fynde other than the omnipotent power of god wolde seme repugnant to of whych maner thynges other good holy do ctours haue in the mater of the blessed sacrament vsed some ensamples byfore ¶ Nowe for as myche as in these wordes I speke of the apperynge of the face in the glasse and one face in euery pyece of the glasse brokē in to twēty mayster Maskar hath caughte that glasse in hand and mocketh and moweth in that glasse and maketh as many straunge faces and as many pretye pottes therin as yt were an olde ryueled ape For these are his wordes so Then sayth he that ye wote wel that many good folke haue vsed in thys mater many good frutefull ex samples of goddes other workes not onely myra cles wryten in scrypture vnde versus where one I praye ye But also done by the comen course of na ture here in erth If they be done by the comē course of nature so be they no myracles And some thynges made also by mans hande As one face beholden in dyuerse glasses and in euery pyece of one glasse broke into twenty c. Lorde howe thys pontyfy call poete playeth hys parte Because as he sayeth we se many faces in many glasses therfore maye one bodye be in many places as though euery shadowe and symylytude representynge the bodye were a bodyly substaunce But I aske More when he seeth his owne face in so many glasses whyther all those faces that appere in the glasses be hys own very face hauynge boldely substaunce skynne fleshe and bone as hathe that face whyche hathe hys very mouth nose yien c. wherwyth he faceth vs oute the trouthe thus falsely wyth lyes and yf they be al hys very faces thā in very dede there ys one body in many places he hym selfe beareth as many faces in one hoode But accordynge to hys purpose euen as they be no very faces nor those so many voyces sownes and symylytudes multyplyed in the ayer betwene the glasse or other obiecte and the body as the phylosopher proueth by naturall reason be no very bodyes no more is yt Chrystes very bodye as they wolde make the byleue in the brede in so many places at ones ¶ Now good reders to th ende that you may se the custumable maner of mayster Maskar in rehersynge my mater to his owne aduauntage syth my wordes in my letter that touche this poynt be not very longe I shall reherse them here vnto you my self so good reders thus shal you fynd yt there in the. xxvi lefe I wote well that many good folke haue vsed in this mater many good frutefull examples of goddes other workes not onely myracles wryten in scrypture but also done by the comen course of nature here in erth and some thynges made also by mannys hand as one face byholden in dyuers glasses in euery pyece of one glasse broken into xx and the merueyle of the makynge of the glasse it selfe such mater as it is made of And of one worde comyng whole to an hundred earys at onys and the syghte of one lytell eye present and beholdynge an whole great cuntrey at onys wyth a thousande such other merueyles mo such as those that se them dayly done and therfore merueyle not at theym shall yet neuer be able no not thys yonge man hym selfe to geue suche reason by what meane they maye be done but that he maye haue such repugnaunce layed agaynste it that he shall be fayne in conclusyon for the chyefe and the moste euydent reason to say that the cause of all those thynges is bycause god that hath caused theym so to be done is almyghty of hym selfe and canne do what hym lyste ¶ Lo good Chrysten readers here you se your selse that I made none suche argument as mayster Maskar bereth me in hand Nor no man vseth vppon a symilytude to cōclude a necessarye consequence in the mater of the blessed sacrament vnto whyche we can brynge nothynge so lyke but that in dede it muste be farre vnlyke sauynge that it is as semeth me some what lyke in this that god is as able by his almyghty power to make one body be in twenty places at ones as he is by comē course of nature which hym self hath made able to make one face kepynge styll hys owne fygure in hys owne place caste yet and multyply the same fygure of yt self into xx pyeces of one broken glasse of whyche pyeces eche hathe a seuerall place And as he is able by the nature that hym selfe made to make one self worde that the speker hath brethed oute in the spekynge to be forth with in the eares of an whole hundred per sones eche of theym occupyeng a seuerall place and that a good dystaunce a sundre Of whyche two thynges as natural and as comen as they both be yet cā I neuer cease to wonder for all the reasons that euer I redde of the phylopher And lyke wyse as I veryly truste that the tyme shall come whan we shall in the clere syght of Christe godhed se this great myracle soyled and wel perceyue howe yt ys and howe yt maye be that his blessed bodye ys bothe in beuyn and in erth and in so many places at ones so thynke I veryly that in the syght of hys godhed than we shall also perceyue a better cause of those two other thynges than euer any phylolopher hath hytherto shewed vs yet or ellys I wene for my parte I shall neuer perceyue theym well ¶ But nowe where as mayster Maskar mocketh myne argument not whych I made but whyche hym selfe maketh in my name and maketh yt feble for the nonce that he maye whan he hathe made yt at hys owne pleasure soyle yt as chyldren make castelles of tyle shardes and than make theym theyr passe tyme in the throwynge downe agayne yet is yt not euyn so so feble as his own where he argueth in the negatyue as I saye the sample for thaffyrmatyue For as for the tone that he maketh for me though thargument be nought for sacke of forme yet holdeth it somwhat so so by the mater in that the consequent that is to wytte that god may make one body to be at ones in many places is what so euer mayster masker bable a trouth with out questyon necessary ¶ But where he argueth for hym selfe in the negatyue by that that the bodyly substaunce of the face is not in the glasse that therfore the bodyly substaunce of our sauyoure Chryste is not in the blessed sacrament that argument hath no maner holde at all For thantecedent is very trewe and excepte goddys worde be vntrewe ellys as I haue all redy by the old holy expositours of the same well and planely proued you the cōsequent is very false ¶ Now yf he wyll saye that he maketh not that argument but vseth onely the face in the glasse for a sample a symylytude than he she weth hym selfe to playe the false shrewe whan of
he ment hym selfe to be a very dore in dede But in these wordes of eatynge of hys fleshe bycause he wolde geue hys very fleshe to be eaten in very dede therfore he more and more tolde them styll the same also tolde theym hym selfe was god and therfore able to do yt and ouer that gaue theym warnynge that they sholde not eate it in dede gobbettes but sholde eate it quycke with spyryt and lyfe For his wordes were spyrit and lyfe For his fleshe sholde ellys anayle nothyng And that though his bodye sholde be eaten by many sundry men in many sundry places yet sholde yt neuer the lesse be also styll whole and sounde where so euer he wolde besyde whych he declared by his 〈◊〉 wyth his body perfyte into heuen not withstandynge that it sholde be byfore that eaten of many men in erthe ¶ And thus haue I good reders as for this solucyon of maister Masker made open and playne vnto you his falsed and his foly both and made rt clere for all his hygh pernycyouse pe stylent wordes both that I haue hād led this place of the scripture right also taken rather the sentēce than the word And I haue also by occasyō of his wise solucyon caused you to perceyue that in myne argument was and is more pyth and more strength then peraduentur euery man perceyued before And therfore thus mych worshyp hath he wonne by thys his fyrste solemne solucyon The. iiii chapiter BUt in his seconde solucyon he specyally sheweth hys depe in syghte and cunnynge and myne ouersyght to shamefully For there in lo thus he sayth But yet for hys lordely pleasure let 〈◊〉 graunt hym that they murmured is as myche to saye as they meruayled bycanse perchaunce the one may folowe at the tother And than do 〈◊〉 aske hym whyther Chrystes 〈◊〉 and hys apostles 〈◊〉 hym not and vnderstode hym not when he sayde I am the core and the vyne and whan he sayde my fleshe c. If he saye no or naye the scrypture is playn agaynst hym Ioh. 6. 10. 15. If he saye ye or yes then yet do I aske hym whyther his dyscypfes apostles thus herynge and vnderstandynge his wordes in all these thre chapyters wondered and meruaysed as mays ter More say the or murmured as hath the texte at they re maysters speche what thynke ye More must answere here here may you se whither this old holy vpholder of the popes chyrch is brought euyn to be taken in his owne 〈◊〉 For the discyples hys apostles neyther murmured nor meruayled nor yet were not offended with theyr mayster Chrystes wor des and maner of speche ¶ 〈◊〉 good readers here mayster Masher bycause he thynketh yt not ynough for his worship to shew him selfe ones a fole by his fyrst soluciō conieth nowe farther forth to shewe him self twise a fole ye thryse a fole by the secnnde ¶ And fyrst for away to come there to he sayth he wyll graunte me for my sordely pleasure that they murmured is as mych to say as they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In whych grauntynge he doth me no great fordly pleasure For I haue as you haue herde well proued hym al redy that I nede not hys grauntynge therin But veryly in the cause that he addeth therto when he sayth bycause perchaunce the tone maye folowe at the tother therin he doth me a very great lordely pleasure For yt is euyn a pleasure for a lord and for a kyng to to se hym play so farre the fole as without necessytie to wryte in that worde hym selfe which helpeth myn argumēt agaynst hym self and maketh all his wonderynge y t he hath in his fyrst sosucyon vppon me fal in his own necke For yf theyr murmuryng folowed vppō they re meruaylynge as hym selfe here sayth that peaduenture yt dyd than playeth he fyrste peraduenture the fole to make suche an oute crye vppon me for sayenge that they meruailed where the texte saith they murmured as though I wyth that word vtterly destroyed y t pure sense of goddes holy word For that word dothe not so pestylently peruerte the sense yf yt maye stande with the sen tence as yt maye in dede yf mayster Masker saye trewe that peraduenture the tone maye folow vppon the tother that is to wit the murmuryng vppon the meruaylynge for so he meaneth therby For as madde as he is he is not I thynke so madde yet as to me ane that the meruaylynge fo lowed vppon the murmurynge For they meruayled fyrst and murmured after And nowe syth this one worde of his therfore ouer throweth all his wondering that he hath made on me and proueth hym selfe willyngly and wyttyngly in all his hygh tragycall exclamacyon agaynst his own conscyence and his own very knowledge to bylye me he hathe therin as I saye done me a very special pleasure to se him so farre play the fole as to bring forth that worde hym self specyally where there was no nede at all but euen for a garnyshe of his induccion wyth a shewe of his cunnynge to make men know that he hadde not so lytle lernynge but that he wyst well ynough hym selfe that he had shamefully bylyed me in all that euer he hadde cryed oute agaynst me concer cernynge any mysse constrewyng of that place of holy scrypture The. v. chapyter NOwe after thys hys double folye well and wysely putte forth at ones he bryngeth me to myn opposycyon And therin he handeleth me so hardly y t I cā not scape which waye so euer I take whether I say that Chrystes dyscyples and apostles herde and vnderstode theyr may sters wordes in all the thre places or that I saye that in any one of those thre places they vnderstode him not For here to be sure to holde me in on both sydes that I scape not he shew eth what daūgeour I fal in whyche waye so euer I take For he sayeth that on the tone syde I denye the gos spell yf I answere no or naye and on the tother syde I am taken in myn owne trappe yf I saye ye or yes ¶ And surely here he playeth the wysest poynte and the moste for hys owne suertye that I sawe hym play yet For ye shall vnderstand that in the fyrste parte of my Confutacyon in the thyrd boke the. clxxx syde for as myche as Tyndale hathe ben so longe out of England that he could not tell howe to vse these englyshe 〈◊〉 naye and no ye and yes I gaue hym a rule and a certayne samples of y e rule wherby he mighte lerne where he shold answere naye and where no and where ye where yes ¶ Nowe mayster Masker whan he wrote hys boke neyther hauynge my boke by hym nor the rule by hart thoughte he wolde be sure that I sholde fynde no suche faute in hym and therfore on the tone syde for the answere assygneth ye and yes both and on the tother syde bothe naye and no leuynge the choyce to my selfe whyche he durst not well take
doyng of the same besyde the fygures of the old testament fore fygurynge the same besyde the pro phecyes of the old ê“phetes fore prophecyeng the same for meÌ„nes more redynesse toward y e thinges whan he wolde execute theym by his dede to geue them some warnyng informa cyon therof before by his wordes ¶ Thus before he made saynt Peter his chyefe shepeherd ouer hys flocke iii. times at ones specially 〈◊〉 dynge hym to fed his shepe he fyrste sayd vnto hym thou shalt be called stone after sayd also to hym whan he coÌ„fessed hym to be Christ Thou art stone vpon the same stone shal I byeld my chyrche and the gates of hell shall not preuayse agaynste yt ¶ Thus before he made him his ge nerall vicare he gaue hym the name of stone which stone he sayd after he wold byelde hys chyrche vppon ¶ Thus he gaue his apostles dys cyples warnyng of his betrayeng of his takyng of his deth of his resurreccion of his ascensyon by his word before the thinges were done in dede And of his comynge agaynge to the dome also at y e general resurreccyon whyche thynges surely shal be 〈◊〉 not yet done in dede And alwaye the more straunge the thynges were the more he opened them wyth wordes And yet hadde he for all that some of those thynge for that whyle not very wel byleued not euyn of some of his owne dyscyples But yet neyther were his wordes fully frutelesse at the time but that they toke some hold in some folke and wrought in some sowles though not a full fayth yet an inclynacyon and a disposycyon towardÌ„e yt and nowe serue and euer synnes haue serued and euer whyle the worlde lasteth shall serue to the plantynge rotynge and waterynge of the sayth in al chrysten nacyons all the worlde about ¶ Nowe as our lorde dyd in many thynges so dyd he specyally in the two great sacrameÌ„tes the sacrament of baptysme and in this hygh blessed sacrament of the aulter ¶ Of the tone he talked with Nicho demus that came to hym by nyght and durst not be sene with him by day for drede of the Iewes ¶ And of the tother that is to wytte of the sacrament of the awtre he talked here and taught the very thynge but not the very forme therof vnto the Iewes hys dyscyples amonge theym ¶ And as he founde Nichodemus farre of fro the perceyuynge of the spyrytuall frute that ryseth in the sen syble ablucyon faythfull wasshyng of baptysme so founde he the substaunce of these folke very farre fro the perceyuynge of the spyrytuall fruyt that groweth of the bodyly receyuynge of Chrystes owne blessed body to them that faithfully receyue it in the blessed sacrament vnder the sensyble forme of brede ¶ Our sauyour also good reder bycause the thynge that he nowe wente about to tell them was a meruesous hygh thynge and a straunge vsed in the proponynge therof vnto them di uers wayes deuysed of hys diuyne wysedome ¶ Fyrst to make them the more mete to receyue the doctryne of that poynt and to perceyue it he dyd two myracles before he began to speke therof One which though they were not at it yet they perceyued well as the gospell she weth in goyng ouer y e water without a vessell and another that he dyd not onely in theyr preseÌ„ce but also made them all parteners of the profyte that is to wyt whan he fedde them all beynge fyue thousande in nombre of two fysshes and fyue souys and yet whan all theyr 〈◊〉 were full gathered fylled twelue baskettes of the fragmentes ¶ Uppon the occasyon of this myra cle good reader of these fyue louys by suche a myracle so multyplyed as a thynge very conuenient he toke his begynnynge to induce theruppon the feste that he wold in this world leue perpetually with his chirche by fedynge of innumerable thousandes with that one lofe that is his blessed body in the forme of brede Not for y t y e myracle of y t fedyng of the Iewes and this fedyng of Chrystes chyrch is in euery thynge lyke bytwene whiche twayne there are incomparable differences but bycause the lesse miracle and in some part lyke is a coÌ„uenient thynge for an entre and a begynnynge wherwyth to drawe them ferther And vnto his apostles at y e tyme so was it and yet vnto this time vnto all good chrysten peple so is it ¶ Our sauyour also to enduce them the better to the bylyefe of his great kyndnes in that he wold vouch saufe to gyue them his owne body to be receyued and eaten in to theyrs he dyd tell theÌ„ two other thynge the tone y t he was very god the tother that he wold dye for theyr sakes Of these two poyntes the tone myght make them sure that he wold do it and the tother that he coulde do it For what coulde he not do that was god almyghty or what wolde he dysdayne to do for vs that wolde not dysdayn to dye for vs. ¶ Now good readers remembryng well these thynges marke what our sauiour hath sayd in this gospell and consyder well what he ment The. vi chapyter WHan that after the myracle of the fedyng so many people with so fewe louys our lord had as it foloweth in the gospel withdraweÌ„ hym selfe asyde into the hyll bycause he sawe the people were mynded to make hym they re kynge the dyscyples hadde entred in the euenynge after into a shyppe and Chryste apperynge to theym walkynge vppon the see and calmynge the tempest whan they wolde haue taken hym in to theyr shyppe the shyppe was sodaynly comen to the land The people on the morowe longyng to fynde oure lorde agayne toke other lytell shyppes that came thyther after and folowed hys dyscyples from whom they thought he wolde not longe be allthough they knewe that Chryste wente not in the shyppe with theym And whan they came on the tother syde of the se to CapharnauÌ„ fouÌ„de not onely them there but him to thaÌ„ merueylynge mych therof they sayd vnto hym Mayster whan camest y e hyther Our lord answered agayne sayd vnto theÌ„ syrs I tell you very trewth the cause that you seke me now is not the myracles that you haue sene but it is bycause that of the louys y t I gaue you you haue well eaten and well fylled your belyes ¶ In these wordê our sauyour well declared his godhed in that he tolde them theyr myndes thoughtes whiche is a property belongynge onely to god For as the scripture sayth our lord beholdeth the harte And specyally syth he told them theyr myndê beynge suche as reason wolde haue went theyr myndes had ben the contrary For syth that after that god had so fedde and fylled them of that brede and that they had sene so mych lefte yet besyde they dyd vppon the syghte of that myracle saye Thys is the very prophete that shall
virginyte that she neuer neyther longed nor loked for any messenger from god that sholde byd her 〈◊〉 And therfore was she so dyscrete and cyrcumspecte that she wolde not onely consyder who spake to her 〈◊〉 dyscerne whyther it were man or spyrite and also whyther it were a good spyryte or an euyll but she wolde also way well the wordes were the spyryte neuer so good leste her own mysse takyng by neglygeÌ„ce myght marre the reuesacyon And therfore at Gabrielys fyrste apperauÌ„ce bycause he was goodly hys wordes were faire and plesauÌ„tly set and spoken somwhat lyke a 〈◊〉 she was somwhat abasshed and troubled in her mynde at the maner of his salutacyon But after vpon his ferther wordes whan she aduysed hym and hys message well than perceyuynge hym to be not a man but an angell not an euyl angell but a good and specyally sent from god and 〈◊〉 mater no worldly wowyng but an he uynly message she was not a sytell ioyful in her hart And as I sayd had she not vowed virgynyte but hadde ben at her lybertye she had as me semeth had no cause to do wte what god wolde haue her do namely hauynge an husband allredy Nor neuer woldÌ„ she haue thought that it had ben better for her to lyue styll in virgynyte than to go about y t generacyoÌ„ wherof god had sent her word But now for as mych as she was by her vow 〈◊〉 den to virginite wherof she wist wel she myght not dispence with her self and the angell bode not her go about to coÌ„ceyue but onely tolde her as by way of prophecye that she shold con ceyue wel she wyst god froÌ„ whom the message came could make her coÌ„ceyue without man yf he wold therfore she neyther wold tempte god in desyryng hym to do that myracle nor by mysse takynge of his message for hast ouersyght offend his mayster by the brekyng of her vow but dyscretely dyd aske the messenger how in what wyse she shold coÌ„ceiue wher upon he shewed her that she shold be conceyued by the holy goost ¶ Here you se good reders that the cause of her question in her askynge how rose of no diffidence but of veri sure faith bicause she surely byleued y t he could make her coÌ„ceyue her vir ginite saued For els had she not had fermely y t faith she had had no cause to aske the questyoÌ„ but myght haue rehened clerely that he wolde haue her conceyued by her husband ¶ And therfore was her questyon farte fro the question of zachary the father of saynt IohnÌ„ whiche asked not the angell how but what token he sholde haue that he sayd trew for ellys it semed that for all his worde bycause of theyr bothe agys he was mynded no more to medle with hys wyfe syth he thought possybylite of generacyon passed And for that dyffydens was he punyshed by losse of hys speche tyll the byrth of y e chyld ¶ And her questyon was also very farre fro this questyoÌ„ of the Iewys here and from theyr askynge how whyle the cause of her questyon was fayth and the cause of theyr questyoÌ„ dyffydens ¶ Nichodemus also whan our lord bygan to tell hym of the sacrameÌ„t of baptysme and sayd vnto hym verily veryly I tell the but if a man be born agayne he can not se the kyngdome of god answered our sauyour sayd how may a man be borne agayn whaÌ„ he is olde maye he entre agayne into hys mothers vely be born agayne ¶ Lo. here the man was deceyued in that he thoughte vpoÌ„ a bodyly byrth where as our sauyour ment of a spyrytuall byrth by fayth and by the sacrament of baptysme And therfore our lorde tolde hym forthwyth that he ment not that a man sholde be bodyly borne agayne of his mother but ment of a spyrytuall regeneracyon in soule by the water and y e holy goost ¶ Now be it he told hym not for all that all the forme and maner of that sacrament but what the substaunce sholde be and by whose power and wherof it shold take effecte ¶ Now these iewes here to whome Cryste preched of the geuyng of his body to them for meat were not fully in the case of Nichodemus but in some point they were nerer y e trewth than he was at the begynnynge For they toke our sauyours worde ryght in that they vnderstode that he spake of his owne very fleshe and that he wold geue it them to eate where as Nichodemus vnderstode no part of the generacyon and byrth that Cryst spake of But they myssetoke the ma ner how he wolde geue it them ran forth in the deuyce and imagynacyon of theyr owne fantasy But in dyffydence dystrust they were lyke Nichodemus which sayd how maye a man be borne agayn whan he is old And peradueÌ„ture the farther of froÌ„ endeuour to warde byseuynge For in Nichodemus though I fynd no coÌ„sent of faith in conclusyon yet y e gospell speketh not of any finall contradyccyon in hym nor of any desperate departynge as these Iewes these disciples dyd And Nichodems spake in his cause after but these discyples neuer walked after with hym ¶ Now Cryste there vnto Nichodemus bycause he was slene fro the mater told him y t it shold be no bodyly byrth but a spiritual and bode hym meruayle not therof no more thaÌ„ of y e spiryng or mouyng of the spiryt or of y e wynd for y t word diuerse doctours take diuersely whose voice though he herd he neither wyst froÌ„ whens it came nor whyther he wold go But now whaÌ„ y t Nichodemê° ê‘ceyuynge what y e thyng was dyd yet woÌ„der on styl sayd how may these things be ThaÌ„ our lord dyd no more but leue hym with y e same tale styll byd him byleue tell hym why he so sholde syth hym self y t so told hym came froÌ„ heuyn and therfore could tell it and gaue hym a sinificacyon of hys deth wherby that sacrameÌ„t shold take the strength But as for hys questyon how this myght be other wyse thaÌ„ y e it was by the power of god that questyon Cryst lefte vnsoyled ¶ Now dyd he lyke wyse with these ie wys here Syth it was so that they perceyued all redy that he spake of his very flesshe and yet for all that word not byteue he could geue it theÌ„ but thoughte the thynge so straunge and wonderfull that they thought he could not do it therfore asked how he could do it he dyd no more but styl tell them that he wolde do it and that he veryly wold gyue them his fleshe to eate and his very bloud to drynke and tolde them the profyte that they shold haue yf they byleued hym and dyd it and what losse they shold haue yf for lacke of bylyef they wold seue it vndone and that he was come froÌ„ heuyn and therfore they ought neyther to myssetruste hys word nor his power
to performe hys worde And 〈◊〉 for otherwyse how and in what maner he could or wold do it he lefte theyr questyon and theyr how vnsoysed ¶ But now lest mayster Masker Masher make men wene that I make all thys mater of myne own hede ye shall here good readers vppon thys questyon of the Jewys what saynte Cyryll sayth ¶ The Iewes sayth he wyth greate wyckednes cry out and saye agaynst god How may he gyue vs his flesh they forgete that there is nothynge impossyble to god For whyle they were fleshely they could not as saint Poule sayth vnderstande spyrytuall thynges but thys great sacrament mystery semed vnto theym but foly But lette vs I beseche you take profyte of theyr synnes and let vs geue ferme fayth vnto the sacramentes lette vs neuer in suche hygh thynges eyther speake or thynge that same how For it is a Iewes worde that same and a cause of exterme ponysshement And Nicodemus therfore when he sayd How may these thynges be was answered as he wel was worthy Art thou the mayster in Isra ell and knowest not these thynges Let vs therfore as I sayd be taught by other folkes fawtes iÌ„ goddes wor ke not to aske How but leue vnto hymselfe the science and the way of hys owne worke For lyke wyse as though no man knoweth what thing god is in hys owne nature and substauÌ„ce yet a man is iustified by fayth when he byleueth that they that seke hym shal be ryally rewarded by hym so thowgh a man know not the reasoÌ„ of goddys workys yet when thorow fayth he dowteth not but that god is able to do all thyng he shall haue for thys good mynde great rewarde And that we shold be of thys mynde our lorde hym selfe exhorteth vs by the prophete Esaye where he sayth thus vnto men ¶ My deuyces be not as your deuyces be nor my wayes suche as your wayes be fayth our lorde but as the heuyn is exalted from the erth so be my wayes exalted aboue yours and my deuyces aboue your deuyces Chryste therfore whyche excelleth in wysedome and power by his godhed how can it be but that he shall worke so wonderfully that the reason and cause of hys workes shall so farre passe and excelle the capacyte of man nes wytte that our mynde shall neuer be possyble to perceyue it Doste thou not se oftentyme what thynge men of hande crafte do They tell vs somtyme that they can do some thinges wherin theyr wordes seme of theÌ„ self icredyble But yet bycause we haue sene them somtyme done suche other thynges lyke we therby byleue them that they can do those thynges to Now can it be therfore but y u they be worthy extreme torment that so coÌ„tempne almyghty god the worker of all thynges that they dare be so bolde as in hys wordes to speke of how while he is he whoÌ„ they knowe to be the geuer of all wysedome and whyche as the scrypture techeth vs is able to do all thynge But now thou Iewe yf thou wylte yet cry out and aske how than wyll I be coÌ„tent to playe the fole as thou doest and aske how to Than wyll I gladly axe y e how thou camest out of Egipt how Moyses rodde was turned into the serpent how the hand strykken wyth lepry was in a moment restored to hys formare state agayne how the waters turned into bloude how thy fore fathers went thorow the mydde sees as though they had walked on drye grounde how the bytter waters were chaunged swete by the tree how the fountayne of water flowed out of the stone how the runnyng ryuer of Iordane stode styll how the inexpugnable walles of Ieryco were ouerthro weeÌ„ with the bare noyse and clamour of the trumpettes Innume rable thynges there are in whyche yf thou aske how thou must nedes subuerte and set at nought all the whole scrypture the doctryne of the prophe tes and Moyses owne wrytynge to wherupon you Iewes ye shold haue byleued Cryste yf there semed you than any hard thynge in his wordes humbly than haue asked hym Thus sholde ye rather haue done than lyke dronken folke to crye out Now can he gyue vs hys flesshe do ye not per ceyue that when ye say such thynges there appereth anone a great arrogaunce in your wordes ¶ Nere you se good readers that S. Cyriss in these wordes psaynesy shewed y t Crist here in these wordê The brede that I shall geue you is my flesh whych I shall geue for the lyfe of the worlde ment of y e geuyng of hys flesshe in the sacrament And that the Iewes wondered that he sayd he wolde geue them his flesshe and asked how he could do it bycause they thought it impossyble And in reprofe of theyr incredusyte and that folyshe mynde of theyrs by whiche they could not byleue that god could geue them his owne fleshe to eate S. Cyriss both sheweth that many hand crafted men do thynges such as those that neuer sawe the lyke wolde wene impossyble and also that in any worke of god it is a madnes to putte any dowt and aske how he can do it syth he is asmyghty and able to do all thynge And to the entent that no chry sten man sholde dowt of the chaunge and conuirsyon of the bred into Cry stes blessed body in the sacrament Saynt Cyriss here by waye of obieccyon agaynste the Iewes putteth vs in remembraunce for vs he teacheth though he spake to theÌ„ among other myracles he putteth vs I say in remembraunce of dyuerse conuersyons and chaunges out of one nature into another that god wrought in the olde sawe As how the hande was turned from hole to sore and from sore to hole agayne sodaynly Now the waters were sodaynly tur ned from bytter into swete and how the waters were turned from water to bloude and how the dede rodde of Moyses was turned into a quyche serpent The. xvi chapyter BUt yet shall ye se that vpon the wordes of Cryste folowynge Now saynte saynte all waye more and more declareth that Christ spake there of his very body that he wold geue men to eate in the blessed sacrament For it foloweth in the text of the gospell ¶ Than sayd Iesus vnto the Jewes Ueryly veryly I say vnto you but yf ye eate the flesshe of the soue of man ye shall not haue lyfe in you He that eateth my flesshe and drynketh my bloude hath euerlastynge lyfe Uppon those wordes thus sayth saynt Cyrill ¶ Cryst is very mercyfull and mylde as the thynge it selfe she weth For he answereth not here sharpely to theyr hote wordes nor falleth at no conten cyon wyth them but goeth about to inprente in theyr myndes the lyuely knowlege of thys sacrament or mystery And as for how that is to wyt in what maner he shall geue theÌ„ hys flesshe to eate he teacheth them not For they coulde not vnderstande yt But how greate good they shold get by the
own soule is another maner of heuynly brede and shal be gyuen you to eate for another maner of purpose For manna that was geuen your fathers to eate for the onely sustinaūce of theyr tēporall lyfe was but a fygure of this brede thus geuyn you to eate as I shal begyn to geue it at my maūdy souper the maner wherof I wyll not tell you now And therfore as the figure or y e shadow of a thyng is farre fro the propertye of y e thyng it selfe so was the brede of manna farre fro the propertye of this brede y t is my flesshe For lyke wyse as bycause it was a fygure of thys brede that is very lyfe it serued for the sus stynaunce of lyfe so bycause it was but a fygure and not the very lyfe it selfe it serued therfore not to geue lyfe but to sustayne life not for euer but for a whyle But this brede that is my flesshe whyche I shall geue you as veryly to eate as euer your fathers dyd eate manna bycause it is not the fygure onely of the thynge that is lyfe but is also by cōiuncciō with the godhed the very lyfe it self that was figured I shall geue it you to eat in such a maner that it shal not onely mayntayn fede and sustayne the body of the eater in thys present lyfe but it shall also gyue lyfe ye that euersastynge lyfe in glory not onely to y e soule but also to the body to in tyme mete and conuenyent raysynge it vy agayne from deth and settynge it wyth the soule in eternall lyfe of euerlastynge blysse The. xx chapyter THys communycacyon wyth the Hewys had our lorde techynge in the synagoge at Caparnaū And many therfore of hys dyscyples herynge these thynger sayde Thys word is hard and who can here hym ¶ The more and more that our sauyour playnely tolde them that he wolde geue them hys very fsesshe to eate the more and more meruelouse harde they thought his sayenge and rekened that it was impossyble for any man to byleue it And therfore for lacke of bylyefe they loste the profyt And these that thus thought thys mater so meruelouse harde and straunge that they wolde not byleue but for lacke of bylyefe lost the profyte were not onely such Iewes as were his enemies but many of those also that were his owne dyscyples ¶ But oure sauyour knowynge in hym selfe as he that was god and neded no man to tell hym that hys dyscyples murmured at his wordes bycause he tolde them so often and so playnely that men shold haue no life but yf they wolde be content veryly to eate hys owne flessh he sayd vnto them Doth thys offende you do you stumble at thys what than yf you shall se the sone of man ascende vppe where as he was before The spyryt is that that quyckeneth the flessh auayleth nothing The wordes that I haue spoken to you be spirit lyfe ¶ In these 〈◊〉 our lorde 〈◊〉 tely to 〈◊〉 all theyr objectyōs gro wynge vpon theyr infydelyte also confuteth theyr infidelyte and in hys word after folowyng putteth them yet agayne in mynde of the medicine y t might remoue theyr vnfaithfulnes geue them the very fast fayth ¶ The Iewes had byfore murmu red agaynst that that he had sayde y t he was descēded frō heuyn Agaynst whiche they sayd Is not he the sone of Ioseph whose father and mother we know And how sayth he thā that he is descended from heuyn And a great pyece of theyr murmure therin arose as ye se vppon that poynt that they had mysse conceyued wenyng y t Joseph had ben his father For had they beleued that his māhed had ben conceyued by y e holy goste they wold haue murmured y t lesse And had they byleued y t his godhed had descēded in to it from heuyn they wold not haue murmured at all ¶ In Lyke wise they murmured at the secūd poynt in that he shewed thē so playnely y t he wold geue them his very flesshe to be theyr very mete sayd how can he gyue vs his flesh to eate And many of his dysciples sayd also this is an hard word who may here hym And a great parte of theyr murmure was bycause they thought that they shold haue eaten his fleshe in y e self fseshly forme bycause as sa it Austayn saith in sundry 〈◊〉 y t they thought they shold haue eaten his fleshe in dede gobbettes cut out piecemele as the meat is cut out in y e shamelles also bycause they knew him not to be god For had thei knowē that the maner in whyche he wolde geue them hys very flesshe to eate shold not be in the self same fleshelp forme but in the pleasaunt forme of brede though they wolde yet haue meruayled bycause they woide haue thought it wonderfull yet wold they haue murmured the lesse bycause they wold not haue thought it lothely But thā had they ferther knowē that he had ben god than wolde they not I suppose haue murmured at the mater at all For I wene veryly that there were neyther of those disciples nor of those Iewes neyther any one so euyll as now be mayster Masker fryth hys felowes that seynge the receyuyng nothynge lothesome and byleuynge that Cryst was god yf they byleue it wyll not yet byleue he can do it but murmur grudg agaynst it styll ¶ For though mayster Masker say that yf Cryst sayd he wold do it than hym selfe wold byleue he could do it yet it shall appere ere we part both that Cryst sayth it And he wyll not byleue that Cryst though he say it meneth it And also that the cause why he wyll not byleue that Cryste meneth it is bycause he byleueth that god can not do it ¶ But now sayd our sauyour vnto them in answerynge all thys gere Do you stumble at thys what yf ye se the sone of man ascende vp where he was before what wyl you thā say For than could they haue no cause to distruste that he descended downe whan they shold se hym ascende vp For that thynge semeth in mennys madde eyen suche as they were that wolde not take hym but for a man farre the gretter maystry of the both ¶ Also whan they sholde se hym ascende vp to heuyn whole than sholde they well perceyue that they mysse toke hym by a false imagynacyon of theyr owne deuyce whan they constre wed the geuynge of hys fleshe to eate as though he ment to gyue it thē in such wyse as hym selfe shold lose all that they sholde eate ¶ And whan he sayde they sholdse the sone of man ascend vp there as he was byfore he gaue them agayne a sygnyfycacyō that hym selfe y e sone of man was the sone of god also and therby hym selfe god also into the worlde comen and descended from heuyn ¶ In these wordes our sauyour she weth that his ascensyō shold be a
dye for your synnys And syth he sayd not thus mayster Maskers own argument hath cutte of his cable rope lost his anchore runne his shyppe hym self agaynst a rocke For he sayth that yf he had ment it he wold haue tolde them playne the tale to put them out of all dowte ¶ And here you se now good reders by mo meanys than one as wel by y e exposycyons of olde holy doctours sayntes as by the wyse argument of mayster masker hym self to what wyse wurshypfull ende thys ryall brage of his is come to passe in whiche he triumpheth ouer the catholike chyrch the blessed sacramēt where he bosteth thus Thys therfore is the sure anker to holde vs by agaynst all the obieccions of the papystes for the eatynge of Chrystes body as they say in forme of brede Chryst sayd My flesh profyteth nothyng menyng to eate it bodely Thys is the key that solueth all theyr argumentes openeth the waye to shew vs all theyr false and abomynable blasphemouse lyes vppon Chrystes wordes and vttereth theyr sleyght ingelynge ouer the brede to mayntayne Antichrystes kyngdome therwyth And thus when Chryste had declared it and taught them that it was not the bodyly eatynge of hys materyall body but the eatynge wyth the spyryte of faythe he added sayenge The wordes whyche I here speke vnto you are spyryte and lyfe that is to saye thys mater that I here haue spoken of with so many wordes must be spyrytually vnderstanden to geue ye this lyfe euerlastynge wherfore the cause why ye vnderstand me not is that ye byleue me not Here is lo the conclusyon of all hys sermon ¶ Syth your selfe haue sene good readers that in this mater and in this whole exposycyon there are agaynst mayster masker not onely the catholyke chyrche of our tyme but also all the olde holy doctours and sayntes which with one voyce expoune these wordes of Chryste to be spoken and ment of that eatynge of Chrystes flesshe by whyche it is eaten in the blessed sacrament agaynste whiche poynt mayster masker here rageth in this his furyouse boste raylynge vp pon them all that so teche or byleue vnder his spygstuff name of papystes I wold wytte of mayster masker whyther saynt 〈◊〉 saynt Austayn and saynt Ambrose saynt 〈◊〉 and saint 〈◊〉 Theophilactus saynt Cyrill and saynt Chry sostome were all papystes or not If he answere ye and saye the were than shall he make no man that wise is asshamed of the name of papyste as odyouse as he wolde make it yf he graunte vs that suche good godly men such holy doctours sayntes were papystes ¶ Now yf he answere me nay and say that they were no papystes than he maketh it playne and open vnto you good reders that he playeth but the part of a folyssh rayler aiester and doth but deceyue and mocke all his owne fratexnyte whan by raylynge agaynste papystes whom he wold haue taken for folke of a false fayth he dyssembleth the trouth that his here sye is not onely dampned by them that he calleth papystes but by them also whom he cōfesscth for no papistes and whom he cannot but cō fesse for old holy doctours saintes nor cannot so blynd you but that you playnely perceyue by theyr own wor des which I haue rehersed you and yet shal hereafter more playnely per ceyue by mo holy doctours saynts of the same sort by mo playne wor des also of y e same y t they do all with one voyce expoune these wordes of Chryst mencyoned in the syxte chapi ter of saynt Iohn to be spokē ment of y t eatyng of his flesh by which we eate it in the blessed sacrament ¶ And thus haue I good reders answered you all mayster Maskers ar gumentes by whych he reproueth in generall vnder the name of papyste all those that is to wytte all the olde holy doctours and sayntes that contrary to hys heresye expowne the sayde wordes of Chryste to be ment of the very eatynge of hys flesshe and not onely of the byleuynge of his deth for our synne And now wyll I come to his subtyll dysputacyōs that he maketh against me by name in specyall to soyle such thynges as I in my letter wrote agaynst Iohn Fryth Here endeth the thyrde booke The fourth boke IN the syxte lefe thus he sayth Here maketh M. More this argumēt agaynst the 〈◊〉 man Bycause the Iewes merueyled at this 〈◊〉 my fleshe is very meate my bloude drynke and not at this I am the dore and the very vyne therfore this text sayth he my flesshe 〈◊〉 must be vnderstanden after the lytterall sence that is to wyt euen as the carnall Iewes vnderstode it murmurynge at it veynge offended goynge theyr wayes from Cryst for theyr so carnal vnderstandynge therof and the tother textes I am the dore c. must be vnderstanden in an allegorye a spyrytual sence bycause his hearers merueyled no thynge at the maner of speche ¶ I haue good readers byfore this argument that he speketh of another argument in that pystle of myne agaynst fryth whyche all though it went before and was redde before this yet bycause it wolde not well be soyled maister Masker was content to dyssemble it But I shall afterward anone lay it afore hym agayne and sette hym to it with a festue that he shall not saye but he sawe it ¶ But now as for this argument of myne that he maketh the fyrste I mysse fortuned to make so feble that he taketh euyn a pleasure to playe with it and therfore he soyleth it and soyleth it agayne that 〈◊〉 wysely ye may be faste and sure and so shall you saye your selfe whan you se all But yet though he wynne hym selfe worshyp in the soylynge yt was no great wysedome to lese his worshyp in the rehersynge wyth false beryng in hande that I saye that those wordes of Cryste muste be vnderstanden after that lyterall sense that the carnall Iewys toke therin that mur mured and went theyr way therfore For they toke yt of hys fseshe to be eaten in the self same fleshely forme and as holy saynte Austayne sayeth that they shold haue eaten his fleshe deade withoute lyfe or spyryte as befe or motten is cutte out in bochers shoppys And I am very sure that mayster Maskar hathe no such word in my letter wherof he maye take hold to say that I say that Chrystes worde shold be taken so But this is no newe fashyon of these folkes to reherse other mennes argumentes in suche maner as theym selfe lyste to make them and thē they make them such as them selfe may most easely soyle theym whych whyle mayster Masker hathe done wyth myne yet hath he lytle auauntage therby But to th entent that all thynge shall be the more open byfore your yien I shall reherse you fyrste the thynge that he wolde be content you sawe not ytis to wit myne own worde as I wrote theym whyche
murmured and neyther at the callynge of hym selfe a vyne nor at the callynge of hym selfe adore none of his herers murmured for y t maner of spekynge it appereth as well the dyfference in Chrystes spekynge by the dyffereÌ„ce of dyuerse his herers at y e tone word murmurynge and at the tother two not murmurynge as at the tone meruaylynge and at the tother two not meruaylynge ¶ To thus you se good readers that in this mater in whyche mayster mas ker maketh his great out cry vppon me for chaungynge of this worde murmuryng into this word meruay syng syth there is no chaunge in the mater by the chaunge of the worde but myne argument as stronge with the tone worde as with the tother I neyther haue done it of any fraude for auauntage of myne owne parte in the mater nor yet syth the chaunge is but in the worde without chaunge of the mater I haue not therby pernycyousely and pestylently by the whole tunne full of falshed at onys peruerted and destroyed the pure sense of goddes holy worde But it appereth well on the tother syde that mayster Masker hath geuyn vs here I wyll not be so sore to saye a tunne full but at the leste wyse a lytell prety caste of hys lytell prety falshed wyth whyche a lytell he pretyly belyeth me The. ii chapyter BUt yet shall you now se his wyt and hys truth bothe a lytell better tryed euyn vpon thys same place in whiche with hys huge excsa macyons he maketh hys parte so playne ¶ As for oportet of whyche he speketh here we shall talke of after in another place But now to wchynge this worde they meruaysed mayster Masker sayth thus That is not so nor there is no suche worde in the texte So you se good readers that he sayth two thyn ges One that it is not so and another that there is no such worde there in y e texte As for the word good reader I wyll not greately stryue with hym But where he sayth it is not so and therin affermeth that they meruaysed not I thynke the wordes of the text wyll wel 〈◊〉 my sayeng For good reader whan they sayde How can he geue vs his flesh to eate And whan they sayd Thys word is harde and who can here it Do not these wordes proue that they meruayled and thought it straunge whaÌ„ they called it so hard y t no man might abide to heare it 〈◊〉 how he could do it bycause they thought it impossible ¶ Now you se good readers y t gospell sayth the selfe same thynge that I say thought it say not the self same worde and therfore lyeth mayster Masker in sayenge it is not so ¶ But by thys wyse waye of mayster Masher yf I had wryten that Absolon was angry with AmnoÌ„ his brother for violatynge his syster Thamar mayster Masher wolde say so good reader here thou hast not a taste but a tunne full of Morys per nicyouse peruertyng of goddys holy word as thou seest hym here falsely and pestilently destroye the pure sense of goddes worde so doth he in all other places of his workes For where he sayth y t Absolon was angry with Amnon it is not so neyther is there any such worde in the texte except More wyl expoune oderat 〈◊〉 id est irascebatur ei he hated him y t is to saye he was angry with hym as he expouneth murmurabaÌ„t id est mirabantur they murmured that is to say the meruayled And thus maye thys poete make a man to sygnyfye an asse For the byble sayeth not as More sayth that Asolon was angry with Amnon For the texte sayeth no more but that Asolon hated Amnon and caused hym to be kylled ¶ Now lyke you now good reders this wyse solucyon of mayster Mas ker This proueth not hym a poete that can make a man signyfye an asse but proueth hym rather in stede of a poete and in stede of a man a very starke asse in dede The. iii. chapyter BUt of very trouth good reader not without a good cause and a great I dyd rather touche the thyng y t was the cause of the Iewes murmur and theyr dyssensyon whan they dysputed vppon the mater than I dyd theyr murmure and they re dys sensyon For of trouth where he sayd of hym self that he was a dore there grew dyssensyon amonge his herers vppon that worde of hys and vpon other wordes that he spake ther with at y t same tyme so y t the gospel sayth And there was dyssensyoÌ„ among the Iewes vpon these wordes some sayenge that the deuyll was in hym and some sayeng nay and that the deuyll was not wont to make blynd men se as there was here dissensyon and dys putynge vppon these wordes of eatynge of his fleshe But inthe x. chapyter they nothynge meruayled of his callynge hym selfe a dore for he expowned y e parable at length so that they perceyued well that he called hym selfe a dore but onely by waye of an allegory And therfore of callynge hym self a dore they mer uayled not of that worde when he declared yt for they perceyued it for a parable But they dysputed vppon that worde and vppon his other wordes also wherein he sayde that no man could kyll hym agaynst his wil and that he wolde dye for his shepe and that he had power to put awaye his soule and take it agayn Of these thynges they dysputed and thought theym straunge and meruay louse to But not for the wordes or the maner of spekynge but for the very mater For all they vnderstode the wordes metely wel but many of them byleued them not But not one of theym dyd so take that worde I am a dore as that they meruayled howe that could be And therfore none of theÌ„ for any suche meruayle sayd there how can he be a dore as these Iewes said here howe can he geue vs his fleshe to eate And therfore as I saye therin appereth well that our sauyour in the tone place called hym selfe a dore by waye of a parable and in the tother spake of the catynge of his owne very fleshe yt selfe besides all parables whyche well appered I saye by hys audyence For the tone worde they perceyued for a parable and therfore none of theym meruayled of the maner of the spekynge of that worde though they meruayled and murmured and dysputed at the thynge that the parable ment But in the tother place many meruayled at the thynge by the selfe same name that he gaue therto sayenge howe can he geue vs hys fleshe to eate whereby yt well appe 〈◊〉 that they ê‘ceyued that he spake of very eating of his fleshe in dede in y t tother place appereth not y t they thought he ment that he was a very dore in dede but the contrarye playn appereth For Chryste by his playn and open exposycyon of that parable delyuered theym clene from all occasyon of thynkynge that
theym clerely perceyue that they sholde eate fleshe in forme of brede yet at the tyme when the worde was fyrste spoken yt was not so playne for that mater but yt myght seme to theym that he vsed that worde brede but by maner of allegorye to sygnyfye there his fleshe bycause they sholde veryly eate yt as men eate brede ¶ Now se than good reader the mad nesse of mayster Maskar that sayeth here that that thyng must nedeshaue made thapostles wonder stonned and stagger at the time when Christ spake those wordes in the sext chapypyter of saynt John̄ at whych tyme euery chyld knoweth y t they though they well perceyued that they sholde veryly eate his fleshe yet they knew not that they shold eate it in forme of bred And how could it thā haue made them wonder that thyng I say that he speketh of and so sore exaggerateth to encrease the wonder that ys to wytte that his fleshe sholde be eaten in forme of bred and that as long as thycke as depe and as brode as yt was whan yt hanged on the crosse Nowe coulde thys thyng I saye haue made theym wonder at that tyme at whyche tyme they thoughte not of the eatynge therof in the forme of brede Nerd euer any man suche a madde argument as mayster Maskar hathe made vs here ¶ Nowe yf Chryste had there told theym in dede all that mayster Mas kar hath here putte in so folyshely to make the mater the more wonderful than wolde I denye hys maior And so wyll I do if hym self putte al that oute agayne and leue no more in hys maior than Chryste sayde in dede that is that they sholde veryly ease his fleshe haue life therby y t they shold not onely eate it bodyly but also spyrytually nor in dede gobettes wythoute lyfe or spyryte but quycke and ioyned wyth the lyuely 〈◊〉 by whyche yt sholde geue lyfe and wythoute whyche his fleshe of hys owne proper nature to the geuynge of lyfe coulde not auayle Nowe saye I that yf mayster Mas ker hadde made his maior of this all this had ben no cause for hys apostles to wonder nor to be stonned and stagger nor to murmure and grudge as they dyd that slypte awaye For as feble as mayster Maskar ma keth thapostles in the fayth of Crist yet at that tyme wythoute any suche maner of meruayle as myght make theym stonne and stagger and slyppe away from hym they byleued suche other thynges as were as harde to byleue as this and that wythout any farther inquysycyon at all ¶ For elles why shode they not at the same time haue meruayled of his ascensyon vppe to heuen and bene more inquysytyue therof For that was no lytle meruayle neyther and was one of the thynges that made y e Iewes and those disciples to stonne and stagger that there slypte awaye from hym ¶ Also they byleued y t he was god and hadde no such wonder therof as made theym stonne and stagger or be more inquisytyue therof whyche was as straūge a mater as was al the tother and which poynt ones byleued yt was 〈◊〉 to byleue the tother with out any suche maner of meruaylyng as shold make them eyther stonne or stagger therat ¶ No we as for beynge inquisytyue therof holy saint Chrisostome saith that as straunge as the thing was of eatynge his fleshe For y t men hadde benrysen from deth they had herd of in y e scripture before but y t one shold eate a nothers flesh saith saīt Chriso stome that had they neuer herd of yet they byleued Christes word and folowed forth styll confessed y t he had the wordes of euerlastyng lyfe and wold not be by by curiouse and inquisytiue as mayster Maskar saith they wold yf they had byleued hym that he ment of eatyng of his flesh in dede For saynt Chrysostome sayth That is y e parte of a discyple what so euer his mayster affermeth not to be curyouse and inquysytyue therof nor to make serche therin but to heare and byleue and yf they wolde any thynge forther be enformed abyde a conuenyent tyme. For they that dyd otherwyse were inquisytyue went awaye backe and that thorow theyr foly For sayth saynt Chrysostome whan so euer it comth in the mynde to aske the questyon how the thynge may be done than cometh there in to the mynde incredulyte therwith So was Nichodemus troubled asked Now maye a man be borne agayne whan he is olde Maye a man entre agayne into his mothers bely and be borne agayn And so the Iewes sayd here to how can he gyue vs his flesh to eate But thou Iewe yf thou aske that why dydest thou not aske that in lyke wise in the myracle of the fyue louys why dydest thou not thā aske how can he fede so many of vs with so lytell mete why dydest thou not aske by what meane he wolde dyd encreace it so mych The cause was bycause they cared but for the meate and not for the myracle But thou wylte peraduenture saye the thynge at that tyme declared and shewed it selfe But than I say agayne that of that manifest open myracle that they saw hym there wurke they shold haue byleued that he coulde do these thynges to that is to wyt these thynges that they now murmured at whā they sayd how can he gyue vs hys flesshe to eate For therfore saythe saynt Chrysostome dyd our sauiour wurke the tother myracle of his lyue louys byfore bycause he wolde therwith induce them that they shold not dystruste those thynges that he wold tell them after that is to wytte good readers of hys godhed and of the geuynge of hys fleshe to eate The. ix chapyter NOw good Chrsten readers here you se by saynt Chrysostome that though thapostles vnder stode well that Chryste spake of the very eatynge of his flessh yet there was no cause why they shold eyther dowtfully wōder stonne or stagger or be by and by curyouse and inquysitiue therof so destroyeth he playne mayster Maskers reason but yf it be to suche as are dysposed for theyr pleasure better to byleue mayster masker than saynt Chrysostome ¶ For euery man may here well se that saynt Chrysostom meneth here that Chryste in those wordes bysyde all parables and allegoryes spake and ment of the very eatynge of his very flesshe in dede whyche thynge lest mayster Masker myghte as he is shamelesse brynge yet in question and controuersye I shall reherse you a fewe lynes ferther of saynte Chrysostome in this self same place Lo thus there sayth he ferther Those Iewes at that tyme toke no commodyte but we haue taken the profyte of that benefyte And therfore is it necessare to declare how meruelouse are these mysteryes that is to wytte of the blessed sacrament and why they be geuen vs and what is y t profyte therof we be one body menbrys of Chrystes flesshe and his bonys And therfore they that are
fayne ye another chyrch then Chrystes and that ye muste byleue it what so euer it teach you for he hath fayned to that it can not 〈◊〉 though ye se it erre and fyght agaynst it selfe a thowsand tymes ye yf it tell you blacke is whyte and good is badde and the 〈◊〉 is god yet muste ye byleue it or ellye be burned as heretykes ¶ Styll ye se the wisdome good reders the trouth of maister masker in euery piece of his mater For here you se that all these thynges that he speketh of as that the chyrch can not erre and the crepynge to the crosse wyth all other ceremonyes of the chyrche inuocacyon of sayntes goynge on pylgrymage wurshyppyng of images byleuynge of purgatory byleuynge the body of our sauyour present in the blessed sacrament all these thynge he calleth myne vnwryten vanitees and maketh as though these thynges were all of my faynynge Is not this wene you wysely fayned of hym that the thynges comenly vsed this xiiii C. yere by fore I was borne sholde now be fayned and imagyned by me But yet shall it be as long after my dayes and his to ere mayster Masker and all the mayny of them shall amonge theym all be able to confute the thynges y e my selfe haue in the maters wryten And yet hange not the maters vpon my wrytynge but vppon the treuth it selfe reueled vnto Christe knowē catholyke chyrche bothe by Chryste hym self and his apostles after him by tradycyon and by wrytynge both and by many myracles confyrmed wyth the secrete instyncte and inspyracyō of his holy spyryte wrought brought into a full whole catholike agrement and consent as necessary poyntes of the trewe we chrysten fayth ¶ This is also by mayster masker wonderfull wysely fayned y t More hath fayned all these thynges euyn to the entent to stably sshe the popes kyngdome But now what greate cause sholde moue me to bere that greate affeccyon to the pope as to fayne all these thynge for stably shement of his kyngdome that thynge mayster masker telleth you not as y e thynge that is so playne and euydent that he nedeth not For he thynketh y e euery man knoweth all redy that the pope is my godfather goeth aboute to make me a cardynall ¶ But now good chrysten readers they that wolde at the counsayle of this euyll chrysten caytyfe cast of all suche maner thynge as all good chry sten peple haue euer taken for good and now neyther crepe to the crosse nor set by any halowed thynge dyspute pylgrymags and set holy sayntes at nought no more reuerēce theyr images thā an horse of wax nor rekē theyr relykes any better than shepys bonys scrape clene the letany out of euery boke with our lady motens the dyryge to and away with our 〈◊〉 plaster cast the bedys in y e fyre beware also y t we wurshyp not the sacrament nor take it for no better thyng than vnblessed brede byleue that the chyrch erreth in euery thyng y e it teacheth and all that holy sayntes haue taught therin this xiiii C. 〈◊〉 for all they haue taughte all these thynges y t this man nowe dispyseth than wolde there wax a mery world y e very kyngdom of y e deuyl him self ¶ And veryly it semeth y t they wold set the people vppon 〈◊〉 For penaunce they shake of as a thynge not necessary Satisfacciō they call 〈◊〉 synne cōfessyon they call y e deuils dryft And of purgatory by two meaues they put mē out of drede Some by slepyng tyll domys daye some by sendyng all strayt to heuyn euery soule that dyeth is not dampned for euer And yet some good comforte geue they to the dampned to For tyll they se somtyme to deny hell all vtterly they goo aboute in the meane season to putte oute the fyre And some yet boldely forthwith to say there is none there that they dred a lytell and therfore for the season they brynge the mater in questyon dyspute it abrode say they wyll not vtterly afferme and say the cōtrary but the thynge is they say but as problema neutrū wherin they wold not force whyther parte they shold take yet yf they sholde chose they wold rather holde nay than ye or though there be fyre in eyther place that yet it neyther burneth so wle in helle nor payneth so wle in purgatory But Chryst I wote well in many places sayth there is fyre there his holy sayntes after hym afferme and saye the same and with that fyre he frayed his owne dyseyples byddyng them fere that fyre that they fell not therin ¶ Now though that clerkes 〈◊〉 in scolys hold problems vppon euery thynge yet can I not perceyue what profyte there can come to call it but a probleme amonge vnlerned folke and dyspute it out abrode and brynge the people in dowte make them rather thynke that there is none than any and that this worde fyre is spoken but by parable as these men make the eatynge of Chrystes blessed body Thus shal they make men take bothe paradyse and heuyn and god and all togyther but for parables at laste Though fere of hell alone be but a seruyle drede yet are there all redy to meny that fere hell to lytell euyn of theym that byleue the truthe and thynke that in hell there is very fyre in dede Now many wyll there than be that wyll fere it lesse yf such wordes onys maye make theym wene that there were in hell no very fyre at all but that the payne that they shall fele in hell were but after the maner of some beuy mynde or of a troublous dreme ¶ If a man byleue Chrystes word that in hell is fyre in dede and make the feare of that fyre one meane to kepe hym thense than though there were no fyre there yet hath he nothynge loste syth good he can gete none there though the fyre were thense But yf he byleue suche wordes on the tother syde and catche therby suche boldenesse that he sette hell at lyght and by the meanes ther of fall bosdely to synne and theruppon fynally fall downe vnto the deuyll yf he than fynde fyre there as I am sure he shall than shall he lye there and curse them that tolde hym those false talys as longe as god with hys good folke sytteth in the ioye of heuyn ¶ And therfore good chrysten readers wysedome wyll we byleue Chrystes owne wordes and let such vnwyse wordes and deuelyshe deuyces passe The. xiii chapyter BUt nowe after thys pleasaunt dyscourse of his into the rehersall of this hepe of heresies that you haue herde for whyche as for lytell tryfyls hys harte freteth sore that any heretyke sholde be burned he goth on agaynst me and sayth But let vs returne to our propose To dyspute of goddes almighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 powre what god may do wyth hys body it is great foly and no lesse presump