Brief History OF TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  
SHOWING The Time when, and the Occasion how it first begun; the Growth, Increase, and present state of it; the Grounds and Reasons, Absurdities and Follies of it.  
WRITTEN For satisfaction of those that are, and shall be called to Subscribe the DECLARATION in the late ACT AGAINST Popish Recusants, For Quieting the MINDS of HIS MAJESTY'S good Subjects.  
By R. A. Pastor of the Church at Henfield in Sussex.  
LONDON, Printed by J. Cotterel for the Author, and are to be sold by Francis Kindon in Duck-lane, near the Crown-Tavern. 1674.   

To the Honourable Sir John Pelham, Sir Nicholas Pelham, Sir Cecil Bishop, Sir John Fag, Sir John Covert, Sir John Stapley, Knights Baronet's; Henry Goring the Elder, Mr. Garroway Edward Blaker and Henry Goring the younger, Esquires; with the rest of the Honourable Members of Parliament serving for the County of Sussex.  
Honourable Patriots,  
TO avoid the Penalties of your late Act, many received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, that never did before, and peradventure never will again: I judge so, because I have heard of some murmuring at the Subscription therein required. Whereupon I adventured to publish this short Account of TRANSUBSTANTIATION, for their better satisfaction. We see the Nation divided about Matters of Religion; and we know the danger of a Kingdom divided against itself, except speedy remedy be applied. Toleration is a pretty Anodyne, that may ease our Distempers for a time, but will never make a perfect Cure. And Physicians observe, That violent Medicines never did good upon stubborn Humours. For remedy of such Evils as now we are endangered with divers eminent persons have given their advices.  
First, Some famous Princes, Peers, and Prelates of our own Nation.  
Secondly, A famous Parliament, in a Message to their King, tell him, That the only way to suppress Heresy and Schism, is to follow the example of the Primitive Church, etc. There is (say they) a Root to be tilled; and if that be done, we may hope to enjoy the sweet fruits of a firm and lasting Peace. But if this be neglected (make what Laws you will) Heresy and Schism will increase, and Divisions grow daily wider and wider.  
Thirdly, The famous Council of Chalcedon called by Martianus the Emperor against Eutyches, hath taught us to remove one main hindrance of peace out of the way.  
If the great Affairs of the Kingdom will permit, You may do something for the Church of England, that will not only stop the mouths of Evil Speakers, but also allure all Conscientious Dissenters to return home again to their Mother, whom they forsook, before they knew her. The great God, and disposer of all things, send his blessing upon all Your Consultations, that they may be to His Glory, the Honour of our Gracious Sovereign, and the Peace and Welfare of our Country.  
Your HONOUR'S Humble Servant, Rich: Allen. October 1673.   

THE Declaration.  
I A. B. do Declare, That I do believe that there is not any Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, or in the Elements of Bread and Wine at or after the Consecration thereof, by any person whatsoever.   

A Brief History OF TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  

PREFACE.  
THere are and have been many erroneous Opinions concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; Three specially at this day trouble the Church, scil. Transubstantiation; Consubstantiation; and bare Sign or Figure.  
I. Bare Sign or Figure alloweth no more in this Holy Sacrament, but only Bread and Wine; denying all other presence of Christ, but only in figure and signification.  
II. Consubstantiation holdeth, That the Bread and Wine, and the Body and Blood of Christ, are jointly, and both together present: So that we receive in this Holy Sacrament, not only Bread and Wine; but also in, with, or under the Bread and Wine, we receive, eat and drink the very Body and Blood of Christ really and substantially.  
III. Transubstantiation is the Doctrine of the Church of Rome, and teacheth, That in this Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper, after the words of Consecration, and by virtue of the same, the Bread and Wine are turned into the very Body and Blood of Christ; nothing remaining of those Elements, but only outward accidents to serve the senses. The two last have been the occasion of many Superstitions, the first of much profaneness. All Three rejected by the Church of England.   

CHAP. I. The Original and first Occasion of Transubstantiation.  
TRansubstantiation is a barbarous word, never heard of in the Church till above 1000 years after Christ. The first that imagined a Carnal eating were the Capernaites, who (John 6.) mistook our Saviour's words, for a Carnal eating his Flesh with their teeth. This gross conceit vanished with the Authors; of whom St. Augustine speaks nothing, but makes mention of others, who abused, slighted, or despised this Holy Sacrament. Whereupon the old Writers and Fathers of the Church (to preserve the dignity of this Ordinance, and to stir up the more Piety and Reverence in the minds of men to so holy a Mystery) used many Rhetorical expressions and flourishes of Exornation, as giving the names of the things signified, to the signs signifying, etc. which in aftertimes gave occasion to many mistakes, and came thus to pass.  
Gallienus the Emperor, a luxurious Prince, given wholly to pleasure and carnal delights, through his sloth and negligence, gave way to the Goths, and other barbarous Nations, to invade and break into the Empire; who for many years together made such havoc and spoil in France, Spain, Italy, and all Christendom, that there followed a great decay of Learning, and Learned men. In those dark times, Professors of Christian Religion, in reading the Fathers, through want of skill to discern, mistook their meanings, and took things as they read them, and commonly one thing for another; their Tropes and Figures, for speeches natural and proper; a change of substance, for a change of power and operation, which is all the Fathers intended. Thus the seeds of Transubstantiation were probably sown, though the blade appeared not in many Ages after.  
About the year 870, in the Reign of Charles the Bald, a certain Knight called Fredenardus, moved the question, Whether the Body of Christ was truly in the Sacrament, or only in Figure? Whereto divers answered diversely; and some more gross than Capernaites, said there was nothing in the Sacrament, neither substance nor accident, but only the body and blood of Christ; and whatsoever appeared, was the outside of his body. The question was put to Bertram a Presbyter wellbeloved of the King; whose answer was, That Secundum creaturarum substantiam, etc. According to their substance, the creatures of Bread and Wine remained in the Sacrament after Consecration. The Popish Writers, to excuse what they cannot deny, say, That Bertram at that time did not exactly know how these accidents could subsist without their substance.  
It was above 300 years after this, that Berengarius a Deacon, reading the Fathers, and misliking some expressions, as savouring too much of the letter, declined as much on the other hand to bare Figure (if Caranza abuse him not:) for others affirm, That he was of a sounder judgement, holding a Conversion (suo modo) as we also do. Whatever it was, Pope Leo IX. condemned his Opinion in a Council at Vercelles, 1049. and soon after, scil. 1057, Pope Nicholas II. took him in hand, and in the second Council of Lateran, made him Recant, and make this Public Confession, That the very body and blood of Christ, was truly and sensibly broken and bruised with the teeth of the faithful. And this Confession the Pope received and allowed for Catholic. But no Papist at this day will undertake the defence of it; and some of their own Doctors utterly dislike it, because than aged People, who have no teeth, cannot eat effectually.  
As yet we hear nothing of Transubstantiation; the word was coined afterwards: for Lombard, who lived a good while after this, saith, L. 4. Sent. D. two. If any man inquire what manner of conversion is in the Sacrament, he could not resolve him. Howsoever, it was never received as an Article of Faith, nor decreed by that name, till the third Council of Lateran held under Innocent III. 1215, where Tit. de Fide Cathol. it is declared, That the very body and blood of Christ is truly contained in the Sacrament of the Altar, the Bread being transubstantiate into the Body, and the Wine into the Blood of Christ. This is the first News we hear of Transubstantiation.  
We see now the Antiquity of Transubstantiation. It is one of the Tares that were sowed whilst men slept, and grew up by degrees; but was scarce known, never decreed as an Article of Faith; till above 1200 years after Christ; and was never received generally to this day. For some of their own Writers (one a Cardinal) say, That they receive it chief out of reverence to the Church, because she hath so decreed; but otherwise in their own judgement rather approve that Opinion, which saith, That the substance of Bread and Wine remain in the Sacrament.   

CHAP. II. The full growth and present state of Transubstantiation.  
WE have seen now how Transubstantiation was first sowed, and how it grew up by degrees; but came not to its full growth and height, till the Council of Trent, called by Pope Paul III. and assembled in the City of Trent, Decemb. 13. 1545. In this Council, the Doctrine of Transubstantiation being called in question, was with some earnestness debated between the Franciscan and Dominican Friars. The Dominicans affirmed, That in the Lord's Supper, the Bread and Wine are turned into the very Body and Blood of Christ, matter into matter, and form into form; and therefore it was called Transubstantiation. On the contrary, the Franciscans contended, That it was called Transubstantiation, not because one substance was made of the other, as Dominicans say; but because one substance succeeded in the place of the other, the Bread vanishing, and the Body of Christ coming in place of it. I purposely pass over the hot dispute they had about the manner of Being of Christ in the Sacrament, and how it differed from the manner of his Being in Heaven; wherein the Learned Friars were so confounded, that they could neither agree themselves, nor satisfy others. The Fathers of the Council being for most part Lawyers, understood not the subtleties of the Divines; and it is a wonder how they should understand, Locatum sine loco; Quantum sine quantitate, etc. In a place, possessing no place: A Body, without quantity: Quantity, in condition of a Body or Substance: Substance without Accidents: and Accidents, not insisting but subsisting of themselves without a Subject. And such like monstrous fancies, enough to puzzle all the Wits in the World, as it hath done their own Doctors to this day, that they neither understand it themselves, nor can explain it to others. Such hard shifts men are often put to, that forsake the Truth, to maintain Error. The Fathers conclude to make an expression so universal, as may be accommodated to the meaning of both Parties. And so it is declared, Con. Trid. S. 13. Dec. de Euchar. That after the words of Consecration, the whole substance of the Bread is turned into the substance of the Body of Christ, etc. And that whole Christ, Body and Soul, together with his Godhead, is contained in the Sacrament, and in every part and particle of it. But this did not please all the Council neither.   

CHAP. III. The Grounds and Reasons for Transubstantiation.  
THE Grounds and Reasons for this Opinion, are the Power and Truth of Christ. Who being God Almighty, can do whatsoever he will; and will do whatsoever he hath promised, because he is Truth itself. But Christ hath promised to give us his flesh to eat (John 6.) and afterwards instituting a Sacrament, did give his Body to his Disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is my Body. Some think it impossible, but we (say they) must believe it, for his other Miracles that he did: as (John 2.) he turned water into wine; and many other Miracles he did, to witness his Almighty Power and Godhead; that they which believed him not for his Word, might believe him for his Works sake.   

CHAP. IU. The Grounds and Reasons Considered.  
IT is very true, That Christ can do whatsoever he will, and will do whatsoever he hath promised. The question is, not of his Power, nor of his Truth, but of his Will and Promise: when and where made he any such promise? He promised indeed (John 6.) to give his flesh for the life of the World; and so he did upon the Cross once for all. He promised also to give us his flesh to eat; and so he doth to every faithful Receiver in the Sacrament. As he said to his Disciples, Take, Eat, this is my Body. Not his Body Natural and Organical; our Saviour never promised to give us that to eat. That was the gross conceit of carnal Capernaites: which our Saviour reproves and corrects (John 6.62, 63.) That Body must ascend up into Heaven, there to continue; the flesh profiteth nothing. Our Saviour's words are spirit and life, and will quicken us, if understood spiritually. Aug. Leave off then all carnal Thoughts. Quid paras ventrem, & c? August. Why preparest thou belly or teeth? Here is no Belly-chear, but food for the Soul: Believe, and thou hast eaten.  
2. Our Saviour turned Water into Wine; that was a true Miracle, as all his Miracles were. Water turned into Wine, for colour, taste, and other qualities, true Wine: but this trick of Transubstantiation is a mere juggle, that beguiles all the senses, and would have us believe not only above, but against Reason; yea, against Scriptures, Fathers, and Nature itself.  
3. In one part of the Sacrament, there is a plain Trope or Figure (Luke 22.) This Cup is the New Testament in my blood; Cup put for Wine in the Cup. And why there should be a Figure in one part of the Sacrament, and not in the other; when they give us a reason, we shall give them an answer. But indeed we can never expect any reason from them, who reject Scriptures, Fathers, practice of Primitive Times, yea and the Institution of Christ himself; to set up their own monstrous Fancies, as the Council of Constance doth, (Sess. 13.) where it is said, That although Christ administered the Sacrament in both kinds, and Primitive Christians received it in both kinds; yet (Hoc non obstante) notwithstanding all this, they think fit to take away the Cup from the Laity, to avoid some perils and scandals; no man knows what, nor themselves neither.   

CHAP. V Observations concerning the FATHERS.  
BEcause our Adversaries make boast so much of Antiquity, and of all the Fathers on their side, (as Campian doth) and so with great swelling words of Vanity deceive the hearts of the simple: To all their vain Brags, I oppose that one Speech of the Noble King James, who said, That all the Jesuits in the World shall never be able to produce the unanimous consent of the Fathers against us, or for themselves, in any substantial point of Faith. And to Duraeus his Nullam refugio antiquitatem, I oppose that of the Learned Whitaker: Si vel unum potes proffer, etc. Produce but one testimony of pure Antiquity for Transubstantiation, and we will yield the cause.  
The same famous Prince also at a Conference with some Learned men, shows out of Vincentius Lirinensis, and others, how the Fathers, in flourish of Exornation, and in heat of Opposition, may overstrain. And Jesuits themselves confess, That some of the Fathers in heat of opposition against one Heresy, have given occasion to another. The shameful work they have made with the Fathers, as their own Books bear witness, is sufficient to stop the mouths of all that are not past shame. There is not one Father that is not of their own spurious brood, in whom they can find any ground for Transubstantiation, but only some words and phrases mistaken.   

CHAP. VI Absurdities that follow this opinion of Transubstantiation.  
THE falsehood of Transubstantiation appears most clearly by the Absurdities that follow it: As,  
First, If this Opinion be true, than Christ eat his own Flesh, and gave to his Disciples his own dead Body before he was dead.  
Secondly, If this Opinion be true, then there were two Christ's; one giving, another given; one sitting at Table, another in the hands or mouths of his Disciples.  
Thirdly, If this Opinion be true, then there are many Christ's: for according to this Doctrine, the Body of Christ is in every part and particle of the Sacrament; as the Bread than is divided, Christ is multiplied.  
Fourthly, If this Opinion be true, than the Apostle did not speak true, to call it Bread after Consecration (1 Cor. 10. and 11.)  
Fifthly, If this Opinion be true, than the Body of Christ is in many places at one time; in a place, possessing no place; whole Christ, in a crumb of Bread or Wafer: all contrary to the nature of a true Body, that possesseth as much place as is proportionable to its magnitude.  
Sixthly, If this Opinion be true, than the Body of Christ may putrify, breed Worms, be eaten of Mice, go into the Draught, etc. most unworthy to be spoken of him, of whom it is said, Thou wilt not suffer thine Holy One to see Corruption.   

CHAP. VII. The true Doctrine held by the Church of ENGLAND.  
THE same that is taught in the Twenty eighth Article.  
First, To them which receive it worthily, the Bread which we break, is the Communion of the Body of Christ, etc.  
Secondly, It is given, taken and eaten in the Lord's Supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner.  
Thirdly, The mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Lord's Supper, is Faith.  
1. Against bare Sign and Figure, we teach, That the Body of Christ is given, taken and eaten in the Lord's Supper.  
2. Against Transubstantiation, we teach, That the Body of Christ is given, taken and eaten only after an heavenly and spiritual manner, by the mean of Faith. There must be some great and wonderful change of the Elements, or else the common Bread made of Corn, could never become an instrument of heavenly grace and life, to feed, quicken and strengthen the Soul to life eternal.  
And this change of the Elements cannot be in their substance.  
First, Because that would overthrow the nature of a true Body, as hath been said.  
Secondly, It overthrows the nature of a Sacrament.  
But the change we acknowledge, is in their use, virtue, power, and operation; so that whereas before Consecration, the Elements were only instruments to feed and strengthen the Body; after Consecration, they are holy instruments to feed and nourish the Soul to life eternal. For if the Woman that had the bloody issue (Matth. 9) drew Virtue out of Christ to heal her disease, only by touching the hem of his garment or  in faith; Why should it seem strange, that in receiving those holy Mysteries that Christ himself hath ordained, we may, and do receive Virtue from him, and are truly made partakers of his precious body and blood by faith? Distance of place cannot hinder the work of faith, (Eph. 3.17.) Christ dwells in our hearts by faith.  
When our Saviour says, This is my Body, he intends not to show what the Bread is, but what his Body is: Not that the Bread is turned into his Flesh, but that his Body is Food for our Soul, as Bread is for our Body. It shows not any conversion of one substance into another, but only the relation that is between them. He which before called his Body Bread, now calls the Bread his Body; that by this change of names, we might understand and believe the change that is made by grace; and not so much heed the things we see, as mind the things we see not: Theod. We confess then, that the Body and Blood of Christ is given and received; we agree about the matter, all the question is about the manner. They say it is corporally and carnally; we grant really, if by really ye understand truly and indeed; but yet that it is spiritual, heavenly, and divine. The Truth is present with the Sign; the Holy Spirit with the Sacrament, feeding our Souls with the truth of Christ's Body and Blood: but the invisible working of that divine Spirit herein is unsearchable; the natural man cannot perceive it, because it is spiritual.  
To conclude, Let us firmly believe what we cannot conceive; and rest assured in this truth, That we receive in this Holy Sacrament the Body and Blood of Christ by Faith, though we cannot conceive it by Sense and Reason.   
FINIS.