The. i. chapyter .

MAyster 〈◊〉 hath in thys hys poysened treatice agaynst Crystes hole some so 〈◊〉 xxxii . leuys . In the first . xiiii . wherof he expowneth vs the later parte of the syxte chapyter of saynt 〈◊〉 . And incidently by the way , the man maketh as though he answered the reasons whiche I made in my letter , agaynste the pestylent treatice that fryth made fyrst agaynst the blessed sacrament . And in the same . xiiii . leuys also , he bryngeth forth two thynges for specyall notable , wherin he sayth I haue openly contraryed myn 〈◊〉 wrytynge .

¶ I wyll good reader peruse the remanaunt of hys booke after this fyrst part answered . In whyche conteynyng these thre thynges that I haue 〈◊〉 you / the fyrst hath he so han desed , that all were there not ( as there are in dede ) dyuerse false 〈◊〉 interfaced therin , yet it were for the mater of very sleyght effecte . For in his exposicion he nothyng toucheth nor cometh nere to the thyng wherin the poynt of all the mater standeth .

¶ The secund point hath he so well treated in hys argumentacyon , that the reasons whyche I laye agaynste Frith , mayster Masker fyrst falsely reherseth , and after so folyshely soyleth , that he leueth them more stronger agaynst hym whan he hath done , 〈◊〉 he fownde them whan he bygan .

¶ And as for the thyrde poynt concernynge hys notable notys of suche thynges as he sayeth to myne ouersyghte , them he so garnessheth & setteth out so semely to the show , that I wolde no man sholde euer after this daye truste any worde that I shall wryte , but yf ye se mayster 〈◊〉 pfaynesy proued therin , eyther so folyshe as no man shold trust his wyt , or so false that no man shold trust his trouth . Let vs therfore now come to the fyrste point , that is to wytte hys exposicyon .

The. ii . chapyter .

THe whole summe of his 〈◊〉 is , that our sauyour 〈◊〉 those wordes takynge occasion of the myracle that he so late before had wrought among them , in fedyng fyut thousand of them with fyue barly louys and two fysshes , dyd in those Iohn . 〈◊〉 . wordes vppon theyr new resort vnto hym whan they folowed hym to Capharnaum , fyrst rebuke & blame them bycause they soughte hym not for the miracles that they had sene hym wurke , but bicause they had ben fedde by hym & fylled theyr belyes / and that therfore our sauyour exhorted them to labour rather to gete that meat that neuer sholde perysshe . Op pon whiche exhortacyon whan the Iewes asked hym what they sholde do wherby they sholde wurke the wurkes of god / Chryst sayd vnto them , that the wurke of god was , to byleue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hym whom the father had 〈◊〉

¶ Than goeth he ferther & sheweth , that vpon the wordes of the Iewis askyng our lord what token he shewed for whiche they shold byleue in hym , syth theyr forefathers had gyuen them the brede of Manna in deserte , of 〈◊〉 . 15 whiche it was writen , he gaue them bred from aboue / our lorde shewed them that Moses gaue them not that bred from heuen , but his owne father had geuen them the very brede that was descended from heuen , and that oure lorde there by all the remanaunt of those wordes in the sayd syxte chapiter of sait Iohn , declareth that hym selfe is that very bred , & is to be 〈◊〉 by the fayth and the byliefe that Chrystes 〈◊〉 and body was broken and his bloude shed for our synnes . And so expowneth he forth all these wordes of Chryst , applyeng them onely to the declaracyon of his passyon to be suffred for our redempcion / and that our sauyour wold haue them by leue that point , & that the byliefe of that point was ment by the eatynge , and that that fayth and byliefe is the 〈◊〉 of our soules .

¶ The whole somme of his exposicyon is this in al his sayd . xiiii . 〈◊〉 . I mene not that this is all that euer he sayth therin / for I leue out his cir cumstaunces , his garnysshynge , his notes , his argumentacions , his contencyons with me , his mokkes , his tauntys agaynst all catholyke folke , & his many folde heresyes also , with all whiche here and there he furnyssheth all the progresse of his paynted processe / all whiche thynges I shall after touche by them selfe . But the somme , the substaunce , and the ende wherto all the whole processe of his exposicyon cometh , is this that I haue rehersed you .

The. iii. chapyter .

BUt now good chrysten readers all this exposicyon , were it neuer so trew , neuer so comely , nor neuer so cunnyngly handeled / yet were it ( as I tolde you before ) very farre from the purpose , For this exposicyon myghte be good ynough , & yet myght Thryste in those wordes teache the thynge that we speke of 〈◊〉 , that is to wytte besyde the teachyng them that hym selfe was the very brede that was descended from heuyn to gyue lyfe to the world , and that he sholde suffre deth for the synnes of the world and that they shold byleue these thynges , and so eate hym 〈◊〉 by fayth / he myghte I saye teche in those wordes also , that he wolde gyue vnto men his very body & his very 〈◊〉 to eate , and his very bloud to drinke , and that he wolde that they shold byleue that lesson also . And wrth the spy rituall eatynge therof , by farth receyue and eate also his very blessed body flesshe and bloude by the mouth not in his owne flesshely forme as the flesshely Iewes mysse toke it , but ( as hym selfe than ment it and parte there expowned it , and by his institu 〈◊〉 dyd after more clerely declare it ) informe of brede and wyne in the blessed sacrament of the aulter .

¶ It is I trow good readers to no man almost vnknowen , that the holy scrypture of god is in suche meruelous maner , by the profound wysedome of his holy spyryte , for the more plentuouse profyte of his chyrche , deuised , indyghted , and wryten , that it hath not onely that one sense trewe which we call the litterall sence ( that is to wytte that sence whiche for the fyrst lesson therof , god wold we shold perceiue and lerne ) but also diuerse other sensys spirytuall , pertaynynge to the profyte of our maners , and instruccions in sundry vertues , by meane of 〈◊〉 , openyng of misteries , and lyftynge vppe of the soule into the lyuely lyght and inward hygh sighte of god . And all those manyfold senses ( diuers in the waye and all tendynge to one ende ) maye be conuenient and trew , and all by one spyrxte prouyded , and in to diuerse spyrites by the same one spyrite inspyred , for spyrituall profite to be by many meanes multyplyed and encreaced in 〈◊〉 chyrche .

¶ But neuer hath any good māben accustumed to playe the pageaunt that mayster Maskar playeth vs here , with a spyrytuall exposicyon of allegoryes or parables , to take awaye that very fyrste sense that god wolde we shold lerne of the letter / and bycause of some allegories , turne all the playn worde for the first right understanding , into a secundary sense of allegoryes .

¶ Of this maner 〈◊〉 of scripture I make mencyon in my letter agaynst Frythes false handesynge of this same place of saynt Iohan. And there I shewed in what wyse that false heretikes the Arrianys vsed by the same meanys , to take the godhed from Cry stes persone / as fryth and these felowes by the selfe same maner of ex pownynge the scrypture , do take awaye Chrystes manhed from Chry stes blessed sacrament .

¶ In that pistle I shewed also that I wold in allegoricall exposycyons fynde no faute , but be well content with them , so that men mysse vse them not , to the takynge away of the trew litterall sense bysyde .

¶ This thynge I there shewed good readers in the self same pystle , that mayster Masker maketh here as though he could & wold answere . And yet as though he had neuer herd my wordes but slepte while he redde them , he playeth here the selfe same pageaunt hym selfe , whyle with his allegorycall exposycyon of spyrytuall eatynge of Chrystes godhed and of his body by byliefe of his passyon , he goth about to take awaye from vs the very lytterall trewth , of the very eatynge and bodely receyuynge of Chrystes owne very flesshe & bloud

¶ Now wyll I not say any maner blame at all , to any man that wyll exspowne all the whole processe of Genesis , by allegories / and teche vs certeyne conuenyent vertues , vnderstanden by the four floodes of paradys , and tell vs that paradyse is grace , out of whyche all the flodys of all vertues flowe , and water the erth , callynge the erth mankynd , that was made therof , beynge barayne & frutelesse but yf it be watered with the floodes of vertue / and so forth in some suche maner expowne vs all the remanaunt . Or lo that thus doth , doth in my mynde ryght well . But mary yf he wolde do it in the maner & with the mynde , that mayster Masker expowneth vs Christes wordes , all in allegoryes here , and wold teche vs suche a spyrytuall sense , to make vs byleue that those wordes were to be none other wyse vnderstanden bysyde , but that there were no such floodes flowynge forth of paradyse , nor no suche paradyse at all / I wold wene verely that he were a very heretyke .

¶ I fynde no fawte also with them , 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 that expowne the story of Sampson tayenge the foxes togyther by the taylys , and settynge a fyre in them , and sendynge them so in to the felde of the Phylistyes to burne vp the corne / in those I saye that expowne that story by the deuyll , sendyng his heretykes in to the corne felde of god the catholyke chyrche of Chryste , wyth the fyre of false wordes to desiroye the corne , bothe of 〈◊〉 we farth and good wutkys , tayed togyder by the tayles , in token that all theyr here sies be theyr hedes neuer so farre a sunder , yet are theyr tayles tayed togyther in that the all tende towarde one ende , that is to wytte to the destruccion of all manee grace and goodnes / & that the tayeng of the fyre and theyr tayles togyther signiifeth also that for theyr foxly false hed , finally in the ende the hote fyre of hell shal be so fast tayed in all theyr tayles wrabelynge there together , the neuer shall they gete the fyre fro theyr taylys , nor fro the bandes of hell be seuered or breke asundre : with this al legorye of those good men that thus expowne that story , I fynd no faute at all . But on the tother syde if any man wold expowne it so by that spirituall allegorye agaynst these heretykes , that 〈◊〉 word therwith enforce hym selfe to take away the sytterall sense , and say the text signifyed nothyng 〈◊〉 , and that there was no suche thynge done indede / hym word I 〈◊〉 for an hereiyke to .

¶ And in 〈◊〉 wyse good readers yf mayster Masker here dyd onely expowne all those wordes of Chryste , as thynges spoken of spyrytuall eatyng by waye of allegory / that waye word I well allow / for so doth not onely : suche as he is , but also good faythfull folke to . But now whan he draweth all Christe wordes to those allegoryes of a false wyly purpose , to make men wene ( & so sayth hym self for his part ) that they signifye none other thyng : this is the poynt the proueth mayster Masker an 〈◊〉 .

¶ And therfore as I sayd , all his ex policyō is 〈◊〉 of fro the purpose , & approcheth not to the poynt . For the questyon is not whither those wordes may be well veryfyed & expowned of spyrituall eatyng by way of an allegory / but whyther it may bysyde al the , be trewly expowned of the very bodyly eatyng of Cryste blessed body indede . For 〈◊〉 it so may / than 〈◊〉 there no man of so siēdre wytte , but he may well se , the all mayster Maskers allegorycall exposicyon of his onely spirituall eatyng , 〈◊〉 fro the purpose quite , & dare not come 〈◊〉 the point

¶ Wherfore to th entent the ye may 〈◊〉 rely se , the in this exposicyon of his ( 〈◊〉 holy as he wold haue it seme ) he doth but clerely mokke ( sauynge that it is myche worse thanne mockynge , to make men fall fro the fayth ) I shall geue you of the same wordes of Chryst wryten in the syxt chapyter of saynt Johan , another exposycyon my selfe / in which I shall bysyde all suche spyrytuall exposicyons , as this man vseth therin by waye of 〈◊〉 or parables , declare you the very lytterall sense of those wordes : My flesshe is veryly meate & my bloude veryly drynke . So that ye maye se therby , that our sauyour veryly spake & ment , not onely suche a spyrytuall ratyng as mayster Masker sayth he onely ment / but also the very bodyly eatyng & drinkyng of his very fleshe and bloude in dede . whiche exposicyon of myne , yf it be in that poynt trewe / than must it nedes folow ( ye se wel ) that his exposicyon is farre fro the purpose . For all though there were not one false word therin / yet were it in dyssemblynge of the trouth , very lewd̄ and falsely handelyd .

¶ And now that myne exposycyon shal be trewindede , that shall you ere I seue you so clerely perceyue and see , that I trust there shall neuer any suche heretyke as thysis , be able to blynde any man after that redeth it / except some such as wyllyngly lyste to wynke , or 〈◊〉 he put out theyeyen , wyll hold theyr heddes to hym them selfe .

¶ Now to the entent ye may the better perceyue & marke , whyther myne exposycyon agre with the texte , and whyther I leue any thyng vnto wched : I shall fyrst gyue you the wordes of the texte it selfe in englysshe all to gyther , and than expoune it you piece by pyece after . And yet hadde it not bene euyll to begyn somwhat before at Chrystes dyscyples goynge in to the shyppe in the euenynge , and Chrystes owne walkynge after vppon the see , and after the on the morow the people comyng after to seke hym in other shippes / which piece maistee Masker left out and word not medle with , bycause it hath an hard allegory declared by holy doctours , whyche she we that the shyppe in whiche the discyples went , 〈◊〉 the chyrch which was but one / and the other diuerse shyppes that came after , betokened the dyuerse chyrches of heretykes . And yet in that one shyppe that sygnyfyed the chyrch , there were as appered after , both good & badde to gyther . But lette this piece passe for this onys / I wyll begyn the texte but there as mayster Masker begynneth hymselfe . So good chrysten readers these be the wordes .

The. iiii . chapyter .

¶ Ueryly veryly I saye to you you seke me , not bycause ye haue sene my racles , but bycause ye haue eatyn of the loues and are fylled . worke you , not the meate that perisheth , but that 〈◊〉 into euerlastyng lyfe , which the sone of man shall gyue you / for hym hath good the father sealed . They sayde therfore vnto hym what shall we do that we maye worke the workes of god ? Iesus answered & sayde vnto them . This is the worke of god that ye byleue in hym whom he hath sent . Than they said vnto hym , what token she west thou , therfore that we may se and byleue the ? what workest thou ? Our fathers haue eaten manna in the deserte as it is wryten / he gaue them brede from heuyn to eate . Than sayd Iesus to them , veryly veryly I say to you Moyses hath not gyuen you the brede from the heuyn , but my father gyueth you the very brede from the heuyn . For the very brede is that that is descended from heuyn , and gyueth lyfe to the worlde . Than sayde they to hym , lorde gyue vs all waye this brede . Thansayd Iesus to them , I am the brede of life / he that cometh to me shall not hungre , and he that byleueth in me shal neuer thyrst . But I haue sayd vnto you , that ye haue bothe sene me and haue not byleued . All that my father gyueth me shall come to me / and he that cometh to me I shall not caste hym out . For I am 〈◊〉 from heuyn , not to do myne owne wyll , but the wyll of hym that hath sent me . This is veryly the wyll of hym that hath sent me , that is to wytte the father , that all that he hath gyuen me I shold not lese any thyng therof , but sholde reyse it agayne in the last daye . This is veryly the wyll of my father that hath sent me , that euery man that seeth the sone and by leueth in hym , shold haue euerlasting lyfe , & shall reyse hym agayne in the last day . The Iewes murmured ther fore of that that he had sayde , I am the lyuely brede that am descended from heuyn . And they sayde , Is not this man the sone of Ioseph , whose father and mother we haue knowen . Now sayth he therfore I am descended from heuyn ? Iesus therfor answered & sayd vnto theym , murmure not amonge your selfe . There can no man come to me but if the father that sent me draw hym , and I shall reyse hym agayne in the last day . It is wry ten in the prophetes : And they shal be all taught of god . Euery man that hath herd of the father and hath lerned cometh to me / not bycause any man hath seue the father , but he that is of god hath sene the father . Ueryly veryly I tell you , he that byleueth in me hath lyfe euerlastynge . I am the brede of the lyfe . your fathers haue eaten manna in the desert and be dede . This is the brede descendynge from the heuyn , that yf any man eate therof , he sholde not dye . I am the lyuynge brede that am descended from the heuyn . If a man eate of thys brede he shall lyue for euer , & the brede whiche I shall gyue is my fleshe , whyche I shall geue for the lyfe of the worlde . The Iewes therfore stroue amonge them selfe sayeng , how can this man geue vs his fleshe to eate . Than sayd Iesus to them . Ueryly veryly I saye to you , but yf ye eate the fleshe of the sone of man and drynke his bloude , ye shall not haue lyfe in you . He that eateth my flesshe and drynketh my bloude , hath lyfe euerlastyng , and I shall reyse hym in the last daye . My flesshe is veryly meate and my bloud is veryly drynke . He that eateth my flesshe and drynketh my bloude , dwelleth in me & I in hym . As the lyuyng father sent me , I also lyue for the father . And he that eateth me , he shall also lyue for me . This is the brede that hath descended from heuyn / not as your fathers haue eaten manna and are dede . He that eateth this brede shall lyue for euer . These thynges sayd he in the synagoge , teachyng in Capharnaum . Many therfore of hys dyscyples herynge , sayde , This is a hard sayeng , and who may here hym Iesus therfore knowyng in hym self that his disciples murmured at this , sayd vnto them , doth this offend you yf ye shall than se the sone of man ascendynge vppe where he was before . The spyryte it is that gyueth lyfe / the flesh auayleth nothyng . The wordes which I haue spoken to you , be 〈◊〉 & lyfe . But there be some of you that byleue not . For Iesus knew from the begynnyng who shold be that byleuers & who shold bytraye 〈◊〉 / and he sayd , Therfore I haue sayd vnto you that no man can come to me but yf it be gyuen him of my father . From that time many of his discyples went backe , & now walked no more with hym . Than sayd Iesus to the. xii , wyll you go your wayes to . Than answered vnto hym Symon Peter , lord to whom shal we go . Thou hast the wordes of euerlastyng lyfe , & we byleue & haue knowen that thou art Chryst the sone of god . Iesus answered vnto hym : Haue not I chosen you . xii . & one of you is a deuyll . He sayd that by Iudas I 〈◊〉 the sone of Symon . For he it was that shold betray hym , beyng one of the .xii .