¶ A letter of sir Tho. More knight impugning the erroneous writing of Iohn Fryth against the blessed sacrament of the aultare.   

IN my most hearty wise I recommed me to you, & send you by this bringer the writing again which I received from you/ whereof I have been offered sins a couple of copies more in the mean while, as late as ye wot well it was. whereby men may see how greedily that these new named brethren write it out, and secretly spread it abroad. So that where as the kings gracious highness like a most faithful catholic prince, for the avoiding of such pestilent books as sow such poisoned heresies among his people, hath by his open proclamations utterly foreboden all english printed books to be brought into this land from beyond the see, lest our english heretics that are lurking there might there enprent their heresies among other matters, & so send them hither unsuspected, & therefore unperceyved till more harm were felt than after were well remediable: the devil hath now taught his disciples the dyvysers of these heresies, to make many short treatises, whereof their scholars may shortly write out copies/ but in their treatises to put as much poison in one written leaf, as they prented before in fifteen/ as it well appeareth in this one writing of this young man's making, which hath I here say lately made diverse other things, that yet run in huker moker so close among the brethren, that there cometh no copies abroad.  
And would god for his mercy that sith there can nothing refrain their study from the devise & compassing of evil and ungracious writing, that they could and would keep it so secret, that never man should see it, but such as are all ready so far corrupted, as never would be cured of their canker. For less harm were it if only they that are all ready by myred, 
Apoca. 22.  were as the scripture saith mired on more & more, than that they should cast their dirt abroad upon other folks clean clothes. But alak this will not be. For as saint Poule saith, 
●. Timo. 2  the contagyon of heresy creepeth on like a canker. For as the canker corrupteth the body ferther and ferher, and turneth the hole parts into the same deadly sickness: so do these heretics creep forth among good simple Souls/ and under a vain hope of some high secret learning, which other men abroad either willingly did keep from them, or else could not teach them/ they daily with such abominable books corrupt & destroy in corners very many before those writings come unto light, till at the last the smoke of that secret fire beginneth to reek out at some corner/ and sometime the whole fire so flameth out at once, that it burneth up whole towns, and wasteth whole countries, ere ever it can be mastered/ and yet never after so well & clearly quenched, but that it lieth lurking still in some old rotten timber under cellars & celynges, that if it be not well waited on and marked, will not fail at length to fall on an open fire again/ as it hath fared in late years at more places than one, both the tone fire & the t'other, And therefore I am both sure and sorry to, that those other books as well as this is now of this young man's, will once come unto light/ and than shall it appear wherefore they be kept so close. How be it a worse than this is though the words be smooth & fair/ the devil I trow can not make. For herein he runneth a great way beyond Luther/ and teacheth in few levys shortly, all the poison that wyclyffe, Huyskyn, Tyndale, and zuinglius have taught in all their long books before, concerning the blessed sacrament of the aultare/ affirming it to be not only very breed still as Luther doth, but also as those other beasts do, saith it is nothing else, & that there is neither the blessed body of christ, nor his blood, but for a remembrance of Crystes passion only bare breed & wine. And therein goth he so far in conclusion, that he saith it is all one unto us in a manner whither it be consecrated or unconsecrated And so that blessed sacrament that is and ever hath in all christendom been holden of all sacraments the chief, & not only a sacrament but the very self thing also which other sacramentēs bytoken, & where of all other sacraments take their effect and strength: he maketh in manner (taking the consecration so slight and so light) no manner sacrament at all wherein he runneth yet beyond Tyndale and all the heretics that ever I remember before.  
And now the matter being of such a marvelous weight it is a great wonder to see upon how light and slight occasions he is fallen unto these abominable heinous heresies.  
For he denieth not nor can not say nay, but that our savy our said himself. 
Ioh●. ●●  My flesh is verily meet, and my blood is verily drink.  
He denieth not also that christ himself at his last sowper taking the bred into his blessed hands, 
〈◊〉. 14.  after that he had blessed it said unto his visciples, 
Luce. 22.  Take you this & eat it, this is my body that shallbe given for you. And in likewise gave them the chalice after his blessing and consecration, and said unto them, This is the chalice of my blood of the new testament, which shallbe shed out for many/ do you this in remembrance of me.  
The young man denieth not nor can deny, but that our saviour here himself said that it was his own body, and said that it was his own blood/ and there ordained that it should be in remembrance of him continually consecrated. So that he must needs confess, that all they which believe that it is his very body and his very blood in deed, have the plain words of our saviour himself upon their side, for the ground and foundation of their faith.  
But now saith this young man against all this, that our saviour in other places of scripture, 
Iohan, 15.  called himself a very vine, and his disciples very braunchies. And he calleth himself a door also/ not for that he was eny of these things in deed, 
johan. 10.  but for certain proprietes for which he likened himself to those things. As a man for some properties saith of his neighbours horse, this horse is mine up and down/ meaning that it is in every thing so like. And like as jacob byelded an aultare and called it the god of Israel, 
Gene. 35.  and as jacob called the place where he wrestled with the angel the face of god, and that the paschal lamb was called the passing by of the lord, with infinite such other phrases as he saith natte for that they were so in deed, but for certain similitudes in the properties: so sayeth this young man, that christ though he said by his plain words, This is my body, and this is my blood/ yet for all that he meant not it it was his body and his blood in deed, no more than that he meant that himself was a very door or a very vine, in deed/ though for certain, ꝓpertees he called himself both. And he saith that Cryst meant in like wise here/ not that it was or should be his own body & his blood in deed, but that it should be to them & us as a remembrance of him in his absence, as verily as though it were his very body and his very blood in deed/ as the paschal lamb was a token and a remembrance of the passing by of the lord/ and as a bridegroom giveth his bride a ring if he hap to go into a far country from her, for a remembrance of him in his absence, and as a sure sign that he will keep her his faith and not break her his promise.  
In good faith it grieveth me very sore, to see this young man so cyrcumuented and beguiled by certain old limbs of the devil, as we now see that he is/ when he is fain for the defence of this error, to flit in conclusion fro the faith of plain and open scripture & so far fall to the new fangled fantasies of foolish heretics, that he will for the allegory destroy the true sense of the letter, in maintenance of a new false sect, against the hole true catholic faith so fully confirmed and continued in Crystes whole catholic church this xu C. year together. For these dregs hath he drunken of wyclyfe & Ecolampadius, Tindale and zuinglius/ and so hath he all that he argueth here beside. which four what manner folk they be, is meetly well perceived and known/ & god hath in part with his open vengeance declared. And ever hath god and ever will, by some way declare his wrath and indignation against as many as fall into such damnable opinions against the blessed body and blood of his only begotten son. From which perilous opinion and all his other errors/ the great mercy of our sweat saviour call home again, and save this young man in tyme.  
As for his allegories I am not offended with, nor with similitudes neither where they may have place, though he take one of his neighbour's horse as he doth, and another if he list of his own cow. provided alway for a thing which he list to call like, he mysconstrue not the scripture, & take away the very thing in deed as he doth here.  
Now his ensample also of his brydegromys ring, I very well allow. For I take the blessed sacrament to be left with us for a very token and a memorial of christ in deed. But I say that whole substance of the same token and memoreall, is his own blessed body/ where as this man would make it only breed. And so I say that christ hath left us a better token than this man would have us take it fore/ and therein fareth like a man to whom a bridegroom had delivered a goodly gold ring with a rich ruby there in, to deliver over to his bride for a token/ and than he would like a false shrew, keep away that gold ring, and give the bride in the stead thereof a proper ring of a rysshe, and tell her that the bridegroom would send her no better/ or else like one that when the bridegroom had given such a gold ring to his bride for a token, would tell her plain and make her believe that the ring were but copper or brass, to minish the brydegromys thank.  
If he said that the words of christ might beside the literal sense be understanden in an allegory/ I would well agree with him. For so may every word almost thorough the whole scripture/ calling an allegory every sense, whereby the words be translated unto some other spiritual understanding, bysyde the true plain open sense that the letter first intended. But on the other side because that in some words of scripture is there none other thing intended but an allegory, to go therefore and in another place of scripture to take a way with an allegory, the very true literal sense as he doth here/ this is the fault that we find in him. which if it may be suffered, must needs make all the scripture as touching any point of our faith, of none effect or force at all. I marvel me therefore much that he is not afeard to affirm that these words of christ, of his body and his blood, must needs be understanden only by way of a similitude or an allegory as the words be of the vine and the door.  
Now this he woteth well, that though some words spoken by the mouth of christ written in scripture, be to be understanden only by way of a similitude or an allegory: it followeth not thereupon that of necessity every like word of Christ in other places was none other but an allegory. For such kind of sophistication in arguing, was the very cavillation and shift that the wicked Arrians used. which like as this young man taketh away now fro the blessed sacrament the very body & blood of Christ, by exponing his plain words with an allegory under colour of some other places where such allegories must needs have place, & were none otherwese meant: so did they take from Christ's blessed person his omnipotent godhead, and would not grant him to be equal with almighty god his father/ but the plain texts of scripture which proved his godhead, they exponed wrong and frowardly/ not only by some other texts that seemed to say otherwise, but also as this young man doth here by some allegories/ affirming that he was called god and the son of god in holy scripture, by such manner of speaking, or as this young man calleth it, by such a manner of phrase as the scripture for some property calleth certain other persons gods and gods sons in other places. As where god saith to Moses, 
Exodi. 7.  I shall make the the god of Pharaoh. And where he saith, 
Exodi. 22  thou shalt not bakbyte the gods. And where he sayeth, 
Psal. 81.  I say you be gods and the sons of the high god be you all.  
And thus against that the christ was god and the son of god/ such cavilations these Arrians laid in exponing the plain places with false allegories/ resembling them to other places in which like allegories must needs have place/ as this young man by the necessary allegories of Crystes words, used in the vine and in the door, would in like wise with like cavillations as the Arryans' used against Crystes godhead, pull away the true literal sense of Crystes words, concerning the troth of his very body & blood in the blessed sacrament.  
And surely if this manner of handling of scripture may be received and brought in ure, that because of allegories used in some places every man may at his pleasure draw every place to an allegory, and say the letter meaneth no thing else/ there is not any text in all the scripture, but a wilful person may find other texts against it, that may serve him to trifle out the troth of god's words, with cavillations grounded upon gods other words, in some other place. wherein if he may be herd as long as he list to talk be it but a woman: yet shall she find chat Enough for all an hole year. And so did those old Arrians/ of whom god forbid that this young man should follow that evil ensample.  
If every man that can find out a new fond fantasy upon a text of holy scripture, may have his own mind taken, and his own exposition believed, against the expositions of the old holy cunning doctors and saints: than may ye surely see that none article of the christian faith can stand and endure long. 
Hierony. adversus Luciferianos.  For as holy saint Hierom saith of himself, if the exposition of other interpreters and the consent of the common catholic church, were of no more strength, but that every new man might be believed that could bring some texts of scripture for him exponed as it pleased himself/ than could I saith this holy man bring up a new sect also, and say by scripture that no man were a true christian man nor a member of the church that keepeth two coats. And in good faith if that way were allowed/ I were able myself to find out fifteen new sects in one fore none, that should have as much probable hold of scripture as this heresy hath. Against which, beside the common faith of all catholic christian regions, the expositions of the old holy doctors and saints be clear against this young man's mind in this matter, as whole as against any heresy that ever was hitherto herd of. For as for the words of Chryst of which we speak touching the blessed sacrament/ though he may find some old holy men that beside the literal sense doth expone them in an allegory, yet shall he never find any of them that did as he doth now after wicliffe, Ecolampadius, Tyndale, & zuynglius, deny the literal sense/ and say that Chryst meant not that it was his very body and his very blood in deed/ but the old holy doctors & expositors beside all such allegories, do plainly declare & expone, that in those words our saviour as he expressly spoke, so did also well & plainly mean, that the thing which he there gave to his disciples in the sacrament, were 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 fashion in the expounding of them.  
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/ and that as he spoke all those but in an allegory, so spoke he this plainly meaning that he spoke of his very body and his very blood beside all allegories. 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, & his blood was very drink, and that they should not be saved but if they did eat his flesh and drink his blood/ than were they all in such a wonder thereof, that they could not abide. And wherefore? but because they perceived 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 in deed. 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, & 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.  
Many other plain proves might a man gather upon the circumstances of the very texts, where this thing is spoken of in the scripture/ but that it is not my purpose now to stick in argument of this matter, that is of itself so clear out of all question/ but only a little to touch it, that ye may see how little pith and substance for his matter is in all those ensamples of allegory, which wyclyffe, Ecolampadius, Tyndale, & Suinglius have brought out against the blessed sacrament/ & wherewith those old shrews have with their false similitudes piteously deceived, either the simplicity or the lightness of this silly young man/ which might if he had not either of lightness over run himself, or of simpleness been deceived, or of pride and high mind in putting forth heresies willingly beguiled & blinded/ easily have perceived himself, that the more such allegories that he found in the scripture in like manner of phrases or speech, the worse is his part/ & the more clear is it that these places speaking of the blessed sacrament, were plainly meant as they were spoken beside all such allegories. For else had never both the hearers at the time, & the expositors sins and all christen people beside this xu C. year, taken only in this one matter the plain literal sense being so strange & marvelous that it might seem impossible, and decline from the letter for allegories in all such other things, being as he saith & as in deed they be, so many far in number more.  
How be it as for this point that an allegory used in some place, is not a cause sufficient to make men leave the proper significations of god's word in every other place, & seek an allegory and forsake the plain common sense and understanding of the letter/ this perceived the young man well enough himself. For he confesseth that he would not so do save for necessity, because he seeth as he saith that the common literal sense is impossible. For the thing he saith that is meant thereby, can not be true/ that is to wit that the very body of christ can not be in the sacrament, because the sacrament is in many divers places at once/ and was at the maundy, that is to wit in the hands of christ and in every of his apostles mouths/ and at that time it was not glorified. And than he saith that Christ'S body not being glorified, could no more be in two places at once, than his own can. And yet he goth after further, and saith that no more it can neither when it is glorified to. And that he proveth by the saying of saint austin/ whose words be as he saith, that the body with which christ rose, must be in one place, and that it continueth in heaven, and shall do till he shall come to judge both quick and deed. And yet at the last he proveth that the body of christ can not be in many places at once. For if it might be in many places at once, than it might he saith be in all places at once. But in all places at once he saith it can not be/ & thereof he concludeth that it can not be in many places at once. And thus for this impossibility of the thing that riseth upon the common literal sense of Christ'S words, he is he sayeth of necessity driven to fall from it unto some allegory/ which he confesseth that he would not do, if the plain literal sense were possible. But alas for the dear mercy of god, if we should leave the letter and seek an allegory with the destruction of the literal sense, in every place where we find a thing that ●eason can not reach unto, nor s● which way it were possible and therefore would take it for impossible: fain would I wit what one article of all our forth this young man could assign me spoken of in the scripture from which his reason shall not drive away the strength of his proof in making him leave the literal sense/ wherein his proof should stand and send him to seek an allegory that may stand with reason and drive away the faith, where he should believe the letter and make his reason obedient unto faith.  
I marvel me very much why the consideration of this impossibility, should of necessity drive this young man from the plain open literal sense of Christ'S words spoken of the blessed sacrament/ sith so many good and holy men so long together this xu C. year, have believed the literal sense well & firmly, & could not be driven from it for any such consideration of such impossibility/ and yet being as natural men, as wise me, as well learned men, as studious in the matter, and men of more age, & more sure, sad and substantial judgement, than this young man is yet, and men at the lest as likely to see what were possible and what were impossible as this good young man is. And therefore as for all his reasons gro●ded upon impossibility, sith I may be bold to think as all those old holy men have thought, and as all wise men I ween yet think, that no thing is impossible to god: I esteem all those reasons very little worth.  
How be it one thing he bringeth in by the way, that I would he had showed in what place we might find it, that is to wit the saying of saint austin. For why to seek out one line in all his books, were to go look a needle in a medew. But surely if we may see the place where the young man found it/ we shall I doubt not make a clear answer to it. And yet even as himself hath rehearsed it/ that saying maketh nothing for the proof of his purpose. For saint austin saith no more but that the body in which christ arose, must be in one place, and that it continueth in heaven, and shall do till the day of doom. As help me god except this young man in these words of saint austin see further with his young sight, than I can see with mine old eyen and my spectacles/ I marvel me much that ever he would for his purpose once bring them in. For when saint austin saith that the body in which Chryst arose, must needs be in one place/ he might mean by those words for any thing that here appeareth to the contrary, not that his body might not be in two divers places at once/ but that it must be in one place, that is to say in some place one or other/ or that he must have one place for his special place, and that place must be heaven/ as we say god must be in heaven, and angels must be in heaven. He speaketh no thing of the sacrament, nor saith not his body with which he rose must needs be so in one place, that it can by no possibility in any more.  
Also this word (must) which is in the latin tongue called oportet, which word saint austin here useth as this young man rehearseth him/ doth not alway signify such a necessity, as excludeth all possibility of the contrary. For our saviours said himself to the two disciples, Nun haec oportuit pati Christum, et ita intrare in gloriam suam? 
Luce. 24.  was it not so that christ must die, and so enter into his glory? And yet himself said also, that he might for all that have chosen whither he would have died or no. 
John. ●●.  For himself saith that to depart with his soul and to take his soul again, both twain were things put in his own power. And the prophet Esay sayeth of him, 
Esai●. ●●.  He was offered up because he so would himself. And therefore this latin word oportet, which saint austin hath in that place/ is many ty times in the latin tongue taken not for full and precise necessity, but for expedient and convenient. And therefore it is translated also into english, not only by this word (must) which yet signifieth not all way an impossibility of the contrary/ but often times by this word (it behoveth) which word signifieth that it is to be done for our behoof & commodity, & not that it can in no wise be avoided but that it must needs be. And therefore sith all the driveth this young man from the literal sense, is as he saith the impossibility of Christ'S body to be at once in divers places, & proveth that thing impossible by the words of saint austin/ that saith no more but that it must be in one place, & saith not that it may be in no more but one, nor speaketh not of any such necessity whereof he putteth the contrary for impossible, nor speaketh no word at all there of the sacrament: sith saint austin I say saith no further than this/ I marvel much in mine heart, what thing this young man seeth in his words, worthy that bringing in for any proof of his purpose.  
And that ye may the more clearly see that saint austin speaketh here of no necessity/ he not only saith that the body of Chryst with which he rose must be in one place/ but also he determineth that one place in which he must be if this young man rehearse him right, that is to say in heaven, there to continue still vyto the day of doom.  
But now I trow this young man thinketh not, that saint austin for all his determining that Christ'S body in which he rose must be still in that one place, that is to wit in heaven until the day of doom/ he meaneth for all that that it is so fast bounden to abide only there, but that he may when it pleaseth him in the self same body, be beneath here in earth an hundredth times before the day of doom. And good stories are there testifying that he so hath been diverse times ere this, synnies the time of his ascension. And therefore this young man may perceive plainly, that saint austin in those words, though he say that Christ'S body with which he rose must be in one place, that is to wit in heaven, yet he mente no such precise necessity as should drive this young man from the literal sense of Crystes words unto the allegory. He meant not by this word, it must be in one place, that is to say in heaven, that it must so be in that one place till domes day, that it might in the mean while be in none other beside, and that it must be so of an immutable necessity by no power changeable, whereof the contrary were by no power possible. And therefore as for these words of saint austin to this purpose here/ I marvel much in good faith/ but if he show more hereafter, that ever this young man would speak of them.  
Now as for his natural reasons be not worth the reasoning. For first that the body of christ unglorified could no more be in two places at once than his own can/ because he is a natural body as Christ's was, & Christ's body a natural body as his is: I will not examine any comparysons between their two bodies. But if christ would tell me that he would make each of both their bodies too be in fifteen places at ones, 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 whither he would glorify them both first or not. But I am sure glorified or unglorified, if the said it he is able to do it. when our saviour said, that it was as possible for a camel or a great cable rope to enter thorough a needles eye, as for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and after told his apostles that though those two things were both impossible to men, yet all thing was possible to god: I think that he meant that neither the sample nor the matter was to god impossible. Now sith than at the lest wise that it is not impossible for him to convey the camel or the cable rope thorough the needles eye/ what shall me need to study now whither he can bring them thorough such as they be, or else must of fine force be fain to glorify the camel or the cable first/ as this young man saith of his body, that it were impossible for god to bring about to have it in two places at once such as it is now, because it is yet somewhat groce and unglorified/ and than by the comparison of his own, he argueth the like of the blessed body of Chryst, being like his at his maundye no more glorified that he. But I say yet again of their bodies both twain, if he said that he would do it/ I would not doubt but he could do it. And if he could not do it but if he glorified them first/ than were I sure that he would glorify them both. And there fore if it were true, that he could not make his own body to be in two places at ones at maundy, but if it were than glorified/ than sith I am sure that he there died it, I am thereby sure also that he than for the time glorified it. For that thing was in his own power to do as oft as he would, as well before his death as at his resurrection/ & yet to keep his gloryfycation from perceiving, 
Marci. 1●  as he did from his two disciples, which for all his glorified body took him but for a pilgrim. And therefore as I say, if christ said unto me that he would make both his body and this young man's to, each of them to be in a thousand places at one's/ I would put no doubt therein, but that by some manner means he were able enough to do it.  
But here would this young man peradventure say, ye say very well if god so said, and by his so saying so mente in deed. But ye wot well I deny that he so mente though he so said. For I say that in so saying he meant but by an allegory, as he did when he called himself a vine and adore. But now must this young man consider again, that himself confesseth that the cause for which himself saith that christ in so saying did not so mean, is because that if he should have meant so, it was impossible for god to bring his meaning about/ that is to say that Crystes body might be in two places at once. And therefore but if he prove that thing impossible for god to do, else he confesseth that god not only said it, but also meant it in deed.  
And yet over this, if christ had never said it/ yet doubt I no thing but that he is able to do it/ or else were there somewhat that he could not do, & than were god not almighty.  
Now if this young man will say that to make one body to be in two places, doth imply repugnance, and that god can do no such thing: I dare be bold to tell him again, that many things may seem repugnant both to him and me, which things god seeth how to make them stand together well enough.  
Such blind reasons of repugnance induceth many men in to great error, some ascribing all thing to destyny without any power of man's free will at all/ and some giving all to man's own will, and no forsyghte at all unto the providence of god/ and all because the poor blind reason of man can not see so far, as to perceive how gods prescience and man's free will can stand and agree together, but seem to them clearly repugnant.  
And surely if the seeming of our own feeble reason, may drive us once to think that one man to be at once in two places, is a thing so hard & so repugnant, and therefore so impossible that god himself can never bring it about/ the devil will within a while set us upon such a trust unto our own reason, that he will make us take it for a thing repugnant and impossible, that ever one god should be three persons.  
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 common course of nature here in earth, and some things made also by man's hand/ as one face beholden in divers glassies, & in every piece of one glass broken in to twenty, 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 marvels 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 & can do what him list. And also I can not see why it should be more repugnant that one body may be by the power of god in two places at once, than that two bodies may be together in one place at once. And that point I think this young man denieth not. And I verily think there is unto man's reason neither more seblaunce of difficulty nor of repugnance, neither in the being of one body be it never so groce and unglorified in twenty divers places at once, than in the making of all that whole world, in which all the bodies both glorified and unglorified have all their romys and places, to make I say all that hole world of right nought. which article of our faith we shall find folk within a while not greatly force to deny, if men fall to this point, that for impossibylytees of nature, they think the things impossible also to god that is the master and the maker of nature/ and that they will upon that imagination do as this young man doth, flee fro the literal sense of the scripture, and seek some allegory in the stead, and say they be driven thereto by necessity, because of the impossibility of the matter. For thus shall as ye may well see, by this means none article of our faith stand.  
Now his last argument with which he proveth it impossible for one body of christ to be in two places at once is this. you can sayeth he show no reason, why he should be in many places at once and not in all. But in all places he can not be/ wherefore we must conclude that he can not be in many places at once. This is a marvelous concluded argument. I am sure a very child may soon see that this consequent can never follow upon those two premisses of his antecedent. For he can no further conclude upon them, but that we can show no reason why he should be in many places at once. Now if I should grant him that no man could show a reason why he should be in many places at once/ what had he won by that? might he then conclude there upon that he could not be in many places at once/ as though that it were not possible for god to make his body in two places at once, but if we were able to tell how, and why, and whereby, and show the reason? Now in this argument he beginneth with (should) in the maior/ and than in the minor and the conclusion turneth in to (can) and so varieth his extremytes, that the argument can never be good if it were but for that. If he would induce the conclusion which he concludeth here/ he must have rather have argued thus. If it might be in many places at ones, than might it be in all places at once. But in all places at once it can not be/ & therefore it can not be in many places at ones. Thus or in some such manner must he argue, if he will awghte prove. But here now both the parties of his antecedent be very week. The first is this, that if the body of our saviour may be in many places at once, it may be in all places at once. Though I would grant this causal proposition for the troth of the second part/ yet would I deny it him for the form. For though I grant it to be true/ yet the first part is not the proof of the second/ but rather contrary wise the second inferreth well the first. For the reason is good: he may be in all places, ergo he may be in many. But argue the contrary wise as this young man argueth, and than is the form very faint. For this hath little strength: he may be in many places, ergo he may be in all, many men run, ergo all men run, men run in many places, ergo men run in all places/ but if the matter maintain the argument, either by the possibility of the antecedent or by the necessity of the consequent/ as one man is a stone, ergo all men be stones, one man is a living creature, ergo all men be living creatures. But let this first proposition pass and come now to the second, upon which all his argument hangeth/ that is, that the body of christ can not be at once in all places. This he sayeth/ but how doth he prove it. If he will bid me prove the affirmative/ I may answer that I need not, for it is not the thing that we have in hand. For we do not say that he is in all places/ for the sacrament is not at once in all places. And we be not bound for this matter to go any further/ & the point for so far I prove by the gospel that saith it is so. And therefore this young man that sayeth it can not be/ let him prove that it may not be. For if it may be/ he than confesseth that the words of christ do prove that it must be. But because it can not be saith he/ therefore he is driven to construe these words by any allegory. And now that ●t can not be in many places/ he proveth by that that he can not be in all places/ and therefore must he prove that, or else give over thargument.  
How be it as for me though I be not bounden to it/ I am content yet to prove that god may make the body of christ to be in all places at once. And because this young man coupleth that proposition with the other/ so will I do to. And I prove therefore that god can make his body be both in many places at once, and in all places at once/ by that that he is almighty, and therefore can do all thing. And now must this young man tell us either that this is nothing, or else deny that god can do all thing. And than must he limit god's power how far he will give god leave to stretch it. But when this young man shall come to that point/ every wise man will I ween suppose and think in themself that this young man hath yet in his youth gone to little while to school, to know all the god can do/ but if he bring good witness that he hath learned up the uttermost of all gods cunning/ which thing the apostle Poule for all that he was ravished up into the third heaven, reckoned yet so far above his reach, that he cried out, 
Roma. 10  Oh the altitude of the richesse of the wisdom & the cunning of god.  
But yet this young man goeth about to prove the point by scripture. For except we grant him that point to be true/ he sayeth that else we make the angel a liar, that said he is not here/ and also that else we make as though Cristes' body in his ascension did not go up in the cloud in to heaven from the earth, but only hid himself in the cloud, & played bo pepe and tarried beneath still.  
I am in good faith sorry to see this young man presume so far upon his wit, so soon ere it be full ripe. For surely such liking of themself maketh many wits wax rotten ere they wax ripe. And verily if it do decrease and go backward in this fashion, it may not last long. For even here in the end he forgetteth himself so fowl, that when he was a young sophister he would I dare say have been full sore ashamed so to have overseen himself at Oxford at a pervise. For ye wot well that thing which he saith and which he must therefore prove/ is that the body of christ can not be in every place at once, by no mean that god could make. And the texts that he bringeth in for the proof, say no ferther but that he was not in all places at once/ and say not that by no possible power of his god head it could not be in every place at once. And therefore this point is as ye see well of this young man very yongely handled. And therefore ought every man abhor as a plain pestilence, all such unreasonable reasons made for nature by more than natural fools, against the possibility of gods almighty power. For we may know it verily, that against these follies hath specially a place the good ghostly counsel of saint Poule/ where he warneth us & saith, 
Collo. 2.  Beware that no man beguile you by vain philosophy.  
God forbid that any man should be the more prone and ready to believe this young man in this great matter, because he saith in the beginning that he will bring all men to a concord and a quyetenesse of conscience. For he bringeth men to the worst kind of quietness that can be devised, when he telleth us as he doth, that every man may in this matter without apparel believe which way he list. Every man may in every matter without any counsel of his, soon set him self at rest, if he list to take that way to believe as he list himself and care not how. 
Cor. 11.  But and it that way had been sure/ saint Poule would never have showed that many were in apparel of sickness and death to, for lack of discerning reverently the body of our lord in that sacrament, when they came to receive him.  
And against this doctrine of this young brother, is the plain doctrine of the old holy father's interpreters of the scripture. And what fashion is this to say that we may believe if we list that there is the very body of our lord in deed/ and than to tell us for a troth that such a faith is impossible to be true/ for god himself can never bring it about to make his body be there.  
I am very sure that the old holy doctors which believed Crystes body & his blood to be there, & so taught other to believe, as by their books plainly doth appear/ if they had thought either that it could not be there, or that it was not there in deed/ they would not for all the good in this world have written as they have done. For would those holy men ween you have taught that men be bounden to believe that the very body & blood of christ is there, if themself thought they were not bounden thereto? Or would they make men honour and worship that thing as the very body and blood of christ, which themself thought were not it? This gear is to childish to speak of.  
yet one great pleasure he doth us, in that he putteth us all at liberty, that we may without peril of damnation believe as we believed before/ that is to wit that in the blessed sacrament the whole substance of the breed and the wine is transmuted & changed into the very body and blood of christ. For if we may without peril of damnation believe thus as himself granteth that we may/ than granteth he that we may also without any peril of damnation believe that himself lieth/ where he saith the troth of that belief is impossible.  
And therefore I shall therein conclude with him, as our sovereign lord the kings highness in his most famous book of assertion of the sacrament concludeth in one place against Luther/ which in his Babilonica confessed that though men in the sacrament of the altar believed after the common faith as they did before, there was no peril therein. well than said the kings grace, ye do yourself grant that in our belief is no peril. But all the church believeth that in your way is undoubted damnation. And therefore if ye will as wisdom would ye should, deal surely for your self/ ye should rather leave your unsure way which ye believe, and come yourself and counsel all other whom ye would did well, to believe as we do. Lo this reason of the kings grace clearly concludeth this young man upon his own confession/ and plainly proveth that except he leave his belief which all good christian folk hold for damnable, and come home again to his old faith the common faith of all the church/ in which as himself agreeth there is no peril: I will not for courtesy say he is stark mad/ but surely I will say that for his own soul, the young man playeth a very young wanton pageant.  
Now where as for an other quyetenes of every man's conscience, this young man biddeth every man be bold, and whither the blessed sacrament be consecrate or unconsecrate (For though he most specially speaketh for the wine yet he speaketh it of both) and biddeth care not but take it for all that unblessed as it is, because the pressed he saith can not deceive us nor take from us the profit of god's institution, whither he alter the words or leave them all unsaid/ is not this a wonderful doctrine of this young man. we wot well all that the pressed can not hurt us by his oversight or malice, if there be no fault upon our own part. For that perfection that lacketh upon the priests, part the great mercy of god doth as we trust of his own goodness supply. And therefore as holy saint Chrysostome saith, no man can take harm but of himself. But now if we see the thing dysordered our own self by the pressed, & Crystes institution broken/ if we than wittingly receive it unblessed and unconsecrated, & care not whither Crystes institution be kept and observed or no, but reckon it is as good without it as with it/ than make we ourself partners of the fault, and lose the profit of the sacrament, and receive it with damnation/ not for the priests fault but for our own. How be it as for his belief that taketh it no better but for bare breed and wine, it maketh him little matter consecrated or not/ saving that the better it is consecrate the more is it ever noyous unto him that receiveth it, having his conscience cumbered with such an execrable heresy/ by which well appeareth that he putteth no difference between the body of our lord in the blessed sacrament, and the common breed that he eateth at his dinner/ but rather he esteemeth it less/ for the tone yet I think ere he begin if he lack a pressed he will bless it himself, the t'other he careth not as he saith whither it be blessed or no. from which abominable heresy & all his other, our lord for his great mercy deliver him, and help to stop every good man's ears from such ungracious incantations as this man's reasons be/ which are unto such simple people as will be with the wind of every new doctrine blown about like a wethercok, much more courageous a great deal, than was that evil doctrine which saint Poule so sore reproveth, 
Gala. 3.  with which the false prophets had bywiched the Galathyes. But as for those that are good and fast faithful folk, and have any grace or any spark of any reason in their heads/ will (I verily think) never be so far overseen as in this article (the troth whereof god hath himself testified by as many open miracles as ever he testyfyed any one) to believe this one young man upon his barren reasons, against the faith & reason both of all old holy writers, and all good christian people this xu C. years. All which without any doubt or question, believed against his doctrine in this blessed sacrament, until Berengarius began to fall first unto this error. which when he better considered he fell from it again and forsook it utterly/ and for because he had ones held it, the good man did of his own good mind uncompelled great penance willingly all his life after, as ye may read in Cronica cronicarum the cxc leaf. And also frere Barns, albe it that as ye wot well he is in many other things a brother of this young man's sect/ yet in this heresy he sore abhorreth his heresy/ or else he lieth himself. For at his last being here, he wrote a letter to me of his own hand/ wherein he writeth that I lay that heresy wrongfully to his charge/ and therein he taketh witness of god and his conscience/ and showeth himself so sore grieved therewith, that any man should so repute him by my writing, that he saith he will in my reproach make a book against me, wherein he will profess and protest his faith concerning this blessed sacrament. By which book it shall he saith appear, that I have said untruly of him, and that he abhorreth this abominable heresy. which letter of his I forbear to answer till the book come. By which we may see sith he forsaketh this heresy, what faith he will profess, whither the true faith or some other kind of heresy. For if he will profess the very catholic faith/ he and I shall in that point be very soon agreed/ and I shall than make him such answer therein, as he shall have cause to be well contented with.  
But in the mean time, it well contenteth me that frere Barns being a man of more age, and more ripe dyscressyon and a doctor of divinity, & in these things better learned than this young man is/ abhorreth this young man's heresy in this point, as well as he liketh him in many other.  
And so I trust will every wise man/ and not be so enchanted with such childish reasons as his be, that they would thereby do as the hearers of christ did/ that for marvel of this matter as this young man doth now, 
Johan. 6.  refused our saviour and went their way from him/ but will rather let them go that will go, and abide themself with our saviour still/ as with him that hath in the stead of this young man's vain childysh folosophy, not false apparent sophistry, but the very words of eternal life. which words I beseech our lord give this young man the gxace, against his own froward fantasies to believe/ and to the same life bring him and us both/ where we shall without the veil or covering of any manner sacrament, behold our blessed saviour face to face/ & in the bright mirror of troth the very one godhead of the three like mighty & each almighty persons, clearly behold & perceive both that it may and in deed is, and also how it may be, that Cristes' one body may be in many places at once. which thing many that will not come there of foolish frowardness affirm to be plain impossible.  
Lo in stead of a letter have you almost a book, longer than I trust good christian folk shall need in so clear an article of the faith, and to all fast faithful people so far out of all doubt/ saving that in sending you your copy again, me thought I must needs write you somewhat what I myself thought of his writing. In which when I once began, all be it not very well at ease/ the abomination yet of the pestilent heresy & the apparel of his colourable handling, drew me forth ferther and ferther/ & scant could suffer me now to make an end, but that I was half in mind to have touched also the schism of the Bohemies, which he setteth forth here in his writing/ saving that it requireth some length, & that I am in mind to make answer once in that matter unto frere Barns, which hath made therein ye wot well an hole treatyce/ wherein I wonder if himself ween he have said well. And as for that holy prayer that this devout young man as a new christ, teacheth to make at the receiving of the blessed sacrament all his congregation/ I would not give the paring of a peer for his prayer though it were better than its is, pulling a way the true faith therefore as he doth. How be it his prayer there is such devised, and penned, & painted with leisure and study/ that I trust every good christian woman maketh a much better prayer at the time of her housel, by faithful affection and gods good inspiration suddenly. For she beside gods other goodness, thanketh him I think for his high singular benefit there presently given her, in that it liketh him to accept & receive her so simple and so far unworthy of herself, to sit at his own blessed board/ & there for a remembrance of his bitter passion suffered for her sin, to suffer her receive & eat not breed though it seem breed, but his own very precious body in form of breed, both his very flesh blood & bonies, the self same with which he died & with which he rose again, & appeared again to his apostles, & eat among his disciples, & with which he ascended into heaven, and with which he shall descend again to judgement, and with which he shall reign in heaven with his father and their holy spirit in eternal glory, and all his true faithful believing and loving people with him/ whom as the mystical membres of his glorious body he shall then, & from thence forth for ever pleasantly nurysh & feed and sacyate their insatiable hunger with the beholding of his glorious godhead. whose hunger to hevynward he comforteth & feedeth here by hope, and by the sure token and sign of salvation, the giving of his own very blessed body under the sign & likeness of breed to be eat & received into our bodies/ that our souls by the faith there of, & our bodies by the receiving thereof, may be spiritually and bodily joined & knit unto his here in earth/ & with his holy soul & his blessed body, and his godhead both with his father & their holy spirit, gloriously live after in heaven.  
This lo in effect though not in words, can christen women pray, and some of them peradventure express it much better to. For god can as the prophet saith, make not only women that have age, faith, & wit, but the mouths also of infants & young souking children, 
Psal. 8.  to pronunce his laud & praise/ so that we need not this young man now to come teach us how & what we shall pray, as christ taught his disciples the pater noster. Fryth is an unmeet master to teach us what we should pray at the receiving of the blessed sacrament, when he will not knowledge it as it is, but take Crystes blessed body for nothing but bare bred/ and so little esteem the receiving of the blessed sacrament, that he forceth little whither it be blessed or not. I pray god bless these poisoned errors out of his blind heart, and make him his faithful servant/ and send you heartily well to far.  
At Chelchith the vii day of December by the hand of more than all your own Tho. More knight.   

Prentyd at London by. W. Rastell. 1533  
CUM PRIVILEGIO