VOLUME 3

AN ANSWERE VNTO SIR THOMAS MORES DIALOGE

LOCATION
KEY Commentary Side Textual Bibliographic Scriptural

And when he speaketh of tryal of miracles what doo ye to trie youre miracles / whether they be true or fayned. And besydes that / gods worde which shuld be the triall / ye refuse and do al that ye can to falsifie it.

And when he speaketh of sectes of heretykes / I answere / that they which ye call heretikes beleue all in one christe / as the scripture teacheth / and ye in all thinge saue christe. And in youre false doctrine of youre awne fayninge with out scripture / ye haue as many sundrie sectes as all Monkes and freres and studentes in diuinite in all youre vniuersites. For first yer ye come to diuinite / ye be all taught to denye the saluacion that is in christe. And none of you teacheth a nother so moch as the articles of youre fayth. But folow all most euery man a sundrie doctoure and in the scripture his awne brayne / framinge it euer after the false opynyons whych he hath professed yer he come at it.

ACTS: 5.17: 127/24

ACTS: 15.5: 127/24

ACTS: 24.5, 14: 127/24

ACTS: 26.5: 127/24

1 CORINTHIANS: 11.19:127/24

GALATIANS: 5.20:127/7–8,127/24

2 PETER: 2.1:93/11–12, 127/24

Sectes 1531

EPHESIANS: 4.5: 127/25

176/26–28 For where . . . therby. Cf. CWM 8/1.84/3–4.

26 thinge] om. 1573

And when he saith that god wold sone vttur fayned miracles. I answere / God hath had at all tymes one or a nother to improue youres wyth gods worde. And I axe whether Mahometes fayned myracles haue not preuayled .viij. hundred yeres. And youre abhominable dedes worse then the turkes testifye that ye loue the trouth lesse then they. And vn to them that loue not the trueth hath god promised by the mouth off paul .ij. Thessalo. ij. to send them aboundaunce and strength of false miracles / to stablysh them in lies and to dysceaue them and leade them out off the waye / so that they can not but perysh / for their vnkyndnesse / that they loued not the trueth / to lyue therafter and to honoure god in thir membres.

177/5 all holy orders . . . inuencion. For More's response to the rejection of Orders as a sacrament, cf. CWM 6/1.353/20–21, 8/1.186/30. Tyndale has in mind the five church offices or orders warranted by the NT, cf. 177/6n. In Obedience M3—M6 (1528), Tyndale asserts that the offices of subdeacon, deacon, priest, bishop , cardinal, and pope are not sacraments because not linked to Christ's promise of salvation. Rites, garb, and other offices, such as the "minor orders" of acolyte, exorcist, lector, and porter, are merely human traditions, cf. 93/14–19n. Tyndale, surprisingly, opens the door to accepting these as sacraments if royal authority were to insist (177/9–12). This view sharply contrasts with Luther's arguments for explicit sacramental institution by Christ. On the universal priesthood, Tyndale does not argue from its basis in Baptism and faith, as Luther commonly did, but instead from the needs of others, whom one is obliged by the commandment of love (177/20, 177/30, 178/3–4) to assist especially in spiritual matters. (JW)

177/6 apostle. Cf. Matt. 10.2–4, Luke 6.13–16, Gal. 1.1 etc. bisshope. Cf. 1 Tim. 3.1–7. prest. Cf. 16/20n. deacon. Cf. Acts 6.2–3, 1 Tim. 3.8–12. wedowe. Cf. 1 Tim. 5.9–10.

The cause of false miracles 1531

2 THESSALONIANS: 2.11–12: 128/7–11

Thessalo.] ed., Thessolo. 1531, Thess. 1573