¶ A report of Master Doctor redman's answers, to questions propounded him before his death, concerning certain points of religion, now being with many in controversy. Whereunto diverse articles be added, lately subscribed by Master Chedsey. ☞ Try all things, and take that which is good. 1551. ¶ The Printer to the Reader. BEcause I had hard sundry and disagreeing reports of Master Doctor redman's judgement, in certain points of religion at the time of his death, & perceived one day in Master Secreatary Cecilles Chamber at the Court, a paper briefly containing the sayings of Master Redman, with the hands of divers learned men, subscribed to testify the truth thereof. I besought him to have the copy for the satisfaction of many men, and to show me the truth of the testimony written, the paper itself he lent me willingly, which (as he told me) he had in the counsel, of the Duke of Northumberland to whom the Kings Majesty delivered it. And for the proof of the matter written, they whose names be subscribed had affirmed the same partly to himself, partly to others beside the testimony of their own hands, thus having the thing in my hands & perceiving daily talk to increase here upon, I thought it convenient to imprint it for the satisfaction of the more number. And making Master Cecil privy of mine intent with the reasons that moved me, he gave to me two other writings, the one written by Master Doctor Wilkes & belonging to Master redman's matter, tother of certain articles subscribed by Master D. Chedsey of Oxford, a man of much learning, and as it seemeth yielding his affection to learning, which thing I thought not amiss to knit together in one print, reserving the judgement of the whole to be measured by charity, which as saint Paul sayeth: thinketh not evil, joyeth not on wickedness, but joyeth on truth and suffereth all things. etc. In the stock whereof, god grant all the professors of thy word, to plant, and grifte, the growing of their knowledge, that it may in the spreading of the bows bring forth good fruit in, works like the stock. At London the xii day of December. M.D.L.I. ¶ A Communication between Doctor Redman, lying in his death bed, and Master Nowell, schoolmaster in Westminster, and certain other, touching certain points of Christ's religion. IN Primis the said Doctor Redman sent for M. Nowell of his own mind, & said, he was willing to common with him of such matters as he had moved the said D. Redman of a day or two before. And he being desired of the said M. Nowell to declare his mind concerning certain points of our religion, first said, ask me what ye will, and I will answer you before god truly as I think without any affection to the world or any worldly person. witnesses, Alex. Nowell, rich. Burton, Ellis Lomas. john wright. 2. Item the said D. Redman said that the sea of Rome in these latter days is sentina malorum, that is, a sink of all evil. ❧ witnesses. john young. Alexander Nowell: Richard Burton, Ry. Elithorne, Edward Cratford, Ellis Lomas john Wright. 3. Item that purgatory as the school men caught it & used it, was ungodly, & that there was no such kind of purgatory, as they phantasyed. ❧ witnesses. john young, Richard Elithorn, john wright. Alex. Nowell, Ed. Cratford, Richard Burton, Ellis Lomas. 4. Item that the offering up of the Sacrament in Masses & Trentals for the sins of the dead is ungodly. ☞ witnesses. john young, A. Nowell, E. Cratforde, richard Burton, Ellis Lomas. 5. Item that the wicked are not partakers of the body of Christ, but receive the outward sacrament only. ☞ witnesses. john young. Alexander Nowell Richard Elithorn, Edward Cratforde, Ellis Lomas, richard, Burton, john Wright. 6. Item that the Sacrament ought not to be carried about in procession, for it is taught what is the use of it in these words, Accipite manducate & bibite, & hoc facite in mei memoriam. Take, eat, and drink, and do this in the remembrance of me. john young, Alex. Nowell, rich. Burton, joh. wright. El. Cratforde, Ellis Lomas. 7. Item that nothing which is seen in the sacrament, or perceived with any outward stuff is to be worshipped. john young, Alex. Nowell, E. Lomas, Ry. Burton. 8. Iten that we receive not Christ's body corporaliter, id est crass, corporally, that is to say grossly, like other meats, and like as the Caphernites did understand it. john young, A. Nowell, R. Burton El. Cratford, Ellis Lomas. john Wright. 9 Item that we receive Christ's body sic spiritualiter ut tamen vere, so spiritually, that nevertheless truly. john young, A. Nowell, R. Burton El. Cratford, Ellis Lomas. john Wright. 10. Item as touching transubstantiation, that there is not in any of the old Doctoures any good ground or sure proof thereof, or any mention of it, as far as ever he could perceive, neither that he saith what can be answered to the objections made against it. john young. Ry. Burton. Ellis Lomas. 11. Iten being asked of Master Wilkes, what that was, that was lifted up between the priests hands. he answered: he thought that Christ could neither be lift up nor down. john young, Ry. Burton. E. Lomas. 12. Item that Priests may by the law of God marry wyvez. Alexander Nowell. Ellis Lomas. 13. That this proposition Sola fides justificat, so that fides signify veram vivam & acquiescentem in Christo fidem id est amplexum Christi. that is to say: Only faith doth justify, so that faith do signify a true lively, and a faith resting in christ, and embracing Christ, is a true godly sweet & comfortable doctrine so that it be so taught, that the people take none occasion of carnal liberty thereof. john young, A. Nowell, R. Burton john Wright. Ed. Cratford, Ry. Elithorn, Ellis Lomas. 14. Item that our works cannot deserve the kingdom of god and life everlasting. john young, Alexander Nowell, Richard Burton, Ellis Lomas, Edward Cratford, Richard Elithorn, john Wright. Item that the said Doctor Redman at such times as we the foresaid persons which have subscribed heard his communication, concerning the foresaid points of religion, was of quiet mind and of perfit remembrance, as far as we were able to judge. john young. Alexander Nowell. Richard Burton. Ellis Lomas. Edward Cratford, Richard Elithorn, john Wright. ☞ Also Master young of himself doth declare further, touching the former Articles on this wise. ❧ To the .v. Article. IN Primis that Doctor Redman said more, where as S. Augustine said: Quod Iudas idem accepint ꝙ Petrus, that judas received the same that Peter did, he said: that he understood that of the sacrament, and that after thee same phrase a man might say: Quod Simon magus idem Baptisma recepit quod Apostoli, That Simon Magus received the same baptism that the Apostles did, when he did receive only the outward sacrament to his condemnation, for he said that he thought: christ would not vouchsafe to give his holy flesh to an ungodly man, and this he said was always his mind, though he knew that other men did otherwise think. ❧ To the vi Article. Item he said: he never liked the carriage about of the sacrament, & preached against it, about a xvi years since in Cambridge. ❧ To the ten Article. Item when he was demanded of transubstantiation, he said: that he had travailed about it, & thinking that the doubts which he perceived did rise thereon, should be made plain by the school men, did read their books, and that after that he had read them that the opinion of transubstantiation was every day magis & magis languida that is, weaker and weaker, & that there was no such transubstantiation as they made, adding thereto that the whole school did not know what was meant by consecration, which he said was the whole action of the holy Communion. ☞ To the xiii Article. Item he said that he did repent him that he had so much strived against justification by only faith. ☞ To the xiiii Article. Item that works had their crown and reward, but that they did not deserve eternal life & the Kingdom of God, no not the works of grace, Nam domini dei vita eterna. For everlasting life is the gift of God. ¶ A Note of the Communication that I Richard Wilkes had with M. D. Redman, being sick at Westmynster, but of good memory the second day of November. 1551. in the presence of Master Young, & an other whom I did not know, and two of M. D. redman's servants, the one called Ellise and the other unknown. I wished him health in soul and body, and doubted not but more he did practise the godly counsel in himself, the which he was wont to give to other, being in his case, & thanks be to god, who had given him stuff of knowledge to comfort himself withal. Saith he, God of all comfort give me grace to have comfort in him, and to have my mind wholly fixed in him. Master young and I said Amen. Then I communed with him of his sickness, and the weakness of his body, & though he were brought never so low, yet he, if it were his pleasure that raised up Lazarus, could restore him too health again, No no, sayeth he: that is paste, and I desire it not, but thee will of God be fulfilled. After this a little other like communication, I asked if I might be so bold not troubling him, too know his mind for my learning in some matters and points of religion, he said: yea, and that he was as glad to common with me in such matters as with any man, and then I said to his servants: I trust I shall not trouble him, no said elys his servant, my Lord of London M. Nowell, and other have communed with him, and he was glad of it. Then said Master Redman no you shall not trouble me, I pray god ever give me grace to speak the truth, & his truth, and that which shall redound to his glory, and sand us unity in his church, and we said. Amen. I said he should do much good in declaring his faith, and I would be glad to know his mind, as touching thee Sacrament of thee body and blood of Christ, he said as man is made of two parts, of the body, and the soul, so christ would feed thee whole man, but what saith he be the words of the text, let us take the words of the scripture, and he rehearsed the text himself thus, Accepit jesus panem, christ took bread, wherein his will was to institute a Sacrament, Accipite commedite, take, eat, here he told thee use of it, what did he give them? Hoc est corpus meum, He calleth it his body. Then I asked him of the presence of Christ, he said: Christ was present with his sacrament, and in those that received it as they ought. And there was mira unitio, a wonderful union (for that word was named) betwixt Christ & us, as s. Paul saith Vos estis, os ex ossibus eius, et caro ex carne eius, ye be bone of his bones, & flesh of his flesh, the which union was ineffable. Then I asked him what he thought of the opinion that Christ was there corporally, naturally, & really, he answered if you mean by corporally, naturally, & really, that he is there present, Vere, I grant. Then I asked him how he thought of that which was wont commonly to be spoken, that christ was their flesh blood, and bone, as I have heard the stewards in their leets give charge, when the six Articles stood in effect, and did give charge too thinquest to inquire, that if there were any that would deny that Christ was present in the Sacrament of the altar, in flesh, blood, and bone, they should present them. He said: that was to to gross, and could not well be excused from the opinion of the Caphernites. Then I asked him in as much, as christ was there, Vere, how do we receive him in our minds and spiritual parts, or with our mouths and into our bodies, or both? he said: we receive him in our minds and souls by faith. Then in asmuch as he was much in this point, that there was Mira unitio, a marvelous union, betwixt us and Christ, in that we were Caro ex carne eius, et os ex ossibus, bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, I desired to know his opinion, whether we received the very body of Christ with our mouths, & into our bodies, or no. Here he paused and did hold his peace a little space, & shortly after he spoke, saying: I will not say so, I can not tell, it is a hard question, but surely saith he: we receive Christ in our soul by faith, when you speak of it other ways, it soundeth grossly, & savoureth of thee Caphernites. Then I asked him what he thought of that which the Priest was wont to life up and show the people betwixt his hands, he said: it is the sacrament, than said I they were wont to worship that which was lifted up, yea saith he: but we must worship christ in heaven, Christ is neither lifted up nor down, I am glad said I Master D. to hear you say so moche, I would not speak of the holy sacrament otherwise then reverently, but I fear lest that sacrament and little white piece of bread so lifted up, hath rob christ of a great part of his honour. Then said he looking up and praying, god grant us grace that we may have the true understanding of his word, whereby we may come to the true use of his Sacraments, & said he would never allow the carrying about of the sacrament & other fond abuses about the same. Then after a little while pausing said I, Master doctor if I should not trouble you, I would pray you to know your mind in transubstantiation, jesus Master Wilkes sayeth he will you ask me that? Sir said I, not if I should trouble you, no no, I will tell you saith he, because I found th'opinion of transubstantiation received in the church, when I hard it spoken against, I searched the ancient Doctors diligently, & went about to stablish it by them, because it was received, and when I red many of them, I found little for it, and could not be satisfied, than I went to the school doctors, and namely to Gabriel, and weighed his reasons, the which when I had done, and perceived they were no pithier, Languescebat opinio mea, de transubstantiatione, my opinion of transubstantiation waxed feeble, and then saith he: I returned again to Tertullian & Ireneus, and when I had observed their sayings, mine opinion that there should be transubstantiation, Prorsus erat abolita, was quite dashed. Then said I, you know that the school Doctors did hold that Panis non remanebat post consecrationem, that bread remained not after consecration, as they called it. The school Doctors saith he: did not know what consecratio doth mean, and here he paused a while, I pray you said I, what say you that consecratio doth mean, saith he: it is Tota actio in ministering the Sacrament as Christ did institute it. All the whole thing done in the ministery as Christ ordained it, that is consecratio, and what, saith he: need we to doubt that bread remaineth. Scripture calleth it bread and certain good auctors that be of latter time, be of that opinion. After that I had communed with Master D. Redman, & taken my leave of him, Master young came forth into the next chamber with me, to whom I said: that I was glad to see Master D. Redman so well minded, then saith Master young to me, I am sure he will not deny it, I ensure you saith he: Master D. hath so moved me that where as I was of that opinion before in certain things, that I would have burned and lost my life for them, now saith Master young, I doubt of them, but I see saith he: a man shall know more and more by process of time, and reading and hearing of others, and Master D. Redmans saying shall cause me too look more diligently for them. Item that Ellis Master Doctor redman's servant showed me, that he did know that his Master had declared too King Henrye the viii his Majesty, that faith only justifieth, but that doctrine as he thought was not to be taught the people, lest they should be negligent to do good works. The said M. young hath reported, the which also I heard that Master Doctor Redman should say, that consensus Ecclesie the consent of the Church was but a weak staff to cleave to, but did exhort him to read the scriptures, for there was that which should comfort him, when he should be in such case as he was then. FINIS. ❀ Imprinted at London by Thomas Raynalde in Paul's church yield for William Seres, dwelling at the west side of Paul's toward Ludgate, at the sign of the hedgehog. ¶ Cum Privilegio ad Imprimendum Solum.