and spake with Him, and did eat and drink with Him, and knew Him
to be the very same Jesus that had died. You can bear no witness either
way, for you were not there. But in this matter of the bread, here are
you; and you see it for yourself not to be as you be told. Your eyes
tell you that they behold bread; your hands tell you that they handle
bread; your tongue tells you that it tasteth bread. The witness of your
senses is in question: and these three do agree that the matter is bread
only."

"The senses may be deceived, I reckon?"

"The senses may be deceived; and, as meseemeth, after two fashions:
firstly, when the senses themselves be not in full healthfulness and
vigour. Thus, if a man have some malady in his eyes, that he know
himself to see things mistakenly, from the relation of other around him,
then may he doubt what his eyes see with regard to this matter.
Secondly, a man must not lean on his senses touching matters that come
not within the discerning of sense. Now in regard to this bread, the
Papists do overreach themselves. Did they but tell us that the change
made was mystical and of faith,--not within the discernment of sense--we
might then find it harder work to deal withal, and we must seek unto the
Word of God only, and not unto our sense in any wise. But they go
farther: they tell us the change is such, that there is _no more the
substance of bread left at all_. [Note 2.] This therefore is matter
within the discerning of sense. If it be thus, then this change is
needs one that I can see, can taste, can handle. I know, at my own
table, whether I eat flesh or bread; how then should I be unable to know
the same at the table of the Lord? Make it matter of sense, and I must
needs submit it to the judgment of my senses. But now to take the other
matter,--to wit, of faith. Christ said unto the Jews, `The bread which
I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.'
They took Him right as the Papists do. They `strave among themselves,
saying, How shall this man give us his flesh to eat?' Now mark you our
Lord's answer. Doth He say, `Ye do ill to question this matter; 'tis a
mystery of the Church; try it not by sense, but believe?' Nay, He
openeth the door somewhat wider, and letteth in another ray of light
upon the signification of His words. He saith to them,--`Except ye eat
the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have _no life_ in
you.' I pray you, wh