|1.| ❧ Fyrste because I thynke verely that it is false and can neyther be proued by scrypture nor faythfull doctours, yf they be well pondered.
|2.| The second cause is thys, because I wyll not bynde the congregacyon of Christe by myne example to admytte any necessary artycle bysyde our Crede, and specyally nonesuche as can not be proued true by scrypture. And I say that the churche, as they call yt, can not compell vs to receyue any soche artycles to be of necessyte vnder payne of dampnacyon.
|3.| The thyrde cause is, because I dare not be so presumptuous in enterynge in to Goddes Iudgement, as to make the Prelates in thys poynte a necessarye artycle of our faythe. For then I shulde dampnably condempne all the Germaynes and Almaynes, with infynyte moo, whiche in deade do not beleue nor thynke that the substaunce of breade and wyne is chaunged in to the substaunce of Christes naturall bodye. And surelye I can not be so folyshe hardy as to condempne soche an infynyte nombre for our Prelates pleasures.
Thus all the Germaynes and Almaynes, bothe of Luthers syde and also of Decolampadius, do wholye approue my matter. And surelye I thynke there is no man that hathe a pure conscyence, but he wyll thynke that I dye ryghtuouslye. For that thys transubstanciacion shulde be a necessary artycle of the faythe, I thynke no man can saye yt with a good conscyence, although yt were true in dede.
∴
Per me Iohan Frythe.
❧ Be wyse as Serpentes, and innocent as Dooues.
- Transcriber’s Notes:
- The original book's archaic spelling, abbreviations, and punctuation have been retained.