What a dark, and strange, and intricate, and incredible speech had this been for them to understand grossly, and literally? Would they think, that they did eat Christs body, when his body stood before them, and he had told them before that his body was like their body? Nay, this would have required moe words, and made them come again; with Master, 1what is the meaning? for they were not so instructed yet before the resurrection, to believe every thing without questioning, if it were contrary to sense and reason: but as they asked, who had given him any meat, when he said that he had meat,2 & they could see none: so they would have asked, what meat is this which we see not? How can every one of us eat his body, & yet he hath but one body, & that body is whole when we eat it? Lo, he standeth before us & saith, that his body is like unto ours, & yet he takes bread & breaks it, & gives it unto us to eat, & when we eat it,3 This is my body, & yet his body standeth before us still. If his body be like ours (as he saith) how can it be eaten, & be there, for ours cannot? Thus they would have questioned, if they had not been used to such phrases: but as they could understand him, when he called himself a stone, a rock, a door, a window, & a vine: so they picked out his meaning ⟨p. 100⟩when he said that bread was his body: for he had told them before, that he was the bread of eternal life.
What a darke, and straunge, and intricate, and incredible speech had this bene for them to vnderstand groslie, and literallie? Would they thinke, that they did eate Christs bodie, when his bodie stood before them, and he had told them before that his bodie was like their bodie? Nay, this would haue required moe wordes, and made them come againe; with Master, 1what is the meaning? for they were not so instructed yet before the resurrection, to beleeue euerie thing without questioning, if it were contrarie to sense and reason: but as they asked, who had giuen him anie meate, when he said that he had meate,2 & they could see none: so they would haue asked, what meate is this which we see not? How can euery one of vs eat his body, & yet he hath but one bodie, & that body is whole when we eat it? Loe, he standeth before vs & saith, that his body is like vnto ours, & yet he takes bread & breaks it, & giues it vnto vs to eat, & when we eate it,3 This is my body, & yet his body standeth before vs stil. If his body be like ours (as he saith) how can it be eaten, & be there, for ours cannot? Thus they wold haue questioned, if they had not bene vsed to such phrases: but as they could vnderstand him, when he called himself a stone, a rock, a doore, a window, & a vine: so they pickt out his meaning ⟨p. 100⟩when hee sayd that bread was his bodie: for hee had told them before, that hee was the bread of eternall life.
- 1Luk. 9. 8.
- 2Joh. 4. 33.Ioh. 4. 33.
- 3Luk. 24. 39.
