The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principall teachers of this Churche of England collected and compiled in one tome togither, beyng before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the prayse of God, and profite of all good Christian readers.

A Letter sent from William Tyndall, vnto Iohn Frith, being prisoner in the Tower of London.

THe grace and peace of God our father and of Ie∣sus * 1.1 Christ our Lord, be with you Amen. Dearely beloued brother Iohn. I haue heard say, how that hypocrites nowe that they haue ouercome that great busines which letted thē at the least way, haue brought it at a stay, they returne to their old nature agayne. The will of God be fulfilled, and that which he hath ordeyned to be ere the world was made, that come, and his glory reigne ouer all.

Dearely beloued, how euer the matter be, commit your selfe wholy and onely vnto your most louing father, & most kinde Lorde, and feare not men that threat, nor trust men that speake fayre: but trust him that is true of promise, and able to make his worde good. Your cause is Christes Gospell, a light that must be fedde with the bloud of fayth. The lampe must be dressed and snuffed dayly, and that oyle poured in euery euening and morning, that the light goe not out. Though we be sinners, yet is the cause right. If when we be busteted * 1.2 for well doing, we suffer paciently and endure, that is acceptable to God: for to that ende we are called. For Christ also suffered for vs, leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps, who did no sinne. Hereby haue we perceaned * 1.3 loue, that he layed downe his lyfe for vs: Therefore we ought also to laye downe our liues for the brethern. Reioice and be glad, for great is your reward in hea∣uen. * 1.4 For we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him: Who shall chaunge our vile body, that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body, ac∣cording to the working wherby he is able euen to subiect all thinges vnto hym.

Dearely beloued, be of good courage, and comfort your soule with the hope of this * 1.5 high reward, and beare the Image of Christ in your mortall body, that it may at his comming be made like to his, immortall: and folow the example of all your other dear * 1.6 brethren, which chose to suffer in hope of a better resurrection. Kéepe your conscience pure and vndefiled, and say against that nothing. Sticke at necessarie thinges, and re∣mēber the blasphemies of the enemies of Christ, saying: they finde none but that will * 1.7 abiure rather then suffer the extremitie. Moreouer, the death of thē that come againe after they haue once denyed, thouh it be accepted with God, and all that beléeue, yet is * 1.8 it not glorious, for the hipocrites say, he must néedes dye, denying helpeth not: But might it haue holpen, they would haue denyed fyue hundred tymes: but seing it would not helpe them, therefore of pure pride, and mere malice togither, they speake with their mouthes, that their conscience knoweth false. If you geue your selfe, cast your selfe, yelde your selfe, commit your selfe wholy and onely to your louyng father: then shall his power be in you and make you strong, and that so strong, that you shall féele * 1.9 no payne: which should be to an other present death: and his spirit shall speake in you, and teach you what to aunswere, according to his promise. He shall set out his trueth by you wonderfully, and worke for you aboue all that your hart can imagine: Yea, & you are not yet dead, though the hipocrites all, with all they can make, haue sworne * 1.10 your death. Vna salus victis nullam sperare salutem: To looke for no mans helpe, bring∣eth the helpe of God to them that seeme to be ouercome in the eyes of the hipocrites: Yea it shall make God to cary you through thicke and thinne for his truethes sake, in spite of all the enemies of his trueth. There falleth not an heare till his houre be come: * 1.11 and when his houre is come, necessitie caryeth vs hence though we be not willing. But if we be willing, then haue we a reward and thanke.

Feare not threatning therfore, neither be ouercome with sweete wordes: with which twayne, the hipocrites shall assayle you. Neither let the perswasions of worldly wise∣dome beare rule in your hart: No, though they be your frendes that counsayle you. Let Bilney be a warning to you. Let not their visure beguile your eyes. Let not your body * 1.12

saint. He that endureth to the ende shall be saued. If the payne be aboue your * 1.13 strength, remember: Whatsoeuer, you shall aske in my name, I will geue it you. And pray to your father in that name, and he will ease your payne, or shorten it. The Lord of peace, of hope, and of fayth, be with you. Amen. William Tyndall.

TWo haue suffered in Antwarpe, In die sancta Crucis, vnto the great glory of the * 1.14 Gospell: foure at Riselles in Flaunders, and at Luke hath there one at the least suffered, and all ni y^e same day. At Roan in Fraunce they persecute. And at Paris are fiue doctours taken for the Gospell. Sée, you are not alone: Be cherefull and remem∣ber that among the hard harted in England, there is a number reserued by grace: for whose sakes if neede be, you must be ready to suffer. Syr if you may write, how short so euer it be, forget it not, that we may knowe how it goeth with you, for our hartes ease. The Lord be yet agayne with you, with all his plenteousnes, and fill you y^e you flow ouer. Amen.

If when you haue read this, you may send it to Adrian, doe I pray you, that he may know how that our hart is with you.

George Ioye at Candelmasse being at Barrow, Printed two leaues of Genesis in a greate forme, and sent one Copy to the King, and an other to the newe Quéene, with a letter to N. for to deliuer them: and to purchase licēce, y^e he might so goe through all the Bible. Out of that is sprong the noyse of the new Bible: and out of that is the greate séeking for Englishe bookes at all Printers & Booke bynders in Antwarpe, and for an English Priest y^e shoulde Printe. This chaunced the ix. day of May. Syr your wife is well content with the will of God, and would not for her sake, haue y^e glory of God hindred.

William Tyndall.

An other notable and worthy Letter of maister William Tyndall sent to the sayd Iohn Frith, vnder the name of Iacob.

¶ The grace of our Sauiour Iesus, his pa∣cience, mekenes, humblenes, circum∣spection, and wisedome be with your hart. Amen.

DEarely beloued brother * 1.15 Iacob, myne hartes de∣sire in our Sauiour Ie∣sus is, that you arme your selfe with paciēce, and be cold, sober, wise and circumspect, & that you keepe you alow by the ground, auoydyng hygh questions that passe the common capa∣citie. * 1.16 But expounde the law truly, and open the vayle of Moses to condemne all flesh, and proue all mē sinners, and * 1.17 all deedes vnder the law, before mercy haue taken away the condēnation ther of, to be sinne and damnable. And then as a faythfull Minister, set abroch the mercy of our Lord Iesus, and let the wounded cōsciences drinke of the wa∣ter of him. And then shall your prea∣chyng be with power, and not as the doctrine of the hypocrites: and the spi∣rite of God shall worke with you, and all cōsciences shall beare recorde vnto you, & feele y^t it is so. And all doctrine * 1.18 that casteth a miste on those two, to sha¦dow and hyde them, I meane the law of God and mercy of Christ, that resist you withall your power. Sacraments without significatiō refuse. If they put * 1.19 significations to them, receiue them, if you see it may helpe though it bee not necessarie.

Of the presence of Christes body in * 1.20 the Sacrament, medle as litle as you can, that there appeare no diuision a∣mōg vs. Barnes will be whote agaynst you. The Saxons be ••ore on the affirma¦tiue, whether constant or obstiuate, I omit it to God. Philippe Melancton is sayd to be with the French king. There be in Antwerpe that say, they saw him come into Paris with an c. and l. horses, and that they spake with hym. If the Frenchmen receiue the worde of God, hee will plant the affirmatiue in them. * 1.21 George Ioye would haue put foorth a treatise of the matter, but I haue stopt hym as yet, what he will doe if he get money, I wotte not. I beleue he wold make many reasōs litle seruyng to the purpose. My mynde is, that nothyng be put forth till we heare how you shal haue spede. I would haue the right vse preached, and the presence to be an in∣differēt * 1.22 thyng, till the matter might be reasoned in peace at laysure, of both parties. If you be required, shew the phrases of the Scripture, and let them talke what they will. For as to beleue y^t God is euery where, hurteth no mā that worshyp him no where but with∣in, in the hart, in spirite and verity: euē so to beleue that the body of Christ is euery where (though it can not be pro∣ued) hurteth no man that worshippeth * 1.23 hym no where saue in the fayth of hys Gospell. You perceiue my minde: how beit if God shew you otherwise, it is free for you to do as he moueth you.

I gessed long ago that God would send a dasing into the head of the spiri∣tualtie, to be catched thē selues in their owne subtiltie, and I trust it is come to passe. And now me thinketh I smel a counsayle to be takē, litle for their pro¦fites in time to come. But you must vn¦derstand, that it is not of a pure hart & for loue of the truth, but to aduenge thē * 1.24 selues, and to eate the Whores flesh, & to suck the marow of her bones. Wher¦fore cleaue fast to the rocke of the helpe of God, & commit the end of all things to hym: and if God shall call you, that you may then vse the wisedome of the worldly, as farre as you perceiue the glory of God may come therof, refuse it not: and euer among, thrust in, that * 1.25 the Scripture may bee in the mother toung, and learning set vp in the Ʋni∣uersities. But and if ought be required contrary to the glory of God and hys Christ, thē stand fast, and commit your selfe to God, and bee not ouercome of mens persuasions, which happely shal say: we see no other way to bryng in the truth.

Brother Iacob, beloued in my hart, there lyueth not in whom I haue so good hope and trust, and in whō myne hart reioyseth and my soule comforteth her selfe, as in you: not the thousand part so much for your learnyng, and what other giftes els you haue, as that you wil crepe alow by the ground, and * 1.26 walke in those thinges that the consci∣ence may feele, and not in the imagina¦tions of the brayne: in feare and not in boldnes: in open necessary things, and not to pronounce or define of hyd se∣cretes, or thynges that neither helpe or hinder whether they be so or no: in vni¦tie

and not in seditious opinions: in so much that if you be sure you know, yet in thinges that may abyde laysure, you wil deferre, or say (till other agree with you) me thinke the text requireth this sense or vnderstandyng: yea and that if you be sure that your part be good, and in other hold the contrary, yet if it be a thyng that maketh no matter, you will laugh and let it passe, and referre the thyng to other men, and sticke you stif∣ly and stubburnely in earnest and ne∣cessary thynges. And I trust ye be per∣suaded euē so of me. For I call God to * 1.27 recorde against y^e day we shall appeare before our Lord Iesus, to geue a reck∣nyng of our doings, that I neuer alte∣red one sillable of Gods word agaynst my cōscience, nor would this day, if all that is in the earth, whether it be plea∣sure, honour or riches, might be geuen me. Moreouer I take God to recorde to my conscience, that I desire of God to my selfe in this world no more, then that without whiche I can not keepe hys lawes.

Finally, if there were in me any gift that could helpe at hand, & ayde you if nede required: I promise you I would not be farre of, and commit the end to God: my soule is not faynt, though my body be wery. But God hath made me euill fauoured in this world, and without grace in the sight of mē, spech∣les and rude, dull & slow witted: your parte shalbe to supply that lacketh in * 1.28 me, remembryng, that as lowlynes of hart shall make you hygh with God, euen so mekenes of wordes shal make * 1.29 you sinke into the hartes of men. Na∣ture geueth age authoritie, but meke∣nes is the glory of youth, and geueth * 1.30 thē honour. Aboundaunce of loue ma∣keth me excede in bablyng.

Syr as concernyng Purgatory, and many other things, if you be demaun∣ded, you may say, if you erre, the spiri∣tualtie hath so le•• you, & that they haue taught you to beleue as you do. For they preached you all such thynges out of Gods word, and alledged a thousād textes, by reason of which textes you beleued as they taught you. But now you finde thē lyers, and that the textes meane no such thynges, and therfore you can beleue no longer, but are as you were before they taught you, and beleue no such thing. Howbeit you are ready to beleue, if they haue any other way to proue it. For without profe * 1.31 you can not beleue thē, when you haue founde them with so many lyes. &c. If you perceiue wherin we may helpe, o∣ther in being still, or doyng somewhat, let vs haue word, and I will do myne vttermost.

My Lord of London hath a seruaūt called Iohn Tisen with a red beard, and a blacke reddish head, and was once my scholler, he was seue in Antwerpe, but came not among the Englishmen: whether hee is gone an Embassadour secret, I wote not.

The mighty God of Iacob be with you to supplant his enemies, and geue you the fauour of Ioseph: and the wise∣dome, & the spirite of Stephen, be with your hart and with your mouth, and teach your lippes what they shall say, and how to aunswere to all thynges. He is our God if we despayre in our∣selues, and trust in him: and his is the glory. Amen. William Tyndall.

¶ I hope our redemption is nigh.

¶ This letter was written. an. 1533. in the moneth of January. Whiche let∣ter although it do pretende the name of Iacob, yet vnderstand (good reader) that it was written in very deede to Iohn Frith, as is aboue told thee. For more profe and euidence whereof read Frithes booke of the Sacrament, and there thou shalt finde a certeine place of this Epistle repeted word for word, beginning this: I call God to recorde, agaynst the day, we shall appeare be∣fore our Lord Iesus to geue a reke∣ning of our doings, that I neuer alte∣red one sillable of Gods word agaynst my conscience &c. Whiche Epistle Iohn Frith him selfe witnesseth that he recea∣ued from Tyndall as in hys testimonie aboue appeareth.

The end of all M. William Tindals workes, newly Imprinted, accordyng to his first copies, which he him¦selfe set forth.

Gods name be blessed for euer. Amen.

☞ Here foloweth a short and pithy treatise touching the Lordes Supper, compiled, as some do gather, by M. William Tyndall, because the methode and phrase agree with his, and the tyme of writyng are concurrent, which for thy further instruction & learnyng (gentle Reader) I haue annexed to his workes, le••t the Church of God should want any of the paineful trauels of godly men, whose onely care & endeuour was to aduaunce the glory of God, & to further the saluation of Christes flocke committed to their charge.

The Supper of the Lord. After the true meanyng of the vi. of Iohn and the xi. of the first Epistle to the Cor. And incidently in the exposition of the Supper is confuted the Letter of Master More agaynst Iohn Frith.

Anno. 1533. the v. day of Aprill.

WHen Christ sawe those glottons seekyng theyr bellyes flockyng, so fast vnto him, after his wō∣ted maner (the occasion taken to teach & preach vnto them of the thing now moued) he sayd. Ʋerely verely I say vnto you: ye * 1.32 seeke me not because ye haue sene my miracles, but because ye haue eaten of the loaues and were well filled. But as for me, I am not commen into this world onely to fill mens bellyes: but to fede and satisfie their soules. Ye take great paines to folow me for the meate of your bellyes: but oh sloughardes, worke, take paynes & labour rather to get that meate that shall neuer perish. For this meate that ye haue sought of me hetherto, perisheth with your bel∣lyes: but the meate that I shall giue you, is spirituall, and may not perish, but abideth for euer, giuyng lyfe euer∣lastyng. For my father hath consigned and confirmed me with his assured te∣stimonie, to bee that assured sauyng health and earnest peny of euerlastyng life. When the Iewes vnderstode not * 1.33 what Christ meant, biddyng them to woorke and labour for that meate that should neuer perishe, they asked hym, what shal we do, that we might worke the workes of God? supposing that he had spoken of some outward woorke required of them. Wherfore Iesus aū∣swered, saying. Euē this is the worke of God, to beleue and trust in him whō the father hath sent. Lo, here may ye see * 1.34 that worke of God which he requireth of vs, euen to beleue in Christ. Also cō∣sider agayn what this meate is, which he bad them here prepare and seeke for, saying: worke, take paynes and seeke for that meate &c. and thou shalt see it none other meate then the belief in Christ: wherfore he cōcludeth, that this meate so oft mencioned, is fayth: of the whiche meate (••ayth the Prophet) the * 1.35 iust liueth. Fayth in him is therfore the meate whiche Christ prepareth & dres∣seth so purely: poulderyng and spicyng it with spirituall Allegories in all this Chapter folowyng, to giue vs euerla∣styng life through it.

Then sayd the Iewes vnto hym. * 1.36 What token doest thou whereby we might know that we should beleue in thee? Do somwhat that we might be∣leue in thee? what thyng workest thou that we might know thee to be God? Thou knowest well inough that our fathers did eate bread or Māna in the deserte, as it is written, hee gaue them bread from aboue. Iesus aunswered. Ʋerely verely I say vnto you: Moses gaue ye not that bread from heauē: for * 1.37 though it fell downe from the ayre: yet was it not heauēly foode for it dyd but feede the belly: but this bread of God that is descended from heauen (whom my father giueth) refresheth the soule so aboundauntly, that it geueth life vn to the world. When the Iewes vnder∣stode not this saying, whiche was nought elles then the declaryng of the Gospell (for by the eatyng of this bread hee meant that belefe of this his Gospell) they sayd. Syr, giue vs this bread euermore. Iesus sayd vnto thē. * 1.38 I am the bread of life, and who so com¦meth to me, shall not hunger: & who so beleueth in me shal neuer thyrst. When the Iewes hard Christ say, the bread that descended from heauē should giue lyfe to the world: they desired to haue this bread giuen them for euer. And Iesus perceiuing that they vnderstode not the sence of this Gospel: he expoū∣ded * 1.39 vnto them who was this so liuely bread that giueth life to all the world, saying. I am the bread of life, and who so commeth to me, that is to say, who so is graffed and ioyned to me by faith, shall neuer hunger, that is, who so be∣leueth in me is satisfied. It is fayth therefore that stancheth this hunger and thyrst of the soule. Fayth it is ther∣fore in Christ that filleth our hungry hartes, so that we cā desire none other, * 1.40 if we▪ once eate & drinke him by fayth, that is to say, if we beleue his flesh and body to haue bene broken & his bloud shed for our sinnes. For then are our soules satisfied and we be iustified.

Ouer this, it foloweth: But I haue told you this, because ye looke vppon

me, and beleue me not, that is, ye be of∣fended that I sayd, he that commeth to me shall neither hunger nor thyrst, se∣yng that your selues beyng present, be yet both hungry and thyrstie. But this * 1.41 commeth because ye haue sene me with your bodily eyes, and yet see me & be∣leue not in me: but I speake not of such sight nor commyng, but of the sight of fayth, which who so hath, he shall haue none other desire, he shall not seeke by night to loue an other before whom be would lay his grief. He shal not runne wandering here and there to seke dead stockes and stones: for he is certified by his ••ayth to whom hee shall cleaue, he is coupled by fayth vnto me his ve∣ry spouse & liuely foode, the onely trea∣sure of his soule, neuer more to thyrst for any other. This light of fayth ye haue not, for ye beleue not nor trust in me: wherfore ye vnderstand not how I am the very bread and meate of your soules, that is to say, your faith & hope. And the cause of this your blyndnes is * 1.42 (I will not say ouer hardly to you) that the father hath not drawne you in to the knowledge of me, or els ye had receiued me. For all that the father gi∣ueth me, must come vnto me. And as for me, I cast out no mā that commeth to me: For I am not come downe frō heauen to do my will, whiche ye attri∣bute vnto me as vnto eche any other man, for I am verely a very man: & ac∣cordyng to that nature I haue a speci∣all proper will: but much more obediēt to my father, then one of you. For your * 1.43 will oft resisteth and repugneth Gods will, but so doth mine neuer. I am ther¦fore come downe to doe his will that hath sent me. And to do you to witte what his will is. This (I say) is my fathers will y^t hath sent me. That of all that he hath giuē me, I lee••e none: but must rayse hym vp agayne in the last day: and to be playne. This is the will of him that sent me. That who so seeth (that is to know) the sonne and bele∣ueth in him, he shall haue lyfe euerla∣lastyng: and I shall styrre hym vp in y^e last day. Here may ye see what meate he speaketh of. God sent his sonne in∣to this world, that we might liue tho∣rough him. Who liueth by him? They that eate his flesh & drinke his bloud. Who eate his flesh & drinke his bloud? * 1.44 They that beleue his body crucified & his bloud shed for their sinnes: these clea••e vnto his gracious fauour. But how could they cleane thus vnto him except they knew him? And therfore he added saying. Euery man that seeth the sonne, that is to say, vnderstandeth wherfore the sonne was sent into this world and beleueth in him shall haue euerlastyng lyfe.

Here it appeared to the carnall * 1.45 Iewes that Christ had taken to much vpon him selfe, to say: I am the bread of lyfe, which am come downe frō hea∣uen to giue life to the world wherfore the flesh, that is to say the Iewes now murmured, and no•• maruelled (as M. More sheweth his owne dreame to an other text folowyng whiche I shall touch anone) they murmured at this saying of Christ. I am the bread which am come from heauen, saying, Is not this Iesus Iosephes sonne whose fa∣ther & mother we know well inough? How then sayth he, I am come from heauen? Iesus aūswered saying, Mur∣mour * 1.46 not among your selues: Heard ye not what I told you euen now? All that my father giueth me, come to me? your vnbelefe (wherof foloweth this false vnderstanding of my wordes spi∣ritually spoken) compelleth me to tell you one thyng more thē once or twise. This therfore it is: No mā may come to me the onely earnest peny & pledge▪ of your saluatiō, vnlesse my father that sent me draw him: and whō he draw∣eth vnto me, that is, ioyneth vnto me by fayth, him shall I styrre vp in the last day. I wonder that ye take my wordes so straungely, beleuyng them to be some hard r••dels, or darke para∣bles, when I say nothyng els, thē that is written in your owne Prophetes, both in Esay, and Ieremy, saying, that * 1.47 all shall be taught of the Lord. Sith e∣uē your Prophetes testifie this know∣ledge to be giuē you of my father: what can be spokē more playnly then to say: what my father giueth me, that com∣meth to me? or this, no man may come to me, except my father draw him. And yet haue it more manifestly. Who so hath heard my father, and is learned of * 1.48 him, he commeth to me as vnto the ve¦ry onely anker of his saluation. Not that any man hath sene the father, lest peradnenture ye mistake these wordes to heare, and to learne, as though they pertemed to the outward senses, and not rather to the mynde and inward illuminyng of the soule. For no man e∣uer saw the father, although he worke secretly vpon his hart, so that what so euer hee willeth, we must heare and learne. No man (I say) seeth him, but he that is sent of God, as I sayd before

of my selfe, he it is that seeth the father. Now therfore say I vnto you, verely, * 1.49 verely, as playnly, y^t who so beleueth & trusteth in me, he hath life euerlasting. Now haue ye y^t summe of this my doc¦trine, euē my very gospel y^e whole tale of all my legacy and message wherfore I am sent into the world. Had M. More * 1.50 vnderstode this short sentence, (who so beleueth in me hath life euerlastyng) & knowne what Paule with the other Apostles preached: especially Paul be∣ing a yeare & a halfe amōg the Corin∣thiās, determinyng not, neither presu∣myng to haue knowē any other thyng to be preached them (as him selfe saith) then Iesus Christ, & that he was cru∣cified. Had M. More vnderstand this point, he should neuer haue thus blas∣phemed Christ & his sufficiēt Scriptu∣res, neither haue so belyed his Euāge∣listes & holy Apostles, as to say, they wrote not all thinges necessary for our saluation, but left out things of necessi∣tie to be beleued, makyng Gods holy testamēt insufficient & vnperfite. First reueled vnto our fathers, written oft sence by Moyses, and then by his Pro¦phetes, and at last written both by his holy Euangelistes and Apostles to. * 1.51

But turne we to Iohn agayne & let More mocke still & lye to. I am y^• bread of life saith Christ. And no mā denyeth y^• our fathers & elders did eate Manna in the desert, & yet are they dead. But he that eateth of this bread: that is to say, beleueth in me, he hath life euerla∣styng. For it is I that am this liuely bread, which am come from heauen, of whom who so eate by faith, shal neuer * 1.52 dye. Here therfore it is to be noted dili¦gently y^• Christ meaneth, as euery mā may see, by y^• eating of this bread none other thyng then the belefe in him self, offred vp for our sinnes: whiche faith onely iustifieth vs. Whiche sentence to declare more playnly, & that he would haue it noted more diligently, he repe∣teth it yet agayn, saying: It is I y^t am the liuely bread which am come down frō heauē: who so eateth of this bread, shall liue euerlastingly. And to put you cleare out of doubt, I shall shew you in few wordes, what this matter is, & by what wayes I must be the Saui∣our & redemer of the world, to giue it this life so oft rehearsed: & therfore now take good heede. This bread which I * 1.53 speake of so much & shall giue it you: it is myne owne flesh: which I must lay forth & pay for the life of y^• world. Here it is now manifest, that he should suffer death in his own flesh for our redēptiō to geue vs this life euerlastyng. Thus now may ye see how Christes fleshe, * 1.54 which he called bread, is the spirituall foode & meate of our soules. Whē our soules by fayth see God the father not to haue spared his onely so deare belo∣ued sonne, but to haue deliuered him to suffer that ignominious & so paynefull death, to restore vs to lyfe: thē haue we eaten his flesh, and dronken his bloud, assured firmely of the fauour of God, satisfied & certified of our saluation.

After this communication, that he sayd. The bread whiche I shall geue you is my flesh, whiche I shall pay for the lyfe of the world: yet were the car∣nall Iewes neuer the wiser. For their * 1.55 vnbelief and sturdy hatred, would not suffer the very spirituall sence & mynde of Christes wordes to enter into theyr hartes. They could not see that Chri∣stes flesh broken and crucified, and not bodely eaten, should be our saluation, and this spiritual meate: as our soules to bee fed and certified of the mercy of God, and forgiuenes of our sinnes tho¦rough his passion: and not for any ea∣tyng of his fleshe with our teeth. The * 1.56 more ignoraunt therfore & fleshly they were, the more fierce were they full of indignatiō, striuyng one agaynst an o∣ther, saying. How may this felow geue vs his flesh to eate it? They stoke fast yet in his fleshe before their eyes: those fleshly Iewes. Wherfore no mar¦uell though they abhorred the bodely eatyng thereof: although our fleshly Papistes (beyng of the Iewes carnall * 1.57 opinion) yet abhorre it not, neither ceasse they dayly to crucifie and offer him vp agayne, which was once for e∣uer and all offred as Paule testifieth. And euen here, sith Christ came to teache, to take away all doubt, and to breake strife, he might (his wordes o∣therwise declared, then he hath & will here after expounde them) haue solu∣ted their question: saying, if he had so ment as More meaneth, that he would haue bene conuayed and conuersed (as our iugglers sleighly can conuaye him with a few woordes) into a singyng loafe: or els (as the Thomisticall Pa∣pistes * 1.58 say) bene inuisible with all his dimensioned body vnder the fourme of bread transubstantiated into it. And after a like Thomisticall mystery, the wyne transubstantiated to, into hys bloud so that they should eate his flesh and drinke his bloud after their owne carnall vnderstanding, but yet in an o∣ther

forme, to put away all grudge of stomacke. Or sith S. Iohn (if he had vnderstode his maisters minde, and tooke vpon hym to write his wordes) would leaue this Sermon vnto the world to be read: he might now haue deliuered vs and them frō this doubt. But Christ would not so satisfie theyr question: but aunswered. Ʋerely vere∣ly I say vnto you: except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud, ye shall not haue that life in your selues. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud, hath lyfe euer∣lasting: * 1.59 and I shall styrre him vp in the last day: for my flesh is very meate and my bloud the very drinke. He saith not here that bread shalbe transubstancia∣ted or conuerted into his body, nor yet the wyne into his bloud. But now cō∣ferre this saying to his purpose at the begynnyng: where he had them worke for that meate that should neuer perish tellyng them, that to beleue in hym whom God hath sent, was the worke of God. And who so beleueth in hym should neuer thyrst nor hunger, but haue lyfe euerlastyng. Conferre also * 1.60 this that foloweth and then shalt see it playne, that his wordes be vnderstand spiritually of the belefe in his flesh cru∣cified, and his bloud shed, for which be∣lefe we bee promised euerlastyng lyfe: hym selfe, saying. Who so beleueth in me hath life euerlastyng. Here therfore their questiō (how may this man giue vs his flesh to eate it) is soluted: euen when he gaue his body to be broken, & his bloud to be shed. And we eate and drinke it in deede, whē we beleue sted∣fastly that hee dyed for the remission of our sinnes: Austen and Tertullian to witnesse.

But here maketh More his argu∣ment agaynst the young man. Because the Iewes maruelle•• at this saying: My flesh is very meate, and my bloud drinke. And not at this: I am the dore, and the very vyne: therefore this text (sayth he) My flesh is &c. must be vn∣derstand after the litterall sence, that is to wirte: euē as the carnall Iewes vn∣derstode it, murmuring at it, beyng of∣fended, goyng their wayes frō Christ, for their so carnall vnderstandyng ther¦of. And the other textes. I am the dore. * 1.61 &c. must be vnderstand in an Allegory and spituall sence, because his hearers maruelled nothyng at the maner of the speach. Loe Christen Reader, here hast thou not a ••ast: but a great tunne full of Mores mischief and pernicious per∣uertyng of Gods holy worde: and as thou seist him here falsely & pestilently destroy the pure sence of Gods worde, so doth hee in all other places of hys bookes. First where he sayth they mar¦ueiled at this Christes saying. My flesh is very meate. &c. that is not so, neither is there any such worde in the text, ex∣cept * 1.62 More will expounde Murmurabant, idest, mirabantur, they murmured, that is to say, they marueiled, as he expoū∣deth. Oportet, idest, expedit & conuenit. He must dye, or it behoueth him to dye, that is to say, it was expedient and of good cōgruence that he should dye. &c. Thus this Poete may make a man to signifie an Asse, & blacke white to blere the simple eyes. But yet for his Lordly * 1.63 pleasure, let vs graunt him that, they murmured, is as much to say, as they meruayled: because perchaunce the one may folow at the other. And then do I aske him: whether Christes Disciples and his Apostles heard ••im not, & vn∣derstode him not when he sayd. I am the doore and the vyne: and when hee sayd. My flesh. &c. If he say no, or nay: * 1.64 the Scripture is playne agaynst him. If he say yea, or yes: then yea doe I aske hym whether his Disciples and Apostles thus hearyng and vnderstan¦dyng hys woordes in all these three Chapters wondered and meruayled (as More sayth) or murmu••ed (as hath the text) at their maisters speech? What thinke ye, More must aunswere here? Here may ye see whether this old holy vpholder of the Popes Churche is brought: euen to be taken in his owne trappe. For the Disciples and his Apo¦stles * 1.65 neither murmured, nor mer••ay∣led, nor yet were offended w^t this their maister Christes wordes and maner of speech: for they w•…•…ain∣ted with such ph•…•…red their maister Christ when h•• •…•…e, will ye also go hence fr••me▪ Lord sayd they to whom shall we goe? thou hast the wordes of euerlastyng ly••e: and we beleue that thou ar•…•… sonne of the liuyng God. Lo M. More, they nei∣ther meruailed, nor murmured. And * 1.66 why? For because as ye say the•• vn∣derstode i•• in an Allegory 〈◊〉〈◊〉, ••••d perceiued well that hee meant not of hys materiall ••ody to bee eaten with their teeth, but he meant 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of him selfe to be beleued, to be very God and ve∣ry man hauing flesh and bloud as they had, and yet was he ••he sonne of the li∣uyng God. This belefe gathered they of all hys spirituall sayinges as hym

selfe expounded his own wordes, say∣ing. My flesh profiteth nothyng, mea∣nyng, to be eaten: but it is the spirite that giueth this life. And the wordes that I speake vnto you are spirite and lyfe: so that who so beleue my flesh to be crucified and broken, and my bloud to be shed for his sinnes, he eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud, and hath lyfe euerlastyng. And this is the lyfe * 1.67 wherewith the righteous lyue, euen by fayth.

The second argument of More.

AFter this text thus wisely proued to be vnderstand in the litterall sence, with carnall Iewes, and not in the Allegorike or spirituall sense with Christ & his Apostles: the whole sūme of Mores confutation of the young mā standeth vpon this Argument. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Posse ad Esse. That is to witte, God may do it, Erg••, it is done Christ may make his body in many, or in all places at once, Ergo, it is in many or in all places at once. Which maner of argumentation, how false and naught it is euery sophi¦ster, and euery man that hath witte per¦ceiueth. A like argument. God may * 1.68 shew More the truth and call him to re∣pentaunce, as he did Paul for persecu∣tyng his Church: Ergo, More is conuer∣ted to God. Or, God may let him run of an indurate hart with Pharao, and at last take an open and soden venge∣aunce vppon him for persecutyng hys worde, and burnyng his poore mem∣bers: Ergo, it is done already. M. More * 1.69 must firste proue it vs by expresse wordes of holy Scripture, and not by hys owne vnwritten dreames, that Christes body is in many places, or in all places at once: and then though our reason can not reach it, yet our fayth measured and directed with the worde of fayth will both reach it, receiue it, and hold it fast to: not because it is pos∣sible to God, and impossible to reason: but bicause the written woorde of our fayth sayth it. But whē we read Gods wordes in mo then xx. places contra∣ry, that his body should be here. More must giue vs leue to beleue his vnwrit¦ten vanities (verities I should say) at laysure. Here mayst thou see Christen reader wherefore More would so fayne make thee beleue, that the Apostles left out certeine thynges vnwritten, of ne∣cessitie to be beleued, euē to stablish the Popes kyngdome, which standeth of Mores vnwritten vanities. As of the presence of Christes body and makyng therof in the bread. Of Purgatory, of inuocation of Saintes, worshyppyng of stones and stockes, pilgrimages, ha¦lowyng of bowes and belles, and cre∣pyng to the crosse &c. If ye will beleue what so euer More can fayne without the Scripture: then cā this Poete faine you an other Church thē Christes, and * 1.70 that ye must beleue it what so euer it teacheth you, for he hath fained to that, it cā not erre, though ye see it erre and fight agaynst it selfe a thousand rymes. Yea if it tell you blacke is white, good is bad, and the deuill is God: yet must ye beleue it, or els be burned as here∣tikes. But let vs returne to our pur∣pose.

To dispute of Gods almighty abso∣lute * 1.71 power, what God may do with his body, it is great folie and no lesse presumption to More, sith the Pope whiche is no whole God but halfe a God by their owne decrees haue de∣creed, no man to dispute of his power. But Christen Reader be thou content to know that Gods wil, his word, and his power be all one and repugne not. And neither willeth he, nor may not do any thing includyng repugnaunce, imperfection, or that should derogate, minish or hurt his glory & his name. The glory of his Godhead is to bee present and to fill all places at once es∣sencially presently with his almightie power, which glory is denyed to any other creature, him selfe saying by his Prophet: I will not giue my glory to * 1.72 any other creature: now therfore syth his māhead is a creature, it cā not haue this glory onely whiche is appropried to the Godhead. To attribute to his manhode that propertie whiche onely is appropried to hys Godhead is to confounde both the natures of Christ. What thing so euer, is euery where af∣ter the sayd maner, that must nedes be infinite, without begynnyng and end, it must be one alone, and almightie: whiche properties onely are appro∣pried * 1.73 vnto the glorious maiestie of the Godhead. Wherefore Christes body may not be in all or in many places at once. Christ him selfe saying as concer∣ning his manhoo••. He is lesse then the father, but as touchyng his Godhead, the father & I be both one thyng. And Paule recityng the Psalme affirmeth: Christ as concernyng his manhode to be lesse then God: or lesse then aungels as some text hath it? Here it is playne that all thinges that More imagineth & fayneth are not possible to God, for it

is not possible for God to make acrea∣ture equall vnto him selfe, for it inclu∣deth repugnaūce & derogateth his glo¦ry. God promised & swore that all na∣tions should be blessed in the death of that promised seede which was Christ. God had determined and decreed it be¦fore the world was made: Ergo, Christ must needes haue dyed, and not to ex∣poūde this word Oportet, as More myn∣seth it. For it was so necessary that the contrary was impossible, except More would make God a lyer, which is im∣possible. Paule concludeth that Christ * 1.74 must nedes haue dyed, vsyng this La∣tine terme Necesse. Saying: where so e∣uer * 1.75 is a Testamēt, there must the death of the Testament maker go betwene: or els the Testament is not ratified & sure, but righteousnes and remission of sinnes in Christes bloud is his new Testament, whereof he is mediatour: Ergo, the Testament maker must nedes haue died. Wrest not therfore (M. More) this word Oportet (though ye finde Po∣test for Oportet in some corrupt copy) vn¦to your vnsauery sence. But let Oportet signifie, he must or it behoueth hym to dye. For he tooke our very mortall na∣ture for y^e same decreed coūcel: himselfe saying. Oportet exaltari filium hominis. &c. * 1.76 It behoueth, that the sonne of mā must dye, that euery one that beleueth in him perish not &c. Here may ye see al∣so y^t it is impossible for God to breake his promise. It is impossible to God * 1.77 which is that veritie, to be found con∣trary in his deedes and wordes: as to saue them whom he hath damned, or to damne them whom hee hath saued, wherefore all thynges imagined of M. Mores brayne are not possible to God.

And when More sayth, that Christ had power to let his lyfe and to take it agayne, & therfore not to haue dyed of necessitie: I wōder me, that his schole∣maister here sayled him, so cunnyng as he maketh him selfe therin: which graū¦teth and affirmeth (as true it is) that with the necessary decreed woorkes of Gods forsight and prouidence stādeth right wel his free libertie. But M. More * 1.78 sayth at last, if God would cell me that hee would make ech of both their bo∣dyes two (meanyng the young mans body and his) to be in fiften places at once, I would beleue him, that he wer¦able to make his wordes true in the bo¦dies of both twayne, and neuer would I so much as aske hym whether hee would glorifie them both first or not: but I am sure glorified or vnglorified, if he sayd it, he is able to do it. ••o here may ye see what a ••eruēt fayth this old man hath, and what an earnest mynde to beleue Christes woordes if hee had told him: but I pray you M. More, what and if Christ neuer told it you, nor said it, nor neuer would: would ye not be as hasty not to beleue it? If he told it you: I praye you tell vs where you spake with hym, and who was by to beare ye recorde: and if you bryng as false a shrew as your selfe to testify this thyng: yet by your own doctrine, must ye make vs a miracle to confirme your tale, ere we be bound to beleue you: or yet to admit this your argument, God may make his body in many places at once, Ergo, it is so. Syr ye be to busie * 1.79 with Gods almighty power, and haue taken to great a burden vppon your weake shoulders, ye haue ouerladen your selfe with your own harnesse and weapons: and young Dauid is likely to preuayle agaynst you with his sling and stone. God hath infatuated your high subtill wisedome. Your crafty con¦ueyaunce is spyed. God hath sent your Church a mete couer for such a cup, euē such a defender as ye take vppon your selfe to be, that shall let all theyr whole cause fall flatte in the myer vnto both your shames and vtter cōfusion. God therfore be praysed euer. Amen.

Then sayth M. More, though it se∣meth repugnaunt both to him & to me, one body to bee in two places at once: yet God seeth how to make them stand together well inough. This man with * 1.80 his old eyen & spectacles seeth farre in Gods sight, and is of his preuey Coun¦cel: that knoweth belike by some secret reuelation how God seeth one body to be in many places at once, includyng no repugnaunce. For worde hath hee none for him in all Scripture no more thē one body to be in al places at once. It implyeth first repugnaunce to my * 1.81 sight and reason, that all this world should be made of nothyng: and that a virgin should bryng forth a child. But yet, when I see it written with the wordes of my faith, which God spake: and brought it so to passe: thē implyeth it no repugnaunce to me at all. For my fayth reacheth it and receiueth it sted∣fastly. For I know y^t voyce of my herd man: whiche if he sayd in any place of Scripture that his body should haue ben cōtained vnder the forme of bread & so many places at once here, in earth, and also abidyng yet still in heauen to. Ʋerely I would haue beleued him, as

soone and as firmely as M. More. And * 1.82 therfore euen yet, if he can shew vs but one sentence truly taken for his part, as we cā do many for the contrary, we must giue place. For, as for his vnwrit¦tē verities, & the authority of his Anti∣christes sinagoge, vnto which (y^t scrip∣ture forsaken) hee is now at last with shame inough cōpelled to flee: they be proued starke lyes and very deuelry.

Then sayth hee, that ye wot well that many good folke haue vsed in this matter many good fruitefull examples of Gods other workes: not onely mi∣racles, writtē in Scripture. Vnde versus? (where one I pray ye?) but also done by the commō course of nature here in earth. If they be done by the common * 1.83 course of nature, so be they no mira∣cles. And some thynges made also by mans hand. As one face beholded in diuers glasses: and euery peece of one glasse broken into twenty. &c. Lorde how this ponti••icall Poete playeth his part. Bicause (as he saith) we see many faces in many glasses: therefore may one body be in many places, as though euery shadow and similitude represen∣ting the body, were a bodely substaūce. But I aske More, when hee seeth hys owne face in so many glasses, whether all those faces that appeare in the glas∣ses be his owne very faces hauing bo∣dely substaunce, skynne, fleshe & bone, as hath that face, which hath his very mouth nose eyen &c. wherewith he fa∣ceth vs out the truth thus falsely with lyes? And if they be all his very faces, * 1.84 then in very deede there is one body in many places, and he him selfe beareth as many faces in one hode. But accor∣dyng to his purpose, euē as they be no very faces, nor those so many voyces, sownes and similitudes, multiplied in the ayre, betwene the glasses or other obiect & the body (as the Philosopher proueth by naturall reason) be no very bodyes: no more is it Christes very body: as they would make thee beleue in the bread, in so many places at once. But the bread broken and eaten in the Supper monisheth and putteth vs in * 1.85 remembraunce of his death, and so ex∣citeth vs to thankes giuyng to lande and prayse: for the benefite of our re∣demption, and thus wee there haue Christ present in the inward eye and sight of our fayth. We eate his body and drinke hys bloud, that is, we be∣leue surely that hys bodye was cruci∣fied for our sinnes and hys bloud shed for our saluation.

At last note (Christen reader) that M. More in the third booke of his con∣futation of Tyndall the. CCxlix side, to proue S. Iohns Gospell vnperfit and insufficient (for leauing out of so neces∣sary a point of our faith, as he calleth the last Supper of Christ his Maūdy) sayth, that Iohn speake nothyng at all * 1.86 of this Sacramēt. And now see againe in these his letters agaynst Frith, how him selfe bringeth in Iohn the vj. chap. to impugne Frithes writyng, and to make all for the Sacrament, euē thus. My flesh is verely meate, & my bloud drinke. Belike the man had there ouer shotte hym selfe foule: the young man here causing him to put on his specta∣cles and poore better and more wisely with his old eyen vpō S. Iohns Gos∣pel to finde that thing there now writ∣ten, which before he would haue made one of his vnwritten verities. As yet if he looke narowly hee shall espy that him self hath proued vs by Scripture, in the xxxvij. leafe of his Dialogue of quoth he and quoth I, our Ladies per¦petuall virginitie expoundyng non co∣g••osco, id est, non cognoscam, whiche now written vnwritten veritie hee numbe∣reth a litle before among his vnwrittē vanities. Thus may ye see how this * 1.87 old holy vpholder of the popes church, hys woordes fight agaynst him selfe into his own confusion, in findyng vs forth his vnwritten written vanities, verities I should say. But returne we vnto the exposition of S. Iohn.

When the Iewes would not vnder∣stand the spirituall saying of the eating of Christes flesh and drinkyng of hys bloud, so oft and so playnely declared: he gaue them a strong stripe and made them more blynd, for they so deserued it (such are the secrete iudgementes of God) addyng vnto all hys sayinges thus, who so eateth my flesh and drin∣keth my bloud: abideth in me and I in him. These wordes were spoken vnto these vnbeleuers into their farther ob∣stinatiō, but vnto the faithfull for theyr better instruction. Now gather of this the contrary, & say, who so eateth not my fleshe and drinketh not my bloud: abydeth not in me, nor I in him, and ioyne this to the foresayd sentence. Ex∣cept * 1.88 ye eate the flesh of the sonne of mā, & drinke hys bloud, ye haue no lyfe in you, let it neuer fal frō thy minde (Chri¦sten reader) that faith is the lyfe of the * 1.89 righteous, and that Christ is this ly∣uyng bread whom thou eatest, that is to say, in whō thou beleuest. For if our

Papistes take eatyng & drinkyng here bodely, as to eate the naturall body of Christ vnder the forme of bread, and to drinke hys bloud vnder the forme of wyne: thē must all young children that neuer came to Gods borde departed, & all laye men that neuer drancke hys * 1.90 bloud be damned. By loue we abyde in God and hee in vs, loue foloweth faith in the order of our vnderstanding and not in order of succession of tyme, if thou lookest vpon the selfe giftes and not on their fruites. So that principal∣ly by faith, wherby we cleaue to Gods goodnes and mercy, we abide in God, and God in vs, as declare his wordes folowyng, saying, as the liuyng father * 1.91 sent me, so liue I by my father. And e∣uen so he that eateth me shall lyue by∣cause of me, or for my sake. My father sent me whose will in all thinges I o∣bey, for I am his sonne. And euen so¦verely must they that eate me, that is beleue in me, forme and fashion them after my exāple mortifying their flesh chaunging their liuing: or els they eate me in vayne and dissemble theyr belief. For I am not come to redeme y^t world onely, but also to chaunge theyr lyfe. * 1.92 They therefore that beleue in me shall trāsforme their life after my example & doctrine, & not after any mans tradi∣tiōs. This is the bread y^t came frō hea∣uē, as the effect it selfe declareth, whō who so eateth shall lyue euer. But he y^t eateth bodely bread lyueth not euer, as ye may see of your fathers y^t eate Mā∣na, & yet are they dead. It is not ther∣fore any materiall bread nor bodely foode that may geue you life eternall.

These wordes did not onely offende them that hated Christ, but also some of hys Disciples. They were offended (sayd the text) and not merueyled as More trifleth out the truth) which said. This is an hard saying: who may here this? These Disciples yet stoke no lesse in Christes visible fleshe, and in the barke of his wordes, then did the other Iewes: and as doth now More, bele∣uing him to haue had spoken of his na¦turall body to be eaten with their teth. Which offence Christ seyng, sayd: doth * 1.93 this offend you, what then will ye say, if ye see the sonne of mā ascend thether where he was before? If it offend you to eate my flesh while I am here, it shal much more offend you to eate it when my body shalbe gone out of your sight, ascended into heauen there sittyng on the right hand of my father vntill I come again, as I wēt, that is to iudge∣ment. Here might Christ haue instru∣cted his disciples in the truth of the ea∣tyng of his flesh in forme of bread, had this ben his meaning. For he left them neuer in any perplexitie or doubt: but sought all the wayes by similitudes & familiar exāples to teath them playn∣ly. He neuer spake them so hard a pa∣rable, but where he perceiued their ••e∣ble ignoraunce, anone he helpte them and declared it them. Yea and some∣tymes he preuented their askyng with his owne declaration, & thinke ye that he did not so here? yes verely. For he came to teach vs, and not to leaue vs in any doubt and ignoraunce, especial∣ly in the chief pointe of our saluation, which stādeth in the belefe in his death for our sinnes. Wherefore, to put them out of all doubt as concerning this ea∣tyng of his flesh, and drinkyng of hys bloud, that should giue euerlastyng lyfe: where they tooke it for his very body to be eaten with their teeth: hee sayd. It is the spirite that giueth this * 1.94 lyfe, my flesh profiteth nothyng at all, to be eaten as ye meane so carnally. It is spirituall meate that I heare speake of. It is my spirite that draweth the hartes of men to me by faith and so re∣fresheth them ghostly. Ye be therefore carnall, to thinke that I speake of my flesh to be eaten bodely, for so it profi∣teth you nothing at all. How long will ye be without vnderstādyng? It is my spirite I tell you that giueth lyfe. My fleshe profiteth you nothyng to eate it: but to beleue that it shalbe crucified & suffer for the redemption of the world it profiteth. And when ye thus beleue, then eate ye my fleshe and drinke my bloud, that is, ye beleue in me to suffer for your sinnes. The veritie hath spo∣ken these woordes. My flesh profiteth nothyng at all: it can not therefore be false. For both the Iewes and his Di∣sciples murmured and disputed of hys flesh how it should be eaten, and not of the offeryng thereof for our sinnes as Christ ment. This therfore is the sure anker to hold vs by agaynst all the ob∣iections of the Papistes for the eatyng of Christes body (as they say) in forme of bread. Christ sayd: My flesh profi∣teth * 1.95 nothyng: meaning to eate it bode∣ly. This is the key that solueth al their argumentes and openeth the way to shewe vs all their false and abhomina∣ble blasphemous lyes vppon Christes wordes, and vttereth their sleigh iug∣gling ouer the bread to mainteine An∣tichristes kyngdome therewith. And

thus when Christ had declared it and taught them that it was not the bodely eatyng of his materiall body: but the eatyng with the spirite of fayth: he ad∣ded saying. The wordes which I here * 1.96 speake vnto you are spirite and lyfe. That is to say, this matter that I here haue spoken of with so many wordes must be spiritually vnderstand, to giue you this life euerlastyng. Wherfore the cause why ye vnderstād me not is, that ye beleue not. Here is lo the conclusion of all this Sermon. Christ very God and man, had set his flesh before them to be receiued with fayth that it should be broken & suffer for their sinnes, but they could not eate it spiritually, by∣cause they beleued not in him. Where∣fore many of his Disciples fell frō him & walked no more with him. And then he sayd to the twelue. Will ye go away to? And Symon Peter aunswered: Lord, to whom shal we go? Thou hast the wordes of euerlastyng life, and we beleue and are sure, that thou art Christ the sonne of the liuyng God. Here is it manifest what Peter and his felowes vnderstode by this eatyng and drin∣kyng of Christ. For they were perfitely taught that it stode all in the belefe in Christ as their aūswere here testifieth. If this matter had stand vpon so deepe a miracle, as our Papistes fayne with∣out any word of God, not comprehen∣ded vnder any of their common senses, that they should eate hys body beyng vnder the forme of bread as long, depe, thicke, and as brode as it hanged vpon the crosse, they beyng yet but feble of fayth, not confirmed with the holy ghost, must here nedes haue wounde∣red, stoned and staggerde, & haue bene more inquisitiue in and of so straunge * 1.97 a matter then they were. But they nei∣ther doubted nor marueiled nor mur∣mured, nor were any thyng offended with this maner of spech, as were y^t o∣ther that slipt away, but they aunswe∣red firmely. Thou hast the woordes of euerlastyng lyfe: and we beleue. &c. Now to the exposition of the woordes of our Lordes Supper.

Among the holy Euangelistes, wri∣tyng the story of Christes Supper: Iohn bicause the other three had writ∣ten it at large, did but make a mention thereof in his. xiij. Chapter Mathew, * 1.98 Marke and Luke declaryng it clerely, orderly & with iust number of wordes. With whom Paule agreeth, thus wri∣tyng vnto the Corinthians. Our Lord * 1.99 Iesus, y^• ••ame night he was betrayed: he tooke the bread, and after he had gi∣uen thankes: he brake it, saying: Take ye it, eate it. This is my body, whiche is for you brokē. Here is now to be no¦ted the order of this action or act. First * 1.100 Christ tooke the bread in his hādes, se∣condaryly he gaue thankes, thirdly he brake it: fourthly he taught it them say¦ing, take it, fiftly he had them eate it. At last after all this hee sayd. This is my body which is for you broken, this thyng do ye into the remembraunce of me. Here ye see, y^t this bread was first broken deliuered them, and they were cōmaūded to eate it to: ere Christ sayd. This is my body. And for bicause it is to suppose verely, y^• they tooke it at his hād as he had them, and dyd eate it to, when they had it in their handes their master (whose wordes they did euer o∣bey) cōmmaūding thē. It must needes folow (if these be the wordes of the cō∣secratiō) that they were houseled with vnconsecrated bread, or els now eaten, or at lest wise part of it, ere Christ con∣secrated it, yea it foloweth that it was out of Christes handes and in they•• mouthes when Christ consecrated it, & so to haue consecrated it whē it was now in his disciples handes or in their mouthes or rather in theyr bellyes.

Here it is manifest that Christ con∣secrated * 1.101 no bread, but deliuered it to his Disciples, and bad them eate it. In somuch that S. Thomas their owne Doctour, that made their transubstan∣tiation cōfesseth that some there were, that sayd that Christ did first consecrate with other woordes, ere he now rea∣chyng the bread to his Disciples sayd. This is my body. &c. And yet calleth he it no heresie so to say. Now sith in all this acte and Supper, there bee no woordes of consecration, but of the deliueryng of the bread broken after thankes giuyng with a commaunde∣ment to eate it: bryng vs your wordes of cōsecration, and shewe vs by what woordes God promised you and gaue you power to make his body. There is neither commaundement, nor yet any wordes left in all the Scripture to * 1.102 make or to consecrate Christes body, to bryng it into the bread. But there be the wordes of God left in the first chap¦ter of Genesis, wherby he made all the world: with whiche wordes, all be it we yet haue them: yet is it denyed vs to make that thyng that he made with thē. Now, sith we hauyng his wordes of the creation, can not yet make any new creature of nothyng: how then

shall we without any wordes of con∣secration and makyng, make the ma∣ker of all thynges?

Vnto this action or supper or deli∣ueraūce of the bread, he added a reason and signification of this signe or Sa∣crament, and what also is the vse ther∣of: * 1.103 as though any should aske thē ther∣after: what Sacrament, Religion, or rite is this? They should aunswere e∣uen in a like maner of spech as it was cōmaunded their fathers to make aun∣swere to their children at the eatyng of the old passeouer, wherof this new pas¦seouer was the veritie, and that the fi∣gure, saying. When your children aske you what Religion is this? ye shal aū∣swere them. It is the sacrifice of the passyng by of the Lord. &c. Lo here the * 1.104 lambe that signified, and did put them in remembraunce of that passing by in Egypt (the Israelites spared, and the Egyptians smitten) was called in like phrase the selfe thyng that it represen∣ted, signified, and did put them in re∣membraunce of: none otherwise then if Christes Disciples, or any man els, seyng in that Supper, the bread taken, thankes giuen, the bread broken, di∣stributed and eaten: should haue asked hym. What Sacrament or religion is this? He had to aunswere them that Christ sayd. This is my body whiche is for you broken. This thyng do ye * 1.105 in remembraunce of me, that is to say, so oft as ye celebrate this Supper, giue thankes to me for your redempciō. In which aūswere he calleth the outward sensible signe or Sacramēt, that is the bread with all the other action, euen the same thyng that it signifieth, repre∣senteth, and putteth such eaters of the Lordes Supper in remembraunce of. For when he sayd, which is broken for you, euery one of them saw that then it was not his body, that was there bro∣ken: but the bread for as yet he had not suffered, but the bread broken was de∣nided in peeces euery one of the twelue takyng and eatyng a peece before hee sayd. This is my body. &c.

Now sith M. More will sticke so fast in his litteral sense vpon these wordes. This is my body. &c. Then do I aske * 1.106 hym, what thyng hee sheweth vs by this first worde and pronoune demon∣stratiue Hoc, in Englishe (this.) If ye shew vs thē bread: so is the bread Chri¦stes body, and Christes body the bread, which saying in the litterall sense is an hygh heresie after them. And for this saying they burned the Lord Cobham Also I aske whether Christ speakyng these wordes. This is my body. &c. had then the bread in his hands wherwith he houseled his Disciples or no? That he had it not, but had now deliuered it them: and had commaunded them to eate it to, the order and woordes of the text playnly proue it, as is declared be∣fore. * 1.107 And S. Marke telleth the story also in this order. The cuppe taken in his handes, after he had giuen thākes, he gaue it them, & they all dranke ther∣of. And he sayd to them. This is my bloud of the new Testament: which is shed for many. Here it is manifest that * 1.108 they had all dronken therof first ere he said the wordes of consecration (if they be the wordes of any cōsecration.) Be∣sides this: if ye be so sworne to the lit∣terall sense in this matter, that ye will not in these woordes of Christ. This is my body. &c. admitte in so playne a speche any trope (for allegory there is none, if ye knew the proper difference of them both, whiche euery Gramma∣rian can teach you) thē do I lay before your old eyen and spectacles to, Chri∣stes wordes spoken of the cup both in * 1.109 Luke and Paul saying: this cup is the newe Testament through my bloude * 1.110 which is shed for you. Here Christ cal∣leth the wyne in the cup the selfe cuppe whiche euery man knoweth is not the wyne. Also hee calleth the cuppe the new Testament, and yet was not the cup nor yet the wyne conteined therin the new Testament, and yet calleth it the new Testament established & con∣firmed with his bloud here ye see hee called not the cuppe his bloud but the Testament. Where is now your litte∣rall sense that ye would ••o fayne frame for your Papistes pleasure? If ye will so sore sticke to the letter: why do your faction leaue here the plaine letter: say∣ing that the letter slayth: goyng about the bush with this exposition and cir∣cumlocution, expoundyng. This is my * 1.111 body, that is to say, this is conuerted & turned into my body, & this bread is transubstantiated into my body? How farre lo, M. More is this your straunge Thomisticall sense from the flat letter? If ye be so addictt to the letter, why fray ye the commō people from the lit∣teral sense with this bugge, tellyng thē the letter slayeth? but there is neither letter nor spirite that may bridle nor hold your stiffe necked heades.

Also ye shall vnderstand that Christ * 1.112 rebuked the Iewes for theyr litterall sense and carnall vnderstandyng of his

spirituall woordes, saying: My flesh profiteth you nothyng at all to eate it. &c. And their litteral takyng of his spi∣rituall woordes was the cause of their murmure. &c. For euen there (as also lyke in other places) to eate Christes flesh. &c. after the common phrase of the Scripture, is not els, thē to beleue that Christ suffered death, & shed his bloud for vs. Read ye Paul. Our fathers did * 1.113 all eate the same spirituall meate and drinke the same spirituall drinke that * 1.114 we now eate & drinke: Here I thinke M. More must leaue his litterall sence & materiall meate, or els deny Paul, and deny to that our fathers did eate Christ and drinke his bloud, whiche all here Paule sayth, for to eate and to drinke this spirituall meate and drinke, was as him selfe declareth to eate & drinke Christ. They dranke of the stone (sayth * 1.115 Paule) that went with them. Whiche stone was Christe. And we eate and drinke the very same stone. Whiche is nothyng els, then to beleue in Christ. They beleued in Christ to come, & we beleue in him comē, and to haue suffe∣red, where is now thinke ye M. Mores litterall sense for the eatyng of Christes material body? Our fathers were one, and the same Church with vs, vnder the same Testament and promise, and euen of the same fayth in Christ. And euen as they eate him and dranke his bloud euen the same spirituall meate & drinke that we do eate and drinke: so do we now in the same faith. For what elles was signified by this maner of spech, our fathers did eate and drinke Christ, then that they beleued in Christ * 1.116 to bee incarnated and to suffer death? what els meant the poore woman of Lanane by eating, then to beleue? whē she aunswered Christ, saying. Ye say soth my Lorde. But yet doe the little whelpes eate of the crummes that fall from their maisters table. This dyd * 1.117 she aunswere in an allegory accordyng to Christes first aunswere vnto her, she meanyng by y^t eatyng of the crummes, the belief of his woordes and Gospell to be scattered among the Gentils as Christ aunsweryng, cōfirmed her mea∣nyng, saying: O woman great is thy fayth. He sayd not, thou art a great ea∣ter and deuourer of bread. Here it is playne that to eate in the Scripture is taken to beleue: as Christ him selfe ex∣poundeth * 1.118 it, so oft, and so plentuously. And I am here compelled to inculke & iterate it with so many wordes, to satis¦fie (if it were possible) this carnall flesh¦vowerer and fleshly Iew.

Now to examine and to discusse this * 1.119 matter more depely & playnly. I shall compare the old passeouer, with the new and supper of the Lord. And to shew you how the figures correspond their verities: I will begyn my compa¦rison at Baptisme comparyng it with * 1.120 the Lordes Supper, which be the two Sacramentes left vs now vnder the grace of the Gospell. And afterward (to set foorth both these Sacramentes playnly) I wil compare Circumcision with Baptisme: & the passe lambe with Christes Supper.

We (by Baptisme) as we testified vn * 1.121 to the congregation our entryng into the body of Christ (take here Christes body, as doth Paule for his congrega∣tion) to dye, to be buried, and to ryse with him, to mortifie our flesh, and to be reuiued in spirite, to cast of the old man, and to do vpon vs the new: euen * 1.122 so, by the thankes giuyng (for so did the old Greke doctours cal this Sup∣per) at Gods bourde, or at the Lordes Supper (for so doth Paule call it) we testifie the vnitie and communion of our hartes, glued vnto the whole body of Christ in loue: yea and that such loue as Christ at this, his last Supper ex∣pressed: what tyme he sayd, his body should be broken, and his bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes. And to be short. As Baptisme is the badge of our fayth, so is the Lordes Supper the * 1.123 token of our loue to God & our neigh∣bours: where vppon standeth the law and the Prophetes. For the end of the precept, is loue out of a pure hart, and good conscience and fayth vnfayned. So that by baptisme we be initiated & cōsigned vnto the worship of one God in one fayth: And by the same faith and loue at the Lordes Supper, we shew our selues to cōtinue in our possession, to bee incorporated and to be the very members of Christes body.

Both these Sacramentes were fi∣gured * 1.124 in Moyses law. Baptisme was figured by Circumcision: & the Lordes Supper, by the eatyng of the passe∣lambe. Where lyke as by Circumcisiō, the people of Israell were rekened to be Gods people, seueral from the Gē∣tiles, so be we now by Baptisme reke∣ned to bee consigned vnto Christes Church seuerall frō Iewes, paynyms &c. And as their passeouer, that is to say, their solēne feast yearely in eatyng their passelambe, was an outward to∣ken of their perseueraunce in their re∣ligion,

and in remembraunce of their passage out of Egypt into the lande of Chanaan: so is now the eatyng of the Lordes Supper (whiche Christ and * 1.125 Paule called our passeouer) a token of our perseueraunce in our Christen pro¦fession at Baptisme: and also thankes giuyng with that ioyfull remēbraunce of our redemption frō sinne, death, and * 1.126 hell by Christes death. Of the figure of this Supper: our new passeouer: thus it is written. After ye be entred into that land, whiche the Lord God shall giue you accordyng to his promise: ye shall kepe this ceremonie. And when your children aske you what Religion is this? ye shall aunswere them. It is the sacrifice of the passyng ouer of the Lord, when the Lord passed foorth by the houses of the children of Israell in Egypt, smityng the Egyptiās and de∣liuering our houses. This eatyng ther¦fore of the passe lambe was the figure of the Lordes Supper▪ whiche figure when the houre was come y^• he would it to ceasse and giue place vnto the ve∣ritie, as the shadow to vanish away at the presence of the body: He sayd thus, with a feruent desire do I long to eate * 1.127 this passeouer with you ere I suffer.

Agayne, let vs compare the figure with the truth, the old passeouer with the new, and diligētly consider the pro¦pertie of speakyng, in and of either of thē. Let vs expende the succession, imi∣tation, * 1.128 and tyme, how the new succe∣ding the old mediatour Christ betwen both sitting at the Supper celebrating both with his presence: did put out the old and bryng in the new. For there is in either of them such like composition of wordes, such affinitie and proportiō of spech, such similitude and propertie in them both, the new so correspōdyng in all thynges to the old, that the old declareth the new, what is it, wherfore it was instituted, and what is the very vse therof. And to begyn at Circumci∣sion * 1.129 the figure of Baptisme, ye shall vn derstand, that in such rites and Sacra∣mētes there are two thinges to be con∣sidered, that is to wit. The thyng, and the signe and of thyng. The thynge is it wherfore the signe is instituted to si∣gnifie it: as in Circumcision, the thyng is the couenaunt to be of the people of God, and the signe is, the cuttyng of the foreskinne of the preuy mēber. In the passeouer, the thing was, the remē∣braunce with thankes giuyng for the deliueraunce out of the hard seruitude of Egypt: but the signe was, the lambe rosted with such ceremonies as were there prescribed them. So in baptisme: * 1.130 The thyng is, the promise to be of the Church of Christ: the signe is, the dip∣pyng into the water with the holy wordes. In our Lordes Supper, the very thing is Christ promised and cru∣cified, and of faith with thankes giuing vnto the father for his sonne giuen to suffer for vs. But the signe is, the dea∣lyng and distributing or reaching forth of the bread and wyne, with the holy wordes of our Lord spoken at his sup∣per, after he had thus dealt the bread & wyne, vnto his Disciples.

And here is it diligently to be noted: * 1.131 That in all such rites, ceremonies, or Sacramentes of God thus instituted: these two thinges (that is to witte the thyng signified, and the signe that sig∣nifieth) be concurraunt and insepara∣ble. It is the common vse and proper∣tie of spech in the Scripture, to call the signe, the thyng. As is Circumcision called the couenaunt. Euery manchild * 1.132 must be circumcised that my couenaunt might be in your flesh for a perpetuall bande. And yet was it onely but the outward signe & seale of the couenaūt, that the sede of Abraham should be his especial chosen people, & that he would be their God. The lambe, that was * 1.133 but the signe, was called the passeouer: and yet was not the lambe the passyng ouer, but the signe onely excityng and monishing them to remember that de∣liueraūce by the aungell pasling by the Israelites in Egypt, sinityng the E∣gyptians. And sith this trope or ma∣ner of spech the Scripture did vse with so great grace in the old rites and cere∣monies that figured our Sacramētes: why may it not with like grace, for that analogie and proper congruence of the figures with their verities, vse the same phrase and maner of spech in their verities? If the Scripture called the * 1.134 signe the thyng in Circumcision & the passeouer: why should we be offended with the same spech in our Baptisme & in the Lordes Supper? Sith such ma∣ner of spech haue no lesse grace and ful∣nes here then there to bryng the thyng signified into our hartes by such out∣ward sensible signes. For when that signe of Circumcision was giuen the child: thē were they certified (as an out¦word token may certifie) that the child was of the people of Israell. And ther¦fore did the signes thē, as they do now beare the names of thyngs which they signified as the lambe eaten in the passe¦ouer

was called the sacrifice & the selfe passeouer, none otherwise then in our new passeouer, that is the Lordes sup∣per, * 1.135 the bread brokē &c. is called the bo¦dy of Christ, & the wyne poured forth and distributed to ech mā, the bloud of Christ because the bread so broken and dealt signifieth vnto the receiuers and putteth them in remembraunce of the sacrifice of his body on the aulter of the crosse, and of his bloud poured foorth for our redemption. So that this ma∣ner of spech in the administration and vse of the Supper of our Lord: to say. This is my body, & this is my bloud: is asmuch to say as, this signifieth my body, this signifieth my bloud. Which Supper is here celebrated to put vs in remēbraunce of Christes death, and to excite vs to thankes giuyng.

Neither let it offend thee (O Chri∣sten reader) That est, is taken for signi∣ficat: * 1.136 that is to say. This is that, is as much to say, as this signifieth that. For this is a commō maner of spech in ma∣ny places of Scripture, and also in our mother toūg: as whē we see many pic∣tures or images, which ye know well are but signes to represent the bodyes whom they be made lyke, yet we say of the Image of our Lady. This is our Lord, and of S. Katheriue, this is S. Katherine, & yet do they but represent and signify vs, our Lady or S. Kathe∣rine. And as it is writtē. The in. braū∣ches are three dayes. The thre baskets * 1.137 are three dayes, which was not els but they signified three dayes. Also in the * 1.138 xxviij. chapter. Iacob sayd. This stone whiche I haue set vp an ende, shalbe Gods house, which stone yet was ne∣uer Gods house nor neuer shalbe: but onely did signifie gods house to be buil¦ded in that same place. Agayne Pharao dreamed to haue sene vij. faire fat Oxē, & eftsoones vij. poore lene Oxē, which Ioseph expoundyng sayd: The vij. fat Oxē are vij. plētuous yeares, in which phrase or maner of spech euery mā sith that the Oxē were no yeares: but they signified such yeares. Maruell not ther¦fore though est, likewise in this sentēce: Hoc est corpus meum, be taken for significat, as much to say, as this signifieth my body. And yet for because the Scriptu∣res conferred together expounde them selfe as sayth S. Austen: And Peter. * 1.139 That we haue before a firme and sure prophetical spech vnto which if we at∣tend as vnto a light set vp in a darke place, we do well: I shall shew you a like phrase in Ezechiell where the de∣struction of Ierusalem was thus figu∣red. God commaundyng Ezechiell to * 1.140 take a sword as sharpe as a raser, and shaue of his head and beard, and then take a certain waight of the heares de∣uided into three partes: The one, he should burne in the middes of the Ci∣tie. An other he should cut roūd about, and cast the thyrd vp into the wynde. &c. which done he sayd: Thus sayth the * 1.141 Lord God. This is Ierusalem. Which act and dede so done, was not Ierusa∣lem. But it signified and preached vn∣to the beholders of it, Ierusalem to be destroyed: none otherwise thē the brea∣kyng and distributing of the bread and wyne called Christes body and bloud signifieth and preacheth vs the death of Christ, the figure and signe bearyng the name of the thyng signified, as in the Prophetes spech, saying: This is Ierusalem: which dyd but signifie Ie∣rusalem. When Christ dyd breath into his Disciples, saying: Take ye the ho∣ly * 1.142 ghost: the same breath was not the holy ghost, but signified and represen∣ted them the holy ghost, with a thou∣sand lyke maner of spech in the Scrip∣ture.

In the old passeouer thankes were giuen for the slaughter of the first be∣gotten, wherein the kynges posteritie of Egypt fell away. (The Hebrues spared, passeouer, and deliuered.) But in the new passeouer, thankes were gi∣uen that the onely begotten sonne of the most highest was crucified, wher∣by all faythfull are spared, passed ouer, and not smittē with the sword of dam∣nation, but deliuered and saued in the lambes bloud that hath takē away the sinne of the world. In the old passeo∣uer. The lambe or feast is called the Lordes passeouer, and yet was neither the lambe nor the feast his passyng o∣uer: but the signe and commemoration of his passyng by. And euē so is it now in the new Supper of our Lord. It is * 1.143 there called the body of our Lord, not that there is any thing, wherin his ve∣ry naturall body is contayned so long and brode as it hāged on the crosse, for so is it ascended into heauē and sitteth on the right hād of the father: but that thyng that is there done in that Sup∣per, as the breakyng and dealyng and eatyng of the bread, and the whole like action of the wine, signifieth, represen∣teth, and putteth into our harts by the spirite of faith this cōmemoration, ioy∣full remēbraunce, & so to geue thankes for that inestimable benefite of our re∣demption,

wherin we see with the eye of our fayth presently his body broken & his bloud shed for our sinnes. This is no small Sacrament, nor yet irreue∣rētly * 1.144 to be entreated: but it is the most glorious and hyghest Sacramēt, with all reuerence and thankes geuyng to be ministred, vsed receiued, preached & solemnely in the face of the congrega∣tion to be celebrated: of whose holy ad∣ministration and vse I shall peraduen¦ture speake in the end of this Supper.

But in the meane season (Christen reader) let these sensible signes signifie * 1.145 and represent hys death, and print it in thy hart geuyng thankes incessant∣ly vnto God the father for so incompa¦rable a benefite, that hath giuē thee his owne onely so dearely beloued sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ to dye for thy sinnes yea and that when we were not his childrē but his enemyes. Chri∣stes disciples sayd to the man where is * 1.146 this gest chamber where I might eate the passing by with my disciples? & they prepared the passeouer. And yet Christ eate not the passeouer, but the lambe with his disciples, where it is plaine, y^e signe to do on the name of the thyng.

At last, consider vnto what eude all * 1.147 things tended in that last supper, how the figure teached the veritie, the sha∣dow the body, and how the veritie abo¦lished the figure, and the shadow gaue place to the body. Loke also with what congruence, proportion, and similitude both in the action & the spech, al things were consummate and finished, and all to lead vs by such seusible signes from the figure vnto the veritie, frō the flesh vnto the spirite. And take thou here this infallible & assured saying of Christ neuer to fall fro thy mynde in this last supper, do ye this into the remēbraūce * 1.148 of me. And also of Paul, saying. So oft as ye shal eate this bread (lo this here∣tike * 1.149 calleth it bread euē after the words of the Popes cōsecratiō) and drinke of this cup, praise, declare & geue thankes for the death of the Lord vntill he shall come agayne to iudgement. Remēber thou also: what Christ sayd to the car∣nall Iewes takyng the eatyng of hys flesh and drinkyng of his bloud so car∣nally, aunsweryng them. My flesh pro¦fiteth not, meanyng to eate it bodely * 1.150 but the spirite maketh lyfe. And to this set the Prophet Abacukes sentēce. The * 1.151 iust lyueth of his fayth.

And now (Christen reader) to put thee cleane out of doubt, that Christes body is not here present vnder the for∣me of bread (as the papistes haue moc∣ked vs many a day) but in heauen, e∣uen as he rose and ascēded. Thou shalt * 1.152 know that he told hys Disciples al∣most twenty tymes betwene the xiij. and xviij. chap. of Iohn that he should, and would goe hence, and leaue this world. Where to comfort them agayne for that they were so heauy for his bo∣dely absence, he promised to send them hys holy Ghost to be their comforter, defender, and teacher: in whom and by whom, he would be present with them and all faithfull vnto the worldes end. Hee sayd vnto hys Disciples. I goe * 1.153 hence, I goe the father, I leaue the world, and now shall I no more be in the world, but ye shall abyde still in the world. Father I come to thee. Poore men haue ye euer with you: but me shall ye not alwayes haue with you. And whē he ascended vnto heauē, they did behold hym & saw the cloude take hys body out of theyr syght: and they fastnyng their eyes after him, the two men clothed in white, sayd vnto them. ye men of Galile, wherefore stand ye thus lookyng vp into heauen? This is Iesus that is taken vp from you into heauen, whiche shall so come agayne, euen as ye haue sene him going hence.

Here I would not More to flitte frō * 1.154 hys litterall playne sense. All these so playne wordes be sufficient, I trow, to a Christen man to certifie hys con∣science that Christ went his way bode¦ly ascendyng into heauen. For whē he had told his disciples so oft of his bo∣dely departyng from them: they were maruelous heauy and sad. Ʋnto whō Christ sayd. Because I told you that I * 1.155 go hence, your hartes are full of heaui∣nes. If they had not beleued hym to haue spokē of his very bodely absence: they would neuer haue so mourned for his goyng away. And for because they so vnderstode him, and he so meane as his wordes sowned: He added (as he should haue sayd) be ye neuer so hea∣uy or how heauely so euer ye take my goyng hence, yet do I tell you truth. For it is expedient for you that I goe hence. For if I should not go hence, that comforter should not come vnto you. But and if I go hence, I shall * 1.156 send him vnto you. And agayne in the same chap. I am come from the father, and am come into the world, and shall leaue the world agayne and go to my father. What mistery, thinke ye, should be in these so manifest woordes? Did he speake them in any darke parables:

Dyd he meane otherwise thē he spake? Dyd he vnderstand by goyng hence so oftē repeted, to tary here still? or dyd he meane by forsakyng and leauyng the world to be but inuisible beyng still in the world with his body? No surely. For he meant as faithfully & as playn∣ly as his wordes sowned, and euen so dyd hys Disciples without any more maruelyng vnderstand him. For they aunswered him, saying: Lo, now spea∣kest thou apertly: neither speakest thou any prouerbe. But what a darke pro∣uerbe and subtile ridle had it bene: if he had meant by his goyng hence to haue ••aryed here still? and by forsakyng the world, to abyde still in the world? and by his going hence to his father by his very bodely Ascention, to be but inui∣sible? Who would intrepret this plaine sentence thus? I go hence, that is to saye: I tary here still. I forsake the world and goe to the father, that is to say, I will be but inuisible and yet here abyde still in the world bodely? For as concernyng his Godhead, which was euer with the father, and in all places at once, he neuer spake such woordes of it. When Christ sayd (his death now * 1.157 was at hand) vnto his Disciples: now agaynē I forsake the world and go to my father, but ye shall tary still in the world. If they will expound by his for sakyng the world, to tary here still bo∣dely, and to be but inuisible: why do they not by lyke exposition interprete the tarying here still of the Disciples at that tyme, to be gone hence bodely and to be here visible? For Christ dyd set these contraryes one agaynst an o∣ther to declare ech other. As if to tary here still, dyd signifie to the Disciples that they should abyde in the world, as it doth in deede: then must needes his goyng hence and forsakyng the world signifie his bodely absence as both the wordes playnly lowne, Christ meant, and they vnderstoode them. But in so plaine a matter what neede these wor∣des? Be thou therefore sure (Christen reader) that Christes glorified body is not in this world, but in heauen, as he thether ascended in which body he shal * 1.158 come euen as he went gloriously with power and great maiestie to iudge all the world in the last day. Be thou ther∣fore assured, that he neuer thus iug∣gled nor mocked hys so dearely belo∣ued Disciples so full of heauynes now for his bodely departyng. For if he had so meant as our Papistes haue peruer¦ted hys, saying, hys Disciples would haue wondered at so straunge maner of spech, and he would haue expressed his mynde playnly, sith at this tyme hee was so full set to leaue them in no doubt but to comforte them with hys playne and comfortable wordes. And * 1.159 if he would haue ben but inuisible and still bodely present: hee would neuer haue couered hym selfe with the cloude shewyng them and testifying also by those ij. men his very bodely Ascētion out of their sightes. We may not make of hys very bodely Ascentiō, such an in¦uisible iugglyng cast as our Papistes fayne. Fashionyng and fayning Christ a body now inuisible, now in many pla¦ces at once, & thē so great, and yet in so litle a place, not decerned of any of our senses now glorified, now vnglorified, now passible, and then impassible, and I wote neare what they imagine and make of their maker, and all without any woorde, yea cleane agaynst all the wordes of holy Scripture. For sure∣ly, in this their imagination and so say¦ing they bryng in a fresh, the heresie of that great heretike Marcian, which said * 1.160 that Christ tooke but a phantasticall body. And so was neither verely borne nor suffered, nor rose, nor ascended ve∣rely, neither was he very man. Which heresie Tertulian confuteth: Christ toke verely our nature such a passible and mortall body as we beare about with vs, saue that he was without all ma∣ner of synne. In such a body he suffe∣red verely, and rose agayne from death in such a glorified body now immor∣tall &c. as euery one of vs shall ryse at the generall iudgement. It is appro∣pried onely to hys Godhead to be eue∣ry where and not to bee circumscribed nor conteined in no one place. And as for our Papistes prophane voyde voy∣ces, his body to be in many places at once, indifinitiue incircumscriptiue, non per modum quāti ne{que} localiter &c. which includeth in it selfe contradicti∣on, of which Paule warned Timothe * 1.161 callyng them the oppositions of a false named science (for that theyr Scho∣lasticall Diuinitie must make obiecti∣ons agaynst euery truth, be it neuer so playne with pro & contra: whiche sci∣ence * 1.162 many that professe it (sayth Paul) haue erred from the fayth, as for this contention and battayle about wordes profitable for nothyng els; but to sub∣uert the hearers, I care not for them. For I haue the almighty testimony of the euerlastyng word of God ready to soyle all theyr madde and vnreasona∣ble

reasons, to wype them cleane a∣way, and to turne them into their own confession.

And for bycause they hold them so fast by Paule. I shall loose theyr hold, * 1.163 expoundyng the Lordes Supper after Paule, which addeth immediatly vnto the cup, this y^t Luke there left foorth: Doe ye this into my remembraunce. This doth Paule repete so ofte to put * 1.164 vs in minde, that these thankes giuing and Supper is the cōmemoration and the memoriall of Christes death. Wher¦fore after all hee repeteth it yet agayne the thyrde tyme saying. So oft as ye shall eate this bread (hee calleth it still bread euen after the Popes consecra∣tion) and drinke the cuppe (he sayth not drinke this bloude) see that ye gyue thākes, be ioyous and preach the death of the Lord, for so much signifieth, An∣••••••ciate, in this place, vntill hee come that is to say, frō the tyme of his death and Ascention vntill hee come agayne to iudgement. Furthermore (sayeth * 1.165 Paule) who so eateth this bread (he cal¦leth it still bread) or drinke of the cuppe of the Lord vnworthely: is giltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. The body and bloud of the Lorde Paule calleth here the congregation assembled toge∣ther to eate the Lordes Supper. For they are his body and bloud which are redemed with his body and bloud, as he said in the x. chapter before. The cup of thankes giuyng whiche we receiue with thākes: is it not the felowshyp of the bloud of Christ? The bread whiche we breake, is it not the felowshyp of the body of Christ? For we beyng ma∣ny together are one bread, and one bo∣dy. Loe here Paule expoundyng hym selfe vseth the same forme of spech that is vsed in these woordes. This is my body, takyng is, for signifieth. We are * 1.166 one bread & one body, that is to say, we are signified by one loafe of bread to be one body, he sheweth the cause, addyng because we be all partakers of one lofe or peece of bread. And in the xij. chap∣ter folowing, he sayth plainly, ye be the body of Christ and his particular mem¦bers, and in the first to the Ephesians. God dyd set Christ to be the head ouer all vnto hys congregation whiche is his body. &c.

And bicause the comparison in the x. chapter betwene the Lordes borde and his cup, and the deuils borde and his cup, do declare this matter. I shall * 1.167 recite Paules wordes, saying: ye may not drinke the cup of the Lord, and the cuppe of the deuill both together. Ye * 1.168 may not bee partakers of the Lordes borde & the deuils borde both at once. The deuils borde and hys cuppe was not his body and bloud, but the earing and drinkyng before their images and Idols as dyd the heathen in the wor∣shyppe and thankes of theyr Gods. Of the which thyng thou mayst gather what Paul meant by the Lordes borde and his cuppe. Now let vs returne to Paule in the x••. chapter. They eate this * 1.169 bread, and drinke of this cup vnwor∣thely, that come not vnto this borde with such faith and loue as they profes∣sed at their Baptisme. They eate vn∣worthely that thrust them selues in a∣mong this congregation hauyng not the loue that this Sacramēt and signe of vnity teacheth and signifieth. Which maner of people Paule in y^e same chap¦ter rebuketh, and bendeth all his Ser∣mon agaynst them: for that they were contētious, and came together not for the better but for the woorse. So that their commyng together which should haue bene a token of fayth, and loue, was turned into the occasion and mat∣ter of disscution and strife: bycause eue∣ry man dyd eate (as Paule sayth) hys owne supper and not the Lordes sup∣per: wherein the bread and drinke is common as well to the poore as to the riche. But here the rich disdayned the * 1.170 poore and would not tarye for them. So that some (as the rich) went theyr way dronken and full: and the poore departed hungry and dry, whiche was a token of no equall distribution of the bread and drinke: and that the rich con∣temned the poore, and so became sclaū∣derous and giltie of the body & bloud of Christ: that is to witte, of the poore congregation redemed with Christes body and bloud. Thus they that came together appearyng to haue had that loue whiche the Supper signified and had it not, vttered them selues by this contētious and vnlouyng dealyng not to be members of Christes body, but rather giltie and hurtfull vnto them. As if a souldier of our aduersaries part shoulde come in among vs with our Lordes badge, hauyng not that hart fayth and loue to our captaine that we haue, we would (if we espyed it by any token) take him for a spye and betrayer * 1.171 rather then one of vs.

Let a man therefore (sayth Paule) proue him selfe well before, whether he hath this fayth to Christ & loue to God and his neighbour which all he profes∣sed

at Baptisme, and this Supper sig∣nified: and so come in among the con∣gregation to eate of this bread & drinke of this cup (he calleth it still bread and wyne: & neither his body nor bloud.) For he that eateth & drinketh vnwor∣thely, eateth and drinketh hys owne damnation: bycause he discerneth not the Lordes body. He calleth still the Lordes body the congregation rede∣med with Christes body as he dyd be∣fore, * 1.172 and also in the chapter folowyng fetching his analogie and similitude at the naturall body. In which although there be diuers members one excelling an other, one inferiour, vyler and more cōtemptible then an other, yet may not the body want them: but must couer them reuerently, and hold them in ho∣nour. Agayn, in the body, though there be diuers members of diuers offices: yet is there no discorde among them: but euery member bee it neuer so, low and vyle: yet doth it minister and serue an other, and all together hold vp and helpe the whole body. This considera∣tiō with these cōparisons so eloquent∣ly, so plenteously, so liuely doth Paule set forth in that xij. chap. that no mā cā¦desire any more. And all to bryng vs into the consideration and discretion of the body of Christ which is his congre¦gation: without whiche consideration and discretion, if we thrust our selues * 1.173 in with his signe and recognisance fay∣nedly: we be but hypocrites and eate and drinke our owne iudgement. For this cause many are sicke among you, and many are a slepe, that is, are dead. Here it semeth some plage to haue ben¦cast vppon the Corinthians for this a∣buse in the eatyng of the Lordes Sup∣per. For both the law & the Prophetes threatened vs plagues, as pestilence, famine, and sword for our sinnes. For if we had iudged our soules, that is, if we had diligently examined our owne liuyng & repented: we should not haue ben iudged, that is to say, punished of y^t Lord. But while we be punished, we be corrected of the Lord lest we should be condemned with the world. Wher∣fore my brethren, when ye come toge∣ther to eate, tary one for an other. Here is the cause of all this dissention wher∣fore Paule rebuketh them. But here might some of them obiect & tell Paul. Syr we come thether hungry and may not tary so long: wherunto Paul aun∣swereth as he dyd before: saying. Haue ye not houses to eate & drinke in? Do ye contemne the cōgregation of God, and shame them that haue none? Here * 1.174 he calleth the poore the church of God, whom afterward he called the body of the Lord: and now at last he sayth. If any mā be so hūgry, let him eate some∣what at home, and so delay his hunger that he may the better tary for the pore, lest ye come together vnto your con∣demnation. And as for other thynges * 1.175 I shall dispose and set in order when I come. These other thynges were con∣cerning this Supper and such as were out of frame among them whiche if ye read the whole Epistle are easie to see: & that they were no necessary truthes for their saluation. For all such truthes Paule had preached them before and written them to. Neither were these other thinges, Lent, Fast, the Assump∣tion of our Lady, halowyng of bowes, Belles, and Ashes, halowyng of Ʋe∣stimentes, and crepyng to the Crosse, with such other vnwritten vanities, as M. More lysteth to lest and tryful out the truth.

Now haue ye the very pure sense of these Christs wordes, this is my body, that is to say. This signifieth or repre∣senteth my body takyng Est, for signifi∣cat. As M. More hym selfe vttered it in his Dialogue put forth in William Bar∣lowes name, recityng the opinions of Oecolampadius and Zwinglius: saying, this is my body, is as much to say as this signifieth my body, where he saith that Oecolampadius alledgeth for hym * 1.176 Tertulian, Chrisostome and Austen, but falsely sometyme addyng more to their wordes, sometyme takyng away from theyr sentēces. Which saying is playne false and hee belyeth the man now de∣parted, for first his incomparable lear∣nyng and verye spirituall iudgement would not suffer hym to be ignoraunt in the vnderstandyng of these old holy Doctours (whom I dare say he vnder stode as well as More. And his cousci∣ence and faythfulnes would not suffer hym falsely to peruert them as M. More belyeth and peruerteth Christ & Paule and all holy Scripture. And if this mā had thus dealt with these Doctours sayinges: Luther agaynst whom he did cōtende in this matter would not haue left it vntold hym.

But (Christē reader) to put thee out * 1.177 of doubt haue here these doctours own wordes both in Latine and Englishe. And first heare Tertulian, where thou must first vnderstād that there was an hereticke called Marcion, saying that Christ tooke not to hym the very body

of man, but an imagiued and a phan∣tasticall body, to put of, and on, when he lysted: and so not to haue ben borne verely of the virgine Mary nor yet to haue suffered verely death &c. agaynst whom, thus writeth Tertulian in hys fourth booke.

Professus ita{que} se concupiscentia con∣cupisse * 1.178 edere pascha, vt suum acceptum panem & distributum Discipulis corpus suuni illum fecit, hoc est corpus meum di¦cendo: id est figura corporis mei. Figura autem non fuisset, nisi veritatis esset cor∣pus. Caeterū, vacua res, quod est phantas∣ma, figuram capere non posset. Whiche wordes are thus in English spoken of Christ. Whiche acknowledgyng hym selfe with how feruent desire he longed to eate the passeouer, as his bread ta∣ken and distributyng to his Disciples: made it his body, saying: This is my * 1.179 body: that is to say, the figure of my body. For figure had it bene none, ex∣cept it were a very body. For a voyde thyng which is a phantasie can receaue no figure. Here it is playne, that this is my body after the old holy Doctour, is as much to say, as this is the figure or signe that representeth or signifieth my body.

Also, thus sayeth Austen. Lex dicit non esse manducandū sanguinem, quod anima sit sanguis: Quod lex dicit, sanguis * 1.180 est anima: esse positum dicimus, sicut alia multa & penè omnia Scripturarum illa∣rum Sacramenta signis & figuris plena fu¦turae predicationis, quae iam per Domi∣num nostrum Iesum Christum declarata est. &c. Possum etiam interpretari praecep¦tum illud in signo esse positum. Non enim dubitauit Dominus dicere. Hoc est cor∣pus meum, quum signum daret corporis sui. Sic est enim sanguis anima, quomodo petra erat Christus. Nec tamen quum haec diceret, ait: petra significabat Christum, sed ait: petra erat Christus. Quae rursus ne carnaliter acciperetur, spiritualem illam vocat, id est spiritualiter intelligi docet. Whiche woordes be thus in English. The law sayeth that bloud should not * 1.181 be eatē, because the life is bloud. Which precepte of the lawe and bycause that bloud is lyfe: we affirme it to be set like as many other almost innumerable sa∣cramentes of those Scriptures, full of signes and figures of the preachyng to come: whiche now is declared by our Lord Iesu Christ &c. And I may in∣terprete that precept to bee layed in a signe. For the Lord doubted not to say. This is my body: when hee gaue the signe of his body. And euen so is the bloud lyfe, and the stone was Christ. * 1.182 And yet when he sayd these wordes: he sayd not the stone signified Christ: but he sayd, the stone was Christ, whiche lest they should be taken carnally, hee calleth it spirituall, that is to say, he tea¦cheth it to bee vnderstand spiritually. Where is now Mores litteral sense, and materiall meate?

Now shall ye heare Chrisostome. * 1.183 Nihil sensibile tradidit Christus: licet de∣derit panem & vinum: non quod panis & vinum non sint sensibilia, sed quod in illis mentem haerere noluit. Nam in suum corpus, quod est panis vitae, subuehit di∣cens. Hoc est corpus meum: perinde ac dicat. Hoc licet panis sit, significat tamen tibi corpus. Thus it is in Englishe. Christ geuyng bread and wyne, gaue no sensible thyng: not that bread and wine be not sensible: but that he would not our mynde to sticke still in them. For hee lifted vs vp into hys bodye, * 1.184 which is the bread of lyfe: saying. This is my body: as though he should say. Though this be but bread, yet it signi∣fieth vnto thee, my body. Now iudge thou (Christē reader) whether M. More reporteth right, of this mā that alled∣geth these holy Doctours, or no.

Now haue ye the pure vnderstan∣dyng * 1.185 of the wordes of the Lordes sup∣per confirmed with the old holy Doc∣tours. That, this is my body, is as much to say, as this signifieth my bo∣dy. And this is my bloud: is, this signi∣fieth my bloud. But yet was there ne∣uer such maner of speaking in the scrip¦ture. This is that: that is to say. This is conuerted and transubstanciated in∣to that. Or this is conteined in that: the thyng conuerted and chaunged ke∣pyng still her forme, qualities, quanti∣ties &c. As to say. This is my body, * 1.186 that is to say. This bread is conuerted into my body, the bread abydyng still in his fashion, tast, colour, waight. &c. For Christ when hee conuerted water into wyne, dyd not leaue the fourme, colour, and tast still in the water. For so had it bene no chaungyng. But let our couetous conuerters choppe and chaunge bread and wyne till we there feele, see, & tast neither bread nor wyne, and then will we beleue them so they bryng for them the word of God. For as for their false iugglyng we feele it at our fingers ende: we see it, had we but halfe an eye: we tast it at our toūgs end, and know it with all our wyttes and vnderstandyng so manifestly, that we perceiued them openly long agoe,

to be the very Antichristes, of whom Christ and his Apostles warned vs to come in this last tyme.

And if they say. That this conuer∣sion * 1.187 is made by miracles. Then must euery one of them as hee say a Masse, make vs many a miracle the very mar∣kes of M. Mores Churche. For it is oue great miracle that Christs body should come so sodenly inuisible and so oft out of heauen, and that such a miracle as the worde of God neuer knew. An o∣ther that so great a body should be con¦teyned in so litle a place, and that one body should be at once in so many pla∣ces and two bodyes in one place. An other that it is eaten, neither the ca∣ter feelyng it, nor the body eaten suffe∣ryng nor feelyng the teeth of the eater. With as many moe maruelous & like miracles or rather absurdities of the bread and wyne, that there must be the forme, colour, tast, wayght, broken &c. and yet neither to be bread nor wyne in our belefe except we will be burned of thē bycause we beleue not their iug∣glyng castes. O mischieuous miracle makers. O cruell conuerters: O blou∣dy butchers.

But hearke (Christen reader) and I shall learne thee to knowe Christes playne and true miracles, from the sleighty iuggling of these crafty cōney∣ers. Christ would neuer haue done mi∣racle had men beleued hym onely by hys woordes, but when hee sayd first these wordes. This is my body, no mā doubted at them, no man was in any vnbeleue of them, wherfore these wor∣des must needes bee playne single and pure without miracle, as these. The iij. braunches are thre dayes: without any subtile transubstantiation, such insen∣sible conuersion, or any false miracle. * 1.188 Christ wrought all his miracles for the glory of God to declare hym selfe both God and man, so that all Christes mi∣racles were cōprehended vnder mans sences or commō wyttes, which bryng in such knowledge vnto the vnderstā∣dyng. As when he chaunged water in∣to wyne, the miracle was first receiued with the sight, open at the eye, tasted with the mouth and so conuayed vnto the vnderstandyng. And now though * 1.189 we neither see nor tast that miracle, yet we heare it, see it, read it, and so vnder∣stād that it was once a miracle done of Christ? whē he restored the sight to the blynd, healed the lame, clensed the le∣prose, reared the dead: all was seen, heard, and so comprehended vnder our most swete senses: that his very ene∣myes were compelled to coufesse them for miracles. But our miracle makers, that make dayly so oft and so many, are so farre from this cleare poynt, that their miracles in this matter, be not, neither shalbe cōtained nor comprehē∣ded * 1.190 vnder any of our fiue wittes, but they rather delude and deceyue both sight, tast, feelyng, hearyng, and smel∣lyng: ye our fayth and vnderstandyng to. Beware therefore of these mischie∣uous miracle makers for theyr owne glory and profite and will kill thee to, if thou beleuest not their lyes. Beware I say of those Marchauntes that will sell the wares, which they will not suf∣fer thee to see, nor to tast, nor to touch but when they shewe the white, thou must beleue it is blacke: If they geue * 1.191 the bread, thou must beleue it without any word of thy fayth, that it is Chri∣stes body, and that of their owne ma∣kyng. If thou tast, see and feele it bread yet thou must say it is none though the Scripture calleth it bread xx. tymes. Beware, beware I say of Antichrist: whose commyng sayth Paule (He is come alredy sayth Iohn, now are there * 1.192 many Antichristes) shall be after the workyng of Sathan with an almigh∣ty power, with false signes and wou∣ders lying miracles, & with all deceite of vnrighteousnes. &c.

To be to curious in so playne a Sa∣crament and signe, to cauill Christes cleare wordes with sophisticall so•…•…∣mes, and to tryfull out the truth with tauntes and mockes, as M. More doth, is no Christen maner. And if our Pa∣pistes, and Scholasticall Sophis••••r•• will obiect and make aunswere to thus Supper of the Lorde, bringyng ••o ••or them, their vnwrittē wordes, dedes, & dreames (for we haue compelled More * 1.193 with shame to flitte frō the Scripture) strewed with their vame straunge ter∣mes which Paul damneth, and geueth Timothe warning of: I shall by gods grace so set the almighty word of God against them, that all Christen shall see falshead and deceite in this Sacramēt: and so disclose theyr deuilish doctrine and fleighty iugglyng, that all that can read Englishe, shall see the trouth of Gods word openly beare downe their vnwritten lyes. For it is verely the thyng that I desire, euen to be written agaynst in this matter, for I haue the solutions of all theyr obiections ready, And know right well, that the more they styrre this Sacrament, the broder

shall theyr lyes be spread, the more shal theyr falsehead appeare and the more gloriously shall the trouth triumph: as it is to see this day by long contention * 1.194 in this same, and other lyke Articles: which the Papistes haue so long abu∣sed, and how More hys lyes vtter the truth euery day more and more. For had he not come beggyng for the Cler∣gy from Purgatory, with his supplica∣tion of soules, and Rastel and Rochester had they not so wysely played theyr partes: Purgatory peraduenture had serued them yet another yeare: neither had it so soone haue bene quenched, nor the poore soule and Proctour there bene with his bloudy Byshop Christē ••atte, so farre coniured into hys owne Vtopia with a sachell about hys necke to gather for the proude Priestes in Sy∣nagoga Papistica.

When Christ was ascended into hea¦uen: and had sent his Apostles the spi∣rite of truth to leade them into all truth perteinyng vnto our saluation, euen ••nto hym that sayd: I am the truth of whiche truth hee instructed them after his resurrection. Luke. xxiiij. and they had preached the same truth nowe at Ierusalē Actes. ij. at which preachyng there were that receiued their wordes * 1.195 and were Baptised, about iij. M. hys Apostles remembryng how their mai∣st•••• Christ at his last Supper did insti∣tute and leaue them this holy Sacra∣ment of his body and bloud to be cele∣••••ated and done in his remembraunce among such as had receiued his Gos∣pell, were Baptised, had professed hys fayth, and would perseuer in his Reli∣gion: dyd now in this first congrega∣tion celebrate the Lordes Supper brea¦kyng the bread and eatyng it as Christ dyd teach them, which Supper, Luke and Paule called afterward the brea∣kyng of the bread. As Actes. ij. saying. That they which gladly had now recei¦ved Peters acte, & were baptised: were perseuering in the doctrine of the Apo∣stles, and in the communiō, and in the breakyng of the bread, and in prayer, whiche Sacrament was now a token of the perseueraunce in theyr Christen Religion now professed. Of this brea∣kyng of bread, Luke writyng of Paule commyng vnto Troades, sayth also, * 1.196 that their vpon a Sabboth day, when the Disciples were come together vn∣to the breakyng of the bread: Paule made a Germon duryng to mydnight &c. And that this was no common nor prophane vse but an heauenly Sacra∣ment and a reuerent rite and vsage, the circumstaunces of the action declare, both in Luke and Paule, shewyngit to be the very institutiō that Christ or∣deyned at his Supper. Paule thus re∣citynge this breakyng of the breake: saying. The bread whiche we breade, is it not the felowshyp of the body of Christ? y^t is to say, doth it not signifie vs to be the body of Christ that is hys congregation and people, as doth the wordes folowyng declare? Paule ad∣dyng the cause saying. For we beyng many are all together siguified by the one loafe to be one body: for that we be partakers of the same bread. Also be∣fore, he calleth in the same Supper, the cup of thankes geuyng the felowshyp of the bloud of Christ: that is to say, the congregation redemed with Christes bloud.

The holy Sacrament therefore, * 1.197 would God it were restored vnto the pure vse, as y^e Apostles vsed in it their tyme. Would God, the secular princes which should be the very pastours and head rulers of their congregations cō∣mitted vnto their cure, would first cō∣maunde or suffer the true preachers of Gods woorde to preache the Gospell purely and playnly with discrete liber∣tie: and constitute ouer eche particulare Parish such Curates as cā and would preach the word, and that once or twise in the Weeke, appoyntyng vnto theyr flocke certeyne dayes after their discre∣tion and zeale to Godward, to come together to celebrate the Lordes Sup∣per. At the which assemble the Curate * 1.198 would propone and declare them first this texte of Paule. i. Corinthians. xj. So oft as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of this cuppe: see that ye be ioy∣ous, prayse, and giue thankes prea∣chyng the death of the Lord &c. whiche declared, and euery one exhorted to prayer, he would preach them purely Christ to haue dyed and bene offered vpon the altare of the Crosse for theyr redemption: whiche onely oblation to be sufficiēt sacrifice to peace the fathers wrath, and to purge all the sinnes of the world. Then to excite them with humble diligence, euery man vnto the knowledge of hym selfe & hys sinnes: and to beleue and trust to the forgyue∣nesse in Christes bloud: and for this so incomparable benefite of our redemp∣tion, (whiche were sold bondemen to sinne) to geue thankes vnto God the father for so mercyfull a deliueraunce through the death of Iesu Christ, eue∣ry

one, some singyng, and some saying deuoutly, one or other Psalme or pray∣er * 1.199 of thankes gyuyng in the mother toung. Then the bread and wyne set before them in the face of the Churche vpon the table of the Lord purely and honesty layed: let hym declare to the people the significations of those sensi∣ble signes, what the action and deede moueth, teacheth and exhorteth them vnto: and that the bread and wyne be no prophane common signes: but ho∣ly Sacramentes reuerently to be con∣sidered * 1.200 and receiued with a depe fayth, and remembraunce of Christes death and of the shedyng of his bloud for our sinnes, those sensible thynges to repre∣sente vs the very body and bloude of Christ, so that while euery man behol∣deth with his corporall eye those sensi∣ble Sacraments: the inward eye of his fayth may see & beleue stedfastly Christ offred and dying vppon the Crosse for his sinnes, how his body was broken and his bloud shed for vs, and hath gi∣uen hym selfe whole for vs, hym selfe to be all ours, and what soeuer he dyd to serue vs, as to bee made for vs of hys father our righteousnes, our wise∣dome, * 1.201 holynesse, redemption, satisfa∣ction. &c.

Then let this preacher exhort them * 1.202 louyngly to draw neare vnto this ta∣ble of the Lord, and that not onely bo∣dely, but also (their hartes purged by fayth, garnished with loue and inno∣ceney) euery man to forgyue eche other vnfaynedly, and to expresse or at least wise to endeuour them to folow that loue whiche Christ dyd set before our eyes at his last Supper when he offe∣red hym selfe willyngly to dye for vs hys enemyes: Whiche incomparable loue to commende, bryng in Paules Argumentes, so that this, hys flocke * 1.203 may come together, and be ioyned in∣to one body, one spirite, and one peo∣ple. This done let hym come downe: and accompanyed honestly with other Ministers come forth reuerently vnto the Lordes table, the congregatiō now set round about it, and also in their o∣ther * 1.204 conuenient scates, the pastour ex∣horting them all to pray for grace, faith and loue, whiche all this Sacrament signifieth and putteth them in mynde of. Then let there be read apertely and distinctly the vi. Chapter of Iohn in their mother toung: Wherby they may clearely vnderstand, what it is to eate Christes flesh and to drinke his bloud. This done, and some brief prayer and prayse song or read, let one or other mi¦nister read the xj. chapter of the first to the Corinthians, that the people might perceiue clearely of those woordes the mistery of this Christes Supper, and wherfore he did institute it.

These with such lyke preparations * 1.205 and exhortations had, I would euery man present should professe the Arti∣cles of our fayth openly in our mother toung, and confesse his sinnes secretly vnto God, praying intierly that hee would now vouchsafe to haue mercy vpon hym, receiue his prayers, glewe hys hart vnto hym by fayth and loue, encrease his fayth, geue hym grace to forgyue and to loue his neighbour as him selfe, to garnish hys lyfe with pu∣renes and innocency, and to confirme hym in all goodnes and vertue. Then againe it behoueth the curate to warne and exhorte euery man deepely to con∣sider and expende with hym selfe, the signification & substaūce of this Sacra¦ment, so that he sit not downe an hipo∣crite and a dissembler, sith God is sear∣cher of hart and raines, thoughtes and affectes: and see that he come not to the * 1.206 holy table of the Lorde without that fayth whiche he professed at hys Bap∣tisme, and also that loue which the Sa∣crament preacheth and testifieth vnto hys hart, lest hee now, founde gilty of the body and bloud of the Lord (that is to wytte a dissembler with Christes death and sclaunderous to the congre∣gregation, the body & bloud of Christ) receiue his own damnation. And here let euery man fall downe vppon hys knees saying secretly with all deuoti∣on their Pater noster in English, theyr Curate as example kneelyng downe before them. Which done, let hym take the bread and eft the wyne in the sight of the people hearing him with a loude voyce, with godly grauitie, and after a Christen religious reuerence rehear∣syng distinctly y^e wordes of the Lordes Supper in their mother toung. And thē distribute it to the ministers, which taking the bread with great reuerence. will deuide it to the congregation eue∣ry man breakyng and reaching it forth to hys next neighbour and member of the mistike body of Christ, other mini∣sters folowyng with the cuppes pow∣ring forth & dealing them the wyne, all together thus ••••yng now partakers of one bread and one cuppe, the chyng thereby signified and preached printed fast in their hartes. But in this mean•• while must the minister or pastour be

readyng the communicatiō that Christ had with his Disciples after his Sup∣per, beginnyng at the washing of their feete: so readyng till the bread & wyne * 1.207 be eaten and dronken and all the action done. And then let them all fall downe on their knees geuing thankes highly * 1.208 vnto God the father, for this benefite and death of his sonne, whereby now by faith euery man is assured of remis∣sion of his sinnes, as this blessed Sa∣crament had put them in mynde, and preached it them in this outward acti∣on and Supper. This done, let euery man commende and geue them selues whole to God and depart.

I would haue hereto put my name, (good Reader) but I know well that thou regardest not who writeth, but what is writtē: thou estemest the word of the veritie, and not of the authour. And as for M. More, whom the veritie most offendeth, and doth but mocke it out when he cannot soyle it: he know∣eth my name well inough. For the de∣uill * 1.209 his gardian, as him selfe sayth: com¦meth euery day into Purgatory, (if there be any day at all) with his hay∣nous and enuious laughter, gnashing his teeth and grynnyng, tellyng the Proctour with hys Popes prisoners, what soeuer is here done or written a∣gainst them, both his person and name to. And he is now, I dare say, as great with his gardian, as euer he was.

If any man tel ye, loe here is Christ, or there is hee, beleue hym not: For * 1.210 there shall aryse false Christes false annoynted giuyng great mira∣cles. Take hede, I haue told ye before, if they therefore tell ye: loe, hee is in the de∣sert, go not forth, loe hee is in the preuy pixe, beleue it not.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A letter of Maister Tyndall to M. ••r••••h.
• * 1.2

  1. Pet. 2.
• * 1.3

  1. Ioh. 5.
• * 1.4

  Math. 5. Rom. 8. Phil. 3.
• * 1.5

  Boldnes of spirite.
• * 1.6

  Weunde not consci∣ence.
• * 1.7

  Standing vpō thinges necessary.
• * 1.8

  Death af∣ter deny∣ing, euill spoken of by the ad∣uersaries.
• * 1.9

  Obedience of God.
• * 1.10

  To looke for no mās helpe, brin∣geth Gods helpe.
• * 1.11

  Conslancie in stāding. Pacience in suffering.
• * 1.12

  Bylney.
• * 1.13

  Perseue∣raunce to the end. Math. 21.
• * 1.14

  Two Mar¦tyrs at Ant¦werpe. Foure mar¦tyrs in Flaūders, and one at Luke. Persecutiō at Ro••ne. Fiue Doc∣tours at Paris takē for y^e Gos∣pell.
• * 1.15

  In other Letter of M. Tyn∣dall.
• * 1.16

  Hygh que∣stions to be auoyded.
• * 1.17

  All deedes before they bee iustified by fayth are sinne.
• * 1.18

  Preachyng the law of God, and mercy of Christ.
• * 1.19

  Sacra∣mēts with¦out signifi∣cations to be refused.
• * 1.20

  M. Tyn∣ball he••e beareth with tyme.
• * 1.21

  By the af∣fir•…•… he •…•…neth the •…•…on which M. Luther & the ••axōs be hold of the Sacra∣ment.
• * 1.22

  M. Tyn∣dall a•…•… beareth w^t tyme.
• * 1.23

  Vbiquetie can not be proued.
• * 1.24

  Eating the whores flesh, is to spoyle the Popes Churche▪ onely for y^• praye and spoyle ther of.
• * 1.25

  Worldly wisedome so farre as it may serue to Gods glo∣rie, may be vsed.
• * 1.26

  Low wa••∣kyng.
• * 1.27

  The vp∣right hand¦lyng in the translation of M. Tyn¦dall.
• * 1.28

  A low hart maketh a man hygh with God.
• * 1.29

  Authoritie is the glory of age.
• * 1.30

  Meekenes is the glory of youth.
• * 1.31

  Purgatory hath no profe by Scripture.
• * 1.32

  Iohn. 6.
• * 1.33

  The Iewes wer blynd and ignorant, & vnderstode not the wordes of Christ.
• * 1.34

  The true worke that is accepta∣ble before God.
• * 1.35

  Abacuk. 2.
• * 1.36

  The Iewes de∣sire a sig••e or token whereby they might beleue that he was Christ.
• * 1.37

  Psal. 7.
• * 1.38

  Christ re∣quired of the Iewes to haue fayth and trust in hym.
• * 1.39

  Christ ex∣planeth & sheweth him selfe to the Iewes.
• * 1.40

  Fayth one∣ly apprehē∣deth Christ and all hys benefites.
• * 1.41

  Christ re∣buketh the incredulitie and lacke of fayth in the Iewes
• * 1.42

  All that the father draw come vnto Christ
• * 1.43

  Christe came from heauē into earth to ful¦fill the will of his fa∣ther.
• * 1.44

  He. y^• bele∣ueth Chri∣stes death to be for the remissiō of his sinnes the same ca¦teth y^• fleshe & drinketh the bloud of Christ.
• * 1.45

  The cause of y^e Iewes murmur.
• * 1.46

  Christ re∣proueth the murmu∣ryng of the Iewes.
• * 1.47

  Esay. 54. Ierem. 31.
• * 1.48

  Iohn. 6.
• * 1.49

  All that be¦leue & hope in Christ haue euer∣lastyng life.
• * 1.50

  M. More had not the vnderstan∣dyng of the scriptures. 1. Cor. 11.
• * 1.51

  More is a mocker.
• * 1.52

  The ea∣ting or the bread of Christ is onely to be∣leue in Christes ••eath.
• * 1.53

  How the bread signi¦fieth and sheweth Christes •…•…esh.
• * 1.54

  Christes flesh is the spirituall foode of ou•• soules.
• * 1.55

  The obsti∣nate & wil∣full blynd∣nes of the Iewes.
• * 1.56

  The ma∣lice of the Iewes, to∣ward our Sauiour Christ.
• * 1.57

  The carnal Papistes ceasse not still to offer hym. Hebr. 10.
• * 1.58

  Thomistes be y^• schole Doctours.
• * 1.59

  Christ in sa¦iyng y^• hys flesh is ve∣ry meate doth not say that bread shal∣be transub∣sta••••ated into hys flesh.
• * 1.60

  Christes wordes are spirituall & not carnall.
• * 1.61

  More de∣clareth hys ignoraunce and wilfull blyndnes.
• * 1.62

  More re∣porteth the Scriptu∣res vntru∣ly.
• * 1.63

  Mores first reason is cōfute••.
• * 1.64

  Iohn. 6. 10. 15.
• * 1.65

  Christes Disciples murmured not at hys saying.
• * 1.66

  Christes •…•…s w•…•… in all thynges to be spiritual¦ly vnder∣stand.
• * 1.67

  Abacuk. 2.
• * 1.68

  The confu∣tation of his ij. argu¦ment.
• * 1.69

  Christ in that he is God may doe all things that he will, but yet he will not falsefye hys holy Scriptu∣res.
• * 1.70

  More is a great sette∣••orth of vn∣written ve∣••ities.
• * 1.71

  Although y^e Pope da••e ••ot take vppon hym to be God▪ yet he is cō¦tented to be named & taken for halfe a God
• * 1.72

  Esay. 42.
• * 1.73

  Christ ••s touchyng his man∣hode occu∣pieth at one ••y me but one place, but hys Godhead is in all places at once. Iohn. 14. Iohn. 10. Hebr. 11.
• * 1.74

  Hebr. 9.
• * 1.75

  Christes must nedes dye, for God had so promised before.
• * 1.76

  Iohn. 2. and 12.
• * 1.77

  God may not be foūd¦•…•….
• * 1.78

  More would haue beleued Christ if he had talked with hym, what soe∣uer hee had said to him.
• * 1.79

  Gods al∣mightye power is not to be to busely deale withall.
• * 1.80

  More doth but scoffe out the mat¦ter.
• * 1.81

  Matters of ••ayth are repugnaūt to reason.
• * 1.82

  Gods bles∣sed will is declared in his Scrip∣tures.
• * 1.83

  More tra∣uc••leth in his Poe∣trie.
• * 1.84

  Mores si∣militude of faces in the glasse pro∣ueth no fa∣ces in sub∣staunce.
• * 1.85

  By ••ayth we must eate and drinke Christes body and blo••d spiri∣tually.
• * 1.86

  More wri∣teth against hym selfe.
• * 1.87

  More an vpholder of vnwritten verities.
• * 1.88

  Abacuk. 2.
• * 1.89

  Fayth is y^• life of the righteous.
• * 1.90

  1. Iohn. 4.
• * 1.91

  By fayth we eate & drinke Christ, and so he aby∣deth in vs and we in hym.
• * 1.92

  Christen religion is fayth, and a lyfe cor∣respondēt.
• * 1.93

  The Iewes and also the di∣sciples of Christe were offen∣ded at his wordes.
• * 1.94

  Here Christ doth playnly shew that it is the spi¦rituall ea∣tyng, & not the fleshly eatyng of his body that profi∣teth.
• * 1.95

  The eating of Christes flesh profi∣ted no∣thyng.
• * 1.96

  The wordes of Christe were spirit and life.
• * 1.97

  Christes di¦sciples vn∣derstode Christ to speake spiri¦tually and beleued.
• * 1.98

  Math. 26. Math. 24. Luke. 24.
• * 1.99

  1. Cor. 11.
• * 1.100

  The order of the act•…•…
• * 1.101

  Christ con∣secrated no bread, but deliuered it to his Apo¦stles to eate.
• * 1.102

  There is left vnto vs no wor∣des of con∣secration, wherby we should al∣ter and chaūge the nature of bread into his body.
• * 1.103

  The vse of the Sup∣per.
• * 1.104

  The pas∣chal lambe.
• * 1.105

  The true meanyng & significatiō of the Sa∣crament of the body & bloud of Christ.
• * 1.106

  Mores lit∣terall sense ••s lost.
• * 1.107

  Marke. 14.
• * 1.108

  The wordes of consecratiō were spokē after Christ had deliue∣red y^• bread & the cup.
• * 1.109

  Luke. 22.
• * 1.110

  1. Cor. 11.
• * 1.111

  How the Papistes wrest the wordes of Scripture.
• * 1.112

  Iohn. 6.
• * 1.113

  1. Cor. 10.
• * 1.114

  To eate Christes flesh is to beleue in hym.
• * 1.115

  The maner of Saint Paules speakyng.
• * 1.116

  Math. 15.
• * 1.117

  An allego∣ticall spech wel allow∣ed and vsed of Christ.
• * 1.118

  Iohn. 6.
• * 1.119

  The olde passeouer compared with the Supper of our Lord.
• * 1.120

  Baptisme compared with Cir∣cumcision.
• * 1.121

  1. Cor. 10. 11. and 12. Rom. 6. Ephes. 4.
• * 1.122

  Euchari∣stia thākes giuyng. 1. Cor. 10. and 11.
• * 1.123

  1. Tim. 1.
• * 1.124

  Baptisme was figu∣red by Cir¦cumcision, and the Lordes Supper by the paschall lambe.
• * 1.125

  Luke. 12. 1. Cor. 5.
• * 1.126

  Exod. 12.
• * 1.127

  Luke. 22.
• * 1.128

  The Pas∣chall lambe eaten and the Sacra¦ment insti∣tuted.
• * 1.129

  Twoo thynges to be conside∣red in the Sacra∣mentes.
• * 1.130

  The mat∣ter and sub¦staunce of of the Sa∣cramēt and the signes of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
• * 1.131

  The signe is called the thyng.
• * 1.132

  Gene. 17.
• * 1.133

  Exod. 12.
• * 1.134

  The scrip∣ture calleth the signe by the name of the thing that it sig∣nifieth.
• * 1.135

  The bread in the Sa∣cramēt cal∣led the bo∣dy of Christ & the wyne called the bloud of Christ.
• * 1.136

  ••st, is takē for signifi∣cat.
• * 1.137

  Gene. 40.
• * 1.138

  The figu∣ratiue speches v∣sed in the scripture.
• * 1.139

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. Pet. 2.
• * 1.140

  Ezech. 5.
• * 1.141

  The ma∣ner of spea∣kyng in the scripturo.
• * 1.142

  Iohn. 3.
• * 1.143

  The natu∣rall body of Christ is not in the Sacramēt▪
• * 1.144

  The Sa∣crament is to be recea∣ued with thankes ge∣uyng.
• * 1.145

  The vse of the supper.
• * 1.146

  Luke. 22.
• * 1.147

  Note here the whole circum∣staunce of the maner and institu∣tion of the Sacramēt of Christes body.
• * 1.148

  Luke. 22.
• * 1.149

  1. Cor. 11.
• * 1.150

  Iohn. 6.
• * 1.151

  Abacuk. 2.
• * 1.152

  Christ de∣clared to his disci∣ples that he would leaue this world 〈◊〉〈◊〉 go to his fa∣ther in hea∣uen.
• * 1.153

  Scriptu∣res are ma∣ny that shewe Christ as touchyng his natural body is gone and is not here. Actes. 2.
• * 1.154

  Christ ascē¦ded into heauen.
• * 1.155

  Iohn. 14. and. 16.
• * 1.156

  Christ ••••¦playne wor¦des decla∣reth his bo¦dely depar∣ture out of this world.
• * 1.157

  Christ playnlye shewed vn∣to the disci∣ples that he must de∣part from this world to his fa∣ther in hea∣uen.
• * 1.158

  Christes •…•…rified body is in heauen.
• * 1.159

  Christes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 scention was wit∣nessed by many.
• * 1.160

  The here 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Marc•…•… what it was?
• * 1.161

  1. Timo. 6. 2. Timo. 2.
• * 1.162

  1. Timo. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.163

  1. Cor. 11.
• * 1.164

  The Sup∣per of the Lord is the commem••∣ration and memoriall of Christes death.
• * 1.165

  S. Paule calleth the Sacramēt bread after the conse∣cration.
• * 1.166

  By one loafe of bread, we are figni∣fied to bee one body in Christ.
• * 1.167

  The cup of the Lord, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the cup of
• * 1.168

  the deuill, how they differte.
• * 1.169

  Who they are that eate of the bread and drinke of the cup vn∣worthely.
• * 1.170

  Euery 〈◊〉〈◊〉 did eate his own supper and not the Supper of the ••••rd.
• * 1.171

  We must firste exa∣mine out stlues, and thē come to the table of the Lord.
• * 1.172

  Loke more of this in the Epistle to the rea∣der.
• * 1.173

  If we come not thankfully and charita¦bly vnto y^t Lordes borde, we eate and drinke our damnation.
• * 1.174

  S. Paule calleth the poore the Church of God.
• * 1.175

  This place the Pa∣pistes al∣ledge to proue vn∣written be ritie.
• * 1.176

  More be∣lyeth Deco¦lamp••dius; and Zuin∣gitus.
• * 1.177

  Loke more of this in the Epistle to the rea∣der.
• * 1.178

  Tertulian.
• * 1.179

  The wor∣••es of Ter¦tulian.
• * 1.180

  Austē cap. xij. against, ••dim••nt.
• * 1.181

  Gene. 6. Leui. 7. Deut. 12.
• * 1.182

  Austen cal∣leth Sacra¦ment the signe of his body.
• * 1.183

  Hom••. 83. operiti•• im∣perfect••.
• * 1.184

  Chriso∣stome cal∣leth the sa∣cramēt the signe of Christes body.
• * 1.185

  The confu¦tatiō of the Papistes gloses.
• * 1.186

  The Pa∣pistes are wre••ters & peruerters of the scrip¦tures.
• * 1.187

  The Pa∣pistes say that the trā substantion is done by miracles.
• * 1.188

  All true miracles are done to let forth the glory of God.
• * 1.189

  Christ dyd miracles to declare h••m selfe to be both God and man.
• * 1.190

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.191

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.192

  1. Thes. 2. 1. Iohn. 2.
• * 1.193

  〈…〉〈…〉 scriptures.
• * 1.194

  The contē∣tious and wicked do∣ctrine of y^• Papistes hath prouo¦ked the lyght of gods truth to be set forth to the vnderstan∣dyng of the people.
• * 1.195

  How the 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.196

  A•…•… ••2.
• * 1.197

  The Sa∣crament is not vsed in these dayes as it was in the tyme of the Apo∣stles.
• * 1.198

  A good do∣ctrine for al such mini∣sters as haue cure of soules, to vse to his flocke.
• * 1.199

  Thankes geuyng.
• * 1.200

  The bread and wyne are not pro∣phane but Sacra∣mentes to holy vse.
• * 1.201

  1. Cor. 1.
• * 1.202

  A whole∣some and good lesson namely for all mini∣sters.
• * 1.203

  Rom. 5.
• * 1.204

  At the mi∣nistration of the Sa∣crament let the mini∣ster exhorte all men to haue faith and lone & to pray for grace.
• * 1.205

  I good and necessary exhortatiō to be mate to y^• people of the t•…•… they re∣ceaue the communiō.
• * 1.206

  None may come to the commu•…•… without y^• weddyng germent 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ayth.
• * 1.207

  Iohn. 13.
• * 1.208

  Thankes∣geuyng to God.
• * 1.209

  Those wordes of his are in his booke that he made for y^t pore soules in Purga∣tory.
• * 1.210

  Marke. 42.