The Souper of the Lorde wher vnto that thou mayst be the better prepared and suerlyer enstructed haue here firste the declaracion of the later parte of the .6 ca. of S. IohaÌ„ beginninge at the letter C. the fowerth lyne before the crosse at these wordis Uerely â—ere c wheryn incidently M. Moris letter agenst Iohan Fry the is confuted Whan Cryste sawe those glotons sekynge theyr be lyes flockiÌ„ge so fastâ— vnto hym Aftyr hys wonte maner the occasion taken to teche and preche vnto them of the thynge now moued he sayde Ueâ—ely verely I saye vnto you ye seke me not because ye haue sene my myracles but because ye haue eten of the loues and were well sylledâ— But as for me I am not comen into thys worlde onely to fill mennis be lyes but to feed and satysfye their souls ye take grete paynes to folowe me for the meate of your belyes but o slougherdis worke take paynes and labour rather to get that meate that shall neuer perysshe For thys meat that ye haue sought of me hytherto perysheth wyth your belyes but the meat that I shall geue you is spiritual and may not perysshe but abydeth for euer geuinge lyfe euerlastynge For my father hath conâ—eygâ—ed and confyrmed me with hys assuered testimony to be that assuered saâ—â—yng helthe and ernest peny of euerlasting lyfe whan the I weâ— vnderstode not what Cryste ment bydding them to worke labour for that meat that shuld neuer peryssh they asked hym what shal we do that we myght worke the workis of God supposynge that he had spoken of some vtwarde worke requyred of theÌ„â— wherfore Iesus answerde sayng Euen thys is the worke of God â—o beleue and truste in hym whom the father hath sent Lo here maye ye se that worke of God whyche he requyreth of vs euen to beleue in Cryste Also consyder agen what this meate is whiche badde them here prepare seke for sayng worke take paynes seke for that meat c. and thou shalt se it no nother meate then the beleif in Criste wherfore he concludeth that this meat so oft meÌ„ câ—oued is faithe of the whiche meate saith the Prohet the iuste lyueth Faith in him is therefore the meat whiche Cryste prepareth dresseth so purely powldering spycyng it with spiritual allegoryes in al this chapâ—â—er folowinge to geue vs euerlasting lyfe thorow it ¶ Then sayd the â—ues vnto himâ— what token doâ—t thou wherby we might knowe that we shulde beleue in the Do some what that we might beleue the what thinge workest theâ— that we might knowe the to be god Thou knowest wel ynoughe that our fathers did eâ—e drede or MaÌ„na in the deserte as it is wryteÌ„â— he gaue them brede frome aboue Iesus answered Uerely verely I saye vnto you Moses gaue ye not that brede frome heueÌ„ for thoughe it fil down frome the ayer yet was it not heueÌ„ly fode for it did but fede the belly But this brede of god that is descenden frome heuen whom my father geueth refressheth the â—oule so abuÌ„daÌ„tly that it geueth lyâ—e vnto the worâ—deâ— whaÌ„ the â—wes vnderstode not this saynge whiche was not els then the declaring of the gospel for by the etinge of this brede he ment the beleif of this his gospel they sayd Sir geue vs this brede euermore Iesus sayd vnto them I am the brede of lyue and who so come to me â—â—al not honger and who so beleue in me shal neuer thriâ—â—e whan the â—wes herde Cryste saye the brede that descended from heuen shâ—â—de geue lyfe to the worlde they desyeâ—d to haue this brede gyuen them for euer And Iesus perceyâ—ing that they vnderstod not the sence of this gospel he expowned them who was this so lyuely brede that geueth lyfe to al the worlde sayng I am the brede of lyfe who so come to me that is to saye who so is gryffed ioyned to me by fayth shal neuer honger that is who so beleue in me is satisfyed It is faith therfore that staÌ„cheth this honger and thirste of the soule Fayth it is therfore in Crist that filleth our hongerye hartis so that we can desyre no nother yf we once thus eat and drynke hym by faythe that is to saye yf we beleue hys flesshe bodi to haue ben broken and his blood shed for our synnes For then aâ— ouâ— soulis satisfyed and we be iustified ¶ Ouer this it folowith But I haue tolde ye this because ye loke vpon me beleue me not that is ye be offended that I sayed he that cometh to me shal nether honger nor thirste seyng that your selues being present be yet bothe hongry thirste But this cometh because ye haue sene me with your bodelye eyes ye see me beleue not in me But I speke not of suche syght nor comyng but of the lyght of faiâ—he whiche who so hath he shal no nother desyer he shal not seke by night to loue a nother before whoÌ„ he wolde laye his greif he shal not run wandering here there to seke dede stockis stones For he is certifyed by hys fayth to whom he shal cleaue he is coupled by faithe vnto me his very spouse lyuely food the onely tresure of his soule neuer more to thirste for any other This lyght of faith ye haue not for ye beleue not nor truste in me wherfore ye vnderstande not how I am the veri bred meate of youre soulis that is to saye your fayth and hope And the cause of thys your blyndenes is I wyl not saie ouer hardly to you that the father hath not drawne you into the knowlege of me or els ye had receyued me For all that the father geueth me muste câ—me vnto me And as for me I caste out noman that cometh to me For I am not comeÌ„ downe from heuen to do my wyl whiche ye attribute vnto me as vnto eche any other man for I am verely a very man and accordyng to that nature I haue a special proper wyl but miche more obedient to my father than one of you For youre wyll ofâ—e resisteth repugneth gods wyl but so do myne neuer I am therfore comeÌ„ downe to do his wil that hath sent me And to do ye to weâ—e what his wyll is This I saye is my fathers wyll that hathe sent me That of all that he hath geuen me I leese non but muste rease him vp agayn in the laste daye to be playne This is his wyll that sent me That who so se that is knowe the sone and beleue in hym he must haue lyfe euerlasting I shall stere hym vp in the laste day Here may ye se what meat he speketh of God sent his sonne into thys worlde that we myght lyue thorow hâ—m who lyueth by hym they that eat his flesshe drynke his blood who eat his flâ—sshe drynke hys blood thei that beleue his body crucifyed and his blood shed for theyr synnes
these cleaue vnto his gracious fauour But how coud thei cleaue thus vnto him except thei knew hyâ— And therfore he hadded sayng Euery maÌ„ that seith the sonneâ— that is to saye vnderstandeth wherfore the sonne was sent into this worlde belâ—ueth in him shal haue euerlastynge lyfe ¶ Here it pered to the carnall iwes that Criâ—te had taken to myche vpon himselfe to saye I am the brede of lyfe whiche am comeÌ„ downe frome heuen to geue lyfe to the worlde wherfore the flesshe that is to saye the iwes now murmured not merueled as M. More seweth hys owne dreme to a nother texte folowynge whiche I shal touche anoÌ„ they murmured at this sayng of Cryste I am the brede which am comeÌ„ from heueÌ„ sayng Is not this Iesus Iosephs sonne whose father motheâ— we knowe well ynoughe How then sayth he I am coÌ„en from heueÌ„ Iesus answered saing Murmur not among your selues Herd ye not what I told ye euen nowe All that my father geueth me come to me your vnbeleif wherof foloweth this false vnderstaÌ„diÌ„g of my wordis spiritually spoken compelleth me to tell ye one thyng more then once or twyse This therfore it is Noman maye come to me thonely ernest penye and pledge of your saluacioÌ„ onlesse my Father that sent me drawe him and whom he draweth vnto me that is ioyneth vnto me by faith him shal I stere vp in the laste daye I wonder ye take my wordis so strangelye beleuing theâ— to be some harde rydels or derke parables when I say nothinge els then is wryâ—en in your owne propheâ—is bothe in Isaye Ieremye sayng that all shal be taught off the lorde Sith euen your prophetis testifye thys knowlege to be geuen ye of my father what can be spokeÌ„ more playnly then to saye what my father geueth me that cometh to me or this nomaÌ„ may come to me excepâ—e my father drawe him yet haue it more manifestly who so haue herde my father and is lerned of him he cometh to me as vnto the very onely ancore of his saluacioÌ„ Not that any man hath sene the father leste peradueÌ„ture ye mistake these wordis to here to lerne as thoughe they perteyned to the vtwarde sensis and not rather to the mynde and inwarde illumininge of the soule For noman euer sawe the father althoughe he worketh secretely vpon his hearte so that what so euer he willeth we muste hear lerne Noman I saye seith him but he that is sent of God as I sayde before of my selfe he it is that seith the father Now therfore say I vnto you so verely verely as playnely playnly That who so beleue truste in me he hath lyfe euerlastinge Now haue ye the some of this my doctrine euen my very gospel the wholl tale of al my legacye and message wherfore I am sent in to the worlde Had M. More haue vnderstande this shorte sentence who so beleue in me hathe lyfe euerlastynge and knowne what Paule with the other apostles preched especially Paule being a pere and an halfe amonge the Corinths determiâ—inge not nether presuminge not to haue knowne anye other thinge to be preched them as him selfe saythe then Iesus Cryste and that he was crucyfyed Had M. More vnderstod this pointe he shulde neuer haue thus blasphemed Cryste and his sufficient scryptures nother haue so belyed hys euâ—ngelistis and holy apostles as to saye they wrote not al thinges necessary for our saluacion but lefte out thinges of necessite to be beleued makynge gods holy testament insufficient and vnperfite firste reueled vnto our fathers wâ—iten eft sente by Moses and then by his prophets and at laste wryten bothe by his holy euangelestis and apostles to But turne we to Iohan ageyn and let More mocke stil and lye to I am the brede of lyfe saith Cryste And noman denyeth that our fathers and elders dyd ete Manna in the deserte yet ar thei dede But he that eteth of this bredeâ— that is to saye beleuethe in me he hathe lyfe euerlastynge For it is I that am this lyuely brede whiche am coÌ„men from heueÌ„ of whom who so ete by faithe shal neuer dye Here therfore it is to be noted diligently that Cryste meaneth as euery man may se by the etinge of this brede non other thinge then the beleif in him selfe offred vp for our sinnes whiche faithe onely iustifyethe vs which sentence to declare more playnely and that he wolde haue it noted more diligeÌ„tly he repeteth it yet ageâ— ne sayng It is I that am the lyuely brede which am comeÌ„ downe from heueÌ„ who so eteth of this brede shall lyue euerlastinge And to put ye clere out of doute I shal shewe you in few wordis what this mater is and by what wayes I muste be the sauiour and redemer of the worlde to geue it this lyfe so ofte reherced And therfore now take good heed This brede which I speke of so myche and shall geue it you It is myn own fâ—esshe whiche I muste laye forthe and paye for the lyfe of the worlde Here is it now manifest that he shuld suffer dethe in his owne flesshe for our redempcion to geue vs this lyfe euerlastinge Thus now may ye se how Cristis flessh whiche he called brede is the spirituall food meate of our soulis WheÌ„ our soulis by faith see god the father not to haue spared his onlye so dere beloued sonne but to haue deliuered hym to suffer that ignominious and so paynfull dethe to restore vs to lyfe then haue we eâ—en his flesshe and dronke his blood assuered fermely of the fauour of God satisfyed and certefyed of our saluacion ¶ Aftyr this communicacion that he sayd The brede whiche I shal geue you is my flesshe whiche I shall paye for the lyfe of the worlde yeâ— were the carnall iwes neuer the wyser For their vnbeleif and stourdy hatered wold not suffer the very spiritual sence mynde of Crystis wordis to enter into their hertis Thei coulde not see that Crystis flesshe brokeÌ„ and crucifyed not bodely eaten shuld be our saluacion and this spiritual meat as our soules to be fed and certifyed of the mercy of God forgeuenes of our synnes thorow his passion and not for any eaâ—inge of his flesshe withe our tethe The more ignoraunt therfore and flesshly they were the more fyerce were they ful of indignacion stryuinge one agenst a nother sayng How may this felow geue vs his flessâ— to ete it Thei stoke fast yet in his fleshe before their eyes these flesshely â—wes wherfore no meruel thoughe they aborred the bodely etinge therof although our flesshely papistis being of the iwes carnall opinioÌ„ yet aborre it not nether ceasse thei dayly to crucifye and offer him vp agen whyche was once for euer al oâ—â—ered as Paule testifyeth And euen here sythe Cryste came to teche to take a waye all doute and to breke stryfe he myght hys wordis otherwyse
declared then he hath declared and wyl heraftyr expowne them haue soluted theyr question sayng yf he had so ment as More meanethe that he wolde haue bene conuayed conuerted as oure iuggelers sleyghly can coÌ„uayâ— hym wyth a fewe wordis into a syngynge lofe orels as the thomisticall papistis saye bene inuisyble wythe al hys dymencioned body vnder the forme of brede transsubstauncyated into itâ— And aftyr a lyke thomysticall mystery the wyne traÌ„ssubstaÌ„cyated to into hys blood so that they shulde eate hys flesshe drynke his blood aftyr their owne carnal vnderstaÌ„dyng but yet in a nother forme to put awaye al gruge of stomachâ— Or sith saynt Iohan yf he had thus vnderstod hys masters mynde and toke vpon hym to wrytte hys wordis wolde leue thys sermon vnto the world to be redde he myght now haue delyuered vs and them from thys doute but Cryste wolde not so satisfye theyr questyon but answerde Uerely verely I saye vnto you except ye ete the flesshe of the sonne of man and drynk hys blood ye shal not haue that lyfe in youre selues He that eteth my flesshe drynketh my blood hath lyfe euerlastynge and I shall stere hym vp in the laste daye for my flesshe is very meat my blood the very drynke He saythe not here that brede shal be transsubstancâ—aâ—ed or conuerted into hys body nor yet the wyne into hys blood but now conferre thyâ— saynge to hys purpâ—s at the begynnyngâ— where he bad them worke for that meate that shuld neuer perysshe tellinge them that to beleue in him whoÌ„ God hath sente was the works of God and whoso beleueth in him shuld neuer thirste nor hâ—nger but haue lyfe euerlastinge Conferre also this that foloweth and thou shalt se it playne that his wordis be vnderstandeÌ„ spiritually of the beleyfe in hys flesshe crucyfyed and his blood shede for whych beleif we be promysed euerlasting lyfe himself sayng who so beleueth in me hath lyfe euerlastynge Here therfore their question how maye this man geue vs hys flesshe to ete it is soluted euen when he gaue his bodye to be broken and his blood to be shed And we ete drynke it in dede wheÌ„ we beleue stedfastly that he dyed for the remission of our synnes Austen and Tertulliane to witnesse ¶ But here maketh More hys argument agenâ—te the yonge man Because the iwes merueled at this sayng Mâ— flesshe is very meate and my blood drynke And not at thys I am the dore and the very vyne therfore this texte sayth he My flesshe c. muste be vnderstanden aftyr the litterall sence that is to wytte euen as the carnall iwes vnderstode it murmuryng at it being offâ—nded goyng ther ways from Cryste for theyr so carnall vnderstaÌ„ding therof And the to ther textis I am the dore c. muste be vnderstanden in an allegorye and spirituall sence because his hearers merueled nothinge at the maner of the speche lo crysten reder her hast thou not a taste but a gret tuÌ„â—c full of Moris myscheif perniciouse peruertinge of Goddes holy worde and as thou seist him here falsely pestelently destroye the pure sence in Goddes worde so dothe he in al other placis of hys bokis Firste where he saythe they maruâ—led at this Cristis sayng My flesshe is very meat c. that is not so nether is there any siche worde in the texte eâ—cepte More wyll expowne Murmurabant id est mirabant they murmured that is to saye they meruâ—led as he expowneth O portet id est expedit et conuenit He muste dye or it behoueth him to dye that is to saye it was expedient of good congruence that he shulde dye c. Thus this poet maye make a man to signifye an asse and blak whyght to blere the symple eyes But yet for his lordely plesure let vs graunte hym that they murmured is as myche to saye as they merueled because perchaunce the one may folowe at the to ther. And then do I aske hym whether Cristes disciples his apostels herd him not and vnderstode him not when he sayde I am the dore and the vyne and when he said My flesshe c. yf he say no or nay then scripture is playn agenst him Io. 6.10.15 yf he saye ye or yisse Then yet do I aske hym whether his disciples and apostles thus hearynge and vnderstandinge his wordes in al these 3 sayd chapiters wonderd and marueled as More sayth or murmured as hath the texte at their masters speche what thynke ye More muste aÌ„swer here here may ye se whother this olde holy vpholder of the popis chirche is brought eueÌ„ to be takeÌ„ in his owne trappe For the disciples his apostles nether murmured nor merueled nor yet were not offended wyth this their master Crystes wordis and maner of speche for thei were well aqueaynted wyth siche phrases and answerd theyr master Cryst when he asked them wyll ye go hence fro me to Lorde sayd they to whom shal we go thou haste the wordis of euerlastynge lyfe and we beleue that thou art Cryste the sonne of the lyuyng God Lo M. More they nether meâ—ueled nor murmured why For because as ye saye they vnderstode yt in an allegory sence perceyued well that he ment not of hys materiall body to be eaten wythe their tethe but he ment it of hym selfe to be beleued to be very God very man hauyng flesshe and blode as they had and yet was he the sonne of the lyuynge God Thys beleyf gatherd they of all hys spirituall sayngiâ— as hym selfe expowned hys own wordis sayng My flesshe profiteth nothing meanyng to be eateÌ„ but it is the spirit that geueth thys lyfe And the wordis that I speke vnto you ar spirit and life so that whoso beleue my flesshe to â—e crucyfyed and broken and my blood to be shede for hys synnes he eateth my flesshe and drynketh my blood and hathe lyfe euerlastynge And thys is the lyfe wher wyth the rightwyse lyue the euen be faithe Abac. 2. The secounde argument of More ¶ Aftyr this texte thus wyselye proued to be vnderstanden in the lyterall seâ—ce wyth the carnall iwes and not in the Allegoryke or spirituall sence wyth Cryste and hys Apostles The hole some of Moris confutacyon of the yonge man standeth vpon thys argument A Posse ad Esse That is to wytte God maye do it ergo it is done God maye make his body in many or in all places at once ergo it is in many or in all places at once which maner of argumentacion how false and naught it is euery sophister euery maÌ„ that hath wit perceyueth A lyke iugemeÌ„t God may shew More the trouthe and call hym to repentaunce as he did Paule for persecutinge his chirche ergo More is conuerted to God Or God may let him runne of an indurate hert with Pharao and at laste take an opeÌ„ and sodeÌ„ vengance vpon him for persecutinge his worde burninge his pore members ergo
faythe wherby we cleue to gods goodnes and mercy we abyde in God and God in vs as declare his wordis folowing sayng as the lyuing father sent me so lyue I by my father And euen so he that eatethe shall lyue because of me or for my sake My father sent me whose wyl in all thynges I obaye for I am his sonne And eueÌ„ so verely muste they that eâ—e me that is beleue in me forme and fasshion them aftir my ensample mortifyng their flesshe and changyng theyr lyuynge olers thei eat my in vayne and desseÌ„ble theyr beleif For I am not comen to redeme the worlde onely but also to change theyr lyfe They therfore that beleue in me shall transforme theyr lyfe aftyr my example and doctryne and not aftyr any mannys tradicions This is the brede to men frome heuen as theffecte selfe declareth whom whoso eteth shall lyue euer But he that eâ—â—th bodely brede lyueth not euer as ye may se of your fathers that e it Manna and yet ar they dede It is not therfore no materiall brede nor bodely food that may geue you lyfe eternall ¶ These wordis did not onely offende them that hated Cryst but also some of hys discyples they where offended sayd the texte and not merueled as More tryfleth oute the trouth whyche sayd Thys is an harde sayng who maye here thys These discyples yet stoke no lesse in Crystis visyble flesshe and in the barke of hys wordis theÌ„ did the other iwes as do now More belyuyng hym to haue had spoken of hys naturall body to be eateÌ„ wyth their tethe whyche offence Chryst seyng sayd Do thys offende ye what then wyll ye saye if ye se the sone of man ascende thyther wher he was before If it offende ye to ete my flesshe whyle I am here it shall myche more offende ye to ete it whan me body shal be gone oute of your syght asceÌ„ded into heuen there syttyng on the ryght honde of my father vntyll I come ageyn as I went that is to iugement Here myght Cryst haue enstructed hys disciples the trouthe af the etinge of hys flesshe in forme of brede had thys beÌ„ his meaninge For he left theÌ„â—euer in any perplexite or doute but sought all the wayes by similitudes and familiare examples to teche thes playnely He neuer spake them so harde a parable but where he perceyued their feble ignorance a non he helpt them and declared it them ye some tymes he preuented theire askinge with his owne declaration and thinke ye not that he did not so here yisse verelye For he cam to teche vs and not to leue vs in any doute and ignorance especially in the chefe poynt of our saluacion whiche standethe in the beleif in his dethe for our synnes Wher for to put them out of all dout as concerning this etinge of hys flesshe and drinkinge of his blood that shulde geue euerlastinge lyfe where thei toke it for his very body to be eten with their tethe he sayd It is the spirit that geueth this lyfe My flesshe profiteth nothing at all to be eten as ye mean so carnally It is spirituall meat that I here speke of It is my spirit that draweth the hertis of men to me by faith and so refressheth them gostely ye be therfore carnall to thinke that I speke of my flesshe to be eten bodely for so it profitethe you nothing at al. How longe wyl ye be without vnderstandinge It is my spirit I tell you that geueth lyfe My fleshe profiteth you nothinge to eat it but to beleue that it shal be crucifyed and suffer for the redempcion of the worlde it profyteth And when ye thus beleue then ete ye my flesshe drinke my blood that is ye beleue in me to suffer for your synnes The verite hathe spokeÌ„ these wordis My flesshe profiteth nothing at all it cannot therfore be false For bothe the iwes and his disciples murmured and disputed of his flesshe how it shulde be eaten and not of the offering therof for our synnes as cryste meÌ„t This therfore is the suer ancor to holde vs by agenst all the obieccions of the papists for the eting of Cristes bodye as they say in forme of breade Cryste sayd My flesshe profyteth nothing meaning to ete it bodely This is the keye that solueth all their argumentis openeth the waye to shew vs al their false and abominable blasphemous lyes vpon Cristis wordis vttereth their sleighe iuggelynge ouer the brede to mayntayn anticrystes kyngdom ther with And thus when Criste had declared it and taught them that it was not the bodely eatinge of his material body but the eating with the spirit of faithe he added sayng The wordis which I here speke vnto you ar spirit and lyfe that is to saye this mater that I here haue spoken of with so many words must be spiritually vnderstaÌ„den to gyue ye this lyfe euerlasting wherfore the cause why ye vnderstande me not is that ye beleue not Here is lo the conclusion of all this sermon Cryste very God and man had set his flesshe before them to be receyued with faithe that it shuld be broken and suffer for their synnes but thei coulde not ete it spiritually because they beleue not in him wherefore many of his disciples fill from him and walked nomore with him And then he sayd to the twelue wyll ye go a waye to And Symon Peter answerde Lorde to whom shall we go Thou haste the wordis of euerlastinge lyfe and we beleue and aâ— suer that thou art Cryst the sonne of the lyuynge god Here is it manifest what peter hys felowes vnderstode by this etinge drynkinge of Cryste for they were perfitly taught that it stode all in the beleif in Cryste as their answer herâ— testifieth If this mater had stode vpon so depe a myracle as out papist is fayne with outâ— any worde of god not comprehended vnder any of their comon sensis that they shuld eat his bodye beynge vnder the fourme of bred as longe depe thycke and as brode as it hanged vpon the crosse thei beyng yet but feble of fayth not confirmed with the holy goste muste here nedis haue wondred stonned and staggerd and haue ben more inquisyâ—yue and of so strange a mater then they were But thei nether douted nor marueled nor murmured nor nothyng offended withe this maner of spethe as were the other that slipte awaye but they answerde fermely Thou haste the wordis of euerlastynge lyfe and we beleue c. Now to the exposicon of the wordis of oure lordis souper ¶ Amonge the holy euangelistis wrytinge the story of Cristis souper IohaÌ„ because the other thre had wryten it at large dyd but make a mencion therof in hys 13. cap. Mattheâ— Marke and Luke declaryng it clerely orderly and with iuste nowmber of wordis with whom Paule agreeth thus wryting vnto the Corynthis Our lorde Iesus the same nyght he was
conuayance is spyed God hath sent your chyrche a met koâ—â—r for siche a cuppe euen siche a defender as ye take vpoÌ„ your selfe to be that shal let all their wholl cause fall flatte in the myer vnto bothe your shames and vtter confusion God therfore be praysed euer Amen ¶ Then sayth M. More thoughe it semeth repugnant both to him and to me one body to be in two placis at once yet God seith howe to make them stonde to gither well ynough Thys man with his olde eyen and spectacles seithe farre in goddis syght and is of his preâ—ey counsell that knoweth belyke by some secrete reuelacion how god seyth one body to be in many placis at once includeth no repugnaÌ„ce For worde hathe he noâ— for hym in all scripture nomore then one body to be in all placis at once It impllyeth first repugnance to my syght and reason that al this worlde shulde be made of nothing and that a virgen shulde bring forth a chylde But yetâ— when I se it wryten with the wordis of my faithe which God spake and brought it so to pas then implieth it no repugnance to me at all For my faithe â—echeth it and receyueth it stedfastly For I knowe the voyce of my herdemaÌ„ which if he sayd in any place of scripture that his bodye shuld haue bene contayned vnder the forme of brede and so in many placis at once hereâ— in erthe and also abydinge yet still in heauen to Uerely I wolde haue beleued him I as soone and as fermely as M. More And therfore euen yet if he can shewe vs but one sentence truly taken for his parte as we can do many for the coÌ„trary we muste geue place For as for his vnwryten verites thaustorite of his anticristen syâ—agoge vnto whiche the scripture forsaken he is now at laste with shame ynoughâ— compelled to flee thei be prouede starke lyes and very deuelrye ¶ Then saith heâ— that ye wote well that many good folke haue vsed in this mater manygood frutefuull exsamples of gods other workis not onely myracles wryten in scripture vnde versus where one I praye ye but also done by the comen course of nature hearein erthe if they be done by the comen course of nature so be thei no miracles And some thingis made also by mannis hande As one â—ace beholden in dyueâ—se glasses and in euery pese of one glasse broke into twenty c. Lorde how this poâ—tiâ—icall poeâ—e playeth his parte Because as he sayth we se many facis in manye glasses therfore maye one body be iÌ„ many placis as thoughe euery shadew and similitude representinge the bodye wer a bodely substaÌ„ce But I aske More when he seith his owne face in so mani glasses whither al those faces that apere in the glasses be his owne very facis hauinge bodely substance skynne flesshe bonne as hathe that face whiche hath his very mouthe nose yen c. wherwith he faceth vs oute the trouthe thus falsely with lyes and if thei be all his very faces then in very dede there is one body in many placis and he himselfe barethe as many faces in one hoode But acordinge to his purpose euen as they be no very faces nor those so mani voyces sownes and similitudes multiplied in the ayer betwene the glasse or other obiecte and the body as the philosopher proueth by naturall reson be no very bodyes no more is it Crystis very bodye as thei wolde make the beleue in the brede in so â—any places at once But the brede broken and eaten in the souper monessheth putteth vs in remeÌ„brance of his dethe and so exciteth vs to thaÌ„kis geuing to laude and prease for the benefit of our redempcion and thus we there haue Cryste present in the inwarde eye and sight of our faithe we ete hys body â— drinke his blode that is we beleue suerly that his bodi was crucified for our sinnes and his blood shed for our saluacion ¶ At laste note CristeÌ„ reder That M. More in the 3 boke of his coÌ„futacion of tyndall the 249 syde to proue S. IohnÌ„s gospel vnperfit and insufficieÌ„t for leuinge out of so necessary a poynt of our faithe as he callethe the laste souper of Criste hys maundye saythe that Iohn spake nothynge at al of this sacrameÌ„t And now see agayn in these his letters agenst â—â—rythe how him selfe bryngethe in Iohn the 6 cap. to impugne frythes wrytinge and to make all for the sacrameÌ„t euen thus My flesshe is verely mete and my bloode drynke belyke the man had there ouershette himselfe â—owle the yonge man here causyng him to put on his spectacles and poore better and more wysshely with his olde eyen vpoÌ„ saynt IohnÌ„s gospell to fynde that thinge there nowe wryten whyche before he wolde haue made one of his vnwryten verites As yet yf he loke narowly he shall espye that hymselfe hathe proued vs by scripture in the 37 lefe of his dialoge of quod he aâ—d quod Iâ— our ladys perpetual virginite expowninge non cognosco id estâ— noÌ„ cognoscam whiche now writen vnwrytten verite he nowmbereth a lytel before emonge his vnwryten vanites Thus may ye se how this olde holy vpholder of the popis chirch his wordis â—ight agenst themselfe into his owne confusion in fyndinge vs forthe his vnwryten wryten vanites verites I shulde saie But returne we vnto thexposicion of S. IohnÌ„ ¶ whan the iwes wolde not vnderstande this spirituall sayng of the etiâ—ge of Cristis flesshe and drynkinge of his blood so oft and so playnely declared he gaue them a stronge strype and made them more blynde for thei so deserued it siche are the secret iudgements of god addinge vnto all his sâ—yngis thus who so eâ—e my flesshe and drynke my blode abydeth in me and I in him These wordis were spokeÌ„ vnto these vnbeleuers into theyr farther obstinacion but vnto the faythfull for theyr better instruccion Now gather of this the contrary and saye whoso eteth not my flesshe and drinketh not my bloode a bydeth not in me nor I in him and ioyn this to that forsayd sentence Eâ—cept ye eat the flesshe of the sonne of man and drynke his bloode ye haue no lyfe in you let it neuer fal fro thy mynde Christen reder that faythe is the lyfe of the ryghtwyse that Christe is this lyuynge bred whome thou etest that is to saye in whom thou beleuest For yf our papistis take eting drinking here bodely as to eate the naturall body of Criste vnder the form of brede and to drinke his bloode vnder the forme of wyne then muste al yongâ— chyldren that neuer came at Godes borde departed and all laye meÌ„ that neuer dranke hys blode be dampnedâ— By loue we abyde in God and he in vsâ— loue foloweth fayth in the ordyr of our vnderstandinge and not in order of succession of tyme yf thou lokest vpon the selfe giftis and not of their fruites So that princypally by
the thinge signifyedâ— as in the prophetis speche sayng This is Ierusalem whiche did but signifye Ierusalem when Cryste did brethe into his discipules sayng Take ye the holy goste the same brethe was not the holy goste but signifyed and represented them the holy gost with a thousaÌ„d lyke maner of speche in the scripture ¶ In the olde passouer thankis were geuen for the slaughter of the firste begoten wheryn the kyngis posterite of egipte fill a waye the Hebrews spared passed ouer and delyueredâ— But in the newe passeouer thankis ar gyuen that the only begoten sonne of the most hyghest was crucified wherby al faithful ar spared passed ouer and not smyteÌ„ with the swerde of dampnacion but delyuered andâ— saued in the lambis blood that haue taken awaye the synne of the worlde In the olde passouer The lambe or festes is called the lordis passouer and yet was nether the lambe nor the feste his passyng ouer but the sygne and commemoracion of his passyngby And euen so is it nowe in y e newe souper of our lorde It is ther called the body of our lorde not that ther is any thinge wheryn his very natural body is coÌ„tayned so longe and brode as it hanged on the crosse for so is it ascended into heuen and sitteth one y e right hande of the father but that thinge that is there done in that souper as the breking dealing eting of the brede and the wholl lyke accion of the wyne signifyeth representeth and puttethe into our hertis by the spirit of faithe this commemoracion ioyful rememberaÌ„ce and so to geue thankis for that inestimable benefit of our redempcion wheryn we se with the eye of our faithe presently his bodye broken and his bloode shed for our synnes This is no small sacrament nor yet irreuerently to be entreted but it is the moste gloriouse and hyghest sacrament with all reuerence worsehip withe thankis geuinge to be ministred vsed receyued preched solempnely in the face of the congregacion to be celebrated of whose holy administracion and vse I shal peraduenture speke in the ende of thys souper ¶ But in the mene â—eason Crysten reder let these sensible signes signifye and represent the his dethe and prynte it in thy herte geuinge thankis incessantly vnto God y e father for so incomparable a benefit that hathe geueÌ„ y â— his owne onely so dere beloued sone our sauiour our Iesus Cryste to dye for thy synnes ye tâ—at wheÌ„ we were not his chyldern but his enmyesâ— Crystis disciples sayd to the man where is this geste chamber where I might ete the passing by with my disciples and thei prepared the passouer And yet cryste eit not the passouer but the lambe with his disciples where it is playne the signe to do on the name of the thing◠¶ At laste consyder vnto what ende all thingis tended in that last souper how the fygure teched the verite the shadew the bodye and how the verite abolesshed the fygure and the shadewe gaue place to the bodye Loke also with what congruence proporcion and similitude bothe in the accion and the speche all thinges were consonaÌ„t and finesshed and all â—o lede vs by siche sensible sygnes frome the fygure vnto the verite from the flesshe vnto the spirit And take thou here this infallible and assuered sayng of Cryste neuer to fall fro thy mynde in this last souper Do ye this into the rememberaÌ„ce of me And also of Paule sayng 1. co 11. So oft as ye shal ete this brede lo this heretike calleth it brede euen aftyr the wordis of the popis consecracion and drincke of this cuppe prayse declare and geue thankes for the dethe of the lorde vntyl he shal come agene to iugement Remember thou also what Cryste sayd to the carnall iwes takinge the etinge of his flesshe and drinkinge of his blood so carnally answeringe them My flessh profiteth nâ— meniÌ„g to ete it bodely but the spirit maketh lyfe And to this set the prophet Aâ—aâ—uke sentence The iuste lyueth of his faithe And now Crysten reder to put the â—leâ—e oute of doute that Crystis bodye is not here present vnder the forme of brede as the papistis haue mocked vs many a daye but in heuen euen as he rose and ascended Thou shalt knowe that he tolde his disciples almoste twnty tymes betwene the .13 and .18 cap. of Iohan that he shulde and wolde go hence and leue this worlde where to conforte them agene for that thei were so heuy for his bodely absence he promised to sende them his holy goste to be their conforter defender and techer in whom and by whom he wolde be preseÌ„t with them and all faithful vnto the worldis ende He sayd vnto his disciples I go hence I go to the father I leue the worlde and now shal I no more be in the worlde but ye shall abyde stil in the worlde Father I come to the. Pore men haue ye eueâ— with you but me shall ye not alwais haue with you And when he ascendid vnto heuen thei did beholde him and sawe thâ— clowde take his bodye out of their syght and thei fastening their eyes aftir him the two meÌ„ clothed in whight sayd vnto them ye men of galyle wherfore stande ye thus lokinge vp in to heuen This is Iesus that is taken vp frome you into heuen whiche shal so come agene euen as ye haue sene him goynge hence Here I wolde not More to â—â—itte from his litteral playn sense All these so playne wordis be sufficient I trowe to a crysten man to certifye his conscience that Cryste went his waye bodely ascending into heuen For when he had tolde his disciples so ofte of his bodely departing from them they were meruelouse heuy and sadde Unto whom Cryste sayd Because I tolde ye that I go hence your herts ar ful of heuenes If they had not beleued hym to haue spokeÌ„ of hys very bodely absence they wolde neuer haue so morned for hys goyng away And for because they so vnderstode hym and he so ment as hys wordis sowned He added as he shulde haue sayde be ye neuer so heuye or how heuely so euer ye take my goyng hence yet do I tell ye trouthe For it is expedyent for you that I go henceâ— For if I shuld not go hence that counforter shall not come vnto you But and if I go hence I shal sende hym vnto you And agayn in the same Cap. I am comeÌ„ frome the father and am comen into the worlde and shall leue the worlde agene and go to my father what mystery thynke ye shuld be in these so manyfeste wordis Dyd he speke them in any darke parables Dyd he mean other wyse then he spake Dyd he vnderstaÌ„de by goyng hence so ofte repered to tary here styll or dyd he mene by forsakyng and leuyng the worlde to be but inuisible beyng styll in the worlde wyth hys bodye No suerly
had thus delte wyth these doctours sayngis Luther agaynste whome he dyd contend in this mater wolde not haue lefte it vntolde him ¶ But ChristeÌ„ reder to put the oute of doâ—te haue here these Doctours owne wordis bothe in laâ—yne in englysshe And firste heare Tertullyan where thou muste fyrste vnderstande that there was an heretyk called MarcyoÌ„ sayng that Cryste toke not to him the very bodye of man but an imagined and phantasticall bodye to put of and on whan he lysted so not to haue beÌ„ borne verely of the virgen Marye nor yet to haue suffered verely dethe c. Agenst whoÌ„ thus wryteth Tertullian in hâ—s 4. boke Professus itaque se concupiscentia concupisse edere pascha vt suum acceptuÌ„ panem distributum discipulis corpus suum illum fecit hâ—e est corpus meum dicendo id est figura corporis mei Figura autem non fuisset nisi veritatis esset corpus Ceterum vâ—cua res quod est phantasma figuram capere non posset whyche wordis are thus in englishe spokeÌ„ of Cryste whiche acknowleginge himselfe wyth how ferueÌ„t desyer he longed to eie the passouâ—r as his brede taken distributed to hys disciples made it his bodye saynge This is my bodye that is to saye the fygure of my bodye For fygure had it be none excepte it were a verye bodye For a voyde thinge whiche is a phaÌ„tasye can receue no fygure Here is it playne that This is my bodye after olde holye doctoure is as miche to saye as this is the â—ygure or signe that râ—presenteth or signifyeth my bodye ¶ Also thus sayth Austen Lex dicit noÌ„ esse manducanduÌ„ sanguineÌ„ ê™ anima sit sanguis Quod lex dicit sanguis est anima esse posituÌ„ dicimus sicut aliâ— multa et pene oiÌ„a scriptura ♃ illa ♃ sacramenta signis et figuris plena future predicatioÌ„is que â—am per dnÌ„m nostrum Iesuâ— Christum declarata est c. Possum etiaÌ„ interpretari preceptum illud in signo esse posirum Non enim dubitauit dnÌ„s dicere Hoc est corpus meuÌ„ quum signum daret corporis sui Sic est enim sanguis aiÌ„a quomodo petra erat Christus Net tamen quuÌ„ hec diceret ait petra significab at Christum sed ait petra erat Christus Que rursus ne carnaliter acciperetur spiritua lem illam vocat id est spiritualiter intelligi docet whiche wordis ar thus in englisshe The lawe sayth that blood shuld not be eten because the lyfe is bloode whiche precept of the lawe and because that bloode is lyfe we affirme it to be sette lyke as many other almost innumerable sacrameÌ„tis of those scriptures full of sygnes and fygures of the prechinge to come whiche nowe is declared by our lorde Iesu Cryste c. And I maye interprete that precept to be layed in a sygne For the lorde douted not to sayeâ— This is my body when he gaue the sygne of his bodye And euen so is the blode lyfe as the stone was Cryste And yet when he said these wordes he sayd not the stone signifyed Cryste but he sayd the stone was Criste. whiche leâ—te they shulde be taken carnally he callethe it spirituall that is to saye he techeth it to be vnderstande spiritually where is now Moris litterâ—ll sence and materiall meat ¶ Now shal ye heare Chrysostome Nihil fensibile tradidit Christus licet dederit panem et vinum non ê™ panis vinum non sint sensibilia sed ê™ in illis mentem herere noluit Nam in suum corpus quod est panis vite subuehit dicens Hoc est corpus meum perinde ac dicat Hâ—c licet panis sit significat tamen tibi corpus Thus it is in englysshe Cryste geuingâ— brede and wyne gaue no sensible thynge not that brede and wyne be not sensible but that he wolde not our mynde to steke styll in them For he lyfted vs vp into his bodye whiche is the brede of lyfe sayng This is my bodye as though he shuld saye Thoughe this be but brede yet it signâ—fyethe vnto the my bodye Now iudge thou ChristeÌ„ reder whither M More reportethe ryghte of thys man that alleged these olde holy doctours or no. ¶ Nowe haue ye the pure vnderstandynge of the wordis of the lordes souper confirmed wyth the olde holy doctours That this is my bodye is as miche to saye as this signifyeth my body And this is my bloode is this sygnyfyethe my bloode But yet was there neuer siche maner of speking iÌ„ the scripture This is that That is to saye This is coÌ„uerted transsubstanciated into that Or this is contayned in that the thinge conuerted and changed kepping styll her forme qualites quantite c. As to saye This is my body that is to saye This brede is conuerted into my bodye the brede abyding styll in his fasshioÌ„ taste colour waight c. For Cryste when he conuerted water into wyne dyd not leue the forme colour and taste styll in the water For so had it bene no changing But let our couetouse conuerters choppe and change brede wyne tyll we there fele se and taste nether brede nor wyne then wyll we beleme them so thei bringe for them the worde of god For as for their false iugâ—linge we fele it at our fyngers ende we se it had we but halfe an eye we cast it at our tongues ende and know it with all our wittis and vnderstanding so manifestly that we parcâ—yued theÌ„ openly longe a goo to be the very anticrystis of whom Cryste and his apostles warned vs to come in this laste tyme. ¶ And if they saye That this conuersion is made by miracle Then muste euery one of theÌ„ as ofte as he say a misse make vs many a miracle the very markis of Moris chirche For it is one grete miracle that Crystis body shulde come so sodenly inuisible and so ofte out of heueÌ„ and that suche a miracle as the worde of god neuer knew a nother that to grete a body shuld be contayned in so litel a place and that one bodye shulde be at once in so many placis and two bodyes in one place an other that it is eten nether the eter feling it nor the bodye eten suffering nor feling the tethe of the eter which as many mo meruelouse and lyke miracles or rather absurdites of the brede wyne that there muste be the forme coloure taste waight broken c. and yet nether to be brede nor wyne in our belife except we wil be burned of them because we beleue not their iugelinge castis O mischeuous miracle makers O cruel conuerters O blodye vouchers ¶ But herke Crysten reder and I shal lernethe to knowe Crystis playn tâ—we miraclesâ— froÌ„ the sleighthy iugglinge of these crafty conuayers Cryste wolde neuer haue done miracle had men beleued him onely by his wordis but when he sayd