¶ The answer to the first part of the poisoned book, which a nameless heretic hath named the souper of the lord.  
By sir Thomas More knight.   

The preface. Sir Thomas More knight to the christian reader.  
Would god good chri sten readers as I have often said, the every good christian man, ye man & woman both, which are of that inward good and gracious mind, that they would not for all this world forsahe the true faith themself, had as much burning zefe and fervour in their hearts, to see it outwardly kept and preserved among all other, as these that are fallen in false 〈◊〉 and have forsaken the faith, 〈◊〉 an hot fire of hell in their hearts, that never can suffer them to rest or cease, but maketh them both day & night; by silly labour and work, to subvert and destroy the catholic christian faith, with all the means that ever they can devise.  
¶ For surely if all such as believe well themself, were as loath to here any word spoken wrong against the faith, as they would be to speak it themself: there should neither feles●hyppe of their matchies, nor fere of any such as are after the worldly count accounted for their betters, any thing let or withstand them both by word and countenance to show themself plainly, to hate & detest and abhor utterly, the pestilent contagion of all such smoky communication.  
¶ The time hath been ere this, when honest christian people would walk so far of from all lecherous living, that they would not come so much toward it as to abide the talhing but followed thaposties precept 
〈◊〉. 5.  that saith, let not 〈◊〉 or any uncleanness be so much as named among you.  
¶ In that while was there much honest cleanness, & by shame fastness much was chastity conserved. But after time the in word, folk fell unto more liberty/ and such as would forbear the doing, would yet be well content to fall in the fellowship of foul and filthy talking: than began cleanness greatly to decay. For as 
1. 〈◊〉. 15  th'apostle also rehearseth, evil communication marreth and corrupteth good manners.  
¶ But this decay from chastity by declination into foul and filthy tall king, hath begun a great while ago, and is very far grown on. But the time hath been even until now very late, that albe it of fleshly watonesse men have not letted to use themself in words both lewd and very large: yet of one thing ever would every good man be well aware, that heresy would he no man suffer to talk at his table, but would both rebuke it and detect it to, all though the thing touched his own born brother. Such hath been till of late the comen christian zeal to ward the catholic faith.  
¶ And albe it that I doubt not, but that (god be thanked) the faith is itself as fast rooted in this realm still as ever it was before (except some very few places, & yet even in those few, the very faithful folk many more than are the faithless to) yet sith good men have of late not letted to here the evil talk, and uncontrolled to speak blasphemous words in their company, the courage thereof hath out of all question much gevyn occasion that heretics have spread their errors much the more abroad.  
For it is not only lechery that 〈◊〉 
1. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉  word are verified of, where he saith the evil communication corrupteth good manners (albe it thereof be they verified to) but specially be they verified of heresy. And against the communication of heretics did saint Poule specially speak them in his first pystfe to the Corynthyes/ among whom some began homely than to talk against the general resurrection, as some begin among us now, to talk against the blessed sacrament.  
¶ And such communication it is therefore that th'apostle speaketh against/ of which he saith also the the contagion 
2. Timo. 2  creepeth forth and corrupteth further, after the manner of a corrupt canker.  
¶ And therefore he biddeth us that we should have none other communyca cyon with 〈◊〉, but only of reproving their heresy & giving them warning to seve. And yet not every man be bold, to task to long with them not even thereof neither, nor over often to medfe with them/ fest as the pestilence catcheth sometime the leech that fasting cometh very near and long sitteth by the sick man busy about to cure him: so some folk faint and feeble in the faith matched with a fellow stubborn & strong in heresy, may sooner himself take hurt than do the other good.  
¶ Saint Poule therefore inspired with the spirit of god, compendiousely toucheth in very few words, both these two points at once, where he writeth unto Titus: That man that 
iti. 〈◊〉.  is an heretic after once or twice warning (〈◊〉 here the communication that he would we should have with him) void & esce we him. So here ye see so that after once or twice war ning of them, the bishop should as folhe incorrigihte expel them/ & we should if we well did, keep no more company nor no more communication with them/ no saith saint john, not 
2. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  so much as bid them good speed or good morrow when we meet them.  
¶ These bydddynges of these bless said apostles, if all catholic 〈◊〉 would follow (which either of negligence or fere, or for sinful civilyte, while we follow not, we never discharge well our conscience toward god). There would without any great suit or trouble be shortly far fewer heretics than there be. And they that are, should shortly perceive in every place where they ween themself, how very few they be/ which as few as they be, would god yet they were yet far fewer than they be. For all be it there are of heretics far fewer than those that are would have it seem there were: yet are there undoubtedly by such dyssymysing suf feraunce, many more than else there should have been.  
¶ And this is also the cause, that of these heretics books there be so many now brought in as there be. For while men may so boldly speak out their heresies, even among them whom they know none heretics: this maketh many folk that else durst not meddle with such books, to buy them and look on them, and long to see what they say.  
¶ But some there are that first begin but of such a vain curious mind, whom the devil driveth after forward, and first maketh them doubt of the truth. And after bringeth them out of doubt to a full belief of heresy.  
¶ And thus of such books, as fore as they be foreboden: yet are there many bought. Nor the parel refraineth not much people from the buying, sith there is none house lightly that hath so little room, that lacketh the room to hide a book therein.  
¶ But when they had the books, if men would abhor their talking gone were all the pleasure that they take therein. But now while men con trolle them not, but laugh and let them babble, pride maketh them proceed, and they procure more, and spread the books more abroad, and draw more brethren to them.  
¶ There is no small number of such erroneous english books printed of which if few were bought, there would not of likelihood so many be put in prente/ saving that some brethren there are in this realm, that of their zeal to their sects, being of such substance that they may forbear it, give some money thereto before hand, content to abide th'adventure of the sale, or give the books about for nought to bring men to the devil.  
¶ And in this wise is there sent out to be printed, the book that Fryth made last against the blessed sacrament, answering to my letter, wherewith I confuted the pestilent treatise that he had made against it before. And the brethren looked for it now at this bartlemew tide last passed and yet look every day, except it be come all ready, and secretly run among them.  
¶ But in the mean while, there is come over another book aguynst the blessed sacrament/ a book of that sort, that Firths book the brethren may now forbear. For more blasphemous, and more bedelem ripe than this book is, were that book hard to be/ which is yet mad enough as me say that have seen it.  
¶ This book is entitled, The souper of our lord. But I beshrew such a she were, as so serveth in the souper, that he convayth away the best dish, and bringeth it not to the board/ as this man would if he could, convey fro the blessed sacrament Crispinus stes own blessed flesh and blood, and leave us nothing therein, but for a memorial only bare breed and wine.  
¶ But his hands are to lumpyshe and this mess also to great for him to convey clean/ specially sith the dish is so dear and so dainty, that every christen man hath his heart bend thereto and therefore his eye set thereon to 〈◊〉 where it becometh.  
¶ The man hath not set his name unto his book/ nor whose it is I can not surely say. But some reckon it to be made by William Tyndale/ for that in a pistle of his unto Fryth, he writeth that in any thing that he cando, ' he would not fail to help him forth.  
¶ Now be it some of the brethren report that the book was made by George Jay. And of troth Tyndale wrote unto Frith, that George Jay had made a book against the sacrament, which was as yet partly by his means partly for lack of money, retained and kept fro the print. Now be it what George Joy would do therein afterward when his money were come/ that could he not (he saith assure him.  
¶ Now of truth George joy hath long had in hand and ready dying by him, his book against the sacrament. And now if this be it/ he hath somewhat enlengthed it of late, by a piece that he hath patched in against me, wherein he would seem to soil mine arguments, which in my letter I made in that matter against the devely she treatyce of Fryth.  
¶ And in very deed, diverse that are learned and have red the book, reckon it verily to be the book of George jay, whereof Tyndale wrote unto Fryth/ specially by certain words that were in that letter, For therein writeth Tyndale, that if George Jay did put forth his book, there should be founden in it many rea sons & very few to the purpose.  
¶ Now be it me thinketh by that mark, that this book should not be that. For in this book be there very few reasons, and of them all never one to the purpose.  
¶ The maker of the book in the end of his book, for one cause why he put teeth not his name thereto, writeth in this wise, Master mock whom the verity most offendeth, and doth but mock it out when he can not soil it, he koweth me well enough.  
¶ This sad and sage earnest, man that mocking at mine name calleth me master Mock, doth in these wise words nothing but mock the readers of his book/ save that his reason is so rude and foolish, that the mock returneth to himself.  
¶ For sith he writeth not his book to me, nor sendeth me none of them, but the brethren keep them fro me as closely as they can: what if I wist never so well who he were that wrote it, what were this to the brethren that read it? know they thereby who it is to?  
¶ Now for myself also, though I know Tyndale by name, & George Jay or George Joy by name also, and twenty such other fond fellows of the same sect more: yet if ten of those would make ten such foolish treatises and set their names to none, could I know thereby which of those mad fools, made which foolish book?  
¶ diverse there are in deed, of those that are learned and have red the book, that think for the lack of learning and of wit also, that they find every where therein, the book should neither be made by Tyndale nor by George Jay neither/ but rather by some young unlearned fool.  
¶ Now be it as for me, I think the book might be for all that made by Tyndale or by George jay either. For the matter being devised against the blessed sacrament, the wisest or the most fool, the most learned or the lest, is all in manner one, and in that matter maketh little difference. For I never found yet any man so well learned, and so naturally well witted withal, but after that he fell ones to the defence of heresies, & specially of this abominable heresy against the blessed sacrament: neigh there learning, nor wit, never well served hymafter.  
For as for Tyndale the captain of our english heretics (who before he felto these fransyes, men had went had had some wit, and was taken for full pretyly learned to) ye see good christian readers plainly tried by his books, that an unlettered man might be ashamed to write so unler neely/ and a mad man would all most wax red for shame, to write in some things so frantykely.  
¶ As touching frere Barons and George Jay, the brethren & systern themself see their wits so wasted and their learning waxen so slender, that the brotherhood hath little list to read them. ¶ And some of the brethren that say this new work was made by George Jay, think that the cause why he set not his name thereto, was because he wist well the brethren did not regard him. And Tyndale had in his letter also decla red him for a fool, by reason whereof he thought that if it came under his name, the stimacyon thereof were but lost.  
¶ Fryth was lo a proper young man and a toward, till he fell unto these follies. After which to what dekay both his wit and his learning came, every wise man much marveled, that in his open examination herd and considered his answers.  
¶ For all be it that in the book that the brethren that are here have sent over to hunt, Tyndale and his fellows to bydylde the world with all, purpose to make many changes, and amend and advance his part, underproping it with their own proper lies: yet shall the means be meetly well founden to control their falsehood I trust, and to take away their cloaks, and live his folly bare. And than shall men plainly see, that of one whom the brethren boast for so wise, there never died in Englange before, any false heretic so foolish.  
¶ But now as touching this new come over book, which the maker hath entitled The supper of the lord: though the man have named it the souper of our saviour christ, yet hath the man made it the souper of the devil.  
¶ The special effect of all his whole purpose is to feed us with the most poisoned heresy that laboureth to kill the catholic christian faith, concerning the blessed sacra meant of the autare/ all be it by the way he putteth forth diverse other heresy beside.  
¶ This usaverye souper of his, without any corn of salt, and spyced all with poison, he divideth as it were into two courses/ that is to wit into the treating and 〈◊〉 of two special things specify in the gospel of christ, whereby christian people plainly perceive, that in the blessed sacrament of th'altar, is the very blessed body of christ, his very fieshe and his blood.  
¶ In the first part which I call here his first course, occupying the tone half of his book, he treateth the words of christ spoken in the sixth chapter of saint Iohn/ which words our saviour speaketh, of the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood.  
¶ In his second part, which I call his second course, he treateth the maundye of christ with his apostles upon shear thursday, wherein our saviour actually did institute that blessed sacrament, & therein verily gave his own very flesh and blood to his twelne apostles himself.  
¶ I shall therefore divide this work of mine into two parts in like wise, of which twain this shall be the first, wherein I shall detect & make every man perceive this man's evil coquery in his first course, concerning the treating of Christ'S words in the sixth chapter of saint Iohn.  
¶ And all be it that I shall afterward send you forth my second part also against his second course: yet shall I so handle this man's mischievous heresy in this first part, that though I never wrote word more hereafter of the matter, yet to the perceiving of the troth, and detection of his falsed, this first part might suffice for all the whole matter.  
¶ In his first part, he forced exponeth the later part of his sixth chapter of saint Iohn/ and by his declaration laboureth to draw men from the perceiving of the troth, and setteth forth also both his principal heresy, and over that diverse other.  
¶ Also in the same part he argueth against all men in general that expone any of those words of Crist there spoken, to be meant by christ of the very eating of his flesh (as the catholic church believeth) in the blessed sacrament.  
¶ In that first part also he argueth against me by name in special/ and pretendeth to soil such arguments as I made in my letter against the poisoned treatise, that John Fryth had before made in that matter against the blessed sacrament.  
¶ In that part also the man bringeth in two placies all in great, which he hath picked out by long leisure among all my books/ in either of which two places, he showeth that I have notably contraryed mine own writing, that I have written myself in other places before & showeth also the places where.  
¶ I shall therefore good readers in this first part of mine give you five books/ and some of them very short.  
¶ In the first will I give you the exposition of the self same words of christ, mentioned in the sixth chapter of saint John/ by which who so confer them and consider them together, shall I trust perceive well the fashed of his exposition, & not be deceived thereby. And for mine exposition ye shall not give me the thank. For I have but piked it out here and there out of the writings of divers old holy men.  
¶ The second shall show you for a sample, some of the fawtes both in follies and errors, that the man hath made us in his exposition.  
¶ The third shall answer & soil his wise reasons, with which he would make all men fools, that have exponed that place before, contrary to his heresy now/ that is to wit, all the old holy doctors and saint from thapostles days unto our own tyme.  
¶ In the fourth shall ye see what wit and what serning he showeth, in soysing of mine arguments made be fore in that matter against his fellow Iohn Fryth.  
¶ The fifth shall declare you the diligence that the man hath done, in seeking out my negligence, leaving some places in my writing, repugnant & contrary the tone place to the t'other. And of such place ye shall (as I said) see him with diligent search of three year, at last bring you forth twain. And there shall you see good christian readers, that in those twain, my negligence shall for all his diligence prove him twice a fool.  
¶ But in the treating of this matter with him, I shall lack somewhat of the commodity that the man hath in disputing with me. For he hath a great pleasure of tetymes, now in one manner, now in another, now to talk of me, and now to speak to me by name, with, thus saith More, and, 〈◊〉 master More, and sometime, maysier Mock, and, let More mock on and lie to/ and many such goodly garnishing more. But he will be for his own part sure that I shall not dispute with him by name, and therefore he keepeth it away.  
¶ And therefore what folly and what falsed be founden in his book, he forceth very little. For shame he thinketh he can none take thereby, while folk know not his name.  
¶ Wherein he fareth much like to some bestely body, that would not care to sit down with his face to the walwarde, and ease himself in the open street/ and though all the town at once tote in his tail, take it for no shame at all, because they see not his face.  
¶ And verily as we see sometime, that such as walk in visors, have much the less fere and shame, both what they do and what they say, because they think themself unknown: so do these folk oftentimes little force what they write, that use to put out their books, and set not their names unto them. They think themself unseen while 〈◊〉 name is unknown/ and therefore they fear not the shame of their folly. As some have I seen 〈◊〉 this, full boldly come dance in a mask, whose dancing became them so well; that if their visors had been of their faces, shame would not have suffered them to set forth a foot.  
¶ And master 〈◊〉 under his 〈◊〉 face forceth not much to shift a false cast among, with a pair of false dice.  
¶ And therefore sith this man by withdrawing his name from his book, hath done on a viso of dissimulation, dyssimuling his person to void the shame of his fashed, and speaketh to much to be called master 〈◊〉, which name he were else well worthy for his false dice: I shall in this dyspicyon between him and me, be 〈◊〉 for this once (sith by some name must I call him) for lack of his other name to call him master 〈◊〉.  
And thus finishing 〈◊〉 preface, we shall begin the matter.   

The first book.  

The. i. chapter.  
Master 〈◊〉 hath in this his poisoned treatise against Crystes hole some so 〈◊〉 xxxii. levys. In the first. xiiii. whereof he exponeth us the later part of the sixth chapter of saint 〈◊〉. And incidently by the way, the man maketh as though he answered the reasons which I made in my letter, against the pestilent treatise that Frith made first against the blessed sacrament. And in the same. xiiii. levys also, he bringeth forth two things for special notable, wherein he saith I have openly contraryed mine 〈◊〉 writing.  
¶ I will good reader peruse the remnant of his book after this first part answered. In which containing these three things that I have 〈◊〉 you/ the first hath he so han desed, that all were there not (as there are in deed) diverse false 〈◊〉 interfaced therein, yet it were for the matter of very sleight effect. For in his exposition he nothing toucheth nor cometh near to the thing wherein the point of all the matter standeth.  
¶ The second point hath he so well treated in his argumentation, that the reasons which I lay against Frith, master Masker first falsely rehearseth, and after so foolishly soileth, that he leaveth them more stronger against him when he hath done, 〈◊〉 he found them when he began.  
¶ And as for the third point concerning his notable noties of such things as he sayeth to mine oversight, them he so garnessheth & setteth out so seemly to the show, that I would no man should ever after this day trust any word that I shall write, but if ye see master 〈◊〉 pfaynesy proved therein, either so foolish as no man should trust his wit, or so false that no man should trust his troth. Let us therefore now come to the first point, that is to wit his exposition.   

The. two. chapter.  
THe whole sum of his 〈◊〉 is, that our saviour 〈◊〉 those words taking occasion of the miracle that he so late before had wrought among them, in feeding fyut thousand of them with five barley Louis and two fishes, did in those 
Iohn. 〈◊〉.  words upon their new resort unto him when they followed him to Capharnaum, first rebuke & blame them because they sought him not for the miracles that they had seen him work, but because they had been fed by him & filled their belies/ and that therefore our saviour exhorted them to labour rather to get that meat that never should perish. Open 'pon which exhortation when the jews asked him what they should do whereby they should work the wurkes of god/ Chryst said unto them, that the work of god was, to believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him whom the father had 〈◊〉  
¶ Than goeth he ferther & showeth, that upon the words of the Jews asking our lord what token he showed for which they should believe in him, sith their forefathers had given them the breed of Mamna in desert, of 
〈◊〉. 15  which it was written, he gave them bred from above/ our lord showed them that Moses gave them not that bred from heaven, but his own father had given them the very breed that was descended from heaven, and that our lord there by all the remanant of those words in the said sixth chapter of saint Iohn, declareth that himself is that very bred, & is to be 〈◊〉 by the faith and the byliefe that Christ'S 〈◊〉 and body was broken and his blood shed for our sins. And so exponeth he forth all these words of Chryst, applying them only to the declaration of his passion to be suffered for our redemption/ and that our saviour would have them by leave that point, & that the byliefe of that point was meant by the eating, and that that faith and byliefe is the 〈◊〉 of our souls.  
¶ The whole sum of his exposition is this in all his said. xiiii. 〈◊〉. I mean not that this is all that ever he saith therein/ for I leave out his cir cumstaunces, his garnishing, his notes, his argumentations, his contentions with me, his mocks, his taunties against all catholic folk, & his many fold heresies also, with all which here and there he furnyssheth all the progress of his painted process/ all which things I shall after touch by themself. But the some, the substance, and the end whereto all the whole process of his exposition cometh, is this that I have rehearsed you.   

The. iii. chapter.  
BUt now good christian readers all this exposition, were it never so true, never so comely, nor never so cunningly handled/ yet were it (as I told you before) very far from the purpose, For this exposition might be good enough, & yet might thirst in those words teach the thing that we speak of 〈◊〉, that is to wit beside the teaching them that himself was the very breed that was descended from heaven to give life to the world, and that he should suffer death for the sins of the world and that they should believe these things, and so eat him 〈◊〉 by faith/ he might I say teach in those words also, that he would give unto men his very body & his very 〈◊〉 to eat, and his very blood to drink, and that he would that they should believe that lesson also. And wrth the spy ritual eating thereof, by forth receive and eat also his very blessed body flesh and blood by the mouth not in his own fleshly form as the fleshly jews miss took it, but (as himself than meant it and part there exponed it, and by his institu 〈◊〉 did after more clearly declare it) inform of breed and wine in the blessed sacrament of the altar.  
¶ It is I trow good readers to no man almost unknown, that the holy scripture of god is in such marvelous manner, by the profound wisdom of his holy spirit, for the more plenteous profit of his church, devised, indyghted, and written, that it hath not only that one sense true which we call the literal sense (that is to wit that sense which for the first lesson thereof, god would we should perceive and learn) but also diverse other senses spiritual, pertaining to the profit of our manners, and instruccions in sundry virtues, by mean of 〈◊〉, opening of mysteries, and lifting up of the soul into the lively light and inward high sight of god. And all those manifold senses (divers in the way and all tending to one end) may be convenient and true, and all by one spyrxte provided, and in to diverse spirits by the same one spirit inspired, for spiritual profit to be by many means multiplied and increased in 〈◊〉 church.  
¶ But never hath any good mamben accustomed to play the pageant that master Maskar playeth us here, with a spiritual exposition of allegories or parables, to take away that very first sense that god would we should learn of the letter/ and because of some allegories, turn all the plain word for the first right understanding, into a secondary sense of allegories.  
¶ Of this manner 〈◊〉 of scripture I make mention in my letter against Firths false handesing of this same place of saint johan. And there I showed in what wise that false heretics the Arrianies used by the same means, to take the godhead from Cry stes person/ as Frith and these fellows by the self same manner of ex powning the scripture, do take away Christ'S manhood from Chry stes blessed sacrament.  
¶ In that pistle I showed also that I would in allegorical expositions find no fault, but be well content with them, so that men miss use them not, to the taking away of the true literal sense bysyde.  
¶ This thing I there showed good readers in the self same pistle, that master Masker maketh here as though he could & would answer. And yet as though he had never herd my words but slept while he red them, he playeth here the self same pageant himself, while with his allegorycall exposition of spiritual eating of Christ'S godhead and of his body by byliefe of his passion, he goth about to take away from us the very literal truth, of the very eating and bodily receiving of Christ'S own very flesh & blood  
¶ Now will I not say any manner blame at all, to any man that will exspowne all the whole process of Genesis, by allegories/ and teach us certain convenient virtues, understanden by the four floods of paradies, and tell us that paradise is grace, out of which all the floods of all virtues flow, and water the earth, calling the earth mankind, that was made thereof, being barren & fruitless but if it be watered with the floods of virtue/ and so forth in some such manner expone us all the remanant. Or lo that thus doth, doth in my mind right well. But marry if he would do it in the manner & with the mind, that master Masker exponeth us Christ's words, all in allegories here, and would teach us such a spiritual sense, to make us believe that those words were to be none other wise understanden bysyde, but that there were no such floods flowing forth of paradise, nor no such paradise at all/ I would ween verily that he were a very heretic.  
¶ I find no fault also with them, 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉  that expone the story of Samson tayenge the foxes together by the taylies, and setting a fire in them, and sending them so in to the field of the Phylistyes to burn up the corn/ in those I say that expone that story by the devil, sending his heretics in to the corn field of god the catholic church of christ, with the fire of false words to desiroye the corn, both of 〈◊〉 we forth and good wutkies, tayed together by the tails, in token that all their here sies be their heads never so far asunder, yet are their tails tayed together in that the all tend toward one end, that is to wit to the destruction of all manee grace and goodness/ & that the tayeng of the fire and their tails together signiifeth also that for their foxly false head, finally in the end the hot fire of hell shallbe so fast tayed in all their tails wrabeling there together, the never shall they get the fire fro their taylies, nor fro the bands of hell be severed or break asunder: with this all legorye of those good men that thus expone that story, I find no fault at all. But on the other side if any man would expone it so by that spiritual allegory against these heretics, that 〈◊〉 word therewith enforce himself to take away the sytterall sense, and say the text signified nothing 〈◊〉, and that there was no such thing done indeed/ him word I 〈◊〉 for an hereiyke to.  
¶ And in 〈◊〉 wise good readers if master Masker here did only expone all those words of christ, as things spoken of spiritual eating by way of allegory/ that way word I well allow/ for so doth not only: such as he is, but also good faithful folk to. But now when he draweth all Christ words to those allegories of a false wily purpose, to make men ween (& so saith himself for his part) that they signify none other thing: this is the point the proveth master Masker an 〈◊〉.  
¶ And therefore as I said, all his ex policyon is 〈◊〉 of fro the purpose, & approacheth not to the point. For the question is not whither those words may be well verified & exponed of spiritual eating by way of an allegory/ but whither it may beside all thee, be truly exponed of the very bodily eating of christ blessed body indeed. For 〈◊〉 it so may/ than 〈◊〉 there no man of so siendre wit, but he may well see, the all master Maskers allegorycall exposition of his only spiritual eating, 〈◊〉 fro the purpose quite, & dare not come 〈◊〉 the point  
¶ Wherefore to th'intent the ye may 〈◊〉 rely see, the in this exposition of his (〈◊〉 holy as he would have it seem) he doth but clearly mock (saving that it is much worse than mocking, to make men fall fro the faith) I shall give you of the same words of Chryst written in the sixth chapter of saint Johan, another exposition myself/ in which I shall beside all such spiritual expositions, as this man useth therein by way of 〈◊〉 or parables, declare you the very literal sense of those words: My flesh is verily meat & my blood verily drink. So that ye may see thereby, that our saviour verily spoke & meant, not only such a spiritual rating as master Masker saith he only meant/ but also the very bodily eating & drinking of his very flesh and blood in deed. which exposition of mine, if it be in that point true/ than must it needs follow (ye see well) that his exposition is far fro the purpose. For all though there were not one false word therein/ yet were it in dissembling of the troth, very lewd and falsely handled.  
¶ And now that mine exposition shallbe trewindede, that shall you ere I seve you so clearly perceive and see, that I trust there shall never any such heretic as thysis, be able to blind any man after that readeth it/ except some such as willingly list to wink, or 〈◊〉 he put out theyeyen, will hold their heads to him themself.  
¶ Now to the intent ye may the better perceive & mark, whither mine exposition agree with the text, and whither I leave any thing unto wched: I shall first give you the words of the text itself in english all together, and than expone it you piece by piece after. And yet had it not been evil to begin somewhat before at Christ'S disciples going in to the ship in the evening, and Christ'S own walking after upon the see, and after the on the morrow the people coming after to seek him in other ships/ which piece maistee Masker left out and word not meddle with, because it hath an hard allegory declared by holy doctors, which she we that the ship in which the disciples went, 〈◊〉 the church which was but one/ and the other diverse ships that came after, betokened the diverse churches of heretics. And yet in that one ship that signified the church, there were as appeared after, both good & bad together. But let this piece pass for this once/ I will begin the text but there as master Masker beginneth himself. So good christian readers these be the words.   

The. iiii. chapter.  
¶ verily verily I say to you you seek me, not because ye have seen my racles, but because ye have eatyn of the loves and are filled. work you, not the meat that perisheth, but that 〈◊〉 into everlasting life, which the son of man shall give you/ for him hath good the father sealed. They said therefore unto him what shall we do that we may work the works of god? jesus answered & said unto them. This is the work of god that ye believe in him whom he hath sent. Than they said unto him, what token she west thou, therefore that we may see and believe thee? what workest thou? Our fathers have eaten manna in the desert as it is written/ he gave them breed from heaven to eat. Than said jesus to them, verily verily I say to you Moses hath not given you the breed from the heaven, but my father giveth you the very breed from the heaven. For the very breed is that that is descended from heaven, and giveth life to the world. Than said they to him, lord give us all way this breed. Thansayd jesus to them, I am the breed of life/ he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never thirst. But I have said unto you, that ye have both seen me and have not believed. All that my father giveth me shall come to me/ and he that cometh to me I shall not cast him out. For I am 〈◊〉 from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that hath sent me. This is verily the will of him that hath sent me, that is to wit the father, that all that he hath given me I should not lose any thing thereof, but should raise it again in the last day. This is verily the will of my father that hath sent me, that every man that seeth the son and by leaveth in him, should have everlasting life, & shall raise him again in the last day. The jews murmured there fore of that that he had said, I am the lively breed that am descended from heaven. And they said, Is not this man the son of joseph, whose father and mother we have known. Now saith he therefore I am descended from heaven? jesus therefore answered & said unto them, murmur not among yourself. There can no man come to me but if the father that sent me draw him, and I shall raise him again in the last day. It is wry ten in the prophets: And they shallbe all taught of god. Every man that hath herd of the father and hath learned cometh to me/ not because any man hath seve the father, but he that is of god hath seen the father. verily verily I tell you, he that believeth in me hath life everlasting. I am the breed of the life. your fathers have eaten manna in the desert and be deed. This is the breed descending from the heaven, that if any man eat thereof, he should not die. I am the living breed that am descended from the heaven. If a man eat of this breed he shall live for ever, & the breed which I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. The jews therefore strove among themself saying, how can this man give us his flesh to eat. Than said jesus to them. verily verily I say to you, but if ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, ye shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath life everlasting, and I shall raise him in the last day. My flesh is verily meat and my blood is verily drink. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me & I in him. As the living father sent me, I also live for the father. And he that eateth me, he shall also live for me. This is the breed that hath descended from heaven/ not as your fathers have eaten manna and are deed. He that eateth this breed shall live for ever. These things said he in the synagogue, teaching in Capharnaum. Many therefore of his disciples hearing, said, This is a hard saying, and who may hear him jesus therefore knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said unto them, doth this offend you if ye shall then see the son of man ascending up where he was before. The spirit it is that giveth life/ the flesh availeth nothing. The words which I have spoken to you, be 〈◊〉 & life. But there be some of you that believe not. For jesus knew from the beginning who should be that bylevers & who should betray 〈◊〉/ and he said, Therefore I have said unto you that no man can come to me but if it be given him of my father. From that time many of his disciples went back, & now walked no more with him. Than said jesus to the. xii, will you go your ways to. Than answered unto him Simon Peter, lord to whom shall we go. Thou hast the words of everlasting life, & we believe & have known that thou art Chryst the son of god. jesus answered unto him: Have not I chosen you. xii. & one of you is a devil. He said that by judas I 〈◊〉 the son of Simon. For he it was that should betray him, being one of the .xii.   

The exposition of the said text.  
The. v. chapter.  
WHo so read & consider well good christian readers, the doctrine and the doing of our saviour Crist, shall by sundry places of holy scripture perceive, that of his hevynfy wisdom his 〈◊〉 usage was, in many great thing that he purposed to do, before the doing of the same (beside the figures of the old testament fore figuring the same/ & beside the pro phecyes of the old prophets fore prophesying the same) for men's more readiness toward the things when he would execute them by his deed, to give them some warning & informa cyon thereof before by his words.  
¶ Thus before he made saint Peter his chief shepherd over his flock, three times at ones, specially 〈◊〉 ding him to fed his sheep, he first said unto him, thou shalt be called stone/ & after said also to him, when he confessed him to be Christ: Thou art stone/ & upon the same stone shall I byeld my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevayse against it.  
¶ Thus before he made him his general vicar, he gave him the name of stone/ which stone he said after he 
Iohn. 1  would byelde his church upon. 
Matt. 16   
¶ Thus he gave his apostles & dies cyples warning of his betrayeng, of 
〈◊〉. 9  his taking, of his death, of his resurrection, of his ascension, by his word before the things were done in deed. And of his coming againg to the doom also at the general resurrection, which things surely shallbe & 〈◊〉 not yet done in deed. And alway the more strange the things were/ the more he opened them with words. And yet had he for all that, some of those thing for that while not very well believed, not even of some of his own disciples. But yet neither were his words fully fruitless at the time, but that they took some hold in some folk, and wrought in some souls, though not a full faith, yet an inclination and a disposition toward it/ and now serve, and ever sins have served, and ever while the world lasteth shall serve, to the planting, roting, and watering of the saith, in all christian nations all the world about.  
¶ Now as our lord did in many things/ so did he specially in the two great sacraments/ the sacrament of baptism, and in this high blessed sacrament of the altar.  
¶ Of the tone he talked with Nicholas 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉  demus that came to him by night, and durst not be seen with him by day for dread of the jews.  
¶ And of the t'other, that is to wit of the sacrament of the awtre, he talked here, and taught the very thing but not the very form thereof unto the jews & his disciples among them.  
¶ And as he found Nichodemus far of fro the perceiving of the spiritual fruit that riseth in the sensible ablution & faithful washing of baptism/ so found he the substance of these folk very far fro the perceiving of the spiritual fruit, that groweth of the bodily receiving of Christ'S own blessed body, to them that faithfully receive it in the blessed sacrament under the sensible form of breed.  
¶ Our saviour also good reder because the thing that he now went about to tell them, was a meruesous high thing and a strange, used in the proponing thereof unto them, di verse ways devised of his divine wisdom.  
¶ first to make them the more meet to receive the doctrine of that point and to perceive it/ he did two miracles before he began to speak thereof. One (which though they were not at it, yet they perceived well as the gospel 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  showeth) in going over the water without a vessel/ and another that he did not only in their presence, but also made them all partners of the profit, that is to wit when he fed 
〈◊〉. 14  them all being five thousand in number, of two fishes and five sovys/ and yet when all their 〈◊〉 were full, gathered & filled twelve baskets of the fragments.  
¶ Upon the occasion of this miracle good reader of these five Louis by such a miracle so multiplied as a thing very convenient, he took his beginning to induce thereupon the feast that he would in this world leave perpetually with his church; by feeding of innumerable thousands with that one loaf that is his blessed body in the form of breed. Not for that the miracle of that feeding of the jews and this feeding of Christ'S church, is in every thing like/ (between which twain there are incomparable differences) but because the less miracle and in some part like, is a convenient thing for an entry and a beginning wherewith to draw them ferther. And unto his apostles at the time so was it and yet unto this time unto all good christian people so is it.  
¶ Our saviour also to induce them the better to the belief of his great kindness, in that he would vouch safe to give them his own body to be received and eaten in to theirs, he did tell them two other thing/ the tone that he was very god, the t'other that he would die for their sakes. Of these two points/ the tone might make them sure that he would do it, and the t'other that he could do it. For what could he not do that was god almighty? or what would he disdain to do for us, that would not dysdayn to die for us.  
¶ Now good readers remembering well these things, mark what our saviour hath said in this gospel, and consider well what he meant.   

The. vi. chapter.  
When that after the miracle of the feeding so many people with so few Louis, our lord had (as it followeth in the gospel) withdrawn himself aside into the hill, because he saw the people were minded to make him their king, the disciples had entered in the evening after into a ship, and christ appearing to them walking upon the see, and calming the tempest, when they would have taken him in to their ship, the ship was suddenly comen to the land. The people on the morrow longing to find our lord again, took other little ships that came thither after, and followed his disciples, from whom they thought he would not long be, although they knew that christ went not in the ship with them. And when they came on the other side of these to Capharnaum, & found not only them there but him to/ than marveling much thereof, they said unto him, Master when camest the hither? Our lord answered again & said unto them: sirs I tell you very truth, the cause that you seek me now, is not the miracles that you have seen, but it is because that of the Louis that I gave you you have well eaten and well filled your belies.  
¶ In these words our saviour well declared his godhead, in that he told them their minds & thoughts, which is a property belonging only to god. For as the scripture saith: 
Regum. 2  our lord beholdeth the heart. And specially sith he told them their myndis being such as reason would have went their minds had been the contrary. For sith that after that god had so fed and filled them of that breed, and that they had seen so much left yet beside, they did upon the sight of that miracle say, This is the very prophet that shall come in to the world/ and by those words declared clearly that they thought he was christ, that is to wit messias, whom they looked for by the pro phecye of Moses and other prophets, that should come to save the world, and that thereupon they would have made him king: who could have went that they could have had so soon upon the morrow so cold a mind toward him, as to go sail & seek him for none other devotion but for the feeding of their belies. But our saviour (whose deep sight entered into their hearts, & laboured not upon any fallible coniecturies) both saw the sickness of their unperfait minds, and as a perfit pysician against their disease, devised them a good and perfit medicine, saying unto them thus, work sirs and labour for the meat, not the meat that perystheth, but for the meat that abideth into everlasting life/ which meat the son of man shall give you/ for him hath god the father sealed. As though he would say, ye labour hither & seek me for such meat as I fed you with the other day/ but that meat is soon gone and perisheth. Labour & work, and make you meat that you may eat the meat that shall never be gone nor never perish, but shall last with you for ever in everlasting life.  
¶ By these words of the meat everlasting our saviour did as the old holy doctors declare, insumate and secretly signify to them the meat of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, both the spiritual eating of his godhead by fruition in heaven, & the bodily eating of his very body here ierth/ of which both meats he more declareth after.  
¶ For the better perceiving whereof ye shall understand that the material meat that men eat here, hath two manner of peryshyngs. One by which thorough the natural operation of the body that receiveth it, it is altered & changed, and loseth his own form, shape, nature, and substance, and is turned into the nature & substance of the body which it nourisheth. And in this manner of perishing perisheth all the meat that every man eateth, or else it nothing nurysheth.  
¶ The other manner of perishing by which the meat perisheth, is that perishing, by which the meat that is taken through gluttony, is for the inordynate appetite and use thereof/ destroyed and punished by god, and the gluttonous belly to. Of which manner of perishing saint Poule saith, The meat for the belly, & the 
〈◊〉. Lorin. 6  belly for the meat/ and god shall destroy both the tone and the t'other.  
This is spoken against those that eat not for the conservation of their life and their health, to preserve themself to the service of god, but eat & drink only for the voluptuous pleasure of their body.  
¶ Now taught our lord the Jews in these few words adoctryne short and compendious, that they should neither be glotons in labouring for the meat that perisheth of that second fashion, nor so very highly esteem the meat that perisheth of the first fashion, that is to wit any manner of meat that only nurisheth the body/ but that they should labour and work and endeavour themself, that they might be meat to receive and eat that meat that shall abide & endure with them in everlasting life/ that is to say that as themselves were both bodies and souls, so spirytually to receive and eat of his own godhead, with the fruition whereof they should after this life be everlastingly fed among his angels in heaven/ and for the mean while in this world bodily to receive & eat his own blessed body into theirs, as an earnest penny of their perpetual conjunction and incorporation with him afterward in the kingdom of his eternal glory/ where our bodies shall also be fed for ever, with the farpassing pleasure of the bodily beholding of his glorious body there in his own beautiful form, which we now verily recepue here, hid in the blessed sacrament in likeness and form of breed.  
¶ This is the meat that christ in those word meant, & would they should labour to make themself meet for. For this meat will in no wise perish. But where as the bodily meat that the man eateth of the sheep in the nuryshing of the man, perisheth and loseth his own nature, not turning the flesh of the man in to the flesh of the sheep/ but being turned from the own proper nature of sheeps flesh, in to the natural flesh of the man/ this meat is of such vigour & strength; that in the nuryshing of the man it abudeth whole and unchanged/ not being turned into the flesh of the man, but aftering, turning, & transforming, as holy saint austin saith the fleshly man from his gross 〈◊〉 into a certain manner of the pure nature of itself, by particy pacyon of that holy blessed flesh and immortal, that is with his sively spy rite imedyately joined and unseparably knit unto the eternal flowing fountain of all life, the godhead. This meat therefore christ biddeth them labour & work for in those words: work you not the meat that perisheth but that abideth into everlasting life  
¶ But yet though Cryst tommauded them that they should not be idle slougardes & slothful of themself, but that they should work & labour for their own part to get this meat, and make themself meet therefore: yet he let them know that no man could by his own only power attain it. And therefore he added these words, which meat the son of man shall give you/ telling them thereby that himself which had fed them before with that other meat which was peryshable, would also (if themself would work and labour for it) give them the other meat, that is permanent in to life everlasting to. ¶ And therefore (as diverse holy doctors say) when the pressed ministereth us this meet, let us not think that it is he that giveth it us/ not the pressed I say whom we see, but the son of man Chryst himself, whose own flesh not the pressed there giveth us, but as Christ'S minister delivereth us. But the very giver thereof is our blessed saviour himself, as himself in these words witnesseth, where he saith, quem filius hominis dabit vobis, which meat the son of man shall give you.  
¶ Now lest the jews might have cause to mistrust, that he that were the son of man could give them that meat, that were free from all perishing & permanent into everlasting life: he taketh away that objection, and showeth them that he is not only the son of man but also the son of god/ and no more verily man by that that he is the son of man (that is to wit not of joseph but of our forefather Adam the first man) than he is verily god in that he is the son of god, as verily and as naturally begotten of god the father by generation, as he was verily and naturally descended of our forefather Adam by lineal dyscent and propagation. Which thing our saviour showed them in these words: Hunc enim pater significavit deus. For him hath god the father sealed. This is to say, that him hath god the father specially sequestered and severed and set aside out of the number of all creatures, and hath sent him in to the world, anointed, signed, and marked with the very print of his own seal. For (as the old holy doctors declare, and among other saint cyril and saint Hilary) the seal of the father with which he sealed his son is nothing else but himself his own very nature & substance And therefore hath god caused these words to be written in holy scripture, that god the father hath sealed his son, as our saviour said here to the jews/ and that Crist is the image, prent, and character of the father, as saith saint Poule, because we thereby should learn and understand, that as a true seal truly printed, leaveth in the other the very whole express thing that it is itself, not as it is iron, steel, or copper, silver, brass, or gold, but as it is a seal, that is to wit this fasshyoned figure or thee, and yet hepeth it whole still 〈◊〉 the less itself, so did god the father in the sealing of god the son, that is to wit in his eternal bygetting, give him all that ever was in himself, all his whole will, all his hole wisdom, all his whole might and power, and finally all his whole nature substance and godhead, and yet keep never the less all the same still himself.  
¶ And thus the son of god so sealed by his father and not only express silly representing, but also verily being one equal god, in nature, sub stance, wisdom, will, might, & power, with almighty god his father being sent in to the world by his father and himself, and theyre both holy spirit equal god with them both, took upon him the manhood, the very flesh, and the very soul of our saviour christ, 
Psal. 44.  anointed above all other creatures with fullness of all graces, by the conjunction of his manhood in wonderful unite with his omnipotent godhead, marvelously making one perfit person and one farpassing perfit person of god and man together.  
¶ Thus hath our saviour not only she wed them the great gift of ever lasting lively meat, that if they would work for it he would give them/ but hath also she wed them that himself is equal god with his almighty father, and thereby well able to give it them, and also sent into the world for the nonies, because he should to such folk as would be well willing to labour and work therefore, work with their good will and willingly give it them.   

The. seven. chapter.  
When that the jews had herd our saviour speak of such a meat that would not perish, but should abide & endure with them into everlasting life/ glad men were they. For yet they hoped to have some meat that so should fill their belies and so satisfy them, that they should never need to labour for any more.  
¶ Now were those jews yet somewhat less gluttons than are many chry sten people now a days. For they could have been content so that they should never have felt hunger more, to have forborn eating for ever. As the woman of Samary, so that she might have had of our saviour one draft of such water as might have quenched her thirst for ever, was well contented in her own mind, to have forborn drink for ever.  
But many christian men there are, the would not I ween be content to take either such meat or such drink, though god would offer it them. For many men have such a pleasure in eating and drinking, that they would not gladly live but even to eat and drink. And for the pleasure thereof, they love better hunger and thirst than the harmless lack of them both though god would give it them. For we see that they seek means to make their apppetyte greedy. And some will eat salt meat, purposely to give them a courage to the cup. These folk do not long to eat & drink to live the longer, but long to live to eat and drink the longer. These be those therefore of whom 〈◊〉 
〈◊〉. Lorin. 8  apostle saith, Esca ventri et venture 〈◊〉 deus et hunc et illam bestruet. The meat for the belly & the belly for the meat, god shall destroy both the tone and the t'other.  
¶ And surely beside the puny she meant of god in another world, & beside all the pains that even in this world through sickness & sores arise and spring of such gluttony/ they that gladly would endure a gryese perpetually, to have the pleasure of the con tinuall swaging, have in their best wealth but a dysplesaunt pleasure/ except men be so mad as to think that he were well at ease that 〈◊〉 be ever a hungered & ever eating, ever a thirst & ever drinking, ever lowly & ever clawig, ever skoruy & ever scrat ching. ¶ These jews I say therefore 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉  & the woman of Samary, were not of this mind/ but so that they might have lacked the grief of hunger & thirst they would have been content as it seemeth to have for borne meat & drink.  
¶ Now be it to say the truth, their word well weighed, it seemeth that their affections were worse than they seem at the first sight. For as me thinketh they were not so glad to put away their fault, as to make a change of one fault for an other/ not so glad to lose the pleasure of the meat that is the maintenance of gluttony, as to get them to rest and idleness that is the maintenance of sloth. And our lord to wched thappetite of sloth in these Jews, when he bade them, Operamini non cibum qui perit etc. Work you for the meat, not that that perisheth but that that abideth into everlasting life/ noting therein as saith saint Chrysostom the slothful appetite by which they would sayne have had him feed them still by miracle, without any labour of 
Iohn. 4  their own. And the woman of Samary said unto him: Lord give me of that water that I need no more to labour hither, and draw up water here at this deep well.  
¶ But surely who so put not away his vice but make a change, may soon hap to take as evil as leueth veth, and not a worse lightly than sloth. Which vice god saw so noyous unto mankind, that even when he set him in paradise, he bade him be occupied in the keeping of that pleasant gardayn. And after ward 
Gen. 〈◊〉.  when he should be drevynthense into the earth, he gave him a necessity to labour/ making the earth to be such as without man's labour should not bring him forth his living.  
¶ And therefore an evil and a perilous life live they, that will in this world not labour & work, but live 〈◊〉 in idleness or in idle by finesse, driving forth all their days in gaming for their pass time, as though that else their time could never pass but the son would ever stand even still over their heads & never draw to night, but if they drove away the day with dancing or some such other goodly gaming.  
¶ God sent men hither to wake and work/ and as for sleep and gaming (if any gaming be good in this vale of misery in this time of teries) it must serve but for a refreshing of the weary and forewatched body, to renew it unto watch and labour again not all men in bodily labour, but as the circumstances of the persons be, so to be bysyed in one good bysines or other. For rest & recreation should be but as a sauce. And sauce should ye wot well serve for a faint and week stomach, to get it the more appetite to the meat, and not for increase of voluptuous pleasure in every greedy glutton that hath in himself sauce malapert all ready enough. And therefore like wise as it were a fond fest that had all the table full of sauce, and so little meat therewith that the gests should go thence as empty as they came thither; so is it surely a very mad ordered life that hath but little time bestowed in any fruit full by synesse, and all the substance idly spent in play.  
¶ And therefore to th'end that the Jews should know that he would not murysshe them in their sloth & idleness, he bode them work. And yet lest they might ween that he would have all their work about worldy by synes, he bode them work, not for the meat that perisheth, but for the meat that abideth into everlasting life. whereby he meant not to forbid them to labour for the tone, but to teach them to labour much more for the t'other.   

The. viii. chapter.  
But they as I told you (their mind set upon their belly joy, and therefore not understanding his words) hoped by that word to have their bellies so wef filled ones, that they should never need more to labour for their living after. And therefore they said again unto him: what shall we do that we may work the wurkes of god? For they thought (as it seemeth) that some thing there were that christ would have them do/ after which once done, than should they have that merry feast of that meat that he spoke of/ and therefore would they fain wit what work that were that they might shortly rid it out of hand that they were at dinner, for they waxed a hungered.  
Our saviour then upon that question of theirs, showed them what work it was that he would have them do for that meat, & said unto them: This is the work of god, that you should believe in him whom he hath sent. As though he would say, This is the work that god will ye shall work, before he will I shall give you this lively meat that I told you of/ he will ye shall first believe in me whom he hath sent unto you.  
¶ christ here for the getting of that spiritual meat, 〈◊〉 them about a spiritual work/ 〈◊〉 labour to believe. Why is it any labour to believe? ye verily good 〈◊〉 to believe welis no litest work/ and so great a work, that no man can do it of his own strength without the syecyall help of god.  
¶ But here shall you see clearly that christ truly told them their thought, when he said unto them/ that they sought him not for his miracles but for their belies. For when our saviour here had shewedde them, that if they would have that lively meat, they must first believe in him/ their mine des were so set upon their belies that they thought they would make him by craft come of and give them some meat a pace for their dinner. And therefore they said unto him: what miracle than she west thou that we may see it and thereby believe thee? what thing wurkest thou? Our fathers did eat manna in desert as it is write/ he gave them breed from heaven to eat.  
¶ Here you may see that where as Cryst told them they must believe in him before they should have that lively meat that he told them of, they thought they would by craft before they would work toward that belief, cause him to give them some other meat in the mean while/ & therefore they not only said that it were reason he should work some miracle before them ere he should look that they should believe him, but also they assigned him in manner/ what manner a miracle they would have him do, that is to wit give them some meat by miracle by & by one or other without any work or labour of theirs. And therefore they put him in mind of the meat of manna that their fore fathers had from heaven while they were in wilderness & wurked nothing therefore.  
¶ But against this our lord told them again, that the breed that they did eat in desert was not given them by Moses, nor given them verily from heaven neither. For though that Moses was their prophet and their guide/ yet was that breed of Manna given them by god. And it came not also verily down from he vyn, but from a far lower place of the eyer. But he showed them that god his own father that gave them that breed than out of the air, giveth them now verily down from heaven that breed, that is for spiritual sustenance and lively nourishing such manner of very breed, that in comparison and respect thereof, the other breed of manna might seem no breed at all. For verily verily said our lord unto them, not Moses gave you that breed from heaven/ but my father giveth you the very breed from heaven. For the very breed is that that cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world.  
¶ Now when they heard this, weening yet that christ spoke of some such breed as manna was, that god would at his request give them down from heaven, as manna was given down in Moses' days, & that this breed should feed the body as manna did, and yet be far better to/ they prayed him and said, Lord give us this breed alway/ as though they would say, Good lord give us this very breed that thou speakest of that thy father sendeth down from heaven, that we need not to labour and toil for breed in tilling of the earth/ and give it us good lord always, not for a season as our fathers had the t'other in desert, but give it us for ever, and let us never lack it, nor need no more to work and labour for it.   

The. ix. chapter.  
THan was our lord plain with them and said, I am the breed of life/ he thou cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never thirst.  
¶ Lo saith our lord the breed of life that I speak of is myself whom my father giveth down from heaven, to give not only nuryshing, but also life to the world.  
¶ The comen breed doth but help to keep and conserve the life that the man hath all ready. But my father hath sent me down/ me I say the very breed whereof angels feed, not only to conserve and keep the life of the body/ (all be it that do I to, & he'll of your sick folks full many) but also to quicken them that are deed, many in body and all the whole world in soul/ whereof none can have life but by me.  
¶ And therefore he that cometh to me, that is to wit, who so will work the work of god that I told you, the is to wit come by faith unto me, and believe in him whom the father hath sent, that is to wit in myself, his hunger and thirst shall I take away for ever.  
¶ Good is it good readers to consider well these words, lest by these words wrong understanden, some men might ween (as these heretics teach, that now a days renew that old heresy that both saint jamies and saint paul by plain 
jacobi. 2.  express words reprove) that our 
Gala. 5.  lord would ask no more of any chri sten man but only bare faith alone. Which heresy/ (whereof they so much boasted a while) these heretics now feel so fully confuted, that though they live still like those that believe it, yet in their words & writing they be fain to retreat for 〈◊〉, & to seek such gloss to save their old writing, as might make unwise men ween that they never meant otherwise than the whole catholic church commonly teacheth and preacheth. Which if they had meant none other in deed (as in deed they meant and yet mean far other still) than had they ye wot well made much business about nought.  
¶ But letting these heretics pass/ ye shall good christian readers understand, that like as if a man would teach a child to read, he must first begin at his A B c (for without the knowledge of his letters he can never go forward) so for as mich as no 〈◊〉 can come unto christ without faith, but faith must needs be the first entry toward all christian virtues, sith no man can either hope in him or love him whom he knoweth not, and Chryst can no man chrystenly know, but by faith (for as 〈◊〉 Poule saith he that cometh unto 
〈◊〉. 11a  god he must needs believe) so did our saviour therefore as a good & a wise master of his christian school, bygyn there with the jews that there offered themself as his scholars, he began I say with faith. But yet he meant not that to salvation they should need no thing else but only bare faith/ so that if they would believe all things that he should tell them, they should thereby be surely saved, though they would do nothing that he would bid them.  
¶ But than what say we to these words of our saviour? He that believeth in me shall never thirst. By this word of never thirsting, he meaneth everlasting salvation, which he promiseth here to all those that by leave in him/ wherefore it may seem that who so ever believe though he do no thing else, shall by this promise of our saviour be saved.  
¶ Saint Iohn the baptist at such time as people came to him, & asked 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉  what they should do whereby they might avoid damnation he bode them give almose. And when the Publicanies asked him what they should do to avoid damnation, he bode them forbear brybies, and take no more than the due custumes & toll. And to the soldiers asking him the same question for their part, he answered that they should pike no querellies, nor do no man no violence, nor take 〈◊〉 by force, but hold themself content with their wages. 〈◊〉 did he not mean that any of all thesse's lessons was enough to save them without any more/ but he told them for the while, each of them the thing that should be most meetly for them/ and most properly pertain to their persons, and therefore most meetly for them to learn first/ and the remanant should each of them after learn, 〈◊〉 and little at length, so that at last they should each of them do that one thing with all other things necessary also, and without which that one thing could not save them.  
¶ Thus did our saviour also, because the jews were full of infidelity and full of incredulity/ which unbelief enduring, they could not enter into the way of salvation. He therefore first taught them first the lesson of belief and faith/ which once had, they should be meet to learn on the remanant, & increase both in hope & in well working charity/ so that faith once had, he told them they should not 〈◊〉. For if they once believed his word/ it was a mean to make them hope in him and love him both, & those 〈◊〉 things would make them obey him and work in such other virtuous, as he would for their own 〈◊〉 command them.  
¶ There are also good readers diverse holy doctors, that say that in these words by which our saviour said unto the jews, he that believeth in me shall never thirst/ he meant not him that had a bare faith alone (which is as saint jamys saith but 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  adede faith) but him that had faith well form with hope & charity.  
¶ And therefore saith holy saint Austayne thus: Chryst saith not believe him, but believe in him. For it followeth not by and by that who so believe, him, believeth in him. For the devils believed him, but they believed not in him. And we believe saint Poule, but we believe not in saint Poule. To by leave therefore in him, is with believing to go into him, and to be incorporate in his members. This is the faith that god requireth and exac 〈◊〉 of us/ that is to wit the faith that by love will work well. yet is faith discerned and severed from works/ as the apostle saith a man is justified by faith without the wurkes of the law. And there are works that seem good without the faith of christ, but they be not/ for they be not referred unto that end of which all good things come. For the end of the law is Christ unto justice unto all that believe. And therefore our saviour would not discern and divide faith from the work/ but saith that the faith itself was that work of god/ that is to wit the faith that by love worketh.  
¶ 〈◊〉 ye perceive good readers, that to believe meritoriousely, so as 〈◊〉 shallbe rewarded with salvation, may not be faith alone, but faith with a working love. Nor it may not be a bare believing of christ, but it must be a believing in christ/ that is as saint austin saith, not an 〈◊〉 deed 〈◊〉 belief, but a belief lively, quick, & stirring, & by charity and good works ever walking and going into christ. And than they that so believe in him, not with the bare only faith that these heretics preach, but with the well working faith that the catholic church teacheth/ they shallbe saved saith our saviour from eternal hunger & thirst.   

The. x. chapter.  
BUt than goth Crist ferther, and showeth them that they lack this meat though it stand before them.  
And showeth them also by what mean they may get it. Lothus he said unto them. But I have told you that both you have seen me and you have not believed/ as though he would say, you have seen me done miracles, and yet it hath not made you believe.  
¶ He bode them before that they should work to get the lively meat/ and he told them after that the work which they should work to get it with was faith & belief. And he wrought 〈◊〉 cles which they saw, to make them believe. And now he showeth them that for all this they have not the belief yet, but yet must work & labour to have it.  
¶ Than might they have asked him, which way may we come to it? But because they asked him not/ he of his high goodness told them the mean unasked and said, All that my father giveth me shall come to me. As though he would say, Though my father have sent me down to caaes you to me, and though I preach to you and tell you the troth at your ear, & work miracles before you that you may see them at your eyen, ye and feed you by miracles, & put them even in your belly: yet can you never come to me by faith, but if my father bring you. Never can you be mine by faith, but if my father give you me. Now if ye know of any good guide that could bring you to the place whither ye would fain go, where you should find the thing that ye would fain have: what would you do/ would you not labour to him/ would you not pray and entreat him to go with you & guide you thither? Now have I told you who can bring you to me by faith, that is to wit god my father/ and therefore labour to him to guide you to me, pray him to give you to me, without whose help ye can never come to me. It is I tell you no small thing to believe in me. For but if the grace of my father first prevent you, ye can never begin to think thereon. But he hath now prevented you by sending me to call upon you. Now be it yet for all that, but if he go forth with you and help to lead you forward, you may faint & fall and 〈◊〉 still by the way, & come no ferther forth toward me. But now he helpeth you forward by mine outward miracles which himself worketh with me. But yet except he work with you inwardly/ with his inward help to draw you, you can for all this 〈◊〉 come at me. Call well upon him therefore, & pray him to draw you & bring you & give you to me. which if you do & endeavour yourself for your own part, as I bode you before to work and walk with him toward me, be shall surely bring you in to faith, and by faith in to hope and in to charity both, and so give you gracyousely to me. And than shall I give you the lively meat that I spoke of, if ye will abide with me. For him that cometh to me will I not cast out. Let him look that he cast not himself out/ For surely I will not if himself will abide. For it is my father's will that I should not, and I am descended from heaven, not to do my will but to do the will of him that hath sent me. And this is verily the will of the father that sent me, that all that he hath given me I should lose nothing thereof, but that I should raise up that again in the last day.   

The. xi. chapter  
THese words might good readers seem to an unchrysten man or to a false christened Arryane, to signify that our saviour were not 〈◊〉 god with his father, in that he speaketh so often (as in many more 〈◊〉 of scripture he speaketh more often) that he is obedient to his 〈◊〉, and that his father sent him, and that he is less than his father/ and many such other placies, by which the old Arriane 〈◊〉 defended their 〈◊〉 against the godhead of christ in his person as these Lutheran heretics/ and these Huyskyns, zuynglians, and Tyndalyns, draw now diverse other texts to the maintenance of their false heresies, against the precious body and blood of christ in his blessed sacrament.  
¶ But as good christian men well know that these new heretics are falsely now deceived in the tone/ so know they to, that those old heretics were falsely than deceived in the other.  
¶ For all the minorite and the obedience that the scripture speaketh of in christ, is all meant of his manhood (which was less in 〈◊〉) and not of his goodhed, for they were both equal.  
¶ For how could they be in godhead unequal, when that in godhead they were both one, though in persons diverse. And therefore 〈◊〉 saviour by his godhead hath the self same will that his father hath and none other/ as he hath the same wit, & the same might, the same nature, the same substance, and finally the same godhead and none other. And therefore what so ever the tone doth the t'other doth/ & as the son was sent by the father, so was he also sent both by himself and by the holy ghost to. And when the holy ghost was sent, he was sent both by the father and the son & by himself also. But incarnate was there no more but the son alone/ who as he had by his godhead none other will but the very self same that his father had and the holy ghost, so had he by his manhood another several will and proper unto the person of his manhood itself as every man hath his own. And of that will is it that he saith, I am descended from heaven, 
〈◊〉. 6  not to do my will but the will of him that sent me/ for in the will of his manhood he obeyed the godhead.  
¶ But now if this obedience be understanden of his manhood, how can it stand with these words of his, I am descended from heaven not to do my will but the will of him that sent me. With that point good reader shall no man need to be moved. For sith both the godhead and manhood were joined and uned together both, in the one person of christ, that whole person might say of itself such things as were verified and true in any of the both natures. For like as a man may say of himself, I shall die and return into the earth, and yet that shall not his soul do but his body only/ and I shall after my death go forth with to joy or to pain, and yet that shall not his body do by and by but his soul: so might christ say of himself, I am descended from heaven, because his godhead descended from thence though his body did not/ and he might say I shall suf fire and die because his manhed so should, and yet was his godhead neither mortal nor passable. And for all that, might it be said of christ, God died for us, because he died that than was god. And of christ niyghte it well be laid, This man made heaven and earth, and yet his manhood made it not, but was made by his godhead as other creatures were. But those words are well verified by the reason that he, which of the person of christ saith this man, signifieth and meaneth not his only manhood but his whole person, which is not only man but very god also,  
¶ This thing and this manner of speaking expressed our saviour very plain himself, when he said unto Nichodemus in talking with him of the sacrament of baptism, No man hath ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the son of man that is in heaven. In these words he showeth unto Nichodemus, that there was more credence to be given unto himself alone, than unto all the prophets that ever were before. For himself more perfitly 〈◊〉 we all thing than all they did. For never man had there been in heaven but he. For never man said our lord hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the son of man that is to wit I myself that am in heaven.  
¶ Here he said that that son of man had been in heaven, and had descended from heaven, & was yet in heaven 〈◊〉. Now was not his godhead the son of man but the son of god, nor his manhood the son of god but the son of man. But now though the godhead & the manhed were not both one, but two distinct natures still/ yet sith the son of god and the son of man were both one, that is to wit both twain one person christ/ christ therefore might well say than of himself, I the son of god am the son of man, & I the son of man am the son of god, and I the son of god am walking among men on earth, and I the son of man am sitting with my father in heaven.  
¶ Now that ye may good readers the better conceive this matter, and more easily perceive the sentence of these words of christ, All that my father giveth me etc. I shall expone you these words of his in order, as it were in bies own person, speaking the words of this exposition himself.  
¶ No man can come to me by high own labour alone. But all that my father giveth me shall come to me. Labour therefore to my father & pray him to give you to me, giving you occasion and helping you & (with your own will working with him) making you believe me, and so shall you working with him by your own good will, in subdueng of your reason to the obedience of faith, by belief come to me, and with good will of well working also with the belief/ shall not only believe me, but also by leave in me, and go into me, by being a member of mine, and incorporating yourself in me/ and I shall by the gift of mine own body to be eaten and received of yours, incorpo rate myself in you, and I will not cast you out from but be still incorporated with you, but if you cast me out from you, and so by sin cast yourself away fro me/ else of all that cometh to me by my father's bringing, I will cast none out. For if ye came to me by my father thorough faith, and that I would not then suffer death for your salvation, than did I cast you out. For none can come in to my bliss of heaven, but by his rawnson paid by my death and passion. But I will not refuse that, but I will suffer and die for the world, to give the deed world life by my death. For I am descended from heaven sent by my father not to do mine own will, but the will of him that hath sent me. But I mean not by these words that I will die against mine own will, but that all be it the sensual part of my manhood would of the nature of man abhor, shrink and withdraw from the grievous pain of such an intolerable passion: yet shall my will both of my godhead be all one with the will of my father, and thereby in such manner obedient unto his father, as we say a man is obedient unto his own reason, and yet is not his own reason another power superior above himself. And my will of my manhood shall also be so comfortable to the will of my father, the will of the holy ghost and the will of mine own godhead (all which three wills are in deed one will as all our three persons are in godhead one god) that I will willingly die for them all that so come to me by my father's bringing through the well working faith, and will abide and persever. And like wise as I will by mine own body given unto them by eating in to their own, give them an earnest penny of our incorporation together, and a memory all of that death and passion, by which I will willingly give myself for them, by being slain and sacryfysed for their sin, and made the ransom of their redemption: when god shall for this obedience of my manhood unto the death the 〈◊〉 death of the cross, lift me up and ex alte me, and give me the name that is above all names, than shall I by my resurrection again to life, give them a sample and make them sure, that I shall in sick wise at the last day leave none of them to be lost, no more in body than in soul/ but shall so resuscitate and raise again their bodies, that like as I shall myself ascend into heaven again from whence I came, so shall they as membres of my body ascend thither with me, and there be fed of this everlasting lively breed that I tell you of, that is to wit of the fruytion of my godhead and beholding also of my glorious manhood for ever, each of you that have use of reason after thanalogye and proportion of the well form faith, with hope & well working charity that you shall have had in this life here before. For this 〈◊〉 as I before told you, the will of my father that sent me, that every man that seethe his son as you do, and not only seethe him as you do, but also by leaveth in him as you do not, shall have (if he persever in that well working by lief) the meat that I speak of that shall not perish but abide in to everlasting life. For though ye see every man die here for the while/ yet I shall (as I told you) being of equal power with my father, raise them all up egayne myself at the last day, & than shall my faithful folk be fed with this everlasting lively breed of mine own person both god and man for ever. And lo now have I plainly told you what breed I mean.  
¶ Where as I have good reader in the xposycyon of these words of our saviour, inserted the incorporation of him and us together, by the receiving and eating of his own body into ours: I have not done it to make any man ween that that point appeared and were proved by any part of those words, but because it is a very troth in deed/ and not only to wched and signified in other words of 〈◊〉 before, but also plainly expressed and declared by other words of his own after, as you shall hereafter se. Therefore so plain a troth, and so necessary, and so necessarily pertaining to that place of the matter, me thought it not meetly for to be left out.   

The. xii. chapter.  
But now shall you here how Christ'S audience that came to seek him, were affectionate to this everlasting lively breed, when they had heard him declare it.  
¶ All the while that he spoke those other words before/ they were yet in good hope, that what so ever he meant beside, he would give them some meat for their belies. And as they were gross/ so had they at the first went. And so had they liefer that he would have given them some such groce breed made of earthly corn for their earthly belies, such as he gave them and multiplied for them before, than any manna that came down from the air. But afterward when they heard him tell them of far better breed that should come from heaven, than manna was which their fathers did eat in desert/ than were they better a paid/ and prayed him that they might have of that. But than when they perceived in conclusion, that he meant all of such breed as should feed their souls, and gave them no good comfort after their groce minds, of any groce feeding for their gross bodies than like as some of their fore fathers murmured in desert against Moses for manna, and said that 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉  their stomach wambled against that light meat, and wished their old boundage again, of which they were before so weary while they were in Egypte/ yet thought they now that they were well than, because they might than sit over the pots that had the sodden flesh in them, of such flesh yet some of such bond slavys had happily than but the savour. when these had herd him now speak all of such spiritual food/ their hearts so fore arose against him, that their of 〈◊〉 were clean fallen from him suddenly. For a day before they had him in high estimation, & called him the prophet that should come and redeem the world/ & would have made him king, because they thought he would feed them by miracle without their labour/ where their other king used to pill them & poll them & keep them under tribute so bare, that with great labour they could scant find themself meat. And therefore would they as I say after that feeding that he fed them so by miracle, so fain have made him hang, that he was fain to withdrave himself a side & i'll from them, till that mind of theirs were gone. And that was not long as ye se. For now that after their great hope of such another fest for their 〈◊〉 dies, they heard him turn all to the feeding of their souls/ and that for that feeding of their belies, he went not about to give them so much as one loaf among them all to their break fast/ they murmured against that that he had said of himself, I am the quick breed that am descended from heaven. And than they said: Is not this josephes' son? Know not we his father and his mother both? How saith he than of himself I am dscended from heaven.  
¶ So here they called him a carpenters son, and therein they bylyed him unware/ but far were they now fallen fro the making him a king.  
¶ Then said our saviour to them: Murmur not among yourself, no man cometh to me, but if my father draw him. As though he would say: leave your murmuring and fall to prayer, and work and walk with my father in coming to me by faith. Men are so weak of themself in the walking of this way, that there can no man come to me but if my father not only come to him and take him by the hand and lead him, but also draw him to. And therefore sith he must do so much for you or else you can not come/ so much have you the more need to leave your murmuring, and apply yourself to pray him (if he draw you not) to draw you, and as the prophet saith to pray him strain 
Psal. 31.  your iawies with a bit and a bridle and draw you by the cheeks, magry your teeth, and make you turn your wills from your belly joy, to come to the soul food with me. For where as your belly meat shall perish belly and all/ he that thus shall come to my feast, he shall not perish. For I shall raise him up again in the last day unto everlasting life. And if ye marvel at this that I say, that my father must bring you & draw you, that is that he must beside all outward teaching teach you within by leading and drawing you into the truth of faith, by his inward operation joined with the towardness of your wills prevented moved and set a work with occasions of his formare grace/ if ye marvel of this manner of drawing and of my father's inward teaching, remember 
〈◊〉. 54.  that your own prophet say, that all folk shallbe taught of god. And now god teacheth you/ for I tech you, which am as I told you the breed of life that am descended from heaven. And surely there shall no man be taught the faith but if god tech him. Nor every man is not full taught that heareth it, but he that heareth it and learneth it/ which no man can do by any outward voice, without god working within. And he will not work, nor 
Sapien. 10  his wisdom will not enter into an evil willed heart. And therefore leave your murmuring, and pray my father to tech you/ not only outwardly as he teacheth you now by me, but inwardly also, that you may be learned by his working to faith, with you and within you. But why do I tell you so often that you can not come to hisgyfte of faith (without which you can not come at me) but if my father give it you. verily because I would you should pray him for it.  
For though he prevent you and give you occasions toward the getting of that gift: yet setteth he not so sytell by this great gift of learning & faith that he list to cast it away upon them, that when it is she wed them set not so much thereby as to desire it & pray therefore.  
¶ And therefore I would have you desire it of him that may give it you And yet is not that my father only but myself also. Now be it if I should bid you ask it of me, and pray me give you this grace: you be so far from the belief in me that ye would not do it.  
And therefore not speaking of mine own power/ I tell you all of the power of the father, that without him ye can not come to me/ because I would have you pray to him, that he would give you the grace, that as ye know by faith and knowledge him all 〈◊〉 for god, so ye may know by faith and knowledge him for my father to/ and than shall you by the same faith, know and knowledge me also for his son. And than shall you not murmur at my words, but humbly come to me, as to the son, not of joseph but of god/ & knowledge me for the quyche breed the is descended from heaven. For every man that hath herd this lesson of my father, and hath not only herd it but also learned it/ he cometh (as I have told you) to me. But yet this will I tell you, that never man saw my father yet. But he that is of god (that is to wit myself that am his own son) he hath seen the father, and so hath no man else.  
And therefore the lesson that any man heareth and learneth of my father, he must here of him by me, and learn it by the in ward work of my father with whose work I work also.  
And so shall he come to me/ thoro we perfit well working faith in me. And I tell you very troth, he that so believeth in me, and persevereth at his death in that perfit belief, is sure of eternal life. For I am (as I diverse times now have told you) the very breed of life. your fathers that murmured as you do now, did eat the breed of manna in desert, and they be deed and perished. Leave therefore that wrong way of your fore fathers, leave your grudge & your murmur, and labour to my father that he may bring you to me by such faith as ye may eat this breed that is myself. For this breed is breed descending from heaven for the nonies, that who so may eat & be fed of that, shall not perish by everlasting death For I tell you yet again that I am the quyche breed that am descended from heaven. Who so ever come to me by my father's bringing, so that by perfit perseverance and well working faith, he may eat & be fed of this breed, that is to wit attain the fruition of my glorious godhead, with the glorious sight whereof the angels are fed in heaven: he shallbe sure of everlasting life.   

The. xiii. chapter.  
WHere as our saurour good readers in the beginning upon accasyon of his miracle wrought upon the multyplication of the breed, to wched both the breed of his godhead and also of the giving them of his own body to be eaten in form of bred, & that he some what did insinuate & set forththe same in those words, work you not the bred that perisheth but the bred that abideth into everlasting life, which the son of man shall give you as I some what told you before, not of mine own mind, but of the mind of diverse holy doctors, Alcuinus, saint Thomas, Theophylactus, and saint cyril: Ye see that our saviour in many words wpych I have now declared you, hath opened & showed unto them the breed of his godhead.  
¶ And now good readers take heed how in those words that now follow he declareth unto them the breed of his own very body, which he giveth us verily to eat in the blessed sacrament. Wherein that exposition, that I shall give you shall be none invention of mine, but the clear faith and sentence of all the holy doctors of Christ'S church old and new both, from Chri stesdeth to this day. Of whom I shall for a sample give you ere I make an end, the names and the sentences of some, as such as yourself shall well see and perceive for other manner men than I am or master Masher either/ & that if they were good men and true, ye shall than yourself say, that master Masher is nought and false, and that his exposition (though it were true as is both foolish and false) yet sith it cometh not near the purpose, is (as I told you before) very falsely han dealed.  
¶ Let us here now therefore of the 〈◊〉 of Christ'S own blessed body verify to 〈◊〉 to eat in the blessed sacrament, what christ himself saith.  
¶ After his declaration of the breed of his glorious godhead, these are his words. And the breed that I shall give you, is my flesh which I shall give for the life of the world.  
¶ where as before they murmured at the light spiritual breed of his godhead/ he telleth them now that he will not only give them that breed to feed upon, by fruition of the by holding face to face when the time shall come, as he hath also given it them in one manner all ready by his in carnation to feed them spiritually in the mean whyse by spiritual doctrine/ but that the breed that he will give them to feed upon, shall beside that be his own flesh, even the very same that he will give for the life of the world/ meaning that he would verily give men the same very flesh to eat and feed upon, both bodily and spiritually in 〈◊〉 brance of his death, that he would for man's redemption verily give to death, and verily for a sacrifice offer up to god by death.  
¶ But now saith master Masher the adversary of the blessed sacrament that our saviour meant no more in those words, And the breed that I shall give you is my flesh which I shall give for the life of the world, but that he would give it for the life of the world by hysdeth/ and meant no thing at all of the giving of his flesh before his death, or after his death/ nor nothing in these words or any that in the same chapter follow, intended to speak of any such manner of giving his body to eat, as he is received and eaten in the blessed sacrament, nor nothing meant in this chapter any thing to speak of that matter.  
¶ Thus would master Masker that all men should ween, as it appeareth plainly by his exposition. And thus also saith Luther, & thus saith Fryth also/ & affirmeth this saying so boldly, that he saith it twice in his one book wherein he answereth me. There in saith he twice, that all men are full and whole agreed in that point.  
¶ And therefore will these adversaries of the sacrament say, that in this exposition of mine, all that ever I say whereby it may apperc that our saviour in these word written in this vi. chapter of saint Iohn, any thing spoke or meant of the giving of his body to be eaten in the blessed sacrament, is an imagination of mine own head/ 〈◊〉 master Masher argueth & speaketh 〈◊〉 way of master More his faith, as though it were no man's essies but mine.  
¶ But to the intent good readers that ye may cleresy perceive maystes Mashers malicious fafsed therein, I shall in divers places of this exposition, concerning specially this point of Christ'S speaking and meaning of the giving of his own very body in the blessed sacrament, 〈◊〉 you the namye of some of those whom I follow therein, & some of their words to/ by which ye shalle that I deceive you not as master Masher doth, that thorough all his exposition flitteth all fro the point, and dysimuleth all the words of those old holy men the exponed it in such wise as he would we should ween that no good man ever did.  
¶ Upon these words therefore of our saviour: And the breed that I shall give you is my flesh, that I shall give for the life of the world: thus saith Theophysactus.  
¶ Consider that that breed that we 
 eat in the sacrament, is not only a figure of the flesh of our ford/ but it is also the flesh of our lord itself. For he said not: the breed that I shall give is a figure of my flesh, but he said it is my flesh. For the same bread by secret words, thorough the mystical benedyccpon, & by the coming also of the holy sppryte thereunto, is transformed and changed into the flesh of our lord. And lest that any man should be trowbeled in his mind, weening that it were not to be believed that breed should be flesh/ this is well known that while our lord washed in his flesh, & of breed received his nourishing, that breed which he than eat was than changed into his body, & was made such as his holy flesh was, and did sustain and increase his flesh after the comen manner of men. And therefore now also is the breed changed into the flesh of our ford. And how is it than (will some man say) that it appeareth not to us flesh but breed. That hath christ provided, to the intent we should not 〈◊〉 from the eating of it. For if it were given us in likeness of flesh, we should be dysplesauntly disposed toward the receiving of our howsle. But now by the goodness of god condescending to our infirmity, this sacramental meat appeareth unto us such as we have at other times been accustomed with.  
These are not my words so good christian reader, but the word of that old holy cunning doctor Theophilactus, which was also no satin man but a greek/ because master Masher speaketh so much of papyst as though the catholic faith whereby the catholic church believeth, that in the blessed sacrament is the very blessed body of Crist, were a thing but made & imagined by some pope of rome.  
¶ Now if master Masker will say that mine exposition is in this point false: here you see good readers that mine exposition is not mine, but the exposition of Theophilactus. And the fore let him leave dancing with me & dance another white with him.  
¶ But mark well two thing now good reader in these words/ one that this good holy doctors calleth the blessed sacrament breed as saint Paul doth, 
1. 〈◊〉. 11  and our saviour himself also, in these words of his in this sixth chapter of saint Iohn, and so doth also every doctor of the church almost. Upon which calling of it breed, frere Luther and Melancton & their fellows, take their hold to say and affirm that it is very breed still, as well after the consecration as afore. And frere Duskyn, with zuynglius, George joy, Johan Fryth, & Tin dale turn forth ferther to the devil and not only say that it is very bred still; but also that it is no thing else.  
¶ But now consider therefore as I say, that Theophilactus here calleth it breed as well as they/ saying, the breed that we receive in the mysteries or sacrament, is not only a certain figure of the flesh of our lord, but it is also the flesh of our lord itself. But than expresseth he plainly that though he calleth it breed, he meaneth not that it is very material breed still as it was/ but that the breed is transformed, gone, and changed into the very flesh of christ. And he setteth it out also with an ensample of the breed that is eaten and turned in to the flesh of the man whom it nurysseth, which every man well woteth that any wit hath that it is no longer breed than.  
¶ And therefore Theophilactus calleth it breed, because it was breed/ as in the scripture the serpent in to which Aaron's rod was turned is called a rod still, while it was no rod but a serpent. For there is it thus wri 
〈◊〉. 7  ten. The rod of Aron did devour the rods of the magycianis. And as the scripture calleth the serpent there a oodde: so calleth it the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breed. And as Theophilactus calleth here the blessed sacrament by the name of breed, and yet declareth that it is no breed: even so do all holy doctors that call it by that name of breed both mean indide, and also do clearly declare, that though they call it breed, they know well it is no breed but in likeness and form of breed under the sacramental sign, the very blessed body of christ, flesh, blood, bonies and all, & neither without the soul nor the godhead neither.  
¶ Mark also good reader, the Theo phylactus saith, The breed which we eat in the mysteries or sacrament, is not only a figure of the flesh of our lord, but it is also the flesh of our lord itself.  
¶ In these words good readers mark well that he saith it is a figure and yet for all that the very flesh of christ.  
¶ This thing I specially desire you to note, because that by the marking of this one point/ ye may void almost all the craft, with which master Masker, Fryth, and Tyndale, and all these heretics labour to deceive you in the writing of all the old holy doctors.  
¶ For where so ever any of them call the blessed sacrament a figure, there would these fellows make us ween that he meant it were nothing else. But here you see that Theophylactus saith it is a figure as it is in deed/ but he telleth us that it is also (as in deed it is) the very flesh of our lord.  
¶ And therefore mark well these. two. points in this one place, that when these heretics prove that the blessed sacrament is called bred, they prove nothing against us. For they that call it breed declare yet that in deed it is not breed but the body of christ. And when they prove that it is called a figure/ they prove no thing against us. For they that say it is a figure, say it is not only a figure, but also the flesh of christ. But when we prove that the blessed sacrament is not only called the body and blood of Chryst, but also the the old holy doctors and the expositors of holy scripture do plainly declare that it is so/ than prove we plain against them. For we deny none of the other two points/ but this point do they deny.   

The. xiiii. chapter,  
YEt to th'intent that ye may see that master Masker in his exposition, doth but plainly mock you: consider yet again these vordes well, Et panis qnem ego dabo caro 〈◊〉 est, quam ego dabo pro mundi 〈◊〉. which text, albe it that in the latin it be some what otherwise, that is to wit. Et panis quem ego dabo caro mea est pro mundi vita, without these words, quem ego dabo, in the second place/ which latin text were yet more for my purpose, yet sith not only the greek text is as I rehearsed you first, which was the language wherein the vangelyst wrote, but that also both the greek expositors and many of the latin expositors to, do so expone it/ and that though those words were out, yet they be such as the sentence would well require to repeat and understand/ and finally because I find that master Masker himself doth in his exposition take that text in the first fashion, only changing one word in the second place, the is to wit this word (give) into this word (pay) which change he maketh as for an exposition: I am content to take the text as himself doth, that is to wit after the first manner thus, And the breed that I shall give you is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.  
¶ Consider now good reader that in these words, our saviour here speaketh of giving his flesh twice, by which he meaneth, that in the tone goe ve he would give it to them/ and in the t'other giving he would give it for them. The tone giving was in the blessed sacrament/ the t'other was on the cross.  
¶ And look now whither the very words of Chryst agree with this ex position or not/ the words ye wot well be these: and the breed that I shall give you is my flesh. Mere is lo the tone giving, by which he shall saith he give his flesh to them.  
Than saith he ferther, which I shall give for the life of the world. So here he telleth them of the t'other giving, by which he should give it for them. And because his giving to them should be a memorial of his giving for them, therefore he spoke of them both together. But yet because his principal purpose was to speak in that place, not of his giving of his flesh for them, but of his giving it unto them: therefore of his giving it to them he maketh after a very plain and express declaration in many plain open words/ but of his giving it for them, he spoke but a little, and as is were but for a declaration of the t'other giving. For when he had said, and the breed which I shall give you shallbe my flesh/ than to declare that he meant to give them his very flesh, he added thereto these words/ which I shall give for the life of the world. As though he would say, will you wit what flesh this breed is that I will give to you: veryfy the self same that I will give for you/ and not only for you, but for the life of the whole world to, that is to wit for as many of the world as when they hear it preached, will not refuse to take it. And therefore when ye know hereafter which flesh of mine I shall have given for you upon the cross/ than shall you not need to do 〈◊〉 which flesh of mine I shall give you in the breed of the sacrament, except you 〈◊〉 not to believe me. For now I tell you as plain as I can, that it shallbe the fame flesh.  
¶ This exposition good readers ye see is evident open and plain. But now see good readers for godde sake the falsehood of master Masker in his exposition upon the same words. Where as our saviour as you see speaketh in these few words of these two givings, the giving to eat and the giving to die, the giving in the sacrament & the giving on the cross/ cometh me now master Masker, and exponeth Christ'S words all together of the tone giving, that is to wit the giving by death on the cross/ and letteth the other giving go by, as though he saw it not, albe it that Chryst speaketh of that giving both first and most.  
¶ Now if master Masker will say that I do but fain these two givings, and say as he saith often that christ meant there but one giving, that is to wit by his death, and will say that christ speaketh there no word of the sacrament/ I shall tell him again that so might master Masker mar all his own exposition utterly. For Cryst when he saith, which I shall give for the life of the world, speaketh no word in the world neither of his cross nor of his death. If he say that they be understanden, than must he give me leave to say the like for my part, that as death & the cross are understonden in the tone giving, so eating & the sacrament is understonden in the other giving. Now be it for my part yet touching the first giving, I may say that christ speaketh of the sacrament, & signifieth his meaning in this word, breed, when he saith the breed that I shall give you is my flesh. And of the eating thereof he speaketh expressly after. And therefore shall master Masker never wade out thereof, but that I have the words of the scripture much more clear for the first giving, than he for the secund. And ye may see that of the two givings master Masker to mock us with, hath in his exposition of a foolish wiliness winked and dissembled the tone.  
¶ But yet if master Masker strive with me still upon this point, whither our saviour speak of two givings of his flesh, or but of one/ albe it the I have proved my part therein meetly plain myself, yet am I content that a better than we both shall break that strife between us. I shall therefore name you that holy cunning doctor saint Bede, whose word I trust every wise man will believe a little better than either master Maskers or mine. So thus saith saint Bede upon these 
S. Bede.  words of christ, And the breed which I shall give is my body, which I shall give for the life of the world. This breed (saith saint Bede) did ourforde give when he gave the sacrament of his body and his blood unto his disciples, and when be offered up himself to god his father upon the awtre of the cross.  
¶ Here you see good readers that saint Bede telleth you plain the same tale that I tell you, that is to wit that our saviour in those words speaketh of two givings of himself, the tone to his disciples in the sacrament, the t'other to death for his disciples on the cross. And therefore while master Masker with his heresy doth utterly deny the tone, & by his exposition affirmeth that Crist in this place did speak but of the t'other/ saint Bede heareth me record that master Masker lieth, and hath made his exposition false. And the further ye go in the words of this gospel, the more shall master Mass kers false dyceappere.   

The. xv. chapter.  
When the jews hard our lord say, that bysyde the spiritual meat of the breed of his godhead, the breed that he would give them should be his own 〈◊〉/ than began they to contend and dispute among them upon that word, as one of the most marvelous and strange words that ever they had heard before. And therefore they said how can this man give us 〈◊〉 flesh to eat?  
¶ 〈◊〉 Bede saith here, and so saith saint austin both, that they had conceived a false opinion, that 
Angust. in 〈◊〉 in psal. 98  our lord would cut out his own body in gobbets, and make them eat it so, in such manner of deed pieces, as men buy byefe or 〈◊〉 out of the bouchers shoppies. This thing they thought that he neither could do/ and also that though he could, yet would they not eat it as a thing fowl and loathsome.  
¶ We find good readers of one or 
〈◊〉. 3  two more bysyde these jews here, the at the word of god asked how. For both our lady asked how, and 〈◊〉 also asked how.  
¶ Our blessed lady when th'angel 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉  told her that she should conceive and bring forth a child, asked this question, how shall that 〈◊〉 For man I know none/ not for that she any thing doubted of the truth of godde word sent her by godde messenger, but because she would know the meanis, for as much as she had determined herself upon perpetual virginity/ and thereof a promise had passed & a vow was made, and joseph well agreed therewith; as it may welbe gathered upon the gospel.  
¶ For th'angel said not the hast conceived, but thou shalt conceive. And therefore when she answered, how shall that be sith I know no man, this answer had not been to the purpose, if she had meant no more but that she knew none yet/ for he said not that she was conceived yet but should conceive after. which she might after do by the knowledge of her husband after, though she knew no man yet. And therefore we may well gather of his words & hers together as I have showed in my dialogue, that when she said how shall this be for I know no man, she meant therein not only that she knew none already, but also that she had promised and vowed that she never would know man afterward/ using therein such a manner of speaking, as a mayed might say by one whom she would never have, we may well talk together but we wed not together.  
¶ Now that her determination was not with herself only, but confirmed also with the consent of her spouse, it may well appear. For without his agreement she could not reckon herself to be sure to keep it.  
¶ And that her determination of perpetual virginity, was a promise and a vow to god, it may well appear by this, that else when she had word from god by the angel that she should conceive and bear a child, she had had no cause to ask the question how. For if she were at liberty to lie with a man, than had that revelation been a commandment unto her to labour for the conception, while there were upon her part no let or impediment, neither of nature nor conscience.  
¶ And very like it is that if she had been in that point at her liberty/ than though she had minded perpetual virginity, yet sith she had intended it neither for avoiding of the bodily pain of the vyrth, nor for any abo minacyon of gods natural ordinance for procreation (for such respects be both unnatural and sinful) but only for god's pleasure & of devotion, it is well likely that he ring by the messenger of god, what manner of child that was that god would she should have, she would have made no question of the matter, but gladly gone about the getting.  
¶ But here may some man happily say, that this reason by which I prove her vow, will serve well enough to soil itself, and prove that it appeareth not that she had made any vow at all, but had only some mind and desire of perpetual virginyre, but yet still at her liberty/ without any promise or bond. For sith she had now by revelation from god, that his pleasure was she should have a child/ a bare purpose of virginity & a vow of virginity were all of one weight. For god was able as well to dispense with her vow, as to bid her leave of her unuowed purpose.  
¶ Of troth if our lady had weighed her vow as light as happily some light vowesse would/ this mind she might have had. ye & some vowesses peradventure there are, which as yet never intend to break their vow but think they would not with the breaking of their vow fall in the displeasure of god, though they witted to win therewith all this hole wretched world which yet would be peradventure well content, that god would send them word & with them go wed & get children.  
¶ And those vowesses lo that happen to have any such mind/ let them at the first thought make a cross on the yrb rest and bless it a way. For though it be no breaking of their vow yet is it a way well to ward it, and draweth (if it be not 〈◊〉) very near the pit's brink of sin, when they would be glad that god would send them their pleasure without any sin.  
¶ And surely if upon the delight in such a naughty mind, god would suffer the devil to illude such a vowesse, & trans figure himself into the sickness of an angel of light, & call himself Labuel, & tell her the god greeteth her well and sendeth her word that she shall have a child: though he there with went his way & never told her more whither it should be good or bad, her secret in ward affection to ward her fleshly lust lurking in her heart unknown unto herself, covered & hid under the cloak of that mind, that she would not for all the world take her own pleasure without gods will, would make her understand this message for a dispensation of her vow, and for a commandment to brehe it/ and so go forth and follow it without any further question, and go get a child, and make the 〈◊〉 a prophet.  
¶ But 〈◊〉 blessed virgin Wary, was so surely set upon the keeping of her vowed virginity, that she never neither longed nor looked for any messenger from god, that should bid her 〈◊〉. And therefore was she so discrete and circumspect, that she would not only consider who spoke to her 〈◊〉 discern whither it were man or spirit, and also whither it were a good spirit or an evil/ but she would also way well the words were the spirit never so good, lest her own miss taking by negligence, might mar the revesacyon. And therefore at Gabrielys first appearance, because he was goodly, & his words were fair and plesauntly set and spoken somewhat like a 〈◊〉/ she was somewhat abashed and troubled in her mind at the manner of his salutation. But after upon his further words when she advised him and his message well/ than perceiving him to be, not a man but an angel, not an evil angel but a good, and specially sent from god; and 〈◊〉 matter no worldly wowing but an he vynly message: she was not a sytell joyful in her heart. And as I said had she not vowed virginity, but had been at her liberty, she had as me seemeth had no cause to do wte what god would have her do/ namely having an husband already. Nor never would she have thought that it had been better for her to live still in virginity, than to go about that generation whereof god had sent her word. But now for as much as she was by her vow 〈◊〉 den to virginity, whereof she witted well she might not dispense with herself/ and the angel bode not her go about to conceive, but only told her as by way of prophecy, that she should con ceive/ & well she, wist god from whom the message came, could make her conceive without man if he would: therefore she neither would tempt god in desiring him to do that miracle, nor by miss taking of his message for haste & oversight, offend his master by the breaking of her vow/ but discreetly did ask the messenger, how & in what wise she should conceive. where upon he showed her that she should be conceived by the holy ghost.  
¶ Here you see good readers that the cause of her question in her asking how, rose of no diffidence, but of veri sure faith/ because she surely believed that he could make her conceive & her vir ginite saved. For else had she not had firmly that faith, she had had no cause to ask the question, but might have rehened clearly/ that he would have her conceived by her husband.  
¶ And therefore was her question 
Luce. 〈◊〉.  far fro the question of zachary, the father of saint Iohn, which asked not the angel how, but what token he should have that he said true/ for else it seemed that for all his word, because of their both agys', he was minded no more to meddle with his wife, sith he thought possybylite of generation passed. And for that dyffydens was he punished by loss of his speech till the birth of the child.  
¶ And her question was also very far fro this question of the jews here, and from their asking how/ while the cause of her question was faith, and the cause of their question dyffydens.  
¶ Nichodemus also when our lord 
Iohn. 3  began to tell him of the sacrament of baptism, and said unto him, verily verily I tell thee, but if a man be born again he can not see the kingdom of god/ answered our saviour & said how may a man be borne again when he is old: may he enter again into his mother's vely & be born again?  
¶ Lorenzo here the man was deceived in that he thought upon a bodily birth, where as our saviour meant of a spiritual birth, by faith and by the sacrament of baptism. And therefore our lord told him forthwith, that he meant not that a man should be bodily borne again of his mother, but meant of a spiritual regeneration in soul, by the water and the holy ghost.  
¶ Now be it he told him not for all that all the form and manner of that sacrament, but what the substance should be, and by whose power, and whereof it should take effect.  
¶ Now these jews here, to whom christ preached of the giving of his body to them for meat, were not fully in the case of Nichodemus, but in some point they were nearer the truth than he was at the beginning. For they took our savyours' word right in that they understood that he spoke of his own very flesh, and that he would give it them to eat/ where as Nichodemus understood no part of the generation and birth that christ spoke of. But they myssetoke the manner how he would give it them, & ran forth in the device and imagination of their own fantasy. But in diffidence & distrust they were like Nichodemus which said, how may a man be borne again when he is old? And peradventure the farther of from endeavour to ward byseving. For in Nichodemus though I find no consent of faith in conclusion/ yet the gospel speaketh not of any final contradiction in him, nor of any desperate departing, as these jews & these disciples did. And Nichodems spoke in his cause after, but these disciples never walked after with him.  
¶ Now christ there unto Nichodemus, because he was slene fro the matter, told him that it should be no bodily birth but a spiritual/ and bode him marvel not thereof no more than of the spiring or moving of the spirit or of the wind (for that word diverse doctors take diversely) whose voice though he herd, he neither wist from whence it came nor whither he would go. But now when that Nichodemus perceiving what the thing was, did yet wonder on still & said: how may these things be.  
Than our lord did no more but leave him with the same tale still, & bid him believe, & tell him why he so should; sith himself that so told him came from heaven, and therefore could tell it/ and gave him a signification of his death, whereby that sacrament should take the strength. But as for his question how this might be, other wise than the it was by the power of god, that question christ left unsoyled.  
¶ Now did he like wise with these ie Jews here. Sith it was so that they perceived all ready that he spoke of his very flesh, and yet for all that word not byteve he could give it them/ but thought the thing so strange and wonderful, that they thought he could not do it, & therefore asked how he could do it: he did no more but still tell them that he would do it, and that he verily would give them his flesh to eat and his very blood to drink/ and told them the profit that they should have, if they believed him and did it, and what loss they should have if for lack of belief they would seve it undone/ and that he was come from heaven, and therefore they ought neither to myssetruste his word nor his power to perform his word. And 〈◊〉 for otherwise how and in what manner he could or would do it, he left their question and their how unsoysed.  
¶ But now lest master Masker Masher make men ween, that I make all this matter of mine own heed, ye 
S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  shall here good readers upon this question of the Jewys what saint Cyril saith.  
¶ The jews (saith he) with great wickedness cry out and say against god: How may he give us his flesh? & they forget that there is nothing impossible to god. For while they were fleshly, they could not (as saint Poule saith) understand spiritual 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉  things/ but this great sacrament & mystery seemed unto them but folly. But let us I beseech you take profit of their sins, and let us give firm faith unto the sacraments, & let us never in such high things either speak or thing that same how. For it is a jews word that same, and a cause of exterme punishment. And Nicodemus therefore when he said: How may these things be, was answered as he well was worthy, Art thou the master in Isra ell and knowest not these things. Let us therefore (as I said) be taught by other folks fawtes, in god's work not to ask: How: but leave unto himself the science and the way of his own work. For like wise as though no man knoweth what thing god is in his own nature and substance, yet a man is justified by faith when he believeth that they that seek him shallbe rially rewarded by him: so although a man know not the reason of God's works yet when thorough faith he doubteth not but that god is able to do all thing, he shall have for this good mind great, reward And that we should be of this mind, our lord himself exhorteth us by the prophet Isaiah, where he saith 
〈◊〉. 55.  thus unto men.  
¶ My devices be not as your devices be nor my ways such as your ways be faith our lord: but as the heaven is exalted from the earth, so be my ways exalted above yours, and my devices above your devices.  
christ therefore which excelleth in wisdom and power by his godhead how can it be but that he shall work so wonderfully, that the reason and cause of his works shall so far pass and excel the capacity of man's wit, that our mind shall never be possible to perceive it. Dost thou not see oftentime what thing men of hand craft do. They tell us sometime that they can do some things wherein their words seem of themself icredyble. But yet because we have seen them sometime done such other things like, we thereby believe them that they can do those things to. Now can it be therefore but thou they be worthy extreme torment, that so contemn almighty god the worker of all things, that they dare be so bold as in his words to speak of how, while he is he, whom they know to be the giver of all wisdom, and which (as the scripture teacheth us) is able to do all thing. But now thou jew if thou wilt yet cry out and ask how, than will I be content to play the fool as thou dost, and ask how to. Than will I gladly axe thee, how thou camest out of Egypt, how Moses' rod was turned into the serpent, how the hand strykken with lepry, was in a moment restored to his formare state again/ how the waters turned into blood/ how thy fore fathers went thorough the mid sees as though they had walked on dry ground/ how the bitter waters were changed sweet by the tree/ how the fountain of water flowed out of the stone/ how the running river of jordane stood still/ how the inexpugnable walls of jeryco were overthrow weme with the bare noise and clamour of the trumpets. Innume rabble things there are in which if thou ask how, thou must needs subvert and set at nought all the whole scripture, the doctrine of the prophets, and Moses own writing to/ whereupon you jews ye should have believed christ/ & if there seemed you than any hard thing in his words, humbly than have asked him. Thus should ye rather have done, than like drunken folk to cry out: Now can he give us his flesh, do ye not per ceive that when ye say such things there appeareth anon a great arrogance in your words.  
¶ near you see good readers, that S. Cyriss in these words psaynesy showed that Crist here in these words, The breed that I shall give you is my flesh which I shall give for the life of the world, meant of the giving of his flesh in the sacrament. And that the jews wondered that he said he would give them his flesh, and asked how he could do it, because they thought it impossible. And in reproof of their incredusyte and that foolish mind of theirs (by which they could not believe that god could give them his own flesh to eat) S. Cyriss both showeth that many hand crafted men do things such as those that never saw the like would ween impossible, and also that in any work of god it is a madness to put any doubt and ask how he can do it, sith he is asmyghty and able to do all thing. And to the intent that no chry sten man should doubt of the change and convirsyon of the bred into Cry stes blessed body in the sacrament, Saint Cyriss here by way of objection against the jews, putteth us in remembrance (for us he teacheth though he spoke to them) among other miracles he putteth us I say in remembrance of diverse conversyons and changes out of one nature into another, that god wrought in the old saw. As how the hand was turned from hole to sore, and from sore to hole again suddenly.  
Now the waters were suddenly turned from bitter into sweet/ and how the waters were turned from water to blood/ and how the deed rod of Moses was turned into a quyche serpent.   

The. xvi. chapter.  
BUt yet shall ye see that upon the words of christ following,  
Now saint saint all way more and more declareth that Christ spoke there of his very body, that he would give men to eat in the blessed sacrament. For it followeth in the text of the gospel.  
¶ Than said jesus unto the Jews, verily verily I say unto you, but if ye eat the flesh of the son of man ye shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life.  
Upon those words thus 
Lyrissus' si. 4. ca I + in eud. 〈◊〉.  saith saint cyril.  
¶ christ is very merciful and mild as the thing itself showeth. For he answereth not here sharply to their hot words, nor falleth at no conten cyon with them/ but goeth about to inprente in their minds the lively knowledge of this sacrament or mystery. And as for how (that is to wit in what manner) he shall give them his flesh to eat, he teacheth them not. For they could not understand it. But how great good they should get by the eating if they eat it with faith that thing again and again he declareth them to drive them to faith by the desire of eternal life/ & faith first once had, they should be than the more easy to be taught. For the prophet 
Esal. 7.  Esay saith, But if ye believe ye shall not understaude. Therefore it was of necessity requisite/ that they should first fasten the roots of faith in their mind, and than ask such things as were meetly for a man to ask. But they before they would believe, would out of season ask their importune questions first. And for this cause our saviour declared not unto them how it might be done/ but exhorteth them to seek the thing by faith. So unto the other side, to his disciples that believed, he gave the pieces of the breed saying: Take you and eat this is my body. And in like wise he gave them the cup about saying, drink you of this all, this is the cup of my blood, which shall be shed for many, for remission of sins. Here thou seest that to them that asked without faith, he opened not the manner of this mystery or sacrament. But to them that believed, he exponed it though they asked not. Therefore let them hear this, those folk I say that of arrogance and pride will not believe the faith of christ.  
¶ Here ye see good readers that saint cyril plainly declareth you, that our saliyour would not teach them at that time the manner of the eating, because of their infydesyte for all their asking/ but after ward he told and taught it his faithful dyscypses at his fast 〈◊〉 and maundy, when he took them the bred and bode them eat it, and told them that the same was his body/ and the cup and bode them drink thereof, and showed them that that was his blood. And thus you see well by saint cyril that master Masker here, which by his exposycyd would make us ween that our saviour in all his word here to the jews, meant only to tell them of the giving of his flesh to the death, & that he meant nothing of the giving of his flesh to eat in the blessed facrament, doth in all his exposition but play with false dice to deceive you.  
¶ Now as for that saint Crrif here calleth it by the name of breed, that is I trow the thing that can nothing trouble you, For I have showed you before by the words of that great holy doctor Theophylactus, that it is called bred, because it was bred, and because of the form of breed the remaineth/ & yet is no breed in deed, but is the very blessed body of Crist his very flesh and his blood. As you see also by saint cyril here, which of this blessed sacrament so often rehearseth and inculketh the miracle, exhorting all folk that no man be moved to mistrust it, though the thing be marvelous, nor ask as the jews did how such a wonderful work can be wrought/ but meekly believe it, sith he is god that saith it/ & therefore as he saith it, so do what not but he 〈◊〉 do it/ as he doth other like things, and did ere he were born in to this world/ of which things saint cyril hath here rebersed some. As the turning of the water into blood, as he turneth in the sacrament the wine into blood/ and the turning 
Exodi. 7  of Aaron's rod into a serpent/ and that into such a serpent as devoured up all the serpents of the Egypcyane wytches. Like as our saviour in the blessed sacrament turneth the breed into his own body, that holy wholesome serpent that devoureth all the poisoned serpents of hell/ and was therefore figured by the brasyn serpent that Moses did set up in the manner 
Nume. 21.  of a cross in the desert/ the byhol ding whereof devoured & destroyed the venom of all the poison serpent that had stungen any man there.   

The. xvii chapter.  
ANd all be it that I she we you good christen readers, saint cyril's words and his exposition upon the place, because master Masker shall not make men ween thou I make all the matter of mine own head: yet seemeth me that our saviour declareth this matter with plain words bym self. For what can be plainer words than are his own, when that upon their wundering and their murmuring question, how can he give us his flesh to eat, he said unto them, verily verily I say to you, but if you eat the flesh of that son of man & drink his blood ye shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh & drinketh my blood, hath life ever lasting/ and I shall raise him up again in the last day. For my flesh is verily meat, and my blood is verily drink. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him.  
¶ In these words ye see good readers how plainly that our lord showeth them, both the profit of the receiving, and the peril of the refusing/ and also both that he not only speaketh of his very body and blood (which thing master Masker agreeth) but over that also that he more plainly and more precisely saith, that they should verily eat it and drink it (which thing master Masker denieth) and yet is that the thing that our saviour in these words most specially laboureth to make them believe. For that he spoke of his very flesh, they perceived well enough. But that he would have them verily eat it/ that they thought such a manner thing that they neither would do nor could byseve, because they myssetoke the manner thereof, weening that they should eat it in deed pieces cut out as the bochers cut the beasts in the shammellies.  
¶ And Cryst therefore would at this time for their arrogant infidelity (as saint cyril hath told you) no thing declare them of the manner of his giving it to be verily eaten, not in the proper form of flesh (as they fleshly imagined) but in the form of bred in the blessed sacrament because (as Theophilactus declared you) men should not abhor to eat it. But leaving that untaught till the time of his maundy souper (where as saint cyril hath also she wed you he taught it his faithful disciples at the institution of that blessed sacrament) he laboureth as I say in these words here most special, with as plain words as can be de 〈◊〉, to tell them and make them by leave that they shall verily eat his flesh. Which thing for any thing that he could say to them, they were so hard hearted that they would not believe him.  
¶ And yet is master Masker here much more obdurate now, and much more faithless to, than all they were then. For both he having herd what Criste said to those 〈◊〉 than, & also what he taught his faithful disciples at his maundy after, and what all holy doctors and saints have said thereon and believed ever sins: yet will he with a few fond heretics, take a foolish fro ward way, and believe the contrary/ or at the lest wise say that he believeth the contrary. But in good saith that they verily believe as they say that can I not believe, except that of the scripture and the christian faith these folk by leave nothing at all. And so upon my faith I fear me that you shall see it prove at last/ as appeareth by somof them that so begin all ready, and have in some places put forth such poison in writing.  
¶ But surely though neither any man had ever written upon these words of christ, nor our saviour bym self never spoken word thereof after, that ever had in writing comen into men's hands: yet are these words here spoken so plain & so full, that they must needs make any man that were willing to believe him, clearly perceive and know that in one manner or other, he would give us his own very flesh verily to be received and eaten. For when the jews said; how can he give us his flesh to eat? He answered them with no sophims, but with a very plain open tale told them, they should neither dystruste that he could on his part give them his flesh to eat, nor yet refuse upon their part to eat it, if ever they would be saved. As though he would say: Marvel you and miss trust you my word? and ask how I can give you mine own flesh to eat? I will not tell you how I can give it, nor in what form or fashion ye shall eat it/ but this I will tell you, neither in tropis, allegories, nor parables, but even for a very plain troth, the eat ye shall my very flesh in deed, if ever ye purpose to be saved, ye and drink my very blood to. For but if you be content to eat, and with a true faith to eat, the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood: ye shall not have life in you. But who so with a true well working faith, eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, he hath everlasting life. Not only because he is as sure to have it when the time shall come as though he had it all ready, by reason of the promise that: christ here maketh, where he saith, And I shall resuscitate and raise him 〈◊〉 at the last day/ but also for that the very body of christ that he receiveth, is very life everlasting of itself/ and such a life, as to them that well will receive it, in true faith, and purpose of good living, it is the thing that is able to give life & quyknesse ever lasting. For as the godhead is of his own nature 〈◊〉 life: so is the flesh joined in unity of person to the godhead, by that immediate conjunction and unity, made both ever lasting & lively in itself, and also everlasting life to the giving of life everlastingly to all other, that well and worthly receive him, and will persever and abide with him. For though every man here naturally die for the while: yet shall Chryst as he promiseth here, raise & resuscitate him again to everlasting life in the last day.   

The. xviii. chapter.  
ANd to show more and more that he meaneth plainly of very eating and very drinking: he saith, my flesh is verily meat, & my blood is verily drink. 〈◊〉 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 4. ca 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  these words saith saint Cyril thus christ here declareth the difference again, between the mystical benediction, that is to wit the blessed sacrament and manna, and between the water flowing out of the stone, and the communion of the holy blood. And this he repeateth again, to the intent they should no more marvel of the miracle of manna/ but that they should rather receive him which is the heavenly breed and the giver of eternal life. your fathers said our saviour, did eat manna in the desert and they be dead. But this breed is descended from heaven, that a man should eat thereof and not die. For the meat of manna brought not eternal life, but a short remedy against hunger. And therefore manna was not the very meat/ that is to wit manna was not the breed from heaven/ but the holy body of Chryst that is the meat that nourisheth to immortality and eternal life. ye saith some man: but they drank water out of the stone. But what wan they by that for dead they be, and therefore that was not that very drink/ but the very drink is the drink of christ, by which death is utterly turned up and destroyed. For it is not the blood of him that is only man, but the blood of that man, which being joined to the natural life (that is to wit the godhead) is made also life himself.  
Therefore we be the body and the members of christ. For by this blessed sacrament we receive the very son of god himself.  
¶ Here you see good readers that saint Cyrillus plainly declareth here, that these words of Chryst, My 〈◊〉 is verily meat etc. are spoken and meant of his holy flesh in the blessed sacrament/ of which master Masker in all his exposition and in all his hole wise work, telieth us plainly the contrary.  
But saint Cyrillus is here open and plain, both for that point & for the hole matter. For who can more plainly declare any thing than that holy doctor declareth in these words, that in the blessed sacrament is verily eaten and drunken the very blessed body & holy blood of Chryst. And yet doth not saint Cyrillus say it more openly than 〈◊〉 our saviour in his 〈◊〉 words himself.  
¶ And now ferther to show that it must needs be so, that he which eateth his flesh & drinketh his blood, must needs be resuscitate & raised again in body to everlasting life: our saviour addeth thereunto & saith, He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him.  
Upon which words also, thus saith holy saint cyril.  
¶ Like as ill a man unto molten wax put other wax, it can not be but that he shall thorough out mengle the tone with the t'other: so if a man receive the flesh and the blood of our lord worthily and as he 〈◊〉, it can not be but that he shall be so joined with, Chryst, as Chryst shallbe with him &, he with Chryst.  
¶ Thus may you good readers see, how verily a man eateth in the sacra meant the 〈◊〉 body of christ/ and by that eating how each of them is in other. And than if he so persever, how can it be that that body shall have everlasting death, in which there is 〈◊〉 everlasting life? For as ye have herd, the body of christ is by the conjunction with his godhead made everlasting life.  
¶ But this is meant as I say (and all the holy doctors do declare the same) of them that receive the sacrament, not only sacramentally, but also effectually. That is to wit, of them that not only receive the body of our saviour by the sacrament into their bodies, but also by true faith and true repentance and purpose of good living, receive his holy 〈◊〉 there with into their souls, & be made thereby very lively membres of that thing that the blssed sacrament signifieth & betokeneth, that is to wit of the mystical body of christ, the church and congregation of saints.  
¶ For as you have herd by Theophilactus before, this blessed sacrament is not only the very flesh of christ, but is also a figure. And that is it in diverse wise, as I shall ferther declare you in my book against Frithis' answer to my pistle. With which book (were his once come in prente which is already sent over to be 〈◊〉 t) I shall god willing well make 〈◊〉 his english brethren see & perceive his folly, that list not willingly to continue fools and wink.  
¶ But as I was about to say, they that receive our lord by the sacrament only, & not by faith & purpose of amendment: though they receive him yet they receive him not/ & though they eat him they eat him not.  
For though his blessed body be received in to their bodies: yet his holy spirit is not received into their soul's/ & therefore he 〈◊〉 not in them nor they in him, but they eat & drink their judgement, & receive him to their damnation, for that they receive him without faith & dew reveuerence/ & therefore do not as saith saint Poule, discern the body of our lord. 
1. 〈◊〉. 11.   
¶ And therefore saith saint austin as Prosper rehearseth in lib. 〈◊〉 psperi, He receiveth the meat of life, he drinketh that draft of eternity, that dwelleth in christ, & in whom christ dwelleth. For he that discordeth from christ neither eateth that flesh of christ, nor 〈◊〉 his blood, though he receive every day indyfferentely the sacrament of that great thing to the judgement and damnation of his presumption.  
¶ This text of saint austin alleged Fryth for his purpose in a certain communication/ willing to prove thereby that the very body of christ was not alway verily received and eaten in the sacrament, as that church saith. For here (said Fryth) saint austin saith plain that evil men though they receive the sacrament, eat not the body of christ.  
¶ But here Fryth either had not or else had forgotten, that saint austin meant of the effectual receiving, by which a man not only receiveth Christ'S blessed body into his own sacramentally, but also vir tually and effectually so receiveth there with the spirit of god into his soul, that he is incorporate thereby with our saviour, in such wise, that he is made a lively member of his mystical body that is the 〈◊〉 of saints by receiving it wurthyly, which evil folk do not, that receive it to their damnation.  
¶ For that saint austin meant not to deny that the blessed body of christ is verily received and eaten in the blessed sacrament, both of evil folk and good, it appeareth plain by that that in more places than one, he speaketh of the traitor judas. For all be it that in some places he putteth it in doubt and question, whither judas received the sacrament among the apostles at Christ'S maundy, or else that the morsel that he received were not it: yetin divers places he affirmeth that he did. And in those places be affirmeth plainly that in the sacrament he received Christ'S blessed body, as evil and as false as the traitor was, as in his fifth book de baptismo he clearly declareth in these words.  
¶ Like as judas to whom our lord gave the morsel, not by receiving any evil thing, but by evil receiving of a good thing, gave the devil a place to enter into himself: so every man that unworthily receiveth the sacrament of christ, maketh not the sacrament evil because he is evil, nor maketh not thereby that he receiveth nothing because he receiveth it not to his salvation. For it was never the less the body of our lord and the blood of our lord, even unto them of whom the apostle said, he that eateth it & drinketh it unworthily, he eateth & drinketh damnation to himself.  
¶ Here say't austin good readers expressly declareth, that not only good folk but evil folk also, receive & eat in the sacrament the very body & blood of christ, though the tone to salvation the t'other to damnation. And therefore you see that saint austin here plainly reproveth Fryth.  
¶ And that ye may plainly see also 
August. in epist. 163. 〈◊〉 Eleusium Glorium● Felicem.  that saint austin in calling the blessed sacrament the body of christ, meaneth not to call it only a figure or a memorial (beside his other plain words in many sundry places) he writeth in a pistle unto Eleusius, Glorius, & Felix, declaring the great excellent goodness that Cryst showed to the false traitor judas, he writeth I say that christ gave unto judas at his last souper the price of our redempcyon. And what was the price of our redemption, but his own very blessed body.  
¶ How be it Frith was on every side deceived in the perceiving of saint austins mind/ which miss happened him as I suppose for lack of reading any ferther in saint austins works, than those placies that he found falsely drawn out into frere Duyskyns book.  
¶ For saint austin in very many placis plainly declareth, that every man good and bad both, receiveth and eateth in the sacrament the very body and blood of christ. And also those words in which he saith, that evil folk eat it not, he meaneth that they eat it not so as they receive the effect thereof, that is to wit to be by the receiving and eating thereof incorporate spiritually with him, as a lively member of his mystical body the society of saints, so that he may dwell in christ and Chryst in him/ but lacketh that spiritual effect of his eating, because he is evil & eateth not Christ'S flesh in such manner as he should do, that is to wit worthily in true faith and purpose of clean and innocent life, as saint austin in his book de blasphemia spiritus sancti, declareth well in these words.  
¶ This also that christ saith, he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. How shall we understand it. May we understand those folk therein to, 
1. Co. 11  of whom th'apostle saith that they eat & drink their judgement, when they eat the same flesh and drink the same blood? Did judas the traitor and wicked seller of his master though he first with the other apostles as saint Luke thevangelist very clearly declareth, did eat and drink the same sacrament of his flesh and his blood made with his own hands, did he abide yet in christ & Cryst in him? Finally many men which with a feigned heart eat that flesihe and drink that blood, or else when they have eaten and dron ken it, become apostataas after/ do they dwell in christ & Cryst in them? But there is undoubtedly a certain manner of eating that flesh and drinking that blood, in which manner he that eateth it and drinketh it, dwelleth in christ and christ in him. And therefore not who so ever eat the flesh of christ and drink his blood, dwelleth in christ and christ in him/ but he that eateth it and drinketh it after a certain manner, which manner christ saw when he spoke the words.  
¶ Here you see good readers that saint austin showeth, that judas in the sacrament received & did eat that body of christ, and declareth also the very whole thing that he meaneth con cerning the understanding of this word of Crist, He that 〈◊〉 my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him/ that is to wit they thou eat it in a certain manner by which he meaneth they that eat it well & in that state of grace/ as he plainly declareth both in his exposition upon saint johnns' gospel, and many sundry places bysyde.  
¶ And those that receive him other wise with a feigned heart and in purpose of deadly sin/ they follow we judas and shortly show themself. For such as they were wont to be, such will they be still, or yet rather much worse if they were before veri nought. And therefore saith saint Austayn, that a man to eat the flesh of Crist is to dwell in christ, & to have christ dwelling in him. For he that dwelleth not in Crist, well declareth that though he have received & eaten his flesh into his body by the sacrament, yet hath he not received & eaten his spirit as I said into his soul/ and therefore hath not received and eaten his fiesshe effectually, but without theffect of the spirit and life, which is the thing whereby the flesh giveth the life, and without which as our saviour saith, his flesh availeth us nothing. And so for lack of the spiritual eating, the fleshly eater of his flesh though he receive the sacrament, receiveth not theffect of the sacrament the thing that the sacrament signifieth, that is the participation of the mystical body of christ, that is to wit the church and congregation of all saints, which church and congregation is gathered together as many members into one body christ/ as the breed which our lord in the sacrament changeth into his blessed body, is one lose made of many grains of wheat/ and the wine which he changeth into his blood, is one cup of wine made of many grapes as th'apostle declareth.  
¶ And verily to be a quick lively member of that body doth no man attain that receiveth the sacrament without faith and purpose of good life/ but waxeth a more week member & a more lame, more astonished, and more loosely hanging thereon than he did before/ and by such often receiving so rotteth more and more, that finally it falleth quite of, and is cast out into the dunghill of hell, and shall never be resuscitate & raised again to be made a member of that body in glory.  
¶ But as saint austin saith, if a man after the receiving of the sacrament do dwell siyll in god, that is to wit abide and persever in true faith and good wurkes: than is it a good sing and token that he hath effectually eaten the flesh of christ in the blessed sacrament. And thereupon must it needs good christian reader follow, that he that receiveth the blessed sacrament well, & eateth therein the flesh of christ, not only verily, which every man doth good & bad, but also (which only the good foske do) effec tually, & so dwelleth in christ and christ in him perseverantly: that man or woman without doubt, it must needs be that they can never everlastingly die/ but christ dwelling in them, shall conserve their souls and resuscitate again their bodies that so dwell in him, into everlasting life.   

The. nineteen. chapter.  
〈◊〉 the surety and unfallible proof whereof, our saviour said forth with upon his word afore remen bred further unto the Jews, as the living father sent me, so also do I live for my father. And he that eateth me, shall live also for me.  
¶ The father of heaven being the original substance of life, before all beginning begat his coeternal son, and gave unto him his own whole substance, & therefore his own whole life, as to him whom he begat one equal god with himself, in nothing different but in only person.  
¶ The father I say gave all his own whole life to his son, and yet none thereof from himself. And there fore saith our saviour christ, that himself liveth for or by his father. And so that man saith he that eateth me, shall live thorough me. For sith that by the very eating of his very blessed body, the eater (but if himself be the let,) is joined with the flesh of Chryst (as holy saint cyril hath declared) and thereby with that holy spirit of his also which from that holy flesh is unseparable, and so joined unto the very substance of life, that is life and giveth life to: he can not but live thorough christ.  
¶ 〈◊〉 this our saviour finally for conclusion telleth them, that this breed also is come from heaven saying, This is the breed that is descended from heaven. Not meaning that his flesh was first in heaven, and so sent down from thence as some heretyhes have ere this holden an opinion/ but that his body was in the blessed virgin his mother, by the heavenly obumbration of the holy ghost. And also sith his godhead and his manhood were joined and knit together in very unite of person: our saviour used that manner of speaking by the tone, that he used by the t'other. And therefore as he said unto Nichodemus, the son of man descended from heaven: so saith he here of his flesh, this is the breed that is descended from heaven.  
¶ And because that the jews had in the beginning of this communication, boasted unto him the breed of manna, bringing forth for the praise thereof the words of the prophet, 
Psal. 77.  Thou hast given them breed from heaven: Our lord here showed them that this breed that he would give them to eat, that is to wit his own very flesh (as himself very plainly declared them) is of an other manner descended down from heaven, than the manna, whose descending from heaven they in the beginning boasted so. And therefore he said, This is the breed that is descended from heaven/ not as your fathers did eat manna & are deed. He that eateth this bred, shall live for ever. As though he would say. This is another manner of breed, otherwise come from heaven than manna was that ye boast of so. For that bred was given you but for the sustenance of the life in this world/ but this breed that is mine own body, conceived by the holy ghost, & in unity of person joined with my godhead, as verily as it is joined with mine own soul, is another manner of heavenly breed, and shallbe given you to eat for another manner of purpose For manna that was given your fathers to eat for the only sustenance of their temporal life, was but a figure of this breed thus given you to eat, as I shall begin to give it at my maundy souper, the manner whereof I will not tell you now. And therefore as the figure or the shadow of a thing, is far fro the property of the thing itself: so was the breed of manna far fro the property of this breed that is my flesh. For like wise as because it was a figure of this breed that is very life, it served for the sus stynaunce of life: so because it was but a figure, and not the very life itself, it served therefore not to give life, but to sustain life/ not for ever but for a while. But this breed that is my flesh/ (which I shall give you as verily to eat as ever your fathers did eat manna) because it is not the figure only of the thing that is life, but is also (by conjunction with the godhead) the very life itself that was figured: I shall give it you to eat in such a manner, that it shall not only maintain, fede, and sustain the body of the eater in this present life, but it shall also give life, ye & that eversasting life in glory/ not only to the soul, but also to the body to, in time meet and convenient, raising it vy again from death, and setting it with the soul in eternal life of everlasting bliss.   

The. xx. chapter.  
This communication with the Hewys had our lord, teaching in the synagogue at Caparnaun. And many therefore of his disciples hearing these thynger said, This word is hard, and who can hear him.  
¶ The more and more that our saviour plainly told them that he would give them his very fsesshe to eat, the more and more marvelous hard they thought his saying, and reckoned that it was impossible for any man to believe it. And therefore for lack of belief they lost the profit. And these that thus thought this matter so marvelous hard and strange that they would not believe, but for lack of belief lost the profit, were not only such jews as were his enemies, but many of those also that were his own disciples.  
¶ But our saviour knowing in himself (as he that was god and needed no man to tell him) that his disciples murmured at his words, because he told them so often and so plainly that men should have no life, but if they would be content verily to eat his own flesh he said unto them, Doth this offend you? do you stumble at this? what than if you shall see the son of man ascend up where as he was before? The spirit is that that quickeneth, the flesh availeth nothing. The words that I have spoken to you be spirit & life.  
¶ In these 〈◊〉 our lord 〈◊〉 te to 〈◊〉 all their objectyons growing upon their infidelity, & also confuteth their infidelity/ and in his word? after following, putteth them yet again in mind of the medicine that might remove their unfaithfulness & give them the very fast faith.  
¶ The jews had before murmu red against that that he had said, that he was descended from heaven. Against which they said, Is not he the son of joseph whose father and mother we know? And how saith he than that he is descended from heaven? And a great piece of their murmur therein arose as ye see, upon that point that they had miss conceived, weening that Joseph had been his father. For had they believed that his manhed had been conceived by the holy ghost, they would have murmured that less. And had they believed that his godhead had descended in to it from heaven, they would not have murmured at all.  
¶ In Like wise they murmured at the second point, in that he showed them so plainly that he would give them his very flesh to be their very meet, & said how can he give us his flesh to eat. And many of his disciples said also, this is an hard word, & who may hear him. And a great part of their murmur was, because they thought that they should have eaten his flesh in the self fseshly form/ & because (as 
August. 〈◊〉 enatta. in psal. 168. et in serm. 2 de verbisi 〈◊〉.  say't austin saith in sundry 〈◊〉) that they thought they should have eaten his flesh in deed gobbettes, cut out piecemele as the meat is cut out in the shamelles/ & also because they knew him not to be god. For had they known that the manner in which he would give them his very flesh to eat, should not be in the self same fleshelp form, but in the pleasant form of breed: though they would yet have marveled, because they woide have thought it wonderful, yet would they have murmured the less, because they would not have thought it lothly. But than had they ferther known that he had been god/ than would they not I suppose have murmured at the matter at all. For I ween verily that there were neither of those disciples nor of those jews neither, any one so evil as now be master Masker, & Frith, & his fellows, that saying the receiving nothing loathsome, and believing that christ was god (if they believe it) will not yet believe he can do it/ but murmur & grudge against it still.  
¶ For though master Masker say that if christ said he would do it, than himself would believe he could do it: yet it shall appear ere we part, both that christ saith it. And he will not believe that christ though he say it meaneth it. And also that the cause why he will not believe that christ meaneth it, is because he believeth that god can not do it.  
¶ But now said our saviour unto them in answering all this gear. Do you stumble at this? what if ye see the son of man ascend up where he was before? what will you than say? For than could they have no cause to distrust that he descended down, when they should see him ascend up. For that thing seemeth in men's mad eyen such as they were that would not take him but for a man, far the greater mastery of the both.  
¶ Also when they should see him ascend up to heaven whole/ than should they well perceive that they miss took him by a false imagination of their own device, when they conster wed the giving of his flesh to eat, as though he meant to give it them in such wise, as himself should lose all that they should eat.  
¶ And when he said they sholdse the son of man ascend up there as he was before/ he gave them again a signification that himself the son of man was the son of god also, and thereby himself god also, & into the world comen and descended from heaven.  
¶ In these words our saviour showeth that his ascension should be a sufficient cause to make them know his power & leave their murmuring. And therefore they that leave not murmuring at his blessed sacrament yet, show a great token that they believe not his wonderful ascension neither. For if they believed well that he had power of himself to ascend up in body, and sit in heaven one equal god with his father & the holy ghost: than would they 〈◊〉 ween as they do, that god lacked power to make his own body to be in diver se places at once, and be both in heaven and earth.   

The. xxi. chapter  
BUt now for as much as 〈◊〉 part of these folks diffydence and distrust, rose of that that the respect of the loathsomeness made them the less willing to believe, in that they thought that he meant to give them his flesh to eat in gobbets cut out deed without life or spirit: our saviour answered them to that point. And though he would not at that time tell them the manner how he would give it them to eat: yet he told them that he would not give it them so. And therefore he said unto them. The spirit is it that quycketh or giveth life/ the flesh availeth nothing. The words which I have spoken to you be spirit and life.  
¶ As though he would say unto them. I told you before that who so would eat my flesh should have everlasting life. And therefore why be you so mad as to ween that I mean my flesh cut out in gobbets deed without life or spirit? it is the spirit that giveth life. And therefore without the spirit the flesh should avail you nought. But being knit with the spirit of my godhead, which is the substance and very fountain of life/ so it shall (to them that worthily eat it) give everlasting life. And therefore the words that I speak be not only flesh/ for that will no more give life alone, than will faith alone give life that is deed without the will of good wurkes. But my words therefore that I have spoken to you of my flesh to be eaten, be not flesh alone, but spirit also and life.  
Therefore you must understand them not so fleshly as you do, that I would give you my flesh in gobbets deed/ but you must understand them spiritually, that you shall eat it in an other manner animated with my soul, and joined with the spirit of my godhead, by which my flesh is itself made not only lively but also giving life.  
¶ Thus meant our lord in those words. Wherein lest master masker might make men ween that I run all at riot upon mine own 〈◊〉, holy saint austin showeth that in these words, The spirit it is 
〈◊〉. in 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  that quickeneth, the flesh availeth no thing. Our saviour meaneth that his flesh deed & without the spirit availeth nothing/ as cunning nothing availeth without cherite, without which as saint Paul saith it doth but puff up a man in pride. But on the totherlide 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  like as cunning much edifyeth & profiteth joined with charity: so the flesh of our saviour much availeth joined with his holy spirit.  
¶ Saint cyril also upon the same words declaring them by a long process to the purpose that I have showed you, saith among many other things in this manner, as it were in the person of christ speaking to those jews, & to those disciples of his, that said his words were so hard that no man could abide to hear him/ which they said as saith saint Chrisostom for their own excuse, because 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. 46. in 〈◊〉.  themself were about to walk their way. To them therefore saith our sa vyour thus in saint cyril's exposi cyon. ween you when I said that who so eat my flesh shall have everlasting life, that I meant therein, that this earthly body of mine doth give life of his own proper nature? Nay verily. But I did speak to you of the spirit and of eternal life. But it is not the nature of the flesh that maketh the spirit give life/ but the power of the spirit maketh the flesh give life. The words therefore that I have spoken to you be spirit & life/ that is to wit they be spiritual & spoken of the spirit and life/ that is to wit of the spirit that is the natural life, the giveth life. But yet the thing that we have all ready said, it shall do no harm though we repeat it again. The thing that I have said is this. The nature of the flesh can not of itself give life. For what had than the nature of the gddhed more? But than on the other side, there is not in Crist only flesh/ but he hath the son of god joined with it which is the squale substauns of life with his father And therefore when christ calleth his flesh a giver of life/ that power of giving life he doth not attribute unto his flesh and unto his holy spirite both of one fashion. For the spirit giveth life by itself and of his own nature. But the flesh ascendeth unto that power of giving life, by reason of the conjunction and unity that it hath with that holy spirit. How be it how and by what mean that thing is done, we neither are able with tongue to tell, nor with mind to imagine/ but with silence & farm faith we receive it.  
¶ Thus have you heard good readers that the thing that I say, do not only I say, but saint austin also and saint cyril both. Which is enough to you to perceive that I dyvyse not mine exposycion all of mine own head/ and may be enough to any good christian man also, to perceive clerefy that our saviour in these words did speak, not only of a spiritual eating of his flesh by bylyes and remembrance of his death and passion, as master Masker & Frith and these fond fellows stiffly bert us in hand, but spoke also and meant it of the remembering of his death & passion, by the very eating of his very blessed body as it is eaten in the blessed sacrament.   

The. xxii. chapter.  
BUt these heretics are so set upon mischief and wysfulnesse, that they will not in any wise understand the truth. And how could they understand the troth, when they will not believe. For (as the prophet isaiah saith) but if you 
〈◊〉. 7.  believe you shall not understand. And therefore these heretics can not understand. For they be in the case now that those disciples & those jews were, with whom our saviour found that fault than, in his words next ensuenge & said: But there be some of you that byseve not/ as though he word say as plainly as I have told it you and as often, yet are there some of you that believe it not. But he knew from the beginning who should believe, and who also should betray him.  
¶ And so knoweth he like wise now to, who be good and who be nought, and who shall amend and who shall never amend. Not that his fore knowledge sorceth them to be nought/ but for it is impossible for them to be nought, but that his infinite foresight must needs from the beginning fore see it. And yet when he foreseeth that it so shall be/ it shall so be indeed, and can not otherwise be but that it shall so be if he fore see that it shall so be. For he should not foresee that it shall so be, if it so were that in deed it should otherwise be. But syhewyse as if I see one sit, it must needs be that he sitteth, for else should I not see him sit/ and that therefore it well followeth I see him sit: ergo it must needs be that he sitteth. And yet my sight forceth him not to sit/ nor of that argument the consequent proposition of his nature necessary but contingent/ though of the tone proposition inferred upon the t'other, the consequency, or consecution be necessary. So being presupposed that god foreseeth such a 〈◊〉 with he should not foresee but if the thing should be, yet his fore sight no more forceth the person that doth it in the thing that is yet to come, than my sight forceth him to sit whom I see sit/ of whom no man can say but that he must needs sit in the while in which he will presuppose that I see him sit.  
¶ And therefore because his preseyence and his providence, forced them not to continue in their wilfulness to their damnation/ he putteth them once again in remembrance of the means whereby they may void that wilful ignorance and infrdelyte and thus he saith unto them:  
Therefore I have told you all ready, that no man can come to me but if it be given of my father.  
¶ Think not saith saint Crysostom 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  upon these words, that every man to whom the father giveth it, hath it as by way of a special privilege/ so that they that have it not given them lack it only therefore, because god will not give it them. God (saith S. Chrysostom) will gladly give it them, if they would not by their own dealing make themself unworthy to receive it. And therefore saith saint Cyril upon the same words, that those that among the Jewys lived well and were of good conditions, had the faith given them and came to Cryst. But they that were stubborn, arrogant, malicious, & wilful, as were the scribes & the pharisees and the stiffnecked bishops they letted themself from the gift of faith.  
¶ This gift of faith without the help of god can not be had/ nor no man can come to the son but if the 
Aug. in 〈◊〉 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  father draw him. And whom he draweth, and whom he draweth not, and why him, and why not him, let us not seek nor search as saint austin saith if we will not err.  
¶ But yet that he rejecteth no man that will seek for his soul health, but rather calleth upon to be sought upon, that doth the scripture well witness, where god said himself, 〈◊〉 I stand at the door knocking, if any man hear my voice & open me the door, I will go in to him and sup with him and he with me. And the prophet isaiah saith, Seek you 
Esaie. 55.  our lord while he may be founden. Call you upon him while he is near. Let the wicked man leave his way, and the unrighteous man leave his devices, and let him turn to our lord and he will have pity upon him. For he is great in forgiveness. Our saviour saith himself 
Matth. 7  also. Ask and you shall have. Seek and you shall find. Knock and you shall be let in. And finally that no man should take these words of our saviour, that no man can come to him but if it be given him of the father, and these words of his also, No man can come to me but if my father 〈◊〉 him, that no man I say should so take these words in such a presumptuose way of election, that weening he were drawn into such a feeling faith that could never fail and so should as Tyndale teacheth, make himself so sure of his own salvation by his sure and infallible election, that he should stand out of all fear and wax slothful: the scrip 〈◊〉 crieth, Let him that thinketh 
1. 〈◊〉. 10  he standeth, beware lest he fall. And un the other side, that no man should upon these words, take that imagis nation that these heretics also tech, of desperate inevitable destyny of damnation, and sit still and do no good himself, weening that his own devour were in vain, because he feeleth not god any thing draw him: holy saint austin (whose words these heretics for election and 
August. in 〈◊〉. 27 in 〈◊〉.  destynye against the 〈◊〉 of man's fire will most lap for them) biddeth every man for all their babeling if that be not drawn pray god to draw ye.  
¶ And therefore to that intent did 〈◊〉 saviour christ put them again in mind of that he had said before, that they could not come to him but if it were given them by his father, because he would that they 〈◊〉 for their part labour to remove the 〈◊〉 that on their own part, letted his father to give them that gift. And that is that they should have less cure & care of their 〈◊〉/ the desire of whose fleshly filling with perishable meat, made them angri to here of the spiritual food of his own holy flesh/ by the well eating whereof they might have everlastrng life.  
¶ 〈◊〉 taught them also by those words to perceive (if they would) that joseph was not his father. For when 〈◊〉 said that they could not have that great gift but of his father, nor could not come to him but if his father drew them: they might well wit he meant not joseph, but his father of heaven. And therefore would he by those words give them warning, that they should leave their murmuring, & pray his father give them the grace to believe him.   

The. xxiii. chapter.  
BUt where as they should have ta ken this way & walked forward with him, they took the 〈◊〉 way/ not only the other jews but many also of his own disciples, & went away backward from him, & as the gospel saith walked no more with him  
¶ But though that many of his does cyples went away from him, because his father brought them not unto him: yet as himself said before, all that my father giveth me shall come to me/ all went not away. His apostles tarried. And yet among those twelve tarried one false shrew. And in the stead of those disciples that went away, which were as saint austin 
〈◊〉. 10  saith about three score & ten/ he hose soon after other. three score & ten, whom he sent to preach about as he had sent his twelve apostles before.  
¶ But then saying there were at that time so few left & so many gone, he said unto his. xii. apostles, will you be gone to? He neither bode them go as though he would be glad of their going/ nor yet bode them abide, as though he had need of their abiding but only asked them whither they would go or not/ sygnifyeng that for all their 〈◊〉 they were in the liberty of their own free will, either to go after the t'other/ or to abide still with him. Than answered Simon Peter and said: Lord to whom shall we go. Thou hast the words of everlasting life. And we believe and know that thou art Chryst the son of god. As though he would say if we love life, to whom should we go fro thee? For only thou hast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of life only but also of life ever lasting/ for all thy words and thy doctrine draw men thereto. And we believe, and by belief we know, that thou art Cryst the very son of god. And thereby we know that thou art not only very man, but also very god. And we perceive well therefore that thou art the breed that is descended from heaven, and that thou shalt ascend thither again, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art able and of power to give us that marvelous meat of thine own holy flesh to eat. And that thou so wilt do, we believe and wot well, because thou so dost promise. And we perceive well that thou wilt not give it usin deed gobbettes that could not avail us/ but alive, & with thine holy spirit the fountain of life, whereby thy flesh shall give us if we will eat it everlasting life, when thou shalt resuscitate our bodies in the last day. But in what marvelous manner thou wilt give it us to eat, that hast thou not yet declared us/ nor we will not be to boldly curious or inquisitive of thy marvelous mystery. But therein abide the time of thine own determy nation, as to whose high heavenly wisdom the season meet and 〈◊〉 is open and known, and unknown to mortal men. And we will therefore obediently receive it & eat it, at what time and in what wise that thy gracious pleasure shallbe to command us.  
¶ When saint Peter as head under christ of that company, had made this answer, not only for himself but also for them all, not saying I but we: our lord to let him see that he was somewhat deceived, & had said more than he could make good. For one false shrew was there yet still remaining among the twelve/ whereof. xi. were not ware/ our saviour therefore said. Have not I chosen you twelve & of you twelve yet is there one a devil? This he spoke by judas Iskariot the son of Simon for he it was that should 〈◊〉 him being one of the twelve ¶ Our lord here good 〈◊〉 she wed himself not deceived. For though judas falsed was unknown to his fellows, yet was it not unknown to his master/ which though he showed himself not ignorant of his servants 〈◊〉 mind, & traitorous purpose toward his own person (to ward which purpose as it seemeth judas heart had at this time conceived some inclination) yet had he patience with him, and continually did use the ways to reform and amend him/ never casting him out, till he clearly cast out himself, according to the saying of our saviour, 
〈◊〉. 6.  He that cometh to me I will not cast him out.   

The. xxiiii. chapter.  
BUt here do many men 〈◊〉 not only that our saviour would hay him so long knowing him so false, but also that he would take him to him for his 〈◊〉 in the beginning, fore knowing by 〈◊〉 godhead from the beginning that he would after be false. And diverse holy doctors hold also, that he was never true nor good, but nought and false fro the beginning. And in this matter whereof god hath not so fully 〈◊〉 unto men the certainty, that we be preasely bounden to the 〈◊〉 of either other part/ every man is at liberty to believe whither part that himself thinketh most likely by natural reason and scripture.  
¶ And therefore though some good holy men and saints have thought that judas was never good, but that our saviour took him to his apostle, and so kept him in all his masyee still, for thaccomplishment of the great mystery of his passion, well using thereby the evil of man, as 〈◊〉 evil useth the goodness of god: yet thinketh me that as Theophylactus saith, and saint cyril, & saint Chrisostome 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 4. ca 30 in 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  to, judas was once very good when our lord did cheese him for his apostle, and was at that time given unto christ by his father. For proof whereof that godly cunning 〈◊〉 M. 〈◊〉, well bringeth in the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  words of our saviour himself, saying to his father a little after his 
〈◊〉. 17  maundy finished: Them that thou haste given unto me I have kept, & none of them hath perished but the 〈◊〉 of perdition. Which he meant by judas being than yet alive in body by nature, but deed in soul by deadly sin. Him our lord took unto him for his apostle while he was good/ and not of the comen sort of good men but also very special good as these holy doctors do divine & guess.  
¶ And though christ foresaw the wretchedness that he would after fall to: yet would he not forbear the right order of justice, but take him in such degree for the time, as his present goodness of good congruence deserved For being at that time more meet for th'office of an apostle than another man/ if christ should have rejected him as unworthy & unmeet, for the fawt that himself knew he would after do, to ward which fault he was at that time nothing minded: than should he have reproached him at such time as he was not worthy to be reproached. And than were it some what like, as if a man because he maketh himself very sure that his wife and his children will one time or other not fail to displease him afterward at some one time or other, be angry therefore with than all, & 〈◊〉 them and beat them before. Our saviour therefore when judas was very good, after such rate of goodness as is in mortal men, took him and promoted him to the office and dignity of his own apostle after that order of justice/ by which he rewardeth one man above another after the rate of their merits, and yet every man of them all far above all his merits.  
¶ Now when he was afterward thorough covetise waxed nought/ yet our lord kept him still, and would not by taking his office from him disclose his secret falsed, and put him to shame/ but used many other means to mend him, and keep there with the honesty of his name/ not letting to procure his amendment on his part though he well knew the wretch would never amend upon his part.  
¶ But like wise as though a man have an incurable sickness, it yet becometh the physician all the time that he liveth therewith, to do his part still to ward the curing thereof: so became it our saunour to do it as he did, and not to leave of or slake his goodness to ward the cure and amen dement of the man's incurable malice.  
¶ For though judas was with all that goodness of christ used unto him, not only nothing the better, but also very far the worse, & fell far the deeper into death and dampna cyon: yet sith there came of his traitorous dealing none harm, but unto. Crist whose goodness was for our well very glad to suffer it, and unto the traitor himself and such other as wilfully would deserve it: it had been neither right nor reason, that for to save them from hell that needs would walk in to it, he should have left any of his goodness and sufferance undone, whereby he procured the salvation of so many thousands as should be saved by his bitter passion.  
¶ And much more reason it was, that our saviour should have respect and regard/ to procure the bliss of those that should be saved, than to care for the pain of those that should be dampened. For it had been (as it seemeth) not consonant unto right, if our lord should for avoiding of their pain that for all his calling back to the contrary would yet willingly run forth into damnation: have kept away the reward of bliss fro them that would with his help deserve it.  
¶ And therefore our lord as I say took judas and made him his apostle, being very good/ and after had long patience with him while he was very nought, 〈◊〉 that thorough his imedicable malice he fell of himself, and so was cast out and perished. But by his perishing our sa vyour lost not but won. For of his evil came there much more good, & his own place of apostleship was 
〈◊〉. 1.  afterward fulfilled with saint Mathy.  
¶ And in like wise the other disciples that departed now, which were (as saint Chrisostom saith and as the 
Crisosto. hom. 46. in 〈◊〉.  gospel seemeth also to say) all that than were present save only his. xii. apostles, and were as saint austin saith in number above three score and ten: all they lost themself when they willingly lost their saviour.  
And he found better to succeed in their places. For soon after in the 
Luce. 10  stead of those three score and ten, he chose other three score and ten dyscy bless as I before showed you, whom 
Math. 10  he sent about to preach as he had sent his. xii. apostles before.  
¶ And unto judas yet at this present time he gave a secret warning that he might well wit that his naughtiness was known, which thing might make him the less bold to sin/ and yet he dysclosed him not openly, because he would not shame him, and thereby make him happily shameless, as many such wretches wax/ and after that, sin the more boldly.   

The. xxv. chapter.  
This word also so spoken to 
Chrisosto. hom. 46. in 〈◊〉.  all twelve, was (as saint Chri sostom saith and saint cyril both) a meruefouse goodly warning for them all. These are lo the word of saint cyril. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 4. ca 30 super 〈◊〉.   
¶ Our lord here with sharp words confermyth his apostles and maketh 〈◊〉 the more diligent, by putting before their eyen the peril of their ruin. For this he seemeth to say unto them. O my disciples, much need have you to use much watch & great study about your salvation. The way of perdition is very slyper, and not only withdraweth a feeble mind from thinking of their fall, by making them to forget themself, but also sometime deceiveth them by vain delectation and pleasure that are of mind very firm and strong. And that this tale is true that I now tell you, you may see well proved, not by th'ensample only of them that are gone aback, but among yourself also that tarry and dwell still with me. For I have you wot well chosen you twelve as good, well knowing that in deed you were so. For I was not ignorant/ but being god (as I am) very well knew your hearts.  
How be it the devil hath deceived one of yond with avarice, and so pulled him away. For a man is a free creature, and may choose his way as he will, either on the right hand or else on the left if he will.  
¶ Our lord therefore maketh them all the more vygylant, because that who should betray him he doth not express by name. But telling them all in a generalty/ that one of them should work such wickedness, he made them all stand in fear. And by that horror and dread, lifted them up to more vygylaunt diligence.  
¶ Here have you herd good readers the words of saint cyril. Now shall ye somewhat here what sayeth laynt Crysostome.  
¶ when saint Peter said, we believe: our saviour not causeless, out of the 
in 〈◊〉.  number of them excepted judas and said: have not I chosen you twelve & one of you is a devil. This thing he said to remove the traitor larre from his malice. And where he saw that nothing did avail him/ yet he went about still to do well for him And see the wisdom of christ/ for neither would he bewray him, nor let him lurk untouched. The one, lest he should have waxed shameless and swear nay/ the t'other lest weening that none were ware, he should be the bolder in mischief.  
¶ And afterward this in effect he saith. It is not the custom of god by force to make men good whether they will or no nor in his election he 〈◊〉 not folks by violence, but by good advice and motion. And that ye may well perceive that his calling is no constraint of necessity, many whom he calleth do willingly for all his calling perish. And therefore it is evident, that in our own will is the power set to choose whither we will be saved or lost. By these admonyssyons therefore, let us labour to be sober and vigylant. For if judas which was one of the number of that holy company of th'apostles, he that had obtained so great a gift, he that had done miracles (for judas himself was sent among other to cure the lepers, and raise up deed men to life) after that he was once fallen in to the grievous disease of avarice: neither the benefits, nor the gifts, nor the company of christ, nor the service, nor the washing of the let, nor the felosshyppe of his own board, nor the trust in keeping of the purse, any thing availed him/ but all these things were with him a passage & away to his punishment.  
Lo good readers, here have ye herd both by saint cyril & saint Chrysostome, that our saviour gave that secret warning of judas falsehood, and said that one of the twelve was adevyll, to the intent that all folk of what holiness so ever they were, such stand ever in dread and fere/ and not do as these heretics teach, upon boldness of any feeling faith or final election, presume themself so sure of salvation/ but that whyse judas fell after to nought that was once a holy apostle, there shall no feeling faith nor proud hope upon final election, set any man in his own heart so sure, but that with his good hope he shall all way couple some fear, as a brydyll & abytte to refrain and pull him back, lest he fall to mischief, and follow judas in falsehood, & wax a devil as Cryst called him. Which name our saviour gave him not without good cause For that devils servant (saith saint Cyril) is a devil to. For like wise as he that is by godly virtues joined unto god, is one spirit with god/ so he that is with devilish vices joined with the devil, is one spirit with him.  
¶ And therefore good readers, he that in such plight receiveth the blessed sacrament without purpose of amen dement, or without the faith and by life, that the very flesh & blood of christ is in it: he receiveth as saint austin saith notwithstanding his naughtiness the very flesh and blood of christ, the very price of our redemption. But he receiveth them to his harm as judas did, & eateth and drinketh his own judgement & damnation (as saith saint 
1. 〈◊〉. 11  Poule) because he discerneth not our lords body. But who so doth on the other side (which I beseech god we may all do) cast out the devil & his works by the sacrament of penance and than in the memory all & remembrance of Christ'S passion, receive that blessed sacrament/ with tree we faith and devotion with all honour and worship, as to the reverence of Crystes blessed person present in it appertaineth: they that so receive the blessed sacrament, verily receive and eat the blessed body of christ/ & that not only sacramentally, but also effectually/ not only the figure, but the thing also/ not only his blessed flesh in to their bodies, but also his holy spirit into their souls, by participation whereof he is incorporate in them & they in him & be made lively membres of his mystical body the congregation of all saints/ of which their souls shall (if they persever) attain the fruit & fruition clean & pure once purged after this transitory life/ and their flesh also shall christ resuscitate unto the same glory, as himself hath promised. Of which his gracious promise, his high grace and goodness so vouch save to make us all perteners thorough the merits of his bitter passion. Amen.  
¶ And thus end I good readers my first book, containing th'exposition of those words in the sixth chapter of saint Iohn, whereby you may both perceive by these minds of holy saints, whose words I bring forth, the truth of our faith concerning the blessed body & blood of Chryst verily eaten in the blessed sacrament, and may also perceive and control the wily false foolish exposition of master Masker to the contrary, such as have his book, and they be not a few. And yet that all men may see that I neither blame him for nought, nor bylye him, I shall in my second book she we your as I promised, some part of his fault both in falsehood and in folly, & his own words therewith.   
Here endeth the first book.   

The second book  

The. i. chapter.  
I have good readers in my first book here before perused you thexposition of all that part of the sixth chapter of saint Iohn, which master Masker hath exponed you before. And in the beginning of this exposition, I have not brought you forth the word of any of the old expositors, because that (as I suppose) mine 〈◊〉 will not much 〈◊〉 tend with me for so far. But afterward concerning those words in which our saviour expressly speaketh of the giving of his very flesh & blood to be verily eaten & drunken, there have I brought you forth such authorities of old holy doctors & saints, that ye may well see both that I fain you not the matter but expone it you right/ & also ye see thereby clearly, that master Masker exponeth it wrong. For though a man may diversly expone one text and both well: yet when one exponeth it in one true manner, of a false purpose to exclude another troth that is in that writing by the spirit of god 〈◊〉 and immediately meant, his exposucyon is false all though every word were true, as master Mass kers is not.  
¶ And therefore sith you see mine ex position proved you by excellent holy men, and by their plain words, ye perceive that the words of our saviour himself do prove against all these 〈◊〉, the catholic faith of Crystes catholic church very faithful and tree we, concerning the very flesh of christ verily eaten in the blessed sacrament/ of which eating master Masker would with his exposition make men so mad, as to ween that christ spoke nothing at all: now I say by this exposition of mine ye see his exposition avoided clearly for nought, and all the matter clear upon our part, though no man wrote one word more.  
¶ And yet will I for all that, for that further declaration of master Mass kers handling, she we you some pieces of thexposycyon in special, by which ye may clearly see what credence may be given to the man, either for honesty, or learning, virtue, 〈◊〉 or troth.   

The. two. chapter.  
IN the beginning of the second leaf of his book, these are master Maskers words.  
¶ Consider what this meat is which he bade them here prepare and seek fore, saying: work take pains and seek for that meat etc. and thou 〈◊〉 see it no nother meat than the belief in christ.  
Wherefore he concludeth that this meat so often mentioned is faith. Of the which meat saith the prophet, the iufte liveth. faith in him is therefore the meat which christ prepareth and dresseth, so purely powdering and spycing it with spiritual allegories in all this chapter following, to give us everlasiing life thorough it.  
¶ I will not lay these words to his charge as heresy/ but I willbe bold by his licence to note in them a little lack of wit, and some good store of folly. For though a man may well and with good reason, call faith a meat of man's soul: yet is it great folly to say, that the meat that Chryst speaketh of here is (as master Masker saith it is) none other meat but faith.  
¶ For master Masker may plainly see, and is not I suppose so poor blind, but that he seeth well in deed that the meat which christ speaketh of here, is our saviour christ himself. Which thing he so plainly speaketh, that no man can miss to per ceyve it/ when he saith, I am myself the breed of life. And when he saith, I am the lively breed that am descended from heaven, he that eateth of this breed shall live for ever. And when he saith also. That the meat should be his own flesh (which promise he performed after at his maundy) which thing he told them plain in these words, And the breed which I shall give you is my flesh. And he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life, and I shall resuscitate him in the last day. And when he said, My flesh is verily meat.  
¶ Thus you see good readers how oft & how plainly that he declareth that the meat which he speaketh of here, is himself. And now saith master Masker very solemynely, & with authority biddeth every man mark it well and consider it, that the meat that christ speaketh of here is nothing else but 〈◊〉.  
¶ And upon what colour saith master Masker 〈◊〉 because (saith he) that our lord bode them labour and work for the meat that would not perish but abide into everlasting life/ and afterward told them that the work of god by which they should work & labour for that meat, was nothing else but faith and belief in him.  
¶ first in this construction master Masker lieth very large. For though christ said, that to believe in him was the work of god/ he said not (as master Masker maketh it) that nothing else was the 〈◊〉 of god but only belief.  
¶ But now suppose that christ had said as master Masker would make it seem, that is to wit that the work of god were nothing else but the belief: yet ye see well good readers that christ in saying that the belief in him is the work by which they shall work to get the meat, saith that the belief is the mean to get the meat, and not that the belief is the meat.  
¶ But master Masker because that belief is the way to this meat, therefore he calleth the belief the meat/ as wisely as though he would call the kings street Westmynster church, because it is the way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he come from Charing Cross And because men must spiritually eat this meat with faith: therefore he calleth the faith the meat as wisely as if he would, because he eateth his meat with his mowth, therefore call his mowth his meat. what wit hath this man?  
¶ But now will master Masker wax angry with my words, and call me M. mock as he doth once or twice in his book.  
¶ But now good readers I will not adjure you by god holy names to judge justly/ but even only desire you that in way of good company, that you will say but even indifferently. Were it not ween you great pity that a man should mock master Masker, when every fool may perceive him in so great a matter write so wisely?  
¶ And yet you may see that I deal with him very gently. For in this point wherein by contraryeng of Cristes' own words he writeth plain heresy/ I minyshe his borden of that odious crime/ & because the matter in this place so serveth me, do cover the both of his 〈◊〉 heresy, with this pretty plaster of his pleasant frenzy  
¶ And yet I ween the man hath so little honesty, that he will never can me thank for my courtesy/ specially because that (as far as I can see) the man had liefer confess himself an heretic, than be proved a fool.  
And that appeareth well in this. For this little scab of his folly he laboureth somewhat to hide and cover, so that a man must pull of the clout ere he can spy the boche. But as for the boch of his cankered heresies with out any clout or plaster he layeth out abroad to show, to beg withal among the blessed brethren as beggars lay their fore legs out in fight that lie a begging a frydays about saint saviour and at the Savy gate.  
¶ But as for railing against ima ges, purgatory, and 〈◊〉 to saints, and against the holy canon of the mass: all this he taketh for trifles/ and would we should reckon all these heresies of his for points well and sufficiently proved by that that he goth so boldly forth on biyond them & denieth the blessed body of christ itself in the blessed sacrament to.  
And where as he not only mocketh and jesteth against the old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and saints of 〈◊〉 catholic church, but against our saviour himself in his holy sacrament to: yet the sage sad ercnest holy man all made of gravity, sadness, and severity, must himself be reave rently reasoned with/ & may have no mokke of his, matched with no merry word of mine in no manner wise.  
¶ But yet like as if a right great man would wanton walk a mumming, and disguise himself, and with nice apparel dissemble. his parsonage, and with a fond viso hid and cover his visage, he must be content to be taunted of every good fellow that he meeteth, as merely as himself list to jest with them: so till master Masker here put of his masker's viso, and show forth his owue venerable visage, that I may see him such an honourable parsonage, as it may become him to say to me what he list, and me to requite his mocks with no merry word in this world, but stand still demurely and make him low courtesy again, I will not let in the mean time, while I wot near what he is, and while his wytteles writing maketh men ween he were a wild goose, to be so bold and homely with his mastership (as sorry as I am for him when he playeth the blasphemous best) to laugh yet & make merry with him where I see him play the fool.  
¶ Yet will I now let pass his repugnance, another folly of his. For if ever he defend his folly that I have showed you/ than shall he be fain to declare his repugnance himself. And therefore I leave that point for himself, that in defending his folly he may show his repugnance/ and so for defence of a single folly, prove himself thrice a fool, first in writing folly, secondly in writing repugnance, thirdly to be so foolish 〈◊〉 in defence of that one folly, to bring in the totherto.  
¶ Making therefore for this time no senger tale of his follies, which would make mine answer over long to bring them in all/ let us see some piece of his fruitful exposition.   

The. iii. chapter.  
IN the second leaf these are his words,  
I am the breed of life, and who so come to me that is to say, who so is gryffed and joined to me by faith, shall never hunger, that is who so believe in me is satissyed. It is faith therefore that stanncheth this hunger and thirst of the soul. Faith it is therefore in christ that filleth our hungry hearts, so that we can desire no nother if we once thus eat and drink him by faith/ that is to say if we believe his flesh and body to have been broken, and his blood shed for out sins, for than are our souls satisfied and we be justified.  
¶ The word of Chryst good reader with which he beginneth, is well and fully fulfilled, if it be understan den as I have before declared, that is to wit, that who so come once by well working faith, and perseverance therein, unto the meat that is christ, and attain possessyō and fruition of him in bliss, he shall never hunger nor thirst after.  
And besides this, divers good holy doctors expone these words of that eating of our saviour in the blessed sacrament also.  
¶ But surely I believe that it will be very hard for master Masker to verify the words of his holy ex position/ ye scant of some such piece thereof as seemeth at the first sight well laid as where he saith that faith so filleth our hungry hearts, and so stauncheth the hunger and thirst of our soul, that we be satisfied.  
¶ For I suppose that men are not sa tisfied here, neither with faith alone, nor with faith and hope and charity to/ but yet they hunger and thirst 
Eccle. 24.  still. For as our saviour saith, He that drinketh me shall yet thirst still, & long sore as he drinketh him in grace, so to drink him in glory.  
¶ But than tempereth master Masker his words of never thirsting, with that that he saith, that if we eat and drink god by faith, we shall ne ver hunger nor thirst/ but we be satisfied/ for the faith so filleth our hungry hearts, that we can desire none other thing, if we once thus eat him & drink him by faith. And than what it is to eat him & drink him by faith, he forthwith declareth as for the whole sum and ex position of faith and saith.  
That is to say if we believe his flesh and his body to have been broken, and his blood shed for our sins, for than are our souls satisfied and we be justified.  
¶ Lo here youse good readers that he saith that who so believeth this, here is all that needeth. For he that thus believeth is justified, and eateth and drinketh christ, and so his soul satisfied/ because he that so eateth him once, can never after hunger nor thirst. And why? For he can desire none other thing  
¶ first I ween that all men are not agreed, that he that longeth for none other thing, is not a thirst/ if he long still for more of the same. For if a man drink apynt of ale/ though he found himself so well content therewith, that he do not desire neither bear, wine nor water/ yet if his appe tyte be not so fully satisfied, but that he would fain of the same ale, drink a quart more, some man would say he were a dry soul & were a thirst again.  
¶ But now if this man meant any good in this matter, and would say that who so so eateth god as he hath him well incorporated in him, shall so have his hunger and his thirst slaked, that he shall not hunger and thirst after the pleasure of his body, nor after the goods & riches; nor after the pomp and pride of this wretched world: I would have suffered him go forth with his exposition, and not have interrupted it. And yet it could not (ye wot well) have well & fully served for the text, sith the text is, he shall never hunger nor thirst, which signifieth a taking away of desire and longing. And by this exposition though there be taken a way the desire & longing for other things/ yet remaineth there a desire and longing for more and more of the same.  
¶ But yet I would as I say have let it pass by and wink thereat, if he meant none harm therein. But now comech he after and declareth by ensample, what he meaneth by this his saying, that he that eateth and drinketh god by believing that he died for our sins, shall thirst and hunger for none other. For he saith, He shall desire none other, he shall not seek by night to lone another before whom he would lay his grief, he shall not run wandering here and there to seek deed stocks and stones.  
¶ 〈◊〉 good readers here is th'end of all this holy man's purpose/ for which he draweth the word of christ from the very thing that christ principally spoke of, unto another spyry tuall understanding, in turning the meat that christ spoke of, that is to wit the meat of his own blessed person, his godhead, and his manhood both, in to the meat of faith, to the intent that under the pretext of praising the true faith, he might bring in slily his very false wretched heresies, by which he would have no prayer made unto saints, nor their pilgrimages sought, nor honour done them at their images.  
¶ It is evident and plain that our saviour meant in this place to speak unto the Jews, neither against images nor saints/ but rather against the sensual appetite that they had to the filling of their belies with bodily meat/ the inordinate desire whereof made them the less apt and meet for spiritual food. And there 〈◊〉 he bode them that they should less care for that peryshable meat, and labour and work to win faith by prayer, and by faith to come to him. And because they so much hated and feared hunger and thirst, he would give them himself for their meat his very flesh and blood, ve cily here to eat, not dead but quick with soul and godhead therewith in this world/ which if they would well eat here, with a well working faith, he would give them the same, so in another world, that than should they never have thirst nor hunger after.  
¶ And he meant not that they should never when they had ones received him, thirst nor hunger after in this present world/ in which byside that they must both hunger and thirst, or else be ever eating and drinking to prevent their hunger and thirst, bysyde this I say they shall hunger and thirst still after god, if they be good.  
¶ Now if men will say that the pain of that hunger and thirst is taken away with hope, which greatly gladeth the heart: surely they that neither hunger nor thirst for heaven, nor care how long they be thence so that they may make merry here the while, and yet have an hope that they shall have heaven to when they go hens, they feel in their faint hope neither great pleasure nor pain. But he that hopeth well of heaven, and not only hopeth after it, but also 〈◊〉 thirsteth for it, as did saint Poule when he 
Philip. 1.  said I long to be dissolved, that is to have my soul loosed and departed fro my body and to be with christ/ such a man so, as he findeth pleasure in his hope, so findeth he pain in the delay of his hope. For as Solomon 
Prover. 13  saith. The hope that is dyffered and delayed, paineth and afflycteth the soul. But when men shall with 〈◊〉 eating of this meat of Christ'S blessed person, make than meet to eat it, and shall eat it by very fruition in heaven/ than all though they shall never be fastidyouse or weary thereof, but as they shall ever have it, so shall ever desire it (so that of that state may be said also, he that drinketh me shall yet thirst) yet because they shall not only alway desire it, but also alway have it, and so by the continual everlasting having thereof their everlasting desire everlastingly fulfilled, their desire shall ever be without any grief and pain, & ever full of everlasting pleasure/ so that of that state only the prophet david saith: I shallbe satiate or satisfied, 
Psal. 16.  when thy glory shall appear.  
¶ And this meant here our saviour christ/ and not that a man shall by his faith be fully satisfied in this wretched world, and never hunger nor thirst after here, as master Masker maketh here by his exposition, in turning the saturyte of heaven into a saturyte in this life/ and turning the very meat of Christ'S blessed person, into the only belief of Christ'S bitter passion/ & than bringeth all in conclusion to thavansing of his heresy against the blessed saints/ as though christ in those words had meant to speak against the honouring of his saints, wherewith he was so well content, that 
Math. 29  he promised saint Mary Mawdeleyn a perpetual honour in earth, for her devotion toward him in bestowing her costly glass of ointment upon him/ and promised his 
Math. 19  twelve apostles the honour of. xii. seats, to sit with him in judgement upon the world, for the dishonour and penury that they should sustain for him before in the world.   

The. iiii. chapter.  
ANd see now good reader also, how much pestilent poison master Masker hath in this piece of his exposition put here, by this one syllable once.  
¶ For it is not enough to him to say, that who so eat christ by faith shall never hunger (which words he might expone by perseverance and abiding still with him after his once coming to him, as christ meaneth by his) but he saith who so come to him by faith once, he shall never hunger nor thirst. And yet this word once, is not there in the text of Crystes words, but added by master Masker in his gloze.  
¶ And yet if master Masker were a good catholic man, I would not much mark his word, once.  
But sith he showeth himself well, that he is of master Tindals' sect, or is peradventure master 〈◊〉 himself, one of whose false heresyesis, that who so have once the faith can never after fall therefrom, nor never fall after into deadly sin: therefore I can not let master Maskers once, this once pass unmarked by me, by which he saith/ that who so come once to Cryst by faith, that is to say saith he, who so believe once that Crist suffered his passion for our sins, he shall never hunger nor thirst/ but that is he saith to be understanden that he shall never after desire none other.  
¶ But now would I wht of master Masker once again, what he meaneth by this word none other.  
If he mean that no man that once believeth that christ suffered 〈◊〉 for us, shall after at any time desire any other saviour, bysyde that he saith one false heresy in that word once. (For that faith may be once had and afterward lost again, as testify 
〈◊〉. 6.  not only all holy doctors & 
Roma. 11. 1. 〈◊〉. 10  the catholic faith, but the plain scripture to) he hath in those words I say bysyde that false heresy, a very false wily folly. For the catholic church of chrystcndome which he to wcheth in praying to saints & going in pilgrimages, do seek no saint as their saviour/ but only as them whom their saviour loveth, & whose intercession and prayer for them he willbe content to here, and whom for his sake he would they should honour, & whom while for his sake they do honour, the honour that is done them for his sake, specially redowndeth to himself/ as himself saith, he that heareth them heareth him, 
〈◊〉. 10  and he that despiseth them despiseth him, and in like wise he that wurshyppeth them for his sake worship peth him.  
¶ Now if master Masker will say that by these 〈◊〉, who so once believeth that christ died for us, shall never after desire none other: he meaneth that he shall so mind and desire ever after only Chryst, that he shall not hunger nor thirst nor desire after that any other thing but god. Than sith master Masker in this book of his, asketh me so many questions, and saith so often, I ask master More this: master Masker must of reason give M. More leave to ask Master masker some questions again.  
¶ Now might I ask him ye see well, whither he that hath had once that belief, should never after in such wise be an hungered, that he should desire his dinner. But than would master masker call me master Mokke, & say that it were but a scoffing question. And yet out of all question that same scoffing question would quite overthrow his earnest exposition. But now because I will not anger him, I will let that scof fing question go, & I will ask him now another manner thing `a thing of that weight & gravity, that it weigheth some souls down unto the deep pit of hell. For if master masker be master Tyndale, than will I ask him whither he being a pressed, desy red none other thing but only god, when sins that he said he had once that belief, he hath being a pressed broken his promise made once to god & gone ofter than once a wooing.  
¶ And if master Masker be master 〈◊〉 joy/ than would I ask him whither that after that belief once had, he desired nothing but god, when being a pressed he broke his promise to god/ and wedded a widow, and by such wedding never made her wife, but made her a presties harlot.  
¶ If master Maysker be neither of these twain, yet sith what so ever he be, he is a disciple of Luther and 〈◊〉 Huyskyn both (as contraryouse as they be both each of them to other) I shall ask him than, whither both his masters being both professed freres, and having both vowed perpetual chastity to god, did after that faith once had, never after desire any other thing but only god, not than when they broke both their solemn vows made unto god, and ran out of relpgyone and wedded, the tone a single woman, the t'other a nun, and made them frere's harlots both? did not then frere Luther and frere Huyskyn both contrary to master Maskers words, desire another, and each of them go seek by night to love another, before whom he would lay his grief? what answer shall master Masker make M. More to this? he must either confess against his own exposition, that after that belief had once, his own masters the archeretykes themself, thirsted in the desire of some other thing beside god, or else must he fall to blasphemy and call a frere's harlot god, or say that for God's sake they wedded, and than for his sake they wedded against his will, or else affirm finally that the masters of his faith had never the faith yet, not the self same faith that they teach. And why should any man than be so mad to give ear to such beretykes, & believe their faithless tallies?   

The. v. chapter.  
NOw handling his exposition and his doctrine of faith not only thus falsely but also thus foolishly to, as ye do now perceive: yet as though he had wonderful wisely declared some high heavenly mysteries that never man had herd of before, in the fourth lief he boasteth his great cunning in comparison of mine and saith.  
Had master more 〈◊〉 understanden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sentence, who so believe in me hath life everlasting, and known what Paul with the other 〈◊〉 preached, especially Paul being a year & an half among the Lorinthyes, determining not neither presuming, not to have known any other thing to be preached them (as himself saith) than 〈◊〉 christ, and that he was crucified: had M. More understoden this point, he should never thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 christ and his sufficient scriptures, 〈◊〉 have so belied his evangelists and holy apostles, as to say they wrote not all things necessary for our salvation, but left out things of necessity to be believed/ making god's holy testament insufficient and imperfect, first revealed unto our fathers, written eft sons by Moses and then by his prophytes, and at the last written both by his holy evangelists and apostles to. But turn we to 〈◊〉 again and let More mock still & lie to.  
¶ Had master Masker understanden the self same short sentence of christ that he speaketh of, & had master masker well understanden also the other short sentence of saint Poule that he now to wcheth/ & after those two texts well understanden, had looked upon his own book again: he would rather have eaten his own book but if he be shameless, than ever have let any man see his false folly for shame.  
¶ For first as for the first text to wching the breed & the belief, his false & foolish handling ye perceive more than plain, in that he saith it is nothing but faith, where christ saith it is himself.  
¶ Now the place that he to wcheth of saint Pouse in his first pistle to the Corynthyes, I marvel me much to see the madness of this Masker, that bringeth it forth for his purpose here. For as you see, he meaneth to make men ween, that by that place it were proved against my confutation, that th'apostles left no necessary thing unwritten.  
¶ Now of any other apostle ye see well he bringeth not one word for that purpose of his, nor of saint Pouse neither, but this one place/ which place sith he bringeth forth for the proof of their heresy, that there is nothing necessarily to be believed but if it may be proved by plain and evident scripture: it appeareth plain that master Masker there miss taketh saint Pouse, and weeneth that he preached nothing to them of Crist but only his passion. For else he might notwithstanding the words of that place, preach to them diverse things of christ by mouth, & leave it with them by tradition without writing to, which neither himself nor none of his fellows never wrote any time after. And of troth so he did, as I have proved at length in my work of Tyndals' confutation. Of which things one is among diverse other, the putting of the water with the wine in the chalice which thing christ did at his maundy when he did institute the blessed sacrament/ and after he taught the order thereof to saint Pouse himself by his own holy mouth/ and saint Poule so taught it again to the Corynthyes by mouth, and left it them first by tradition without any writing at all. And when he wrote unto them afterward thereof, he wrote it rather (as it well appeareth) upon a certain occasion to put them in remembrance of their duty in doing dew reverence to it, because it is the very blessed body of god, than in that place to teach them the maser and the form of consecrating the sacrament. For he had taught them that much more fully before by mouth, than he doth there by that writing. For as ye wot well though he tell them there what it is when they drink it, that is to wit the blood of our lord: yet he telleth them not there whereof they shall consecrate it. For he neither nameth wine nor water. And yet saith in the end that at his coming to them again, he will set an order in all other things. And where will master Masker show me all those thing written, & prove it to be all 〈◊〉  
¶ But here you see how madly master Masker understandeth that place of saint Pouse, when he taketh it in that wise, that he would thereby prove us that we were bounden to believe no more but that Chryst died for us.  
¶ And of troth you see that speaking of faith before, this is his very conclusion. In which when I red it and confuted it here now before: yet marked I not therein so much as I do now. For though he said there, if we once eat him and drink him by faith, that is to say if we hyleve his flesh and body to have been broken, and his blood shed for our synnies, than are our souls satisfied and we be instyfyed: I marked not as I say that he meant so madly as all men may now see he meaneth, that is to wit that men be bounden to believe nothing else, but that Chryst was crucified and died for our sins. Master masker maketh us a pretty short creed now.  
¶ But that he thus meaneth in deed, he now declareth plainly, when he would prove against me that no necessary thing was left unwritten, by those words of saint Poule by which he writeth to the Counthyes, 
1. Corin. 2  that he preached nothing among them but jesus christ and that he was crucified.  
¶ And as master Masker miss understandeth those words of saint Poule: so I perceive that long be fore master Masker was borne, there were some such other fools that miss took those words after the same fond fashion than/ and therefore affirmed that adultery was no deadly sin/ as these foolish folk affirm now that it is no deadly sin for a frere to wed a nun. And there argument was that if adultery had been deadly sin, saint Poule would have preached that point unto the Corynthyes. But he preached as himself saith in his pistle nothing unto them but Chryst and him crucified/ and thereupon they concluded that adultery was no deadly sin.  
¶ But saint austin answereth those fools and this fool to, that he preached not only Christ'S crucyfyxion. For than had he left his resurrection unpreched, and his ascension to, which both we be bounden as well to believe as his crucyfyxion, & many other things more beside. And therefore as saint austin saith to preach christ, is to preach both every thing that we must be bound to believe, and also every thing that we must be bounden to do to come to christ. And not as those fools & this fool teacheth, that we be justified if we believe no more but only that christ was crucified and died for our synnies.  
¶ And when master Masker saith that by affirming any necessary point to be left unwritten in the scripture I make gods holy testament insuf fycyent and unperfect, for all that it was first revealed unto our fathers, and eft written by Moses, & than by his prophets, and at last written both by his holy evangelists and apostles to: to this I say that god's testament is not insufficyent nor imperfect, though some necessary things be left out of the writing. For I say that his testament is not the writing only, but all the whole thing revealed by god unto his church, and resting and remaining therein, part in writing and part without writing still, as it was all together first without writing given. And see now good readers the wit of master Masker in this word of his. For if I make the testament of god unperfyt and insufficient, because I say that some necessary points thereof be not yet written: doth not he good readers say and affirm thereby, that it was all together unperfect & unsufficyent, all the while that god taught it himself by his own revelation of spirit, and that our saviour taught it himself by his own blessed mouth, till Moses and the prophets & th'apostles wrote it with the pen?  
¶ And when so ever that master Masker is able to prove that all these things which we be bounden to by leave more than that Chryst died for our synnies, are so fully written by Christ'S apostles, that they left none of them all unwritten: when he shall have proved this, let him than come hardly and bid master More mock on and lie on to. But now while he sayeth so, so far out of season: while my work of Tyndal's confutation hath proved my part so plainly, that neither himself nor all the heretics of them all shall well avoid it while they live: now may master More be bold to bid master masker go mokke on and lie on to.  
¶ And this may I now say to master masker the more boldly, sith you see that he understandeth not, or else willingly mysconstreweth the place of th'apostle that he bringeth forth himself, & saint 〈◊〉 gospel to, and would make us went that it were enough to salvation, to believe no more but that Chryst was crucified for our synnies. And than should we not need in deed to believe that we should do penance for our synnies ourself, nor to believe the presence of Chryst in the blessed sacrament neither. Which point they would have now taken for indifferent, and many necessary points more. whereof master masker would take away the necessity, because saint Poule saith he preached nothing to the Corynthies but Chryst and him to be crucified. Which argument of master masker were not even very strong, all though saint Pouse had at that time preached them nothing else, because he might then have begun with that, and preach them many more things after, or send it unto them by writing.  
¶ But now would I fain that master masker had gone a little ferther in the same pistle. For 〈◊〉 within three lines after it followeth, My preaching was not among you in persuasyble words of man's wisdom.  
¶ these words I lay not against master Masker/ for he keepeth himself sure enough for that point, and is ware well enough that he speak no persuasyble word of man's wise doom. But than saith saint Poule further. But my prerhing was among you in showing of spirit and of power, to th'intent that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of god.  
¶ Here may master Masker see that saint Poule because he taught strange doctrine, proved his doctrine not by subtle phylosophycall reasoning, nor by rhetoric & goodly fresh eloquence, but by miracles & the mighty hand of god.  
¶ Now if master Masker therefore wild believed/ reason is that he do as saint Pouse did, sith he teacheth as hard things & as strange to christen men, and as far against the christian faith as saint Poule & the other apostles taught either jews or paynims, thrnges hard and strange & far from the fashion of their false persuasion.  
¶ For setting aside all the whole heap of his other heresies: this one that he setteth forth in this pestilent book of his, against our saviour himself in the blessed sacrament, is as strange and as execrable in all good christian ears, and ever hath been sins Christ'S days, as ever was the preaching of Christ'S godhead among the gentylys or the jews either. And therefore if he will look to be believed as saint Poule was: reason is that he do miracles as saint Poule did.  
¶ If he say that he needeth not, for he proveth his doctrine by scripture: thereto first we say and say true, that in his so saying he lieth. And bysyde that we say that though he proved his doctrine by scripture in deed: yet sith it seemeth to the whole christian nations, that the scriptures proveth not his part but the contrary, and so have thought so long/ therefore as our saviour himself and his apostles after him, which by the scripture proved their part very truly to the jews, did yet for all that prove the truth of their such exposition by miracles: so must master masker prove his expositions by miracles to be true. For else sith our saviour though he would not work miracles at every man's bidding, said yet of the jews, 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉  that if himself had not done among them such works as no man else had done, their infidelity should not have been imputed unto them: we may well be bold to say to master masker, that except he work miracles to, he can of reason blame no man, that in th'exposition of holy scripture believeth better all the old holy doctors and saints, and all the hole catholic church than him.  
¶ And therefore while master masker would seem to play saint Poule & be an apostle here, to teach english men a new faith as saint Poule did the Corynthyes/ and than teaching thing as strange & as uncredible to christian men, as his were to the Paynims, & can not do miracles for his doctrine as saint Poule did for his/ but hath against him for our part such a multitude of miracles, that for the proof of any one thing there were never showed so many/ & when master Masker in stead of miracles proveth his expositions of scripture so foolish himself and so false, that to such as mark him well he may surely seem to mean nothing else but to mock: we may go forth in the matter, and let master Masker yet again mock on still and lie on to.   

The. v. chapter.  
IN the third leaf thus he saith, And the cause of this your blindness is (& will not say over hardly to you) that the father hath not drawn you into the knowledge of me or else ye had received me. For all that the father giveth me must come to me.  
¶ Master maskers exposition of these words (I will not say over hardly to him) is I promise you good readers very bare, and left of so shortly, and handled so slenderly, that his own friends could here scant think any other, than that liefer than he would lay hardly to the jews charge the fault of their own infidelity, he had liefer lay it in the neck of the father of heaven, & there leave it.  
¶ Those words and all the word of christ, in which is any hardness, his exposition so smoothly walketh over them, that he giveth no light unto the understanding of them no more than if he never touched them.  
¶ The brethren can not bear that my writing is so long. But surely it is no mastery for a man to be short, that can find in his heart to do as master masker doth, leave all the hard places undeclared.  
¶ For he no where sticketh but upon the places, in which he falsely laboureth by the colour of his exposition of a spiritual eating by faith to hide and withdraw the very literal truth and the very faith in deed, by which, our saviour teacheth us to believe/ that the thing which in the blessed sacrament we spiritually must eat and bodily both, is his own very flesh in deed.   

The. seven. chapter.  
IN the end of the fourth lief he expoundeth these words of Crist, And this breed that I shall aeve you is mine own flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. And for as much as at those word specially bygynneth between him and me the way to part in twain, and he to go the tone and I the t'other/ he drawing it all to that point as though Chryst there began to show them none other thing of his flesh, but the giving it upon the cross, and that he nothing in all those words meant to tell them of the giving of his flesh to eat, that he giveth in the blessed sacrament/ and I there expowning it that he there telleth them of both, but specially of the giving of his flesh to be eaten, which ge giveth in the blessed sacrament: therefore at those words good readers begin to take special good heed to master Maskers fingers. For there he specially beginneth to play a mummers cast with his false dice. And therefore confer his exposition upon the same words with mine, and than shall ye bid him cast again, for that cast goth for nought.   

The. seven. chapter.  
IN the fifth leaf thus he saith, No marvel was it though these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jews abhorred the bodily eating of Lhry fles flesh, albe it our flellhefy papyftes being of the jews carnal opinion, yet abhor it not.  
¶ What thing more false, more foolish, or more blasphemous could any brute best say than this? For the jews had an opinion that he would have them eat his flesh in the very form of flesh/ and (as saint austin 
August. in enarra. in psalm, 98.  saith) they thought they shod eat it deed cut out in gobbets as sheprs' flesh is in the shamellies.  
And now is not master masker ashamed to rail, upon all good chry sten people under the name of papists, and say that they be all of the jews carnal opinion. Doth any man that receiveth the blessed sacrament, think (as the jews' thought) that the flesh of christ that he receiveth , is in form of flesh, cut out in gobbets as shepys flesh is sold in the shamells, and not in form of breed? If master masker were now bare faced himself, he were wonderful shameless if he could endure to look any man in the face for shame.  
¶ Now as this was good readers written (as you see) moste falsify that he saith we be of the jews opinion: so where he saith that we abhor not to eat Christ'S flesh in the sacrament/ that is yet written ye see well as foolishly.  
¶ For the wise goodness of god hath as the old holy doctors declare, goe vyn us his flesh not in form of flesh, but in form of breed, because we should not abhor it. And therefore what horrible sight seeth this fool in the blessed sacrament, for which he should abborre to receive it?  
But where was there ever a more blasphemous bestely word spoken, than this frantyke fool speaketh here: that mocheth and raileth upon all good christian people in this. xv. C. year. because they do not abhor to receive the blessed body of christ in such wise given us by christ, that no creature can abhor it, but either devils or devils fellows 〈◊〉   

The. ix. chapter.  
THan sayeth master Masker ferther in the same place, Neither cease they daily to crucylye and offer up Chryst again, which was once for ever and all, offered up as Poule testifieth hebre. 9  
¶ To what lewd boldness it giveth, when a man may walk about in a vysor unknown? Master masker careth not what he saith while his vysor of dissimulation is on, that men know him not. For who saith that Chryst is daily new crucified? Troth it is that the church saith that Chryst is at the altar every day offered, his own blessed body in the sacrament. This of troth the church saith, and that christ is our daily sacrifice. But no man saith that he is daily crucified of new, and daily put to new pain. But as he was unies crucified and killed & offered on the cross, so is that one death oblation and sacrifice daily represented, by the self same body the only quick sacrifice and oblation that god hath left unto his new christian church, instead of all the manifold sacrifices and oblations of this old synagogue the jews. And that ye may know that I fain you not fantasies: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declareth it very plainly, whose words are these. what is that than that we do? Do 
Chriso. hom. 17 in epist. ad 〈◊〉.  not we offer daily? yes forloth. But we do it in remembrance of his death. And this host is one host & not many. Now is it one host and not many? For because that host was once offered, and was offered into 〈◊〉 holiest tabernacle, and 〈◊〉 sacrifice is a copte or example of that. we offer alway the self same, Nor we offer not now one lamb, & to 〈◊〉 another, but 〈◊〉 the same. This sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one. For else because it is 〈◊〉 in many places at one's/ ate there many 〈◊〉 verily. For it is but one Crist every where, being both here hole, & there hole one 〈◊〉 For in like manner as he that is 〈◊〉 every where, is but one body and not many bodies: so it is also but one sacrifice. And he is our bishop that 〈◊〉 the host that cleanseth us we offer 〈◊〉 also the same host 〈◊〉 was than offered, and can 〈◊〉 be consumed. And this that we do, is done in remembrance of that that was done. For (he faith) do ye this in remembrance of me. It is none other sacrifice/ as it is none other bishop but alway we do the same, or rather we make a remembrance of that same sacrifice.  
¶ what words can there he 〈◊〉, to prove master Masker a very fond blasphemous 〈◊〉 than these? by which this holy doctor saint Crysostome, against master Masker mocking here the mass, 〈◊〉 his false folly clearly. And not only showeth that it is a sacrifice and an 〈◊〉: but also showeth that it is the daily 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 fame offering & sacrificing, by which he was sacrificed & offered up on the 〈◊〉. And yet to stop master mass 〈◊〉 mouth in the hole matter: he she 〈◊〉 that this 〈◊〉, this blessed sacrifice the sacrament of the altar, is all one oblation, all one host, though it be offered at once in never so many places. And he showeth also, that it is the very self same body that was offered on the cross. And that in this sacrifice of offering up the self 〈◊〉 body in the 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉, as a 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 after a 〈◊〉 and do 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 same sacry fyee, by which Chryst the very self same body was 〈◊〉 on the cross.  
¶ Now can master Masker & more plainly 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉, than saint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foundeth him, upon 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 folly she 〈◊〉 he mouse 〈◊〉 of his? with which be realeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the church, and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as though the church at this day 〈◊〉 put christ to new pain, because his death is represented in the mass, and of his goodness his very blessed body offered up daily a sweet sacrifice for our synnies.  
¶ Lracian also reciteth in the decrees for our purpose in every ponnt, as effectual words of saint Ambrose de consecrat. distinctione 2. cap. In Chrysto semef.  
¶ Saint austin also in the. xvi. 
Augu. 〈◊〉. 16. 〈◊〉 civitare del.  book de civitate dei, saith of the holy mass in this wise.  
That sacrifice is succeeded into the place of all those sacrifices of the old law, which sacrifices were offered for a shadow of the thing to come. And for that cause also we know that voice in the. xxxix. psalm, the prophe cye of our mediator christ, where he saith, sacrifice & oblation thou wouldest not have, but the body thou hast perfected me. For in the stead of all those sacrifices and oblations, his body is offered and ministered unto them that willbe part takers of it.  
¶ What speak I of saint Crysostome and saint austin, all the old holy doctors and saints of christ church, without any exception, were ever more clear in this point that master Masker here now denieth and thus jesteth on, that the blessed sacrament in the mass is a sacry fyce & an oblation.  
¶ And this can not master Masker himself deny. For his own first master Martin Luther, the late well spring of all this flood of heresies, in his pestysent book of babilonica, puttynae forth this heresy that master Masker toucheth here, that the blessed sacrament in the mass is no sacrifice, nor none oblation, objecteth agarnst himself & saith thus.  
Now must we take away another 
Martinns Luther in capt. babi.  occasion of ruin, that is that the mass is every where believed to be a sacrifice, that is offered unto god.  
And for that opinion, semen to sown the canon of the mass, where it is said, these gifts, these holy sacrifices, this oblation and offering. And therefore is christ called the host or sacrifice of the altar. Than cometh there also on this part the sayings or sentences of the holy fathers and than so many exemples.  
¶ Against all these things because they be very fastly received, we must very constantly object the words & ensample of christ at his maundy.  
¶ And afterward he saith again, what shall we say than to the canon of the mass and to the sayings of the old holy doctors and saints: I say that if we have nothing else to say: let us yet rather deny them all, than grant that the mass should be any good work or any sacrifice, lest we should deny the word of christ, and cast down faith & 〈◊〉 and all.  
¶ Thus you see good readers that Luther himself confesseth, that in this heresy against the sacrifice and oblation of the mass, which master Masker with two other he resyes to, bringeth here forth now, the old holy doctors and saints are against him/ and than were we wise, if we would ween that Martyne Luther & master masker evil christian heretics understand Chri stes words better, than everdyd all the holy doctors of Christ's church before.  
¶ And thus you see good readers what a compendious writer master masker is, that hath in less than three lines, compacted up together such three abominable blasphemous heresies, as the devil himself never devised vurse.  
¶ In the sixth the. seven. the. viii. the ix. the. x. leaf, he hath certain arguments against all men in general, that expone those words of christ in the sixth chapter of johin, to be spoken and meant of the very eating of his blessed body in the sacrament, and not only of a spiritual eating by bysyefe of his death. And some solutions hath he there such as they be, against mine argument in specyaff made unto Fryth: All which things I will sort into their places a part from his exposition, so that ye may see some of the fawtes of his exposition by themself, and his arguments answered by themself, and his solutions avoided by themself, and the notable notes that he maketh of my notable repugnaunces last of all laid open to you by themself, because I will lay all thing in order plain before your eyen/ so that when ye see the thing in such wise before you without interlacing, ruffle, & confusion: ye shall the more easily judge whither master Masker in his mummery be an honest man, or else a false haserder and play with false dice.   

The. x. chapter.  
IN the. xi. leaf, after that in the other ten before he had spoken many times of faith alone, and that the only byliefe of far fewer things than we be bounden in deed to believe, when it were once had, should both satisfy the soul & also make us safe forever: it appeareth in that lief that either his own mind began to miss give him, or else some other wily brother gave him warning, that this manner writing of faith alone would make all the world to wonder on him. For Luther himself writing first on the same fashion. that faith alone was sufficient for salvation, though it pleased idle unthrifts very well, that were glad to be by bare faith discharged of all good wurks: it was yet so sore abhorred among all honest men, that both himself & all his sect were fain to seek some plasters of false gloss, to he'll the foul marmole of their scabbed shynnies, that they had gotten by that text of their false faith alone.  
¶ And than they said that they meant that manner faith, that had alway both hope and charity with it.  
But than could not that gloze serve them. For that manner faith taught ever the comen catholic church 〈◊〉 che they reproved. And also that gloze marred their text, and was clean con trary to all their tale. For all the text of their preaching had been of faith alone, and their gloze was of faith not alone, but encompanied with two good fellows pardie, the tone called hope and the other charity.  
¶ Now therefore either upon this fere of his own mind, or upon this advertisement of some other man: master Masker to mend his exposition with, and to make all the matter safe, hath at the last in the end of the. xi. leaf, plastered his marmoll of his only faith on this fashion. By love we abide in god & he in us. Love followeth faith in the order of our understanding, and not in order of succession of time, if thou lookest upon the self gifts and not of their fruits. So that 〈◊〉 pally by faith whereby we clean to god's goodness and mercy, we abide in god and god in us, as declare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 following, saying, 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 father sent me, so live I by my father. And even so he that 〈◊〉 me, shall live because of me or for my 〈◊〉. My father sent me, whose will in all things I obey, for I am his son. And even so verily must they that eat me, that is believe in me, form and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after my ensample, mortefyeng their 〈◊〉 and changing their living, or 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 me in vain and dissemble their belief. For I am not comen to redeem the world only, but also to change their life. They therefore that believe in me, shall transform their life after mine 〈◊〉 and doctrine, and not after any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
¶ This plaster good readers hath some good 〈◊〉. But it is both to narrow by a great deal to cover his scald shyn, & hath also some 〈◊〉 apothecary druggys' put in it that can do no good, and some thing also 〈◊〉 to his remedy.  
¶ But 〈◊〉 us now consider his words. first where he saith, that by 〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉 in god and god in 〈◊〉: he sayeth troth, for so saith the scripture/ but that is to be understand as long as we love him, and not dwell so still in him. But when we break his 〈◊〉, and thereby declare that we love him not as the scripture also saith/ against which scripture master Tyndase saith that he that hath once a feeling faith, can never fall therefrom, and against the same scripture master Masker saith that faith once had sufficeth for salvation.  
¶ And master Masker maketh yet his matter much worse than 〈◊〉 Tyndase. For Tyndase did yet at the lest wise make some bumbling about a colour for the matter, with a long process of historical faith & feeling faith. whose false wily 〈◊〉 therein, I have so confuted in my 〈◊〉 futacyon, that though he write again therein, as long as ever he liveth he shall never shake of the shame.  
¶ But master Masker handleth the matter both more wilily than Tyndale doth, & yet much more foolishly to. For seeing that his saying can not be defended: he ruffleth up all the matter shortly in a few words, both for sparing of labour, 〈◊〉 also because he would not have his words well understanden, but that his words might stand for a short text, which he would leave for every other good brother to make some good gloze thereto to maintain it with.  
¶ For in his next word following where he saith, Love followeth faith in the order of our understanding, & not in the order of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉, if thou lookest upon the self gifts 〈◊〉 not upon their fruits: in these few dark words he would both show his 〈◊〉 before unlearned men, and leave them also undeclared, because he would have them ween that his high 〈◊〉 passeth their low capacitees  
¶ But yet in these words he iugleth with us, and may with his wiliness beguile them that will take none heed. But who so look well to his hands shall perceive where his galls go well enough.  
¶ For true it is that when so 〈◊〉 god infoundeth either thabit of 〈◊〉, or the full perfit quick lively 〈◊〉 that is called fides formata: infoundeth in like wise hope and charity both. But this is not the faith alone. For faith is never such faith, but while he hath his two fellows with him. But faith may be 〈◊〉 tarry to, before his two fellows come to him. As a man may believe well long ere he will do well. And 〈◊〉 may tarry also when both his fellows be gone from him, as he that hath had all three, may by deadly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 faith alone remain. And faith may come and continue still, and neither of both his fellows never come at him at al. As where a man believeth truly every article of the faith/ and yet hath never the will to work well nor never willbe baptized, but after dieth in despair. And in all these cases is it faith alone. And because it neither worketh well, nor hath will to work well, neither in act nor in habit: therefore is it called fides informis, and a deed faith. Not deed in the nature of faith or belief/ but deed as to the attaining of everlasting life.  
¶ Now would master Masker juggle & make us believe, that he meaneth the first manner of faith that is quick and lively, by the reason that it hath good hope & charity therewith.  
¶ But I can not suffer you good christian readers to be so be guiled, 〈◊〉 such a fond false juggler For if ye take heed unto him/ ye shall soon perceive that he is even but a very bungler.  
¶ For when that he first telleth 〈◊〉 what belief is sufficient, & 〈◊〉 that if we once eat & drink 〈◊〉 by faith, and than expoundeth the hole sum of all that faith saying, that is to say, if we believe his flesh and his body to have been broken, and his blood shed for our synnies, than ate our souls satisfied & we be justified and now addeth thereunto, that love followeth faith in the order of our understanding and not in the order of succession of time, by which he meaneth the every man hath charity 〈◊〉 more as soon as he hath faith: 〈◊〉 may clearly see that he saith that a man hath charity ever as soon as he hath that faith. So that by him who believeth ever believeth that christ died for us: he hath both faith hope & 〈◊〉, though he believe nothing else.  
¶ But now is this a very false devilish doctrine. For this is no full faith. For a man may believe this, & yet leave many a thing unbyleved, which we be bounden to believe bysyde. And therefore you may well see, that though the theologycall virtue of full and perfayt faith, have all way cheryte together infounded with it: yet master Maskers faith that is neither perfit nor full, may be not in the beginning only, but also ever after without any charity at all.  
¶ Also where he saith, that the faith that he describeth once had; is sufficient/ & speaketh of no perseverance: a man may, well see that his saying is insufficient. For both that faith standing, a man may well fall fro charity. And than though he had onis charity as soon as that faith (if that bare faith without more were possible to have charity with it) yet might it lack charity after. And also that faith might itself fall quite away to. For he that once believeth every article of the faith, and than can fall from any, as master Masker is fallen from many: may little and little fall from them everichone. For I dare well say that master Masker believeth no point that he believeth most surely, any thing more surely now, than he hath believed ere this, diverse of those points which he now believeth lest if he believe as he writeth.  
¶ And thus good readers you see, that where as his marmose is more than an handful broad: this plaster of his passeth not the breedeth of apeny. For I dare say the devil believeth at this day as much as master masher saith that is sufficient, that is to wit that Chryst died for our sin, and yet hath he no charity. Nor no more hath no man that will believe no more but that/ or though he do believe more than that, will yet think that he believeth all the remanant but of his courtesy, & not one whit more of duty.   

The. xi. chapter.  
NOw where he saith further, So that principally by faith whereby we 〈◊〉 to god's goodness and mercy, we abide in god and god in us, as declare his words fo 〈◊〉, saying, As the living father sent me, so live 〈◊〉 by my father. And even so he that eateth me, shall live because of me or for my sake.  
¶ This is a very false naughty declaration of Christ'S words. For where as the holy doctors do declare those words as I before have showed you, that like as our saviour had his eternal life of his father before any beginning of time in that his father eternally before all time begat him and his flesh, not of his own nature but by the conjunction that it had with the godhead, had now the same life and so lived for the father, so should he that eateth that flesh according to Christ'S institution with due circumstances of faith and good hope, and charity well willing to work, attain ever lasting life also, by reason of his 〈◊〉 and incorporation with his everlasting flesh, so I say 〈◊〉 way if the eater eat it with 〈◊〉 de we circumstances requisite/ so that like as they receive not his holy flesh deed as the jews had went, but quick with holy spirit joined thereto, so their souls may join with his spirit as their flesh joineth with his: where as the holy doctors I say do expone these words thus, now cometh master Masker and saith, that in these words Chryst teacheth us that we abide in him and he in us, not principally by charity but principally by faith.  
¶ Now good reder what one word of those words of christ, any thing so 〈◊〉 to the maintenance of master Maskers 〈◊〉, that god is in us and we in him, principally by faith? The scripture saith, God is charity, and he that dwelleth in charity dwelleth in god, & god in him.  
¶ Now if master Masker would have 〈◊〉, the by faith a man might eat the flesh of christ, and by faith might dwell in god: if master Masker were a good catholic man, I would for so far find no fault in his exposition.  
For it might have a meaning good enough, bysyde the literal sense of Christ'S words. But now when he contendeth that this is the lytteral sense, and therewith would shake of the very eating that our saviour meant in the blessed sacrament, and bear us in hand that our saviour mente not so, but meant an only eating of his flesh by a bare belief of his death, and not the very bodily eating at all/ & that in those words he meant that though we dwell in god by love, yet not principally by love, but pryn cypally by faith, as to which virtue the virtue of charity were but a follower and a perpetual hand maid, where there is in those words of christ not one syllable swooning toward it: what good christian man can abide it? namely while the scripture by plain words condemneth it, & saith, fides, spes, charitas, tria 
1. 〈◊〉. 13  hec maior horum charitas. Faith, hope, and charity, these three, but the principal of these is charity.   

The. xii. chapter.  
NOw where he goth good reader further forth yet upon these words, and saith,  
My father sent me, whose will in all things I obey, for I am his son. And even so verily must they that eat me, that is believe in me, form and 〈◊〉 them after my ensample, 〈◊〉 their flesh and changing their living, or 〈◊〉 they eat me in vain and dissemble their belief.  
¶ Though these words here seem very good: yet while they be all written unto this one intent, that this gay flourish should so glytter in our eyen, that we might thereby be blinded and not beware of the perilous pit into which he goth about to cast us, that is to make us ween that our saviour in saying that we should eat his flesh, meant no very eating thereof in that blessed sacrament but only a spiritual eating by believing that he died for our synnies, as here he declareth again, they that eat me that is believe in me &c: while all draweth I say to that end, his tale is nought all together.  
¶ And yet it is a world also to see, the blindness that the devil hath driven into him, by which he can not be suffered to see, that by these self same words with which he would advance his purpose, he very plainly destroyeth it.  
¶ For his purpose is ye wot well, to make us ween that faith were not only the principal/ but also that faith hath ever love waiting upon her, and following her as her unseparable servant/ as heat ever followeth the fire. And now you see that he saith here, that who so do not form and fashion them after Chry stes ensample, do eat him in vain. And than to eat him he saith is but to believe in him. And so he sayeth without good living, that is to 〈◊〉 without charity, the belief is but in vain. Now to believe in vain, is ye wot 〈◊〉 to believe, and yet have his belief fruitless for lack of that love, that is the theological virtue called charity.  
¶ And thus ye see good readers how well and cyrcumspectely master Masker looketh to his matter, that when he hath told us that faith never lacketh charity forgetting 〈◊〉 self forth with, telleth us himself within ten lines after, that faith may lack charity, and therefore be but in vain.  
¶ Now where he saith, or else they dissemble their belief: I will not dissemble with him, but tell him very plain, that as great a dissembler as he is, he woteth not as it seemeth what this word dissembling meaneth, or else wot I near what he meaneth thereby. For a man dissembleth the thing that he hath and will not be a known thereof/ as a man dissembleth his ha tere, when he hateth one & feigneth himself his friend to cover his hatred with. And so we say that a man dissembleth a thing that he secth it and will not see it, but maketh as though he saw it not. But no man does sembleth the thing that he seeth not in deed, nor the thing that he hath not in deed, but maketh as though be saw it or had it. For he feigneth or lieth, and not dissembleth. As in the latin tongue (whereof this english word cometh) ille simulat non dissimulat. And therefore if master masker mean here by these words, or ellye they dissemble their belief, any other thing than they feign a byleyfe, making as though they believed and do not: let him not dissemble with me, but tell me what other thing he meaneth. And if he mean by those word none other thing than that: than will I not dissemble with him, but tell him the plain truth that he may peradventure mean wisely enough, but he speaketh but like a fool. For by that word he saith the clear contrary that is to wit that they make as though they believed not, but yet they do.   

The. xiii. chapter.  
BUt now at last he concludeth all together thus.  
For I am not comen to rebeme the world only, but also to change their life. They therefore that believe in me, shall transform their life after mine ensample and doctrine, and not after any many tradysyone.  
¶ I will not here hold a long dyspycyon with master Masker upon man's traditions, by which word he would have all the laws made by men utterly set at nought/ and would have man bound but either by the plain word of scripture, or else by his own express agreement and consent. For Luther saith that neither man nor angel can make the bond of any one syllable upon any christian man, without his own express consent/ so that no saw can be made by that wise reason, by the prince and the people, to hang up either these or murderer, or to burn up an heretic, but if the thiefs, murdeters, and heretics will consent and agree thereto themself. Nor no law made this day, can bind him that shall be borne to morrow, till he come to good age & agretherto first himself, as our sovereign lord the kings grace most prudentely laid against Luther.  
¶ But I let this folly of master Masker pass/ and this also that the traditions, which these heretics be worst content withal, be the traditions of the apostles, which they delivered to the church, as christ not by writing but by tradition, delivered the things to them. For which saint Poule saith, Ego enim 
1. 〈◊〉. 11  accepi a 〈◊〉 quod tradidi vobis, For I have received the thing of our lord by tradition, without writing the which I have also delivered unto you. As though he would say, as I have received it by tradition or delivery of our lord, so without writing I have delivered it by tradition to you  
¶ I will let pass all these avauntages (which I might as ye see take against master Masker here) and I will well allow these words of his for this once, so that himself will stick and stand by them stiffly, and confess that they that transform not their life after Christ'S ensample and doctrine, have either their belief in vain, or else make as though they believed, and have no belief at all.  
¶ This once agreed between him and me: I if he will rail upon the priests and prelate's of the cathosyke church for doing of the contrary, let him name who they be and wherein they do it, and by my troth in such evil doing/ they shall never be defended for me.  
¶ But than of reason must master Masker give me leave again, to put hrm in remembrance of the priests and prelate's of their heretics sects/ and I will speak of none but by name. Frere Luther I will name him the chief and principal author of their heresies. I will name him frere Lambert/ dane Oath the cartusyan, zungtius the pressed, and the pressed Pomeran, & frere Duyskyns the frere brigittane. These be lo the very prelate's and bishops metropolytanies and postles of their sects.  
¶ Now will I than ask master Masker what ensample of christ or what doctrine of christ he can show, by which those holy prelate's of these new sects evil christen caytyffes that have so wed all this sedition, have broken their holy vows and promises made unto god, and run out of their orders/ and to the shame of matrimony & holy orders both, speak of the spirit, and fall to the flesh? which while they have all done, against the doctrine and ensample as well of christ as of all holy doctors and saints, & of all good christian people sith the death of Christ unto this their own wretched time; and now teach it forth for a doctrine, reason it is that master Masker confess, that all the prelate's of his sundry sects, either have but a vain saith, or 〈◊〉 make as they had faith and have no faith at all. And than are there no man's 〈◊〉 so evil as are their own, being themself so evil men as they be. And why should we than here master Masker preach, either their faith or traditions either, while their faith is either vain faith or else false and none at all, and their doctrine as devilish doctrine as them shelf are devilish men/ and more devilish I ween is scant the devil himself.  
¶ Thus have I good readers noted you certain pieces of master Maskers exposition, by which as by a taste of a draft or twain, ye may see what poisoned drink is in the whole vessel. And now shall I come to his arguments, which he maketh in general against all them that expowne this place of Christ words in the sixth chapter of saint john, to be spoken or meant of that eating, by which we eat christ blessed body in the blessed sacrament.   
Here endeth the second book.   

The third book,  

The first chapter.  
IN the fifth leaf upon his exposition of these words, and the breed which I shall give for the life of the the world thus he argueth.  
And even her sith christ came to teach, to take 〈◊〉 way all doubt and to break strife, he might (〈◊〉 words otherwise declared than he hath declared & will hereafter expone them) have soluted their question: saying (if he had so meant as More expoundeth) that he would have been conveyed and connerted (as our jugglers slightly can convey him with a few word) into a singing loaf, or 〈◊〉 (as the Chomystycall papists say) been invisible with all 〈◊〉 dimensioned body under the form of bredetranssubstancyated into it. And after a like Chomistycall mystery, the wine transsubstancyated to into his blond, so that they should eat his flesh and drink his blond after their own carnal 〈◊〉 anding (but yet in another form) to put away all grudge of stomach. Or sith saint 〈◊〉 (it he had thus understood his masters mind, and took upon him to write his masters wordee) would leave this sermon unto the world to be red, he my 〈◊〉 now have delivered us and them from this doubt. But Chryst would not so satisfy their question, but answered, verily verily I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, ye shall not have that life in yourselves. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blond, hath life everlasting, and I shall steve him up in the last day. For my flesh is very meat & my blood the very drink. He saith not here that breed shallbe transsubstancyated or converted into his body, nor yet the wine into his blood.  
¶ 〈◊〉 good christian readers this man here in a foolish jesting and much blasphemous raising manner, against the conversion of the breed and wine into the blessed body and blood of christ in the hlessed sacrament, in conclusion as for a clear confutation of me & of saint Thomas both, upon which holy doctor and saint he folly shely jesteth by name, he argueth as youse, that 〈◊〉 Chryst had intended to have given them his flesh and his blood in the sacrament, than might he have decla red it more openly with more words and more plainly. And than master Masker deviseth Chryst the words that he would have had him say if he had so meant. And therein the blasphemous best deviseth, that he would have had our saviour say, that he would play as jugglers do, and slily convey himself into a singing loaf/ & that our saviour so doth, he saith is mine opinion. wherein the man is shameless & shamefully belieth me. For I say as the catholic faith is, that he not conveyeth but converteth the breed into his own body, and changeth it therein to/ and neither conveyeth (as he speaketh) his body into the breed (for than were the breed and his bless said body both together still, which false opinion is Luther's heresy and that knoweth this man well enough, and therefore showeth himself shameless in laying that opinion to me) nor also converteth not his blessed body into breed, for that were yet much worse. For than remaineth there nothing else but breed still/ & that is ye wot well master Maskers own heresy for which he writeth against me/ and therefore is he double shameless (as you see) to say any such thing of me.  
¶ But in conclusion theffect of all his fond argument is, that evynthere in that place to break strife & to soil all their doubt, our lord might & would have done at the self communication, or else at the lest wise 〈◊〉 at the time of his writing, might and would have told them plainly that they should eat it, noti form of flesh but in form of bred. But neither our saviour than told them so, nor thevangrelyste hath told us so in the reporting of his words spoken to them: ergo it must nests be that christ meant not so.  
¶ This is master Maskers argu meant which he liketh so specially, that afterward in another place, he harpeth upon the same string again. But surely if the man be in scripture any thing exercised, than hath he a very poor remembrance. And whrthet be be scryptured or not he hath a very bare barren wit, when he can ween that this argument were aught.  
¶ For first (as for the scripture) can he find no more places than one, in which our saviour would not tell out plainly all at once?  
¶ Could Chryst of the sacrament 
john. 3  of baptism have told no more to Nichodemus if he had would? 
Math. 12   
Could he to the jews that asked him a token, have told them no more of his death, sepulture, and resurrection, but the figure of the prophet jonas three days swallowed in to that whales belly?  
¶ When his disciples asked him 
Actu. I  〈◊〉 the restitution of the kingdom of Israel, and miss took his kingdom for a worldly kingdom: did he forth with declare them all that ever he could have told them? or all that ever he told them thereof at any other time after? nay nor thevangelist in the rehearsing neither.  
¶ 〈◊〉 this man either never red or else forgotten, that all be it our saviour came to be known for christ & sometime declared him so himself: yet at some other times he forbade his disciples to be a known thereof? So that as for the scriptures (except he have either little red, or little remembered of them) would have made master Masker to forbear this foolish argument for shame.  
¶ But now what wit hath this man that can argue thus, when he should (if he had wit) well perceive his argument answered, by the like made against himself upon the very self same place.  
¶ For master masker saith here that our lord meant nothing else, but to tell them of the giving of his flesh to the death for the life of the world, and to make them believe that. Now ask I therefore master Masker, whither christ could not have told them by more plain words than he did there (if it had so been his pleasure) that he should die for the sin of the world, and in what wise also. If master Masker answer me no: I am sure every wise man will tell him yes. For he spoke there not half so plainly of the giving of his body to be slain, as he did of giving it to be eaten. For as for his death, not so much as once named it, but only sayeth, And the breed that I shall give you is mine own flesh, which I shall give for the life of the word. In which words he not once nameth death. But of the eating, he speaketh so expressly by and by, and so spoke before, all of eating, & much more afterward to, that he gave them little occasion to think that he meant of his death any word there at all, but of the eating only.  
¶ And some great holy doctors also, construe those whole words, And the breed that I shall give is my flesh which I shall give for the life of the world, to be spo ken only of the giving of his bless said body in the sacrament, and neither the first part nor the second to be spoken of his death. But that in the first part christ showeth what he would give them to eat, that is to wit his own flesh, and in the second part he showed them why he would give the world his flesh to eat, and what commodyle they should have by the eating of it/ saying, that he would give it men to eat for the life that men should have by the eating of it. And therefore he pursueth forth both upon the eating thereof, and upon the life that they shall lack that will not eat it, and of the life that they shall have that will eat it. So that as I say christ spoke and meant after the mind of some holy cunning men, but of the eating only/ but by all good men of the eating specially, and without any manner question of the eating most plainly, as of which he speaketh by name expressly. And of his death (if he there spoke of it as divers holy doctors think he did) yet he spoke it so covertly, that he rather meant it than said it/ as the thing whereof he nothing named, but only the giving to eat. So that where as master Masker argueth, that christ nothing meant of giving of his flesh to be eaten in the sacrament, but only of his flesh to be crucified because that if he had meant of his flesh to be eatyn in the sacrament, he could and would have told them plainly so: ye see now good readers very plain proved by the self same place, that sith master Masker can not say nay, but that of his body to be given by death, Chryst could have spoken much more plainly than he did in that place, as well as he could have spoken more plainly of the giving of his body to be eaten in the blessed sacrament, master Mass kers own argument (if it were aught as it is nought) utterly destroyeth all his own exposition whole. And therefore ye may see that the man is a wise man and well over seen in arguing.   

The. two chapter.  
IN the. xi. leaf he hath an other argument, toward which he maketh a blind induction before. And because ye shall see that I will not go about to beguile you: I will rehearse you his induction first, and than his argument after. These are his words  
When the jews would not understand this spiritual saying of the eating of Christ'S flesh and drinking of his blood so oft and so plainly declared: he gave them a strong trip, and made them more blind for they so deserved if (such are the secret judgements of god) adding unto all his sayings thus. who so eat my flesh and drink my blood, abideth in me and I in him. These words were spoken unto the 〈◊〉 into their farther obstination, but unto the faithful for their better instruction. Now gather of this the contrary, and say, who so eateth not my flesh and drinketh not my blood, abideth not in me nor I in him/ & join this to that foresaid sentence, except ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Let it never fall 〈◊〉 thy mind christian reader, that faith is the life of the rightwise, and that Chryst is thy living breed whom thou eatest that is to say in whom thou believest.  
¶ Here is master Masker fall to juggling so/ and as a iugser layeth forth his trynclettes upon the table and biddeth men look on this & look on that and blow in his hand/ and than with certain strange words to make men muse/ whurseth his juggling stick about his fingers to make men look upon that/ while he playeth a false caste and conveyeth with the other hand some thing slily into his purse or his sleeve or some where out of sight/ so fareth master Masker here/ that maketh Christ's holy word serve him for his juggling boxes and sayeth them forth upon the board afore us/ and biddeth us lo look on this text/ and than soak so upon this/ and when he hath she wed forth thus two or three texts and bid us look upon them he telleth us not wherefore/ nor what we shall find in them. But because they be so plain against him he letteth them slynke away/ and than to blear our eyen/ and call our mind fro the matter/ up he taketh his juggling stick the commendation of faith/ and whyrleth that about his fingers/ and sayeth, Let it never fall fro thy mind christian reader that saith is the life of the righteous, and that Chryst is this living breed whom thou eatest, that is to say in whom thou byleveft.  
¶ What are these words good chry sien reader to the purpose. All this will I pray you remember to. But I will pray you remember there with all, where about this iugeler goth, that would with brydding us look up here upon faith/ juggle away one great point of forth from us/ and make us take no heed of Christ'S words plainly spoken here of the very eating of his holy flesh. And therefore let us remember faith as be biddeth. But let us remember well therewith specially this piece thereof that this juggler with bidding us remember, would fain have us forget.  
¶ But now after this induction/ forth he cometh with his wise argu meant in this wise,  
For if our popystes take eating and drinking here bodily as to eat the natural body of christ under the form of breed/ and to drink his blood under the form of wine/ than must all young children that never came at god's board departed, and all lay men that never drank his blood be dampened.  
If our saviour christ which is the way to troth/ and the troth itself, and the very true life also/ could and would say false, and break his promise by which he promised 
Math. 18  his church to be therewith himself unto the worlds end, and to send it also the spirit of troth, that should 
John. 16.  teach it and seed it into all troth: than would there of troth/ both of these words of christ and these other words of his also, But if a man be 
John. 3  borne again of the water and the holy ghost he can not see the kingdom of god/ and of many other words of his more many great dowtes arise/ right hard and inexplycable. But now am I very sure/ sith troth can not be but true/ Christ'S promise shall ever stand and be kept, & their 
Psal. 67.  fore shall his church ever more by the 
John. 16.  mean of his holy spirit which maketh men of one manner and mind in the house of his church/ so fall in a concord and agreement together upon the true sense/ and so be led into every necessary truth/ that by miss taking of any part of scripture, it shall never be suffered to fall into any damnable error. Which thing what prating so ever master masker make/ I have so often & so surely proved for the comen known catholic church of good and bad both/ against Willy Turrian T indale/ that neither he nor all these heretics among them all, shall never be able to void it.  
¶ Now as for his argument concerning lay men of age, it were a little more strong/ if the blessed body of our lord were in the blessed sacrament under form of breed with out his blood/ which while it is not/ nor their receiving is not the sacrifice nor oblation, which to the integrity thereof requireth both the formies/ that the thing should agree with the figure/ the figure I say of the breed and wine that was offered 
〈◊〉. 14  by Melchysedech/ master Maskers argument is of a feeble force. Of which thing because I purpose once to touch god willing in answering to doctor Barons treatise specially made of that matter/ I will hold here master Masker for this time with no long tale thereof. But to th'intent ye may shortly see how little wit is in his wise argument with which upon Christ'S general words, but if you eat the flesh of the son of man & drink his blood ye shall not have life in you/ he argueth universally of all men and women & chyldrenthat die, and never eat his flesh or never drink his blood shallbe dampened/ by the self same form of arguing upon these general words, But if a man be borne of water and the spirit, he shall never see the kingdom of god. Master Masker may argue generally, that who so die before he be baptized by water and the spirit, shallbe dampened. And therup 'pon conclude that many martyrs be dampened for lack of baptizing in water, for all their baptizing in their own blood. And thus you see good readers how substantial his argumentis.   

The. iii. chapter.  
IN the. xii. leaf to prove, that christ meant nothing to give his body to be eaten, master masker upon these words that the disciples which were offended with his words said, This is an hard word who may hear him, bringeth in an other wise argument under colour of expowning the text in this wise. These words did not only offend them that hated Chryst, but also some of his disciples. They were offended saith the text and not marveled as More tryfleth out of troth. These words good reader of offending and marveling I shall answer anon in a more convenient place. which disciples said, This is an hard saying who may hear him? These disciples stoke no less in Christ'S visible flesh, and in the bark of his words, than doth now More believing him to have spoken of his natural body to be eaten with their teeth  
¶ Here master masker maketh as though the catholic faith in the bless said sacrament, were but my faith. But like wise as I do confess that his heresy is not only his, but that he hath fellows in the same falsed/ not only Frith and Tyndale, but Wicliffe also and zuinglius, & frere Huyskyn to, bysyde a lewd sort of wretched heretics more: so must he confess if he will say true, that my faith is not only my faith, but that I have fellows in the same faith/ not only the comen hole multitude of all good christian countries this fyftenne hundred year, but specially by name those holy saints whose words I have rehearsed you before upon this same matter/ as Theophylactus, & saint Bede, saint Hyrineus, and saint Hilary, and saint austin, saint Cyryll, and saint Chrisostome/ the plain words of every one of all whom, I have here all ready brought you forth against master Masker, proving themself fellows of mine in my faith all ready, now in this answer of this first part of his. And yet keep I for master Masker matter enough bysyde, of holy saints autho rytees, as well the same saints as other, to fill up the messes at the second course. And where he bringeth forth for him in his second part, austin, tertulyan, and saint Chrysostom (For in all this his first course he bringeth forth never one) those three dishes I warrant you shall when I come to them, but barely furnish his board.  
¶ But where master masker saith that More sticketh in the visible flesh of Chryst, to beaten as those disciples and those jews did: he is hold to say what him list because he goth invisible. For else how could he for shame say that we that are of the catholic chyrth, think that christ giveth us his visible flesh to eat, as those disciples & those jews thought/ when every man 〈◊〉 woteth, that those disciples and those jews, thought that they should receive his flesh visible cut out as saint austin declareth in visible deed piecies/ and every man as well knoweth & master Masker to, that we think that we do (and so in deed we do) receive and eat his flesh invisible, not in deed pieces, but his quick blessed body whole, under the visible form of breed. And therefore you see good readers what troth is in this man.  
¶ But now goth he forth and cometh to his wise worshipful argument and saith.  
which offence christ saying said, doth thy offend you, what then will you say if you see the son of man ascend thither where he was before? If it offend you to eat my flesh while I am herre: it shall much more offend you to eat it when it shallbe gone out of your sight ascended into heaven, there sitting on the right hand of my father, unto I come again as I went, that is to judgement.  
¶ The exposition of these words of christ, I have good readers showed you before, according to the minds of holy doctors and saints that by those words of his ascension he gave them warning before, that be would by his ascending up to heaven, make them a plain proof that they were deceived when they thought it could not be that he was descended down from heaven, and by his ascending up with his body hole & unminyshed, make them a plain proof that they were deceived, when they thought he would in pieces cut out, and so give his flesh to them as he should give it from himself, & thereby lose it himself. For his whole body ascending, should well prove that though his apostles had every one eatyn it: yet had he it still whole himself/ that they should thereby not doubt afterward, but that as each of them had it and did eat it, and yet himself had it still, and all at once in. xiii. diverse places in earth, and himself ascended after whole therewith into heaven: so should ever after all good christian folk receive it whole here in earth, and himself never the less have it whole still with him in heaven.  
¶ This being good christian reader's the mind of our saviour in those words, as by the holy doctors and saints well doth appear of old: now cometh this new drunken doctor master masker, and with a wise exposition of his own brain, would make us ween that those words with which (as the old doctors testify) christ confirmed the sacrament, in declaring his power by which he worketh that wonderful miracle in the sacrament, our saviour had himself spoken against his miracles in the sacrament. For thus lo doth master Masker make christ expone his own words and say, If it offend yond to eat my 〈◊〉 while I am here: it shall much more offend you to eat it when my body shallbe gone out of your sight ascended into be upn, there sitting on the right hand of my father until I come again again 〈◊〉 I went.  
¶ There were good readers two causes, for which those jews and those disciples were offended at the hearing of christ, when he said they should eat his flesh. One was, the strangeness and the impossibility that they thought was therein/ that other was the loathsomeness that they had thereto. Now if master Masker mean here for the impossibility by reason of the difference of his presence and his absence: I can not see why they should be more offended after his ascension than before. For if it be possible for him to make his body to be in many diverse places at once in earth: than it is as possible for him to make it at once in those two diverse places earth and heaven. For the marvel standeth not in the far distance of the two places asunder, but in the diversity of the two places having in them both one body be they never so near together. And as for the difference of his presence here in earth, and his absence hence, by his ascension into heaven: master Masker is more than mad, to put that for a difference, as a cause after thascension to make them more offended to here of the eating of his body. For if he make (as he can and doth) his body to be as well here in earth as in heaven: than is his body no more absent from hence than from thence, as for the verity of his presence in the place, though it be more absent in consideration to us that see not his body here, but in the form of breed. But the blessed 〈◊〉, see that one blessed body of his in heaven and here in the blessed sacrament both at once. And thus you see that master Maskers argument hath no pith or strength, if he mean for impossibility.  
¶ Now if master Masker here mean, that after Christ'S ascension into hyvyn, it should be a thing that should of reason more offend the jews to eat his flesh, than at the time while he was here, as a thing that would be than a much more loath some meet: what devil reason hath master Masker to 〈◊〉 that mad mind with all, & to think that his glorified flesh should be more loathsome to receive, than if it were unglorified.  
¶ And yet either he meaneth thus/ or else he lacketh the way to find the words, with which he would express his mind. For these are the words, that he maketh christ to say, If it offend you to ente my flesh while I am here: it shall much more offend you to eat it when my body shallbe gone out of your sight.  
You see now that he saith it shall more offend you to eat it when it is gone out of your sight into heaven. Now if he had meant in the other manner for thimpossibility, he would have said (except he can not speak) that it should more offend them to here it told them that they should then eat his flesh, when his flesh were so far absent from them, than to here it told them that they should eat it while it were present with them/ and not say it should then more offend them to eat it. For they shall not be offended with the eating if they eat it not. And therefore (if he can tell how to speak and express his own mind) he meaneth here while he saith it shall more offend you to eat it, he meaneth I say that they should of reason think his flesh than more lothly to eat after his glorious ascension, than it was ere he died. Thus it appeareth that master Masker meant. And verily if he so mean, he hath a mad meaning. And if he mean not so: than hath he a mad manner of speaking. And yet hysyde that his meaning is as mad that way as the t'other.  
¶ For as I have showed you, the thing is no more impossible to Crist, to give them his body to eat after his ascension than before/ and therefore is master Masker a fool to say, that it should more offend them to here that they should eat it after his ascension than before. For by their eating he should not lose it/ but both men may have his body here in earth with them, and the angels may have it in heaven with them, and himself may have it both in earth and in heaven with him, and all this at once.  
¶ Wherein lest master Masker might make some ween, that I do as he 〈◊〉 I do, and as in deed master Masker doth himself, that is to wit mock in this matter and lie: ye shall good readers here what holy saint Chrysostome saith,  
Helyas left unto Heliseus his man 
〈◊〉. hom. 2. 〈◊〉 popu 〈◊〉. m  tell, as a very great inheritance. And in very deed a great inheritance it was, and more precious than any gold. And Heliseus was a double Hely/ & there was than helyas above and helyas beneath. I know well that you think he was a just and a bless sed man/ and you would fain each of you be in his case. what will you say than, if I show you a certain other thing, that all we that are seasoned with the holy sacraments, have received that far excelleth helyas mantel. For helias in deed left his disciple his mantel. But the son of god ascending up, hath left untous his flesh. And as for helias leaving his mantel to his disciple, left it of from himself. But our saviour Chryst hath both left it still with us, and yet in his ascension hath ta ken it with himself to. Let never therefore our hearts fall for fere, nor let us not lament and by wail, nor dread the difficulties of the troubelouse times. For he that neither hath refused to shed his blood for us all, and hath also bysyde that, given unto us all his flesh to eat, & the same blood again to drink: he will refuse nothing that may serve for our salvation.  
¶ How say you now good christian readers? doth not saint Chrysostom with these words, affirm you plainly the substance of that that I say & as plainly destroy all that master masker saith in his heretical ex position of these words of Chryst/ which he constreweth so as he would thereby make a repugnance between the being of Christ'S blessed body in the blessed sacrament, and the being of his body by his ascension in heaven? For though master masker say they can not stand together, but is utterly repugnant that his body should be here in earth before domysdaye, because that until domysdaye it shallbe still in heaven: yet saith saint Chrysostome plainly, that master Masker in his exposition lieth. For he saith that christ blessed body is both in heaven & also in earth in the blessed sacrament in deed.  
¶ And therefore let master Masker leave his jesting with me, & go jest and rail against saint Chrysostome. For he confuteth you master Masker you see well, a little more clearer than I. And than whither of them twain ye shall believe and take for the more credible man, master Masker or holy saint Chrysostom, every many own wit that any wit hath, will well serve him to se.   

The. iiii. chapter.  
BUt master Masker to show you a further declaration of his wit, forth with upon his wise and worshipful exposition of those words of Chryst, he repeateth that fond argument again, that Chryst meant not of eating his flesh in the sacrament/ because that if he had meant it, he could and would have declared his meaning more plainly. And in that matter thus master Masker saith.  
Here might christ have 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 the troth of the eating of his fieshe in form of breed, had this been his meaning. For he 〈◊〉 them never in any perplexite or doubt, but sought all the ways by similitudes and familiar examples, to teach them plainly, he never spoke them so hard a parable, but where he perceived their feeble ignorance, anon he helped them and declared it them.  
ye and sometimes he prevented their asking with his own declaration. And think ye not that he did not so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verily. For he came to teach us and not to leave us in any doubt and ignorance, especially the chief point of our salvation, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 standeth in the belief in his death for our synnies.  
Wherefore to put them out of all doubt as concerning this eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood, that should give everlasting life, where they 〈◊〉 it for his very body to be eaten with their teeth: he said, It is the 〈◊〉 that giveth this life. My flesh profiteth nothing at all to be eaten as 〈◊〉 mean so 〈◊〉: It is spiritual meat that I here speak of. It is my spirit that draweth the hearts of men to me by faith, and so refresheth them gostesy. ye be therefore carnal to think that I speak of my flesh to be eaten bodily. For so it profiteth you nothing at all. How long will you be with out understanding? It is my spirit I tell you that giveth life. My flesh profiteth you nothing to eat it, but to believe that it shallbe crucified & suffer for the redemption of the world it profiteth. And when ye thus believe, than eat 〈◊〉 my flesh and drink my blood/ that is ye believe in me to suffer for your sins. The verity hath spoken these words: My flesh profiteth nothing at all: it can not therefore be false. For both the jews and his disciples murmured and disputed of his flesh, how it should be eaten/ and not of the offering thereof for our sins as Chryst meant. This therefore is the fure anchor to hold us by, against all the objections of the 〈◊〉, for the eating of Christ'S body as they say in form of breed. Chryst said, My flesh profiteth nothing, meaning to eat it bodily. This is the key that solueth all their arguments & openeth the way to show 〈◊〉 all their false and abomy able 〈◊〉 lies upon Christ'S words, and uttereth their sleight ingesing over the breed to maintain 〈◊〉 kingdom therewith.  
And thus when christ had declared it, and taught them that it was not the bodily eating of his material body, but the eating with the spirit of faith: he added saying, The words which I here speak unto you 〈◊〉 spirit and life/ that is to say, this matter that I here have spoken of with so many words, must be spiritually understanden, to give ye this life everlasting. wherefore the cause why ye understand me not, is that ye believe not.  
Here is lo the conclusion of all his sermon.  
¶ Many a fond process have I red good christian readers, but never red I neither a more foolish nor a more false than this is. For the effect and the purpose of all this pro cease is, that Chryst in all his words spoken in this sixth chapter of saint Iohn, meant nothing of the eating of his blessed body in the blessed sacrament, but only of an all gorycal eating of his body/ by which he meant only that they should believe that he should be crucified 〈◊〉 shed his blood and die for redemption of the world.  
¶ Now that our saviour bysyde all such allegories & other spiritual understandings, plainly meant of the very eating of his blessed body in the bless said sacrament, you have good readers all ready seen by so many holy doctors and saints/ whose plain words I have rehearsed you, that no man can doubt but that in the whole conclusion of his argument and his exposition, master 〈◊〉 hath a shameful fall/ except any man doubt whither master Masker be better to be believed alone, or those holy doctors among them all.  
¶ But now this false conclusion of his, how feebly and how foolishly he defendeth, that is even a very great pleasure to se.  
¶ In this process hath he. two. points The first is that christ could & would have made it open and plain in this place by clear and evident word, if he had meant of the eating of his flesh in the sacrament.  
The second is, that by these words It is the spirit that giveth life, my flesh profiteth nothing at all, The words that I have spoken to you be spirit and life: christ doth plain and clearly declare, both that he meant not the eating of his flesh in the sacrament, and also that he meant only the belief that he should die for the sin of the world.  
¶ Now touching his first foolish point, I have confuted it all ready, & showed you some samples, where christ could at some time have declared the matter much more openly than he did, and that in great matters of our faith.  
For I think the sacrament of baptism, is a principal point of our faith. And yet christ taught not Nichodemus all that he could have told him therein as I said before.  
¶ And longeth it nothing to the faith to believe the remission of mortal sins? I suppose yes. And yet could christ if he had would, have decla red more clearly those word of his, 
Matth. 12  who so blaspheme the son of man it shallbe forgiven him. But he that blasphemeth the holy ghost, it shall neither be forgiven him in this world nor in the world to come.  
¶ No good christian man thinketh other, but that it is a principal article of the christian faith, to believe that Chryst is one equal god with his father. And yet christ (albe it that by all places set together, he hath declared it clear enough in conclusion, to them that will not be wilful & contencyouse) yet did he not in every place where he spoke thereof, declare the matter so clearly as he could have done if he than had would. which appeareth by that that in some other places, he declared it more clearly after. And yet in all the places of the scripture set together, he hath not, nor would not, declare it in so plain words/ as he could have done. For than should there never have needed any of those commentes, that all the holy doctors have made upon it sins. And surely so saith Luther and these other heretics, that there needed none. For all the scripture (they say) is open & plain enough. And therefore they put every man and woman unlearned in boldness and courage, to be in the scripture sufficiently their own masters themself. But while they thus teach them, they forget that by their own teaching they should hold their peace themself. And indeed so were it good they did, but if they taught better.  
¶ And thus for his first point; you see good readers that master Masker maketh men perceive him for a double fool when it was not enough for him to come forth with this folly once, but he must a god's name bring in this his one folly twice.   

The. v. chapter.  
NOw as to wching his second point, in that it is a world to see how strongly the man handeseth it. For where as Chryst hath by so many open plain word before, taught and declared, that he would give his own flesh to be eaten, and his own blood to be drunken, and so often repeated it, and in such effectual wise inculked it, and as who should say bet it into their heads, that (saving for the form & manner of the eating which he declared by his word and his deed at his holy maundy) 〈◊〉 as for to make men sure that verily eat it and drink it they should, there could never more clear words have been of any man desired, nor by master Masker himself devised: now cometh master Masker forth with certain words of Chryst, by whithe he saith that christ clearly declareth, that he meant clear the contrary that is to wit that his flesh should not be eaten/ and also that by this word eating of his flesh, he meant nothing else, but the belief of his death for men's sins.  
¶ Now the words of our saviour that (as master masker saith) prove these two things, are these. It is the spirit that giveth life, my flesh profiteth nothing at all. The words that I have spoken to you be spy rite and life.  
¶ These words have good readers in themself neither any thing in dysprofe of the very eating of his flesh, nor for the proof that he meant the belief of his death. For these words as saint austin declareth, speak not precisely against the eating of his flesh, as he meant to give it them wrth the spirit and the life therein/ but against the eating of his flesh alone, deed and cut out in gobbets, as they conceived a false opinion that he meant to make them eat it. And as I have showed you before, saint cyril expoundeth these words after the same manner, and other holy doctors to. And now if ye read again master maskers words here: ye shall find that all that seemeth to prove his purpose, is only the words of himself, & nothing the words of Chryst/ but himself expouning Christ'S word in such wise, that (as I have showed you) saint austin and saint cyril and other holy doctors, expone it clear against him.  
¶ If his own argument were aught worth that he layeth against the inter pretacyon of all that expowne those words of christ, to be spoken of the very eating, by which we eat his blessed body in the sacrament, it would make against no man so sore as against himself even here in this place.  
¶ For if it be true that he saith, that if Chryst had meant of the eating of his flesh in the sacrament, he might & would have in this place told it them plainly/ & because he told them not that point out plainly, therefore it is clear that he meant it not: than say I that sith in these words/ which master Masker saith, is the very anchor hold, christ doth not so plainly declare, that he 〈◊〉 by the eating of his flesh the belief that he should die for our synnies, as he could if he had would, and would as master Masker saith if he had so meant. This is therefore a plain proof by master Maskers argument against master Maskers mind, that our saviour meant not so/ and than is all master Maskers matter go.  
¶ Now that our saviour doth not here declare that point clearly/ that he meant nothing but that they should believe that he should die for them: I will have master Maskers own words to bear me record. which will I ween make master Masker somewhat wroth with himself, for writing them in himself, so foolishly against himself.  
¶ For where he saith that both the jews and the disciples, murmured and disputed of his flesh how it should be eaten, and not of the offering thereof for our sins: this declareth and witnesseth well for our part against his own/ that our saviour declared more plainly his mind for the eatyuge of his flesh, than for the offering thereof to the death for our synnies. And of very troth so he did in deed, though master Masker say nay an hundred times. For of the eating of his flesh as I have before said, he spoke very precisely, and plainly, and often/ and of his offering up upon the cross, he never spoke plainly so much as one word.  
¶ For as for these words which master masker calleth the anchor hold: It is the spirit that giveth this life my flesh profiteth nothing at all, hath not one plain word for his purpose at all. For all the uttermost that he could take of these words, were no more but that christ should tell them that the spirit is the thing that giveth his flesh the life, with out which of itself it could not profit them at all/ and therefore the words that he spoke were spirit & life, and to be understanden spiritually, that they should eat his flesh with his spirit, and not carnally that they should eat his flesh alone without his spirit, cut out in deed pieces of flesh, as they had conceived a fond opinion thereof, out of which he said all this to bring them, but yet not so much as he could have said and he had would, nor would not because of their unworthiness to here it/ and yet that they should eat his flesh, he told them clear enough.  
¶ But as I say, what one word is there in all these words of his anchor hold, whereby master Masker may take one handful hold, that christ here showed them so clearly, that he meant the offering of himself for our sins? he speaketh in all these words not one word of offering; nor of crucifyeng, nor of death. And by master Maskers own argument if he had meant that way, as he well could, so he would also have told them plainly thus: Sirs I mean not that you shall eat my flesh, but that you shall believe that I shall die for your synnies. And sith he said not thus, master Maskers own argument hath cut of his cable rope, & lost his anchor, & run his ship himself against a rock. For he saith that if he had meant it, he would have told them plain the tale to put them out of all doubt.  
¶ And here you see now good readers by more means than one, as well by the expositions of old holy doctors & saints, as by the wise argument of master masker himself, to what wise worshipful end, this rial brag of his is come to pass, in which he triumpheth over the catholic church & the blessed sacrament, where he boasteth thus. This therefore is the sure anchor to hold us by, against all the objections of the papists, for the eating of Christ'S body as they say in form of breed. Chryst said, My flesh profiteth nothing, meaning to eat it bodily. This is the key that solueth all their arguments & openeth the way to show us all their false and abominable blasphemous lies upon Christ'S words, and uttereth their sleight ingeling over the breed to maintain antichrists kingdom therewith. And thus when christ had declared it, and taught them that it was not the bodily eating of his material body, but the eating with the spirit of faith: he added saying, The words which I here speak unto you are spirit and life/ that is to say, this matter that I here have spoken of with so many words, must be spiritually understanden, to give ye this life everlasting. wherefore the cause why ye understand me not, is that ye believe me not. Here is lo the conclusion of all his sermon.  
¶ Sith yourself have seen good readers, that in this matter and in this whole exposition, there are against master masker not only the catholic church of our time, but also all the old holy doctors and saints, which with one voice expone these words of christ to be spoken and meant of that eating of Christ'S flesh, by which it is eaten in the blessed sacrament/ against which point master masker here rageth in this his furious boast, railing up 'pon them all that so teach or believe, under his spygstuff name of papists: I would wit of master masker, whither saint 〈◊〉, saint austin, and saint Ambrose, saint 〈◊〉, and saint 〈◊〉, Theophilactus, saint cyril, and saint Chry sostome, were all papists or not? If he answer ye, and say the were: than shall he make no man (that wise is) ashamed of the name of papist (as odious as he would make it) if he grant us that such good godly men, & such holy doctors & saints were papists.  
¶ Now if he answer me nay, and say that they were no papists: than he maketh it plain and open unto you good readers, that he playeth but the part of a foolish railer & aiester, and doth but deceive and mock all his own fratexnyte/ when by railing against papists, whom he would have taken for folk of a false faith, he dissembleth the troth, that his heresy is not only dampened by them that he calleth papists, but by them also whom he confesscth for no papists, and whom he cannot but confess for old holy doctors & saints/ nor cannot so blind you, but that you plainly perceive by their own words/ which I have rehearsed you, and yet shall hereafter more plainly per ceive, by more holy doctors & saints of the same sort, & by more plain words also of the same, that they do all with one voice expone these words of Chryst mentioned in the sixth chapter of saint john, to be spoken & meant of that eating of his flesh, by which we eat it in the blessed sacrament.  
¶ And thus have I good readers answered you all master Maskers are gumentes, by which he reproveth in general under the name of papist, all those, that is to wit all the old holy doctors and saints, that contrary to his heresy expone the said words of christ to be meant of the very eating of his flesh, and not only of the believing of his death for our sin.  
And now will I come to his subtle disputations, that he maketh against me by name in special, to soil such things as I in my letter wrote against john Fryth.   
Here endeth the third book.   

The fourth book  
IN the sixth lief thus he saith.  
Here maketh M. More this argument against the 〈◊〉 man. Because the jews marveled at this 〈◊〉: my flesh is very meat & my blood drink and not at this: I am the door and the very vine, therefore this text (saith he) my flesh 〈◊〉. must be understanden after the literal sense, that is to wit even as the carnal jews understood it murmuring at it, being offended, going their ways from christ for their so carnal understanding thereof/ and the other texts, I am the door etc. must be understanden in an allegory & a spiritual sense, because his hearers marveled no thing at the manner of speech.  
¶ I have good readers before this argument that he speaketh of, another argument in that pistle of mine against Frith/ which all though it went before and was red before this, yet because it would not well be soiled, master Masker was content to dissemble it. But I shall afterward anon lay it afore him again, and set him to it with a festue, that he shall not say but he saw it.  
¶ But now as for this argument of mine, that he maketh the first, I miss fortuned to make so feeble, that he taketh even a pleasure to play with it/ and therefore he soileth it and soileth it again/ & that 〈◊〉 wisely ye may be fast and sure/ and so shall you say yourself when you see all. But yet though he win himself worship in the soiling, it was no great wisdom to lose his worship in the rehearsing, with false bearing in hand, that I say that those words of christ must be understanden after that literal sense that the carnal jews took therein, that murmured and went their way therefore. For they took it of his fseshe, to be eaten in the self same fleshly form and as holy saint austin sayeth that they should have eaten his flesh dead without life or spirit, as beef or motten is cut out in bochers shoppies. And I am very sure, that master Maskar hath no such word in my letter, whereof he may take hold to say that I say that Christ'S word should be taken so. But this is no new fashion of these folks, to rehearse other men's arguments in such manner as themself list to make them, and then they make them such, as themself may most easily soil them. which while master Masker hath done with mine, yet hath he little advantage thereby. But to th'intent that all thing shall be the more open before your yien: I shall rehearse you first the thing that he would be content you saw not, yt is to wit mine own word as I wrote them, which he rehearseth as himself maketh them new.  
These were good reader my word. And over this the very circumstances of the places in the gospel, in which our saviour speaketh of that sacrament may well make open the difference of his speech in this matter & of all those other/ & that as he spoke all those but in an allegory, so spoke he this plainly meaning that he spoke of his very body & his very blood beside all 〈◊〉. For neither when our lord said he was a very vine, nor when he said he was the door/ there was none that heard him that any thing marveled thereof. And why? for because they perceived well that he meant not that he was a material vine in deed, nor a material door neither. But when he said that his flesh was very meet, and his blood was very drink, and that they should not have life in them but if they did eat his flesh and drink his blood/ than were they all most all in such a wonder thereof, that they could not abide. And wherefore? but because they preceyved well by his words and his manner of circumstances used in the speaking of them, that christ spoke of his very flesh and his very blood indeed. For else the strangeness of the words would have made them to have taken it as well for an allegory, as either his words of the vine or of the door. And than would they have no more marveled at the tone than they did at the t'other. But now where as at the vine and the door they marveled nothing/ yet at the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood, they so sore marveled, and were so sore moved, and thought the matter so hard, & the wonder so great, that they asked how could that be, and went almost all their way. whereby we may well see, that he spoke these words in such wise, as the hearers perceived that he meant it not in a parable nor an allegory/ but spoke of his very flesh and his very blood in deed.  
¶ Lo good readers here I speak of Christ'S very flesh and his very blood (as the troth is in deed) But here I say not as master masker saith I say, that Christ meant of his flesh and his blood, in such wise as the jews thought that forsook him therefore which thought as you have herd, that they should eat his flleshe in the self fleshly form, and also pyecemele in loathly deed go bets, without either life or spirit.  
¶ And now that you have seen his troth in rehearsing: you shall see a shewof his sharp soot wit in the soiling. wherein first after his juggling fashion, to carry the reder with wondering fro marking well the matter, thus he beginneth with a great gravity, giving all the word war ning to be ware of me.  
To christian reader, here haste thou not a taste but a great tun full of Moris' mischief, and pernicious perverting of gods holy word. And as thou seest him here falsely and 〈◊〉 destroy the pure sense of god's word: so doth he in all other places of his books.  
¶ To good readers, now have you a great high tragical warning, with not a little taste but a great tun full at once, of my mischievous pernicious false pestilent perverting and destroying of the pure sense of gods holy words in this one place, which he will shall stand for a plaint prose that I do the same in all other places.  
¶ Now good readers old it that it might miss hap me by oversight to miss handle this one place, and yet in some other to write well enough: yet am I content to take the condycy on at master Maskers hand, that if mine hadeling of this one place, be such an heinous handling, as maketh it such a pernicious pestilent, not only ꝑuersyon, but also destruction of the pure sense of gods holy word: never make examination of any other word of mine farther. For I than forthwith confess even here, that I have in all other places written wrong every whit.  
But now on the other side, though you should hap to find that in this place, I have somewhat over seen myself, in miss taking of some one word for an other, without thecfecte of the matter changed: than will I require you to take my fault for no greater than it is in deed/ nor miss trust all my writing for that one word in this one place miss taken, without thimpairing of the matter. For such a manner miss taking of a word, is not the dystroyeng of the pure sense of gods holy word.  
And therefore if you find my fault good readers no ferther than such: ye will I doubt not of your equity, bud master Masker leave his iniquity, and change his high tragical, and turn his great tun full of pernyciouse pestilent false perver ting poison, into a little taste of wholesome enough, though some what small and rough rochell wine. And therefore let us now see wherein he layeth this great high heap of mischievous perverting. To thus good readers he saith  
first where More saith, they merneyled at Chry stes saying, my of is very meat 〈◊〉. that is not so. Neither is there any such word in the text, except More will exponne murmurabant id est mitabantur. They murmured, that is to say they marveled/ as he exponeth oportet, id est expedit et convenit, he must die, or it behoveth him to die/ that is to say it was expedient and of good congruence that he should die etc. This poet may make, a man to signify an ass, and black white, to blete the simple eyes.  
¶ Now good readers, I wot well that you consider that the cause where fore I spoke of the marveling that they had, which heard Chryst speak of the eating of his flesh, was by cause that none of those that heard him at other times call himself a vine or a door marveled any thing thereat/ so that by the great difference of the behaviour of the hearers, it might well appear that there was great difference in the speaking/ and that the other two were well perceived to be spoken only by way of allegory, and the third to be spoken of his very flesh in deed/ where as Fryth held opinion that this was none otherwise spoken, but only by way of an allegory as the other twain were.  
¶ Now good readers, if you read my words again, & in every place of them where I writ they marveled led, it would like you to put out that word they merueysed, and set in this word, they murmured, in the stead thereof: ye shall frnde no change made in the matter, by that change made in the words. But you shall see mine argument shall stand as strong with that word, They murmured/ as with this word, they marveled. 
john. 6.  For when at the hearing of christ words speaking of the eating of his flesh, the evangelist showeth that many of the hearers murmured/ 
john. 15.  and neither at the calling of himself a vine, nor at the calling of 
〈◊〉. 10.  himself adore, none of his hearers murmured for that manner of speaking: it appeareth as well the difference in Christ'S speaking, by the difference of diverse his hearers at the tone word murmuring, and at the other two not murmuring, as at the tone marveling, and at the other two not marveling.  
¶ To thus you see good readers, that in this matter in which master masker maketh his great out cry upon me, for changing of this word murmuring, into this word meruay sing, sith there is no change in the matter by the change of the word, but mine argument as strong with the tone word as with the t'other: I neither have done it of any fraud for advantage of mine own part in the matter/ nor yet sith the change is but in the word without change of the matter, I have not thereby pernycyousely and pestylently by the whole tun full of falsehood at once, perverted and destroyed the pure sense of gods holy word. But it appeareth well on the other side, that master Masker hath given us here, I will not be so sore to say a tun full, but at the lest wise a little pretty cast of his little pretty falsehood, with which a little he pretyly belieth me.  

The. two. chapter.  
BUt yet shall you now see his wit and his truth both a little better tried, even upon this same place, in which with his huge excsa macyons he maketh his part so plain.  
¶ As for oportet of which he speaketh here, we shall talk of after in another place. But now to wching this word they meruaysed/ master Masker saith thus. That is not so, nor there is no such word in the text. So you see good readers that he saith two things. One that it is not so, and another that there is no such word there in the text. As for the word good reader I will not greatly strive with him. But where he saith it is not so, and therein affirmeth that they meruaysed not: I think the words of the text will well 〈◊〉 my saying. For good reader, when they said, How can he give us his flesh to eat? And when they said, This word is hard and who can here it: Do not these words prove that they marveled and thought it strange, when they called it so hard that no man might abide to hear it, 〈◊〉 how he could do it, because they thought it impossible? ¶ Now you see good readers, that gospel saith the self same thing that I say, thought it say not the self same word/ and therefore lieth master Masker in saying it is not so.  
¶ But by this wise way of master Masher, if I had written that Absalon was angry with Amnon his 
2. Reg. 13.  brother for violating his sister Thamar: master Masher would say, so good reader here thou hast not a taste but a tun full of Morys per nicyouse perverting of God's holy word/ & as thou seest him here falsely and pestilently destroy the pure sense of god's word, so doth he in all other places of his works. For where he saith that Absalon was angry with Amnon, it is not so, neither is there any such word in the text/ except More will expone oderat 〈◊〉, id est irascebatur ei/ he hated him, that is to say, he was angry with him/ as he expoundeth murmurabant id est mirabantur/ they murmured, that is to say the marveled. And thus may this poet make a man to signify an ass. For the bible sayeth not as More saith, that Asolon was angry with Amnon. For the text sayeth no more, but that Asolon hated Amnon, and caused him to be killed.  
¶ Now like you now good readers this wise solution of master Masker? This proveth not him a poet that can make a man signify an ass but proveth him rather in stead of a poet, and in stead of a man, a very stark ass in deed.   

The. iii. chapter.  
BUt of very troth good reader, not without a good cause and a great, I did rather touch the thing that was the cause of the jews murmur and their dissension when they disputed upon the matter, than I did their murmur and their dies sensyon. For of troth where he said of himself that he was a door: there 
john. 10.  grew dissension among his hearers upon that word of his, and upon other words that he spoke there with at that same time/ so that the gospel saith, And there was dyssensyon among the 
john. 6  jews upon these words/ some saying that the devil was in him and some saying nay, and that the devil was not wont to make blind men see/ as there was here dissensyon and dies putting upon these words of eating of his flesh. But inthe. x. chapter they nothing marveled of his calling himself a door for he exponed the parable at length so that they perceived well that he called himself a door, but only by way of an allegory. And therefore of calling himself a door they marveled not of that word when he declared it, for they perceived it for a parable. But they disputed upon that word and upon his other words also, wherein he said that no man could kill him against his will, 
john. 10.  and that he would die for his sheep, and that he had power to put away his soul and take it again. Of these things they disputed, and thought them strange and meruay louse to. But not for the words or the manner of speaking, but for the very matter. For all they understood the words meetly well/ but many of them believed them not. But not one of them did so take that word, I am a door, as that they marveled how that could be. And therefore none of them for any such marvel said there, how can he be a door? as these jews said here, how can he give us his flesh to eat? And therefore as I say, therein appeareth well that our saviour in the tone place called himself a door by way of a parable/ and in the t'other spoke of the cating of his own very flesh it self, besides all parables. which well appeared I say by his audience. For the tone word they perceived for a parable, and therefore none of them marveled of the manner of the speaking of that word, though they marveled and murmured and disputed at the thing that the parable meant. But in the other place, many marveled at the thing by the self same name that he gave thereto, saying, how can he give us his flesh to eat? whereby it well appe 〈◊〉 that they perceived that he spoke of very eating of his flesh in deed/ & in that other place appeareth not that they thought he meant that he was a very door in deed, but the contrary plain appeareth. For christ by his plain and open exposition of that parable, delivered them clean from all occasion of thinking that he meant himself to be a very door in deed.  
But in these words of eating of his flesh, because he would give his very flesh to be eaten in very deed, therefore he more and more told them still the same/ & also told them himself was god, and therefore able to do it/ and over that gave them warning that they should not eat it in deed gobbettes, but should eat it quick with spirit and life. For his words were spirit and life. For his flesh should else avail nothing. And that though his body should be eaten by many sundry men in many sundry places, yet should it never the less be also still whole and sound, where so ever he would beside. which he declared by 
〈◊〉. 6.  his 〈◊〉 with his body perfit into heaven, not withstanding that it should be before that, eaten of many men in earth.  
¶ And thus have I good readers as for this solution of master Masker, made open and plain unto you/ his falsed and his folly both/ and made rt clear for all his high pernicious pestilent words, both that I have hand led this place of the scripture right, & also taken rather the sentence than the word. And I have also by occasion of his wise solution, caused you to perceive that in mine argument was and is more pith and more strength, then peraduentur every man perceived before. And therefore thus much worship hath he won by this his first solemn solution.   

The. iiii. chapter.  
BUt in his second solution, he specially showeth his deep in sight and cunning, and mine oversight to shamefully. For there in lo thus he saith.  
But yet for his lordly pleasure, let 〈◊〉 grant him that they murmured, is as much to say as they marveled, bycanse perchance the one may follow at the t'other. And than do 〈◊〉 ask him whither Christ'S 〈◊〉 and his apostles, 〈◊〉 him not and understood him not, when he said I am the core and the vine, and when he said my flesh etc. If he say no or nay, the scripture is plain against him joh. 6. 10. 15. If he say ye or yes; then yet do I ask him whither his dyscypfes & apostles, thus hearing and understanding his words in all these three chapters, wondered and meruaysed as master More say thee, or murmured as hath the text at their masters speech what think ye More must answer here? here may you see whither this old holy upholder of the pope's church is brought, even to be taken in his own 〈◊〉. For the disciples & his apostles neither murmured nor marveled, nor yet were not offended with their master Christ'S words and manner of speech.  
¶ 〈◊〉 good readers, here master Masher because he thinketh it not enough for his worship, to show himself once a fool by his first solution, conieth now farther forth to show himself twice a fool, ye thrice a fool, by the secnnde.  
¶ And first for away to come there to, he saith he will grant me for my sordely pleasure, that they murmured is as much to say as they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. In which granting he doth me no great fordly pleasure. For I have as you have herd well, proved him all ready that I need not his granting therein. But verily in the cause that he addeth thereto, when he saith because perchance the tone may follow at the t'other, therein he doth me a very great lordly pleasure. For it is even a pleasure for a lord and for a king to, to see him play so far the fool, as without necessity to write in that word himself, which helpeth mine argument against himself, and maketh all his wondering that he hath in his first solution upon me, fall in his own neck. For if their murmuring followed upon their marveling, as himself here saith that peaduenture it did: than playeth he first peradventure the fool, to make such an out cry upon me for saying that they marveled, where the text saith they murmured/ as though I with that word utterly destroyed that pure sense of gods holy word. For that word doth not so pestylently pervert the sense, if it may stand with the sentence, as it may in deed, if master Masker say true that peradventure the tone may follow upon the t'other/ that is to wit the murmuring upon the marvel, for so he meaneth thereby. For as mad as he is, he is not I think so mad yet, as to me one that the marvel followed upon the murmuring. For they marveled first and murmured after. And now sith this one word of his therefore, over throweth all his wondering, that he hath made on me, and proveth himself willingly and wittingly in all his high tragical exclamation against his own conscience, and his own very knowledge to bylye me: he hath therein as I say done me a very special pleasure, to see him so far play the fool, as to bring forth that word himself/ specially where there was no need at all, but even for a garnyshe of his induction, with a show of his cunning, to make men know that he had not so little learning, but that he wist well enough himself that he had shamefully bylyed me in all that ever he had cried out against me, concer cerning any miss constrewing of that place of holy scripture.   

The. v. chapter.  
Now after this his double folly well and wisely put forth at ones, he bringeth me to mine opposition. And therein he handleth me so hardly, that I can not scape, which way so ever I take. whether I say that Christ'S disciples and apostles heard and understood their may sters words in all the three places, or that I say that in any one of those three places they understood him not. For here to be sure to hold me in on both sides that I scape not, he show eth what danger I fall in, which way so ever I take. For he sayeth that on the tone side I deny the gosspell if I answer no or nay, and on the other side I am taken in mine own trap, if I say ye or yes.  
¶ And surely here he playeth the wisest point and the most for his own surety, that I saw him play yet. For ye shall understand that in the first part of my confutation in the third book the. clxxx. side, for as much as Tyndale hath been so long out of England, that he could not tell how to use these english 〈◊〉, nay and no, ye and yes: I gave him a rule and a certain samples of the rule, whereby he might learn where he should answer nay, and where no, and where ye & where yes.  
¶ Now master Masker when he wrote his book, neither having my book by him, nor the rule by heart thought he would be sure that I should find no such fault in him/ and therefore on the tone side for the answer, assigneth ye and yes both/ and on the other side both nay and no/ leaving the choice to myself, which he durst not well take upon him, lest he might show therein such congruytie in the Englyhhe tongue; as he showeth in some other things wherein he speaketh english as congrewe, as a man might that had learned his english in another land.  
¶ But now must I answer him to his subtle questions. His first question is this.  
¶ He asketh me, whether christ disciples and his apostles, hard him not and understood him not, when he said, I am the door, and when he said, I am the vine, and when he said, my flesh is verily meat etc. ¶ Master Maskar is so wily that I must needs take better heed what I answer him, than I should need, if I were to answer a good plain man of the country. For master Maskar in the .29. leaf boasteth himself of his cunning rially and saith.  
It 〈◊〉 verily the thing that I desire even to be wry ten against in this matter. For I have the solution of all their objection ready.  
¶ Now sith therefore this man is so cunning, and hath his answers so ready for all objections that men may lay to him: he can not be by lyklelyded but wonderful sure & ready, with subtle replycations, against all answers that men may make to those opposytions that he deviseth against other men himself. I will therefore be as ware of him as I can. And first I say that his question is captious. For he asketh one answer to three things at once/ and in each of the three he asketh me two questions at ones. For he asketh of the door, and the vine, and of his flesh, all three at ones. And yet of each of these not a double question as I told you/ but a qua triple question at ones. For he asketh both of his apostles and the disci bless/ and not only whether all these herd christ at all three times, but also whither all these understood him. And all twelve questions master Masker wilily to bygyle such a simple soul as I am, asketh in one questyone at ones. And therefore lest he betrappe me, I shall some what at the lest wise divide them.  
¶ And than I say to the first que styon whither Christ'S disciples and apostles hard him not and understood him not, when he said I am the door: because the question is yet double and captyouse, I purpose to make sure work & answer, that I can not tell, I think that some did and some did not, for some of them I ween were not there.  
¶ Now if he say that he meaneth only them that were there: so would I to have taken him, if he were a good plain soul, and not such a soot sophystre that longeth to be arguing, and hath all thing so ready upon his fingers ends.  
¶ But go to now, though I could yet have other answers for him if I would: yet for his lordly pleasure I 〈◊〉 content to grant him, that they both heard him and under stood him/ wherein I grant him more yet I promise you, than he can precisely bind me to by the text.  
All this granting for this place giveth him no ground yet. 〈◊〉 here I am well content, not only to say all that he saith, that is that his apostles and does disciples understood that christ calleth himself the door but by a parable/ and therefore marveled not at that manner of speaking. But I say more to, that so did also the jews that reproved him and repugned against him. And say also that they repugned so much the more against him, and so much the more murmured and disputed against the matter, in how much they more understood the manner of the speaking and that parable. For they wist well that word of the door, was spoken by a parable, for Christ plainly exponed it. But they murmured much at that that no man might well come in but by him. ¶ Let us now to the second than. And where he asketh me whither Christ'S dies cyples and his apostles, heard him not and understood him not, when he said, I am the very vine: here I would for mine own surety ask 
〈◊〉. 15.  him, whither he mean by Christ's disciples and apostles, some of both sorts, or else those disciples only that were both disciples & apostles, How be it if I should ask him thus he would say I did but trifle/ & that every man may well wit by the putting of his question, that he meaneth of either sort some. For else he would have said no more but apostles which had been enough if he had meant but them. And also it were against his purpose, if Christ'S other disciples understood him not, though his apostles did. well I am content than to take it so. And than unto the question, whither his discy bless and apostles hard not christ and understood him not, when he said I am the very vine: to this question copulative I answer no. ¶ But then master Masker replieth, that the scripture is plain against me. But unto that replyca cyon I say nay. For I say that the scripture there with saint Mark & saint Luke set unto it, proveth mine answer true. For it appeareth well among them three, that bysyde thapo stles, none of his other disciples understood him, for none of his other disciples heard him, for none of his other disciples were there, nor yet all his. xii. apostles neither/ for judas was gone before. So that in this part of his first question, master Masker hath given himself a fall in the subtle proponing of his question. As to the understanding, I agree that they that were there under stood him, which maketh nothing against me.  
¶ Now to the third place when he asketh me whither Christ'S disciples & his apostles herd him not and understood him not, when he said, my flesh is very meet etc. first as for his disciples I say no not all. Than saith master Masker that if I say nay or no, the scripture is plain against me. Iohn. 6. But to that say I again, that when I say no, the scripture is even there with me. For as the gospel there plainly telleth, many of his disciples though they herd him well, did understand him amiss. For though they under stood him right, in that they perceived that he spoke of the very eating of his very flesh: yet they understood him wrong, in that they took him that they should eat it in the self fleshly form & in deed pieces with out life or spirit/ and therefore they went their way from him and left him, and walked no more after with him. Here hath master masker an other fall in this place to, to wching his first que siyon as for the disciples.  
¶ But what say we than for thapo stle? did not they understand him? what if I here would say nay? than except master Masker could prove yes, ellysis not only his first question gone, which he maketh for a way to the second/ but his second que 〈◊〉 is clearly gone to, wherewith he would make me be taken in mine own trap. And therefore first for argument sake, I deny that th'apostles themself understood christ word. Now will now master Masker prove me that they did, Mary saith he; for they were well acqnaynted with such phrases. And answered their master Chryst when he asked them, will you go hence fro me to? Lord said they to whom shall we go, thou hast the words of everlasting life/ & we believe that thou art christ the son of the living god.  
¶ Now good reader I think there be some texts in scripture that master Masker understandeth not no more than other poor men. But yet if he will not agree that, but say that he understandeth: yet if we would put the case that there were some such one text, he would I think admit the case for possible. Let us than put him hardly none other, but even the same words of christ that we be now in hand withal. For no man understandeth any word worse than he understandeth those, even yet while he writeth on them. If himself had been than of that flock, and had seen all other things in Chryst that his apostles saw, and had believed in him, and had not miss trusted christ, but been ready to do what he would bid him do, and believe what he would bid him believe/ but had yet as for those words of eaiing Christ'S flesh thought them hard to perceive what christ meant by them/ but though he fully understood them not as he thought, yet he doubted not but that good they were that god spoke, and that Chryst if he tarried his time, would tell him ferther of the matter at more leisure: if now when other went their way, Chryst would have said unto him, wilt thou master Masker go thy way fro me to? whither would then master Masker have letted to say even the self same words that the apostles said with other like, whither should I go fro the good lord? Thou haste the words of everlasting life, & I believe and know that thou art Chryst the son of the living god, and art able to do what thou wilt, and thy words be holy and godly whither I understand them or no/ and thou mayst make me perceive them better at thy further pleasure. would master masker have been contented to say thus: or else would he have said? Nay by my faith good lord, thou shalt tell me this tale a little more plainly that I may better perceive it by & by, or else will I go to the devil with yonder good fellows, and let them dwell with the that will.  
¶ Now if master Masker would (as I ween he would but if he were stark mad) have said the same himself that saint Peter said/ or be content at the lest that saint Peter should say it for him, though himself had not well and clearly perceived what christ meant by those words: Now can he now prove by the same words of theirs, that th'apostles understood his words then.  
¶ Thus you see good readers, that of his two questions; the first have I so answered that it is come to no thing/ (if I would stick with him still at his answer) till he have better proved me than he hath yet, that th'apostles in the sixth chapter of saint Iohn did understand Cristes' words. And now therefore till he have better handled his first que styon, he can against me never use his second, whereby he boasteth that I could make none answer, but such as should take myself in mine own trap. From which sith I am clean escaped all ready, by the answering of his first question, you may good readers see, that master Masker goth as wilily to work to take me, as a man might send a child about with salt in his hand, and bid him go cache a bird, by laying a little salt on her tail/ & when the bird is flown, comfort him than to go cache another, and tell him he had caught that and it had tarried a little.   

The. vi. chapter.  
BUt yet to see now how craftily he could betrappe me if I would let him alone: Let us grant him for his lordly pleasure, that the disciples and apostles understood Christ's words well in all three places, not only when he said he was 
Iohn. 10.  the door/ and when he said he was 
Iohn. 15.  the vine/ but also when he said, my flesh is verily meat. What now? Marry than saith master Masker, If More answer ye or yes: than do I ask him ferther, whither Christ'S disciples and apostles thus 〈◊〉 and understanding his words in all the three chapters, wondered & marveled (as More saith) or murmured (as hath the text) at their may sters speech. what think you More must answer here? here may you see why there thy old holy upholder of the 〈◊〉 & church is brought, even to be taken in his own trap. For the disciples and his apostles neither murmured nor metuayled, nor yet were not offended with this their master Christ'S words and manner of speaking.  
¶ In what trap of mine own or his either; hath master Masker caught me here? Mine argument was 
Iohn. 10.  ye 〈◊〉 well, that at the hearing christ say, I am the door, & I am the very 
Iohn. 15.  vine: no man marveled at the manner of speaking, because that every man perceived his words for allegories 
joh. 6.  & parables. But in the third place where he said, My flesh is verily meat, And the breed that I shall give you is my flesh. And ex cepte you eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you: so many marveled because they perceived well it was not a parable but that he spoke of very eating of his flesh in deed, that of all his hearers very few could abide it, but murmured & said how can he give us his flesh to eat. And his own disciples said, This word is hard, who may hear him/ and went almost all their way. Now when theffect of mine argument is, that in this point many marveled at the thing, as a thing plainly spoken, and not a parable, but a plain tale that men should verily eat his flesh/ and that no man marveled at the other two manner of speaking, because they perceived them for parables: what maketh it against me, that in the third place there were some that marveled not nor murmured not sith that though some did not, yet many did, & both marveled & murmured & went their war, & that far the most part, and save the apostles almost everyone. And verily the other disciples as saint Chrysostome saith, those that than were present (against master maskers saying) went their ways all the meinie.  
¶ Where is now good readers this trap of mine own making, that I am fallen in? hath master Masker cast me down so deep, with proving me that some marveled not, where I said many did? Be these two propositions so sore repugnant and so plain contradyctory: Many marveled, and some marveled not, that because I said the first, and he proveth the second, therefore I am quite cast and caught in mine own trap? This man is a wily shrew in argument I promise you.   

The. seven. chapter.  
BUt now that I have good readers so fair escaped my trap I trust with the help of some holy saint, to cach master Masker in his own trap, that his maystershyppe hath made for me.  
¶ Ye wot well good readers, that the trap which he made for me, were these two wily capcyouse questions of his, with which he thought to cache me/ that is to wit, first whither the disciples and apostles hard and understood our saviour in all three places/ and than upon mine answer ye or yes, his other question ferther, whither they marveled or murmured. Unto which while I have answered no: now by the trappies of his questions he reckoneth me drevyn to be caught in mine own, because I said that many marveled/ as though many other might not because the apostles did.  
¶ Now before I show you how himself is taken in his own trap ye shall here his own glorious words with which he boasteth that he hath taken me, & would make men ween it were so. 〈◊〉 these are his, words.  
Here may you see, whether this old holy upholder of the pope's church is brought, even to be taken in his own trap. For the disciples and his 〈◊〉 neither murmured nor marveled, nor yet were not offended with this their master Christ'S word 〈◊〉 and manner of speech. For they were well acquainted with such phrases, & answered their master christ when he asked them, will ye go hence fro me to? Lord said they to whom shall we go 〈◊〉 thou 〈◊〉 the words of eveulasting life, & we believe that thou art christ the son of the living god. Lo masters more, they neither marveled nor murmured. And why? For because as ye say, they understood it in an allegory sense, and petceyved well that he meant not of his material body to be eaten with their teeth/ but he meant it of himself to be believed to be very god and very man, having flesh and blood as they had, and yet was he the son of the living god. Thy belief gathered they of all his spiritual sayings, as himself expoundeth his own words saying, My flesh profiteth nothing, meaning to be eaten: but it is the spirit that giveth this life. And the words that I speak unto you are spirit and life. So that who so believe my flesh to be crucified and broken, and my blood to be shed for his sins, he eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, and hath life everlasting. And this is the life wherewith the righteous liveth even by faith. Abacuk. 2.  
¶ Lo good reader here have I reher said you his words whole to th'end. And yet because you shall see that I will not hide from you any piece of his, that may make for any strength of his matter: I shall rehearse you far there his other words written in his 13. leaf, which I would have touched before, saving that I thought to reserve it for him, to strength with all this place of his, where it might do him best service/ where he would prove against me to trap me with, that the cause why the disciples and apostles marveled not, nor murmured not, nor were not offended, was because they understood Christ'S words to be spoken not of very eating of his flesh, but only of the belief of his passion by way of a parable or an allegory/ as he spoke those other word when he said, I 
Iohn. 10.  am the door, & when he said, I am the 
Iohn. 15  vine. The word lo of M. Masker with which he setteth forth the proof of this point in his. 13, lief be these, in the end of all his exposition upon the sixth chapter of saint Iohn.  
Here is lo the conclusion of all thy sermon. Chryst very god and man had set his flesh before them to be reteyed with faith, that it should be broken and suffer for their sin. But they could not eat it spirytually, because they believed not in him. wherefore many of his disciples fill from him and walked no more with him. And than he said to the. xii. will ye go away to? And Simon Peter answered: Lord to whom shall we go? Thou haste the words of everlasting life, and we believe and are suit that thou art christ the son of the living god. Here it is manifest what Peter and his fellows understood by this eating and drinking of christ. For they were perfitly taught that it stood all in the belief in Chryst, as their answer here testyfyeth. If this matter had stood upon so deep a miracle as our papists fain, without any word of god not comprehended under any of their comen senses, that they should eat his body under form of breed, as long, deep, thick, and 〈◊〉 broad as it hangeth upon the cross, they being yet but feeble of faith not confirmed with the holy ghost; 〈◊〉 here needs have wondered, stonied, and staggered, and have been more inquisitive in and of so strange a matter, than they were. But they neither doubted, nor marveled nor murmured, nor nothing offended with with manner of speech, as were the other that slipped away/ but they answered firmly: Thou hast the words of everlasting life, and we believe etc. Now to the exposition of the words of our lords sowper.  
¶ Lo good readers, ye will I trow now bear me record, that I deal plainly with master Maskar here, and hide nothing of his a side that may do him any substantial service/ toward the proof of his purpose. And I warrant you it shallbe long ere you find him or any of all that sect, deal in such plain manner with me.  
¶ But now good Christian reader, read all these whole words of his in both the places as often as you list, and consider them well/ and than shall you perceive in conclusion, that he proveth his purpose by none other thing in all this word, than only by his own words exponing all way the words of christ as master Maskar list himself. And upon that that himself sayeth, that the cause wherefore the disciples and apostses 〈◊〉 not, not murmured not at these words of Christ, The breed that I shall give you is my flesh etc. was because they per ceyved that christ spoke it in a parable (as I say of his other words, I am the door, and I am the very vine) upon these words of master Maskere own, master Maskar concludeth for his. purpose, the self same thing that he first presupposeth the thing that he should not presuppose but prove, that is to wit that Chryst spoke it but by way of a parable.  
¶ But against master Maskar and his presumptuous presuppo sing, the matter appeareth plain. For as I have before said, our saviour 
Iohn. 10.  
Iohn. 51.  when he said, I am the 〈◊〉, and when he said, I am the very vine, did so psecute and declare in both the places his own words, that there could no man have cause to marvel at the manner of speaking for his own declaration in prosecuting his own words was such, that it must needs make any man (but if he were an idiot or an ass) perceive that christ spoke in those two places that he was the 〈◊〉 & the door but by way of a parable.  
And this may every man soon see that syst to 〈◊〉 on the places. And therefore no man said how can he be a vine, nor how can he be a door, as many said in the third place, How can he give us his flesh to eat. which words if they were so 〈◊〉 spoken but by way of parable, as the other twain were, it were far 〈◊〉 that so many wise men would have taken it so far other wise ever sins, that take the other twain/ for none other. And namely such holy doctors and saints, as are well acquainted with Christ'S phrases and parables/ and in the study thereof, have spent the great part of all their lives. And therefore master Maskar against so many wise men and so good, going about now to prove this point but a parable, by none other substantial mean, than only by th'authority of his own worshipful word, proveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purpose very faint and slender, for all his 〈◊〉 Master More, as though his purpose appeared very clear.   

The. viii. chapter.  
How be it for to furnish his matter with, and to set it the better forth, because he would not have it seem to stand all upon his own only exposition, that 〈◊〉 to wit upon his own only word: he setteth unto his own bare word, his own bare bald reason, and saith.  
If this matter had stood upon so deep a miracle as our papists fain, without any word not compre hended under any of their comen sense, that they should eat his body being under the form of breed, as long, deep, 〈◊〉, and as broad as it hanged upon the cross: they being yet but feeble of faith, not confirmed with the holy ghost, must here 〈◊〉 have wondered, ston, and staggered/ and have been more inquisitive in and of so strange a matter than they were. But they neither marveled nor murmured/ nor nothing offended with this 〈◊〉 of speech/ as were the other that slipped away, but they answered firmly. Thou haste the words of everlasting life, and we believe etc. Now to the 〈◊〉 of the words of out 〈◊〉 souper.  
¶ Here hath master Maskar given us a mayor of an argument, and a minor to. His mayor is his first part unto these words, But they etc. and his minor is at the remaunt.  
But we may now ask him ergo what? For conclusion he setteth none unto them. If he think the conclu zion follow so clear that he needed not, but every man must needs see what followeth upon his two premisses: in good faith for my part if I should set ergo to it, that is the comen note of the consequent, I see not what would follow any more than the comen verse of the compute manuel, Ergo ciphos adrifex, he hath made his mayor so foolishly.  
¶ In which that first it pleaseth his mayfter ship to trifle & mock in this great matter, & make us poor people ween/ that every thing that any doctor saith in dispicions, or holdeth by way of problem, were delivered us to believe as a necessary point of our faith: he doth but play the false fool for his pleasure. For as for the manner how the blessed body of christ is in the blessed sacrament, whither with his dymensy one, as song, thick, and broad, as he hanged on the cross, or with his dymensyons ꝓporcionable to the form of breed, as his blessed body was as verily his body in the first moment of his holy conception, as it ever was at his passion/ and yet was it than neither so thick, so song, nor so broad/ or whither his body be there in his natural substance, with out any dymensyons at all/ or whither he be there in all his distynctyons of the members of his holy hody, or there have all his members without any distinctyon of place at all: these things and such other in which learned men may moderately and reverently die spute and exercise their wit and learning, the catholic church in such wise leaveth at large, that it vyndeth not the people to any such straights in the matter, but only to the points that we be bounden by certain and sure revelation, to believe/ that is to wit, that under what manner so ever it be there, veryfy there it is, his very flesh and his very blood. And in the form of breed verily eat his very body there we do, when we receive the very blessed sacrament. Thus 〈◊〉 have we by certain and sure revela cyon, both by holy scripture, and by the tradition also, by which Chryst taught it to his apostles and they to the church, as saint Poule did to 
1. Cori. 11.  the Corinthyes, and the church to the people by succession from age to age ever sin th'apostles days unto our own tyme.  
¶ And therefore with those mocks and jests, master Mashar mocketh no man but himself/ save that under the name of papists, he mocketh all the catholic church of this. xv. hundred year both clergy and temporalty, men and women, and 〈◊〉/ and among the remanant, all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy doctors and saints that have without doubt or question both believed and taught, that Crift meant not to speak those words: My flesh is very meat, by way of a parable, as master Masker saith he only meant/ but that he verily spoke and meant of the very eating of his flesh in deed.  
¶ But now shall you see that as I said, his mayor is so foolishly made, that all the world may wonder where his wit was when he made it.  
For he saith that if the matter stood in deed, upon such a great miracle as the catholic church (which he calleth the papists) believe, that is to wit that his very body should be eaten in form of breed/ and that also (which he putteth for a necessary part of our saith) as long, as deep, as thick, and as broad as it was when it hanged on the cross: than the disciples and apostles (because they were yet but feeble in the faith) must needs have wondered, ston, and stagerd, and have been more inquisitive therein then they were. Now woteth well every child good reader, that Chryst did not in that place, plainly tell them in what manner that they should eat it/ that is to wit that they should eat it in form of breed. For though he gave them an insinuation & signify signification thereof, in that he said, And 
Iohn. 6.  the breed that I shall give you is my flesh/ which words coupled with his deed when he did institute in deed at his maundy, might then make 
Mat. 26.  them clearly perceive that they should eat flesh in form of breed: yet at the time when the word was first spoken, it was not so plain for that matter, but it might seem to them that he used that word breed but by manner of allegory to signify there his flesh, because they should verily eat it as men eat breed.  
¶ Now see than good reader the madness of master Maskar, that sayeth here, that that thing must nedeshave made th'apostles wonder, ston, and stagger, at the time when Christ spoke those words in the sixth chapypyter of saint John/ at which time every child knoweth, that they though they well perceived that they should verily eat his flesh, yet they knew not that they should eat it in form of bred. And how could it than have made them wonder (that thing I say that he speaketh of, and so sore exaggerateth to increase the wonder) that is to wit that his flesh should be eaten in form of bred, and that as long as thick, as deep, and as broad, as it was when it hanged on the cross. Now could this thing I say have made them wonder at that time, at which time they thought not of the eating thereof in the form of breed? Nerd ever any man such a mad argument, as master Maskar hath made us here.  
¶ Now if christ had there told them in deed, all that master Mass kar hath here put in so foolishly, to make the matter the more wonderful: than would I deny his mayor. And so will I do if himself put all that out again, and leave no more in his mayor than christ said in deed, that is that they should verily ease his flesh & have life thereby, & that they should not only eat it bodily but also spiritually/ nor in deed gobettes without life or spirit, but quick and joined with the lively 〈◊〉, by which it should give life, and without which his flesh of his own proper nature to the giving of life, could not avail.  
Now say I that if master Masker had made his mayor of this: all this had been no cause for his apostles to wonder, nor to be ston and stagger, nor to murmur and grudge as they did that slypte away.  
For as feeble as master Maskar maketh th'apostles in the faith of Crist: yet at that time without any such manner of marvel, as might make them stone and stagger and slip away from him, they believed such other things as were as hard to believe as this, and that without any farther inquisition at all.  
¶ For else why should they not at the same time have marveled of his ascension up to heaven, and been more inquisitive thereof. For that was no little marvel neither, and was one of the things/ that made the jews and those disciples to stone and stagger, that there slipped away from him.  
¶ Also they believed that he was god/ and had no such wonder thereof, as made them stone and stagger or be more inquisitive thereof, which was as strange a matter as was all the t'other/ and which point once believed, it was 〈◊〉 to believe the t'other with out any such manner of marveling, as should make them either stone or stagger thereat.  
¶ No we as for being inquisitive thereof: holy saint Chrisostome saith, that as strange as the thing was of eating his flesh. For that men had benrysen from death they had herd of in the scripture before/ but that one should eat a nother's flesh saith saint Chriso stome, that had they never herd of) yet they believed Christ's word and followed forth still, & confessed that he had the words of everlasting life, and would not be by & by curious and inquisytive as master Maskar saith they would, if they had believed him that he meant of eating of his flesh in deed. For saint Chrysostome saith, That is the part of a disciple, what so ever his master affirmeth, not to be curious and inquisitive thereof, nor to make search therein, but to hear and believe, and if they would any thing further be informed/ abide a convenient tyme. For they that did otherwise & were inquisitive, went 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. 45. 6. cap. 〈◊〉.  away back, and that thorough their folly. For saith saint Chrysostome, when so ever it cometh in the mind, to ask the question how the thing may be done: than cometh there in to the mind incredulity therewith. So was Nichodemus troubled & asked, Now may a man be borne again 
〈◊〉. 3.  when he is old? May a man enter again into his mother's belly and be borne again? And so the jews said here to: how can he give us his flesh to eat? But thou jew if thou ask that, why didst thou not ask that in like wise in the miracle of the five Louis: why didst thou not than ask how can he feed so many of us with so little mete. why didst thou not ask, by what mean he would & did increase it so much. The cause was because they cared but for the meat, and not for the miracle. But thou wilt peradventure say, the thing at that time declared and showed itself. But than I say again, that of that manifest open miracle that they saw him there work, they should have believed that he could do these things to, that is to wit these things that they now murmured at when they said, how can he give us his flesh to eat. For therefore (saith saint Chrysostome) did our saviour work the other miracle of his live Louis before, because he would therewith induce them that they should not dystruste those things that he would tell them after, that is to wit good readers of his godhead, and of the giving of his flesh to eat.   

The. ix. chapter.  
NOw good, Chrsten readers here you see by saint Chrysostome, that though th'apostles. under stood well that christ spoke of the very eating of his flesh: yet there was no cause why they should either dowtfully wonder, stone, or stagger or be by and by curious and inquysitive thereof/ & so destroyeth he plain master Maskers reason/ but if it be to such as are disposed for their pleasure, better to believe master masker than saint Chrysostome.  
¶ For every man may here well see, that saint Chrysostom meaneth here, that christ in those words bysyde all parables and allegories, spoke and meant of the very eating of his very flesh in deed. which thing lest master Masker might as he is shameless, bring yet in question and controversy: I shall rehearse you a few lines ferther of saint Chrysostome in this self same place. Lo thus there saith he ferther.  
Those jews at that time took no commodity/ but we have taken the profit of that benefit. And therefore is it necessare to declare how marvelous are these mysteries (that is to wit of the blessed sacrament) and why they be given us, and what is that profit thereof. we be one body & menbries of Christ'S flesh and his bonies. And therefore they that are christian, are bounden to obey his precepts. But yet that we should be not only by love, but also in very deed turned in to that flesh of his, that thing is done by the meat that his liberality hath given us. For while he to declare and express his love that he bore toward us, he hath by his own body mingled himself with us, and hath made himself one with us, that the body should be uned with the head. For that is the greatest thing that lovers long for (that is to wit to be (if it were possible) made both one) And that thing lygnyfyed job of hio servants, of whom he was most heartily beloved. which to express the vehement love that they bore toward him, said who could give us the gift, that we might have our bodies even fulfilled with his flesh: which thing Chryst hath done for us in deed/ both to th'intent to bind us in the more fervent love toward him, and also to declare the fervent love and desire that himself bare toward us. And therefore hath he not only suffered himself to be seen or looked upon by them that desire and long for him, but also to be touched and eaten, and the very teeth to be infyxed into his flesh, and all folk to be fulfilled in the desire of him. Fron gods board therefore let us rise like lions that blew out fire at the mouth such as the devil may be afeard to behold us/ & let us consider Chryst our head, & what a love he hath showed us. The fathers and the mothers oftentimes put out their children to other folk to nurse. But I (may our saviour say) nuryshe & feed my children with mine own flesh. I give them here mine own self/ so favour I them all. And such great hope I give them all, again the time that shall come. For he that in such wise giveth us himself in this life here: much more will he give us himself in the life that is to come. I longed (said our lord) to be your brother.  
And for your sakes I have communycated and made comen unto you my flesh and my blood. The things by which I was joined with you, those things have I exhybyted again and given to you (that is to say the very flesh and blood, by which I was made natural man with you, that same have I in the sacrament ex hybyted & given again unto you)  
This blood causeth the kings image to flower in us. This blood will not suffer the beauty and the noblynes of of the soul (which it ever watereth & nuryssheth) to wither or fade & fall. The blood that is made in us of our other comen meat, is not by and by blood/ but before it be blood it is somewhat else. But this blood of Chryst out of hand watereth the soul & with a certain marvelous might and strength seasoneth it by and by. This mystical or sacramental blood (that is to say this blood of Christ in the sacrament) driveth the devils far of and bringeth to us not angels only, but the lord of all angels to. The devils when they by hold and see the blood of Chryst with in us, they i'll larre from us, and the angels run as fast toward us.  
¶ And yet saint Chrysostome ceaceth not with all this, but goth forth with a longer process, declaring the great benefit of this blood, both by the shedding on the cross, and by the receiving in the sacrament/ which whole process I shall peradventure hereafter in some other place rehearse ¶ But for this matter good christian readers thus much doth more than suffice. For by less than this ye may more than plainly perceive, that this old holy doctor saint Chryso stom, manifestly declareth & showeth, that our saviour in those words that he spoke to the jews, mentioned in the sixth chapter of saint johst, verily spoke and meant of the very eating of his flesh. which thing he promised there, and which promise he performed after at his maundy, when he there instituted the 
Math. 26  blessed sacrament.   

The. x. chapter.  
ANd now good readers to finish at last this matter of master Maskers against my second argument (which he calleth my first, because my first is such as he is loath to look upon) I return ones again to master maskers two sore captyouse questions/ and likewise as he hath asked them of me, and I have as you see so well avoided his gynnies and his grins and all his trymtrams, that he hath not yet trained me into no trap of mine own, as you see him solemnly boast: so will I now be bold to ask of him first, whither saint Chri sostome, here, ye and saint austin to, and saint Cyrille, saint Bede saint Nyreneus, and saint Nilary, were of the mind, that th'apostles understood their master Chry stes words when he said, And the 
〈◊〉. 6.  breed that I shall give you is my flesh etc. And my flesh is very meat etc. And I tell you very troth, except you eat the flesh of that son of man etc. ¶ If master masker answer me to this question nay or no, than shall he make me bold to answer the same to him. For than shall he not fere me with his own saying, that the gospel saith contrary in the sixth chapter of saint 〈◊〉, if he grant and confess himself/ that all those holy doctors say therein against his own saying/ which among them all, understood that gospel as well as himself alone, ye & though he take Fryth and frere Nuyskyn to him to. And therefore if he answer nay or no: than is he quite overthrown as you see/ and his second question quite gone to, for than can he never come to it.  
¶ Now on the other side, if he answer me ye or yes: than see good readers whereto master Masker bringeth himself even to be taken in his own trap. For than he marreth all his matter. For sith you see clearly good readers, that all these holy doctors and saints, openly do declare by their plain word which yourself have here all ready herd, that christ in those word verily spoke and meant of the very eating of his very flesh in deed: it must needs follow against master Maskers mind (in the ears & the hearts of all such as believe better all those holy doctors than him) that this is the right understanding of Christ'S words/ and that th'apostles if they understood his words, understood them after the same fashion/ that is to wit, that he spoke & meant of the very eating of his very flesh indeed. And so serveth him his second question of nought. For the cause why they meruaysed not in any murmuring manner, was because they believed it well at their masters word, which master masker doth not/ and the cause why therwere not by & by curious & inquisitive, was asyou have herd saint Chrysostome declare ', because they were meek and obedient, and not so presumptuous and malapert; as master Masker would have been.  
¶ 〈◊〉 master masker here may you see lo, what worship you have won with your questions/ with which you have not only miss of training me into mine own trap, as you triumph & boast, but are also driven into your own trap yourself, out of which you can never climb up yourself nor all the brotherhood be able to draw you up, as long as the devil the very father of your living brotherhood, lieth in the deep den of hell.  
¶ Thus have I good readers my first argument (as he calleth it) that he boasteth to have twice so substantially soiled, that he maketh me therein such a feeble babe, that I were not able to stand in his strong hand: that argument have I so strongly now the, and given him in his own turn so many great & fowl falls, in every part of his process, that if this great clerk had so many so great fall lies given him at Clerken well at a wresteling, he would have had I ween neither rib, nor arm, nor leg left him hole long ago, nor at this last lift, his neck unbroken neither. And now therefore let us look how he soileth my third argument, which himself calleth my second, because he would have that first forgotten   

The. xi. chapter.  
LO thus good readers goeth master Masker forth.  
The second argument of More.  
After this text thus wisely proved to be understanden den in the lyfter all sense with the carnal jews, & not in the allegoryke or spiritual sense with christ and his apostles: The whole sum of Morys con 〈◊〉 of the young man, flandeth upon this argument, a posse ad esse/ that is to wit, God may do it, ergo it is done. God may make this body in many or in all places at once, ergo it is in many or in all places at once. which manner of argumentation how false and nought it is, every Sophyfter & every man that hath wit, perceiveth. A like argument. God may show More the truth and call him to repentance as he did Paul for pierce cutting his church, ergo More is connerted to god. Or god may let him run of an indurate heart with Pharo, and at last take an open and sudden vengeance upon him for persecufing his word, & burning his poor members: ergo it is done already.  
¶ In all this tale good readers you see, that master Masker is yet at the lest wise constant & nothing changeth his manners. For as falsely as he rehearsed mine other argument before (wherein what falsehood he used you have yourself seen) as falsely now rehearseth he this other. For read good readers all my letter thorough yourself, and when you find that fashioned argument there, than believe master masker in this matter/ & in the mean while believe but as the troth is, that with his lies he mocketh you. And sith he maketh us first a loud lie for his foundation, & buildeth after his arguments upon the same, where with he skoffeth so pleasantly at me, that it as properly becometh the man to taunt, as it becometh a camel or a bear to dance: I will not with him argue, a posse ad esse/ & say he can lie ergo he doth lie/ but I will turn the fashion, & argue abbess ad posse/ & say that he doth lie, ergo he can lie, & so commend his wit. Lo this form of arguing can he not deny. And thantecedent shall you find as true when you read over my letter as him self can not say nay, but that the consecution is formal.  
¶ But than goth master Masker forth on and saith.  
Master More must first prove if us by express words of holy scripture, and not by his own unwritten dreams, that Christ'S body is in many places or in all places at ones. And than though our reasyn can not reach it, yet our faith measured and 〈◊〉 with the word of faith, will both reach if, receive it, and hold it fosie to/ not because it is possible to god, & impossible to reason, but because the written word of our faith saith it. But when we read gods words in more than twenty places contrary, that his body should be here: More must give us leave to believe his unwritten vanities, very tees I would say, at leisure.  
¶ Here ye see good readers how many thing master masker hath told us here, and how freshly he flories sheath them forth.  
¶ The first is that I must prove it him, that the body of christ is in many places at once, or in all places at once.  
¶ The second is, that I must prove it by express words of scripture.  
¶ The third is, that I may not prove it by mine own unwritten dreams.  
¶ The fourth is, that if I prove it so by express words of scripture, than he will both reach it, and receive it, and hold it fast to.  
¶ The fifth is that he findeth. xx. places of scripture and more; to the contrary, proving that his body is not here.  
¶ The sixth is, that therefore I must give him leave to believe mine unwritten vanities, verities, he would say, at laysore.  
¶ Now for the first good readers where master Masker saith that master More must first prove it him, that Christ'S body is in many places at once or in all places at one's: I say that as for all places at ones, master More must not prove at al. For (sith the sacrament is not ta all places at one's) whither his blessed body may be in all places at ones, is no point of our matter.  
¶ Now as touching the being of his blessed body in many places at ones, where master Maskar saith that ere he be bound to believe it, I must prove it: he is very far out of reason and out of the right way. For is master Maskar nor father Frith before him, bounden to believe no more, than master More were able to prove them? I say again to father Frith and master Maskar both, that if either of them both, or any such other fond fellow as they be, begin to deny now any such plain article of the faith, as all good christian nations, are & long have be full agreed upon, so long and so full as they have been upon this, and so long reckoned the contra rye beliefs for heretics: either master More or any man else, might well with reason reprove them thereof, and rebuke them therefore, and only answer the foolish arguments that they make against the troth, and should not once need to go about the proof of the full received & undone ted troth, as though it were become doubtful upon every proud heretics blasphemous foolish argument.  
¶ For if master maskar would now brxng up the Arrianes heresre again, against the godhead of Christ, which he might as well as this frantic heresy of frere Huskyn & wycleffe against the blessed sacrament/ or if he would now begin the other foolish heresy, where of the prophet speaketh in the psalter. Dixit insipiens in cord 
Psal. 〈◊〉.  suo non est deus. The fool said in his heart there is no god, which he might as well begin as any of the other twain: if he would now for the furnishing of this heresy, come forth with such unreasonable reasons, as some foolish folosophers brought in therefore of old, were it not enough for me to confute those foolish arguments wherewith he would 〈◊〉 simple soulis? Must I need beside that go make much a do, & ꝓue that there were a god, or else grant this goose that there were no god at all, because himself would say so still, when his found rea sons were soiled? ¶ Now to his second point, where it is not enough for him to say that I must prove it (wherein as ye see I have proved him a very fool) but he assigneth me also what manner of ꝓse I must make/ and none may serve him, but such as himself list assign/ & that there fore I must prove it him by express words of holy scripture: I ask him than whither he willbe content if I prove it him by express word of christ written in all the four evangelists, saint Matthew, saint Mark, saint Luke, and saint johun? if he say ye as I suppose he will, than ask I him farther wherefore he will believe the writing of them four. whereto what will he answer, but because that those gospel of theirs are holy scripture. But than shall I farther desire him to she we me, how he knoweth that those four books or any one of all four, is the book of him, whose name it beareth, or is the holy scripture of god at all. To this question lo (but if he can go far there than holy saint austin could, or the master captain of his own heresies Martyne Luther either) he must say that he knoweth those books for holy scripture, because the comen known catholic church hath so told him. Now when he shall have once answered me thus: every child may soon see what I shall ask him again. For than shall I say, tell me than master Maskar I beseech you, sith you believe this comen known catholic church in that one great verity, whereupon by your own saying all the other writers depend: why should you not as well believe it in this other article, which it as plainly telleth you, and yet you do deny it? why should you not I say master Maskar believe the church as well, when it telleth you god hath taught his church that this is his very body, as you believe the same church when it telleth you, god hath taught his church that this is his very scripture, namely sith there are written in the same scripture other things, to man's reason as hard to conceive and as incredible to believe as that.  
¶ Here you see good readers, to what point I have brought master Maskar. I have set him here so fast in the mire, that therein shall he stick and never clean wade out while he liveth.  
¶ Moreover master maskar can not deny me this, but that the right belief in the sacrament/ & divers other things more, were once taught and believed, and christian men bounden to believe them to, without express words of holy scripture laid forth for the proof, before any word of the new testament was written and after per adventure to/ where th'articles were preached, and written gospels not there. Now if such things were at one time not only believed, but men also bounden to the belief thereof without express words of scripture for the proof: master Maskar must then, though there be come writing sins, yet either proof us by express words of scripture, that of all that god will we shall believe, there is nothing left out/ but every such thing there written in with express words, or else may he never make himself so sure, & face in out a this fashion with express word, that saving the very plain express words of scripture, we be no man of us bounden to believe nothing else.  
¶ Now this am I sure enough, that such express words shall he never find in scripture, that tell him expressly that all is written in. And than sith be can not prove us this point by scrypturer, but that at the lest wise we may be bounden to believe some such things as in holy scrip pture is not expressly written/ which things those may be and which not, of whom will god we shall learn, but of his known cathylyque church by which he teacheth us which be the very scripture?  
¶ Now as for the third point, master maskar toucheth, in which he will allow for no sufficient ꝓfe mine own unwritten dreams, he giveth my dreams I thank him of his courtesy, much more authority than ever I looked for. For while he rejecteth none of them, but such as are unwritten, he showeth himself ready to believe them, if I would vouchesaufe to write them.  
¶ In the fonrth point he promiseth, that if I do by express words of scripture prove that it is so: than (though it be above the reach of his reason) yet will he by belief, both reach it, and receive it, & hold it fast to. Would god master Maskar would abid by this word. For now I ask him again, whither he will be content, if I prove it him by express words of some one of the four evangelists. And if he be content with express words of any one, than will I do more for him, prove it by all four.  
¶ For saint Iohn rehearseth, that our saviour said himself he would give them his flesh to eat. And that he meant of the sacrament, you see all ready proved here before.  
And the other three rehearse, that christ said himself when he gave them the sacrament, this is my body that shall be broken for you. What words can there be more plain and express than these?  
¶ But here saith master Maskar that these be not express words. For he saith that these words be spoken but by way of allegory. And he proveth it as Frith doth, by that our saviour said of himself, I am the door, and I am the vine.  
¶ Now remember good readers, that master Maskar bylyed me right now, and said that all my second argument was, a posse ad esse, it may be so, ergo it is so. But now consider good christian readers yourself, why there this argument of his be not a posse ad esse in deed. For by those placis, I am the door, and I am the vine, and such other: he concludeth that these other places of eating his flesh and giving of his body, was spoken by an allegory to.  
And how concludeth he that it is so? but because it may be so.  
And thus ye see good readers, that the self same kind of arguing which master Maskar feigneth himself to find with me, & falsely belieth me therein (for I needed there none other thing to do, but answer the things that Fryth laid forth against the catholic faith) the self same kind of arguing I say master Maskar useth himself/ and so doth young father Fryth his fellow in folly to.  
¶ But than again when they argue thus, These places may be so understanden by an allegory only, as those other places be, ergo they be to be so understanden in deed: I have proved already that his intent is false, and that they may not be understanden in an allegory only as the t'other be/ but the plain and open diffe rinse between the places appear up 'pon the circumstances of the text. This have I proved against Frith already/ and that in such wise, as yourself hath seen here, that master Maskar can not avoid it/ but in going about to defend Firths folly, hath with his two solutions of mine one argument, ofter than twice over thrown himself, & made mine argument more than twice so strong.  
¶ But yet good readers, because I say that those words of Crist, The breed that I shall give you is my flesh, 
〈◊〉, 6.  which I shall give for the life of the world/ and my flesh is verily meat, and my blood verily drink/ and, But if you eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you/ and so forth all such words as our saviour spoke himself, mentioned in the sixth chapter of saint john/ and those words of our saviour at his maun die written with all the other three evangelists. This is my body that shall be broken for you, be plain and express words for the catholic faith/ and master maskar saith that the be not words plain and express, but exponeth them all another way: therefore to break the strife therein between him and me, I have brought you forth for my part in mine exposition, the plain express words of diverse old holy saints, by which you may plain & expressly see, that they all said as I say.  
¶ And master maskar also can not himself say nay/ but that against other heretics before his days and mine, diverse whole general counsels of christendom, have plainly and expressly determined the same to be true that I say.  
¶ And all the countries chrystened can also testify, that god hath himself by manifold open miracles, plain & expressly declared for the blessed sa crament, that this is the true faith which master Maskar here oppugneth/ and that god hath by those miracles exponed his own words himself, to be plain & expressly spoken for our part. ¶ And therefore now good christian readers, if master mass kar will make any more sticking with us, & not grant Christ's words for plain & express/ & according to his promise, reach & receive the true faith & hold it fast to: ye may plain & ex pressely tell him, there shall never true man, trust his false promise after.  
¶ Now touching the fifth point, where he saith that he findeth. xx. places in scripture & more to, proving that Christ's body is not here in earth: remember this well good reder against he bryna them forth. For in his second part when we come to the tale, ye shall find his more than twenty, far fewer than fifteen, & of all that shall well serve him, ye shall find fewer than one.  
¶ Then where he concludeth in the last point upon these five points afore (which five how well they prove good christian readers you see) that I must give him leave to believe mine unto vanities (verities he would say) at seysour: if the things that he calleth unto verities were in deed unto & invented also by me, than he might be the bolder to cast hem mine un written vanities, & (as he calleth them before) mine unto dremis to, But on the other side sith you see yourself, that I have showed you them writem in holy saints books, and that a thousand year before that I was borne/ & yourself seeth it wri ten in the plain scripture to, proved plain & express for our part against him, by th'old exposition of all the holy doctors and saints, and by the determinations of diverse general counsels of Christ's whole catho lyque church/ and proved plain for our part also, by so many plain open miracles: master maskar must needs be more than mad to call now such written vetyties my unwritten ten vanities, or mine unto dreams either/ except he prove both all those things to be but an invention of mine/ and over that all those wri tynges to be yet unto/ and that holy doctrine both of holy saints and of holy scripture vanities, & also that all the while that all those holy folk 〈◊〉 awurke there with, they neither wrote nor studied nor did nothing but dream.  
¶ Now while master More must therefore upon such considerations, give master Masker seve to believe this unwritten vanity, which is in all the. iiii. evangesystes an express written verity: while I must I say therefore upon such foolish false con 〈◊〉, give him seve to believe the tree we faith at leisure/ if he had put it in my choice, I would have been sooth to give him any senger seysour therein, for he hath been to long out of right belief all ready. But sith he sayeth I must, I may not choice. whereof I am as help me god very sorry. For except he take himself that leisure bytyme, seving the business that be daily taketh in writing of pestilent books to the contrary: he shall eyes not fail to believe the true faith at a long leisure over late, that is to wit when he lieth wretchedly in hell/ where he shall not write for lack of light and burning up of his paper, but shall have everlasting leisure from all other work to believe there that he would not believe here, and lie still & ever burn there, in everlasting fire, for his former ungracious obstinate infidelity/ out of which 〈◊〉 I be 〈◊〉 god give him the grace to creep and get out by tyme.  
And thus you see good readers what a goodly piece master masker hath made you/ which pleased him I warrant you very well, when he wrote it. But it will not I ween please him now very well, when he shall after this mine answer read it.   

The. xii. chapter.  
BUt now goth he ferther against me with a special goodly piece wherein thus he saith.  
Here mayst thou see christian reader wherefore More would so fain make the believe that 〈◊〉 lest aught unwritten of necessity to be believed, even to stablish the pope's kingdom, which standeth of Morys unwritten vanities/ as of the presence of Christ'S body, and making thereof in the breed, of putgatory, of invocation of saints, worshipping of stonies and flockies, pilgrimages, hallowing of vows and 〈◊〉, and creeping to the cross etc.  
If ye will believe what so ever More can fain without the scriptures: than can this poet feign ye another church than Christ'S, and that ye must believe it what so ever it teach you/ for he hath feigned to that it can not 〈◊〉, though ye see it err and fight against itself a thousand times/ ye if it tell you black is white, and good is bad, and the 〈◊〉 is god, yet must ye believe it or ellye be burned as heretics.  
¶ Still ye see the wisdom good readers, & the troth of master masker, in every piece of his matter. For here you see that all these things/ that he speaketh of, as that the church can not err, and the creeping to the cross, with all other ceremonies of the church, invocation of saints, going on pilgrimage, worshipping of images, believing of purgatory, believing the body of our saviour present in the blessed sacrament: all these thing he calleth mine unwritten vanities, and maketh as though these things were all of my feigning. Is not this ween you wisely feigned of him, that the things commonly used this. xiiii. C. year before I was borne, should now be feigned and imagined by me. But yet shall it be as long after my days and his to, ere master Masker and all the meinie of them shall among them all, be able to confute the things the myself have in the matters written. And yet hang not the matters upon my writing, but upon the truth itself, revealed unto Christ known catholic church, both by christ himself and his apostles after him, by tradition and by writing both, and by many miracles confirmed, & with the secret instinct and inspiration of his holy spirit, wrought & brought into a full & whole catholic agreement and consent, as necessary points of the true we christian faith.  
¶ This is also by master masker wonderful wisely feigned, that More hath feigned all these things, even to the intent to stably sshe the pope's kingdom. But now what great cause should move me, to bear that great affection to the pope, as to fain all these thing for stably shement of his kingdom: that thing master masker telleth you not, as the thing that is so plain and evident that he needeth not. For he thinketh the every man knoweth all ready, that the pope is my godfather, & goeth about to make me a cardinal.  
¶ But now good christian readers, they that would at the counsel of this evil christian caitiff, cast of all such manner thing as all good chry sten people have ever taken for good, and now neither creep to the cross, nor set by any hallowed thing, dispute pylgrymags, and set holy saints at nought, no more reverence their images than an horse of wax, nor reckon their relics any better than shepys bonies, scrape clean the litany out of every book, with our lady motens & the dirge to, and away with our 〈◊〉 plaster, & cast the beds in the fire & beware also that we worship not the sacrament, nor take it for no better thing than unblessed breed, & believe that the church erreth in every thing the it teacheth, and all that holy saints have taught therein this. xiiii. C. 〈◊〉 (for all they have taught all these things that this man now despiseth) than would there wax a merry world, the very kingdom of the devil himself.  
¶ And verily it seemeth that they would set the people upon 〈◊〉. For penance they shake of as a thing not necessary. Satisfaction they call 〈◊〉 sin/ & confession they call the devils drift. And of purgatory by two meaves they put men out of dread. Some by sleeping till domys day, & some by sending all straight to heaven, every soul that dieth & is not dampened for ever. And yet some good comfort give they to the dampened to. For till they see sometime to deny hell all utterly, they go about in the mean season to put out the fire.  
And some yet boldly forthwith to say there is none there, that they dread a little/ and therefore for the season they bring the matter in question, & dispute it abroad & say they will not utterly affirm and say the contrary/ but the thing is they say but as problema neutrum, wherein they would not force whither part they should take/ & yet if they should choose, they would rather hold nay than ye/ or though there be fire in either place, that yet it neither burneth so wle in hell, nor paineth so wle in purgatory.  
But Chryst I wot well in many places saith there is fire there/ & his 
Math. 13. 18. &. 25.  holy saints after him affirm and say the same/ and with that fire he frayed his own dyseyples, bidding them fere that fire, that they fell not therein.  
¶ Now though that clerks 〈◊〉 in schools hold problems upon every thing: yet can I not perceive what profit there can come, to call it but a problem among unlearned folk, and dispute it out abroad; and bring the people in doubt, & make them rather think that there is none than any/ and that this word fire is spoken but by parable, as these men make the eating of Christ'S blessed body. Thus shall they make men take both paradise, and heaven, and god, and all together, but for parables at last.  
Though fere of hell alone be but a servile dread: yet are there all ready to many that fere hell to little, even of them that believe the truth, and think that in hell there is very fire in deed. Now many will there than be that will fere it less, if such words once may make them ween, that there were in hell no very fire at all, but that the pain that they shall feel in hell, were but after the manner of some bevy mind, or of a troublous dream.  
¶ If a man believe Christ'S word, that in hell is fire in deed, and make the fear of that fire, one mean to keep him thence: than though there were no fire there, yet hath he nothing lost/ sith good he can get none there, though the fire were thence. But if he believe such words on the other side, and catch thereby such boldness that he set hell at light, and by the means there of fall bosdely to sin, and thereupon finally fall down unto the devil: if he than find fire there as I am sure he shall, than shall he lie there and curse them that told him those false tallies, as long as god with his good folk sitteth in the joy of heaven.  
¶ And therefore good christian readers, wisdom will we believe Christ'S own words, and let such unwise words and devilish devices pass.   

The. xiii. chapter.  
BUt now after this pleasant discourse of his into the rehearsal of this heap of heresies that you have herd, for which as for little tryfyls his heart fretteth sore, that any heretic should be burned: he goth on against me and saith.  
But let us return to our propose. To dispute of gods almighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power, what god may do with his body, it is great folly and no less presump 〈◊〉 to More, sith the pope which is no hole god but half a god, by their own decrees hath decreed no man to dispute of his power. But christian 〈◊〉 be thou content to know that gods will, his wordand his power, be all one, and repugn not. And neigh there willeth he nor may not do any thing including repugnance, imperfection, or that should derogate mynysshe or hurt his glory and his name. The glory of his godhead is, to be present and to fill all places at once essencyally, presently with his almighty power, which glory is denied to any other creature/ himself saying by his prophet: I will not give my glory to any other creature. Now therefore sith his manhood is a creature, it can not have this glory which only is appropried to the godhead. To attribute to his manhood that pro pertye/ which only is appropried to his godhead/ is to confonnde both the natures in christ. what thing so ever is every where after the said manner/ that must needs be infinite/ without beginning and end/ it must be one alone/ and almighty: which properties only are appropried unto the gloryonse majesty of the godhead. wherefore Chrysted body may not be in all or in many places at once. christ himself saying as concerning his manhood: He is less than the father/ but as touching his godhead the father and 〈◊〉 be both one thing. And Panle recyfing the Psal. affirmeth: christ as concerning his manhood to be less than god/ or less than angels as some text hath it. Here is it plain that all things that More imagyneth and feigneth/ are not possible to god/ for it is not possible for god to make a creature equal unto himself/ for it includeth repugnance and derogateth his glory.  
¶ Now have you so good christian readers heard a very special piece, wherein master masker (as you see) solemnly first rebuketh the folly and the presumption of me, for that I was so bold in my letter against his fellow father Fryth, to dispute of gods almighty absolute power. But now good readers when you shall see by the matter, that it was Fryth which argued against gods almighty power, denying that christ could make his own body in many places at once/ & that I did in effect nothing else but answer him, & 〈◊〉 and affirmed that god was able to do it, and that Fryth was but a fool so to straight & to limit the power os almighty god, but if he could prove repugnance (which against gods own word plain spoken in his hosy gospel, father Frith could never do) when you see this good readers, I doubt not but ye will say, that it is neither folly nor presumption for the simplest man or woman in a town, to maintain that god may do this thing or that (namely the thing that god hath said himself he doth) against him that is so foolish as to presume, against the plain word of god, to determine by his own blind reason the contrary/ & specially sith the thing is such in deed, as though god had not spoken thereof, yet had he none hold to say that god could not do it, for as much as it implieth no such repugnance as should make the thing impossible unto god.  
¶ But now see further good readers the wisdom and the meekness of master Masker here. which as soon as he hath scant finished his high solemn 〈◊〉 of me; for such disputing of god almighty power, that I said he was in deed so mighty that he could do the thing that we disputed upon against him that said nay, falleth himself forth with in the same fault that he findeth/ and yet not in the same fault (for the fault that he found was none) but in the fault that he would seem to find. For he disputeth and taketh the part against gods almighty power in deed/ and argueth as you see that god in deed can not do it.  
¶ And this point he argueth in such manner fashion, that in my syfe I never saw so foolish an argument, so solemnly set up an high. first he maketh his reason thus. It is the glory of the godhead and appopryed only thereunto, to be present and to fill all places at once, essentially, presently, with his almighty power/ and is denied to any creature. But Christ'S 〈◊〉 is a creature. Ergo it can not have this glory that is appropried to the godhead.  
¶ Here is a wise argument. God hath many glories. And his chief glory standeth not in being present at once essencyally in every place.  
And though he will not give his glory from him, yet of his glory he maketh many creatures in many great parts of it, to be partiners with him It is one part of his glory to live & endure in eternal bliss/ & though no creature be without beginning, yet maketh he many a thousand possessors of joy without ending.  
¶ How proveth master masker that to be present at once in all places, is such a kind of glory so appropered unto god, that god can not give that gift to any creature. The scripture seemeth to appropre unto god alone, the knowledge of man's secret thought. And yet can I not see but that god might give that knowledge to some creature to and yet abide god still himself.   

The. xiiii. chapter.  
THan maketh master Maskar an other argument, wherewith he would as it seemeth somewhat strength the first, as it hath of troth no little need, being as it is so feeble of it self.  
¶ His other argument therefore is (as you have herd) this. what thing so ever is every where after the said manner, that must needs be infinite without be beginning and end. It must be one, and alone, and almighty. Which properties are appropried unto the glorious majesty of the godhead. But Christ'S manhed is not such (as himself witnesseth in holy scripture) ergo his manhood can not be in all or in many places at ones.  
¶ first (that we labour not about nought) we must consider what master Maskar meaneth by these words, after the said manner. He said you wot well in the other argument before, that the glory of god, is to be present, and to fill all places at ones, essentyally, presently, with his almighty power. And therefore when he saith now, what so ever thing is every where at ones after the said manner, he meaneth (you see well) present, and filling all places at ones, essencyally, presently, with his almighty power.  
¶ I let pass here his word presently, whose presence needeth not in that place for aught that I can se. For when he said before, present and filling all places at one's essentyally: his other word presently may take his leave and be absent well enough. For how can he be present & essentyally fill the place, and not presently? But now when he sayeth by his almighty power: what is this to the matter? For it is enough against him, if any creature 〈◊〉 be present in every place at ones, and essencyally fill the place/ not by his own almighty power, but by the almighty power of god/ and yet not so fill the place neither, but that it may have another wish it in the same place. For I trow he will not deny, but that there be many creatures in those places, which god with his own presence essencyally filleth full.  
¶ Therefore as for these words ofter the said manner which he putteth in to make us amazed: master Maskar must put out again. Now that being put out, rehearse & consider well master maskars argument, what thing so ever is in every place at ones, that thing must needs be infinite with out beginning and end/ it must be one, and alone, and almighty/ which propretyes are appropried to the glorious majesty of the godhead.  
But the manhood of christ is a creature and not god: ergo Christ'S manhood can not be in all places or in many places at ones.  
And yet consider here that though he leave out that odious word: yet must his conclusion be indeed, that god can not make it so, as you see plain by his beginning, where he showeth that it implieth repugnance, & that therefore god can not do it.  
¶ Now good readers consider well his first proposition, which we call the mayor, that is to wit that god can not make any thing created to be every where at ones. Let us pray him to prove it, and give him one years leisure to it. But here he taketh upon him to prove it, and layeth for the reason, that god can not make any creature to be in all places at ones, because it should then be infinite, and thereby god almyghties mate and high fellow. Let him as I say prove us this in two year, that it should then be infinite, without beginning, and without end, and almighty. In good faith either am I very dull, or else doth master Maskar tell us here in a very mad tale.  
¶ I think he will not deny, but that god which could make all this world, heaven, and earth, and all the creatures that he created therein, could if it so had pleased him, have created only one man, and let all the remanant alone uncreated, and have kept him still, and never have made heaven nor earth nor none other thing, but only that one man alone. The soul now that than had been created in that man, had it not than been in all places at one's? I suppose yes. For there had been no more places than that man's body/ and therein had there been many placesin many diverse parts of the man/ in all which that soul should have been present at ones, and the whole soul in every part of all those places at ones. For so is every soul in every man's body now. And yet had that soul not been infinite, no more than every soul is now.  
¶ If god would now (as if he would he could) create a new spirit that should fulfil all the whole world heaven and earth and all, as much as ever is created, that in such wise should be whole present at ones in every part of the world, as the soul is in every part of a man, and yet should not be the soul of the world: I will here ask master Maskar, were that new created spirit infinite? If he answer me nay: than hath he soiled his own wise reason himself. For than no more were the manhood of christ, though it were present in all those places of the whole world at ones. If he answer me ye: than sith that spirit were no more infinite than the world is, with in the limits and bounds whereof it were contained, it would follow thereof, that the world were infinite all ready, which is false.  
And also if it were true, then would it follow by master Maskers reason, that god almighty had a match all ready, that is to wit another thing infinite beside himself, which is the inconvenience that maketh master Maskar affirm it for impossible, that god could make Christ'S manhood to be in all places at ones.  
¶ Thus you see good readers upon what wise ground master Maskar hath here concluded, that god can not make Christ'S body to be in all places at ones.  
¶ But yet is it a world to consider how madly the man concludeth. His conclusion is this ye wot well, Wherefore Christ'S body can not be in all places, or in many places at ones. All his reason ye wot well goth upon being in all places at ones, because that thereupon would it by his wise reason follow, that it should be infinite. And now is that point of truth no part of our matter. For we say not that Christ'S body is in all places at ones, but in heaven, and in such places as the blessed sacrament is. And therefore where as his reason goeth nothing against being in many places at ones, but only against being at one's in all places: he concludeth suddenly against being in many places, toward which conclusion no piece of his premises had any manner of motion. And so in all this his high solemn argument, and his far fet reason, neither is his mayor true, nor his argument toucheth not the matter, nor his premisses any thing prove his conclusion. And yet after this goodly reasoning of his, he rejoiceth in his heart highly to see how iolyly he hath handled it, and sayeth,  
Here it is plain that all things that More yma gyneth and feigneth are not possible to god. For if is not possible to god to make a creature equal to himself, for it includeth vepugnaunce and 〈◊〉 teeth his glory.  
¶ Master maskar speaketh much of mine unwritten dreams and vanities. But here have we had a written dream of his, and therein this foolish boast also so full of vain glorious vanity/ that if I had dreamed it in a fit of a fever, I would I ween have been a shamed to have told my dream to my wife when I work. And now shall you good readers have here another piece as proper.  
God promised and swore that all nations should be blessed in the death of that promised seed which was christ: god had determined and decreed it before the world was made: ergo christ must needs have died/ and to expone this word oportet as More mynseth it. For it was so necessary that the contrary was impossible: except More would make god a 〈◊〉, which is impossible. Paul concludeth that christ must needs have died/ using this latin term Necesse. Saying where so ever is a testyment, there must the death of the testyment makes go between: or essys the testament is not ratified and sure/ but righteousness and remission of sins in Christ'S blood is his new testament, whereof he is mediator: 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 maker must needs have died. wrest not therefore (master More) this word opor tet (though ye sinned potest for oportet in some corrupt copy) unto your unsavoury sense. But let oportet signify, he must or it 〈◊〉 him to die. for he took our very mortal nature for the same decreed counsel: himself saying John. 2. a. 12. Oportet exaltari 〈◊〉 hominis etc. It behoveth, or the son of man must die/ that every one that believe in him perish not &c. Here may ye see also that it is impossible for god to break his promise. It is impossible to god which is that verity to be found contrary in his deeds and words: as to save them whom he hath damned/ or to damn them whom he hath saved. Wherefore all things imagined of Moor's brain are not possible to god.  
And when More sayeth, that Chrystie had power to let his life and to take it again, and therefore not to have died of necessity: I wonder me, that his 〈◊〉 here failed him, so cunning as he maketh himself therein: which granteth and affirmeth (as true it is) that with the necessary decreed works of god's forsyghte and providence standeth right well his free liberty.   

The. xv. chapter.  
IF this piece were good readers any thing to the purpose of our principal matter, concerning the blessed sacrament: master Mass kar had here given me hold enough to give him four or five such foul falls on the back, that his bones should all to burst there with. But for as much as you shall perceive by the reading of my letter, that all this gear is but a buy matter, risen upon a certain place of saint Austayne which Fryth alleged imperfytely: I purpose not to spend the time in vain dispicions with master Maskar, in a thing out of our matter. And namely sith the man hath after his long babbling against me, yet in the end answered himself well and sufficiently for me.  
¶ For when he hath said a great while, that it was in such wise ne cessarye that christ must die, that the contrary thereof was impossible: at last as though he would mock me there with and show mine ignorance, he bringeth in his own, and showeth that for any thing that god hath either foreseen or decreed and determined therein, he had left Chryst at his liberty to die or live if he would. And than if he was at his liberty not to die but if he had would: than was it not impossible for him to have lived if he had would.  
But the keeping of his life was the contrary of his dying: ergo his dying how necessary so ever it was for man's redemption, that is to wit so beautiful thereto, that without it we should not have been saved: yet master Maskar here to she we himself a great scoles' man in respect of me, confesseth himself against himself, that Christ to die was not in such wise necessarily constrained, that the contrary thereof, that is to wit christ to live, was impossible to him if he had would/ while master mass kar can not say nay, but must needs give place to the scriptures that I laid him, and therefore must confess and so he doth, that Chryst could by no constraint be compelled to die, but was offered because himself so would.  
¶ But the dyspytyons of this point is as I say good reader all beside our principal matter/ and therefore I will let his other follies that I find in this piece pass by.  
¶ Than goeth master Maskar forth and saith.  
But master More saith at last, if god would tell me that he would make each of both their bodies to (meaning the young man's body and Christ'S) to be in fifteen places at one's/ I would believe him I, that he were able to make his word true in the bodies of both twain/ and never would I so much as ask him whether he would glorify them both first or not: but I am sure, glorified or unglorified, if he said it, he is able to do it.  
Lo here may ye see what a fervent faith this old man hath, and what an earnest mind to believe Cry ftes words if he had told him: but I pray ye master More, what and if christ never told it you, nor said it nor never would/ would ye not be as hasty to not believe 〈◊〉 if he told it you/ I pray ye tell us where ye speak with him, and who was by to bear ye record: and yet if you bring as false a 〈◊〉 as your self to testify this thing: 〈◊〉 by your own doctrine, must ye make us a miracle to confirm your tale/ ere we be bound to believe you, or yet to admit this your argument, God may make his body in many places at ones, ergo it is so.   

The. xvi. capyter.  
Read good readers in my letter the. xxi. leaf, and then consider master Maskars goodly morke that he maketh here, and you shall find it very folly she. But now master Maskar asketh me, where I spoke with christ when he told me that he would make his own body in two places at ones, as though Christ could not speak to me but if I spoke to him, nor could not tell me the tale but if he appeared to me face to face, as he did after his resur reccyon to his disciples. This question of master Maskar cometh of an high wit I warrant you. I answer master maskar therefore, Crist told it at his maundy to other good credible folk, and they told it forth to the whole catholic church, and the whole church hath told it unto me/ and one of them that was at it, that is to wit saint Matthew, hath put it in writing as the same church telleth me.  
For else were I not sure whither that gospel were his or not, nor whither it were any part of holy scripture or not. And therefore I can lack no good and honest witness to bear me record in that point that will depose for me, that I fain not the matter of mine own head. And I have a testymoniall also of many old holy doctors and saints, made afore a good notary the good man god himself, which hath with his seal of many an hundred miracles, both testified for the troth of those men, & also for the troth of the principal matter itself/ that is to wit that Christ'S very body is in the blessed sacrament, though the sacrament be either in two or in. x. thousand places at once. And thus master Mass kers questions concerning christ blessed body, that Chryst hath told me that he would make it be in two places at once, is I trust sufficiently answered. But now as for Frythys' body (which writeth that Christ's body can be no more in two places at once than his) though I would have believed that Chryst could have made it in two placies as once if christ had so told me: yet sith christ hath now told me, by his whole catholic church, and by wry ting of the old holy saints of the same, & by his own holy scripture to, which scripture by the same church & the same holy saints I know, and also see declared and exponed, and over that hath by many wonderful miracles many fest proved & testified, that th'opinions in which Fryth obstinately & there with very foolishly died, were very pesrylent here syes, whereby he is perpetually severed from the lively body of Chryst, and made a dead member of the devil: I believe therefore and very surely know as a thing taught me by god, that the wretched body of that fellow shall never be in two placs at once/ but when it shall rise again and be restored to that wretched obstinate soul, shall there with lie still ever more in one place, that is to wit in theverlasting fire of hell. From which I beseech our lord turn Tyndale & George jay, with all the whole brotherhood, and master Masker among other (who so ever he be) by tyme.  
¶ Now upon his aforesard such a proper handled mock as you have herd, master masker goeth on, and giveth me right wholesome admonition, that I meddle no more with such high matters, as is the great absolute almighty power of god/ & therein thus he saith unto me.  
Sir you be to busy with gods almighty power, and have taken to great a burden upon your week shuldrens.   

The. xvii. chapter.  
HEre he should have rehearsed what one word I had said of gods almighty power, in which word I was to busy. Reed my letter over, and you shall clearly see that I say nothing else, but that god is almighty, & that he therefore may do all thing. And yet (as you shall here master Masker himself confess) I said not that god could do things that imply repugnance. But I said that some things may seem repugnant unto us, which things god seeth how to set together well enough. Be these words good reader over highly spoken of god almighty power? May not a poor unserned man be bold to say that god is able to do so much? And yet for saying thus much, saith master Masker that I am to busy, and have taken to great a burden upon my week sholdrens, and have over faded myself with mine own harness and weapons, & many gay words more to utter his eloquence with all. But master Masker un the other side is not himself to busy at all with gods almighty power, in affirming that god hath not the power to make his own blessed body in many places at once. His mighty strong sholdrens take not to much weight upon them, when in stead of omnipotent, he proveth god impotent/ and that by such impotent arguments, as you see yourself so shamefully haste, that never sambe cryple that lay impotent by the wallys in creeping out unto a dole, halted half so sore. But than goth he ferther for the praise of young david & saith: you have overladen yourself with your own harness and weapons/ and young david is like to prevayse against you with his sling & his stone.  
¶ As for master Maskers young master david, who so look upon his first treatise & my letter together shall soon see that his sfing and his stone be beaten both about his ears. And when so ever his new sling & his new stone (which is as I now here say very lately come over in mont) come once into my hands, I shall turn his sling into a cokste we, & his stone into a feather, for any harine that it shallbe able to do, but if it be to such as willingly will put out their own eyen, to which they never need neither stone nor sling, but with a feather they may do it and they be so mad.  
¶ But an heavy thing it is to here of his young foolish david, that hath thus with his stone of stobburnesse, stricken out his own brain/ & with the sling of his heresies, slon gen himself to the 〈◊〉.  
¶ yet master Masker can not seve me thus, but on he goth further in his 〈◊〉 rhetoric & thus he saith. God hath infatuated your high subtle wisdom/ your crafty conveyance is espied. God hath sent your church a meet cover for such a cup, even such a defender as you take yourself to be, that shall let all their whole cause fall flat in the mire, unto both your shames and utter confusion. God therefore be praised ever amen.   

The. xviii. chapter.  
AS for wisdom I will not con pare with master Masker therein/ nor would wax much the prouder in good faith though men would say that I had more wit than he. I pray god send us both a sytell more of his grace, and make us both good.  
¶ But where as he jesteth concerning my defence of the church: who so look my books thorough, shall find that the church, in the truth of whose catholic faith concerning the bless said sacrament I write against Frith and Tyndale, and master Masker and such false heretics more, is none other church but the true catholic church of christ, the whole congregation of all true christian nations/ of which church I take not myself to be any special defender, how be it to defend it/ is in deed every good man's part. And as for hitherto, the things that I have written are (I thank god) strong enough to stand, as it is plainly proved against all these heretics that have wrestsed therewith, whereof they could never yet overthrow we one line/ and no man more shamefully soused in the mire/ than master Masker here himself that boasteth his victory while he fi in the dirt. But the catholic church hath another manner defender than is any earthly man. For it hath god himself therein, and his holy spirit, permanent and abiding by Crystes own promise to defend it from falsehood unto th'end of the world. And therefore it can not fall flat in the mire/ 
Math. 〈◊〉  but god maketh heretics fall flat in the fire.  
¶ Yet to th'intent good readers/ that you should well see that I left not unto wched the point of repugnance, with which master Masker hath all this while set out his high solempn reason against godde absoluteness: himself showeth here at last, that of repugnance I did speak myself. Now be it in deed, somewhat more moderately than he/ as ye shall not only perceive by the words of my letter, but also by the words of master Masker himself which be these.  
Then saith master More/ though it seemeth repugnant both to him and to me/ one body to be in two places at once: yet god seeth how to make them stand together well enough. This man with his old eyen and spectacles seeth far in god's sight/ and is of his privy counsel: that knoweth belike by some secret revelation how god seeth one body to be in many places at once/ includeth no repugnance. For word hath he none for him in all scripture no more than one body to be in all places at once. It implieth first repugnance to my sight & reason/ that all this world should be made of nothing: & that a virgin should bring forth a child. But yet when I see it written with the words of my faith/ which god spoke/ and brought it so to pass: then implieth it no repugnance to me at all. For my faith reacheth it and receiveth it steadfastly. For I know the voice of my herdsman/ which if he said in any place of scripture that his body should have been contained under the form of breed and so in many places at once here in earth/ and also abiding yet still in heaven to/ verily I would have believed him I/ as soon and as firmly as master More. And therefore even yet/ if he can show us but one sentence truly taken for his part, as we can do many for the contrary/ we must give place. For as for his unwritten verities, and thauthority of his antichrysten 〈◊〉, unto which (the scripture forsaken) he is now at last with shame enough compessed to flee: they be proved stark 〈◊〉 and very devefrye.   

The. nineteen. chapter.  
Is not this a wise invented scoff that master Masker mocketh me withal/ and saith that with mine old eyen & my spectacles I see far in God's sight, and am of God's privy counsel, and that I know bylyke by some secret revefacyon, how god seeth that one body to be in many placs at once includeth no repugnance. It is no counsel ye wot well that is cried at the cross. But Chryst hath cried and proclaimed this himself, and sent his heraldies, his blessed apostles, to cry it out abroad, & hath caused his 〈◊〉 also to write the pro clamation, by which all the world was warned that his blessed body, his holy flesh and his blood, is verily eaten and drunken in the blessed sacrament. And therefore either all those places be one in which the blessed sacrament is received at once, or else god may do the thing that is repugnant, or else he seeth that his body to be in diverse places at once, is not repugnant. For well I wot/ he saith he doth it, in all the. iiii. evangelists. And well I wot also, that he can not say but sooth. And therefore neither need I to see very far for this point, nor need no secret revelation neither, sith it is the point, that to the whole world, god hath both by word, writing, and miracles, revealed and showed so openly. where is master Masker now?  
¶ For where he sayeth I have no word of fcrypture for Christ'S body to be in many places at once, no more than to be in all placies at once 〈◊〉 I had not, yet if god had other wise than by writing revealed the tone to his church and not the t'other, I would and were bound to believe the tone, and would not nor were bound to believe the t'other/ as I believe and am bound to believe now that the gospel of saint johun is holy scripture, and not the gospel of Nichodemus. And if god had revealed both twain unto the church: I would and were bound to believe both twain/ as I believe now that the gospel of saint johun is holy scripture, and the gospel of saint Matthew to.  
¶ But now of troth master masker abomynably belieth the word of god, when he sayeth that we: have not the word of god, no more for the being of Christ'S body in many places at once, than in all places at once. For as for the being thereof in all places at once, we find no word plainly written in the scripture. But for the being thereof in many places at once, Christ'S words in his last souper, and before that in the sixth chapter of saint Iohn, be as open, as clear, and as plain as any man well could with any reason require/ except any man were so wise as to ween that diverse men's mouths were all one place. And therefore when master Masker in his word following, maketh as though he would believe it, as well as he believeth the creation of the world, and Christ'S birth of a virgin (which seem also to his reason repugnant) if christ in any plain place of scripture said it, the troth appeareth otherwise. For unto him that is not with his own fro wardness blinded by the devil, the thing that he denieth is as plainly spoken, as are the other twain that he saith he by leaveth. And some other wretches such as himself is, in folly and stoburnnesse deny both the t'other twain, for the repugnance; as well as he doth this/ which thing you have heard him all ready, with very foolish reasons declare for so repugnant, that he sayeth that god can not do it, because it were as he saith a giving away of his glory. And therefore his heart once set and fixed on the wrong side the devil causeth him so to delight in such fond foolish are gumentes of his own invention, that he can not endure to turn his mind to the trowthe/ but every text be it never so plain, is dark unto him/ thorough the darkness of his own brain.   

The. xx. chapter.  
BUt now for because he sayeth, that he willbe content and satisfied in this matter with any one text truly taken: while I shall say that the texts that I shall bring him, be by me truly taken, and he shall say nay, and shall say that I take them amiss & untruly: while he and I can not agree upon the taking, but vary upon thexposycyon and the right understanding of them: by whom will he be judged, whither he or I take those texts truly? If by the congregation of thrysten people: the whole christian nations have this fifteen hundred year judged it against him.  
For all this while have they believed, that Chryst at his maundy, when he said this is my body, meant that it was his very body in deed/ and ever have believed and yet do, that it was so in deed. If he will have it judged by a general counsel, it hath been judged for me against him, by more than one all ready, before his days and mine both. If he will be judged by the writings of the old holy doctors and saints: I have all ready showed you sufficiently, that they have all ready judged this point against him. If he and I would va rye upon the understanding of the old saints words, besides that you see them yourself so plain, that he shall in that point but show himself shameful and shameless: yet the general counsels (which himself denieth not) having red and seen those holy doctors themself, and many of those holy saints being present at those counsels themself, have thereby judged that point against him to. For no wise man will doubt, but that among them they understood the doctors than as well as master Maskars doth now. If he say that he will with his other more than twenty texts of scripture of which he spoke before, disprove us the texts one or two that I bring for the blessed sacrament: than cometh he (you see well) to the self same point again, wherein he is overthrown all ready. For all the corpse of christendom of thrs'. xv. hundred year before us, and all the old holy doctors & saints, and all the general counsels, and all the marvelous miracles that god hath showed for the blessed sacrament yearly almost, and I ween daily to, what in one place and other/ all which things prove the texts that I lay, to be meant and understanden as I say. Al they do thereby declare against him also, that none of his more than twenty texts, can in any wise be well and right understanden as he saith. For else should it follow, that diverse texts of holy scripture, not only seemed (which may well be) but also were indeed (which is a thing impossible and can not be) con traryouse & repugnant unto other.  
¶ Now good christian readers here youse, that in his shift that he useth, where he sayeth that he will believe any one text truly taken: we bring him for the true taking upon our part, all these things that I have here shortly rehearsed you/ of which things himself denieth very few/ that is to wit, the old holy doctors to hold on our part/ and the people of their tyme. But therein have I showed you diverse of the best sort against him. And the faith of the people of the diverse times appeareth by their books and by the coum sails. And than that the general counsels and the miracles are on our part, of these two things he denieth neither nother. But sith he can deny none of them, he despiseth both. And the holy counsels of Christ'S church he casseth the Anti christian synagogue. And god's miracles both Frith and he be fain to call the works of the devil.  
And therefore good christian readers, while you see all this: ye see well enough that the texts of the gospel which we say for the blessed body of christ in the blessed sacrament, be clear and plain for the purpose/ and master Maskar will not agree it so, but saith that we take them not truly, only because he will not perceive and confess the troth.  
¶ Now where as master Maskar saith of me ferther thus.  
As for his unwritten verities, and thou foryfe of his Antichrysten synagogue, unto which the scripture forsaken he is now at last with shame enough compelled to i'll: they be proved stark lies and very devilry.  
¶ Consider good christian readers that in these words master maskar telleth you two things. first that I am with shame enough compelled to i'll fro the scripture to mine unwritten verities, and to th'authority of thantichrysten synagogue, by which he meaneth the traditions and the determinations of the catho lyque church.  
The t'other that the traditions and determinations of the church, be all ready proved stark lies and very devilry. For the first point you sethat in this matter of the blessed sacrament, which is one of the things that he meaneth, he hath not yet compelled me to i'll fro the scripture. For I have well all ready proved you this point, & very plain and clearly, by the self same place of scripture, which master Maskar hath exponed & falsely would wrest it another way, that is to wit the words of Chryst written in the sixth chapter of saint Iohn.  
Now if I do for the proof of this point, say the tradition of the whole catholic church beside, which thing is also sufficient to prove the matter alone: is that a fleeing fro the scripture?  
If that be a fleeing fro the scripture, than might the old heretics very well have said the same unto all the old holy doctors, that this new heretic sayeth now to me. For this woteth well every man (that any learning hath) that those old holy doctors and saints, laid against those old heretics not the scripture only, but also the traditions unwritten, believed and taught by the church. And if master Master kar when he shall defend his book, dare deny me that they so did: I shall bring you so many plain proves thereof, that be he never so shame less he shall be ashamed thereof.  
And he can not say nay but that they so did, as I wot well he can not: than you see well good readers that by master maskers wise reason, those old he retikes might have said against each of those old holy doctors & saits as master Maskar saith against me now, that they had made him with shame enough, i'll fro the scripture, because he beside the scripture proved the true faith and reproved their false heresies, by th'authority of the catholic church. Such strength have alway so, master mayhers are gumentes.  
¶ Now touching the second point, where he calleth the catholic church the antichrysten synagogue, and the unwritten verities stark lies and devilry: he hath all ready showed and declared partly which things they be that himself meaneth by that name. For he hath before specified purgatory, pilgrimages, and praying to saints, honouring of images, and creeping to the cross, and halowyng of bells against evil spirits in tem pests, and boughs on palm soon day, and believing in the blessed sacrament. And Tyndale that is either himself or his fellow, mocketh under the same name the sacrament of aneling/ and calleth the sacrament of confirmation the buttering of the boy's forehead, & had as life have at his chrystening sand put in his mouth as salt/ and mocketh much at fasting. And as for lent, father frith under name of Bright well in the revelation of Antichrist calleth it the foolish fast/ which jest was undoubted lie revealed father Frith by the spirit of the devil himself, the spiritual father of antichrist.  
¶ So that you may see good readers that to say the latenye, or our lady matins, and creep to the cross at Ester, or pray for all christian souls: these things & such other as I have 〈◊〉 you, master Maskar saith are all ready proved stark lies and very devilry. But he showeth us no such proof yet, neither of lies nor of deluylrye. 〈◊〉 But every man may soon see, that he which sayeth so much and nothing proveth, maketh many a stark lie/ & that thus to rail against god and all good men/ and holy saints, and helping of good christian soul's/ and railing against the blessed body of christ in the blessed sacrament, calling the belief thereof devilry: if such railing in master maskar be not (as I ween it is) very plain and open devilry, it can be no less yet at the lest wise than very plain and open knavery.   

The. xxii. chapter.  
MAster Maskar cometh at last to the mocking of those words of my pistle, wherein I she we that if men would deny the conversion of the breed and wine into the blessed body and blood of christ, because that unto his own reason the thing seemeth to imply repugnance, he shall find many other things both in scripture, and in nature, and in hand crafts to, of the truth whereof he nothing doubteth, which yet for any solution that his own reason could find, other than the omnipotent power of god, would seem repugnant to/ of which manner things, other good holy do, ctours have in the matter of the blessed sacrament used some ensamples before.  
¶ Now for as much as in these words I speak of the appearing of the face in the glass, and one face in every piece of the glass broken in to twenty: master Maskar hath caught that glass in hand and mocketh and moweth in that glass, and maketh as many strange faces and as many pretty pots therein, as it were an old riveled ape. For these are his words so.  
Then saith he, that ye wot well that many good folk have used in this matter many good fruitful ex samples of gods other works: not only miracles, written in scripture/ unde versus? (where one I pray ye?) But also done by the comen course of nature here in earth. (If they be done by the comen course of nature: so be they no miracles) And some things made also by man's hand. As one face beholden in diverse glasses: and in every piece of one glass broke into twenty etc. Lord how this pontyfy call poet playeth his part. Because (as he sayeth) we see many faces in many glasses: therefore may one body be in many places/ as though every shadow and similitude representing the body/ were a bodily substance. But I ask More/ when he seeth his own face in so many glasses/ whither all those faces that appear in the glasses be his own very face having boldly substance skin, flesh, and bone, as hath that face/ which hath his very mouth, nose, eyen etc. wherewith he faceth us out the truth thus falsely with lies? and if they be all his very faces/ than in very deed there is one body in many places/ & he himself beareth as many faces in one hood. But according to his purpose/ even as they be no very faces/ nor those so many voices, sows, and similitudes multiplied in the air between the glass or other object and the body (as the philosopher proveth by natural reason) be no very bodies: no more is it Christ'S very body, as they would make the believe in the breed in so many places at one's:  
¶ Now good readers to th'end that you may see the customable manner of master Maskar in rehearsing my matter to his own advantage/ sith my words in my letter that touch this point be not very long/ I shall rehearse them here unto you myself/ so good readers thus shall you find it there in the. xxvi. leaf.  
I wot well that many good folk have used in this matter many good fruitful examples of gods other works, not only miracles written in scripture, but also done by the comen course of nature here in earth and some things made also by man's hand as one face byholden in divers glasses & in every piece of one glass broken into. xx. and the marvel of the making of the glass itself such matter as it is made of. And of one word coming whole to an hundred ears at once and the sight of one little eye present and beholding an whole great country at once with a thousand such other merueyles more, such as those that see them daily done and therefore marvel not at them, shall yet never be able no not this young man himself, to give such reason by what mean they may be done/ but that he may have such repugnance laid against it that he shall be fain in conclusion for the chief and the most evident reason to say that the cause of all those things is because god that hath caused them so to be done, is almighty of himself and can do what him list.  
¶ Lo good christian readers here you see your self, that I made none such argument as master Maskar beareth me in hand. Nor no man useth upon a similitude, to conclude a necessary consequence, in the matter of the blessed sacrament/ unto which we can bring nothing so like, but that in deed it must be far unlike, saving that it is as seemeth me some what like in this, that god is as able by his almighty power, to make one body be in twenty places at ones, as he is by comen course of nature which himself hath made, able to make one face keeping still his own figure in his own place, cast yet and multiply the same figure of it self, into xx. pieces of one broken glass/ of which pieces each hath a several place. And as he is able by the nature that himself made, to make one self word that the speaker hath breathed out in the speaking to be forth with in the ears of an whole hundred per sons, each of them occupying a several place, and that a good distance asunder. Of which two things (as natural and as comen as they both be) yet can I never cease to wonder, for all the reasons that ever I red of the phylopher. And like wise as I verily trust, that the time shall come, when we shall in the clear sight of Christ godhead, see this great miracle soiled, and well perceive how it is, and how it may be, that his blessed body is both in bevyn and in earth, and in so many places at one's: so think I verily that in the sight of his godhead than, we shall also perceive a better cause of those two other things than ever any phylolopher hath hitherto showed us yet/ or else I ween for my part I shall never perceive them well.  
¶ But now where as master Maskar mocketh mine argument, not which I made, but which himself maketh in my name/ and maketh it feeble for the nonce, that he may when he hath made it at his own pleasure soil it, as children make castles of tile shards, and than make them their pass time in the throwing down again: yet is it not even so, so feeble as his own, where he argueth in the negative, as I say the sample for thaffirmative. For as for the tone that he maketh for me: though th'argument be nought for sack of form, yet holdeth it somewhat so so, by the matter in that the consequent that is to wit, that god may make one body to be at ones in many places, is what so ever master masker babble, a troth with out question necessary.  
¶ But where he argueth for himself in the negative, by that that the bodily substance of the face is not in the glass, that therefore the bodily substance of our saviour christ is not in the blessed sacrament: that argument hath no manner hold at all. For thantecedent is very true/ and (except God's word be untrue) else as I have all ready by the old holy expositors of the same, well and plainly proved you, the consequent is very false.  
¶ Now if he will say that he maketh not that argument, but useth only the face in the glass for a sample & a similitude: than he showeth himself to play the false shrew, when of my bringing in the self same sample, he maketh that argument for me. And therefore now when upon those faces in the glass, he maketh and faceth himself that lie upon me, and than scoffeth that I face out the troth with lies, and than proveth never one: he doth but show what pretty words he could speak, and how properly he could scoff, if the matter would serve him.  
¶ And yet I pray you good readers consider well the words of that argument that he maketh in mine name. we see many faces in many glasses: therefore may one body be in many places. Now spoke not I you wot well of many faces seen in many glassies (as he both falsely & foolishly rehearseth me) but of one face seen at once in many glassies.  
For that is like to the matter. For like as all those glasses, while only one man looketh in them/ he seeth but his own one face in all those places/ so be (as saint Chrysostom declareth) all the hosts of the blessed sacrament being in so far distant several places a sondre, all one very body of our blessed saviour himself, and all one host, one sacrifice, and one oblation.  
¶ And as properly as master masker scoffeth at that sample and symy sytude of the glass: I would not have miss liked mine own wit therein, if thinvention thereof had been mine own. For I find not many samples so meet for the matter, to the capacity of good and unlearned folk, as it is. For as for the point of which master Masker maketh all the dyf ficultye, that one substance being but a creature might be in many places at once: every man that is learned seeth a sample that satisfieth him shortly. For he seeth and perceiveth by good reason, that the soul is undivisyble and is in every part of the body, and in every part it is whole. And yet is every member a several place. And so is the blessed substance of the spiritual body of Christ'S flesh & his bonies, whole in every part of the sacrament.  
¶ But this sample of the soul can not every man unserned conceive and imagine right/ but of the glass bath for his capacity a more me te symisitude, & that that in one point also doth more resemble the matter. For the soul forsaketh every member that is clean divided from the body. But the blessed body of our saviour abideth still whole in every part of the blessed sacrament, though it be broken into never so many places/ as the image and form of the face avydeth whole still to him that beholdeth it, in every part of the broken glass. And thus good readers as for this sample and similitude of the face in the glass, master Masker may for his foolish facing it out, be much ashamed if he have any shame, when so ever he looketh on his own face in the glass.  
¶ And for conclusion, this being of the body of christ in divers places at ones, sith the old holy doctors and saints saw and perceived, that the soul of every man which is a very substance, and peradventure yet of less spiritual power, than the flesh and bones of our saviour christ be now, and yet very flesh for all that and very bonies also still: they reckoned not that the being thereof in divers places at ones, would after their days begin to be taken for so strange and hard a thing as these heretics make it now. And therefore they made nothing so great a matter of that point/ but the thing that they thought men would most meruayse of, was the conversion and turning of the breed and the wine into Christ'S very flesh and blood. And therefore to make that point well open, and to make it sink into men's breasts: those old holy doctors and saints (as I said in these words which master maskar mocketh) used many more good samples of things done by nature.  
¶ But than were they no miracles saith master Masker. And what than good master Masker? Might they not'serue to prove that god might do as much by miracle, as nature by her comen course? Those words so were by master masker (you see well) very well and wisely put in.   

The. xxiii. chapter.  
〈◊〉 this toward the perceiving and belief of that point of conversion of the breed and the wine into the very flesh and blood of Christ: I said that those holy doctors and saints, used ensamples of other miracles done by god, and written in holy scripture.  
¶ Now at this word master masker asketh me End versus? where one I 〈◊〉 your you have herd all ready good readers in the. xv. chapter of the first book, the words of that holy doctor saint Cyryll, in which for the credence of that point, that is to wit the changing of the breed and the wine into Christ'S flesh and his blood, he bringeth the miracles that god wrought in the old law, as the changing of the water into blood, and the changing of Moses rod into a serpent, and divers other changes and mighty miracles more.  
¶ You have herd also before, how saint Chrysostome against them the would doubt, how christ could give them his flesh to eat, layeth forth the miracle of the multiplyeng of five Louis so suddenly, to. xii basketes full more than the fuffycyent feeding of five thousand folk.  
¶ Here be lo some verses yet master Masker, & more than one miracle pardie, that those holy doctors and saints have used in this matter of the blessed sacrament. And yet such other more shall I bring you at another leisure, ere I have done with your second course, that it shall grieve you to see them. And surely where properly you scoff at me with my many faces in one hood: I have here in this first part all ready brought you for the true saith of the catholic church, against your false heresy, wherewith you would face our savyout out of the blessed sacrament: I have brought against you to your face, saint 〈◊〉 and Theophilactus, saint austin, and saint Hylary, saint Hyreneus, saint Cyryll, and saint Chrysostome, so many such good faces into this one hood, that all the shamefullyes that your shameless face can make, shall never against these faces be able to face out the troth. And thus end I good readers my fourth book.   
Here endeth the fourth book.   

The fifth book and the last of the first part.  

The first chapter.  
Now come I good christian readers to the last point that I spoke of, the two contradictions of mine own, that master Masker hath highly laid unto my charge/ whose words I shall good readers first rehearse you whole to these they be god save them.  
At last note christian reader, that master More in the third book of his confutation of Tyndale, the 249. side, to prove saint 〈◊〉 gospel unperfect & in sufficient, for leaving out of so necessary a point of our faith, as he calleth the last souper of christ his maundy: saith that john spoke nothing at all of this sacrament. And now see again in these his letters against Fryth/ how himself bringeth in john 6. cap. to impugn Firths writing/ and to make all for the sacrament, even thus/ My flesh is verily meat, and my blood drink. By like the man had there overshette himself fowl/ the yenge man here causing him to put on his spec tacles and poor better and more wysshely with his old eyen upon saint johnns' gospel to find that thing there now written, which before he would have made one of his unwritten verities. As yet if he look narrowly he shall espy that himself hath proved us by scripture, in the 37. leaf of his dialogue of quod he and quoth I our ladies perpetual virginity exponing non cognosco, id est, non cognos came/ which now written unwritten verity he vombereth a little before among his unwritten vanities Thus may ye see how this old holy upholder of the pope's church/ his words fight against themself into his own confusion, in finding us forth his unwritten written vanities verities I should say. But return we unto the exposition of saint Iohn.  
¶ Now have you good christian reader's herd his whole tale, concerning my two contradictions. Of which twain I will first answer that last, that concerneth the perpetual virginity of our lady. which point I have touched toward the end of the. xxv. chapter of the first book of my dialogue, wherein master masker 〈◊〉 me for ꝙ I and ꝙ he/ and would I see well in no wise; that in the rehearsing of a communication had between myself & another man, I should not for shame say ꝙ I and ꝙ he/ but rather rehearse our two talkings, with quoth we and quoth she.  
¶ I have also spoken of that point in more places than one of my work that I wrote of Tyndals' 〈◊〉, cyon/ which places who so list to read shall find this point of contra diction answered all ready, that 〈◊〉 masker now layeth to my charge dyssymuling such things as I have answered it with.  
And of this contradiction I am so sore ashamed, that for all 〈◊〉 maskers words even here before in my first book of this work, I have not letted the best that my wit will serve me this unwritten verity, to prove yet again by the self same place of saint Luke's holy writing.  
¶ For why, to say the troth I do not so much force to have that article taken for an unwritten verity, with good catholic folk for the maintenance of my word, as to have it for the honour of our lady, taken & believed for an undoubted trowth, with catholics and those heretics to, that will take it for no such troth but if it be written in scripture.  
¶ Now doth the clear certainty of this article in deed depend upon the tradition of th'apostles, continued in the catholic church. For all be it that myself think, that I find some words written in scripture that would well prove it/ and upon those words let not to write mine own mind, and divers old holy doctors to: yet while I see that holy saint Hierome himself, a man far otherwise seen in scripture than I, arguing for the defence of that article against that heretic Helvidius did only soil the scriptures that Helvidius laid against it, and layeth no scripture himself for the proof of his part, but resteth therein to th'authority of christ catholic church, which master Masker here calleth the antichryssen synagogue: I neither dare nor will take so 〈◊〉 upon myself, as to affirm surely that it is proved to be a written verity. And this lack of taking lo so much upon myself, is the thing that master Masker calleth so shameful repugnance to my great confusion.  
¶ And therefore in that place of my dialogue, though I upon that word of our lady, In what wise shall this thing be done for I know not a man do reason and show my mind, that it proveth for this part, as in deed me thinketh it doth: yet I am not so bold upon mine own exposition therein, as to affirm that the scripture saith there openly & plainly, that she was a perpetual virgin. For if it had been a very precise plain evident open proof of that matter, mine own mind giveth me, that saint Hierom would not have failed to have found it before me.  
¶ I shall also for this point have master masker himself to say some what for me, though he do therein (as he is often wont to do) speak somewhat against himself. For he saith here himself, that if a man look narrowly than he shall espy that I have myself proved our ladies perpetual virginity. Now sith that master Maskar saith that a man can not spy it but if he look narrowly: he saith you see 〈◊〉 himself, that it is no plain open proof. And than is it no proof to them you wot well. For they receive no scripture for proof of any purpose, but only plain open and evident.  
¶ And therefore by master Maskars own tale, though I proved it sufficiently a written verity unto good catholics: yet rested it unproved still a written verity, unto such heretics, and against them ye wot well wrote I.  
¶ Now be it here will I demand of master masker touching the perpetual virginity of our lady to be plainly written in holy scripture, whither I prove that pornt well or not? If not/ than may I well enough notwithstanding any such proof of mine, say still that it is an unwritten verity. If he will confess that I prove it well: I willbe content with that praise of himself to abide his rebuke of that contradiction. For I set more as I said by the pro fit of his soul in falling from the contrary heresy to the right bylye fe of our ladies perpetual virginity, than I set by mine own praise & commendation of abiding well by my words.  
¶ But yet if he will allow my proof made of that point: I marvel me much but if that he allow now my proof made for the blessed body of christ present in the blessed sacrament. For I am very sure I have proved much more clearly, by much more open and plain words of the scripture, and the sense of those words des by divers old holy doctors other manner of men than myself, than I have proved or any man else, the ꝑpe tuall virginity of our blessed lady.  
¶ Now be it of truth though I proved well that point of the perpepetual virginity of our lady, to be a verity written in scripture, and that many other also proved it much better than I, as I think there do/ and that myself had affirmed it never so strongly for never so clear a written verity: yet sith wyllyam Tyndale against whom I specially wrote, taketh it, as in his wry ting well and plain appeareth, for no written verity, and yet agreeth that it is to be believed, but not of ne cessyte/ and yet after upon his own words I prove him that of necessity to: I may without any contradiction or repugnance at all, lay it against him for an unwritten verity, for as much as himself so taketh it.  
¶ Moreover all the proof that I make of our ladies perpetual virginity, is no more, but that she was a perpetual virgin except she broke her vow. And surely as I say, it seemeth to myself that I prove this very clearly. And this being proved, is in deed enough to good christian folk, for a full proof that she was a perpepetual virgin. But yet unto these heretics against whom I wrote, sith they set nought by vows of virginity, but say that they that make them do both unlawfully make them, and may when they will lawfully break them/ and that therefore freres may run out of religion and wed nuns: this proof of mine is to them no manner proof at al. And therefore I may to them without contradiction or repugnance, lay it for an unwritten verity still.  
¶ And thus I trust you see good rea dear, that as for this repugnance turneth to master Maskars confusion and not mine.   

The second chapter.  
Now come I than good readers to the other contradyccy on that he layeth against me, his words wherein, before mine answer I pray you read ones again. And lest ye should be loath to turn back and seek them/ here shall you have them again, lo these they be.  
At last note christian reader, that master More in the third book of his confutation of Tyndale, the 249. side, to prove saint johnns' gospel 〈◊〉 & insufficient, for leaning out of so necessary a point of our faith, as he calleth the last sonper of christ his maundy: saith that Iohn spoke nothing at all of this sacrament. And now see again in these his letters against Fryth/ how himself bringeth in Iohn 6. cap. to impagne Firths writing/ and to make all for the sacrament, even thus/ My flesh is verily meat, and my blood drink. By like the man had there overshette himself fowl/ the young man here causing him to put on his spec tacles and poor better and more wysshely with his old eyen upon saint johnns' gospel to find that thing there now written, which before he would have made one of his unwritten verities.  
¶ when myself good reader red first these words of his, all be it that I was sure enough, that in the thing that I purposed there was no repugnance in deed: yet saying that he so diligently laid forth the leaf in which my fault should be found, I very plainly thought that I had not so circumspectly seen unto my words as wisdom would I should. And taking therefore mine oversight for a very troth, I never vouchefaufede to turn my book and look.  
But afterward it happened on a day I said in a certain company, that I was somewhat sorry, that it had miss happened me to take in this one point no better heed to mine hand, but to write therein two things repugnant and contrary. Where unto some of them made answer, that such a chance happeth sometime 〈◊〉 a man be ware in a long work. But yet quoth one of them a gentlewoman, have you considered well the place in your book, and seen that he saith troth. Nay by my truth quoth I that have I not. For it irketh me to look upon the place again now when it is to late to mend it. For I am sure the man would not be so mad, to name the very lief, but if he were well sure that he said true. By our lady 〈◊〉 she, but sith you have not looked it your self, I will for all the leaf laid out by him, see the thing myself ere I believe his writing, I know these fellows for so false. And therewith all she sent for the book, and turned to the very. 249. side, and with that number marked also. And in good faith good readers, there found we no such manner matter, neither on the tone side of the leaf nor on the tother.  
¶ Now be it of troth I can not deny, but that in a side after miss marked with the number of. 249, which should have been marked with the number of. 259, there we found the matter in that place. But therein found we the most shameful, either folly or falysed of master Maskar, that ever I saw lightly in any man in my life. which because ye shall not seek far to find: I shall rehearse you here the very words of that place. Lo good readers these they be.  
But now because of Tyndale, let us take some one thing. And what thing rather than the last souper of Chryst, his maundy with his apostles, in which he instituted the blessed sacra meant of the altar his own blessed body and blood. Is this no necessary point of faith? Tyndale can not deny it for a necessary point of faith & though it were but of his own false faith, agreeing with Luther, Huyskyn, or Suynglyus. And he can not say that saint Iohn speaketh any thing thereof, specially not of the institution. Nor he can not say that saint Iohn speaketh any thing of the sacrament at all, sith that his sect expressly denieth, that saint Iohn meant the sacrament in his words where he speaketh expressly thereof in the. vi. chapter of his gospellis  
¶ Where have you ever good christian readers seen any fond 〈◊〉 before this, handle a thing so 〈◊〉 lie or so foolishly, as master maskar here handleth this? Ne telleth you that I said here, that saint john spoke nothing of the sacrament at all. Now you see that master Maskar in that point belieth me. For I said not here that saint john spoke notking thereof/ but first I said there that Tyndale against whom I there wrote, could not say that saint Iohn wrote any thing of the blessed sacrament, specially not of the institution thereof. And this is very truth. For as touching thinstitution thereof at Chry stes last souper and maundy, neither Tyndale nor no man else can say that saint Iohn any thing wrote thereof in his gospel.  
¶ Than said I farther there (as you see) not that saint Iohn speaketh nothing of the sacrament, but that Tyn dale can not say that saint Iohn speaketh of the sacrament any thing at all. And that I meant not in those words, to say mine own self that saint Iohn spoke nothing thereof: I declare plainly there forthwith, by that I show the cause why Tyndale can not say that saint johun spoke any thing of the sacrament at all, that is to wit because that all his sect expressly denieth, that any thing was meant of the sacrament in the words of christ written in the. vi. chapter of saint Iohn.  
¶ By this ye may see plainly good readers, that master Maskar plain lie belieth me. For I said not myself that saint Iohn spoke nothing of the sacrament/ but that Tyndale because of thopinion of all his 〈◊〉 in that point, could not say the saint Iohn spoke any thing thereof. Which was enough for my purpose, while Tyndale was the man against whom I wrote, though myself would for mine own part say the contrary. For it is that hyude of argumten that is in the scoles called argumentum adhominen. And thus you see good readers, master Maskar in this thing either shamefully false, or very shamefully foolish/ shamefully false, if he perceived & understood my words, and than for all that thus 〈◊〉 me/ shamefully folly she if the thing being spoken by me so plain, his wit would not serve him to perceive it.  
¶ But now as clear as ye see the matter all ready by this, to th'intent yet that master Maskar shall have no matter left him in all this word to make any argument of for his excuse therein: read my words again good readers, and bid master Maskar mark well my words therein, where I say expressly that saint Iohn spoke expressly thereof in the 〈◊〉 chapter of his gospel. For these words are as you see there the very last word of 〈◊〉 Nor Tyndale can not say, that saint John speaketh any thing of the sacra meant at all, sith that his sect express lie denieth that saint John meant the sacrament in his words (where he speaketh expressly thereof) in the. vi. chapter of his gospel.  
¶ whose words are these? where he speaketh expressly thereof? Are not these words mine? And do I not in these words expressly say, that saint Iohn expressly speaketh of the blessed sacrament in the sixth chapter of his gospel, in which place Tindals' sect saith expressly that he nothing spoke thereof. And now saith M. mass kar that I said there, that saint Iohn spoke nothing thereof at all. And layeth it ' for a foul repugnance in me, that in my letter against Fryth I say thereof the contrary.  
¶ But how 〈◊〉 we master maskar? What have you now to say? with 〈◊〉 shameful shift will your shame less face, face us out this foolish lie of yours, that you make upon me here? If you lied so loud wittingly: how can you look that any man should trust your word? If for lack of understanding: how can you lake than for shame that any man should trust your wit? Why should we think that your wit will pierce into the perceiving of hard word in the holy scripture of god, when it will not serve you to perceive such poor plain words of mine.  
¶ Ye write that the young man 〈◊〉 here made me done on my spectacles and look more wyshly on the matter, to find now written therein the thing that I said before was not written therein. But now must you look more wyshely upon my words, on which you make here so loud a lie, and poor better on them with your spectacles upon your Maskars nose.  
¶ I wist ones a good fellow, which while he danced in a mask, upon boldness that no man could have known him, when he perceived that he was well espied by his evil favoured dancing: he waxed so ashamed suddenly, the he softly said unto his fellow, I pray you tell me doth not my viso blosh read? Now surely good readers, M. maskar here, if he were not utterly passed shame, hath cause enough to be in 〈◊〉 point so sore ashamed, that he might ween the glowing of his visage should even pierce thorough his visor, & make it read for shame. ¶ Thus have I now good christian readers, answer red at the full in these five books of my first part, the first part of master maskars work/ and taken up the first course of master maskars souper, which he falsely calleth the last souper of the lord/ while he hath with his own poisoned cokery, made it the souper of the devil. And yet would the devil I ween disdain to have his souperdressed of such a rude ruffian, such a scald Colyn coke, as under the name of a clerk, so rybaldyousely raileth against the blessed body of christ in the blessed sacra meant of thaltar.   

The. iii. chapter.  
BUt one thing will I yet rehearse you, that I have hitherto differed, that is to wit my first argument against Frith, which (as I showed you before) master Masker let go by, as he hath done many things more; and made as though he saw them not. That argument good readers was this,  
In this heresy beside the common faith of all catholic christian regions, the expositions of all the old holy doctors & saints be clear against Fryth, as whole as against any heretic that ever was hitherto herd of. For as for the words of christ of which we speak touching the blessed sacrament/ though he may find some old holy men that bysyde the lytteral sense doth expone them in an allegory, yet he shall never find any of them that did as he doth now after wicliffe, Ecolampadius, Tyndale, & Sutnglius, deny the literal sense/ and say that christ meant not that it was his very body & his very blood in deed/ but the old holy doctors & expositors bysyde all such allegories, do plainly declare & expone, that in those words our saviour as he expressly spoke, so did also well and plainly mean, that the thing which he there gave to his disciples in the sacrament, was in very deed his very flesh and blood. And so did never any of the old expositors of scripture expone any of those other places in which christ is called a vine or a door. And therefore it appeareth well, that the manner of speaking was not like. For if it had/ than would not the old expositors have used such so far unlike 〈◊〉 in the expowning of them.  
¶ This was lo good readers the first argument of mine that master Masker met with, and which he should first therefore have soiled.  
But it is such as he listed little to look upon. For where as he maketh much a do to have it seem that both these words of our saviour at his last souper, this is my body, and his words of eating of his flesh, and drinking of his blood, written in the sixth chapter of saint johun, should be spoken in a like phrase and manner of speaking, as were his other words, I am the door and I am the very vine: I showed there unto Fryth (whom master masker maketh as though he would defend) that by thexposycyonsexpositions of all the old holy doctors & saint that have exponed all those. iiii. place before, the difference well appeareth, sith none of them declare him to be a very material door, nor a natural very vine. This saith no man not so much as a very natural fool. But that in the sacrament is his very natural body, his very flesh and his blood, this declare clearly all the old holy expositors of the scripture, which were good men and gracious, wysw and well learned both. And therefore as I said the difference may soon be perceived, but if master masker list better to believe himself than all them. which if he do (as in deed he doth) than is he much 〈◊〉 fool than a natural fool in 〈◊〉.  
¶ For as for his. three places of saint austin, Tertulyane, and saint Chrysostome, whom he bringeth in his second part: I shall in my second part in taking up of his second course, when we come to fruit, pare him I warrant you those three peries so near, that he getteth not a good morsel among them. And yet peradventure ere I come at it to.  
¶ For so is it now good readers, that I very certainly know, that the book which Fryth made last against the blessed sacrament, is come over into this realm in prente, and secretly sent abroad into the brethren's hands, and some good sisters to. And for as much as I am surely informed for troth, that Fryth hath in to that book of his, taken many texts of old holy doctors wilily handled by false frere Nuy skin before, to make it falsely seem that th'old holy doctors and saints were faverouse of their false heresy: therefore will I for the while set master maskers second part aside till I have answer red that pestilent peevish book of Iohn Frith/ about which I purpose to go as soon as I can get one of them/ which so many being abroad, shall I trust not be long to. And than shall I by the grace and help of almighty god, make you, the 〈◊〉 & the fashed of Fryth and frere Nuys kin both as open and as clear, as I have in this work made open and clear unto you, the falsehood and the folly of master Masker here.  
¶ And where as I a year now passed and more, wrote and put in print a letter against the pestilent treatise of Iohn Fryth, which he than had made and secretly sent abroad among the brethren against the blessed sacrament of th'altar, which letter of mine as I have declared in mine apology, I nevertheless caused to be kept still and would not suffer it to be put out abroad into every man's hands, because Firths treatise was not yet at that time in prente: yet now sith I see that there are comen over in prente, not only Firths book, but over that this masker's book also/ and that either of their both books maketh mention of my said letter, and would seem to soil it, and laboureth sore there about: I do therefore now suffer the prenter to put with this book my said letter also to sale.  
¶ And for as much also as those authorities of saint austin, saint Chrysostome, and Turtuliane, which master maysker layeth in his second part, I shall of likelihood find also in Firths book, and therefore answer them there, and all master Maskers whole matter to, before I return to his second part, which yet I will after all this (god willing) not leave nor let go so: in the mean while may master maskar (sith it is ash saith so great plea sure to him to be written against, ha' ve as he boasteth all solutions so readily) look and assay whither he can soil these things with which I have in this first part ovethrowen his whole heresy, and proved him very plain, a very false fool all ready. Of whose false wily folly to be aware our ford give us grace/ and of all such other like, which with foolish arguments of their own blind reason, wresting the scripture into a wrong sense, against the very plain words of the text, against the expositions of all the old holy saints, against the determinations of divers whole general counsels, against the full consent of all true christian nations this. xv. hundred year before their days, and against the plain declaration of almighty god himself, made in every christian country by so many plain open miracles, labour now to make us so foolishly blind and mad, as to forsake the very true catholic faith, forsake the society of the true catholic church, and with fundry sects of heretic fallen out thereof, to set both holy days & fasting days at nought, & for the devils pleasure to forbear & abstain from all prayer to be made either for souls or to saint jest on our blessed lady the immaculate mother of christ, make mocks at all pilgrimages, and creeping of Christ'S cross, the holy ceremonies of the church and the sacraments to, turn them into trifling, with lykening them to wine garlands and ale polys/ and finally by these ways in the end and conclusion, forsake our saviour himself in the blessed sacrament/ and in stead of his own blessed body & his blood, ween there were nothing but bare breed and wine, and call it idolatry there to do him honour. But woe may such wretches be. For this we may be sure, that who so dishonour god in one place with occasion of a false faith: standing that false belief and infidelity, all th'honour that he doth him any where beside, is odious and dyspyghtfull and rejected of god, and never shall save that faithless soul from the fire of hell. From whcche our lord give them grace truly to turn in time, so that we and they together in one catholic church, knit unto god together in one catholic faith, faith I say, not faith alone as they do, but acompanyed with good hope, and with her chief sister well working charity, may so receive Christ'S blessed sacraments here, and specially that we may so receive himself, his very blessed body, very flesh and blood, in the blessed sacrament our holy blessed howsyll, that we may here be with him incorporate so by grace, that after the short course of this transitory life, with his tender pity powered upon us in purgatory, at the prayer of good people, and intercession of holy saints, we may be with them in their holy fellowship, incorporate in christ in his eternal glory Amen.   
Finis.   

The faults escaped in the prenting of this book  

In the preface 〈◊〉 pag. 〈◊〉. the faults. the amendmentes.  xii. two. i. his sixth the sixth xiii. i. xx. fashed falsehood xv. two. iiii. fashed falsehood 
In the book.  〈◊〉. i. xvii. for the fro the xvii. two. xiiii. meat meet nineteen. i. two. meat meet xx. two. xxii could could not xxi. i. xvii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 xxii. i. xiii only only xxvii. i. nineteen. bidding bidding 〈◊〉 xxxii. i. xxi furst the the xlviii. i. xiiii wpych which xlviii. two. iii. faith faith 〈◊〉. two. ix. some, 〈◊〉 such some such xlviii. two. xvii. 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 xlviii. two. xxii hyving giving lii i xxi. 〈◊〉 doctout lv. i. seven. quein quam lxx. two. iii. how saint saint lxxi two. i. unto the un the lxxv. i. vi both he he, both lxxxviii. two. x. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lxxxviii. il. xlii. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. two. xi. 〈◊〉 chose 
fo. pag. li. the faults. that amendementes  cii. i. xi. preasely precysely cviii. i. seven. such should cix. two. ix. so vouchsafe 〈◊〉 cix. two. 〈◊〉. by these by the cx. i. seven. 〈◊〉 you cxi. two. xiii. th'exposition his 〈◊〉 cxiiii. i. xxi. gentle 〈◊〉 cxxxiiii. two. ix. seven. chapter vi. chapter cxxxv. i. ix. goe 〈◊〉 cxxxvi. two. xii. ix. 〈◊〉 viii. chapter cxli two. xii. 〈◊〉. chapter ix. chapter cxliii. two. i. and not dwell and dwell cxlvii. i. x. xi. chapter x. chapter cxlix. i. 〈◊〉. xii. chapter xi. chapter cli. i. xviii. xiii. chapter xii. chapter clii. i. xv. 〈◊〉 tradidi quod et 〈◊〉 clvi. two. xiiii. be be he be clviii. i. xiii. word world clxxix. i. xxii. the were they were clxxxii. two. xx. in deed in deed clxxxiii. two. xiiii. word world clxxxiiii. i. vi. plaint plain clxxxiiii. i. xiiii. hadeling handling clxxxvii. two. xi. gospel the gospel clxxxvii. two. xvii. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clxxxviii. i. vi. xvii. xviii. Amnon Ammon clxxxviii. i. xvi. xviii. Asolon Absalon cxcvi. two. iiii. that parable that it was but a parable cxcviii. two. xxiii. 〈◊〉 understandeth them all cciiii. two. vi. Lut But 〈◊〉 i. vi. word not word of god 〈◊〉 
fo. pag. li. the faults: the amendementes  ccix. two. xx. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it ccx. i i. 〈◊〉 eat high flesh ccxi. two. iiii. should should ccxviii. i. ix. the were they were ccxviii. two. iii. syning syenge ccxix. i. xiii. this body his body ccxxi. i v. ta all in all ccxxi. two. vi. byleves believers ccxxiiii. i. xvii. face in face it ccxxiiii. two. iiii. scripturer scripture ccxxiiii. two. xiiii. master that master ccxxvii. i. xi. the be they be ccxxx. i. xiii. vows bows ccxxx. two. xxi. the matters these matters ccxxxi. two. xii. dispute pylgryma. despise pilgrim. ccxli. i. iiii. places as places in earth as ccxli. two. xxi. and to and not to ccxlvii. i. nineteen. lamb lame cclvi. i. xvii. And he And if he cclxiii. i. nineteen. places parts cclxxiiii. two. xxi. word world cclxxix. i. xvii. faverouse faverours   

Sir Thomas More knight to the christian reader.  
AFter these faults of the prenter escaped in this book, I shall not let good readers to give you like warning of one fault of mine own, escaped me in my book last put forth of the debellation of Salem and Bt zance. In the. xiii. leaf whereof, and in the first side, cancel and put out one of those oversyghtes that I lay to the pacifier, in those. ix. lines, of which the first is the. ix. line of the same side, and the last is the. xviii.  
For of troth not the pacifier but myself was overseen in that place with a little haste, in miss remembering one word of his. For where as he saith in the person of Byzance, in the third leaf of Salem and byzance.  
I 〈◊〉 cause it to be written into this dialogue word for word as it is come to my hands: I forgot when I answered it that he said, 〈◊〉 if 〈◊〉 come/ & took it as though he said as it cometh to mine hands.  
And therefore albe it that I have known many that have read it, of which I never found any that found it: yet sith it happened me lately to look thereon & find mine oversight myself. I would in no wise leave it good reader unreformed. Nor never purpose while I live, where so ever I may perceive, either mine adver sarye to say well, or myself to have said otherwise, to let for us both indifferently to declare and say the truth.  
And surely if they would use the self same honest plain truth toward me: you should soon see good readers all our contentions ended. For than should you see, that like as I have not letted after mine apology, to declare that Tyndale had somewhat amended and assuaged in one point, his formare evil assertions concerning satisfaction: so should he confess the troth that I had truly touched him/ and that himself had sore erred, as well in the remanant thereof as in all his other heresies. And than also, like as I let not here for the pacifiers part to declare myself over seen with haste in this one point: so should he not let well & honestly to say the troth on the other side, & confess himself very far overseen with long leisure, in all the remanaunt by side. I say not in all that he saith, but in all that is debated between us.  
I wot well the best horse were he which were so sure of foot that run he never so fast would never in his life neither fall nor stumble. But sith we can find none so sure: that horse is not much to be mysselyked, which that with courage & pricking forth in haste, happing for all his four feet sometime to cache a fall, getteth up again lightly by himself, without touch of spur or any check of the 〈◊〉. No nor yet that horse to be cast away neither, that getteth up again apace with the cheek of them both. Now like as with the best kind can I not compare: so of the third sort at the lest wise will I never fail to be, that is to wit rise & reform myself, when any man show me my fault. And as near as I can will I search them/ & as soon as I spy them, before any man control them, arise, and as I now do mine own self reform them. which kind is you wot well next unto the best. But yet on the other side, of all mine adver saryes could I never hitherto find any one, but when he catcheth once a fall, as each of them hath caught full many, there lieth he still tumbling & toltring in mire, and neither spur nor brydyll can one inch prevail/ but as though they were not fallen in a puddle of dirt, but rubbed & laid in litter under the manger at their ease, they whine & they 〈◊〉, and they kick, and they spurn at him that would help them up. And that is yet a fourth kind, the worst ye wot well that can be.   

printed by w. Rastell in Metestreet in saint Brydys' church yard. 1534. Cum 〈◊〉.