A01268:208
A book made by John Frith prisoner in the tower of London answering unto…A boke made by Iohn Frith prisoner in the tower of London answeringe vnto…
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 bllye but spiritually wt the harte and faythe. Uppon this followeth the text that master More allegeth and wresteth for his purpose.