s neighbour, is to pray for him and to do him good. To bless my bread or meat, is to give God thanks for it. To bless myself, is to give God thanks for his benefits that I have received of him, and to pray God, tiiat of his infinite goodness he will increase those gifts that he hath given me, and finish his work which he hath begun in me, mito his laud and VOL. IV. -2 i; 4lS MIRACLES PROVE NOT THE [Frith. praise ; and as touching this flesh, to fulfil his will in it, and not to spare it, but scourge, cut, and burn it, only that it may be to his honour and glory. This is the form of blessing, and not to wag two fingers over them. But, alack ! of this blessing our bishops be ignorant. ai. More. " But as for those that are good and faithful folk, and have any grace or any sparkle of reason in their heads, will (I verily think) never to be so far overseen, as in this article, (the truth whereof God hath himself testified by as many open miracles as ever he testified any one,) to believe this young man upon his barren reasons, against the faith and reason both of all old holy writers and all good Christian people this fifteen hundred years." Frith. As for the miracles, I marvel not at them, neither may they make me the sooner to believe it ; for Christ Matt. xxiv. told us before that such delusions should come, that if it were possible, the very elect should be deceived by 2 Thess. ii, them. And St. Paul exhorteth us to beware of such Deut. xiii. simis and wonders : and therefore I do as Moses teach- es eth me, — when I hear of such a wonder, then straight I look on the doctrine that is annexed w^ith it. If it teach me to refer all the honour to God, and not to creatures, and teach me nothing but that will stand with God'^s word, then will I say, that it is of God. But if it teach me such things as will not stand with his word, then will I determine that it is done by the devil, to delude the people with damnable idolatry. When Paul and Acts x'.v. Barnabas preached at Lystra, and had done a miracle among them, the people ran and would have done sacri- fice unto them. But the Apostles ran among them and tare their clothes, crying unto them, Sirs, what do you.'* we are even corruptible men as ye are, and preach unto you, that you should leave this vain superstition, and worship the living God, which made heaven, earth, the sea, and all that is in them, &c. Here the Apostles re- fused such honour and worship; and therefore I am Frith.] PRESENCE OF CHRIST'S BODY. 419 sure they would not suffer their images to iiavc it. Now ii<>w y.m when I see a njiracle done at any image, and perceive Irilemfn" that it bringeth men to the worshipping of itself, con- cies from trary to the fact and doctrine of the Apostles, which would not receive it themselves, I must needs conclude, that it is but a delusion done by the devil to deceive us, and to bring the wrath of God upon us. Even so I say of the Sacrament: since the miracles that are done by it do make men think otherwise than Scripture will, and cause men to worship it, I doubt not but they arc done by the devil, to delude the people. Thou wilt perad- venture say, that God will not suffer him to abuse the Sacrament of his body and blood. Yes, verilv, God will suffer it, and doth suffer it, to see whether we will be faithful, and abide by his word or not. And marvel not thereof, for God suffered him to take up the verv Matt, ir natural body of his son Christ, and set him on a pinna- cle of the temple ; and after, he took him up again, and led him to an exceeding mountain : and therefore think not but that he hath more power over the Sacrament than he had over Christ's own body. And therefore False Anti- when they tell me, Lo, here is Christ, lo, there is Christ, ^'■'•"• (as Christ prophesied,) lo, he is at this altar, lo, he is at that, I will not believe them. Nevertheless, if I should grant that all the miracles which were done, and ascribed unto the Sacrament, were very true miracles, and done of God himself, (as I doubt not but some of them be true,) yet thereupon it doth not follow that the Sacrament should be the very natu- ral body of Christ. For we have evident stories, that certain persons have been delivered from bodily diseases throngh the sacrament of Baptism. And yet the water is not the Holy Ghost, nor the very thing itself whereof it is a sacrament. The shadow of Peter bath healed Acti ir. many, and yet was not that shadow Peter's own person. We read also, that napkins and handkerchiefs were car- ried from Paul unto them that were sick and possessed Acu xii. 2 F 2 420 DR. BARNES' ESCAPE. [Fkith. with unclean spirits, and they received their health. And yet it were nevertheless madness, to think that Paul's body had been actually or naturally in those things. And therefore this is but a very weak reason, to judge by the miracles the presence of Christ's body. And surely you might be ashamed to make so slender reasons: for God may work miracles through many things which are not his natural body. And as touch- ing the old Doctors, whom you feign to make with you, and the truth of your opinion, which you say hath been believed of all good Christian people this fifteen hundred years, is sufficiently declared before, and proved to be but a point of your old poetry. i D. BARNES DID GRACIOUSLY ESCAPE M. MORES HANDS. ]\1. More. " AND also Friar Barnes, albeit that (as ye wot well) he is in many other things a brother of this young man's sect, yet in this he sore abhorreth this heretic, or else he lieth himself; for at his last being here, he wrote a letter to me, wherein he writeth, that I lay that heresy wi'ongfully to his charge ; and showeth himself so sore grieved therewith, that he saith, he will, in my reproach, make a book against me, wherein he will profess and protest his faith concerning this blessed sacrament. But, in the mean season, it well contenteth me, that Friar Barnes, being a man of more age, and of more ripe discretion, and a Doctor of Divinity, and in those things better learned than this young man is, abhorreth this young man's heresy in this point, as well as he liketh him in many other." Frith. The more your mastership praiseth Doctor Barnes, the worse men may like your matter ; for in many points he doth condenm your damnable doctrine, as in Fkiiii.] dr. BARNES' ESCAPE. 421 his hook appeareth. And therefore, it such credence must be given to him, then much the less will be given to you. But peradventurc you will say, that he is to be believed in this point, although he err in other. Whereunto I answer, that if you will consent unto him, I would be well paid, and will promise you to write no more on that matter : for in this we both agree, that it Tlu- Sacra- ought not to be worshipped ; (yea, and blessed be God, "^"^ ^^^ 11 1 1 1 11 1 • , notbewor- ail the others whom you call heretics;) and .so both of us slii|.pe.i. do avoid idolatry, which you Avitii so great danger do daily commit : and therefore, if you allow his learning, then am I content that you dissent from me ; for let it not be worshipped, and think as you will, for then is the peril past : and since we agree in this point, doubt not but we shall soon agree in the residue, and admit each other for faithful brothers. And your mastership saith, that he wrote you a letter, protesting that you lay that heresy wrongfully to his charge. I think it was more wisdom for him twice to have written to you, than once to have come and tell you of it ; for it was plainly xhePapistt told him, that you had conspired his death ; and that, *"*>' ''"'" "" . , !■ ' 1 • /• promise nor notwithstandmg his sate conduct, you were minded to lovenant is have murdered him ; and for that cause he was com- "'.'"' ''^P'^ pelled, both, being here, to keep himself secretly, and ri-tir. also privily to depart the realm. And blessed be God, you have sufficiently published More was your purpose, in your answer ay-ainst W. Tvndalo, '"'^y ^t^'^'" where you say, that you might lawfully have burnt ofilicPre- him. Here men may see how perceivable you are t,','y]i"an,i addict to our prelates, and how prone ye were to fulfil bum a.s fntt their pleasures, contrary to our Prince's prerogative "* '^^' royal. And thanks be to (lod, which gave vou such grace in the sight of our Sovereign, that lie sliortly withdrew your power ; for else it is to be feared, that you would further have proceeded against his grace's pre- rogative, which thing, whether it be treason or not, let other men define. But this I daresay, that it is printed and published to our Prince's great dishoncxu-; for 422 DR. BARNES' ESCAPE. [Frith. More a Po- pish and a malicious tyrant. TTie condi- tion con- tained in Barnes' safe con- duct. No promise nor licence made to he- retics by the King, without the consent of our Pi'e- lates, is to be kept and observed. what learned man may, in time to come, trust to his grace's safe conduct, or come at his grace's instance or request, since not only the spiritualty, (which of their profession resist his prerogative,) but also a lay man, promoted to such pre-eminence by his grace's goodness, dare presume so to depress his prerogative, and not only to say, but also to publish it in print, that notwith- standing his grace's safe conduct, they might lawfully have burnt him ? But here he would say unto me, as he doth in his book, that he had forfeited his safe conduct, and thereby was fallen into his enemies' hands. Whereunto I an- swer, that this your saying is but a vain gloss ; for I myself did read the safe conduct that came unto him, which had but only this one condition annexed unto it, that if he came before the feast of Christmas then next ensuing, he should have free liberty to depart at his pleasure. And this condition, I know, was fulfilled. How should he, then, forfeit his safe conduct ? But M. More hath learned of his masters, our prelates, (whose proctor he is) to depress our Prince's preroga- tive, that men ought not to keep any promise with he- retics. And so his safe conduct could not save him. As though the King's grace might not admit any man to go and come freely into his grace's realm, but that he must have leave of our prelates. For else they might lay heresy against the person, and so slay him, contrary to the King's safe conduct : which thing, all wise men do know to be prejudicial to his grace's prerogative royal. And yet I am sure, that of all the time of his being here, you cannot accuse him of one crime : albeit (unto your shame) you say that he had forfeited his safe conduct. These words had been very extreme, and worthy to have been looked upon, although they had been written by some presumptuous prelate. But that a lay man, so highly promoted by his Prince, should speak them, and also cause them openly to be published Frith] J. FKITH'S PRAYER. HA among his grace's coninions, to reject the estimation of his royal power, dotli, in my mind, deserve correction. Not- withstanding, 1 leave the judgment and determination unto the discretion of his grace's honourable council. "And as for that holy prayer tliat this devout voung M. Moif. man, (as a new Christ,) teacheth all his congregation to make at the receiving of this blessed Sacrament, 1 would not give the paring of a pear for his prayer, though it were better than it is, pulling away the true faith there- from, as he doth. Howbeit, his prayer there is so de- vised and penned, and painted with leisure and study, that 1 trust every good Christian woman maketh a much better prayer at the time of her housell, by faithful affection, and by God's good inspiration sud- denly. Frith is an unmeet master to teach us what we should pray at the receiving of the blessed Sacrament, when he will not knowledge it as it is, but take Christ's blessed body for nothing but bare bread, and so little esteem the receiving of the blessed Sacrament, that he forceth little whether it be blessed or not." Where he discommendeth my prayer, and saith that Frith. I am an unmeet master to teach men to pray, seeing I take away the true faith from it, and saith that every woman can make a better when she receiveth the Sacra- ment, I would to God that every woman were so well learned that they could teach us both. And surely I The mo- intended not to prescribe to all men that prayer only, nieek spirit but hoped to help the ignorant, that they might eitljer '>f .'«'lin speak those words, or else (taking occasion at them) to say some other to the laud and praise of God. And as for your faith, (which you call the true faith,) nnist I needs improve ; for it will not stand with the true text of Scripture, as it plainly appeareth : but to the faith ciiribi's in Christ's blood, 1 exhort all men, and teach tliem to ,|]r,.l„p„" eat his body with faith, (and not witli teeth) which is, «ithfuith, by having his death in contmual remembrance, and di- ^itli the toctli. 424 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE [Frith. gesting it into the bowels of their soul. And because you so sore improve my prayer, to conclude my answer against you, I will rehearse it again ; and let all men judge between us. iV. prayer made by John Frith to he Srtid before the receiving of the C'oin- A godly and good prayer. Blessed be thou, most dear and merciful Father, which of thy tender favour and benignity (notwithstanding our grievous enormities committed against thee), vouchsaf- edst to send thine ow^n and only dear Son to suffer most vile death for our redemption. Blessed be thou, Christ Jesu our Lord and Saviour, which of thine abundant pity, considering our miserable estate, wiUingly tookest upon thee to have thy most innocent body broken and blood shed, to purge us and wash us which are laden with iniquity ; and to certify us thereof, hast left us not only thy word which may instruct our hearts, but also a visible token, to certify even our outward sensesof this great be- nefit, that we should not doubt but that the body and fruit of thy passion are ours (through faith), as surely as the bread which by our senses we know that we have within us. Blessed be also that Spirit of verity which is sent from God our Father, through our Saviour Christ Jesu, to light our dark ignorance, and lead us through faith into the knowledge of him which is all verity. Strengthen, we beseech thee, our frail nature, and increase our faith; that we may praise God our most merciful Father, and Christ his Son our Saviour and Redeemer. Amen. THE PASCHAL LAMB AND OUR SACRAMENT ARE HERE COMPARED TOGETHER. The Pas- ]^0W we .shall shortly express the pith of our matter, and our" ' '^"<^1 borrow the figure of the Paschal Lamb, which Sacrament jy in all points SO like. That the offering of the Paschal together. Lamb did signify the offering of Christ's body, is plain Fkith.] paschal lamb AND OUIl SACRAMENT. 420 by Paul, which saith, Christ our Paschal Lamb is ollered i Cor. v. up for us. When the children of Israel were very sad and heavy for their sore oppression under the power of Pharaoh (for tlie more miracles were showed, the worse were they handled), God sent unto them by Moses, that every household should kill a lamb to be a sacrifice unto God, and that they should eat him with their staves in their hands, their loins girded, and shoes on their feet, even as men that were going an hasty journey. This The mau- lamb must they eat hastily and n)ake a merry Maundy, eatiiifr of Now because they should not say that they could not ti'^- Pa^l'ai , /. 1 • • 11 % 1 1 1 1 Lamb, be merry tor then- oppression, and what could the himb help them, he added glad tidings unto it, and said, This is the passing by of the Lord, which this night shall pass by you and slay all the first-begotten within the land of Egypt, and shall deliver you out of your bondage, and bring you into the land that he hath promised unto your fathers. INIark the process and conveyance of this mat- ter, for even likewise it is in our Sacrament. The Apostles were sad and heavy, partly considering the ^j^g ^.,„. bondao;e of sin wherewith they were op])ressed, and partly "er of the 1 1 111 11 1 /" 1 • institution because he told them that he nuist depart irom them, m of theSa- whom they did put all their hope of their deliverance. f'"''»n»ent. ^ I 1 -11 John XVI, While they were in this heaviness, Christ thought to comfort them, and to give them the seal of their deli- verance, and took in his hand bread, blessed and brake The in.sti. it, and gave it to his disciples, saying. This is my body tile'saora- which shall be given for you ; for tiiis night shall tiie ment. power of Pharaoh, the devil, be destroyed, and to- morrow shall vou be delivered from Egy|)t, the place of sin, and shall take your journey towards the heavenly mansion which is prepared of God for all that love him. Now compare them together. 1. The Paschal Lamb was instituted and eaten the jj^'^fj,';;'"; night before tiie children of Israel were indeed delivereil ihi- Pastliai - ,, ,., . 1 ..>. .. ■ 4-i . 1 . I Lamh with from Egypt: likewise was the Sacrament instituted and , i.rJHtv eaten the nioht before we were delivered from our sins. Snpiier. 4-ZG A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE [Frith. 2. The Paschal Lamb was a very lamb indeed : and so is the Sacrament very bread indeed. 3. The Paschal Lamb was called the passing by of the Lord, which destroyed the power of Pharaoh and deli- vered them : the Sacrament is called the body of the Lord, which destroyed the power of the devil and de- livered us. 4. As many as did eat the Paschal Lamb in faith, were very merry, and gave God great thanks ; for they were sure the next day to be delivered out of Egypt : as many as did eat his Sacrament in faith, were merry, and gave God great thanks, for they were sure the next day to be delivered from their sin. 5. They that did not eat the Paschal Lamb in faith could not be merry, for they were not so sure of deli- verance from the power of Pharaoh : they that did not eat this Sacrament in faith could not be merry, for they were not sure of deliverance from the power of the devil. 6. They that believed the word of the Lord did more eat the passing by of the Lord which should deliver them, than they did the lamb. They that did believe the word of the Lord did more eat the body of the Lord, which should be given for their deliverance, than they did the bread : for the thing doth a man most eat that he most hath in memory and most resolveth in mind, as appeareth by Christ, John iv. : I have meat to eat that ye know not. 7. They that believed not the next day to be delivered from Egypt, did not eat the passing by of the Lord, although they did eat the lamb. They that believed not the next day to be delivered from sin, did not eat the body of the Lord, although they eat the bread. 8. The children of Israel were but once delivered from Egypt, notwithstanding they did every year cat tlic lamb, to keep that fact in perpetual remembrance : even so Christ bought and redeemed us but once for all, and was offered and sacrificed but once for all, though the Frith.] I'ASCHAL LAMB AND OUll SACRAMENT. «7 Sacrament thereof be daily broken among us, to kee]) that benefit in continual memory. 9- As many as did eat the Paschal Laml) in faith, and believed God's word as touching their deliverance from Egypt, were as sure of their deliverance through faith, as they were sure of the lamb by eating it : as many as do eat this Sacrament in ftiith. and believe God's word as touching tlieir deliverance from sin, are as sure of their deliverance through faith, as they are siu-e of the bread by eating it. 10. As many as did eat of that Paschal Lamb did magnify their God, testifying that he only was the God Almiglity, and thev his people sticking to him, to be delivered by his power from all danger : as many as do eat of this Sacrament do magnify their God, testifying that he only is the God Almighty, and they his people sticking by him to be delivered by his power from all danger. 11. When the Israelites were delivered from Egypt, they eat nevertheless the Paschal Lamb, which was still called the passing by (because it was the remembrance of the passing by of the Lord), and heartily rejoiced, oifering him sacrifice, and acknowledging, with infinite thanks, that they were the fellowship of them that had such a merciful God. Now Christ's elect are delivered from sin, they eat nevertheless the Sacrament, which is still called his body that once died for their deliverance, and heartily rejoice, offering to him the sacrifice of praise, and acknowledging, with infinite thanks, that tliey are of the fellowship of them that have such a merciful God. 12. The Paschal Lamb, after their deliverance being yearly eaten, brought as much mirth and joy unto them that did eat it in faith, as it did to their fathers which felt Pharaoh's fury and were not yet deli\ ered ; for they knew right well, that except God of his mercy and won- derful power had so delivered them, they sliould also themselves have been bond in the land of Egypt, and 428 ST. PAUL UPON 1 COR. CHAP. X. [FlUTII. under that wicked prince Pharaoli, of which bondage tliey greatly rejoiced to be rid already, and thanked God highly because they found themselves in that plenteous land which God provided for them. The Sa- crament which, after our deliverance, is yearly and daily eaten, bringeth as much mirth and joy unto us that eat it in faith, as it did to the Apostles which were not yet delivered : for we know right well, that except God of his mercy and through the blood of his Son, had so delivered us, we should also ourselves have been bond in Egypt, the place of sin, under the wicked prince the devil, of which bondage we greatly rejoice to be rid already, and thank God highly because we find ourselves in the state of grace, and have received through faith the first fruits and a taste of the Spirit, which testifieth inito us that we are the children of God. The Maun- dy of re- memljrance that Paul received of the Lord, and deH- vered to the Corin- thians. 1 Cor. X. God hath ordained all meats to be indif- ferent. This Maundy of remembrance was it that Paul re- ceived of the Lord, and delivered to tlie Corinthians in the eleventh chapter. For though he borrow one pro- perty and similitude of the Sacrament in the tenth chap- ter, that in my mind maketli neither with us nor against us, albeit some think that it maketh whole for the ex- position of Christ's words. This is my body. But in my mind, they are deceived. For the occasion that Paul spake of it in the tenth chapter, was this. The Corin- thians had knowledge that all meats were indifferent, and whether it were offered to an idol or not, that the meat was not the worse, and they might lawfully eat of it, whether it were sold them in the shambles, or set before them when they dined and supped in an unfaitli- ful man's house, asking no questions, except some man did tell them that it was offered to an idol, and then they should not eat of it, for offending his conscience that so told them, (albeit they were else free, and the thing indifferent.) This knowledge, because it was not annexed with charity, was the occasion of great offend- FiuTii.] ST. PAUL UPON 1 COI{. CHAP. \. 4f9 ing. For by reason thereof they sat down among the Gentiles at their feasts, where tliey eat in the honour of their idols, and so did not only wound the eonseieiiee of their weak brethren, but also conimitted idolatry in- deed. And therefore St. Paul said unto them, INIv dear Pa.il. beloved, flee from worshipping of idols : I speak unto them wlii'jh have discretion: judge ye what 1 say. Is not the cup of blessing which we bless, the fellow.ship of the blood of Christ .'' Is not the bread which we break, the fellowship of the body of Christ .'* For we, though we be many, are yet one bread and one body, in- asmuch as we are partakers of one bread. Christ did Christ call himself bread, and the bread his body ; and here self 'hread! Paul calleth us bread, and the bread our body. Now "'"l P'«"l may you not take Paul that he in this place should di- i.reaa. rectly expound Christ"'s mind : And that the very ex- position of Christ's words when he said, Tliis is my body, should be that it was the fellowship of his body, (as some say, which seeking the key in this place of Paul, lock themselves so fast in, that they can find no way out) ; for Christ spake those words of his own body, I'*'" tlu- which should be given for us ; but the fellowship of st. Paul Christ''s bodv (or congregation,) was not aiven for us. »'''/" '"' And so he meant not as Paul here saith, but meant his st and likewise the unfaithful eateth only bread, and not not eat the body and blood of Christ. How may these words stand together.^ I answer, that they eat but only bread or meat that profiteth them, but indeed they eat more to their hindrance, and even their own damnation. For they that did eat in the fellowship of the Gentiles, did but only eat the meat to their profit, but in eating their meat, their face did openly testify that they ho- noured the idol for their God (ahhough tlieir heart were 1 Cor. viii. otherwise), wherein they committed idolatry ; and l)e- sides that, they wounded the consciences of tiieir weak brethren, and so sinned against God. Besides that, he that envieth his neighbour, and cometh to that banquet, eateth but only the meat that profiteth him ; notwith- VOL. IV. 2 F 43i ST. PAUL UPON 1 COR. CHAP. XI. [Frith. 1 John iii. The un- faithful and wicked eat their own damnation. 1 Cor. xi. The true eating of the Sacra- standing, in his own heart, he eateth the rancour and maHce of his mind, to his great grievance, when he seeth them so rejoice. And of his own companions, which are also this man's enemies, he doth purchase himself hatred, because with his fact he testifieth that he loveth him, although his heart be otherwise ; and of God shall be condemned : for he that hateth his bro- ther is a murderer. Furthermore, he that is unfaithful, and Cometh to the Maundy, eateth but only the bread that profiteth him ; notwithstanding he eateth, besides that, his own damnation, because he believeth not that the body of our Saviour, which the Sacrament repre- senteth, is broken for his sins, and his blood shed to wash them away. This I am compelled to do, to stop the chattering mouths of sophisters; albeit to them that be sober it had been enough to have said, they eat only bread, and not the body broken, &c. ; for they right well understand it by the contrary antithesis, and know that I meant not by that ' only"' that he should eat the bread, and nothing else but only bread ; but that I meant by this word ' only' that he should eat the bread without the body. And so likewise in other examples. Thus have we sufficiently declared Paul's mind in the tenth chapter. In the eleventh chapter, Paul maketh much mention of the Maundy, and describeth it to the uttermost. First, he saith, When ye come together in one place, a man cannot eat the Lord's Supper ; for every man be- ginneth afore to eat his own supper, and one is hungry, and another is drunken. Have ye not houses to eat and drink in, or else despise ye the congregation of God, and shame tliem tliat have not ? What sliall I say unto you ? Shall I praise you ? In this I praise you not. Paul did instruct according to Christ's mind, that the Corinthians should come together to eat the Lord's Supper, which licth not so much in the carnal eating, as in the spiritual ; and is greatly desired to be eaten, FuiTH.] ST. PAUL UPON 1 COR. CHAP. XI. 485 not by the hunger of the body, but by the hunger of nu-nt is the the faithful heart, which is greedy to publish the praise eli'thiK' <'.r of the Lord, and give him hearty thanks, and move ''"^ '*^"'*'- others to the same, that of many, praise might be given unto our most merciful Father, for the love which he sho\\ed us, in the blood of his own most dear Son Christ Jesus, wherewith we are washed from our sins, and surely sealed unto everlasting life. With such hunger did Christ eat the Paschal lamb, saying to his disciples, I have inwardly desired to eat this Easter Luke xxii. lamb with you before that I suffer. Christ's inward desire was not to fill his belly with his disciples, but he had a spiritual hunger, both to praise his Father with them for their bodily deliverance out of the land of Egypt, and specially to alter the Paschal lamb and me- mory of the carnal deliverance, into the iNIaundy of mirth and thanksgiving for our spiritual deliverance out of the bondage of sin ; insomuch that when Christ knew that it was his Father's will and pleasure that he should suffer for our sins, (wherein his honour, glory, and praise should be published,) then was it a pleasure unto him to declare unto his disciples that great benefit, unto his Fatiier's praise and glory, and so did institute that we should come together and break the bread in the remembrance of his body-breaking and blood-shed- ding, and that we should eat it together, rejoicing with each other, and declaring his benefits. Now were the Corinthians fallen from this hunger. The man- and came not togetlier to the intent that God's praise "J,^,j",^, ^f should be pubhshed by them in the midst of the con- the ( orin- , /. 1 1 • /I 1 1 i 1 thinns to- gregation, but came to feed then- flesh, and to make jre,h,.r. carnal cheer, insomuch that the rich would have meat and drink enough, and take such abundance that they would be drunk, and so make it their own supper, and not the Lord's, as Paul saith, and did cat only tlie bread and meat, and not the body-breaking, as I have before said; and the poor, which had not, (that is to s.iy, that 2 F 2 4SC ST. PAUL UPON 1 COR. CHAP. XI. [Frith. had no meat to eat,) were ashamed and hungry, and so could not rejoice and praise the Lord, by the reason that the delicate fare of the rich was an occasion for the poor to lament their poverty ; and thus the rich did nei- ther praise God themselves, nor suffered the poor to do it, but were an occasion to hinder them. They should have brought their meat and drink and have divided it with their poor brethren, that they might have been merry together, and so to have given them occasion to be merry and rejoice in the Lord with thanksgiving. But they had neither lust to praise God nor to comfort their neighbour. Their faith was feeble and their charity cold, and had no regard but to fill their body and feed their flesh, and so despised the poor congregation of God, whom they should have honoured for the spirit that was in them, and favour that God had showed indifferently unto them in the blood of his Son Christ. When Paul perceived that they were thus fleshly- minded, and had no mind unto tliat spiritual Maundy which chiefly should there be adver- tised, he reproveth them sore, rehearsing the words of Christ, That Avhich I gave unto you I received of the Lord : For the Lord Jesus, the same night in the which he was betrayed, took bread and thanked, and brake it, and said : Take ye and eat ye; this is my body which is broken for you, this do ye in remembrance of me. After the same manner he took the cup when sup- per was done, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood ; this do ye as oft as ye drink it in the re- membrance of me. For as oft as ye shall eat this bread and drink of this cup, ye shall show the Lord's death, till he come. As though he should say. Ye Corinthians are much to blame, which at this supper seek the food Why of your flesh ; for it was institute of Christ, not for Christ did |^]^g intent to nourish the belly, but to strengthen the institute i.i-ii»iii. i the Sacra- heart and soul m God. And by this you may know ™^"*" that Christ so meant, for he calleth it his body which Frith.] ST. PAUL UPON 1 COR. CHAP. XI. 487 is given for you, so that the name itself might testify unto you, that in this supper you should more eat his body which is given for you, (by digesting that into the bowels of your soul,) than the bread which by the break- ing and the distributing of it, doth represent his body- breaking and the distributing tliereof unto all that are faithful. And that he so nieanetli is evident by the words following, which say, This do in the remembrance of me: and likewise of the cup. And finally, concluding of both, Paul saith, As often as ye shall eat this bread and The Sacra- drink of this cup, (in this place and fellowship) ye shall "raai„ed*to show the Lord's death initil he come, ])raising the Lord feed our for the death of his Son, and exhorting others to do the „„t our bo- same, rejoicing in him with infinite thanks. And there- **'^*' fore ye are to blame which seek only to feed the belly with that thing which was only instituted to feed the soul. And thereupon it followeth : Wherefore whosoever doth eat of this bread and drink of this cup unworthily, is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. He eateth this bread unworthily, which The worthy . , . , . andunwor- regardeth not the purpose for the w^hich Christ did m- thy eating stitute it, which cometh not to it with spiritual hunger, ulP ' ' to eat through faith his very body, which the bread re- presenteth by the breaking and distributing of it : which cometh not with a merry heart, giving (rod hearty thanks for their deliverance from sin : which do not much more eat in their heart the death of his body, than they do the bread with their mouth. Now since the Corinthians did only .seek their belly and flesh, and forgat God's honour and ])raise, (for wliich it was insti- tuted, that thanks should be given by the remembrance of his body-breaking for us,) they eat it to God's dis- honour and to their neighbour's hindrance, and to their own condemnation, and so for lack of faith were guilty of Christ's body, which (by faitii) they should there chiefly have eaten to their souls' health. And therefore it followeth : 438 ST. PAUL UPON 1 COR. CHAP. XI. [Frith. Let a man therefore examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. "WTiatitis This proving or examining of a man's self is first and exT- ^° think with himself with what lust and desire he mine a cometh uuto the Maundy, and will eat that bread : self. whether he be sure that he is the child of God and in the faith of Christ, and whether his conscience do bear him witness that Christ's body was broken for him : and whether the lust that he hath to praise God and thank him with a faithful heart in the midst of the brethren, do drive him thitherward ; or else whether he do it for the meats' sake or to keep the custom : for then were it better that he were away. For he that eateth or drink- eth unworthily, eateth and drinketh his own damnation, because he maketh no difference of the Lord's body ; that is, as it is said before, he that regardeth not the purpose for which it was instituted, and putteth no dif- ference between his eating and other eating. For other eating doth only serve the belly, but this eating was in- stituted and ordained to serve the soul and inward man. And therefore he that abuseth it to the flesh, eateth and drinketh his own damnation, and he cometh unworthily to the Maundy where the Sacrament of Christ's body is eaten : yea, where the body of the Lord is eaten, not carnally with the teeth and belly, but spiritually with the heart and faith. Upon this followeth the text that M. More allegeth and wresteth for his purpose : For this cause many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. If we had truly judged ourselves, we should not have been judged when we are judged of the Lord: we are chastened, because we should not be damned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. If a man hunger, let him eat at home, that ye come not together unto condemnation. For this cause, that is, for lack of good examining } mean- St. for- ords. Frith.] AN EPITOME, ETC. 439 of ourselves, (as is before touched) many are weak and The sick in the faith, and many asleep, and have lost their 'p.f,/j'f ^ faith in Christ's blood, for lack of remembrance of his mcrwoi body-breaking and blood-shedding: yea, and not that only, but many were weak and sick, even stricken with bodily diseases for abusing tlie Sacrament of his body, eating the bread with their teeth, and not his body with their heart and mind, and, peradventure, some slain for it by the stroke of God, which if they had truly judged and examined themselves for what intent they came thither, and why it was instituted, should not have been so iudg-ed and chastened of the Lord. For the Lord doth chasten to bring us unto repentance, and to mortify our rebellious members, that we may remember him. Here ye may shortly perceive the mind of Paul. AN EPITOME AND SHORT REHEARSAL OF ALL THIS BOOK, SHOWING IN WHAT POINTS FRITH DISSENTETH FROM OUR PRELATES. MOW, to be short, in these three points Fritli dissent- An Epito- etli from our prelates, and from ISL More, which ™|;^^^* " book. taketh upon him to be their proctor. 1 Our prelates believe that in the Sacrament re- The opi- maineth no bread, but that it is turned into the natural '^';^\;JJ'' body of Christ, both flesh, blood, and bones. Irith ^^^^ ^^^ . saith that it is no article of our creed ; and, therefore, ^j^,, ^f let them believe it that will. And he thinketh that there Frith, remaineth bread still ; and that he provetii three manner of ways. First by the Scripture of Paul, which calleth it bread, saying, The bread wliich we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ ? For we, though i Cor. x. we be many, are yet one body and one bread, as many as are partakers of one bread. And again he saith. As l Cor. ... often as ye eat of this bread or drink of this cup, you 440 POINTS WHEREIN OUR PRELATES [Frith. Acts ii. Matt. xxvi. Markxiv. liuke xxli. Nature teacheth that there is both bread and wine in the Sacrament. The old Doctors prove that there is bread in the Sacra- ment. Gelasius in consilio Ro. shall show the Lord's death, until he come. Also Luke calleth it bread, saying in the Acts, They continued in the fellowship of the Apostles, and in the breaking of the bread and prayer. Also Christ called the cup the fruit of a vine, saying, I shall not from henceforward drink of the fruit of the vine, until I drink that new in the kingdom of my Father. Furthermore, nature doth teach you that both the bread and wine continue in their nature ; for the bread mouldeth if it be kept long, yea, and the worms breed in it, and the poor mouse will run away with it, and eat it ; which are evidence enough that there remaineth bread. Also the wine, if it were reserved, would wear sour, as they confess themselves ; and therefore they housell the lay people but with one kind only, because the wine cannot continue, nor be reserved, to have ready at hand when need were. And surely, as if there remained no bread, it could not mould, nor wear full of worms : even so, if there remained no wine, it could not wear sour. And therefore it is but false doctrine that our prelates so long have taught and published. Finally, that there remaineth bread, might be proved by the authority of many doctors, which call it bread and wine, even as Christ and his Apostles did. And though some sophisters would wrest their saying, and expound them after their own fantasy, yet shall I alleo-e them one doctor, which was Pope, that maketh so plain with us, that they shall never be able to avoid him. For Pope Gelasius inviteth on this manner: Certe sacramenta qua sumimus corpojis et sanguinis Christi, divina res sunt^ propter quod et per eadem divina effici- mur consortes nature. Et tamen non desinit esse substantia vel natura panis et vini, sed permanet in sua proprietate nature. Et certe imago et similitudo corporis et san- guinis Christi in actione ynystei-iorum celehrantur. That is to say. Surely tlie Sacraments of the body and blood of Christ which we receive, are a godly thing, and there- Frith.] AND FRITH DISSENT. *41 fore through them are we made partakers of the godly nature : and yet dotli it not cease to he tlie substance or nature of bread and wine, but they continue in the pro- perty of tlieir own nature. And surely the inia<:;e and similitude of the body and blood are celebrated in the act of the mysteries. This I am sure, that no man can avoid it, nor so wrest it, but that all men shall soon espy his folly, and therefore I may conclude that there remaineth the substance and nature of bread and wine. The second point wherein Frith dissenteth from our prelates and their proctor. The prelates believe that his very flesh is present to Hiefaithof the Pre- the teeth of them that eat the Sacrament, and that lates. the wicked eat his very body. Frith saith, that it is no The opi- article of our creed, and therefore he reckoneth that he joilurriti. is in no jeopardv, though he believe it not : and he thinketh that his flesh is not present unto the teeth of them that receive the Sacrament ; for his flesh is only in one place at once ; and that he proveth botii by the authority of St. Austin ad Datdanuni, and also by the authority of Fulgentius ad Thrasamindiim, lib. 20. as be- fore appeareth in the book. And Frith saith, that the wicked eat not his very flesh, although they receive the Sacrament ; and that he proveth by the Scripture, doctors, and good reason grounded upon the Scriptures. The Scripture is this : He that eateth Christ's body Jolin vi. hath everlasting life ; but the wicked hath not everlast- ing life; ergo, then the wicked eat not his body. Again, the Scripture saith, He that eateth Christ's flesii and drinketh his blood, abideth in Christ and Christ in him ; but the wicked abide not in Christ, nor Christ in him ; ergo, the wricked eat not his flesh nor drink his blood. This may also be confirmed by good authority ; for August, in St. Austin saith. He that abideth not in Christ, and in sacra fc. whom Christ abideth not, without doubt he eateth not pa^cha. his flesh, nor drinketh his blood, altliougii he cat and POINTS WHEREIN OUR PRELATES [Frith. Beda. Auff.de a vitate Dei in Hbro 21. cap. 25. The wick- ed eat not Christ's body. John vi. drink the Sacrament of so great a thing unto his damnation. And even the same words hath Beda upon the tenth chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. Again, St. Austin saith, He that abideth not in me, and in whom I abide not, let him not say nor think that he eateth my body or drinketh my blood. And even the same words hath Beda upon the sixth chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. And even the same sentence hath Ambrose, and Prosper, and Beda, upon the eleventh chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. Finally, this may be proved by good reason, grounded upon the Scripture. Christ would not suffer Mary (though she loved him well) to touch him, because she lacked one point of faith, and did not believe that he was equal with his Father. And therefore by reason it must follow, that he will not suffer the wicked (which neither have good faith nor love towards him) both to touch him and eat him into their unclean bodies. Now, since this is proved true, that the wicked eat not his body, it must also thereof needs follow that the Sa- crament is not his natural body, for they do eat the Sacrament, as all men know. Besides that, the faithful do not eat Christ's body with their teeth ; and therefore it must follow that the wicked do not eat it with their teeth. The antecedent, or first part of the reason, is proved by the words of Christ, which saith. That the flesh profiteth nothing at all; meaning, that it doth not profit as they understood him ; that is to say, it pro- fiteth nothing to be eaten carnally with their teeth and belly, as they understood him ; for else it profiteth much to be eaten spiritually ; that is to say, to believe that through his body-breaking and blood-shedding our sins are purged: and thus doth Origen, St. Austin, Beda, Chrysostom, and Athanasius expound it, as ap- peareth in the book before. And therefore Frith saith, \ nion of Frith. Frith.] AND FRITH DISSENT. 443 that only faithful men eat his body, not with their teeth Only tlie and mouth, but with their faitii and heart, tliat di; "'"' was broken on the cross, to wash away their sins : and blood, the wicked eat not his body, but only the bread, and their damnation, because they eat him not s])iritually ; that is, because they believe not in liis body-breaking and blood-shedding. The third point wherein Frith dissenteth from our prelates and their proctor. 3. The prelates believe that men ought to worship The faith the Sacrament. But Frith saith nay, and affirmeth "ates!*^ that it is idolatry to worship it. And he saith, that Christ and Jiis Apostles taught us not so to do : neither did the holy fathers so teach us. And Frith saith, that Theopi- the authors of this worshipping are the children of per- dition, which have overwhelmed this world with sin. Nevertheless, we must receive it reverently, because of the doctrine that it bringeth us. For it preacheth Christ's death unto us, and describeth it before our eyes, even as a faithful preacher by the word doth instil it into us by our eai's and hearing. And that it sup- plieth the room of a preacher, is evident by the words of St. Austin, which saith, Paulas quamvis portaret sar- cinam corporis quod aggravat animam.potuit tainen sig- nificando predicare Dominum Jesum Christum, u/iter per linguam suam, aliter per epistolam, aliter per sacra- mentuni corporis Christi. That is to say, though Paul did bear the burthen of the body, which doth oneratc the soul, yet was he able in signifying to preach the Lord Jesus Christ, one way by his tongue, and another way by an epistle, and another way by the sacrament of Christ's body, &c. For as the people by understand- ing the signification of the words which he spake, did hear the glorious Gospel of God, and as by the reading of his Epistle they understood his mind and received the 444 POINTS WHEREIN OUR PRELATES, &c. [Frith. Jer. xxvii. The minis- tration of the Sacra- ment doth lively ex- press the death and passion of Christ. word of the souPs health, so by the ministration of the Sacrament they might see with their eye the thing which they heard and read, and so have their senses occupied about the mystery, that they might the more earnestly print it in their mind. As by example : The Prophet Jeremiah, being in Jerusalem in the time of Zedekiah, king of the Jews, prophesied and preached unto them, ' that they should be taken prisoners of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon ; and the Jews were angry with him, and would not believe his words. And therefore he made a chain of fetters of wood, and put them about his neck, and prophesied again, and preached that they should be taken prisoners and led captive into Babylon. And as his words did certify their ears that they should be subdued, so the chain did represent their captivity evePx before their eye. Which thing did more vehe- mently work in them than the bare words could do ; and even so it is in the Sacrament. For likewise as the words did instil into our ears, that his body was given for us, and his blood shed for the remission of our sins, even so did the ministration of the Sacrament express that same thing unto our sight, and doth more efficaci- ously move than the bare words might do ; and make us more attent unto the thing, that we may wholly give thanks unto God and praise him for his bounteous bene- fits. And therefore, seeing it is a preacher expressing unto our sight the same thing that the words do to our ears represent, you must receive it with reverence and sober behaviour, advertising the thing that it repre- senteth unto you. And even the same honour is due unto it which is given unto the Scripture that is the word of God, for unto that must a man devoutly give ear, and reverently take the book in his hand : yea, and if he kiss the book for the docti-ines"" sake that he learn- eth thereout, he is to be commended : nevertheless, if he should go cense his book, men might well think that he were very childish. But if he should kneel down and Frith.] THE CONCLUSION OF THIS TREATISE. U5 pray to this book, then he did commit pUiiu idolatry. Consider, dear brethren, what I say, and avoid this jeopardy; which thing avoided, I care not as touching the presence of his body, though you believe that his natural flesh be there indeed, (and not only in a mystery as I have taught). For when the jeopardy is past, he were a fool that would be contentious for a thing as long as there cometh no hurt thereby. The Germans which believe the ])resence of his body, do not worship it, but plainly teach the contrary, and in that point (thanks be to God) all they whom you call heretics do agree full well. Only avoid this idolatry, and I desire no more. THE CONCLUSION OF THIS TREATISE. ^OW, dear brethren, I beseech you for the mercy that ye look for in Christ Jesu, that you accept this work with a single eye and no contentious heart, for neces- sity hath compelled mc to write it, because I was in- formed both of my Lord of Winchester and other cre- dible pers(ms, that I had, by the means of my first trea- tise, offended many men, which thing may well be true ; for it was too slender to instruct all them which have since seen it, albeit it were sufficient for their use to whom it was first delivered. And, therefore, I thought it not only expedient, but also necessary, to instruct them further in the truth, that they might see plain evidence of that thing wherein they were offended. By this work you shall espy their blasphemies, and the venomous tongues wherewith they slander not only them that publish the truth, but even tlie truth itself. They shame not to say that we affirm it to be only bread, and nothing else. Ai.d we say not so: but wc say, that be-side the substance of bread, it is the Sacra- 446 THE CONCLUSION OF THIS TREATISE. [Frith. The Sacra- ment of Chrisfs body and blood. As the Jew hanging the sub- before the tavern door is more than bare Jew : for be- stance of sides the substance of Jew, it is a sign, and signifieth that Christ's there is wine to be sold. And this Sacrament signifieth WooV^^ unto us, and pointeth out before our eyes, that as verily as that bread is broken, so verily was Chrisfs body broken for our sins ; and as that bread is distributed unto us, so is his body and fruit of his passion distri- buted unto all his faithful. And as the bread comfort- eth the body, so doth the faith in Chrisfs death comfort our souls. And as surely as we have that bread and eat it with our mouth and teeth, and know by our senses that we have it within us, and are partakers thereof; no more need we to doubt of his body and blood, but that through faith we are as sure of them, as we are sure of that bread, as it is sufficiently declared in my book. They dis- Again you may perceive how wickedly they re]3ort on honour the ^g which affirm that we dishonour it, which give it the bacrament i » i i i • i that give it right honour that it ought to have. And you do plamly that ho- dishonour it, which eive unto it the honour that is only nour that ' ts J is due unto due unto God. We give it the same honour that we ^ ' give unto the holy Scripture and word of God, because it expresseth vinto our senses the death of our Saviour, and doth more deeply print it within us. And there- fore we call it an holy Sacrament, as we call God's word holy Scripture. And we receive this Sacrament with great reverence, even as we reverently read or hear preached the holy word of God which containeth the health of our souls. And we grant that his body is present with the bread as it is with the word ; and with both it is verily received and eaten through faith. But if we should kneel down and pray unto the holy Scrip- tures, men might count us fools, and might lawfully say, that we do not honour the Scripture by that means, but rather dishonour it. For the right honour of a thing is, to use it for that intent that it was institute of God ; the Sacra- ment. Frith.] THE CONCLUSION OF THIS TREATISE. 447 and he that abuseth it to any other purpose, doth in- deed dishonour it. And hkewise it is in the Sacrament, which was institute lo keep in memory the (k'atli of Christ, which if we do any otherwise honour than we do the holy Scripture, (unto the which we may in no wise make our prayers,) I say that then wc should ut- terly dishonour it. Avoid therefore this point of idola- try, and all is safe. Finally, we say that they speak well and faithfully Frith liero which say that they go to the body and receive the body *',',""*?'' of Christ, and that they speak villainously and wickedly, thinkithof which say that they only receive bread, or the sign of his body; for in so saying they declare their infidelity. For the faithful will reckon that he is evil reported of, and reputed for a traitor and another Judas, if men should say of him that he did only receive the Sacrament, and not also the thing which the Sacrament doth signify. For albeit he only eateth the bread and Sacrament with his mouth and teeth, yet with his heart and faith, in- wardly, he eateth the very thing itself, which the Sa- crament outw^ardly doth represent. And of this spring the manner of speakings that the old fathers do sometimes use, which at the first sight might seem contrary to our senses. But if they be well pondered, it may soon be seen how they should be taken. For many times, when they speak of the Sacrament and outward eating, they apply unto the Sacrament and out- ward eating the fruit and conditions of the inward eating and thing itself, because that in a faithful man they are so jointly joined that the one is never without the other. As by exam])le, Mary is named the mother of God, and I he (frwi- yet she is not the mother of his Godhead, by the which jl|^j','„.j'^.i^li part only he is called God, but because she is his mother tiie man- as touching his manhood, and theCiodhead is so annexed OiriM that with the manhood, that they both make but one person, ''""X '••"•' ,.,.,, 'n<»Ke but therefore is she called the mother of God, wliich mdeed „i,p p-rson. if it be wisely weighed, shall be found to be abused us THE CONCLUSION OF THIS TREATISE. [Frith. speech. And yet, nevertheless, it may very well be ' used, if men understand what is meant thereby ; but if through the use of this speech, men should fall into such an error that would affirm our Lady to be indeed the mother of his Godhead, then necessity should com- pel us to make a distinction between the nature of his Godhead and the nature of his manhood, and so to ex- pound the matter unto them, and bring them home again into the riglit understanding : as we are now constrained to do in this Sacrament, because you mis- construe the sayings of the Scripture and doctors, which notwithstanding, (if a man understand them) say very well. And many such manner of speeches are contained in the Scriptures : as where Christ saith, John iii. There shall no man ascend into heaven, but he that descendeth from heaven, the Son of man which is in heaven. This text doth say that the Son of man was then in heaven, when he spake these words unto Nicodemus here on earth : which thing all wise men consent to be under- stood, pj'opte?- unitatem persona. : that is to say, for the unity of the person. For albeit his Godhead was in every place at that time, yet was not his manhood (by the which he was called the Son of man) in heaven at that time. And yet Christ said that it Avas in heaven, for the unity of his person ; for his Godhead was in heaven : and because the Godhead and manhood made but one person, therefore it was ascribed unto the man- hood, which was only verified upon the Godhead, as August. St. Augustin ad Dardanum doth diligently declare. Of Bap- And likewise in the Sacrament of Baptism, because tism. j.}^g inward working of the Holy Ghost is ever annexed, in the faithful, unto the outward ceremony, therefore sometimes the fruit of the inward Baptsim is ascribed unto the outward work. And so the Scripture useth to speak of the outward Baptism as though it were the inward ; that is to say^ the Spirit of God. And there- FuiTH.] THE CONCLUSION OF THIS TREATISE. 449 fore St. Paul saitli, That we are buried with Christ throu2;h baptism: and vet, as St. Auffustin expoundeth ^"ff^istinus , 11 -111 ■ -n 1-1 -1 ad Botiifa. it, the outward baptism doth but signify this buiial. cium. And again, Paul saith, As many as are baptised have put Christ vipon them ; and yet indeed our outward bap- tism doth but signify, that we have put Christ upon us. But by the inward baptism (which is the water of life and Spirit of God,) we have indeed put him upon us, and live in him, and he in us : whicli, notwithstanding, is very false for all the outward baptism, in them that receive it not in faith. And unto them it is but a bare sign, whereof they get no profit, but damnation. And here you may evidently perceive how it is some- times in Scripture ascribed unto the outward work and ceremony, which is only true in the inward verity. And this place shall expound all the old doctors which seem contrary to our sentence : and therefore mark it well. Thus have you my mind farther upon the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ : wherein, if you reckon that I have been too long in repeating one thing so often, I shall pray you of pardon. But surely, methought I could not be shorter : for the world is such now-a-days, that some would hear and cannot, and some do hear and will not ; and therefore I am compelled so often to re- peat that thing which a wise man would understand with hidf the words. Pray, Christian reader, that the word of God may increase, and that God may be glorified through my bonds. Amen. VOL. IV. 2 G THE ARTICLES WHEREFORE JOHN FRITH DIED, WHICH HE WROTE IN NEWGATE THE 23d DAY OF JUNE, THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1533. T DOUBT not, dear brethren, but that it doth some deal vex you, to see the one part have all the words, and freely to speak what they list, and the other to be put to silence, and not to be heard indifferently : but refer your matters to God, which shortly shall judge after another fashion. But in the mean season, I shall rehearse unto you the articles for which I am condemned. The first They examined me but of two articles, which are ar ic e. these: First, Whether I thought there were no purgatory to purge the soul after this present life ? and I said that I thought there was none, for man is made but of two parts, the body and the soul. And the body is purged by the cross of Christ, which he layeth upon every child that he receiveth, as affliction, worldly oppression, perse- cution, imprisonment, &c., and death finisheth sin ; and the soul is purged by the word of God, which we receive through faith, unto the health and salvation both of body and soul. Now and if I did know any third part whereof we are made, I would also gladly grant the third purgatory ; but seeing I know none such, I must deny the Pope's purgatory. Nevertheless, I count neither part a neces- sary article of our faith, necessarily to be believed under pain of damnation, whether there be such a purgatory or not. I Frith.] THE ARTICLES, &c. 451 The second article was this, Whether that I thought The second that the Sacrament of the altar was the body of Christ ? ^^"'^^'^• and I said, yea, that I thought that it was both Christ's body, and also our body, as St. Paul saith, 1 Cor. x. In that it is made one bread of many grains, it is our body, signifying that we, though we be many, are yet one body : and likewise of the wine, in that it is made one wine of many grapes. ,And again in that it is broken, it is Christ"'s body, signifying that his body should be broken ; that is to say, suffer death, to redeem us from our iniquities. In that it was distributed, it was Christ''s body, sig- nifying that as verily as that Sacrament is distributed unto us, so verily is Christ's body, and the fruit of his passion, distributed unto all faithful men. In that it is received, it is Christ's body, signifying that as verily as the outward man receiveth the Sacra- ment with his teeth and mouth, so siu'ely doth the inward man, through faith, receive Christ's body and fruit of his passion, and is as sure of it as of the bread that he eateth. Well, said they, do you not think that his very natu- ■A.nother ral body, both flesh and blood, is really contained under the Sacrament, and there actually present, besides all similitudes ? No, said I, I do not so think. Notwith- An answer, standing, I would not that any should count that I make my saying (which is the negative) any article of the faith : for even as I say that you ought not to make any necessary article of the faith of your part (which is the affirmative), so I say again, that we make none neces- sary article of the faith of our part, but leave it indif- ferent for all men to judge therein, as God shall open his heart, and no side to condemn or despise the other, but to nourish, in all things, brotherly love, and to bear others' infirmities. The text of St. Augustin, which they there alleged St. Augus- against me, was this : that in the Sacrament, Christ wa.«( 2 G 2 452 THE ARTICLES WHEREFORE [Frith- borne in his own hands. Whereunto I said, that St. Augustin doth full well expound himself: for in another place he saith, Ferebatur taiiquam in manibus suis; that is, he was borne, after a certain manner, in his own hands. And by that he saith, after a certain manner, ye may soon perceive what he meaneth. Howbeit, if St. Augus- tin had not thus expounded himself, yet he saith ad Bonifacium, that the Sacrament of a thing hath a simi- litude or property of the thing which it signifieth, and for that cause it hath many times the name of the very thing which it signifieth. And so he saith that he bare himself, because he bare the Sacrament of his body and blood, which did so earnestly express himself, that no- thing might more do it. If you read the place of St. Augustin ad Bonifacium, which I allege in my last book, ye shall soon see them answered. Chrysosto- Another place they alleged out of Chrysostom, which "*"*■ at the first blush seemeth to make well for them. But if it be Avell weighed, it maketh much less for them than they ween. The words are these : — Chrysos- Dost thou see bread and wine ? Do they depart from words. thee into the draught, as other meats do ? God forbid ! for as in wax, when it cometh to the fire, nothing of the substance remaineth nor abideth ; so likewise think that the mysteries are consumed by the substance of the body. These words I expounded, by the words of the same Doctor St. Chrysostom, which in another homily saith on this manner : — The inward eyes, as soon as they see the bread, they fly over all creatures, and think not of the bread that is baken of the baker, but of the bread of everlasting life, which is signified by the mystical bread. Now, confer these places together, and you shall per- ceive, that the last expoundeth the first clearly. First, he saith, Wilt thou see bread and wine ? I answer by the second, Nay ; for the inward eyes, as soon as they see Frith.] JOHN FRITH DIED. 453 the bread, think not of it, but of the thing itself that is signified thereby : and so he seeth it, and seeth it not ; he seeth it with his outward and carnal eyes, but his inward eyes seeth it not ; that is to say, regard not the bread, or think not on it : even as we commonly say, when we play a game negligently, (by my truth, I see not what I do,) meaning that our mind is not upon that thing which we see with our outward eves. And likewise we may answer the next part, where he saith, Do they depart from thee into the draught, as other meats do.-^ ^^}% forsooth, said I, for other meats do only come to nourish the body, and to depart into the drauglit : but this meat that I here receive, is spiritual The expo- meat, received with faith, and nourisheth us everlast- chrysos- ingly, both body and soul, and never entereth into the tom'stext. draught. And even as before, the outward eyes do see the bread, and yet the outward eyes do not regard that, or think upon it. So, likewise, the outward man digesteth the bread, and casteth it into the draught; and yet the inward man doth not regard that, nor think upon it, but thinketh on the thing itself that is signified by that bread. And therefore said Chrysostom, even a little before The true the words which they here alleged. Lift up your mind chrvsof- ° and hearts, (said he) whereby he monisheth us to look tom's upon and consider those heavenly things which are re- presented and signified by the bread and wine, and not to mark the bread and wine in itself. Here they will say unto me, that it is not Chrysos- tom^ mind (for by his example he plainly showeth that there remaineth no bread nor wine) ; that I deny. For the example in this place proveth no more, but that ye shall not think on the bread and wine, no more than if they were not there, but only on that thing which is signified by them. And tliat ye may evidently perceive by the words following, where he saith. Think that the mysteries are consumed by the substance of the body. 454 THE ARTICLES WHEREFORE [Frith. Solution. Now, whether Chrysostom thought that there re- mained bread or no, both ways shall our purpose be proved. First, if he thought there remained still bread and wine, then we have our purpose. Now, if he thought that the bread and wine remained not, but were changed, then are the bread and wine neither mys- teries nor Sacraments of the body and blood of Christ ; for that that is not, can neither be mystery nor Sa- crament. Conclusion, Finally, if he speak of the outward appearance of bread, then we know that that remaineth still, and is not consumed by the substance of the body ; and there- fore he must needs be understood as I take him. I think many men wonder how I can die in this ar- ticle, seeing that it is no necessary article of our faith, for I grant that neither part is an article necessary to be believed under pain of damnation, but leave it as a thing indifferent, to think therein as God shall instil in every man's mind, and that neither part condemn other for this matter, but receive each other in brotherly love, reserving each other's infirmity to God. Behold the The cause of my death is this ; because I cannot in. d^ath!' '"^ conscience abjure and swear that our prelates' opinion of the Sacrament (that is, that the substance of bread and wine is verily changed into the flesh and blood of our Saviour, Jesus Christ,) is an undoubted article of the faith necessary to be believed, under pain of dam- nation. Now, though this opinion were indeed true, (which thing they can neither prove true by Scripture nor Not€. doctors,) yet could I not in conscience grant that it should be an article of the faith necessary to be be- lieved, &c. ; for there are many verities, which yet may be no such articles of our faith. It is true that I lay in irons when I wrote this : howbeit, I would not have you to receive this truth for an article of our faith ; for you may think the contrary without all jeopardy of damnation. Frith.] JOHN FRITH DIED. 45i The cause why I cannot believe their opinion of ihreo transmutation is this : cause*, 1. First, because I think verily that it is false, and can neither be proved by Scripture, nor faithful doc- tors, if they be well pondered. 2. The second cause is this ; because I will not bind the congregation of Christ (by mine example) to admit any necessary article beside our Creed, and specially none such as cannot be proved true by Scripture. And I say that the Church, as they call it, cannot compel us to receive any such articles to be of necessity under pain of damnation. 3. The third cause is ; because I dare not be so pre- sumptuous in entering into God's judgment, as to make the prelates in this point a necessary article of our faith; for then I should damnably condenni all the Germans and Almains with infinite woe, which indeed do not believe nor think that the substance of bread and wine is changed into the substance of Christ's natural body. And surely I cannot be so foolish-hardy as to condemn such an infinite number, for our prelates' pleasures. Thvis all the Germans and Almains, both of Lu- ther's side, and also of Oecolampadius, do wholly ap- prove my matter. And svirely I think there is no man that hath a pure conscience, but he will think that I die righteously; for that this transubstantiation should be a necessary article of the faith, I think no man can say it with a good conscience, although it were true indeed. By me, John Frith. EPISTLE TO THE CHRISTIAN IlEAJJER. As in the folio edition (1573,) of the Works of Tyn- flale, Frith, and Barnes, the Antithesis annexed to the "Revelation of Antichrist" is reprinted, and which makes a part of the present volume, it appeared necessary to the completion of Frith's Works, to add the Epistle to the Christian Reader, prefixed to the same Treatise, which was as probably written by him as the Antithesis. The followino- is the title of the book : •1 A Pistle to the Christen reader • I The Revelation of Antichrist. Antithesis / wherein are compa « Cnlopliou : red to geder Christes actes and oure holye father the Popes. • i At Malborow in the lande of Hes se / tlie xij day of Julye / An no M.CCCCC.XXIX. by me Hans Luft. RICHARD BRIGHTWELL UNTO THE CHRISTIAN READER. r^RACE, mercy, and the peace of God passing all Phill.iii. understanding, which is the sure confidence of re- mission of sin in the blood of Christ, and perfect trust of the heritage of everlasting life in the same Christ our Lord, be with thee, Christian reader, and with all that call upon the name of Jesus. Albeit there was nothing that Christ spake, being present among us in this mortal life, but it had a quickness, spirit, and comfort : yet joim vi. chiefly of all this warning precessed (in my judgment) all other words, where he exhorted vis, while we had light to believe in the light, that we might be the chil- dren of light. And again, Yet a little while is the light John xii. with you, walk while ye have light, lest the darkness come on you ; for he that walketh in the dark wotteth not whither he goeth. Who is this light that we are exhorted to believe in ? Truly it is Christ, as St. John doth testify. He was the true light that lighteneth all John i. men which come into the world. To believe in this light maketh us the children of light, and the sure in- heritors with Jesus Christ. Even now have we cruel adversaries which set up their bristles, saying, Why, then, shall we do no good works ? To these we answ^er as Christ did to the people in the vi. of St. John, which asked him what they should do that they might work the works of God ? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent ; and after it folio weth. Verily verily I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. To this also condescendeth St. John, in his Epistle, 460 AN EPISTLE TO THE 1 John V. James ii. Matt. viii. Matt.xxvii. Hosea xiii. Heb. ii. 1 Cor. XV. 1 John V. Kom. viii. 2 Cor. V. Matt. ix. Ps. xxxiii. .Rom. iii. Matt. ix. saying, These things have I written unto you that be- lieve on the name of the Son of God, that you may surely know that you have eternal life. What is the name of the Son of God.? Truly his name is Jesus, that is to say, a Saviour ; therefore thou must believe that he is a Saviour. But what availeth this.'' The devils do thus believe and tremble. They know that he is the Son of God, and said vmto him, crying, O Jesu, the Son of God, what have we to do with thee ? They know that he hath redeemed mankind by his passion, and labovu'ed to let it ; for when Pilate was set down to give judgment, his Avife sent unto him, saying. Have thou nothing to do with that just man, for I have suf- fered many things this day in my sleep about him. No doubt she Avas vexed by the devil, to the intent that she should persuade her husband to give no sentence upon him, so that the longer Satan over mankind might have had jurisdiction. They know that he suppressed sin and death, as it is written, Death is consumed in victory. Death, where is thy sting ? hell, where is thy victory ? The sting of death is sin. The strength of sin is the law. But thanks be unto God, which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, which by sin damned sin in the flesh, for God made him to be sin for us, (that is to say, a sacrifice for our sin, and so is sin taken in many places of the two Testaments,) which knew no sin, that we by his means should be that right- eousness which before God is allowed. It is not there- fore sufficient to believe that he is a Saviour and Re- deemer, but that he is a Saviour and Redeemer vmto thee ; and this canst thou not confess, except thou knowledge thyself to be a sinner, for he that thinketh himself no sinner, needeth no Saviour and Redeemer. And of these Christ saith, I came not to call righteous men, (that is to say, them that think themselves no sinners, for in very deed there is none righteous, no not one,) but sinners to repentance. For they which are strong have no need of CHRISTIAN READER. 461 a physician, but they that are sick. Therefore know- ledge thyself a sinner, that thou mayest be justified. Not that the numbering of thy sins can make thee righteous. But rather a greater sinner, yea and a bhis- phemer of the holy name of God, as thou mayest see in Cain, which said tliat his sins were greater than he might Gen. iii. receive forgiveness of God, and so was reprobate. Thou must keep therefore an order in thy justification, first considering what the law requireth on thee, which truly bindeth thee now to as much as though thou were in the state of innocency, and commandelh thee to be with- out concupiscence, which is original sin. Condemning the infants (that are not baptized in his blood) for this original sin, (yet could they not do withal,) which God of justice would not do except they had transgressed his law, and were bound to be without this concupiscence. If thou Avouldest reason, why God doth thus, take PauPs answer, O man, what art thou which disputest with God .'' Rom- i^^- Know this, that it is God which giveth the sentence, with whom is no iniquity, but all justice and mercy. Howbeit if thou ask me, Why he bindeth us also (which are come to perfect understanding) to that which is im- possible for us to accomplish ? thou shalt have St. Au- gustin's answer, which saith in the second book he wrote to Hierome, that the law was given us, that we . might know what to do and what to eschew, to the in- tent that when we see ourselves not able to do that which w^e are bound to, nor avoid the contrary, that then we may know what we shall pray for; and of whom w^e sliall ask this strength ; so that we may say unto our Father, Good Father, command whatsoever it pleaseth thee : and give us grace to fulfil that thou com- mandest. And when we perceive that we cannot fulfil his will, yet let us confess that tiie law is good and holy, and that we are sinners and carnal, sold under sin ; but Rom.vii. let us not here stick, for now we are at hell gates, and truly should fall into utter desperation, except God did i62 AN EPISTLE TO THE bring us again, showing us his gospel and promise, say- Luke xii. ing, Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's pleasure 1 John V. to give you a kingdom. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater, for this is the witness which he testified of his Son. He that believeth in the Son of God, hath the witness in himself. He that be- lieveth not God hath made him a liar, because he be- lieveth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is that record, how that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son, which was made our beast, bearing our sins upon his own back, made obe- dient unto the death, offering up our iniquities (as a sa- crifice) unto his Father, being our mediator and atone- ment betwixt his Father and us. Made of God for us wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and redemption, ful- filling the law for us. So that sin hath no power over us, nor can condemn us ; for our satisfaction is made in Christ, which died for us that were wicked, and natu- rally the children of wrath even as well as the other. But God, which is rich in mercy through the great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead through sin, hath quickened us Avith Christ, and with him hath raised us up, and with him hath made us sit in heavenly things through Jesus Christ, for to show in times to come the exceeding riches of his grace, in kindness to usward through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye made safe through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God, and cometh not of works, lest any man should boast himself. But of his fulness we have all received, and favour for favour, that is to say, the Father of heaven hath favoured us for his Son's sake, and not for our own deservings, (as when we see a man favoured and loved for another man's sake,) and hath promised us freely the inheritance of heaven. Tliis pro- mise must we believe with sure trust, and waver not, for James i. he that doubteth is like the waves of the sea, tossed of the wind and carried with violence. Neither let that 1 Peter ii. Phil. ii. 1 John i. 1 Cor. i. Rom. V. £ph. ii. CHRISTIAN READER. US man think that he shall receive any thing of God. This Heb. vi. gospel and promise must we look after with unfeigned hope, wherein because we should nothing doubt, God hath added an oath unto his promise, to show unto the heirs of promise the stableness of his counsel, that by those two immutable things (in which it was impos- sible that God should lie,) we might have perfect conso- lation which have fled for to hold fast the hope that is set before our faces, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. For this promise PWL i- must Ave pray daily unto our Father, desiring to be loosed from this body, and to be with Christ, for we 2 Cor. v. sigh in this body, desiring to be clothed with our man- sion which is from heaven. And we know that then we ^ John iii. shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is, and shall be the perfect children of light. Therefore, dear breth- Johnxii. ren, we ought with all mind and affection to attend unto Heb. ii. the things which we have heard, lest we be spilt ; for if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them 2 Pet. ii. down into hell, and put them in chains of darkness, there to be kept unto judgment ; and every transgres- sion and disobedience received a just recompence of re- ward, how shall we escape if we despise so great health.'' Take heed, dear brethren, that there be in none of you Heb. iii. an evil heart in unbelief, that he should depart from the living God, but exhort one another daily, lest any of you wax hard-hearted and be deceived with sin. Remember that Christ exhorted us to walk whilst we have light, lest that the darkness come upon us, for he that walketh in the darkness, knoweth not whither he goeth. If a man walk in the day he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world ; if a man walk in the night he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. This day and light (as we have said before,) is Christ, which saith, Johnvi. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believe in me should not bide in darkness. Who is this dark- ness.? Truly the philosophers say, that if a man know 464 AN EPISTLE TO THE one of the contraries, he must needs know the other ; but the light and the darkness are contrary, and Christ is the light, therefore it is necessary that the contrary to Christ (that is to say Antichrist,) should be the darkness. And there are divers Antichrists and adversaries to God the Father, to Christ, and to their Spirit, as the devil, Gen. Hi. the flesh, and the world. The devil was the first, and tempted Eve in paradise, which consenting to his temp- tation, persuaded Adam to eat of the fruit which God forbade them, and so was he the author of the condem- nation of all Adam's posterity, and there God condemn- ing the devil, gave a promise of our redemption in Christ, saying, I will put enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed. And her seed shall de- press and also break thy head, and thou shalt lie watch- ing the sole of his foot. To this also agrecth St. Peter, 1 Pet. saying. Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour, whom re- sist steadfast in the faith, remembering that ye do but fulfil the same afflictions which are appointed to your brethren that are in the world. This confirmeth Christ Lukexvii. himself, saying unto Peter, Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired you, to sift you as it were wheat ; but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. Neither is it marvel though he do us thus assail, since he presumed Matt. iv. to tempt our Lord in the wilderness. Let us not give place in this temptation, but keep faithfully our profes- sion, for our High Priest (Christ Jesus) cannot but have compassion on our infirmities, for he was in all points like tempted, but yet without sin ; let us therefore go boldly unto the seat of grace to help in time of need, that we be not tangled with his fair flattering and deli- cious enticements, that bring eternal damnation ; but that we be strong in faith, praising the glorious name of God, which delivereth us from all evils. Tiie second is Gal. V. the flesh, whereof it is written, The flesh lusteth contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit contrary to the flesh. These CHRISTIAN READER. 46^ are contrary one to the other, so that ye cannot do that whicli ye woukl. The ' flesh' is called not only the de- sires of the flesh, but all things that we do, think, or speak, yea our whole body, soul, reason, with tlie chief- est powers of them, if they be not led and governed with the Spirit of God. The 'Spirit' is every outward and in- ward work that a man, having faith and charity, (which are the fruits and gifts of the Spirit,) doth work, seeking Gal. v. spiritual things. This Spirit beareth witness unto our spirit that we are the children of God, for he that liatli Rom. viii. not this Spirit of Christ is none of his kingdom, but is the bond-servant of sin, under which he is subdued and 2 Pet. if. remaineth captive under the law. But ye, dear breth- J^^jJ" ''?: ren, are made dead as concerning the law, by the body of Christ, that ye should be coupled to him that is risen again from death, that we should bring fortli fruit unto God ; for when we were under the law, the lusts of sin which were stirred up reigned in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death. But now are we delivered from the law, and dead from it, whereunto we were in bondage, that we should serve in a new conversation of the Spirit, and not in the old conversation of the letter. We know that the fleshly mind is enmity against God, for it is not Rom. vii. obedient to the law of God, neither can be, so that they which are given to the flesh cannot please God. We know that every man is tempted, drawn away, and en- jamcs i. ticed of his own concupiscence, and when this concupis- cence and lust hath conceived, she bringeth forth sin : and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death. We know that as long as we live in this world, we carry about with us the old man of sin, which (without he be by continual diligence suppressed and mortified) besieg- eth the new man with his venom and concupiscences, (which is original sin,) planted as naturally in him as venom in a serpent's tooth. Since then we cannot be without this old man of sin, (for the which, no man shall be justified in the sight of God ; for which, if we say that l J..l.n i. VOL. IV. 2 n 4€6 AN EPISTLE TO THE we have no sin we are liars, and the truth is not in us; for the which, also, if we profit never so high, yet must Matt.vi. we ever say. Forgive us. Father, our trespasses,) yet let us do our diligence, calling for the Spirit of God, that this concupiscence reign not in our mortal body, ever John vi, knowledging, with a mild heart, our iniquities to our Father which is in heaven, for he is faithful and just to remit us our sins, and to purge us from all iniquity, 1 Jolini. through the blood of Jesus Christ his Son. The third, which, eitlier alone, or else chiefly, is counted Antichrist, because he resisteth the personal coming of Christ in the flesh for our redemption, is the world, of the Avhich it is written, If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before you ; if ye were of the world, the world would love that that is his own ; be- cause ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore hateth you the world. And St. John exhorteth his brothers, like a faithful minister 1 John ii. of Christ, saying, See that ye love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him, for all that is in the world (as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of this life,) is not of the Father, but of the world. The Avorld, in this place, is understood for them that are carnal and carnally minded; for these truly are Antichrists. But how shall we prove that ? 1 John iv. since St. John seemeth contrary, where he saith. Verily, beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God or no, for many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby shall ye know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God. And every spirit which confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God : and this is that spirit of Anti- christ, of which you have heard how that he should come, and even now already is he in the world. What shall we now say ? Doth the world confess that Jesus CHRISTIAN READER. 467 Christ is come in the flesh ? Yea, verily. How shall they be Antichrists ? Truly, by St. PauFs expounding of the place where he saith, They confess that they Rom. i. know God, but with deeds they deny him, and are abo- minable and disobedient, and unto all good works dis- commendable. Do they say that they know him, and deny him in works? Yea, truly. Let us then also note, what St. John saith : He that saith, I know him, i .Johu ii. and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the verity is not in him. To know the Lord is to have perfect faith in him. And j^erfect faith hath with him sure hope and charity. And of these followeth the ful- filling of the commandments necessarily, even as the light followeth the fire. Howbeit, here had we need to make a division, for the world hath two sorts of An- tichrists : the one sort are in great power and authority, the other in subjection ; the one obdurate and re- proved, the other wandering out of the right way until it shall please the Father to draw them unto grace; John vi. the one resisting for stubbornness, knowing the truth, and so sin against the Holy Ghost ; the other only for ignorance transgress the precepts. And these will I not speak of, because there come not so great jeopar- dies and perils of them, committing them only unto the provision of God, desiring him that his will be fulfilled, and to show his glory in them. The first I will touch somewhat ; not for to teach them which are chosen of j J^,|,„ jj God, for they have an ointment of the Holy Ghost, and know all things, and need not that any teach them; but only to monish them of that which the Spirit hath taught them, and that Christ himself hath showed them. Christ said that there should arise false pro- i\ratt. xviii. phets and false Christs, (that is to say, false anointed,) and should deceive many, and gave his disciples a mark to know them, saying. Beware of false prophets, which Matt. vii. come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. What meaneth he by sheep's cloth- 468 AN EPISTLE TO THE ing? Truly, nothing else but that they should come Matt.xxiv. in his name, pretending great humility. But what are they in deed ? Verily, ravening wolves ; that is to say, Phil. iii. beasts of the belly, for their belly is their God. And why come they to you ? Truly, to despoil and rob you of your goods, promising vain pardons, and deliverance from the Pope's purgatory, to the intent that they might live idly, and in the lusts of the flesh, by your Matt. vii. labours. How shall they be known ? Christ saith. By their works shall you know them. Lay their works to the Scripture, and ye should lament their abominable living. But alas ! you cannot, for they will not suffer you to have it ; they keep that mete-yard from you that yovi should rule all things withal. They burn the Gos- pel of God, and very Christ himself, for he is nothing John vii but liis word, as he testifieth himself, saying, I am that John i. which I speak unto you. And again, In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and God was the word. And why do they hide this word of light from you ? No doubt, because their works are John iii. evil. For every man that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his works should be reproved ; but he that worketh the verity cometh to the light, that his w^orks may be openly seen, because they are done of God. They pretend to keep it from you for pure love, because you should take no hurt of Gal. iv. it, neither fall into heresy ; but they are jealous over you amiss ; yea, they would clean exclude you from Christ, and make you follow them. And because they would the more easily bow you to their yoke, they be- gin betimes, compelling you, being very children of twelve years, to keep their fasts which they prescribe ; and if you eat two meals in these prescript days, then must you to a priest, and confess a great transgression, submitting yourselves unto him, whatsoever he will en- join unto you, and call it penance necessary for your souFs health. Oh, Lord God ! what subtle illusions have they CHRISTIAN READER. 469 invented to reign in inen''s consciences ; yea, and to be- gin so soon with them ; truly, this was a far cast of belly-wisdom, if it were not the devil himself that ima- gined it. Paul rejoiccth in Timothy, (exhorting him 2Tini. iii. to stand stiffly in those things which he had learned,) that of a child he had known the holy Scripture, which may instruct him unto health through the faith that is in Christ Jesus, showing the fruit and profit of it, saying, All Scripture, which is inspired from God, is profitable to instruction, to reproving and correcting, and to the bringing up, which is in righteousness, so that the man of God may be whole and consummate, prepared unto every good work. If it be thus profitable, I marvel why they do not suffer men to have it. Howbeit, they know very well that when a cloaked lie cometh to the light, it vanisheth away; and even so their coloured kingdom, if Scripture were known, would soon be dis- persed like vapour and most vanity. In the mean sea- son, I will show thee an evident reason, that thou mayest know without doubting which is the very Antichrist ; and this argument may be grounded of their furious persecution, which Paul doth confirm, writing to the Galatians. We (dear brethren) are the children of promission, as Isaac was, not the sons of the bond-wo- Gal.iv. man, as Ishmael; but even as he that was born after the flesh did persecute him that was born after the Spirit, even so now. Mark Paul's reason : By Isaac are signi- fied the elect, and by Ishmael the reprobate. Isaac did not persecute, but contrary, Ishmael did })crsccute Isaac. Now, let us make our reason. All they that Sillogis- do persecute are Ishmael, the reprobate, and Anti- '""*• christs. But all the popes, cardinals, bishops, and their adherents, do persecute ; therefore all the popes, cardinals, bishops, and their adherents, be Ishmael, the reprobate, and Antichrists. I ween our sillogismus be well made, and in the first figure. The major is PauFs xMujor. saying. Even as he that was born after the flesh did 470 AN EPISTLE TO THE Rom. ix. Matt. i. Gen. xxvii, 1 Reg. xix. 2 Reg. XV. It was ne- ver read that the chosen did persecute any. Matt. ii. Luke ii. Matt, xiii. persecute him that was born after the Spirit, even so now. And of this mayest tliou have many examples in the Testaments : as Jacob and Esau. Jacob was the chosen, and Esau was forsaken, and did persecute his brother Jacob; and not the contrary. Likewise David was chosen of God, and fled from Saul, yea, and from his own son Absalom. Here might I en umber all the prophets, which did never persecute, but ever were per- secuted, yea, and many of them killed. Let us descend unto Christ, and we shall see that he was no sooner born than persecuted of Herod, and compelled to flee into Egypt, and his persecution never ceased until he was brought to death. The apostles were all perse- cuted, beaten, prisoned, and at length kiUed. And I think verily, that so long were the successors of the apostles good Christians, when they vv^ere persecuted and martyred, and no longer. So impossible it is that the word of the cross should be without affliction. Si- meon prophesied, and said unto Mary the mother of Christ, Behold, this child is put into the destruction, and into the resurrection of many of Israel ; and into the sign which shall be resisted and spoken against. Not that he should resist them, but that he should be resisted, and even caused to fly ; for the world was never so faithful but the more part were wicked. I wonder they fear not the parable of Christ, where he gave commandment they should suffer the weeds to grow among the corn. until the harvest, expounding the weeds to be the children of Satan and reprobate per- sons ; for novv-a-days, if a man believe not as they will have him, he shall be burned. Be it in case he were the very adversary of Christ, (but I know none of them that will go to the fire,) should they then burn him and Christ say nay ? Yea forsooth, for they can set Christ to school, and say this is better. I wis Paul had never been good corn if he had been destroyed when he was weeds and the adversary of Christ. Let them be- CHRISTIAN READER. 471 ware lest they be ordered as Saul was, which was com- o peg. xv. manded to destroy the king of Amalech and all his goods ; howbeit he spared the king''s life and the fairest goods and cattels, making sacrifice with them unto God ; which, if belly-wisdom were any thing worth, should seem a marvellous good deed ; howbeit it did displease God so sore, that he said unto Samuel, he repented that he had made Saul king, because Saul had forsaken him, and had not indeed fulfilled his words. And therefore he was deprived of his kingdom, and ran far into the indignation of God. Even so I fear me these Antichrists, which presume to contrary Christ*'s Eph. i. words, will lose the kingdom of glory which was pre- pared for the faithful before the foundations of the world were cast. Now let us prove the minor, for of these two parts followeth the conclusion of necessity. The minor is, that all popes, cardinals, bishops, and Minor. their adherents, do persecute. Needeth this any pro- bation ? I think some of you have proved it. I en- sure you they are as merciful as the wolf is on his prey. They were ordained to bless men, but they curse as the devil were in them. Paid saith, that he hath power o Cor. x. into edifying, and not into destruction. But I wot not i Cor. xiii. of whom these bloody beasts have their authority, which do so much rejoice in cursing and destruction. We read how Paul did excommunicate the Corinthian, i Cor. v. (and truly for a great transgression,) to the intent that he might be ashamed of his iniquity, and desired again the Corinthians to receive him with all charity : 2 Cor. ii. but that the apostles did curse any man, truly we can- not read in Scripture, for Christ commanded them to bless those that cursed them, and to pray for those that persecuted them, saying vmto them. In this world you jpim xv. shall have affliction, and in me you shall have peace. But the popes, cardinals, with all their ragman's roll, have none affliction. Therefore either they are none of Christ's flock, or else Christ himself is a har. St. Paul 472 AN EPISTLE TO THE 2 Tim. iii. saith, that all which will live godly in Christ shall suf- fer persecution; but the pope, with his adherents, suffer not, but rather persecute. Therefore, they live not godly in Christ, or else, Paul, thou art a liar, for thou exceptest none. I think our minor be sufficiently proved. Howbeit, thou mayest not say so, for truly they will separate you from their synagogues; yea, to this furious madness are they come, that if they kill John xxi. you (as Christ prophesied,) they will think tliemselves to do honour and pleasure to God ; and this shall they do unto you, because they have not knowm my Father, Matt. X. neither me. Howbeit, let us not fear them that kill the body, and have no farther power, but rather him that, after he hath killed the body, hath power to cast the soul into everlasting fire. And to him let us pray with one accord, that he will shorten these perilous 1 Tim. iv. times; and although we be sinners, worthily abject, and clean unworthy this godly deliverance, for we have sin- ned and committed iniquity, and have departed. Lord, from thy commandments ; yet consider, good Father, thy holy testament and promise, for thou art righteous, be we never so wicked, and must needs fulfil thy pro- Ps-lxxiiL mise for thy truth's sake. Arise, good Lord, and avenge thine own cause ; forget not these abominable blasphemies which this foolish and beastly people, clean ignorant of thy justice, and seeking their own righte- ousness, do cast upon thee continually ; they are thy enemies, and speak odious and wicked words against thy glorious son Jesus Christ, (whom thou hast given us, and whom thou hast made our satisfaction, justifica- tion, and redemption,) vainly presuming upon their own works and merits. Extend thy hand (oh Lord !) against their presumptuous minds. How long shall thine enemy provoke thee ? Shall he continue resist- ing thy name perpetually ? Remember that holy con- gregation whom thou hast chosen from the beginning. 2 Tim. ii. Suffer them not to be brought into this strong illusion, Daniel ix. CHRISTIAN READER. 473 which for abundance of sin thou hast sent into the world, that they might be condemned which have not believed the truth, but had pleasure in iniquity. De- liver the souls of thy chosen from these beasts, that thou mayest be known to be very God, and that thy name may be glorified through all the world, that they which by thy sufferance and lenity have not been Rom. ii. brought unto repentance, may feel thy scourge, and be compelled (as Pharaoh was) to demit thy chosen chil- Exod.xv. dren, and to knowledge thy power and omnipotency. And that we may serve thee with a pure heart, know- ledging that thou and thy son Jesus Christ be but only John xvii. one God ; whose grace be with all that love the Lord Jesus Christ unfeignedly, which is very God, and ever- lasting life, to whom be all glory now and eternally- Amen. 2 I LONDON ; PRINTED BY S. AND R. BENTLEY, DORSET STREET. Theological Semmary-Speer Library 1 1012 01130 6356 DATE DUE wfW IJji I -^j II ■■ I .t PRINTED INU.S.A