A01268:206
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 ... for which John Frith was condemned a[n]d after bur[n]et ... the fourth day of Juli. Anno. 1533.A boke made by Iohn Frith prisoner in the tower of London answeringe vnto M mores lettur which he wrote agenst the first litle treatyse that Iohn̄ Frith made concerninge the sacramente of the body and bloude of, christ vnto which boke are added in the ende the articles of his examinacion before the bishoppes ... for which Iohn Frith was condempned a[n]d after bur[n]et ... the fourth daye of Iuli. Anno. 1533.
Imprinted at Monster i.e. Antwerp : Anno 1533 by me Conrad Willems i.e. H. Peetersen van Middelburch?, 1533Imprinted at Monster i.e. Antwerp : Anno 1533 by me Conrade Willems i.e. H. Peetersen van Middelburch?, 1533
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
This proving or examining of a mans self is first to think with him self with what lust and desire he cometh unto the maundy & will eat that b•ed: whether he be sure that he is the child of god & in the faith of Christ: And whether h•s conscience do bear him witness that Christs 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 thither ward. 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 drinketh unworthily / eateth and drinketh his own dam nation / because he maketh no difference of the lords body. That is / as it is said before / he that regardeth not the purpose for which it was institute / and puteth no deference between this eating and other eating (for other eating doth only serve the belly) but this eating was institute 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 Christs body is eaten: yea / where the body of the lord is eaten / not carnally with the teeth and b•llye but spiritually with the heart and faith. Upon this followeth the text that master More allegeth and wresteth for his purpose.
THis prouynge or examinynge of a mans selfe is fyrste to thinke wt him sellfe wt what luste and disyre he comyth vnto the maundye & wyll eate that b•ed: whether he besure that he is the childe of god & in the fayth of Christe: And whether h•s consc•ence do beare hym wytnes that Christes bodye was brokyn for hym: And whether the luste that he hath to prayse god ād thanke hym wt a faythfull harte in the myddes of the brethern / do dryue hym thither warde. Or els whether he do yt for the meates sake or to kepe the custome: for then were yt better that he were awye. For he that eateth or drinketh vnworthelye / eateth ād drinkethe his owyn dā nacyon / because he maketh no difference of the lordes bodye. That ys / as yt ys sayd before / he that regardeth not the purpose for which it was institute / ād puteth no defference betwene this eat•ng and oth•r eating (for other eatynge doth onlye serue the bellye) but thys eatynge was institute and ordeyned / to sarue the soule and inwarde man. And therfore he that abuseth yt to the fleshe / eateth and drinketh hys owyn dampnacyon, And he comyth vnworthelye to the maundye where the sacrament of Christes bodye ys eaten: ye / where the bodye of the lorde ys eaten / not •arnallye wt the teth and b•llye but spiritually wt the harte and faythe. Uppon this followeth the text that master More allegeth and wresteth for his purpose.
For this cause many are weak and sick among you / & many sleep. If we had truly Judged our selves / we should not have bin 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 any man hunger / let him eat at home / that ye come not together unto condemnation.
For this cause manye are weake and sike amō ge you / & manie slepe. Yf we had trulie Iudged oure selues / we shuld not haue byn Iudged Whē we are Iudged of the lorde / we are chastened because we shuld not be dampned wt the worlde Wherfore my brethern / when ye come to gether to eate / tarye one for another. Yf any man hunger / lett him eate at home / that ye come not to gether vnto condempnacyon.
For this cause (that is) for lack of good examining of our selves (as is before touched) many are weak and sick in the faith / & many sleep / and have lost their faith in Christs blood / for lack of remembrance of his body breaking and blood shedding: yea and not that only but many were weak and sick even stricken with bodily diseases for abusing the sacrament of his body / eating the bred with their teeth and not his body with their hart and mind and peradventure some slain for it / by the s•rocke of god. which if they had truly Judged and examined them selves for what intent they cam thither and why it was institute / should not have bin so Judged and chastened of the lord. For the lord doth chasten / to bring us unto repentance and to mortify the rebellious members / that we may remember him Here ye may shortly perceive the mind of Pau•e.
For this cause (that is) for lacke of good examininge of oure selues (as ys before touched) manie are weake and syke in the fayth / & manye slepe / and haue loste their fayth in Christes bloude / for lacke of remembraunce of his bodye breaking and bloude shedinge: ye and not that onlie but manye were weake and sike euyn striken wt bodelye diseases for abusinge the sacrament of his bodye / eatinge the bred wt their teth ād not his bodye wt their hart and mynde and ꝑaduenture some slayne for yt / by the s•rocke of god. wc yf they had truly Iudged and examined thē selues for what intent they cam thither and why yt was institute / shuld not haue byn so Iudged and chastened of the lorde. For the lorde doth chasten / to bringe vs vnto repentaunce and to mortifie the rebellious membres / that we maye remēber hym Here ye maye shortly perceyue ye minde of Pau•e.
Finis.
Now to be short / in thes .iij. points frith dissenteth from our prelates & from master ⟨image 77⟩More which taketh upon him to be their proctor. §1Our prelates believe that in the sacrament remaineth no bred / but that it is turned in to the natural body of Christ both flesh blood & bones. Frith saith that it is none article of our Creed: and therefore let them believe it that will. And he thinketh that there remaineth bred still. And that he proveth, iij. manner of ways.1 First by the scripture of Paul / which calleth it bred saying the breed which we break / is it not the fellowship of the body of christ? For we though we be many / are yet one body and one bred / as many as are partakers of one bred.2 And again he sa•eth / as often as ye eat of this bred or drink of this cup / you shall show the lords death until he come. Also luke calleth it bred saying in the Acts3 they continued in the fellowship of the apostles / & in the breaking of the breed and prayer.4 56Also Christ called the cup the fruit of a vine / saying I shall not from hence forward drink of the fruit of the vine until I drink that new in the ki• dom of my father.
NOw to be short / in thes .iij. poyntes frith dissenteth from oure prelates & from master ⟨image 77⟩More wc taketh vppon him to be their proctoure. §1Oure prelates beleue that in the sacrament remayneth no bred / but that yt ys torned in to the naturall bodye of Christ both fleshe bloude & bones. Frith sayth that yt is none article of oure Crede: and therfore let them beleue yt that will. And he thinketh that there remayneth bred styll. And that he proueth, iij. maner of wayes.
Furthermore nature doth teach you that both the bred and wine continue in their nature. For the bred mouldeth if it be kept long / yea & worms bred in it. And the poor mouse will run away with it and eat it / which are evidence enough that there remaineth bred. Also the wine if it were reserved / would wax sower / as they confess them selvest And therefore they housel the lay people / but with one kind only: because the wine can not continue nor be reserved to have ready ⟨image 78⟩at hand / when need were. And surely as y• there remained no bred / it could not mould nor wax full of worms / even so if there remained no wine / it could n•t wax sower. And therefore it is but false doctrine tha• our prelates so long have taught & published.
Furthermore nature doth teache you that both the bred and wine contin•e in their nature. For the bred muldeth yf yt be kept longe / ye & wormis bred in yt. And ye poore mouse will runne awaye wt yt and eate yt / wc are euidence ynough that there remaynith bred. Also the wine yf yt were reserued / wold wax sower / as they confesse them selues• And therfore they howsell the laye people / but wt one kinde onlye: because the wine can not cōtinue nor be re••rued to haue readye ⟨image 78⟩at hande / when nede were. And surelye as y• there remayned no bred / yt could not mould nor wax full of wormes / euyn so yf there remayned no wine / yt could n•t wax sower. And therfore yt is but faulse doctrine tha• our p̄lates so long haue taught & published.
Finally that there remaineth bred / might be proved by the authority of many doctors with call it bred & wine / even as Christ & his apostles dead And though some sophisters would wrest their saying / and expound them after their own •hantas•e / yet shall I allege them one doctor which was pope / that maketh so plain with us that they shall never be able to avoid him.
Finallie that ther remaineth bred / might be ꝓuyd by the auctorite of manie doctoures wt calle yt bred & wine / euyn as Christe & his appostelis ded And though some sophisters wolde wreste their sayinge / and expoūd thē after their owyn •hantas•e / yet shall I allege thē one doctoure wc was pope / that maketh so plaine wt vs that they shall neuer be able to auoyde hym.
1For pope Gelasius writeth on this manner. Certe sacramenta q sumimus corporis & sanguinis Christi• divinae res sunt, propter qd & per eadē divinae efficimur consortes naturae. Et tamē nō de•init esse substantia uel natura panis et uini, sed permanet in suae proprietate naturae. Et certe imago et similitudo corporis & sanguinis Christi in actione misteriorū celebrantur. That is to say / surely the sacrament of the body & blood of Christ with we receive / are a godly thing / & therefore thorough them are we made partakers of the godly nature. And yet doth it not cease to be the substance or nature of bred and wine / but they continue in the property of their own nature. And surely the image 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 ⟨image 78⟩substance and nature of breed & wine.
1For pope Gelasius writeth on this maner. Certe sacramēta q sumimus corporis & sanguinis Christi• diuinae res sunt, propter qd & per eadē diuinae efficimur cōsortes naturae. Et tamē nō de•init esse substātia uel natura panis et uini, sed ꝑmanet in suae ꝓprietate naturae. Et certe imago et similitudo corporis & sanguinis Christi in actiōe misteriorū celebrantur. That is to saie / surelye the sacramēt of the bdye & bloude of Christe wt we receyue / are a godlye thynge / & therfore thorough th•m are we made ꝑtakers of the godly nature. And yet doth yt not cease to be the substāce or nature of bred and wine / but they continue in the propertie of their owyn nature. And surely the image and similitude of the bodye and bloude are celebrated in the acte of the misterys This I am sure / that no mā can auoyd yt / nor so wrest yt / but that all men shall sone espye hys folye / and therfore I maye conclude that there remayneth the ⟨image 78⟩
The prelates believe that his very flesh is present to the teeth of them that eat the sacrament / and that the wicked eat his very body Frith saith that it is none article of our Creed and therefore he reckoneth that he is in no Jeopardy 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 both by the authority of Sainct Austen ad Dardanum / and also by the authority of Fulgentius ad Thrasuvandum libro 20. as before 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 prelates beleue that his verie fleshe is p̄sent to the teth of thē that eate the sacrament / and that the wicked eate his verye bodye Frith sayth that yt is none article of our Crede and therfore he rekenith that he is in no Ieoperdye though he beleue yt not. And he thinketh that his fleshe is not p̄sent vnto the teth of thē that receyue the sacrament. For hys fleshe ys onlye in one place at once. And that he proue•h both by the auctorite of Sainct Austen ad Dardanum / and also by the auctorite of Fulgentius ad Thrasuuādum libro 20. as before apereth in the boke. And Fryth sayth that the wicked eate not hys verye fleshe allthough they receue the sacrament. And that he proueth by the scripture / doctoures and good reason grounded vppon the scryptures.
The scripture is this / he that eateth christs1 body hath everlasting life / but the wicked hath not everlasting life / ergo then the wicked eat not his body. Again the scripture sayeth he that eateth christs flesh & drinketh his blood abideth in christ & christ in him but the wicked abide not in christ nor christ in him / ergo the wicked eat not his flesh nor drink his blood.
The scripture is this / he that eateth christes1 bodie hath euerlastīge liffe / but the wicked hath not euerlastinge liffe / ergo then the wicked eate not his bodye. Agayne the scrypture sayeth he that eateth christes fleshe & drinketh his bloude abydeth in christe & christe in hī but the wicked abyde not in christe nor christe ī hī / ergo the wicked eate not his fleshe nor drinke his bloude.
This may also be confirmed by good authority.1 For saint Austen sayeth he that ab•deth not in christ & in whom christ abideth not / with ou•e doubt he eateth not his flesh nor drinketh his ⟨image 79⟩blood / although he eat & drink the sacrament of so great a thing unto his damnation.
This maye also be confyrmed by good auctorite.1 For sainct Austen sayeth he that ab•deth not in christe & in whō christe abydeth not / wt ou•e doubte he eateth not his fleshe nor drīketh his ⟨image 79⟩bloude / allthough he eate & drinke the sacramēt of so great a thinge vnto his •ampnacion.
