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KEY Commentary Side Textual Bibliographic Scriptural
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XXV.
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xxv.] ed., om.
[1531], The xxv. Chapter. [1573]
xxv. Tyndale
makes no comment here on five chapters of Dialogue
Bk. 1, Ch. 20–24. In the section on "Whether the church can erre"
[B8-C1], Tyndale answers in a general way the church's claim of
inerrancy as set forth in Bk. 1, Ch. 18, 20–21, 24–26 (CWM 6/1.101–62
passim), cf. [C2v “¶ Faith” and commentary note]. Dialogue Bk. 1, Ch. 22
upholds the value of the liberal arts, philosophy, and patristics as
aids to the study of Scripture. For Tyndale's negative evaluation of
Aristotle and Plato, cf. [A5, “olde hethen people” and commentary note]; for his minimal use of Latin poets such as Terence and Virgil, cf. [F6v, “tirens or virgill” and commentary note];
for his qualified
approval of the Fathers, cf. Cyprian [D4, “S. Cyprian” and commentary note],
Jerome [D4, “S. Hierome” and commentary note],
Augustine [D4, “saynt Augustine” and commentary note], and Gregory
[P2, “S. Gregory” and commentary note]. Dialogue Bk. 1, Ch. 23 gives a positive
role to reason in explaining Scripture. Tyndale holds that the will
follows reason [C4, “The choyse . . . a mans reason”], but he emphasizes that carnal reason is blind;
e.g., [C8, “blynd reason”; E8v, “Then . . . reason”; E8v, “Herof . . . man”; F7, “blynde reason”; and esp. L7v], "O how
betleblinde is fleshlye reason!"
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In the .xxv. how iugleth he / to proue that al that
perteyneth vn
to the faith / was not written / alleginge Ihon
in the laste / that the
world coude not conteyne the bokes / if al shuld be written.
And Ihon meaneth of the miracles which Iesus did and not of
the necessarie poyntes of the faith.
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how iugleth he.
Cf. CWM 8/1.311/11.
not written. In
response to More's position "that many thynges haue bene
taught by god without wrytynge" (CWM 6/1.137/27), Answer passes over More's account of the Holy Spirit's
inscription of the faith upon believing hearts
(e.g. CWM 6/1.143/4–144/7) to concentrate instead on More's argument
that Christ's apostles gave oral instructions on some essential
doctrines that were not set down in the NT (CWM 6/1.144/
8–146/13,147/31–148/32).
Yves Congar treats the background of More's position in medieval theology
in Traditions and Tradition (London: Burns & Oates, 1966) 87–101, citing William of
Occam's influential classification of the different types of "Catholic
truths" on p. 95. Occam's scheme recurred in numerous late
medieval works, such as John Brevicoxa's treatise (c1375), where we
read, "The second category consists of those [truths of faith] which
have come down to us from the Apostles by a handing down of revelation
or by writings of the faithful but which are not found in Scripture nor
are deducible from it." From A Treatise on Faith, the
Church, the Roman Pontiff, and the General Council, in Oberman,
Forerunners 72. Wyclif and Hus mounted a
protest against this view, while asserting, in effect if not in exact
terms, the complete sufficiency of Scripture for faith. Their 15c
opponents, like the English Carmelite Thomas Netter
of Walden, made "unwritten traditions" fundamental to their
theological accounts of beliefs about the saints and the origins of the sacraments that lack a NT institution-narrative. Henry
VIII's Assertio appealed to divinely grounded
unwritten traditions of faith as vehicles of transmission of the
church's faith regarding certain sacraments, cf. [H5v, “kinges . . . not erre” and commentary note]. Tyndale has
already affirmed the sufficiency of Scripture at [B5v, “¶ Whether . . . B6-8 . . . “if nede requyre”] and will
re-state it at [H5, “Now sir . . . scripture”] and [H5v, “Now the appostles . . . soule”].
laste] ed., kite [1531], last [1573]
Ioan .21. [1531]
al . . .
written. Cf. CWM 6/1.144/8–12 and John 21.25.
] John
Ihon ... faith.
Cf. CWM 8/1.311/11–12, repeated at 311/38–39.
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And how bringeth he in the perpetuall virginite
of oure ladye which though it be neuer so true / is yet none
article of oure faith /
to be saued by. But we beleue it / with a story
faith / because we se no cause resonable to thinke the
contrary.
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perpetuall . . .
faith. Cf. CWM 6/1.150/1–151/23, CWM 8/1.287/5–15 and CWM
8/1.406/3–5. The perpetual virginity of Mary
was defined by Constantinople II (AD 553), the fifth ecumenical council, as a corollary to the definition of two natures in Christ
(DS 214; 2NPNF 14.312); cf. also [C2, “Christes brethern”, N7v, “christ . . . chastite” and commentary notes]. It was restated by a
synod at the Lateran (AD 649), called by Martin I (pope, 649–53) (DS
256). While they accept this belief, Luther and Tyndale do not consider
it an essential article of faith. For Luther,
cf. Vom Schem
Hamphoras, 1543 (WA 53.640; not in LW). More argues
that, following their principle of sola
scriptura, the reformers ought to reject whatever is not stated
explicitly in the Bible, cf. CWM 8/2.809/1–4.
The virginite of our Lady.[1573]
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And when he saith many misteries are yet to be
opened / as the
cominge of antichriste. Naye verelye the babe
is knowne well ynough and al the tokens spide in him which
the scripture describeth him by.
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many . . .
antichriste. Cf. CWM 6/1.146/14–15. In [H3 side-note 1] 1531's "Pope" becomes 1573's
"Antichrist is knowen." Below, Tyndale will set forth, on the
basis of NT passages, his case for identifying the papacy as
the foretold Antichrist, cf. [H6, “antichriste” and commentary note; and M2, “And finally . . . M2v . . . his swerde”].
Pope [1531] O
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And when he allegeth Paules tradicions to the
tessalo. / to proue his phantasye. I haue answered
rochester in the obedience / that his tradicions were the
gospell that he preached.
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Paules
tradicions. Cf. CWM 6/1.148/3–6. In 2 Thess. 2.15 More finds
two distinct sources of revelation, oral tradition and scripture: siue per sermonem siue per epistolam nostram.
Tyndale affirms that Paul preached the same doctrine, whether
in oral or written form (Obedience H7). See Ch.
11, "Holy Writ and Holy Church," in Oberman, Harvest 361–422.
] 2 Thessalonians
tessalo.] ed., tessalo [1531], Thessalo. [1573]
I haue answered
rochester in the obedience.
John Fisher (1469–1535) was Bishop of
Rochester and Chancellor of Cambridge University from 1504
until his death. In Obedience (E8v, G8v, H4v,
H5v, H6, H7-I2v, V7r-v), Tyndale attacks the sermon preached at the
burning of Lutheran books on 12 May 1521 (Fisher 311–48). For Fisher's
exegesis of Gal. 5.6 in this sermon, cf. [Q2, “out of which fayth loue springeth” and commentary note]. Tyndale does not
mention the sermon preached at the abjuration of Robert Barnes on 11 February 1526 (Fisher 429–76). Fisher
was considered the best preacher of his generation in England. Cf. Marc'hadour, "Fisher and More: a note," in
Bradshaw and Duffy 103. For his life and works, see the entry
by O'Donnell
in
Tudor England.
] Galatians
Paules traditions were the doctrine of the Gospel.[1573]
I haue . . .
preached. Cf. CWM 8/1.324/20–21.
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And when he allegeth Paul to the corin. I saye
that Paul neuer knew of this word Masse. Nether can any man
gather there of any straunge holy gestures / but the playne
contrary and that there was no nother vse there then to
breake the breed amonge them at soper / as christ did. And
therfore he calleth it christes soper and not Masse.
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Masse [1531]O
christes soper.
Cf. 1 Cor. 11.20. Tyndale debates the more appropriate name
of the Eucharistic celebration here and at [O6v, “Misach . . . pensiongeuynge” and commentary note]. For Tyndale's
rejection of the Mass as a sacrifice, cf. [M5, “sacrificeth Christes body” and commentary note; O6, “the host ys no sacryfyce” and commentary note]. For his
rejection of transubstantiation, cf. [N6, “christes natural body” and commentary note; O8, “Aboute . . . starch” and commentary note]; of
consubstantiation, cf. [O7, “there remayneth bred and wine” and commentary note].
] 1 Corinthians
And when . . .
Masse. Cf. CWM 6/1.148/8–11; quoted exactly by CWM
8/1.315/29–33.
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There was lerned the maner of consecracion. A
greate doute / as though we coude not gather of the
scripture how to do it. And of
the water that the prest mingleth with the
wine. A gre
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The consecration.[1573]
A greate ... do
it. CWM 8/1.317/10–11.
Water [1531]O
water . . .
wine. Cf. CWM 6/1.148/19–28.
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