VOLUME 3

AN ANSWERE VNTO SIR THOMAS MORES DIALOGE

LOCATION
KEY Commentary Side Textual Bibliographic Scriptural

nces in shedynge of christen bloude / his robbynge of the pore thorow out christendom of al that was geuen to mayntene them / his settynge vpp in rome a stues not of wemen only / but of the male kynd also agenst nature and a thousand abhominacions to grosse for a turke / are tokens good ynough that he is the right antichrist and his doctrine spronge of the devell.

stues] [1573], stuees [1531]

172/5–7 The wicked & monstrous doynges of the Pope.[1573]

M. in penaunce marten saith there neadeth no contricion ner satisfaction. T. call it repentaunce and then it is contricion of it selfe. And as for mendesmakynge with worldely thinges / that doo to thi brother whom thou hast offended / & vn to god offer the repentaunce of thine herte and the satisfaccion of christes bloude.

M.O More [1531]

in penaunce . . . satisfaccion. Cf. CWM 6/1.349/19–20; Babylonian Captivity, 1520 (WA 6.544–49; LW 36.84–90).

Tindale [1531]

vn to god . . . herte. Cf. Acts 26.20.

Acts 26.20

satisfaccion of christes bloude. Cf. Heb. 9.12.

Hebrews 9.12

M. tyndale saith that the confessoure vttureth the confessions of them that be rich. But yet we se that both rich and pore kepe hores openly with out payenge peny. T. if they be very rich they be sofered / because they maye be good defenders of the spiritualtie / and if they be very pore / because they haue no money to paye or else they fine with one or other secretly.

M.O More [1531]

tyndale ... rich. Cf. CWM 6/1.349/36–350/2 and CWM 8/1.180/25.

Tindale [1531]

But . . . peny. Cf. CWM 6/1.350/8–10.

M. vppon that lye tindale bildeth the destruction of the sacrament of penaunce. T. sacrament is a signe signifienge what I shuld doo or beleue or both. As baptim is the signe of repentaunce signifienge that I must repent of euel and beleue to be saued therfrom by the bloude of christe. Now Sir in youre penaunce describe vs which is the signe and the outwarde sacrament & what is the thynge that I must do or beleue. And then we will enserch whether it maye be a sacrament or no.

M.O More [1531]

vppon that lye. . . penaunce. Cf. CWM 6/1.350/16–18 and CWM 8/1.41/21–22.

Tindale [1531]

172/23–26 All Sacramentes teach vs what to do, or what to beleue.[1573]

penaunce . . . sacrament or no. The implication that Penance is not a sacrament, because it lacks a sign-action like immersion in water or eating and drinking, goes back to the concluding remarks of Luther's Babylonian Captivity, 1520 (WA 6.572; LW 36.124), a work however that had treated Penance among the authentic sacraments (ibid., WA 6.543–49; LW 36.81–91). Notwithstanding abuses, Luther gave hearty approval of private confession with absolution (ibid., WA 6.546/10–17; LW 36.86). Also the Augsburg Confession of 1530 treats confession with absolution as part of the sacramental instruction of the Lutheran churches, cf. The Book of Concord 34f. Tyndale accepts Luther's critical views but does not follow the constructive side of Lutheran teaching. (JW)

M. tindale sayth that confession is the worst inuencion that euer was. T. as ye facion it me

More [1531]

tindale . . . was. Cf. CWM 6/1.350/19–20.

Tindale [1531]