The co[n]futacyon of Tyndales answere made by syr Thomas More knyght lorde chau[n]cellour of Englonde

More.

Now cometh he to those thynges whyche he taketh for indyfferent / that is to wy•• of theyr nature neyther good nor euyll, but takynge theyr goodnesse or theyr euyll of cōmaun¦dement or prohybycyon and of the mynde of the doer wyth [ C] cyrcūstances of the dede / & in these thynges he speketh as one that wolde we shulde we••e that hys hyghe spyrytuall wysdome had a very depe insyghte in that he tellyth vs as a newe straunge tale, that neuer man had herd byfore that the inferyour creatures be subgettes to man and not man to them.

But now this truth•• laboreth he to make a fals ground to byelde his lyes vppō. For by this he wolde haue vs wene that we were at lybertye to construe and interpretate all cō∣maūdementes eyther of Crystes chyrche or of Cristes owne mouth immedyate, after our owne swete wyll, when so euer ••e can fynde out any false glose of the commaundement to flater and begyle our self withall.* 1.1 As here yf god sholde cō∣maunde hym to drynk no wyne as he commaundyd in the

olde lawe whyle they mynystred in the temple: he wolde [ A] anone serche for the cause. And then he sayth that he sholde fynde the cause to be for tamynge of the flesshe and to kepe hym sober, and then for that cause he wolde obay the com∣maundemēt gladly, but yet not so superstycyously but that in tyme of hys dysease he wolde drynk wyne to recouer his helthe / & therof he layeth ensample of Dauid & of Moyses.

But what auayleth hym all thys tale. For we deny not but that the worde and precept of god receyuyth interpreta¦cyon. But we say that the authoryte therof lyeth not in eue∣ry mannys hed at aduenture / & that all though some thyn∣ges be playne and open inough, yet it is peryllous for any man except certeyn reuelacyon of god, to take hymselfe for so far forth renewed wyth y^e spyryte of god, that he boldely lene in such thynges to hys owne wyt leste hys wyll blynde [ B] hys wyt / but let vs lene therin vnto the iudgement of the olde holy enterpretours passed, and specyall to the sense re∣ceyued of the hole catholyke chyrche, not the chyrch of onely electys whyche chyrche no man can knowe but vnto the ca∣tholyke knowē chyrche of all crystē people saue heretykes / whyche catholyke chyrche what so euer Tyndale saye can neuer fall in dampnable erroure.

For yf a mā leue these wayes and boldely cleue to a cause of hys owne serchyng: he is well lykely to breke the com∣maundement.

As here Tyndale presupposeth yf god wolde hymselfe forbedde all men wyne vppon certeyne dayes, or commaun¦de them certeyne dayes to faste: here wolde Tyndale anon [ C] as a man spyrytuall enserche the cause why god wolde cō∣maundyd hym so / and then wolde he fynde that the cause were but onely to tame the flesshe and to kepe men sober, & therfore wolde he obay it.

But now by thys facyon yf god gaue Tyndale a com∣maundement wherof Tyndale cowde fynde no cause at all / he wolde not do it at all.

If our father Tyndale had ben in paradyse in the stede of our father Adam / he sholde neuer haue nedyd any serpēt or woman eyther to tempte hym to eate the apple of the tree of knowledge. For when god had forbed hym the eatynge therof vppon payne of deth, as he forbedeth vs lechery vp∣pon payne of dampnacyon: then wolde he haue serched for the cause of the cōmaundement. And when hys wyt wolde

[ A] haue founden none bycause the flesshe had there no need of tamynge: then wolde he haue eaten on a good pace & haue thought that god almyghty had but played y^e wanton with hym, and wolde not be angry wyth hym for an apple / and so wolde he by his owne rule of serchyng haue founde oute as myche myschyefe as the woman and the serpent and the de∣uyll and all.

And surely now to, by thys spyrituall rule of enserchyng of the cause of fastynge and forberyng meate, and fyndynge the cause to be none other but for tamyng of the flesshe and sobernes / who so euer thynke hymselfe to the synnys of the flesshe not mych inclyned as some of nature are not, nor by moderate drynkynge of wyne any thynge dysposed to dron¦kennesse: shall interprete hymselfe dyscharged of the com∣maundement, [ B] and shall drynke wyne and shall breke hys faste at his pleasure / or yf he forbere wyne or kepe y^e faste he shall at the vttermoste kepe it but for a countenaunce, and as they wryte themselfes in auoydynge the slaundrynge of suche as haue a weke conscyens and wene themselfes boun¦den to y^e kepynge therof. And therfore when they haue kept the faste in syghte / they shall not force to breke all those fa∣stes pryuely, where the weke conscyences of other symple soules are absent and no body by them, but suche as are all spyrytuall and haue a conscyence stronge inough to breke the stronge faste vppon good fryday wythout grudge of cō¦scyence at all. And afterwarde lytell & lytell they shall when they be suffryd amende also and make stronge in the lorde the weke cōscyences of theyr syk brethern, and make them [ C] breke all the fastyng dayes to, wyth laude and thanke gyuē to the lorde that by hys ele••••e prechers in these latter dayes of thys blynde worlde, that coulde not on fastynge dayes fynde theyr meate / hath now illumyned theyr eyghen and gyuen them lyght, by whyche they haue founden they waye in to the crysten lybertye of eatyng, drynkynge, and honeste lykynge lechery, from the bondage and thraidom of all fa∣stynge dayes and all professyd chastyte.

For thys ende we se that theyr spyrytuall doctryne hath all redy brought it in Saxony / for there is now the lent all turnyd in to shroftyde. And there it well apperith all though it were true that Tyndale sayth, that fastynge were of god ordeyned for none other cause but onely to tame the flesshe: yet was it nede for the chyrche to do as it hath done by the

spyryte of god, ordayne and appoynte certeyn comon fa∣s••yng [ A] dayes in whyche the people sholde faste together. For ell•••• yf there were no suche / the moste parte of the people whyche now in y^e comon fastes do tame the flesshe togyther by the commaundement and laudable custome of the chyr∣che of god•• wolde fynde very few dayes therfore of theyr owne mynde•• and many not one thorow the hole yere as ye now se it in Saxony, where they that were woont to faste many, faste now neuer a one.

And surely yf fastynge were not profytable done of any other deuocyon but onely serued for tamynge of the flesshe, and then the custome taken awaye of comon fastyng dayes, in whyche folke faste togyder in obedyence of the commaū∣dement, & those comon dayes taken away / folke were onely lefte to theyr owne lybertye and pryuate secrete conscyens, [ B] to chose theyr fastyng dayes theyr selfes, not of any other de¦uocyon but onely for tamynge of theyr flesshe, when them selfe fele it begynne to boyle: then many wedded men sholde nede few fastynge dayes to theyr payne, hauynge theyr re∣medy so pleasaunt and so present alway redy at hande, and then wolde many an honest maydē be ashamed to faste any daye at all, leste she sholde seme therby to gyue yonge men warnynge that she were waxe warme and byd them yf they wyll spede speke now.

But Tyndale with hys spyrytuall felowes are fallen in to thys foly by the lykynge of theyr owne luste, in fauoure wherof they synfully studye to fynde out fals gloses, to be open glotons wythout reproche / and also wyth the prayse [ C] of suche people as theyr false doctryne hath corrupted and brought in a wronge bylefe, contrary to all doctryne of all the olde holy doctours, and agaynst all holy scripture, euyn the very gospell it selfe and the very wordes of Cryste, by whyche not onely all crysten people hytherto but also the iewes haue from the begynnyng ben taught to byleue, that mannys fastynge hath ben pleasaunt to god for other cau∣ses then Tyndale wolde haue it seme, that sercheth and se∣keth onely the meanes to breke it.

Tyndale and hys mayster be wonte to crye owte vppon the pope and vppon all the clergye, for that they medle phy∣losophy wyth the thynges of god / whyche is a thynge that may in place be very well done, syth the wysdom of phyloso¦phy all that we fynde true therin, is the wysdom gyuen of

[ A] god, and may well do seruyce to hys other gyftes of hygher wysdome then that is. But Tyndale here in this place as it semeth, doeth lene vnto the olde naturall phylosophers all togyther. For as for abstynence to tame the flesshe from in∣temperaunce and fowle lustes also, thys was a thynge that many phylosophers dyd bothe teache and vse. But as for fastyng, that is a nother thynge whyche god hath alwayes amonge hys faythfull people had obserued and kepte, not onely for that purpose, but also for a kynde of payne•• a••••ly••¦cyon, and punysshement of the flesshe for theyr synnes and to put vs in remembraūce y^t we be now in the vale of terys and not in the hyll of ioye sauynge for the comfort of hope.

And all be it y^t Tyndale be lothe to here therof, bycause he wolde not that any man sholde do true penaunce wyth [ B] puttynge hymselfe to any payne for hys owne synnes / yet wolde god the contrary. And as he wyll that men for theyr synnys sholde be sory in theyr hartes / so wolde he that for y^e same cause the sorow of theyr hartes sholde redownde in to theyr bodyes / and that we sholde for the prouocacyon of goddys mercy, humble our selfe before hym / and not onely pray for forgyuenesse but also put our bodies to payne and afflyccyon of our owne selfe, & therby to shewe how heuely we take it that we haue offended hym.

And to thentent that we sholde well knowe that fastyng not onely for tamyng of the flesshe, but also for payne to be taken for our synnys, was pleasaunt vnto hym:* 1.2 he taught hys people by hys prophetes that they sholde faste, and ap∣poynted them certen dayes.

[ C] It apperyth also that fastynge was & is pleasaunt vnto god, when men do for de••ocyon to god not onely forbere theyr pleasure, but also parte of theyr necessary sustynaūs, in occupyeng y^e tyme of vsuall fedyng of y^e flesshe about the plenteouse norysshyng & spyrytuall pamperyng of y^e soule.

Also vnto y^e obtaynyng of great spyrytuall gyftes of god & hygh reuelacyōs, how specyall a thynge fastyng is / bothe our sauyour declareth hym selse in y^e gospell of Matthew,* 1.3 where he sayth y^t that kynde of deuylles which he dyd caste out of the chylde is not caste out but by prayour & fastyng.

And of all these thynges we haue in holy sayntes lyues so many examples, that it were ouer longe to reherse them. But for as mych as we se well y^t Tyndale maketh but mok¦kys of all such maters, and all theyr holy reuelacyons and

myracles taketh but for tryfels: we shall sende hym to loke [ A] better vppon the good bokes whyche hym selfe hath euyll & of euyll purpose translated, the bookes I mene of the holy scrypture it selfe. For therin shall he se that fastynge serueth not onely to tame the fleshe / but for all these good vses also that we haue spoken of before, and yet for many other mo. And there shall he specyally se the thynge that he is moste lothe to let you se / that fastynge and other bodely afflyccyō eyther taken by commaundement of god and hys chyrche, or wyllyngly taken of our owne good mynde done for our synnys, done in true fayth and deuocyon wyth purpose of amendement, is one of the very specyall thynges that ob∣teyne remyssyō of the synne, releace of the more payne, with gettynge greater grace & increace of goddys fauour / whych thynge is y^e same that he & his felowes do so sore oppugne, [ B] that y^e whole chyrche of Cryste prestes and laye men bothe, call satysfaccyon / not meanynge that we can do penaunce inough for our synnes, nor that we coulde do any thynge therof at all wythout helpe of grace, nor that all that we can do coulde be wurth a flye to heuenwarde wythout Crystes passyon / but that wyth helpe of grace and merytys of Cry∣stes passyō, our good workes well wrought, helpe to gete re¦myssyon and purchase vs pardon and releace of payne, and may well be done for that intente, and be by god ordeyned to serue vs to that intente / and for that cause be they by the chyrche called satysfaccyon, for the deuour y^t we shold do to punysshe at the full our offenses our selfe, that god therby y^• rather moued wyth mercy shold withdrawe his great heuy punyshement, whych elles he shall cause to be done vnto vs [ C] hym selfe, and not so sore yf we i••dge and amende our faw∣tes our selfe / accordyng to the wordes of the blessed apostle to the Corynthyes:* 1.4 If we iudged our selfes, we sholde not be iudged of our lord. And surely yf we iudge our self truly, we shalbe content to punysshe our selfe.

And that fastyng is one of the good workes that bysyde other good & great godly purpose serueth for satisfaccyō of synne & procuryng of remyssyon, grace, and pardone / & that it serueth not onely for the tamynge of the flesshe as Tyn∣dale here wolde haue it seme: ye shall se to manyfestly pro∣ued by many playne placys in euery parte of scrypture.

Fyrst the fastes that Moyses fasted fyrst for the law, and after for the synne of the peple and the synne of Aaron also /

[ A] were thefe fastes for nothynge but for to tame his flesshe.

Item in .xxi. chapiter of the thryde boke of kynges whē Achab had herd these wordes, he tare his garmētis and put on his bodye a shyrte of here, he fasted and slept in a sacke, and went hangynge his hede lowe done / and our lorde sayd to Helyas Thesbites, hast thow not sene how Achab hathe humbled hym before me? And therfore bycause he hath hum¦bled hym selfe for my sake, I wyll brynge no euyll in du∣tynge his lyfe. Doth yt not manyfestly appere by these wordes that kyng Achab fasted not for tamyng of his flessh t•• kepe yt from wyldnes, but he fasted for y^e selfe same cause for whych he ware here and slepte in a sacke, that is to wyt to humble him selfe afore the face of god, and to do penaūce in punyshynge hym selfe for his synne to moue thereby al∣myghty [ B] god to mercy, & to the wythdrawyng of his hyghe punyshement, whyche ellys he fered wolde fall vppon hys hede / whych punishement god at the respecte of the kynges humble penaunce and payne of fastynge and other afliccyō wyllyngly taken by hym selfe, dyd mercyfully wythdrawe from hym, so that in all his dayes he suffred hym to fele no parte thereof.

And so may ye se this place of scripture euydent & playne agaynste Tyndale, and that very repentaunce requyreth of the repentaunte person not onely tamynge of the flesshe a∣gaynste the synne immynent or to come, but also punyshe∣ment by fastynge and other afflyccyon for the synne all redy done.

And now Cryste hath to cristen men promysed of our syn¦nes [ C] forgyuenes, and of our payne releace by vertue of hys payne / but this meaneth he to them that set not theyr owne synnes at so lyght after his great kyndnes shewed, but that theyr own selfe shewe by theyr owne wylf••ll punyshement worthy to suffre payne also them selfe therfore, and then his payne hath gyuen theyr payne the lyfe y^t maketh yt quycke and auaylable, not ent••ndynge yet that hym selfe so sholde take payne that the synners them selfe sholde synne at theyr pleasure and be saued all wyth ease as Tyndale & Luther wolde make vs wene. For that were the way to make men wanton and wax very bolde in synne.

Forthermore in the fyrste boke of Esdras and the .viii. chapyter yt is wryten thus in the person of the people: we haue fasted and prayed to god for this (y^t is to wyt for helpe

agaynst our enymyes, & yt is comen prosperousely to passe. [ A]

ye may here clerely se this pestylent opinyon of Tyndale wyth few wordes confuted. For this faste was not for ta∣mynge of the flesshe, but for auoydynge of theyr pa••ell.

Agayne in the seconde boke of Esdras and the fyrste cha¦piter thus sayd Nehemias: whē I had herd such tydynges, that is to wyt how the walles of Hierusalem were throwen done, the yates burnt, and the chyldern of Israel in great affliccyon and mysery: I sat downe and wepte and mornyd many dayes, I fasted also and prayed afore the face of the god of heuen.

Lo this faste was not for to tame the flesshe / for the man was in heuynes far from such wanton thynges: but he fas∣ted as he wept and mornyd, to moue god to mercy.

Also the great preste of god Eliachym sayth in the .iiii. of [ B] Iudith: Knowe ye that our lorde shall heare your prayers yf ye contynue in fastynge and prayng in the syght of hym,

I suppose no man is of so symple wyt & vnderstandyng, but he may at the bare rehersall of this brief texte well per∣ceyue y^t Eliachim dyd not esteme fastyng as Tyndale doth, nother toke yt not onely for a tamynge of the flesshe, but for a meane also to purchace grace wyth remyssyon & pardon, and also to obteyne ayde and helpe of god in that great ne∣cessyte.

Is not the .iiii. of Hester also clene contrarye to the doc∣tryne of these deuelyshe prechers of fleshly liberty: Go and assemble (sayth that good quene) all the Iewes that thow fyndest in Susan, and praye ye for me. Eate ye not nether drynke not in .iii. dayes and .iii. nyghtes. And I lykewyse [ C] wyll fast wyth my maydens.

wolde she that they sholde forbere mete and drynk to the intent that by theyr fastynge they myght tame her flesshe? nay nor for the tamynge of theyr own neyther. But that by theyr deuoute fastynge and her maydens and her own / they myght prouoke our lorde to pyty•• them and preserue them from that immynent parell that they were then all in.

what sayth Toby? Prayer (sayth he) ioyned with fastyng is good. He sayth not this onely for y••ng lusty folke for ta∣myng of theyr flesshe in auoydyng of intēperaūce, for good crysten fastynge goeth sometyme farre aboue the naturall temperaunce / but he teacheth all men that may wythoute harme to ioyne wyth prayer y^t payne of fastyng, as a thyng

[ A] pleasaunt vnto god in such wyse as the prayer is / and yt is a secrete inwarde effectuall prayer when the payne of all the bodye repentynge and punyshynge the synne, cryeth to god for mercy wyth voyce of the mouth.

In the .xxxiiii. chapyt••r of Ecclesiasticus yt is wrytten: The man that fasteth for his synnes and agayn commyteth the selfe same synnes, what auayleth hym this humilytye.

wherby yt is well vnderstanden that he whych fasteth & amendeth hym selfe / his faste auay••eth and is prof••table. And wherfore? not onely for tamyng of his flesshe for that may be tame inough and yet the man bad inough but yt a∣uayleth for remyssyon of synne and for meryte in heuen. For as holy saynte Austayne saythe: To saye that the faste of a crysten man shall haue no rewarde in heuen is not the opy∣nyon [ B] of a true crysten man, but of an heretyque.

The prophete Iohel in the secōde chapyter: And there∣fore now sayth the lorde turne to me wyth all your herte in fastynge, wepynge, and weylynge. Tere your hertes & not your garmentes, and so forth.

Lo here the prophete exhorteth to fastynge as he doth to harty mornynge and wepyng, not for a coūtenaunce of so∣row, but to be sorofull & to take payne in dede / not in theyr clothes where they fele yt not, but in theyr bodyes and in∣wardely in theyr hertes where they fele yt thorowly / so that they may therby not onely tame theyr flesshe, but also turne agayne to god, that he may take pytye vppon thē and turne agayne to them.

Rede we not in the thyrde chapitre of the {pro}phete Ionas, [ C] that god seynge the Niniuytes chastyse and punyshe them selfe wyth fastynge and other afflyccions voluntaryly done vnto them selfe / dyd mercyfully take quyte away the great and greuous punyshement that was at hande ordeyned by hym selfe for theyr synnes and offenses? wherfore dyd they faste? for to tame theyr flesshe as Tyndale sayth? Nay / they fasted and dyd penaunce for theyr synnes, & therwyth pur∣chased pardon whych Tyndale wyll not perceyue.

I coulde here alledge vnto you crysten reders other te••∣tes owt of the holy prophetes and other places of scripture / as the fyrst chapyter of Iohel, the .ix. of Danyel, the .xxxvi. of Hyeremy, the .xx. of Iudicū, wyth an hundreth places mo very stronge for vs in thys mater of fastynge / but these few may seme to many for a thynge so manyfest and clere. How

be it I wyll alledge vnto Tyndale the word••s of our sauy∣our [ A] hym selfe wrytē in y^e .xvii. of Matthew, where he sayth: Thys kynde of deuylles is not cast out but by prayour and fastynge. The holy euangelyst Luke in the .xiiii. chapyter of the apostles actes wryteth thus: when they had ordey∣neth them preestes in euery chyrche and had prayed and fa¦sted / they cōmendyd thē to the lorde in whom they beleuyd.

Here may ye clerely se good crysten reder, that the holy and blessyd apostle Paule with many other mo / dyd not fast in thys place for the subduynge of the flesshe and tamynge of bodyly lustes. For they fasted here for other folke, that is to wyt for the prestes to whom they had gyuen holy orders, and for the people whom they had commyttyd vnto theyr charge / that god for theyr deuoute prayours and fastynge sholde gyue encreace of hys grace and fauour among them [ B]

Fynally what wyll Tyndale say to the wordes that are wryten in the .vi. of Matthew, and spoken by the mouthe of our sauyour Iesu Cryste, where he sayth: when ye faste make not your selfe sadde lyke hypocrytes, for they waste out theyr faces to y^e entent it myghte be perceyued that they faste. Forsothe I saye vnto you they haue theyr rewarde all redy. But when thou fastest anoynt thy hed and washe thy face, that it appere not vnto men that thou fastest but vnto thy father whyche is in secrete. And thy father that seeth in secrete, shall rewarde the openly.

Lo dooth not our lord here promyse to rewarde all them that for no desyre of mannys prayse or itch of vayne glory, but of mere humylyte & true repentaunce of herte punysshe [ C] theyr body wyth fastynge. whyche one place beyng so playn open & manyfest for the meryte of fastyng though it myght haue ben more then suffycyent to confounde Tyndale and his mayster Luther with all theyr scollers: yet haue I bene therin the longer and haue spoken of thys mater sumwhat the more at large, for y^e manyfestacyō of theyr greate blynd∣nesse, and as it semeth malyce to mennys sowle / and for the comforte of them that hytherto haue had the mynde to pu∣nysshe the flesshe wyth fastyng, that they do not herafter as vnthryftes haue in Almayne done all redy, leue of theyr de∣uocyon to god for the fonde bablynge of suche sensuall here tykes. For yf Tyndale wyll saye that yet all thys was no thynge but to tame the flesshe, that the menne myght praye the more quyetly wythout rebellyous mocyons of y^e flesshe /

[ A] what so euer he shall say therin consyder the placys and his wordes to gyther, and ye shall fynde all hys processe the•••••• a fayre tale of a tubbe. For all be it that Cryste fas••ed fou•••••• dayes and after hungered / yet whyther Moyses hungere•• in his fourty daies or not we be not very sure.* 1.5 And it seme•••• well that he dyd, for he wolde not of lykelyhed haue told it for any greate thynge that he fasted for the synne of Aron, & also for the synne of the people so strayghtly fourty dayes that in the whyle he neyther ete nor dranke / yf he neuer had in the whyle ben neyther an hungred nor a thurste.

How be it yf Tyndale wyll brynge all these fastes in que¦styon: yet of the Nineuites & y^e other aboue rehersed the••e is no maner of dowte but y^t they fasted in hunger & thy••••••••. And it were in dede a madde thynge to thynke that whe•• [ B] they went about to punyshe theyr synnys and humble them selfe before the face of god with fastynge / they fasted but tyll they were a hungred and then gate them to brekfaste. If he wyll saye that the payne of the fastynge was onely to came theyr flesshe that they sholde not synne, he can not so say / for it appereth that they dyd it wyllyngly as well for theyr syn∣nes before passed as for dyuers other causes. If he wyll say that there was dyfference bytwene the repentynge in y^e olde law and the new, and that there was cause why they sholde punysshe theyr synnes them selfe and not we, bycause Cryst hath now done penaūce for our synnys and had not at that tyme so done for theyrs: it wyll not serue hym, bothe by∣cause dyuers of the authorytees for fastynge be alledged in the new law, and also bycause the Iewys had the profyte of [ C] Crystes passyon by theyr fayth that it was to come & sholde be done, as we haue by y^e fayth that it is passed and all redy done / and theyr repentaunce and our repentaūce were lyke, sauynge our pryuylege of more habundaunt grace & per∣don by the sacrament of penaunce whyche Tyndale goeth about to destroye. If he wyll saye that the fastynge serueth but to kepe the mynde calme and quyete in prayour, frō all mocyons of flesshely lu••••es that ellys myghte trouble the mynde: to thys I say that the hungre it selfe maye trouble the mynde and make it lesse quyete, then yf the flesshe were in temperat reste without it. And ouer thys hys answere in that poynt wyll not serue, syth it apperyth well by the cyr∣cumstaunces in many of the places before towched, y^t many whych fasted were not in such ease of herte nor lust of body,

that theyr prayours were at that tyme lykely to be letted [ A] wyth voluptuouse wanton myndes. wherfore let Tyndale say what he wyll: ye shall fynde for trouth that bysydes the tamynge of the body, fastynge and our payne taken therin pleaseth god done with deuocyon, and serueth vs for obtay¦nynge many and greate gyftes of grace.

Nay sayth Tyndale in hys boke of obedyence as for payne takynge, god is no tyraūt / and therfore reioyceth not in our payne, but pytyeth vs / and as it were mornyth with vs and wolde we sholde haue n••ne, sauynge that lyke a good surgeon he putteth payne of trybulacyon vnto the sores of our synne / bycause the synne can not otherwyse be rubbed owt of the flesshe and cured.

we saye not neyther that god reioyceth in our payne as a tyraunt, all be it that Luther and Tyndale wolde haue vs take hym for such one as had more tyrannouse delite in our payne, then euer had any tyraunt / when they by the takyng [ B] awaye of mannys fre wyll woulde make vs wene that god alone worketh all our synne, and then dampneth hys crea∣turys in perpetuall turmentys for hys owne dede.

But we say y^t god reioyceth & delyteth in the loue of mā∣nys herte, when he fyndeth it suche as the man inwardly de¦lyteth, & in hys herte owtwardly to let y^e loue of his herte so redownde in to the body, that he gladly by fastynge & other afflyccyon putteth the body to payne for goddys sake / and yet thynketh for all that, that in comparyson of hys dutye all that is mych lesse then ryght nought.

we saye also that god reioyceth and delyteth in iustyce / & for that cause he delyteth to se a man so delyte in the same, & to take hys synne so sorowfully that he is content of hym [ C] selfe by fastyng and other afflyccyon wyllyngly to put hym selfe to payne therfore. And I saye that yf god had not this delyte whyche is not a tyrannou••e but a good and godly de¦lyte / elles wolde he put vnto man no payne for synne at all. For it is playne false y^t god doth it for necessyte of dryuyng y^e synne owt of y^e flesshe as Tyndale sayth he doth, bycause that otherwyse it can not be cured. For it is questyonlesse that god can otherwyse dryue the synne owre of the flesshe, and by other meanys cure it yf it so pleased hym / & so wolde he sauynge for his godly delyte in iustyce whyche he loueth to se man folowe by fastynge and other penauns / & whyche delyte of folowynge goddes pleasure therin, Tyndale in man by wythdrawyng of penaus clene goeth aboute to de∣stroye.

[ A] Now where Tyndale as a spirituall ensercher of y^e cause of euery commaundement of god, dyd in reprouynge the ••••••perstycyouse maner of thē, that wythout suche a de••e s••yry¦tuall serch do kepe goddys commaundement strayghte•••• brynge in the examples of Dauyd and hys company which for necessyte dyd eat of the offred halowed brede wherof by the law he sholde not, and of Moyses also leuynge the chyl¦dren contrary to the commaundement of god .xl. yere vncyr¦cumcysed in desert / he endeth that mater with thys greate weyghty worde: These ensamples myght teche vs many thynges yf th•••••• were sprete in vs.

what thinges y^e euyll sprete y^t inspirith Tyndale teacheth hym I can not tell. But of any good spyryt he lerneth no ferther in these ensamples, then that in necessyte Moyses y^e [ B] leder of the people vnder god, and beynge also the p••cest of god dyspensed wyth the people in deserte in delaynge y^e cyr∣cumcysyon for parell of sodeyn trauell ther vppon ••yll they sholde come where they myght reste vppon it.* 1.6 And y^t Achi∣melech the preste in lyke wyse for necessyte dyspensed wyth Dauyd and hys seruauntes, that they myghte eat of offred halowed brede / and yet wyth greate dyffycultye, but yf they were clene from any late cōmyxcyō and carnall knowledge of theyr wyuys. And of that poynt myghte Tyndale yf he had a good spryte in hym / lerne at the leste wyse one thynge agaynst the boldnesse of his wedded harlottes monkes and frerys, that from theyr fylthy lechery go so boldely not to y^e halowed brede, but to the body of god in forme of brede. But Tyndales spryte techeth••hym to be bold therin, and to [ C] ••yd euery frere boldely breke hys vow and the commaun∣dement without any necessyte or dispensacyon at all / sayng that freres may no more lyue without nunnes then Dauyd myghte wythout meate.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Leuitici. 1••.
• * 1.2

  Leuit. 23. Zachar. 8.
• * 1.3

  Matth. 17.
• * 1.4

  1. Cor. 11
• * 1.5

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• * 1.6

  1. Reg••••. ••1