A01268:220
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 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.
1Again. s. Austen sayeth / he that abideth not in me & 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 Bede upon the sixth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians. And even the same sentence hath Ambrose / and Prosper / and Bede upon the .xi chapter of the first pistle to the Corinthians.
1Agayne. s. Austene sayeth / he that abideth not in me & in whom I abyde not / let him not saye nor thinke / that he eateth my bodye or drinketh my bloude. And euen the same wordes hath Beda vppon the sixt chapter of the firste epistle to the Corinthiās. And euen the same sentēce hath Ambrose / and Prosper / ād Beda vppon the .xi chapter of the firste pistle 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 be reason it must follow / that he will not suffer the wicked (which nether have good faith nor love towards him) both to touch him and eat him in to their unclean bodies
Finallye this maye be proued by good reason grounded vppon the scripture. Christ wold not suffer marye (though she loued him well) to touche him / because she lacked one poynt of faythe / and did not beleue that he was equale wt his father. And therfore be reason yt muste followe / that he wil not suffer the wicked (wc nether haue good faith nor loue towardes hī) both to touche him and eate him in to their vnclene bodies
Now sith this is proved true that the wicked eat not his body / it must also thereof needs follow / that the sacrament is not his natural body For they do eat the sacrament as all men know
Now sith this is proued true that the wicked eate not his bodie / yt must also therof nedes followe / that the sacramēt is not his naturall bodie For they do eate the sacramēt as all men knowe
Besides that the faithful do not eat christs body with their teeth. And therefore it must follow that the wicked do not eat it with there teeth. The antecedent or first pert 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:1 that is to say / it ⟨image 79⟩profiteth nothing to be eaten carnally with their teeth & belly / as they understood him. For else it profiteth much to be eaten spiritually / that is to say / to believe that thorough his body breaking and blood shedding our sins are purged. And thus doth Origene / s. Austen / Bede / Chrysostom / and Athanasius expound it / as appeareth in the book before. And therefore Frith saith that only faithful men eat his body: not with there teeth and mouth / but with their faith and heart / y• digest it in to the bowels of their soulless thorough believing that it was broken on the cross / to wash away their since. And the wicked eat not his body but on•ye the bred and there damnation / because they eat him not spiritually: that is / because they believe not in his body breaking and blood shedding.
Besides that the faithfull do not eate christes bodye wt their teth. And therfore yt muste followe that the wicked do not eate yt wt ther teth. The antecedēt or first ꝑte of the reason is ꝓued by the wordes of christe wc saith that the fleshe ꝓfiteth nothinge at all / meaning that yt doth not ꝓfite as they vnderstode him:1 that is to saie / yt ⟨image 79⟩profiteth nothinge to be eaten carnallie wt their teth & bellye / as they vnderstode him. For els yt profyteth moche to be eatē spūallye / that ys to saye / to beleue that thorough his bodye breakinge and bloud shedinge oure sinnes are purged. And thus doth Origene / s. Aus•en / Beda / Chrisostome / and Athanasius expoūd yt / as apereth in the boke before. And therfore Frith saith that onlie faithfull mē eate his bodie: not wt ther teth and mouth / but wt their faieth ād harte / y digest yt in to the bowelles of their soulles thorough beleuing that yt was brokē on the crosse / to washe awaye their synnes. And the wicked eate not his bodye but onye the bred and there dāpnacyon / because they eate him not spūallie: that is / because they beleue not in his bodie breakinge and bloude shedinge.
The prelates believe that men ought to worship the sacrament but Frith saith nay / and affirmeth that it is Idolatry to worship yt• And he saith that Christ and his apostles taught us not so to do: nether did the holy fathers so teach us. And Frith saith that the authors of this worshipping are the children of perdition which have overwhelmed this world with sin. Nevertheless we must receive it reverently because of the doctrine that it bringeth us. For it preacheth christs death unto us / & describeth it before our eyen / even as a faithful preacher by the word doth in still it in to us by our ears and hearing. And that it supplieth ⟨image 80⟩the Room of a pr•char is evident by the words of s. Austen which sayeth. Paulus quis portaret sarcinā corporis quod aggravat animā, potuit tamen significando predicare Dominū •esum Christum, aliter perlinguā suam, aliter per epistolam, aliter per sacramentū corporis Christi, That is to say / though Paul did •ere the burden of the body which doth honorate the soul / yet was he able in signifying to preach the lord Jesus christ / one way by his tongue / and another way by a pistle / and another way by the sacrament of Christs body. &c. For as the people by understanding the signification of the words which he spake did hear the glorious gospel of god / and as by the reading of his pistle they understood his m•nde and received the word of the souls health / so by the ministration of the sacrament they might see with there eyen the thing which they hard & read & so have their senses occupied about the misery / that they might the more earnestly print it in their mind. As by example: The prophet Jeremiah being in Jerusalem in the time of •ed•chias king of the Jews / prophesied 1& preached unto them / that they should be taken prisoners of Nabugo done•ar the king of Babylon, And the Jews were angry with him & would not believe his words. And therefore he made a chain or •etters of wood & put them a bout his ncke & prophsid again & preached that they should be taken prisoners & lde captive in to Babylon. And as his words did certify their ares that they should be subdued / so the chain did present their captivity even before their eyen.
which thing ⟨image 80⟩did more vehemently work in them th•• th• •are words could do / & even so it is in the sacrament For likewise as the words di• in still it in to our ears / that his body was given for us / & his blood shed for the remission of our sins / even s• did the ministration of the sacrament express the same thing unto our sight / & do the more effectually move us / then the bare words might do and make us more attent unto the thing / that we may wholly give thanks unto god & praise him for his bounteous benefits. And therefore seeing it is as a p̄char / expressing unto our sight the same thing that the words do to our •ares / you must receive it with reverence & sober behaviour / advertising the thing / that it rep̄ senteth unto you. And even the same honour is dew unto it which is given unto the scripture that is the word of god. For unto that must a man devoutly give ear / & reverently take the book in his hand: yea & if he kiss the book for the doc•r• nes sake that he learneth there out / he is to be c• ̄ mended, Nevertheless if he should goo sense his book / men might well think that he were very childish. But if he should kneel down & pray to his book then he did commit plain idolatry
wc thinge ⟨image 80⟩did more vehemētlye worke in thē th•• th• •are wordes could doo / & euen so yt is in the sacramēt For likewise as the wordes di• in still yt in to our eares / that his bodie was geuin for vs / & his bloude shed for the remission of our sinnes / euē s• did the ministratiō of the sacramēt expresse the same thinge vnto our sight / & do the more effectuouslye moue vs / then the bare wordes might do and make vs more attent vnto the thinge / that we maye wholye geue thākes vnto god & prayse hym for his bountuous benefites. And therfore seynge yt is as a p̄char / expressinge vnto our sight the same thinge that the wordes doo to oure ares / you muste receyue yt wt reuerēs & sober behavyoure / aduertisinge the thing / that yt rep̄ senteth vnto you. And euē the same honoure is dewe vnto yt wc is geuin vnto the scripture that is the worde of god. For vnto that muste a mā deuoutlie geue eare / & ruerentlie take the boke in his hāde: ye & yf he kisse the boke for the docr nes sake that he lerneth there oute / he is to be c ̄ mēded, Neuerthelesse yf he shuld goo sence his boke / men might well thinke that he were verie childyshe. But yf he shuld knele downe & praie to his boke then he did cōmitte playne idolatrie
Consider dear brethren what I say & 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 in deed (& not only in a mystery as I have taught) For when the Jeopardy is paste / he were a fool that would be contentious for a thing as long as there cometh no •urte thereby.
Consider deare brethern what I saie & auoyde this Ieoꝑdie. wc thinge auoyded / I care not as touchinge the presence of his bodye / though you beleue that his naturall fleshe be there in dede (& not onlye in a misterye as I haue taught) For whē the Ieoperdye is paste / he were a fole that wolde be contentyous for a thinge as longe as there comyth no •urte therbye.
The germans which believe the presence 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 germanes wc beleue the presence of his bodye / do not worship yt / but playnly teache the contrarye and in that poynt (thankes be to god) all they whom you call herytickes / do agre full-well. Onlye auoyde thys Idolatrye and I desyre no more.
Now dear brethren I beseech you for the mercy that ye look fore in Christ Jesus / that you accept this work with a single eye and no contentions heart For necessity hath compelled me to write it / because I was informed both of my lord of winchester and other credible persons / that I had by the means of my first treatise offended many men. Which thing may well be true: For it was to slender to instruct all them which have sins seen it / alb• it 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 where in they were offended.
NOwe deare brethern I beseche you for the mercye that ye loke fore in Christ Iesu / that you accept thys worke wt a syngle eye and no contentyons harte For necessite hath cōpelled me to wryte yt / because I was informed both of my lorde of winchester and other creadyble persons / that I had by the meanes of my fyrst treatise offended many men. Which thinge maye well be true: For yt was to slender to enstructe all thē wc haue sins sene yt / alb• yt yt were suffecyent for their vse to whom yt was fyrst deliuered, And therfore I thought yt not onlye expedient but also necessarie / to enstructe them further in the truth / that they might se plaine euidēce of that thing wher in they were offended.
By this work you shall espy their blasphemies & the venomous tongues where with they slander not only them that publish the truth / but even the truth it self. They shame not to say / that we affirm it to be only bred and nothing else. And we say not so: but we say that beside the substance of bred / it is the sacrament of Christs body and blood. As the ivy hanging ⟨image 81⟩before the tavern door is more then bare ivy. For beside the substance of ivy / it is a sign / and signifieth that there is wine to be sold. And this sacrament signifieth unto us and pointeth out before our eyes that as verily as that bred is broken / so verily was christs body broken for our since: And as that bred is distributed unto us / so is his body and fruit of his passion distributed unto all his faithful. And as the bred comforteth the body so doth the faith in Christs death comfort our souls. And as surely as we have that bred and eat it with our mouth and teeth / and know by our senses that we have it with in us / and are partakers thereof: no more need we to doubt of his body and blood / but that thorough faith / we are as sure of them / as we are sure of that bred As it is sufficiently declared in my book.
By this wearke you shall espye their blasphemies & the venemous tonges wher wt they s•launder not onlye them that publyshe the truthe / but euyn the truth yt seelfe. They shame not to saye / that we affyrme yt to be onlye bred and nothinge els. And we saye not so: but we saye that besyde the substance of bred / yt is the sacrament of Christes bodye and bloud. As the yuye hangyng ⟨image 81⟩before the tauerne doore ys more then bare yuye. For beside the substance of yuye / yt ys a signe / and signifyeth that there is wyne to be sould. And this sacrament signifyeth vnto vs and poynteth oute before oure eyes that as verely as that bred is broken / so verely was christes bodye broken for our synnes: And as that bred is distributed vnto vs / so is hys bodie and fructe of hys passyon distributed vnto all hys faythfull. And as the bred comforteth the bodie so doth the fayth in Christes deth cōforte oure soules. And as surelye as we haue that bred and eate yt wyth oure mouth and teth / and knowe by our senses that we haue yt wt in vs / and are partakers therof: no more nede we to doubte of hys bodye and bloud / but that thorough fayth / we are as sure of thē / as we are sure of that bred As yt is sufficientlye declared in my boke.
Again you may perceive how wickedly they report on us which affirm that we dishonour it which give it the right honour that it ought to have. And you do plainly dishonour it / which give unto it the honour that is only dew unto god. We give it the same honour that we give unto the holy scripture & word of god / because it expresseth unto our senses the death of our saviour / and doth more deeply print it with in us. And therefore 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 ⟨image 82⟩his body is present with the bred as it is with th• word / and with both it is verily received and eaten thorough faith. But if we should kneel down and pray unto the holy scripture / men might count us soles / 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 •or that intent that it was institute of god. And he •hat abuseth it to any other purpose / doth in deed dishonour it. And likewise it is in the sacrament which was institute to keep in memory •he d•th of christ / which •f we do any other wise honour / then we do the holy scripture (unto the which we may in no wise make our prayers) I say that then we should utterly dishonour it. Avoid therefore this point of Idolatry / and all is safe.
Agayne you maye perceyue how wyckydlye they report on vs wc affyrme that we dishonoure yt wc geue yt the right honoure that yt ought to haue. And you do playnlye dishonoure yt / wc geue vnto yt the honoure that is onlye dew vnto god. We geue yt the same honoure that we geue vnto the holye scripture & worde of god / because yt expresseth vnto our senses the deth of our sauyoure / and doth more dypelye prent yt wt in vs. And therfore we calle yt an holye sacrament / as we calle goddes worde / holye scripture. And we receyue this sacrament wt great reuerence / euyn as we reuerrentlye reade or heare preached the holye worde of God wc conteyneth the helth of our soules. And we graunt that ⟨image 82⟩
Finally we say that they speak• well and faithfully which say that they goo •o the body & receive the body of Christ / and that they speak villainously & wickedly which say that they only receive bred or the sign of his body for in so saying they declare their inside ly•e. For the faithful will reckon that he is evil reported of and reputed •or a traitor and another Judas / if me• should say of him that he did only receive the sacrament / and not also the thing which the sacrament doth signify. For albe it he only eateth the bred & sacrament with his mouth and teeth: yet with his heart and faith inwardly / he eateth the very thing it self with the sacrament outwardly doth represent
Finallye we saye that they speak• well and faythfullye wc saye that they goo •o the bodie & receue the bodye of Christ / and that they speake vilynously & wickedlye wc saye that t•ey onlye receyue bred or the signe of his bodye for in so sayinge they declare theyr inside ly•e. For the faythfull wyll reakyn that he is euyll reported of and reputed •or a traytoure and a nother Iudas / yf me• shuld saye of hym that he did onlye receyue the sacramēt / and not also the thynge which the sacramēt doth signifye. For albe it he onlie eate•h the bred & sacramēt wt his mouth and teth: yet wt his harte and fayth i•wardlye / he eatethe the very thinge yt sellfe wt the sacrament owtwardlye dothe represent
THe p̄lates beleue that men oughte to worship the sacrament but Frith saith naye / ād affyrmith that yt is Idolatrye to worship yt• And he sayth that Christ and hys appostyllis taught vs not so to do: nether did the holy fathers so teache vs. And Frith saith that the auctoures of this worshipinge are the childerne of ꝑdicion wc haue ouerwhelmed this worlde wt synne. Neuerthelesse we muste receyue yt reuerentlye because of the doctrine that yt bryngith vs. For it preacheth christes deth vnto vs / & discribeth yt before oure eyen / euen as a faithfull p̄char by the worde doth in still yt in to vs by our eares ād hearing. And that yt supplieth ⟨image 80⟩the Roume of a pr•char is euident by the wordes of s. Aus•en wc sayeth. Paulus quis portaret sarcinā corporis quod aggrauat animā, potuit tamen significando predicare Dominū •esum Christum, aliter perlinguā suam, aliter per epistolam, aliter per sacramentū corporis Christi, That is to saye / though Paule did •ere the burthen of the bodye wc doth honorate the soule / yet was he able in syg•ifying to preache the lorde Iesus christe / one waye by his tonge / and a nother waie bi a pistle / and a nother waye by the sacrament of Christes bodye. &c. For as the people by vnderstonding the sygnifycacion of the wordes wc he spake did heare the glorious gospell of god / ād as by the readynge of his pistle they vnders•od his m•nde and receyued the worde of the soules helth / so by the ministra•yon of the sacrament they might see wt ther eyen the thīge wc they harde & reade & so haue their sences occupied about the misserye / that they might the more ernestlie pr•ynt it in their minde. As by exāple: The prophet Hieremie beinge in Hierusalem in the tyme of •ed•chias kynge of the Iewes / prophesyed 1& p̄ached vnto thē / that they shuld be takē p̄soners of Nabugo done•ar the kynge of Babylon, And the Iewes were angrye wt him & wold not beleue his wordes. And therfore he made a chaine or •etters of wode & put thē a bout his n•cke & ꝓph•sid agayne & preached that they shuld be taken p̄soners & l•de captiue in to Babylon. And as his wordes did certifye their •ares that they shuld be subdued / so the chayne did p̄sent their captiuite euen before their eyen.
