[Sidenote: Fryth.] ¶ I graunte that the Arryans erred, for as Master More sayeth, though in some place a worde betakē fyguratyuely, it foloweth not therfor that in euery other place, it shulde lykewyse be takē. But one questyō muste I aske hys mastershyppe, how doth he knowe that there is any worde or texte in scripture that muste be takē fyguratyuely, that is by the waye of a symylytude, or as he calleth yt a necessarye allegory? I thynke (though some mē may assygne other good causes ād euydences) that the fyrst knowelege ys by other textes of scrypture. For yf other textes be cōferred vnto yt, and wyll not stonde with the litterall sence, then I thynke yt muste neades be taken spirytually or fyguratyuelye, as there are infynyte textes in scripture. Now when I see that .S. Thomas whiche felte Christes woundes ād put hys fynger in hys syde, called hym hys Lorde and God, and that no texte in scrypture repugneth vnto the same, but that they may well stonde together, me thynketh yt were foly to affirme that this word, God, in that texte shulde be taken fyguratyuely or by waye of an allegorye: But nowe in our matter the processe of scripture wyll not stonde with the lytterall sence, as shall here after appeare. And therfor necessyte compellethe vs to expounde yt fyguratyuelye, as doth also S. Austen and other holy doctours, as hereafter shall playnely appeare. [Sidenote: More.] ❧ If euery man that can fynde out a newe fonde fantasye vpon a text of holy scrypture, may haue his owne mynd takē, and hys owne exposicyon beleued agaynste the exposycyons of the olde connynge doctours and sayntes, then may you surely see that none artycle of the Christen fayth, can stonde and endure longe. And then he alleageth .s. Hierome, which sayth, that yf the exposycion of other interpretours, and the consent of the common catholycke churche, were of no more strēgth but that euery mā myght be beleued that coulde brynge some textes of scrypture for hym, expounded as it pleaseth hym selfe, then coulde I (sayth this holy mā) brynge vpe a newe secte also, and saye by scrypture, that no man were a true Christen man, nor a membre of the churche, that keapeth two cootes. And in good fayth (sayth master More) yf that waye were alowed I were able my selfe to fynde out fyftene newe sectes in one fore none.