The Supper of the Lord, Part 1
The Souper of the Lorde. wher vntounto, that thou mayst be the better prepared and suerlyer enstructed: hauehave here firste the declaracion of the later parte of the .6. ca. of S. Iohā, beginninge at the letter C. the fowerth lyne before the crosse, at these wordis: Uerely …ere. &c wheryn incidently M. Moris letter agenst Iohan Fry the is confuted.
Whan Cryste sawe those glotons sekynge theyr be lyes flockīge so fast… vntounto hym Aftyr hys wonte maner (the occasion taken to teche and preche vntounto them of the thynge now moued) he sayde. Ue…ely verely I saye vntounto you: ye seke me not because ye hauehave sene my myracles, but because ye hauehave eten of the loues and were well sylled… But as for me, I am not comen into thys worlde onelyonly 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 hauehave 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 con…eyg…ed and confyrmed me with hys assuered testimony to be that assuered sa… …yng helthe and ernest peny of euerlasting lyfe whan the I we… 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 thē … wherfore Iesus answerde sayng. Euen thys is the worke of God, …o beleue and truste in hym whom the father hath sent. Lo, here maye ye se that worke of God whyche he requyreth of vsus 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 mē c…oued, is faithe: of the whiche meate saith the Prohet the iuste lyueth.Abacuk, … Faith in him is therefore the meat whiche Cryste prepareth & dresseth so purely: powldering & spycyng it with spiritual allegoryes in al this chap…er folowinge to geue vsus euerlasting lyfe thorow it.
¶Then sayd the …ues vntounto him… what token do…t thou wherby we might knowe that we shulde beleue in the? Do some what that we might beleue the? what thinge workest the… that we might knowe the to be god? Thou knowest wel ynoughe that our fathers did e…e drede or Māna in the deserte as it is wrytē … he gaue them brede frome aboue Iesus answered Uerely verely I saye vntounto you:Psal. 7. Moses gaue ye not that brede frome heuē: for thoughe it fil down frome the ayer: yet was it not heuēly fode, for it did but fede the belly. But this brede of god that is descenden frome heuen whom my father geueth, refressheth the …oule so abūdātly that it geueth ly…e vntounto the wor…de… whā the …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 vsus this brede euermore. Iesus sayd vntounto them. I am the brede of lyue, and who so come to me, …al not honger: and who so beleue in me shal neuer thri…e. whan the …wes herde Cryste saye the brede that descended from heuen sh…de geue lyfe to the worlde: they desye…d to hauehave this brede gyuen them for euer. And Iesus percey…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 stācheth 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 hauehave ben broken and his blood shed for our synnes. For then a… ou… soulis satisfyed and we be iustified.
¶Ouer this it folowith. But I hauehave tolde ye this because ye loke vponupon 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 hauehave 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 fai…he, whiche who so hath, he shal no nother desyer he shal not seke by night to louelove a nother before whō 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 vntounto me his very spouse & lyuely food the onelyonly tresure of his soule neuer more to thirste for any other. This lyght of faith ye hauehave 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 c…me vntounto me. And as for me, I caste out noman that cometh to me. For I am not comē downe from heuen to do my wyl, whiche ye attribute vntounto me as vntounto eche any other man, for I am verely a very man: and accordyng to that nature I hauehave a special proper wyl: but miche more obedient to my father than one of you For youre wyll of…e resisteth & repugneth gods wyl, but so do myne neuer. I am therfore comē downe to do his wil that hath sent me. And to do ye to we…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 hauehave 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 h…m. who lyueth by hym? they that eat his flesshe & drynke his blood. who eat his fl…sshe & drynke hys blood? thei that beleue his body crucifyed and his blood shed for theyr synnes, these cleaue vntounto his gracious fauour. But how coud thei cleaue thus vntounto him except thei knew hy…? And therfore he hadded sayng: EueryEvery mā that seith the sonne… that is to saye, vnderstandeth wherfore the sonne was sent into this worlde & bel…ueth in him, shal hauehave euerlastynge lyfe.
¶ Here it pered to the carnall iwes that Cri…te had taken to myche vponupon himselfe to saye:The ca… se …f the iwes murmur. I am the brede of lyfe, whiche am comē 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 anō) they murmured at this sayng of Cryste. I am the brede which am comē from heuē, sayng. Is not this Iesus Iosephs sonne whose father & mothe… we knowe well ynoughe? How then sayth he, I am cōen from heuē? 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 vnderstādīg 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 saluaciō onlesse my Father that sent me drawe him: and whom he draweth vntounto me, that is ioyneth vntounto me by faith, him shal I stere vp in the laste daye. I wonder ye take my wordis so strangelye beleuing the… to be some harde rydels or derke parables, when I say nothinge els then is wry…en in your owne prophe…is,Isam. 54. bothe in Isaye & Ieremye,Iere. 31. sayng that all shalbe taught off the lorde. Sith euen your prophetis testifye thys knowlege to be geuen ye of my father: what can be spokē more playnly then to saye: what my father geueth me, that cometh to me? or this, nomā may come to me, excep…e my father drawe him: & yet hauehave it more manifestly. who so hauehave herde my father and is lerned of him, he cometh to me as vntounto the very onelyonly ancore of his saluaciō.Heb. 6. Not that any man hath sene the father, leste peraduēture 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 vponupon 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 vntounto you so verely verely as playnely playnly. That who so beleue & truste in me, he hath lyfe euerlastinge. Now hauehave 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 hauehave 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, determi…inge not nether presuminge not to hauehave 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 hauehave thus blasphemed Cryste and his sufficient scryptures,1. Cor. 2. nother hauehave so belyed hys eu…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 vntounto our fathers w…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 brede… that is to saye beleuethe in me, he hathe lyfe euerlastynge. For it is I that am this lyuely brede whiche am cōmen from heuē, of whom who so ete by faithe, shal neuer dye. Here therfore it is to be noted diligently that Cryste meaneth, as eueryevery 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 onelyonly iustifyethe vsus: which sentence to declare more playnely, and that he wolde hauehave it noted more diligētly, he repeteth it yet age… ne sayng. It is I that am the lyuely brede, which am comē downe from heuē: 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 f…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 vsus this lyfe euerlastinge, Thus now may ye se how Cristis flessh, whiche he called brede, is the spirituall food & meate of our soulis. Whē our soulis by faith see god the father not to hauehave spared his onlye so dere beloued sonne but to hauehave deliuered hym to suffer that ignominious and so paynfull dethe to restore vsus to lyfe, then hauehave we e…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: ye… 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 brokē 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 ea…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 vsus his fless… to ete it? Thei stoke fast yet in his fleshe before their eyes: these flesshely, …wes wherfore no meruel thoughe they aborred the bodely etinge therof: although our flesshely papistis being of the iwes carnall opiniō, yet aborre it not, nether ceasse thei dayly to crucifye and offer him vp agen whyche was once for euer & al o…ered as Paule testifyeth.…br. 10. 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, hauehave soluted theyr question: sayng, yf he had so ment as More meanethe, that he wolde hauehave bene conuayed & conuerted, as oure iuggelers sleyghly can cōuay… hym wyth a fewe wordis, into a syngynge lofe orels, as the thomisticall papistis saye, bene inuisyble wythe al hys dymencioned body vnderunder the forme of brede transsubstauncyated into it… And aftyr a lyke thomysticall mystery, the wyne trāssubstācyated to, into hys blood: so that they shulde eate hys flesshe & drynke his blood aftyr their owne carnal vnderstādyng, but yet in a nother forme, to put awaye al gruge of stomach… Or sith saynt Iohan, yf he had thus vnderstod hys masters mynde, and toke vponupon hym to wrytte hys wordis, wolde leue thys sermon vntounto the world to be redde: he myght now hauehave delyuered vsus and them from thys doute. but Cryste wolde not so satisfye theyr questyon: but answerde. Uerely verely I saye vntounto you: except ye ete the flesshe of the sonne of man and drynk hys blood, ye shal not hauehave 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 shalbe transsubstanc…a…ed or conuerted into hys body, nor yet the wyne into hys blood: but now conferre thy… saynge to hys purp…s at the begynnyng… where he bad them worke for that meate that shuld neuer perysshe: tellinge them, that to beleue in him whō God hath sente, was the works of God. and whoso beleueth in him shuld neuer thirste nor h…nger, but hauehave lyfe euerlastinge. Conferre also this that foloweth and thou shalt se it playne that his wordis be vnderstandē 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 vsus 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, whē we beleue stedfastly that he dyed for the remission of our synnes: Austen and Tertulliane to witnesse.
¶But here maketh More hys argument agen…te the yonge man. Because the iwes merueled at this sayng: M… 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 off…nded goyng ther ways from Cryste, for theyr so carnall vnderstāding 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 tū …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 maru…led at this Cristis sayng. My flesshe is very meat &c. that is not so, nether is there any siche worde in the texte, e…cepte More wyll expowne Murmurabant, id est, mirabant, they murmured, that is to saye, they meru…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?…oris … reson …ōfuted But yet for his lordely plesure, let vsus 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 āswer here? here may ye se whother this olde holy vpholder of the popis chirche is brought: euē to be takē 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 me…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 sayngi… as hym selfe expowned hys own wordis sayng. My flesshe profiteth nothing, meanyng to be eatē, but it is the spirit that geueth thys lyfe. And the wordis that I speke vntounto you ar spirit and life: so that whoso beleue my flesshe to …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 se…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 vponupon 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 eueryevery sophister, & eueryevery mā that hath wit perceyueth.…he cōfu…cion of …. 2. argu…ent. A lyke iugemēt: 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 opē and sodē vengance vponupon him for persecutinge his worde & burninge his pore members: ergo it is done all redy? M. More must first proue it vsus by expresse wordis of holy scripture, and not by his owne vnwrytē dremes, that Cry…tis bodye is in many placis or in all placis at once: & then, thoughe our reason cannot reche it, yet our faith mesured and directed with the worde of faith will bothe reche it, receyue it, & holde it faste…: not because it is possible to God, and impossible to reson: but because the wryten worde of our faith sayth it But whē we rede gods worde in mo thē x.x. places cōtrary, that his bo…y shulde be here. More muste geue vsus leue to beleue his vnwrytē vanites, verites I shulde saye, at laysour, Here maist thou se Crysten reder wherfore More wolde so fayne make the beleue. That thapostles left aught vnwryten of necessite to be beleued euē to stablesshe the popis kingdom whiche standeth of Moris vnwryten vanites. as of the presence of Crystis body and making therof in the brede, of purgatory, of inuocacion of sayntes, worshiping of stones and stockis, pylgrimagis, halowing of vowes and bellys and crepyng to the crosse &c. If ye wyll beleue what so euer More cā fay…e wythoute the scripture, then can thys poet fayne ye a nother chyrche then Crystis & that, ye muste beleue it what so euer it teche you, for he hath fayned to that it can not erre, thoughe ye se it …rre & fyght ag…nst it selfe a thousande tymes. ye yf it tell ye blak is whighte, good is badde, and the deuel is god: yet muste ye beleue it, orels be burned as heretyks… but let vsus retourne to our propose.
¶ To dispute of Gods almighty absolute powr, w…at God maye do wyth hys body, it is grete foly and no lesse presumpcion to More, syth the pope whyche is no hole god but halfe a god by theyr own decrees hauehave decreed nomā to dispute of hys power. But Crysten reder, be thou content to knowe that gods will, his worde, and his power be all one and repugne not And nether wylleth he, nor may not do any thynge includyng repugnance, imperfeccion, or that shulde derogate myness… or hurte hys glory and hys n…me. The glory of hys godh…d is to be present & to fyll all pl…c…s at once essencyally presently wyth hys almyghty power, whyche glory is denyed to any other creature, hym selfe sayng by hys Prophete: I wyll not geue my glorye to any other creature:Isa. 4 2. nowe therfore sithe hys manhed is a creature, it cannot hauehave thys glory whyche onelyonly is appropryed to the godhed. To attrybute to hys man…ed that property whych onelyonly is appropried to his godhed is to confounde bothe the natures of Cryste… what thynge so euer, is eueryevery where …f…yr the sayd maner, that muste nedis he infinite, wyth oute begynnynge and ende, it muste be one alone, and almyghty: whych propertys onelyonly ar appropryed vntounto the gloriouse maiestye of the godhed. wherfore Crystis body maye not be in al or in many places at once. Cryste hymselfe saynge as concernyng his manhed: He is lesse then the father,…oā. 14. but as touchyng hys godhed, the father and I be bothe one thyng.…oā. 10. and Paule rec…tyng the Psal affirmeth:…ebr. 2. Cryste as concernyng his manhed to be lesse thē god: or less… then angellis as some te…te hathe it: Here is it playne that all thyngis that More ymagineth and fayneth are not possible to God, for it is not possible for God to make a creature egall vntounto hymselfe, …or it includeth repugnaunce & derogateth his glorye. God ꝓmysed and swore that all nacions shulde be blessed in the dethe of that promysed sede whyche was Cryste God had determyneth and decreed it befor the worlde was made: ergo Cryste muste nedis hauehave dyed, and not to expowne thys worde oportet as More mynseth it. For it was so necessary that the cōtrary was impossible: except More wolde make God a lyer, whyche is impossible. Paule cōcludeth that Cryste muste nedys hauehave dyed,…eb. 9. vsynge thys latyn terme Necesse. Sayng: wherso euer is a testement, there muste the dethe of the testement maker go betw… ne: or els the testement is not ratyfyed and suer but ryghtuosnes & remyssion of sinnes in Crystis blood is hys new testement, where of he is mediatour: Ergo the …estament maker muste nedis hauehave dyed. wreste not therfore (M. More) thys worde Oportet (thoughe ye fynde potest for oportet in some …orrupt copye) vntounto your vnsauery sence. but let oportm signifye… he must or it behoueth hym to dye. for he toke our very mortall nature for the same decreed couns…l: hymself sayng. Io. 2. &. 12 Oportet exaltari filium hominis &c. It behoueth, or the sonne of man must dye, that eueryevery one that beleue in hym perysshe not &c. Here may ye se also that it is impossible for God to breke hys promyse. It is impossible to God whyche is that verite to be fownde contrary in hys dedis and wordis: as to saue thē whom he hathe dampned, or to dampne them whom he hathe saued, wherfore all thinges imagyned of Moris brayne ar not possible to God.
And when More sayth, that Chris…e had powr to let hys lyfe and to take it agayn, and therfore not to hauehave dyed of necessite: I wonder me, that hys scollematter here fayled hym, so conynge as he maketh hym selfe theryn: which graunteth and affirmeth (as trwe it is) that wythe ye necessary decreed workis of gods forsyght and prouidence standeth ryght wel hys fre lybertie. But M. More sayth at laste, If God wolde tell me that he wolde make eche of bothe their bodyes too (meanynge the yonge mannys body and Christis) to be in fyften placis at once, I wolde beleue hym I, that he were able to make hys worde trewe in the bodyes of both twayn, and neuer wolde I so myche as aske hym whyther he wolde gloryfye thē bothe first or not: but I am suer gloryfyed or vnglorifyed, if he sayd it, he is able to do it. Lo here may ye se what a feruent faythe thys olde man hathe, and what an ernest mynde to beleue Christis wordis if he had tolde him: but I praye ye M. More, what and yf Cryste neuer tolde it you, nor sayd it nor neuer wolde: wolde ye not be as hasty to not beleue it? yf he tolde it you: I pray ye tel vsus wher ye speke wyth hym, and who was by to bere ye recorde: & yet yf ye brynge as false a shrewe as your self to testifye this thing: yet by your owne doctryne, must ye make vsus a myracle to cōfyrme your t…le, ere we be bownde to beleue you: or yet to admit this your argumēt, God may make his body in many placis at once, erg… it is so. Syr ye be to besy with gods almighty powr… hauehave taken to grete a burden vponupon your weke shuldern, ye hauehave ouerladen your self with youre own …arnes and weapens: & yonge Dauid is lykely to preuayle agenste ye wyth hys s…ynge & stone. God hath infatuaded your highe subtyl wysedome… your crafty conuayance is spyed. God hath sent your chyrche a met ko…r for siche a cuppe, euen siche a defender as ye take vpō your selfe to be, that shal let all their wholl cause fall flatte in the myer vntounto 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 pre…ey counsell: that knoweth belyke by some secrete reuelacion how god seyth one body to be in many placis at once, includeth no repugnā ce. For worde hathe he no… 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 yet… 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 …echeth it and receyueth it stedfastly. For I knowe the voyce of my herdemā: which if he sayd in any place of scripture that his bodye shuld hauehave bene contayned vnderunder the forme of brede and so in many placis at once here… in erthe, and also abydinge yet still in heauen to. Uerely I wolde hauehave beleued him I, as soone and as fermely as. M. More. And therfore euen yet, if he can shewe vsus but one sentence truly taken for his parte, as we can do many for the cōtrary, we muste geue place. For, as for his vnwryten verites, & thaustorite of his anticristen sy…agoge, vntounto whiche (the scripture forsaken) he is now at laste with shame ynough… compelled to flee: thei be prouede starke lyes and very deuelrye.
¶Then saith he… that ye wote well that many good folke hauehave vsed in this mater manygood frutefuull exsamples of gods other workis: not onelyonly 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 …ace beholden in dyue…se glasses: and in eueryevery pese of one glasse broke into twenty &c. Lorde how this po…ti…icall poe…e playeth his parte. Because (as he sayth) we se many facis in manye glasses: therfore maye one body be ī many placis, as thoughe eueryevery shadew and similitude representinge the bodye, wer a bodely substā 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 vsus 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 …any places at once. But the brede broken and eaten in the souper monessheth & putteth vsus in remēbrance of his dethe, and so exciteth vsus to thākis geuing to laude and prease: for the benefit of our redempcion. and thus we there hauehave Cryste present in the inwarde eye and sight of our faithe. we ete hys body … 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, Cristē reder, That M. More in the 3 boke of his cōfutacion of tyndall the 249 syde, to proue S. Iohn̄s gospel vnperfit and insufficiēt 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 sacramēt. And now see agayn in these his letters agenst …rythe, how him selfe bryngethe in Iohn the 6 cap. to impugne frythes wrytinge, and to make all for the sacramēt, euen thus, My flesshe is verely mete, and my bloode drynke. belyke the man had there ouershette himselfe …owle, the yonge man here causyng him to put on his spectacles and poore better and more wysshely with his olde eyen vpō saynt Iohn̄s gospell to fynde that thinge there nowe wryten, whyche before he wolde hauehave made one of his vnwryten verites. As yet yf he loke narowly he shall espye that hymselfe hathe proued vsus by scripture, in the 37 lefe of his dialoge of quod he a…d quod I… our ladys perpetual virginite expowninge non cognosco, id est…, nō 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 …ight agenst themselfe into his owne confusion, in fyndinge vsus forthe his vnwryten wryten vanites verites I shulde saie. But returne we vntounto thexposicion of S. Iohn̄.