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what learned man may, in time to come, trust to his grace's safe conduct, or come at his grace's instance or request, since not only the spiritualty, (which of their More a Po- profession resist his prerogative,) but also a lay man, promoted to such pre-eminence by his grace's goodness, dare presume so to depress his prerogative, and not only to say, but also to publish it in print, that notwithstanding his grace's safe conduct, they might lawfully have burnt him?

malicious tyrant.

tion contained in Barnes' safe conduct.

But here he would say unto me, as he doth in his book, that he had forfeited his safe conduct, and thereby was fallen into his enemies' hands. Whereunto I answer, that this your saying is but a vain gloss; for I myself did read the safe conduct that came unto him, The condi- which had but only this one condition annexed unto it, that if he came before the feast of Christmas then next ensuing, he should have free liberty to depart at his pleasure. And this condition, I know, was fulfilled. How should he, then, forfeit his safe conduct? But M. More hath learned of his masters, our prelates, (whose proctor he is) to depress our Prince's prerogative, that men ought not to keep any promise with heretics. And so his safe conduct could not save him. As No promise though the King's grace might not admit any man to made to he go and come freely into his grace's realm, but that he must have leave of our prelates. For else they might lay heresy against the person, and so slay him, contrary to the King's safe conduct: which thing, all wise men do know to be prejudicial to his grace's prerogative lates, is to be kept and royal. And yet I am sure, that of all the time of his being here, you cannot accuse him of one crime: albeit (unto your shame) you say that he had forfeited his safe conduct. These words had been very extreme, and worthy to have been looked upon, although they had been written by some presumptuous prelate. But that a lay man, so highly promoted by his Prince, should speak them, and also cause them openly to be published

nor licence

retics by

the King,

without the consent of our Pre

observed.

among his grace's commons, to reject the estimation of his royal power, doth, in my mind, deserve correction. Notwithstanding, I leave the judgment and determination unto the discretion of his grace's honourable council.

"And as for that holy prayer that this devout young M. More. man, (as a new Christ,) teacheth all his congregation to make at the receiving of this blessed Sacrament, I would not give the paring of a pear for his prayer, though it were better than it is, pulling away the true faith therefrom, as he doth. Howbeit, his prayer there is so devised and penned, and painted with leisure and study, that I trust every good Christian woman maketh a much better prayer at the time of her housell, by faithful affection, and by God's good inspiration suddenly. Frith is an unmeet master to teach us what we should pray at the receiving of the blessed Sacrament, when he will not knowledge it as it is, but take Christ's blessed body for nothing but bare bread, and so little esteem the receiving of the blessed Sacrament, that he forceth little whether it be blessed or not."

The momeek spirit

desty and

of John

Frith.

Where he discommendeth my prayer, and saith that Frith. I am an unmeet master to teach men to pray, seeing I take away the true faith from it, and saith that every woman can make a better when she receiveth the Sacrament, I would to God that every woman were so well learned that they could teach us both. And surely I intended not to prescribe to all men that prayer only, but hoped to help the ignorant, that they might either speak those words, or else (taking occasion at them) to say some other to the laud and praise of God. And as for your faith, (which you call the true faith,) must I needs improve; for it will not stand with the true text of Scripture, as it plainly appeareth: but to the faith Christ's in Christ's blood, I exhort all men, and teach them to eat his body with faith, (and not with teeth) which is, by having his death in continual remembrance, and di

be eaten

with faith, with the

and not

teeth.

A prayer made by

John Frith

to be said

before the

receiving of

the Communion.

A godly and good prayer.

gesting it into the bowels of their soul. And because you so sore improve my prayer, to conclude my answer against you, I will rehearse it again; and let all men judge between us.

BLESSED be thou, most dear and merciful Father, which of thy tender favour and benignity (notwithstanding our grievous enormities committed against thee), vouchsafedst to send thine own and only dear Son to suffer most vile death for our redemption. Blessed be thou, Christ Jesu our Lord and Saviour, which of thine abundant pity, considering our miserable estate, willingly tookest upon thee to have thy most innocent body broken and blood shed, to purge us and wash us which are laden with iniquity; and to certify us thereof, hast left us not only thy word which may instruct our hearts, but also a visible token, to certify even our outward senses of this great benefit, that we should not doubt but that the body and fruit of thy passion are ours (through faith), as surely as the bread which by our senses we know that we have within Blessed be also that Spirit of verity which is sent from God our Father, through our Saviour Christ Jesu, to light our dark ignorance, and lead us through faith into the knowledge of him which is all verity. Strengthen, we beseech thee, our frail nature, and increase our faith; that we may praise God our most merciful Father, and Christ his Son our Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

us.

THE PASCHAL LAMB AND OUR SACRAMENT
ARE HERE COMPARED TOGETHER.

The Paschal Lamb and our

NOW we shall shortly express the pith of our matter, and borrow the figure of the Paschal Lamb, which Sacrament is in all points so like. That the offering of the Paschal

compared

together. Lamb did signify the offering of Christ's body, is plain

by Paul, which saith, Christ our Paschal Lamb is offered 1 Cor. v. When the children of Israel were very sad

ner of the

eating of the Paschal

Lamb.

up for us. and heavy for their sore oppression under the power of Pharaoh (for the more miracles were showed, the worse were they handled), God sent unto them by Moses, that every household should kill a lamb to be a sacrifice unto God, and that they should eat him with their staves in their hands, their loins girded, and shoes on their feet, even as men that were going an hasty journey. This The manlamb must they eat hastily and make a merry Maundy. Now because they should not say that they could not be merry for their oppression, and what could the lamb help them, he added glad tidings unto it, and said, This is the passing by of the Lord, which this night shall pass by you and slay all the first-begotten within the land of Egypt, and shall deliver you out of your bondage, and bring you into the land that he hath promised unto your fathers. Mark the process and conveyance of this matter, for even likewise it is in our Sacrament. The Apostles were sad and heavy, partly considering the bondage of sin wherewith they were oppressed, and partly because he told them that he must depart from them, in whom they did put all their hope of their deliverance. While they were in this heaviness, Christ thought to comfort them, and to give them the seal of their deliverance, and took in his hand bread, blessed and brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, This is my body the Sacrawhich shall be given for you; for this night shall the ment. power of Pharaoh, the devil, be destroyed, and tomorrow shall you be delivered from Egypt, the place of sin, and shall take your journey towards the heavenly mansion which is prepared of God for all that love him. Now compare them together.

1. The Paschal Lamb was instituted and eaten the night before the children of Israel were indeed delivered from Egypt: likewise was the Sacrament instituted and eaten the night before we were delivered from our sins.

The manner of the of the Sacrament.

institution

John xvi.

The insti

tution of

The comparison of the Paschal Lamb with Supper.

Christ's

2. The Paschal Lamb was a very lamb indeed: and so is the Sacrament very bread indeed.

3. The Paschal Lamb was called the passing by of the Lord, which destroyed the power of Pharaoh and delivered them: the Sacrament is called the body of the Lord, which destroyed the power of the devil and delivered us.

4. As many as did eat the Paschal Lamb in faith, were very merry, and gave God great thanks; for they were sure the next day to be delivered out of Egypt: as many as did eat his Sacrament in faith, were merry, and gave God great thanks, for they were sure the next day to be delivered from their sin.

5. They that did not eat the Paschal Lamb in faith could not be merry, for they were not so sure of deliverance from the power of Pharaoh: they that did not eat this Sacrament in faith could not be merry, for they were not sure of deliverance from the power of the devil.

6. They that believed the word of the Lord did more eat the passing by of the Lord which should deliver them, than they did the lamb. They that did believe the word of the Lord did more eat the body of the Lord, which should be given for their deliverance, than they did the bread: for the thing doth a man most eat that he most hath in memory and most resolveth in mind, as appeareth by Christ, John iv.: I have meat to eat that ye know not.

7. They that believed not the next day to be delivered from Egypt, did not eat the passing by of the Lord, although they did eat the lamb. They that believed not the next day to be delivered from sin, did not eat the body of the Lord, although they eat the bread.

8. The children of Israel were but once delivered from Egypt, notwithstanding they did every year eat the lamb, to keep that fact in perpetual remembrance: even so Christ bought and redeemed us but once for all, and was offered and sacrificed but once for all, though the

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